The King and the Viziers
In this Georgian folktale, a king gives his three viziers—his advisers—three difficult riddles. They have only three days to find the answers, and the king threatens a terrible punishment if they fail.
Content warning: A king threatens to have his advisers beheaded.
Caucasian Melodies
Lela Tataraidze’s quartet “Kessane” (ensemble)
Lela Tataraidze (arranger)
Priscilla Telmon (sound recording)
Vincent Moon (film)
Zoé Perret (production)
There was once a king who had three viziers, or royal ministers.three viziers. One day he summoned them and asked them, “How long would it takethem: how long it would take to walk from the eastern side of the world to the western one? In which; next—toward which direction is God’s face turned? And lastly, howturned; and lastly,—how much am I, the king, worth?”worth?
The viziers were unable to answer these questions. ThenThereupon the king gave them the following command: “I give you three days in which to find an answer to my queries. If at the end of that time you have neither answered them yourselves nor found someoneeither have not answered them yourself or found some one capable of doing so, I will have your heads cut off.”off”.
The viziers left the king’s presence deep in thought. They questioned many of the passers-by, but could find no solution.
On their way out they passed near a mill, and asked the miller to bring them out some flour. The miller fulfilled their request, and, noticing how anxious they were looking, said to them: “If you don’t mind my speaking freelywill not take offence at my liberty, I should like to ask you something.”something”.
“Speak on,”— “Speak on”, — answered the viziers.
“Well— “Well then, why are you so sad, my lords?”
All three were silent, for they thought that this poor man could never solve their dilemma. Butdilemma, but at last one of them said: “Who knows? God may help him to guess the riddle,”riddle”, and they told him the cause of their anxiety.
“Why,” said the miller, “these“Why”,—said the miller,—“these questions require no thinking at all: I can answer them all.”all”. The viziers rejoiced and went off to the king.
“Sire,” they said,“Sire”, said they, “we ourselves could find no answer to your questions, but we have found a man who can do so.”so”. The king sent for the miller and ordered him to speak.
“Tell me first—how long it would take to walk from the east to the west.”west”.
“Well,” replied“Well”, rejoined the miller, “neither you nor I have ever made the journey, but the sun and the moon perform it in 24 hours.”hours”.
Then the monarch continued, “TellThen,—continued the monarch,—“tell me: which way is God’s faceme to what side God’s face is turned?”
The miller lit a candle and merely asked: “What side is the face of this candle turned to?”—“To every side,” responded the king. side”, responded the king.—“So is God’s,”God’s”, said the miller.
The king then put his last question: “HowHow much am I worth?”
“I don’t wish to give offence, sire, but our Lord Jesus Christ was sold for thirty silver coins30 penceExplanation: The 1919 text says “30 pence”; Matthew 26:15 speaks of thirty pieces of silver., and you are not worth more than he.”he”.
Greatly pleased with the miller’s answers, the king sent him away with many rich gifts.