the school of salamanca

A father and son go to the School of Salamanca to learn how to make money. The son turns into a horse and the father sells him for 100 gold coins. The horse turns into an eel and escapes the master. The eel turns into a dove and is chased by the master who turns into a falcon. The dove turns into a ring and falls into the hands of a princess. The ring turns into a man and they fall in love. The master tries to harm the king but fails. After a 25 or 30 year hiatus, this story goes out to Mark and Tony. It's story 128, The School of Salamanca. There once was a father who had but one son. To this son, who showed he was shrewd, the father said, My son, by being thrifty, I have managed to save up 100 ducats. And I would like to double that sum, but I am wary of investing it, lest I lose every bit of the money. For in one way or another, many men are dishonest. I worry day and night over what to do. Tell me your thoughts on the matter. What does that brain of yours advise? The son was silent for a while, as though lost in thought. And when he had carefully considered, he said, Papa, I've heard of the School of Salamanca, where one may learn any number of things. If I can enter it with our 100 ducats, you can be sure I'll know what to do when I come out. And rake in the money for you with little effort. This idea appealed to the father. And early the next morning, they set off for the mountain. After some distance, they came to a hermitage. Hello in there. Hello. Who comes hither? A good Christian soul, exactly like yourself. Here the cock crows not, the moon shines not. What brings you, solitary soul? Do you bring clippers to clip my eyelashes? Do you bring shears to shear my edges? I do bring clippers to clip your eyelashes, and shears to shear your edges. No sooner was that said, than the door of the hermitage flew open, and father and son stepped inside. They trimmed the big old man's long eyelashes with their scissors, and once he was able to look out and see them, they asked him for his advice. The hermit approved of their decision, gave the boy much advice, and said in conclusion, when you reach the top of that mountain way over there, strike the ground with the wand I'm giving you now, and out will come an old man, far older than I am. He is the master of Salamanca. They talked on for a bit, and then separated. For two days and two nights, father and son walked, and reaching the mountaintop, they did what the hermit had told them. The mountain opened, and there stood the master. At that, the poor father fell to his knees, and with tears in his eyes, told why he had come. The master, totally impassive and hard-hearted, like all masters, took the hundred gold coins and invited father and son into his dwelling. He led them through rooms and rooms and rooms, packed with animals of all species. As he passed them, he whistled, and all the animals turned into dazzling young men. The master said to the father, you need not worry about your son. He'll be treated even better than a nobleman. I will instruct him in the mysteries of science, and if in the end of the year you are able to distinguish him from all these animals, you'll take him back home together with the hundred gold coins you have given me. But if you're unable to recognize him, he will remain with me forever. In those woeful words, the poor father began weeping. But then he took heart, embraced his son, kissed him goodbye over and over again, and finally made his way back home alone. Morning and evening, the master teacher instructed the young man, who caught on at once and made tremendous progress. In almost no time, he was so clever he could figure out things totally by himself. And so when the year rolled around, the people knew everything the master knew, the good things and the bad. The father, meanwhile, was on his way to get his son. And the poor old man was worried, having no idea how he would recognize his son in the midst of all those animals. He was climbing the mountain when he heard the wind blow, and a voice in the wind spoke, wind I am, and a man will I become. And there stood before him was his son. Papa, said the young, listen to me. The master will take you into a room full of pigeons. You will hear a pigeon cooing. That pigeon will be me. Then he said, man I am, wind will I become. And at that, the young man turned back into wind and flew away. Overjoyed, the father continued on to Salamanca. When he reached the mountaintop, he struck the ground with the wand and bang, there stood the master. I have come for my boy, explained the father, and may God help me recognize him. Very well, replied the master, but you'll certainly fail. Come with me. The master took him from one end of the house to the other, upstairs, downstairs, and all around, just trying to confuse them, him. When they entered the room containing pigeons, he said, it's up to you now. Tell me if your son is in there. If not, we will move on. In the midst of those pigeons, a magnificent white and black one began strutting around and cooing. Coo, coo, coo, coo. Right off the bat, the father said, this one is my son. I just know it is. My blood tells me so. The master was horrified, but what could he do? He had to keep his promise and hand over the son as well as the hundred gold coins, which he hated to lose even more than the boy. Overjoyed, father and son went home, and as soon as they arrived, invited relatives and friends to a big banquet, and everyone joyfully ate and drank. After a month of merrymaking, the son said to his father, Papa, the hundred gold coins are still here. We've not yet doubled the sum. If we built ourselves a cottage, the money wouldn't even pay for the bricks. What did I go to school for? Wasn't it to learn how to rake in money? Listen to me. The fair St. Vitus takes place tomorrow in Spangano. I will turn into a horse with a star on my head, and you will take me to the fair to sell. Watch out, for the master will surely come and recognize me, but sell me for no less than one hundred gold coins and without the halter. Remember, my life depends on it. Without the halter. And the next day, right under his father's nose, the young man changed into a fine horse with a star on his head, and off they went to the fair. Everyone flocked open-mouthed around the beautiful animal. They all wanted it, but hearing the owner ask for one hundred gold coins for it, they all backed away. The fair was almost over when an old man came sidling up, looked the horse over and said, How much are you asking for it? One hundred gold coins, but the halter's not included. Hearing that figure, the old man grumbled a little. Then he balked, saying the price was too much. But seeing that the owner would not come down on his price, he began counting out the money. The father was pocketing the money and hadn't yet removed the halter from the horse. When that cursed old man, quick as lightning, jumped on the horse's back and rode away like the wind. Stop, stop, frantically cried the father. I have to get the halter. The halter doesn't go with the horse. But he vanished without a trace. On top of the horse, the master whipped him to top speed. The blows fell so fast and thick that the animal bled all over and would have soon dropped, but had luck not brought them to a tavern. The master dismounted the horse, led the wounded horse into the stable, tied him to an empty manger, and left him still wearing the halter with neither fodder nor water. Working as a servant at the tavern was a girl who was a marvel to behold. And while the master was upstairs dining, she happened to walk through the stable. Oh, poor horse, she exclaimed. Your owner must really be mean to leave you here like that without food or water and all bloody. But I'll look after you. The first thing she did was lead him to the fountain to drink. And so that he could do so with some ease, she removed his halter. The moment that the halter was removed, the horse cried out, a horse I am, but an eel I will become. And he transformed himself into an eel and jumped into the fountain. When he heard that, the master pushed aside the plate of macaroni he was eating and ran downstairs, livid with rage. Man, I am, and a conjurer will I become. He screamed and jumped into the water, turning into a conjurer and pursuing the eel. His student, though, did not lose heart, but said, eel that I am, and a dove I will become. And swish, out of the water he flew, now a beautiful dove. The sorcerer then replied, conjurer I am, and a falcon I will become. Now a falcon, he flew after that dove. They flew and flew with the master always on the verge of overtaking the pupil. At length, they came to Naples. Outside the king's garden sat the princess under a tree. She happened to be looking up at the sky and suddenly saw the poor dove pursued by the falcon, and the sight moved her to pity. Seeing her, the young man said, dove that I am, and a ring will I become. He became a gold ring. He immediately became a gold ring and dropped into the top of the princess's dress. The falcon swooped down and landed on the roof of a house just across the way. At night, when that princess undressed and removed her corset to prepare for bed, the ring fell into her hands. Bringing it closer to the candlestick light to examine it, she heard these words. My princess, forgive me for coming to you like this without your permission, but it's a matter of life and death. Allow me to appear in my true form, and I will tell you my whole story. Hearing that voice, the princess almost died of fright, but curiosity got the better of her, and she granted him permission to show himself. Ring I am, and a man I will become. The ring gleamed brighter, and there stood a dazzling young man. The princess was fascinated and couldn't take her eyes off of him, and then when she heard of all his accomplishments and misfortunes that he was enduring, she fell in love with him and insisted that he remain with her. In the daytime, the young man turned back into the ring, which she wore on her finger. At night, when they were alone, he took back his human form. But the sorcerer master did not stand idly by. No, one morning, the king woke up in terrible pain. All the doctors were called, and they made him take every medicine known to man, but all his suffering did not lessen. The princess was grieved, and the young man still more so, because he knew all this was the evil master's doing. As a matter of fact, here came a foreign doctor to the palace from a country far away, and he claimed that if they let him into the king's room, he could cure him. So they showed him in at once, but the princess saw the ring gleaming more intensely, and she realized that the young man wanted a word with her. So she shut herself up in her chamber, and the young man said, what a mistake you have made. That doctor is the evil sorcerer. He will cure your father, but for his pay, he will demand that ring. Refuse to give it up, but if the king orders you to do so, then throw it on the floor as hard as you can. And things happened just that way. The king got well and told the doctor, nay, whatever you want, and I will give it to you. At first, the doctor pretended to want nothing, but at the king's insistence, he asked for the ring on the princess's finger. She screamed and finally fainted. But feeling the king grab her hand to take the ring by force, she suddenly jumped up, slipped the ring off her finger, and threw it on the floor. As soon as she hurled it, a voice was heard. Ring I am, and a pomegranate will I become. The pomegranate broke open on the floor and scattered seeds all over the room. Doctor, I am, and rooster will I become, said the master, turning into a rooster, and he proceeded to eat the seeds one by one. But one seed landed under the long skirt of the princess, who kept it hidden there. Pomegranate I am, and fox will I become, said the seed, and out from under the princess's skirt jumped the fox and ate the rooster in one gulp. The student had outwitted the master. The fox turned back into a young man, told the king his story, and the next day all the cannons were fired in honor of the princess's marriage. The end.