THE MAGUS

The Prince and the Magician

Once upon a time there was a young prince, who believed in all things but three. He did not believe in princesses, he did not believe in islands, he did not believe in God. His father, King, told him that such things did not exist. As there were no princesses or islands in his domaines, and no sign of God, the young prince believed his father.

But then, one day, the prince ran away from his palace. He came to the next land. There, to his astonishment, from every coast he saw islands, and on these islands, strange and troubling creatures whom he dared not name.

"Are these real islands?" asked the young prince.
"Of course they are real islands,"said the man in evening dress.
"And those strange and troubling creatures?"
"They are all genuine and authentic princesses."
"Then God also must exist!!!" cried prince.
"I m God" replied the man in full evening dress with a bow.
The young prince returned home as quickly as he could.
"So you´re back"said his father the King."
I have seen islands, I have seen princesses, I have seen God," said the prince reproachfully.
The king was unmoved.
"Neither real islands, nor real princesses nor a real God exist."
"I saw them".
"Tell me how God was dressed".
"God was in a full evening dress."
"Were the sleaves of his coat rolled back?"
The prince rememberred that they had been. The King smiled..."that is the uniform of magician! You have been deceived."

At this, the prince returned to the next land, and went to the same shore, where once again he came upon the man in full evening dress. "My father the King told me who you are," said the young prince." You deceived me last time but not again. Now I know that those are not real islands and not real princesses because you´re magician."

The man on the shore smiled. "It´s you who are deceived, my boy. There are many real princesses and many real islands in your father's kingdom, but you are under your father's spell so you can not see them."
The little prince returned pensively home. When he saw his father he looked him in the eyes.

"Father, is it true that you´re not a real king but only a magician?"
The King smiled and rolled back his sleeves.
"Yes my son, I´m only a magician."
"Then the man on that shore was God."
"The man on that shore was another magician."
"I must know the truth.The truth beyond magic."
"There is no truth beyond magic," said the King.
The prince was full of sadness.
"I will kill myself" said the prince.

The King by magic caused death to appear. Death stood in the door and beckoned to the prince.The prince shuddered. He rememberred the beautiful but unreal princesses and unreal but beautifull islands.
"Very well" he said. "I can bear it".
"You see, my son, you too now become to be a magician" said the king.

Kniha Mág pobaví a zaujme všechny, kdo mají rádi netradiční přiběhy s hlubším, ne zcela jednoznačným smyslem. Rozvíjí tak trochu myšlenku zmíněné pohádky (ukázka z knížky), ale každý si v ní nejspíš najde "to svoje". Pro mě byla zajímavá i tím, že se mně dostala do ruky úplnou náhodou a přitom skvěle sedla k náladě daného období...

Martina Dv.