The Book of the Marvels of the World, Marco Polo - Odoric of Pordenone

The people of Mutifili collecting diamonds for their queen, f. 81-82


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Mutifili is located about a thousand miles from Maabar. There, a wise and prudent queen reigns, adored by her people of idolaters. After the death of her husband, the king, she refused to remarry and ruled the kingdom with the same wisdom, integrity, and justice as he did, earning a love even greater than that received by any monarch before her.

These lands are rich in diamonds, and when it rains, the torrential waters sweep everything along, carrying the precious gems into the ravines. However, collecting them is no easy task, as diamond seekers must face venomous snakes that seem to guard the treasures and prevent them from being taken.

In a deep valley, whose rocky cliffs are so steep that descending to the bottom is impossible, the locals have devised an ingenious method to obtain the diamonds. They cut pieces of minced meat soaked in blood and throw them into the depths, where the gems stick to them. Upon seeing the meat, white eagles swoop down and seize it with their talons. The hunters, who have been observing patiently, then rush to the spot where the birds land. Startled by their presence, the eagles flee, abandoning the meat, allowing the hunters to retrieve the diamonds embedded in it.

However, they do not always arrive in time. Sometimes, the eagles swallow the gems along with the meat, but the locals know where they take refuge at night. They wait patiently until the birds expel the diamonds in their droppings and collect them. Yet, if they manage to catch one, the reward is even greater, as inside its stomach, they find even more jewels.

Diamonds exist only in this kingdom; they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Later, they are distributed across various countries, with most being sent to the Great Khan, as well as to kings and barons from different regions and realms.


The Book of the Marvels of the World, Marco Polo - Odoric of Pordenone The people of Mutifili collecting diamonds for their queen, f. 81-82

Back

The people of Mutifili collecting diamonds for their queen, f. 81-82

Mutifili is located about a thousand miles from Maabar. There, a wise and prudent queen reigns, adored by her people of idolaters. After the death of her husband, the king, she refused to remarry and ruled the kingdom with the same wisdom, integrity, and justice as he did, earning a love even greater than that received by any monarch before her.

These lands are rich in diamonds, and when it rains, the torrential waters sweep everything along, carrying the precious gems into the ravines. However, collecting them is no easy task, as diamond seekers must face venomous snakes that seem to guard the treasures and prevent them from being taken.

In a deep valley, whose rocky cliffs are so steep that descending to the bottom is impossible, the locals have devised an ingenious method to obtain the diamonds. They cut pieces of minced meat soaked in blood and throw them into the depths, where the gems stick to them. Upon seeing the meat, white eagles swoop down and seize it with their talons. The hunters, who have been observing patiently, then rush to the spot where the birds land. Startled by their presence, the eagles flee, abandoning the meat, allowing the hunters to retrieve the diamonds embedded in it.

However, they do not always arrive in time. Sometimes, the eagles swallow the gems along with the meat, but the locals know where they take refuge at night. They wait patiently until the birds expel the diamonds in their droppings and collect them. Yet, if they manage to catch one, the reward is even greater, as inside its stomach, they find even more jewels.

Diamonds exist only in this kingdom; they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Later, they are distributed across various countries, with most being sent to the Great Khan, as well as to kings and barons from different regions and realms.


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