Marco Polo, by Mariah

     

 “Nana let him go. Let him satisfy his curiosity.” Grandpa Polo touched her

gently and they watched as the little boy ran out the door to the canals. 

            “But he is only five and he could get lost, or he could drown in the sea!”

Nana fretted as she always did at this time of day.

            “You know he won’t. He is loved by all the gondola men and he is bright. I

also taught him how to swim you know. He has many friends and he will be quite

safe.”

Nana sighed and walked to the fire. “I wish his father and uncle would come

home. You are getting too old to keep him out of trouble. And with his mother

dead, who knows what he will become.”

            “Auntie! The men say a new ship has just arrived from Asia! I wonder

where they went. Maybe they saw lions and tigers! May I go see them unload?

Please!” Young Marco was a tall stocky boy of 15. 

            “Yes you may, wait a minute young man, I am coming too.” Nana’s

breath was short and Marco could tell she was excited.

            “You are coming to the harbor?” Marco’s eyes were wide with disbelief. He

knew she hated it and all the smells and men.

            “Yes I am.”

When they arrived they saw the massive ship that had pulled in that very

morning. Marco immediately ran to a group of his own young friends and they

watched excitedly as cargo was unloaded. Nana was straining her eyes for

something and she carefully watched as each passenger disembarked. Suddenly

she gasped and stared.

            “Nana! I have come home at last!” a man with a kind face ran to her and

they embraced.

            “Is it really you? You aren’t dead in some prison or desert? Or at the

bottom of the sea?” They were laughing and crying.

            “Well my little woman! How is Venice?” another man had approached. He

was a larger man with a reddish beard.

            “Oh Maffeo! It is so good to see you! Thank you for bringing my brother

home to me!” They all laughed and hugged again. “Oh I almost forgot. Marco,

please come here.” Marco looked up and hurried over to her. Nana turned

proudly to Niccolo. “This is your son Marco.”

Father and son looked at each other in surprise and then Niccolo threw his arms

around Marco. Maffeo turned to hug his nephew and they happily went home.

Two years later Niccolo with his brother Maffeo, and young Marco, began the

long trip back to Asia. Niccolo had promised the Khan that they would bring a

letter from the catholic Pope. Because the Pope had died they waited two years

for a new pope. It was 1271, and Marco was now 17 and very excited to go to

Asia. He had begged until his father said yes and now he was going to China!

            “Father, is that the palace of the Khan?” Marco asked excitedly. He already

knew it was but after three and a half years of exhausting travel it was a very

welcome sight. They had traveled by sea and on the Silk Road and finally they

were safe under the protection of the Khan.

            “Yes my son! Now you can finally see what kept me from home for 15

years.” Niccolo was just as excited as Marco and he was ready to be done with his

errand for the Khan. Niccolo and Maffeo had brought a letter from the pope and

holy oil from the Holy Land at the Khan’s request.

After many years in the service of the Khan, they were trusted and it is

possible that Marco was a government official for the Khan because he knew four

languages; and in the book of Marco Polo he told of traveling to other parts of

Asia for the Khan.

Their knowledge of the outside world convinced the Khan to keep them

with him. Niccolo and Maffeo worried that if the Khan died that they would lose

his protection and be killed by the Khan’s enemies.

“Niccolo, I am afraid he will never let us go. I have asked again today but he

said no.” Maffeo hung his head and sighed. His hair was graying rapidly. Marco

watched his uncle and father. He had noticed how slowly they moved about. He

knew that if they waited many more years that the two men he loved would

never make it. They had been in the service of the Khan for about 19 years.

“Marco, the Khan is waiting to see you.” A servant brought Marco to the

Khan. The Khan realized he was growing old and said they could go home to

Venice.

“You and your uncle and father have been of much service to my kingdom

and I am ready to let you go. Here are many jewels and gold for your service. I

know now that without my protection you will never make it home, so I have

decided to let you go.” The Khan was ill and knew he could be selfish no longer.

Marco thanked him and hurried to his father and uncle to tell them the good

news. Marco Polo, his father Niccolo, and uncle Maffeo, arrived in Venice in

1295. Twenty-four years after they had left they saw their homeland again.

They came home with many riches and treasure and they had traveled almost

15,000 miles.