▁well . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁father ▁agreed , ▁the ▁merchant ▁threw ▁the ▁baby ▁over ▁a ▁cl iff . ▁ ▁Other ▁mer ch ants ▁picked ▁up ▁the ▁child ▁and ▁brought ▁him ▁to ▁Mark o , ▁who ▁persu aded ▁them ▁to ▁leave ▁him ▁with ▁them . ▁ ▁He ▁put ▁the ▁boy ▁in ▁a ▁bar rel , ▁or ▁an ▁open ▁boat , ▁and ▁threw ▁it ▁into ▁the ▁sea . ▁ ▁It ▁flo ated ▁to ▁a ▁monaster y , ▁where ▁the ▁ab bot ▁took ▁the ▁child ▁in . ▁ ▁Many ▁years ▁later , ▁Mark o ▁passed ▁by ▁and ▁heard ▁the ▁story . ▁ ▁He ▁persu aded ▁the ▁ab bot ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁take ▁him ▁in , ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁give ▁a ▁large ▁sum ▁to ▁the ▁monaster y ▁for ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁ab bot ▁and ▁mon ks ▁agreed , ▁and ▁Mark o ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁his ▁wife ▁with ▁a ▁letter ▁pres cri bing ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁be ▁pushed ▁into ▁the ▁soap - making ▁ca uld ron ▁at ▁once . ▁ ▁Vas il ii ▁met ▁the ▁three ▁begg ars ▁on ▁the ▁way , ▁who ▁bre athed ▁on ▁the ▁letter . ▁ ▁When ▁he ▁arrived , ▁the ▁letter ▁called ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁marry ▁An ast asia ▁at ▁once . ▁ ▁His ▁wife ▁obey ed , ▁and ▁Mark o ▁arrived ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁letter ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁hand writing ▁calling ▁for ▁it . ▁ ▁So ▁he ▁sent ▁his ▁son - in - law ▁to ▁collect ▁rent ▁from ▁Ts ar ▁Z me y ▁( Ser pent ▁Emperor ). ▁