The Chemical Wedding:

I sang this now from the bottom of my heart, all through the forest Through the forest original: "Per sylvam", so that it echoed everywhere, and the mountains repeated my last words to me, until at last I saw a beautiful green heath Into the field original: "In campū". I made my way there out of the forest; on this heath stood three tall, beautiful cedar trees 3 Cedars original: "3. Cedri" which, because of their breadth, provided a magnificent and welcome shade. This made me very happy; for although I had not yet traveled far, my great longing had made me quite weary, so I hurried toward the trees 3 Temples While the main text describes trees, this marginal note "3. Templa" suggests they represent sacred spaces or stages of initiation. to rest under them for a while. But as I came closer, I saw a small tablet The Tablet of Mercury 1. original: "Tabella Mercurialis." In alchemy, Mercury is the messenger of the gods and represents the fluid, transformative spirit that guides the seeker. fastened to one of the trees. Upon it—as I read shortly after—the following words were written in elegant letters:

Greetings, guest: if you have perhaps heard anything of the King's wedding, weigh these words well. Through us, the Bridegroom offers you a choice of four paths, through all of which—provided you do not wander into trackless ways—you may reach his Royal Court the symbolic destination of the spiritual journey, representing union with the Divine original: "Regiam". The first 1. is short but dangerous, and one which will lead you among various rocks from which you will hardly be able to extricate yourself. The second 2. is longer; it leads you around, not away; it is level and easy, if you do not allow yourself to be led away to the right or the left by the help of the Magnet likely a reference to a compass or a spiritual "inner" attraction to the truth original: "Magnetis auxilio". The third 3. is truly Royal, which will make the way pleasant for you through various delights and spectacles of our King; but so far, this has happened to scarcely one in a thousand. By the fourth 4. path, no living man shall reach the Royal Court,