The Travels of Marco Polo · Character
One-eyed Cobler
Also known as Cobler
- Minor
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 45
There is a plainness to the cobbler that makes his sudden gravity all the more striking: a humble working man, marked by one eye and more hesitant than saintly. He seems at first like someone who would rather keep his head down, until the stillness of prayer gathers around him.
- Gender
- male
- Age
- Middle-aged adult
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 45
- Books
- 1
The one-eyed cobbler begins as a humble man whom the narrative itself cautions was not quite as good as Christians made him out to be. When the Calif demands a sign, he kneels before the Holy Cross, reaches his hands toward Heaven, and prays for the mountain to move. His prayer becomes the wonder that changes how the Calif and many Saracens regard Christianity, while the cobbler’s reluctance and ordinary humanity remain part of his legend.
Description
The cobbler is a middle-aged man distinguished by having one eye; the text does not say which eye, nor describe his features in detail. His build, complexion, hair, and precise age are unstated. His humble trade suggests plain working clothes, but no particular garment is described, and his modest, unassuming bearing is the clearest impression the account leaves.
Story so far
BOOK 1The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1
Appearances
Meet One-eyed Cobler in Bookworm
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