Page 103 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

When Elisa's story ended, the king praised it briefly and then true, and wept bitterly. The next morning, she resolved to find the
asked Filomena to continue. Filled with compassion for the woes place described in her dream. With a maid who knew all her secrets,
of Gerbino and his lady, Filomena sighed and began: she went to the spot, removed the dry leaves, and began to dig.
"My story, dear ladies, will not be about people of such high rank as She soon found Lorenzo's body, still intact, confirming her vision.
those in Elisa's tale, but it may be just as touching. It takes place in Knowing she could not mourn him there, she severed his head,
Messina, where three young brothers, who were merchants, were wrapped it in a napkin, and placed it in her maid's lap. They covered
left very rich after their father's death. They had a sister named the rest of the body with earth and returned home unseen. In her
Lisabetta, who was fair and charming, but for some reason, they room, Lisabetta kissed the head a thousand times, weeping over it
had not yet married her off. The brothers had a young Pisan named until it was bathed in her tears. She wrapped it in fine cloth, placed
Lorenzo working in their shop, managing all their affairs. Lorenzo it in a large pot, and planted basil roots over it. She watered the
was so good-looking and gallant that Lisabetta began to favor him, basil with her tears and perfumed water, always sitting beside the
and he, noticing her interest, began to feel the same way about her. pot, yearning for her lost Lorenzo. She would bend over it and weep
Their mutual affection soon led to a secret relationship. until the basil was soaked with her tears.

One night, as Lisabetta was going to Lorenzo's room, she was seen Nurtured with constant, unremitting care and nourished by the
by her eldest brother. Though distressed, he kept silent and spent richness of the decaying head buried within, the basil grew with
the night thinking about the situation. The next day, he told his exceptional beauty and fragrance. As the girl continued this way
brothers what he had seen. They decided to keep quiet until they of life, the neighbors noticed her behavior. When her brothers saw
could safely and discreetly remove the disgrace from their sight. her beauty fading and her eyes looking hollow, they were told by
They continued to jest and laugh with Lorenzo as usual, and after the neighbors, "We have observed that this is her daily routine."
a while, they pretended to go on a pleasure trip, taking Lorenzo The brothers, noticing her behavior, scolded her once or twice,
with them. In a remote and lonely spot, they killed him and buried but when she paid no heed, they secretly took the pot from her.
him so that no one would know.
As soon as she missed it, she demanded it back with utmost
Upon returning to Messina, they claimed they had sent Lorenzo insistence. When they did not return it, she wailed and wept
away on business. This was believed because it was common incessantly, eventually falling ill. In her sickness, she craved nothing
for them to do so. However, as Lorenzo did not return, Lisabetta but the pot of basil. The young men, marveling at her distress,
frequently and urgently questioned her brothers about him. One decided to see what the pot contained. Removing the earth, they
day, when she was particularly insistent, one of the brothers harshly found the cloth and, within it, Lorenzo's head, still recognizable by
told her to stop asking about Lorenzo. Heartbroken and fearful, its curled locks. Astonished and fearing the news would spread,
Lisabetta stopped asking but continued to call for him at night, they buried the head and, with as little said as possible, arranged
weeping and longing for his return. their secret departure from Messina to Naples.

One night, after crying herself to sleep, Lisabetta dreamed of The girl continued to weep and crave her pot, and, weeping, she
Lorenzo. He appeared to her, disheveled and sodden, and told died. Such was the tragic end of her love. In time, many came to
her that he could not return because her brothers had killed him. know the truth of the affair, and someone composed a song that
He described the place where they had buried him and told her to is still sung: A thief he was, I swear, A sorry Christian he, That took
call for him no more. Lisabetta awoke, convinced the dream was my basil of Salerno fair, etc.
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The Decameron