Page 137 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

bird, so that I may say I have kept my son alive and made him to her boy. Whether from fretting over not having the falcon or
forever your debtor." from the energy of his illness, the boy died a few days later,
to his mother's great grief. For a while, she did nothing but
No sooner had Federigo understood what the lady wanted than, weep and bitterly bewail herself. But being still young and very
for grief that he could not serve her because he had given her wealthy, she was often urged by her brothers to marry again.
the falcon to eat, he began to weep in her presence before he
could utter a word. At first, the lady thought he wept because Though she would rather not have done so, she remembered
he was loath to part with the brave falcon and assumed he Federigo's high merit and the magnificent generosity with which
would refuse her. However, she waited patiently for Federigo's he had killed his falcon to honor her. She said to her brothers,
answer, which was as follows: "Gladly, with your consent, would I remain a widow, but if you
will not be satisfied unless I take a husband, rest assured that I
"Madam, since it pleased God that I should set my affections will take none other than Federigo degli Alberighi." Her brothers
upon you, there have been many matters in which I have deemed derided her, saying, "Foolish woman, what do you say? How
Fortune adverse to me. But they have all been trifles compared should you want Federigo, who has nothing in the world?" She
to the trick she now plays me, which I shall never forgive her. answered, "My brothers, I know it is as you say, but I would
You have come to my poor house, where, while I was rich, you rather have a man without wealth than wealth without a man."
did not deign to come, and ask a trifling favor of me, which she Seeing that her mind was made up and knowing Federigo to be
has put it out of my power to grant. How it is so, I will briefly a good and true man, poor though he was, they gave her to him
tell you. When I learned that you, of your grace, were minded with all her wealth. Federigo, being married to the woman he
to breakfast with me, having respect to your high dignity and had loved so much and now being very wealthy, lived happily
merit, I deemed it due and seemly that in your honor I should and kept better accounts for the rest of his days.
regale you with fare of a more excellent quality than is commonly
set before others. Remembering the falcon you now ask of me
and its excellence, I judged it meet food for you, and so you
have had it roasted on the trencher this morning. I thought I
had bestowed it well, but now I see you would have had it in
another guise. I am so mortified that I cannot serve you that I
doubt I shall never know peace of mind again." In witness of his
words, he had the feathers, feet, and beak of the bird brought
in and laid before her.

When the lady heard Federigo's story and saw the remains of
the bird, she chided him for killing such a fine falcon to furnish
a woman with breakfast. However, she inwardly commended
his magnanimity, which poverty had not impaired. Frustrated
in her hope of possessing the falcon and doubting her son's
recovery, she took her leave with a heavy heart and returned

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