The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
be certified thereof by experience, there flocked many to him from
divers parts of the world for counsel in their straitest and most
urgent occasions. Amongst others who thus resorted to him was a young
man, Melisso by name, a gentleman of noble birth and great wealth, who
set out from the city of Lajazzo,[439] whence he was and where he
dwelt; and as he journeyed towards Jerusalem, it chanced that, coming
forth of Antioch, he rode for some distance with a young man called
Giosefo, who held the same course as himself. As the custom is of
wayfarers, he entered into discourse with him and having learned from
him what and whence he was, he asked him whither he went and upon what
occasion; to which Giosefo replied that he was on his way to Solomon,
to have counsel of him what course he should take with a wife he had,
the most froward and perverse woman alive, whom neither with prayers
nor with blandishments nor on any other wise could he avail to correct
of her waywardness. Then he in his turn questioned Melisso whence he
was and whither he went and on what errand, and he answered, 'I am of
Lajazzo, and like as thou hast a grievance, even so have I one; I am
young and rich and spend my substance in keeping open house and
entertaining my fellow-townsmen, and yet, strange to say, I cannot for
all that find one who wisheth me well; wherefore I go whither thou
goest, to have counsel how I may win to be beloved.'
[Footnote 439: Apparently Laodicea (_hod._ Eskihissar) in Anatolia,
from which a traveller, taking the direct land route, would
necessarily pass Antioch (_hod._ Antakhia) on his way to Jerusalem.]
Accordingly, they joined company and journeyed till they came to
Jerusalem, where, by the introduction of one of Solomon's barons, they
were admitted to the presence of the king, to whom Melisso briefly set
forth his occasion. Solomon answered him, 'Love'; and this said,
Melisso was straightway put forth and Giosefo told that for which he
was there. Solomon made him no other answer than 'Get thee to
Goosebridge'; which said, Giosefo was on like wise removed, without
delay, from the king's presence and finding Melisso awaiting him
without, told him that which he had had for answer. Thereupon,
pondering Solomon's words and availing to apprehend therefrom neither
significance nor profit whatsoever for their occasions, they set out
to return home, as deeming themselves flouted. After journeying for
some days, they came to a river, over which was a fine bridge, and a
caravan of pack-mules and sumpter-horses being in act to pass, it
behoved them tarry till such time as these should be crossed over.
Presently, the beasts having well nigh all crossed, it chanced that
one of the mules took umbrage, as oftentimes we see them do, and
would by no means pass on; whereupon a muleteer, taking a stick, began
to beat it at first moderately enough to make it go on; but the mule
shied now to this and now to that side of the road and whiles turned
back altogether, but would on no wise pass on; whereupon the man,
incensed beyond measure, fell to dealing it with the stick the
heaviest blows in the world, now on the head, now on the flanks and
anon on the crupper, but all to no purpose.
Melisso and Giosefo stood watching this and said often to the
muleteer, 'Alack, wretch that thou art, what dost thou? Wilt thou kill
the beast? Why studiest thou not to manage him by fair means and
gentle dealing? He will come quicklier than for cudgeling him as thou
dost.' To which the man answered, 'You know your horses and I know my
mule; leave me do with him.' So saying, he fell again to cudgelling
him and belaboured him to such purpose on one side and on the other,
that the mule passed on and the muleteer won the bout. Then, the two
young men being now about to depart, Giosefo asked a poor man, who sat
at the bridge-head, how the place was called, and he answered, 'Sir,
this is called Goosebridge.' When Giosefo heard this, he straightway
called to mind Solomon's words and said to Melisso, 'Marry, I tell
thee, comrade, that the counsel given me by Solomon may well prove
good and true, for I perceive very plainly that I knew not how to beat
my wife; but this muleteer hath shown me what I have to do.'
Accordingly, they fared on and came, after some days, to Antioch,
where Giosefo kept Melisso with him, that he might rest himself a day
or two, and being scurvily enough received of his wife, he bade her
prepare supper according as Melisso should ordain; whereof the latter,
seeing that it was his friend's pleasure, acquitted himself in a few
words. The lady, as her usance had been in the past, did not as
Melisso had ordained, but well nigh altogether the contrary; which
Giosefo seeing, he was vexed and said, 'Was it not told thee on what
wise thou shouldst prepare the supper?' The lady, turning round
haughtily, answered, 'What meaneth this? Good lack, why dost thou not
sup, an thou have a mind to sup? An if it were told me otherwise, it
seemed good to me to do thus. If it please thee, so be it; if not,
leave it be.' Melisso marvelled at the lady's answer and blamed her
exceedingly; whilst Giosefo, hearing this, said, 'Wife, thou art still
what thou wast wont to be; but, trust me, I will make thee change thy
fashion.' Then turning to Melisso, 'Friend,' said he, 'we shall soon
see what manner of counsel was Solomon's; but I prithee let it not irk
thee to stand to see it and hold that which I shall do for a sport.
And that thou mayest not hinder me, bethink thee of the answer the
muleteer made us, when we pitied his mule.' Quoth Melisso, 'I am in
thy house, where I purpose not to depart from thy good pleasure.'
Giosefo then took a round stick, made of a young oak, and repaired a
chamber, whither the lady, having arisen from table for despite, had
betaken herself, grumbling; then, laying hold of her by the hair, he
threw her down at his feet and proceeded to give her a sore beating
with the stick. The lady at first cried out and after fell to
threats; but, seeing that Giosefo for all that stinted not and being
by this time all bruised, she began to cry him mercy for God's sake
and besought him not to kill her, declaring that she would never more
depart from his pleasure. Nevertheless, he held not his hand; nay, he
continued to baste her more furiously than ever on all her seams,
belabouring her amain now on the ribs, now on the haunches and now
about the shoulder, nor stinted till he was weary and there was not a
place left unbruised on the good lady's back. This done, he returned
to his friend and said to him, 'To-morrow we shall see what will be
the issue of the counsel to go to Goosebridge.' Then, after he had
rested awhile and they had washed their hands, he supped with Melisso
and in due season they betook themselves to bed.
Meanwhile the wretched lady arose with great pain from the ground and
casting herself on the bed, there rested as best she might until the
morning, when she arose betimes and let ask Giosefo what he would have
dressed for dinner. The latter, making merry over this with Melisso,
appointed it in due course, and after, whenas it was time, returning,
they found everything excellently well done and in accordance with the
ordinance given; wherefore they mightily commended the counsel at
first so ill apprehended of them. After some days, Melisso took leave
of Giosefo and returning to his own house, told one, who was a man of
understanding, the answer he had had from Solomon; whereupon quoth the
other, 'He could have given thee no truer nor better counsel. Thou
knowest thou lovest no one, and the honours and services thou
renderest others, thou dost not for love that thou bearest them, but
for pomp and ostentation. Love, then, as Solomon bade thee, and thou
shalt be loved.' On this wise, then, was the froward wife corrected
and the young man, loving, was beloved."
THE TENTH STORY
[Day the Ninth]
DOM GIANNI, AT THE INSTANCE OF HIS GOSSIP PIETRO, PERFORMETH
A CONJURATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CAUSING THE LATTER'S WIFE
TO BECOME A MARE; BUT, WHENAS HE COMETH TO PUT ON THE TAIL,
PIETRO MARRETH THE WHOLE CONJURATION, SAYING THAT HE WILL
NOT HAVE A TAIL
The queen's story made the young men laugh and gave rise to some
murmurs on the part of the ladies; then, as soon as the latter were
quiet, Dioneo began to speak thus, "Sprightly ladies, a black crow
amongst a multitude of white doves addeth more beauty than would a
snow-white swan, and in like manner among many sages one less wise is
not only an augmentation of splendour and goodliness to their
maturity, but eke a source of diversion and solace. Wherefore, you
ladies being all exceeding discreet and modest, I, who savour somewhat
of the scatterbrain, should be dearer to you, causing, as I do, your
worth to shine the brightlier for my default, than if with my greater
merit I made this of yours wax dimmer; and consequently, I should have
larger license to show you myself such as I am and should more
patiently be suffered of you, in saying that which I shall say, than
if I were wiser. I will, therefore, tell you a story not overlong,
whereby you may apprehend how diligently it behoveth to observe the
conditions imposed by those who do aught by means of enchantment and
how slight a default thereof sufficeth to mar everything done by the
magician.
A year or two agone there was at Barletta a priest called Dom Gianni
di Barolo, who, for that he had but a poor cure, took to eking out his
livelihood by hawking merchandise hither and thither about the fairs
of Apulia with a mare of his and buying and selling. In the course of
his travels he contracted a strait friendship with one who styled
himself Pietro da Tresanti and plied the same trade with the aid of an
ass he had. In token of friendship and affection, he called him still
Gossip Pietro, after the Apulian fashion, and whenassoever he visited
Barletta, he carried him to his parsonage and there lodged him with
himself and entertained him to the best of his power. Gossip Pietro,
on his part, albeit he was very poor and had but a sorry little house
at Tresanti, scarce sufficing for himself and a young and buxom wife
he had and his ass, as often as Dom Gianni came to Tresanti, carried
him home with him and entertained him as best he might, in requital of
the hospitality received from him at Barletta. Nevertheless, in the
matter of lodging, having but one sorry little bed, in which he slept
with his handsome wife, he could not entertain him as he would, but,
Dom Gianni's mare being lodged with Pietro's ass in a little stable he
had, needs must the priest himself lie by her side on a truss of
straw.
The goodwife, knowing the hospitality which the latter did her husband
at Barletta, would more than once, whenas the priest came thither,
have gone to lie with a neighbor of hers, by name Zita Caraprese,
[daughter] of Giudice Leo, so he might sleep in the bed with her
husband, and had many a time proposed it to Dom Gianni, but he would
never hear of it; and once, amongst other times, he said to her,
'Gossip Gemmata, fret not thyself for me; I fare very well, for that,
whenas it pleaseth me, I cause this mare of mine become a handsome
wench and couch with her, and after, when I will, I change her into a
mare again; wherefore I care not to part from her.'
The young woman marvelled, but believed his tale and told her husband,
saying, 'If he is so much thy friend as thou sayest, why dost thou not
make him teach thee his charm, so thou mayst avail to make of me a
mare and do thine affairs with the ass and the mare? So should we gain
two for one; and when we were back at home, thou couldst make me a
woman again, as I am.' Pietro, who was somewhat dull of wit, believed