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 somemurmurs on the part of the ladies; then, as soon as the latter werequiet, Dioneo began to speak thus, "Sprightly ladies, a black crowamongst a multitude of white doves addeth more beauty than would asnow-white swan, and in like manner among many sages one less wise isnot only an augmentation of splendour and goodliness to theirmaturity, but eke a source of diversion and solace. Wherefore, youladies being all exceeding discreet and modest, I, who savour somewhatof the scatterbrain, should be dearer to you, causing, as I do, yourworth to shine the brightlier for my default, than if with my greatermerit I made this of yours wax dimmer; and consequently, I should havelarger license to show you myself such as I am and should morepatiently be suffered of you, in saying that which I shall say, thanif I were wiser. I will, therefore, tell you a story not overlong,whereby you may apprehend how diligently it behoveth to observe theconditions imposed by those who do aught by means of enchantment andhow slight a default thereof sufficeth to mar everything done by themagician.
A year or two agone there was at Barletta a priest called Dom Giannidi Barolo, who, for that he had but a poor cure, took to eking out hislivelihood by hawking merchandise hither and thither about the fairsof Apulia with a mare of his and buying and selling. In the course ofhis travels he contracted a strait friendship with one who styledhimself Pietro da Tresanti and plied the same trade with the aid of anass he had. In token of friendship and affection, he called him stillGossip Pietro, after the Apulian fashion, and whenassoever he visitedBarletta, he carried him to his parsonage and there lodged him withhimself 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 houseat Tresanti, scarce sufficing for himself and a young and buxom wifehe had and his ass, as often as Dom Gianni came to Tresanti, carriedhim home with him and entertained him as best he might, in requital ofthe hospitality received from him at Barletta. Nevertheless, in thematter of lodging, having but one sorry little bed, in which he sleptwith 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 hehad, needs must the priest himself lie by her side on a truss ofstraw.
The goodwife, knowing the hospitality which the latter did her husbandat 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 herhusband, and had many a time proposed it to Dom Gianni, but he wouldnever 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 handsomewench and couch with her, and after, when I will, I change her into amare 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 notmake him teach thee his charm, so thou mayst avail to make of me amare and do thine affairs with the ass and the mare? So should we gaintwo for one; and when we were back at home, thou couldst make me awoman again, as I am.' Pietro, who was somewhat dull of wit, believedwhat she said and falling in with her counsel, began, as best he knew,to importune Dom Gianni to teach him the trick. The latter did hisbest to cure him of that folly, but availing not thereto, he said,'Harkye, since you will e'en have it so, we will arise to-morrowmorning before day, as of our wont, and I will show you how it isdone. To tell thee the truth, the uneathest part of the matter is theputting on of the tail, as thou shalt see.'
Accordingly, whenas it drew near unto day, Goodman Pietro and GossipGemmata, who had scarce slept that night, with such impatience didthey await the accomplishment of the matter, arose and called DomGianni, who, arising in his shirt, betook himself to Pietro's littlechamber and said to him, 'I know none in the world, except you, forwhom I would do this; wherefore since it pleaseth you, I will e'en doit; but needs must you do as I shall bid you, an you would have thething succeed.' They answered that they would do that which he shouldsay; whereupon, taking the light, he put it into Pietro's hand andsaid to him, 'Mark how I shall do and keep well in mind that which Ishall say. Above all, have a care, an thou wouldst not mar everything,that, whatsoever thou hearest or seest, thou say not a single word,and pray God that the tail may stick fast.' Pietro took the light,promising to do exactly as he said, whereupon Dom Gianni let stripGemmata naked as she was born and caused her stand on all fours,mare-fashion, enjoining herself likewise not to utter a word for aughtthat should betide. Then, passing his hand over her face and her head,he proceeded to say, 'Be this a fine mare's head,' and touching herhair, said, 'Be this a fine mare's mane'; after which he touched herarms, saying, 'Be these fine mare's legs and feet,' and comingpresently to her breast and finding it round and firm, such an oneawoke that was not called and started up on end,[440] whereupon quothhe, 'Be this a fine mare's chest.' And on like wise he did with herback and belly and crupper and thighs and legs. Ultimately, nothingremaining to do but the tail, he pulled up his shirt and taking thedibble with which he planted men, he thrust it hastily into the furrowmade therefor and said, 'And be this a fine mare's tail.'
[Footnote 440: _i.e._ arrectus est penis ejus.]
Pietro, who had thitherto watched everything intently, seeing thislast proceeding and himseeming it was ill done, said, 'Ho there, DomGianni, I won't have a tail there, I won't have a tail there!' Theradical moisture, wherewith all plants are made fast, was by thiscome, and Dom Gianni drew it forth, saying, 'Alack, gossip Pietro,what hast thou done? Did I not bid thee say not a word for aught thatthou shouldst see? The mare was all made; but thou hast marredeverything by talking, nor is there any means of doing it over againhenceforth.' Quoth Pietro, 'Marry, I did not want that tail there. Whydid you not say to me, "Make it thou"? More by token that you were forsetting it too low.' 'Because,' answered Dom Gianni, 'thou hadst notknown for the first time to set it on so well as I.' The young woman,hearing all this, stood up and said to her husband, in all good faith,'Dolt that thou art, why hast thou marred thine affairs and mine? Whatmare sawest thou ever without a tail? So God aid me, thou art poor,but it would serve thee right, wert thou much poorer.' Then, therebeing now, by reason of the words that Pietro had spoken, no longerany means of making a mare of the young woman, she donned her clothes,woebegone and disconsolate, and Pietro, continuing to ply his oldtrade with an ass, as he was used, betook himself, in company with DomGianni, to the Bitonto fair, nor ever again required him of such aservice."
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How much the company laughed at this story, which was betterunderstood of the ladies than Dioneo willed, let her who shall yetlaugh thereat imagine for herself. But, the day's stories being nowended and the sun beginning to abate of its heat, the queen, knowingthe end of her seignory to be come, rose to her feet and putting offthe crown, set it on the head of Pamfilo, whom alone it remained tohonour after such a fashion, and said, smiling, "My lord, theredevolveth on thee a great burden, inasmuch as with thee it resteth,thou being the last, to make amends for my default and that of thosewho have foregone me in the dignity which thou presently holdest;whereof God lend thee grace, even as He hath vouchsafed it unto me tomake thee king." Pamfilo blithely received the honour done him andanswered, "Your merit and that of my other subjects will do on suchwise that I shall be adjudged deserving of commendation, even as theothers have been." Then, having, according to the usance of hispredecessors, taken order with the seneschal of the things that wereneedful, he turned to the expectant ladies and said to them, "Lovesomeladies, it was the pleasure of Emilia, who hath this d
ay been ourqueen, to give you, for the purpose of affording some rest to yourpowers, license to discourse of that which should most please you;wherefore, you being now rested, I hold it well to return to thewonted ordinance, and accordingly I will that each of you bethinkherself to discourse to-morrow of this, to wit, OF WHOSO HATH ANYWISEWROUGHT GENEROUSLY OR MAGNIFICENTLY IN MATTERS OF LOVE OR OTHERWHAT.The telling and doing of these things will doubtless fire yourwell-disposed minds to do worthily; so will our life, which may not beother than brief in this mortal body, be made perpetual in laudatoryrenown; a thing which all, who serve not the belly only, as do thebeasts, should not only desire, but with all diligence seek andendeavour after."
The theme pleased the joyous company, who having all, with the newking's license, arisen from session, gave themselves to their wonteddiversions, according to that unto which each was most drawn bydesire; and on this wise they did until the hour of supper, whereuntothey came joyously and were served with diligence and fair ordinance.Supper at an end, they arose to the wonted dances, and after they hadsung a thousand canzonets, more diverting of words than masterly ofmusic, the king bade Neifile sing one in her own name; whereupon, withclear and blithesome voice, she cheerfully and without delay beganthus:
A youngling maid am I and full of glee, Am fain to carol in the new-blown May, Love and sweet thoughts-a-mercy, blithe and free.
I go about the meads, considering The vermeil flowers and golden and the white, Roses thorn-set and lilies snowy-bright, And one and all I fare a-likening Unto his face who hath with love-liking Ta'en and will hold me ever, having aye None other wish than as his pleasures be;
Whereof when one I find me that doth show, Unto my seeming, likest him, full fain I cull and kiss and talk with it amain And all my heart to it, as best I know, Discover, with its store of wish and woe, Then it with others in a wreath I lay, Bound with my hair so golden-bright of blee.
Ay, and that pleasure which the eye doth prove, By nature, of the flower's view, like delight Doth give me as I saw the very wight Who hath inflamed me of his dulcet love, And what its scent thereover and above Worketh in me, no words indeed can say; But sighs thereof bear witness true for me,
The which from out my bosom day nor night Ne'er, as with other ladies, fierce and wild, Storm up; nay, thence they issue warm and mild And straight betake them to my loved one's sight, Who, hearing, moveth of himself, delight To give me; ay, and when I'm like to say "Ah come, lest I despair," still cometh he.
Neifile's canzonet was much commended both of the king and of theother ladies; after which, for that a great part of the night was nowspent, the king commanded that all should betake themselves to restuntil the day.
HERE ENDETH THE NINTH DAYOF THE DECAMERON
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio Page 101