The Pleasant Nights (Volume 40) (The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series) [1 ed.] 0866985360, 9780866985369

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Giovan Francesco Straparola

The Pleasant Nights E d i te d a nd tr a n s l ate d by

Suzanne Magnanini

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series, 40

THE PLEASANT NIGHTS

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series, 40

MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TEXTS AND STUDIES VOLUME 481

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series

Ser ie S ed i to r S Margaret L. King and Albert Rabil, Jr. Ser ie S ed i to r , e ng l i S h te x tS Elizabeth H. Hageman

Previous Publications in the Series Madre María Rosa Journey of Five Capuchin Nuns Edited and translated by Sarah E. Owens Volume 1, 2009 Giovan Battista Andreini Love in the Mirror: A Bilingual Edition Edited and translated by Jon R. Snyder Volume 2, 2009 Raymond de Sabanac and Simone Zanacchi Two Women of the Great Schism: The Revelations of Constance de Rabastens by Raymond de Sabanac and Life of the Blessed Ursulina of Parma by Simone Zanacchi Edited and translated by Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski and Bruce L. Venarde Volume 3, 2010 Oliva Sabuco de Nantes Barrera The True Medicine Edited and translated by Gianna Pomata Volume 4, 2010 Louise-Geneviève Gillot de Sainctonge Dramatizing Dido, Circe, and Griselda Edited and translated by Janet Levarie Smarr Volume 5, 2010

Pernette du Guillet Complete Poems: A Bilingual Edition Edited by Karen Simroth James Translated by Marta Rijn Finch Volume 6, 2010 Antonia Pulci Saints’ Lives and Bible Stories for the Stage: A Bilingual Edition Edited by Elissa B. Weaver Translated by James Wyatt Cook Volume 7, 2010 Valeria Miani Celinda, A Tragedy: A Bilingual Edition Edited by Valeria Finucci Translated by Julia Kisacky Annotated by Valeria Finucci and Julia Kisacky Volume 8, 2010 Enchanted Eloquence: Fairy Tales by Seventeenth-Century French Women Writers Edited and translated by Lewis C. Seifert and Domna C. Stanton Volume 9, 2010 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Sophie, Electress of Hanover and Queen Sophie Charlotte of Prussia Leibniz and the Two Sophies: The Philosophical Correspondence Edited and translated by Lloyd Strickland Volume 10, 2011

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series

Ser ie S ed i to r S Margaret L. King and Albert Rabil, Jr. Ser ie S ed i to r , e ng l i S h te x tS Elizabeth H. Hageman

Previous Publications in the Series In Dialogue with the Other Voice in Sixteenth-Century Italy: Literary and Social Contexts for Women’s Writing Edited by Julie D. Campbell and Maria Galli Stampino Volume 11, 2011 Sister Giustina Niccolini The Chronicle of Le Murate Edited and translated by Saundra Weddle Volume 12, 2011 Liubov Krichevskaya No Good without Reward: Selected Writings: A Bilingual Edition Edited and translated by Brian James Baer Volume 13, 2011 Elizabeth Cooke Hoby Russell The Writings of an English Sappho Edited by Patricia Phillippy With translations by Jaime Goodrich Volume 14, 2011 Lucrezia Marinella Exhortations to Women and to Others If They Please Edited and translated by Laura Benedetti Volume 15, 2012 Margherita Datini Letters to Francesco Datini Translated by Carolyn James and Antonio Pagliaro Volume 16, 2012

Delarivier Manley and Mary Pix English Women Staging Islam, 1696–1707 Edited and introduced by Bernadette Andrea Volume 17, 2012 Cecilia Del Nacimiento Journeys of a Mystic Soul in Poetry and Prose Introduction and prose translations by Kevin Donnelly Poetry translations by Sandra Sider Volume 18, 2012 Lady Margaret Douglas and Others The Devonshire Manuscript: A Women’s Book of Courtly Poetry Edited and introduced by Elizabeth Heale Volume 19, 2012 Arcangela Tarabotti Letters Familiar and Formal Edited and translated by Meredith K. Ray and Lynn Lara Westwater Volume 20, 2012 Pere Torrellas and Juan de Flores Three Spanish Querelle Texts: Grisel and Mirabella, The Slander against Women, and The Defense of Ladies against Slanderers: A Bilingual Edition and Study Edited and translated by Emily C. Francomano Volume 21, 2013

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series

Ser ie S ed i to r S Margaret L. King and Albert Rabil, Jr. Ser ie S ed i to r , e ng l i S h te x tS Elizabeth H. Hageman

Previous Publications in the Series Barbara Torelli Benedetti Partenia, a Pastoral Play: A Bilingual Edition Edited and translated by Lisa Sampson and Barbara Burgess-Van Aken Volume 22, 2013 François Rousset, Jean Liebault, Jacques Guillemeau, Jacques Duval and Louis De Serres Pregnancy and Birth in Early Modern France: Treatises by Caring Physicians and Surgeons (1581–1625) Edited and translated by Valerie WorthStylianou Volume 23, 2013 Mary Astell The Christian Religion, as Professed by a Daughter of the Church of England Edited by Jacqueline Broad Volume 24, 2013 Sophia of Hanover Memoirs (1630–1680) Edited and translated by Sean Ward Volume 25, 2013 Katherine Austen Book M: A London Widow’s Life Writings Edited by Pamela S. Hammons Volume 26, 2013

Anne Killigrew “My Rare Wit Killing Sin”: Poems of a Restoration Courtier Edited by Margaret J. M. Ezell Volume 27, 2013 Tullia d’Aragona and Others The Poems and Letters of Tullia d’Aragona and Others: A Bilingual Edition Edited and translated by Julia L. Hairston Volume 28, 2014 Luisa de Carvajal y Mendoza The Life and Writings of Luisa de Carvajal y Mendoza Edited and translated by Anne J. Cruz Volume 29, 2014 Russian Women Poets of the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries: A Bilingual Edition Edited and translated by Amanda Ewington Volume 30, 2014 Jacques du Bosc L’Honnête Femme: The Respectable Woman in Society and the New Collection of Letters and Responses by Contemporary Women Edited and translated by Sharon Diane Nell and Aurora Wolfgang Volume 31, 2014

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series

Se r ie S edi to r S Margaret L. King and Albert Rabil, Jr. Se r ie S edi to r , e ng l i S h te x tS Elizabeth H. Hageman

Previous Publications in the Series Lady Hester Pulter Poems, Emblems, and The Unfortunate Florinda Edited by Alice Eardley Volume 32, 2014 Jeanne Flore Tales and Trials of Love, Concerning Venus’s Punishment of Those Who Scorn True Love and Denounce Cupid’s Sovereignity: A Bilingual Edition and Study Edited and translated by Kelly Digby Peebles Poems translated by Marta Rijn Finch Volume 33, 2014 Veronica Gambara Complete Poems: A Bilingual Edition Critical introduction by Molly M. Martin Edited and translated by Molly M. Martin and Paola Ugolini Volume 34, 2014 Catherine de Médicis and Others Portraits of the Queen Mother: Polemics, Panegyrics, Letters Translation and study by Leah L. Chang and Katherine Kong Volume 35, 2014

Françoise Pascal, MarieCatherine Desjardins, Antoinette Deshoulières, and Catherine Durand Challenges to Traditional Authority: Plays by French Women Authors, 1650–1700 Edited and translated by Perry Gethner Volume 36, 2015 Franciszka Urszula Radziwiłłowa Selected Drama and Verse Edited by Patrick John Corness and Barbara Judkowiak Translated by Patrick John Corness Translation Editor Aldona Zwierzyńska-Coldicott Introduction by Barbara Judkowiak Volume 37, 2015 Diodata Malvasia Writings on the Sisters of San Luca and Their Miraculous Madonna Edited and translated by Danielle Callegari and Shannon McHugh Volume 38, 2015 Margaret Van Noort Spiritual Writings of Sister Margaret of the Mother of God (1635–1643) Edited by Cordula van Wyhe Translated by Susan M. Smith Volume 39, 2015

The Pleasant Nights GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA •

Edited and translated by SUZANNE MAGNANINI

Iter Inc. Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies Toronto 2015

Iter Academic Press Tel: 416/978–7074

Email: [email protected]

Fax: 416/978–1668

Web: www.itergateway.org

Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Tel: 480/965–5900 Email: [email protected] Fax: 480/965–1681 Web: acmrs.org © 2015 Iter, Inc. and the Arizona Board of Regents for Arizona State University. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Straparola, Giovanni Francesco, approximately 1480–1557? author. [Piacevoli notti. English] The pleasant nights / Giovan Francesco Straparola ; edited and translated by Suzanne Magnanini. pages cm. -- (The other voice in early modern Europe. The Toronto series ; 40) (Medieval and Renaissance texts and studies ; Volume 481) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-86698-536-9 (alk. paper) I. Magnanini, Suzanne, editor, translator. II. Title. PQ4634.S7P513 2015 853’.3--dc23 2015020364 Cover illustration: Straparola, Giovanni Francesco. Le tredici piacevolissime notti. Second Night, First Tale. Venice: Zanetto Zanetti, 1608. Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto. Digital photography by Paul Armstrong, University of Toronto Libraries. Cover design: Maureen Morin, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries. Typesetting and production: Iter Academic Press.

For my cousin Kirby Brown who lived her life in a way that left us all with the comfort of a lot of great stories

Contents Table of Tales

xiii

Acknowledgments

xxiii

Introduction

1

The Plesant Nights Volume One: Nights One to Five Volume Two: Nights Six to Thirteen

45 257

Appendix

469

Bibliography

477

Index

487

xi

Table of Tales VOLUME ONE Dedicatory Letter

45

Proem

46

FIRST NIGHT

50

51 FIRST TALE Salardo, the son of Rainaldo Scaglia, leaves Genoa and goes to Monferrato, where he breaks the three commandments his father had left him in his will and after being condemned to death, is freed and returns to his homeland. SECOND TALE 60 Cassandrino, a very famous thief and friend of the magistrate of Perugia, steals his bed and one of his grey horses, and then gives him Father Severino, tied up in a sack, and becomes a respectable man of considerable means. 67 THIRD TALE Tricked once by three brigands, Father Scarpacifico tricks them three times, and, victorious in the end, he lives happily with his beloved Nina. FOURTH TALE 74 Tebaldo, prince of Salerno, wishes to take his only daughter Doralice as his wife. Persecuted by her father, she ends up in England. Genese takes her as his wife and has two children by her, who were killed by Tebaldo. King Genese avenged their deaths. FIFTH TALE 82 Dimitrio the peddler, calling himself Gramotiveggio, discovers his wife Polissena with a priest and sends her to her brothers, who kill her, and Dimitrio takes his maidservant as his wife. SECOND NIGHT

91

92 FIRST TALE Galeotto, the king of England, has a son born a pig, who marries three times and, after he had taken off the pig skin and become a very handsome young man, he was called King Pig.

xiii

xiv Table of Tales SECOND TALE 99 A student in Bologna named Filenio Sisterna is tricked by three beautiful women, and at a celebration he devises he avenges himself on each one. THIRD TALE 109 Carlo from Rimini loves Teodosia, but she does not love him because she has pledged her virginity to God. Carlo, believing that he is violently embracing her, instead embraces pots, cauldrons, iron spits, and scrub brushes. Blackened all over, he is cruelly beaten by his own servants. FOURTH TALE 114 Hearing husbands who complain about their wives, the devil takes Silvia Ballastro as his wife and Gasparino Boncio as his best man. Unable to live with his wife, he leaves and enters the body of the duke of Melfi, and his best man Gasparino drives him out. 122 FIFTH TALE Messer Simplicio di Rossi falls in love with Giliola, the wife of the farmer Ghirotto Scanferla. When her husband finds him in his house, Simplicio is brutally beaten and battered and then returns home. THIRD NIGHT

128

130 FIRST TALE Thanks to a tuna fish that he catches but spares from death, Crazy Pietro becomes wise and takes as his wife Luciana, King Luciano’s daughter, whom he had previously impregnated with a spell. SECOND TALE 137 Dalfreno, king of Tunis, has two sons, one called Listico and the other Livoretto, who later was called Porcarollo, and in the end he wins Bellisandra, the daughter of King Attarante of Damascus, as his wife. THIRD TALE 147 Biancabella, the daughter of Lamberico, the marquis of Monferrato, is sent away by the stepmother of King Ferrandino of Naples to be killed. The servants, however, only cut off her hands and pluck out her eyes, and thanks to a snake she is made whole again and happily returns to Ferrandino. 156 FOURTH TALE Fortunio leaves home after being insulted by his adoptive father and mother. While wandering about, he ends up in a forest, where he finds three animals who reward him for passing judgment, then he goes to Polonia and jousts winning the king’s daughter, Doralice, as his wife.

Table of Tales xv FIFTH TALE 165 Isotta, the wife of Lucaferro di Albani from Bergamo, thinking to dupe his brother Emilliano’s cowherd Travaglino with a trick, in order to make him look like a liar, loses her husband’s estate and returns home, thoroughly embarrassed, carrying the head of a bull with gilded horns. FOURTH NIGHT

171

FIRST TALE 173 Ricardo, the king of Thebes, has four daughters, one of whom goes wandering about the world and calls herself Costanzo instead of Costanza. She finds herself at the court of Cacco, the king of Bettinia, who, on account of her many great deeds, takes Costanza as his wife. SECOND TALE 182 The Athenian Erminione Glaucio takes Filenia Centurione as his wife. When he becomes jealous, he accuses her in court, and thanks to Ippolito, her beloved, she is freed and Erminione condemned. THIRD TALE 187 Ancilotto, the king of Provins, takes a baker’s daughter as his wife and with her fathers three children, who, after being tormented by the king’s mother, are recognized by their father thanks to some water, an apple, and a bird. FOURTH TALE 198 Nerino, the son of King Gallese of Portugal, in love with Genobbia, the wife of the physician Maestro Raimondo Brunello, wins her love, takes her to Portugal, and Maestro Raimondo dies of grief. FIFTH TALE 205 Flamminio Veraldo leaves Ostia and goes looking for Death, and not finding her, he meets Life, who makes him see Fear and experience Death. FIFTH NIGHT

212

FIRST TALE 214 Guerrino, the only son of Filippomaria, king of Sicily, frees a wild man from his father’s prison and, fearing the king, his mother sends her son into exile. Once civilized, the wild man frees Guerrino from countless misfortunes. SECOND TALE 225 Bagolana Savonese’s daughter Adamantina married Drusiano, king of Bohemia, thanks to a doll.

xvi Table of Tales THIRD TALE 232 Bertoldo of Valsabbia has three sons, all three hunchbacks who look alike. One of them is called Zambò and he goes through the world searching for his destiny and ends up in Rome, and there he is killed and is thrown into the Tiber with his two brothers. 243 FOURTH TALE Marsilio Verzelese loves Tia, the wife of Cecato Rabboso. She brings him into their house and while she casts a spell with her husband, he flees quietly. 251 FIFTH TALE Madonna Modesta, the wife of Messer Tristano Zanchetto, acquires a great number of shoes from different lovers during her youth, and in her old age distributes them to servants, porters, and other people of very low stations. VOLUME TWO Dedicatory Letter

257

SIXTH NIGHT

258

259 FIRST TALE Two dear friends love each other and trick each other, and in the end they share their wives. 267 SECOND TALE Wanting to fatten up, Castorio has both of his testicles removed by Sandro, and when almost at death’s door, Sandro’s wife placates him with a witty joke. THIRD TALE 271 The widow Polissena loves various lovers; her son Panfilio scolds her; she promises to give them up if he stops scratching his scabies. He makes the promise to her, his mother tricks him, and in the end they both get back to work. FOURTH TALE 276 A dispute arises among three venerable nuns in a convent, concerning which of them should be the abbess, and the bishop’s vicar determines that the one who performs the most worthy deed should be the abbess. FIFTH TALE Father Zefiro drives a young man who is eating figs out of his garden.

280

Table of Tales xvii SEVENTH NIGHT

282

283 FIRST TALE Ortodosio Simeoni, a noble Florentine merchant, goes to Flanders, falls in love with the courtesan Argentina, and forgets about his own wife. But his wife, who goes to Flanders by way of a magic spell, returns to Florence pregnant by her husband. SECOND TALE 289 Malgherita Spolatina falls in love with the Greek monk Teodoro, and she swims to go visit him. Discovered by her brothers and deceived by a lit lamp, she drowns miserably in the sea. THIRD TALE 294 The fool Cimarosto goes to Rome, tells a secret of his to Pope Leo, and has two of his chamberlains beaten. FOURTH TALE 300 Two brothers love each other above all else; one wants to divide their patrimony, and the other consents but wants his brother to be the one to divide it. He divides it, the other is not satisfied but wants half of his brother’s wife and children, and then they both settle down. FIFTH TALE Three poor brothers go out into the world and become very rich.

305

EIGHTH NIGHT 308 FIRST TALE 309 Three scoundrels keep each other company on the way to Rome. Along the way they find a jewel and fight over whose it should be. A gentleman declares that it must go to the one who performs the most rascally deed, and the case remains unresolved. SECOND TALE 315 Two soldiers, who are brothers in arms, take two sisters as wives. One dotes on his wife and she disobeys her husband’s rule; the other threatens his wife and she does whatever he commands. The one asks what he must do to make his wife obey and the other teaches him. He threatens her and she laughs at him, and in the end the husband is mocked by her. THIRD TALE 319 Brother Tiberio Palavicino, an apostate who then became a priest and doctor of theology, loved the wife of the woodcarver Maestro Chechino; she brings him into their house with her husband’s permission, and when discovered by her husband she sends him away with an ignominious trick and saves him from death.

xviii Table of Tales FOURTH TALE 326 The tailor Maestro Lattanzio trains his pupil Dionigi, who learns little of the art that he teaches him, but learns well that art that the tailor kept a secret. Hatred grows between them, and in the end Dionigi devours him and takes the king’s daughter Violante as his wife. 332 FIFTH TALE A tale about two physicians; one was very famous and rich, but not very learned, and the other was truly learned but very poor. NINTH NIGHT

335

336 FIRST TALE On account of a palm reader’s prediction that his wife would cuckold him, Galafro, the king of Spain, builds a tower and places his wife in it, and she is deceived by Galeotto, the son of Diego, the king of Castile. SECOND TALE 341 Rodolino, the son of the Lodovico, the king of Hungary, loves Violante, the daughter of Domizio the tailor, and when Rodolino dies, Violante, overcome by immense grief, dies on his dead body in the church. THIRD TALE 346 Francesco Sforza, son of Lodovico Moro, duke of Milan, pursues a deer during a hunt and strays from his companions. He arrives at the house of some peasants, who decide together to kill him. A young girl reveals the plot, he saves himself, and the peasants are quartered alive. 351 FOURTH TALE Father Papiro Schizza, though presuming to know a great deal, is completely ignorant, and through his ignorance he tricks a farmer’s son, who burned down the priest’s house and everything in it to avenge himself. FIFTH TALE 358 The Florentines and Bergamasques conduct a debate among their scholars, and the Bergamasques defeat the Florentines with a trick. TENTH NIGHT

363

364 FIRST TALE Finetta steals a necklace, pearls, and other jewels from Madonna Veronica, the wife of Messer Brocardo di Cavalli of Verona, and she recovers it all, thanks to a suitor of hers, without her husband realizing anything.

Table of Tales xix SECOND TALE 369 An ass flees from a miller and ends up on top of a mountain, and when the lion finds him he asks who he is, and the ass in return asks the lion his name. The lion says he is Leone, and the ass replies that he is Brancaleone, and, challenged to give some proof, in the end the ass is the victor. 375 THIRD TALE The Calabrian Cesarino di Berni leaves his mother and sisters, accompanied by a lion, a bear, and a wolf. When he arrives in Sicily he learns that the king’s daughter is about to be devoured by a very ferocious dragon, and he kills it with those three animals. And freed from death, she becomes his wife. FOURTH TALE 382 Andrigetto Valsabbia, a citizen of Como, makes his will as he is about to die, and he leaves his soul and those of his notary and his confessor to the devil, and then dies damned. 388 FIFTH TALE The murderer and thief Rosolino of Pavia is caught by the chief magistrate’s guards and confesses nothing after being tortured. Afterward, he sees his innocent son tortured and, without further torture, the father confesses. The judge lets him live and exiles him; he becomes a hermit and saves his soul. ELEVENTH NIGHT

393

394 FIRST TALE Soriana dies and leaves behind three sons, Dusolino, Tesifone, and Costantino Fortunato, who, thanks to a cat, acquires a mighty kingdom. SECOND TALE 398 The notary Xenofonte makes his will and leaves to his son Bertuccio three hundred ducats. He spends one hundred of them on a dead body and two hundred for the release of Tarquinia, the daughter of Crisippo, the king of Novara, whom in the end he takes as his wife. 403 THIRD TALE The monk Don Pomporio is denounced by the abbot for his excessive eating, and by stinging the abbot with a tale, he saves himself from the charge. 406 FOURTH TALE A fool deceives a gentleman with a trick; he is put in prison for this, and with another trick is freed from the prison.

xx Table of Tales FIFTH TALE 409 Friar Bigoccio falls in love with Gliceria and, dressed as a layman, he fraudulently takes her as his wife, then when she is pregnant, abandons her and returns to the monastery. When the superior of the monastery learns of this, he marries her off. TWELFTH NIGHT

413

415 FIRST TALE Jealous of his own wife, Florio is cleverly tricked by her, and once cured of this infirmity he lives happily with his wife. SECOND TALE 419 A madman who has the chance to sleep with a charming and very beautiful woman is rewarded in the end by her husband. THIRD TALE 422 When forced by his wife to tell her a secret, Federico da Pozzuolo, who understood the language of animals, beat her beyond measure. FOURTH TALE On some children who did not want to execute their father’s will.

425

FIFTH TALE 427 The supreme pontiff Sixtus made his servant named Gerolamo rich with just one word. THIRTEENTH NIGHT

431

FIRST TALE The physician Maestro Gasparino skillfully cured the insane.

432

SECOND TALE 435 The Spaniard Diego buys a large number of hens from a peasant, and when he has to pay for them, he tricks the peasant and a Carmelite monk. THIRD TALE 438 A German and a Spaniard were eating together, and an argument arose among their servants as to which one was more generous. In the end, they conclude that the German is more munificent than the Spaniard. 440 FOURTH TALE A servant named Fortunio, wishing to kill a fly, killed his master and was saved from the charge of murder by a witty remark.

Table of Tales xxi FIFTH TALE Vilio Brigantello kills a thief who had laid a trap to kill him.

443

SIXTH TALE 446 Lucietta, the mother of Lucilio, a useless and worthless son, sends him to find the good day, and he finds it and returns home with a fourth of a treasure. SEVENTH TALE 448 The servant Giorgio draws up a contract with Pandolfo, his master, regarding his service and in the end bests his master in court. EIGHTH TALE 451 Having built a little chapel, the farmer Gasparo calls it Saint Honoratus and presents it to a rector, who goes to visit the farmer with the deacon. And the deacon unwittingly plays a joke on him. NINTH TALE 453 Placed in a convent, the young woman Filomena becomes seriously ill, and after being examined by many physicians in the end she is discovered to be a hermaphrodite. TENTH TALE 455 The Neapolitan Cesare, after having spent a long time at the University of Bologna receives his degree, and having returned home strings together rulings in order to know how to pass better judgments. ELEVENTH TALE 458 A poor little monk leaves Collogna to go to Ferrara, and when night falls he hides in a house where a frightening event occurs. TWELFTH TALE 461 Afflicted by an illness, Guglielmo, the king of Brittany, summons all of the physicians in order to regain and maintain his health. Maestro Gotfreddo, a poor physician, gives him three pieces of advice, and with those he rules and remains healthy. 465 THIRTEENTH TALE Pietro Rizzato, a prodigal man, becomes poor and upon finding a treasure becomes miserly. APPENDIX

469

470 EIGHTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Anastasio Minuto loves a gentlewoman and she does not love him. He vituperates her and she tells her husband.

xxii Table of Tales EIGHTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE 475 The Genoese merchant Bernardo sells wine diluted with water and by divine will he lost half of his money.

Acknowledgments My sincerest thanks to Al Rabil who long ago suggested that I undertake this translation and stood steadfastly by me for more years than I care to admit. He has offered a great deal of encouragement, as well as sound advice at key moments. I thank Jack Zipes for reading the manuscript twice and providing many useful suggestions for the revisions. Maura High lent a poet’s ear for rhythm, tone, and register to her skillful copyediting. Margaret L. King expertly guided the manuscript through the final stages of preparation. Margaret English-Haskin graciously oversaw a number of production details. Over the years, my understanding of Straparola and the European fairy tale tradition has been enriched by collaborations and conversations with a generous community of scholars that includes Nancy Canepa, Armando Maggi, Sue Bottigheimer, Jennifer Schacker, Christine Jones, Sophie Raynard-Leroy, Holly Tucker, Molly Clark Hillard, and Elizabeth Harries. In Boulder, Jacques Barchilon and Ann Schmiesing have inspired me through both their own work on fairy tales and our shared efforts on outreach projects. The librarians in Norlin Library Special Collections at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Greg Robl, Susan Guinn-Chipman, Amanda Brown, Deborah Hollis, and Alison Hicks, deserve special thanks for supporting with exceptional creativity and enthusiasm my teaching and research of fairy tales and early modern texts. A number of people said exactly the right thing at exactly the right time including, Elissa Weaver, Rachel Walsh, Michael Sherberg, Claudia Pancino, Valerio Ferme, Elissa Guralnick, and my sister Mary Bernier. The research, writing and publication of this book were generously supported by a NEH Collaborative grant and a grant from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. In short, this project has benefitted immensely from passing under many eyes and through many hands. In the end, though, any mistakes or infelicities in the introduction or translation are my own. Finally, Marco provided the magic necessary to keep a household running while I wrote and revised, and Milla was a “buona fatina” who gave me the gifts of laughter and joy. A thousand thanks to them both.

xxiii

Introduction Straparola and the Other Voice It might seem strange to readers familiar with the the series The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe to find published among its titles The Pleasant Nights: a collection of tales authored, after all, by a man, Giovan Francesco Straparola. And at first glance, Straparola’s text appears to be just one of many variations on Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron produced in mid-sixteenth-century Italy. But it is a highly innovative text, for alongside the sort of tales typical of the Boccaccian tradition, we find one of the earliest collections of literary fairy tales printed in a European vernacular language.1 The sixteen fairy tales in The Pleasant Nights include early versions of Puss-in-Boots and Beauty and the Beast, as well as dragon slayer tales. On account of these tales, The Pleasant Nights has primarily been studied either as a foundational text of the European literary fairy tale tradition or as a unique example of sixteenth-century Italian tale collections, rather than a specifically feminist or antifeminist work. But as Domna Stanton and Lewis Seifert assert in their volume in this series titled Enchanted Eloquence, “Few forms of writing are as closely associated with women and femininity as the fairy tale.”2 Prior to the publication of the first volume of The Pleasant Nights in 1550, fantastic stories about fairies, magic, and monsters like Straparola’s had been associated most often with either very young, or very old, unlearned, female narrators. Straparola, however, paints a new portrait of the fairy tale narrator as a witty young woman in an urban salon who is as capable engaging dominant literary traditions as she is spinning fantastic yarns. Furthermore, these talented female narrators and their male interlocutors stage a debate on the status of women that unfolds on the second night of storytelling through an exchange of tales that allows the women to question prevailing gender norms while the men seek to uphold them. In its explicit concern with gender issues, The Pleasant Nights resembles other 1. By “literary fairy tale,” I mean tales that were written by an author and have been preserved in manuscripts or print. Admittedly, the line between the literary tale and the oral tale often appears blurred. Like Boccaccio, Straparola depicts himself as a scribe of the tales in his collection, who faithfully copied them down as the characters in his frame tale recounted them. But as Christine A. Jones and Jennifer Schacker note, we should be careful not to take such claims literally: Marvelous Transformations: An Anthology of Fairy Tales and Contemporary Critical Perspectives (Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2012), 35. As I will show in this introduction, Straparola’s tales are not simply transcriptions of oral tales, but are consciously written with an eye toward both prevailing literary traditions and the emerging markets for print. Indeed, Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights is often heralded as a foundational text in the European tale tradition. See note 37 in this introduction. 2. Lewis C. Seifert and Domna C. Stanton, eds. and trans., Enchanted Eloquence: Fairy Tales by Seventeenth-Century French Women Writers (Toronto: Iter and CRRS, 2010), 1.

1

2 Introduction male-authored texts in this series that participated directly or indirectly in the early modern querelle des femmes, or debate on the status of women.3 Certainly, many male authors before Straparola had depicted the voices of female narrators and characters in their texts. And indeed at least one of Straparola’s contemporaries sought to capitalize on the novelty of women’s voices in print by publishing letters he himself had written but attributed to numerous women.4 Straparola, however, does not simply ventriloquize female voices. He inserts feminized fairy tales into the canonical Boccaccian novella tradition, thus granting this sort of tale some degree of literary legitimacy. At the same time, through The Pleasant Nights’ frame tale, in which learned ladies and Venetian literati meet to entertain each other with music and storytelling, the fairy tale enters the cultured space of the sixteenth-century Venetian salon. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that Straparola’s female narrators and their tales became a model for a generation of French women writers in Parisian salons, who used the fairy tale to interrogate the gender norms of their day. In this way, then, Straparola’s fictional female voices can be seen to have inspired actual historical female voices. And it is for these reasons, that The Pleasant Nights earns a place in this series devoted to the “other voice.” The Pleasant Nights, in fact, represents two different other voices: first, the female voices of the young women in Straparola’s frame tale who recount fairy tales; second, an intersexed or hermaphroditic voice, produced when, by grafting the literary fairy tale onto the masculine Boccaccian tradition, Straparola highlights the literary fairy tale as the product of a truly other voice, a voice that, although feminized, is never completely female. The hermaphrodite, in fact, functions as a useful metaphor for thinking about gender and the fairy tale. The fluidity and instability of the hermaphroditic body that challenges categories of gender, reflects the way in which the first collections of early modern Italian fairy tales, as a literary corpus, would similarly straddle gender lines, as male authors engaged the feminized genre. The simultaneous presence of male and female and the inability of one gender to fully cancel or displace the other serves as an apt metaphor for the ways in which male and female voices intertwine in The Pleasant Nights.5 3. See, for example, Juan Luis Vives’s The Education of a Christian Woman, ed. and trans. Charles Fantazzi (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000); and Henricus Cornelius Agrippa’s Declamation on the Nobility and Preeminence of the Female Sex, ed. and trans. Albert Rabil, Jr. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). 4. Ortensio Lando published anonymously Lettere di molte valorose donne in 1548, an anthology of more than 250 letters allegedly written by and exchanged between women. On this work see Meredith Ray’s insightful chapter “Female Impersonations: Ortensio Lando’s Lettere di molte valorose donne,” in her book Writing Gender in Women’s Letter Collections of the Italian Renaissance (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009), 45–80. 5. For how Straparola’s tale of a hermphrodite (13.9) functions as a symbol for his literary project, see the chapter titled “ ‘Con l’uno e l’altro sesso’: Gender, Genre, and Monstrosity in Straparola’s Frame

Introduction 3 From the voiceless Philomela in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, who reveals her rape by her brother-in-law to her sister by way of a woven image, to Charles Perrault’s Mother Goose, who spins both tales and wool before the hearth, the art of telling tales and the quintessentially female arts of spinning, weaving, and sewing have been inextricably linked in both literary texts and visual culture.6 Engravings of women spinning both wool and tales beside the hearth, as their female companions and children listen attentively, adorn early modern texts printed across Europe and reinforced this association.7 Since antiquity, diverse literary texts, theoretical treatises, and visual iconography have represented fairy tales as a feminized genre produced by women and tied to women’s work. In fact, even before Straparola wrote his literary fairy tales, his contemporaries associated fairy tales with lowerclass female narrators in domestic spaces. Perhaps the two texts most influential in shaping this view were Apuleius’s The Metamorphoses, also known as The Golden Ass, and Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Genealogy of the Pagan Gods. By the time Straparola penned his tales, Italians were already quite familiar with the details of Apuleius’s story of Lucius, a man overly curious about magic and enchantments who is transformed into an ass, suffers horribly at the hands of many masters, returns to human form, and finally finds salvation by dedicating himself to the cult of the gods Isis and Osiris. The tale of Lucius’s adventures circulated widely in Latin, was translated by both the epic poet Matteo Maria Boiardo in 1518 and the poet and author Agnolo Firenzuola in 1550, and was a favorite subject for visual depictions, from woodblock prints to frescos.8 At one point in Apuleius’s romance, Lucius the ass finds himself in a robbers’ cave and overhears an old woman tell the story of Cupid and Psyche to a distraught young woman, Charite, who has been abducted by the robbers on her wedding day. Scholars of the fairy tale consider Apuleius’s story of Cupid and Psyche to be one of the earliest versions of a Beauty and the Beast tale.9 The context for the recounting of this early fairy tale would become standard: the narrator is an older woman from the Tale” in Suzanne Magnanini, Fairy-Tale Science: Monstrous Generation in the Tales of Straparola and Basile (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008), 48–69. 6. This is the central argument in Karen E. Rowe’s essay “To Spin a Yarn: The Female Voice in Folklore and Fairy Tale,” in Fairy Tales and Society: Illusion, Allusion, and Paradigm, ed. Ruth B. Bottigheimer (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986), 53–74. 7. Marina Warner, From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994) xiii, xv, 12–25. For more images see also Rowe, “To Spin a Yarn,” 66–71. 8. On the popularity of The Golden Ass in early modern Italy, see Mariantonietta Acocella’s L’asino d’oro nel Rinascimento: Dai volgarizzamenti alle raffigurazioni pittoriche (Ravenna: Longo, 2001). For a list of European texts and images inspired by the tale of Cupid and Psyche, see Pasquale Accardo’s The Metamorphosis of Apuleius: Cupid and Psyche, Beauty and the Beast, King Kong (Teaneck, NJ: Farleigh Dickinson University Press, 2002), 50–51. 9. John Stephens, “Apuleius, Lucius (c. 124–c. 170 CE),” in Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales, ed. Donald Haase, 3 vols. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008), 1:54–55.

4 Introduction lower classes who spins her tale for a female public in a domestic setting where men (in this case Lucius in the form of an ass), if present, are relegated to the role of listener, and then eventually elevated to the role of scribe or author, for it is Lucius who recounts what he heard to us through the first-person narrative of the romance. Early modern authors clearly associated Apuleius’s text with fairy tales, and his romance became a model for at least one other author of fairy tales, the Franciscan friar Lorenzo Selva. In Selva’s own prose romance The Metamorphosis, Or the Transformations of a Virtuoso (1582), a first-person narrator who has become a snake due to a witch’s curse overhears a number of stories, including three fairy tales that are narrated by an old woman and two young women.10 Straparola’s contemporaries could read a variation on this depiction of the old crone spinning tales in Boccaccio’s The Genealogy of the Pagan Gods, a text that was reprinted many times in both Latin and Italian during the sixteenth century. In the final books of The Genealogy, Boccaccio mounts a humanist defense of poetry and, more broadly, of all literature as he seeks to justify the study of classical mythology for Christian readers. He argues that we need to remove the fantastic “bark” of fictions in order to arrive at the useful allegorical truths that lie below this surface. In discussing how authors cloak their intentions in these fictions, Boccaccio identifies four different types of fictions: the Aesopian fable, the mythological story, the epic poem, and the tales invented by “crazy old women.” Although he initially claims that the tales of these old women hold no truths at all, either literal or figurative, he subsequently will argue that even these old women wish to include some sort of truth in their tales. He writes: Not even the craziest old crone keeping vigil around the hearth with the young serving girls and telling some tales about the Ogre, Fairies, and Witches, which have been recited many times feels that she is not including some serious sentiment—to the degree that her feeble intellect permits—with which she wants to frighten the small children, or delight the young ladies, or make fun of the older folks, or at least show the power of Fortune.11 10. The first edition, Della metamorfosi, overo le trasformationi del virtuoso, was published without the author’s permission in Orvieto in 1582. For English translations of these three fairy tales, see my “Between Straparola and Basile: Three Fairy Tales from Lorenzo Selva’s Della metamorfosi (1582),” Marvels & Tales 25, no. 2 (2011): 331–69. I discuss Selva and his tales in greater detail later in this introduction. In his forthcoming book Preserving the Spell: Basile’s ‘The Tale of Tales’ and Its Afterlife in the Fairy Tale Tradition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015), Armando Maggi shows that Giambattista Basile divided Apuleius’s tale of Cupid and Psyche into smaller narrative episodes, which he then incorporated into a number of different fairy tales in The Tale of Tales. 11. “Giovanni Boccaccio, The Genealogy of the Pagan Gods (begun circa 1350),” trans. with notes by Suzanne Magnanini, in Fairy Tales Framed: Early Forewords, Afterwords, and Critical Words, ed. Ruth B. Bottigheimer (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2012), 21.

Introduction 5 To some extent Boccaccio reproduces here the narrative context for fairy tales that we find in Apuleius’s The Golden Ass: old women recounting tales in a domestic setting to young women, and in this case also to children. While Boccaccio admits that even these female narrators include some “serious sentiment” in their tales, the sort of moral of the story we have come to associate with fairy tales, he clearly places this sort of narration at the bottom of his literary hierarchy and demeans and dismisses their narrators as mentally feeble. In doing so, Boccaccio was following the classical tradition in which “philosophy and rhetoric had to draw a line between poetic narratives and old wives’ tales, between the Cyclops and the bogeyman.”12 This distinction hinged upon the belief that old women were unable or unwilling to imbue their tales with an ethically acceptable moral lesson. For this reason, Jan Ziolkowski suggests, when men like Apuleius chose to write the sort of fantastic fictions associated with old women, these “fairy tale fantasies can be expressed only because they are pronounced through the mouths of old women.”13 Yet to speak of the fairy tale as a feminized genre is not to say that men did not tell or write fairy tales; they most surely did. And the mere fact that men enjoyed greater access to education than women, and thus were literate in greater numbers, and that professional itinerant storytellers found in Italian squares tended to be male,14 necessarily meant that men produced the majority of all sorts of written tales as well as many of the oral tales performed publicly in this period, as they had been in the past.15 And when the genre begins to appear in the vernacular and in print in early modern Italy, it does so almost exclusively in the hands of male authors. In fact, despite the fairy tale’s close association with women, the first three collections of early modern fairy tales published in Italy (and indeed in Europe) were authored by men: Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights, Selva’s The Metamorphosis (1582), and Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales (1634–1636), which, due to its structural resemblance to the Decameron, acquired the title The Pentamerone.16 Certainly, other Italian men had written marvelous tales before or at the same times these works were published. For example, Giovanni Sercambi 12. Jan Ziolkowski, “Old Wives’ Tales: Classicism and Anti-Classicism from Apuleius to Chaucer,” Journal of Medieval Latin 12 (2002): 100. 13. Ziolkowski, “Old Wives’ Tales,” 113. Ziolkowski also speaks of Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath’s Tale in these terms. 14. On cantimbanchi, or streetsingers, in Italy, see Rosa Salzberg and Massimo Rospocher, “Street Singers in Italian Renaissance Urban Culture and Communication,” Cultural and Social History 9, no. 1 (2012): 9–26. 15. On storytellers and marvelous tales in the ancient world, see Graham Anderson, Fairytale in the Ancient World (New York: Routledge, 2000). 16. Selva’s Metamorphosis and Basile’s The Tale of Tales, or Entertainment for Little One are described in more detail later in this introduction.

6 Introduction (Lucca, 1348–1424) included two tales in his collection of novellas that contain motifs typical to the fairy tale. In Sercambi’s novella 15, four men with extraordinary powers befriend a fifth and use their remarkable talents to help him win the hand of the daughter of the king of France. In novella 122, after a young man saves a dragon from a fire, the monster bestows on him the power to understand the language of animals which he uses to cure, and then eventually marry, a princess. A male narrator, simply called “l’autore” (the author), recounts all of Sercambi’s tales.17 A contemporary of Straparola, the Pistoian Giovanni Forteguerri (1508–1582), includes in his collection a tale narrated by a young woman about a man granted three wishes by the god Neptune, which recalls, at least in the fact that a marine creature grants wishes, Straparola’s tale of Pietro (3.1).18 Neither Sercambi’s nor Forteguerri’s novellas were published until the nineteenth century. Straparola’s, Basile’s, and Selva’s texts distinguish themselves among these other collections of novellas for their intensified focus on the marvelous and the number of fairy tales included. In each of these texts, only young or old women narrate fairy tales, while men either listen silently or tell other sorts of tales. All three were printed during a time when Italian women’s writings were being published at unprecedented rates.19 And yet despite the literary fairy tale’s feminized status and the greater opportunity for women to see their work in print, to my knowledge no Italian women published a collection of fairy tales in this period.20 This fact is even more surprising when we consider that Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights enjoyed many reprintings during the sixteenth century and his name became synonymous with storytelling in that period. While Italian women seemed not to find Straparola suitable for imitation, French women writing fairy tales in salons during the 1690s found The Pleasant Nights a compelling model. Certainly, today, Charles Perrault, the author of Tales of Times Passed by Mother Goose (1697), is the best-known French author from this period; however, women writers such as Marie-Catherine D’Aulnoy, MarieJeanne Lhéretier, and Henriette-Julie de Murat produced two-thirds of the fairy 17. For Sercambi’s tales I am using the numeration of the following modern edition: Giovanni Sercambi, Novelle, ed. Giovanni Sinicropi (Bari: Laterza, 1973). 18. This is novella 2 in Giovanni Forteguerri, Novelle edite ed inedite, ed. Vittorio Lami (Bologna: Romagnoli, 1882). On the use of fairy tale motifs in Italian tales written before 1400, see Nancy Canepa’s essay “Italy,” in The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales, ed. Jack Zipes (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), 252–55. 19. The list of women-authored texts in The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe series testifies to the increase of number of women publishing. This phenomenon is discussed in detail in the final section of this introduction. 20. Giulia Bigolina is the woman who came closest to experimenting with this new genre. Her work is discussed at the end of this introduction, as is Moderata Fonte’s mythological tale that contains fairy tale motifs.

Introduction 7 tales created in this era.21 Indeed, Madame de Murat would admit openly in her preface to Sublime and Allegorical Tales (1699) that she and other French female authors freely adopted and adapted the plots of Straparola’s fairy tales. She confesses to her readers: I am pleased to indicate two things to the Reader. The first is that I took the ideas for some of these Tales from an earlier Author entitled Les facecieuses nuits du Seigneur Straparole, printed for the sixteenth time in 1615. These tales were apparently very fashionable during the last century, as there has been so much discussed about this book. The Ladies who have written up until now in this genre have drawn from the same source, at least for the most part. The second thing I have to say is that my Tales were written since last April, and that if there are similarities with one of these Ladies in discussing some of my Subjects, I did not use any model other than the original, which will be easy to prove by the different paths we have taken.22 Why did Italian women eschew the genre while French women found Straparola such a compelling model? And why, despite the best seller status of The Pleasant Nights, did so few Italian authors, male or female, write literary fairy tales? In this introduction, I examine the ways in which The Pleasant Nights simultaneously replicates what were the existent iconographies of the fairy tale and resists them by painting a new portrait of the fairy tale narrator. I show that in the frame tale in The Pleasant Nights, in which a group of ladies and gentlemen gather together in Venice during Carnival to dance, sing songs, and tell tales, Straparola depicts his fairy tale narrators as talented, culturally sophisticated young women, an image that challenged entrenched assumptions about the genre being the domain of old crones spinning tales around the hearth and more closely mirrored the sophisticated French women who would write fairy tales in Parisian salons. Straparola’s fairy tales defied categorization in existing canonical literary categories and exerted both attractive and repulsive forces on his readers and wouldbe imitators. Inasmuch as this feminized genre remained outside of the literary canon, despite Straparola’s efforts, and thus was often ignored or dismissed, for both male and female authors the fairy tale would become a safe textual space in which to stage cultural critiques. Reading his collection of tales allows us to better understand the way in which male and female voices were braided together to

21. Lewis C. Seifert, Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender in France, 1690–1715 (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 8. 22. Madame Henriette-Julie de Murat, “Perrault’s Preface to Griselda and Murat’s ‘To Modern Fairies,’ ” ed. and trans. Holly Tucker and Melanie R. Siemens, Marvels & Tales 19, no. 1 (2005): 129–30.

8 Introduction create a genre that, despite being viewed primarily as feminized, would crisscross gender boundaries in the centuries that followed. In the past twenty-five years, Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights has enjoyed a surge of critical attention outside of Italy, primarily in the fields of fairy tale studies and folklore, as well as a number of new editions and translations. A good number of these studies have focused on issues surrounding the origins and sources of the tales in The Pleasant Nights. Ruth Bottigheimer’s claim that Straparola invented certain of his fairy tales rather than rely on oral sources has sparked a debate over the origins of the genre.23 Donald Beecher’s recent edition of The Pleasant Nights, which is a republication of W. G. Waters’s Victorian translation, contains detailed commentaries for each tale, indicating possible sources as well as later versions of the tale by other authors.24 In this essay, I do not enter into the debate about the possible origins of the fairy tale, nor does this translation include extensive references to possible sources, analogues, or later versions of each tale. Nor do I analyze extensively the rich literary context in which The Pleasant Nights was written, as many Italian scholars have done.25 Instead, as indicated above and as is fitting for a volume in The Other Voice series, this introduction focuses primarily on the way in which The Pleasant Nights weaves together male and female voices and how Straparola’s particular engagement of issues of gender shapes the tradition of the literary fairy tale inside and outside of Italy.

Straparola’s Life and Works Centuries after the publication of The Pleasant Nights, Straparola’s identity and biography remain shrouded in mystery; we know very little for certain about Straparola’s origins and life experience. Literary historians have compiled the sparsest of biographies of him by gleaning information from his literary texts rather than from archival documents, specifically, the title pages, paratexts, and content of the two literary works he is known to have published.26 Indeed, the 23. Ruth Bottigheimer first made this claim in Fairy Godfather: Straparola, Venice, and the Fairy Tale Tradition (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), and then again in Fairy Tales: A New History (Albany: SUNY Press, 2009). Her thesis has been challenged by folklorists and literary critics. See the issue of Journal of American Folklore dedicated to this debate for critiques by Francisco Vaz da Silva, Dan Ben-Amos, and Jan Ziolkowski as well as Bottigheimer’s response: vol. 123, no.490 (Fall 2010): 377–497. To my mind, her claim has been productive in that it has pushed scholars on both sides of the issue to reconsider the complex relationship between the oral and written traditions. 24. Donald Beecher, ed., The Pleasant Nights by Giovan Francesco Straparola, trans. W. G. Waters, 2 vols. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012). 25. Two of the first to do so were Giorgio Bàrberi Squarotti and Giancarlo Mazzacurati; their research is cited below. 26. The most detailed biography of Straparola can be found in Donato Pirovano’s “Nota biografica,” in his edition of Le piacevoli notti (Rome: Salerno Editrice, 2000), 1:li–liv. Ruth Bottigheimer imagines

Introduction 9 only certainties regarding Straparola’s biography are found in his bibliography. In 1508, Giovan Francesco “Streparola”27 published a Canzoniere, a collection of Petrarchan love lyrics in which he declared himself to be “young and unknown” (“giovanil and senza note”) in one sonnet, and of “a tender age” (“verde etade”) in another.28 Based on the declaration of his youth in these poems, Straparola’s birth has been estimated at around 1480. The title pages for the two editions of his Canzoniere and The Pleasant Nights indicate that he was a native of the northern Italian city of Caravaggio. Since he published his books and set the frame tale of The Pleasant Nights in Venice, and his prose is peppered with words from the Venetian dialect, at some point in his life he most likely left Caravaggio and migrated to Venice. Based on the fact that the 1557 edition of The Pleasant Nights was the last edition to be published at the author’s request, “ad istanza d’autore,” his death date is often estimated to be 1557, or shortly thereafter. As Donato Pirovano points out, however, the 1557 edition is merely a reprint of the 1555 edition, so it is possible that Straparola had passed away years earlier.29 In any case, no record of Straparola’s death has ever been found, and so both the date and place of his death remain uncertain. His surname Straparola, which means “one who talks too much,” provides us with no clue to his identity. Despite the reprinting of Straparola’s Canzoniere in 1515, a sign perhaps of his modest success as a poet, and the numerous editions of his tales, men like Pietro Aretino, who chronicled the Venetian cultural scene in their letters and mentioned the deeds and fates of some of the historical personages who appear in Straparola’s frame tale, make no mention of Straparola himself. Apart from his poetry and prose, the only physical trace of Straparola’s existence that has survived him is a book containing his ex libris, which is now held in a library in Bergamo.30 Whereas we know almost nothing about Straparola’s life, we do know a great deal about the editorial, cultural, and aesthetic forces that shaped his heterogeneous collection of tales and rendered mid-sixteenth-century Italy, and more specifically Venice, the logical place for its publication. For political, economic, and cultural reasons, Venice became an especially hospitable city for producing and consuming all sorts of tales during Straparola’s lifetime. Venice was a thriving international port city open both to the East and West, as well as the European center for printing and the book trade. By the midsixteenth century, polymaths were able to support themselves by writing and a more complete version of Straparola’s biography by analyzing his social historical context in “A Possible Biography for Zoan Francesco Straparola da Caravaggio,” in Fairy Godfather, 45–81. 27. A variant of Straparola. 28. Sonnets 14 and 54 respectively. Quoted in Giuseppe Rua, “Intorno alle Piacevoli notti dello Straparola,” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 15 (1890): 111–12. 29. Pirovano, “Nota biografica,” liv. 30. On this see Pirovano, “Nota biografica,” lii.

10 Introduction editing all sorts of texts, including original collections of novellas or translations of tales from eastern traditions, such as the Panchatantra, a collection of animal tales in Sanskrit that had been translated into Italian in 1540.31 Unlike Florence or nearby Ferrara, Venice lacked a single, centralized court to dictate a cultural agenda. Instead, Venetians and foreigners alike hosted multiple salons throughout the city, where they enjoyed music, storytelling, and parlor games, as the characters in Straparola’s frame tale do.32 Outside these salons, in Venice’s teeming streets and squares, itinerant storytellers were performing and hawking cheap imprints of cantari, or short tales in verse that often recounted the exploits of the knights and ladies of the chivalric tradition,33 and included those marvels typical of fairy tales, such as seven-league boots and cloaks of darkness.34

The Pleasant Nights Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights is a collection of seventy-three novellas circumscribed by a narrative frame tale; it was first published in two volumes in Venice in 1550 and 1553.35 In The Pleasant Nights, Straparola creates a muted copy of the frame tale in Boccaccio’s Decameron, and in doing so he firmly yokes his text to the dominant model for sixteenth-century male authors who chose to write in prose. Like Boccaccio’s frame tale, which begins with the a description of the devastating Black Plague, Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights opens with localized political unrest that drives Straparola’s protagonists, Ottaviano Maria Sforza and his daughter Lucrezia Gonzaga, from their home in Lodi. While Boccaccio’s ten narrators seek refuge in an idyllic villa in the Tuscan countryside, Straparola’s two protagonists 31. Translating from a Spanish edition, Agnolo Firenzuola published the Panchatantra in 1540. See Marziano Guglielminetti, La cornice e il furto: Studi sulla novella del ’500 (Bologna: Zanichelli, 1984), 10. The polymath Anton Francesco Doni translated both books of the Panchatantra and published them in Venice under the title Moral filosofia in 1552. Marga Cottino-Jones, “Princesses, Kings, and the Fantastic: A Re-Vision of the Language of Representation in the Renaissance,” Italian Quarterly 37, nos. 143–146 (2000), 174. 32. Martha Feldman, City Culture and the Madrigal in Venice (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995), 3–4. 33. On these street singers and their wares, see Rosa Salzberg’s “ ‘Selling Stories and Many Other Things in and through the City’: Peddling Print in Renaissance Florence and Venice,” Sixteenth Century Journal 42, no. 3 (2011), 737–59. 34. See for example the anonymous Historia di Lionbruno, which was printed in Venice in 1476: Beatrice Corrigan, ed. and trans., The Story of Lionbruno: Historia di Lionbruno (Toronto: Toronto Public Library, 1976). 35. The earliest editions contained seventy-three tales. Beginning with the 1555 edition, as I explain below, tale 8.3 was replaced by two shorter tales bringing the total number of tales to seventy-four. These two tales can be found in the appendix to this volume. For the publication history of The Pleasant Nights, see the final section of this essay.

Introduction 11 find safe haven in a rented villa on the Venetian island of Murano. Boccaccio’s ten young Florentines, three men and seven women, recount one tale each per day, over the course of ten days; Straparola’s Lucrezia oversees the evening entertainment created by and for her invited guests, which includes singing, dancing, storytelling, and the solving of riddles for thirteen nights during Carnival. Whereas we learn only the first names of Boccaccio’s narrators, the merry band over which Lucrezia presides includes both recognized historical figures—noblewomen, merchants, prelates, and poets—and ten damigelle or young women, who are known only by their first names (with one exception).36 In Boccaccio’s Decameron, everyone participates in the storytelling and takes a turn presiding over a day’s proceedings as king or queen. In The Pleasant Nights—despite the presence of Pietro Bembo, the plurilingual playwright Antonio Molino, and other poets—Lucrezia initially assigns the task of storytelling to the ten damigelle, five of whom are chosen each night by lot to narrate a tale, with men only occasionally entering the narrative circle as storytellers. But the derivative nature of Straparola’s frame tale belies the true innovation of The Pleasant Nights, for some sixteen of the seventy-three favole, as the narrators call their tales, figure among the first literary fairy tales to be published in western Europe. Considered a founding father of the European fairy tale tradition, Straparola is, in fact, the author of Puss-in-Boots (11.1), as well as a dragon slayer tale (10.3) and an early version of Beauty and the Beast (2.1).37 The seventy-three stories recounted by Straparola’s narrators form a heterogeneous anthology of the many different types of tales that were circulating in Italy at mid-century. Undoubtedly, this eclecticism contributed to the editorial success of The Pleasant Nights.38 Many of these are realistic novellas in the Boccaccian tradition: tragic and comic love stories, adventures that illustrate the vagaries of Fortune, tales of the sexual escapades of unfaithful spouses and bawdy clergymen, or accounts of beffe or elaborate practical jokes played upon unsuspecting dupes. But there are also numerous tales that in regard to language or content draw upon 36. The exception is Cateruzza Brunetta, but scholars have not yet uncovered any biographical information on her. 37. Straparola has been assigned this role both in anthologies and in critical studies. Ruth Bottigheimer argues in Fairy Godfather, 5, that Straparola—rather than writing down an oral tradition—invented the “rise” fairy tale, in which a poor protagonist marries and acquires wealth thanks to magic. Jack Zipes’s anthology features Straparola as the first European author to write a significant number of tales: The Great Fairy Tale Tradition From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm (New York: W. W. Norton, 2001). As Zipes states elsewhere, “Straparola was not an original writer, but he was the first to make a substantial contribution to the shaping of the literary fairy tale and to give it a prominent place in his tale collection”: Jack Zipes, “Of Cats and Men: Framing the Civilizing Discourse of the Fairy Tale,” in Out of the Woods: The Origins of the Literary Fairy Tale in Italy and France, ed. Nancy L. Canepa, intro. Nancy L. Canepa and Antonella Ansani (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press1997), 178. 38. On this point see Pirovano’s “Introduzione,” Le piacevoli notti, 1:xv.

12 Introduction tale traditions that differ from that of the realistic novella. There is one animal tale that tells of a donkey outwitting a lion and recalls both the well-known tales of Aesop and the Panchatantra. There are tales that are far more scatological and openly crude than anything found in the Decameron. On the fifth night, Antonio Molino and Benedetto Trivigiano each tell a tale in dialect. The former narrates in Bergamasque, the latter in Pavano dialect. And, of course, there are the fairy tales. The second volume differs from the first in that it contains fewer fairy tales as well as a number of stories that have been taken from other collections of tales. Three of the tales in volume 2 of The Pleasant Nights are based on tales from the Decameron, while another twenty-three are unacknowledged translations from the Latin tales in the Novellae (1520) of the Neapolitan humanist Girolamo Morlini.39 The dedicatory letters to both volumes serve to deflect charges of plagiarism by depicting Straparola as a scribe who faithfully transcribed the tales as they were told, rather than as the author of the tales. This common fiction of presenting the author of novellas as a scribe began with Boccaccio’s Decameron. It served to protect authors from criticism and censure regarding the style or content of their tales.40 In the dedicatory letter in volume 1, Straparola’s editor Orfeo dalla carta (Orpheus of the paper) urges readers, “Disregard the author’s humble and lowly style, since he did not write them as he wished to, but as he heard them from those women who recounted them, neither adding nor subtracting a thing.”41 Straparola defends himself against charges of plagiarism in his dedicatory letter to volume 2: “To tell the truth, I confess that they are not mine, and if I were to say otherwise, I would be lying; I have written them down quite faithfully according to the way they were recounted by the ten young maidens at that gathering.” Rather than denounce Straparola as a plagiarist or thief, it is perhaps more accurate to consider 39. Tales 7.1, 9.2, and 12.5 in The Pleasant Nights are reworkings of tales 3.9, 4.8, and 10.1 in the Decameron. I have indicated in the notes to the translation when and which tales Straparola has “borrowed” and translated from Morlini. Straparola was not a faithful translator and often changed the settings for tales from Morlini’s Naples to northern Italian cities, and sometimes added to, or removed portions from, Morlini’s tales. On Straparola’s use of Morlini, see Marziano Guglielminetti, “Dalle ‘Novellae’ del Morlini alle ‘Favole’ dello Straparola,” in Medievo e Rinascimimento veneto: Con altri studi in onore di Lino Lazzarini, vol. 2: Dal Cinquecento al Novecento (Padua: Antenore, 1979), 69–81; and Giovanni Villani, “Da Morlini a Straparola: Problemi di traduzione e problemi del testo,” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 159 (1962): 67–73. 40. For use of this fiction as a sort of “ ‘protective screen’ to justify the inclusion of licentious or anticlerical stories,” see Robert J. Clements and Joseph Gibaldi, Anatomy of the Novella (New York: New York University Press, 1977), 18. 41. In the dedicatory letter of the first edition “dalla carta” is not capitalized and so has been understood to be an attribute or characteristic of Orfeo (Orpheus) rather than his surname. See Donatao Pirovano, “Una storia editoriale cinquecentesca: Le piacevoli notti di Giovan Francesco Straparola,” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 177 (2000): 545. For more on Orfeo dalla carta, see volume 1, note 1.

Introduction 13 him within the context of mid-sixteenth-century Venetian editorial culture, in which such acts of authorial borrowing were common. Mario Petrini describes Straparola as a polymath of the novella (“poligrafo della novella”) comparable to the polymaths working in Venice at that time, who produced eclectic texts that mixed registers and genres and were composed through the process of riscrittura, or rewriting unacknowledged borrowings from other texts.42 In a similar way, Straparola assumed a multifaceted role as writer-compiler-translator weaving together realistic novellas, humanist anecdotes, animal stories, and fairy tales.43 Like Boccaccio before him, Straparola does not explicitly label the different sorts of tales in his collection and the vast majority of his narratives are simply referred to as favole.44 In the sixteenth century, the word favola denoted a wide variety of narrative genres in prose and verse including Straparola’s fantastic fairy tales, more realistic Boccaccian novellas, Aesop’s fables, and stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The word could also mean nonsense or something not true.45 Perhaps it was the polysemous nature of the word and its capaciousness that appealed to Straparola, for it aptly applies to the variety of tales in his collection. Or perhaps he wished to signal to his readers that he was straying from the Boccaccian novella tradition.46 Despite a lack of clear terminology, it is easy to recognize and distinguish the fairy tales in The Pleasant Nights from other sorts of stories. Whereas Boccaccio’s (and Straparola’s own) realistic novellas represent the vast spectrum of social status, from paupers to clergy to merchants to royalty, Straparola’s fairy tales focus mainly on those at the extreme ends of the social economic spectrum: the truly 42. Mario Petrini, La fiaba di magia nella letteratura italiana (Udine: Del Bianco, 1983), 153. 43. Donald Beecher calls Straparola “the founder of literary ethnography”: Beecher, The Pleasant Nights, 1:7. 44. The few exceptions, all occurring in the second volume of The Pleasant Nights, are as follows: 6.2 is referred to as a “facezia” (“witty anecdote”); both tales 6.3 and 13. 9 are called a “caso” (“case”); tale 9.3 is described as “ritiene piú tosto della istoria che della favola” (“considered to be more history than tale”); tale 10.3 is called a “novelluzza” (“a little novella”); tale 12.4 is called a “breve novella” (“brief novella”); and tale 12.5 is called a “novella”; in tale 12.2 the preceding tale (12.1) is referred to as a “novella.” 45. Stefano Calabrese demonstrates the imprecision of the terminology in this period in part by noting that in Straparola’s tale 10.3 the narrator Alteria speaks of consulting ancient and modern “istorie,” refers to the tale that preceded hers as a “favola” (it is the story of the lion and the ass), and then proceeds to recount a dragon slayer tale that she calls a “novelluzza.” Stefano Calabrese, “L’enigma del racconto: Dallo Straparola al Basile,” Lingua e stile 18, no. 2 (1983): 178. 46. Marga Cottino-Jones suggests that “the use of the term favola instead of the most often used novella seems therefore willfully imposed [on] the majority of the Piacevoli notti tales as a signature to indicate a narrative form more interested in representing a low-class popular world inspired by the emotional and the fantastic, rather than by the rational and the logic[al], rather than in constructing a historical reality organized in a coherent and rational way by an elitist, usually aristocratic or high middle-class point of view”: “Princesses, Kings, and the Fantastic,” 176.

14 Introduction impoverished and royalty. Straparola’s fairy tales are stories about young people making their way in the world after leaving their homes and families by establishing themselves in adult society through marriage and the acquisition of wealth. Unlike the protagonists of Boccaccio’s novellas and Straparola’s own realistic tales, who often achieve similar goals by dint of their own wit or the turn of Fortune’s wheel, the protagonists of Straparola’s fairy tales arrive at their happy endings by magical means, most often through the use of a magic object or the favor of an enchanted being, be it a fairy, a magic doll, or a talking animal. Metamorphosis is a hallmark of the fairy tale and Straparola’s protagonists experience changes in their physical being as well as their socioeconomic status. By way of enchantments, the protagonists shift shape to become animals or objects or they regrow severed limbs. These same enchantments help the protagonists to either rise up from their impoverished origins or to regain their noble rank, to marry, and to live happily ever after.

Historical Context: Imitation and Innovation in Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights As Straparola penned his tales in mid-sixteenth-century Venice, the Boccaccian tradition was waning and authors were experimenting with more radical departures from their model; Venice’s many well-established printing houses were looking for innovative texts to sell in an expanding marketplace; and various aesthetic, literary, and historical developments brought discussions on marvels and the marvelous to the forefront of cultural debates. The seemingly paradoxical demands for imitation and innovation shaped the content and language of The Pleasant Nights. Straparola wrote at a moment in which Boccaccio’s Decameron was held up as both a linguistic and literary model for those wishing to write tales in the vernacular. Decades earlier, Pietro Bembo had declared in his influential treatise Writings on the Vernacular (1525) that authors wishing to write Italian prose should imitate the language of Boccaccio and those wishing to write verse should imitate Petrarch. To some extent, Straparola dutifully followed these literary prescriptions, for a multitude of intertextualities bind The Pleasant Nights to these two literary models. Straparola inserts phrases, sentences, and entire tales from the Decameron into his own text.47 The songs sung at the beginning of each night of storytelling echo the tropes and themes of Petrarch’s verse. As if to recognize these prevailing literary norms, Straparola includes Pietro Bembo as one of the narrators in the frame tale. Although 47. On Straparola’s rewriting Boccaccio’s tale 3.9 in his own tale 7.1, see Giuseppe Bonomo, “Motivi stregonici in una novella dello Straparola,” Rassegna della letterature italiana 62 (1958): 365–69. Donato Pirovano documents these and many other intertextualities in his edition of Le piacevoli notti and illustrates how Straparola reutilized passages from Boccaccio’s novellas in his own tales. For a discussion of Straparola’s borrowings from the Decameron see Pirovano’s “Introduzione” to Le piacevoli notti, 1:xxxvi–xliv.

Introduction 15 Straparola’s character Bembo does not mention his linguistic and literary theories during these carnival gatherings and contributes only one tale over the course of the thirteen nights, his presence signals an attempt to gain critical legitimacy for the text. Perhaps, as some critics have suggested, Straparola’s inclusion of Bembo and his imitation of the structure of the Decameron were attempts to compensate for the ways in which his text deviated from linguistic norms: he writes a few tales and riddles in different dialects and includes a good many Venetian words in his Italian tales; more radically, he places fairy tales alongside his realistic novellas.48 While literary conventions encouraged Straparola to imitate the great masterpieces of the fourteenth century, the burgeoning print trade encouraged and rewarded experimentation. As literacy rates increased during the sixteenth century and technological advances in printing served to make books more affordable, editors and printers sought new sorts of books that would attract readers in a marketplace crowded with original works, canonical Italian as well as ancient texts, and translations from other national literatures. This same demand for novelty that has been credited with bringing women into print beginning in 1538 with the publication of Vittoria Colonna’s poems,49 most likely also inspired Straparola to write and publish his fairy tales. The early print history of The Pleasant Nights seems to indicate that Straparola’s editor, Orfeo dalla carta, and his printer, Comin da Trino, sought to test the editorial waters to see if the public would embrace his tales by initially publishing only the first volume. This first volume closes in a such a way as to suggest that another will be forthcoming, for it ends after the fifth night of storytelling with a promise that the festivities will continue the following night.50 When the first volume sold well, it was reprinted, and the second volume was then published for the first time two years later in 1553. Perhaps, as Giancarlo Mazzacurati suggests, Straparola’s text, with its somewhat outdated, canonical frame tale circumscribing folkloric tales as well as realistic novellas, also succeeded in satisfying the taste of a new reading public, one that was neither bourgeois nor courtly and dwelled on the geographic and intellectual margins of Italian high culture.51 48. Giorgio Bàrberi Squarotti, “Problemi di tecnica narrativa cinquecentesca: Lo Straparola,” Sigma 5 (1965): 84. 49. See Diana Robin’s Publishing Women: Salons, the Presses, and the Counter-Reformation in SixteenthCentury Italy (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007) on how presses encouraged women’s appearance in print. For an extensive bibliography of women-authored texts published in this period, see Virginia Cox, Women’s Writing in Italy, 1400–1650 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), 235–45. 50. Donato Pirovano, “The Literary Fairy Tale of Giovan Francesco Straparola,” Romanic Review 99, nos. 3–4 (2008): 283–84. For more details on the publication of The Pleasant Nights, see also Pirovano, “Una storia editoriale cinquecentesca: Le piacevoli notti di Giovan Francesco Straparola,” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 177 (2000): 540–69. 51. Giancarlo Mazzacurati, “La narrativa di G. F. Straparola e l’ideologia del fiabesco,” in Forma e ideologia (Naples: Liguori Editore, 1974), 76.

16 Introduction Of course, Straparola certainly was not the only author of tales to experiment with the novella genre. The mid-sixteenth century witnessed the creation of numerous variations on the Boccaccian model.52 Straparola, however, wisely negotiated the seemingly contradictory demands for imitation and innovation by employing a structurally traditional frame tale clearly modeled on the Decameron to circumscribe the fantastic fairy tales that capitalized on a renewed taste for the marvelous that would grow over the course of the century. In Straparola’s fairy tales, women give birth to pigs and snakes, young men slay dragons and monsters, wild men and satyrs inhabit the woods, and talking animals grant the wishes of hapless young men. For Straparola’s first readers, marvels such as these were not exclusively the stuff of fairy tales; cases of women giving birth to animals, dragons threatening hunters, and wild men captured by travelers were discussed in the courts, academies, churches, and public squares of Europe.53 The years 1500 to 1700 have been called the Age of the Marvelous,54 for in these centuries New World explorers brought strange animals, plants, and objects to the Old World, where their descriptions and images reached a curious public on the pages of printed books. New scientific technologies such as the telescope and microscope would bring “new” celestial bodies and life forms into view. The decades following the publication of The Pleasant Nights also witnessed the Catholic Church’s renewed efforts to eradicate witchcraft and superstitions, which were perceived to produce diabolical marvels through spells and incantations, while also authenticating those wonders considered to be true miracles and denouncing those deemed to be fakes.55 Recent scholarship has demonstrated that this proliferation of marvels brought about a clearer articulation of scientific, 52. For example, in I diporti (1551), Girolamo Parabosco expanded the role of the narrative frame tale beyond that of simply introducing or providing commentary on the novellas. Parabosco’s narrators recount seventeen tales, but they also debate questions of love, and read and critique poetry in discussions so protracted and complex that at times I Diporti seems to more closely resemble a literary dialogue than a collection of tales. In his collection of novellas published in 1554, Matteo Bandello abandoned the frame tale altogether and opted instead to frame each tale with an epistle addressed to a specific recipient. Perhaps wishing to avoid the charges of immorality and lasciviousness leveled at Boccaccio’s tales of amorous adventures, Sebastiano Erizzo experimented with a new kind of story in his Le sei giornate of 1567, which he claimed were not novellas but moralized events intended to provide instruction for the reader on different virtues. 53. On these points, see Magnanini, Fairy-Tale Science, 19–48. 54. I take the phrase “Age of the Marvelous” from Joy Kenseth’s catalogue The Age of the Marvelous (Hanover, NH: Hood Museum Dartmouth, 1991). 55. The historians John Tedeschi and William Monter have documented the increase in the Roman Inquisition’s prosecution of witchcraft in their article “Towards a Statistical Profile of Italian Inquisitions, Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries,” in The Inquisition in Early Modern Europe: Studies on Sources and Methods, ed. Gustav Henningsen and John Tedeschi with Charles Amiel (DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 1986), 130–57.

Introduction 17 philosophical, and aesthetic theories of wonder and the marvelous.56 So while wonder tales had existed since antiquity, in the sixteenth century wonder and the objects that provoked it, including literary texts, were particularly sought out and prized.57 In Italian academies, universities, and courts, debates on the proper use of the literary marvelous increased markedly in the wake of the rediscovery and translation of Aristotle’s Poetics.58 While the important role of the marvelous in literary and more broadly intellectual endeavors was acknowledged in classical texts available at the beginning of the sixteenth century,59 the Poetics positioned the marvelous at the center of literary debates with its call for both mimesis or imitation as a governing principle of artistic creation and for the presence of the marvelous in poetry. According to Aristotle, tragedies and epic poems should include marvels aimed at delighting the audience. Debates erupted across the Italian peninsula over which marvels should appear in epic poetry and how they should be employed, as theorists and writers examined poems such as Dante’s Divine Comedy, Ludovico Ariosto’s The Frenzy of Orlando (1532), and Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered (1581). Thus, it is perhaps not surprising that in this same period Straparola chose to write literary fairy tales, a genre often distinguished 56. The past twenty years have witnessed the publication of numerous works on this subject. See, for example, Katharine Park and Lorraine Daston, Wonders and the Order of Nature, 1150–1750 (New York: Zone Books, 1998); Mary B. Campbell, Wonder and Science: Imagining Worlds in Early Modern Europe (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999); Paula Findlen, Possessing Nature: Museums, Collecting, and Scientific Culture in Early Modern Italy (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1994); Zakiya Hanafi, The Monster in the Machine: Magic, Medicine, and the Marvelous in the Time of the Scientific Revolution (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000). 57. Marga Cottino-Jones suggests that Angolo Firenzuola’s translation of Apuleius’s The Golden Ass and the second book of the Panchatantra (Prima veste dei Discorsi degli Animali, 1541), as well as Anton Francesco Doni’s translation of both books of the Panchatantra (La moral filosofia), are indicative of this new interest in the fantastic, or wonder: Cottino-Jones, “Princesses, Kings, and the Fantastic,” 174 . 58. Baxter Hathaway, Marvels and Commonplaces: Renaissance Literary Criticism (New York: Random House, 1968), 9. Bernard Weinberg calls this rediscovery the “signal event” in Renaissance literary criticism: Bernard Weinberg, A History of Literary Criticism in the Italian Renaissance (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961), 1:349. 59. In Natural History, Pliny purported that works of art could be considered wonders, particularly when the mimetic skill of the painter deceived the viewer into mistaking art for nature. See Kenseth, “The Age of the Marvelous,” 28; James V. Mirollo, “The Aesthetics of the Marvelous,” in Kenseth, The Age of the Marvelous, 68. In the Metaphysics (1.2.9), Aristotle asserts: “It is through wonder that men now begin and originally began to philosophize; wondering in the first place at obvious perplexities, and then by gradual progression raising questions about greater matters too, for example about the changes of the moon and the sun, about the stars and about the origins of the universe.” Aristotle, Metaphysics, ed. and trans. Hugh Tredennick, vols. 17–18 of Aristotle in Twenty-three Volumes (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996), 17:13.

18 Introduction from other forms of prose fiction by the presence of marvels, and called by some critics “wonder tales.”60 Ironically, the very wonders that likely made Straparola’s text so popular—fairies, necromancers, magic—were the types of marvels that the Catholic Church would begin to suppress in earnest in the 1580s, as a part of the Counter-Reformation efforts to eliminate superstitions and witchcraft. Finally, in addition, Straparola’s fairy tales also engaged issues of class and social and economic mobility that were especially pertinent to Venetian society. Venetian law prohibited marriage across its three classes—nobles, citizens, and the people—although such marriages did take place on rare occasions. At the same time, dowry inflation made it difficult for even wealthy families to marry off all their daughters and sons, and this further tightened the marriage market and encouraged forced monachization, or forcing young women to take religious vows and enter convents as nuns.61 Straparola’s fairy tales in which poor boys and girls scaled the socioeconomic ladder thanks to magic and interclass marriage resulted in personal happiness as well as political stability and peace, provided fictional solutions for Venice’s collective marital problems.62 For example, in Straparola’s Puss-in-Boots tale (11.1), Costantino Fortunato, the youngest of three impoverished brothers, inherits only a cat when his mother dies. The cat, however, turns out to be a fairy who manages to cure Costantino’s mange, find him favor with the king, arrange his marriage with the princess, and obtain a castle and land where Costantino and his bride can live happily. Fairy tales such as these could provide a fantasy of upward mobility to the lower classes while assuaging the anxieties of the nobles regarding the perils of interclass marriage.63

Straparola’s Damigelle and Their Fairy Tales In the dedicatory letters to each volume of The Pleasant Nights, Straparola appears as a scribe who dutifully copied down the tales as the female narrators recounted them. In doing so, both Straparola and his editor Orfeo dalla carta posit female voices as the source for all of the tales while ignoring the male narrators who also 60. See, for example, Marina Warner, ed., Wonder Tales (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994), 4. Michele Rak makes a similar observation in “Il sistema dei racconti nel Cunto de li cunti di Basile,” in Giovan Battista Basile e l’invenzione della fiaba, ed. Michelangelo Picone and Alfred Messerli (Ravenna: Longo, 2004), 14. 61. On the pressures of the Venetian market and forced monachization see Jutta Sperling, Convents and the Body Politic (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999). 62. In Fairy Godfather, Ruth Bottigheimer calls these sorts of fairy tales “rise tales” and argues, persuasively I think, that they offered to the lower classes a fantasy of social and economic mobility that would have been impossible in sixteenth-century Venice. 63. For a more detailed reading of how Straparola’s tale of the Pig King (2.1) functioned to address the concerns surrounding interclass marriage, see the chapter “Bestiality and Interclass Marriage in Straparola’s ‘Il re porco,’ ” in Magnanini, Fairy-Tale Science, 93–116.

Introduction 19 contribute to the storytelling. While initially the task of storytelling is assigned to the young maidens, men will narrate tales on the second, fifth, sixth, ninth, and thirteenth nights. On that final night of storytelling, the men and the older women present, Lucrezia, Chiara, and Veronica, are invited to join the narrative circle as storytellers and replace some of the young female narrators.64 Lucrezia also narrates the final tale of the fifth night, which closes the first volume of The Pleasant Nights. Although male and female narrators are present for each night during Carnival, only the damigelle, or young women, will tell fairy tales, whereas their male companions opt for verisimilar novellas. Furthermore, in those moments in which men are called upon to tell tales, they often define tale telling as women’s work or distinguish their own stories from the women’s fairy tales by insisting upon their veracity.65 Thus, while in actuality both men and women tell tales in The Pleasant Nights, telling tales is defined as women’s work and the fairy tale becomes the exclusive narrative domain of women, in particular of Straparola’s damigelle. Initially, then, it might appear as though Straparola simply replicates entrenched assumptions regarding the fairy tale as women’s work. Straparola’s damigelle, however, resemble neither Apuleius’s old woman comforting Charite with the tale of Cupid and Psyche, nor Boccaccio’s crazy old women entertaining young women, old folks, and children. Apart from their sex, they are not “classic” storytellers. Instead, Straparola creates a group portrait of these young women in which, although it is difficult to distinguish among the individual figures, one perceives a new image of the fairy tale narrator. They inhabit a space that, although domestic (it is Lucrezia’s home), more closely resembles a salon than a spinning room or hearth, due to both the presence of learned and politically important men and the emphasis on cultural production, rather than domestic labor. Their participation in the Carnival festivities reveals that they possess the sort of education shared by sixteenth-century court ladies, courtesans, and virtuose, female poets and musicians who were called upon to entertain Venice’s upper classes. They are well spoken and well read. Many of the tales 64. Antonio Molino and Benedetto Trivigiano each tell a tale on the second and fifth nights. Antonio Bembo recounts a tale on the sixth night, while Ferier Beltramo tells one on the ninth night. On the thirteenth and final night of storytelling, Lucrezia commands all the men and women to participate by telling a tale and Pietro Bembo, Giambattista Casali, Bernardo Cappello, Ferier Beltramo, Antonio Molino, and Benedetto Trivigiano each narrate a tale. 65. For example, on the thirteenth night (first tale), Ambassador Casali states: “Heavy is the burden that the Signora has given me to tell tales, for it is a woman’s duty rather than a man’s; but since this is her wish and that of this honorable and worthy company, I will force myself, if not wholly, at least in some small part, to satisfy your desire.” On the same night, Antonio Molino introduces his tale (13.9) about a hermaphrodite by stating: “My gracious ladies, great and innumerable are the secrets of Nature; nor is there a man who can imagine them all. For this reason, I thought to tell you of a case which is not a tale, but occurred a short time ago in the city of Salerno.”

20 Introduction they tell and the songs they sing betray knowledge of the two dominant literary models of their age, Boccaccio and Petrarch, while other tales and riddles indicate a basic knowledge of Latin. They are accomplished dancers and singers who accompany themselves on violas and other string instruments.66 In sum, Straparola’s fairy tale narrators are educated, quick-witted women who associate with a cultural elite in a domestic setting: they are salonnières rather than spinners. For these reasons, they recall the virtuose of Straparola’s day, such as the poet Gaspara Stampa. And like Stampa, whom scholars once believed was a courtesan despite a lack of conclusive evidence, they seem to move between respectability and infamy.67 The portrait is ambiguous and it is difficult to know just what sort of women we are viewing. Perhaps such ambiguity is to be expected in a society in which women were told to be chaste, silent, and obedient and in which raising one’s voice, to sing or to tell a tale, necessarily meant putting one’s virtue in question, even as women entered the public sphere through print in ever growing numbers. Certainly, all the damigelle are beautiful, but their beauty is described in terms of Petrarchan stereotypes that make it difficult to distinguish among them.68 Although the surname of one of the young women (Cateruzza Brunetta) is known, the damigelle have not been identified as historical figures. While other female characters in the frame tale (the signoras Lucrezia, Chiara, Veronica) are defined in great part through their relations to men (they are daughters, widows, or wives), the damigelle are untethered women, free of kinship ties that would provide them with a positive identity, but thus also free of the expectation that they will preserve the honor of their male relatives by comporting themselves according to societal norms. Understandably, then, readers have arrived at very different conclusions regarding the identity of these women. For Marga Cottino-Jones, they are “constructed as socially and intellectually inferior to the historical characters,”69 while for Karl-Heinrich Barsch they are social peers of Lucrezia, noblewomen, but noblewomen who were “hired female entertainers.”70 Donald Beecher, instead, suggests 66. On these musical performances see Cathy Elias, “Musical Performance in Sixteenth-Century Italian Literature: Straparola’s Le piacevoli notti,” Early Music 17, no. 2 (1989): 161–73. In this article, Elias identifies the music for a number of these songs: “Giovanni Nasco’s music for Ardo tremendo e ne l’ardor (night 7) appears in a 1562 print of Giolamo Scotto; Vincenzo Ruffo’s Questa fera gentile, dove soglio trovar sovente unita (night 8) is found in a 1556 reprint of Antonio Gardano; and Se’l tempo invola (night 12), also set by Nasco, in a 1561 print of Scotto. As would be expected, these works take the form of madrigals; no other settings of the text are known. Although the first edition of Le piacevoli notti predates the earliest known prints of these pieces, this does not preclude the possibility that Straparola knew the music when writing his book” (166). 67. Fiora A. Bassanese, Gaspara Stampa (Boston: Twayne, 1982), 4. 68. Pirovano, “Introduzione,” 1:xvii. 69. Cottino-Jones, “Princesses, Kings, and the Fantastic,” 175. 70. Karl-Heinrich Barsch, “The ‘Eternal-Womanly’ in Novella Narration: Female Roles in the Frames of Boccaccio’s Decameron, Straparola’s Piacevoli notti, the Queen of Navarre’s Heptameron, and

Introduction 21 that their depiction is not grounded in historical reality, but that the damigelle “are narrators embodied according to carefully calibrated conventions, conventions that permit them to be objects of Platonic admiration, partners in banter, models of innocence, yet instruments of the culturally low and the morally marginal erotic enigmas, which they primly recall from the gutter to the amusement of all.”71 This ambiguous depiction arises in part from Straparola’s seeming purposeful attempt to confound a realistic interpretation of his frame tale and reflects in part the historic context in which he wrote, for Straparola lived and wrote in a moment in which female identities had become difficult to assign and discern. By setting the frame tale during Carnival, a period when social distinctions blurred and social norms could be temporarily ignored, Straparola renders it difficult to judge the behavior of these young women. Would they recount their sometimes lascivious or scatological tales and suggestive riddles at any other time of year? At the same time, Straparola creates a fantastic setting for the recounting of his tales. Historical personages gather on an island in the Venetian lagoon, but the villa where they will pass the night of Carnival possesses a garden that blooms in the dead of winter as if it were springtime. If, as Marga Cottino-Jones argues, this fantastic space serves to challenge and subvert the realism of the dominant novella tradition, then perhaps, too, these damigelle are meant to challenge the dominant image of the fairy tale narrator as an old crone. Though these women may be Straparola’s fantastic invention, and as Beecher suggests are not a reflection of a specific historical reality, the fact is that in the 1540s in Venice, the task of distinguishing one sort of woman from another had become difficult. The Venetian government passed sumptuary laws in 1542 aimed at making absolutely clear the sartorial markers that were supposed to distinguish courtesans from noble women because courtesans “go about openly in the streets and churches, and furthermore are so well dressed and adorned that on many occasions our noble and citizen women have been confused with them, the good with the bad, and not only by foreigners but also by those who live here.”72 The passage of such sumptuary laws did not clear up this confusion, and distinguishing between courtesans and noble ladies remained difficult throughout the sixteenth century.73 Goethe’s Unterhaltungen Deutscher Ausgewanderter,” Studies in Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures: Proceedings of the Southeastern Conference on Foreign Languages and Literatures, ed. Fidel López-Criado, 1 (1988): 157. 71. Beecher, “Introduction,” in The Pleasant Nights, 18. 72. From Venice: A Documentary History, 1450–1630, ed. David Chambers and Brian Pullan (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992), 117, quoted in Bonnie Gordon, “The Courtesan’s Singing Body as Cultural Capital in Seventeenth-Century Italy,” in The Courtesan’s Arts: Cross Cultural Perspectives, eds. Martha Feldman and Bonnie Gordon (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 184–85. 73. On this point, see Margaret F. Rosenthal, “Cutting a Good Figure: The Fashions of Venetian Courtesans in the Illustrated Albums of Early Modern Travelers,” in Feldman and Gordon, The

22 Introduction The musical talents of the damigelle similarly confound their identity. By the 1540s, as Martha Feldman notes, “ ‘singing’ itself became a watchword for female impropriety.”74 If in Gli Asolani, his dialogue of 1505, Pietro Bembo, a member of Signora Lucrezia’s company, argued that singing and music making were acceptable activities for both men and women, by 1541 he “admonishes his teenage daughter not to play an instrument” since doing so was “ ‘a thing for vain and frivolous women.’ ”75 Although considered by Baldassare Castiglione an essential part of a courtly lady’s education in his The Book of the Courtier, music, and solo singing in particular, had become part of the courtesan’s repertoire of marketable cultural skills. In their musical performances, Straparola’s damigelle walk a fine line between propriety and impropriety: they play their own instruments, but in all but one instance they sing together, which was considered more acceptable for proper young women.76 The damigelle seem well aware of their privileged position as talented and engaging young women, as well as of the ways in which their behavior might transgress gender norms, as do their male companions. On the fifth night, when Eritrea indicates that the solution to her riddle is the basilisk, a monster that can kill with its gaze, Signor Evangelista Cittadini insists that she is a basilisk, a nickname used by courtesans and documented in the literature and music of the period.77 Eritrea responds to him with prim silence: she blushes but does not reply. On the second night, Fiordiana invites Antonio Molino to take her place, praising his skill as a narrator and claiming that “it would be better for us simple women to have needle in hand rather than telling tales.” Fiordiana’s assertion coyly alludes to prescriptive texts that advocated that women should practice the needle arts as a way to avoid idle chatter and sinful behavior, while reifying gender hierarchies that depicted men as the more capable gender in the literary sphere.78 But who can believe her? Over the course of the thirteen nights, she and the other damigelle prove to be skilled raconteurs well aware of dominant literary traditions. It is easy to see why French women who wrote fairy tales in Parisian salons found The Courtesan’s Arts, 52–74. 74. Martha Feldman, “The Courtesan’s Voice: Petrarchan Lover’s, Pop Philosophy, and Oral Traditions,” in Feldman and Gordon, The Courtesan’s Arts, 105. 75. Feldman, “The Courtesan’s Voice,” 105. 76. The exception occurs on the seventh night, when Signora Lucrezia orders only Lauretta to sing. 77. Gordon, “The Courtesan’s Singing Body,” 186. 78. In his highly influential treatise The Education of a Christian Woman, which circulated in Italy in Straparola’s day in both Latin and Italian, Juan Luis Vives wrote, “But I should not wish any woman to be ignorant of the skills of working with her hands, not even a princess or a queen. What could she do better than this [spin] when free of all the household tasks? She will converse with men, I suppose, or other women. About what? Is she to talk forever? Will she never keep quiet? Perhaps she will think. About what? A woman’s thoughts are swift and generally unsettled, roving without direction, and I know not where her instability will lead her.” The Education of A Christian Woman, 59.

Introduction 23 Pleasant Nights such a compelling model. Straparola’s collection of tales provides them with not just fairy tale plots but also a new portrait of the fairy tale narrator. As feminist scholars have noted, male authors who adopted the device of the female narrator telling fairy tales or other sorts of tales in their texts appropriated the historical female voice in these works in order to ultimately displace, control, or domesticate it. As Karen Rowe argues, in texts such as Ovid’s Metamorphoses or The Thousand and One Nights that attribute tale telling to female narrators, “having attributed this transformative artistic intelligence and voice to a woman, the narrator then reclaims for himself … the controlling power of retelling, of literary recasting, and of dissemination to the folk—a folk that includes the female community of tale-tellers from which the stories would seem to have originated.”79 Male tale collectors have been shown to have altered or suppressed key elements of the tales told by their female informants in order to domesticate or control those aspects of the tales that contested established gender roles and norms. Of course, women are equally capable of reshaping tales to suit their purpose and needs. Some feminist scholars have argued that traces of a female voice that is often in dissonance with the dominant male voice can often still be detected in male-authored texts.80 I am arguing something slightly different here. To my mind, Straparola makes a space for a female voice in his text without ever completely relinquishing control over his narrative project, both by including the feminized genre of the fairy tale and by allowing his female narrators to engage in a querelle des femmes with their male companions. Although the damigelle do not necessarily win the battle of the sexes, they are depicted as capable interlocutors who articulate their resistance to the overt misogyny of their male companions. Though ultimately a patriarchal worldview is reasserted at the end of their exchange during the second night, the dissenting opinions of the female voices are heard.

Straparola and the Debate on Women Like many “other voices” in this series, Straparola’s Pleasant Nights contributes to the early modern debate on the status of women, known as the querelle des femmes or the questione della donna (“the woman question”).81 In fact, Straparola links his literary fairy tales to this debate, by staging a battle of the sexes that begins immediately after the first marvelous fairy tale is recounted in The Pleasant 79. Rowe, “To Spin a Yarn,” 61. 80. For a review of this branch of scholarship see Donald Haase, “Feminist Fairy-Tale Scholarship,” in Fairy Tales and Feminism New Approaches (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004), 14–19. 81. For an overview of this debate, see Margaret L. King’s and Albert Rabil’s “The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: Introduction to the Series,” in Moderata Fonte, The Worth of Women Wherein is Clearly Revealed their Nobility and their Superiority to Men, ed. and trans. Virginia Cox (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1997), vii–xxvi.

24 Introduction Nights.82 This linkage is perhaps not surprising, for fairy tales have long served as sites for contesting or reifying gender ideologies.83 Jack Zipes has written that in Straparola’s frame tale, where the majority of tales are told by the damigelle, “the perspective is from the dominated sex, from down under, from a subversive point of view that exposes the darkness of court societies and the absurd and arbitrary ways men use power to enforce what they consider to be the proper gender roles and social codes of their civilizing processes.”84 Through the tales and the narrators’ exchanges regarding the representation of women in them on the second night, Straparola examines key topics in this cultural debate: marriage, chastity, female agency, and personal adornment. As the young female narrators recount tales aimed at defending their sex against the perceived attacks by the male narrators, their own assertive behavior differs from the more compliant actions of the protagonists in their tales. Undoubtedly feeling themselves freed from cultural constraints in part because it is Carnival, the outspoken young women openly challenge their male companions by telling tales and daring to test the bounds of propriety with seemingly lascivious riddles; however, in the end their tales often celebrate the traditional female virtues of chastity, silence, and obedience. As Zipes notes, Straparola is not a radical urging that existing societal norms be dismantled and replaced by more equitable systems.85 The challenges to the patriarchal system embedded in the tales are in the end supplanted by patriarchal marriages or the repression of female rebellion. This was true as well, however, for many early modern women-authored texts considered prowoman, but which ultimately encourage women to accept patriarchal marriages.86 The damigella Isabella opens the second night’s storytelling with the first truly marvelous fairy tale in the collection, the story of King Pig. This tale contains many of those elements we have come to expect in fairy tales: three fairies 82. Although we might consider tale 1.4 as the first fairy tale of the collection, this story does not prominently feature the marvels we now readily associate with the genre. In this tale, Prince Tebaldo of Salerno wishes to take his daughter Doralice as his wife and she is given a sleeping potion by her nurse so that she can hide in a chest in order to escape from her incestuous father. For other early modern versions of this fairy tale that feature magic more prominently, see Giambattista Basile’s “The SheBear,” in The Tale of Tales: Entertainment for the Little Ones, ed. and trans. Nancy L. Canepa (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2007), 177–83; and Charles Perrault’s “Donkey-Skin,” in Jack Zipes, The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, 38–46. 83. Haase, preface to Fairy Tales and Feminisms, vii. 84. Jack Zipes, Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion: The Classical Genre for Children and the Process of Civilization, 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2006), 22. 85. Zipes, Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion, 22. 86. See for example, the closing paragraphs of Christine de Pizan’s The Book of the City of Ladies, in which she exhorts the wives of abusive husbands to patiently endure: ed. and trans. Rosalind Brown-Grant (New York: Penguin Books, 1999), 238.

Introduction 25 who either bless or curse a childless marquise as she sleeps in her garden; the marquise’s giving birth to a pig who is cursed to marry three times in order to return to human form; and a poor, youngest sister whose kindness leads to the disenchantment and transformation both of her porcine spouse who becomes a handsome prince and of her own lowly socioeconomic status. As an animal bridegroom tale, her story explores issues related to marriage. In this tale, the good girl who accepts the marriage arranged for her and embraces her husband without question—as prescriptive texts of the period advised they should—has the good fortune to see him transform into a desirable spouse.87 The narrator Isabella follows this tale with a riddle that underscores women’s role as passive, yet enthusiastic, recipient in the patriarchal marriage market, thus seeming to affirm the status quo. And yet, the violent deaths of the two older sisters whom the pig gores to death when they plot to kill him rather than commit an act of bestiality point to the ways in which women, and particularly poor women, were denied any say in determining their destinies. When it is Fiordiana’s turn to tell a tale, she asks Lucrezia’s permission to invite Antonio Molino to take her place, praising his skill as a narrator. Molino then recounts a cautionary tale regarding the fragility of a woman’s chaste reputation that is aimed at discouraging female agency. After being brutally tricked by three women he was courting simultaneously, a student in Bologna named Filenio Sisterna plots his revenge. Pretending not to be offended, he invites them to a party at his home where he leads them into a room and forces them to strip and climb into a bed together where he covers them with a sheet. He then brings their husbands into the room to gaze upon their naked bodies as he slowly raises the sheet from their feet to their necks. He refrains from revealing their faces and thus their identities, and the chastened women return home where their husbands find them spinning by the hearth.88 Molino’s female companions initially 87. It is interesting to think of this fairy tale in relation to Moderata Fonte’s dialogue The Worth of Women (1600), in which the young woman Virginia refuses to accept a husband after she has heard her companions speak of the treachery and vileness of men. Her mother Adriana dismisses Virginia’s assertion and assures her “I’ll keep searching until I find a companion with whom you’ll be able to live happily, for I shall strive to find someone noble, sensible, and virtuous, rather than someone rich, spoiled, and unreliable.” When Virginia asks what she should do if her husband turns out to be “proud and arrogant,” Adriana replies, “You’d be as humble as you could in return… . Because, since we must needs be subject to them, the only thing to do is to flatter and spoil them.” Fonte, The Worth of Women, 238. 88. The tale functions as a sort of inverse of the story of the rape of Lucretia, who figured in the debate on the status of women as a paragon of female chastity and virtue. Lucretia’s story was retold multiple times in the context of the querelle des femmes by authors such as Giovanni Boccaccio: see his Famous Women, trans. and ed. Virginia Brown (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001), 194–99; also Christine de Pizan, in The Book of the City of Ladies, 147–48, 190–91; and Straparola, who references her in tale 12.1, and she was depicted in paintings by artists such as Botticelli, Titian, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Lucretia is spinning modestly at home when Tarquin sees her and decides to

26 Introduction judge the young man’s vendetta to be “as unpleasant as it was dishonest.” And the tale does seem despicable and unpleasant, for when good women act to chastise predatory male behavior they find their own reputations put in jeopardy. The fragility of a chaste reputation and the ability of men to manipulate this reputation leave women vulnerable to attack and render such displays of agency quite risky. Yet after considering the pains suffered by the wily student the women of the group judge his revenge to be quite just. Fiordiana, who invited Molino to take her place, is called upon to conclude his tale with an enigma. The riddle she presents recalls the group’s positive interpretation of the male protagonist of this tale, for the solution is “the student.” The women thus initially attack the double standard that allowed men to act unchastely, but ultimately retreat to a more conservative position. Molino’s tale, however, is never completely accepted by the women, for Lionora continues the storytelling, claiming that her tale will be no less pleasing to the women than his was to the men. Once again, the story features a predatory male, Carlo da Rimino, a man described as despicable and bestial. He attempts to seduce Teodosia, a poor widow’s chaste daughter, who has pledged her virginity to God. When the widow refuses to compromise her daughter, Carlo decides to take the girl by force but, his mind confounded by God, he succeeds only in embracing the sooty kitchen pots. Blackened with soot, he is not recognized by his own servants and beaten harshly. When Carlo then denounces Teodosia and the magistrate decides to prosecute her for witchcraft, the young woman flees to a convent in order to save herself. The tale causes Lionora’s female companions to laugh both at Carlo’s foolishness in embracing the pots and at the blows he suffered at the hands of his own servants. They remain silent, however, regarding Teodosia’s fate. To speak of that would be to recognize the sad truth of this tale: when virtuous women act out to thwart a predatory male they cannot expect earthly justice to protect them, even when God is on their side. For the fourth tale, Signora Lucrezia asks the poet Benedetto Trivigiano to step in and replace the designated narrator, Lodovica, who has a headache. He begins by observing that the majority of women are frivolous and lacking in wisdom, and many of them allow themselves to be dazzled and try to satisfy all of their unbridled desires. With these words Trivigiano likens women to Carlo da Rimino when “God so profoundly dazzled his mind.” But while the intellect of the evil suitor is confounded by divine intervention, for Trivigiano such confusion represents the normal state of affairs for a majority of women. Trivigiano

seduce her. When she refuses his advances, Tarquin rapes her and after revealing his crime to her family, she takes her own life. These women begin the tale outside their homes (at a party), rebel against the insincere advances of young man, are violated by being exposed, but then are punished and return home to perform there newfound modesty and submissiveness by spinning at the hearth.

Introduction 27 then narrates a misogynistic tale about a devil who takes a wife.89 The woman’s constant nagging and requests for clothes and jewels with which to adorn herself as the changing fashions demand cause the tortured devil to run back to hell. As if to underscore the wife’s misguided preoccupation with superficial beauty and fashion, the answer to Trivigiano’s riddle is the immortal soul. While Trivigiano’s male companions laugh heartily at his tale, the women in the group are offended. In fact, the next damigella in line to narrate, Vicenza, turns completely red, not out of shame, but due to “indignation and anger on account of the tale just told.” She speaks out against Trivigiano expressing her surprise: she had thought he was “more pleasant and more of a supporter of women” and surmises that he must have been wounded by a woman he loved. Such an affront, Vicenza reasons, is no excuse for condemning all women. Trivigiano insists that he sought not revenge but simply to instruct all women to be “more temperate with their husbands.” Fearing that her silence might be interpreted as taking the part of men in this battle, Vicenza launches into a tale which she says will provide him with a good deal of instruction. Vicenza tells the story of the nobleman Simplicio, who falls in love with Giliola, the wife of a farmer named Ghirotto Scanferla. Simplicio himself is married to a good woman who is beautiful, kind, and well mannered. Once Ghirotto learns of Simplicio’s attempt to seduce his wife Giliola, he orchestrates a series of cryptic exchanges between Giliola and Simplicio, telling his wife exactly what she should say. These exchanges ultimately lead Simplicio into the farmer’s home where he is “discovered” and beaten by Ghirotto. All of Vincenza’s female companions speak with one voice at the end of her tale, saying, “If Trivigiano has treated women badly with his tale, Vicenza has treated men worse, leaving Messer Simplicio all broken and bruised from the blows he received.” The men too laugh, however, and why shouldn’t they? This is not a tale of a woman outsmarting a man, but a battle of wits between two men. The predatory male is punished by male-on-male violence because his intended female victim turns to her husband to protect her honor and chastity. Simplicio’s hatred is not directed at the man who tricked and beat him, but at all women except his wife. Another misogynist is born. The exchange of tales on the second night of storytelling provides a multitude of opinions and ideas concerning women and their place in society. Isabella’s fairy tale provides a fantasy that renders patriarchal marriage more palatable for women: the vile pig you have been given as a husband may actually be a prince. At the same time, her tale lays bare the violence that those poor women who refuse to allow their destiny, sexual or otherwise, to be controlled by men are forced to endure. In response to Molino’s tale of the wily student Filenio, Lionora 89. Many versions of this tale circulated at the time. Perhaps the best known today is Niccolò Machiavelli’s story “Belfagor, the Devil Who Took a Wife.”

28 Introduction relates the story of Carlo and Teodosia, which she presents as prowoman. Both stories, however, ultimately serve as cautionary tales regarding female agency: women who seek to protect their own chastity by thwarting male desire risk having their actions misinterpreted and misjudged by male authority. Trivigiano’s tale reminds the group of certain misogynistic assumptions: women are vain and fickle creatures so obsessed with the frivolities of personal adornment that their intellects cannot discern the higher good. Vincenza’s response to his antiwoman assertion, the tale of Giliola and Simplicio, might initially seem to undermine her self-proclaimed prowoman stance, for when a good woman’s chastity is threatened she cedes her own voice to her husband and allows him to punish the sexual predator. In many regards, it would seem that the female narrators’ contributions to this debate on women serve only to reinforce dominant norms of acceptable female behavior without challenging any of the fundamental assumptions about women or questioning existing paradigms of power. These conservative views of women are validated once again when Lucrezia, the women who is ruling over this company, deigns to tell a tale at the end of the fifth night. She is at first reluctant to assume the narrative duties she had assigned to her younger companions and does so only after Trivigiano urges her “not to be concerned with maintaining her dignity” since it is the Carnival season. Lucrezia then recounts the tale of the ironically named Madonna Modesta, who cuckolds her husband by trading sex for shoes with innumerable men in Pistoia. Lucrezia presents this bawdy tale as a negative exemplum intended to teach her listeners “to seek the good women and flee from the evil [ones].” With her neat division of good and lascivious women, Lucrezia replicates a vision of unbridled sexuality common to the misogynistic discourse of the period.90 On one level then, Straparola’s debate on women simply recapitulates the same tired critiques of the female sex while extolling traditional female virtues. Certainly, his female narrators do not denounce those mechanisms that support the oppression of women: they do not call out for equal access to education or training; they do not suggest that they will never marry.91 90. See, by way of example, Giuseppe Passi’s denunciation of female lust: “Giuseppe Passi’s Attacks on Women in the Defects of Women,” trans. and ed. Suzanne Magnanini with David Lamari, in In Dialogue with the Other Voice, ed. Julie Campbell and Maria Galli Stampino (Toronto: Iter and CRRS, 2011), 164–74. 91. On the subject of equal opportunities for women, the Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco wrote in 1575 that women would be able to battle men if they had the proper training: “When we women, too, have weapons and training, / we will be able to prove to all men / that we have hands and feet and hearts like yours; / and though we may be tender and delicate, / some men who are delicate are also strong/and some, though coarse and rough, are cowards”: Franco, Poems and Selected Letters, ed. and trans. Anne Rosalind Jones and Margaret F. Rosenthal (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998), 163. In Moderata Fonte’s dialogue The Worth of Women (1600), a young woman balks at the prospect of being married off by her family: see note 87.

Introduction 29 Moreover, at other moments in the text, the young women tell tales that, like Lucrezia’s story of Madonna Modesta, uncritically represent the alleged defects of women denounced in misogynistic texts of the period.92 But although Straparola’s tales function as tools for acculturation that encourage the acceptance of established gender norms, we can nonetheless still hear in them female voices that decry the injustice—if only momentarily—of these very same norms. The fact that some women in Straparola’s frame tale speak up and speak out to denounce misogynistic discourse presents the reader with an ambivalent view of the text’s apparent reinforcement of gender norms, even while other women, such as Lucrezia, seem only to repeat tired patriarchal paradigms. This same ambivalence can be found in Straparola’s fairy tales, and perhaps in all fairy tales. Although there are tales in which women seem to redeem themselves only by enduring physical and psychological violence (tales 3.3 and 4.3) and others in which women are passive princesses waiting to be saved by brave knights (7.5), there are a number of fairy tales that portray dynamic female protagonists whose actions allow them to overcome the oppression they suffer in part or wholly due to their gender. Orphaned Adamantina and her sister have limited economic opportunities to support themselves, but Adamantina manages to be remunerated well for her maternal work when the doll she lovingly cares for fills its diaper with money (5.2). Costanza, who is able to pass for a man, thanks to the comprehensive education she has received in arms and letters, forges her own destiny when her parents cannot provide her with a dowry (4.1). Doralice is impregnated by an enchanted tuna fish in the service of a vindictive fool and then cast out by her family, but she uses her own wits to restore her family ties and shape her foolish spouse into a desirable partner (3.1). In each of these tales magic and enchantments permit the female protagonists to overcome the sorts of obstacles that women routinely faced in early modern Italy: lack of economic opportunities, limited access to education, dowry requirements that prevented marriage, and no legal rights to determine one’s future, reproductive or otherwise. Some scholars have viewed in the fairy tale genre a particular capacity to embrace both a revolt against and conformity to the status quo by way of a happy ending that erases the initial exile or expulsion from home of the protagonist.93 In examining seventeenth-century French fairy tales, Lewis Seifert sees instead a tension between conformity and revolt as a defining aspect of these French fairy tales: “When the corpus is considered as a whole, dominant conceptions of ‘reality’ are neither completely rejected nor reaffirmed, neither absolutely redefined

92. See, for example, tale 12.2 recounted by Lodovica, in which a lascivious wife is compelled to sleep with a madman who has discovered her in bed with her lover in order to buy his silence. 93. Seifert, in Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender (12), indicates Marthe Robert as a proponent of this view, citing her article “Un modèle romanesque: le conte de Grimm,” Preuves 185 (1966): 24–34.

30 Introduction nor reiterated.”94 We might say the same thing of Straparola’s tales. Furthermore, the “interpretability and elasticity” of fairy tales, which Jan Ziolkowski sees as both a hallmark of the genre and the reason that so many diverse critical approaches have been applied seemingly equally well to it,95 allows us to read in Straparola’s fairy tales both a challenge to and reinforcement of gender norms. The literary fairy tale, with its potential for active female protagonists and use of the marvelous for interrogating the very real implications of gender roles, would seem an appealing genre for Italian women who addressed similar subjects in the dialogues, treatises, and plays that they wrote and published during the sixteenth century. But in Italy Straparola inspired few imitators, male or female.

Afterlife: Straparola and Italian Women Writers Straparola’s text enjoyed such remarkable editorial success in Italy during the second half of the sixteenth century that his name became synonymous with entertaining storytelling. In his encyclopedic study of the causes and effects of different sorts of madness, The Hospital of Incurable Madness (1586), Tomaso Garzoni compares one of the more loquacious female patients’ marvelous tales to those of Straparola: “The one further on, called Cecilia Venusia, is a reckless fool who is constantly involved in buffoonery. Nor can one find a prettier coquette than she, so that she always has a coterie of women around her who would certainly be dead or lost without her. With her buffoonery, her various nonsense rhymes and satires, with her telling a thousand tales, more wonderful than those of Straparola, with her chattering more than a parrot, she has introduced here such delightful times that all melancholic and unruly humors are swept away.”96 By early modern standards, The Pleasant Nights was a bestseller. The first volume of The Pleasant Nights was published in 1550 and reprinted in 1551. The second volume was printed for the first time in 1553 and reprinted in 1554. Beginning in 1555, both volumes were printed together with one alteration to the text: an anticlerical tale (8.3) found in the editio princeps was replaced by two shorter tales. Between 1556 and 1608, The Pleasant Nights would be reprinted another twenty-one times.97 In the wake of the Council of Trent (1545–1563), the Catholic Church attempted to censor a wide variety of texts including books written by heretical Protestant authors, books containing lascivious or obscene material, and books 94. Seifert, Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender, 13. 95. Ziolkowski, Fairy Tales from before Fairy Tales, 9. 96. Tomaso Garzoni, The Hospital of Incurable Madness/L’hospedale de’ pazzi incurabili, 1586, intro. Monica Calibritto, trans. and notes Daniela Pastina and John W. Crayton (Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2009), 199. 97. For a descriptive bibliography of these editions see Donato Pirovano, “Nota al testo,” in Le piacevoli notti, 2: 805–9.

Introduction 31 on magic. In this context, Straparola’s tales, like Boccaccio’s Decameron, underwent expurgation and what seemed to offend most was its anticlericalism, rather than obscenity or magic. Most likely Straparola’s original tale 8.3 was suppressed in the 1555 edition because of its scandalous depiction of an apostate clergyman who assumes the pose of the crucified Christ in order to escape punishment for his attempted seduction of a married woman. Further editorial cuts and alterations were made to the 1565 edition: promiscuous priests and nuns become lay people; the bawdy contest among the three nuns in tale 6.4 is toned down considerably; and the most lascivious portions of tale 6.1 are rewritten.98 In this last instance, the extended erotic scene in which Messer Artilao “fishes” a number of lost objects from his friend’s wife Madonna Properzia’s “hairy valley” is reduced to a few, more chaste lines: Messer Artilao having left the circle and gone to the bed, lay down next to Madonna Properzia, who like a fool let him do as he pleased and take his pleasure with her many times in the hairy valley, until once sated, he was happy to give back to her the pearls he had stolen earlier, and her other precious jewels, pretending to have pulled them out of the hairy valley during his sweet fishing.99 Gone are many of the erotic metaphors that describe Artilao’s multiple trips to fish in the hairy valley as well the reference to Madonna Properzia’s insistence that he continue fishing although her exhausted companion complains that his pole is broken. The narrator here also takes the opportunity to criticize Madonna Properzia’s gullibility by explicitly calling her foolish, a judgment that turns the entire episode from a sex farce into a moral lesson. Subsequent editions underwent further cuts.100 While these changes ensured that The Pleasant Nights would continue to be printed and sold openly in the more restrictive climate of postTridentine Italy, they ultimately did not prevent Straparola’s tales from appearing on the Church’s Index of Forbidden Books. The Pleasant Nights would be listed in the Index of Parma in 1580, then in Pope Sixtus V’s Index of 1590.101 This official 98. On these changes, see Pirovano’s “Nota al testo.” 99. “M. Artilao uscito fuori del cerchio, et andato al letto, si coricò presso a Madonna Propertia, la quale come semplice lo lasciò a suo bell’agio e piacere piú volte nella val pelosa; fin ch’egli fatto satio, s’accontentò di restituirgli le già prima involate perle, e altre sue pretiose gioie, fingendo d’haverle in quale sue dolce pescagioni, fuori di detta val pelosa ritirate.” Giovan Francesco Straparola, Le tredici piacevolissime notti (Venice: D. Zanetti, 1608), 171v. 100. See Pirovano’s “Nota al testo,” and, for more detail, his article “Per l’edizione de Le piacevoli notti di Giovan Francesco Straparola,” Filologia e critica (2001): 63–90. 101. See Beecher, “Introduction,” The Pleasant Nights, 78, where Beecher notes that The Pleasant Nights is also listed on Clement VII’s Indices of 1596 and 1600.

32 Introduction censure, however, did not stop Venetian printers from continuing to print and sell editions of Straparola’s tales. By the end of the sixteenth century, The Pleasant Nights had been translated into both French and Spanish. The Spanish translation by Francisco Truchado was printed only once in Madrid in 1598. Straparola, however, found his greatest success abroad in France. The first volume was translated by Jean Louveau and published in Lyon in 1560, while the second was translated by Pierre de Larivey in 1576 and printed in Paris. Over the course of the ensuing decade, Larivey would edit Louveau’s translation of volume 1, adding the songs and riddles that Louveau had omitted, and revise his own translation of volume 2. The complete, revised translation was first published in Paris in 1585 and would be reprinted another five times before 1615.102 German translations of tales from The Pleasant Nights first appeared in the late eighteenth century.103 By acknowledging the importance of Straparola for the European tale tradition in their Children’s and Household Tales, the Brothers Grimm renewed interest in The Pleasant Nights among European and American folklorists.104 In the late nineteenth century, The Pleasant Nights was translated into English for the first time by W. G. Waters, who simultaneously cast The Pleasant Nights as a key text for the study of European tale traditions and as erotica. Waters’s translation was first printed privately in 1883 in five expensive illustrated volumes that were sold by subscription. By Victorian standards, the sexual content of many of Straparola’s tales was considered obscene or pornographic, and the illustrations accompanying the Waters translation serve to highlight the erotic content of the tales with nineteen of thirty-one images depicting nudity or sexual encounters. Paul Douglas has argued convincingly that the fact that the infamous Victorian pornographer 102. Ruth B. Bottigheimer, “France’s First Fairy Tales: The Restoration and Rise Narratives of Les Facetieuses nuictz due Seigneur François Straparola,” Marvels & Tales 19, no. 1 (2005): 17–31. See also Patricia Eichel-Lojkine, “La postérité des contes de Straparola: Quelques aperçus,” in Seminari di storia della lettura e della ricezione, tra Italia e Francia, nel Cinquecento Vol. 2, ed. Anna Bettoni (Padua: Cooperative Libraria Editrice Università di Padova, 2013), 17–45; and for the interrelationships between Straparola’s and Perrault’s tales, via the French translation of The Pleasant Nights, her book, Contes en Réseaux: L’émergence du conte sur la scène littéraire européene (Geneva: Librairie Droz, 2013), 117–86. On Larivey as translator who freely expands on Straparola’s text, see Dante Ughetti’s “Larivey traduttore delle ‘Piacevoli notti’ di Straparola,” in La nouvelle française à la Renaissance, ed. Lionello Sozzi (Paris: Editions Slatkine, 1981), 481–504. 103. The first German translation, Die Nächte des Straparola von Caravaggio (Vienna, 1791), included only 21 tales from the first volume and four tales from the second. 104. Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights are mentioned briefly in the preface to vol. 1 of Children’s and Household Tales (1812); see Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, The Annotated Brothers Grimm, ed. and trans. Maria Tatar, intro. A. S. Byatt (New York: W. W. Norton, 2004), 405–6. The notes to the 1857 edition include an expanded discussion of Straparola’s text as well as a descriptive list of his fairy tales: see Grimm’s Household Tales with the Authors’ Notes, trans. and ed. Margaret Hunt, intro. Andrew Lang (London, George Bell and Sons, 1884; reprint Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1968), 2:477–81.

Introduction 33 Charles Carrington reprinted Richard Burton’s reworking of the Waters’s translation in 1906 demonstrates its status as erotic, if not pornographic, literature.105 A recent anthology of fifteen tales translated by Waters titled The Merry Nights continues this tradition of characterizing Straparola’s tales as erotic literature by describing them as “a veritable handbook on amorous intrigue.”106 More recently, new partial English translations of The Pleasant Nights by Jack Zipes and Janet Smarr have highlighted respectively, Straparola’s role as a founder of the European literary fairy tale tradition and his role as a sixteenth-century novelliere, or author of tales in the Boccaccian tradition.107 Donald Beecher has recently edited the W. G. Waters’s translation as a part of his own source study of Straparola’s tales. Surprisingly, despite the resounding editorial success of The Pleasant Nights, very few Italian authors chose to experiment with the literary fairy tale in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Writing under the pseudonym Lorenzo Selva, the Franciscan friar Evangelista Marcellino wove three fairy tales into his prose romance The Metamorphosis. Although modeled on Apuleius’s The Golden Ass, Selva’s romance does not contain a version of the Cupid and Psyche story, considered by many to be one of the earliest fairy tales. Instead, Selva pens three fairy tales with plots not found in The Pleasant Nights.108 More important for the development of the European literary fairy tale was the publication of Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales, or The Pentamerone, a collection of forty-nine tales written in Neapolitan dialect circumscribed by a fairy-tale frame narrative. Basile reworks a number of the tales found in The Pleasant Nights, most notably Straparola’s Puss-in-Boots story of Costantino Fortunato, while adding other types of tales, such as Cinderella, to the European canon.109 To my knowledge, only two other early modern Italian authors published fairy tales during the seventeenth century. Lorenzo Lippi versified three of Basile’s tales and inserted them into his mock heroic epic poem Il Malmantile racquistato (Malmantile castle recaptured) (1676). In 1684, Pompeo Sarnelli, an early editor of Basile’s The Tale of Tales, published five fairy tales in Neapolitan dialect, titled Posilecheata (An outing to Posillipo). Recently, scholars have demonstrated that seventeenth-century French women who relied on Straparola as a source created new portraits of the self with the magic and marvels of the literary fairy tale in order, as Patricia Hannon 105. I thank Professor Paul Douglas for sharing his unpublished paper with me. 106. Giovanni Francesco Straparola, The Merry Nights of Straparola (Amsterdam: Fredonia Books, 2003). 107. Zipes, The Great Fairy Tale Tradition; Janet Levarie Smarr, ed. and trans., Italian Renaissance Tales (Rochester, MI: Solaris Press, 1983), 157–93. 108. See Magnanini’s translation of Selva’s three fairy tales in “Between Straparola and Basile: Three Fairy Tales from Lorenzo Selva’s Della metamorfosi (1582),” Marvels & Tales 25, no. 2 (2011): 331–69. 109. Basile’s Tale of Tales is now available in Nancy Canepa’s excellent English translation (2007).

34 Introduction argues, to “try on new identities that were not constrained by dominant male discourse.”110 Holly Tucker shows that French female authors also used the fairy tale to “rethink the biology of childbirth and the sociopolitical uses to which it was put.”111 In short, French women found in the marvelous fairy tale a particularly welcoming space for feminist discourse. Why did Straparola inspire French women, but not the many Italian women who were writing and publishing in early modern Italy? We can begin to answer these questions by first examining the shape of women’s literary careers and then considering the regulation of the literary marvelous. In her book Publishing Women, Diana Robin demonstrates that by the 1540s Italian women had entered the literary world in unprecedented ways and in increasing numbers.112 Women such as Vittoria Colonna, Laura Forteguerri, and Tullia d’Aragona hosted salons; they corresponded and conversed with academy members and important literary and political figures; they wrote dialogues and lyric poetry; and they worked with male editors to see their works to press. On occasion, women cowrote texts with men and oversaw the publication of manuscripts after a male companion’s death. And although Italian women of letters still faced great challenges, by the time Straparola published his tales, a significant number had inserted themselves into the literary world of men, rather than work outside or against it. As proponents of a new literary genre, French women fairy tale authors could align themselves with moderns against the ancients and in this way enter into a cultural debate dominated by the most important men of letters of their day. For French women, the literary fairy tale allowed their voices to be heard in a male-dominated debate. Sixteenth-century Italian women found themselves in a very different environment: they were already winning fame and respect with those same traditional literary forms in which men wrote: lyric poetry, dialogues, and in smaller numbers, epic poems. To write fairy tales was to engage a genre stigmatized as “women’s work.” Thus, for Italian women newly admitted to literary society the genre must have possessed little appeal. At the same time, literary debates on the proper use of the marvelous discouraged both men and women from writing fairy tales. During the sixteenth century, these debates led to disagreements in academies, universities, and courts across the Italian peninsula over which types of marvels should appear in epic poetry and how they should be employed as men of letters analyzed the use of marvels in the poems of Dante, Ariosto, and Tasso. In the wake of the reforms of the Council of Trent, new definitions of a Christian marvelous emerged that 110. Patricia Hannon, Fabulous Identities: Women’s Fairy Tales in Seventeenth-Century France (Atlanta: Rodopi, 1998), 16. 111. Holly Tucker, Pregnant Fictions: Childbirth and the Fairy Tale in Early Modern France (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2003), 7. 112. Robin, Publishing Women, xviii.

Introduction 35 stipulated the elimination of superstitions, folk beliefs, and elements of pagan culture from both literature and art, as some men of letters in Counter-Reformation Italy, denounced the sorts of marvels found in the chivalric epic—fairies, necromancers, enchanted objects—that closely resembled those in literary fairy tales.113 These same marvels were interpreted allegorically by those who wished to legitimize the chivalric epic for Christian readers. The enchanted castles, magic rings and horns, giants, monsters, and spells of fairies typical of poems such as Ariosto’s The Frenzy of Orlando and Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered were no longer folk or pagan elements marring a Christian text, but instead allegories that conveyed Christian truths.114 As a part of this legitimizing strategy, sixteenth-century editors of Ariosto’s poem added an octave at the beginning of each canto that furnished an allegorical interpretation of the marvelous actions in the poem. For readers today who view the literary fairy tale as didactic children’s literature that ends with a clear moral lesson, it might seem that the fairy tale would meet these requirements for the acceptable form of the literary marvelous. But for early modern theorists, fairy tales, and the marvels they contained, lacked the sort of moral truth deemed necessary to render the genre worthy. As mentioned above, in early modern Italy, stories of ogres, fairies, and witches were routinely depicted as a genre favored by intellectually inferior narrators: crazy old crones and simple young girls. Long before the rediscovery of Aristotle’s Poetics, Boccaccio had associated such tales with crazy old women, “pazze vecchierelle,” spinning tales at the hearth for children, young ladies, and old folks. Although Boccaccio reluctantly recognized the allegorical merits of such stories, by the sixteenth century theorists refused to grant even this allegorical weight to stories of witches, ogres, and fairies. Furthermore, discussions of the canonical status of the novella routinely dismissed fairy tales as a defective genre. For example, at the end of Girolamo Bargagli’s Dialogue on Games (1572), Marcantonio Piccolomini, known as Il Sodo, characterizes stories of fairies, ogres, and

113. For example, Bellisario Bulgarini rejected “the strange adventures and marvelous prowess of the Knights of the Round Table, the Paladins of France, the fable of the Orco (from Ariosto), and infinite other matters that come to be told about fairies and necromancers, as of Alcina, of Morgana, of Falerina, of Malagigi, of Pietro d’Abano, of Cecco d’Ascoli, and of other perfidious enchanters and wicked enchantresses.” Bellisario Bulgarini, Repliche alle risposte del Sig. Orazio Capponi (1585), 37–40; quoted in Hathaway, Marvels and Commonplaces, 118. 114. For example, in his treatise Poetica (c. 1596), Tommaso Campanella argued that the allegorical truths written into epic poems justified the use of the pagan supernatural and the enchantments typical of the genre. Although for Campanella, Ariosto’s The Frenzy of Orlando and Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered were exaggerated in their use of magic, enchantments, and the pagan supernatural, he tolerated the presence of “Atalanta’s palace, Falerina’s garden, the dream of an earthly paradise, hippogriffs, Astolfo’s horn, the giant Orrilo, Angelica’s ring, [and] Melissa’s invocation” because they all clearly conveyed Christian truths: Hathaway, Marvels and Commonplaces, 127–28.

36 Introduction witches in just such negative terms.115 Il Sodo advises his companions in Siena’s renowned Intronati Academy to choose only novellas when called upon to tell a tale. He then carefully explains to his fellow academicians how to distinguish among different types of brief prose narratives, so that they might then be sure to narrate novellas when they entertained the Sienese noblewomen who attended the Intronati’s veglie, or evening gatherings, where participants enjoyed the same sort of entertainments provided to the guests at Signora Lucrezia’s villa during Carnival.116 Since for Il Sodo the novella is marked by “a certain uncommon verisimilitude, which means things that could plausibly happen but rarely comes to pass,”117 he must justify Boccaccio’s inclusion of fantastic elements in certain tales in the Decameron. These include two told on the tenth day, in which the protagonists use magic to achieve their goals, and the tale of Nastagio degli Onesti, which is told on the fifth day. In tale 10.9 Messer Torello travels from Babylon to Pavia in a few hours by “arte magica,” whereas in tale 10.5, Madonna Dionora’s suitor hires a necromancer to conjure a blooming garden in January. Il Sodo neatly reclassifies these two tales as possessing the “rare versimilitude” required of novellas by arguing that in Boccaccio’s time people actually believed that magic could produce such marvels. For this reason, Boccaccio’s contemporaries would have judged these two stories to be tales of astounding, but possible, phenomena. The tale of Nastagio degli Onesti (5.8) cannot, however, be interpreted in a similar manner, for in this tale Nastagio witnesses the ghost of a knight repeatedly slay the ghost of a woman who refused to love him while they were both alive. The knight, who committed suicide when his love was not returned, informs Nastagio that as a 115. Girolamo Bargagli, Dialogo de’ giuochi che nelle vegghie sanesi si usano di fare, ed. Patrizia D’Incalci Ermini, intro. Riccardo Bruscagli (Siena: Accademia Senese Degli Intronati, 1982), 46. The seven reprintings of Bargagli’s dialogue before 1610 attest to the enduring public interest in the academy and the games they played with Sienese noblewomen during the evenings (Bargagli, Dialogo, 35). For the portions of the dialogue relevant to the discussion on novellas and favole see Girolamo Bargagli, “Dialogue on Games That Are Played during the Sienese Veglie,” in Magnanini, Fairy Tales Framed, 55–60. This section of the introduction is based on the discussion of Bargagli’s dialogue in Magnanini, “Telling Tales Out of School: The Fairy Tale and Italian Academies,” Romanic Review 99, nos. 3–4 (2008): 261–67. 116. For more on Straparola’s tales and riddles as part of the tradition of Renaissance parlor games, see Beecher’s introduction to The Pleasant Nights, 29–38. Daria Perocco also notes the ludic function of the riddles as a sort of comic initiation right: the characters in the frame tale must be able to avoid the most obvious (and often scatalogical) solution to riddle and provide a more suitable interpretation. See Daria Perocco, “Trascrizione dell’oralità: Gioco delle forme in Straparola,” in Favole parabole istorie: Le forme della scritttura novellistica dal Medioevo al Rinascimento: Atti del Convegno di Pisa 26–28 ottobre 1998, eds. Gabriella Albanese, Lucia Battaglia Ricci, and Rossella Bessi (Rome: Salerno Editrice, 2000), 470. 117. Bargagli, “Dialogue on Games,” 59.

Introduction 37 punishment for their sins he and the woman are condemned to reenact this infernal hunt for eternity. Il Sodo observes: It is quite true that it would sit better mixed among romances, where fairies, enchantments, and supernatural things are very pleasing and delightful, and all the more so when they are felicitously explained, as Ariosto did. And I believe that this comes about both because such supernatural things are typical of that poem and because they contain an allegorical meaning aimed at being of use and delighting. Since the novella does not aim to be allegorical, but wishes to convey a lesson and a readily apparent utility, it happens that those novellas that contain wizards, enchantments, and magic objects are held to be less beautiful and less perfect. And so, leave such favole to the simple young girls and narrate a verisimilar tale when it will be your turn to do so during the evening entertainment.118 For Il Sodo, the problem with favole—the word Straparola uses most often to describe the tales in The Pleasant Nights—is not so much their fantastic content but their lack of allegorical significance. Supernatural beings, objects, and occurrences function allegorically in chivalric romances such as Ariosto’s The Frenzy of Orlando, where they acquire a moral weight through this allegorization. Boccaccio’s tale of Nastagio degli Onesti and Straparola’s fairy tales were, then, doubly defective: they lacked the moral messages ascribed to chivalric romances and they lacked the usefulness required of the most perfect novellas. The favola meets only one of the two humanist requirements placed upon literature: it delights but does not instruct. For Il Sodo, favole are lacking in allegorical weight and as such are best left to the “semplici fanciullette,” or simple young girls. While Bargagli’s proscription openly discourages men from recounting fairy tales by feminizing the genre, it similarly discouraged learned women from telling or writing such tales. Although almost never admitting women as official members, the Intronati viewed their female companions as intelligent interlocutors capable of discussing philosophical and artistic issues during the academy’s veglie.119 In their writings, members of the Intronati depicted women conversing competently on metaphysical topics, argue that women should be able to choose their own husbands, and assert that girls should have access to a liberal arts

118. Bargagli, “Dialogue on Games,” 60. 119. On the limited role of women in Italian academies see Conor Fahy, “Women and Literary Academies,” in Women in Italian Renaissance Culture and Society, ed. Letizia Panizza (Oxford: Legenda, 2000), 438, who notes at 439 that the only woman admitted to the Intronati was the poet Laura Battiferri in 1557.

38 Introduction education.120 Women even occasionally assumed positions of leadership at their informal gatherings and attended academy meetings.121 These Sienese women could not be described as simple young girls. Thus, the assignation of favole to simple young girls serves to remove the literary fairy tale from both the official meetings and the veglie of the Intronati, and thus from the sanctioned spaces for literary production, by marking the genre as inappropriate for both men and learned women. At the same time, Bargagli seems to sanction the chivalric romance as the proper place for the marvelous, for in such poems fairies and enchantments do not simply engender wonder, they also convey allegorical meaning or truth. By the seventeenth century, the chivalric epic had acquired such prestige that male authors and editors were using it to bolster the reputation of the literary fairy tale. For example, in the dedicatory letter of his 1679 edition of Basile’s collection of fairy tales, The Tale of Tales, the Roman printer Bartolomeo Lupardi would use citations from Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered to assure the dedicatee that Basile’s tales would be both pleasing and instructive for his children. Lupardi wrote: “If that aphorism of Tasso’s, ‘He drinks deceived the bitter medicine and from his deception receives life,’122 is salutary for all ages, it is much more so in the earliest years of young children,123 for whom, due to the nausea they feel before the Good and to their incapacity for Truth, that same remedy is necessary which he prescribes there: ‘You know that the world flocks there where feigning Parnassus most pours out her sweetness, and that the truth hidden in fluent verses has by its charm persuaded the most forward.’ ”124 Lupardi uses Tasso’s verse to argue that Basile’s tales are utili as well as dolci (useful as well as pleasant). The poet Lorenzo Lippi hit upon an ingenious solution for those who wanted to write fairy tales without transgressing literary laws: he simply rewrote three of Basile’s tales in verse and inserted them into his mock heroic epic.125 Admittedly, many prescriptive texts of the period advised against women’s reading of chivalric epics and novellas. In his influential treatise On the Education 120. Alexandra Coller finds these assertions in Marcantonio Piccolomini’s unpublished dialogue written around 1538 and in Antonio Paleario’s Dell’economia, also unpublished but written in 1555. See her “The Sienese Accademia degli Intronati and Its Female Interlocutors,” The Italianist 26, no. 2 (2006): 225, 228–29. 121. On the Intronati inviting women to their official meetings, see Robin, Publishing Women, 128. 122. Torquato Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, canto 1.3.7–8: “Succhi amari ingannato intanto ei beve, / E dagl’inganni suoi vita riceve.” Here I use the Ralph Nash translation: Jerusalem Delivered: An English Prose Version, ed. and trans. Ralph Nash (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1987), 5. 123. Here Lupardi uses “fanciulli,” which can also be translated as “boys.” 124. Bartolomeo Lupardi, “Dedicatory Letter to Signor Giuseppe Spada,” In Magnanini, Fairy Tales Framed, 82. 125. Lippi uses Basile’s tales “The Enchanted Doe” (1.9), “The Crow” (4.9), and “The Three Citrons” (5.9).

Introduction 39 of Christian Women, Juan Luis Vives says that laws and magistrates should concern themselves “with those pernicious books like those popular in Spain,” by which he means chivalric romances. He also denounces the tales of the Decameron, which, like Poggio Bracciolini’s collection of humanist anecdotes, “were written by idle, unoccupied, ignorant men, the slaves of vice and filth.”126 On occasion, concrete actions were taken to bar women from accessing these texts, as in Lucca in 1585, when rules were issued that banned nuns from reading romances, novellas, and anything containing sensual or explicit words, or as in Verona in 1667, when the bishop ordered that all nuns’ cells be searched for “all books of chivalry, novellas, or poetry hidden in armoires or under their beds.”127 Such prescriptions suggest a possible explanation as to why Italian women would write epic poems that could be interpreted allegorically, but refrain, for the most part, from writing novellas and fairy tales, while their French counterparts embraced both genres.128 As Vives’s treatise indicates, the Boccaccian novella was associated with sexually explicit content, and thus morally inappropriate for women writers. At the same time, fairy tales lacked the sort of literary prestige that would bolster a woman’s reputation among men of letters. Two Italian women did experiment to some degree with the fairy tale, Giulia Bigolina (1518?–1569?) and Moderata Fonte (1555–1592), and the fate of their tales is instructive for understanding the history of the fairy tale among early modern women writers in Italy. Bigolina clearly knew The Pleasant Nights. Her one extant novella, “The Novella of Giulia Camposanpiero and Thesibaldo Vitaliani,” is circumscribed by a frame tale and is followed by a riddle, as are Straparola’s tales. In her prose romance Urania, Bigolina recounts the adventures of a young woman in love, Urania, who has been abandoned by her lover for a more beautiful woman. The tale contains enchantments (a magic garland) and fantastic creatures (a wild man and wild woman). As in Straparola’s tale 4.1, which undoubtedly served as inspiration for the story, Urania will cross-dress and must tame a wild woman, just as Straparola’s Costanza dressed as a man and captured and tamed the satyr. Bigolina, however, rewrites this plot in order to address a unique set of gender issues. As Christopher Nissen notes, despite literary antecedents such as Straparola’s tale, “only Bigolina builds a narrative around the conflict between a cross-dressed civilized woman and her wild female counterpart, with the aim of showing how women must learn to mimic ‘the wildness’ of men on occasion in order to achieve 126. Vives, The Education of a Christian Woman, 74–45. 127. Valeria Finucci, “Moderata Fonte and the Genre of Women’s Chivalric Romances,” in Moderata Fonte, Floridoro, a Chivalric Romance, ed. Valeria Finucci, trans. Julia Kisacky, annotated by Finucci and Kisacky (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006), 18–19. 128. Besides the fairy tales written by French women already mentioned in this introduction, the queen Marguerite de Navarre wrote a collection of novellas in the Boccaccian tradition entitled The Heptameron, which was published for the first time in 1558.

40 Introduction their legitimate desires, as well as make daring choices and overcome their own less civilized impulses.”129 Bigolina clearly saw in the fairy tale the possibility of depicting strong female characters and inscribing prowoman messages, but she did not publish her writing during her lifetime. In fact, her romance would not be published until 2002.130 In Moderata Fonte’s dialogue The Worth of Women, one of the most outspoken and well-educated of the seven female interlocutors, Corinna, recounts to her companions the adventures of Prince Lioncorno (Unicorn), his love for Biancarisa, and his friendship with her brother, King Alciteo. Corinna calls her tale a favola, but while it includes magic, the tale employs pagan gods, rather than fairies or other enchanted beings to carry out the enchantments. It is not, however, simply a replaying of classical myths, but an original tale invented by Fonte.131 Clymene, grieving over the loss of her son Phaeton, resolves to destroy Alciteo to spite her son’s father, Apollo. She first plans to poison Alciteo; however, Lioncorno foils her murderous plot. Enraged, Clymene prays to Venus to intervene and the goddess throws a magic powder on Lioncorno that transforms him into a unicorn before he is able to return to his marriage bed and his beloved Biancarisa. Unlike most fairy tales, this one ends unhappily with the destruction of a marriage. Corinna’s female companions all weep over the tale, but one, Leonora, also critiques the negative portrayal of women in the tale, stating, “Well, that’s a very fine tale [novella], but it seems to put men in a better light than women.” Corinna brushes off this criticism by dismissing the tale as a favola and suggests it should not be taken seriously. She says, “Ah, but you must remember … that what you’ve just heard was a fairy tale [favola].” Leonora responds by encouraging Corinna to return to their earlier discussion on animals that had inspired tale, noting, “And don’t worry if it means speaking ill of women: we all know that it is only in fairy tales that it’s possible to speak ill of women or good of men.”132 Although the women are moved to tears by the story, they challenge its representation of an older woman as a vengeful fiend bent on thwarting young love.133 129. Christopher Nissen, Kissing the Wild Woman: Art, Beauty, and the Reformation of the Italian Prose Romance in Giulia Bigolina’s Urania (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011), 11. 130. Both Bigolina’s prose romance and novella are translated in this series: Urania: A Prose Romance, ed. and trans. Valeria Finucci (University of Chicago Press, 2005). Finucci also edited the first Italian edition of Bigolina’s romance Urania (Bulzoni, 2002). Christopher Nissen notes structural, geographical, and temporal similarities, as well as intertextualities linking Straparola’s and Bigolina’s work in his own translation Urania: The Story of a Young Woman’s Love and The Novella of Giulia Camposanpiero and Thesibaldo Vitaliani (Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2004), 26, 30, 42–43. 131. See Cox’s note in The Worth of Women, 162n94. 132. Fonte, The Worth of Women, 166. 133. The admittedly brief critique of the representation of women in the fairy tale in Fonte’s dialogue recalls Marina Warner’s observations on the ways in which intergenerational conflict among women

Introduction 41 Although Italian women eschewed the fairy tale genre, women could, and did, however, win accolades for their literary talents by writing and publishing epic poems. In poems such as Moderata Fonte’s Floridoro (1581), the courtesan Tullia D’Aragona’s The Wretch, otherwise known as Guerrino (1560), and Lucrezia Marinella’s Enrico (1635), women writers, like their French counterparts in seventeenth-century Parisian salons, used the marvelous—enchantresses and wizards, astounding metamorphoses, giants, wild women, and magic objects—to contest existing gender stereotypes, to explore the ways in which patriarchal society restricted women, and to create representations of powerful women, warriors, and enchantresses, which challenged the depiction of these figures in male-authored texts.134 By using the marvelous in genres sanctioned by male literary society, these women rose above the lowly narrators of fairy tales and left behind the domestic hearth to prove their mettle among men. In a sonnet in the Floridoro written to its author Moderata Fonte, Nicolò Doglioni wrote that it was a “marvel” that Fonte, an inexperienced young girl shut up in her room, could so expertly sing of love, arms, sailing, architecture, and “different people and customs.”135 Neither the crazy old crones described by Boccaccio nor the simple young girls described by Bargagli, early modern Italian women could themselves become “marvels” by embracing the marvels of the chivalric romance rather than those of Straparola’s literary fairy tales. Italian women would be widely recognized and celebrated as fairy tale narrators only in the nineteenth century, with the publication of the great tale collections by Italian folklorists inspired by the work of the Grimm brothers to document the traditions of the various regions and dialects of Italy. In the 1870s, folklorists such as Giuseppe Pitrè and Vittorio Imbriani gathered and transcribed all sorts of oral tales, including fairy tales, from both male and female informants. They particularly celebrated, however, their female informants who were peasants, laborers, and domestic servants.136 These were “classic” storytellers of the sort described by Apuleius and Boccaccio centuries before: illiterate, lowerclass women who were exceptionally talented at spinning yarns. Interestingly, a is often depicted in fairy tales: Warner, From the Beast to the Blonde, 218–40. 134. An English translations of Marinella’s and Fonte’s poems are now available in this series: Lucrezia Marinella, Enrico, or Byzantium Conquered, ed. and trans. Maria Galli Stampino (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009); and Fonte, Floridoro. A translation of Tullia D’Aragona’s Il Meschino altramente detto Guerrino is in preparation for this series. 135. Finucci, “Moderata Fonte and the Genre of Women’s Chivalric Romances,” in Fonte, Floridoro, 1. 136. In his monumental Fiabe, novella, e racconti popolari siciliani (4 vols., 1875), Giuseppe Pitrè praised the narrative talents of one of his informants, “La Messia”, a seventy-year-old illiterate woman who had learned her tales from her mother, grandmother, and grandfather, and who was a masterful storyteller. In La Novellaia Fiorentina (1877), the Neapolitan folklorist Vittorio Imbriani suggested that learned individuals were less skilled at recounting the folktales than the peasant women and female workers who recounted tales to him. Imbriani also gathered Milanese folktales.

42 Introduction number of the tales found in these collections of oral tales resemble tales found in The Pleasant Nights, suggesting that Straparola’s literary tales influenced and shaped the oral tradition. And so once again, male and female voice were braided together, as female informants recounted tales that could trace their origins to a male-authored text.137 In this same period, one learned woman (although not academically trained), Laura Gonzenbach, would collaborate with female informants in Sicily to create a collection of tales that “explicitly and implicitly reveal the desires and complaints of women whose voices are difficult to hear in the nineteenth-century collections assembled by male scholars.”138 It is in Gonzenbach’s book, Sicilianische Märchen (1870), that the fairy tale becomes the shared genre of both learned and unschooled “Italian” women, as well as a tool for social critique, just as it was in the hands of the French salonnières.139 The few early modern Italian men who chose to write literary fairy tales similarly rejected Straparola’s new vision of the fairy tale narrator as a culturally savvy young salonnière, and presented their readers with more traditional visions. In The Metamorphosis, Lorenzo Selva’s three female narrators more closely resemble traditional representations of tale tellers. One is very old, whereas the other two are young women, and they tell their tales in much humbler households than Signora Lucrezia’s villa to a much less distinguished group of listeners. In The Tale of Tales, Basile’s group of ten female narrators, described with Basile’s baroque brio and excess,140 function simultaneously as a comic inversion of Boccaccio’s seven elegant Florentine ladies and as classic storytelling crones. Like Basile, Sarnelli placed his five fairy tales in the mouths of Neapolitan peasant women in An Outing to Posillipo. When in the eighteenth century Carlo Gozzi brought fairy tales onto the Venetian stage to contest Enlightenment philosophy and Carlo Goldoni’s realistic, bourgeois theater, he chose Basile as a source, rather than the local author Straparola, in part because he wanted to present the fairy tale as puerile entertainment for the nursery rather than a sophisticated diversion 137. An array of tales from these nineteenth-century collections were gathered together and translated into English by Thomas Frederick Crane in his Italian Popular Tales (1885). For example, this anthology includes a Sicilian tale about dancing water, a singing apple, and a green bird (see Straparola’s 4.3) and an Istrian tale about the grateful dead (see Straparola’s 11.2). See Crane, Italian Popular Tales, ed. and intro. Jack Zipes (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 16–22, 106–9. 138. Jack Zipes, ed. and trans., Beautiful Angiola: The Great Treasury of Sicilian Folk and Fairy Tales Collected by Laura Gonzenbach (New York: Routledge, 2004), xvi–xvii. 139. Although her parents were Swiss-German, Gonzenbach was born and raised in Messina and spoke both Italian and Sicilian, as well as German (the language of her family) and French. See Zipes, Beautiful Angiola, xiv. 140. The narrators are “lame Zeza, twisted Cecca, goitered Meneca, big-nosed Tolla, hunchback Popa, drooling Antonella, snout-faced Ciulla, cross-eyed Paola, mangy Ciommetella, and shitty Iacova”: Basile, The Tale of Tales, 42.

Introduction 43 for the court or salon.141 Perhaps, though, Gozzi’s choice was influenced by the fact that after the 1608 edition, Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights was not published again in its entirety until the very end of the nineteenth century, when in 1899 Giuseppe Rua published the first volume. Rua’s edition of the second volume would appear only in 1908, with both volumes reprinted together in 1927. In 2000, Donato Pirovano published his philologically rigorous edition of The Pleasant Nights based on the editio princeps.

A Note on the Translation Based on Pirovano’s edition, this translation is inspired by a desire to provide a complete contemporary translation of The Pleasant Nights for my students who have struggled with the Victorian prose and sometimes difficult vocabulary of the W. G. Waters’s translation. In translating, I have aimed to preserve some flavor of the original by maintaining as often as possible the length and complexity of Straparola’s sentences, as well as the ambiguities of his text. In regard to the latter, I have not imposed a contemporary logic on the text or to correct seeming incongruities. So, for example, when Straparola tells us in tale 8.4 that the apprentice Dionigi, who uses magic to become a shark, is ferociously pursued by his necromancer master Lattanzio, who has assumed the shape of tuna, I have left the tuna to chase the shark, even though the reverse might seem more logical to us.142 I have, however, rendered uniform the spellings of cities and characters’ names within individual tales for ease of comprehension. When translating the poetry in The Pleasant Nights, the songs sung at the beginning of each evening’s entertainment and the riddles that follow each tale, I have not attempted to reproduce the meter and rhyme schemes of the original. As a countermeasure to this loss, I provide the original Italian verses in the notes. Finally, in most cases, I have maintained the Italian titles (for example, Signora, Madonna, Messere, Ser) throughout the text. I hope that this translation will help Straparola to find a new generation of readers who are attracted to his text not just for its fairy tales, but also for the complex discourse on gender he articulates through all of his tales. On both counts, he and his tales certainly deserve our attention. 141. In the preface to his play The Raven (Venice, 1772), Carlo Gozzi wrote of his play “This fairy tale is commonly told to children, and I took its plot from a Neapolitan book entitled Lo cunto de li cunti”; Carlo Gozzi, Five Tales for the Theatre, ed. and trans. Albert Bermel and Ted Emery (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1989), 21. This is tale 4.9 in Basile’s The Tale of Tales. Gozzi’s association of Basile’s tales with the nursery overlooks the fact they were initially sophisticated courtly entertainments. 142. Beecher has taken the opposite approach in his edition of the Waters translation of The Pleasant Nights; he also maintains the titles Waters invented for each tale. See his introduction to The Pleasant Nights, 83–84.

Giovan Francesco Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights Volume One Greetings to the pleasant and loving ladies from Orfeo dalla carta.1 Thinking to myself about how many diverse celestial and illustrious spirits there have been who in both ancient and modern times have written various tales, the reading of which has given you no small pleasure, I understand, as you likewise are able to understand, that they are written for no other reason than for your consolation and to please you. Therefore, this being the case as I judge it—and as a matter of fact I am convinced it is—since you are pleasant and loving women you will not be scornful if in your name, I, your good servant, bring to light the tales and riddles of the ingenious gentleman Gioanfrancesco Straparola from Caravaggio, written in a style no less elegant than learned. Though their subject matter might not give your ears the pleasure and delight you are used to finding, do not despise them, putting them aside and rejecting them completely, but with a cheerful countenance embrace them, just as you usually embrace others. For if while reading them you consider the variety of the events and the clever deeds that are contained in them, at least they will offer you no small instruction. Disregard the author’s humble and lowly style, since he did not write them as he wished to, but as he heard them from those women who recounted them, neither adding nor subtracting a thing. And if he was lacking in any way, do not accuse him—because he did what he could and knew how to do—for I have brought them to light against his will. Accept therefore, with a glad countenance, this small gift from your servant, which if it is to your liking, as he hopes, then he will endeavor in the future to give you things that will give you greater pleasure and happiness. Be happy and remember me. In Venice, the second of January, 1550.2

1. As stated in the introduction, “dalla carta” is not capitalized in the dedicatory letter and so has been understood to be an attribute or characteristic of Orpheus (Orfeo) rather than his surname. Donato Pirovano suggests that “Orfeo dalla carta” is Battista Danza, a member of a family of papermakers who was sometimes identified with the attribute “dalla carta.” Another two members of the Danza family, Giovanni Antonio and his brother Sebastiano, owned a bookshop in Venice in San Bartolomeo square that is listed on the title page of the second edition of the first volume of The Pleasant Nights as the place of publication (“A san Bortholameo alla libraria della colombina” [“In Saint Bartholomew (Square) at the Bookshop of the Dove”]). According to Pirovano’s convincing reconstruction, the editor Orfeo dalla carta hired the printer Comin da Trino to print Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights which would then have been sold in the bookshop listed on the title page. See Pirovano, “Una storia editoriale cinquecentesca,” 545–46. 2. The date is 1551 according to our modern calendar. The Venetian calendar in use at the time began the new year in March.

45

46 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Here begins the book of tales and riddles by Messer Giovan Francesco Straparola of Caravaggio titled The Pleasant Nights PROEM In Milan, the ancient and most important city of Lombardy, filled with pretty women, adorned with magnificent palaces, and abundant in all those things befitting a glorious city, lived Ottavianomaria Sforza,3 the elected bishop of Lodi, to whom, on account of his lineage, rightfully belonged the control of the state upon the death of Francesco Sforza, duke of Milan.4 But due to the chaos of the wicked times, the bitter hatreds, the bloody battles, and the continual political upheavals, he left with his daughter Lucrezia,5 the wife of Giovanfrancesco Gonzaga, who was the cousin of Federico the marquis of Mantua, and secretly went to Lodi, where they stayed for some time. Having anticipated this, his family pursued him, and not without causing great harm. Seeing his family persecute him and the ill will they bore him and his daughter, who had been widowed some time before, the poor wretch took those few jewels and the money he had and left for Venice with her. There they were honorably received with a warm welcome in the home of Ferier Beltramo,6 a man of noble lineage, with a kind, loving, and courteous nature. And because more often than not staying too long in the houses of others leads to regret, he wisely said that he wished to leave and find his own lodging elsewhere. Therefore, one day he climbed into a little boat with his daughter and went to Murano. A marvelously beautiful palace that was empty at the time caught his eye and he went inside. Having seen the delightful location, the spacious courtyard, the splendid loggia, the agreeable garden full of joyful flowers, many

3. The life of Ottavianomaria Sforza (1475–1545?) was marked by the political upheavals of the Italian wars at the beginning of the sixteenth century. He held the bishopric of Lodi, a city near Milan, from 1497 to 1499, when the French king Louis XII seized control of the Duchy of Milan. He was reappointed in 1512 when control of Milan shifted once again to the Sforza family, but intrafamilial unrest caused him to leave Italy. In 1519, he returned to Italy and Pope Leo X elected him bishop of Arezzo. When his nephew Francesco Sforza II seized control of Milan in 1527, Ottavianomaria returned to his post as bishop of Lodi. After the death of Francesco II in 1535, Milan fell under control of Charles V, and Ottavianomaria left Lombardy for Venice, eventually settling on the island of Murano in 1536. 4. Also known as Francesco Sforza II (1495–1535), he was the son of Ludovico il Moro (1451–1508) and Beatrice d’Este (1475–1497). He is the protagonist of tale 9.3. 5. Lucrezia, Ottavianomaria Sforza’s illegitimate daughter, married Francesco Gonzaga (b. 1496) in 1515 and was widowed in 1523. Francesco was the son of Giovanni Gonzaga (1474–1525), Federico Gonzaga’s brother. 6. Ferier Beltramo was a merchant from Treviso who resided and traded in Venice.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 47 different kinds of fruit, and an abundance of green plants, he praised it highly.7 When he climbed the marble steps, he saw the magnificent hall, the comfortable rooms, and a balcony above the water that commanded a view of the whole area. His daughter, enamored with the lovely and pleasant spot, beseeched her father so fervently with such sweet and gentle words that he rented the palace in order to please her, which cheered her immensely, for in the morning and the evening she went onto the balcony to watch the scaly fish swimming in large schools in the clear ocean waters and, watching them dart about here and there, she felt the greatest delight. And because she had been abandoned by those maidens who previously formed her court, she chose another ten, no less graceful or beautiful, whose virtues and lovely manners would take a long time to recount. The first among these maidens was Lodovica, whose beautiful eyes shone like two bright stars; all those who watched her were filled with more than a little admiration. The second was Vicenza, a woman of praiseworthy morals, lovely appearance, and wise ways, whose pretty, delicate face gave great comfort to whoever looked at her. The third was Lionora, who happened to seem haughty on account of her natural beauty, but was as gracious and courteous as any woman you could find. The fourth was Alteria of the blond braids, who with faith and womanly piety diligently served Signora Lucrezia. The fifth was Lauretta, a woman with charming looks, but a bit haughty, whose fair and loving glance enchanted whoever fixed his gaze upon her. The sixth was Eritrea, who, though she was rather small, was not held to be inferior in looks or grace, for she had two eyes more bright and shining than the sun, a small mouth, and a barely swelling bosom, nor was anything to be found in her that was not worthy of the highest praise. The seventh was Cateruzza, whose last name was Brunetta and who was so absolutely beautiful and loving that she not only lured men into her snare with sweet, affectionate words, but could have made mighty Jove descend from the high heavens. The eighth was Arianna, young with a venerable face, a serious look, and the gift of eloquence, whose divine virtues met with praise as infinite as the shining stars strewn across the sky. The ninth was Isabella, who was quite ingenious and who with her witty and vivacious remarks made all those around her marvel. The last was Fiordiana, prudent and adorned by lofty thoughts, whose worthy and virtuous deeds surpassed all those ever seen in a woman. These ten pretty young maidens together, and each individually, served noble Lucrezia, their lady. She chose two other matrons of venerable appearance, noble blood, and mature age who were greatly esteemed, so that with their sage advice they were always seated one on her left and one on her right. One was 7. Straparola bases his description of this palace as a locus amoenus, or pleasant place, on a passage from the introduction to the third day of Boccaccio’s Decameron: see Pirovano’s edition of Le piacevoli notti, 1:7n1. Straparola’s description of blooming flowers and fruit on the trees is fanciful, for the events in the frame tale take place in the winter during the Carnival season that precedes Lent.

48 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Signora Chiara, the wife of the Ferrarese gentleman Girolamo Guidiccione, and the other, Signora Veronica, was the consort of Santo Orbat, from an ancient and noble family of Crema.8 Around this sweet and honest company many noble and very learned men gathered; among them were Bishop Casali from Bologna,9 who was the ambassador to the king of England; the learned Pietro Bembo, a knight of the Order of the Master of Rhodes;10 and Vangelista di Cittadini of Milan,11 an important man, who held the seats closest to the Signora. Next were Bernardo Cappello,12 a great versifier in the group; the amorous Antonio Bembo;13 the local poet Benedetto Trivigiano;14 the witty Antonio Molino, called Burchiella;15 the ceremonious Ferier Beltramo; and many other gentlemen whose names it would be tiresome to recount one by one. 8. To date, these two women and their husbands have not been identified as historical figures. 9. Giambattista Casali (1490?–1536) came from a Bolognese family of ambassadors who served both the papacy and the English Crown. Pope Clement VII sent Casali to London in 1525, and later that year Casali became Henry VIII’s ambassador in Venice, where he unsuccessfully attempted to gain support for an annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. 10. The presence of Pietro Bembo (1470–1547) lends literary authority to Signora Lucrezia’s salon. A Venetian humanist scholar, a renowned poet and literary critic, and Venice’s official historian beginning in 1529, Bembo also served as Pope Leo X’s secretary. In 1539, he became a cardinal. He wrote a dialogue on platonic love in 1505 (Gli asolani) and his Petrarchan verse became a model for lyric poets. In his highly influential treatise on the Italian language, Prose della volgar lingua (1525), Bembo advocated that authors wishing to write Italian prose (such as Straparola) should imitate Boccaccio, whereas lyric poets should imitate Petrarch. He spent a number of years at the court of Urbino and appears as a character in Baldassar Castiglione’s seminal dialogue, The Book of the Courtier (1528). 11. Evangelista Cittadini was Cardinal Trivulzio’s secretary and was then bishop of Alessano (in Apulia) from 1542 until his resignation in 1549. 12. Bernardo Cappello (1498–1565) was a poet and a disciple of Bembo. His poems (Rime) were first published in Venice in 1556 and considered the embodiment of Bembo’s linguistic theories. A Venetian patrician, Cappello was born and lived in Venice until 1540, when he was exiled to the island of Rab for his denunciation of the Venetian government. He fled to Rome, where Cardinal Alessandro Farnese became his patron. From that point on, Cappello worked as a governor of various cities in the Papal States. While today the spelling of his has been standardized as Cappello, it is consistently spelled Capello in early editions. I use the spelling accepted today. 13. A cousin of Pietro Bembo. 14. Benedetto Trivigiano was a Venetian poet and musician who played the viol. In a letter to Trivigiano dated September 9, 1530, Pietro Bembo judged the two sonnets that Trivigiano had sent him to be “belli e gentili” (beautiful and graceful) and said that his letter showed he was a “diligente prosatore, e nella buona lingua usato” (a diligent writer of prose, used to [using] good language): Opere del Cardinale Pietro Bembo (Ridgewood, NJ: Gregg Press, 1965), 3:159–60. 15. Antonio Molino (1495–1571?) was an actor, poet, and musician renowned for his viol playing and the madrigals he composed. He wrote in Italian and various dialects, including Venetian, Bergamasque, and a hybrid dialect known as stradiotesca, a mixture of phonetic elements from the Istrian and Dalmatian languages, phonetic and lexical elements from Greek, and Venetian dialect. He wrote his most famous poem I fatti e prodezze di Manoli Blessi (published in 1561) in this hybrid language.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 49 All, or rather the majority of them, met together almost every evening at Signora Lucrezia’s house and entertained her sometimes with pleasant dances, sometimes with entertaining conversations, sometimes with music and song, and so they passed the quickly fleeting time, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another. The gentle lady and the wise young maidens took the greatest delight in these things. Furthermore, they often proposed puzzles that only the Signora solved. Since by then the final days of Carnival which are dedicated to pleasant diversions were upon them, the Signora commanded everyone, under penalty of incurring her disfavor, to return to their meeting place the following evening so that they could devise the plan and order that they should follow. When darkness fell the following evening, everyone came there as they had been ordered to do, and, once they were seated according to their station, the Signora began to speak in this way, “My most honored gentlemen and you pleasant women, we have gathered here according to the usual custom to organize our sweet and delightful entertainments so that during this Carnival season, of which now only a few days remain, we can enjoy some pleasant amusements. Each of you, therefore, will propose that which pleases you most, and those entertainments which seem most pleasing to the majority of us will be chosen.”16 The women and men responded together in one voice that they wanted her to decide everything. The Signora, seeing that the responsibility had been placed upon her, turned to the agreeable company and said, “Since you wish me to determine the order we must follow for your pleasure, I decree that each evening, as long as the Carnival season lasts, we dance; then that five young maidens sing a song of their choosing, and that each of the five, chosen by lot, recounts a tale, placing a riddle at the end to be solved most subtly by us; and after having conversed in this way each of you will go home to rest. But if there is something in my plan that you do not like, each of you shall state what you would like to do because I am disposed to follow your will.” Everyone praised her proposal highly. She ordered that a gold vase be brought forth and the names of five of the young maidens placed inside. The first drawn from the jar was that of pretty Lauretta, who, out of embarrassment, blushed like a morning rose. They continued as they had begun: the second name that was pulled out was Alteria, the third Cateruzza, the fourth Eritrea, and the fifth Arianna. After this, Lucrezia ordered that the musical instruments be brought out and a green garland crown be brought forth, which she placed on Lauretta’s head as a sign of her election, and she commanded her to start the 16. Signora Lucrezia’s suggestion that each guest propose a game or entertainment for the evening recalls the opening to Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier, in which the men present at the court of Urbino suggest games for the company to play under the guidance of the Duchess of Urbino and her companion Emilia Pia. Her proposal thus associates her salon and its activities with learned court culture.

50 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA pleasant storytelling the following evening. Then she wanted Antonio Bembo and the others to dance together. Quickly heeding the Signora’s command, he took Fiordiana (with whom he was in love) by the hand, and the others likewise did the same. After they finished the dance with slow steps and amorous conversation, the young men and maidens went into a room where the table was set with sweets and expensive wines. The women and men, quite cheerful, began bantering, and once this delightful banter ended, they took their leave of the noble Signora and everyone departed with her blessing. The next evening everyone gathered at that most respectable place and after having danced, as was the custom, the Signora made a sign to pretty Lauretta to start the singing and storytelling. Without waiting for another word, she rose to her feet and after making a proper curtsy to the Signora and those gathered around her, she stepped up to a slightly elevated area with a beautiful chair covered in silk cloth and summoned her four chosen companions. All five sang together with angelic voices the following song in praise of the Signora: Your actions, kind lady, modest and pleasing, With your graceful and charming welcome, Lift you up among the divine souls. Your noble being, which surpasses all others, For which I sweetly swoon, And your adornment, worthy of all praise, Nourishing me with your wondrous beauty, So inure my spirits to you That even if I wish to utter words about another, I can speak of you and you alone in the world.17 After the five young maidens gloriously ended their song with silence, they played their instruments, and then charming Lauretta, who by chance was to go first, without waiting for any order from the Signora, began her tale by speaking thus.

17. “Gli atti, donna gentil, modesti e grati, / con l’accoglienze vaghe e pellegrine, / salir vi fanno tra l’alme divine. / Vostro stato real ch’ogn’altro avanza, / per cui divengo dolcemente meno, / e l’ornamento d’ogni laude pieno, / pascendomi di vostra alma sembianza, / tengon miei spirti in voi tanto avezzati, / che, se voglio d’altrui formar parola, / dir mi convien di voi nel mondo sola.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 51 FIRST NIGHT, FIRST TALE Salardo, the son of Rainaldo Scaglia, leaves Genoa and goes to Monferrato, where he breaks the three commandments his father had left him in his will and after being condemned to death, is freed and returns to his homeland. Regarding all the things that man does or rather intends to do, whether they be good or wicked, he should always maturely consider the final outcome. Therefore, since we must begin our sweet and entertaining discussions, I would have preferred if another woman had begun the storytelling instead of me. I do not find myself to be up to the task because I see myself wholly lacking the eloquence that such conversations require, for I have not practiced the art of speaking concisely and elegantly, as our charming companions have done. But since it pleases you, and chance has chosen me to be the first to speak, and so that my silence does not cause any disturbance for our loving company, I will provide a weak start to our storytelling speaking in the way that will be granted me by divine favor, leaving the field wide open for my companions who will follow me, so that they can confidently recount their tales better, in a more charming style than you will now hear from me. Blessed, or rather most blessed, is the son who obeys his father with all due respect, for inasmuch as he keeps the commandment given to him by Eternal God,18 he will live long on earth and everything he does and makes will turn out well. On the contrary, the son who is disobedient is held to be unhappy, or rather most unhappy, for his efforts will come to a cruel and wicked end, as you will be able to understand easily from this tale that I intend to tell you. I will tell you then, gracious ladies, that in Genoa, that most ancient city and perhaps as, or even more, delightful than any other, there lived not long ago a gentleman named Rainaldo Scaglia, a man truly abounding no less in good fortune than in courage. Wealthy and learned, he had a son named Salardo, whom he loved more than anything, and he instructed and educated him as a good and kind father should, nor did he let him want for anything that would be profitable, honorable, or bring glory to him. It happened that Rainaldo, having already reached old age, became gravely ill, and seeing that he had come to the end of his life, he called a notary and made his will, in which he named Salardo his sole heir. Then, like a good father, he begged him to always remember three rules and never waver from them. The first of these was that despite the great love he might feel for his wife, he should never reveal any secret to her. The next was that he should not raise any child that he did not father as if he were his own, nor make him the heir to his goods. The third was 18. Lauretta refers to one of the biblical Ten Commandments, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exod. 20:12). For all biblical citations, I use the King James Version.

52 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA that he should never become a lord’s vassal, but should rule himself with his own head. After having said this and given him his blessing, he turned his face to the wall and within a quarter of an hour he passed away. With Rainaldo now dead and Salardo left as his sole heir, instead of thinking about his old father’s soul and the great deal of oversight that the paternal fortune required from him as the new master, and finding himself young, rich, and from a noble lineage, he resolved to take a wife and to find the sort of woman born from the kind of father that would make him happy. The one-year anniversary of his father’s death had not yet passed when Salardo married and took as his wife Teodora, the daughter of Messer Odescalco Doria,19 a Genoese gentleman and one of the most important men in the city. And since she was beautiful and well mannered, even though she was a bit haughty, she was so loved by her husband Salardo that he never left her side, night or day. After they had lived together for many years and, by chance, never had any children, Salardo decided, against his father’s final admonitions but with his wife’s consent, to adopt a child and raise him as his legitimate and natural son, and to leave him everything in the end. And because he had made up his mind to do this, he carried out his plan without hesitation and took as his adopted son a poor widow’s young boy called Postumio, whom they nurtured and educated with much more care than befit him. After some time had passed, Salardo decided to leave Genoa and go live elsewhere, not because the city was not beautiful and honorable, but because he was moved by some sort of longing, which more often than not plagues those who live without having to answer to a superior. After he had taken a great sum of money and jewels and organized his carriages with his belongings, he left Genoa with his beloved wife Teodora and his adopted son Postumio and heading out in the direction of Piedmont, went off to Monferrato.20 There, after setting up his house according to his station, he began to befriend this and that citizen, going to hunt with them and enjoying many other amusements that delighted him a great deal. His generosity toward each of them was such that not only was he loved, but he was also highly esteemed by everyone. Word of Salardo’s generosity had already reached the marquis’s ears, and seeing that he was young, rich, noble, wise, and ready for any adventure, the marquis loved him so much that he did not know how to live a day without him. Salardo was such a close friend of the marquis that whoever wanted to receive some favor from the marquis had to go through Salardo, or the favor would not be granted. Therefore, Salardo, seeing that the marquis held him in such high regard, strove 19. The Doria family was one of the most powerful families in Genoa. Straparola often chooses as surnames for his characters the names of the most notable family in a given city: the Dorias in Genoa, the Bentivoglis in Bologna, the Colonnas in Rome, etc. 20. The cities of Asti and Alessandria are located in Monferrato, in the region of Piedmont, east of Turin. There is also a town in the same area known as Casale Monferrato.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 53 with study and art to satisfy him with all those things he judged the marquis might find pleasing. The marquis, who was young like Salardo, very much enjoyed hunting with hawks and had at his court many birds, hunting dogs, and other animals, as befits an eminent lord. He would never go hunting for game or birds if Salardo was not with him. One day it happened that finding himself alone in his room, Salardo began to think about the great respect the marquis showed him and then he thought of the wise comportment, graceful actions, and honest habits of his son Postumio, and how obedient he was. And so with these thoughts in mind he said, “Well, how wrong my father was! Certainly, I fear that he proved himself to be dim-witted like the majority of foolish old folks. I don’t know what madness, what foolishness led him to order me explicitly never to raise a child that I didn’t father, nor to subject myself to the rule of an all-powerful lord. Now I see that his rules were quite far from the truth, since Postumio is my adopted son, and even though I am not his father, he is nonetheless good, wise, courteous, well mannered, and very obedient. And who could ever be so fond of me or honor me more than the marquis does? Although he rules alone and has no one above him, nevertheless he bears such great love for me and honors me so greatly that it is almost as if I were his superior and he feared me. I’m so astonished by this that I don’t know what to say. Certainly, there are some foolish old folks who, forgetting what they did in their youth, wish to lay down laws and give orders to their children, imposing burdens on them that they’d never touch even with their little finger. And they do this not out of any love they bear for them, but because they are moved by their simple-mindedness, so that their children will suffer for a long time. Now I have managed beyond all hope to make two of the restrictions my father imposed on me end happily and I want to test the third. I am sure that my dear, sweet consort will certainly support me much more with her deep, well-founded love for me. She whom I love more than the light of my own eyes will clearly reveal how great is the foolishness, or rather the insanity, of wretched old age, which one enjoys much more when he fills his will with reprehensible stipulations. I now know well that when my father made his will, he had lost his mind and, a foolish old man out of his head, he acted like a boy. Whom could I trust more than my own wife, who left behind her father, mother, brothers, and sisters and her own house and joined with me to form one single soul and one single heart. Therefore, I am sure that I can reveal all of my secrets to her, however important. I will, then, test her faith not for my sake, for I am certain that she loves me more than herself, but as an example for the simple young people who foolishly believe that it is an unforgivable sin to disobey the mad memories of their old fathers who, like a man dreaming, descend into a thousand deliriums and stagger about endlessly.” Disregarding in this way his father’s sensible and reasonable commandments, Salardo decided to break the third one. He left his room, went down the

54 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA stairs, and then went quickly to the marquis’s palace, where there were many falcons on a perch. He took the best and the marquis’s favorite, and without being seen by anyone, carried it off. He quietly went to the house of a friend named Fransoe and showed it to him, begging him on account of the great love that existed between them to take care of it as long as he understood that this was Salardo’s will. Once he had returned home, Salardo took one of his own falcons and secretly killed it without anyone seeing. He brought it to his wife and said, “Teodora, my beloved wife, I can never get an hour of rest with our marquis, who keeps me constantly on the move, first with hunting, then with trapping birds, then with bustling about, then doing other things, and sometimes I don’t know if I’m alive or dead. In order to stop him from hunting all day long, I’ve played a joke on him which he will not find funny, and perhaps for a few days he will rest, allowing all of us to rest.” To which his wife said, “And what have you done to him?” To which Salardo replied, “I have killed his best falcon, his favorite, and I think that when he does not find it he’ll almost die from rage.” Opening up his coat, he pulled out the slain falcon and gave it to his wife, ordering her to have it cooked so that at dinner, out of love for the marquis, he might eat it. Hearing her husband’s words and seeing the slain falcon, she was quite vexed. Turning to her husband, she began to rebuke him sharply, accusing him of having erred. “I don’t know how you ever could have committed such a grievous act of violence, offending the lord marquis who loves you so dearly. He gives you whatever you ask for and you are the person closest to him. Alas, my Salardo, you have brought great ruin upon us! If by chance the marquis were to find this out, what would become of you? Surely, you would risk death.” Salardo said, “And how do you think he will find out? No one knows this but you and I. But I beg you, for the love you have borne and bear for me, that you not reveal this secret to anyone, since making it known would be the cause of your and my utter ruin.” To which his wife replied, “Do not doubt at all that I would rather die than ever reveal this secret.” Having cooked and seasoned the falcon well, Salardo and Teodora sat down at the table. She did not want to eat the falcon, nor heed the words of her husband who sweetly urged her to eat some, so Salardo raised his hand and gave her such a slap on her face that he left her right cheek all red. This made her start crying and protest his having hit her, and rising from the table still stammering she threatened him, saying that she would remember that act for her entire life and that at another time and place would have her revenge. The next morning she rose from bed very early and, without delay, went off to the marquis and recounted the falcon’s death in great detail. When the marquis heard this, he was filled with such indignation and anger that he had Salardo

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 55 seized and, without listening to any explanations or defense, ordered that he be hanged by the neck at that very moment, and that all of his wealth be divided in three parts. One part would be given to his wife who had accused him, the other to his son, and the third to the man who hanged him. When he heard of the sentence that had been handed to his father and of the division of his possessions, Postumio, who was well built and in the prime of life, ran to his mother with great speed and said, “Oh mother, wouldn’t it be better if I strung up my father so that I would earn a third of his wealth rather than have some stranger do it?” To which his mother replied, “Truly, my son, you have spoken well because by doing this all of your father’s property would remain intact and with us.” And without a moment’s delay, the son went off to the marquis and asked him the favor of being allowed to hang his father, so that he would, as the executioner, inherit the third part of the wealth. The marquis graciously granted Postumio’s request. Salardo had asked Fransoe, the faithful friend to whom he had revealed his secret, that when the marquis’s guards led him forth to his death he should go quickly to the marquis begging that Salardo be brought before him and kindly be heard before his sentence was carried out. Sitting in the harsh prison with shackles on his feet and waiting hour after hour to be led to the gallows of ignominious death, crying hard, he began to say to himself, “Now I know and clearly understand that my old father with his long experience was looking after my well-being. Prudent and wise, he gave me advice and I, roguish and foolish, scorned him. In order to save me, he ordered that I flee from these domestic enemies of mine, and I delivered myself into their hands so that they could kill me and then enjoy my death. Knowing the nature of princes who in the span of one hour love and cease to love, who exalt and bring low, he urged me to stay far away from them. And I, in order to lose my possessions, honor, and life, recklessly sought them out. Would to God that I had never tested my treacherous wife! Oh, Salardo, how better off you would be if you had followed in your father’s footsteps, leaving the flatterers and adulators to court the princes and lords! Now I see where having too much faith in myself, my wife, and my wicked son, and most of all believing in the ungrateful marquis, has led me. Now I’m convinced of how much he loved me. What more could he have done to me? Certainly, nothing, since in one stroke he offends my possessions, my honor, and my life. Oh how quickly his love changed into cruel and bitter hatred! I see clearly now that the popular proverb has proven true: A lord is like wine in a flask: in the morning it is to be had, for in the evening it has already gone bad.21 Oh, wretched Salardo! What have you come to? Now where is your nobility? Now where are 21. Pirovano notes that this proverb can also be found in Franco Sacchetti’s fourteenth-century collection of novellas and in the Italian translation of Aesop’s fables, Esopo volgare: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:25n.3.

56 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA your dear relatives? Now where is your vast wealth? Now where is your loyalty, honesty, and tender affection? Oh my father, I believe that you, dead as you are, looking in the clear mirror of eternal goodness see me here about to be led off in order to be hanged for no other reason than because I did not believe nor obey your wise and loving rules. And I believe that with that tender heart with which you loved me you now still love me and pray that Almighty God will have mercy on my foolish youthful errors, and I, your ungrateful son who disobeyed your commandments, beg you to forgive me.” While Salardo was reprimanding himself in this manner, his son Postumio, like an experienced hangman, went with the guards to the prison, and standing arrogantly before his father, spoke these words, “My father, since according to the lord marquis’s sentence you will no doubt be hanged, and since a third of your possessions must be given to the man who has the job of hanging you, knowing the love that you bear for me, I know that you will not despise me if I do this job, because by doing it your possessions will not fall into the hands of others, but will remain at home as before, and for this reason you will be happy.” Salardo, who had listened attentively to his son’s words, replied, “God bless you, my son. You have thought of something that I like very much and if before I was to die unhappy, now that I have heard your words, I shall die happy. Therefore, do your job, my son and do not delay.” First, Postumio asked his forgiveness and then he kissed him on the mouth. Then, taking the noose, he placed it around his neck, exhorting and urging him to patiently endure such a death. Seeing this change of events, Salardo was astounded and astonished. Having left the prison accompanied by the hangman and the guards, he set off at a hurried pace to the place of justice with his hands bound behind his back and the noose around his neck. Arriving there, he turned his back to the ladder that was placed against the gallows, and he ascended rung by rung in this manner. With intrepid and unwavering courage, when he arrived at the final rung of the ladder he looked over the crowd and told them in detail the reason why he had been led to the gallows. Then he humbly asked for forgiveness with sweet and loving words for all of his offenses, exhorting sons to be obedient to their old fathers. When the people heard why Salardo had been condemned, there was no one who did not weep bitterly for the unlucky young man’s misfortune and who did not wish that he be freed. While the aforementioned things were taking place, Fransoe had gone to the palace, saying the following words to the marquis: “Most illustrious Lord, if ever a spark of pity was ignited in the breast of a just Lord, I am certain that it would double in you, if with your usual clemency you will consider the innocence of a friend who has already been led to the point of death due to an error as yet unknown. What cause, my lord, led you to sentence to death Salardo, whom you loved so deeply? He has never offended you, nor even thought of offending you.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 57 But if you, most kind lord, order that your most faithful friend be brought before you before he dies, I will make you plainly see his innocence.” With his eyes flaming with rage, the marquis wanted only to chase away the friend Fransoe without giving him any reply, when Fransoe threw himself on the ground and wrapped his arms around the marquis’s knees, and still crying began to yell, “Mercy, just lord, mercy kind sir! I beg you do not let innocent Salardo die because of you. Cease being angry and I will prove to you his innocence. Cease for one hour, sir, for the love of justice that you and your elders have always had. Don’t let it be said of you, sir, that you, so rashly, without reason, make your friends die.” Entirely contemptuous of Fransoe, the marquis said, “I see that you are looking to join Salardo, and if you fan the fire of my rage just a little more, I’ll turn it on you immediately.” Fransoe said, “Signore, I am happy that my long service will be rewarded in this way, you can hang me alongside Salardo if you do not find him to be innocent.” As he considered the nobility of this friend Fransoe, the marquis thought to himself that if Fransoe was not convinced of Salardo’s innocence, he would not pledge to be hanged alongside Salardo. So he said that he would be happy to delay the execution for an hour and that if Fransoe could not prove Salardo’s innocence, he should prepare to meet his death with him. He had a servant summoned before him and ordered him to go to the gallows, demanding in his name that his ministers not proceed and that Salardo be brought before him bound, with the noose around his neck, and accompanied by his executioner. When Salardo arrived before the marquis and saw that his face was still flushed, he stilled his proud heart and with a dry and open face he said absolutely unperturbed, “My lord, my service to you and the love that I bear for you did not merit the insult and shame that you brought upon me by condemning me to a despicable and shameful death. And although the wrath you felt at my mad act, if one must call it mad, would move you against your nature to treat me cruelly, you should not, however, have condemned me to death so hastily without hearing my explanation. The falcon, for whose alleged death you became inflamed with rage, is alive and is in the same condition he was before, nor did I take it in order to kill it or to offend you, but to have more certain proof of something I have kept hidden which will be revealed to you now.” He called upon Fransoe who was there and asked him to bring the falcon and return him to his dear, sweet owner. He recounted from beginning to end his father’s loving commandments and how he broke them. Once the marquis had heard Salardo’s words, which came from the depths of his heart, and had seen his falcon more plump and beautiful than before, he was stunned into silence. When he came to his senses somewhat and considered his error in having carelessly condemned an innocent friend to death, he raised his eyes, which were

58 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA almost brimming over with tears, and, staring straight into Salardo’s face, he said, “Salardo, if you could now peer inside my heart with your eyes, you would know full well that the rope that until now had kept your hands bound and the noose that had encircled your neck have not brought you as much suffering as they have brought me worry, nor as much pain as they have brought me anguish. Nor do I think that I will ever live happy and content again, because I have offended you in this way, you, who with such sincere fidelity, loved and served me. And if it were possible to undo that which has already been done, I would undo it myself. But since this is impossible, I will try with all of my might to redress this wrong so that you will be pleased with me.” Having said this, the marquis took the noose from Salardo’s neck with his own hands, unbound his hands, and embraced him with the greatest affection and kissed him many times. Taking him by the right hand, he made him sit next to him. When the marquis wanted the cord to be put around Postumio’s neck for his wicked behavior so he could be hanged, Salardo did not permit it, but had him brought before him and said the following words, “Postumio, I have raised you, out of charity, from a boy to your present age. God knows I don’t know what to do with you. The love I have always had for you pulls me in one direction, while my contempt for you and your evil deeds drags me in another. The one wills me as a good father to forgive you; the other urges me to act with unwavering cruelty towards you. What, then, must I do? If I forgive you, they will point at me; if I seek my just revenge, I will break the holy commandment. So as not to be called either too pious or too cruel, I’ll make a compromise: you will not be physically punished by me, nor will you be completely forgiven. Take then this noose that you had tightened around my neck, and as recompense for wanting to take my possessions, you will carry it with you, remembering me always and your grave error, and you will stay far away from me so that I do not even ever hear news of you.” Saying this, he chased him away and sent him off to his ruin, nor did he ever hear any news of him. But when the news of Salardo’s liberation reached her ears, Teodora fled to a convent, where her life ended sadly. When Salardo heard of his wife’s death, he asked for the marquis’s permission and left Monferrato. He returned to Genoa, where he lived happily for a long time and gave away the majority of his wealth to charity, keeping only what was necessary for his survival. The tale recounted by Lauretta moved her female companions to tears many times, but when they heard that Salardo was freed from the gallows, that Postumio was driven out in disgrace, and that Teodora had died miserably, they cheered up quite a bit and rendered thanks to God that Salardo had escaped death. The Signora, who had carefully listened to the pitiable tale and was almost still crying on account of its sweetness, said, “If when narrating their tales these other young

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 59 women perform as skillfully and entertainingly as Lauretta did, we will all easily consider ourselves satisfied.” Without saying anything else or waiting for any response, she commanded that Lauretta propose her riddle so that they would follow the order established the previous evening. Quick to follow her orders, with a cheerful face, Lauretta spoke thus: I was born imprisoned between two keystones, And then a wicked son was born from me, As big as—alas, ill-born— A small grain of tiny millet; By whom, due to hunger, I was devoured Without any respect, without consideration. Oh my cruel fate! Harsh and impudent, He cannot remain a servant to his mother.22 Everyone listened, and not without great pleasure, to the learned and witty riddle cleverly told by facetious Lauretta, and some interpreted it one way and others in another way. But no one hit the mark. Pretty Lauretta, seeing that the riddle remained unsolved, smiled and said, “The riddle I presented, if I am not mistaken, refers to none other than the dried fava bean, which once born lies between two keystones, meaning the sides of the pod. Then like a grain of millet, a little worm is born, that so cruelly gnaws and consumes her that it cannot remain a servant to its mother.” Lauretta’s explanation so perfectly pleased everyone that they praised her with one voice. After a proper curtsy, she sat down at her place. Alteria, who was seated next to Lauretta and whose turn it was to tell the second tale, yearning to speak rather than listen, did not wait for an order from the Signora, and began to speak in this way.

22. “Nacqui tra duo seraglia incarcerata, / e di me nacque dopo un tristo figlio / grande come sarebbe, oimè mal nata, / un picciol grano di minuto miglio; / da cui per fame fui poi divorata / senza riguardo aclun, senza consiglio. / O trista sorte mia dura e proterva / di madre non poter restar pur serva.”

60 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FIRST NIGHT, SECOND TALE Cassandrino, a very famous thief and friend of the magistrate of Perugia, steals his bed and one of his grey horses, and then gives him Father Severino, tied up in a sack, and becomes a respectable man of considerable means. So noble and lively is the human mind, valiant women, that there is nothing in this world so weighty and difficult that when placed before man does not appear to him to be light and easy, and that he does not perfect in little time. Therefore among the common folk it is often said that man does what he wants. This proverb provides me with the subject matter for the tale I’ll tell, which, although it will not make you laugh, will be delightful, teaching you to recognize easily the cleverness of those who constantly steal the goods and wealth of others. Not long ago in Perugia, an ancient and noble city in Romagna,23 much renowned for its university and good living, there lived a wily young man as strong as anyone had ever been, named Cassandrino. Almost everyone in Perugia knew him on account of his reputation and thieving. Many citizens and commoners had gone to the magistrate to lodge serious, lengthy complaints because of the goods he had stolen from them. However much he was bitterly reprimanded and threatened, he was never punished by the magistrate. Although due to his thievery and other infamous escapades, Cassandrino was a hopeless case, he did possess one laudable virtue. He worked as a thief not out of greed, but instead in order to be able to treat with liberality and magnanimity, when the circumstances called for it, those who were kind and treated him well. Since he was affable, entertaining, and witty, the magistrate loved him dearly, and could not be a day without him by his side. Cassandrino persisted in living this half-blamable, half-laudable life, and the magistrate, considering the valid complaints that were brought against him each day and unable to punish him because of the great love he bore him, summoned Cassandrino before him and led him into a secret little chamber, where he began to charitably warn and beg him to leave behind this wicked life and embrace virtue, to shun the extraordinary risks he ran because of his terrible habits. Cassandrino, who had attentively absorbed the magistrate’s words replied, “My lord, I have heard and understood clearly the affectionate warnings that you, through your courtesy, have given me, and I recognize that they flow from the clear, running stream of love that you bear for me. For this, I thank you very much; however, I am quite hurt that certain fools who are jealous of the wealth of others constantly try to sow scandal and, with their poisonous words, steal the honor and reputation of others. These types would be better off biting their poisonous tongues rather than insulting others.” 23. Perugia is located in Umbria, not in Romagna.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 61 The official—who needed little convincing—put his faith in Cassandrino’s words and worried little, or not at all, about the complaints against him. His love for Cassandrino so blinded him that he could not see beyond it. One day Cassandrino found himself at the table with the magistrate speaking with him about various pleasant and delightful topics. Among other things, Cassandrino told him of a young man whom nature had so endowed with cunning that there was nothing so hidden and diligently guarded that he could not steal using his skills. When the magistrate heard this, he said, “This young man can be no one other than you, who are clever, artful, and crafty. But if you were to have the courage to steal the bed from the room where I will sleep tonight, I swear to you on my faith that I would give you one hundred gold florins.” Upon hearing the magistrate’s proposal, Cassandrino was very troubled and responded to him in this manner, “Signor, from what I can gather, you believe that I am a thief, but I am not a thief, nor even the son of a thief, since I make a living from my own sweat and hard work, and I live my life this way. But if it pleases you to make me die for this reason, for the love that I have had and have for you, I will do this and every other favor, and then I will die happy.” Wishing to please the magistrate, Cassandrino left without waiting for his response. All that day he went about pondering how he could steal the bed, but nothing sprang to mind. While turning this over in his mind, the following thought came to him. The day that this thought came to him a beggar had died in Perugia and was buried in a tomb outside the church of the preaching friars.24 That night, in the early evening, he went to the place where the beggar was buried and gently opened the tomb. Taking the dead body by the feet, he dragged it out of the tomb and, stripping it nude, dressed it in his own clothes, which fit him so well that whoever saw him would have taken him for Cassandrino rather than the beggar. Hoisting the corpse onto his shoulders as best he could, he headed toward the palace. Once there, he headed up the ladder that he had carried there with the beggar, whom he had carried with him on his shoulders, and climbed onto the palace’s roof. Quietly he began to cut through the roof and, with his iron tools made just for this purpose, he cut a hole through the beams and tiles and made a large hole above the room where the magistrate slept. The official who lay in bed and was not sleeping clearly heard what Cassandrino was doing. Although he heard the damage caused by Cassandrino breaking through the roof, he took great pleasure and delight in it, waiting for Cassandrino to steal the bed out from under him at any moment. He said to himself, “Go ahead, Cassandrino, be the cleverest you can be, you’ll never steal this bed out from under me.”25 24. Pirovano suggest that this is most likely the church of San Domenico in Perugia: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:38n1. 25. This is first of many instances in the Pleasant Nights in which a character speaks in rhymed hendecasyllables. The magistrate says “Fa’ pur, Cassandrino, il peggio che tu sai, ch’in questa notte il letto non mi averai.”

62 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA As the magistrate stayed there with his eyes open and his ears pricked up waiting for the bed to be stolen from him, Cassandrino sent the dead beggar down through the hole and he made such a thud when he hit the floor of the magistrate’s room that the magistrate was stunned. Rising from the bed and grabbing a candle, he saw the body that lay on the ground all battered and bruised. Believing that the body that had fallen was Cassandrino’s because it was dressed in his clothes, he said to himself with great regret, “Oh wretched me! Look how, woe is me, in order to satisfy a childish whim, I have caused his death. What will they say of me when they find out he has died in my house? Oh, how prudent and sensible men must be!” As the magistrate continued to lament like this, he knocked at the room of one of his loyal and faithful servants, and once he had awoken him he told him of the unfortunate event that had taken place, begging him to dig a pit in the garden and place the body in it so that the disgraceful episode would never come to light. While the magistrate and the servant were burying the corpse, Cassandrino was sitting quietly above and saw everything. When he did not see or hear anyone in the room, he first lowered himself down by a rope, bundled up the bed, and carried it away with great ease. Having buried the body and returned to his room to rest, the magistrate saw that the bed was missing. He was completely shocked and, although he had wanted to sleep, he was forced to do otherwise, thinking all the while of the intelligence and cleverness of the very cunning thief. The next morning, Cassandrino went to the palace as he usually did and went before the magistrate, who, when he saw him, said, “Truly, Cassandrino, you are one of the greatest thieves. Who would have ever thought of stealing a bed through such cunning, if not you?” Cassandrino did not respond at all, but acted as if what he did was not worthy of admiration. “You played such a joke on me,” said the magistrate, “but I want you to play another one on me, and then we’ll see how much your wit is worth. If tonight you steal my grey horse that I like very much and treasure, then I promise to give you another hundred florins in addition to the hundred that I promised you.” After hearing the magistrate’s request, Cassandrino pretended to be very disturbed and complained that he held him in such low regard, begging him yet again not to be the cause of his ruin. Seeing that Cassandrino refused to do what he asked, the magistrate became indignant and said to him, “If you refuse to do this for me, do not expect anything else from me but to be hung with a noose from the ramparts of the city wall.” Cassandrino, who saw that this was a dangerous situation and no laughing matter, said to magistrate, “I will make every effort to satisfy you, come what may, even if I don’t feel up to the task,” and after saying goodbye, he left.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 63 The magistrate who was trying to test Cassandrino’s keen wit, called one of his servants to him and said, “Go to the stable and saddle up my grey horse, mount him, and make sure that tonight you do not dismount, but keep an eye out and take care that the horse isn’t taken from you.” He ordered another servant to keep watch at the palace and, after tightly locking the doors of the palace and the stables with a key, he left. When the dark night came, Cassandrino took his tools and went to the palace where he found the guard sleeping peacefully. Since he knew quite well all of the secret places in the palace, he let him sleep. Taking another route, he entered the courtyard and headed to the stable. Finding the door locked, he quietly worked with his tools until he was able to open the door. When he saw the servant on the horse with the reins in his hand, he was momentarily at a loss as to what to do. Slowly approaching him, he saw that he was still sleeping soundly. The cunning, clever thief, when he saw that the servant was sleeping deeply like a log, devised the finest ruse any man alive could imagine. He measured the height of the horse in order to carry out his plan. He left the stable and went out into the garden, then he took four big poles to which the vines of an arbor were tied, sharpened one end of each into a point, and then returned to the stable. Seeing that the servant was still sleeping soundly, he cleverly cut the reins from the bridle that the servant held in his hand, then cut the breast harness, the cinch, the crupper, and everything else that it seemed would interfere with his plan. He stuck a pole in the ground under one of the four corners of the saddle and slowly raised it from the horse and placed it on the pole. Then placing another pole under the other corner, he did the same thing. Once he had done the same with the remaining two corners, he raised the saddle completely off the horse’s back and rested it entirely on the four poles fixed in the ground, with the servant sleeping in the saddle all the while. Taking the halter and placing it on the horse’s head, he led him away. Rising from his bed early in the morning, the magistrate went to the stable, thinking that he would find the horse; instead, he found the servant sleeping deeply in the saddle held up by the four poles. Once he had awoken him, he said the rudest things that have ever been said to any man on this earth. Then, completely lost in his own thoughts, he left the stable. When it was daylight, Cassandrino, as was his habit, went to the palace and went before the magistrate greeting him with a cheerful face. The magistrate said to him, “Truly, Cassandrino you can boast of your merits among all thieves, or better yet, I can call you the king and prince of thieves. But now I will learn if you are truly expert and ingenious. You know, if I am not mistaken, Father Severino the rector of the church of San Gallo, not far from the city. If you bring him to me here tied up in a sack, I swear by my faith, that besides the two hundred florins I have promised you, I will give you as many more. And if you don’t do it, you can expect to die.”

64 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Father Severino had a fine reputation and lived a very honorable life, but he was not very shrewd; he just looked after his church and cared little, if at all, about anything else. Seeing that the magistrate’s heart was so ill disposed toward him, Cassandrino said to himself, “Certainly he is trying to kill me, but perhaps his plan will fail since I will think with all my might of a way to do exactly what he wants.” Since Cassandrino wanted to do this in such a way as to keep the magistrate happy, he thought up a trick that worked just as he desired. This was the trick: he borrowed from a friend a priest’s robe that hung down to his feet and a white stole richly embroidered with gold and took them to his house. Then he took large pieces of stiff paper and made two wings that he painted with different colors and a halo that illuminated the air around it. When evening came, he left the city with the aforementioned items and went to the village where Father Severino lived. There he hid himself behind a prickly thorn bush and stayed there until dawn. Then Cassandrino threw on the priest’s robes, wrapped the stole around his neck, put the halo on his head and the wings on his back and crouched down and stayed there quietly until the priest came to ring the bell for the Ave Maria. As soon as Cassandrino had dressed himself and crouched down, Father Severino and an altar boy arrived at the entrance of the church. Entering, he left the door open and went about his business. Cassandrino, who was alert and saw the door to the church open while the priest rang the bells for the Ave Maria, came out of the bushes and quietly entered the church, approaching the corner of one altar. Standing up straight with a large sack that he held with both his hands, he began to say with a humble, soft voice, “Whoever wants to go to heaven, get in the sack; whoever wants to go to heaven, get in the sack.” As Cassandrino was repeating these same words, the altar boy suddenly came out of the sacristy, and seeing the robes white as snow, the halo that shone like the sun, the wings that seemed like peacock feathers, and hearing the voice, he was quite stunned. When he had come to his senses somewhat, he went back to the priest and said, “Sir, did I just see an angel from heaven with a sack in hand who says, ‘Whoever wants to go to heaven, get in the sack’? I’d like to go there, sir.” The priest, who had little salt in his gourd, believed the altar boy’s words and upon exiting the sacristy saw the angel in the robes and heard his words. The priest, longing to go to paradise and worried that the altar boy would steal his chance by climbing into the sack first, pretended to have forgotten his breviary at home and said to the altar boy, “Go home and take a look in my room and bring me my breviary, which I forgot on my chair.” When the altar boy had gone to the house, Father Severino reverently approached the angel and with great humility got in the sack. Cassandrino, cunning, artful, and clever, seeing that his plan was going well, closed the sack immediately and tied it shut. After taking off the priest’s robes and putting down the halo

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 65 and wings, he bundled up everything, put it on his shoulders with the sack, and headed toward Perugia. When it was daylight, he entered the city and at a reasonable hour presented the sack to the magistrate. Untying the knot he pulled out Father Severino, who was more dead than alive. Upon finding himself standing before the magistrate and realizing that he had been duped, the priest made a great case against Cassandrino, yelling loudly about how he had been mistreated and cleverly put in the sack not without great dishonor and harm to himself. He begged that His Honor see justice done and not permit such violence to go without severe punishment, so that the penalty would be a clear and public example for all other criminals. “My dear priest, be quiet and do not be upset. We will not fail to bestow our favor and justice upon you, even if this thing, from what we gather, was a joke.” The magistrate knew what to say and do to make him keep quiet and, taking the sack and placing it in his hands along with some florins, he ordered that he be accompanied outside of the city limits. Turning to Cassandrino he said, “Cassandrino, Cassandrino, your skill as a thief far outstrips your reputation which has spread throughout the land. Well, take the four hundred florins that I had promised you, since you have earned them most honorably. But in the future, strive to live more moderately than you have in the past, for if news of any other charge against you reaches my ears, I promise that I will not hesitate to have you hanged by your neck.” After taking the four hundred florins and properly thanking the magistrate, Cassandrino departed. He became a merchant and a wise man of great wealth. The entire company, and most of all the women, liked the tale recounted by Alteria, and everyone praised it highly. But Molino, with an amorous look and a cheerful air said, “Signora Alteria, you too, as I understand it, are also a little thief, since you have exposed the tricks of the thieves so well that one couldn’t add anything else. This shows that you have some understanding of them.” Bembo replied, “She is not a thief of what others own, but with her brilliant, sparkling orbs she steals the heart of anyone who looks at her.” Alteria turned quite red at these words and, turning toward Molino and Bembo, said, “I am not a little thief of others’ goods, nor a robber of others’ hearts, but I am selling you this tale of Cassandrino as if it were a true story, just as I bought it.” Since more and more words were being exchanged, the Signora ordered everyone to be quiet and Alteria to proceed with her riddle. Laying aside her ire and softening a bit she said: Walking to and fro at a slow and sluggish pace, One who was peering down, showed himself.

66 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “To bed, to bed now, Messer Bernardo”— Yelling loudly I went—“don’t stay any longer. Two lay him bare, four distinguished ones Close the doors, and eight stay up there.” While I acted out this scene, The exposed one fled straightaway.26 Alteria’s riddle was no less delightful than the tale she cleverly told. Although everyone offered solutions, there was no one who was able to understand it entirely. Seeing that they were wasting time in vain and there wasn’t anyone who hit the mark, she stood and said, “It is not that I am worthy of this honor, but in order that words are not spoken in vain, I will say what I think. A gentleman had gone to the country with his family, as so often happens in the summer, and he had put a little old lady in his palace as a guard, who, because she was prudent and shrewd, walked all through the house each evening in order to discover if there was someone who wanted to rob it. One evening while going throughout the house and pretending to do her business, the wise old woman saw a thief who was on a ledge and peering through a hole to see what the woman was doing. The good woman did not start screaming, but wisely pretending that her master was in the house with many servants, said, ‘Go to bed now, Messer Bernardo, and two servants go to help him with his boots, and four go to close the entry and windows, and eight go up to guard him well.’ While the little old lady carried out this duty, the thief, fearing that he would be discovered, fled, and so the house was safe.” When learned Alteria’s learned riddle was finished and solved, Cateruzza, who was seated next to her, knew that the third challenge of the night was hers. With a cheerful face, she began to speak in this manner.

26. “Su e giú scorrendo a passo lento e tardo / uno scopersi che guardava in giú: / ‘Al letto, al letto omai, messer Bernardo,’ / gridando forte andai, ‘non state piú. / Duo lo discalcin, quattro di riguardo / chiudin le porte e otto stian di su.’ / Mentre ch’io feci un tale fitto effetto, / l’uno scoperto si fuggì di netto.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 67 FIRST NIGHT, THIRD TALE Tricked once by three brigands, Father Scarpacifico tricks them three times, and, victorious in the end, he lives happily with his beloved Nina. The conclusion of the tale so wisely told by Alteria provides me with the theme for the one I must tell, a tale that will be equally pleasant and agreeable, but will differ in one respect. In her tale, Father Severino was tricked by Cassandrino, but in this one Father Scarpacifico tricks many times those who believed that they had tricked him, which you will come to understand fully as my tale unfolds. Near Imola, a city where personal vendettas abound and that was almost completely destroyed by factionalism in our own time, there was a village called Postema. Long ago, the church there was run by a priest named Father Scarpacifico, who was a very rich man, but also exceedingly miserly and greedy. He kept a clever and very wise woman called Nina to take care of his household, and she was so shrewd that there was no man whom she did not dare to tell what he needed to hear. Because she was loyal and prudently managed his things, he was very fond of her. When the good priest was young, he was one of the hardiest men found in the region of Imola. But in his extreme old age, he could no longer endure the exertion of walking. Therefore, the good woman tried to persuade him many times that he should buy a horse so that he would not die before his time from walking so much. Won over by the entreaties and persuading of his maid, Father Scarpacifico went to the market one day and, spotting a little mule that seemed to suit his needs, he bought it for seven florins. It happened that there were three boon companions at that market who were happier living off of others than by their own toil, as is common nowadays as well. When they saw that Father Scarpacifico had bought the little mule, one of them said, “My friends, I want that mule to be ours.” “How?” said the others. “I want us,” he replied, “to go to the road he must go down, and spread out a quarter of a mile apart, and each of us will tell him that the little mule he bought is an ass. If we hold to this assertion, the mule will easily be ours.” Leaving in agreement, they set themselves up along the road as they had planned together. As Father Scarpacifico passed by, one of the brigands, pretending to come from a different direction than the market, said to him, “God save you, sir.” To which Father Scarpacifico responded, “Greetings, my brother.” “Where are you coming from?” asked the brigand. “From the market,” said the priest. “And what did you buy?” said the boon companion. “This mule,” responded the priest.

68 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “What mule?” said the brigand. “This one I’m riding now,” responded the priest. “Are you serious, or are you pulling my leg?” “Why?” said the priest. “Because that is not a mule, it looks like an ass to me.” “What do you mean an ass?” said the priest. And without saying anything else he hurried on his way. He had not ridden another quarter mile when he bumped into another one of the companions who said to him, “Good day, sir, where are you coming from?” “From the market,” replied the priest. “There is a good market there?” said the companion. “Yes, good,” replied the priest. “Did you get any good deals?” said the companion. “Yes,” replied the priest, “I bought this little mule that you see here now.” “Are you telling the truth?” said the friend. “You bought it thinking it was a mule?” “Yes,” replied the priest. “But it is really an ass,” said the boon companion. “What do you mean an ass?” said the priest, “If anyone else tells me that, I’ll give it to him as a gift.” And going on his way, he encountered the third friend who said to him, “Greetings, sir, by any chance are you coming from the market?” “Yes,” replied the priest. “What did you buy?” said the boon companion. “I bought this little mule that you see.” “What mule?” said the boon companion. “Are you serious, or are you kidding me?” “I’m telling the truth, I’m not kidding.” “Oh, poor man!” said the brigand. “Don’t you realize that it is an ass, not a little mule? Oh, the thieves, how they have tricked you!” When he heard this, Father Scarpacifico said, “A short time ago two other people told me this and I did not believe it.” Getting off the little mule, he said, “Take it, I want to give it to you as a gift.” Taking it and thanking him for the favor, he returned to his friends, leaving the priest to go on foot. Once he arrived at home, Father Scarpacifico told Nina how he had bought a mount and thinking that he had bought a mule, he had bought an ass. Since many people along the road told him this, in the end he gave it away as a gift. Nina said, “Oh, you poor soul, don’t you realize that they have played a trick on you? I thought that you were cleverer than you are. By my faith, they would not have fooled me!”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 69 Father Scarpacifico then said, “Don’t trouble yourself over this, because if they’ve tricked me once, I’ll trick them twice. Don’t doubt that since they have deceived me once that they’ll content themselves with that, no, with a new bit of cleverness they will come to see if they can take something else off my hands.” There was a farmer in the village not far from the priest’s house who had two goats that looked so much alike that you could not easily tell them apart. The priest drove a hard bargain for the two of them and paid for them in cash. The next day, he ordered Nina to prepare a nice meal because he wanted some of his friends to come over to eat with him. He instructed her to take some veal and boil it and to roast the chickens and a loin. After this he gave her some spices and ordered her to make a sauce and a tart, as she usually did. Then he took one of the goats and tied it to a hedge in the courtyard, giving it something to eat, and he tied a halter on the other one and headed off to the market with it. He had not yet arrived at the market when the three companions with the ass spotted him and approached. They said to him, “Welcome our good sir! What are you doing? Perhaps you wish to buy something nice?” To which the gentleman replied, “I came here to spend money because some of my friends are coming to dine with me today. And if you were able to come as well, I would be pleased.” The boon companions accepted the invitation quite willingly. Having shopped for what he needed, Father Scarpacifico put all the things he bought on the back of the goat and said to the goat in front of the three companions, “Go home and tell Nina to boil this veal, and roast the chickens and the loin, and tell her to make a tasty tart and some sauce, as is our custom. Did you understand everything? Now go in peace.” The goat, loaded up with those things and allowed to go free, went off, and in whose hands it ended up, no one knows. But the priest, the three companions, and some of his other friends wandered through the entire market and when it seemed time, they went to the priest’s house. Upon entering the courtyard, the buddies immediately spied a goat that was chewing the cud tied to the hedge; they believed that it was the one the priest had sent home with the food and were quite astonished. Once they had all entered the house, Father Scarpacifico said to Nina, “Nina, did you do what I sent the goat to tell you to do?” Clever, and having understood what the priest wanted to say, she replied, “Yes, sir, I roasted the loin and chickens and boiled the veal. Then I made the tart and the sauce with the spices in them, just as the goat told me to do.” “That’s good,” said the priest. The three companions, seeing the roasted and boiled meats and the tart on the hearth and having heard Nina’s words, were more astonished than before and began to think among themselves about the goat and how they could get it. At the end of the meal, after having thought a great deal about stealing the goat

70 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and tricking the priest, and seeing that they would not succeed, they said, “Sir, we want you to sell us that goat.” The priest replied saying that he did not want to sell it because there was not money enough to buy it; however, if they wanted it, he would say it was worth fifty gold florins. The boon companions, thinking that they had made a great deal, immediately counted out the fifty gold florins. “But be warned,” said the priest, “so that you do not come complaining to me, because initially the goat will not recognize you because it is not used to being with you, and perhaps it will not be able to do what it should.” Without saying another word, the companions led the goat home in a happy mood and said to their wives, “Tomorrow do not prepare anything to eat until we send it home.” In the square, they bought chickens and other things necessary for the meal and placing it all on the back of the goat, which they had brought with them, they instructed it regarding everything they wanted it to do and what to say to their wives. Loaded down with the provisions and freed, the goat left and went away so quickly that they never saw it again. When it was time to eat, the boon companions returned home and asked their wives if the goat had come with the provisions and if they had done as it had told them. The women replied, “Oh senseless fools, you are convinced that a beast would do your bidding? Surely you have been deceived, for every day you wish to swindle others, but in the end you’ve been swindled.” Seeing that the priest had tricked them and that their fifty gold florins had been taken, they became so furious that they truly wished him dead. Taking up their weapons, they went to find him. But wise Father Scarpacifico, who was not without fear for his life and always kept the companions in his sight so that they could not do him any harm, said to his serving girl, “Nina, take this bladder filled with blood and put it under your smock so that when these brigands come I’ll blame everything on you. Pretending to be angry with you, I’ll stab you with this knife hitting the bladder. Act like you are dead and fall to the ground, and then leave the rest to me.” Just as Father Scarpacifico finished speaking with the maid, the brigands arrived and ran towards the priest to kill him. But the priest said, “Brothers, I do not know the reason why you wish to offend me. Perhaps my maid here has done something to displease you that I do not know about.” Turning on her with the knife in his hand, he stabbed her and pierced the bladder full of blood. Pretending to be dead, she fell to the ground and the blood ran like a river in all directions. After they witnessed the strange incident, the priest pretended to regret it and he began to yell in a loud voice, “Oh wretched and unhappy me, what have I done? Why have I foolishly killed the one who was my staff in my old age? How will I be able to live without her?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 71 Taking a bellows he had made for this, he lifted up her skirts and placed it between her buttocks and blew in there until Nina came to, and safe and sound she jumped to her feet. When the brigands saw this they were amazed, and putting aside all of their fury they bought the bellows for two hundred florins and returned home happy. One day it happened that one of the brigands exchanged words with his wife. In his rage, he drove a knife into her heart and she died from that blow. Taking the bellows that he had bought from the priest, he placed it between her buttocks and did as the priest had done, hoping that she would come back to life. But he labored in vain pumping out that wind because that poor soul had departed from this life and gone to the next. The other companion, seeing this, said, “Oh fool! You didn’t know how to do it right, let me do it.” Taking his own wife by the hair, he slit her throat with a razor and grabbing the bellows he blew in her bung hole but this did not resuscitate the poor wretch. The third companion did the same and in this way all three lost their wives. Enraged, they went to the priest’s house and they did not want to hear any more of his nonsense, instead they grabbed him and put him in a sack with the idea of drowning him in the river. While they were carrying him off to plunge him into the river, I don’t know what happened, but the brigands were forced then to put down the priest, who was in the sack which was tied tightly shut, and flee. While the priest was tied up in the sack, by chance a shepherd passed by with his flock that was grazing on the short grass and he heard a plaintive voice that was saying, “They want to give her to me, but I don’t want her because I am a priest and cannot take her.” The shepherd was completely dumbfounded because he could not understand where the voice came from that kept repeating that phrase. Turning this way and that, he finally saw the sack in which the priest was tied up. Approaching it, he untied the knot and found the priest who all the while was shouting at the top of his lungs. He asked him why he had been put in the sack and was yelling so loudly, and the priest replied that the lord of the city wanted to give him one of his daughters as a wife, but that he did not want her both because he was elderly and because he could not rightly take her as his wife since he was a priest. The shepherd boy, who fully believed the false words of the priest, said, “Do you think, sir, that the lord would give her to me?” “I believe so,” replied the priest, “if you were in this sack just as I was bound up.” Once he had put the shepherd boy in the sack, the priest tied the sack tightly and went away from that place with the sheep. Not an hour had passed when the three brigands returned to the place where they had left the priest in the sack. Without looking inside, they put the sack on their shoulders and threw it in the river. And so the shepherd boy, rather than the priest, ended his life miserably. The brigands set out toward their home talking together, and they saw the sheep

72 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA that were grazing not far from them. So they decided to steal a pair of lambs. Approaching the flock, they saw that Father Scarpacifico was the shepherd of the flock and they were quite amazed since they thought that they had drowned him in the river. They asked him how he was able to get out of the river. The priest replied to them, “Oh, you madmen, you do not know anything! If you had drowned me deeper, I would have come up with ten times more sheep.” Hearing this the three friends said, “Oh sir, would you do us this favor? Would you put us into sacks and throw us into the river, so that we will change from thieves into shepherds?” The priest said, “I am prepared to do anything that pleases you and there is nothing in this world that I would not do willingly for you.” Once he had found three large sacks of good, strong burlap, he put them inside and tied them tightly so that they would not be able to get out and then he threw them into the river. In this unhappy way, their souls went to the dark place where they endured eternal suffering. And, Father Scarpacifico, rich with sheep, returned home and lived happily for quite a few years with his Nina. The entire company very much liked the tale told by Cateruzza, and everyone praised it highly and even more the wisdom and craftiness of the clever priest, who by giving away a little mule, acquired a lot of money and sheep, took revenge on his enemies for the wrong they did him, and lived happily with his Nina. So as not to disrupt the established order, she set forth her riddle in this manner: A smith and his wife were at the dinner table With only one whole loaf and just about another half. In the evening with his sister, the priest Found four at that dinner. The bread was divided in three and there wasn’t any more; And all four with serene faces Enjoying their share were happy. I don’t know what you heard listening to me.27 When Cateruzza’s sententious riddle ended and was greatly admired by all, since there was no one in the very clever company who knew how to crack the hard shell to reveal its true meaning, Cateruzza said, “Amiable ladies, the meaning of my riddle is that a blacksmith who had a priest’s sister for a wife had just sat down at the table for dinner with her when the priest arrived. In this way, there 27. “Stava ad un desco un fabro e la mogliera / con un sol pane intiero e un mezzo appena. / Con la sorella il prete in su la sera / quattro si ritruovaro a quella cena. / Tre parti fer del pane, e piú non v’era; / e tutti quattro con faccia serena, / godendo la lor parte, fur contenti. / Non so tu, che m’ascolti, quel che senti.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 73 were four of them: the wife with her husband the blacksmith, and the wife of the blacksmith with the priest who was her brother. Although there seemed to be four of them, nonetheless there were really only three, and each of them took half a loaf of bread and all three were happy.” After Cateruzza ended her witty riddle, the Signora beckoned to Eritrea to follow the order and she, abolutely delighted and smiling, spoke thus.

74 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FIRST NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Tebaldo, prince of Salerno, wishes to take his only daughter Doralice as his wife. Persecuted by her father, she ends up in England. Genese takes her as his wife and has two children by her, who were killed by Tebaldo. King Genese avenged their deaths.28 I do not think that there is one of us who has not felt firsthand how great are the power of Love and the urges of the mortal flesh. He rules as a powerful lord and governs over his empire not with a sword, but with a single wave of his hand, as you will understand by the tale that I intend to tell you. Loving ladies, Tebaldo, the prince of Salerno, as you have heard our elders say many times, had for a wife a prudent and sensible woman of no lowly stock. He fathered a daughter with her, who in both beauty and mores surpassed all the other women of Salerno. But Tebaldo would have been better off if he had never had her, because then what happened never would have happened. When she was approaching death, this wife, young in years but mature with wisdom, begged her husband, whom she loved dearly, to never take another woman as his wife if the ring that she wore on her finger did not fit the finger of the woman whom he intended to take as his second wife. The prince, who loved his wife no less than she loved him, swore on his life that he would abide by what she had commanded. After the beautiful woman died and was buried honorably, Tebaldo thought that he should take a wife, but when he thought about the promise he had made to his dead wife, he did not wish to break it in any way. Word had spread far and wide that Tebaldo, the prince of Salerno, wished to remarry, and the rumor reached the ears of many girls whose station and virtues were no less than those of Tebaldo. But desiring to fulfill his dead wife’s wish, he wanted all of the girls who were offered to him as a wife first to try to see if his first wife’s ring fit them. Since it was too loose for some of them and too tight for others, he refused them all. Now it happened that one day while eating with her father, Tebaldo’s daughter, who was called Doralice, saw her dead mother’s ring on the table. She put it 28. One way of defining fairy tales is by using Hans-Jörg Uther’s folktale index, commonly referred to as the ATU (Aarne-Thompson-Uther) index, which identifies tale types numbered from 300 to 799 as tales of magic, or fairy tales: Hans-Jörg Uther, The Types of International Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson (Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 2004). For each of the fairy tales in The Pleasant Nights I have provided the classification number from this index. This tale belongs to the classifications ATU 510B, The Princess in the Chest, and ATU 706C, The Father Who Wanted to Marry His Daughter, as well as ATU 712, Crescentia. Readers interested in the ATU classification of all the tales in The Pleasant Nights may consult Donald Beecher’s table (Beecher, The Pleasant Nights, 1:90–92), which is based in part on the work of Luisa Rubini: see Rubini, “Straparola,” in Enzyklopädie des Märchens, ed. Rolf Wilhelm Brednick (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2007), 12:1360–69.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 75 on her finger and said turning to her father, “See, my father, how well my mother’s ring fits on my finger?” Upon seeing this, her father agreed with her. Not much time had passed when a strange and diabolical thought entered Tebaldo’s heart: to take his daughter Doralice as his wife. For a long time he wavered between “yes” and “no.” Overcome by his diabolical resolution and inflamed by her beauty, he summoned her before him one day and said to her, “Doralice, my daughter, when your mother was alive and at the very end of her life, she earnestly begged me not to take any woman for a wife except the one whose finger fit the ring that your mother wore on her finger when she was alive. I promised, swearing on my life, to do her will. Therefore, since I have tried many girls without finding one whom your mother’s ring fits better than you, I resolved in my mind to take you for a wife, for by doing this I will fulfill my wish and I will not fail to keep my promise to your mother.” Having understood her perverse father’s evil intentions, the daughter, who was as chaste as she was beautiful, was secretly very troubled. After considering his wicked proposal, she did not want to reply in order not to upset or enrage him, but putting on a cheerful face, she left him. Not having anyone whom she trusted more than her nurse, she ran back freely to her for advice, as if she were the source of her well-being. When the nurse heard of her father’s villainous desire that was full of malice and recognized the strong, unwavering will of the girl, who would rather endure every great torture than ever consent to her father’s madness, she comforted Doralice, promising to help her so that she would not lose her virginity dishonorably. Thinking hard in order to find a remedy that would save the daughter, the nurse skipped from one thought to another, but she did not find a way to keep her safe, for although she favored the idea of Doralice’s fleeing and running away from her father, she was also disturbed by this plan, fearing his cunning and afraid that he would track down Doralice and kill her. As the faithful nurse was thinking all this over, a new thought came into her head that you will now hear. In the dead mother’s room there was a beautiful, intricately carved wardrobe in which the girl kept her fine clothes and best jewels. No one but the wise nurse knew how to open it. She secretly took out the clothes and jewels that were in there and put them elsewhere. She then put a certain kind of liquor in the wardrobe that was so powerful that whoever took a spoonful, even a small one, lived for a long time without any other food. Calling the girl, she closed her inside, urging her to stay inside until God granted her a better and happier fortune and her father abandoned his cruel plan. The girl obeyed her dear nurse and did everything she told her to do. Her father did not control his lustful appetite nor did he abandon his unrestrained desire. He asked for his daughter many times and, not finding her nor learning where she was, he became so enraged that he threatened to make her die a shameful death.

76 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Not many days had passed when one morning at sunrise Tebaldo entered the room where the wardrobe stood. Seeing it before his eyes, he could not bear to look at it and with a wave of his hand he ordered that it be taken away, carried elsewhere, and sold so that he could remove this annoyance from his sight. Quickly obeying their lord’s orders, the servants put it on their shoulders and carried it to the square. It happened that at that moment a faithful, wealthy Genoese merchant who had spotted the beautiful and richly carved wardrobe fell deeply in love with it. He thought to himself that he should not let it go even if they asked an outrageous price from him. After he had approached the servant who was in charge of the wardrobe and agreed on a price with him, the Genoese bought it, put it on a porter’s back, and led him to the ship. This very much pleased the nurse, who had seen everything, though she secretly grieved a great deal for the lost girl. She consoled herself somewhat, thinking that when faced with two evils, one must always flee from the greater one. Setting sail from Salerno with a ship laden with precious goods, the Genoese merchant reached the isle of Britannia, today called England. After anchoring at a place where there was a great plain, he saw the recently crowned King Genese, who, racing very quickly on the island’s shore, chased a most beautiful doe, which had already thrown herself into the ocean’s waves out of fear. Tired and out of breath because he had ridden for a long time, the king was resting, and when he saw the ship he asked the owner for a drink. Pretending not to know the king, the owner of the ship kindly agreed, warmly received him, and did everything to welcome him that his station demanded. He acted with such great wit and skill that he was able to convince the king to come on board. The king, who had already noted the beautiful and finely carved wardrobe, felt such a desire to possess it that every hour seemed a thousand to him. Then he asked the owner of the ship how much he thought it was worth and he replied that it was worth a great deal. Quite enamored with this precious object, the king did not leave there until he had agreed on the price with the merchant. After the money was brought to him and the merchant was fully satisfied, he took his leave of the merchant and had the wardrobe carried to the palace and placed in his room. Because he was very young, Genese had not yet taken a wife and he enjoyed going hunting every day in the morning. Tebaldo’s daughter Doralice, who was hiding in the wardrobe that had been put in Genese’s room, heard and understood what was happening in the king’s room. Thinking of the perils she had overcome, she began to hope for some good luck. As soon as the king had left his room and gone hunting as was his habit, the young woman left the wardrobe and with the greatest skill straightened up the room, sweeping it, making the bed, arranging the bed curtains, and placing on it a coverlet embellished with very large pearls sewn in curving patterns and two extraordinarily ornate pillows. After this, the

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 77 young woman placed upon the pretty bed roses, violets, and other sweet-smelling flowers mixed with Cyprian incense and aromatic herbs that emitted pleasing fragrances and relaxed the mind. Many times without being seen by any one, the young woman did these very same things. This greatly pleased King Genese, because when he returned from hunting and entered the room, he seemed to be surrounded by all of the spices that were ever grown in the Orient. One day the king wanted to know from his mother and the ladies in waiting the name of the woman of such gentility and noble heart who had adorned the room and filled it with such fragrances. They replied that they did not know anything about it, for when they went to make the bed they found it covered in roses and violets and perfumed with sweet scents. When the king heard this, he resolutely resolved to find out how this had happened. Early one morning he pretended to go to a castle ten miles outside of the city and quietly hid himself in the room staring steadily through a crack and waiting to see what would happen. He was not there long when Doralice, more beautiful than the shining sun, came out of the wardrobe and began to sweep the room, clean the rugs, and make the bed. She carefully arranged everything just as she usually did. Then, when the charming girl had completely finished this worthy and commendable task, she wanted to go into the wardrobe, but the king, who had closely observed everything, quickly came up behind her and took her by the hand. Seeing that she was beautiful and fresh as a lily, he asked her who she was. Trembling all over, the young woman said that she was the only daughter of a prince whose name she did not know because she had been hiding for such a long time in the wardrobe; however, she did not want to tell him the reason for this. Having heard all of this, the king took her as his wife with his mother’s permission and fathered two children with her. Persisting in his wicked and malicious desire, Tebaldo, not finding his daughter after he had searched for her for many days, imagined that she had hidden herself in the wardrobe he had sold and later emerged and was wandering about in the world. Overcome by rage and indignation, he decided to test his fate to see if he could find her somewhere. Dressed as a merchant and carrying many jewels and marvelously crafted gold objects, he departed from Salerno unrecognized and while traveling quickly through different lands, he came across the man who had bought the wardrobe from him. He asked him if the sale had turned out well and in whose hands it had fallen. The merchant replied that he had sold it to the king of England and that he had doubled his money. Hearing this, Tebaldo rejoiced greatly and set off toward England. After he had arrived and entered the royal city, he arranged the jewels and other objects, including spindles and distaffs, on the palace wall and began to yell, “Spindles and distaffs, ladies!” Hearing this, one of the ladies in waiting went to the window and, when she saw the merchant with his precious goods, she ran to the queen and told her that there was a merchant in the street with gold distaffs and spindles, the most

78 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA beautiful and finest ever seen. The queen ordered that he be brought into the palace. Once he had climbed the stairs and entered the hall, the queen did not recognize him because she did not think about her father anymore. The merchant, however, easily recognized his daughter. The queen, then, after looking at the astoundingly beautiful spindles and distaffs, asked him how much each was worth. He said, “A great deal, but when it would please your highness, I would give you all of these goods as a gift, if, in exchange, I might sleep one night in the room with your two sons.” The simple and pure lady, without an evil thought regarding the merchant, was persuaded by her ladies to accept. But before the servants put him to bed, the young women and the queen decided to give him a drink of wine drugged with opium. When the night came, a girl led the merchant, who pretended to be very tired, to the room of the king’s sons where a very beautiful bed had been made. Before he lay down to rest, the girl said, “My father, are you thirsty?” To which he replied, “Yes, my daughter.” Taking a silvery glass, she offered him the drugged wine. The evil and cunning merchant took the glass and only pretending to drink he poured all of the wine on his robes and went off to rest. There was a small door in the boys’ room through which you could enter into the queen’s room. In the middle of the night when all seemed quiet, the merchant silently entered the queen’s room, approached her bed, and took from her a little knife that the queen usually carried at her side which he had spied earlier. Going to the crib where the boys were, he killed both of them and immediately put the bloody little knife back into the sheath. He opened the window and lowered himself down a knotted rope. In the morning at dawn he went to a barber and had his long beard shaved off so that he would not be recognized. Dressed in new long, loose clothes, he went about the city. The sleepy wet nurses rose at the usual hour to nurse the children and when they leaned over the cribs they found the murdered boys. They began to scream loudly and cry uncontrollably, tearing out their hair, ripping their clothes and exposing their breasts. The terrible news immediately reached the king and queen who ran barefoot in their nightclothes to the horrible spectacle and seeing their dead sons they wept bitterly. The news of the murder of the two children had already spread throughout the city, as well as the news that a famous astrologer had arrived in the city who knew the past and predicted the future according to the different movements of the stars. When word of his great reputation reached the king’s ears, the king had him summoned. After he had arrived at the palace, he reported to his majesty. When the king asked him if he could say who had killed the boys, he replied that he could. Drawing close to the king’s ear, he secretly said to him, “Holy Majesty, order that all of the men and women who carry a knife at their side and reside at your court come

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 79 before you and the one you find with the knife in its sheath still stained with blood will be the one who is the true murderer of your sons.” At his command, all of the courtiers appeared before the king who wished to search each one with his own hands looking carefully to see if their knives were bloodied. Not finding even one that was stained with blood, he went back to the astrologer and told him what he had done and that there was no one left who had not been searched, save for his elderly mother and the queen. To this the astrologer said, “Holy Majesty, look well and exclude no one because undoubtedly you will find the malefactor.” Having searched his mother and found nothing, the king called the queen and taking the sheath that she kept at her side he found the little knife all stained with blood. Inflamed with rage and indignation after seeing this unambiguous proof, the king turned to his wife and said to her, “Oh, wicked and merciless woman, enemy of your own flesh! Traitor to your own children! How could you ever bear staining your hands with the most innocent blood of these children? I swear to God that you will suffer from the punishment for having committed such a wicked act.” Although the king was inflamed with rage and wanted to avenge himself by putting her to a disgraceful and disreputable death, nonetheless, a strange thought entered his mind, and so that she might suffer greater and longer torment, he commanded that she be stripped, buried up to her neck nude like that, and fed delicious and fine foods so that by living longer, the worms would devour her flesh and she would feel greater torment for a longer time. The queen, who had abjectly undergone many other things in the past and knew herself that she was innocent, endured this great torment with a patient heart. The astrologer rejoiced greatly upon hearing that the queen had been found guilty and condemned to the cruelest torments and, after taking his leave from the king, he left England very happy. Having secretly arrived at his own palace, he told his daughter’s nurse everything that had happened and how the king had condemned Doralice to cruel tortures. Hearing this, the nurse outwardly showed herself to be delighted, but inside she was deeply sorry and moved to pity for the tortured daughter. Overcome by the tender affection that she bore her, early one morning the nurse left Salerno and rode alone for many days and nights until she arrived in the English kingdom. She climbed the palace stairs and found the king holding an audience in a spacious hall. Kneeling at the king’s feet, she asked him for a private audience to discuss things related to the honor of the crown. Embracing her, the king had her rise to her feet and taking her by the hand dismissed the company and sat down with her alone. Well informed of what had occurred, the nurse reverently said, “Know, Sacred Crown, that Doralice, your wife and my daughter—I did not carry her in this wretched womb, but I nursed and nourished her with these breasts—is entirely innocent of the sin for which you have

80 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA despicably condemned her to a cruel death. When you have heard in detail who the godless murderer was, and the reason that moved him to kill your sons, I am certain that you, moved by pity, will free her from such long and cruel torture. And if I am found to be a liar, I will willingly undergo the same punishment that the miserable queen now endures.” Starting from the beginning she told him everything that had happened in detail. Once he had heard the entire story, he believed her words and immediately had the queen, who was more dead than alive, pulled out from the place where she was buried. He had her treated with care and skillfully nursed, and in a short time she recovered. Then he began great preparations throughout his kingdom, mustered a powerful army, and sent them to Salerno where in a short time they conquered the city. With his feet and hands bound tightly with twisted ropes, Tebaldo was led to England as a prisoner. Wishing to be even more certain regarding the crime that had been committed, he proceeded in a harsh manner and had Tebaldo tortured and soundly whipped. Without needing to be strung up to the rafters, he confessed everything in detail. The next day he was placed on a cart drawn by four horses and led through the entire city, his flesh torn by red-hot pincers. Then the king had him drawn and quartered like Gano di Maganza29 and his flesh fed to vicious dogs. In this way the evil and unholy Tebaldo ended his life wretchedly, and the king and Queen Doralice enjoyed themselves for many years, leaving behind children after their death. As they listened to the piteous tale, they felt as much pity as amazement. When it was over, without waiting for a command from the Signora, Eritrea proposed her riddle in this way: There is born among the animals one so vile That it bears envy and hatred for its own seed. It naturally has such a wicked demeanor That, upon seeing its children grow fat, it laments. And with its beak it sharply Pecks and presses the tender flesh, 29. Gano di Maganza, also known as Gan or Ganelon, is an evil knight in the Chanson de Roland (Song of Roland), whose betrayal of Charlemagne leads to the death of Roland at Roncesvalle. Gano’s name was synonymous with treachery, and Dante placed him Antenora, the section of Hell where traitors to country or political party are punished (Inferno 32). Straparola’s description of Gano’s brutal execution most like derives from Luigi Pulci’s comic chivalric epic Morgante (1484), in which Gano slanders Orlando, causing him to leave the ranks of Charlemagne’s Christian paladins (canto 1.3–18). At the end of Pulci’s poem, Charlemagne imprisons Gano and then has him executed as a traitor (canto 28.8–14). Pulci’s poem enjoyed great popularity during the sixteenth century and so Straparola’s earliest readers would have been familiar with Gano and his demise.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 81 So that all that is left is bones and feathers. So much is it consumed by envy and hatred!30 The men and women had various opinions—some said one thing, some said another. They were not convinced that you could find an animal so unholy, so violent, and unnatural that it would behave cruelly toward its offspring out of envy. Pretty Eritrea, however, smiling spoke with sweet words, “Ladies and gentlemen, do not be surprised by this, since there are fathers who are envious of their children, like the rapacious kite that, thin and angry, upon seeing its offspring grow fat, becomes envious and hateful toward them and with its hard beak strikes their tender flesh so that they, too, grow thin like him.” The solution to the clever riddle greatly pleased everyone and there was no one who did not properly praise it. She humbly rose to her feet and, bowing to all, sat herself down at her place. The Signora signaled to Arianna that it was her turn. Rising from her chair, she began her tale like this.

30. “Nasce tra gli altri un animal sí vile, / che ’nvidia e odio porta al proprio seme, / tien per natura un sí malvagio stile, / che, veggendo i figliuoli grassi, geme. / E con il rostro con modo sottile / la teneretta carne punge e preme, / tal che sol vi riman l’ossa e la piuma: / tanto d’invidia e odio si consuma.”

82 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FIRST NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Dimitrio the peddler, calling himself Gramotiveggio,31 discovers his wife Polissena with a priest and sends her to her brothers, who kill her, and Dimitrio takes his maidservant as his wife. More often than not, loving ladies, we see great inequality in love: if the man loves the woman, she does not love him; if, on the contrary, the woman loves the man, the man absolutely despises her. From this is born the passion of sudden jealousy, which shuns everything that is good for us and threatens all honest living. From this are born dishonorable and disgraceful deaths that bring the greatest shame and vituperation on us women. I’ll say nothing of the enormous perils, I’ll say nothing of the innumerable evils that men and women run into unawares on account of wicked jealousy. If I were to recount them to you one by one, I would bore rather than delight you. In order to provide a conclusion to our pleasant discussions this evening, I intend to tell you a tale about Gramotiveggio, which has not been heard before and from which I think you will draw as much delight as instruction. Venice, a most noble city due to the rule of her magistrates, teeming with all sorts of people and most happy due to her pious laws, sits at the furthest inlet of the Adriatic Sea and is called the queen of all cities, a refuge for the poor, a hideout for the oppressed. The city has the sea for walls and the sky for a roof. Even if nothing is grown there, nonetheless it is brimming with those things that befit a city.32 In this noble and rich city there was in days gone by a peddler called Dimitrio, an honest man who led a good and pious life, but belonged to the lower classes. Eager to have children, he took a charming and pretty young woman named Polissena for a wife. He loved her so ardently that there never was a man who loved a woman as much as he loved her. She dressed sumptuously and there was no one, besides the nobles, who surpassed her in regard to clothes, jewels, and enormous pearls. Living with Dimitrio, she had an abundance of the finest foods that, besides not befitting her low station, made her softer and more delicate than she would have been. It happened that Dimitrio, who had undertaken many sea voyages in the past, decided to go to Cyprus with his wares. After he had prepared and stocked 31. Gramo means wretched or sordid, and “ti veggio” means “I see you.” Thus, this name translates as “Sordid-I-see-you” or “Wretched-I-see-you.” 32. Although Straparola typically praises the cities mentioned in his tales using just a few adjectives, he lavishes extended praise on Venice, a practice typical of early modern Venetian writers, which contributed to the construction of the myth of Venice that manifested itself in the literature, art, and architecture of the city. On the way in which Venice used civil rituals to perpetuate this myth, see Edward Muir, Civic Ritual in Renaissance Venice (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1981), especially 3–61. On how the figurative arts were used to perpetuate this myth, see David Rosand’s Myths of Venice: The Figuration of a State (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2001).

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 83 his house well with provisions and those things that a household requires, he left his beloved wife Polisenna with the young, plump maidservant. Departing from Venice, he set out on his journey. Feeling impetuous and unable to endure the sharp blows of love anymore, Polissena, who lived lavishly and devoted herself to dining on delicacies, spied a priest in her parish and fell madly in love with him. He was young, graceful, and handsome in equal measure, and one day he realized that Polissena was shooting him amorous looks out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that she was charming, graceful, and had all those fine qualities that befit a beautiful woman, he very quickly began to secretly long for her. Their hearts became so faithful and devoted to their shared love that it was not long before Polissena, without being seen by anyone, led the priest into her house to take his pleasure. In this way for many months they furtively continued with their love affair, tightly embracing and sweetly kissing again and again, and leaving her foolish husband to the dangers of the swelling sea. After Dimitrio had spent some time in Cyprus and had earned a fair amount for his wares, he returned to Venice. When he had disembarked from the ship and returned home, he found his dear wife who was weeping bitterly. Asking her what caused her to cry so hard, she replied, “Both for the bad news I heard and for the abundant joy I feel at your arrival. Since I heard many people saying that the ships coming from Cyprus had sunk at sea, I greatly feared that something horrible had happened to you. But now, by God’s mercy, seeing that you have returned home safe and sound, I cannot hold back these tears due to my overwhelming joy.” The poor fellow, who had come back to Venice from Cyprus to make up for lost time with his wife after his long absence, thought that Polissena’s tears and words were born from the passionate and profound love she bore him, but the wretch did not consider that she was saying to herself, “Would to God that he had been drowned in the mighty waves! Because then I would devote myself more safely and with greater happiness to pleasure and delight with my lover who loves me so much!” In less than a month, Dimitrio set out on another trip. This made Polissena as happy as could be, nor did she wait long before informing her lover, who was no less vigilant than she was. When the opportune appointed hour arrived, he went to her secretly. But the priest could not hide his movements so well that Manusso, who lived right in front of his dear friend33 Dimitrio’s house, did not 33. Here Dimitrio is referred to as Manusso’s compare and Polissena as his comare. While the words compare and comare were used to indicate official godparents united to a family and their child through baptism, the terms literally translate as “cofather” and “comother.” In early modern Italy, godparents were considered bound to the parents of their godchild by a spiritual kinship and were viewed as coparents of the child. Thus, the use of compare and comare most likely indicates a spiritual kinship that binds together all three characters and indicates that Manusso must be the godfather of at least one of Dimitrio’s and Polisenna’s children, who go unmentioned in this tale. In part because the Catholic Church viewed spiritual relationships as stronger than blood ties, sexual relations between

84 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA see him. Because Manusso, who loved Dimitrio for being an affable and amiable man, was more than a bit suspicious of his dear friend’s wife, he often spied on her. Therefore, when he clearly saw that after the priest made a certain sign at a certain hour the door was opened for him, he would go into the house and, less cautiously than was fitting, joke with the neighbor’s wife. Manusso decided to keep quiet so that the affair, which was a secret, would not be revealed and a scandal ensue. He wanted to wait for Dimitrio to return from his trip so that he could more prudently see to his affairs. When the time came to go back to his homeland, Dimitrio boarded a ship and returned to Venice with a favorable, prosperous wind. After he had disembarked, he headed home. When he knocked on the door, the maid went to the window to see who it was and, having recognized him, she ran down and opened the door almost crying for joy. Polissena heard that her husband had arrived, went down the stairs and with open arms hugged and kissed him, giving him the greatest caresses in the world. Because he was weary and exhausted from the sea, he went to bed without any dinner. He fell asleep so soundly that day came without him having tasted the least of love’s pleasures. When the dark night had passed and the bright day returned, Dimitrio woke up and rose from the bed without gratifying his wife with a single kiss. He went to a small chest from which he pulled out certain costly baubles and back in bed he presented them to his wife who, because she had other things on her mind, did not appreciate the gifts in the least. It happened that Dimitrio had the opportunity to sail to Puglia for oil and other things and, after informing his wife, he organized everything for his departure. But his crafty wife, pretending to suffer on account of his departure, caressed him while begging him to stay with her for another day. In her heart, though, that one day before he was out of her sight and she could more safely put herself in her lover’s arms seemed like a thousand.

a compare and a comare, and between godparents and godchildren, were considered incestuous, and thus, like other forms of incest, taboo and sinful. I have almost always translated compare and comare as “dear friend” in this tale and those that follow in order to differentiate this bond from other sorts of friendship; however, occasionally Straparola’s characters seem to use compare to mean simply “friend” as when the lion calls the ass compare in tale 10.2. On the origins of these customs and taboos, see Joseph H. Lynch, Godparents and Kinship in Early Medieval Europe (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986). For a description of these relationships in early modern Florence, see Louis Haas’s The Renaissance Man and His Children (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998), 63–88, and Dale Kent, Friendship, Love, and Trust in Renaissance Florence (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009), 144–54. The relationship between “cofathers” and “comothers” and the transgression of related sexual taboos appears in a number of other tales in The Pleasant Nights, as well as in a number of tales from Boccaccio’s Decameron. On Boccaccio’s tales see Louis Haas, “Boccaccio, Baptismal Kinship, and Spiritual Incest,” Renaissance and Reformation 25, no. 4 (1989): 343–56.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 85 Manusso, who many times had seen the priest mooning over his neighbor’s wife and also doing things which are not proper to discuss, felt that he would be hurting his good friend if he did not disclose what he had seen his wife do. Therefore, he decided to tell him everything, come what may. One day he invited Dimitrio to dine with him and when they were seated at the table, Manusso said to Dimitrio, “My dear friend, if I am not mistaken, you know that I have always loved you and will love you as long as my soul moves these bones, nor is there anything, no matter how difficult, that I would not do for the love of you. And if it were not going to upset you, I would tell you things that you would find troubling rather than pleasant. But I dare not speak in order not to poison your well-disposed mind. But if you are wise and prudent, as I think you are, you’ll control the anger that prevents men from knowing the whole truth.” Dimitrio said, “Don’t you know that you can tell me anything? Have you by chance murdered someone? Say it and don’t be afraid.” “I have not murdered anyone,” said Manusso, “but I have clearly seen another murder your honor and reputation.” “Speak clearly to me,” Dimitrio said, “and don’t stall with this obscure talk.” “Do you want me to speak frankly?” said Manusso. “Listen and calmly bear what I am about to tell you. While you are elsewhere, Polissena, whom you love so much and hold so dear, lies each night with a priest and devotes herself to pleasure and amusement with him.” “Well, how is this possible,” said Dimitrio, “seeing that she loves me so tenderly? Nor have I ever gone away that she did not fill her bosom with tears and the air with sighs. Even if I saw it with my own eyes, I’d scarcely believe it.” “If you will be,” said Manusso, “the reasonable man I think you are, and if you do not close your eyes, as many fools are in the habit of doing, I’ll make you see everything with your eyes and touch everything with your hands.” “I am happy,” said Dimitrio, “to do what you command, on the condition that you make me see what you have promised me.” Then Manusso said, “If you do what I tell you to do, then you will be completely convinced. But you must be discreet, look cheerful, and show her a kindly face, otherwise you’ll miss the best part. Then on the day you wish to leave, pretend to board the ship and as secretly as you can, come to my house; then, without a doubt, I’ll make you see everything.” When the day came that Dimitrio was to depart, he tightly embraced his wife. After he bid her to look after the house and took his leave, he pretended to board the ship, but he secretly went to Manusso’s house instead. Luck would have it that not two hours had passed when a storm blew in with so much rain that it seemed as if it wanted to destroy the heavens, nor did it ever stop raining that whole night. The priest, who had already heard of Dimitrio’s departure, fearing neither rain nor wind, waited for the usual hour to go to his sweetheart. He made

86 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA the sign and the door was immediately opened for him. After he went inside, he gave her a sweet, passionate kiss. When Dimitrio saw this as he was hiding in a narrow passageway, and when he was unable to contradict what his good friend had told him, he was absolutely astonished, and because of the justifiable grief he felt, he began to cry. Dimitrio’s good friend then said to him, “Now what do you think? Now have you seen what you never imagined? But be quiet and don’t be dismayed, for if you listen to me and do what I tell you to do, you’ll see something better. Go and take off these clothes and take a poor man’s rags and put them on. Smear your face and hands with mud, disguise your voice, and go home and pretend to be a beggar who is asking for a place to stay for the night. Perhaps because of the bad weather, the maidservant will be moved to pity and will give you a place to stay. This way you’ll be able to see easily what you don’t want to see.” Doing as he was told, Dimitrio stripped off his clothes and dressed in the rags of a beggar who had just then entered the house to stay for the night. With it still raining hard, he went to the door of his house and knocked three times, moaning and sighing deeply. Appearing at the window, the maidservant said, “Who’s knocking down there?” In a broken voice, he replied to her, “I am a poor old beggar almost drowned by the rain and I am asking for shelter for tonight.” The maidservant, who was no less compassionate with the poor than her mistress was with the priest, ran to the lady and asked her if she could please allow a poor beggar who was completely drenched and soaked by the rain to stay in the house until he warmed up and dried off. “He can bring up the water, turn the spit, and tend the fire so that the chickens are roasted quicker. While he is doing that, I’ll put the pot on the fire, set out the plates, and see to the other kitchen tasks.” The mistress agreed, and the maidservant, after she had opened the door and called him inside, made him sit near the fire. While the poor fellow turned the spit, the priest and the lady amused themselves in the bedroom. It happened that the two of them went into the kitchen holding hands and greeted the poor fellow. Approaching him and seeing him smeared with dirt they mocked him. The mistress asked him his name to which he replied, “I am called Gramotiveggio, my lady.” Hearing this, the mistress began to laugh, her mouth so wide you could have pulled out her teeth. Hugging the priest she said, “Well, my sweetheart, let me kiss you.” With the beggar looking on all the while, she embraced him tightly and kissed him. I will let you imagine what kind of mood the husband found himself in seeing his wife being hugged and kissed by the priest. When it was dinnertime, the maidservant seated the lovers at the table and, when she returned to the kitchen, she approached the old man and said, “Well, my dear father, my mistress has a husband who is as good a man as you will find

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 87 in this city, nor does he allow her to want for anything. God knows where the poor soul is with this awful weather! And she, ungrateful, without a thought for him and even fewer for his honor, has allowed herself to be blinded by lascivious love, caressing her lover and closing the door to everyone else except for him. But please, let us go quietly to the door of the room and see what they are doing and how they are eating.” When they went then to the doorway, they saw them feeding each other and engaging in amorous discussions. When it was time to sleep, both of them went to bed and joking with each other and enjoying themselves they began to grind the wheat. They were huffing and puffing and tromping on the treadle so hard that the beggar who was lying in the room next to theirs could easily hear everything. The unfortunate wretch never shut his eyes that night, but when it was day, he rose immediately from the bed and after thanking the maidservant for her pleasant company he left. Without being seen by anyone he went to his good friend Manusso’s house. Smiling, Manusso said, “Dear friend, how’s business? Have you, by chance, found what you did not want to find? “Yes, for sure,” said Dimitrio, “and I never would have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. But never mind, this is my hard luck.” Manusso who was somewhat of a rascal, said, “Dear friend, I want you to do what I tell you. Wash up well, take your own clothes, and put them on. Without wasting a second, go home pretending that you were not able to depart because of the big storm and take care that the priest does not flee. Since he’s in your house he will hide somewhere and then will not leave until he can do so easily. In the meantime, send word to your wife’s relations that they should come dine with you. When the priest is found in the house, you can do what you wish.” Dimitrio liked very much the advice of his dear friend Manusso. Having stripped off the rags and dressed himself in his own clothes, he went to his house and knocked on the door. The maidservant, seeing that it was the master of the house, ran immediately to her lady’s bedroom, where she was still lying in bed with the priest, and said to her “My lady, the master of the house has returned.” Hearing this, the woman was completely dismayed and rising from bed as quickly as she could, she hid the priest, who was in his nightshirt, in a chest where she kept her most magnificent dresses. Running downstairs with a fur around her neck and barefoot, she opened the door for him and said, “Oh my husband, you are most welcome! Out of love for you, I haven’t shut my eyes, constantly wishing for such good luck, but praise be to God that you have returned safely.” Dimitrio entered the room and said to his wife, “Polissena, I did not sleep at all last night on account of the bad weather. I’d really like to rest for a while, but while I’m sleeping, have the maidservant go to your brothers and invite them on our behalf to have lunch with us today.”

88 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA To this Polissena said, “Not today, but you can invite them another day, for it is raining now and the maidservant is busy washing our shirts, the sheets, and other linens.” “Perhaps the weather will be better tomorrow,” said Dimitrio, “and it will be best for me to leave.” Polissena said, “You could go, and if you prefer not to because you are tired, call upon our dear friend Manusso and he will do this for you.” “You’re right,” said Dimitrio. Once summoned, Manusso came and did what was asked of him. Polissena’s brothers came to Dimitrio’s house and they dined together cheerfully. When the table was cleared, Dimitrio said, “My brothers-in-law, I have never showed you the house, nor the clothes that I had made for Polissena, your sister and our wife, but you will be pleased to see how well I treat her. Get up from your chair, Polissena, and let’s show your brothers the house.” When she had risen to her feet, Dimitrio showed them the storerooms full of wood, wheat, oil, and his wares, and nearby these were casks full of malmsey and retsina, and casks overflowing with other precious wines. Then he said to his wife, “Show them your pendant and the enormous pearls that are so very white. Pull out of that little box the emeralds, the diamonds, the rubies, and the other precious jewels. Now what do you think, brothers-in-law? Isn’t your sister treated well?” They all replied to this, “We knew it, if we had not thought that you were upright and well-off, we would not have given you our sister’s hand in marriage.” Not content with this, Dimitrio ordered her to open the chests and show them the many beautiful dresses she owned. But Polissena, trembling almost from her head to her toes, said, “What need is there to open the chests and show them my dresses? Don’t they know that you have dressed me honorably, and even better than our station requires?” Almost enraged, Dimitrio said, “Open this chest, open this other one,” and he showed them the dresses. Now there remained just one chest to be opened and the key for this one could not be found, for the priest was hidden inside. Therefore, Dimitrio, seeing that he could not get the key, grabbed a hammer, and hammered so hard that he broke the lock and opened the chest. The priest was shaking with fear, nor was he able to conceal himself so as not to be recognized by everyone. Upon seeing this, Polissena’s brothers were greatly distressed and inflamed with such rage and indignation that they almost killed both of them right there with the knives that they had at their sides. But Dimitrio did not want them to be killed, since he held it to be cowardly to kill a man in his nightshirt, however strong he might be. He turned toward his brothers-in-law and said, “What do you think of this wicked

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 89 female in whom I had placed all my hope? Do I deserve such treatment from her? Ah, miserable and wretched woman, what keeps me from cutting your veins?” The wretch, unable to offer an excuse, was silent because her husband told her to her face what he had done and seen the previous night so that she could not deny it. He turned to the priest, who was standing with his head bowed, and said, “Take your clothes, get out of here and go to hell so that I never see you again. I don’t intend to stain my hands with holy blood on account of a wicked woman. Get out of here, what are waiting for?” Without opening his mouth, the priest left, thinking all the while that he had Dimitrio and the brothers-in-law with their knives on his heels. After this, Dimitrio turned to the brothers-in-law and said, “Take your sister wherever you like, for I don’t want her in my sight any longer.” Enraged, the brothers did not make it home before they killed her. When Dimitrio heard this, given that his maidservant was very beautiful and that he remembered the compassion she had shown him, he took her as his beloved wife. He gave her as a gift all of his first wife’s clothes and jewels, and he lived with her in a happy and joyful peace for a long time. When Arianna had finished her tale, everyone said together that Dimitrio’s virtue and constancy had been quite remarkable, most of all when he had the priest, the cause of all of his shame, right before his eyes. No less remarkable was the fear of the priest, who in his nightshirt and barefoot and seeing the husband and brothers surrounding him, was shaking like a leaf on a tree. Hearing the many different conversations that they were having, the Signora obliged them to be quiet and commanded Arianna to present her riddle. With her fair countenance and fine manners, she spoke thus: There were at the table present Three jolly good fellows together. Never was a finer company seen And they always sought out tasty morsels. One of their servants arrives with a platter And places on the dinner table three pigeons. Each one happily ate his, And on the dinner table two remained.34 This riddle seemed very difficult to the company, and everyone judged it almost impossible to solve since they could not convince themselves that with the 34. “Stavano ad una mensa di presente / uniti insieme tre buon compagnoni. / Mai fu veduta la piú bella gente; / e van cercando sempre i buon bocconi. / Giunge con un piatel un loro servente, / e sovra il desco pone tre pizoni. / Ciascun allegramente mangiò il suo / e sovra il desco restaro duo.”

90 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA three pigeons eaten, two were left whole on the dinner table. They did not consider that a snake was hidden in the grass. Seeing therefore that no one understood her riddle, and so consequently it was left unsolved, Arianna turned her pretty, delicate face to the Signora and said, “Signora, even though everyone thinks that the riddle I proposed is unsolvable, it is not so obscure that it cannot be easily solved. The solution, then, is this: there were three hearty eaters, one of whom was named Each-one. All three of them were at the table, and after they had stuffed themselves like pigs, a servant came and put three roasted little pigeons on the table giving one to each of them. But the man called Each-one ate his own and the other two men, who were already full, left the two pigeons on the table and left.” Everyone praised the solution to the obscure riddle and not without great laughter, nor was there anyone who would have been able to come up with the solution. The final effort of storytelling of this night had already ended when the Signora enjoined each of them to go home and rest, but to return the following evening to the hall or run the risk of incurring her disfavor. When the torches, which glowed like snow, were lit, the ladies and gentlemen were accompanied to the canal. THE END OF THE FIRST NIGHT

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 91 THE SECOND NIGHT Phoebus already had his golden wheels in the salty waves of the Indian Ocean and his rays no longer shone on the earth. His horned sister ruled over the dark shadows with her pale light, and the pretty shining stars had already painted the sky with their glow when the honest and honorable company arrived at the usual place to tell tales. Having seated themselves according to their stations, Signora Lucrezia commanded that the rule that they had followed the previous evening be observed this evening. Since five of the young maidens still had to tell a tale, the Signora obliged Trivigiano to write down their names, place them in the gold vase, and pull them out one by one, as was done the first evening. Most obedient to his lady, Trivigiano carried out her order. By chance, the first name out of the vase was Isabella, the second Fiordiana, the third Lionora, the fourth Lodovica, and the fifth was Vicenza. Then they began to dance to the music of flutes, with Molino and Lionora leading the circle dance. The women and the men all laughed so hard that they are still laughing.35 When the circle dance ended, everyone sat down, and the young maidens cheerfully sang a sweet and loving song in praise of the Signora in this manner: I say and will always say, Nor will anyone ever move me from this thought, That you are a paragon of every virtue. With respectful, honest, and sage signs That issue forth from beautiful beams, She whom the world calls beautiful adorns herself. And whoever does not yearn to follow The gentle deeds that consume me, Is not worthy of fame, Nor of tasting the good of the other life To which your goodness invites us.36 When the loving song was done, Isabella, who by chance had been chosen for the first turn on the second night, gladly began the storytelling speaking thus. 35. Pirovano notes that a similar use of the present tense is found in Boccaccio’s Decameron 3.10: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:94n1. In Boccaccio’s tale, after hearing how Alibech learned to “put the devil back in Hell,” the women of Gafsa “laughed so much that they are laughing yet”: Boccaccio, The Decameron, trans. with intro. by G. H. McWilliam, 2nd ed. (New York: Penguin Books, 1995), 279. 36. “I’ dico e dirò sempre, / né fia chi mai di tal pensier mi mute, / ch’essempio siete voi d’ogni virtute. / Con gli atti riverenti, onesti, e saggi, / ch’escono de’ be’ raggi, / s’adorna quel che bello il mondo chiama. / E chi seguir non brama / l’opre gentil, quai fan che mi distempre, / degno non è di fama, / né di gustar il ben de l’altra vita, / al cui valor vostra bontà ci invita.”

92 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SECOND NIGHT, FIRST TALE Galeotto, the king of England, has a son born a pig, who marries three times and, after he had taken off the pig skin and become a very handsome young man, he was called King Pig.37 There is no tongue so refined or so eloquent that could sufficiently express in a thousand years, charming ladies, how much man is beholden to his creator for having been created human in the world and not a brute beast. Well, a tale comes to mind that took place in our own day about someone who was born a pig and afterward became a very handsome young man whom everyone called King Pig. So, you must know, my dear ladies, that Galeotto was the king of the English people, a man no less rich in Fortune’s gifts than in those of the soul. His wife, whose name was Ersilia, was the daughter of Mattias, the king of Hungary, and she surpassed all the other women of her day in beauty, virtue, and courtesy. Galeotto ruled over his kingdom so wisely that truly no one could complain about him. The two of them were together for a long time; but, as luck would have it, Ersilia never became pregnant, to the great dismay of them both. One day Ersilia went walking about her garden picking flowers. Since she was already a bit tired, she eyed a spot full of tender green grass and sat down on it. Induced by fatigue and the birds that sang sweetly on the green branches above, she fell asleep. At that moment, it was her good fortune that three splendid fairies flew by who, upon seeing the sleeping young woman, stopped there. After they had considered her beauty and gracefulness, they discussed together the matter of making her inviolable and enchanted. Then all three fairies agreed to do so. The first said, “I want her to be inviolable, and that the first night she lies with her husband she will become pregnant, and that she will give birth to a son whose beauty will have no equal in the world.” The next one said, “And I desire that no one be able to harm her and that her son will be born endowed with all the virtues and manners imaginable.” The third said, “And I want her to be the wisest and richest woman there is, but the son that she will conceive be born completely covered with pig skin, and his gestures and manners will be those of a pig, nor will he be able to emerge from this state unless he has first taken three wives.” When the three fairies had gone, Ersilia awoke and, after standing up suddenly, she took the flowers she had gathered and returned to the palace. A few days later, Ersilia became pregnant and when the moment for the much anticipated delivery arrived, she gave birth to a son whose limbs were not human, but porcine. When the news reached the ears of the king and queen, they felt 37. This animal bridegroom or Beauty and the Beast tale can be classified as ATU 433B, King Lindorm, and ATU 441, Hans My Hedgehog.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 93 inestimable pain. In order that this birth not reflect disgracefully upon the queen, who was good and pious, the king planned many times to have the boy killed and thrown into the sea. But turning the matter over in his mind and thinking rightly that his son, whatever he was, was created by him and was his blood, he put aside every cruel resolution he had had in his heart earlier and, embracing mercy mixed with grief, he fully wanted him to be raised and nurtured not as a beast, but as a rational animal. Therefore, the baby was diligently raised and often came to his mother and, rising up on his feet, placed his little snout and trotters on her lap. His compassionate mother, for her part, petted him, putting her hands on his hairy back and hugged and kissed him as if he were a human being. The baby curled his tail and with very clear signs showed that the maternal caresses were most pleasing to him. When the piglet had grown a bit, he began to speak like a human and go about the city. Where there was garbage and filth, he threw himself into it, as pigs do. Then, all filthy and stinking, he returned home and he went to his father and mother. Rubbing himself all over their clothes, he soiled them with mud. Since he was their only child, they patiently endured everything. One day, the piglet came home and, all filthy and dirty as he was, sat on his mother’s dress. Grunting, he said to her, “I, my mother, would like to marry.” Hearing this, his mother replied, “Oh, you are mad, who do you think would take you for a husband? You are smelly and dirty and you want a baron or knight to give you his daughter?” Grunting, he replied that he absolutely wanted a wife. The queen, not knowing how to handle this situation, said to the king, “What must we do? You see the situation we find ourselves in. Our son wants a wife, but no one will want to take him as a husband.” The piglet returned to his mother and grunting loudly said, “I want a wife, and I will not give up until I have that young girl I saw today because I like her very much.” She was the daughter of a poor woman who had three daughters, each very beautiful. When the queen heard this, she immediately sent someone to summon the poor woman and the oldest daughter and said to her, “My dearest mother, you are poor and burdened with daughters. If you will agree to what I propose, you will become rich instead. I have this pig son and I would like to marry him to your oldest daughter. You need only respect the king and me, not him—he is a pig—because in the end she will possess our entire kingdom.” When she heard these words, the daughter became very upset and turned red like a morning rose. She said that there was no way she wanted to consent to this. But the poor old woman used words so sweet that her daughter agreed. When the pig returned home completely filthy, he ran to his mother, who said to him, “My son, we have found you a wife, and one to your liking.”

94 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA She had the bride brought forth, dressed in the most honorable regal clothing, and presented her to the pig. Seeing that she was so beautiful and charming, he rejoiced and all stinking and dirty he circled her, giving her the greatest caresses with his snout and trotters that a pig ever gave. Because he dirtied all of her clothing, she pushed him away. But the pig said to her, “Why are you pushing me away? Haven’t I given you this clothing?” To which she, full of pride, said haughtily, “Neither you nor your pig kingdom gave them to me.” When it was time to go to bed, the young girl said, “What do I want with this stinking beast? Tonight, as soon as he falls asleep, I will kill him.” The pig, who was not very far away, heard her words and said nothing. Going then at the proper hour to the magnificent bed all smeared with manure and carrion, the pig lifted up the fine sheets with his snout and trotters and, after soiling everything with stinking dung, he lay down next to his bride. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep. So the pig, pretending at first to sleep, gored her chest so violently with his sharp tusks that she died immediately. He rose early the next morning and went to feast and roll in the mud, as was his habit. The queen thought to pay a visit to her daughter-in-law. When she went and discovered that the girl had been killed by the pig, she felt the greatest grief. When the pig returned home and was bitterly reproached by the queen, he replied to her that he had done to his wife what she had wanted to do to him and then, indignant, he left. Not many days had passed when the pig once again prodded his mother saying he wanted to marry one of the other sisters. Although the queen strongly opposed him, he, as stubborn as could be, nonetheless wanted her and threatened to destroy everything if he could not have her. After hearing this, the queen went to the king and told him everything. He told her that it would better to kill pig than to have him wreak havoc in the city. But the queen, who was his mother and felt a great love for him, could not bear to be without him, even if he was a pig. After she had summoned the poor woman with her other daughter, she spoke with them for a long time and, after they had discussed the marriage together, the second daughter agreed to accept the pig as her husband. But things did not turn out as she had hoped, because the pig killed her like the first girl and then quickly left. When he returned to the palace at the proper hour so covered in filth and manure that no one could stand near him because of his stench, the king and queen reprimanded him harshly for the violence he committed. But the pig replied boldly that he had done to her what she had intended to do to him. It wasn’t long before Messer Pig spoke to the queen about wanting to marry again and take as his wife the third sister, who was much more beautiful than the first two. When his request was flatly denied, he pressed even more to have her, threatening with frightening and boorish words to kill the queen if he did not have

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 95 the girl as his bride. The queen, hearing these foul, shameful words, felt so tormented in her heart that she almost went mad. Putting aside every other thought, she summoned the poor woman and her third daughter, who was called Meldina, and said, “Meldina, my daughter, I want you to take Messer Pig as your groom. You need only respect his father and me, not him, because if you know how to behave well with him, you will be the happiest and most content woman there is.” With a serene, bright face Meldina replied that she was very happy and thanked her a great deal for deigning to accept her as a daughter-in-law. And even if she were never to have anything else, it would suffice for a poor woman to have become, in an instant, the daughter-in-law of a powerful king. Hearing her grateful and affectionate reply, the queen could not keep the tears from her eyes; however, she also feared that what had happened to the others would happen to her. Dressed in fine clothes and precious jewels, the new bride waited for her dear groom to come home. When Messer Pig came in as filthy and dirty as he had ever been, the bride received him kindly, spreading her sumptuous dress on the ground and asking him to lie down near her. The queen told her to push him aside, but she refused to push him and said the following words to the queen: “Three things I have heard told, Holy Majesty, venerable and devout. First, that which is impossible to find It is mad to seek. Next, do not trust What is not right and honest. The third, the precious and rare gift That you have in your hands, hold tight.”38 Messer Pig, who was not sleeping and heard everything clearly, rose to his feet and licked her face, throat, chest, and shoulders, and she, for her part, caressed and kissed him, so that he was completely inflamed with love. When it was time to go to bed, the bride got into the bed and waited for her dear groom to come to her; and, it was not long before the groom, all filthy and stinking, went to bed. She lifted the cover and made him come close to her and placed his head on the pillow, covering him well and closing the curtains so that he would not suffer from the cold. Day came and Messer Pig, having left the mattress full of dung, went to the pasture. In the morning, the queen went to the bride’s room, and thinking that 38. Meldina’s words, like the riddles at the end of each tale, are delivered in the form of an octave: “Tre cose ho già sentite raccontare, / sacra corona veneranda e pia. / L’una, quel ch’è impossibile truovare, / andar cercando è troppa gran pazzia. / L’altra, a quel tutto fede non prestare / che ’n sé non ha ragion né dritta via. / La terza, il dono precioso e raro, / ch’hai ne le mani fa ch’il tenghi caro.”

96 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA she would see what she had seen the other two times, she found her daughter-inlaw cheerful and happy even though the bed was completely soiled with filth and carrion. She thanked God Almighty for this gift—that her son had found a wife to his liking. A short time later, Messer Pig, while in a pleasant conversation with his wife, said, “Meldina, my beloved wife, if I believed that you would not reveal my greatest secret to anyone, I would reveal to you something which I have kept hidden until now that would bring you the greatest happiness. Since I know you to be prudent and wise, and I see that you love me with a perfect love, I would like to share this with you.” “You can safely tell me all your secrets,” said Meldina, “because I promise not to reveal them to anyone without your permission.” Reassured by his wife, Messer Pig took off the stinking and dirty skin, and a charming, handsome young man stood there. He lay close to his Meldina that entire night. Ordering her to remain absolutely silent about this because in a short time he would leave behind such misfortune, he rose from the bed, took his cast-off pig skin, and, as he had done in the past, gave himself over to rooting through the garbage. I will let each of you imagine how great and of what sort was Meldina’s happiness, seeing herself in the company of such a charming and fascinating young man. It was not long before the young woman became pregnant, and when she reached the end of her confinement, she gave birth to a very handsome son which made the king and queen very happy and most of all because he had the shape of a human being, not a beast. Meldina found that it was a great burden to keep hidden such a noble and marvelous thing. She went to her mother-in-law and said, “Most prudent queen, I thought I was in the company of a beast, but you have given me the most handsome, the most virtuous, and the most well-mannered young man that nature ever created for a husband. When he comes into the room to lie down next to me, he strips off his stinking outer skin and puts it on the ground, and he is left an elegant and charming young man. No one could believe this, unless they saw it with their own eyes.” The queen thought that her daughter-in-law was joking, but she said she was speaking truthfully. When she asked how she might see this, her daughter-inlaw replied, “Come tonight to my chamber as soon as we have gone to bed. You’ll find the door open and you’ll see that what I say is true.” The night came and they waited for the hour when everyone had gone to bed. The queen had the torches lit and went with the king to their son’s chamber. Once inside, they found the pigskin that had been placed on the ground on one side of the room. When his mother approached the bed, she saw that her son was a very handsome young man and he was holding his wife Meldina tightly in his arms. Seeing this, the king and queen rejoiced greatly and the king ordered that the skin be torn into bits before anyone be allowed to leave, and such was the king

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 97 and queen’s joy at their son’s transformation that they almost died from happiness. King Galeotto, seeing that he had such a son and grandchildren by him, took off his crown and royal mantle, and in his place his son was crowned with the greatest rejoicing and called King Pig. He ruled the kingdom to the great satisfaction of all of the people and he lived very happily with Meldina, his beloved wife, for a long time. Isabella’s tale had already come to an end and the men and women were laughing above all at Messer Pig, completely covered in filth, who caressed his beloved wife and lay with her all smeared with mud. “Now let’s put aside the laughter,” said Signora Lucrezia, “so that Isabella can follow the order by presenting her riddle.” With a cheerful face, she spoke thus: I would like you to give me, oh my Lord, That which you do not have, nor will ever have, If you were to go through the world with your honor For one thousand years or more. And if you think you have it, you are mistaken And go like a blind man goes down the street. But if, as you show me, you wish me well, Give it to me, don’t delay anymore, because give it to me you can.39 When Isabella had recounted the clever riddle, everyone was left in awe, nor were they able to persuade themselves that someone must give that which he does not have, nor was ever to have. But wise Isabella seeing them waiting with bated breath said, “Do not be so amazed, my gentleman and ladies, since a man can give a woman that which he does not have nor will ever have, namely a man does not have a husband, nor will he ever have one, but a man can properly give a husband to a woman.” Everyone very much liked the solution to the riddle. When everyone was ordered to be silent, Fiordiana, who was sitting next to Isabella, stood and with a happy and merry face said, “Signora and you, most honorable ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me fitting, and if it also seems this way to all of you, that our Molino should cheer our sweet company with one of his humorous anecdotes. I say this not to avoid hard work, since I have many tales at hand, but because a tale charmingly told by him will bring you greater pleasure and happiness. As you know, he is clever and witty and has all of the good qualities that befit a very 39. “Vorrei che tu mi desti, o mio signore, / quel che non hai né sei per aver mai, / s’avesti andar al mondo con tuo onore / mill’anni e piú di vita ancor assai. / E se tu ’l pensi aver, vivi in errore, / e come cieco per la strada vai. / Ma se, come mi mostri, il mio ben mi vuoi, / damel, non tardar piú, ché dar mel puoi.”

98 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA courteous person. And we, simple women, would be better off with a needle in hand than telling tales.” Everyone liked prudent Fiordiana’s speech and praised it highly. The Signora, casting her eyes on Molino, said, “Signor Antonio, now make everyone happy with a charming tale.” Molino, who did not think he would be telling tales, first thanked Fiordiana for the praise she had given him. Then, most obedient to the Signora, he began his tale in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 99 SECOND NIGHT, SECOND TALE A student in Bologna named Filenio Sisterna is tricked by three beautiful women, and at a celebration he devises he avenges himself on each one. I would never have believed, gallant women, nor even have imagined, that the Signora would have given me the responsibility of having to tell a tale, most of all when it was, according to the lots drawn, Signora Fiordiana’s turn next. But since this is to Her Highness’s liking and everyone’s pleasure, I shall strive to tell something that will please you. And if by chance my discourse, God forbid, is boring or exceeds the bounds of decency, you will have to excuse me and blame Signora Fiordiana, who was the cause of this. In Bologna, a very noble city in Lombardy,40 mother of learning and replete with everything befitting a city, there was once a gentleman scholar from Crete named Filenio Sisterna, who was a charming and amiable young man. It happened that there was a beautiful and magnificent feast in Bologna to which many of the women from the city, including some of the most beautiful, were invited. Many Bolognese gentlemen and students gathered there, and Filenio was among them. Filenio, while gazing fondly first at one woman then at another and liking them all, as is the habit of young men, decided that he absolutely wanted to dance with one of them. Approaching a woman who was called Emerenziana, the wife of Lamberto Bentivogli, he asked her to dance. Since she was kind, and no less daring than beautiful, she did not refuse. Then Filenio, leading the dance with slow steps and occasionally squeezing her hand, said to her in a low voice, “Gallant woman, so great is your beauty that without a doubt it surpasses that of every other woman I have ever seen. There is no other woman for whom I bear so much love as I do for Your Highness. If you return my love, you will make me the most content and happy man in the world. But if you do not, you will see me instead deprived of life and you will have been the cause of my death. Loving you, therefore, my lady, as I do and is my duty, you must accept me as your servant, using me and my possessions, however few, as if they were your own. I could not receive a greater gift from heaven than to be subject to such a woman, who has caught me in her amorous snare like a bird.” Emerenziana, who had listened attentively to his sweet and charming words, prudently pretended not to have ears and said nothing in reply. When the dance ended and Emerenziana went to sit down, young Filenio took another married woman by the hand and began to dance with her. No sooner had he begun 40. Bologna, a city still renowned today for its university, is located in Emilia-Romagna. In Straparola’s day Lombardy, however, could refer generically to northern Italy, and centuries earlier Boccaccio referred to Bologna as being a noble city in Lombardy, in Decameron 10.4: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:107n5.

100 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA to dance than he began to speak with her in the following way: “Certainly it is not necessary, most charming lady, that I show you with words how fervent is the love that I have for you and will have as long as my spirit inhabits these weak limbs and unhappy bones. Happy, or rather blessed, would I consider myself then, if I had you as my master, or rather as my only lady. Since I love you, therefore, as I do and am yours, as you can easily see, do not disdain to receive me as your most humble servant, since my every good and my very life depends upon you and no one else.” Although she had heard everything, the young woman, who was called Pantemia, did not reply, but continued dancing modestly. When the dance ended, smiling a bit, she sat down with the other women. It was not long before the lover Filenio took a third woman by the hand, the kindest, the most gracious, and most beautiful woman to be found then in Bologna, and began to lead her in a dance, making all those people who had gathered round to admire her step back. Before the dance ended, he said the following words to her, “Most chaste lady, perhaps I will appear more than a little presumptuous by revealing to you the hidden love that I bore and bear now for you. Do not blame me, but blame your beauty that makes you superior to all other women and keeps me your servant. I’ll say nothing now of your praiseworthy manners and your excellent and admirable virtues, which are such that they have the power to make the supernal gods descend from the high heavens. If then your beauty, the result of nature rather than art, pleases the immortal gods, it is not surprising at all that it forces me to love you and keep you in the chambers of my heart. I beg you, therefore, my kind lady, the only solace in my life, that you hold dear the one who everyday dies a thousand deaths for you. If you do this, I will consider myself to be living for you, to whose favor I commend myself.”41 The beautiful woman, who was called Sinforosia, having well understood the dear and sweet words that sprang forth from Filenio’s fiery heart, could not hide a little sigh, but thinking of her reputation and that she was married, she did not give him any reply. Instead, when the dance ended, she went to sit in her place. Since all three women were sitting close together almost in a circle and were amusing themselves with pleasant conversation, Emerenziana, the wife of Messer Lamberto, not out of any meanness, but joking, said to the others, “My dear ladies, may I tell you about something funny that happened to me today?” “What?” said her companions. “While dancing,” said Emerenziana, “I found myself a suitor, the most handsome, most graceful, most kind that you could find. He says that he is so in 41. Fileno’s seductive words spoken to the female characters engage the tropes of Italian love lyric from the dolce stil novo, to Dante, to Petrarch: Filenio initially attempts to hide his love; he is enslaved by, or a servant to, his beloved; and he suffers physically to the point of almost dying. As Pirovano explains, Straparola constructs this tale by borrowing and rewriting passages from Boccaccio’s Decameron 8.7 (the tale of Elena and the scholar), as well as tales 3.5 (Zima and the wife of Messer Francesco Vergellesi) and 2.5 (Andreuccio da Perugia). See Pirovano, “Introduzione,” 1: xl–xlll.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 101 love with me because of my beauty that he can find no rest, morning or night.” She then told them in detail everything that he had said to her. When Pantemia and Sinforosia heard this, they said that the same thing had happened to them. They did not leave the party before they easily found out that the young man who had courted all three of them was one and the same. Then they understood that those words spoken by the lover sprang not from amorous fidelity, but from mad, false love. They placed the same faith in his words that one usually places in the dreams of sick men and the nonsense of romances.42 They did not leave there until all three swore solemnly to each other that each of them would play a trick on the lover, one that would make him remember that women, too, know how to play tricks. Filenio continued courting them, sometimes one, sometimes another, and seeing that each one of them acted as if she loved him, he set his heart on obtaining from each of them—if possible—the ultimate fruits of love. It did not turn out exactly as he wished and desired, since they thwarted all his plans. Emerenziana, who could not abide the student’s false love, called one of her serving girls who was very pleasant and beautiful, and ordered that she should speak politely to Filenio and reveal to him the love that her lady feels for him,43 and when it would please him, she would like to spend a night with him in her own house. When Filenio heard this he rejoiced and said to the maidservant, “Go and return home, and commend me to your lady. Tell her on my behalf to wait for me this evening, since her husband will not be sleeping at home.” In the meantime, Emerenziana had bundles of thorns gathered and placed them under the bed frame on which she lay at night, and then waited for the lover to arrive. When night came, Filenio took his sword and went all alone to his enemy Emerenziana’s house and once he gave the sign, the door was quickly opened. After they had conversed a bit and dined lavishly, they both went to the bedroom to sleep. As soon as Filenio had undressed to go to bed, Emerenziana’s husband, Messer Lamberto, arrived. When she heard this, she pretended to be desperate and, not knowing where to hide her lover, she ordered him to go under the bed. Filenio, seeing the danger that he and his lady were in, without putting on any clothes, ran under the bed in just his nightshirt. He was so cruelly pricked that there was no part of his body from his head to his feet that was not spurting blood. The more he wanted to defend himself from the thorns in the darkness, the more he was pricked. He did not dare scream for fear that Messer Lamberto would hear 42. Straparola’s female characters are also thinking with the language of love as they collectively decide to reject Filenio’s amorous advances. The phrase “the dreams of sick men, the nonsense of romances” comes from Petrarch’s Triumph of Love 4.65–66 (“sogni de gli infermi, o a fola de romanzi”): See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:111n6. 43. Here the narrator Molino switches to present tense.

102 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA him and kill him. I will let you imagine in what state the wretch found himself at the end of the night. He almost ended up losing his tail, just as he had lost his voice. When the next day came and the husband left home, the poor student got dressed as best he could and returned home very bloody and more than a little afraid of dying. Diligently cared for by the doctor, he came around and returned to perfect health. Not many days passed before Filenio returned to his love making, courting the other two women, Pantemia and Sinforosia. He courted them so much that one evening he had the opportunity to speak with Pantemia, whom he told of his long suffering and continual torments, and he begged her to take pity on him. Clever Pantemia, pretending to show him compassion, excused herself for not having any way to satisfy him, yet won over in the end by his sweet requests and ardent sighs, she let him into her house. Already undressed to go to bed with him, Pantemia commanded him to go to the dressing room nearby where she kept her orange water and perfumes and first put on a good deal of perfume and then go to bed. The student, unaware of the wicked woman’s craftiness, went into the dressing room and placed his foot on a board that was not attached to the joist that supported it, and unable to hold himself up, he fell with the board down into the ground floor storeroom where some merchants kept cotton and wool.44 Although he had fallen from a great height, he had not hurt himself at all in the fall. Ending up in that dark place, the student began to grope around to see if he could find a door or stair. Not finding anything, he cursed the hour and the moment that he had met Pantemia. At dawn, the poor wretch, having realized too late the woman’s trick, saw in one part of the storeroom certain cracks in the walls that let in some light. Because the walls were ancient and encrusted with grimy mold, he began to dig out the rocks with astonishing force where they seemed less solid. He dug so much that he made a hole large enough so that he could escape. Finding himself barefoot and in his nightshirt on a narrow street not very far from the main road, he began walking toward his lodgings and entered the house without being recognized by anyone. Sinforosia, who had already heard about both tricks played on Filenio, did her best to make sure the third was not inferior to the first two. She began to watch him out of the corner of her eye when she saw him, thus proving that she was obsessed with him. Having already forgotten his previous injuries, the student began to stroll in front of her house, acting like a man deeply in love. Sinforosia, realizing that he was already wildly inflamed with love, sent a little old lady to him 44. Filenio’s fall due to a loose floor board recalls that of Boccaccio’s hapless protagonist Andreuccio da Perugia, who plunges into a pool of sewage after stepping on a privy floor board that has been partially sawed by a prostitute who aims to steal his money (Decameron, 2.5). See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:114n4.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 103 with a letter in which she showed him that with his beauty and gentle manners he had so cruelly taken and bound her, that she found no relief, day or night. So, she wished more than anything to be able to speak with him whenever he was willing. Filenio took the letter and understood the tone. Not considering the possibility of a trick and not remembering his past injuries, he was the happiest and cheeriest man there was. He took paper and pen and replied that if she loved him and felt tormented, then her feelings were reciprocated, for he loved her more than she him and, at whatever hour she wished, he was at her beck and call. After she read his response and found an opportune time, Sinforosia had him come to her house and she said to him after many fake sighs, “My Filenio, I do not know that anyone but you could have led me to take this step to which you have led me, for your beauty, your charm, and your words have set such a fire in my soul that I feel myself burning like dry wood.” When the student heard this, he was convinced that she was wholly consumed by her love for him. Therefore, the rascal lingered in sweet and pleasant conversation and when it seemed to him that is was time to go to bed and lie at her side, Sinforosia said, “My sweetheart, before we go to bed, it seems reasonable that we should refresh ourselves a bit.” Taking him by the hand she led him to a room nearby where there was a table set with expensive sweets and excellent wines. The wise woman had drugged the wine so that he would sleep for a certain period of time. Filenio took the wine glass and filled it with that wine and, unaware of the trick, drank it all. Bathed in orange water and well perfumed, with his spirits restored, he went to bed. It was not long before the liquor took effect and the young man fell into such a deep sleep that the thunder of cannons or any other great din would have hardly woken him. Seeing that he was sleeping soundly and that the liquor was doing its job quite well, Sinforosia left and called one of her young and hardy maids who was aware of the situation. Quietly opening the door, the two of them took the student by his hands and feet and placed him in the road about a stone’s throw from the house. It was about an hour before dawn when the liquor wore off and the wretch awoke. Thinking that he was at Sinforosia’s side, he found himself barefoot and in his nightshirt lying on the bare ground half-dead from cold. The poor fellow, almost without feeling in his arms and legs, was barely able to stand up. Rising only with great difficulty, he was almost unable to stay on his feet. He returned to his lodgings, as best he could and knew how, and tended to his health. If he hadn’t had his youth to help him, he would have certainly been crippled. When Filenio had regained his health and returned to his former self, he locked the past offenses in his heart and without acting angry or showing any ill-will toward the women, he pretended that he was more in love with all three than before and he courted first one, then another. Not realizing the animosity he bore them, they toyed with him, putting on that happy face and that kindly and

104 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA pretty look of those truly in love. More than once, the young man, who was quite furious, wanted to raise his hand and leave his mark on their faces; however, he wisely considered the women’s high station and how shameful it would have been to hit three weak females, and he restrained himself. The young man thought over and over which path he should take to avenge himself and when nothing came to mind he was distressed It happened that after a good span of time the young man thought of doing something that could easily satisfy his desire, and as soon as it came to mind fortune smiled upon him. Filenio rented a very beautiful palace in Bologna that was adorned with a large hall and many elegantly decorated rooms. He decided to organize a magnificent and honorable celebration and to invite many women, including Emerenziana, Pantemia, and Sinforosia. With the invitation extended and accepted, when the day of the honorable celebration arrived, all three of the not very wise women went without giving it a second thought. When it was time to provide refreshments for the women with young wines and rich sweets, the astute young man took the three lovers by the hand and with much charm led them into the room, asking them to refresh themselves a bit. When the three mad, foolish women came into the room, the young man closed the door of the room, went to them and said, “Now wicked women the time has come when I will avenge myself and will make you endure the pain of the injuries I suffered for my great love.” Hearing these words, the women felt more dead than alive and they began to say how they regretted having offended others. While saying this, they cursed themselves for having put too much trust in the person they should have hated. With a troubled and threatening face, the student ordered that, if they valued their lives, all three should strip nude. Upon hearing this, the little harlots looked at each other and began to cry bitterly, begging him to save their reputations, not out of love for them, but out of his goodness and innate humanity. The young man, who was secretly enjoying this thoroughly, was very courteous toward them; however, he did not want them to remain before him dressed. The women threw themselves at the student’s feet and with pitiable tears humbly begged him to let them leave, saying that there was no need for such great humiliation. He, however, had already hardened his heart like a diamond and said that this was not blameworthy, but an appropriate revenge. The women stripped and were as naked as the day they were born, and they were just as beautiful nude as they were dressed. The young student, looking them over from head to toe and seeing them so beautiful and so delicate that they were whiter than snow, began to feel some compassion inside himself, but when he recalled the injuries he had suffered and how he had risked death, he drove out all pity and continued with his cruel, harsh plan. To this end, the astute young man took all of their clothes and other things they had worn and put them in a little room nearby and with very harsh words ordered all

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 105 three to lie down side by side. Absolutely terrified and shaking with fear, the three women said, “Oh foolish us! What will our husbands say, what will our relatives say when they find out that we were found here murdered nude? It would be better to have died in swaddling clothes than to be displayed with such disgraceful humiliation.” Seeing them lying next to each other like husband and wife, the student took a bright white sheet that was not too thin and covered all three from head to toe. After he had left the room and shut the door, he found their husbands dancing in the hall. When the dance ended, he led them to the room where the three women were lying in bed and said to them, “My lords, I have brought you here for a bit of fun and to show you the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen in your life.” Having drawn near to the bed with a torch in hand, he began to gently raise the sheet at their feet and fold it back so that he uncovered the women up to their knees. There the husbands saw the plump white legs with their slender feet, a marvel to behold. Then he uncovered them up to their chest and showed the husbands their snow-white thighs that looked like two columns of pure marble with their rounded bodies resembling alabaster. Then revealing even further up, he showed them the tender and barely swelling bosoms with two firm breasts, delicate and round, which would have compelled mighty Jove to embrace and kiss them. The husbands took delight and pleasure in this, as you can imagine. I will leave you to ponder in what state the miserable and unhappy women found themselves when they heard their own husbands amusing themselves by looking at them. They lay still and did not dare open their mouths so that they would not be recognized. The husbands attempted to convince the student to uncover their faces, but he, more prudent in regard to the evil inflicted on others than that on him, did not wish to consent. Not satisfied with this, the young student took the clothes of all three women and showed them to their husbands. Seeing the clothes, they were quite stunned and it gnawed at their hearts. Then looking at the clothes more closely in great amazement, they said to themselves, “Isn’t this the dress that I gave to my wife? Isn’t this the bonnet I bought for her? Isn’t this the pendant that hangs from her neck on her bosom? Aren’t these the little rings she wears on her fingers?” After they had left the room, they did not leave, so as not to interrupt the celebration, but remained for dinner. The young student, who had already heard that the dinner was cooked and everything set by the unobtrusive steward, ordered that everyone find a seat at the table. While the guests worked their jaws, the student returned to the room where the three women lay in bed and uncovering them said, “Good day, my ladies, did you hear your husbands? They are waiting to see you with great eagerness. What are you waiting for? Get up, sleepy heads, don’t yawn, stop rubbing your eyes already, take your clothes and put them

106 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA on without delay, because now it is time to go to the hall where the other women are waiting for you.” In this way, he mocked them and delighted in continuing to torment them with his words. The disconsolate women, thinking that this episode would come to some cruel end, cried and despaired for their well-being. Quite anguished and pierced by grief, they rose to their feet, expecting death more than anything. Turning to the student they said, “Filenio, you have avenged yourself with us beyond all measure. There is nothing left for us but for you to take your sharp sword and with it send us to our deaths, for which we now yearn more than anything else. If you do not wish to grant us this kindness, then we beg you at least to allow us to return home unrecognized, so that our honor remains unscathed.” Since it seemed to Filenio that he had already done enough, after he grabbed their clothes and gave them to the women, he ordered them to get dressed immediately. When they were dressed, he sent them out of his house through a secret door. Having been shamed in this way they returned to their homes without being recognized by anyone. They took off the clothes they were wearing, put them in their chests, and, wisely, without going to bed, set to work. When the dinner ended, the husbands thanked the student for the fine hospitality he had shown them, and even more for the pleasure they had had in seeing the delicate bodies whose beauty outstripped that of the sun. After they had taken their leave of him, they left and returned to their own homes. When the husbands, then, had returned home, they found their wives in their rooms seated near the fire and sewing.45 Because the clothes, the rings, and jewelry that the husbands had seen in Filenio’s room had aroused some suspicion, in order that no suspicion remain, each one of them asked his woman where she had been that evening and where her clothes were. To which each of them boldly replied that she had not left the house that night, and taking the key to the chest where the clothing was kept, showed him the clothing, the rings, and the things the husbands had given them. Seeing this and not knowing what to say, the husbands were placated, recounting in detail to their wives everything that had happened that night. Listening to this, the wives acted as if they did not know anything about it, and after they had a good laugh, they got undressed and went to bed. A few days later, Filenio encountered his dear ladies many times and said, “Which of us had a greater fright? Which of us was treated worse?” but they, keeping their eyes fixed on the ground did not respond. In this way, without a single blow the student was able to avenge himself like a man, as best he knew and could, for the wrongs done to him.

45. By sitting and spinning while their husbands are off at a party, the women are perhaps attempting to associate themselves with the well-known story of the virtuous Roman woman Lucretia. On Lucretia’s story and its popularity as a subject in literature and art see the Introduction, n88.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 107 When the tale recounted by Molino was over, it seemed to the Signora and to the young women that the student’s revenge for the injuries he received from the women was as unpleasant as it was dishonest. But then when they considered the harsh pain that the student suffered because of the sharp thorns, and the great danger he faced when he fell from a height, and the great cold that he endured upon finding himself on the public road sleeping in his nightshirt on the bare ground, they judged his revenge to be very just. But since Fiordiana had passed off the responsibility for telling a tale, the Signora ordered her to at least recite a riddle that matched the story of the student. Wishing to obey, she said, “Signora, although the riddle that I will tell is not about a grave and troublesome vendetta as was the tale recited by our ingenious Signor Antonio; nonetheless, it will touch upon a subject familiar to every studious young man.” And without further delay or awaiting a reply, she presented her riddle: A living thing with two dead things made a live one From which a dead one then had life. The one that had been extinguished then again came To life, so that there were two. The one satisfied the other So that each could see to his affairs. The first living thing, thanks to those living and dead, Then sits down to speak with the dead.46 Fiordiana’s fine riddle was interpreted in different ways, but there was not one person who hit the mark. As the group watched Fiordiana shake her head “no,” Bembo said, smiling a little, “Signora Fiordiana, wasting time like this seems to me to be very foolish. Say what you think it is because we will all be satisfied by your words.” “Since,” said Fiordiana, “it pleases this honorable company that I be the interpreter of my own things, I will do it most willingly, not because I am up to the task, but to satisfy all of you to whom, for many reasons, I see myself indebted. The solution to our riddle, charming ladies, is none other than the student who rises early in the morning from bed to study and who, being alive, brings to life the tinder with two dead things, namely, the steel and the stone. From that live thing, namely, the lit tinder, then a dead thing, the light, receives life. Then the first living thing, that is the student, by virtue of the two living things and dead things mentioned above, begins conversing with the dead, which are the books written long ago by learned men.” 46. “Un vivo con duo morti un vivo fece, / dal qual ebbe la vita un morto poi. / Quel ch’era estinto dopo si rifece / vita prendendo sí che erano doi. / L’uno de l’altro il premio sodisfece, / tal che ciascuno attese a i fatti suoi; / il primo vivo per lor vivi e morti / a parlar puoi si puose con e’ morti.”

108 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The explanation of this very fine riddle ingeniously recounted by the fair Fiordiana greatly pleased everyone. Because by then it was nearing midnight, the Signora ordered Lionora to begin her tale. Happier than ever with a cheerful countenance she began to speak like this.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 109 SECOND NIGHT, THIRD TALE Carlo from Rimini loves Teodosia, but she does not love him because she has pledged her virginity to God. Carlo, believing that he is violently embracing her, instead embraces pots, cauldrons, iron spits, and scrub brushes. Blackened all over, he is cruelly beaten by his own servants. The tale, my dear ladies, told cunningly by Molino has dissuaded me from telling the one I had in mind to tell. I want to tell you another one, which, if I do not deceive myself, will be no less pleasing to the women than his was to the men. And mine will be as brief and chaste as his was long and rather unseemly. I tell you then, pleasant women, that Carlo d’Arimino,47 as I think that some of you know, was a bellicose man, a scorner of God, one who cursed the saints, a murderer, bestial, and given to every form of effeminate lust. So great was his malice and so many and varied the vices of his heart that he had no equal. He was young, charming, and distinguished and he fell very deeply in love with a young girl, the daughter of a poor widow. Although she was poor and she and her daughter lacked the basic necessities, the widow was the sort of woman who would rather let herself die of hunger than allow her daughter to sin. Besides being beautiful and pleasant, the young woman, who was called Teodosia, was also chaste, well mannered, and full of venerable thoughts. She was so dedicated to holy worship and prayer that in her heart she entirely scorned all temporal things. Inflamed by lascivious love, Carlo wooed her everyday, and any day that he did not see her he felt himself dying from grief. Many times he tried with flattery, with gifts, and with messages to force her to do his bidding, but in truth he labored in vain, for as a prudent and wise young woman she refused everything and prayed daily to God to remove such unchaste thoughts from his mind. No longer able to restrain his ardent love, or rather his bestial fury, and complaining that he had been denied by the one he loved more than his own life, he decided in his heart, come what may, to abduct her and satisfy his concupiscent appetite. He was, however, afraid of starting a riot and that the people, who really hated him, would kill him. Overcome by his unbridled desire, like a rabid dog, he decided that indeed he wanted to abduct her with two of his servants, who were very bold men. Therefore, one day as the evening grew dark, he took his weapons and went with his two servants to the young woman’s house. They found the door open and before he entered he commanded his two servants to keep a good watch and if they valued their lives, to allow no one to enter the house or come out of it until he returned. Wishing to please their master, the servants responded that they would do whatever he commanded.

47. His surname means “from Rimini,” a small city on the Adriatic.

110 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Then, having had a foreboding of Carlo’s arrival—how, I do not know— Teodosia shut herself all alone inside a humble kitchen. Carlo then climbed the stairs of the little house and found the old mother who, not at all expecting to be attacked in that way, was spinning. He asked her about her daughter, whom he greatly desired. The chaste woman, when she saw that the lascivious young man was armed and fully inclined to do evil rather than good, was at a loss as to what to do and her face became pale as a corpse. Many times she wanted to scream, but thinking that it wouldn’t do any good, she made up her mind to keep quiet and place her honor in the hands of God, in whom she trusted greatly. And becoming somewhat bold, she turned her face to Carlo and spoke to him like so, “Carlo, I do not know with what heart and with what arrogance you have come here to infect the mind of one who wishes to live chastely. If you have come to do good, God, the rewarder of all, will grant you every just and honest satisfaction. But if it is otherwise, which God does not want, you would do great harm by wishing to obtain disgracefully that which you will never have. Crush and break this unbridled desire, do not wish to take from my daughter that which you can never ever give her, namely her bodily honor. For as much as you are in love with her, she bears greater hate for you, since she is entirely devoted to preserving her virginity.” Having heard the little old lady’s piteous words, Carlo became very troubled, though he did not budge from his cruel plan, but like a madman, began to search for Teodosia in every part of the house. When he did not find her, he went to the humble kitchen and found it locked. He thought that she, being who she was, was inside. Looking through a crack in the door, he saw Teodosia praying, and with very sweet words he began to beg her to open the door, speaking in this way, “Teodosia, life of my life, know that I have not come here to stain your honor, which I love more than myself and regard my own, but to take you as my own wife, if this is agreeable to you and your mother. And I should wish to kill anyone who wanted to take away your honor.” Without any delay, Teodosia, who had listened carefully to Carlo’s words, said this in response, “Carlo, abandon your obstinate desire, since you will never have me as your wife, because I have consecrated and dedicated my virginity to Him who sees and rules all. And although despite my resistance you would violate my body with violence, you would never be able to infect my well-disposed mind, which, from the moment of my birth, I gave to my maker. God gave you free will so that you would know good and evil and act according to what pleased you most. Follow the good, so that you will be called virtuous, and leave aside its opposite, which is called sinful.” After he saw that his flattery was for naught and was feeling rejected, he put aside talking, for he was a young man seized by a passion more violent than before, and opened the door which, much to his great pleasure, was neither sturdy nor well secured. Upon entering the tiny kitchen and seeing the young maiden

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 111 full of grace and incomparable beauty, he was more furiously inflamed by his love and thought of satisfying all of his intemperate appetites then and there. He hurled himself on her like the starving hound on the timid hare. With her blond hair gathered at her neck and falling loosely behind her shoulders, poor Teodosia became so pale and weak that she was almost unable to move. Then she turned her thoughts to heaven and asked God for help. As soon as she had finished this prayer in her mind, Teodosia miraculously disappeared and God so profoundly dazzled Carlo’s mind that he did not recognize a blessed thing. Believing that he was touching the young maiden, embracing her, kissing her, and having her in his power, he did not squeeze, or embrace or kiss anything except the pans, pots, iron spits, scrub brushes, and other similar things that were in the kitchen. Having already satisfied his unbridled desire and once again feeling his wounded breast stir, he ran to embrace again the pots as if they were none other than the limbs of Teodosia. And his face and hands were left so stained by the cauldron that he seemed to be the devil, not Carlo. Having satisfied his appetite in this way, and when it seemed that the time had come for him to leave, he went down the stairs, stained all black. But when the two servants, who were standing guard near the doorway so that no one went in or out, saw his face so altered and deformed that it more closely resembled the face of a beast than a human being, thinking that he was the devil or some kind of ghost, wanted to flee as if from something monstrous. But they mustered their courage and, looking carefully at his face and seeing it so deformed and ugly, they loaded him up with the blows of clubs and fists that felt like iron. They broke his face and his shoulders, nor for the love of him did they leave a hair on his head. Not satisfied with this, they threw him on the ground, tearing his clothes off and kicking and punching him as much as he could take. The kicks from the servants came so fast that Carlo was never able to open his mouth and ask the reason why they were beating him so cruelly. But he was able to do enough that he escaped from their hands and ran away, thinking the entire time that they were on his heels. Having had his coat brushed off for him by his servants without a brush, with his eyes so bruised and swollen from the harsh blows that he could barely see, he ran toward the square yelling and complaining loudly about his servants who had treated him so badly. Hearing his voice and his laments, the guard in the square approached him. Seeing that he was so deformed and his face all dirty, the guard thought that he was some madman. Since no one recognized that it was Carlo, everyone began to jeer and to yell “Get him! Get him! He’s crazy!” Then some pushed him, others spit in his face, and others took fine dust and flung it into his eyes. They held him like this for a very long time until word reached the magistrate’s ears. After rising from his bed and going to the window that looked over the piazza, he asked what had happened to cause such an uproar. One of the guards replied that there was a madman who was turning the square upside

112 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA down. When he heard this, the judge commanded that he be bound and brought before him. And so it was done. Carlo, who in the past had been greatly feared by all and did not know why they did not recognize him, was quite astonished to see himself bound, taunted, and mistreated. He became so furious that he almost broke the cord that bound him. When Carlo was brought before the magistrate, the magistrate knew immediately that he was Carlo da Arimino, nor could he imagine any explanation except that the origins of this filth and ugliness lay in Teodosia, whom he knew Carlo loved madly. Therefore, the magistrate began to flatter and caress him, promising to punish whoever had been the cause of this disgrace. Carlo, who did not yet know that he looked like an Ethiopian, was completely uncertain about what to do, but then when he knew for sure that he was stained with filth, that he seemed not a human but a beast, he thought the same thing that the magistrate had imagined. Spurred to anger, he swore to avenge himself for this wrong if the judge did not punish Teodosia. When the light of day came, the rector,48 thinking that she had done this by magic, sent for Teodosia. But Teodosia, who had considered everything in her mind and knew full well the great danger in which she could find herself, fled to a convent of holy women, where she secretly stayed serving God with a cheerful heart for all the days of her life. After this, Carlo was sent to besiege a castle and, wishing to give greater proof of his valor than befit him, was caught like a vile mouse in a trap. Wishing to scale the walls of the castle and be the first to place the pope’s standard on the ramparts, he was struck by a large stone that smashed and broke him so quickly that he was not able to confess his sin. And so, without ever tasting the fruits of his love, wicked Carlo ended his wretched life as he deserved. Lionora had already arrived at the end of the tale she told briefly, when the honorable women began to laugh at the ridiculousness of Carlo, who, believing that he was embracing his beloved Teodosia, embraced and sweetly kissed the pots and pans, nor did they laugh any less over the disgraceful and savage beating he had at the hands of his own servants, who dealt with him very curiously. But then after they had laughed for a while, Lionora, without waiting for a command from the Signora, presented her riddle in this way: A thing am I refined and beautiful And a great whiteness I do possess. Now the mother, now the daughter whips me, And yet I cover everyone’s shoulders and hips. 48. Here for the first time Straparola calls the magistrate, who previously was referred to “il pretore,” “il Rettore.” A “pretore” was a judge or magistrate, while a “rettore” was a magistrate who also held certain powers to govern and administer a region.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 113 I come from the one who is called mother By the other mothers, nor do I ever tire. Whoever wants to, uses me, and then when aged, I am beaten and mistreated by the man.49 Everyone praised highly the learned riddle, and since they did not understand its theme, they begged her to deign to share the solution with them. Smiling, she said, “It is not fitting that a female like me who knows little, teaches all of you who are more experienced. But since this is your desire and your every word is my special command, I will tell you what I think. My riddle means nothing else if not the fine and whitest cloth that is whipped and beaten by women with scissors and needles. And although it covers everyone’s limbs and comes from the ancient mother, which is the earth, this does not stop them from sending it to fulling when it is old so that, shredded well and broken up, it becomes paper.” Everyone very much liked the explanation of the learned riddle and praised it highly. The Signora, who had already perceived that Lodovica, whose turn it was, had a very bad headache, turned toward Trivigiano and said, “Signor Benedetto, although telling tales is the duty of us women, since Lodovica is suffering from a headache, you will fill in for her this evening, and I leave the field wide open for you to tell whatever pleases you most.” To which Signor Benedetto replied, “Although, Signora, I do not have much experience in such things, nonetheless, since your wish is my command, I will not hesitate to please you, asking all of you to excuse me if you are not content, as is your wish and my will.” Having risen then to his feet and having made a proper bow, he began his tale in the following way.

49. “Una cosa son io polita e bella / e di molta bianchezza ancor non manco; / or la madre or la figlia mi flagella, / e pur copro d’ognun le spalle e ’l fianco. / Venni da quella madre che s’appella / dell’altre madre, né giamai mi stanco; / adoprami chi vuol; poscia invecchiata / io son da l’uomo pista e mal trattata.”

114 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SECOND NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Hearing husbands who complain about their wives, the devil takes Silvia Ballastro as his wife and Gasparino Boncio as his best man. Unable to live with his wife, he leaves and enters the body of the duke of Melfi, and his best man Gasparino drives him out. The inconstancy and lack of good sense that one finds today in the majority of women—I am speaking, however, of those women who without thinking twice allow their mind’s eyes to be dazzled and try to satisfy all of their unbridled desires—moves me to tell a tale to this honorable company that has never been heard before, which, although brief and poorly composed, I hope will provide you ladies some instruction on not being so bothersome to your husbands in the future, as you have been until now.50 And if I am mordant, do not blame me, because I am the humble servant of all of you women, but blame our Signora, who has given me the reins so that I can, as you have already heard, tell whatever I fancy most. It was a long time ago, charming ladies, that the devil, having learned of the serious charges that husbands made against their wives, decided to get married. Taking the shape of a graceful and refined young man who was quite wealthy with money and estates, he called himself Pangrazio Stornello. When word spread about him throughout the city, many matchmakers came forward who offered him very beautiful women with large dowries. Among them was a noble, courteous, and exceptionally beautiful woman named Silvia Ballastro, whom the devil liked very much and he took her as his wife. There were grand and lavish nuptials and many relatives and friends from both sides were invited.51 When the day came to marry her, he took as his best man a certain Messer Gasparino da Ca’ Boncio and, when the solemn and sumptuous nuptials were over, he led his beloved Silvia home. Not many days had passed when the devil said to her, “Silvia, my wife whom I love more than myself, you can easily understand how much I dearly love you and you have been able to see this in many ways. Since this is, therefore, truly how it is, you will grant me a favor that will be very easy for you to do and will make me extremely happy. The favor I ask is that you ask me now for everything that you can imagine, clothing as well as pearls, jewels, and other things that might befit a woman. Then for the love that I bear for you, you will resolve to be satisfied with everything that you have asked of me, even if it is worth a kingdom, on this 50. Although Signor Benedetto claims this tale has not been heard before, misogynistic tales of the devil taking a wife circulated widely in sixteenth-century Italy. Perhaps the best known today is Niccolò Machiavelli’s Belfagor, the Devil Who Took a Wife, available in The Portable Machiavelli, eds. and trans. Mark Musa and Peter Bondanella (New York: Penguin, 1979), 419–29. 51. Here Straparola does not bother to elaborate on the devil’s family who were in attendance.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 115 condition, however: that in the future you will not pester me on this account, but that these things will be enough for your lifetime, nor will you ever seek anything else from me because you will not receive anything else.” Silvia took her time in responding to her husband and went to her mother, Anastasia, who was quite old and equally cunning. Silvia told her what her husband had said and asked her advice regarding what she should request. Once she understood the proposal, her mother, who was very wise and learned, took pen in hand and wrote down so many things that an entire day would not suffice for one mouth to recount the smallest part of them. She said to her daughter, “Return home and tell your husband to give you everything that is written on this paper, for then you will be satisfied.” After she had left her mother and gone home, Silvia went to her husband and asked him for everything on the list. After he had read and duly considered the list, Pangrazio said to his wife, “Silvia, make sure that nothing is missing, so that you won’t complain about me later, for I am letting you know that if you ask me for anything later, I will flatly refuse to give it to you, nor will your piteous prayers or your hot tears do you any good. Think, therefore, about your situation and make sure that nothing is missing.” Not knowing anything else to ask for, Silvia said that she was satisfied with what was on the list and she would never ask him for another thing. The devil had many dresses made for her embellished with swirling patterns of very large pearls and precious jewels, and other sorts of fine garments, the most beautiful and expensive that anyone had ever seen. Following this, he gave her pearl headdresses, rings, belts, and many other things, and much more than was on the list so that it would be impossible to tell you everything. Silvia, who was so well dressed and well adorned that no other woman in the city could match her, was entirely satisfied, nor did she need to ask her husband for anything because, in her opinion, she did not lack anything. It happened that in the city they were preparing for a stately and magnificent feast to which all of the renowned and honorable women were invited and among them was Signora Silvia because she was noble, beautiful, and one of the most important ladies. Therefore, the women changed their habits and devoted themselves to new, or rather wanton, fashions never before seen. So different were their dresses that they did not resemble the old ones at all. Lucky was the woman, as is true today, who could find a dress and comportment that had not been used in the past, so that she could more ostentatiously celebrate the solemn feast. To the best of her ability, each woman strove to surpass the others in finding a new and disgraceful sort of finery. The news of how the matrons of the city were making various styles of dresses in honor of the grand feast had already reached Silvia’s ears. Hence, she thought that those dresses that she owned were no longer fine or suitable for the occasion, because they were old-fashioned and now a different

116 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA style of dress was in fashion. For this reason she fell into such a bitter, grim state of melancholy and grief that she was unable to eat or sleep. Nothing was heard around the house but her sighs and laments, which originated in the depths of her grieving heart. The devil, who knew full well what was bothering his wife, pretended to know nothing. He approached her and said, “Silvia, what is wrong with you? You seem to me to be so melancholy and sad. Do you still want to go to this stately and magnificent feast?” Seeing that he had left the door wide open for a response, Silvia plucked up her courage and said, “And how do you, my husband, expect me to go there? My dresses are all old-fashioned and are not like the ones that women wear today. Do you want me to be laughed at and mocked? Truly, I do not believe so.” The devil then said, “Have I not given you what you would need for your whole lifetime? Why do you now ask me for something else?” And she replied that she did not have clothes like that, greatly regretting her bad luck. The devil said, “All right, I agree, and this will be the last time. Ask me for anything that you want because this time I will give it to you. And if you ever ask me for anything in the future, rest assured that something will happen to you that will make you very unhappy.” All cheerful, Silvia asked him for an infinite number of things that would be difficult to recount in detail. And without any delay, the devil satisfied fully his wife’s unbridled desire. Not many months had passed when the women began to create new styles of clothes of which Silvia saw herself deprived. Because she could not appear among the other women who had new fashions upon new fashions, even though she was sumptuously dressed and elaborately adorned with many jewels, she was very anxious and in a sad mood, nor did she dare say anything to her husband because he had already twice given her everything for which she asked. Yet the devil, seeing her so melancholy and knowing the cause, but pretending not to know it, said, “How are you feeling, my Silvia, for I see you so sad and in such a bad mood?” To which Silvia responded boldly, “Should I not grow sad and be in a bad mood? I find myself without the clothes women are wearing today, nor can I make an appearance with the other women without being mocked and made fun of, which is a disgrace for both of us. And my devotion, I have always been faithful and loyal to you, does not merit such ignominy and shame.” Then the devil said in a rage, “What have I failed to do for you? Have I not already satisfied you two times with everything that you could ask for? Why are you complaining about me? I do not know what more to do for you. I will satisfy your intemperate appetite and then I’ll go so far away that you’ll never hear news of me again.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 117 After giving her many sumptuous dresses in the style they were wearing then and having satisfied her completely, he left and went to Melfi52 without saying goodbye, where, after he entered the duke’s body, he tormented him greatly. The poor duke, gravely afflicted by the evil spirit, was very agitated, nor was there any man in Melfi so good and holy who could drive the devil out of him. It happened that Messer Gasparino Boncio, the devil’s best man, had been banished from the city for some crimes that he had committed. Therefore, in order not to be caught and fully punished by the law, he then left and went to Melfi. And because he knew no trade except for gambling and a few tricks of one sort or another, he spread the word throughout the city of Melfi that he was a shrewd, experienced man capable of any honorable undertaking, even though he was completely unskilled. Now one day while gambling with some gentlemen from Melfi, he swindled them by cheating. They became very upset and, if they had not been afraid of the law, they would have easily killed him. And one of them, unable to tolerate such an offense, said to himself, “I will punish you so that you will remember me as long as you live.” Without a moment’s delay, he left his companions and went to the duke. He made the proper bows and said, “Most excellent duke and my lord, there is in this city a man called Gasparino, who goes about boasting that he knows how to cast out spirits from any person, no matter what type of spirits they are, either aerial or terrestrial, or any other sort. Hence, it would be a good idea for Your Excellency to try him in order to be freed from this torment.” When the duke heard this, he immediately sent someone to summon Messer Gasparino, who having heard the request, went to the duke. The duke, staring hard at his face, said, “Maestro Gasparino, you have boasted about knowing how to cast out spirits. As you see, I am possessed, and if you have the courage to free me from this evil spirit which constantly afflicts and torments me, I promise to give you a gift that will make you happy forever.” Messer Gasparino, who had never uttered a word to this effect, was completely shocked and denied ever boasting about such things. The gentleman, who was standing a bit off to the side, approached him and said, “Don’t you remember, Maestro, when you said this and that?” Without hesitation or fear, Messer Gasparino denied everything. Since the two of them disagreed, the one affirming and the other denying, the duke said, “No more words, and you, Maestro Gasparino, I give you three days to think judiciously about my case and if you free me from this misery, I promise to give you the most beautiful castle in my kingdom, and besides this you will be able to command me as you wish. But if you do not, rest assured that eight days from now you will by hanged by your neck between two columns of my palace.” 52. A city in Basilicata near Potenza.

118 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Having understood the duke’s cruel will, Messer Gasparino, was very distressed. Once he left the duke, he thought day and night about how he could draw out the spirit. When the time came, Messer Gasparino returned to the duke and, after he made him stretch out on a rug on the ground, he began to exorcize the evil spirit saying that it must come out of that body and not torment it anymore. The demon who rested there tranquilly did not reply at all at that point, but so swelled the duke’s throat that he felt almost as if he were dying. When Gasparino repeated his exorcism, the demon said, “Oh my dear friend,53 you have a good life. I am just fine and comfortable here, and you want me to leave? You labor in vain.” Then he laughed a great deal at his dear friend. When Messer Gasparino began to exorcize the demon a third time, he asked Messer Gasparino about many things and was continually calling him “dear friend.” Gasparino could not imagine who he was and in the end he forced him to say who he was. To which the demon replied, “Since I am forced to confess the truth to you and reveal who I am, know that I am Pangrazio Stornello, the husband of Silvia Ballastro. Don’t you know this? Do you think that I don’t know you? Are you not Gasparino Boncio, my dearest best man? Don’t you know how many good times we’ve had together?” “Well, my dear friend,” Messer Gasparino said then, “what are you doing inside here tormenting the body of this poor duke?” “I don’t want to tell you,” replied the demon, “go away and don’t bother me anymore for I’ve never been better than I am now.” Then Messer Gasparino so thoroughly exorcized him that the demon was compelled to recount in detail the reason why he had left his wife and entered the duke’s body. Messer Gasparino said, “Oh, my dear friend, would you do a big favor for me?” “What?” said the demon. “Leave this body,” said Messer Gasparino, “and don’t bother him anymore.” “Well, dear friend,” said the demon, “you seem truly mad to ask this of me, since I’ve found such solace inside here that I couldn’t imagine anything better.” Messer Gasparino said, “For the spiritual kinship we share,54 I beg you to satisfy me this time, for if you do not leave the duke, I will be killed and you will be the cause of my death.” The demon replied, “There is no more evil and wicked bond in the world today than such friendships and if you die that is your problem, not mine. What more could I wish for than to see you at the bottom of the infernal abyss? You should have been more prudent and wise and bit your tongue, for silence is golden.” 53. Here the devil calls Gasparino “compare,” a term they use throughout their conversation. As in other tales, I have translated “compare” as “dear friend.” For an explanation of the term “compare” see note 33 in Volume One. 54. Here he says “la fede di compare che è tra noi”.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 119 “Tell me, at least, friend,” said Messer Gasparino, “who was it who caused you to suffer so?” “Never mind,” replied the demon, “since I cannot and do not wish to tell you. Now go away and don’t expect any other answer from me,” and half in a rage he left the duke more dead than alive. When after some time the duke came to, Messer Gasparino said, “Lord Duke, take heart because you will soon see yourself freed. I want nothing from you now other than to have you order that all the musicians come to the palace tomorrow morning, that all the bells in the land be rung, that all the cannons in the city be shot, and that together they produce great rejoicing and celebration. The greater the racket they make, the happier I will be. Then leave it up to me.” And so it was done. The next day Messer Gasparino went to the palace. He began exorcizing the spirit in the duke and while he was exorcizing it you began to hear horns, castanets, drums, cymbals, bells, cannons, and so many musical instruments playing at once throughout the city that it seemed that the end of the world was coming. And while Messer Gasparino continued his exorcism, the demon said, “Well, friend, why are there so many different instruments making the most confused din I’ve ever heard?” To which Messer Gasparino replied, “Don’t you know, my friend?” “No,” said the demon. “And why not?” replied Messer Gasparino. “Because when veiled in these human bodies we are not able to understand or know everything because this bodily matter is too thick.” “I will tell you then, briefly,” replied Messer Gasparino, “if you will be patient and listen to me and not bother the poor duke.” “Tell me, I beg you,” said the demon, “because I will listen to you willingly and I promise not to bother him for now.” Then Messer Gasparino said, “Know, my friend, that the duke, seeing that you did not want to leave him nor cease tormenting him, and having understood that you left your wife because she made your life miserable, has sent for her and the entire city is celebrating and rejoicing at her arrival.” When he heard this the demon said, “Oh wicked dear friend, you have been more clever and wicked than I. Didn’t I tell you yesterday that you will never find a friend who is faithful and loyal? You have been the mastermind and the one who has made her come. I so loathe and hate my wife’s name that I am happier to stay in the dark abyss rather than where she lives. Therefore, I will leave now and I’ll go so far away that you will never hear news of me.” With the duke’s throat swelling, his eyes rolling, and other horrible signs, the devil left his body. The devil left behind a fetid stench, and the duke was completely freed from the demon.

120 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Not many days passed before the poor duke returned to his good health and regained his former strength. Not wishing to be accused of ingratitude, he summoned Messer Gasparino and made him the lord of a very fine castle, giving him a great quantity of money and servants who served him. In spite of those who envied him, good Messer Gasparino lived happily and prosperously for a long time. When Signora Silvia saw that all of the clothes, jewels, and rings changed to ashes and smoke, she became desperate and died miserably a few days later. Trivigiano’s tale was told to the great amazement of his listeners. The men praised it highly with loud laughter, although the women did not like it very much. So the Signora, seeing the low murmurs of the women and the continuous laughter of the men, asked that everyone end their discussions and that Trivigiano begin his riddle. Without making further excuses for having stung the women, he said: There lies between us, ladies and gentlemen, a fine subject Who speaks, feels, goes, returns, hears, and sees. It has no senses and is very intelligent. It has no head, nor hands, tongue, nor feet. It rests in us; it understands our purpose. It loves us dearly and is faithful. It is born one time and, from what I can tell, Wherever it is placed, it lives for all eternity.55 His listeners gave great consideration to the obscure riddle that Trivigiano was commanded to narrate and each of them labored in vain to give him the correct solution. Whereupon Trivigiano, seeing their minds were far from the truth, said, “My lords and ladies, it does not seem proper to keep this honorable company waiting for so long. If it pleases you that I give my opinion, I will do so willingly; if not, I will await a solution from some sublime and quick wit.” Everyone said with once voice that he should solve it. So Trivigiano said that his riddle described none other than the immortal soul that is spirit and does not have a head, nor hands, nor feet, and it can do anything. Wherever it is judged, either in heaven or in hell, it lives eternally. The learned explanation of the obscure riddle greatly pleased the company. And because the better part of the dark night had already passed and the crested roosters were announcing the coming day, the Signora signaled to Vicenza, to whom the final tale of the second 55. “Giace fra noi, signori, un bel suggetto / che parla, palpa, va torn’, ode e vede. / Sensi non tiene ed è pien d’intelletto; / capo non ha, né man, lingua nè piede. / Nosco s’annida, intende il nostro oggetto; / amaci estremamente e porta fede, / nasce una volta, e per quanto ch’io scerno, / dov’egli è posto, vive in sempiterno.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 121 night was left, to end the night with some pleasant tale. Her face, however, was painted with vermillion and natural color, not because she was ashamed, but out of indignation and anger on account of the tale just told and with the following words she attacked Trivigiano, “Signor Benedetto, I believed that you were more amiable and more a supporter of women than you are; but, as I gather from the tale you told, you are quite the opposite. This gives me a clear sign that you have been offended by some woman who was not discreet in her requests. But you should not have so vilely blamed the others, since, although we are all cut from the same cloth, nonetheless, as one sees everyday, some of us are more sensible and more kindly than others. Cease, then, from vexing them further, for if they begin to scorn you, your hews and cries won’t be worth much.” “I,” responded Trivigiano, “did not do this to insult some woman, nor to avenge myself with words, but to teach the other women, who after me will marry, to be more evenhanded and more temperate with their husbands.” “But be that as it may,” said Signora Vicenza, “it matters little to me, and these ladies think even less of it. But so that I do not appear by my silence to take the men’s side and oppose the women, I intend to tell one that will give you more than a little instruction.” And after making a proper curtsy, she began to speak this way.

122 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SECOND NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Messer Simplicio di Rossi falls in love with Giliola, the wife of the farmer Ghirotto Scanferla. When her husband finds him in his house, Simplicio is brutally beaten and battered and then returns home. One cannot deny, charming ladies, that Love is not by his nature kind, but only on rare occasions does he grant us a glorious and happy ending. So it happened that the love-struck Messer Simplicio di Rossi, believing that he was going to enjoy the company of the person he loved so much, left her house laden with as many blows as any man could endure. All of this will be clear to you, if you, as is your custom, lend a kind ear to my tale that I intend to tell you now. A long time ago in the village of Santa Eufemia, below Camposanpietro in the province of the famous celebrated city of Padua, there lived Ghirotto Scanferla, a man who, for a farmer, was very rich and powerful, but also rebellious and factious. He had a young wife who was called Giliola, whom everyone considered to be very beautiful for a village woman. Simplicio di Rossi, a citizen of Padua, fell deeply in love with her. Because had house near Ghirotto’s where he lived with his wife, who was kind, well mannered, and beautiful, he often walked about the countryside to amuse himself. Despite the fact that his wife possessed many good qualities that made her a noble lady, he nevertheless cared little for her. He was so inflamed with love for Giliola that he found no rest either day or night. He kept his love hidden in his heart, nor did he dare reveal it in any way, both out of fear of her husband and for Giliola’s good reputation and so as to not create a scandal for his own prudent wife. Messer Simplicio had a spring near his house from which gushed such clear and pleasant-tasting water that not only the living, but also the dead, would have wanted to drink from it. For this reason, each morning and evening as was necessary, Giliola went to the clear spring, drew water with a copper bucket, and carried it home. Love, which truly pardons no one,56 greatly incited Messer Simplicio, but knowing the life that she led and the good reputation that was accorded to her, he did not dare to say a word to her, but he only fed and consoled his heart by seeing her occasionally. She did not know anything about this, nor did she ever realize it, since as a woman with a good name living a good life, she only looked after her husband and her house. 56. The phrase “love, which truly pardons no one” [Amor, che veramente a niuno perdona] playfully recalls the words of Francesca da Rimini, condemned to the circle of the lustful in canto 5 of Dante’s Inferno: “Love, which pardons no one loved from loving” [Amor, ch’a nullo amato amar perdona]. Of course, Francesca’s assertion regarding the power of love is meant to excuse her own sin of sleeping with her brother-in-law Paolo. See Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Inferno, ed. and trans. Robert Durling, intro. and notes by Ronald Martinez (London: Oxford, 1996), 90–91.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 123 One day, while she was going to the spring to draw water as was her habit, by chance she met Messer Simplicio, to whom she said simply, as any other woman would have, “Good day, Messere.” And he replied, “Ticco,”57 thinking to make her linger there and gain her favor with this word; however, she did not say anything else and went about her business without thinking any more of it. Many, many times Messer Simplicio had given the same response to Giliola when she saw him and greeted him. She, however, did not perceive his malicious intent, and returned home with her head lowered. Since Messer Simplicio continued to reply in that way, it occurred to Giliola to tell her husband Ghirotto. One day while she was sweetly conversing with him she said, “Oh my husband, I want to tell you something that might make you laugh.” “What?” said Ghirotto. “Every time,” said Giliola, “that I go to the spring to draw some water, I find Messer Simplicio there, and when I tell him ‘Good day,’ he answers ‘Ticco.’ I have thought about that word many times, but I have never been able to understand what ‘ticco’ means.” “And you,” said Ghirotto, “what did you say to him?” “I,” said Giliola, “have never said anything to him.” “If,” said Ghirotto, “he ever says ‘ticco’ to you again, answer him with ‘tacco’ and watch and pay close attention to what he tells you. Don’t say anything else to him, but come home as you usually do.” Having gone to the spring at the usual hour for water, Giliola found Messer Simplicio, and said “Good day” to him. And he, as he usually did, answered “Ticco.” And Giliola, responding as her husband had taught her, said, “Tacco.” Then Messer Simplicio, hopelessly in love and thinking that she had realized that he loved her and imagining that he had her in his control, became quite bold and said, “When should I come?” But Giliola, as her husband had bade her, did not answer. When she returned home and her husband asked how it went, she said that she had done what he had commanded, and that Messer Simplicio had said to her “When should I come?” and that she did not answer him. Ghirotto, who was clever even though he was a farmer, easily understood Messer Simplicio’s words and secretly became upset, for he understood that those words were more than just casting about in the dark and he said to his wife, “If you return there and he says to you ‘When should I come’ answer him ‘This evening.’ Then come home and let me take care of it.” The next day Giliola went to draw water from the spring as she usually did and found Messer Simplicio waiting for her full of lust. She said to him “Good day, Messere.” To which he answered, “Ticco.” And she to him, “Tacco.” And he to her, “When should I come?” 57. “Ticco” (“con te”) means “with you.”

124 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “This evening,” Giliola replied. “This evening, then,” he said. When Giliola returned home she said to her husband, “I did what you told me to do.” “And what did he answer you?” said Ghirotto. “This evening then,” said Giliola. Ghirotto, who had already had his belly full of something other than lasagna and macaroni, said, “Giliola, let’s go weigh out twelve sacks of grain because I want to pretend to go to the mill and when Messer Simplicio comes, welcome and receive him honorably. Place an empty sack near those that will be full of grain, and when you hear that I have arrived home, make him get into the sack you’ve placed there and hide, and then leave the mess to me.” “We don’t have the number of sacks you want in the house,” said Giliola. “Send our neighbor Cia to Messer Simplicio’s and have him lend you two of them, and tell him that I want to go to the mill this evening.” And so it was done. Messer Simplicio, who judged Giliola’s words to be a very good sign and saw that she had sent a request to borrow two sacks, felt like the happiest and most content man in the world, truly believing that her husband was going to the mill. Thinking, however, that she was as inflamed with love for him as he was for her, the poor man never realized the scheme hatched against him or he would have proceeded more cautiously in what he was doing. Messer Simplicio, who had many fine capons in his courtyard, took the best two and sent them with his servant to Giliola, ordering that they be cooked for him, because he would be coming to visit her that evening as he had been ordered. When the dark night came, Messer Simplicio secretly left his house and went to Ghirotto’s house, where he was graciously welcomed by Giliola. Seeing the sacks full of grain and thinking that her husband had gone to the mill, he said to Giliola, “Where is Ghirotto? I thought that by now he was at the mill, but seeing that the sacks are still in the house here, I don’t know what to think.” Giliola answered, “Messer Simplicio, do not worry or be the least bit afraid, because all will go well. You should know that at vespers his brother-in-law came to the house and told him that his sister was suffering from an unrelenting fever and that she would not live to see tomorrow. So he mounted his horse and he went to see her before she died.” Believing this to be true, Messer Simplicio, who could easily be called “simple,” calmed down. As Giliola was toiling to cook the capons and set the table, suddenly her husband Ghirotto arrived in the courtyard. When she heard him, she pretended to be very upset and said, “Ah, poor us, now we are dead!” Without delay, she ordered Messer Simplicio to get into the empty sack that had been left there. Once

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 125 he was inside—though he went in unwillingly—she set the sack with Messer Simplicio behind the other sacks that were full of grain and waited for her husband to come into the house. When Ghirotto came inside and saw the table set and the capons cooking in the pot, he said to his wife, “Why have you prepared this sumptuous dinner for me?” “I thought that you would return home tired and weary, and even if it were midnight, so that you could have something to eat and could keep yourself going with all the hard work you are constantly doing, I wanted to put something substantial on the table for dinner.” “By my faith,” said Ghirotto, “you have really done well, since I don’t feel very well and I can’t wait to eat dinner and then go rest, so that tomorrow morning I can get myself over to the mill early. But before we go eat, I want us to see if the sacks prepared for the mill are the right weight.” He went over to the sacks, began first to count them, and found thirteen there. Pretending that he had miscounted, he began again from the top, and still finding thirteen, he said to his wife, “Giliola, why are there thirteen sacks and yet we had prepared only twelve? Where did this one come from?” To which she answered, “I know that when we put the grain into the sacks there were twelve, but as for how the thirteenth was added, I do not know what to tell you.” Messer Simplicio, who was in the sack and knew well that there were thirteen, wished that there hadn’t been! He kept still and quietly said Our Fathers to himself, cursing her, his love, and himself for having trusted her. If he could have done it with his own hands, he would have fled willingly, and he almost feared more the great humiliation than the harm that would befall him. But Ghirotto, who knew perfectly well which sack it was, took it and dragged it outside the door, which he had cleverly left open, so that as he was beating him he would have ample room to get out of the sack and flee to wherever his fortune took him. Ghirotto took a knotty club prepared for this purpose and began to beat him so much that he did not have a limb left that was not completely bruised and broken and he was almost dead. And if it hadn’t been for his wife who, out of pity or the fear that her husband would be banished, freed Messer Simplicio from his clutches, Ghirotto would have easily killed him. With Ghirotto having quit and abandoned the task, Messer Simplicio got out of the sack and went home in such a sorry state, feeling the whole time like Ghirotto was on his heels with the stick. He climbed into bed and stayed there many days before he was able to recover. In this way, Ghirotto went to sleep having dined well at Messer Simplicio’s expense. A few days later on the way to the spring, Giliola saw Messer Simplicio who was strolling under the loggia of his house. With a cheerful face she greeted him saying, “Ticco.”

126 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA But Messer Simplicio, who still felt the blows he had received because of such words, answered only, “Neither good day, woman, nor Tic, nor Tac, For you’ll never again get me in your sack.”58 Upon hearing this, Giliola fell silent and returned home red-faced. And Messer Simplicio, having been dealt with so outlandishly, changed his mind and began to treat his wife, whom he had almost treated with contempt, with greater care and tender affection and hated other women, so that what happened to him in the past would never happen again. When the tale told by Vicenza was finished, the women said with one voice, “If Trivigiano has treated women badly with his tale, Vicenza has treated men worse, leaving Messer Simplicio all broken and bruised from the blows he received.” And since everyone was laughing, some saying one thing and others another, the Signora ordered them then to put an end to all the laughter and Vicenza to follow the order with her riddle. Seeing herself almost victorious over Trivigiano’s affront to women, she began her riddle in this way: I am ashamed to say my name, I’m so rough to the touch and hard on the eyes. A big mouth have I without teeth or red lips Black all ’round and closer to the seat. Ardor often puts me in such a rage That makes me foam with all my might Surely I’m something that belongs to lowly serving girls And each, as he pleases, fishes about in me.59 The men could not help laughing when they saw the women hide their heads in their laps and smile a bit. But the Signora, who was pleased more by decency than by indecency, stared at Vicenza, her face severe and troubled, and said to her, “If I didn’t respect these gentlemen, I’d let you know what your foul and indecent words mean; but this time you are forgiven and make sure that in the future you do not use these or similar words, because then you will feel what my rule is worth and what it can do.”

58. I have tried to replicate Straparola’s rhyme here: “Né piú buon dì, né piú ticco, né taco, / donna, ché non m’avrai piú nel tuo sacco.” 59. “Mi vergogno di dir qual nome m’abbia / sí son aspra al toccar, rozza al vedere, / gran bocca ho senza denti o rosse labbia, / negro d’intorno e piú presso al sedere; / l’ardor spesso mi mette entro tal rabbia, / che fammi gittar spuma a piú potere. / Certo son cosa sol dal vil fantesca / ch’ognun a suo piacer dentro mi pesca.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 127 Vicenza, all red like a morning rose and seeing herself so bitterly reproached, became somewhat bold and answered in this way, “Signora, had I spoken any word that offended your ears and those of these most virtuous ladies, I would be truly deserving not only of admonition, but of harsh punishment. But because my words were simple and pure, they do not deserve this bitter admonition. The solution to the riddle, which has been misunderstood and misjudged by you, will show this to be true and prove my innocence. The solution is none other than the pot, which is black all around and, when intensely heated by the fire, boils and spouts foam everywhere. It has a big mouth without teeth and it embraces everything you put in it and every common serving girl grabs it as she serves food to her masters as they lunch or sup.” Having understood the honest solution to the riddle, all of the men, and the women as well, praised Vicenza a great deal, and judged her to have been wrongly reproached by the Signora. Since the hour was quite late and the rosy dawn had already begun to show herself, the Signora, without making any excuses for her admonishment, dismissed the company, commanding that everyone gather early the next evening in their usual meeting place or risk incurring her disfavor. THE END OF THE SECOND NIGHT

128 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THE THIRD NIGHT The sun’s sister, already reigning in the sky, in the woods, and in the dark abysses, held half of the sky with her diminishing roundness, and already Phoebus’s chariot had crossed the western horizon and the wandering stars were seen to blaze all around, and the pretty birds having abandoned their sweetest songs and their warring with one another, were sleeping quietly in their dear nests on the green boughs, when the women and as well as the young men gathered in their customary place on the third evening to tell tales. When everyone was seated according to their rank, Signora Lucrezia ordered that the vase be brought forth as it had before and the names of five young women who that evening would tell tales one after the other in an order bestowed on them by chance be placed inside. The first to be pulled from the vase was Cateruzza, the second Arianna, the third Lauretta, the fourth Alteria, the fifth Eritrea. Then the Signora commanded Trivigiano to take up the lute and Molino the viola and for everyone else to dance in a round with Bembo leading the dance. When the dance was over, the sweet lyre silenced and the blessed strings of the concave lute quieted, the Signora ordered Lauretta to sing a little song. Wishing to obey and satisfy her lady, Lauretta took her other companions by the hand, and after joining together and making a proper curtsy, with clear and sonorous voices they sang the following song: Sir, while I gaze upon your beautiful face Where love holds me, Such splendor is born in your eyes That I clearly see Paradise. So they allow—after my desire, The tears, the sighs I scatter in vain, My immense and hidden suffering— That I run to that final ultimate passage, That often makes me forget myself And makes my soul ascend so high That by chance I see in you My life and my death.60 Once Lauretta and her companions showed that her song had reached its end by falling silent, the Signora, looking at Cateruzza’s fair face, told her to begin 60. “Signor, mentre ch’io miro nel bel viso, / nel qual mi regge amore, / nasce da be’ vostri occhi un tal splendore, / ch’apertamente veggio il paradiso. / Cosí consenton dopo il desir mio / le lagrime, i sospir che ’n vano spargo / e l’immenso e celato mio martire, / ch’io corro a quel estremo ultimo vargo / che fa sovente che me stesso oblio / e fammi l’alma tant’alto salire, / che ’n voi veggio per sorte / servata la mia vita e la mia morte.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 129 the storytelling for that night. Blushing some and then smiling a little, she began in this way.

130 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRD NIGHT, FIRST TALE Thanks to a tuna fish that he catches but spares from death, Crazy Pietro becomes wise and takes as his wife Luciana, King Luciano’s daughter, whom he had previously impregnated with a spell.61 I find, loving ladies, in both ancient and modern histories, that the actions of a madman while he is mad, be they natural or accidental, often turn out well for him. For this reason, I thought to tell you the tale of a madman who, while he was insane, became wise on account of one of his deeds and took a king’s daughter for a wife, as you will be able to comprehend by my words. On the island of Capraia62 in the Ligurian sea over which King Luciano reigned, there was once a poor little widow called Isotta. She had a son who was a fisherman, but unfortunately he was crazy and everyone who knew him called him Crazy Pietro. Every day he went fishing, but fortune was so opposed to him that he never caught anything. Every time that he returned home, when he was still half a mile from his dwelling, he began yelling so loudly that everyone on the island could easily hear him. This is what he yelled: “Mother, tubs, vats, pails, pans, and a big dish, because Pietro is loaded with fish!”63 Trusting her son’s words and believing what he said to be true, his poor mother set up everything. But when he arrived at his mother’s, the madman mocked and laughed at her, sticking out his tongue further than a span and a thumb. The little widow’s house was opposite the palace of King Luciano, who had a very lovely and beautiful ten-year-old daughter upon whom he had bestowed his name because she was an only child and so she was called Luciana. As soon as she heard Crazy Pietro say “Mother, tubs, vats, pails, pans, and a big dish, because Pietro is loaded with fish!,” she ran to the window. She was so delighted and amused by this that sometimes she felt herself dying from laughter. The madman, who saw her laughing uncontrollably, grew angry and he insulted her with indecent words. But the more he abused her with boorish words, the more she laughed, as young children are wont to do, and took it as a game. He continued to fish day after day and foolishly repeated to his mother the words mentioned before. It happened that one day the poor boy caught a great big fish that we call a tuna. He felt such joy over this that he went jumping and yelling down the beach: “I will dine with my mother, I will dine with my mother!” and he went about repeating these words again and again. 61. ATU 675, The Lazy Boy. 62. A small island off the coast of Tuscany. 63. Pietro’s words do not rhyme in Italian but play with diminutives: “Madre, conche, conchette, secchie, secchiette, mastelle, mastellette, ché Pietro è carico di pesce!”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 131 The tuna, seeing himself caught and unable to escape, said to Crazy Pietro: “Ah, my brother, I am begging you kindly to choose to free me from this prison and give me life. Ah, dear brother, and what do you want to do with me? Once you have eaten me, what other benefit will you obtain from me? But if you let me live perhaps at some point I would easily be able to help you.” But good Pietro, who had a greater need to eat than for words, really wanted to throw him over his shoulder and carry him home to enjoy him happily with his mother, who was in great need of it. The tuna, however, did not stop begging him earnestly, offering to give him as much fish as he desired. After this he promised to grant him whatever he would ask. Pietro, although he was mad, did not have a diamond for a heart and, moved by pity, he agreed to set the fish free. He pushed him so hard with his feet and his arms that he cast him into the sea. Then the tuna, seeing that he had received such a great favor and not wanting to appear ungrateful, said to Pietro, “Climb into your little boat and using the oar and your weight tilt it to one side so that the water can come in.” Once Pietro had gotten on board and made the boat tilt and lean to one side on the sea, such a large quantity of fish came in that the boat was in great danger of sinking. Upon seeing this, Pietro, who did not consider the danger at all, was so delighted that he took up as much as he could carry on his shoulders and set off on the path toward home. When he was not far from his house, he began, as was his habit to yell in a loud voice, “Tubs and vats, pails, pans, and a big dish, because Pietro caught lots of fish!” His mother, who was thinking that she was being laughed at and mocked as before, did not want to move. But the madman continued to yell louder. Therefore, his mother, fearing that he would do something even madder if he did not find the pots prepared, set up everything. When Pietro arrived home and his mother saw the large quantity of very fine fish, she rejoiced, praising God that for once he had had good luck. When she heard Pietro yelling loudly, the king’s daughter had run to the window and mocked and taunted him, laughing hard at his words. Not knowing what else to do, the poor boy, inflamed with anger and rage, ran to the seashore and in a loud voice called the tuna so that he would help him. Hearing the voice and recognizing whose it was, the tuna appeared along the shore, stuck his head out of the salty waves, and asked Pietro what he commanded. To which the madman said, “For now, I only want Luciana, the daughter of King Luciano, to become pregnant.” In less than the blink of an eye, what he had commanded was done. Not many days and months had passed when the girl’s virgin womb—she had not yet reached her twelfth year—began to grow and she showed very clear signs of being pregnant. Seeing this, the girl’s mother was very sad and was unable to persuade herself that an eleven-year-old girl who still did not show any

132 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA signs of being a woman could become pregnant. Thinking instead that the girl, as oftentimes happens, had fallen ill with some incurable sickness, she wanted her to be seen by women who were experts in these matters. After having carefully examined the girl in secret, they judged the girl to be, without a doubt, pregnant. Unable to bear such an ignominious outrage, the queen wished to tell her husband King Luciano. When the king heard, he wanted to die from his grief. After having carried out a proper investigation using every honorable and secret method to see if he could discover who had violated the girl, and being unable to learn anything about it, so as not to bear such a disgraceful humiliation, he wanted to kill her secretly. But the mother, who dearly loved her daughter, begged the king to spare her until she gave birth and then he could do whatever he liked. The king, who was still her father, was moved by compassion for the girl who was his only daughter and resigned himself to the maternal will. When the time for the delivery arrived, the girl gave birth to a very handsome boy, and since he was a supreme beauty, the king could not bear to have him killed, but ordered the queen to see that he was nursed for a year and raised well. When the baby reached the end of his first year and had grown so handsome that he had no equal, the king decided to conduct an experiment to see if he could find out who his father was. Therefore, the king issued a proclamation throughout the city that whoever had passed his fourteenth year, must, under penalty of having his head cut from his trunk, come before his highness bringing in his hands a piece of fruit or a flower, or something else that would perhaps give the boy a reason to stir. According to the king’s orders, everyone came to the palace, some carrying fruit and some flowers, some one thing, some another. They passed before the king and then they sat down according to their station. It happened that a young man going to the palace like all of the others bumped into Crazy Pietro and said to him, “Where are you going Pietro? Why aren’t you going to the palace like everyone else to obey the king’s orders?” And Pietro replied, “And what do you want me to do in such company? Don’t you see that I’m poor, naked, I don’t even have a shirt to cover me, and you want me to sit down among so many lords and courtiers? No, I’m not going to.” Then the young man, joking, said, “Come with me and I’ll give you a shirt; and who knows if the boy might be yours?” Pietro went to the young man’s house and he was given a shirt. Taking the shirt and dressing himself, he went off to the palace accompanying the young man. He went up the stairs and placed himself behind a palace door so that he could barely be seen. Once everyone had come before the king and seated themselves, the king ordered that the baby be brought into the hall, thinking that if the child found his father there, the father’s paternal feelings would stir. The nurse took the boy in her arms and carried him into the room where everyone caressed him, some giving him fruit, some a flower, some one thing and others another,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 133 but the baby refused every one of them with his hand. The nurse, who walked here and there through the hall, passed once by the palace door, and immediately the boy, laughing with his head and his entire body, leaned toward it with such enthusiasm that he almost fell out of the nurse’s arms. But she, not noticing anything, flew all about the hall. When she returned once again to the doorway, the boy became very excited, always laughing and pointing at the door with his finger. The king, who had already noticed the boy’s gestures, called the nurse and asked her who was behind the door. The nurse, who did not think anything of it, replied that there was a beggar there. Once he had had him summoned and he was standing before the king, the king realized that it was Crazy Pietro. The boy, who was next to him, threw himself around his neck with open arms and hugged him tightly. When the king saw this, grief upon grief grew in him and having dismissed the entire company, he resolved that Pietro, along with his daughter and the baby must die. But the queen, who was very prudent, wisely took into account that, if they were decapitated and burned in the king’s presence, it would be no small disgrace and humiliation for him. And so she persuaded the king to order that the largest possible barrel be made and all three be put in it, and then the barrel be thrown into the sea, so that they would not suffer much, leaving the three of them to test their fate. This advice very much pleased the king, and having ordered the barrel and put all three inside with a basket of bread, a flask of good Vernaccia wine, and a cask of figs for the boy, he had the barrel thrown into the high seas, thinking that when it reached some rocky shoal it would be smashed and they would drown. But it went differently than the king and queen had thought it would. When she heard of her son’s strange fate, Pietro’s elderly mother, grieving profoundly and afflicted with old age, died within a few days. Poor Luciana in the barrel assailed by tempestuous waves and seeing neither the sun nor the moon, she wept bitterly over her misfortune. Not having milk to quiet the boy, who was crying often, she sometimes gave him some figs and in this way she lulled him to sleep. But Pietro, not paying attention to anything, cared only about the bread and wine. Seeing this, Luciana said, “Alas, Pietro, you see how because of you I endure this punishment though innocent, and you, fool, laugh, eat, and drink, and you don’t think at all about the common danger we face.” To which he replied, “It’s not my fault this happened to us, but it’s your fault, you who continually laughed at and mocked me. But take heart,” he said, “because soon we’ll leave these troubles behind.” “I,” said Luciana, “think that you are telling the truth that we will soon leave behind these troubles seeing as the barrel will smash against a rock and so we will drown.” Then Pietro said, “Shut up, because I have a secret, and if you knew it you would be amazed and maybe you would cheer up.”

134 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “And what’s your secret” said Luciana, “that can cheer us up and deliver us from such torment?” “I have a fish,” said Pietro, “that does what I say and would stop at nothing even if he believed that he’d lose his life, and he was the one that impregnated you.” “This would be a good thing, “ said Luciana, “if it were so. But what is this fish called?” “He’s called Tuna.” “Make it so he gives me your power,” said Luciana, “commanding him to do whatever I will tell him.” “Thy will be done,” said Pietro. He immediately called the tuna and ordered him to do whatever she asked. The young woman, once she had the power to command the tuna, immediately commanded that he cast the barrel on one of the most beautiful and safe rocky shores to be found under her father’s rule, that he make it so that Pietro would transform from a filthy madman into the most handsome and wise man living in the world then. And not happy with this, she also wanted him to construct a sumptuous palace on the rocky shore with very beautiful loggias, halls, and rooms, and with a cheerful and sizeable garden in back, full of trees that produce gems and precious pearls, with a fountain in the middle with very cold water, and a vault with precious wines.64 Without delay, all of this was carried out to the letter. The king and queen, recalling that they had been so miserably deprived of their daughter and the baby, and thinking how their flesh and blood had by now been devoured by the fish, deeply regretted it, nor were they ever cheerful or content. And in their anguish and grief both of them decided to go to Jerusalem and visit the Holy Land in order to lift their troubled hearts a little. After they had prepared a ship and equipped it with what was necessary, they climbed aboard the ship and left, sailing with a propitious and favorable wind. They had not yet gone one hundred miles from the island of Capraia when they saw in the distance a rich and magnificent palace quite high up on a little island. And, because it was very pretty and a part of their dominion, they wished to see it. Approaching the little island, they landed and disembarked. They had not yet arrived at the palace when Crazy Pietro and the king’s daughter Luciana recognized them and, descending the stairs, went out to meet them and welcome them kindly with cordial greetings. The king and queen, however, did not recognize them for they had all been transformed. Then after they entered the charming palace, they looked closely at everything and praised it highly, and going down a secret little staircase, they went into the garden, which the king and 64. Luciana asks the tuna to build her a Boccaccian locus amoenus, but one that is enchanted, with gem-producing trees. The passage echoes Boccaccio’s description in the Decameron of the villa where the ten young Florentines go to escape the plague. See Boccaccio, Decameron, 19. Pirovano notes this intertextual reference in Le piacevoli notti, 1:173n3.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 135 queen liked so much that they swore that in all their days they had never seen one that they liked more. In the middle of the beautiful garden there was a tree that had three golden apples on one branch and a guard who on Luciana’s expressed order watched over them so that they would not be stolen. But—and I don’t know how—the most beautiful of them was mysteriously placed near the king’s bosom without his noticing anything. When the king wished to depart, the guardian said to Luciana, “Signora, one of the three apples, the most beautiful one, is missing, and I do not know who stole it.” So Luciana ordered the guard to diligently search everyone, one by one, because this was not something that could be ignored. The guard, since he had searched everyone well two times, returned to her and told her that he did not find it. Hearing this, Luciana pretended to become very upset, and turning to the king said, “Holy Majesty, will you pardon me if you are searched again, for the golden apple that is missing is priceless and I prize it above all else.” The king, who was not aware of the plot, thinking that he was not guilty, boldly untied his robe and the apple immediately fell to the ground. Seeing this, the king was shocked and astounded, not knowing how the apple came to be in his bosom. Seeing this then, Luciana said, “My lord, we embraced and honored you, giving you the welcome and honors that you rightly merit, and you, as a reward for this welcome, steal fruit from the garden without our knowledge. It seems to me that you have shown profound ingratitude toward us.” The innocent king strove to make her believe that he had not stolen the apple. Luciana, seeing that the right time had come to reveal herself and to recognize her father’s innocence, said with a tearful face, “My lord, know that I am that Luciana whom you unfortunately begat, and whom, along with Crazy Pietro and the boy, you cruelly condemned to death. I am that Luciana, your only daughter, who without ever having known a man, found herself pregnant. This is the most innocent boy whom I conceived without sin,” and she showed the boy to him. “This other one is Crazy Pietro who, thanks to a fish called Tuna, became very wise; he built the lofty and lordly palace. He was the one who, without you realizing it, put the golden apple in your bosom. He was the one by whom, not by intimate embraces, but through enchantments I became pregnant. And just as you are innocent of stealing the golden apple, I was likewise most innocent in regard to the pregnancy.” Then everyone crying with joy embraced each other and rejoiced. After a few days had passed, they got back on the ship and returned to Capraia, where great festivities were held. The king had Pietro marry Luciana and arranged it so that as his son-in-law he lived honorably and in comfort for a long time. When the king reached the end of his life, he appointed him to be the heir to his kingdom.

136 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The tale told by Cateruzza caused the other ladies to weep time and time again. But when they saw that it had a good, happy ending, all of them cheered up immensely giving the greatest thanks to God they could. The Signora, who saw that the tale was now finished, urged Cateruzza to follow the order. She did not delay, but happily and willingly began her riddle in this way: Behind a trunk one stands dressed in red Now he hides, now he doesn’t, and he has a lance. Four running carry a strapping one Who sticks two barbs into the great trunk. And the one who was hidden comes forth from a ditch And with great haste shows up behind him. Ten throw the one who is mad and lazy to the ground. And whoever guesses it is a great lord.65 It was not without great pleasure that the entire group listened to the witty riddle that Cateruzza gracefully recounted. Though the women interpreted it in different ways, none of them hit closer to the mark than charming Lauretta, who said smiling, “The riddle proposed by our loving sister cannot be other than the wild ox that has four feet that carry him. Seeing the red cloth, like a madman he runs violently to wound it, and thinking to strike it, he sticks the two barbs, which are his two horns, in the tree and then cannot pull them out. Then the hunter, who is hiding in the ditch, comes out and knocks him down with ten, meaning with the ten fingers of his two hands.” Cateruzza, hearing the correct solution to the riddle became all red for she had believed that there was no other woman who could solve it, but she found herself greatly deceived since Lauretta was no less wise than she. The Signora, who saw that her companions were growing chatty, imposed silence and commanded Arianna to begin a delightful tale, which she began bashfully like this.

65. “Un dietro a un tronco sta vestito a rosso, / e or s’asconde or scopre, e ha una picca. / Quattro portan correndo un grande e grosso, / e duo pungenti nel gran tronco ficca. / Un ch’è nascosto vien fuori d’un fosso / e con gran fretta dietro se gli spicca. / Dieci l’atterran qual pazzo e poltrone: / questo chi lo indivina è gran barone.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 137 THIRD NIGHT, SECOND TALE Dalfreno, king of Tunis, has two sons, one called Listico and the other Livoretto, who later was called Porcarollo, and in the end he wins Bellisandra, the daughter of King Attarante of Damascus, as his wife.66 The wise helmsman does much who, when assailed by envious, reckless fortune and thrust among hard and sharp rocks, puts the troubled little boat straight into a safe and calm port. This happened to Livoretto, son of the great king of Tunis, who, after many unthinkable dangers, troublesome afflictions, and long toil, and once he had trampled the wretchedness of fortune with his great courage, attained a higher rank and enjoyed peace while ruling over the kingdom of Cairo, all of which you will easily be able to understand through the present tale that I intend to tell now. In Tunis, a royal city on the shores of Africa, there was not very long ago a famous and powerful king named Dalfreno, who had a pretty, clever wife with whom he had two wise, virtuous children who obeyed their father. The older one was called Listico and the younger one Livoretto. By royal decree and accepted custom, these brothers could not ascend the paternal throne since, by law, succession was reserved exclusively for females. Therefore, seeing that his bad luck had left him without daughters at an age when he was not able to have any more children, he grieved greatly and felt infinite pain and deep sorrow. And so much the more because he imagined that after his death his sons would not be well regarded and treated even worse, and to their very great shame would be driven from the kingdom. The unhappy king, dwelling on these painful thoughts nor knowing how to find a remedy that could relieve his suffering, turned to the queen, whom he loved greatly and said to her, “Madame, what must we do with these children of ours? The law and ancient customs have expressly taken from us all the power to allow them to inherit the kingdom.” To which the prudent queen replied immediately, “Holy Majesty, it would seem to me that you, being powerful with great, innumerable treasures, should send them somewhere else where they are not known, giving them a very large amount of jewels and money, because maybe, finding themselves in the good graces of some lord, they will be dear to him and not suffer in any way. And when, perhaps, they suffer, God forbid, at least no one will know whose sons they are. They are young, charming, good-looking, courageous, and capable of all noble and lofty deeds. Nor is there a king or prince or lord who, due to the gifts that Nature has bestowed on them, will not love them and hold them dear.” Dalfreno liked the wise queen’s answer very much and calling Listico and Livoretto said to them, “Sons, very beloved by me, your father, because after our 66. ATU 531, The Clever Horse.

138 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA death all hope for this kingdom will be taken from you, not because of your vices or your dishonest behavior, but because it is thus established by the law and ancient custom, because you were made men, not women, by powerful Nature and us. Your mother and I, for the benefit and comfort of you both, have decided to send you elsewhere with a good deal of jewels, gems, and money, so that when an honorable solution presents itself you will be able to support yourselves honorably. And, so, you will be content for this is our wish.” Listico and Livoretto very much liked the king’s resolution, and they were no less content than the king and queen were, for both of them greatly desired to see new things and taste the pleasures of the world. The queen, as is often the habit of women, loved the younger son more tenderly than the older one and calling him aside gave him a frothing war horse, which was dappled and had a small head and a courageous gaze. Besides its handsome features, it was thoroughly enchanted, and Livoretto, the younger son, was aware of this. After the sons had received their parents’ blessing and taken the treasure, they secretly left together. After they had ridden for many days without finding a place that pleased them, they were very upset. So Livoretto said to Listico, “Up till now we have ridden together, and we have not performed any great deeds, but it seems to me that, if you like, we should separate and each one of us should seek his fortune.” They both liked this idea and, after embracing tightly and kissing, they took their leave from each other. Listico set off toward the west and was not heard from again. Livoretto, with his enchanted horse, set off on a journey to the east. After he had ridden for a very long time and had seen a good deal of the world without any profit, and had already gone through all the jewels, money, and treasure that were given to him by his loving father, in the end he arrived with only the enchanted horse in Cairo, the royal city of Egypt, where at that time the sultan, called Danebruno, reigned. He was clever and powerful with wealth and land, but also burdened by his years. Although he was old, he was nonetheless inflamed with love for Bellisandra, the daughter of Attarante, the king of Damascus, and had laid siege to the city to win her, so that either by love or force he would have her as his wife. But she, having a foreboding regarding the old age and ugliness of the sultan, had decided unequivocally that she would rather kill herself than take him as her husband. Once he had arrived in Cairo and entered the city, Livoretto traveled far and wide contemplating every part of it and praised it highly. Since he had squandered all of his possessions satisfying his appetites, he swore on his life not to leave there without first having found work as a servant with someone. And as he went toward the palace, he saw in the sultan’s courtyard many sanjakbeys, Mamelukes, and slaves.67 He asked them if any servants were needed at the ruler’s 67. A sanjak was an administrative district in the Turkish Empire, and sanjakbeys were the administrators of those districts. Mamelukes were emancipated slaves who became a ruling caste in medieval

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 139 court, because he would willingly serve him. And he was told no. But one of them, remembering that the court needed someone to look after the pigs, called him back and asked him if he would look after the pigs. And he answered yes. He had him get off his horse and led him to the pigsty. Asked his name, he responded that is was Livoretto. But everyone called him Porcarollo68 because they had given him this name. Therefore, Livoretto, now called Porcarollo, settled in at the sultan’s court and did not attend to anything but to fattening the pigs, and so great was his attentiveness and diligence that in the space of two months he quickly completed what took someone else an entire six months. When the sanjakbeys, Mamelukes, and slaves saw how competent he was, they convinced their lord to give him another task, since his diligence did not deserve to be used in such a base and vile job. So by the sultan’s order, he was given the job of caring for the horses, and they increased his salary. He was very pleased with this because by caring for the other horses he could better tend to his own. Setting to this task, he brushed them with the curry comb in such a way, he cleaned and made them beautiful, that their coats looked like velvet. And among these horses there was a very pretty hack, young and bold, and on account of its beauty he diligently cared for and trained it, and he trained it in such a way that, besides having completely broken it in, it bowed, danced, and leaped off the ground as high as he was tall, extending kicks that resembled lightening bolts. The Mamalukes and slaves were full of admiration after seeing the horse’s tricks, which seemed supernatural to them. Hence, they decided to tell the sultan everything, so that he could amuse himself with Porcarollo’s exploits. The sultan, whose face was melancholy, both due to excess love and his very advanced age, cared little or nothing for amusements. Burdened instead by amorous thoughts, he thought of nothing other than his dearest beloved. Yet the Mamelukes and slaves did and said so much that early one morning the sultan stood at the window and saw all of the tricks and elegant maneuvers that Porcarollo was doing with his horse, and seeing that he was pleasant looking and well built, even more so than he had heard, it seemed to him an error and he was very sorry that he had been appointed to such a humble task as tending to beasts. Hence thinking over and over again about the lofty and hidden virtues of the elegant youth, and seeing that he was not lacking in any way, he decided to remove him from such a humble profession and elevate him to a higher rank. He had him summoned and said, “Porcarollo, from this point forward, you will tend to my table, not my stalls as you did before, tasting for me everything that is set before me on the table.” Therefore, having been made the sultan’s cupbearer, the young man did his job with such skill and art, that not only the sultan, but everyone admired him. and early modern Egypt and Syria. Despite their exotic titles, they behave very much like the envious European courtiers denounced by Giambattista Basile in his collection of fairy tales, The Tale of Tales. 68. His nickname derives from his humble job: “porco” means pig and “porcaro” means swineherd.

140 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA For this reason, so much envy and hatred was born among the Mamalukes and the slaves that you could almost see it, and if they had not feared the sultan, they would have already taken Livoretto’s life. They cunningly devised a plan so that the wretch would fall into disfavor with the lord and either be killed or banished in perpetual exile. To this end, a slave named Chebur who was in the sultan’s service said one morning, “Signor, may I tell you some good news?” “What?” said the sultan. “Porcarollo, whose real name is Livoretto, is boasting that no one but he is capable of delivering the daughter of Attarante, king of Damascus, into your hands.” “How is this possible?” said the sultan. To which Chebur replied, “It is possible, Signor. And if you do not believe me, ask the Mamelukes and other slaves in front of whom he has boasted more than once, and if I am deceiving you, you will find out easily enough.” The sultan, having first been fully assured of this by everyone, summoned Livoretto before him and asked him if it were true what everyone was saying openly about him. The young man, who did not know anything about this, denied everything. Whence the sultan, full of anger and indignation, said, “Go and do not delay anymore, and if at the end of thirty days you do not make it so that I have Bellisandra, the daughter of Attarante, king of Damscus, in my power, you will be beheaded.” Having heard the lord’s cruel proposal, he was left full of woe and completely disheartened, and taking leave of the sultan, he returned to the stable. The enchanted horse, seeing that his master was so melancholy and that hot tears flowed endlessly from his eyes, turned to him and said, “Well, master, what’s wrong with you that I see you so troubled and afflicted?” The young man, still crying and sighing heavily, recounted what the sultan commanded him to do from beginning to end. But the horse, shaking his head and making signs as if laughing, comforted him somewhat by telling him not to fear, for everything would go well for him. Then he said to him, “Go back to the sultan and tell him to write you a letter patent to his general who is now at the siege of Damascus, commanding him with an express order that, as soon as he has seen and read the letter patent imprinted with the sultan’s largest seal, he will end the siege, giving you money, robes, and arms, so that you can go boldly about your noble deed. And if by chance during the journey any person or animal, no matter what their station, asks you to perform any task, make sure that you serve them, and do not on your dear life refuse to do whatever they ask you to do. And if any man wants to buy me, tell him that you will sell me, asking, however, such an outrageous price that he will pull out of the deal. But if there are women who want me, you will let them enjoy me as much as possible, leaving them free to

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 141 touch my head, brow, eyes, ears, my crupper, and whatever they wish, for I will let them handle me without offending or bothering them at all.” The youth went back to the sultan all happy and asked him for the letter patent and for that which the enchanted horse had suggested. Having obtained everything, he mounted on the said horse and set off toward Damascus, to the great joy of the Mamelukes and slaves, who, due to the burning envy and deep hatred that they felt toward him, were certain that he would not return to Cairo alive. Now having ridden for days upon days, Livoretto arrived on the bank of a river, at the edge of which there rose a stench—from what I do not know—that made it almost impossible to approach, and a half-dead fish was lying there. When the fish saw the young man, he said to him, “Ah, kind knight, please free me, I beg you, from this stench, since, as you see, I am almost dead.” The young man, mindful of what his horse had told him, dismounted, dragged him from the place that stank so strongly, and cleaned him, washing him with his own hands. The fish, after first having properly thanked the young man, said, “Take the three largest scales from my back and keep them with you, and when you need any help, place them on the bank of the river, because I will come to you straight away and will help you immediately.” Livoretto took the scales and threw the wriggling fish into the clear waters, got back on his horse, and rode until he found a peregrine falcon that was frozen in the water from his chest down so that he was unable to move. Upon seeing the young man, he said, “Ah, fair youth, take pity on me and pull me from this ice which you see envelops me, for if you rescue me from this calamity I promise to come to your aid you if you ever need any help.” The young man, overcome by compassion and pity, kindly helped him, and with blows of the little knife that he kept in the sheath of his sword, he struck the hard ice with the point so many times, that he broke it on all sides and, taking the falcon, he placed it on his chest in order to warm it a little. The falcon, coming to and regaining his lost strength, thanked the young man a great deal and as a reward for the great favor he had received gave him two feathers that he kept under his left wing, begging for the love of him to keep them, for if he happened to need any help, he should take the two feathers and stick them in the river bank and the falcon would come to his aid immediately; having said this, he flew off. Continuing his journey, the young man finally joined the sultan’s army where, once he had found the general who was cruelly battering the city, he approached him and presented the letter patent. Seeing the letter, the general immediately ended the siege and returned to Cairo with the entire army. The young man watched the general’s departure, and very early the following morning he entered the city of Damascus alone and rented a room at an inn. Dressed in fine, rich garments all covered with expensive, precious jewels that made the sun jealous, and mounted on his enchanted horse, he went off to the

142 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA square in front of the royal palace, where he handled the horse with such skill and dexterity that everyone was dumbfounded and could not take their eyes off him. The king’s daughter Bellisandra was awoken by the roar of the riotous crowd. She rose from bed and after sitting down on a balcony that looked over the entire square and seeing the fair young man and the beauty and quickness of his bold and fierce horse, she fell in love with the horse just as a young man would have with a very beautiful maiden. And going to her father, she begged him most fervently to buy it for her, for she was deeply infatuated because it was so graceful and handsome. In order to please his daughter, her father, who loved her dearly, sent one of his barons to ask the young man if he would like to sell the horse for cash, offering him a decent price on the spot, since the king’s only daughter is deeply in love with it. The young man replied that there was no sum that would be large enough and suitable and then asked the king for an amount of money that was greater than what the entire kingdom was worth. Having learned of the excessive price, the king summoned his daughter and said to her, “My daughter, I do not want to lose my kingdom for a horse in order to make you happy, but be patient and live cheerfully because we will provide you with another more beautiful and better horse.” But Bellisandra, becoming more inflamed with love for the horse, begged her father all the more to grant her wish, whatever the cost. After many “pleases,” the daughter, seeing that she could not persuade her father to humor her, left him and went to her mother, where, desperate, she fell almost dead in her mother’s arms. The compassionate mother, seeing her daughter so pale, sweetly comforted her, begging her that she must not fret, because once the king had left, both of them would go to the youth and would bargain for the horse. “And perhaps because we are women, we will get a better price.” Hearing these sweet words from her beloved mother, she softened somewhat, and when the king had gone, her mother quickly sent a messenger to tell the young man to come to the palace and to bring his horse with him. Upon receiving the message, he rejoiced and went to the court. When the mother asked him how much he estimated his horse was worth since her daughter very much desired to have it, he replied to the queen in this way, “Madam, if you were to give me everything you have in the world, your daughter could not buy my horse, but as a gift, yes, whenever she would like to accept it. But before she accepts it as a gift, I want her to watch and learn to handle him well, so that he is amiable and nimble and he allows her to mount him easily.” He got down off the horse and placed the daughter in the saddle and holding the horse’s reins he instructed and led her. The daughter had not gone more than a stone’s throw from her mother, when the young man got on his horse’s back and keeping the spurs close to the horse’s sides, prodded him so much that he seemed to be a bird flying through the air as he fled. The maiden, astonished,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 143 began to yell, “Oh wicked, treacherous, traitor! Where are you taking me, you dog, you son of a dog?” But her yelling did not help at all, nor was there anyone who came to her aid or comforted her with words. The maiden had arrived at a riverbank when she took a very beautiful ring that she had on her finger and secretly threw it into the water. The young man had been riding for many days when he finally arrived in Cairo with the maiden, and when he arrived there, he immediately presented her to the sultan, who, upon seeing her so beautiful, charming, and pure, greatly rejoiced and gratefully received her. The hour for sleeping had already drawn near and when both of them were in a room no less ornate than beautiful, the maiden said to the sultan, “Signore, do not think that I will ever give in to your amorous desires, unless you first have that horrible and wicked man find my ring which fell into the river; and once it is found and given back to me, I will always yield to your desires.” The sultan, who was inflamed by his love for the stricken maiden, did not want to upset her, but immediately ordered Livoretto to find the ring, and he threatened to kill him if he did not find it. Seeing that the king’s command was weighing on him and he could not disobey his order, Livoretto departed full of woe. Going to the stable, he wept bitterly for he had no hope of finding it. The horse, seeing his master grieving and weeping bitterly, asked him what was wrong that made him cry so hard, and once he understood everything, he said to him, “Ah, you poor little thing, be quiet! Don’t you recall what the fish told you? Open your ears to my words and do what I tell you. Go back to the sultan and ask him for whatever you need and go confidently and have no fear.” The young man did exactly as the horse had commanded, and when he went to the river to that place where he had crossed with the maiden, he placed the fish’s three scales on the green bank. The fish, darting through the clear shining waves, jumping here and there full of gladness and joy, came before Livoretto, took the expensive precious ring from his mouth, and gave it to him. He then took his three scales and dove into the waves. Once he had the ring, the young man’s sadness turned to joy and without any delay he returned to the sultan. After bowing properly, he stood before the sultan and presented the ring to the maiden. The sultan, seeing that the maiden had gotten her precious ring, as she had desired and had been her will, began to caress her tenderly and lovingly and to flatter her, hoping that she would lie in bed with him that night. But the sultan labored in vain, for the maiden said to him, “Do not think, my lord, that you will trick me with your false flattery, but I swear that you will not take any pleasure with me unless first this evil and false scoundrel, who tricked me with his horse, brings me the water of life.”

144 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The sultan, who did not want to deny his beloved damsel, but instead tried to make every effort to satisfy her, summoned Livoretto and sternly ordered that under penalty of death he must bring them the water of life. The young man complained a great deal about the impossible request and was burning inside and out with fiery rage, complaining loudly that his master rewarded so miserably his good service and his many and continuous efforts, which he did at great risk to his own life. But the sultan, entirely consumed by love and wanting to satisfy his beloved lady, without changing his mind, wanted him to find the water of life for her at any cost. And having left his lord and gone to the stable as usual, he cursed his harsh fate, still crying bitterly. Seeing his master’s desperate weeping and seeing his deep groans, the horse said, “What’s wrong with you, master, that you are grieving like this? Something has happened? Quiet down now because there is a remedy for everything but death!” When the horse heard the reason for the bitter weeping, he sweetly comforted him, reminding him of what the falcon that he had freed from the cold ice had told him, and of the honorable gift of his feathers. Once he recalled everything, the wretched young man mounted the horse and, taking a slender glass bottle and strapping it to his belt, rode to where he had freed the falcon. When he planted the two feathers in the river bank, as he had been reminded to do, the falcon immediately appeared and asked him what he needed. To which Livoretto replied, “The water of life.” Then the falcon said,“Ah, knight, it is impossible for you to get it, since it is guarded and carefully protected by two ferocious lions and as many dragons that constantly roar and cruelly devour everyone who approaches to take some. But as a reward for the assistance I have received from you, take the bottle that you keep at your side and tie it under my right wing, and do not leave here until I return.” When he had done what the falcon had asked, the falcon rose from the earth with the bottle tied to him and he flew with it to where the water of life was. After he had secretly filled the bottle, he returned to the young man, gave it to him, and, after taking his two feathers, he rose in flight. Livoretto, absolutely joyous for the liquor he obtained, quickly returned to Cairo without any delay. Reporting to the sultan, who was whispering sweet nothings to Bellisandra his beloved lady, he gave her the water of life with the greatest joy. But she, unwavering like a sturdy tower battered by raging winds, did not wish to consent in anyway unless first she did not cut Livoretto’s head from his trunk with her own hands because he was the cause of her shame. Once he had heard the cruel maiden’s fierce proposal, the sultan did not want to gratify her in the least, for he thought it very unseemly that the young man would be cruelly decapitated as a reward for his many efforts. But the perfidious and wicked woman, persisting in her evil desire, took an unsheathed knife and with intrepid and virile

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 145 courage wounded the young man in the neck in front of the sultan. Since no one dared help him, he fell dead on the ground. Not satisfied with this, the evil maiden cut his head from his trunk. After mincing his flesh, chopping up his sinews, and breaking his hard bones to make fine powder of them, she took a copper basin that was none too small and bit by bit threw in the chopped and minced flesh, mixing in the bones and nerves, just like women usually do when they make a hash from cured ground meats. When the minced flesh was kneaded and mixed well with the chopped bones and sinews, the woman fashioned a very handsome figure and sprinkled it with the bottle of the water of life, and immediately the young man was resurrected from the dead and brought to life, and became more handsome and charming than before. When the sultan, who was quite old, saw the marvelous demonstration and great miracle, he was completely astonished and amazed. Very eager to become young again, he begged the maiden to do the same thing to him that she had done to the young man. Not at all slow to obey the sultan’s command, she took the sharp knife that was still wet with the young blood and, placing her left hand on top of his head and holding it tight, she gave him a mortal blow to the chest; then, having thrown him from a window into a pit that surrounded the thick palace walls instead of rejuvenating him as she had the young man, she turned him into food for dogs and the wretched old man ended his life in this way. Respected and feared by all for her marvelous deed, and having understood that the young man was the son of Dalfreno, king of Tunis, and was really called Livoretto, the maiden wrote to his old father, informing him of the incident that had occurred herself and begging him with great insistence that he absolutely must come to the wedding. Dalfreno, having heard his son’s happy news was filled with great joy since he had not heard a word from him. Once he had arranged everything, he went to Cairo where he was honorably received by the entire city, and in a few days to the great satisfaction of all of the people Livoretto wed Bellisandra. With Bellisandra as his lawfully wedded wife, he was made the lord of Cairo with great fanfare and pomp, where he governed peacefully and happily enjoyed his reign for a long time. A few days later, Dalfreno, taking leave of his son and daughter-in-law, returned to Tunis safe and sound. When Arianna had finished her piteous tale, she began a riddle in order to follow the established order and spoke thus, A little body is born in a great fire And has the skin of a dense marsh; The soul, which should not take up any space, Is a delicate broth shut within. What I am telling you now seems to you a joke,

146 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA But it is true and free from error. She has a skirt for the party made of cotton Whoever loves her, sticks his nose in there.69 Everyone listened very attentively to Arianna’s clever riddle and had her repeat it many times, but there was not anyone with a wit so keen as to be able to understand it. So solving it, pretty Arianna said, “Ladies and gentlemen, my riddle describes none other than the ampul of rose water, which has a glass body that comes from the blazing ovens. She has the skin of the marsh, meaning she is covered with straw, and the soul that is inside her is the rose water. The skirt, meaning the garment that surrounds her, is the large glass and whoever sees her, takes her in hand and places her under his nose to smell her.” Arianna had already dispatched her riddle, when Lauretta, who was sitting next to her, knew that it was her turn to speak. Therefore, without waiting to be ordered by the Signora, she began to speak in this way.

69. “Un picciol corpo nasce d’un gran fuoco / e ha la pelle di grossa pallude; / l’alma che non dovrebbe occupar luoco / è d’un brodo gentil ch’entro si chiude. / Questo ch’or vi racconto vi par giuoco, / ma cose vere son, d’error ignude; / la gonna c’ha di festa è di bombaso, / chi ben gli vuol, dentro li dà il naso.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 147 THIRD NIGHT, THIRD TALE Biancabella, the daughter of Lamberico, the marquis of Monferrato, is sent away by the stepmother of King Ferrandino of Naples to be killed. The servants, however, only cut off her hands and pluck out her eyes, and thanks to a snake she is made whole again and happily returns to Ferrandino.70 It is commendable and quite necessary that women, whatever their rank and condition, act with prudence, without which nothing is handled well. And if a stepmother, about whom I intend to tell you, had used it along with humility, perhaps while plotting to kill others she would not have been killed by them through divine justice. A long time has passed since there ruled in Monferrato71 a marquis called Lamberico, who was very powerful and wealthy, but had no children. Although he was very eager to have them, God denied him this blessing. It happened one day that, the marquise was amusing herself in one of her gardens when, overcome by drowsiness, she fell asleep at the foot of a tree. While she was sleeping sweetly, a tiny snake arrived and, having approached her and gone under her clothes, it entered her privates without her feeling a thing. Ascending imperceptibly, it settled in the woman’s womb and dwelt there quietly. It was not long before the marquise became pregnant to the great delight and joy of the entire city. And when the time for the delivery arrived, she gave birth to a girl with a snake coiled tightly around her neck three times. Seeing this, the midwives were very frightened. But the snake, without doing any harm, unwound itself from the baby’s neck and, slithering on the ground and uncoiling, went off into the garden. When the baby had been cleaned and beautified in the bath and wrapped in the whitest swaddling, little by little an artfully wrought gold necklace, so fine and pretty, began to appear between her flesh and the skin, just like the most precious jewels often do through the finest crystal, and it encircled her neck as many times as the snake had. The girl, who was called Biancabella72 on account of her beauty, grew to be so virtuous and kind that she seemed to be more divine than human. When she was ten years old, after having taken a seat on the balcony and seen the garden full of roses and pretty flowers, she turned to the nurse who cared for her and asked her what it was, because she had never seen it before. The response to this was that it was her mother’s place, called a garden, where she sometimes amuses herself. The girl said, “I have never seen anything more beautiful and I would gladly go inside.” 70. ATU 706, The Maiden without Hands. 71. Monferrato is an area in the region of Piedmont in northern Italy, and includes the cities of Asti and Alessandria. 72. Her name means White Beauty.

148 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The nurse took her by the hand and led her into the garden, and having gone off a ways on her own, the nurse sat down to sleep under the shade of a leafy beech tree, leaving the girl to enjoy the garden. Biancabella, completely smitten with the delightful place, went here and there gathering flowers, and since then she was tired, she sat herself down in the shade of a tree. No sooner had the girl sat down on the ground than a snake arrived and approached her. Seeing this, Biancabella became very frightened and wanted to scream. The snake said to her, “Ah, be quiet and don’t move. Don’t be afraid, for I am your sister and I was born with you on the same day and in the same delivery. My name is Samaritana. And if you’ll obey my commands, I will make you happy, but if you do otherwise, you will be the most miserable and unhappy woman the world has ever seen. Go, then, do not be afraid and tomorrow have two jars, one filled with pure milk and the other filled with the purest rose water, brought to the garden, and then you will come to me there alone without anyone else.” When the snake had gone the girl stood up and went to the nurse. She found her still sleeping and, after she had woken her, she went into the house with her without saying a word. The following day while Biancabella was alone in her room with her mother, her mother thought her face looked very melancholy. Therefore, her mother said to her, “What’s wrong with you Biancabella that I see you so ill disposed? You were cheerful and joyful and now you seem to me very sad and sorrowful.” To which the girl replied, “Nothing is wrong, it is just that I would like two jars to be carried into the garden, one filled with milk and the other with rose water.” “And you are fretting over such a small thing?” said her mother, “Don’t you know that everything here is yours?” She ordered two large, beautiful jars be brought to her, one full of milk and the other full of rose water, and sent them into the garden. When the hour the snake had indicated arrived, Biancabella went into the garden without any other girls and, after opening the door, she then shut herself inside alone and sat down by the two jars. No sooner had Biancabella sat down than the snake approached her and immediately made her strip and climb nude into the very white milk. Bathing her from head to her toe with the milk, and licking her with her tongue, she purified her wherever she might have seemed to have a flaw. After taking her out of the milk, she placed her in the rose water that imparted a scent that was very refreshing for her. Afterward, she dressed her again, explicitly ordering her to be quiet and not to reveal what had happened to anyone, not even to her father or mother. Since she did not want any other woman to equal Biancabella in beauty or courtesy, she bestowed an infinite number of virtues on her and then left. Once she had left the garden, Biancabella returned home and when her mother saw that Biancabella was so beautiful and graceful that she surpassed all

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 149 other women in beauty and grace, she was shocked and did not know what to say. So she asked Biancabella how she had been able to become so perfectly beautiful. And Biancabella did not know how to respond. When her mother then took the comb to comb her hair and to arrange her blond braids, pearls and precious jewels fell from her head; and when she washed her hands, roses, violets, and flowers of various colors in full bloom issued forth with such sweet scents that it seemed that it was the earthly paradise. Seeing this, her mother ran to her husband Lamberico and with maternal joy said to him, “My lord, we have the most graceful, most beautiful, and most charming daughter that nature ever made. And besides her divine beauty and grace, which one can clearly see, pearls, gems, and very precious jewels fall from her hair, and from her lily-white hands—oh what a marvelous thing!—come roses, violets, and all sorts of flowers that emit the sweetest fragrance to everyone who gazes upon her. I never would have believed this if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” Her husband, who was incredulous by nature and did not easily believe his wife’s words, laughed about this and mocked her; however, she prodded him so obstinately that he wanted to see what she was talking about. And having summoned the girl before him, he saw even more than his wife had told him. For this reason, he became so joyful that he believed that there was no man in the world worthy of being joined in matrimony with her. The glorious fame of Biancabella’s graceful and immortal beauty had already spread throughout the whole universe, and many kings, princes, and marquises from all over competed with each other to win her love and take her as a wife. But none of them was virtuous enough to be able to have her, since each of them was lacking in some way. Finally, Ferrandino,73 the king of Naples, whose valor and good name shone like the sun among the smaller stars, arrived. He went to the marquis and asked to take his daughter as his wife. Seeing that Ferrandino was handsome, charming, and well built, and very powerful with land and wealth, the marquis contracted the marriage. Then he summoned his daughter and the couple immediately joined hands and kissed. No sooner had the wedding taken place than Biancabella recalled the words that her sister Samaritana had lovingly spoken to her. Pretending that she wanted to take care of a few things, she went to her room and, having shut herself inside, secretly entered the garden alone through a little door. In a low voice she began to call Samaritana, but she did not appear as she had before. Seeing this, Biancabella was very surprised and, not finding or seeing her in any part of the garden, she was very sad, knowing that this had happened because she had not obeyed her 73. Straparola recalls a historical figure in this fairy tale through this king’s name. Ferrandino II (1469–1496), the grandson of King Ferdinand of Spain, briefly ruled as King of Naples in the final years of his life.

150 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA orders.74 Now lamenting to herself, she went back to her room and, after opening the door, sat down near her husband who had waited for her for a long time. When the wedding celebrations were finished, Ferrandino brought his wife to Naples, where she was received by the entire city with great pomp, glorious exultation, and loud fanfare. Ferrandino had a stepmother with two clumsy, ugly daughters and she had wanted one of them to marry Ferrandino. But since she had been robbed of all hope of fulfilling this desire, she felt such rage and indignation toward Biancabella that she did not want to see or even hear her. Nevertheless, she pretended to love her and be fond of her. As luck would have it, the king of Tunis made preparations on land and sea to wage a war against Ferrandino—I do not know if this was because of his marriage or for another reason—and he and his mighty army had already breached the borders of Ferrandino’s kingdom. Hence, it was necessary for Ferrendino to take up arms for the defense of his kingdom and to confront the enemy. After he had put his affairs in order and entrusted Biancabella, who was pregnant, to his stepmother, he left with his army. Not many days had passed when the wicked and arrogant stepmother decided to have Biancabella killed, and, calling a few of her trusted servants, she ordered them to go somewhere with Biancabella to amuse her and not leave there without first killing her. In order to prove to the stepmother that she had been killed, they were to bring back some sign. The servants, game for doing evil, obeyed the lady and pretending to go to a certain place for amusement, they led Biancabella into a wood, where they prepared to kill her. But seeing that she was so beautiful and so graceful, they took pity on her and did not want to kill her. Instead, they cut off both of her hands and plucked out her eyes, bringing them to the stepmother as a sure sign that they had killed her. When the ungodly and cruel stepmother saw this, she was satisfied and very glad. Thinking to put her evil plan into action, the wicked stepmother spread the word throughout the kingdom that her two daughters had died, one from an unrelenting fever and the other from an abscess near her heart that had suffocated her, and that Biancabella on account of her grief over the king’s departure had miscarried a son and had fallen ill with a recurring fever. Although it had left her terribly worn, there was hope for life rather than fear of death. But the wicked, cruel woman put one of her daughters in the king’s bed in Biancabella’s place, pretending that she was Biancabella ravaged by fever. When he had defeated and scattered his enemy’s army, Ferrandino returned home exulting greatly and, thinking that he would find his beloved Biancabella all merry and joyous, he found her lying in bed, thin, pale, and ugly. Drawing very close to her and gazing fixedly at her face, and seeing her so ravaged, he 74. The original text is vague on this point as we never learn specifically what Samaritana had commanded Biancabella to do.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 151 was shocked and unable to believe at all that she was Biancabella. He had her hair combed and instead of the gems and precious jewels that used to fall from her blond mane, huge lice fell out that were feasting on her constantly. From her hands, from which roses and fragrant flowers used to fall, there came a foulness and filth that made whoever was around her nauseous. But the wicked woman comforted him and told him that this happened due to the length of the illness that causes such effects. Wretched Biancabella, then, all alone with her hands severed and blind in both eyes, was in such torment in that solitary place and was always calling over and over again for her sister Samaritana to help her. No one responded, however, except for resounding Echo, who was heard all through the air. While the unhappy woman was living in such anguish and found herself completely deprived of benevolent aid, there happened to enter into the forest a very elderly man, who was kind-looking and very compassionate. When he heard the sad and mournful voice, he moved closer to it using his ears and slowly, slowly approached with his feet. He found the young woman, blind and without hands, bitterly lamenting her harsh lot. Once he saw her, the good old man could not bear for her to be left among the knotty branches, brambles, and thorns, but overcome by paternal compassion, he led her home and entrusted her into his wife’s care, giving her strict orders to take care of the girl. He turned to his three daughters, who seemed like three very bright stars, and earnestly ordered them to keep her company, to cherish her, and to never let her want for anything. The wife, who was more cruel than compassionate, burning with furious rage against her husband, impetuously turned to him and said, “Well, husband, what do you want us to do with this woman, blinded and mutilated not just due to her virtues, but as a reward for her good deeds?” To which the little old man replied indignantly, “Do what I tell you to do, if you do otherwise, don’t expect me to come home.” While living, then, with the wife and three daughters, conversing with them about different things, and thinking to herself about her misfortune, sad Biancabella asked one of the daughters if she would not mind brushing her hair a little. When the mother heard this, she became very indignant, since she absolutely did not want her daughter to become Biancabella’s servant. But the daughter, who was more charitable than her mother, keeping in mind what her father had commanded and seeing I don’t know what in Biancabella’s appearance that showed a sign of her nobility, untied the laundry apron that she wore tied in front of her and, after spreading it on the ground, gently combed her hair. No sooner had she begun to comb than pearls, rubies, diamonds, and other precious jewels sprang from her blond braids. Upon seeing this, the mother was completely amazed and a bit afraid, and the great hatred she bore Biancabella was turned into genuine love. When the little old man returned home, they all ran to hug him, rejoicing a

152 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA great deal with him over the unexpected arrival of good fortune amidst his great poverty. Biancabella had a pail of fresh water brought to her and had them wash her face and her stumps, from which everyone saw roses and violets issue forth in abundance. For this reason, they all considered her to be divine rather than human. One day Biancabella decided to return to the place where the little old man had found her. But the little old man, his wife, and his daughters, seeing the great profit they had gained from her, caressed her and begged her insistently not to leave, listing many reasons why in order to persuade her. But she, steadfast in her wish, absolutely wanted to leave, promising, however, to return. Upon hearing this, the old man took her without delay back to the place where he had found her. And she ordered the little old man to leave and to come back for her that evening, when she would return home with him. After the little old man had gone, wretched Biancabella began to go through the forest calling for Samaritana, and her cries and laments went up to heaven. But although Samaritana was nearby and had never abandoned Biancabella, she did not want to reply. Seeing her words cast to the winds, the miserable girl said, “Why must I go on living since I lack eyes and hands and in the end I lack any humane assistance?” Burning with a fury that robbed her of any hope of salvation, like a desperate woman, she wanted to kill herself. But not having any other way to end her life, she set off toward the water that was not far off in order to dive in. When she arrived on the bank and was just about to throw herself in, she heard a booming voice say, “Alas, don’t do it! Do not desire to be your own murderer! Save your life for a better end!” Then Biancabella, bewildered by that voice, felt almost all of her hair stand on end. But thinking that she recognized the voice, she felt somewhat emboldened, and said, “Who are you who wanders about these parts and with a sweet and charitable voice reveals yourself to me?” “I am,” the voice replied, “Samaritana your sister, whom you are calling so insistently.” When she heard this, Biancabella, her voice interrupted by fervent sobs, said, “Ah, my sister, help me, I beg you. And if I strayed from your advice I ask your forgiveness, for I erred, I confess my sin to you, but the mistake was due to ignorance, not malice, because if it had been due to malice, divine providence would not have tolerated it for so long.” Having heard Biancabella’s piteous lament and seen her so mistreated, Samaritana comforted her for a while and then gathered certain herbs with marvelous properties and placed them on Biancabella’s eyes, attached her two hands to her arms, and immediately restored her to health. Then Samaritana cast off the squalid snakeskin and was a very beautiful young woman.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 153 The sun was already hiding his brilliant rays and the shadows of the night were beginning to appear, when with hurried steps the little old man arrived in the forest and found that Biancabella was sitting with another nymph. And staring at Biancabella’s fair face, he was shocked, almost thinking that it was not her. But then when he had recognized her he said, “My daughter, this morning you were blind and without hands, how is it that you are so fully healed?” Biancabella replied, “No thanks to me, but thanks to the virtue and kindness of this woman who is sitting with me; she is my sister.” And, after both of them had stood up, they went home together greatly rejoicing with the old man, where they were lovingly welcomed by his wife and daughters. Many, many days had passed when Samaritana, Biancabella, and the little old man with his wife and three daughters went to the city of Naples to live, and, after having spied an empty spot that was opposite the king’s palace, they sat down there. When the dark night had come, taking a laurel branch in hand Samaritana struck the ground three times while saying certain words, which she had only just finished pronouncing when a palace sprung up, the most beautiful and magnificent that was ever seen. Going to the window early that morning, Ferrandino saw a luxurious and marvelous palace and he was completely astonished and amazed. He called his wife and stepmother to come see it, but they were very unhappy about it since they feared that something sinister would befall them. Ferrandino was contemplating that palace, and after having looked carefully at every part of it, he raised his eyes and saw through the window of a room two ladies whose beauty made the sun jealous. And as soon as he saw them, anger entered his heart since it seemed to him that one of them looked like Biancabella. And he asked them who they were and where they came from. They replied that they were two exiled women who came from Persia with their possessions to live in this glorious city. And asking whether they would be pleased to have him and his women visit, they replied that it would please them very much, although it was more fitting and respectable if they, as his subjects, went to visit them, rather than have them, a lord and queens, come to visit. Ferrandino had the queen and other ladies summoned. Even though they initially refused to go because they greatly feared their impending ruin, they went with him to the palace of the two ladies who received them most honorably with a kind welcome and respectable manners, showing them the wide loggias, the spacious halls, and well-decorated rooms, the walls that were made of alabaster and fine porphyry, on which they saw figures that seemed to be alive. When they had seen the magnificent palace, the beautiful young woman approached the king and sweetly asked him if he would be so kind as to dine with them one day with his lady. The king, who did not have a heart of stone and was by nature magnanimous

154 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and generous, graciously accepted the invitation. And having thanked them for the honorable welcome they had given him, he left with the queen and returned to his palace. When the day of the invitation had arrived, the king, the queen, and the stepmother, regally attired and accompanied by various ladies went to do honor to the magnificent meal that had already been lavishly set out. And after water was brought to wash their hands, the steward placed the king and queen at a table that was raised slightly, but near the others; then he made everyone else sit according to their rank and everyone dined happily in great comfort. When the magnificent meal was finished and the tables cleared, Samaritana rose to her feet, and turned toward the king and queen, said, “Signor, so that we are not enveloped in idleness, someone should propose something to do that will be amusing and pleasing.” Everyone thought this was a good idea. There was not anyone, however, who dared to propose something. Therefore, seeing that everyone was silent, Samaritana said, “Since no one is making a move to say anything, with your permission, Your Majesty, I will have one of our maids come, who will give us no small pleasure.” Once she had summoned the maiden, whose name was Silveria, she commanded her to take the cithara in hand and sing something praiseworthy in honor of the king. Most obedient to her lady, she took the cithara and, sitting opposite the king and striking the sonorous strings with the plectrum, she recounted well the story of Biancabella with a sweet and pleasant voice, without, however, mentioning her by name. When she reached the end of the story, Samaritana rose and asked the king what suitable punishment, what fitting torture, would the person who went to such heinous extremes deserve. The stepmother, who thought to cover her own fault with an immediate, quick reply, did not wait for the king to answer, but said boldly, “A blazing hot oven would be little punishment compared to what he deserves.” Then Samaritana, her face flushed like an ember, said, “You are that wicked and accursed woman responsible for so much evil being done. And you, evil and cursed, have now damned yourself with your own mouth.” And turning to the king with a happy face, Samaritana said to him, “This is your Biancabella. This is your wife whom you loved so much. This is the woman you could not live without.” And as proof of the truth, she commanded the three maidens, the daughters of the little old man, to comb her curly blond hair in front of the king, from which, as I said earlier, came the precious and delightful jewels and from her hands sprang morning roses and fragrant flowers. And for greater certainty, she showed the king Biancabella’s lily-white neck encircled by a chain of the finest gold that shone naturally between the flesh and the skin like crystal. When by the true evidence and clear signs the king realized that she was his Biancabella,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 155 he began to cry and to hug her tenderly. And he did not leave there until he had an oven lit and the stepmother and her daughters put inside. Having belatedly repented for their sins, they ended their lives miserably. After this, the little old man’s three daughters were honorably married off, and King Ferrandino lived for a long time with his Biancabella and Samaritana, leaving behind legitimate heirs to the kingdom. Lauretta’s tale moved her female companions to tears several times, but since it was now finished, the Signora commanded her to follow the established order and to propose her riddle. Without waiting for another command from the Signora, she said very gracefully, Through the middle of a meadow in flower passes A haughty and cruel maiden. She has a flat tail, her head sticks up. She is fast moving and very slender. She has a piercing eye and an unkind touch, Her tongue moves here and there, but she does not speak, Very long and thin is she, and gray. Wise is the man who guesses her name.75 They attentively listened to the clever riddle recounted by merry Lauretta who, seeing that it remained unsolved, said, “My dear ladies, so as not to keep you at bay and bother your minds which have already been troubled by the pitiable tale I told, I will briefly tell you the answer, if you like. The maiden is none other than the snake that while moving through the fields with her head high and her tail low frightens everyone who sees her with her piercing eye.” Everyone was greatly surprised that there was not one person in the company who knew how to solve the riddle Lauretta had solved. But once she had gone to sit at her place, the Signora signaled to Alteria to begin speaking. And she, having risen from her seat, curtsied and began her tale.

75. “Passa per mezzo d’un fiorito prato / una superba e cruda damigella. / La coda ha piana, il capo rilevato, / veloce è ne l’andar e molto snella; / ha l’occhio acuto e ’l tocco poco grato, / qua e là move la lingua e non favella; / lunga e sottil è molto e berettina: / ben è saggio colui che l’indivina.”

156 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRD NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Fortunio leaves home after being insulted by his adoptive father and mother. While wandering about, he ends up in a forest, where he finds three animals who reward him for passing judgment, then he goes to Polonia and jousts winning the king’s daughter, Doralice, as his wife.76 There is a saying among the common folk that is often repeated in their conversations: don’t joke so hard that it hurts, or mock the truth, for he who hears, says, and sees nothing, harms no one and will always live in peace.77 In the far reaches of Lombardy there lived a man called Bernio. Although not abounding in good fortune, his head and his heart were not considered inferior to those of other people. This man took as his wife an able and kindly woman named Alchia, who, although she came from the lower class was, however, endowed with wit and laudable manners, and she so loved her husband that he would never be able to find another one like her. They very much wanted to have children, but God did not bless them, for more often than not man does not know to ask for what is best for him. Longing for a child and seeing that Fortune was completely against them, compelled by this persistent desire, the two of them decided to adopt a child and keep and nurture him as their own legitimate son. And they went early one morning to that place where young children are abandoned by their fathers and, spotting one who seemed more handsome and charming than the others, they took him and with great care and discipline raised him to be well mannered. It happened, as it pleased Him who rules the universe and tempers and mitigates everything according to His will, that Alchia became pregnant and, when the time for the delivery came, she gave birth to a son who resembled his father in every way. Both of them were incredibly happy about this and they named him Valentino. Well nourished and raised properly, the boy grew in virtue and manners, and so loved his brother, whose name was Fortunio, that when they were apart, he felt that he would die from grief. But one day Discord, the enemy of all good, upon seeing their earnest and passionate love and unable to tolerate such tender affection, came between them and made it so that they began to taste her bitter fruits. One day as they were fooling around together, as boys usually do, and getting quite heated as they played, Valentino, who could not bear that Fortunio was beating him at the game, became so furious and angry that he called Fortunio a bastard born of a vile woman several times. 76. ATU 316, The Nix of the Mill-Pond, and more generally, ATU 554, The Grateful Animals. 77. The second part of this proverb rhymes in the original: “perciò che chi ode, vede, e tace, altri non nuoce e vive sempre in pace.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 157 Hearing this and being quite astonished by it, Fortunio became very distressed. Turning to Valentino, he said, “What? I’m a bastard?” And Valentino, with animated words, still fighting, boldly confirmed it. Whereupon Fortunio, now extremely sad, left the game and went to his adopted mother, sweetly asking her if he was her and Bernio’s son. To which Alchia replied yes. And when she realized that Valentino had offended him with insulting words, she threatened him sternly, swearing that she would punish him severely. Fortunio was suspicious of Alchia’s words, in fact, he was sure that he was not her legitimate son; nonetheless, many times he wished to test her by asking if he was really her son and he was absolutely determined to find out. When Alchia saw Fortunio’s obstinate will and was unable to deter him from such importunity, she confirmed that he was not truly her son, but was raised in their home for the love of God and in order to pay for her and her husband’s sins. For the young man, these words were so many knives to his heart, and his grief grew and grew. Now sorrowful beyond measure and not possessing the courage to end his life violently, he resolutely decided to leave Bernio’s house and to see if while wandering the world fortune would favor him at some point. Once she saw that Fortunio’s resolve grew stronger by the hour and did not see any way or means to sway him from his obstinate decision, Alchia, fully inflamed by rage and indignation, cursed him, praying to God that if he should happen to plough the waves that he would be swallowed by a siren, no differently than ships are by the stormy, swelling ocean waves. Driven by the impetuous wind of anger’s indignation and fury, nor having heard the maternal curse, he left his parents without saying goodbye and headed west. He passed, then, sometimes by ponds, sometimes valleys, sometimes mountains and other mountainous and wild places, and finally one morning between sext and none,78 Fortunio arrived at a dense and tangled forest. When he entered there, he found a wolf, an eagle, and an ant, who were squabbling fiercely over the carcass of a deer that had already been taken down and were entirely incapable of agreeing on how to divide it. Locked in this bitter conflict with each one unwilling to cede to the other, in the end they agreed that the young man Fortunio, who had just arrived there, should settle their argument, giving each one of them the portion that seemed to him most fitting. And so, all three were satisfied and they promised one another to calm down and not to contest the final judgment, no matter how unjust it might be. Having taken the job willingly and having considered maturely their conditions, Fortunio divided the prey in this 78. These are the canonical hours or the divine office of the Catholic Church, when prayers are recited. The day was divided into the following hours: matins (early morning before dawn), lauds (before dawn), prime (at dawn), terce (three hours after dawn), sext (six hours after dawn), none (nine hours after dawn), vespers (early evening), and compline (after dark at the end of the day). Depending on the season, prime, or the first hour, was roughly 6 AM, so sext was approximately noon and none at 3 PM.

158 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA manner: to the wolf, a ravenous animal with very strong teeth, he assigned all of the bones with the lean meat attached to them as a reward for his persistent exertion; to the eagle, a raptor without teeth, he offered as food the innards along with the fat that surrounds the meat and bones for his reward; to the grain-bearing and diligent ant, since it lacked the strength that nature bestowed on the wolf and the eagle, he awarded the tender brains as a prize for his sustained effort. Each of them was happy with the well-considered and sound judgment, and with as much courteousness as he had shown them they thanked him very much, as well as they could and knew how. And since ingratitude is most blameworthy among all the vices, all three agreed that they did not want the young man to leave before being well rewarded by each of them for the service they had received. The wolf in recognition of the judgment meted out, said, “Brother, I will give you this power, that every time you wish to become a wolf and you say ‘If I were a wolf,’ you will immediately change from a man into a wolf, returning, however, when you please, to your prior shape.” And he was also rewarded in the same way by the eagle and the ant. All merry on account of the gifts he had received, after first having thanked them as best he knew how and could, he took his leave of them and departed, and he walked so far that he arrived in Polonia, a noble and populous city, which was ruled by Odescalco, a very powerful and valiant king, who had a daughter named Doralice. Wishing to marry her off honorably, he had announced a great tournament would be held in his kingdom. He did not intend to pair her off with just anyone, but with whoever was the victor of the joust. Many dukes, marquises, and other powerful lords had already come from all over to win the precious prize. Already the first day of the joust had ended, and an ugly and deformed Saracen, oddly built and black as pitch, appeared to be the best.79 The king’s daughter, having considered the ugliness and repulsiveness of the Saracen, felt great sorrow thinking that he might be the winner of the honorable joust, and having placed her vermillion cheek on her soft, delicate hand, she yielded to sorrow and wept, 79. Straparola seems to draw inspiration from a number of sources for his depiction of the Saracen knight and the joust between the Christian knight and the pagan knight. In the anonymous cantare titled Historia di Lionbruno, the eponymous protagonist jousts and defeats a Saracen in order to win the hand of the daughter of the king of Granada: see Beatrice Corrigan, ed. and trans., The Story of Lionbruno: Historia di Lionbruno (Toronto: Toronto Public Library, 1976), 25. The Saracen is simply described as “strong,” and “brave and very fierce.” A Saracen thief named Brunello appears in the chivalric epics Orlando innamorato (Orlando in Love) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando furioso (The Frenzy of Orlando) by Ludovico Ariosto. Boiardo describes him as very short, black, and curlyhaired (Orlando innamorato, 2.3.40). Ariosto depicts him as very short and dark-skinned, with a flattened nose and bristly eyebrows (Orlando furioso, 3.75). Pirovano notes that a number of elements in this tale, such as the knight wearing white, green, and red, derive from medieval cantari, such as Bel Gherardino: Le piacevoli notti, 1:226n2. See Francesco Zambrini, ed., Cantare del Bel Gherardino (Bologna: Romagnoli, 1867).

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 159 cursing her harsh and cruel fate and longing to die rather than become the wife of such an ugly Saracen. Having entered the city and seen the honorable pageantry and the great competition of the jousters, and having heard the reason for such a glorious celebration, Fortunio was inflamed by a burning desire to prove the extent of his valor in the tournament. But since he lacked all of those things necessary for a jouster, he was very sad. And in the midst of lamenting this he raised his eyes skyward and saw the king’s daughter Doralice, who was leaning against a high window, surrounded by many charming and noble ladies and looking not unlike the bright shining sun in the midst of tiny stars. And when the dark night arrived and everyone went into their quarters, sad Doralice was left alone in a little room no less ornate than beautiful. As she was standing all alone with the window open, there was Fortunio, who, when he saw the young woman, said to himself, “Ah, why am I not an eagle?” No sooner had he finished pronouncing the words than he became an eagle. After he had flown in the window and turned once again into a man, all jocund and merry, he stood before her. When she saw him, the girl was completely astonished and began to scream loudly as if she were being torn apart by ravenous dogs. The king, who was not very far from his daughter, ran to her when he heard her loud screams and when he heard that there was a young man was in the room, he searched the entire chamber and finding nothing went back to sleep. The young man, having turned himself into an eagle, had escaped through the window. No sooner had the father lain down to rest, than once again the girl started to yell loudly, because the young man had appeared in front of her as before. But Fortunio, having heard the young woman’s shriek and fearing for his life, changed into an ant and hid himself in the pretty woman’s blond braids. Odescalco, having run toward his daughter’s shriek and seen nothing, became very upset with her and threatened her harshly saying that if she yelled anymore, he would give her something to scream about. Absolutely furious, he left, thinking to himself that she had imagined one of the men who out of love for her had been killed in the tournament. After hearing the father’s words and watching him leave, the young man cast off his ant skin and returned to his former handsome self. When she saw the young man, Doralice wanted to jump down from the bed and scream, but she could not, because the young man had placed one of his hands over her mouth and said, “My Lady, I have not come here to steal your honor and your possessions, but to comfort you and be your most humble servant. If you continue to scream, one of two things will happen: either your good name and fine reputation will be ruined or you will be the cause of my death and yours. And so, lady of my heart, do not act so as to stain your honor and put both of our lives in danger.” As Fortunio was speaking these words, Doralice was crying and lamenting a great deal, nor was she able in any way to endure the frightening assault. But

160 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA seeing the woman’s troubled mind, with the sweetest words that would have split a mountain, Fortunio said and did so much that he softened the woman’s obstinate will. Won over by the young man’s charm, she made peace with him. Seeing that the young man was extremely good-looking, robust, with well-formed limbs, and recalling the ugliness of the Saracen, she became very upset when she thought that he would be the winner of the joust and likewise the possessor of her person. And while she was mulling this over, the young man said, “Maiden, if I there were a way, I would joust willingly, and I believe that I am courageous enough to win. To which the damsel replied, “If it were so, no one but you would be my lord.” Seeing him burning with passion and ready to take on this challenge, she provided him with money and innumerable jewels. The young man joyfully took the money and the jewels, asking her what sort of surcoat she would like him to wear. She replied, “One made of white satin.” He did just as she asked. The next day, Fortunio, bedecked in shining armor covered with a surcoat of white satin embroidered and subtly scored with the finest gold, mounted a powerful and courageous horse draped in its knight’s colors. Without being recognized by anyone, he went to the square. The people had already gathered for the much discussed spectacle and once they saw the brave unknown knight with his lance in hand ready to joust, they began to stare at him intently, not without great amazement and as if confused. Everyone was saying, “Ah, who is this man who, so charming and magnificent, turns up at the joust and no one knows him?” Once he had entered the designated enclosure, he gave word that his rival should enter. With both of them having lowered their knotty lances, they collided like wild lions in battle, and the young man’s blow to the Saracen’s head was so violent that the Saracen hit his horse’s back and, no differently than a glass smashed against a wall, was left dead on the bare ground. That day at the joust Fortunio valiantly defeated as many men as he met. The maiden was overjoyed and gazed at him with the greatest admiration. She thanked God to herself for having freed her from servitude to the Saracen and prayed to God to give Fortunio the victory prize. When night came and Doralice was called to dinner, she did not want to join the king. Instead, after certain delicate morsels and precious wines had been brought to her, she pretended to have no appetite then, but if she became hungry later, she would eat alone. Having shut herself in her room alone and opened the window, she waited for her devoted lover with great yearning. He returned as he had the night before and the two dined happily. Then Fortunio asked her how he should dress the next day. She said to him, “In green satin embroidered all over in the finest silver and gold, and the same for your horse.” Everything was quickly carried out in the morning.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 161 He arrived in the square at the appointed hour and then entered the tournament. If the day before he had proven his great valor, the next day he proved it all the more. And everyone unanimously declared that the delicate damsel was rightly his. When it was evening, the maiden, while all merry, joyous, and cheerful inside, pretended the same as she had feigned the previous night. And having shut herself in her room and opened the window, she waited for the valiant young man and dined with him in comfort. And having asked her again what surcoat he should don the following day, she replied to him, “One of bright red satin, embroidered all over with gold and pearls, the horse’s caparison will be decorated in this same way, for I will also be dressed like this.” “Lady,” said Fortunio, “if tomorrow, by chance, I am somewhat later than usual in coming to the joust, don’t be surprised by it, since it is not without a reason that I delay my arrival.” When the hour for jousting on the third day arrived, the entire crowd awaited the end of the glorious celebrations with great joy, but none of the jousters, due to the inordinate strength of the brave unknown knight, dared to appear. And the knight’s overlong delay aroused the greatest suspicion, not only in the crowd, but also in the damsel, even though she knew about the delay. And overcome by grief that she concealed, she almost fainted without anyone realizing it. But when she heard Fortunio nearing the square, her agitated spirits began to return to their proper places. Fortunio was dressed in a rich and splendid garment, and the horse’s caparison was made of the finest gold and painted all over with shining rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and very large pearls that, in everyone’s opinion, were worth a kingdom. When valiant Fortunio arrived in the square, everyone yelled loudly, “Long live, long live, the unknown knight!” And with a thunderous and joyous applause, they cheered. Once he had entered the enclosure, he acted so courageously that he knocked everyone to the bare ground and won the joust with a glorious victory. And having dismounted from the powerful horse, he was lifted onto the shoulders of the most prominent and important men of the city, and with sonorous trumpets and other musical instruments and very loud cries that rose up to the heavens, they quickly brought him before the king. When he pulled off his helmet and shining armor, the king saw a charming youth. He summoned his daughter and in front of the entire crowd he married her to Fortunio with the greatest pomp, and for an entire month, he held banquets and provided entertainments at his court. After having lived with his beloved wife for some time and judging it unbecoming and cowardly to be enveloped in idleness, counting the hours as do those who are foolish and lacking sense, Fortunio resolutely decided to set out and go places where his great valor would be openly known. And having taken a galley and the many treasures that his father-in-law had given him, and having said

162 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA good-bye to his father-in-law and his wife, Fortunio climbed aboard. Navigating with propitious and favorable winds, Fortunio arrived at the Atlantic Ocean, nor had he gone more than ten miles in that sea when a siren, the biggest that was ever seen, approached the galley and began to sing sweetly. Fortunio, who was on one side of the galley with his head just above the water to listen, fell asleep. While he was sleeping in this way, he was swallowed by the siren, who dove into the ocean waves and fled. The sailors, unable to save him, were overcome with grief. All mournful and disconsolate, they covered the galley in dark cloth and made their return to the unhappy and unlucky Odescalco, telling him of the horrible and sad incident that had befallen them at sea. The king, Doralice, and the entire city were griefstricken and donned black clothes. When it was time for her to give birth, Doralice delivered a very handsome baby who was raised to be charming and refined and reached the age of two. The sorrowful and grieving Doralice, thinking that she was now without her beloved, dear husband, and that there was no hope of being able to get him back, in her noble and virile heart resolved to put out to sea at all costs in order to test her fate and try her luck, even if the king did not wish to allow her to do so. After she had had a well-armed, swift galley equipped and had taken three marvelously crafted apples, one made of brass, the other of silver, and the third of very fine gold, she said good-bye to her father, climbed on board the galley with her child, and turning the sails toward favorable winds entered the high seas. The melancholy woman, sailing in this way on a calm sea, ordered the sailors to lead her to the place where her husband had been swallowed by the siren. And her orders were carried out. When the ship arrived in the place where her husband had been swallowed by the siren, the child began to weep bitterly. Unable to quiet the boy down at all, his mother took the brass apple and gave it to him. The siren saw him playing by himself and approached the galley. She raised her head a bit above the foamy waves and said to the woman, “Lady, give me that apple, for I really love it!” The woman replied that she did not want to give it to her since it was her little son’s plaything. “If you give it to me,” said the siren, “I will show you your husband from his chest up.” Hearing this and very much wanting to see her husband, Doralice courteously gave it to her. As a reward for this precious gift, the siren, just as she had promised her, showed her husband from the chest up and, after diving into the waves, did not let herself be seen anymore. There grew in the woman, who had carefully observed everything, a greater desire to see all of him, and not knowing what to do or say, she consoled herself with her child. When he cried again, his mother gave him the silver apple so that he would be quiet. By chance the siren saw him and asked the lady to have it as a gift. But she, shrugging her shoulders

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 163 and saying that it was the boy’s plaything, refused to give it to her. To which the siren said, “If you will give me the apple which is more beautiful than the other one, I promise to show you your husband up to his knees.” Poor Doralice, yearning to see even more of her beloved husband, put aside her love for the boy and cheerfully gave it to her. The siren kept her promise and then dove into the waves. The woman, absolutely silent and uncertain, stood there looking, and not being able to make up her mind about how to save her husband from death, she took the child in her arms, who was crying constantly, and consoled herself a bit with him. When he remembered the apple with which he had often played, the boy began to weep so bitterly that his mother was forced by necessity to give him the gold apple. The greedy fish saw it and judged it much more beautiful than the other two, and just as before asked Doralice for it as a gift. She said and did so much that the mother gave it to her against the boy’s will. And because the siren had promised to show Doralice all of her husband, so as not to break the promise, she drew near to the galley, and raising up her back a good deal, she clearly showed him to her. Seeing himself above the waves and free on the siren’s back, filled with joy and without a moment’s delay, Fortunio said, “Ah, if I were an eagle!” As soon as he said this, he immediately became an eagle and rose in flight to the top of the galley’s mast. With all of the sailors watching, he went down below and returned to his own shape. First, he tightly embraced and kissed his wife and child, and then the crew. Then everyone, rejoicing over the husband’s rescue, returned to her father’s kingdom. Once they had arrived in the port, the trumpets, the castanets, the drums, and other instruments began to play. When he heard this, the king was amazed and waited to find out what it meant. It was not long before the nuncio announced to the king that his son-in-law Fortunio and his beloved daughter had arrived. After they disembarked from the galley, everyone went to the palace where they were welcomed with a very great celebration and pageantry. A few days later, Fortunio went home and became a wolf. He devoured his stepmother Alchia and his brother Valentino for having insulted him. Then he returned to his previous shape, climbed on his horse, and returned to his fatherin-law’s kingdom, where he and Doralice, his dear, beloved wife, enjoyed each other’s company in peace for many years to the great pleasure of them both. As soon as Alteria had ended her long and piteous tale, the Signora ordered her to proceed with her riddle. All merry with a happy face, she spoke like this: Very far from this land of ours Dwells an animal cruel and kind. It naturally holds two parts in itself: One not human, the other feminine.

164 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA It is charming to look at, and seems to love you But it is ruthless, violent, and arrogant. It sings sweetly and in singing it produces Something that leads man to his death.80 When they had heard the worthy and notable riddle proposed by Alteria, different people interpreted it differently, one saying one thing and another something else, but there was no one who hit the target. Therefore, the charming Alteria, seeing that her riddle remained unsolved, kindly said, “My ladies and gentlemen, the true meaning of the riddle I proposed is none other than the alluring siren, who dwells among the ocean waves. It is an animal that is very delightful to see, because it has the face, chest, body, and arms of a pretty maiden and the rest of her is like a scaly fish, and it is very cruel. It sings sweetly, and with its song puts sailors asleep, and once they are asleep it drowns them.” Having heard graceful Alteria’s wise and clever solution, everyone unanimously praised it and considered it witty. But she, with a bright face stood and thanked everyone for the kind attention they had paid her and no sooner was she seated than the Signora commanded Eritrea to follow the order. Having blushed like a morning rose, she began her tale like this.

80. “Molto lontan da queste nostre parti / alberga un animal crudo e gentile. / Naturalmente tiene in sé due parti: / l’una inumana, l’altra femminile. / Vaga è molto al veder, mostra d’amarti / ma dispietata è, forte e inumile; / canta soave e nel cantar produce / oggetto di tal ch’a morte l’uomo conduce.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 165 THIRD NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Isotta, the wife of Lucaferro di Albani from Bergamo,81 thinking to dupe his brother Emilliano’s cowherd Travaglino with a trick, in order to make him look like a liar, loses her husband’s estate and returns home, thoroughly embarrassed, carrying the head of a bull with gilded horns. So great is the power of infallible truth, as the sacred scriptures make clear, that it would be more likely for heaven and earth to pass away than for the truth to fail.82 And the truth is so privileged, according to what the wise men of the world write, that she triumphs over time, and not time over her. And just as oil placed in a glass floats above the water, so the truth stands above lies. Nor should anyone be surprised at this beginning of mine, for I was moved by the wickedness of an evil woman who, believing that with flattery she could persuade a poor young man to tell a lie, persuaded him to tell the truth, and she was shown to be a wicked, shameless woman, as I will tell you with this tale of mine, which I hope, at the right time and in the right place, will be more useful than harmful to you. In Bergamo, good ladies, the ancient city in Lombardy, there was not too long ago, a rich and powerful man whose name was Pietromaria di Albani. This man had two sons, one called Emilliano and the other Lucaferro. He also had two estates not far from the city, one called Ghorèm and the other Pedrènch.83 When their father died, the two brothers, namely Emilliano and Lucaferro, divided his lands between them and Pedrènch went to Emilliano and Ghorèm to Lucaferro. Emilliano had a very fine flock of sheep, and a herd of spirited bullocks and another of fertile cows for which Travaglino, a truly faithful and loyal man, was the herder. For the life of him he would not have told a lie, and he cared for his two herds with such diligence that he had no equal. Travaglino kept many bulls in the herd of cows, and among these bulls there was one that was very handsome to behold. It was to so dear to Emilliano that he had its horns gilded with very fine gold. Nor did Travaglino ever go to Bergamo without having Emilliano ask him about the bull with the gold horns. Now it happened that Emilliano was conversing with his brother Lucaferro and some of his friends when Travaglino turned up and made a sign to Emilliano that he wished to speak with him. And getting up from where he sat with his brother and his friends, he went to where Travaglino was and spoke with him for a long time. And since Emilliano had done this many times, left his friends 81. A city in Lombardy northeast of Milan. 82. Eritrea’s words here seem to a reformulation of Christ’s words in the gospels: “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.” See Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33. 83. Pirovano suggest that these two names might refer to two villages just east of Bergamo, Gorle and Pedrengo: Le piacevoli notti, 1:234n2.

166 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and family to go off and speak with a cowherd, Lucaferro could not tolerate it at all. Therefore, one day, inflamed with rage and indignation, he said to Emilliano, “Emilliano, I am very surprised at you that you esteem a cowherd and a thief more than a brother of yours and many of your close friends. For not just one time, but a thousand, if I might say so, you have abandoned them in the squares and at cards like beasts led to slaughter and you approached that foolish oaf Travaglino, your servant, in order to speak with him, so that it seems that you have to take care of the most important affairs in the world, and yet they are not worth a fig.” Emilliano replied, “Lucaferro, my brother, there is no need for you to become so vexed with me, reproaching Travaglino with dishonest words, for he is a fine young man and very dear to me, both for his abilities and also for the loyalty he shows me. All the more so, however, because he possesses a special, singular virtue: for all of the money in the world he would never utter a word that was untrue. And besides this, he has many other traits for which I am fond of him, and so don’t be surprised if I am fond of him and find him agreeable.” When he heard these words, Lucaferro’s indignation grew and they both began to exchange words and almost drew their weapons. And because, as was said above, Emilliano highly praised his Travaglino, Lucaferro said to Emilliano, “You praise this cowherd of yours for his competence, loyalty, and truthfulness, and I am telling you that he is the most incapable, the most disloyal, and the most deceitful man that nature ever created; and I offer to make you see and hear him tell you a lie to your face.” After many words passed between them, in the end they wagered their land, agreeing to the following terms: if Travaglino tells a lie, Emilliano’s land becomes Lucaferro’s, but if he is found not to lie, Lucaferro’s estate becomes Emilliano’s. And having called a notary, they wrote a notarized document to this effect with all of the legal formalities that such things require. Once they had left each other and their rage and indignation had passed, Lucaferro began to regret the bet he had made and the document drawn up by the notary’s hand, and he was secretly very sorry about it, fearing greatly that he would be left without the estate with which he supported himself and his family. Now when he was at home and his wife, whose name was Isotta, saw him so melancholy and did not know the cause, she said to him “Oh my husband, what’s wrong with you that I see you so sad and melancholy?” To which Lucaferro replied, “Quiet, by your faith, and don’t trouble me any more than I am.” But Isotta, wishing to know, knew what to do and say so that she heard everything from her husband. Therefore, she turned toward him with a cheerful face and said, “Is this, then, the thought that causes you such worry and regret? Take heart, because I’ll make it so Travaglino will tell his master not one, but a thousand, lies.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 167 Hearing this, Lucaferro was very happy. And because Isotta knew for sure that her brother-in-law Emilliano was very fond of the bull with the gold horns, she planned her scheme around it. And having dressed herself wantonly and made up her face, she left Bergamo all alone and went to Pedrénch where Emilliano’s estate was and, after entering the house, she found Travaglino, who was making wheels of cacio and ricotta cheese. She greeted him and then said, “My Travaglino, I’ve come here to visit and to drink some milk and eat some ricotta with you.” “Welcome,” said Travaglino, “my mistress.” And having made her sit down, he set the table and brought out some pecorino cheese and other things to honor her. And because he saw her there alone and beautiful and not in the habit of coming to see him, he was very anxious and he almost could not convince himself that she was Isotta, the wife of his master’s brother. Yet, since he had seen her several times, he treated her with respect and honored her a good deal, as was fitting for a lady of her station. Having risen from the table, and seeing Travaglino toiling to make the wheels of cheese and the ricotta, she said, “Oh, my Travaglino, I want to help you make the cheese.” And he said, “Whatever you like, Signora.” And without saying anything else, having rolled her sleeves up to her elbows, she revealed her white, soft, and round arms that seemed white as snow and ably toiled with him to make the cheese. She often showed him her modest bosom where there were two small breasts that looked like two small apples. And besides this, she cleverly brought her rosy face so close to Travaglino’s that they almost touched each other. Travaglino, although he tended cows, was more clever than coarse. And seeing that the woman’s behavior demonstrated her lascivious love, he went along entertaining her with words and glances, pretending, however, not to understand the ways of love. But the woman, believing him to be inflamed by love for her, fell so madly in love with him that she could barely rein herself in. And although Travaglino was aware of the woman’s wanton love, he did not, however, dare to say anything to her, always fearing to upset or offend her. But the woman, by now inflamed and having noticed Travaglino’s timidity, said to him, “Travaglino, what is causing you to be so pensive that you don’t dare speak to me? Would you, by chance, feel some desire for me now? Look here and don’t hide your desire, for you would offend yourself and not me, since I am at your beck and call.” Hearing this, Travaglino rejoiced heartily and made it seem that he loved her very much. The foolish woman, seeing him already inflamed by love for her and it appearing now time to come to that which she was desiring, spoke to him like this, “My Travaglino, I would like to ask a big favor of you and if you say no to me, I would certainly say that you value little my love, and perhaps you will be the cause of my ruin, or better yet, my death.”

168 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA To which Travaglino replied, “I am willing, Signora, to lay down my own life and my property for your love and even if you ordered me to do something difficult, nonetheless, the love I bear for you and that you show toward me would make it very easy.” Having grown bolder, Isotta then said to Travaglino, “I will now know if you love me as I believe and seem to see.” “Command me, my lady,” replied Travaglino, “for you will see it clearly.” “I want nothing from you,” said Isotta, “save for the head of the bull with gold horns and then you can do with me as you wish.” Upon hearing this, Travaglino was completely shocked, but overcome by carnal love and the wanton woman’s flattery, he replied, “You want nothing else from me, my lady? Not just the head, but the body and myself as well, I will place in your hands.” After having said this, he grew rather bold, embraced the woman, and enjoyed the ultimate fruits of love with her. Afterward, Travaglino cut off the bull’s head, put it in a sack, and presented it to Isotta. She, happy both for having her wish fulfilled and for the pleasure she had received, returned home with more horns than land. Once the woman had gone, Travaglino felt very anxious and began to think hard about how to apologize for the loss of the bull with gold horns that his master Emilliano liked so much. The miserable Travaglino, being in such a tormented state, nor knowing what to do or what to say, in the end thought of taking a tree branch without leaves and dressing it with some of his miserable rags. He pretended that it was his master in order to practice how he should act when he would be in front of Emilliano. Once he had set up the tree branch in a room with a cap on top its head and the clothes on it, Travaglino was going out the door of the room and then coming back inside and greeting the branch, saying, “Good day, master.” And responding to himself, he said, “Welcome, Travaglino, and how are you? What has been going on with you that we have not seen you around here for a few days?” “I am well,” he replied, “and I’ve been so busy that I couldn’t come by to see you.” “And how’s the bull with the golden horns?” asked Emilliano. And he responded, “Signore, the bull was devoured by wolves in the forest.” “And where is its hide and the head with the gilded horns?” said the master. And here he stopped and did not know what else to say. Distressed, he went back out. After he came back into the room and said from the top, “God save you, master.” “Welcome, Travaglino. How goes our business and how is the bull with the gilded horns?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 169 “I am well, Signore, but one day the bull left the herd, and while fighting with the other bulls was dealt with so harshly by them, that he died from it.” “But where is the head and the hide?” And he did not know quite how to respond. Having done this several times, Travaglino did not know how to find an excuse that was adequate. Isotta, who had already returned home, said to her husband, “What will Travaglino do if he wants to apologize to his master Emilliano for the death of the bull with the gold horns that he liked so much, if not feed him some lies? Look at the head I have brought as proof against him when he tells the lie.” But she did not show him how she had hung two horns on his head, bigger than those of a large deer. Having seen the bull’s head, Lucaferro rejoiced greatly thinking that he had won the bet, but the opposite, as you’ll hear below, happened. Travaglino, having exchanged many questions and answers with the wooden man, no differently than if it had been his own master with whom he spoke, and not seeing any of them turn out according to his wishes, decided without another thought to go to his master, come what may. And having left and gone to Bergamo, he found his master and greeted him joyfully. Once he had greeted him, his master said to him, “And what’s with you, Travaglino, that many days have gone by now without you having come here, nor has anyone heard any news of you?” Travaglino replied, “Signore, many tasks have kept me busy.” “And how is the bull with the gilded horns?” said Emilliano. Completely confused and his face having become as red as embers, Travaglino almost wanted to apologize and hide the truth. But because he feared losing his honor, he screwed up his courage and began the story of Isotta and told him everything in detail that he had done with her and the fact of the bull’s death. Hearing this, Emilliano was completely astonished. Therefore, since Travaglino had told the truth, he was held to be a truthful man of good judgment; Emilliano was left with the estate; Lucaferro cuckolded; and the ribald Isotta, who believed that she was tricking others, was herself deceived and shamed. Having finished the exemplary tale, each member of the honest company harshly condemned unbridled Isotta and highly praised Travaglino, laughing nevertheless at the foolish and deceitful woman who had so basely given herself over to the cowherd. Her innate, pestiferous avarice was the cause. And because Eritrea only needed to propose her riddle, the Signora, looking her in the face, gave her a sign that the established order should not be abandoned. Without any delay, she spoke thus: A head I see in the middle of an ass, And another ass sits comfortably on the ground.

170 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The one, which is stronger than a mule, Is quiet and the head grabs it with two. The two that watch her are amused, And the head, always closer, seizes her, Ten, some up, some down, handle her. It is certainly a beautiful thing to see!84 While the women laughed at the tale, they were no less amused by the riddle. And since no one knew how to solve it, Eritrea said, “My riddle, ladies and gentlemen, means nothing other than the person who sits behind a cow and milks it. Since, in milking it, he keeps his head near the cow’s ass and the milker’s ass is resting most comfortably on the ground. She is patient and is restrained by the one who milks her and watched by two eyes and handled by two hands and ten fingers that pull the milk from her.” Everyone very much liked this witty riddle and its solution. But because every star was already hidden in the heavens, save the one that still shines in the whitening dawn, the Signora commanded that them all to go off to rest as they pleased until the following evening, ordering under pain of disgrace that everyone must return to the beautiful hall. THE END OF THE THIRD NIGHT

84. “Un capo veggio star per mezzo il cullo / e star il cullo a suo bel agio in terra. / Una c’ha forza piú d’un forte mullo / sta cheta e ’l capo con le due l’afferra. / Duo che la guardan ne prendon trastullo / e ’l capo ognor piú presso se gli serra. / Dieci, chi su chi giú, poi la zamberla: / è bella cosa certo da vederla.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 171 THE FOURTH NIGHT Already fair-haired Apollo with his flaming chariot had left this hemisphere of ours and after diving into the ocean waves gone off to the Antipodes. Those who plow the earth, now tired from working hard, put aside their amorous appetites and were resting sweetly in bed when the honest and honorable company happily gathered in the usual spot. After the women and men had conversed together and laughed quite a lot, Signora Lucrezia, having obliged everyone to be quiet, ordered that the gold vase be brought to her, and with her own hand she wrote the names of five maidens. She placed the names in the vase and called Signor Vangelista, commanding him to pull them from the vase one by one, so that they would clearly know whose turn it was to tell a tale that night. Signor Vangelista, having risen from his seat and abandoned the pleasant conversation he was having with Lodovica, went very obediently to the Signora. Kneeling respectfully at her feet, he placed his hands in the vase and pulled first Fiordiana’s name, then Vicenza’s, then after hers Lodovica’s, and after theirs, Isabella’s and Lionora’s names came out. And before they began to tell tales, the Signora commanded Molino and Trivigiano to take up their lutes and sing a tune. Without waiting for another command, they tuned their instruments and joyfully sang the following song: When among so many women the pretty sun That gives me death and life Moves her shining, splendid rays, I have never seen, Love, one more beautiful. I say happy in life is Not he who sees her, but he who the words Of her angelic intellect Hears formed by her blessed mouth, A gift that now, perhaps, is bestowed on only a few. Oh, fortunate me, if I were, from one so great And so perfect, Worthy of mercy here below, I would see my hope fulfilled.85 Everyone listened attentively to the song and praised it. Seeing that the song had come to an end, the Signora ordered Fiordiana, who was to tell the first 85. “Quando fra tante donne il vago sole / che mi dà morte e vita / muove gli ardenti suoi splendidi rai / di lei piú bella, Amor, non vidi mai. / Dico, felice è in vita / non chi la vede pur, ma chi parole / d’angelico intelletto / l’ode formar con la sua santa bocca: / grazia che forse a pochi oggi dí tocca. / O me ben nato, se d’un tanto oggetto / e ben cosí perfetto / degno per sua mercé qua giú mi sia, / e veggia il fin de la speranza mia.”

172 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA tale of the fourth night, to pick one and follow the order of the entertainment that had already begun. No less eager to speak than to listen, she began to speak in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 173 FOURTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Ricardo, the king of Thebes, has four daughters, one of whom goes wandering about the world and calls herself Costanzo instead of Costanza. She finds herself at the court of Cacco, the king of Bettinia, who, on account of her many great deeds, takes Costanza as his wife.86 Pretty and charming ladies, the tale told by Eritrea last evening has so stung my heart with shame that I almost refrained from telling a tale this evening.87 But the respect I bear for our Signora and the reverence I have for this honorable company compels and spurs me to tell one. Even though it is not as fine as the one Eritrea told, I will tell it nonetheless. And you will hear how a girl with a generous spirit and great courage, toward whom fortune was more favorable than reason, preferred to become a servant rather than dishonor her noble rank. After her long period of servitude, having become the wife of Cacco, she was satisfied and content, as you will hear in the course of my telling. In Thebes, a most noble city in Egypt, adorned with public and private buildings, full of shining fields, overflowing with very cool waters, and abundant in all those things that befit a glorious city, there reigned long ago a king, named Ricardo, who was a profoundly learned man of great courage. Desirous to have heirs, this man took as his wife Valeriana, the daughter of Marliano, king of Scotland, a truly perfect woman, physically beautiful and very gracious. He fathered three daughters with her, all of them adorned with good manners and as charming and beautiful as morning roses. One was called Valenzia, another Dorotea, and the third Spinella. Seeing his wife Valeriana at the point of not being able to have anymore children, and his three daughters at an age when they should have husbands, he decided to marry all three most honorably and to divide his kingdom in three parts, allotting one to each of the daughters and keeping enough to support himself, his family, and his court. He had decided to do this, and so it was done. The three daughters, then, were married to three very powerful crowned kings: one to the king of Scardona, another to the king of the Goths, and the third to the king of Scythia.88 Having allotted each of them a third of his kingdom as a dowry and kept a very small part for himself, which was meant to take care of his basic needs, the good king lived with his beloved wife Valeriana honestly and in peace. Not many years later, it happened that the queen, from whom the king did not expect any more offspring, became pregnant, and when the moment for her 86. ATU 514**, A Young Woman Disguised as a Man Is Wooed by the Queen. 87. She is referring to the lascivious protagonist of tale 3.5, Isotta. 88. Scardona, or Skradin, is located on the Dalmatian coast in what is now Croatia. In Straparola’s day “Goti” referred to a people who lived in Sweden. “Scythia” referred to a region north of the Black Sea. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 1:248nn3, 4, 5.

174 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA delivery arrived, she gave birth to a very beautiful baby girl, who was no less highly regarded and doted on by the king than the other three were. But she was not highly regarded and accepted by the queen. Not because the queen hated her, but because the whole kingdom had been divided in three parts and she did not see any way to be able to marry her properly, and she did not want to treat her as less than a daughter. But having given her to a capable wet nurse, the queen strictly ordered the nurse to take the greatest care of the girl, teaching her and giving her those courteous and praiseworthy manners that befit a beautiful and charming young woman. Day by day the young girl, whose name was Costanza, grew more beautiful and well mannered, nor was there anything that her wise teacher showed her that she did not learn extremely well. When she was twelve years old, Costanza had already learned to embroider, sing, play music, dance, and do all of those things that are suitable for a proper lady. But not satisfied with this, she devoted herself to the study of literature, which she embraced with such sweetness and delight, that not only during the day, but also at night, she was consumed by it, always striving to find things that were very refined. Next, more like a skilled and physically inclined man than a woman, she devoted herself to the art of war, taming horses, wielding weapons, and jousting.89 More often than not she was the winner and took the prize just as those brave knights who are worthy of all glory do. On account of all of these things, each and every one, Costanza was so loved by the king, the queen, and everyone that there was no limit to their love. When Costanza came of age, the king deeply regretted that he did not have any more land or riches to be able to marry her honorably and he often conferred with the queen about this. But the very prudent queen, who considered her daughter’s talents to be so many and so great that there was no woman who could equal her, was very happy. With sweet and affectionate words, she comforted the king, saying that he should be quiet and not worry at all, because some powerful lord, inflamed with love for her due to her worthy qualities, would not be adverse to taking her as a wife without a dowry. Not long after this, many brave men asked for their daughter’s hand in marriage, and among them was Brunello, the son of the illustrious marquis of Vivien. Therefore, the king, together with the queen, had their daughter summoned and then went to wait in a chamber. The king said, “Costanza, my beloved daughter, the time has come to marry you and we have found as husband for you a young man who will please you. He is the son of the illustrious marquis of Vivien, our very close friend; his name is Brunello and he is a very charming young man, clever and very courageous. The news of his exploits has already spread throughout the world. He does not ask anything from us other than our blessing and your 89. Costanza has the skills and talents demanded of Renaissance ladies combined with those ascribed to the perfect Renaissance courtier, that is, arms and letters, as described in Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier. She is thus a perfect lady who is well prepared to assume a male identity.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 175 delicate person, which he values more than every kingdom or treasure. You know, my daughter, that due to our poverty we cannot marry you more nobly. However, you will be content with this, for this is our will.” Their daughter, who was wise and considered herself born into a noble lineage, listened attentively to her father’s words, and without waiting a moment responded to him in this way, “Your Majesty, it is not necessary that I expound on this subject using many words in order to give you a reply to your worthy proposal, but I will say only what the subject requires. And first, I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the good will and affection that you have shown me in trying to give me a husband for whom I did not ask. Next, speaking with all due respect and humility, I do not intend to debase the descendants of my ancestors, who in all ages were famous and illustrious, nor do I want to disgrace your crown by taking as a husband one who is our inferior. You, my beloved father, have produced four daughters, three of whom you have married most honorably to three powerful kings, giving them very large treasures and territories. Now you want to see me, who was always obedient to you and your rules, joined in such a lowly marriage? Therefore, in conclusion, I say that I will never take a husband unless I, like my other three sisters, will have a king befitting my station.” After she had said good-bye to the king and queen—not without them shedding very bitter tears—and mounted a powerful horse, she left Thebes alone and set off in the direction where fortune led her. Riding about aimlessly, Costanza changed her name and called herself Costanzo rather than Costanza. She rode past different mountains, lakes, and pools; she saw many countries, heard various languages, and studied the manners and the customs of the inhabitants who lived their lives not like men, but like beasts. Finally, one day at sunset she arrived at a celebrated, renowned, and famous city called Costanza, which was ruled then by Cacco, king of Bettinia,90 and was the capital of the province. Once she had entered the city, she began to gaze at the magnificent buildings, the straight and broad streets, the flowing and wide rivers, the limpid and clear fountains, and, as she approached the square, she saw the spacious and lofty palace of the king, the columns of which were of the finest marbles, porphyries, and serpentines. She raised her eyes upward a little and saw the king, who was on a loggia that dominated the entire square. Having removed her hat from her head, she greeted him respectfully. The king, seeing that the young man was so charming and handsome, had him summoned. When he arrived before the king, he asked him where he came from and what his name was. The young man replied with a cheerful face that he had come from Thebes, pursued by envious and fickle fortune, that his name was Costanzo and that he gladly desired to attach himself to some upstanding gentleman in order to serve 90. This is perhaps Bithynia, a region in ancient Anatolia, Turkey.

176 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA him with that fidelity and love that one should. The king, who very much liked the looks of the young man, said, “Since you already bear the name of my city, I want you to stay at my court and do nothing but wait on me.” The young man, who wanted nothing more, first thanked the king and then accepted him as his lord, offering to do anything put before him. So while dressed as a man in the service of the king, Costanzo served him with such grace that everyone who saw him was astounded and amazed. The queen, who was studying his very elegant movements, praiseworthy manners, and prudent behavior, began to look at him more closely and was so hotly inflamed by love for him that she thought of nothing but him day and night. With sweet and loving glances, she so intently made eyes at him that every hard stone and solid diamond would have softened. Loving Costanzo in this way then, the queen desired nothing so much as to meet with him. And when one day the right time came to speak with him, she asked him if he was willing to serve her, because by serving her, besides the reward he would receive, he would not only be looked upon favorably by the entire court, but also be esteemed and highly respected. Costanzo realized that the words that came from the queen’s mouth proceeded not from any honest goodwill that she had, but from amorous love. Costanzo, thinking that because she was a woman she was not able to satisfy the queen’s unbridled and eager desire, humbly replied in this way with a pale countenance, “Madame, so great is the service I provide for my lord and your husband, that it would seem to me to behave very rudely toward him if I were to walk away from my allegiance and his will. So you must excuse me, then, madame, if you do not find me ready and willing to do your bidding, since I intend to serve my lord until my death, or as long as my service pleases him.” After taking her leave, she departed. The queen, who knew well that you cannot knock down a hard oak with one blow, many, many times did her best with guile and art to lure the man into her service. But he, steadfast and strong like a high tower lashed by raging winds, did not move at all. Seeing this, her burning hot love became bitter, mortal hatred, so that she could no longer look at him. And eager for his death, she thought day and night of how she could remove him from her sight, but she greatly feared the king, who loved him deeply and was very fond of him. In the countryside of Bettinia, there ruled a type of men who from the waist up had the shape of human beings, although their ears and horns were like those of an animal. But from the waist down, they had the hairy limbs of a goat, with a little curly tail like that of a pig, and they were called satyrs.91 They attacked the villages, the farms, and the men in the countryside with devastating results, 91. The satyrs of Greek mythology and their Roman corollary the fauns, as well as the satyrs of sixteenth-century pastoral dramas such as Torquato Tasso’s Aminta (1575), were traditionally depicted as possessing both an unbridled, savage sexuality and Dionysian tendencies that led them to rape and

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 177 and the king very much wanted to have a live one in his power; however, no one was courageous enough to capture one and bring it to him. Therefore, the queen thought to kill Costanzo by this means, but it did not happen, since the deceiver often ends up under the feet of the deceived, thus enabling divine providence and supreme justice to prevail. The deceitful queen, who clearly was aware of the king’s wish, while speaking with him one day about various things, said among them, “My lord, don’t you know Costanzo, your most faithful servant, is so powerful and strong that his courage suffices to capture a satyr without anyone’s help and to bring it to you alive? Since this is true, as I know it is, you would easily be able to test him and in the same moment fulfill your wish and allow him, a powerful and strong knight, to attain a victory that will bring him everlasting fame.” The king very much liked the clever queen’s words, and he immediately had Costanzo summoned and spoke these words to him: “Costanzo, if you love me as you demonstrate and as everyone believes, you will fulfill my wishes completely and you will bring glory to yourself. You must know that there is nothing in this world that I yearn for and desire more than to have a satyr under my control. Therefore, since you are strong and brave, there is not a man in this kingdom who could better please me than you. Loving me as you love me, you will not deny me this request.” The young man, who knew that this was coming from somewhere other than from the king, did not want to disappoint him, but with a pleasant and happy face said, “My lord, this and more you can command me. And although my forces are weak, I will not, however, refrain from satisfying your wish, even if I should meet my death. But before I set out on this dangerous quest, you, my lord, will order a large earthenware jar to be carried to the forest where the satyrs live with a wide opening that is no smaller than those in which the servants wash shirts and other linen garments with lye. Near there have them bring good-sized barrel of Vernaccia wine, the best and strongest that you can find, along with two big sacks of the whitest bread.” The king quickly carried out all that Costanzo had proposed. And once in the forest, Costanzo took a copper bucket and began to draw the Vernaccia from the barrel, putting it in the big earthenware jar, which was nearby, and having taken the bread and broken it into pieces, he also put it in the jar full of Vernaccia. Then he climbed up a very leafy tree, waiting to see what would come of it. As soon as the young man Costanzo had gone up the tree, the satyrs, who had already caught a whiff of the strong wine, began to turn up at the earthenware jar and they stuffed themselves not unlike ravenous wolves that have come upon a flock of sheep. After they had filled their big bellies and were sated, they began sleeping, and they slept so soundly and deeply that all the loud noises in the world pillage. Straparola’s satyrs, however, initially seem more akin to the destructive monsters in his other tales (the dragon in 10.3 and the wild horses in 5.1) in that he does not specify that they attack women.

178 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA would not have wakened them then. Seeing this, Costanzo climbed down from the tree and, approaching one of them, bound his hands and feet with a rope that he had brought with him and, without being heard by anyone, he put him on his horse and led him away. Riding with the satyr tightly bound, the young man Costanzo then arrived in a village not very far from the city at the hour of vespers, and the beast, his drunkenness already worn off, woke up. As if rising from bed, he began to yawn, and looking around, he saw the father of a family in profound mourning who accompanied a dead little boy to the grave. He was crying and the priest who was performing the funeral rites was singing. The satyr smiled broadly at this. When he had entered the city and arrived in the square, he saw a crowd that was staring intently at a poor young man who was about to be hanged on the gallows by the executioner. The satyr laughed even more at this. And when he arrived at the palace, everyone began to wave with joy and yell, “Costanzo! Costanzo!” Seeing this, the animal burst out laughing even harder. Standing before the king, the queen, and her ladies, Costanzo presented the satyr to them. If the satyr had laughed before, now his laughter was so great that everyone present was more than a little amazed. The king, seeing that Costanzo had satisfied his wish, showered on him more affection than a master has ever showered on a servant; however, torment upon torment grew inside the queen who, thinking to destroy Costanzo with her words, only bettered his standing. Unable to bear the great success that she saw him achieve, the wicked woman devised a new deceit, which went as follows. She knew that the king usually went every morning to the prison where the satyr dwelt, and tried to get him to speak for his amusement, but he was never able to force him to speak. Therefore, she went to the king and said, “My lord king, many, many times have you gone to the satyr’s rooms and you have labored to make him speak to you in order to amuse yourself. Yet never has the beast wanted to talk. Why do you wish to continue to beat your head against the wall? Know that if Costanzo wants to, you can be sure that he is up to the task of making him talk and respond as best he sees fit.” Hearing this, the king immediately had Costanzo summoned. Once he was standing before him, the king said to him, “Costanzo, I am certain that you know how much pleasure I get from the satyr that you caught, but it pains me to think that he is mute and he doesn’t want to respond to my questions at all. If you want to do your duty as I believe you do, I have no doubt that he will speak.” “My lord,” Costanzo replied, “if the satyr is mute, what can I do? To give him the power of speech is not a human office, but divine. But if the impediment proceeds not from a natural or accidental defect, but from a fierce stubbornness of not wanting to respond, I will do everything in my power to make him speak.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 179 And having gone with the king to the satyr’s prison, Costanzo brought him something good to eat and something even better to drink and said to him, “Eat Chiappino!” for he had given him this name, and the satyr stared back at him and did not respond. “Ah, speak Chiappino, I beg you, and tell me if you like that capon and if that wine pleases you.” And he was still silent. Seeing his obstinate will, Costanzo said, “You don’t want to answer me, Chiappino? You really are doing what is worse for you, for I will make you die of hunger and thirst in prison.” The satyr looked askance at him. Costanzo then said, “Answer, because if, as I hope, you will speak with me, I promise to free you from this place.” Chiappino, who was listening attentively to everything, when he heard freedom mentioned said, “And what do you want from me?” “Have you eaten well and drank as you wished?” “Yes,” replied Chiappino. “Then tell me, I beg you, please,” said Costanzo, “what was with you when you were laughing when we were on the road and saw a dead boy being carried to the grave?” To which Chiappino replied, “I laughed not at the boy’s death, but at the father, whose son was not dead and he was crying, and at the priest, whose son it was, and who was singing. This means that the mother of the dead boy was the priest’s mistress.” “I would like to hear more from you, my Chiappino; what moved you to laugh even harder when we arrived in the square?” “I was moved to laugh,” replied Chiappino, “because a thousand thieves, who have stolen thousands of florins from the public and deserve a thousand gallows, were there in the square to stare at a poor wretch who was led to the gallows and had only snatched ten florins to support perhaps himself and his family.” “After this, tell me kindly, when we arrived at the palace, why were you laughing even harder?” “Ah, do not force me to speak anymore now, I beg you,” said Chiappino, “but go and return tomorrow when I will answer you and tell you things about which you know nothing.” Hearing this, Costanzo said to the king, “Let us go, for tomorrow we will return and we will hear what he wants to say.” Having left then, the king and Costanzo ordered that Chiappino be given a lot to eat and drink, so that he would be better able to chat. The next day, they both returned to Chiappino and they found him huffing and snoring like a fat pig. Costanzo approached him and then called him several times in a loud voice. But Chiappino, who was stuffed, slept and did not respond at all. Extending an arrow that he held in his hand, Costanzo stuck him so hard that he really felt it and when he was awake, Costanzo asked him, “Come on now,

180 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA tell us, Chiappino, what you promised yesterday. Why did you laugh so loud when we arrived at the palace?” To which Chiappino replied, “You know much better than I, for everyone was yelling ‘Costanzo, Costanzo!’ and you are, however, Costanza.” The king in that moment did not understand what Chiappino meant. But Costanzo, who had understood everything, in order that Chiappino would not go any further, cut him off saying “But when you were before the king and queen, what moved you to have to laugh so uncontrollably?” To which Chiappino responded, “I laughed wildly, because the king, and even you, still believe that the maidens who serve the queen are maidens; however, the majority of them are not maidens.” And then he was quiet. When he heard this, the king was wrapped in thought. Without saying anything, he left the sylvan satyr and absolutely wanted to clear up everything with his Costanzo. And after investigating, he discovered that Costanzo was a woman and not a man, and the beautiful maidens young men, as Chiappino had told him. And in that moment the king had a very large fire lit in the middle of the square, and with all of the people present he had the queen and all of her maidens roasted. Having considered Costanza’s praiseworthy loyalty and sincere fidelity, and seeing that she was very beautiful, he married her in the presence of all of the barons and knights. When he heard whose daughter she was, he rejoiced greatly and he sent ambassadors to King Ricardo, his wife Valeriana, and the three sisters, to tell them how Costanza had married a king, and everyone felt the happiness that one should. And so Costanza, noble and magnanimous, became a queen as a reward for her good service and lived with King Cacco for a long time. Fiordiana’s tale had already come to an end when the Signora made a sign that her riddle must follow. Fiordiana, who was a bit haughty then, although it was not her nature, spoke thus: A gentle spirit tames two fierce lions, And on their backs she seats herself. The four at her side she considers to be great paragons: Prudence, charity, fortitude, and faith. In her right hand the brand, sweet and welcomed by the good, Harsh and bitter to the wicked and without mercy. Neither discord nor inequity reign in her, Whoever embraces her is worthy of all praise.92 92. “Doma un spirto gentil due fier leoni / e sopra il dorso lor ferma sua sede. / Quattro a canto ritien gran parangoni, / prudenza, carità, fortezza, e fede. / In destra il brando, dolce e grata a’ buoni, / amara a’ tristi, e nuda di mercede. / Discordia in lei né iniquità non regna; / chi questa abbraccia, è d’ogni lode degna.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 181 The learned riddle told by wise Fiordiana was highly praised by everyone, and there were some who interpreted it in one way, and some in another way. But no one immediately understood it, for their explanations diverged far from the truth. Fiordiana, seeing this, said boldly, “Ladies and gentlemen, you labor in vain, for the answer to my riddle is none other than infinite and equitable justice, which like a gentle spirit tames and restrains the fierce, ravenous lions, meaning unsubduable and haughty men, and on them sets and establishes her seat, keeping the sharp sword in her right hand. She is accompanied by the four virtues—prudence, charity, fortitude, and faith—and she is gentle and sweet to the good, and harsh and bitter to the wicked.”93 When the true solution of the riddle was finished and all were satisfied, the Signora commanded graceful Vicenza to follow the order and tell a tale. And eager to obey, she spoke thus.

93. The riddle and its solution is combination of the three of the four cardinal virtues, justice, prudence, and fortitude (the fourth is temperance), and two of the three theological virtues, charity and faith (the third is hope).

182 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FOURTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE The Athenian Erminione Glaucio takes Filenia Centurione as his wife. When he becomes jealous, he accuses her in court, and thanks to Ippolito, her beloved, she is freed and Erminione condemned. There would be nothing in the world, charming ladies, sweeter, more delightful, or better than to find oneself in the service of Love, were it not for that bitter fruit of sudden jealousy, a fugitive from Cupid’s assaults, a deceiver of women in love, a most determined seeker of their deaths. Therefore, a tale comes to me that should truly please you, for through it you will easily be able to understand that harsh and unhappy end that befell an Athenian gentleman who with his cold jealousy thought his wife would end up in the hands of justice, and in the end he was condemned to die. The judgment will be sweet for you to hear for, if I am not mistaken, I think that you are still in love. In Athens, a very ancient city in Greece, dwelling place and shelter of all learning in the past, but now, due to its arrogant pride completely ruined and destroyed, there was a gentleman, called Messer Erminione Glaucio by name, a truly great man who was highly esteemed in the city and very rich, but lacking brains. Since he was already getting on in years and childless, he decided to marry and took as a wife a young lady called Filenia, the daughter of Messer Cesarino Centurione. A marvelous beauty endowed with infinite virtues, she came from a noble lineage; nor was there another woman in the city who could compare. And since he feared that due to her remarkable beauty she would be importuned by many men and led into some ignominious error for which he would then be held up for derision, he decided to put her in a high tower in his palace so that no one would see her. And it was not long before the poor old man, without knowing the reason why, became so jealous of her that he almost did not trust himself with her. It happened that in the city there was also a student from Crete called Ippolito, who, although young in years, was shrewd and very clever, and on account of his kindness and charm was very much loved and respected by everyone. He had desired Filenia for a long time before she was married and furthermore he maintained close ties with Messer Erminione, who loved him no less than if he were his son. Since he was quite tired of studying and wished to restore his flagging spirits, he left Athens and went to Candia,94 where he stayed for some time. When he returned to Athens, he discovered that Filenia had married. This made him exceedingly sad, and he was much more distressed when he saw himself deprived of being able to see her when he wanted; nor could he stand that such a beautiful and charming young girl was bound in matrimony with such a toothless, drooling old man. 94. A city on the island of Crete.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 183 The lover Ippolito, no longer able to patiently endure the ardent pangs and sharp arrows of Love, did his best to find some secret ways and means by which he could satisfy his desires. Since many sprang to mind, he very wisely chose one that seemed best to him. So, he went to the shop of his neighbor the carpenter and ordered from him two very long, wide, and high chests of equal size and shape, so that it was not easy to tell one from the other. Then he went to Messer Erminione and, pretending to need to speak with him, quite cleverly said these words to him: “My Messer Erminione, I have always loved and respected you like a father. If I did not know that you love me, I would not so boldly dare to request any favor of you; but, since I have always found you to be affectionate with me, I did not doubt at all that I would be able to obtain from you that which my heart yearns for and desires. I must go all the way to the city of Frenna for some very important business of mine, where I will stay until it is all settled. And because there is no one at home that I can trust, for I am in the hands of servants and maids of whom I cannot be sure, I would like, if you please, to leave with you one of my chests full of the most precious things that I own.” Messer Erminione, not realizing the student’s trick, replied that he would be happy to do so, and so that it would be more secure, he would put it in the room where he slept. The student gave him the greatest thanks that he knew how to give and could give, promising to always remember this favor and then he fervently begged him that he be so kind as to go all the way to his house so that he could show him those things that he had stored in the chest. After Messer Erminione had gone to Ippolito’s house, Ippolito showed him a chest full of clothing, jewelry, and necklaces of no small value. Then he called one of his servants and after presenting him to Messer Erminione, said, “Every time, Messer Erminione, this servant of mine comes to take away the chest, trust him as if he were me.” When Messer Erminione had gone, Ippolito got into the other chest that was similar to the one that held the clothing and jewelry and, having shut himself inside, he ordered the servant to carry it there to the place he knew. Aware of the truth and most obedient to his master, the servant called a porter, and having placed it on his shoulders, he brought it to the tower where the chamber was in which Messer Erminione slept with his wife at night. Messer Erminione was one of the most eminent men in the city, and because he was a very rich and very powerful man, it happened that on account of his standing he needed to go away for a few days against his will, all the way to a place called Port Pyrrheus, twenty furlongs from the city of Athens, in order to resolve certain pending legal cases and quarrels between the city dwellers and the people in the countryside. Therefore Messer Erminione left unhappily, due to the jealousy that plagued him day and night. The young man locked in the chest often heard the beautiful

184 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA woman moan, lament, and cry, cursing her cruel fate and the hour and the moment that she married the man who was destroying her. He waited for the opportune moment when she had fallen asleep. And when it seemed that she had just drifted off, he got out of the chest, approached the bed and said, “Wake up, my love, I am your Ippolito.” She awoke and, upon seeing and recognizing him, for the lamp was lit, she wanted to scream. But the young man, having placed his hand over her mouth, did not let her scream, but almost in tears said, “Be quiet, my sweetheart, don’t you see that I am Ippolito, your faithful lover, for whom without you life is tedious?” Once the young woman had calmed down a bit and considered the merits of the old man Erminione and those of the young man Ippolito, she was not unhappy with this situation, but lay the entire night with him engaged in amorous conversation, blaming her spineless husband’s actions, and organizing things so that they would be able to meet again sometime soon. When day came, the young man closed himself in the chest and at night he came out as he pleased and lay with her. Many days had already passed when Messer Erminione, both due to the inconvenience he suffered and the rabid jealousy that was continually vexing him, settled the differences of that place and returned home. Ippolito’s servant, who had learned of Messer Erminione’s arrival, did not wait long to go to him and ask for the chest in his master’s name, which, according to their agreement, was graciously returned to him, and having hired a porter he brought it home. After he got out of the chest, Ippolito headed toward the square, where he bumped into Messer Erminione. They embraced and Ippolito courteously thanked him for the kind favor, as best he knew and could, offering that both he himself and his belongings would always be at Erminione’s service. Now it happened that one morning Messer Erminione was lying in bed longer than usual with his wife when there appeared on the wall before his eyes some gobs of spit that were much higher and farther up than his own. Then, inflamed by his great jealousy, he was quite shocked and began to carefully consider to himself if that spit was his, or someone else’s, and although he had considered it well and reconsidered it, he could never convince himself that he had done it. Therefore, greatly fearing what had happened to him, he turned to his wife and with a troubled face said to her, “Whose spit is that up so high? That’s not my spit! Never did I spit that way, and me you did betray.”95 Filenia, then, smiling at this replied to him, “Don’t you have anything else to think about?” Seeing her laugh, Messer Erminione became much more enraged and said, “You laugh! Oh, what a wicked woman you are, what are you laughing about?” “I am laughing,” Filenia said, “at your foolishness.” 95. Erminione’s words rhyme in Italian: “io mai non gli sputai, certo che tradito mi hai.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 185 He was secretly consumed by this and wanted to see if he was able to spit so high. Now hacking, now coughing up phlegm, he tried hard to hit the mark, but he labored in vain, since the spit came back, fell on his face, and was smeared all over him. Having tried this several times, the poor old man found himself in ever worse shape. Seeing this, he concluded for certain that he had been deceived by his wife; and having turned to her, he said the rudest things that were ever said to a wicked woman. And if he had not been afraid of himself, he would have killed her with his own hands in that moment, but he restrained himself, wanting instead to proceed according to the law, rather than sully his hands with her blood. Therefore, not happy with this but full of rage and indignation, he went to the palace of justice and before the magistrate lodged an accusation against his wife for having committed adultery. But because the magistrate was unable to condemn her unless he first followed the law, he sent for her in order to diligently question her. There was in Athens a law that was strictly obeyed, that any woman who was accused of adultery by her husband be placed at the foot of a red column, on top of which lay a serpent, then she had to swear that she had not committed adultery. Once she had sworn, she had to place her hand in the serpent’s mouth, and if she had sworn falsely, the serpent would immediately snap her hand off at the wrist, if not she would remain unharmed. Ippolito, who had already sensed that the case had come to trial and that the magistrate had sent for the woman to appear in court to defend herself, quickly, like a clever person who wished to save her, took off his robes and donned a madman’s rags so that she would not be caught in the snare of an ignominious death. Without being seen by anyone, he left home and ran like a madman to the palace, doing the craziest things in the world. As the magistrate’s guards led the young woman to the palace, the entire city gathered to see how it would turn out; and the madman, pushing this person and that, made his way forward in order to put his arm around the disheartened woman’s neck and gave her a passionate kiss. Because her hands were bound behind her, she was unable to defend herself from the kiss. When the young woman then came before the court, the magistrate said to her, “Filenia, as you see, here is Messer Erminione, your husband, and he charges that you have committed adultery, and so he asks that I punish you according to the law, and so you will swear whether the sin your husband accuses you of is true.” The young woman, who was clever and very wise, boldly swore that no one had ever touched her, save for her husband and that madman who was present. After Filenia had sworn this, the ministers of justice led her to the serpent. When Filenia’s hand was placed in the serpent’s mouth, it did not harm her in the least, since she had confessed the truth, that no one had touched her besides her husband and that madman.

186 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA When the people and her relatives who had come there to see the horrific spectacle saw this, they judged her to be completely innocent and shouted that Messer Erminione deserved the same death the woman would have endured. But because he was a high-born noble and one of the eminent men in the city, the magistrate did not want him to be publicly burned, as the law allowed. Instead, so as not to fail in his duty, he only condemned him to prison, where a short time later, he died. And so Messer Erminione’s rabid jealousy ended miserably and the young woman was saved from an ignominious death. Not many days after, Ippolito took her as his legitimate wife, and lived happily with her for many years. When the tale recounted by prudent Vicenza—which the women liked very much—ended, the Signora commanded her to follow the order with her riddle. Having raised her pleasant and beautiful face, instead of a song, she spoke thus: With passionate love, hope, and desire A beast is born, thin and pale, And with a handsome face, meek and pious. Like ivy it snakes around the trunk, It feeds on bitter and black-hearted sorrow And goes about dressed in sackcloth. It lives on anxiety and grows on pain, Wretched is he who falls into such grave error.96 Here Vicenza ended her riddle, which was interpreted differently by different members of the group, but no one had such a learned wit that they understood it. Seeing this, Vicenza first heaved a passionate sigh, then, with a bright face, spoke thus, “The answer to the riddle I proposed is none other than frigid jealousy, which emaciated and pale is born at the same time as Love and embraces men and women as friendly ivy does the dear trunk. She feeds herself on sorrow since the jealous always live in anxiety. She dresses in mourning sackcloth, for the jealous are always melancholy.” This explanation pleased everyone very much and especially Signora Chiara, whose husband was jealous of her. But so that no one would know that it had been told about that husband, for him, the Signora commanded that they silence their laughter and that Lodovica, whose turn it was to tell a tale, begin; she began in this way.

96. “Con sviserato amor, speme e desio / nasce una fiera macra e scolorita; / e ’n un bel volto mansueto e pio / com’ellera si serpe a tronco ordita; / si pasce di cordoglio acerbo e rio / e va di panno brun sempre vestita. / Vive in affanno e cresce nel dolore, / miser chi cade in un sí grande errore.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 187 FOURTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Ancilotto, the king of Provins, takes a baker’s daughter as his wife and with her fathers three children, who, after being tormented by the king’s mother, are recognized by their father thanks to some water, an apple, and a bird.97 I have always heard, pleasant and charming ladies, that man is the most noble and clever animal that nature ever created, since God created him in His image and likeness and wanted him to rule and not be ruled over. And for this reason, they say that man is a perfect animal and of greater perfection than every other animal, because all animals, not excluding even women, are subject to man.98 It follows that that those people who through cunning and art wish to bring about the death of such a worthy animal act in bad faith. And it is not surprising if these people, while they are trying to bring about the death of others imprudently meet their own end, as did four women who, while thinking to deceive others, in the end were tricked and ended their lives miserably, as you will easily understand through this tale I intend to tell you now. In Provins,99 a very famous and regal city, there were in former times three sisters, pretty in their appearance, polite in their behavior, and mannerly, but from a humble lineage, for they were the daughters of a certain Maestro Rigo, a baker who endlessly baked bread for others in his oven. One of the sisters was called Brunora, another Lionella, and the third Chiaretta. One day all three of them were in the garden, which they were enjoying immensely, when King Ancilotto, who for his amusement was going hunting with a large retinue, passed by there. Seeing such a fine and honorable company, Brunora, who was the eldest sister, said to her sisters Lionella and Chiaretta, “If I had the king’s majordomo as my husband, I swear proudly, that with one glass of wine, I would satisfy his entire court.” “And I,” said Lionella, “I’ll brag that if I had the king’s valet as my husband, I would make so much cloth with one spindle of my thread, that I would provide his entire court with very beautiful and very fine shirts.” “And I,” said Chiaretta, “I’ll brag that if I had the king for my husband, I would give birth to three children at once, two boys and a girl, and each of them would have shoulder-length hair, tied up and braided with very fine gold, a necklace around their necks, and a star on their brows.” These words were overheard by one of the courtiers, who ran immediately to the king and told him exactly what the three girls had said to each other. When he understood the tenor of their conversation, he had them summoned before 97. ATU 707, The Three Golden Children. 98. The narrator’s observations are based on the creation stories in Genesis. 99. Provins is a town in northeast France.

188 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA him and questioned them one by one about what they had said to each other when they were in the garden. To which all three with the greatest reverence repeated what they had said in an orderly way. King Ancilotto liked this very much. And the king did not leave there until the majordomo took Brunora as a wife, and the valet Lionella, and he Chiaretta. And having abandoned the hunt, everyone returned to his home, where the splendid nuptials were held. This wedding greatly displeased the king’s mother, for although the girl was good looking, had a pretty face, a charming personality, and a very sweet way of speaking, she was not, however, suitable to the king’s high station and power because she was a lowly, base girl from humble stock. His mother was likewise unable to bear that a majordomo and a valet were called the brothers-in-law of her son the king. Therefore, the mother-in-law’s hatred for her daughter-in-law grew so much that she could not bear to hear her, let alone see her; but in order not to sadden her son, she kept this hatred hidden in her heart. As it pleased He who rules all, it happened that the queen became pregnant. The king took the utmost delight in this news, and he waited with great joy to see the noble brood that she had promised him. A few days later, the king had to ride to another country and remain there for a number of days. For this reason, he left the queen and the children to whom she would give birth in the care of his elderly mother, insisting that she take good care of them. Although she did not love nor wish to see her daughter-in-law, nonetheless she promised her son to take good care of them. Once the king had departed and left on his journey, the queen gave birth to three children, two boys and a girl. Just as the queen had promised the king when she was a maiden, all three had hair tied back and flowing loose over their shoulders, wore pretty little chains around their necks, and had a star on their foreheads. As soon as the dear babies were born, the king’s impudent and evil mother, lacking all charitable mercy and inflamed by pernicious and mortal hatred, firmly resolved, without changing her wicked plan, to kill them so that no one would ever hear of them and the queen would be disgraced before the king. Furthermore, because Chiaretta was queen and ruled over everything, envy as intense as there could be was born in her sisters who with their cunning and art continually strove to cause her to be hated by that unreasonable mother. It happened that at the time when the queen gave birth, three little mongrel pups were also born, two males and a female, which had stars on their foreheads and little ruff-like a collar around their necks. Moved by a diabolical spirit, the two envious sisters took the three mongrels that the mother was nursing and brought them to the wicked mother-in-law and, having curtsied properly, they said to her, “We know, Madame, that Your Highness has little affection for our sister, and rightly so, since she is of a lower station and a woman of such humble bloodlines like her is not suitable for your son and our king. Knowing your will, however, we have come here and we have brought you three mongrels that were born with a star on their foreheads so that we could have your view on this matter.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 189 This greatly pleased the mother-in-law and she thought to present them to her daughter-in-law, who did not yet know what she had delivered and to tell her that those were the babies to which she had given birth. And so that this trick would not be discovered, the evil old woman ordered the midwife to tell the queen that the children to whom she had given birth were three mongrels. Then the mother-in-law, as well as both of the queen’s sisters and the midwife, went to Chiaretta and said, “See, oh queen, what your fine labor has brought forth, keep them so that when the king comes, he can see this beautiful fruit.” After they had pronounced these words, the midwife placed the little dogs at Chiaretta’s side, comforting her, however, by saying that she should not despair because sometimes these things happen to persons of high station. Each of the villainous women had already carried out all of her evil and wicked plans and only one thing remained: to provide a bitter death for those completely innocent children. But God does not like us to stain our hands with our own blood, so they had a box made, sealed it well with soft pitch, and placed the children inside and shut it. Then they threw it into the river nearby and let it go wherever the water took it. Righteous God, who cannot bear that innocent blood suffer, sent a miller name Marmiato to the riverbank. When he saw the box, he took it, opened it, and found the three babies inside, who were laughing. And since they were very beautiful, he thought that they were the children of some great lady, who out of shame had committed such a violent deed. So after he had closed the box again and put it on his shoulder, he went home and said to his wife, who was called Gordiana, “My wife, look at what I found on the riverbank, I’m giving it to you as a gift.” Once she saw the children, Gordiana kindly welcomed them and she raised them no differently than if she had given birth to them. She named one boy Acquirino and the other Fluvio, because they had been found in the water, and she named the baby girl Serena. King Ancilotto was cheerful, thinking all along that upon his return he would find three beautiful children, but it did not happen as he thought, for the king’s cunning mother, as soon as she realized that her son was nearing the palace, went to meet him and told him that his dear wife had given birth to three mongrels instead of three children. And having led him into the room where his grieving wife was lying after the birth, she showed him the little dogs that Chiaretta kept at her side. And although the queen wept bitterly, still denying that she had given birth to them, the jealous sisters, no less, confirmed that everything that his old mother had said was true. Upon hearing this, the king was greatly troubled and almost collapsed from the grief; but then he came to somewhat, and was wavering between “yes” and “no” for a long while, and in the end he put all his trust in his mother’s words. And because the miserable queen was very patient and she endured the envy of the court with great courage, the king was moved by

190 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA pity to spare her life and instead ordered that she was to be put under the place where they wash the pots and bowls, and that she feed on the rubbish and rotting carcasses that fell down from the stinking, filthy basin. While the unhappy queen dwelt in that foul place, feeding on rubbish, Gordiana, the wife of the miller Marmiato, gave birth to a son, whom she named Borghino and she raised him lovingly with the other three children. Gordiana was in the habit of cutting the braided, long hair of the three children each month, from which there would fall precious jewels and large, white pearls. This was the reason that Marmiato abandoned the very lowly job of grinding flour and soon became rich, and Gordiana, the three children, and Borghino living comfortably and lovingly enjoyed themselves. When the three children were already youths, they discovered that they were not the children of the miller Marmiato and Gordiana, but were found in a box that was floating down the river. Therefore, they felt very sad, and yearning to test their fate, they asked their permission to leave, and set out. This did not please Marmiato and Gordiana, since they found themselves deprived of the treasure that fell from their blond locks and from their starred brows. After both brothers and their sister had left Marmiato and Gordiana and walked for many days, by chance the three of them arrived in Provins, the city of their father king Ancilotto, and there they rented a house and lived together, living on the revenue from the gems, jewels, and precious stones that fell from their heads. One day it happened that the king was strolling through the city with some of his courtiers and by chance passed by the place where the two brothers and sister were residing. Not having yet seen or met the king, they descended the stairs and went to the door. They first removed their hoods from their heads, then bent their knees, bowed their heads, and then greeted him respectfully. The king, who had the eye of peregrine falcon, stared fixedly at their faces and saw that all three had golden stars on their brows and immediately his heart was filled with rage knowing that those youngsters were his children. He stopped and said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” And they humbly replied, “We are poor foreigners who have come to live in this city.” The king said, “It pleases me greatly, and what are your names?” To which one said, “Acquirino.” The other said, “My name is Fluvio.” “And I,” said the sister, “am called Serena.” Then the king said, “Please, we invite all three of you to dine with us tomorrow.” The youths, blushing somewhat and unable to flatly refuse the most honest request, accepted the invitation.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 191 The king, having returned to the palace, said to his mother, “Madame, today while out strolling I saw by chance two charming youths and a pretty maiden, and all three had a golden star on their brows, and, if I am not mistaken, they appear to be the children that Queen Chiaretta had promised me.” When she heard this, the villainous old woman smiled a bit, but surely it was a knife that pierced her heart. She summoned the midwife who had delivered the children and secretly told her, “Do you know, my dear midwife, that the king’s children are alive and are as beautiful as ever?” To which the midwife replied, “How is this possible? Didn’t they drown in the river? And how do you know this?” To which the old woman replied, “From what I can understand of the king’s words, they are alive and we really need your help, otherwise all of us are in mortal danger.” The midwife replied, “Do not fear, Madame, because I hope to make all three perish.” The midwife set out and went immediately to the house of Acquirino, Fluvio, and Serena. She found Serena alone, greeted her, and discussed many things with her. After she had spoken with her for a long time, said to her, “Would you have, by chance, my daughter, some of that dancing water?” To which Serena replied no. “Ah, my daughter,” said the midwife, “how many beautiful things you would see if you had some of it, for if you washed your face with it, you would become much more beautiful than you are.” The girl said, “And how could I get some of it?” The midwife replied, “Send your brothers to search for it because they will find it since it is not far from here.” And having said this, she left. When Acquirino and Fluvio returned home, Serena went to meet them and begged them that for love of her they must try to get her this precious dancing water as quickly as possible. Making fun of her, they refused to go, for they did not know where on earth to find such a thing. But the humble entreaties of their beloved sister compelled them to go, so they took a small flask and left together. The two brothers had ridden on a road for many miles, when they arrived at a limpid, flowing spring where a snow-white dove was quenching its thirst. Putting aside all fear, it said, “Oh young men, what are you looking for?” To which Fluvio replied, “We are looking for that precious water that, as they say, dances.” “Oh you poor things,” said the dove, “ and who sends you to get this water?” To which Fluvio replied, “A sister of ours.” The dove then said, “You are certainly going to meet your deaths, since there are many poisonous animals there that will devour you as soon as they see you. But leave this job to me, because I will safely bring you some.”

192 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA She took the little flask that the young men had and, after tying it under her right wing, she rose in flight. After she had gone there where the fine water was and filled the little flask, she went back to the young men who were eagerly awaiting her return. Once they had received the water and properly thanked the dove, the young men returned home and presented the water to Serena their sister, explicitly ordering her not to ask them for any more favors, since they had risked their lives. Not many days had passed when the king once again saw the youngsters and said to them, “And why, having accepted the invitation, did you not come to dine with us during these past few days?” To which they respectfully replied, “Very urgent matters were the main reason for it.” Then the king said, “We expect you to dine with us tomorrow, without fail.” The young people apologized. When he returned to the palace, the king told his mother that he had again seen the youngsters who were starred on their brows. Hearing this, his mother became very troubled inside and once again had the midwife summoned. She secretly told her everything, begging her to take care of the imminent danger. The midwife comforted her and told her that she must not fear, since she would make sure that they would never be seen again. The midwife left the palace and went to the girl’s house. She found her alone and asked her if she had already obtained the dancing water. The girl replied yes, but not without great risk to her brothers’ lives. “But I would like very much,” said the midwife, “for you, my daughter, to have the singing apple, since you have never seen anything more beautiful, nor enjoyed a more mellifluous and sweet sound.” The girl said, “I don’t know how I can get it, since my brothers will not want to go to find it, because the risk to their lives was greater than their hope for survival.” “Although they brought you the dancing water,” said the old woman, “they did not, however, die. Just as they brought you the water, they will also bring you the apple.” And having taken her leave, she went away. No sooner had the midwife left than Acquirino and Fluvio arrived home and Serena said to them, “I, my brothers, would love to see and enjoy that apple that sings so sweetly. And if you do not do something to obtain it for me, know that you will soon see me dead.” Hearing this, Fluvio and Acquirino yelled at her a great deal, declaring that they did not want to risk their lives for her as they had done before. But so many were Serena’s sweet entreaties combined with those many tears that came from her heart, that Acquirino and Fluvio prepared themselves to fully satisfy her request, come what may.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 193 Therefore, once they had mounted their horses, they left and rode for so long that they arrived at an inn. They entered and asked the innkeeper if he, by chance, would be able to tell them where the apple that sings sweetly is at present. He responded yes to them, but that they could not go there, because the apple was in a lovely and delightful garden guarded and cared for by a lethal beast that kills all the people who come near the garden with its outspread wings. “But what should we do?” said the young men, “For we have resolved to obtain it at any cost.” The innkeeper replied, “If you do what I tell you, you will have the apple and you will not need to be afraid of the poisonous beast or of dying. Take, then, this robe completely covered in mirrors and one of you put it on. And only dressed in this manner should you enter the garden where you will find the door open, and the other one should stay outside the garden and be sure to stay out of sight. And once you have entered the garden, the beast will immediately come toward you and when it sees itself in the mirrors, it will quickly fall dead on the ground. When you get to the tree of the singing apple, grasp it gently and without looking back leave the garden.” The young men thanked the innkeeper profusely and set off and did as the innkeeper had told them to do. When they had the apple, they brought it to their sister, imploring her to never again force them to perform such dangerous deeds. After a few days had passed, the king saw the youngsters and had them summoned before him. He said to them, “Why did you not come to dine with us, as I had commanded?” To which Fluvio replied, “For no other reason, Signore, did we refrain from coming than for the various duties that kept us away.” The king said, “We expect you tomorrow and be sure that you do not miss it.” To which Acquirino replied that if they were able to settle some affairs, they would come most willingly. When he returned to the palace, the king said to his mother that he had seen the youngsters again, that they were dear to his heart, that he still believed they were the children that Chiaretta had promised him, and that his mind could not rest until they came to dine with him. The king’s mother, hearing these words, found herself suffering more than before, for she had no doubt that she would be discovered. Sorrowful and afflicted, she sent for the midwife and said to her, “I believed, my midwife, that the children had been killed by now and that we wouldn’t hear anymore news of them, but they are alive and we are in danger of dying. See to our affairs, otherwise all of us will perish.” The midwife replied, “Noble lady, take courage and do not worry yourself because I will see to it so that you will praise me and will not hear any more news of them.”

194 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And all indignant and full of fury, the midwife left and went to the girl. After saying good day, she asked her if she had obtained the singing apple. To which the girl replied yes. “Believe, my daughter, that you have nothing if you don’t also have a thing that is all the more beautiful and more charming than the first two.” “And what is this very charming and beautiful thing, my mother, that you are telling me about?” said the young woman. To which the old lady replied, “The green bird, my daughter, which speaks day and night and says marvelous things. If you had it in your power, you could call yourself happy and blessed.” And having said these words, she left. No sooner had the brothers come home than Serena confronted them and begged them not to refuse to do her just one favor. And having asked her what was the favor she wanted, she replied, “The green bird.” Fluvio, who had clashed with the poisonous beast and remembered the danger, absolutely refused to go. But Acquirino, even though he refused her many times, was moved in the end by fraternal compassion and by the hot tears Serena shed, and they decided together to do as she wished. They mounted their horses and rode for several days and finally they arrived at a flowering and verdant meadow, in the middle of which there was a very tall and quite leafy tree surrounded by various marble figures that seemed alive and there flowed a little brook nearby that crisscrossed the entire meadow. And on this tree the green bird played, jumping from branch to branch and uttering words that seemed not human, but divine. Dismounting their palfreys and leaving them to graze happily in the meadow, the young men approached the marble figures. As soon as the young men touched them, they, too, became marble statues. Serena, who for many months had waited eagerly for her beloved brothers Fluvio and Acquirino, thought that they were lost and that there was no hope of ever seeing them again. Therefore, feeling such regret and weeping over the unhappy death of her brothers, she decided to test her fate and, climbing on a strong horse, she set out and rode so long that she arrived at the place where the beautiful green bird dwelt on a branch of the leafy tree speaking sweetly. When she went into the green meadow, she immediately recognized her brothers’ palfreys that were feeding on tender grasses and moving her eyes now here and now there, she saw her brothers transformed into two statues that resembled them. She was completely astonished by this. And having climbed down from the horse and approached the tree, she reached out and put her hands on the beautiful green bird. When it saw itself deprived of its liberty, the bird beseeched her to free him and not keep him, because at the right time and place he would remember her. To which Serena replied that she did not want to do as he wished, unless first her brothers were restored to their previous form. Then the bird said, “Look under my left wing and you will find a feather much more green than the others and with

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 195 some yellow traces in it, take it and go to the statues. Touch their eyes with the feather, because as soon as you touch them, they will regain their previous form and they will return to life.” The young woman lifted his left wing and found the feather, just as the bird had told her. She went to the marble figures and touched them one by one with the feather. Immediately, the statues became men. When she saw that her brothers had returned to their former shape, she embraced and kissed them with great joy. Serena had gotten what she had wanted, so again the beautiful green bird begged the woman to kindly free him, promising her, that if she granted him this gift, he would be very useful for her, if she ever found herself in need of his help. Serena, not satisfied with this, replied that she would not free him until they discovered who their father and mother are and that he must patiently bear this burden. Great dissension arose among them due to the captured bird, but after much fighting, they agreed that it should be left to the woman, who looked after it with great care and was fond of it. So, having obtained the beautiful green bird, Serena and her brothers mounted the horses and returned home happy. When the king, who often passed in front of the youngsters’ house, did not see them, he was quite surprised and having asked the neighbors what became of them, he was told that they did not know anything and it had been a long time since they had seen them. Once they had returned, not two days had passed when the king saw them and asked them what had happened to them, for no one had seen them for such a long time. To which Acquirino replied that the reason was that some strange mishaps had befallen them, and if they had not gone to His Highness, as he wanted and was his wish, they begged his pardon and wanted to make amends for all of their mistakes. The king, having heard of their troubles and having felt great compassion, did not leave there without all of them agreeing to dine with him at the palace. Acquirino secretly grabbed the dancing water, Fluvio the singing apple, and Serena the beautiful green bird, and they happily entered the palace with the king and sat down at the table. The malicious mother and the jealous sisters, seeing such a beautiful daughter and such charming and attractive young lads whose eyes shone like pretty stars, were very suspicious and felt more than a little grief in their hearts. When they had finished dining, Acquirino said to the king, “Before the table is cleared, we would like to show Your Highness things that you will like very much,” and having taken a silver cup and put the dancing water in it, he placed it on the table. Fluvio his brother, having put his hand in his shirt, took out the singing apple and put it near the water. Serena, who held the beautiful green bird on her lap, lost no time in putting it on the table. There the apple began to sing a very sweet

196 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA song and the water began to dance marvelously to the song. The king and those present took such pleasure in this that they could not stop laughing. But then the wicked mother’s and sisters’ worry and suspicion grew, so that they greatly feared for their lives. When the song and dance were finished, the beautiful green bird began to speak and said, “Oh, Holy King, what would the person who caused the death of two brothers and a sister deserve?” To which the king’s cunning mother replied first, “Nothing other than fire,” and all the other women replied in the same way. Then the dancing water and the singing apple raised their voices saying, “Ah, false mother full of wickedness, you condemn yourself with your own tongue! And you evil and jealous sisters together with the midwife will be condemned to this torment.” The king was completely unsure of what he had heard. But the beautiful green bird, following their words, said, “Holy Crown, these are your three children whom you so greatly desired. These are your children who bear a star on their brows. And their most innocent mother is the one who up until now has been, and is, under the foul basin.” And ordering that the unhappy queen be pulled out of that stinking place, he had her dressed honorably, and when she was dressed she came before the king. Even though she had been a prisoner for a long time and had been mistreated, she nonetheless had preserved her former beauty, and in the presence of all the beautiful green bird recounted how the incident had unfolded from beginning to end. And the king then knowing the course of events, with many tears and sobs tightly embraced his wife and dear children. And the dancing water, the singing apple, and the beautiful green bird, which had been left alone, disappeared together in a second. The next day, the king commanded that a very big fire be lit in the middle of the square. Then he ordered that his mother, the two sisters, and the midwife be burned without any compassion before all the people. And the king then lived with his dear wife and his loving children for a long time, and having honorably married his daughter, he left his sons as the sole heirs of the kingdom. When the tale told by Lodovica, which had very much pleased the women, ended, the Signora commanded her to follow the order. And she without any delay proposed her riddle saying thus: On magnificent Mount Ghiraldo, Ringed all around by a thick hedge, I saw one with a rogue’s eye When the sun warms most the horns of Taurus. Its body is of the finest emerald, It speaks, laughs, and cries all day long.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 197 I told you all, save the name, Which I’d like to know from you.100 Various solutions for the riddle were proposed, but there was no one who hit the desired mark, save for pleasant Isabella, who all happy with a cheerful face said, “The answer to Lodovica’s riddle is none other than the parrot that stays in a closed iron cage which is the hedge, is green like an emerald, and talks all day long.” Having heard the clever answer to the obscure riddle highly praised by everyone, Lodovica, who had convinced herself that no one knew how to solve it, fell silent. But, after she had lost her vermillion blush, she turned toward Isabella, whose turn it was for the fourth tale, and said, “Isabella, I am sorry, but not because I am displeased by your merit, but because I view myself as inferior to these other companions of ours, who have wisely solved their own riddles without others providing solutions. But be sure that if I am able to repay you, I will not hold back.” Isabella, who was absolutely delighted, replied, “And you will do well, Signora Lodovica. But he who is first, never goes without.” The Signora, who saw their words multiplying, imposed silence on both of them, and then she commanded Isabella to follow the order with a tale, which she cheerfully began thus.

100. “Sovra il superbo monte di Ghiraldo, / cinto di forte siepe d’ogn’intorno, / un vidi star con occhio di ribaldo, / quando piú scalda il sol del tauro il corno. / La spoglia ha di finissimo smiraldo: / ragiona, ride e piange tutto il giorno. / Il tutto detto v’ho, restammi il nome: / vorrei saper da voi com’egli nome.”

198 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FOURTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Nerino, the son of King Gallese of Portugal, in love with Genobbia, the wife of the physician Maestro Raimondo Brunello, wins her love, takes her to Portugal, and Maestro Raimondo dies of grief. There are many people, delightful ladies, who, because they have labored a long time studying good books, think that they know many things, but in the end they know nothing or very little. And while these men think that they are showing off their learning, they gouge out their own eyes, as was the case with a doctor most learned in his art, who, convincing himself that he was duping others, was shamefully duped, not without great harm to himself, as you will be able to fully comprehend through this tale I intend to tell you. Gallese, the king of Portugal, had a son called Nerino. Gallese had him raised in the following way until he reached his eighteenth year. He was not allowed see any woman, except for his mother and the nurse who fed him. Then when Nerino came of age, the king decided to send him to the university in Padua, so that he could learn Latin and the Italian language and customs. And he did just what he had decided to do. Now when the young man Nerino was in Padua and had made friends with many students who courted him daily, it just so happened that among them there was a physician who was called Maestro Raimondo Brunello the physicist. Oftentimes while they were discussing different things together, they began to discuss the beauty of women, as is the habit of young men, with one of them saying one thing, and the other something else. Since he had never seen any women before except for his mother and his nurse, Nerino said with conviction that in his opinion there was no woman in the world more beautiful, more charming or more elegant than his mother. And having been shown many women, he held them all to be swine when compared to his mother. Maestro Raimondo, who had as his wife one of the most beautiful women that nature had ever created, put on the gossip’s wimple and said, “Signor Nerino, I have seen a woman of such beauty that if you were to see her, you would judge her to be no less beautiful, or rather more beautiful, than your mother.” To which Nerino replied that he could not believe that she was more beautiful than his mother, but that he would like to see her. To which Maestro Raimondo said, “When you are willing to see her, I will offer to show her to you.” “This will,” replied Nerino, “make me very happy, and I will be in your debt.” Maestro Raimondo then said, “If you’d like to see her, come tomorrow morning to the cathedral, because I promise that you will see her.” When he went home, he said to his wife, “Tomorrow, get out of bed early and fix your hair and make yourself beautiful and dress most honorably, for I want you to go to the cathedral at the hour of the high mass to hear the Office.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 199 Genobbia, for that was the name of Maestro Raimondo’s wife, was quite surprised by this since she was not used to going here and there, but for the most part stayed home sewing and embroidering. But because he wanted this and this was his wish, she did the following: she dressed herself and fixed her hair so that she seemed more like a goddess than a woman. After Genobbia had gone, then, to the sacred temple, just as her husband had ordered her to do, the king’s son Nerino came into the church, and when he saw Genobbia he thought to himself that she was very beautiful. When Genobbia had gone, Maestro Raimondo arrived and drawing near to Nerino said, “Now what do you think of this woman who just left the church? Does she seem to you to have any fault? Is she more beautiful than your mother?” “Truly,” said Nerino, “she is beautiful, and nature could not make her more beautiful. But tell me, please, whose wife she is and where she lives.” To which Maestro Raimondo did not respond at all, since he did not wish to tell him. Then Nerino said, “My dear Maestro Raimondo, if you do not wish to tell me who she is and where she lives, at least do me the favor of allowing me to see her another time.” “Most willingly,” replied Maestro Raimondo. “Tomorrow, come here to the church and I will make sure that you will see her as you did today.” When he went home, Maestro Raimondo said to his wife, “Genobbia, get yourself ready for tomorrow morning, because I want you to go to mass at the cathedral, and if ever you have made yourself beautiful and dressed magnificently, make sure that you do so tomorrow.” As before, Genobbia was surprised by this. But since her husband’s order mattered to her, she did everything he had ordered her to do. The next day, Genobbia, richly dressed and much more adorned than usual, went to church. And she was not there long when Nerino came, and seeing that she was so beautiful, he became as inflamed with love for her as any man has for a woman. And when Maestro Raimondo arrived, Nerino begged him to tell him who the woman was who in his eyes seemed so beautiful. But Maestro Raimondo, pretending to be in a hurry on account of his business affairs, did not want to tell him anything then, but leaving the young man to stew in his own juices, left happily. Therefore Nerino, quite enraged by the disregard that Maestro Raimondo had shown him, said to himself, “You do not want me to know who she is and where she lives, but I will find out in spite of you.” After he had left the church, he waited until the beautiful woman came out of the church and after bowing to her, with an unassuming air and cheerful countenance he accompanied her home. Having then clearly understood in which house she lived, Nerino began to gaze longingly at her, nor would a day pass without him passing in front of her house ten times. And yearning to speak with her, he went about thinking which path he should take so that the woman’s

200 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA honor would be preserved and he would obtain what he wished. He thought about it over and over again without finding any efficacious remedy, but finally he devised a plan by which he would befriend a little old lady whose house was opposite Genobbia’s. And having given her certain little presents and sealed their close friendship, he secretly entered her house. The little old lady’s house had a window that looked onto a room in Genobbia’s house, and through that he was easily able to see her go all through the house. He did not wish to show himself, however, in order to not give her a reason for which she would no longer let herself be seen. Secretly gazing lovingly at her every day and unable to resist the blazing flame that burned his heart, Nerino decided to write her a letter and throw it into her house in a moment when it appeared that her husband was not home. And so he threw it to her. And he did this many times. But Genobbia threw it in fire and burned it without reading it or thinking twice. And even though she did this several times, nonetheless one time she decided to open one and see what was inside. When she opened it and saw that the author was Nerino, the son of the king of Portugal, who was madly in love with her, she was astonished. But then upon considering the sorry life that her husband provided for her, she grew bold and began to look kindly on Nerino. Having given him the command, she ushered him into the house. The young man told her of the great love that he bore for her, and the torment he felt always for her, as well as the way in which he fell in love with her. And she, who was beautiful, pleasant and compassionate, did not deny him her love. The two of them were joined in reciprocal love and conversing amorously when suddenly here comes Maestro Raimondo knocking at the door. Hearing this, Genobbia made Nerino lie down on the bed and, drawing the curtains, had him stay there until her husband left. Her husband entered the house, grabbed a few small things, and left without realizing anything. And Nerino did likewise. The next day while in the square taking a stroll, Nerino passed Maestro Raimondo by chance and motioned that he wanted to speak with him. Approaching him, he said, “Messere, don’t I have some good news to tell you?” “And, what is it?” said Maestro Raimondo. “Don’t I know,” said Nerino, “the house of that very beautiful lady? And did I not have a pleasant conversation with her? And because her husband came home, she hid me in the bed and drew the curtains, so that he couldn’t see me, and he left immediately.” Maestro Raimondo said, “Is this possible?” Nerino replied, “Possible it is, and true, nor have I ever seen a more merry nor a more graceful woman. If by chance, my good sir, you visit her, be sure to speak well of me, asking her to keep me in her good graces.” Maestro Raimondo promised to do this and reluctantly left. But first he said to Nerino, “Will you return to see her?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 201 To which Nerino replied, “You can guess yourself.” And when Maestro Raimondo went home, he did not want to say anything to his wife, but waited for the time he would find them together. The next day, Nerino returned to Genobbia, and while there were engaged in amorous pleasures and delightful conversation, her husband came home. But she immediately hid Nerino in a chest and she placed in front of it a great many dresses from which she was removing the batting so that they would not become moth-eaten. Her husband, pretending to look for certain things of his, turned the house upside down and even looked in the bed. Finding nothing, he left with his mind more at ease and went about his business, and Nerino, likewise, left. And meeting Maestro Raimondo, he said to him, “Signor Doctor, did I not return to that gentlewoman? And invidious fortune ruined all my pleasure, for her husband arrived and ruined everything.” “And what did you do?” said Maestro Raimondo. “She,” replied Nerino, “opened a chest and put me inside and in front of the chest she piled many garments that she was tending to so that they would not be eaten by moths. And after turning the bed upside down, over and over, and finding nothing, he left.” Just how torturous this was for Maestro Raimondo, anyone who has been in love can imagine. Nerino had given Genobbia a beautiful precious diamond ring and inside the gold band he had engraved his image and his name. And when day came and Maestro Raimondo had left to see to his affairs, Nerino was ushered into the house by the woman, and while he was in engaged in pleasures and delightful discussions with her, suddenly here comes her husband returning home. But naughty Genobbia, sensing his arrival, immediately opened a large safe that was in her room and hid him inside. After entering the house and pretending to look for certain things of his, Maestro Raimondo turned the room upside down, and not finding anything either in the bed nor in the chest, as if in a daze, he then grabbed some embers and put them in all four corners of the room, his mind set on burning down the room and everything it contained. The walls and beams were beginning to burn when Genobbia, having turned to her husband, said, “What’s the meaning of this, my husband? Have you perhaps gone mad? If you want to burn down the house, burn it all you like, but by my faith do not burn that safe where the papers related to my dowry are.” And having called four capable porters, she had them drag the safe out of the house and put it in the house of her neighbor, the little old lady. She opened it secretly so that no one realized it, and Nerino returned home. Foolish Maestro Raimondo stayed there to see if anyone came out whom he did not like, but he did not see anything except the unbearable smoke and blazing

202 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA fire that burned the house. The neighbors had already come to extinguish the fire and they worked so hard that they finally put it out. The next day as Nerino went toward the Prato dalla Valle,101 he bumped into Maestro Raimondo and said greeting him, “Maestro mine, don’t I have something to tell you that you will like a lot?” “What?” said Maestro Raimondo. “I,” said Nerino, “have escaped the most frightening danger that a living man ever escaped. I went to the house of that kind lady and, while conversing pleasantly with her, her husband arrived. After he had turned the house upside down, he lit a fire putting it in all four corners of the room and burned what was in the room.” “And you,” said Maestro Raimondo, “where were you?” “I,” replied Nerino, “was hidden in the safe that she sent out of the house.” Hearing this and knowing that what Nerino was telling him was true, Maestro Raimondo felt himself dying from grief and passion, but he did not dare reveal anything since he wished to catch Nerino in the act. And he said to him, “Signor Nerino, will you ever return there?” To which Nerino replied, “Since I survived the fire, what more do I have to fear?” Now once they had put aside these discussions, Maestro Raimondo requested that Nerino do him the honor of going the next day to dine with him. The young man willingly accepted the invitation. The next day, Maestro Raimondo invited all of his relatives and his wife’s relatives and laid out a magnificent and splendid meal, not in the house that was half burned down, but elsewhere. He ordered that his wife come, but that she must not sit at the table, but instead remain hidden and prepare whatever she was bidden. When all of the relatives and the young man Nerino had assembled, they were seated at the table and Maestro Raimondo, with his macaronic knowledge, tried to get Nerino drunk in order to do what he wished. Therefore, Maestro Raimondo, several times brought him a glass full of malmsey. Each time Nerino drank it, he said, “Ah, Signor Nerino, tell a funny little tale to these relatives of ours.” The poor young man Nerino, not knowing that Genobbia was the wife of Maestro Raimondo, began to tell them the story without mentioning anybody’s name. It happened that a servant went into the room where Genobbia was and said to her, “Madonna, if you hide yourself in a corner, you will here tell the finest tale that you have ever heard in your life, come, I beg you.” And having gone into a corner, she recognized that the voice was that of her lover Nerino and that the story that he was telling was about her. Like a prudent and wise woman, she took the diamond that Nerino had given her and put it in a 101. A large square in Padua.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 203 silver cup full of a dainty drink and said to the servant, “Take this cup and bring it to Nerino and tell him to drink it, because then he will speak better.” The servant took the cup and carried it to the table. Wanting Nerino to drink it, the servant said, “Take this cup, sir, so that you will speak better.” After taking the cup, drinking all of the wine, and seeing and recognizing the diamond ring that was inside there, Nerino let it go into his mouth, and then pretending to clean his mouth, he pulled it out and put it on his finger. And Nerino, having realized that the beautiful woman of whom he spoke was Maestro Raimondo’s wife, did not want to go any further, but spurred on by Maestro Raimondo and his relatives to continue the story he had begun, he replied, “And so sang the rooster that the day was here, and woken from sleep nothing more did he hear.”102 When Maestro Raimondo’s relatives heard this, although earlier they had believed that everything that Nerino had told them about the wife was true, they then treated both of them like two big drunkards. A few days later, Nerino met Maestro Raimondo and pretending not to know that he was Genobbia’s husband, he told him that he was going to leave in two days, since his father had written to tell him that he absolutely must return to the kingdom. Maestro Raimondo replied by wishing him safe travels. Having secretly arranged everything with Genobbia, he fled with her and took her to Portugal, where they lived together in great happiness for a long time. And Maestro Raimondo, despairing when he went home and did not find his wife, died a few days later. Both the women as well as the men very much liked the tale Isabella told, and most of all that Maestro Raimondo was the cause of his own misfortune and that he got what he had asked for. But the Signora, when she heard the end of that tale, made a sign to Isabella103 to follow the order. And not slow to respond to the Signora’s command, she proposed her riddle in this way: In the middle of the night rises He who, all bearded, has never shaved. He marks the time, but never was an astrologer. He wears a crown, but cannot be called a king Nor a priest, though he sings the hours, and furthermore, He wears spurs but is not a horseman. 102. Nerino’s words rhyme in Italian: “E sí e sí cantò il gallo e subito fu dí, e dal sonno risvigliato altro piú non udì.” 103. Here the editio princeps, or first edition, reads “Lionora,” which must be a misprint, as Isabella told the tale and there is no indication that the order has been changed. The confusion continues for the rest of the evening, as I note below. I have changed what I assume to be misprints and noted the changes in the notes below.

204 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA He raises children, but truly he has no wife, You must be very sharp to guess what it is.104 The learned riddle recited by Isabella had reached its end. And even though they were thinking of various things, no one, however, arrived at the truth, except for haughty Lodovica who, mindful of the humiliation she suffered, rose to her feet and spoke thus, “Our sister’s riddle describes none other than the rooster who gets up at night to sing and is bearded and he knows that time passes even though he is not an astrologer. He wears a crest, rather than a crown, and is not a king; he sings the hours and is not a priest. Furthermore, he has spurs on his heels, and he does not have a wife and he feeds others’ children, meaning the chicks.” The solution to the wise riddle please everyone, and most of all Cappello, who said, “Signora Isabella,105 Lodovica106 repaid you in kind, since a while ago you solved her riddle with great ease and now she has solved yours. So then, now you cannot envy each other.” Quick witted Isabella107 replied, “Signor Bernardo, the time will come, when I’ll repay her tit for tat.” But so that the exchange would not escalate, the Signora ordered everyone to be quiet, and turning her face to Lionora, whose turn it was to tell the final tale of this night, she ordered her to start her tale in a ladylike way, and she charmingly began in this way.

104. “Nel mezzo de la notte un leva su / tutto barbuto e mai barba non fé. / Il tempo accenna, né strologo fu; / porta corona, né si può dir re; / né prete e l’ore canta; e ancor piú / calza sproni e cavalier non è. / Pasce figliuoli, e moglie in ver non ha: / molto è sottil ch’indovinar lo sa.” 105. The Italian edition reads “Lodovica.” 106. The Italian edition reads “Isabella.” 107. The Italian edition reads “Lodovica.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 205 FOURTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Flamminio Veraldo leaves Ostia and goes looking for Death, and not finding her, he meets Life, who makes him see Fear and experience Death.108 There are many people who go carefully searching for some things with all the knowledge and diligence they can muster. After they have found them, they wish that they had not found them, and instead they flee from them at all cost, like the devil from holy water. This happened to Flamminio, who, while looking for Death, found Life, who made him see Fear and experience Death, as you will be able to hear in this tale. In Ostia, an ancient city not very far from Rome, as they say among the common folk, there was once a young man, more simple and wayward than stable and sensible, and his name was Flamminio Veraldo. He had heard many, many times that there was nothing in the world more terrible and more frightening than dark and inevitable Death, since she, having no regard for anyone, be he poor or rich, pardons no one. Therefore, full of awe, he was fully determined to find and to see that which mortals called Death. And having donned heavy clothing and taken a stick made of strong cherry wood that he grasped tightly in his hand, he left Ostia. After having already walked many miles, Flamminio arrived on a street, in the middle of which he saw a shoemaker in a shop, who was making shoes and gaiters. Even though he had made a very large quantity of them, he still labored continuously to make others. Flamminio approached him and said, “God save you, maestro.” To which the shoemaker said, “Welcome, my son.” To which Flamminio said in response, “And what are you doing?” “I am working,” replied the shoemaker, “and struggling in order not to struggle, and yet I struggle and strain to make shoes.” Flamminio said, “And why do that—you have a lot of them, why make more of them?” To which the shoemaker replied, “To wear them, to sell them to support myself and my little family, and so that when I am old, I will be able to take care of myself with the money earned.” “And then,” said Flamminio, “what will happen?” “I’ll die,” replied the shoemaker. “Die?” said Flamminio answering. “Yes,” replied the shoemaker. “Oh my master,” Flamminio said then, “could you tell me what this Death is?” 108. ATU 326, The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is.

206 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “In truth, no,” replied the shoemaker. “Have you ever seen it?” said Flamminio. To which the master replied, “Neither have I seen it, nor would I ever want to see or feel it, because everyone says the same thing, that she is a strange and frightening beast.” Then Flamminio said, “Would you know at least to teach or tell me where she is found? For day and night, over mountains, through valleys, and past ponds I go searching for her, and I haven’t been able to hear any news of her.” To which the shoemaker replied, “I don’t know where she is, nor where she is found, nor what she is like, but go further on because perhaps you will find her.” After he took his leave and left the shoemaker, Flamminio went further on, to a place where he found a thick and shady wood. When he entered it, he saw a peasant who was chopping a lot of firewood and went about chopping with all his might. And after they had both greeted each other, Flamminio said, “Brother, what do you plan to do with so much wood?” To which the peasant replied, “I am getting it ready to make fires this winter, when there will be snow, ice, and the brutal cold of deep winter, so that I can warm myself and my children, and to sell the surplus to buy bread, wine, clothes, and other necessities for daily life, and in this way we live our life until we die.” “Ah, please,” said Flamminio, “could you point me to where this Death is found?” “Certainly not,” said the peasant, “for I have never seen it, nor do I know where she lives. I linger in this forest all day and I see to my work. Very few people pass by these parts and I don’t even know them.” “But what can I do to find her?” said Flamminio. To which the peasant replied, “I wouldn’t know what to say nor even to point out the way, but walk on further because maybe you will stumble upon her.” And, having taken leave of the peasant, he left and walked so much that he arrived in a place where there was a tailor who had many garments hanging from the rafters and a warehouse full of an assortment of very fine clothes. Flamminio said to him, “God be with you, master mine!” To which the tailor said, “And also with you.” “And what are you doing,” said Flamminio, “with such beautiful and sumptuous garments and such respectable robes? Are they all yours?” To which the master replied, “Some are mine, some are merchants’, some are lords’, and some are other people’s.” “And what do they do with so many of them?” said the young man. To which the tailor replied, “They use them at different times.” And as he showed them to him he said, “These in summer, those in winter, these others in between, and sometimes they wear one and sometimes the other.” “And then what do they do?” said Flamminio.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 207 “And then,” replied the tailor, “they keep this up as they go sliding toward Death.” Hearing death mentioned, Flamminio said, “Oh my sweet master, would you be able to tell me where to find this Death?” Almost inflamed with rage and very troubled, the tailor replied, “Oh my son, you go about asking strange things. I do not know to tell you nor to point out where to find it, nor do I ever even think of her, and whoever speaks of her to me, greatly offends me, but let us speak of something else or leave here, because I am opposed to such talk.” And having taken leave of the tailor, Flamminio left. Flamminio had already passed through many towns when he arrived in a deserted and solitary place where he found a hermit with an unkempt beard who was, due to his age and fasting, completely emaciated. The hermit’s mind was fixed solely on contemplation and Flamminio truly thought that he was dead. Flamminio said to him, “I am happy to find you, holy father.” “You are welcome, my son,” replied the hermit. “Oh my father,” said Flamminio, “and what are you doing in this uninhabitable mountainous place, deprived all pleasure and human society?” “I live,” replied the hermit, “in prayer, fasting, and in contemplation.” “Why?” said Flamminio. “Oh, why my son? To serve God and mortify this miserable flesh,” said the hermit, “and to do penance for many offenses committed against eternal and immortal God and the true son of Mary, and, finally, to save this sinning soul, so that when the time of my death comes, I will give it up cleansed of every fault. And on the terrible day of judgment, by the grace of my redeemer, not by my own actions, I will make myself worthy of the joyful and triumphant homeland, and there I will enjoy the happiness of eternal life to which God leads us all.” “Oh my sweet father, tell me a bit,” said Flamminio, “if it doesn’t bother you, what is this Death and what is she like?” To which the holy father said, “Oh, my son, do not worry about knowing, since she is a terrible and frightening thing and wise men call her a final end to suffering, the sorrow of the content, hope for the wretched, and the final end of worldly things. She divides friend from friend; she separates father from son and son from father; she parts mother from daughter and daughter from mother; she dissolves the bond of matrimony; and, finally, she disjoins the soul from the body. And a body separated from the soul cannot function anymore, but becomes so putrid and stinking that everyone abandons it and flees from it like an abominable thing.” “Have you ever seen her, father mine?” said Flamminio. “Of course not,” replied the hermit. “But what can I do in order to see her?” said Flamminio.

208 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “If you wish, my son,” said the hermit, “to find her, go on further because you will find her, for man, the more he walks in this world, the closer he comes to her.” The young man thanked the holy father and after he had received his blessing, he departed. Continuing then on his journey, Flamminio passed through many deep valleys, over rocky mountains, and through uninhabitable forests where he saw various frightening animals and asked each if it was Death. To which they responded that they were not her. Now, after having passed through many towns and seen many strange things, he finally arrived at a mountain of no small height that he scaled. Then he descended into a dark and very deep valley enclosed by high crags, where he saw a strange and monstrous beast that made that entire valley echo with its roar. Flamminio said to it, “Who are you? Hey there! Would you, by chance, be Death?” To which the beast replied, “I am not Death, but follow your path because soon you will find her.” When Flamminio received the answer he had desired, he rejoiced a great deal. The poor wretch was already tired and half-dead due to the long struggle and harsh torment he had endured, when, desperate, he arrived at a wide and spacious meadow and climbed a delightful and flowering knoll that was not very high. Looking about here and there, he saw the very high walls of a very beautiful city that was not very far away. He started walking at a quick pace in the evening dusk and reached one of the gates that was decorated with very precious, white marble statues. Once inside, with the permission, however, of the gatekeeper, the first person that he bumped into, he stumbled upon a very ancient little old lady burdened by a great many years, with a pale face, and she was so emaciated and thin that because of her thinness you could have counted all of her bones, one by one. This woman had a wrinkled brow, sullen eyes so teary and red that they resembled porphyry, puckered cheeks, drooping lips, and rough and calloused hands. Her head and body trembled all over, she bent over as she walked, and she was dressed in rough, dark rags. Moreover, she kept at her left side a sharpened sword and in her right hand a thick club, on the end of which there was an iron point instead of a hilt, on which she sometimes rested. Next, she carried on her shoulders a very large sack in which she kept vials, little jars, and pots all full of various elixirs, ointments, and salves suitable for different mishaps. When Flamminio saw this toothless and ugly old woman, he imagined that she was Death for which he been searching, and approaching her he said, “Oh mother mine, God keep you.” To which, in a raspy voice, the little old woman replied, “And you, my son, God save and keep you.” “Would you by chance be Death, mother mine?” said Flamminio.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 209 “No,” replied the little old lady, “quite the contrary, I am Life. And know that I happen to have here inside this sack that I carry on my back certain elixirs and ointments with which, no matter how great a wound a man has on his body, I easily heal and bind it, and similarly, no matter how great the pain that he feels, in the short space of an hour I take away all his suffering.” Then Flamminio said, “Oh my sweet mother, would you know to show me where she is?” “And who are you who questions me so insistently?” said the little old lady. To which Flamminio replied, “I am a young lad and for many days, months, and years now I have been searching for her, nor have I ever been able to find anyone anywhere who knew to tell me where she is. Therefore, if you are that person, tell me kindly for I really wish to see and experience her, so that I will know whether she is as ugly and frightening as everyone says she is.” Seeing the young man’s foolishness, the little old lady said to him, “When it pleases you, son of mine, I will make you see how ugly and how frightening it is to experience her.” “Oh, my mother, do not keep me waiting any longer, make it so that I see her now.” In order to satisfy his request, the little old lady had him strip naked. While the young lad was stripping naked, she mixed together certain salves of hers used for various illnesses, and once she had prepared everything, she said to him, “Bow down, son of mine.” And he bowed obediently. “Bend your head down and close your eyes,” said the old lady, and he did this. No sooner had she finished speaking than she took the cleaver that she kept at her side and in one blow severed his head from his body. After taking his head and putting it on his body, she daubed it with those salves that she had prepared and healed him with ease. Now, I do not know how this happened, either it was the mistress’s haste when returning his head to his body, or because she did it knowingly, but she put the back part of the head in the front. Therefore, Flamminio, looking at his shoulders, back, and large buttocks sculpted outward, became so troubled and frightened because he had never seen his behind that he could not find a place to hide. With a sad and trembling voice he said to the old lady, “Alas, my mother, turn me back into how I was before, turn me back for the love of God, for I never saw a more ugly or more frightening thing than this. Ah, save me, I beg you, from this misery, in which I find myself ensnared. Ah, do not wait any longer, my sweet mother, rescue me, because you can easily do so.”109 109. Flamminio’s punishment resembles that of the diviners in fourth bolgia in the eighth circle of Dante’s Inferno, 20.10–15: “As my gaze went lower on them, I saw that each / was marvelously twisted between the chin and the / beginning of the chest, / for the face was turned toward the kidneys, and

210 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The clever little old lady was silent, still pretending that she did not realize that she made a mistake and left him to cry and stew in his own juices. Finally, after having kept him like this for the span of two hours and now wishing to cure him, she once again had him bow, and having put her hand on the sharp sword, chopped his head from his body. Then she took his head in her hand, brought it close to his body, and having greased it with her salves, she turned him back into the man he was before. The young man, seeing himself returned to his former state, dressed again in his clothes. Having seen Fear, and having experienced how ugly and frightening Death is, he returned to Ostia by the shortest and quickest route he knew without having taken his leave of the little old woman. From then on, he searched for life and fled from death, dedicating himself to studying it better than he had before. Lionora still had to propose her riddle, therefore all merry she spoke in this way: Through a magnificent and wide meadow Adorned with green grasses and pretty flowers Pass three nymphs by divine providence, Nor do they ever stop, night or day. The one keeps the distaff at her left side, The other dwells with the spindle at her feet. The third with the saber is last, And often she cuts the weak thread in half.110 This riddle was easily understood by everyone, since the magnificent and wide meadow is this world in which we all live. The three nymphs are the three sisters,111 that is, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who according to poetic invention stand for the beginning, the middle, and the end of our life: Clotho who holds the distaff represents the beginning of life; Lachesis who spins displays the time that we will live; Atropos, who breaks the thread already spun by Lachesis, determines the inevitable death. The watchful rooster devoted to Mercury had already warned of the approaching dawn with his song, when the Signora ordered that they put an end to their storytelling and everyone go to their homes, but that they return without fail / they were forced to walk backwards, since seeing / forward was taken from them” (Durling and Martinez, Inferno, 305). Although Flamminio is not literally attempting to predict the future, he seems to be overly curious about the future that awaits us all. 110. “Per un superbo e spazioso prato / di verde erbette e vaghi fiori adorno / passan tre ninfe per divino fato, / né si ferman giamai notte nè giorno. / L’una la rocca tien dal manco lato, / l’altra col fuso a’ piedi fa soggiorno, / la terza con il brando sta da sezzo / e spesso il debil fil tronca nel mezzo.” 111. These are the three Fates of ancient Greek mythology.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 211 the following evening to their meeting place or incur that penalty which would seem most fitting to her ladyship. THE END OF THE FOURTH NIGHT

212 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THE FIFTH NIGHT By then the sun, the beauty of the smiling heavens, the measure of fickle time and the true eye of the world, from which the horned moon and every star receives its splendor, had hid its rubicund and scorching rays in the ocean waves, and the cold daughter of Latona,112 surrounded by resplendent and bright stars, already illuminated the dense shadows of the dark night. The shepherds, having left the wide, ample fields, the frost-covered tender grasses, and the cold, limpid waters, had returned with their flock to their usual encampment. Weary and tired from the toils of the day, they were sleeping deeply on soft, tender reeds, when the beautiful and honorable company, having put aside every other thought, went to the meeting place with hurried steps. And having received word that everyone had already assembled and it was now time to begin to tell tales, the Signora, all merry and laughing, entered the room with slow and measured steps honorably accompanied by the other women. She graciously greeted the amiable company with a happy face and sat down. Then she ordered that the gold vase be brought before her and, having put the names of five maidens inside, by chance the first turn was Eritrea’s; the next was assigned to Alteria; the third fortune destined to Lauretta; the fourth fate conceded to Arianna; and heaven chose for Cateruzza the last place. Afterward, they began to dance in a circle with slow steps to the sound of sweet flutes, and then, when they had danced a fair amount, all the while engaged in merry and amiable conversations, three of the maidens, having first received permission from the Signora, sweetly sang this song: When Love, Lady, now and again moves Your graceful and noble countenance, And those blessed lights From which I draw my life and my death, From those gentle and unexpected glances, Such a charming thought comes to me, That, now docile, now fierce, I waver between hope and vain desire. And so sweetly then I am ignited With a hope so steadfast and sure That no longer can any remedy Make me change my ways. Whence, I thank the day, nature, and heaven

112. The daughter of the Roman goddess Latona is Diana who is the goddess associated with the moon. Diana’s father is Jove.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 213 That by my divine fate I was caught and filled by such sweet zeal.113 After the three maidens had ended their amorous song that caused the air enveloping them to be torn by sighs, the Signora gestured to Eritrea, to whom by chance had fallen the first turn of this night to begin the storytelling. Seeing that she could not excuse herself, so as not to upset the established order, she put aside every worrisome thought and began to speak thus.

113. “Quando Amor, donna, ad ora ad ora muove / vostro leggiadro e nobile sembiante / e quelle luci sante / ne’ quai mia vita e la mia morte prendo, / da quelle viste mansuete e nuove / giungemi al cuor un sí vago pensiero / ch’or mansueto, or fiero / con la speranza e van desir contendo, / e cosí dolcemente allor m’incendo / d’una speme sí ferma e sí sicura / che piú null’altra cura / mi può da l’uso mio far cangiar stato. / Onde ringrazio il dì, natura e ’l cielo / che per mio divin fato / fui preso e impiuto d’un sí dolce zelo.”

214 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FIFTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Guerrino, the only son of Filippomaria, king of Sicily, frees a wild man from his father’s prison and, fearing the king, his mother sends her son into exile. Once civilized, the wild man frees Guerrino from countless misfortunes.114 Merry and charming ladies, I have heard tell and also seen through experience that serving others well, even though you do not know the person you are serving, is more often than not a great benefit for the person who has faithfully served. This happened to the son of a king, who, having freed a wild man115 from his father’s harsh and cramped prison, was saved several times from a violent death by him, as you will easily understand with this tale that I intend to tell you. I affectionately urge you all not to be reluctant to serve others, for if you are not rewarded by the one who received the service, at least God, remunerator of all, will not leave your efforts unrewarded. In fact, He will share with you His divine grace. Sicily, my dear ladies, as all of you must surely know, is a perfect and fertile island that surpasses all others for its antiquity, and there are many cities and castles that make her much more beautiful than she would be otherwise. In times gone by, King Filippomaria was the lord of this island, a wise, affectionate, and extraordinary man who had for a wife a very kind, charming, and beautiful woman. He had only one son with her, named Guerrino. The king enjoyed going hunting more than every other lord, and since he was robust and strong, he was well suited for this activity. Now it happened that while the king was hunting with various barons and huntsmen of his, he saw a wild man come out from a thick wood, so tall and broad and so deformed and ugly, that everyone was in awe of him, and, in regard 114. ATU 502, The Wild Man. 115. In part, the figure of the wild man finds its origins in the biblical story of the proud King Nebuchadnezzar whom God brings low: “And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Dan. 4:32). In the Middle Ages, “wild men” and “wild women” were believed by some to be a species (Homo sylvaticus) distinct from humans, whereas others thought they were monstrous crosses of humans with other species. They also symbolically denoted a refusal of or turn from civilization or a descent into savagery. Masks of wild men appeared in processions and carnival celebrations, as in Boccaccio’s tale 4.2, in which Frate Alberto is punished in Venice by being feathered and led about on a chain while carrying a club (See Edward Muir, Civic Ritual in Renaissance Venice [Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1981], 180–81). Shaggy prophets who predicted the future in moments of political unrest were also depicted as wild men reminiscent of the stock Carnival mask of the Zanni: see Ottavia Niccoli, Prophecy and People in Renaissance Italy, trans. Lydia G. Cochrane (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1990), 21. Straparola’s wild men (here and in tale 7.5) belong to a literary tradition of wild men who abandon civilized society and live like beasts in the woods, often because of unrequited love, and, like Nebuchadnezzar, acquire beastly physical traits (long green hair, etc).

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 215 to physical strength, he was not inferior to any of them. Once he had readied himself, the king, along with two of his most worthy barons, bravely faced the wild man and after a long combat he valiantly defeated him, taking him with his own hands and tying him up. The king led him to the palace, and once a secure room suitable for him was found, put him inside. Locking the room tight with very strong keys, the king ordered that they take good care of the wild man and guard him well. And because the king was so fond of him, he wanted the keys to remain in the queen’s possession, nor did a day go by that the king did not go to see him in the prison to amuse himself. A few days later, the king once again readied himself to go hunting, and having prepared those things that are necessary for such an undertaking, he left with his noble retinue, having first entrusted the prison keys to the queen. While the king was hunting, Guerrino, who was quite young, felt a great desire to see the wild man. Going alone, with his bow, of which he was very fond, and an arrow in his hand, to the iron bars of the prison where the monster lived, he saw the wild man and began to converse familiarly with him. While they were speaking together, the wild man, who was caressing and flattering Guerrino, dexterously took the elaborately carved arrow from his hand. So the boy began to weep bitterly, nor could he keep from crying, telling the wild man that he must give back his arrow. But the wild man said, “If you open the door for me and free me from this prison, I will return your arrow. If not, I will never give it back to you.” To which the boy said, “Ah, how can I open the door for you and free you if I do not have any way to free you?” Then the wild man said, “If you would like to release and free me from these cramped quarters, I would teach you well how you could quickly free me.” “But how?” replied Guerrino, “Show me how.” To which the wild man said, “Go to the queen, your mother, and when you see that she has fallen asleep in the afternoon, search deftly under the pillow on which she rests, and quietly, so that she does not hear you, steal the prison keys from her and bring them here and open the door for me. When you have opened the door for me I will immediately return your arrow. And perhaps I will be able to repay you for this service some time.” Longing to have his gilded arrow, Guerrino, as any boy would, thought of nothing else. Without any delay he ran to his mother, and when he found that she was sleeping sweetly, he slowly took the keys, went back to the wild man with them, and said to him, “Here are the keys. If I release you, go so far away that we do not even catch a whiff of you, because if my father, who is a great master of the hunt, were to find you and catch you, he would likely have you killed.” “Have no fear, my son,” said the wild man, “for as soon as you have opened the prison, and you see me free, I will give you your arrow, and I will go so far away that I will never again be captured by your father or others.”

216 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Guerrino, who was already as strong as a grown man, worked so hard that finally he opened the prison cell, and the wild man, after giving him the arrow, thanked him very much and left. The wild man had been a very handsome young man, who, out of desperation over not being able to win the love of the woman he loved so much, put aside his amorous thoughts and urbane amusements. He settled down among the woodland beasts, inhabiting the shadowy forests and thick woods, eating grass and drinking water like an animal. Therefore, the poor wretch had grown thick fur, a very thick hide, and a thick, very long full beard, and on account of his feeding on grasses, his beard, fur, and hair had become so green that he was a monstrous thing to behold. The queen, having awoken and put her hand under the pillow in order to get the keys that she always kept at her side and not finding them, was very surprised. Turning the bed upside down and finding nothing she ran to the prison like a madwoman. Finding it open and not seeing the wild man, she felt herself dying from grief and, running here and there throughout the palace, she asked first this person and then that one who had been so reckless and insolent that he had dared to take the keys to the prison without her knowing it. Everyone replied that they knew nothing. Guerrino, when he met his mother and saw her so inflamed with fury, said, “My mother, do not blame anyone for the open prison cell, for if anyone deserves any punishment, I am the one who must endure it, because I was the one who opened it.” Hearing this, the queen was even more greatly distressed, fearing that upon returning from the hunt the king would kill his son out of anger, since he had trusted her to guard the keys as she would her life. Therefore, the queen, thinking to avoid a small error, made a much bigger one, for without any delay, she called two of her most faithful servants and her son and, having given them innumerable jewels, a good deal of money, and very fine horses, she sent them to seek their fortune, beseeching the servants to take good care of her son. As soon as the son had left his mother, the king arrived at the palace from the hunt and, having dismounted from his horse, went immediately to the prison to see the wild man. When he found it open and saw that the wild man had fled, he was inflamed with so much fury that in his heart he decided to kill whomever had been the cause of such an error. He went to the queen who sat mournfully in her room and asked her who had been so brazen, so reckless, so rash that he had the courage to open the prison and give the wild man the chance to flee. The queen replied with a weak, trembling voice, “Do not become upset, oh king, because Guerrino, as he confessed to me, was the cause of this,” and she told him just what Guerrino had told her. When he heard this, the king became very angry. Then the queen added that fearing that he would kill his son, she had sent him to faraway lands and that

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 217 he was accompanied by two very faithful servants laden with jewels and a good deal of money for their needs. When he heard this, grief grew upon grief in the king and he was almost at the point of collapsing on the ground and going mad. If it had not been for the courtiers who restrained him, he easily would have killed his grieving wife in that moment. The poor king, coming to his senses somewhat and putting aside all unbridled fury, said to the queen, “Oh woman, what were you thinking by sending our son to unknown lands? Did you believe, perhaps, that I would value a wild man more than our own flesh?” And without waiting for a response, he ordered many soldiers to mount their horses immediately, divide themselves into four groups, and make every effort to try to find him if they could. But they labored in vain, for Guerrino traveled secretly with the servants and did not allow anyone to recognize him. The good Guerrino riding then with his servants and passing through valleys, over mountains, and across rivers, and dwelling now in one place, now in another, arrived at the age of sixteen, and he was so handsome that he looked like a morning rose. It was not long before the servants had the diabolical idea to kill Guerrino, take the jewels and money, and divide them between themselves. But the plan went nowhere, for thanks to divine justice they could never agree with each other. Luckily for Guerrino, there passed by there a handsome and charming young man who was on a magnificent horse, splendidly adorned, and he gave a hearty greeting to Guerrino, nodding and saying, “Oh noble knight, if you do not mind, I would willingly keep you company.” To which Guerrino replied, “Your kindness does not permit me to refuse such company. In fact, I thank you and I ask you, as a special favor, to deign to come with us. We are foreigners and we do not know the roads, and you, on account of your courtesy, will point them out to us. And riding in this way, we will speak together about some of the things that have happened to us and the trip will be less tedious.” This young man was the wild man whom Guerrino had released from King Filippomaria’s prison. While wandering through different towns and foreign lands, he was by chance seen by a fairy who was very beautiful, but quite ill. Judging him to be quite deformed and ugly, she laughed so hard at his ugliness that an abscess near her heart, which would have easily suffocated her, burst. And in that moment, as if she had never had that illness, she was freed and saved from such infirmity. Therefore, not wanting to seem ungrateful, as a reward for having received such kindness the beautiful fairy said, “Oh, man, now so ugly and foul and the cause of the good health I desired, go and by my hand become the most handsome, the most kind, the most wise and graceful young man that there is. I share with you all that authority and power that Nature grants me: you will be able to do and undo everything as you wish.” After she had presented a magnificent

218 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and enchanted horse to him, she dismissed him saying that he should go wherever it seemed best to him. Guerrino, then, riding with the young man and not recognizing him, even though he knew him, finally reached a very mighty city, called Irlanda,116 which at that time was ruled by King Zifroi. This King Zifroi had two daughters with pretty features and refined manners, who in their beauty surpassed Venus. One was called Potenziana and the other Eleuteria, and they were so loved by the king that he saw everything through their eyes. Having reached the city of Irlanda with the young stranger and the servants, Guerrino lodged with an innkeeper, the most waggish man to be found in Irlanda, who treated them honorably. The next day, the young stranger pretended that he wanted to leave and go to other lands. He took his leave from Guerrino, thanking him heartily for his good company. But Guerrino, who at this point had come to love him, in no way wanted him to leave, and he flattered so much him that he consented to stay with him. There were in the countryside of Irlanda two ferocious and frightening animals, one of which was a wild stallion and the other an equally wild mare. They were so ferocious and bold that not only had they ruined and destroyed the cultivated fields, but they had also despicably killed all the animals and human beings. And due to their ferocity that land had been reduced to such a state that no man could be found who wanted to live there. In fact, the villagers there were abandoning their farms and their beloved homes and were going off to foreign lands. And there was no man so strong and hardy that he dared to face it and kill it. Therefore, seeing the land completely stripped of crops, as well as of livestock and men, and not knowing how to solve this problem, the king was greatly saddened and always cursing his harsh and cruel fate. Guerrino’s two servants, who had not been able to carry out their wicked plan on the road, both because they could not agree and because the young stranger arrived, thought about killing Guerrino and gaining possession of the jewels and money. They said to each other, “Shall we try to somehow kill our master?” Not finding any method or path that satisfied them, since they would risk their own lives if they killed him, they thought to speak secretly with the innkeeper and tell him how their master Guerrino is a brave and valiant man, and that several times he had boasted that he could kill the wild horse without any harm befalling him. “And this news will easily arrive at the ears of the king who, desiring the death of the two animals and the well-being of all of his kingdom, will summon 116. This could be translated as “Ireland.” I have chosen to leave it in the Italian because, as Pirovano notes, it obviously partakes in Straparola’s fairy tale geography: Le piacevoli notti, 1:331n2. There are no indications that the story takes place in present-day Ireland.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 219 Guerrino and will want to know what he should do. When Guerrino does not know what to do or to say, the king will likely have him killed and we will possess the jewels and money.” And so they did just as they had decided to do. When the innkeeper heard this, he was the most joyful and happy man that nature ever created, and without waiting a second he ran to the palace. After having shown the proper respect by kneeling on the ground, he secretly said to the king, “Holy Crown, know that at my inn there is now a charming knight errant, who is called Guerrino. While chatting with his servants about many things, they told me among other things how their master was a man famous for his bravery and skillful when wielding weapons and that today you cannot find another equal to him. Many, many times, he has boasted that he is so powerful and strong that he could fell the wild stallion that is the cause of so much destruction in your territory.” Upon hearing this, King Zifroi immediately ordered that Guerrino be brought before him. The innkeeper, most obedient to his lord, went back to his inn and told Guerrino that he must go alone to the king, for he wished to speak with him. Hearing this, Guerrino reported to the king, and having bowed properly, he asked the king why he had summoned him. To which Zifroi the king said, “Guerrino the reason that has compelled me to summon you here is that I have heard that you are a brave knight and you have no equal in the world. Many times you have said that your strength is such that without any harm befalling you or others, you would tame the horse that so miserably destroys and ruins my kingdom. If you have the courage to attempt a feat as glorious as this and defeat it, I swear on my head to give you a gift that will make you happy for the rest of your life.” When Guerrino heard the king’s noble proposition, he was quite surprised, denying, however, that he ever said the words that had been attributed to him. The king was very troubled by Guerrino’s reply and said quite angry, “I absolutely want you, Guerrino, to attempt this feat and if you oppose my will, believe me, you will lose your life.” After he had left the king and returned to the inn, Guerrino was very upset, nor did he dare reveal the torment in his heart. Hence the young stranger, seeing that Guerrino was so melancholy, which was unlike him, sweetly asked him the reason why he seemed so sad and afflicted. And Guerrino, due to the fraternal love that he bore for him, was unable to withhold an answer to his honest and reasonable question and told him in detail what had happened. Hearing this, the young stranger said, “Take heart, do not fear anything, for I will show you the path so that you will not perish. Instead, you will be the victor and the king will receive his wish. Go back to the king, then, and tell him that you want him to give you a talented master farrier. Order from him four horseshoes that are thick, and two fingers larger all around than the common horseshoe, and well toothed. They

220 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA should have two spurs in the back that are sharp and cutting and as long as one big finger. And when you have them, you will have them put on the feet of my horse, which is enchanted, and do not worry about anything.” Guerrino went back to the king and told him what the young man had ordered him to say. The king had an excellent master farrier summoned and ordered him to do whatever Guerrino commanded. After the master had gone to Guerrino’s room, Guerrino accompanied him and ordered the four aforementioned horseshoes. When the master heard this, he did not want to make them for Guerrino. Scorning him instead, he treated Guerrino like a madman, for this seemed to him a strange and unheard-of request. Guerrino, seeing that the master mocked him and did not want to obey him, went to the king and complained that the master did not want to serve him. Therefore the king had him summoned before him and strictly ordered him, upon penalty of falling into disfavor, that either he should do what was asked of him, or that he must go do the deed that Guerrino was to do. The master, hearing that the king’s commandment constrained him, made the shoes and put them on the horse as he had been ordered. When the horse was shod and well equipped with all that was necessary, the young man said to Guerrino, “Climb on this horse of mine and go in peace. When you hear the whinnying of the wild horse, get down off yours and take off the saddle and the bridle and let him go free. Climb up a high tree to wait for the deed to be done.” Well instructed by his beloved companion about what he must do, after taking his leave, Guerrino departed happily. The glorious rumor that a fair and charming lad was attempting the deed of capturing the wild horse and presenting it to the king had already spread throughout the city of Irlanda. For this reason, men and women ran to the windows to see him pass by and when they saw that he was so handsome, so young, and so distinguished they were moved to pity and said, “Oh poor thing, how willingly he runs toward death; certainly it is a terrible shame that he will die so miserably,” and due to their compassion, they could not hold back the tears. Intrepid and manly, Guerrino, however, set out cheerfully. When he arrived at the place where the wild horse lived and heard it whinny, he got down off his horse. After he had stripped his horse of the saddle and bridle and let it go free, he climbed up a strong oak and waited for the fierce and bloody battle. No sooner had Guerrino gone up the tree than the wild horse arrived and challenged the enchanted steed and both began the most violent duel that the world has ever seen. They seemed to be two crazed lions and foam gushed from their mouths as if they were bristly boars hunted by furious dogs. Finally, after they had fought bravely, the enchanted steed gave the wild horse two kicks that hit its jaw, dislocating it. Because of this, it lost the ability to fight anymore or to defend itself. Seeing this, Guerrino was very happy. He climbed down from the oak and grabbed a halter that he had brought with him. When he had tied up the horse, he led it to the city

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 221 with its broken jaw. To the greatest joy of all the people, he presented it to the king just as he had promised. The distress of the two servants, however, increased, for their evil plan did not come to fruition. Therefore, inflamed by rage and indignation, they once again made sure that King Zifroi heard that, when it pleased him, Guerrino would also easily kill the mare. When the king heard this, he did the same that he had done with the stallion. Since Guerrino refused to do such a deed, which was truly a burden, the king threatened to have him strung up by one foot, like a traitor to the crown. Guerrino, having returned to the inn, told his companion everything, and smiling his companion said, “Brother, do not be frightened, but go and find the master of the horses and order four more shoes as big as the first set, that are well-spurred and sharp. Do the same as you have done for the stallion, and you will return with greater honor than before.” Having then ordered the sharp horseshoes and having had the strong enchanted steed shod, he went off to do the honorable deed. When he arrived at the place where the mare was and heard it whinny, he did the same as he had done before. He freed the enchanted horse, and the mare came to meet it, attacking it with such a terrible and frightening bite that the enchanted horse was barely able to defend itself. But it carried on so energetically that finally, struck by a kick, the mare was left lame in her right leg. And Guerrino, having descended from the tall tree, grabbed her and tightly tied her up. Climbing on his horse, he returned to the palace to the rejoicing and joy of all of the people and presented the mare to the king. Everyone ran in awe to see the crippled mare, which died from the great pain. And so the whole country was freed and delivered from that nuisance. Guerrino had already returned to the inn and, exhausted, had begun resting when, unable to sleep because of an extraordinary din that he heard, he rose from his rest and heard an I don’t know what sort of strange thing that was thrashing about in a jar of honey and was not able to get out. So when Guerrino opened the jar, he saw a bumblebee that was beating its wings and was unable to get up. Moved by pity, he took that little animal and set it free. King Zifroi, not having yet rewarded Guerrino for his double triumph, and thinking to himself that it would be very rude not to reward him, had him summoned. When he came before the king, the king said to him, “Guerrino, you see how my kingdom was liberated by your doing, and so I intend to reward you for the great favor I have received. Not finding a gift or favor that is fitting for such merit, I have decided to give you one of my daughters as a wife. But know that I have two of them, one of them is called Potenziana and she has hair styled artfully and gracefully that sparkles like gold. The other is called Eleuteria and she has hair that shines like very fine silver. Therefore, if you guess which of them is the one with the braids of gold, you will have her as your wife along with a very large dowry. If not, I will chop off your head.”

222 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Having heard King Zifroi’s harsh proposal, Guerrino was quite amazed. He turned to him and said, “Holy Crown, is this the reward for my unending toil? Is this the prize for my sweat? Is this the favor that you do me, the one who has freed your kingdom that, until I did, was thoroughly stricken and ruined? Woe is me, for I did not deserve this. Nor is such a thing proper for so great a king such as yourself. But then since it pleases you, and I am in your hands, do with me whatever you like.” “Now go,” said the king, “and do not delay any longer. I give you until the end of tomorrow to make up your mind.” Guerrino, having left thoroughly distressed, went to his dear companion and told him what King Zifroi had said. His companion, making little of it, said, “Guerrino, take heart and do not fear, for I will free you from everything. Remember that a few days ago you freed a bumblebee covered in honey and you released him? He will be your salvation, because tomorrow after dining you will go to the palace and he will fly buzzing three times around the face of the girl with the hair of gold, and she will shoo him away with her white hand. And when you have seen this gesture three times, you will know for sure that she is the one who will be your wife.” “Well,” said Guerrino to his companion, “when will the time come that I can repay you for the many favors that I have received from you? Surely if I lived a thousand years, I could not reward you for even the least of these. But He who is the rewarder of all will make up for what I lack.” Then his companion replied to Guerrino, “Guerrino, my brother, there is no need for you to give me a reward for my constant efforts, but it is high time that I reveal myself to you and that you know who I am. And, just as you saved me from death, so then I have wanted to return the favor out of my great obligation to you. Know that I am the wild man whom you so lovingly freed from your father’s prison and my name is Rubinetto.” He told Guerrino how the fairy had transformed him into such a charming and handsome creature. Hearing this, Guerrino was absolutely astonished. Almost in tears due to the tenderness he felt in his heart, he embraced and kissed Rubinetto and welcomed him as a brother. And since by then the time to settle things with King Zifroi was drawing near, both of them went to the palace. The king ordered that Potenziana and Eleuteria, his beloved daughters, come before Guerrino entirely shrouded by very white veils, and so it was done. When the daughters had come and it was impossible to tell one from the other, the king said, “Which of these two do you want me to give you for your wife, Guerrino?” But Guerrino, lost in his thoughts, did not reply at all. The king, curious to see the outcome, pressed him a great deal, saying that time was flying and that he had to decide right then. But Guerrino replied, “Most Holy King, although time is flying, you have given me until the end of this day, which has not yet passed.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 223 Everyone confirmed as well that this was the truth. The king, Guerrino, and the others stood expectantly for a long time, when suddenly the bumblebee arrived. Buzzing, it circled the pale visage of Potenziana with the locks of gold. And she, as if frightened, shooed it away with her hand and shooed it more than three times. Finally, it left. Although Guerrino was somewhat doubtful about this, he nonetheless trusted his beloved companion Rubinetto’s words. The king said, “Come now, Guerrino, what are you doing? By now the time is almost up and you must decide.” Guerrino having looked well and carefully considered both girls, placed his hand on top of Potenziana’s head, which the bumble bee had shown him, and said, “Holy Crown, this is your daughter with the gold locks.” When his daughter revealed herself, everyone saw clearly that she was the right one. At that moment, before all those present and to the great satisfaction of all of the people, King Zifroi gave her to Guerrino as his wife. They did not leave until his faithful companion Rubinetto also married the other sister. Afterward, Guerrino revealed that he was the son of Filippomaria, king of Sicily. Therefore, Zifroi was overjoyed, and the nuptials were made all the more magnificent and grand. When Guerrino’s father and mother were informed of the marriage, they were very joyful and happy, for they had believed that their son had been lost. When he returned to Sicily with his dear wife and his beloved brother and sisterin-law, he was graciously received and fawned over, and he lived a long time in peace and left behind very beautiful children as heirs to his kingdom. The piteous tale told by Eritrea was highly praised by everyone, and since she saw that everyone was silent, she proposed her riddle in this way: A fierce animal is born from a small seed That by its nature hates all people; Everyone is frightened and is afraid to look at it, Because it kills others and does not pardon itself. Everywhere it oppresses and Steals what is worthy and gives it over to death; It withers trees and pollutes all around. Never was there a beast so cruel and accursed.117 Once the riddle recited by witty Eritrea had ended and was highly praised by everyone, some interpreted it one way and others another way, but no one 117. “Nasce un fier animal d’un picciol seme / c’ha in odio per natura ogni persona; / di mirarlo ciascun paventa e teme, / ch’uccide altrui n’ a se stesso perdona; / a tutto ov’egli d’ognintorno preme / il valor toglie, e a morte in preda dona; / arbori secca e da per tutto infetta: / mai fiera fu piú cruda e maladetta.”

224 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA offered its true meaning. Therefore, Eritrea, seeing that her riddle was not understood, said, “I think that this fierce beast is none other than the basilisk,118 which hates others and kills with its piercing eyes; and when it sees itself, it dies.” When Eritrea had finished the explanation of her riddle, Signor Evangelista, who was seated beside her, smiling said, “You are that basilisk: you sweetly kill whomever you look at with your beautiful eyes.” But Eritrea, her face painted with a natural blush, said nothing. Alteria, who was sitting next to her, seeing that Eritrea’s riddle was finished and praised greatly by everyone, and knowing that according to the order it was her turn to tell a tale, as it pleased the queen, began a tale no less funny than laudable in this way.

118. In his Natural History, Pliny describes this legendary monster as a highly poisonous serpent whose look could kill. Because it was considered the king of serpents, it was often depicted wearing a small crown.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 225 FIFTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE Bagolana Savonese’s daughter Adamantina married Drusiano, king of Bohemia, thanks to a doll.119 So powerful, so sublime, so keen is the human intellect that without a doubt it exceeds and surpasses all other earthly powers. For this reason, it is true what they say, that the wise man rules the stars. Therefore, this brings to mind a tale through which you will easily understand how a poor little girl, aided by Fortune, became the wife of a rich and powerful king. And although the tale is brief, if I am not mistaken it will be, nevertheless, all the more charming and ridiculous for it. Lend me your ears and listen to me attentively, as you have before to these our most virtuous companions, who are to be praised highly, rather than blamed for anything. Not long ago in Bohemia, charming ladies, there lived an old woman called Bagolana Savonese. Being a poor woman with two daughters, one called Cassandra and the other Adamantina, she wished to write a will for what little she found herself to possess and to die happy. Not having anything in or outside of her house to leave to her daughters except for a little box of scraps of flax, she wrote her will and left it to them, begging them to live together peacefully after her death. The two sisters, although they were poor in regard to fortune’s gifts, nonetheless were rich with the gifts of the heart, and in regard to their virtues and manners they were not inferior to other women. So when the little old woman was dead and buried, the older sister Cassandra took a pound of the flax and with great diligence set to work spinning. When she had spun the scraps of flax, she gave the thread to her younger sister Adamantina and ordered her to take it to the square, sell it, and buy lots of bread with the money so that both of them could support themselves by her labor. Grabbing the thread and putting it under her arm, Adamantina left for the square in order to do Cassandra’s bidding. When the occasion presented itself and the opportunity arose, however, she did the opposite of her own will and her sister’s wishes. In the square she came upon an old woman who had in her lap the most beautiful, finely crafted doll that anyone had ever seen. Therefore, Adamantina, having seen and taken a good look at it, fell so in love with it that she thought more about owning the doll than about selling the thread. Thinking this over and not knowing what to do or say in order to obtain it, Adamantina nonetheless decided to tempt her fate, to see if she could trade for the doll. And approaching the old lady, she said, “My mother, if it would please you, I would willingly trade my thread for your doll.” The little old lady, seeing that the girl was beautiful, pleasant, and very much wanted the doll, did not want to deny her, and after taking the thread, she 119. ATU 571C, The Biting Doll.

226 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA presented the doll to her. Once Adamantina had the doll you never saw a happier girl, and all merry and joyful she went back home. Her sister Cassandra said, “Did you sell the thread?” “Yes,” replied Adamantina. “And where is the bread that you bought?” said Cassandra. To which Adamantina, having opened the apron that she always wore, displayed what she had obtained in the trade. Upon seeing the doll, Cassandra, who felt herself dying of hunger, was inflamed with such rage and indignation that she grabbed Adamantina by the braids and landed so many blows on her that the poor thing could barely move. Adamantina patiently received the blows without defending herself at all and then, as best she knew how and could, she went into a room with her doll. When evening came, Adamantina took the doll in her arms as girls do and went near the fire. Having taken oil from the lamp, she oiled her stomach and back, then, wrapping her in some rags she had, she put her in bed. A bit later when she went to bed, she lay down next to the doll. No sooner had Adamantina begun to sleep than the doll began to call out, “Mama, mama, poop!” And awakened, Adamantina said, “What’s wrong, my daughter?” To which the doll replied, “I would like to poop, my mother.” And Adamantina said, “Wait, my daughter.” And having gotten up from bed, she took the apron that she had worn the day before and put it under the doll saying, “Poop, my daughter!” and the doll, always pushing hard, filled the apron with a great quantity of coins. Seeing this, Adamantina woke her sister Cassandra and showed her the money that the doll had pooped. Cassandra, seeing the great number of coins, was astonished, thanking God that in His goodness He had not abandoned them in their misery. Cassandra then turned to her sister and asked her forgiveness for the blows that she had so unjustly received from her, and she caressed the doll many times, kissing her sweetly and holding her tightly in her arms. Once the bright day came, the sisters stocked the house with bread, wine, oil, wood, and all those things that befit a very well-to-do family. And every evening they oiled the doll’s stomach and back and wrapped her in very fine cloths, and they often asked her whether she needed to poop. She would respond “yes” and would poop many coins. It happened that a neighbor of theirs, having been to the two sisters’ home and seen it filled with whatever they needed, was very surprised, nor could she be persuaded that they had become rich so quickly, having been so very poor, and all the more, knowing them to live such good lives and be so modest that no one

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 227 could say otherwise.120 Therefore the neighbor, dwelling on this thought, decided to do something in order to discover the cause of such wealth. And having gone to the two sisters’ house, she said, “My daughters, what have you done to so fully stock your home, for before you were so poor?” To which Cassandra, who was the older sister, replied, “We traded a pound of flax thread for a doll that produces innumerable coins for us.” Hearing this, the neighbor was so troubled in her heart and her envy grew so that she firmly resolved to steal it from them. And having returned home, she told her husband about how the two sisters had a doll that day and night gave them gold and silver, and that she had firmly resolved to steal it. And even though the husband mocked his wife’s words, still she knew how to talk until he believed her. And he said to her, “How will you steal it?” To which his wife replied, “You will pretend one evening to be drunk and you will take your sword, and run after me to kill me, hitting the sword against the walls. Pretending to be afraid, I will flee into the street, and they, who are very compassionate, will open up for me and I will shut myself up in their house. I will stay with them that night and I will do what I can.” When then the next night came, the good woman’s121 husband took up his rusted sword and hitting it now against this wall, now against that other one, ran after his wife who, crying and screaming loudly, fled outside the house. When they heard this, the two sisters ran to the windows in order to understand what had happened and recognized the voice of their neighbor who was screaming loudly. The two sisters left the windows, went down to the door, and, after opening it, pulled her into the house. And the good woman, having been asked the reason why her husband was so angry and chasing her, replied, “He came home so soused on wine that he does not know what he is doing, and because I scolded him for his drunkenness, he took the sword and ran after me to kill me. But I am stronger than he is and wanted to flee in order to create less of a scandal, and so I came here.” Both sisters said, “You, my mother, did well and you will stay with us tonight, so that you do not risk your life at all. In this way, your husband will sleep it off.” 120. The neighbor’s reflection on the girls’ modesty and goodness indicates that she does not think that they have improved their economic situation by becoming prostitutes or courtesans. Sixteenthcentury Venice was renowned for its courtesans, highly educated sex workers such as Veronica Franco, who served the city’s elite; yet, in order to prevent poor women from being forced into the sex trade, the city of Venice supported a number of shelters meant to house and feed unmarried women. 121. From this point on in the tale, the girls’ scheming neighbor is referred to as either “buona donna” or “buona femina.” I have translated both literally as “good woman.” “Buona donna” and “buona femina,” however, can also mean prostitute and it seems that Straparola’s narrator Alteria plays with this ambiguity as she describes a woman who takes advantage of the good will of the two orphaned sisters.

228 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And they set the table for dinner and dined together. Then they rubbed the doll with oil and went to sleep. When the hour came that the doll needed to poop, she said, “Mama, poop.” And Adamantina, as was her habit, put the clean, fine cloth under her and the doll pooped coins to everyone’s great amazement. The good woman who had fled saw everything and was quite astonished. An hour seemed like a thousand years as she waited to steal it and to be able to use it herself. At dawn, as the sisters were still sleeping, the good woman quietly rose from the bed and, without Adamantina’s realizing it, stole the doll that was next to her. Having woken them, she took her leave to go home, saying that she thought that by now her husband could have slept off the wine that he had drunk immoderately. She went home and then the good woman said cheerfully to her husband, “My husband, now we have found our good luck: look, the doll.” An hour seemed a thousand years before night fell and she could make herself rich. When the dark night arrived, the woman took the doll, and having made a good fire, rubbed oil on her stomach and back, and swaddling her in fine cloth she put her in the bed. Once she had undressed, she lay down next to the doll. After the woman had begun to sleep, the doll awoke and said, “Madonna, poop”; she did not say “Mama, poop” since she did not know the woman. The good woman, who was vigilantly waiting for the fruit that must follow, rose from bed and, having grabbed a very white linen cloth, put it beneath the doll, saying, “Poop, my daughter, poop.” Pushing hard, the doll filled the cloth not with money but with such stinking filth that one could barely go near it. Then the husband said, “See, oh madwoman that you are, how well she has treated you? And I was foolish to believe such nonsense.” But the wife, quarreling with her husband, swore by an oath that she herself had seen with her own eyes a great sum of money that the doll had pooped. And because his wife wanted to dedicate the following night to trying again, the husband, whose nose could not bear the great stench that he smelled, said to his wife the rudest things in the world that have ever been said to a wicked woman. Then he took the doll and threw it out the window on top of some trash that was in front of their house. It happened that some peasant workers loaded the trash onto a cart and without anyone realizing it the doll was also put on the cart. A dung heap was made in the country with the trash to fertilize the land at the proper time. One day while going hunting for his amusement, King Drusiano had a great urge to unload the extra weight in his bowels, and after dismounting, he did what he naturally needed to do. And not having anything with which to wipe himself, he called a servant to give him something with which he could clean himself. The servant went to the dung heap and searched around to see if he could find

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 229 something that was suitable. By chance, he found the doll and, having taken it in hand, he brought it to the king. The king unsuspectingly took the doll, and having placed it behind his buttocks to wipe his “Mr. pardon me,” he let out the loudest shriek that anyone ever heard, for the doll had seized a buttock between its teeth and held on so tightly that it made him scream loudly. When his men heard the incredible shriek, they all ran immediately to the king. When they saw that he was lying on the ground as if dead, everyone was astonished and seeing him tormented by the doll, together they set about removing it from his buttocks; however, they labored in vain. The more they strove to remove her, the more she caused him greater pain and torment, nor was there anyone who could make her budge, let alone pull her off. Sometimes with her hands she grabbed his jingle bells and gave them such a squeeze that it made him see how many stars there were in the noon sky. Having returned to his palace with the doll attached to his buttocks and not finding a way or means to be able to remove her, the suffering king had a proclamation issued stating that if anyone, no matter what station or rank, was found to have enough courage to pluck the doll from his buttocks, he would give him a third of his kingdom, and if it were a girl, whoever she might be, he would take her as his dear and beloved wife, swearing on his own head to respect everything contained in the proclamation. Having heard the proclamation, many people ran to the palace in the hope of obtaining the said reward. But the grace needed to be able to pull it off the king was not bestowed on anyone. In fact, when one of them approached the king, the doll gave him more trouble and pain. And so horribly tormented and not finding any remedy for his unimaginable pain, the suffering king lay there almost as if dead. Having heard the proclamation, Cassandra and Adamantina, who had wept many tears over their lost doll, came to the palace and appeared before the king. Cassandra, who was the older sister, began to warmly greet the doll and caress her as best she could. But the doll, clenching her teeth and closing her hands, tormented the king even more. Adamantina, who was standing a bit off to the side, stepped forward and said, “Holy Majesty, let me try my luck, as well” and presenting herself to the doll said, “Ah, my daughter, now leave my lord in peace, do not torment him anymore,” and taking the doll by her swaddling clothes, she caressed her a great deal. The doll, who had recognized her mama who usually took care of her and tended to her, immediately detached herself from his buttocks. Having abandoned the king, the doll jumped into Adamantina’s arms. Seeing this, the king was completely amazed and dumbfounded and began to sleep, for due to the great pain that he had felt and experienced, he had not been able to rest for many, many nights. Once he had recovered from the intense pain and been cured of the serious bite wounds, in order not to go back on his word, King Drusiano had Adamantina

230 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA summoned before him, and seeing that she was a charming and beautiful young lady, he married her before all of the people. Similarly, he honorably married off Cassandra her older sister, and after holding stately and magnificent feasts and celebrations, everyone lived happily and in untroubled peace for a long time. After seeing the splendid weddings of both sisters and that everything had reached an advantageous end, the doll immediately disappeared. And no one ever heard tell what became of her. But I imagine that she vanished just as always happens with ghosts. Having come to an end, Alteria’s tale pleased everyone a great deal, nor could they stop laughing, especially when they thought about the doll pooping sweetly and when she tightly seized the king’s buttocks in her teeth and his jingle bells in her hands. But then when the laughter had ceased, the Signora commanded Alteria to follow the order with her riddle. And thus she began merrily: In length, one span and a bit, And equally great in width Is one who is always daring and often desires, And willingly throws himself at a man. He is very charming to see And wears trousers and a red hood. With two jingle bells that hang low on him, To whomever he likes, he gives pleasure and delight.122 When the charming and complicated riddle was finished, the Signora, who had transformed her laughter into wrath and showed that she was furious, admonished Alteria saying that this was not the place to use foul words among very honest women and that next time she must be more respectful. But Alteria, blushing somewhat, got up from her seat and turning her dear face toward the Signora said, “My lady, the riddle I proposed is not improper, as you hold it to be, and our pleasant company will provide true proof of this fact when they have heard the solution. For our riddle does not indicate anything other than the falcon, which is a courteous and brave bird and willingly comes to the falconer. He wears his breeches and the bells on his feet, and to those who enjoy falconry, he gives great pleasure and amusement.” Having heard the true solution to the clever riddle that earlier was held to be improper, everyone praised it with one voice. And the Signora, putting aside 122. “Per lunghezza una spana e un sommesso, / e parimente alla grandezza grosso / sta un sempre ardito, e si vagheggia spesso / e volontiera all’uom si getta addosso. / Molt’è da veder vago per se stesso, / e porta bracche e scapuzzetto rosso / con duo sonagli che gli pende a basso; / a cui li piace, dà diletto e spasso.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 231 every bad opinion she had of Alteria, turned her face toward Lauretta and made a sign for her to come to her; she went obediently. And because it was her turn to tell a tale, the Signora said to her, “It is not that I do not esteem you, nor that I hold you to be inferior to our other companions in speaking, but so that we can take even greater delight and amusement this evening, I want you to silence your mouth and open your ears to someone else’s storytelling.” Lauretta replied, “Your words, my lady, are my express command.” Then the Signora stared into Molino’s eyes and made a gesture with her hand that he come to her. He immediately rose from his seat and reverently went to her. The Signora said to him, “Signor Antonio, this last day of the week is very special and everyone is allowed to say what he likes. So for our satisfaction and that of this honorable company, we would like you to tell a tale in Bergamasque dialect with that good style and that good grace, that you usually do. If you, as I hope, will do this, all of us will be indebted to you forever.” When he heard the proposal, Molino was at first somewhat surprised, but after seeing then that he could not avoid this hurdle, he said, “Signora, it is for you to command and for us to obey, but do not expect from us something that is very pleasurable, for these esteemed maidens have succeeded so valiantly in telling their tales that there is little or nothing that one could add. I, such as I am, will endeavor to satisfy you entirely, not as you would like and I would wish, but according to my limited powers,” and having returned to his place to sit, he began his tale in this way.

232 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA FIFTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Bertoldo of Valsabbia has three sons, all three hunchbacks who look alike. One of them is called Zambò and he goes through the world searching for his destiny and ends up in Rome, and there he is killed and is thrown into the Tiber with his two brothers.123 Durum est, agreeable ladies and charming Signora, I repeat, durum est contra stimulum calcitrare, which is to say the kick of an ass is a hard thing, but the kick of a horse is much harder.124 For this reason, if fortune wanted me to take on this task of speaking, so be it; it is better to be obedient than observant because obstinacy comes from our sinful part, and if not, the obstinate go to the devil’s house. And if I say something that is not to your liking, don’t blame me, but the Signora there, who wanted this. Oftentimes, while a man is looking for something that he shouldn’t, something happens so that he finds what he didn’t think he’d find, and so he’s left with a fistful of flies, as happened, already some time ago, to Zambò, son of Bertoldo of Valsabbia, who in trying to dupe his two brothers was duped by them. Although in the end all three died terribly, as you will hear if you lend me the hole in your ears and with your mind and brain you listen to what I have to say in this speech of mine. I tell you, then, that Bertoldo of Valsabbia,125 in the Bergamasque region, had three sons, all three hunchbacks, and they so closely resembled each other that it was not possible to tell them apart, which is to say they were three wishbones with a hump on the back. One was called Zambò, the other Bertaz, the third Santí; and Zambò, who was the oldest, had not yet turned sixteen. Zambò had a foreboding that due to the great famine that there was in that place and, more generally, all over, his father Bertoldo wanted to sell a certain bit of a farm that happened to be in his family’s possession. Because there were few or none in that land who had some small thing of his own to support his family, Zambò as the older brother turned to his younger brothers Bertaz and Santí and said to 123. This tale is written in Bergamasque dialect. Like Zambò, the protagonist of this tale, many Bergamasque speakers were forced by famine and poverty to leave their lands around Bergamo and seek work in northern Italian cities, particularly Venice. A Bergamasque-speaking peasant character was a commonplace in comedies written in Italian in this period. 124. This Latin phrase comes from Acts 26:14 and is frequently translated as “it is hard to kick against the pricks.” These are the words Paul uses as he describes his conversion on the road to Damascus. After a seeing a blinding light, the apostle Paul, then a Pharisee known as Saul who persecuted Christians, hears the words of Jesus, “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Part of the fun here, is that this often cited maxim is interpreted in a comical manner. 125. Valsabbia, or the Sabbia valley, is located northeast of the city of Brescia in Lombardy.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 233 them, “It would be appropriate, my dear brothers, so that our father doesn’t sell that little bit of farm that we happen to possess and so that after his death we don’t have anything with which to support ourselves, that you go out into the world to earn a little bit in order to be able to support our family. I’ll stay home with the little old man, I’ll care for him and we’ll avoid expense, and in the meantime perhaps the famine will have passed.” Bertaz and Santí, the younger brothers who were no less clever and wicked than Zambò, said to their brother Zambò, “Zambò, our dear brother, this is all so out of the blue that we don’t know how to respond, but give us time think it over tonight and tomorrow we will answer you.” The two brothers Bertaz and Santì were twins and these two thought more like each other than they did like Zambò. And if Zambò was 22 carats wicked, they were 26 carats wicked, because always where nature is lacking, wit and malice make up for it. The following morning, Bertaz, by order and charge of his brother Santì, went to find Zambò and he began to say to him, “Zambò, my dear brother, we thought about and considered well our situation, and knowing that you are, as is true, the older brother, we thought that you must go out into the world and that we who are young will look after the house and take care of our father, and if in the meantime you find some good fortune for yourself and for us, you will write to us here and then we will come to find you.” When Zambò, who had thought he would dupe Bertaz and Santí, heard their reply, it did not sound so good to him. Muttering to himself, he said, “But they are more clever and malicious than I am,” and he said this because he had thought to send his brothers away so that they would die from the famine and he would be left in possession of everything, because his father had one foot in the grave and would not live very long. But for Zambò, it went differently than he had thought. Having heard then Bertaz and Santì’s opinion, Zambò made a jerkin out of the few rags that he owned, grabbed a game bag with some bread, cheese, and a small cask of wine, and wore on his feet a pair of shoes made of red pigskin. He left home and headed toward Brescia; and not finding any job for himself, he went to Verona, where he found a master cap maker who asked him if he knew how to make caps, and he replied no. Seeing that there was nothing for him there, he left Verona and Vicenza and came to Padua, where some physicians saw him and asked whether he knew how to tend mules, and he replied no, but that he knew how to plow the land and to prune vines. Unable to come to an agreement with them, he left there to go to Venice. Having walked a great deal without having found any job for himself, with no money nor anything to eat, Zambò was feeling low. But after the long journey,

234 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA when it pleased the good Lord, he arrived in Fusina,126 and because he had no money, no one wanted to hire him, so the poor man didn’t know what to do. Seeing that the boatmen who turned the machines that pulled up the boats earned a pretty penny, he, too, began in this trade. But fortune, which always persecutes the poor, the lazy, and the unlucky, wanted it so that while turning one of those machines the strap broke and as it spun around, a bar hit him in his chest and knocked him to the ground senseless. For a while he was stretched out as if dead. If it hadn’t been for some good men who carried him by his hands and feet to a boat and brought him to Venice, he would have died there. When Zambò had healed, he left those good men and wandered about the city seeing if he could find some situation for himself. He passed by the apothecary shops and was seen by an apothecary who was grinding almonds in a mortar to make some marzipan.127 He asked Zambò if he wanted to stay with him and he replied yes. When he entered the shop, the owner gave him some sugarcoated almonds to clean. He taught him to divide the black from the white and he placed him with another shop boy so that they could work together. While Zambò was wiping off these sweets with the shop boy, the two fine fellows—may a cancer strike them!—cleaned them in this way: they removed the sweet outer shell and left the almond inside for the apothecary. The owner, who realized what they were doing, took a club in hand and gave it to them good saying, “If you want to be brigands, you thieving rascals, do it with your own stuff and not with mine!” And then he sent both of them to the devil, swinging the club all the while. After Zambò had left the apothecary who had treated him so badly, he went to Saint Mark’s.128 It was his good luck that while passing by where they sell herbs and greens, one of those vegetable sellers from Chioggia,129 whose name was Vivia Vianel, called him over and asked him if he wanted to come stay with him, saying that he would be good company and treat him well. Zambò, who was starving and really wanted to eat, said yes. After they had sold the greens that were left, they climbed in his boat and went to Chioggia. Vivia had him work in the garden and tend the vines. Zambò often had the habit of wandering about Chioggia and he knew many of his master’s friends. Since it was the season for the first figs, Vivia personally picked three beautiful figs and put them on a little dish in order to send them as a gift to his good friend in Chioggia whose name was Ser Peder. 126. Fusina is located on the mainland slightly southwest of Venice. 127. Here the shops are called “speciri” (“spezierie” in Italian) which literally translates as spice shops. In sixteenth-century Venice, the “speziali” made and sold medicines, cosmetics, and sweets, as well as spices, in their shops. 128. Saint Mark’s Basilica is the cathedral in Venice and is flanked by the seat of civic power, the Doge’s Palace. 129. Chioggia is a small town built on an island in the lagoon south of Venice.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 235 And having called Zambò, he gave him the three figs and said to him, “Zambò, take these three figs and bring them to my good friend Ser Peder and tell him to enjoy them with my love.” Zambò obedient to his master said, “Willingly, master,” and having taken the figs, he left happily. While Zambò was going down the road, the lazybones was forced by his throat to look again and again at the figs. He said to his throat, “What should I do, should I eat them or not eat them?” His throat replied, “A starving man does not heed the law.” And because, besides being famished, he was gluttonous by nature, he followed his throat’s advice and took one of the figs in hand and began to squeeze it at one end. He squeezed it and squeezed it again—it’s good, it’s not good—so that he made all of the pulp come out and the only thing that remained was the skin. After Zambò had eaten the fig, he thought that he had done a bad thing, but because his throat was still tightening up, he didn’t pay any attention and took the second fig in hand. Just as he had done with the first, he did with the second. Seeing that he had made such a mess, Zambò didn’t know what he should do, if he should go ahead or turn back, and quarreling with himself like this, he plucked up his courage and decided to go ahead. When Zambò had arrived at the dear friend Ser Peder’s, he knocked at the door. Since everyone in the house knew him, the door was opened immediately. When he went upstairs, he found Ser Peder, who was pacing back and forth in his house and who said to him, “What are you up to, Zambò, my son? What is the good news?” “Good, good,” replied Zambò, “my master sent you three figs, but I have eaten two of the three.” “But how could you, my son?” said Ser Peder. “Well, I did it like this,” replied Zambò and taking the last fig, he put it in his mouth and ate it without delay. In this way Zambò ended up eating all three of them. When he saw this, Ser Peder said to Zambò, “Oh my son, tell your master thanks a lot and that he should not trouble himself by giving me these presents.” Zambò replied, “No, no, sir, have no fear, I’ll do it willingly,” and he turned around and went home. Vivia learned of Zambò’s courtesy and fine, lazy ways, that he was gluttonous, and that because he was starving he ate beyond measure. Then, because he didn’t like his work, he drove him out of the house. Poor Zambò, finding himself on the street and not knowing where to go, decided to go to Rome and to see if he could find better luck than he had found here. And he did just what he had decided to do. Zambò had arrived in Rome and was looking and looking for a master, when he happened to find a merchant whose name was Ser Ambros dal Mul, who

236 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA had a large cloth shop. He came to an agreement with him and he began to look after the shop. And because he had experienced enough misfortune, he decided to learn the trade and take care to do well. Since he was clever and shrewd, even though he was hunchbacked and ugly, in little time he became so expert in the shop and so skilled in the trade that the owner did not bother himself anymore with either buying or selling. He trusted him completely and used him for his personal business. It happened that Ser Ambros needed to go to the fair in Recanati130 with some cloth. Seeing that Zambò had become so capable in the trade and that he was trustworthy, he sent him to the fair with the goods and Ser Ambros stayed behind to run the shop. When Zambò had gone, as luck would have it, Ser Ambros became so ill with such a terrible and serious bout of dysentery that in a few days he shit out his life. When his wife, whose name was Felicetta, saw that her husband was dead, she almost died herself from the great pain and grief that she felt as she thought of her husband and the loss of the shop’s clients. When he heard the sad news that his master had died, Zambò headed home, behaved like an angel, and dedicated himself to running the business. Seeing that Zambò behaved well and he dedicated himself also to enlarging the shop, and that one year had passed since the death of her husband Ser Ambros, Madonna Felicetta was afraid to lose Zambò one day along with the shop’s clients, so she sought the advice of some of her dear female friends131 as to whether she should marry again or not, and if she were to marry, if she should take Zambò the shop clerk as a husband, since he had been with her first husband for a long time and had experience in running the shop. Since it seemed to them that this would be a good idea, her dear friends advised her yes. No sooner was it said than done: they had the wedding and Madonna Felicetta was the wife of Ser Zambò and Ser Zambò was the husband of Madonna Felicetta.132 Ser Zambò, seeing himself raised to such heights with a wife and such a fine and well-established shop, wrote to his father telling him that he was in Rome and of the good fortune he had found. His father, who from the day Zambò had left up until that moment had never heard news or received letters from him, died of joy. Bertaz and Santì, however, took great solace in the news. The time came when Madonna Felicetta needed a new pair of stockings because hers were ripped and torn and she told her husband Ser Zambò that he must make her a pair. Ser Zambò replied that he had other things to do and that if she had torn them she should go have them fixed, mended, and patched. Madonna Felicetta who was spoiled rotten by her other husband, said that she 130. A city in the Marches region, not far from the Adriatic coast, that was well known for its fair. 131. Here as elsewhere I have translated “comari” as “dear friends.” 132. Zambò’s socioeconomic rise is charted linguistically: for the remainder of the tale is almost always referred to as “Ser Zambò.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 237 was not used to wearing patched and mended stockings and that she wanted new ones. And Ser Zambò replied to her that where he came from they did just that and that he did not want to buy her new ones. Arguing in this manner, with one word leading to another, Ser Zambò raised his hand and gave her such a hard slap in the face that he made her stagger. Feeling Ser Zambo’s blow, Madonna Felicetta no longer wanted to compromise or be patient, and she began to insult him with ugly words. Ser Zambò, who felt his honor wounded, began to hit her repeatedly with his fists, more and more, so that in the end the poor thing just had to be patient. When the heat had already passed and the cold arrived, Madonna Felicetta asked Ser Zambò for a silk lining for her fur coat, because hers was in bad shape. So that he could be sure that it was ripped, she brought it to him to show him. Ser Zambò, however, did not care to see it, but replied to her that she should mend it and wear it like that, because where he came from they did not usually have such finery. Upon hearing these words, Madonna Felicetta became very angry and said that she wanted it at all costs. But Ser Zambò replied to her that she should be quiet and not make him angry because it would be bad for her, and that he did not want to do this for her. With Madonna Felicetta goading him on that she wanted him to do it, they were both blinded by their furious rage. Ser Zambò, as was his habit, began to beat her with a club, coated her with as many blows as she could bear, and left her almost dead. Seeing that Zambò’s heart had turned against her, Madonna Felicetta began to curse him loudly, to execrate and curse and swear against the day and the hour that she spoke of marriage and against those who had advised her to take him as a husband, saying, “So, you oaf, ungrateful wretch, rogue, scoundrel, glutton, wicked man! This is the prize and reward that you give me for the good that I have done for you. From a lowly servant of mine I made you master not only of my possessions, but also of my very person. And you treat me this way? Hold your tongue, traitor, for I will pay you back in any case.” Ser Zambò, hearing Madonna Felicetta’s mounting and multiplying words, gave it to her in spades. Madonna Felicetta was at the point that when she heard Ser Zambò speak or move, she shook like a leaf in the wind and pissed and shit herself out of fear. When the winter had passed and the summer had arrived, Zambò happened to go to Bologna for some business and to collect a certain amount of money from debtors to the shop. He needed to stay away for many days, and he said to Madonna Felicetta, “Felicetta, I want you to know that I have two brothers, both are hunchbacks like me and they look so much like me that you can’t tell us apart. Whoever saw all three of us together would not be able to say which one I was. Be careful if, by chance, they happen to come to this city and they want to stay in our house. Make sure that you do not let them in the house for any reason,

238 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA because they are wicked, evil, and cunning. Make sure that they don’t rob you and then go with God, and that you are left empty-handed. If I find out that you let them in the house, I will make you the most miserable woman in the world.” Having said these words, he left. Not ten days after Zambò’s departure, Bertaz and Santì, Ser Zambò’s brothers, arrived in Rome and went all over looking for and asking about Ser Zambò until they were shown the shop. Seeing Ser Zambò’s fine shop that was so well stocked with cloth, they were quite besides themselves, marveling greatly over how it was possible that he had in such a short time acquired so many fine things. After they had stood there marveling a great deal, they stepped forward and said that they wanted to speak with Ser Zambò, but they were told that he was not home nor in the city, and if they needed something they should ask. Bertaz replied that he would have willingly spoken with Zambò, but since he was not there, he would speak with his wife. Madonna Felicetta was called and came into the shop. As soon as she saw Bertaz and Santí, she immediately felt a stab of pain in her heart realizing that they were her brothers-in-law. When he saw the woman, Bertaz said, “Madonna, are you Zambò’s wife?” And she replied to him, “Certainly, yes.” Bertaz said in turn, “Madonna, let us shake hands because we are your husband’s brothers and your brothers-in-law.” Madonna Felicetta, who remembered her husband Zambò’s words along with the beatings he had given her, did not want shake his hand; but he fed her so many sweet lines that she shook his hand. As soon as she had shaken both their hands, Bertaz said, “Oh my dear sister-in-law, give us a little something for breakfast because we are dying of hunger.” There was no way that she wanted to give them anything; however, in the end, they knew how to speak, to prattle, and to beg so well that by their courteous words and sweet requests Madonna Felicetta was moved to feel compassion and ushered them into the house. She gave them good things to eat and even better to drink, and what’s more, she gave them a place to sleep. Just three days later, as Bertaz and Santì were conversing with their sisterin-law, Ser Zambò came home. Madonna Felicetta, having heard that her husband had arrived, became quite distressed and, because she was so frightened, she could not think of what she should do so that Zambò would not see his brothers. Not knowing what else to do, without anyone noticing she had them go into the kitchen where there was tub in which they skinned the pigs and she raised it up and shoved them underneath that very tub. When Zambò had come upstairs and saw his wife with her face all sweaty, he was beside himself; then he said, “What’s wrong with you that I see you so out of breath? There must be something. You wouldn’t, by chance, have some lover in the house?” She replied to him in a low voice that nothing was wrong. Ser Zambò was still staring at her and said, “Certainly you must have done something to me. Would you, by chance, have my brothers in the house?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 239 And she replied bravely no. And he began to play with the club in his usual way. Bertaz and Santì, who were beneath the tub for the pigs, heard everything and were so afraid that they shit their pants and did not dare move or shake. Ser Zambò, having put down the club, began to go all through the house looking to see if he could find anything. Seeing that there was no one, he calmed down a bit and set to tending to some of his affairs in the house. He continued doing these things for so long that from the fear, the great heat, and the incredible stench of the pig tub, poor Bertaz and Santì were so worried that they shit out their souls. When then the hour had come when Ser Zambò usually went to the square to do some business, as good merchants do, he left the house. Once Zambò had gone, Madonna Felicetta went to the tub to see about sending away her brothersin-law so that Zambò wouldn’t find them at the house. Lifting up the tub, she found both of them lifeless and they looked just like two pigs. Upon seeing such a thing, the poor woman went from bad to worse. And so that Ser Zambò would not hear this news, she immediately tried to get them out of the house so that no one would know or realize anything. Now from what I have heard, it is the custom in Rome that when some foreigner or pilgrim is found dead in the street or in someone’s house, they are carried off by certain gravediggers appointed for such tasks. They take them to the city walls, drag them into Tiber, and set them free on the currents, so that you’ll never see hair nor hide of them. Having gone by chance to the window to see if there was some friend of hers to take away the dead bodies, Madonna Felicetta had the good luck that one of these gravediggers was passing by. She motioned for him to come to her and then made him understand that she had a dead body in the house and that he should come take it away and carry it to the Tiber, as was the custom. Earlier, Madonna Felicetta had taken one of the bodies out from under the tub and had left it on the ground near the tub. When the gravedigger came downstairs, she helped him put the body on his shoulders and told him to come back so that she could pay him. The gravedigger went to the wall and threw the body into the Tiber. With the job done, he returned to the woman so that she’d give him a florin, because this was ordinarily his pay. While the gravedigger was carrying off the dead body, Madonna Felicetta, who was clever, had dragged the other body out from under the tub and had set it up at the foot of the tub just as the other had been. When the gravedigger returned to Madonna Felicetta to collect his pay, Madonna Felicetta said, “Did you carry the dead body to the Tiber?” The gravedigger replied, “Madonna, yes.” “Did you throw it in?” And he replied to her, “What do you mean did I drag it in? and how!”

240 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Madonna Felicetta said in turn, “What do you mean you threw it into the Tiber? Now look here, isn’t it still here?” Looking at the dead body and believing that is was truly the other one, the gravedigger was completely shocked and ashamed. Endlessly complaining, whining, and cursing the dead man, he put him on his shoulders, carried him to the riverbank, and threw him into the Tiber as well. He stayed to watch him go with the current for a bit. While returning to Madonna Felicetta to collect his payment, the gravedigger came across Zambò, the third brother, who was heading home. Seeing that the one named Ser Zambò so closely resembled the others that he had carried to the Tiber, the gravedigger became so angry that he shot fire and flames in all directions. Unable to bear such shame and truly believing that Zambò was the one he had already carried to the Tiber and was some evil spirit who had returned, the gravedigger went behind Zambò and with the lever that he had in his hand swung at Zambò’s head, saying, “Ah, lazybones, rascal, do you think that I want to carry you back to the Tiber?” and he beat him endlessly so that poor Ser Zambò, too, died from the blows of a good club. Having taken the body, which was not quite dead, on his shoulders, he threw it in the Tiber. And so, Zambò, Bertaz, and Santì ended their lives miserably. When she heard the news, Madonna Felicetta, was very joyful and content that she had left so many trials behind her and returned to being free, as she had been before. Molino’s tale had come to its end and it so pleased the women that they could not stop laughing and talking about it. And although the Signora imposed silence many times, they did not, however, stop laughing hard. But then when they were quiet, the Signora ordered Molino to follow with a riddle in that same language.133 And he, wishing to obey, proposed his riddle in this way: He comes forth from his dark tombs Bones of the dead after the third and sixth, And with signs he shows them their fates At their places with fire and storms. To cruel and harsh curses he moves The people who remain, greedy to do well. A beard of flesh then comes with beak of bone And says with its song that you must make a ditch of down.134 133. Bergamasque dialect. 134. “Al vè lu fò di li so tombi scuri, / ossi de mort dapò la terza e sesta, / e mostra con i segni le venturi / denter di casi con fuog e tempesta; / a’s’ muove con biastemi crudi e duri / la zent avara che de fà ben resta; / barba de carem ven po e becco d’os, / e dis col cant ch’a’s’ faci d’occa u fos.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 241 If the tale told by Molino generally pleased everyone, the witty, or rather frightening, riddle was all the more to their liking. And since no one understood it, the women in one voice begged him again and again to solve it in the same language in which he had recited it. Molino seeing that this was everyone’s wish, so that he would not seem stingy with his talents, explained his riddle in this way. “My dear ladies, my riddle means nothing other than the game of hazard. And the bones of the dead that come out of the graves are the dice that come out of the breast pocket and when throwing a three, a two, an ace, don’t those points indicate good fortune? Don’t those same points ignite those around the gaming table and also their purses? So, oftentimes, doesn’t one who has been winning the game go on to lose? And isn’t this due to the mutability of fortune? Doesn’t it move the greedy player then who seeks always to win to utter curses and great maledictions, so that sometimes I don’t know how the earth doesn’t open up and bury him? And when he has played well, doesn’t the rooster, which has a fleshy beard and a bony beak, get up and sing cock-a-doodle-doo, letting you know that it is midnight and you must go to your bed, which is full of goose feathers? And when you throw yourself down, doesn’t it seem like you are falling into a ditch? So, what do you think? Enough.” Not without great laughter did everyone listen to the explanation of the clever riddle, and there was no one who did not, because of the laughing, stretch themselves out on the benches. But then the Signora ordered that everyone be silent and turned to Molino and said, “Signor Antonio, just as the star Diana surpasses all others with its light, so the tale that you told with its riddle surpasses in its merit all the others that we have heard up till now.” Molino replied, “The merit, Signora, that you attribute to me, does not proceed from my knowledge, but from the great courtesy and kindness that always reigns in you. But if you see fit that Trivigiano tell one of his in the peasant language,135 I am sure that you will take greater pleasure in that than you have taken in listening to mine.” The Signora, who greatly desired to hear it, said, “Signor Benedetto, listen to what your friend Molino says. Certainly you would err greatly if you made a liar out of him. Put your hand in your pocket, then, and pull out a peasant tale and make all of us happy with it.”

135. This peasant language is pavano dialect. Like Bergamasque, pavano was both the dialect of a certain region (Padua) and a literary language. It is the language used by a contemporary of Straparola, the playwright Angelo Beolco (1496?–1542), known as Il Ruzante. Beolco abandoned the rules of classical comedy embraced by canonical playwrights and explored themes such as poverty, war, and the travails of peasants forced to abandon the countryside to seek work in the cities. Straparola clearly knew his work and even bases a portion of the following novella on a passage from one of Ruzante’s plays; see note 138 below.

242 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Trivigiano, to whom it seemed very unbecoming to take Signora Arianna’s turn, for it was her turn to speak, first excused himself, then seeing that he could not avoid that hurdle began his tale by speaking in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 243 FIFTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Marsilio Verzelese loves Tia, the wife of Cecato Rabboso. She brings him into their house and while she casts a spell with her husband, he flees quietly. My goodness, Signora, and you, fine company, what do you think? Didn’t Messer Antonio do well? Didn’t he tell you a fine story? But, blood of a dog, I, too, wish to strive to gain such honor for myself. Those of us from the countryside have always heard it said that there are some men in the world who govern themselves one way, and some another. But I, being who I am, since I know nothing about letters, will say what I have heard our elders say: He who dances badly, entertains well. Never mind! I will do the same. But don’t believe at all that I’m telling you this because I want to avoid the trouble of telling you a tale, because it isn’t the fear of not knowing how to tell one. No, rather, the tale that Messer Antonio told with such fine gracefulness that no one can match it has so inspired me that I can’t wait any more and it seems a thousand years before I can begin. And perhaps it will be no less pleasant and comical than his, and chiefly because I will tell you of the cunning of a country woman who played a trick on her oaf of a husband. And if you listen to me and listen courteously, you will hear the best I know to tell. There is below the estate of Piove di Sacco, in the region of Padua,136 as I believe all of you know, a land they call Salmazza, and a long time ago a field hand whose name was Cecato Rabboso used to live down there. Since he was a man thick both in the head and in body, he was poor and dependable. This Cecato Rabboso had as his wife a daughter of a farmer called Gagiardi, from a place called Campolongo.137 She was young, clever, cunning, and accursed, and her name was Tia. In addition to being worldly-wise, she was sturdily built with a beautiful face, and there wasn’t another peasant girl for many miles around who could compare. And because she was a lively and talented dancer, everyone who saw her fell in love with her. It seems that a young man named Marsilio Verzolese, who was also handsome and strong, but a well-educated citizen of Padua, fell in love with this Tia. He fell so madly in love with her that this young man also went to the feasts where she went to dance, and for the majority—I wouldn’t be mistaken if I said all—of the dances, he danced with her. Although this young man was in love with her, he kept his love hidden as best he could, so as not to let his group of friends find out, nor did he tell anyone about it. Knowing that her husband Cecato was poor and earned a living with his hands, working from early in the morning to deep into the night, first for this one, then for that one, he began to visit Tia’s house. In this way, with his good manners 136. The city is southeast of Padua. 137. Campolongo Maggiore is not far from Piove di Sacco.

244 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA he became quite friendly with her and began to speak with her. Although Marsilio had decided in his heart to reveal the love he bore for her, he nevertheless feared that she would be upset by this and wouldn’t want to see him anymore, for it didn’t seem to him that she looked as kindly on him as he thought the love he bore her deserved. What’s more, he was also afraid to be discovered by some evil person who would tell her husband Cecato about it, and that Cecato then would do something unpleasant to him, because he was very big and also very jealous. Marsilio continued visiting the house where Tia stayed with such insistence and stared so fixedly at her face that she realized that he was in love with her. And forasmuch as she, for her many scruples could not look kindly on him nor show that she too was in love with him, and how much she loved him, she in turn grieved and was tormented. One day as Tia was seated on a log at the threshold of the door to her house with the distaff under her arm and flax wrapped around it that she was spinning for her mistress, Marsilio happened by. He gathered up his courage and said to Tia, “God save you, Tia, my dear.” And Tia replied to him, “Welcome, young man.” “Don’t you know,” said Marsilio, “that I am completely consumed by and dying for your love, and you don’t realize or care about my problem?” Tia replied to him, “I don’t know anything about you loving me.” Marsilio said, “Now if you don’t know, I’m telling you now with great pain and passion in my heart.” And Tia replied to him, “I know it well now.” Marsilio said in turn, “And you, well, tell me the truth by your dear faith, do you love me?” Tia replied, “A little, oh!” Marsilio said, “How much, may God help you?” “Enough,” replied Tia. Marsilio said, “Alas, Tia, if you love me as you say you do, you would show me some sign, but you don’t want to give me a drop.” Tia replied, “But how?” “Oh, Tia,” said Marsilio, “you know quite well without me telling you.” “I know, my God, that I do not know,” replied Tia, “if you do not tell me.” Marsilio said, “Now I will tell you, if you will listen to me and do not take it the wrong way.” “Do speak, Messere, because I promise you on my soul that if it is something that is good and honorable, I will not be offended.” Marsilio said, “When you would like me to enjoy your much desired person?” “Now I see well,” replied Tia, “that you trick me and you mock me. We don’t suit each other well: you are a citizen of Padua and I am peasant in the countryside.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 245 You are rich and I am poor. You are learned and I work with my hands. You would want cultured women and I am one of the cast off women. You are stately with embroidered jackets, printed hose, shoes with silk soles, and I, don’t you see, have my peasant dress all torn, in tatters, and patched? I own nothing else in the world besides this little skirt and that shawl that you see me wearing when I go to the dance at the feast. You eat bread made of wheat, and I eat bread made from millet, sorghum, and polenta, and I wish that I had all I wanted! And I am without a fur coat this winter, poor me! And I don’t even know what I will do because there isn’t the money nor are there things to sell in order to be able to buy the things that we need. We don’t have enough grain to eat to last until Easter. I don’t know what we will do with such great famine and the taxes we must pay every day to Padua. Oh, poor us in the countryside who never have it good! We struggle to till the land and sow the wheat and you eat it, and we poor people eat the sorghum. We prune the vines and make the wine, and you drink it, and we drink the dregs and water.”138 Marsilio said, “Do not worry about this because if you satisfy me, I will not fail to give you everything you ask for.” “All you men say these things,” replied Tia, “until you’ve done your business, then you go off never to be seen again, and the poor women are left tricked, mocked, and shamed in the world. Then you go about boasting and washing your hands of our concerns, as if we were some carcass found on the dung heaps. I know well what you citizens of Padua know how to do.” Marsilio said, “Oh, come on, enough now. Let’s put aside words and come to deeds. Do you want to do what I told you?” Tia replied, “Go away, for the love of God, before my husband arrives, because it is evening and he will be home very soon. Come back tomorrow and we will speak as much as you wish. I love you, yes I do.” Because he was inflamed after speaking with her, he did not want to leave, and she turned to him to say, “Go away, please, don’t stay any longer.” Marsilio, seeing that Tia was almost worried, said, “God be with you, Tia, my sweetheart, I entrust my heart to you, which is in your hands.” “Go with God,” replied Tia, “my dear hope whom I hold dear, yes I do.” “We will see each other tomorrow, God willing,” said Marsilio. “Good, good,” replied Tia. The following day, it seemed to Marsilio that a thousand years had passed before he returned to Tia, and when it seemed to him the hour to go, he went to her house and found Tia in the garden hoeing and layering some young vines 138. Pirovano notes that Straparola takes Tia’s speech from the prologue to Beolco’s play Fiorina: see Le piacevoli notti, 1:392n4. In Fiorina, Ruzante and Marchioro are rivals for the hand of the peasant girl Fiore. Ronnie Ferguson indicates that the play was performed in both Padua and Venice and suggests that the earliest date of composition was around 1528–1529. The first printed edition appeared in Venice in 1552: Ronnie Ferguson, The Theater of Angelo Beolco (Ruzante): Text, Context, and Performance (Ravenna: Longo, 2000), 46–48.

246 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA that she had. As soon as they saw each other, they greeted each other and then began talking. When they had spoken a long time together, Tia said to Marsilio, “Tomorrow morning, my hope, Cecato must go to the mill and will not return home until the following morning. If you like, you can come late in the evening for I will be waiting for you. But come without fail and do not trick me.” When Marsilio heard such good news, there was never a man who felt as much joy as he did then and he leapt in the air. Absolutely content and in a good mood, he left Tia. As soon as Cecato came home, the cunning woman went to meet him and said to him, “Cecato, my good brother, you need to go to the mill because there is nothing to eat.” Cecato replied, “Good, good.” “I say that you must go there tomorrow morning,” Tia said. Cecato replied, “Good, early tomorrow morning I’ll go have the men where I work loan me a cart with oxen, I’ll come here to load up, and then I’ll go. In the meantime, let’s go prepare the grain and put it in the sacks, so that tomorrow we won’t have anything to worry about but putting it on the cart and going off singing.” “Good” replied Tia, and they did this. The next day, Cecato put the grain that he had put in sacks the evening before on the cart and went to the mill. And because the days were short and the nights were long, and the roads were completely ruined by rains, mud, and ice, and it was very cold, poor Cecato had to spend the whole night at the mill. Marsilio and Tia wished for nothing else. When the dark night came, Marsilio, according to his agreement with Tia, took a fine pair of hens that were seasoned well and nicely cooked, some white bread, and good wine without a drop of water, all which he had prepared earlier, left home, and secretly went across the fields to Tia’s house. When he entered the house, he found her near the hearth next to the fire where she was winding thread. The two of them prepared to eat and after they had eaten quite well, they went to lie down in the bed together. While the poor twit Cecato was grinding grain at the mill, Marsilio was sifting the flour in bed. The sun was by now ready to rise and the day began to break when the two lovers rose from the bed, fearing that Cecato would catch them lying together. They stood there talking to each other, and not much time had passed when Cecato reached the house, gave a great whistle in front of the house, and began to call, “Tia, oh Tia, light the fire I’m freezing to death.” When she heard her husband coming, Tia, who was cunning and a bit mischievous, fearing that something terrible would befall Marsilio and harm and shame her, immediately opened the door and had Marsilio hide behind it. With a happy face she went to meet Cecato and began to caress him. After Cecato had

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 247 entered the courtyard, he said to Tia, “Tia, go on, make a small fire, I beg you, because I’m really frozen from the cold. On the blood of Saint Quentin I swear that I thought I’d freeze last night up there at that mill, I was so cold, and I couldn’t sleep at all or shut my eyes.” Tia immediately went to the woodshed, took a good bundle under her arm, and lit the fire for him. She stood mischievously by the fire on that side where it seemed to her that Marsilio could not be seen by Cecato. Speaking in a friendly manner with her husband Cecato, Tia said, “Oh Cecato, my good brother, don’t I have some good news to tell you?” Cecato replied, “What, dear sister?” Tia said, “Wasn’t a poor old man here after you had gone to the mill asking me for alms for the love of God? Because I gave him some bread and a cup of wine to drink, didn’t he teach me such a fine incantation that I don’t know if I ever heard a finer one in my life for chasing away the falcon? And I also learned it well.” “Now what are you saying to me,” said Cecato, “are you serious?” Tia said, “Certainly, yes, I swear by our faith. I’m also quite fond of it.” “Go on, say it then,” said Cecato. Tia replied, “It is necessary, brother, for you to take part, too.” “How?” said Cecato. “Now I’ll tell you well,” said Tia, “if you will listen to me.” “How? Tell me,” replied Cecato, “don’t make me suffer anymore.” Tia said, “You need to stretch out here flat on the ground as far as you can and your entire length, as if you were dead, which I would never want, however! And turn your head and shoulders toward the door and you knees toward the drying rack, and we need to put a white laundered cloth over your face and then put our grain measure on your head.” “It won’t fit,” said Cecato. “Yes, all right, yes, okay,” replied Tia, “and look now?” and she took the grain measure which was nearby and put it on his head and said, “It couldn’t fit you better on God’s green earth!” Then Tia said, “You need to stay still and don’t move or roll over for any reason because if you do our spell won’t work. And then I’ll take our sieve in hand and I’ll begin to sift over you, and as I’m sifting over you I’ll say the incantation, and in this way we’ll cast the spell. Be careful not to move until I’ve said it three times, because it’s necessary to say it three times over you, and you’ll see if that falcon will bother our chicks any longer.” Cecato replied, “If only, by God, what you are saying were true, because we would have room to breathe. Don’t you see that we can’t raise chicks without this devil of a falcon eating them all? And we can’t raise enough of them to pay our landlords or to sell to pay the taxes and buy the oil, salt, and other things for the house.” “Now you’ll see,” said Tia, “that in this way we will be able to help ourselves.”

248 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Then she said to Cecato, “Go on, lie down,” and Cecato lay down. “Go on, stretch out well,” said Tia. And Cecato strained to stretch himself out as much as he was able. “Oh, like that,” said Tia. And then she grabbed a little white linen cloth, clean from the laundry, and covered his face. Then she grabbed the grain measure and put it on his head, and then she grabbed the sieve and began to sift and to say the incantation that she had learned, which began in this way: You’re a fool, and I make you a fool, With this my sieve I sift you. Among my chicks, there are a good twenty-four, Make it so the buzzard, the hail, and the thief Don’t get inside, nor the fox, nor the rat, Nor the evil bird with the hooked beak. You who are behind that door, understand the fact, And if you don’t, you’ll be taken for a madman.139 While Tia was casting the spell and sifting with the sieve, she kept her eyes on the door and made a sign to Marsilio, who was behind the door, for him to escape. But the young man, who was neither experienced nor an expert, did not understand nor did he realize why Tia was doing such things, and he did not move at all. Because Cecato wanted to get up, because he was already tired, he said to Tia, “Good, are you finished?” But Tia, who saw that Marsilio did not move at all from behind the door, replied to Cecato, “Stay down, damn you! Didn’t I tell you that I need to recite the incantation three times. Unless you want us to ruin everything because you wanted to move.” Cecato said, “Not at all, not at all, no.” And she made him lie down again and again she began the spell in the same way she had done before. Marsilio, who by now had understood how the thing worked, went out the door and went away slowly without Cecato seeing him nor realizing it. After she saw that Marsilio had fled outside the courtyard, she finished casting the spell on the falcon and had her billy goat140 of a husband get up from the ground and along with Tia unload the flour that had come from the mill. As Tia was standing outside in the courtyard and saw Marsilio a ways off going at a good pace, she began to shout as loud as she could, “Hey, hey, stupid bird! Hey, hey, if you come here, if you come here, I swear, I swear, I’ll send you 139. “Besucco te si’ e besucco te fazzo / con questo me tamiso a’ te sadazzo. / Ne i miè ponzin, che son ben vinti quattro, / Fa che ’l poese né frazza né lattro, / no gh’entre dentro né volpe né rato / né ’l mal osel dal becco rampinato. / Ti che sè drio quel usso intiendi il fatto: / s’ te no l’intenderè, te parrè matto.” 140. The word “becco” means both billy goat or he-goat and cuckold.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 249 away with your tail between your legs! Hey, I tell you. Do you think we flushed him? Do you think that this evil beast will try to come back again? Hey, may God curse you!” And in this way, every time that the falcon came and flew down into the courtyard to carry off the chicks, first he shed some feathers with the hen and then the hen would cast the spell, the falcon would disappear and go away with his tail between his legs and not bother Cecato and Tia’s chicks. The tale Trivigiano told was so entertaining and ridiculous that the women and the men began to laugh so hard that they almost felt their sides split with laughter, nor was there anyone in the company who would not have taken Trivigiano for a peasant. But then when everyone ceased laughing, the Signora turned her bright face toward Trivigiano and said to him, “Truly, Signor Benedetto, you have so cheered us this evening that deservedly and truly we can all with one voice say your tale was not inferior to Molino’s. But in order to please us and this honorable company, propose, if you do not mind, a riddle that is no less delightful than beautiful.” Seeing that this was her wish, Trivigiano did not want to contradict her, but rose to his feet and without delay began his riddle in the following way: Sir Yoke goes back and forth So that he is seen by all. There is one who stays on one side, and one on the other. That cunning boy does well Who hits the back of those on four. If at first you guess it, Nevertheless, like a good friend, I’ll tell you who the yoke is.141 “So as not to keep you, fine company, in suspense, do you know what my words mean? Now I will tell you, if you don’t know. ‘Ser Yoke goes back and forth’ means the yoke with which you keep the oxen joined at the plow, and which goes up and down through the cities and through the streets and is seen by everyone. And those who stand on one side and the other are the oxen who are even, and that one ‘who hits the back of those on four’ is the ox driver who, as he goes behind them with the whip, hits the oxen that have four hooves. And I’ll tell you again as your good friend that the answer is the yoke.” 141. The riddle and the solution that follows immediately after are also in pavano dialect. “Va sier Zovo indrio e inanti / ch’è vezzú da tutti quanti. / Chi da un lò sta, chi da l’altro, / ben sarà quel fante scaltro, / che dà quattro in su la schina, / s’a la prima lo indovina. / Tutta fià da bon amigo, / che l’è zovo pur ve ’l digo.”

250 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA In general, everyone liked the solution to the peasant riddle and, still laughing, everyone praised it highly. But Trivigiano, who knew that that evening no one else would take a turn telling a tale except charming Cateruzza, turned toward the Signora with a noble mien and said, “It is not that I wish to disturb the established order, nor to rule over Your Highness who is my mistress, or rather my lady; but, in order to satisfy the honest wish of this entire loving company, it would be my greatest pleasure if your Excellency join us with one of your own, telling us, with that good grace that you usually do, a tale that would give us pleasure and delight. And if I, by chance, have been in this, may God forbid, more presumptuous than is fitting my lowly station, I beg you to pardon me, since the love I bear this elegant company was the primary cause of this request.” Having heard Trivigiano’s courteous request, the Signora first lowered her eyes to the ground, not out of fear or for shame that she felt, but because she thought for various reasons that it was more appropriate for her to listen than to speak, then with graceful movements and chaste manners inclined toward mirthfulness, she turned her bright face toward Trivigiano and said, “Signor Benedetto, even though your request is pleasant and honest, you should not however be such an insistent petitioner, for the task of telling tales rightly falls to these our young maidens rather than to us. And so you must pardon us if we are not inclined to grant your honest wish, and Cateruzza, whose turn, by chance, is the fifth one of this night, will take our place.” The merry company, which was anxious to hear the lady, rose to its feet and began to aid and abet Trivigiano, begging her mightily that she be kind and courteous in this regard, nor to be concerned with maintaining her dignity, because the time and the place granted everyone, whatever their station, to be able to freely narrate whatever most pleased them.142 The Signora, seeing herself so sweetly coaxed, in order that she not seem discourteous or willful, replied smiling, “Since this pleases you and it will make all of you happy that I end this evening with a little tale of mine, I will do it gladly.” And without out further objection, she happily began her tale.

142. In part, this freedom derives from the fact that during Carnival many rules of decorum were suspended.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 251 FIFTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Madonna Modesta, the wife of Messer Tristano Zanchetto, acquires a great number of shoes from different lovers during her youth, and in her old age distributes them to servants, porters, and other people of very low stations. More often than not ill-gotten gains, goods ill acquired along twisted paths, are quickly lost, for by divine will they return along the same path on which they came. This happened to a woman from Pistoia who, if she had been as chaste and wise as she was loose and foolish, perhaps then we would not speak of her as we speak of her now. And although the tale that I intend to tell you is not really appropriate for us, since she brought disgrace and shame upon herself that obscures and blackens the reputation and glory of those women who live chastely, I will tell it to you anyway, for it will be, though I’ll not say for whom, no small lesson to seek the good women and flee from the bad ones, leaving them to their evil and malicious ways. In Pistoia, then, most honorable ladies, an ancient city in Tuscany, there was in our day a young woman called Madonna Modesta, whose name did not suit her due to her reprehensible ways and disgraceful behavior.143 This woman was very charming and pretty, but of a lowly station, and had a husband named Messer Tristano Zanchetto, a name most fitting for him, for he was an affable and good man, but wholly dedicated to selling, and his business went very well for him. Madonna Modesta, who was by nature entirely dedicated to love and never concerned herself with anything else, seeing that her husband was a merchant and very diligent in his affairs, wanted to begin another new trade about which Messer Tristano would know nothing. Sitting every day for her enjoyment first on one balcony, then on another one, she gazed at all the people who were passing by in the street, and as many young men as she saw pass by she stirred to love her with signs and gestures. Her diligence was such in procuring business, which she looked after most vigilantly, that there was no man in the city, rich or poor, noble or plebeian, who did not want to take and savor her merchandise. Therefore when Madonna Modesta had obtained a very fine reputation and greatness, she decide that she absolutely wanted to satisfy whoever came to her for a small fee, and for her goods she wanted no other reward from them than a pair of shoes that befitted the status and station of those who gave themselves over to amorous pleasure with her. So, if the lover who enjoyed himself with her was noble, she wanted velvet shoes, if plebian, then of fine linen, if a laborer, then of pure leather. Whence the good woman had such a crowd that her shop was never empty. And because she was young, beautiful, and showy, and so small was the fee 143. “Modesta” means modest, which this woman certainly is not. I have not been able to establish why Tristano Zanchetto’s name is so fitting.

252 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA that she asked as recompense, all of the Pistoians willingly visited her and enjoyed themselves as well, picking the most desired fruits of love. As a reward for her sweet toil and sweat, Madonna Modesta had already filled a very large warehouse with shoes, and there was such a great number of shoes of all kinds that if someone were to go to Venice and look in every shop, he would not have found a third as many as there were in her warehouse. It happened that Messer Tristano, her husband, needed the warehouse to store some of his wares that by chance had arrived from different lands. He called his beloved wife, Madonna Modesta, and asked her for the keys to the warehouse. Shrewdly, without making any excuse, she gave them to him. The husband opened the warehouse, and thinking that he would find it empty, found it full of all sorts of shoes, as we have said already. He was quite stunned by this, nor could he imagine where such an abundance of shoes came from. He called his wife and asked her where all the shoes that are in the warehouse came from. Wise Madonna Modesta replied to him, “What do you think, Messer Tristano my husband? Do you think perhaps that you are the only merchant in this city? Surely, you are greatly deceived, for women too understand the art of selling. And though you are such an important merchant who makes many deals and big ones, I content myself with these small ones, and I put my merchandise in the warehouse and locked it up so that it would be safe. You therefore, attend to your goods with all care and diligence and I will valiantly look after my own with the necessary attentiveness and delectation.” Messer Tristano, who did not know nor give any more consideration to the sublime wit and great knowledge of his wise and shrewd wife, was pleased and supported her to boldly continue the trade she had begun. Secretly continuing the amorous dance and the running of her sweet trade that was doing well for her, Madonna Modesta became so rich with shoes, that she could have supplied not just Pistoia, but all of the largest cities. While Madonna Modesta was young, charming, and beautiful, her business never dwindled. But since ravenous Time rules over all things and gives them their beginning, middle, and end, Madonna Modesta, who was at first fresh, plump, and beautiful, saw her appearance change but not her habits. She shed her old feathers and her forehead was wrinkled, her face altered, her eyes teary, and her breasts were empty like a deflated bladder, and when she laughed there were so many wrinkles that everyone stared straight at her, laughed at her, and made fun of her. When against her will Madonna Modesta became old and grey, not having anyone left who loved and courted her as before, and seeing that her shoe trade had ceased, she regretted it and grieved. And because from the beginning of her youth to the present hour she had given herself over to filthy lust, enemy of the body and the purse, and had accustomed herself to it and fed on it more than any woman on earth, she could not abstain from this vice in any way, shape, or form.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 253 And although day after day there was less of that vital sap by which all plants take root, grow, and multiply, the desire to satisfy her wicked and immoderate appetite did not cease. Madonna Modesta, seeing that she was completely lacking the advantage of youth, and was no longer considered or desired by the charming and handsome young men as before, made a new resolution. Sitting on the balcony, she began to gaze lovingly at all of the servants, porters, peasants, chimney sweeps, and rogues who passed by there. She dragged as many of them as she could into her house to worship her, and she took her usual pleasure with them. And just as in the past she had wanted from her lovers a pair of shoes befitting their status and station as a reward for her insatiable lust, so on the contrary she gave a pair as recompense for his effort to the man who was the best lover and who best ruffled her fur. Madonna Modesta arrived at a point where all of the vile scoundrels of Pistoia gathered around her, some to take their pleasure with her, some to mock and make fun of her, some to win the shameful prize she gave them. Nor had many days passed before the warehouse, which had been full of shoes, was almost empty. It happened that one day Messer Tristano wanted to see secretly how his wife’s business was going and he took the keys to the warehouse, without her knowing a thing, opened it, and went inside. He found that almost of all of the shoes were gone. Therefore Messer Tristano, full of awe, was amazed thinking how his wife had sold as many pairs of shoes as there were in the warehouse. Firmly believing that his wife was flush with gold from the profits from them, he consoled himself, imagining that he could use some part of it for his own needs. He called her before him and said, “Modesta, my prudent and wise wife, today I opened your warehouse and I wanted to see how your honest business was going. And thinking that the number of shoes would have increased from the first time that I saw them until now, I found that it had decreased. I was more than a little surprised by this. Then I thought that you had sold them and from the profits from them you had money in hand and I took comfort in this. If this is so, I would think it would be no small fortune.” Not without a deep sigh that came from the inner recesses of her heart, Madonna Modesta replied, “Messer Tristano, my husband, do not be surprised at all by this, since those shoes that you saw in abundance in the warehouse went the same way they had come. And be sure that ill-gotten gains are quickly lost, so don’t be at all surprised by this.” Messer Tristano, who did not understand this, was confused, and greatly fearing that the same thing would befall his trade, did not want to continue speaking about it. But as best he knew how and could, he decided to make sure that his business did not fail as his wife’s had. When Madonna Modesta saw that she had been abandoned by every type of man and was without the shoes that she had so sweetly earned, she fell gravely

254 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA ill due to the grief and passion that she felt and in a short time she died miserably from consumption. And in this way, the not very sensible Madonna Modesta shamefully ended her business and her life, leaving behind as an example for others her disgraceful memory. When the Signora’s brief tale was finished, everyone began to laugh equally hard, blaming Madonna Modesta, who lived modestly in every way, save in regard to fleeting and troublesome lust. Then they could not stop from laughing when they thought about the shoes that she no less sweetly acquired than sweetly lost. But since Cateruzza had been the reason Trivigiano moved to make the Signora recount a tale, first the Signora scolded her with sweet words, then as punishment for the error she had committed, she sternly ordered her to recite a riddle that would be equal to the tale that she herself had told. When Cateruzza heard the Signora’s command, she stood, turned toward her, and spoke like this, “My Signora, the scolding that you have given me, is not unwelcome, rather I embrace it wholeheartedly. But that you have given me the task of telling something that resembles the tale you told is a great burden for me, for one cannot spontaneously say something that will please you. But since this is the way you see fit to punish my mistake, if you can call it a mistake, I, like a most obedient daughter, or rather most devoted handmaid, will speak like this: The woman in great haste goes to sit down And little by little I take off her clothes And because I am sure that she is waiting for me, I get ready, thing in hand. I raise her leg, and “Too tight,” She says to me, “is this thing, go slower.” And so that she’ll feel more delight, I pull it out and stick it back in again and again.144 The riddle told by Cateruzza was no less comical than the witty tale recited by the Signora. And because many of them interpreted it in an immoral way, she wanted to reveal her integrity in a fine manner. “The true solution, therefore, generous ladies, to the riddle we recounted is nothing other than the tight shoe. For the woman goes to sit down and the cobbler with the shoe in hand lifts her leg and the woman says to him, ‘Go slowly because the shoe is too tight and hurts me.’ And he takes it off and puts it back on many times until the woman is satisfied and content.” 144. “Vasi a seder la donna con gran fretta / e io levole e’ panni a mano a mano, / e perché certo son ch’ella m’aspetta / indi m’acconcio con la cosa in mano. / La gamba i’ levo, ed ella: ‘Troppo stretta’ / dicemi ‘va tal cosa, fa piú piano.’ / E per ch’ella ne senta piú diletto / sovente la ritraggio o la rimetto.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume One 255 When Cateruzza’s riddle was finished and had been highly praised by the entire company, knowing that the hour was late, the Signora ordered that under penalty of her disfavor no one should leave. She had the discreet steward summoned and ordered him to put the tables in the large hall, so that while they were setting the tables and cooking the dinner, they could dance a few dances. When the dances were finished and two songs sung, the Signora rose to her feet, and taking by hand the Signor Ambassador145 and Messer Pietro Bembo, with all the others following their lead, she led them into the room that had been prepared, where, after washing their hands, each of them sat at the table according to his station and rank. With fine, delicate foods and expensive young wines they were all most honorably served. When the sumptuous and lavish dinner had been finished with glad feasting and amiable conversations, and everyone was happier than they had been before, they rose from the tables and once again began to dance in a round. Since by then the rosy dawn began to appear, the Signora had the torches lit and accompanied the Signor Ambassador to the stairway, requesting, as was her custom, that he return there to where they met, and she did the same with the others. THE END OF THE FIFTH NIGHT

145. The Signor Ambassador is Giambattista Casali, the ambassador of the English king Henry VIII; see note 9 above.

Giovan Francesco Straparola’s The Pleasant Nights Volume Two Greetings to the pleasant and amiable ladies, from Giovan Francesco Straparola of Caravaggio. There are many men, affectionate ladies, who, moved either by envy or hatred, are trying to bite me with menacing fangs and to rend my miserable flesh, charging that the entertaining tales that I have written and collected in this and that other little volume, are not mine, but were stolen thievishly from one author or another. To tell the truth, I confess that they are not mine, and if I were to say otherwise, I would be lying; I have written them down quite faithfully according to the way they were recounted by the ten young maidens at that gathering. And if I bring them to light now, I do not do it to be haughty or to acquire honor and fame, but only to please you, and above all those of you whom I serve and those of you to whom I am eternally bound and indebted. Therefore, accept with a cheerful countenance, pleasant ladies, this small gift from your servant; do not lend credence to the barking critics who attack us like mad dogs with sharp fangs, but read them now and again and, at the proper time and place, draw from them amusement and delight, not ignoring, however, Him from Whom all our good comes. Be happy, and remember those who hold you engraved in their hearts, the least among whom I do not believe myself to be. In Venice, the first of September, 1553.

257

258 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Here begins the second book of tales and riddles by Messer Giovan Francesco Straparola from Caravaggio titled The Pleasant Nights. THE SIXTH NIGHT The shadows of the dark night had already come forth all around, but the golden stars no longer shone their light in the vast sky; Aeolus, running over the salty waves with heaving breath, not only made the sea rise to great heights, but had also turned against the sailors, when the charming and faithful company, scorning the strong wind, the swelling of the sea, and the harsh cold, came back to the usual spot and after first having bowed to the Signora, they sat down in their chairs. Then the Signora ordered that the golden vase be brought to her and, having placed the names of five maidens inside, the first name that came out was Alteria, the second Arianna, the third Cateruzza, the fourth Lauretta, the fifth Eritrea. Then the Signora made all five of them sing a canzonetta. Most obedient to her order, they sang sweetly in this way, If, Love, to the beginnings, armed with faith, Corresponded the end with my lady, Never would your name perish with hers. But I think, alas, that in her your power Is not of such strength as to stop Her lofty thoughts replete with chastity, Which gives me much more desire than hope. Instead, I see in her beautiful, modest ways That she is almost troubled to seek her fortune in you, So that her name will live and yours will fade.1 When the pretty and delightful canzonetta was finished, Alteria, who had the first turn to tell a tale, put down the viola and bow that she held in her hands and began her tale in this way.

1. “S’a’ bei principi, Amor, di fede armati / corrispondesse con madonna il fine, / unqua il tuo col suo nome arrebbe fine. / Ma penso, ahimé, che ’n lei la tua possanza / non è di tal valor che stringa il freno / a l’alto suo pensier d’onestà pieno, / ch’assai mi dà desir piú che speranza; / anzi veggio ne’ bei modi temprati / quasi molesta farsi in te fortuna, / sí che ’l suo nome vive, il tuo s’imbruna.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 259 SIXTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Two dear friends2 love each other and trick each other, and in the end they share their wives. Great are the deceits and deceptions that miserable mortals use today, but much greater, I think, are those when one dear friend betrays another. Since I must begin the conversation for this night with a tale, I thought to tell you of the trick, deception, and betrayal that one friend did to another. And although the first deceiver deceived his dear friend with admirable art, with no less cunning or intelligence, however, did he then find himself duped by him. This will be clear to you, if you lend me your kind attention. In Genoa, the celebrated and ancient city, there were a long time ago two dear friends; one was called Messer Liberale Spinola, a very rich man who was, however, devoted to worldly pleasures, and the other Messer Artilao Sara, who was wholly devoted to trading. These two loved each other very much, and so great was the love between them that it was as if one did not know how to live without the other. And if it ever happened that one of them needed anything at all, without delay or hesitation the one counted on the other. Because Messer Artilao was an important merchant and did a lot of trading for himself and others, he decided to travel to Syria. He visited his very dear friend Messer Liberale and said tenderly with a sincere heart, “Dear friend, you know, and it is already clear to everyone, how great and of what sort is the love that exists between us, and the esteem that I have always had and now have for you, both for the long friendship that we struck up a long time ago and for the spiritual kinship that binds us.3 Therefore, since I have decided in my heart to go to Syria, and not having anyone that I can trust more than you, I have turned to you with confidence and faith for a favor, even though it will be no small inconvenience for you, though I hope on account of the courtesy and kindness that exists between us, you will not deny me this.” Messer Liberale, who was very eager to do anything to please his dear friend, without futher discussion said, “Messer Artilao, my dear friend, the love and spiritual kinship joining us with sincere and reciprocal love does not require so many words. Tell me freely your wish and command me, because I am ready to do what you order me to do.” “I,” said Messer Artilao, “would truly appreciate it if while I am abroad you would take on the responsibility for running my household, and likewise for my 2. In this tale as elsewhere, I have translated compare and comare as “dear friend.” 3. Messer Liberale speaks of a “sacramento del comparatico” here, which I have translated as “spiritual kinship”. See note 33 in Volume One for an explanation of the kinship ties created at the baptismal font when one assumed the role of godparent.

260 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA wife, helping her with everything that she might need, and however much you spend on her, I will pay you back fully.” After he understood his dear friend’s will, Messer Liberale, first thanked him a good deal for the high opinion he held of him and for the esteem he bore him, then he generously promised to carry out everything asked of him to the best of his limited abilities. When the time for the journey had come, Messer Artilao loaded his goods on the ship and, having entrusted his wife Daria, who was three months pregnant, to his friend, climbed aboard. Setting the sails to the favorable winds, he left Genoa and with good fortune set off on his journey. When Messer Artilao had departed and set out on his journey, Messer Liberale went to the house of Madonna Daria, his beloved friend, and said to her, “Dear friend, before he left here Messer Artilao, your husband and my very dear friend, begged me with great insistence that his belongings and your person be entrusted to me and that I take care of your every need. Out of the affection that existed and exists between us, I promised to do what he commanded. I have come here before you now, so that if you need anything you will tell me without hesitation.” Madonna Daria, who was by nature very sweet, thanked him profusely, begging him not to fail to look after her needs. And so Messer Liberale promised her to do this. Continuing to go to his dear friend’s house and not letting her want for anything, Messer Liberale then found out that she was pregnant and pretending not to have known, said, “Dear friend, how do you feel? Perhaps you feel a bit out of sorts after the departure of your husband Messer Artilao?” Madonna Daria replied, “Yes, certainly, Messere, dear friend, and for many reasons, and mostly because I find myself in the state that I am in now.” “And in what state do you find yourself?” said Messer Liberale. “Three months pregnant,” replied Madonna Daria, “and I am having such a strange pregnancy that I have never had a worse one.” Upon hearing this, the dear friend said, “So, you are with child?” “Would,” replied Madonna Daria, “that I knew nothing about it!” With Messer Liberale dwelling on such subjects with his dear friend and seeing that she was beautiful, fresh, and plump, his love was ignited in such a way that he thought of nothing else day and night than satisfying his indecent desire; yet, his love for his dear friend Artilao restrained him somewhat. But spurred on by the ardent love that consumed him, he drew near to her and said, “Oh, my dear friend, how very sorry I am and how it pains me that Messer Artilao has gone away and left you with child, for with his early departure he has imprudently forgotten to finish the child that you carry in your womb. And perhaps this is the reason for the difficult pregnancy you are having.”4 4. Although Messere Liberale’s claim might seem outlandish, it is based loosely on certain early modern theories of sexual reproduction that suggested that too little seed (sperm) could result in

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 261 The dear friend replied, “Are you, my dear friend, of the opinion that the child I have in my womb is missing some limb and that for this reason I am suffering?” “Truly,” said Messer Liberale, “I am of this mind, and I am certain that Messer Artilao my dear friend failed to make all of the child’s limbs whole. And for this reason one person is born lame and another crippled, some in one way, some in another.” “What you are saying, dear friend, weighs heavy on my mind,” said his dear friend, “but what remedy would there be for this so that I do not commit such an error?” “Ah, my dear friend!” said Messer Liberale, “be glad and do not lose heart at all, for there is a remedy for everything except death.” “I beg you,” replied his dear friend, “for the love you bear your dear friend Messer Artilao that you give me this remedy and the sooner that you give it to me the more I will be beholden to you, nor shall you be the cause of this child being born with deformities.” Seeing that he had reduced her to such a state, he said, “Dear friend, it would be a very vile thing and a discourtesy for a friend, upon seeing his friend perish, not to offer him help. Since I am able to form those remaining parts that the child lacks, I would be a traitor to you and I would do you a great wrong by not helping you.” “Well, my dear friend,” said the lady, “do not delay any longer so that the child will not be disabled. Besides the harm this would cause, it would also be no small sin.” “Do not doubt at all, dear friend, because I will be fully at your service. Order the serving girl to set the table, because in this way we will begin our reform.” While the serving girl was laying out the meal, Messer Liberale went into the bedroom with his dear friend and after having closed the door, began to caress and kiss her, caressing her like no man has ever caressed a woman. Seeing this, Madonna Daria was very surprised and said, “What? Messer Liberale, do dear friends do such things with their dear friend’s wife? Alas, what wickedness, it is too great a sin, and if it were not for this, I would satisfy you.”5 Messer Liberale replied, “Which is a greater sin, lying with your dear friend, or that the child is born imperfect?” “I judge it to be a greater sin when a child is born imperfect because of its parents,” replied the woman. malformed or missing limbs in the child. Straparola comically references this belief, for it was not generally thought that one could remedy such abnormalities by simply adding more seed. See, for example, Ambroise Paré, On Monsters and Marvels, ed. and trans. Janis L. Pallister (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982) 33–37. 5. Sexual relations between a compare and a comare, or godparents and their godchildren, were considered spiritual incest. See note 33 in Volume One.

262 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “Then,” said Messer Liberale, “you would commit a greater sin if you do not allow me to make up for what your husband failed to do.” The woman, who desired her offspring to be born perfect, believed her dear friend’s words and, despite their spiritual kinship, she took it as her duty to do his pleasure and they met together many, many times. The reform of the imperfect limbs was very pleasing to the lady, and she begged her dear friend not to fail as her husband had failed. The dear friend, who liked this morsel, toiled day and night at the reform of the child taking great care so that the child would be born whole. When the time for the birth came, Madonna Daria gave birth to a child who resembled his father in every way and was so perfectly formed that there was no limb that was not perfect in every way. The lady rejoiced greatly for this, thanking her dear friend who had been the cause of such goodness. A short time later Messer Artilao returned to Genoa. When he arrived home, he found his healthy and beautiful wife who came to meet him joyful and festive with the boy in her arms and they embraced tightly and kissed. When Messer Liberale heard of his dear friend’s arrival, he immediately went to him and embraced him, rejoicing over his happy return and his good health. One day it happened that Messer Artilao, finding himself at the table with his wife and caressing the boy, said, “Oh, Daria, how beautiful this baby is! Have you ever seen one that was better formed? See how handsome he is, look at that face, consider those eyes that shine like stars,” and so he praised one by one all of his features and limbs. Madonna Daria replied, “Certainly, nothing is missing, but not on account of your doing, my husband, since when you went away, as you know, you left me three months pregnant, and the baby in my womb was left with imperfect limbs, which caused great trouble during my pregnancy. Hence, we have to thank Messer Liberale, our dear friend, who, helpful and diligent, virtuously took care of the baby’s imperfection, making up for all of those parts that you had failed to form.” Having heard and understood well his wife’s words, Messer Artilao was beside himself, and those words were knives in his heart and he understood immediately that Messer Liberale had betrayed him and dishonored his lady. Like a wise man, pretending not to have understood what had happened, he remained silent and turned to other subjects. Having arisen from the table, Messer Artilao began to consider to himself the strange and shameful behavior of his dear friend whom he loved more than any other person, thinking day and night how and by what means he could avenge himself for the insult he had received. Dwelling on such thoughts and not knowing which path to take, the irate man decided in the end to do what would turn out as he wished and desired. So he said to his wife, “Daria, be sure that tomorrow you set the table for lunch more richly, for I want Messer Liberale and Madonna Properzia, his wife and our dear friend, to come

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 263 to dine with us, but if you hold your life dear, be sure not to speak, enduring patiently whatever you may see and hear.” Madonna Daria responded that she would do so. After leaving the house, he went to the square and found his dear friend Messer Liberale and invited him and his wife to dine with him the following day. He graciously accepted the invitation. The next day the dear friends went to Messer Artilao’s house, where they were affectionately greeted and welcomed. When they were all together discussing various things, Messer Artilao said, “My dear friend Properzia, while the food is being cooked and the table set, why don’t you have some bread dipped in wine?” He led her into a room and brought her a glass of opium-laced wine and after she had dipped the bread in the wine, she ate the bread and drank all the wine without any fear at all. Then they went to dine and ate cheerfully. As soon as they had finished eating Madonna Properzia became so sleepy that she could not keep her eyes open. Seeing this, Messer Artilao said, “Dear friend, go rest for a while, perhaps you slept poorly last night.” He led her to a bedroom where she threw herself on the bed and immediately fell asleep. Messer Artilao, fearing that the drink’s power would wear off and that he would lack the time to do what he kept hidden in his heart, called Messer Liberale and said to him, “Dear friend, let’s go away from here and let our dear friend Properiza sleep as she likes, perhaps because she rose too early, she needs to rest.” When both of them had left and gone to the square, Messer Artilao pretended that he wanted to take care of some business of his and taking leave of his dear friend, he secretly returned home and silently entered the room where his dear friend Properzia lay. He drew near to her and seeing that she was sleeping sweetly, without anyone in the house realizing it or the dear friend hearing, as dexterously as he could, he removed the rings from her fingers and the pearls around her neck and left the room. The draught of opium-laced wine had already lost its power, when Madonna Properzia woke up and, wishing to get out of the bed, saw that her pearls and rings were missing. She rose from the bed, and looking here and there and turning everything upside down, she found nothing. So, very upset, she left the room and asked Madonna Daria if by chance she was holding her pearls and rings to which she replied no. Madonna Properzia was quite distressed by this. While the poor girl was left quite distressed and knew not which remedy to take, Messer Artilao arrived and seeing his dear friend so troubled and ill-disposed said, “What’s wrong, my dear friend, that you are so profoundly troubled?” His dear friend told him everything. Pretending not to know anything, Messer Artilao said, “Search well for them, my dear friend, and think whether you put them in some place that is not coming to you now, because maybe you will find them. If you do not find them, I swear on my faith as a dear friend that I

264 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA will mete out such a punishment that woe to him who stole them. But before we take action, search everywhere thoroughly.” The dear women friends and the serving girls searched and searched through the entire house turning everything upside down and found nothing. Seeing this, Messer Artilao began yelling loudly all through the house, threatening this one and that one, but everyone swore that they knew nothing. Then he turned to Madonna Properzia and said, “My dear friend, do not be sad, but take heart, for I am willing to see this to the end. Know, my dear friend, that I hold a secret of such power, that I will find whoever took your jewels.” Upon hearing this, Madonna Properzia said, “Oh Messere, dear friend of mine, I beg you please to do it so that Messer Liberale does not suspect me and think badly of me.” Seeing that the proper moment had come to avenge himself for the insult he had received, he called his wife and the serving girls and told them to leave the room and that no one should be so bold as to go near to the room, if they were not first called. When his wife had left with the serving girls, Messer Artilao closed the door and drew a circle on the ground with a piece of coal and made some signs and certain letters in his own way.6 He entered the circle and said to Madonna Properzia, “My dear friend, stay quietly in the bed, do not move or be afraid of what you might hear, because I am not leaving here until I find your jewels.” “Do not worry about me at all,” said the dear friend, “because I will not move nor will I do anything without your command.” Messer Artilao turned to the right, made a sign on the ground, then turned to the left and made some others in the air, and pretending to speak with many people, he used various strange voices so that Madonna Properzia lost heart somewhat, but her dear friend Messere who foresaw this, encouraged her by comforting her so that she would not feel frightened. After the dear friend had been in the circle for the space of half a quarter of an hour, he brought forth a stuttering voice and spoke thus, “What you go searching for and do not now find, At the bottom of the hairy valley lies Which keeps it hidden from your eyes. But fish well, fish well and you shall find.”7 6. Messer Artilao’s words, signs, and the circle he draws on the floor are all typical of the practice of magic and casting of spells in early modern Venice, and more broadly, Italy. Spells were cast and magic rituals performed in this period for a variety of reasons, such as finding lost objects, as well as to create or destroy bonds of love between individuals, as in tale 7.1, where the sorceress Gabrina performs similar actions so that a wife can win the affections of her wayward husband. 7. These lines rhyme in the original as well: “Quel ch’or non trovi e che cercando vai / giace nel fondo della val pelosa / ch’ivi la tien, chi l’ha perduta, ascosa. / Ma pesca ben, ché tu la troverai.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 265 These words prompted in his dear friend no less joy than awe. When the spell was completed, the dear friend said, “Dear friend, you have heard it all, and the jewels that you believed you had lost are inside of you. Be glad and take heart because we will find everything. But it is necessary that I look for them where you heard.” The dear friend, who desired to have her jewels back, gladly replied, “My dear friend, I have understood everything well, do not delay, but look with great care.” Messer Artilao left the circle and went to bed. He lay down next to his dear friend who did not move. Taking off her skirts and blouse, he began to fish in the hairy valley. With the first catch he drew a ring from his breast pocket without her realizing it and gave it to her saying, “You see, my dear friend, how I have fished so well that with the first catch I caught a diamond.” Seeing the diamond, his dear friend rejoiced greatly and said, “Oh my sweet dear friend, keep fishing because maybe you will find the other jewels.” Continuing to fish virilely, the dear friend found now one jewel, now another, and in the end with his hook he found all of the lost items. His dear friend was very content and happy with this. Once she had all of her precious jewels back, his dear friend said, “Oh my sweet dear friend, you have recovered many things for me, see if, by your faith, you can by chance fish to find a very fine little pail that was stolen from me a few days ago and of which I was very fond.” Messer Artilao replied, “Certainly!” And casting his tool into the hairy valley once again, he worked so hard that he touched the little bucket, but he did not have enough strength to pull it out, and seeing that he was laboring in vain, he said, “My dear friend, I found the pail and truly I touched it, but since it is turned with the bottom up, my tool was not able to grab it and for this reason I cannot drag it out.” Madonna Properzia, who wished to have it and who liked the game very much, persuaded him to fish some more. But the dear friend whose lamp was so lacking oil that it did not burn anymore, said, “My dear friend, know that the tool with which we have fished up to now has broken its point and will not work anymore; so for now be patient. Tomorrow I will send the tool to the blacksmith who will sharpen the point; afterward we will fish out the little pail with ease.” She was satisfied and, having taken leave of her dear friends, she returned to her house happy and content. Lying in bed one night with her husband and sweetly conversing while he was still fishing in the hairy valley, Madonna Properzia said, “Oh husband, by your faith, see if by fishing you could by chance find the little pail that we lost a few days ago, since the other day when I lost my jewels, Messer Artilao our dear friend found them all while fishing in this valley. When I begged him that he fish

266 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA out the lost little pail as well, he said that he touched it, but could not grab it since the bottom was facing up and his tool had a broken point due to all that fishing. But try again, if you can find it.” Messer Liberale, noting the hint his dear friend had given him, fell silent and patiently bore the shame. The next morning both of the dear friends found themselves in the square and each one watched the other, but neither dared reveal himself. Instead, with both sides silent and neither uttering a word to his wife, in the end they shared them and gave each other the space to enjoy the other’s wife. The tale told by Alteria pleased them so much that they spoke about nothing else that evening, thinking about with what cunning and art the one deceived the other. But the Signora, who saw that the laughter and conversation were going on too long, ordered that they put an end to the laughter and that Alteria follow the order with her riddle. Without further delay, she said, My lily-white rod, hard and strong, One part hairy, one part perforated, Enters there, white and dry, what hard luck! And it comes out afterward, black and wet. Whence, it never tires of serving others If the leader who guides it does not fail.8 The riddle recited by Alteria was no less delightful than was her tale. And although it appeared quite improper, the women did not fall silent on this account because they had heard it told before. But Lauretta, who pretended not to understand it, begged her to solve it. But she smiling said, “Signora Lauretta, it is useless to bring crocodiles to Egypt, vases to Samos, and owls to Athens.9 But in order to please you, I will explain it, stating that the black hairy, perforated thing is the quill with which one writes, which before being placed in the pot is white and dry, but once pulled out of the pot, is black and wet, and it serves the writer who guides it as he likes.” When the explanation of the fine riddle was finished, Arianna who was sitting next to her, rose to her feet and began her tale in this way.

8. This is the only riddle to have only six (rather than eight) lines. “Il candido mio nervo duro e forte, / parte piloso e parte perforato, / entròvi biano e asciutto, oh dura sorte! / e fuori doppo uscì nero e bagnato. / Onde servir altrui mai non si stanca, / se ’l duce che lo guida non li manca.” 9. All three phrases were common sayings at the time and akin to the English phrase “bringing coals to Newcastle.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 267 SIXTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE Wanting to fatten up, Castorio10 has both of his testicles removed by Sandro, and when almost at death’s door, Sandro’s wife placates him with a witty joke. The tale recited by Atleria no less gracefully than wisely, brings to mind a witty anecdote no less ridiculous than hers that a noble woman briefly recounted to me not long ago. And if I do not tell it to you with that grace and elegance with which it was recounted by her to me, you will have to excuse me, for nature has denied me that which it so abundantly conceded to her. Below Fano, a city in the Marches situated on the shores of the Adriatic, there is a town called Carignano, which is full of handsome young men and beautiful young women. There among the others lived a farmer named Sandro, who was the most waggish and charming man that nature ever created. And because he never worried about anything, good or bad, he became so ruddy and fat that his flesh seemed like nothing so much as the finest pork lard. Having already arrived at the age of forty, he took as a wife a wench as pleasant and fat as he, and similar to him in height and weight. No more than a week later, he had his beard shaved so that he would seem more handsome and more cheerful. It happened that Castorio, a gentleman from Fano who was young and rich but not very wise, bought a farm in the town of Carignano with a house that was not too big, and lived there a majority of the summer with two servants and a woman for his amusement. One day while going about the countryside after vespers as he often did, Castorio saw Sandro, who was turning over the land with the curved plow. Seeing that he was handsome, fat, and ruddy with a merry face, Castorio said, “Brother, I do not know why I am so gaunt and thin, as you see, and you are ruddy and fat. In every season I eat fine foods; I drink costly wines; I lie in bed as much as I like; I lack nothing; I want to grow fat more than any other man, and the more I force myself to fatten up, the more weight I lose. But you eat simple foods in the winter, you drink wine diluted with water, you get up during the night to work, nor do you ever rest an hour in the summer, and nonetheless you are so ruddy and so fat that it is a pleasure to see you. So, longing for such girth, I beg you as much as I know how and can that you allow me to share in this by showing me the path that you have taken to become so fat; and besides the fifty gold florins that I want to give you now, I promise you that I will reward you in such a way that for your whole life you will be able to brag and call yourself content.” Sandro, who had some cunning and greediness in him and who was redhaired, refused to teach him how. But since he was pressed by Castorio’s long 10. Castorio’s name recalls the Italian word for beaver, castoro, an animal that, according to legend, would gnaw off its own testicles in order to free itself from a hunter’s trap.

268 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA entreaties and by the desire to have fifty florins, he agreed to show him the way. And leaving aside his plowing, he sat down with him and said, “Signor Castorio, you are amazed that I am fat and you are thin, and you believe food to be that which makes you lose or gain weight; but, you are greatly mistaken, since you see many eaters and drinkers who do not eat but gulp it down, and nonetheless, they are so skinny that they look like lizards. But if you do what I did, soon you will become fat.” “And what did you do?” asked Castorio. Sandro replied, “More than a year ago, I had my testicles removed and from then on I have been fat as you see.” Castorio added, “I am surprised that you did not die.” “What do you mean die?” said Sandro, “On the contrary, the maestro who removed them for me took them out with such ease and skill that I almost did not feel any discomfort at all and, from then on, my flesh has become like a boy’s, nor have I ever been so happy and content as I am now.” “And who was it who with such skill, without you feeling discomfort, removed your testicles?” Sandro replied, “He died.” “But what will I do,” said Castorio, “since he is dead?” Sandro replied, “Before he died that good man taught me this art, and from then on I have removed the testicles of many calves, colts, and other animals that have become astonishingly fat, and if you want to leave the job to me, I will make it so that you will go away happy.” “But I am afraid of dying,” said Castorio. “What do you mean dying?” replied Sandro, “The calves, the colts and the other animals whose testicles I removed have not died yet because of it.” Castorio, who more than any other man yearned to be fat, let himself be persuaded. Seeing that Castorio’s will was unwavering and steadfast, Sandro ordered him to stretch out on his back in the cool grass and spread his legs. He then took a small knife that cut like a razor, and taking the sack of testicles in his hand and lubricating it well with common oil, he skillfully made a cut, put his two fingers into the incision, and with much art and much skill removed both of his testicles so that Castorio felt almost no pain at all. And, after applying a certain emollient plaster with oil and the essence of herbs, he had him rise to his feet. Castorio, already made a capon, or rather a eunuch, put his hand on his purse and gave him fifty florins, and after taking his leave, he returned to his house. Not an hour had passed when Castorio, now a eunuch, began to feel the greatest pain and the greatest suffering that any man ever felt, nor was he able to rest, since the pain grew always greater and the wound became infected and gave off such a stench that whoever approached him could not bear it. When Sandro heard this, he was quite afraid and regretted having made such a mistake, and

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 269 feared he would be killed. Castorio, seeing himself in a bad way, besides the pain he felt, became so furious and enraged that he absolutely wanted Sandro dead. As best he could, accompanied by two of his servants, he found him eating dinner and said, “Sandro, you have done a good deed in killing me, but before I die, I will make you suffer for the mistake you made.” “The fault,” said Sandro, “was yours and not mine, for your entreaties led me to do it. But so that my work does not seem flawed, nor I ungrateful for the payment I received, nor I the cause of your death, come early tomorrow morning to the countryside and I will help you; don’t worry at all about dying.” When Castorio had gone, Sandro began weeping bitterly and absolutely wanted to flee and to go away to some foreign lands, thinking, however, that he would have the constables on his heels, who would tie him up tightly. His wife, seeing her husband grieving and not knowing the reason for his pain, asked him the reason why he was weeping bitterly. And he told her everything in detail. Having understood the cause of his anguish and considered the foolishness of Castorio and the risk of death, his wife was at first beside herself. Then, after she had chastised her husband thoroughly for the great risk that he had run, she sweetly comforted him and begged him to keep up his spirits because she would take care of it so that he would not risk his life. The next morning at the appointed hour, the wife took her husband Sandro’s clothes and put them on and a hat on her head, and having gone to the fields with the oxen and the plough, she began tilling the land, waiting for Castorio to come there. It was not long before Castorio arrived, and believing that Sandro’s wife was Sandro himself plowing the land, he said, “Sandro, I feel that I will die if you do not help me. The incision that you made has not yet closed up, in fact it is rotten and gives off such a stench that I fear greatly for my well-being and if you do not help me, you will soon see the end of my life.” The wife, who looked like Sandro, said, “Let me take a look at the incision, so that then we can take care of it.” Having lifted his shirt, Castorio showed her the wound that was already stinking. Seeing this the wife smiled and said, “Castorio, you are afraid of dying and think that the situation is beyond repair. Surely you deceive yourself, for my incision is bigger than yours, and it still is not closed up and it stinks much more than your wound, and nonetheless you see me ruddy, fat, and fresh as a lily. And so that you believe what I am saying, I want to show you the wound that still is not closed up.” And keeping one leg on the ground and the other one up on the plow, she loosened her clothes from behind, and letting loose a silent fart, bowed her head and showed him the wound. Seeing that Sandro’s incision was much bigger than his and had not yet healed after such a long time, and smelling the great stench that arrived at his nose and seeing that Sandro had cut off his virile member,

270 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Castorio was greatly cheered and patiently suffered all the pain and stench. Nor was it long before the poor man recovered and became fat just as he had wished. The ladies laughed a great deal at Castorio, who was left without testicles, but the men laughed even more when Sandro’s wife showed him her privates, making him believe that she was Sandro and furthermore that besides having had his testicles removed, he was also deprived of his virile member. And since no one was able to stop laughing, the Signora, clapping her hands together, made a sign that everyone should be quiet and that Arianna follow the order with a merry riddle. In order not to seem inferior to the other women, she spoke thus: Lie face down, if you like, So that little by little I’ll do that thing to you. I take in hand the thing that lies there And I put it in your hole for a while. Do not squirm at all, be calm, Because I promise by expressed agreement, Not to finish this dance Until I have also filled your belly.11 The riddle Arianna told seemed quite shameful to her listeners. The Signora, scolding her with biting words, showed that she was more than a little angry. But she, who was pleasant and witty, with a cheerful face said, “Signora, you mistakenly become angry with me, since my riddle is ridiculous in nature, not improper. When you want to give an enema to a sick person, don’t you make him lie face down, that is with his body facing down? Then don’t you take in your hand the thing, that is to say the enema, and insert it in the small hole? And because the patient receives it against his will, don’t you tell him not to squirm? And don’t you fill his belly with the decoction? Therefore, my riddle is not as improper as you make it out to be.” The Signora, having heard and understood this excellent interpretation of the ridiculous riddle, calmed down and allowed everyone to say what they thought it appeared to be, without having to expect any reprimand at all. Cateruzza, to whom fell the third turn in the storytelling, seeing that the Signora had calmed down and had given ample room for discussion, courageously began her tale speaking thus.

11. “Ponetevi a boccone, se ’l vi piace / ch’a mano a mano vi farò quel fatto. / In man piglio la cosa ch’indi giace / e nel forame ghe lo pongo un tratto. / Non vi torgete punto, state in pace, / ché vi prometto per espresso patto / di non venir a fin di questa danza / che d’avantaggio v’empirò la panza.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 271 SIXTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE The widow Polissena loves various lovers; her son Panfilio scolds her; she promises to give them up if he stops scratching his scabies. He makes the promise to her, his mother tricks him, and in the end they both get back to work. A woman accustomed to doing something, whether it be good or wicked, cannot easily refrain, because that habit with which she has lived for so long persists until the end of her life. So I now intend to tell you about what happened to a little widow who, accustomed to foul lust, was never able to repress it, but instead through a clever trick that she played on her own son who lovingly scolded her, she did not cease her wicked ways, as you will come to understand fully through the course of my narration. There was, then, a short time ago, gracious ladies, and perhaps you have already heard, in the splendid and renowned city of Venice a little widow whose name was Polissena, a woman quite young in years and physically very beautiful, but of a lowly station. This woman had a son called Panfilio with her husband, a clever young man, good and well mannered, who was a goldsmith. And because, as I said earlier, Polissena was young, pretty, and charming, many men, the most important in the city, desired her and courted her insistently. And she, because she had already experienced the pleasures of the world and the sweet embraces of love, easily acquiesced to the will of those who courted her and gave herself to those men, body and soul. She, wholly inflamed, did not yield to one or two lovers, which would have been an error worthy of forgiveness because she was young and recently widowed, but gave herself to whoever desired her embrace, without regard for either her honor or that of her husband. Panfilio was aware of this, which is not to say he approved of it, and because hour by hour he became more aware of his mother’s terrible behavior, he was deeply tormented and felt that profound sorrow and harsh affliction of the soul that every prudent man would have felt. Living then in this tormented state and no longer able to bear such ignominious shame, the poor wretch resolved again and again to kill his mother. But then considering that she had given him life, he abandoned his cruel plan and looked toward using words to pacify her and to dissuade her from committing this error. Therefore, having one day seized the opportunity, he sat himself down with his mother and lovingly spoke these words to her: “My beloved and honorable mother, it is not without very great pain and worry that I have sat down here with you and I am certain that you will not resent hearing what I have kept hidden in my heart until now. In the past I have known you to be wise, prudent, and sensible, but now I know you to be very imprudent, and I would like, God knows, to be as far from you as I am now near. You, from what I gather, lead a

272 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA very wicked life, which stains your reputation and the good name of my deceased father and your husband. And if you do not wish to look after your honor, at least have respect for me, your only son, whom you can hope will be the true and faithful pillar for you in your old age.” Having heard her son’s words, the mother laughed at them and did what she pleased. Panfilio, seeing that his mother heeded little his loving words, resolved not to say anything more to her, but to let her do whatever she liked. Not many days had passed when Panfilio, by his bad luck, caught such a case of scabies that he looked like a leper, and because it was very cold, he was unable to cure it. In the evenings the good Panfilio sat near the fire and incessantly scratched his scabies, and the more he felt the heat of the fire, the more his blood heated and his itching grew. One of these nights while Panfilio was near the fire gently scratching his scabies, one of his mother’s lovers came and in her son’s presence stayed conversing amorously for a long time. On top of the nuisance of the infected scabies that cruelly oppressed him, the poor wretch became very sad watching his mother. When the lover had gone, Panfilio, still scratching his scabies, said to his mother, “Mother, I urged you other times to rein in this evil and dishonest life, which generates foul shame for you and for me, your son, no small harm; but you, like a wanton woman, have shut your ears, preferring to sate your appetites rather than heed my advice. Well, my mother, abandon this ignominious life now, refrain from such grave humiliation, preserve your honor, and do not desire to be the cause of my death. Do you not see that death is always at your side? Do you not hear what is said about you?” and speaking like this, he continually scratched his scabies. Polissena, hearing her son Panfilio complain so bitterly, decided to play a trick on him so that he would not complain about her anymore, and the trick turned out as she desired and as she wished. And turning to her son with a cheerful face, she said, “Panfilio, you suffer and are distressed by me, you think I live an evil life; I admit it and you do what a good son must do. But if you are so worried about my honor, as you say, you will satisfy my one wish and I, in exchange, promise to put myself in your hands and leave every one of my lovers and live a good and holy life; but, by not satisfying my wish, you can be sure that you will not have your wish fulfilled and I will give myself over to a life worse than before.” Her son, who wanted his mother’s honor more than anything, said, “Command me, mother, for if you wanted me to throw myself into the fire and be burned there, I would do it willingly for your love, on the condition that you no longer engage in the vice that you have engaged in up till now.” “Look,” said his mother, “and consider well what I tell you, because if you abide by it completely, you will reach your goal; if not, it will bring you greater humiliation and harm.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 273 “I,” said Panfilio, “pledge to do whatever you propose.” Polissena then said, “I want nothing from you, son, except that you stop scratching your scabies for three evenings, and then I promise to grant your wish.” The young man, having heard the maternal proposal, thought to himself for a bit and although it seemed difficult to him, he nonetheless agreed and they shook hands on their word. The first evening arrived and Panfilio came home from his shop and, having taken off his coat, he began to walk about the room. Then, because the cold bothered him, he sat in a corner near the fire, and the desire to scratch himself grew so great that he was almost unable to restrain himself. His mother, who was cunning and had lit a good fire so that her son would warm up all the more, seeing him writhe and stretch not unlike a grass snake would have done, said, “Panfilio, what are you doing? See that you do not fail in your promise to me, for I am not failing you.” Panfilio replied, “Do not worry at all about me, mother. Be steadfast yourself because I will not fail.” Still, both of them were restless, the one to scratch his scabies, and the other to meet her lover. After the first evening passed with profound bitterness, the next arrived and the mother, having lit a good fire and laid out the supper, waited for her son to return home. He gritted his teeth and as best he could and made it through the second evening quite well. Seeing Panfilio’s great constancy and considering that now two evenings had passed during which he had not scratched himself, Polissena really had no doubt that she would lose and she complained bitterly to herself. And because the amorous fury tormented her a great deal, she decided to do something that would cause him to scratch and her to meet with her lovers. So, after having made a fine supper with costly and full-bodied wines, she waited for her son to return home. When her son came home and saw the unusual display, he was quite amazed and turning toward his mother he said, “Mother, and what is the reason for this noble supper? Have you, perhaps, changed your mind?” To which his mother replied, “Certainly not, son of mine, rather I am more determined than before. But considering that you stay in the shop working the whole day until the dark night, and seeing these cursed scabies have so weakened you that they have left you barely alive, I grew quite sad. So, moved by compassion for you, I wanted to prepare you some fine food, so that you can help nature and more bravely resist the torment of the scabies that you are enduring.” Panfilio, who was youthful and simple, did not realize how cunning his mother was and that the serpent was hidden among the beautiful flowers, but once seated at the table by the fire with his mother, began to eat with gusto and drink happily. His clever and cursed mother first moved the wood and blew into the fire, so that it would burn more, then gave him the delicate sauce seasoned

274 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA with spices so that because of the food and by the heat of the burning fire, he would scratch his scabies all the more. Sitting near the fire and having filled his stomach until sated, Panfilio felt such a frenzy of itching that he felt he was dying. But, despite turning and turning as much as he was able, first here, then there, he felt the torment. The salty food, seasoned with spices, the Greek wine and the heat of the fire had so cruelly ignited his flesh that the poor wretch could not resist any longer, but having torn the clothes on his chest, loosened his pants, and pushed the sleeves of his shirt up his arms, he began scratching himself so hard that blood rained down like sweat from everywhere, and turning to his mother who was laughing to herself, he said out loud, “Each of us returns to their trade, each of us returns to their trade!” His mother, seeing that she had already won the fight, pretended to complain and said to her son, “Panfilio, what foolishness of yours is this? What do you think you are doing? Is this the promise you made me? You cannot complain about me anymore that I have not kept my word.” Panfilio, still scratching hard, with a somewhat troubled heart replied, “Mother, each one returns to their trade, you mind your business and I’ll mind mine.” And from that moment on, the son no longer dared to reproach his mother, and she returned to her usual trade, increasing her affairs. All of the listeners were very pleased by the tale recited by Cateruzza, and after they had laughed among themselves about it for a bit, the Signora ordered her to propose her riddle, and she, so as not to disturb the established order, spoke in this way smiling, There is among us women and maidens, Something wider than five fingers, no more or no less, Inside there are several pretty cells With a fine entrance, but no exit. Upon first entering, it makes you see stars, For initially it is not loose, But then it becomes long, tight, wide, and round, More or less, as the size abounds.12 The obscure riddle recited by Cateruzza provided the company with ample material for its interpretation. But after everyone had thought and rethought 12. “Qual cosa è tra noi donne e damigelle / larga non piú né men di cinque dita, / dentro ritien diverse e vaghe celle / con buona entrata, ma priva d’uscita. / Al primo entrar vi fa guarder le stelle, / per non trovarsi libera ispedita. / Ma poi vien lunga, stretta, larga e tonda, / quanto piú e meno la grossezza abonda.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 275 about it in detail, there was no one who knew the true solution. So, prudent Cateruzza, seeing that the company was baffled and did not understand it, quickly said, “In order not to hold these ladies and gentlemen at bay any longer, I will state my opinion, subjecting myself however to the judgment of anyone who is wiser than I. My dear ladies, my riddle demonstrates nothing other than the glove that protects the hand. Upon first entering, it hurts you a bit and then it subjects itself to every one of your pleasures.” The explanation of the fine riddle did not displease the honest company and, since it had already come to a proper end, the Signora commanded Lauretta, who was seated beside Vicenza, to follow the order. And she having boldly turned her dear face to Bembo, said, “Signor Antonio, it would be a great shame if you, so pleasant and so loving, did not tell some tale with that good grace that you are wont to use. For my part, I would gladly tell one, but none comes to mind that is entertaining and funny. I beg you then, to take on the task in my place and for this I will be always beholden to you.” Bembo, who did not think he would be telling tales that evening, replied, “Signora Lauretta, although I find myself not up to the task, but because I take each of your requests to be a command, I will accept this burden and will force myself to satisfy your desire, if not completely at least in part,” and receiving the Signora’s permission, began to speak like this.

276 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SIXTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE A dispute arises among three venerable nuns in a convent, concerning which of them should be the abbess, and the bishop’s vicar determines that the one who performs the most worthy deed should be the abbess. Although, charming ladies, modesty is laudable in everyone, nevertheless, I judge it to be all the more laudable when it is found in a man who knows himself. And with the patience of these ladies of mine, I will tell a tale no less clever than pleasant, which although it is somewhat ridiculous and improper, will be narrated by me with those appropriate and proper words that it requires. And if by chance any part my speech offends your chaste ears, I ask them to forgive me, begging them to save my punishment for another time. There was in the noble city of Florence a convent quite famous for its sanctity and holiness, whose name now I will pass over in silence so as not to ruin its glorious name with such a stain. It happened that the abbess of that place fell ill and, having arrived at the end of her life, she rendered up her spirit to her creator. With the abbess dead then and solemnly buried, the nuns had the bells rung for chapter and all those who had authority to speak gathered there. Monsignor the Bishop’s vicar, who was a prudent and wise man and wanted the election of the new abbess to proceed according to the law, gestured for the sisters to be seated. Then he spoke to them in this way, “Venerable women, you clearly know that you have gathered here for no other purpose than to elect one of you to be your leader. If it is so, you will conscientiously elect the one who seems the best to you.” And so all of the women replied that they would. It happened that in the convent there were three women among whom a great quarrel was born regarding which of them should be the abbess, for each of them was strongly supported by the sisters and held herself to be superior in many respects to the others. And each one wished to be the abbess. While the sisters were preparing themselves to hold the election of the new abbess, one of the three ladies, named Sister Veneranda, turned to the nuns and spoke in this way, “My beloved sisters and daughters, you clearly can understand with what tender affection I have always served this convent now that I have already grown old, or rather, decrepit. Hence, due to my long service and due to my age, it seems fitting to me that I be elected as your leader. And if the toil I endured and the vigils of my youth do not move you to elect me, at least let my old age move you, which must be very greatly honored above all else. You see that my time is running out, consider that soon I will make way for another. And yet, my daughters, you will give me this brief happiness, and I remind you of the good advice that I have always given you.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 277 And having spoken these words while crying, she fell silent. When Sister Veneranda had finished speaking, Sister Modestia, the second eldest, rose to her feet and spoke in this way, “Mothers and sisters of mine, you have plainly heard and clearly understood Sister Veneranda’s proposal, whom, although she is the oldest among us, you must not, however, in my view elect as your abbess, for she is today at that age where she is more senile than sage and she should instead be led about by others, rather than lead us. But if with mature judgment you consider my nobility and origins, and to which lineage I was born, surely in good conscience you will not make anyone but me the abbess. The convent, as each of you knows, is quite taxed by quarrels and needs support. But what greater support could the convent have in these circumstances than that of my relatives? If I am the leader, they will lay down their life as well as their wealth for it.” No sooner had Sister Modestia returned to her place, than Sister Pacifica rose to her feet and spoke reverently in this way, “I am persuaded, venerable sisters, rather I consider myself quite certain, that as prudent and wise women you will be not a little surprised that although I came to live in this place just the other day, I want to be considered the equal, or rather want to place myself ahead of these two honorable sisters of ours, who are my superiors in regard to age and lineage. But if with the eyes of your intellect you wisely consider how many and which are my qualities, without a doubt you will more greatly esteem my youth than their old age and family ties. I, as is clear to all of you, brought with me a very large dowry, by which your convent, which had lain in ruins for a long time, is now restored from the foundation to the roof. I will say nothing of the houses and farms that were purchased with the money from my dowry, from which you draw a large amount of revenue each year. For these reasons, then, and for my other traits and as repayment for the great benefits you have received, you will elect me as your abbess, for you depend solely on my dowry for your food and clothing.”13 And having spoken thus, she went to sit down. When the three sisters had finished their sermons, Messer Bishop’s vicar made all of the women one by one come before him and write the name of the woman that each of them wanted, by their conscience, to be the abbess. When the voting was completed, all three had received the same number of votes, nor was there any difference among them. Hence, a great quarrel arose among the sisters, with some wanting the first woman, some wanting the second, and some wanting the third as their leader, nor was it at all possible to quiet them. The vicar, seeing their hostile obstinancy and considering that each of the three sisters merited this office due to her good 13. Women of the upper classes were expected to bring a dowry of money, land, and/or moveable goods to their marriage. As brides of Christ, women who entered convents were similarly required to bring a spiritual dowry, although dowries paid to convents were much smaller than those given to bridegrooms. On the differing amounts of marriage dowries and convent dowries, see Francesca Medioli, “Monache e monacazioni nel Seicento,” Rivista di Storia e Letteratura Religiosa 33.3 (1997): 688.

278 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA qualities, sought a solution by which one of the three would be the abbess without giving cause for the others to be upset. And having called the three women before him, he said, “My beloved mothers, I have well understood your virtues and your character and each of you due to her worthy deeds deserves to be abbess. But there is great dissension among these venerable sisters regarding the election and the votes are equally distributed. However, so that you continue to live in love and tranquil peace, I will propose a method of electing the abbess that, I hope, will be such that in the end everyone will be content. This, then, is the method: each of these three mothers of mine who desires to aspire to the honored post will endeavor in three days to show us some deed that is praiseworthy and deserves to be remembered. Whoever of the three performs a more glorious and virtuous deed, will be unanimously elected by all of the sisters, who will give her the reverence and honor she deserves.” The women very much liked Messer Vicar’s decision and so everyone promised with one voice to abide by it. When the chosen day arrived and all the sisters had gathered in the chapter room, Messer Vicar had the three sisters who wished to ascend to the abbacy by performing some glorious deed come before him and he asked whether they had considered their cases. They replied together “yes.” After everyone was seated, Sister Veneranda, who was the eldest of the three, went to the middle of the chapter room and pulled out a damask embroidery needle which had been stuck in her black habit, and lifting up her skirts in front, in praesentia of the vicar and of the sisters urinated so carefully through the eye of the needle that you did not see even a little drop fall to the ground that had not first passed through the eye. Seeing this, Messer Vicar and the women all thought that that woman should be the abbess, nor could anyone do something better. Then Sister Modestia, who was the second oldest, rose and having gone to the center of the chapter room, took a die with which you play and placed it on a bench; then she took five fine grains of millet and put them on the five divots of the die, assigning to each divot its own grain. Then, having lifted her skirts up behind and placed her posterior near the bench on which the die lay, she sent forth from the orifice such a loud and terrible fart that she frightened the vicar and almost all of the women. And that fart, though it left the orifice in a great gust, was, nonetheless, produced with such skill and art that the grain in the center divot remained while the other four disappeared and were not seen again. To the vicar and the women this deed did not seem inferior to the first, but they remained quiet awaiting the prowess of Sister Pacifica. She came forward to the middle of the chapter room and she performed a deed that was not befitting an old lady, but a virile woman, because she pulled a hard peach pit out of her bosom, threw it in the air, and immediately raised her skirts. She grabbed it with her buttocks and squeezed it so hard that she crushed it and turned it into a fine powder.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 279 The vicar, who was prudent and wise, along with the women began to consider maturely the great feats of all three of the women, and seeing that there was nothing to add, he took his time in pronouncing the definitive sentence. And because he never knew where in his books to find the decision for this case, he left it unresolved and still today the matter is pending. You then, very wise women, will pass your judgment, which due to the magnitude of the case, I do not dare proffer. The tale recounted by Bembo gave the men more reason to laugh than the women, for out of embarrassment they lowered their heads to their laps and did not dare raise them. But the men said first one thing then another about the tale told and took no little delight in it. The Signora, seeing the men laugh licentiously and the women remain like marble statues, commanded everyone to be quiet and not laugh anymore and that Bembo follow the order with a riddle. And he, who had said enough, turned to pretty Lauretta and said, “Now it is your turn Madonna Lauretta to tell a riddle. If we have not pleased you with the one, we do not wish to please you with the other.” And she, who did want to put up further resistance so as not to incur a debt, cheerfully spoke in this way, I will tell you one that is highly regarded Even though it appears more filthy than obscure. My companion remains behind and I ascend the summit And a thing very firm and hard I take in my hand; hence I wet it first, Then I place it in the middle of the crack, And so I move it up and down, so that I Do my deed perfectly.14 Everyone maintained that Lauretta’s riddle was no less fine than the tale Bembo had recited. And because few understood it, the Signora ordered her to solve it. Without any delay, she said, “There were two people who wanted to saw a very thick beam. One took the saw in his hand, which is very hard, and he went up high, the other, being lower down, greased it with oil, then put it in the crack in the beam. Both fellows move it up and down until the task was finished.” Everyone liked the subtle solution to the fine riddle and after they were all quiet, the Signora ordered Eritrea to recount her tale. She immediately spoke thus.

14. “Una ve ne dirò di molta stima / quantunque paia piú sozza ch’oscura. / Il mio compagno resta, io ascendo in cima, / e una cosa molto soda e dura / ne le man prendo onde la bagno prima, / poi le presento a mezzo la fessura, / e tanto in su e in giú la meno, ch’io / perfettamente faccio il fatto mio.”

280 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SIXTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Father Zefiro drives a young man who is eating figs out of his garden.15 It is often said, dearest ladies, that power lies in words, in herbs, and in stones, but stones surpass herbs and words in their power, as you will understand through this very brief little tale of mine. There was in the city of Bergamo an avaricious priest called Father Zefiro, who was known to have a good deal of money. He had a garden outside of the city near the gate called Penta.16 This garden was surrounded by walls and ditches so that neither men nor animals could enter and it was adorned with all sorts of different trees, and among these was a great fig tree with its branches spread in all directions, laden with beautiful and excellent fruit that he used to share each year with the most important gentlemen of the city. Those figs were mottled, between white and purple and they gave forth droplets like honey and there were always guards who diligently stood watch over them. One night when by chance the guards were not there, a young man climbed up this tree and, choosing the ripe figs, silently hid them faithfully in the abyss of his stomach. Father Zefiro, remembering that there were no guards in his garden, flew there, and as soon as he had gone inside he saw the man who was seated in the tree eating the figs completely at ease. Therefore, the priest began to beg him to come down, and when he did not, he fell on his knees and, swearing by the heavens, by the earth, by the planets, by the stars, by the elements, and by all of the sacred words that are written, that he should come down. And the young man began eating all the more. Seeing he gained nothing with such words, Father Zefiro, gathered up the herbs that were nearby and swore by their power that he should come down. And he ascended higher, making himself more comfortable. Then the priest said these words, “It is written that words, herbs, and stones are powerful, I swore to you on the first two so that you would come down, now on the power of the others I am swearing that you must come down,” and so he began to throw some stones at him with evil intent and great fury, and he hit him first in the arm, then in the legs, then in the back, so that all swollen, beaten, and battered due to the frequent blows he was forced to climb down. Taking flight, the young man put down the figs that he had gathered in his arms. And so the stones’ power surpassed that of the herbs and the words. 15. This is a rewriting of tale 61 from Girolamo Morlini’s collection of Latin tales titled Novellae (1525). For a modern edition and Italian translation of Morlini’s tale, see Girolamo Morlini, Novelle e favole, ed. and trans. Giovanni Villani (Rome: Salerno Editrice, 1983), 274–77. 16. Pirovano explains that this was the porta, or gate, of Sant’Andrea, also known as the “porta dipinta” because it was frescoed, which was a part of the medieval wall that surrounded Bergamo. It was demolished in 1815. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:469n4.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 281 Eritrea had already put an end to her brief novella when the Signora made a sign to her to follow with the riddle. And without delay she said thus, I would like you, charming ladies, to tell me, And you men still with a true mind, Which of these you would take With more resoluteness and sincere certainty, The “tightly tied up” or would you rather The “touch early in the evening” Or instead “rise quite early,” and tell me this Boldly and tell me quickly.17 Everyone was astonished by the complicated riddle recited by Eritrea, nor did they know how to respond or where to begin. But with everyone forced by the Signora to give an opinion, one said he wanted the “tightly tied up,” another “rise quite early,” and others the “touch early in the evening”; they did not, however, understand what they meant. Therefore, upon seeing their disagreement, Eritrea said, “It does not seem fitting to me that this company be held in suspense any longer, so I’ll say to you that the ‘tightly tied up’ is the ringworm—whoever wants to drive it out must medicate it and bind it tightly with a bandage. The ‘rise quite early’ denotes diarrhea, which makes a man get up from bed before daybreak to unload the superfluous weight of his bowels. The ‘touch early in the evening’ is assigned to tiresome scabies that, as the evening begins, ignites in a man such an unbearable frenzy that he would eat his flesh with his teeth, as did the widow’s son in the novella narrated no less learnedly than elegantly by Signora Cateruzza.”18 They all liked the excellent explanation of the knotty riddle and since the hour was late, after taking their leave of the Signora, everyone left on the condition, though, that they return the following evening to the beautiful hall. THE END OF THE SIXTH NIGHT

17. “Vorrei, donne gentil, che mi diceste / e voi signor ancor con mente vera / qual di queste piú tosto prendereste / con piú fermezza e sicurtà sincera: / la stretta ben legata, o pur vorreste / la tocca e dalle ben da prima sera, / o ver la leva ben per tempo; e questo / ditel galgiardamente e ditel presto.” 18. Eritrea refers here to the third tale told on this night.

282 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THE SEVENTH NIGHT All parts of the distant, cold west had already begun to grow dark and Pluto’s beloved friend had already revealed the nocturnal shadows in every corner, when the honest and loyal company assembled at the Signora’s palace. Then hand in hand they sat down according to their rank and just as they had done the previous nights, they did the present night. On the Signora’s command, Molino had the vase brought forth, put his hand inside, and first drew out Vicenza’s name, then Fiordiana’s, then Lodovica’s, saving the fourth place for Lionora and the fifth for Isabella. Having established the order for those who had to tell tales, the Signora ordered Lauretta to sing a song and she, most obedient and without making any excuse, began to speak in this way, I burn trembling and in burning am turned to ice, The desire for a steadfast, loyal, perfect love Holds me between “yes” and “no,” slow and uncertain. Many times would I have revealed my thoughts, If only to mitigate the infinite passion Of my heart that guides me to the end. But shame and fear for your honor, Warring equally with desire On my long martyrdom Made such an impression, That from burning love I fully comprehend life to be uncertain and death certain.19 When the sweet and loving song was finished, Vicenza, to whom belonged the first round of the present night, rose to her feet and having made a proper curtsy to the Signora, began to speak in this way.

19. “Ardo tremendo e ne l’arder agghiaccio. / Disir d’un fermo amor fido e perfetto / mi tien tra ’l sí e ’l no tardo e sospetto. / Arrei piú volte il mio pensier scoperto / sol per temprar del core / l’infinita passion ch’al fin mi scorge. / Ma vergogna e timor del vostro onore, / guerreggiando egualmente col desire, / al lungo mio martire / un tal effetto porge, / che d’un sí ardente amor comprendo aperto / il viver dubbioso e ’l morir certo.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 283 SEVENTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Ortodosio Simeoni, a noble Florentine merchant, goes to Flanders, falls in love with the courtesan Argentina, and forgets about his own wife. But his wife, who goes to Flanders by way of a magic spell, returns to Florence pregnant by her husband.20 It would take a long time to tell how much and what sort of love a wife feels for her husband, especially when she has found a man to her liking. But on the contrary, there is no greater hatred than that of a woman who finds herself ruled by a husband who pleases her little, since, as the sages write, woman either loves profoundly or hates profoundly. You will be able to easily understand this if you lend a kind ear to the tale I intend to tell you now. There was then, gallant ladies, a merchant named Ortodosio Simeoni, a noble Florentine, who had a lady called Isabella for a wife, who was attractive, with gentle manners, and led a very religious and holy life. Eager to trade, Ortodosio took leave of his relatives and, not without the profound sorrow of his wife, left Florence and went to Flanders with his goods. It happened that Ortodosio by his good, or rather bad, luck rented a house opposite a courtesan named Argentina, and he was so fiercely consumed with love for her that he forgot not only Isabella, but also himself. Five years had gone by and Isabella had not heard any news of her husband, if he was dead or alive, or where he could be. On account of this, she suffered more than any woman ever had and felt as if her soul was continually ripped out of her heart. The poor thing, since she was religious and entirely devoted to worshiping God, went every day to the Church of the Annunziata in Florence21 to worship and, having knelt down with hot tears and piteous sighs that issued from her heart, she prayed to God to allow her husband to return soon. But her humble prayers, long fasts, and generous almsgiving did not help her at all. So, seeing that neither by fasting, nor prayers, nor by almsgiving, nor by other good deeds had she been granted what she wanted, she decided to change her ways and take the opposite path. And whereas before she had been devout and fervent in her prayers, now she gave herself over entirely to incantations and spells, hoping that things would turn out better for her. 20. This plot of this tale resembles 3.9 in Boccaccio’s Decameron, in which Giletta of Narbonne cures the king of France and as a reward chooses Beltramo di Rossiglione as her husband. Indignant, Beltramo marries Giletta but soon abandons her and goes to Florence, where he falls in love with another woman. Beltramo swears that he will return to Giletta only when she wears his ring and bears him a son. Giletta impersonates Beltramo’s lover, sleeps with him, obtains his ring, and becomes pregnant twice through this ruse. Husband and wife are reunited at the end of the tale. Boccaccio’s Giletta, however, never employs magic to win the affection of her husband. 21. This Florentine church was well known for its chapel and cloister filled with votive offerings left in gratitude for answered prayers and thus was the logical place for Isabella’s devotions.

284 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Having gone alone early one morning to visit Gabrina Furetta,22 she commended herself to her, explaining what she needed. Gabrina was a very old woman and more expert in the magic arts than any other woman and she did things that broke all natural laws and it was a marvel to hear—let alone see—her. Having understood Isabella’s wish, Gabrina was moved by pity and promised to help her; she comforted her telling her to be in good spirits because she would soon see and enjoy her husband. Overjoyed at this positive response, Isabella opened her purse and gave her ten florins. Gabrina, happy to have received the money, began discussing various things while waiting for the dark night. When the hour the sorceress had chosen arrived, she took her little book and made a circle on the ground that was not very large and surrounded it with certain symbols and characters. Then she took a fine liqueur, drank a drop of it, and gave the same amount to Isabella to drink. And when she had drunk it, she spoke to her like this, “Isabella, you know that we have met here to cast a spell so that we can learn something of your husband, but it is necessary that you be steadfast and not fear anything you hear or see, even if it is frightening. Nor should you give yourself courage by invoking God or the saints or by making the sign of the cross, because you would not be able to come back and you would risk your life.” Isabella replied, “Do not doubt me at all, Gabrina, but be certain that even if I were to see all of the demons who live in the center of the earth, I would not lose heart.” “Get undressed, then,” said the sorceress, “and enter the circle.” Undressed and as naked as when she was born, Isabella boldly entered the circle. Gabrina, having opened the book and entered the circle in the same way, then said, “By the powerful authority that I find I have over you infernal princes, I entreat you to come before me at once.” Astaroth, Farfarello,23 and the other princes of the demons, forced by Gabrina’s spell, immediately appeared before her with very loud shrieks and said, “Command what you like.” Gabrina said, “I entreat and command that without any delay you truthfully reveal to me where Ortodosio Simeoni, Isabella’s husband, is now, and whether he is alive or dead.” “Know, Gabrina,” said Astaroth, “that Ortodosio lives and is in Flanders and is so hotly inflamed with love for Argentina that he no longer remembers his wife.” 22. Giuseppe Bonomo describes the simultaneous literary and historical origins of Straparola’s sorceress Gabrina. Sorceresses named Gabrina appear both in historical documents of witchcraft trials and in Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso (canto 21). See Giuseppe Bonomo, “Motivi stregonici in una novella dello Straparola,” La rassegna della letteratura italiana 62 (1958): 367–69. 23. The two devils named in this tale also have literary origins. In Luigi Pulci’s Il Morgante, the sorcerer Malagigi summons the devil Astaroth to learn the whereabouts of the knights Rinaldo and Riccardetto, who are then whisked off to Roncisvalle by Astaroth and his fellow demon Farfarello (Bonomo, “Motivi stregonici,” 368).

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 285 Having heard this, the sorceress commanded Farfarello to change himself into a horse and take Isabella to where Ortodosio was. The demon, now a horse, took Isabella and lifted her in the air without hurting or scaring her at all and he secretly placed her in Argentina’s palace. Farfarello immediately made Isabella transform into Argentina, and so fair did she look that she appeared to be Argentina rather than Isabella. And in that moment he changed Argentina into the shape of an old woman, whom no one could see or hear, nor was she able to see anyone. When the dinner hour came, Isabella, thus transformed, dined with her Ortodosio. Then, after they had gone into a fine room where there was a soft bed, she lay down at his side. Ortodosio, thinking he was lying down with Argentina, lay with his own wife. Of such power and strength were their tender caresses, the noble embraces joined with savory kisses, that Isabella became pregnant that night. Meanwhile, Farfarello stole a richly quilted robe embroidered all over with pearls and a pretty necklace that Ortodosio had given to Argentina earlier. When the following night came, Farfarello made Isabella and Argentina each return to her own shape. Having taken Isabella on his back, he placed her in Gabrina’s house in the morning at the crack of dawn and Farfarello gave the robe and the necklace to her. Once she had received the robe and the necklace from the demon, the sorceress gave them to Isabella, saying, “My dear daughter, you will hold these things dear, since at the right time and place they will be sure proof of your fidelity.” Having taken the robe and the pretty necklace, Isabella thanked the sorceress and returned home. Isabella’s belly began to grow and show signs of her pregnancy after the fourth month. When her relatives saw this, they were quite amazed and all the more because they held her to be a religious and pious woman. Hence they asked her many times if she was pregnant and by whom. With a cheerful face, she would respond that Ortodosio had made her pregnant. Her relatives said that this was not true for they clearly knew that her husband had been gone for a long time and was now far from her, and consequently it was impossible that she was pregnant by Ortodosio. Her relatives grieved over this and began to fear the shame that might come and many times together they resolved to kill her. But since the fear of God, the loss of the child’s soul, everyone’s gossip, and the husband’s honor deterred them from such excess, they decided to wait for the child to be born. When the time for the birth came, Isabella gave birth to a very beautiful baby boy. When they heard this, her relatives were very upset and without delay wrote to Ortodosio in the following manner, “Not because we wish to trouble you, dearest brother-in-law, but in order to tell you the truth, we advise you that your wife and our sister, Isabella, has, not without our great shame and dishonor, given

286 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA birth to a son. Whose it is, we do not know. We would deem it to be yours had you not been so far from her for so long. The boy, along with his shameless mother, would already have been killed by our hands if the reverence that we bear God had not held us back. God does not like it when we stain our hands with our own blood. See to your affairs, therefore, and save your honor, and do not allow such an offense to go unpunished.” When Ortodosio had received the letters and understood the sad news, he was very sorry and he called Argentina and then said to her, “Argentina, I very much need to return to Florence so that I can see to some affairs of mine of no small importance. After they are taken care of in a few days, I will return immediately to you. You, meanwhile, take care of yourself and of my things as if they were your own, and live happy thinking of me.” Having left Flanders, Ortodosio returned to Florence with a favorable wind and when he arrived home he was cheerfully welcomed by his wife. Many times Ortodosio had the diabolical thought of killing Isabella and quietly leaving Florence; however, having considered the danger and the dishonor, he decided to reserve the punishment for another time. And without delay he informed his brothers-in-law of his return, requesting that they come to dine with him the following day. When the brothers-in-law arrived at Ortodosio’s house at the appointed hour, he welcomed and warmly embraced them, and everyone dined together happily. When the meal was over and the table cleared, Ortodosio began to speak in this way, “Loving brothers-in-law, I think that the reason why we are gathered here is clear, and so it is not necessary for me to speak at length with many words, but instead I will come to the point that concerns us.” And raising his face to his wife, who was seated opposite him, he said, “With whom have you conceived the boy whom you keep in the house, Isabella?” To which Isabella replied, “With you.” “With me? What do you mean with me?” said Ortodosio, “I have been away for five years and you have not seen me since I left. How can you say you conceived him with me?” “And I am telling you,” said Isabella, “that he is your son, and I conceived him with you in Flanders.” Then inflamed with rage Ortodosio said, “Ah, lying, shameless woman, when were you ever in Flanders?” “When I lay in the bed with you,” replied Isabella. And starting at the beginning she told him the place, the time, and the words they exchanged that night. But although Ortodosio and his brothers-in-law were amazed, they could not believe her. So, seeing her husband’s harsh obstinacy and knowing him to be incredulous, she rose from her seat and went into the bedroom, took the embroidered robe and the beautiful necklace, returned to

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 287 her husband, and said, “Do you recognize, my lord, this robe that is so divinely stitched?” To which Ortodosio, almost bewildered and beside himself replied, “It is quite true that I lost a similar robe, nor was I able to find anything out about it.” “Know,” said Isabella, “that this is the very robe that you lost then.” Then she put her hand to her breast and pulled out a fine necklace and said, “Do you recognize this jewel?” Her husband, unable to contradict her, replied that he recognized it, adding that it had been snatched with the robe. “So that you recognize my fidelity, I want to clearly prove that you foolishly mistrust me.” And having had the boy carried there in his nurse’s arms and stripped of his pure white swaddling clothes, she said, “Ortodosio, do you recognize this child?” And she showed him the left foot that was missing the smallest toe, a true sign and convincing evidence of her maternal fidelity, for Ortodosio also was missing the same toe since birth. When Ortodosio saw this, he fell silent for he did not know how, nor was able, to protest, but taking the boy in his arms he kissed him and acknowledged him as his son. Then Isabella became more daring and said, “Know, my beloved Ortodosio, that the fasts, the prayers, and all of the good deeds that I did to hear news of you helped me obtain what you will hear. One morning while on my knees in the sacred temple of the Annunziata praying to the image of our lady to hear news of you, I was invisibly carried to Flanders by an angel who lay me down in the bed next to you, and so many were the caresses that you gave me that night, that I was impregnated by you. And the following night, I found myself in my own house in Florence with the things I showed you.” After Ortodosio and the brothers had seen the very sure signs and heard the words faithfully recounted by Isabella, they hugged and kissed each other and affirmed their kinship with greater love than before. After some days had passed, Ortodosio returned to Flanders where he married off Argentina honorably. Having loaded his goods on a great ship, he returned to Florence, where he lived with Isabella and the boy for a long time in happy, tranquil peace. When the piteous tale recited by Vicenza was finished and highly praised by all, the Signora, from whose beautiful eyes fell tears of tenderness, ordered her to propose her riddle. Without making any excuse, she readily spoke thus, Fat and round am I, pretty and clean, And between two white things in a fine fissure, When I have more vigor and am more daring And my belly is more full, am I placed.

288 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Hence, in the end I find myself weakened But move here and there often. I have eyes and do not see, and I am merry and bold; And the colder it gets, the more I heat up.24 The company very much like the clever riddle Vicenza proposed, nor was there anyone, however learned, who was not left perplexed. Therefore, Vicenza, seeing the company had fallen silent and her riddle left unsolved, rose to her feet and after first asking permission explained it like this, “My riddle shows nothing other than the bed warmer, which, having its belly full of coals is placed between the pure white sheets. And it has eyes, the holes, and it is used when it is coldest.” Fiordiana, to whom the second turn fell, did not wait for the Signora’s orders, but with laughing eyes and a cheerful face spoke thus.

24. “Grosso e tondo son io, vago e polito, / e fra due bianche cose in un bel fesso, / quand’ho maggior vigor e son piú ardito, / e ho il ventre piú pien, son dentro messo. / Onde mi trovo al fine indebilito / però che qua e là sono moto spesso. / Occhi ho e non veggio, e sto festoso e baldo; / e quanto piú raffredda, e io piú scaldo.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 289 SEVENTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE Malgherita Spolatina falls in love with the Greek monk Teodoro, and she swims to go visit him. Discovered by her brothers and deceived by a lit lamp, she drowns miserably in the sea. Love, as I find it most judiciously described by wise men, is nothing other than an irrational desire caused by a passion that arises in the heart due to libidinous thoughts.25 Its evil effects are the dissipation of worldly riches, the destruction of the body’s strength, the distraction of the mind, and the deprivation of freedom. In him there is no reason, there is no order; in him there is no stability at all. He is the father of vices, the enemy of youth, and the death of old age.26 Rarely or never does he grant a happy and glorious end, and so it went for a woman from the Spolatina family, who having submitted to him ended her life miserably. Ragusa, gallant women, a very fair city in Dalmatia, is situated on the sea and not far from it is a little island commonly called Mezzo Island, where there is a rugged sturdy castle. Between Ragusa and this island is a little rock where there is nothing but a very small church with a small hut half covered with planks. No one lived there since it is a barren place with a bad air, except for a Greek monk called Teodoro who in order to expiate his sins served faithfully at that church. Since this man did not have any way to support himself, he sometimes went to Ragusa to beg and other times to Mezzo Island. It happened that one day while Teodoro was on Mezzo Island and was begging for bread as was his habit, he found what he never dreamed of finding. For he met a beautiful and charming young woman named Malgherita, who, upon seeing that he was handsome and distinguished, thought to herself that he was a man better suited to enjoying human pleasures than to devoting himself to 25. Pirovano notes that this description of love resembles a passage from Boccaccio’s Filocolo (4.46.3): Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:486n3. Boccaccio writes: “We wish you to know that this love is nothing but an irrational will, born of a passion which comes into the heart through lustful pleasure appearing to the eyes and nourished in leisure by memory and thoughts in foolish minds; and many times it multiplies in such quantity that it distracts the attention of the person in whom it dwells away from necessary things, and directs it toward useless ones.” Boccaccio, Filocolo, trans. Donald Cheney with Thomas G. Bergin (New York, Garland, 1985), 278. 26. This denunciation of love closely resembles a passage from Boccaccio’s misogynistic treatise Corbaccio, for which see Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:486n4: “ ‘You must, therefore, have seen that love is a blinding passion of the spirit, a seducer of the intellect, which dulls or rather deprives one of memory, a dissipator of earthly wealth, a waster of bodily strength, the enemy of youth, and the death of old age, the parent of vices, and the inhabiter of inane breasts, a thing without reason or order, without the least stability, the vice of unhealthy minds, and the stifler of human liberty”: Boccaccio, The Corbaccio, or the Labyrinth of Love, ed. and trans. Anthony K. Cassell, 2nd rev. ed. (Binghamton, NY: Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 1993), 23.

290 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA solitude. Hence, Malgherita held him so passionately in her heart that she did not think of anything else day or night. The Greek monk, who did not yet realize this, continued his practice of begging and often went to Malgherita’s house and asked her for alms. Malgherita, inflamed by love for him, gave him alms but did not dare reveal her love to him. But Love, who is a shield for whoever willingly follows his rules and never fails to teach the way to arrive at the desired end, gave Malgherita quite a bit of courage. Approaching him, she spoke in this way: “Teodoro, brother and only comfort of my soul, the passion that torments me is so great that if you do not help me, you will soon see me deprived of life. Burning with love for you, I can no longer resist the flames of love. And so as not to be the cause of my death, you must rescue me immediately.” And having spoken these words, she began to weep bitterly. The Greek monk, who had not yet realized that she loved him, was completely bewildered. But somewhat reassured, he spoke with her and their conversations were such that, having left aside heavenly things, they began speaking of love, nor was there anything left to do but find a way be together and satisfy their yearning. The young woman, who was very clever, said, “My love, do not doubt that I will show you the path that we must follow. This will be the way: tonight at the fourth hour you will place a lit candle in the window of your hut, and when I see it I will come to you immediately.”27 Teodoro said, “Well, what will you do, my daughter, in order to cross the sea? You know that neither you nor I have a little boat to ferry us across and to put ourselves in the hands of others would be very dangerous for both our honor and our lives.” The young woman said, “Do not worry at all, leave everything to me, for I have found the way to come to you without risking my life and honor; when I see the lighted candle, I will come swimming to you, nor will anyone know our business.” To which Teodoro said, “It is dangerous for you to dive into the sea, for you are young and not very strong, and the trip is long and you could easily become winded and drown.” “I am not afraid,” said the young woman, “that I will not have enough strength, for I would swim to rival a fish.” The Greek monk, seeing her unshakeable will, was satisfied. When the dark night had come and he had lit the candle as ordered and set out a pure white towel, he awaited with great joy the young woman he desired. Upon seeing the candle, she rejoiced and stripped off her clothing. Barefoot and wearing only a shift, she went to the sea shore alone, where, taking off her shift and having wrapped it around her head in the way they do there, she dove into the sea. She so stretched 27. This is roughly four hours after sunset, and so, like the canonical hours, the actual time of the fourth hour varied according to the season. It would be, however, well after dark.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 291 her arms and feet while swimming that in less than a quarter hour she arrived at the hut of the Greek monk, who was waiting for her. When he saw the young woman, he took her by the hand and led her to his poorly thatched hut, and taking the snow-white towel he dried her all over with his own hands. Then, having led her into his small cell and placed her on a little bed, he lay down next to her, and took for himself the ultimate fruits of love. The two lovers were together for two long hours conversing sweetly and embracing tightly and, very satisfied and content with the Greek monk, the young woman left with every good intention of returning to him, however. The young woman, who had already grown accustomed to the sweet food of the Greek monk, went swimming to him each time she saw the candle lit. But cruel and blind fortune, over-thrower of kingdoms, distributor of worldly goods, and enemy of all who are happy, could not bear that the young woman enjoyed her dear lover for so long; but, as if envious of the good of others, she came between them and destroyed all of the young woman’s plans. Because the air all around was thick with fog, the young woman, who had seen the lighted candle, threw herself into the sea and was seen by some fishermen who were fishing not far off. The fishermen, believing that she was a fish swimming, began to watch her intently, realized that she was a woman, and saw her go into the Greek monk’s hut. They were very surprised by this. And taking their oars in hand they arrived at the hut where, lying in ambush, they waited for a long time for the young woman to come out of the hut and go swimming toward Mezzo Island. But the poor wretch did not know enough to hide herself so that the fishermen would not recognize her. Having seen the young woman and discovered who she was, and having seen many times the dangerous crossing and understood the signal of the lighted candle, the fishermen agreed among themselves many times to keep the fact hidden. But then, considering the shame that might befall the honorable family and that the young woman might risk her life, they changed their minds and decided to reveal this fact to the young woman’s brothers. And having gone to the house of Malgherita’s brothers, they told them everything in detail. Having heard and understood the sad news, the brothers could not believe it unless they saw it first with their own eyes. But after this became clear to them, they decided to kill her and then they decided together on a plan that they carried out. So as the evening grew dark, the youngest brother climbed in a little boat and quietly went alone to the monk and requested that he not deny him shelter for that night, for something had happened to him for which he was at great risk of being seized and executed. The monk, who knew that he was Malgherita’s brother, received him kindly and welcomed him affectionately, and he stayed with him discussing different things, explaining to him the earthly miseries and the grave sins that mortify the soul and make it the devil’s servant.

292 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA While the youngest brother stayed with the monk, the other brothers secretly left the house and having taken a pole and a candle, they climbed onto a boat and went off toward the monk’s hut. And when they had arrived, they stood the pole upright on one end and they placed the lighted candle on top of it, waiting to see what would happen. Having seen the candle, the young woman set off in the sea, as was her habit, and bravely swam toward the hut. The brothers, who were silent, having heard the movements Malgherita made in the water, took their oars in hand and silently moved far away from the hut with the lit candle, and without being heard or seen by her due to the dark night, they began to row slowly without making a din. The young woman, who on account of the dark night saw nothing besides the candle, followed it. But the brothers moved so far away that they led her to the high seas, and pulling down the pole, they blew out the candle. Not seeing the candle anymore, nor knowing where she was, the poor wretch lost her way, for she was already tired due to the long swim. And seeing that she was beyond all human assistance, she gave up completely and like a sinking ship was swallowed by the sea. The brothers, who saw that there was no longer a way for her to escape, left their unhappy sister in the middle of the ocean waves and returned home. The younger brother, once it was daylight, thanked the Greek monk properly for the hospitality and left. The sad news had already spread throughout the entire town that Malgherita Spolatina is missing. The brothers pretended to be very sad about it, but in their hearts they were truly delighted. Not three days had passed when the sea threw the dead body of the wretched woman onto the Greek monk’s shore. When he saw it and recognized it, he nearly died. But taking it by an arm, without anyone noticing, he dragged it out of the waves and carried it into the house. Having thrown himself upon her dead face, he wept for a long time and covered her white breast with copious tears, calling her many times in vain. But after he had wept, he decided to give her an honorable burial and to help her soul with prayers, fasts, and other good deeds. And he took the spade with which he tilled his little garden and dug a hole inside the little church and shedding many tears he closed her eyes and mouth. After he had made a garland of roses and violets for her he placed it on her head; then, having blessed her and kissed her, he placed her in the hole and covered her with the dirt. And in this way, the brothers’ and the woman’s honor was preserved, nor did anyone ever learn what had happened to her. The piteous tale had brought tears to the women’s eyes many times, nor did they cease drying their eyes with the handkerchiefs that they kept at their sides. But the Signora, who could still not stop crying, seeing that Fiordiana’s28 tale had reached 28. Although the text reads “Lionora” here, this must be a misprint and I have corrected the text to read Fiordiana. Fiordiana tells the pitiful tale of Malgherita and is praised for her narrative skill at the beginning of the next tale.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 293 its miserable conclusion, ordered Molino to tell some ridiculous riddle, so that they could temper pain with pleasure. And he, without any delay, spoke in this way, In the warm bosom of the two pretty breasts Of a graceful nymph I come to life, And to her my unique and noble deeds I give as worthy thanks. The wandering stars turn thus So that I close myself in a nest and then leaving, United with my consort, I run to a willing death in order to live.29 The learned riddle Molino recounted was understood by few, or rather by none of them, but realizing that everyone was perplexed and vexed, he said, “The true meaning of my riddle is the woman who in May places in her bosom the eggs of the silkworm and there they come to life. And when the silkworm is born, in thanks for that good deed, he gives her silk. Afterward, enclosed in the cocoon and then later having come out, he mates with his consort, who lays the eggs, and then he willingly runs to his death.” The explanation of the complicated riddle was no less learned than beautiful, and everyone praised it with one voice. Lodovica, who had the third turn, rose to her feet and having made a bow to the Signora, spoke thus with her permission.

29. “Nel caldo sen di due vaghe mammelle / d’una leggiadra ninfa il viver prendo, / e a lei de l’opre mie pregiate e belle / per tal effetto degno merto rendo. / Volgiuon cosí dopo l’erranti stelle / ch’in un nido mi chiudo e indi uscendo, / unito insieme con la mia consorte, / per viver corro a volontaria morte.”

294 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SEVENTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE The fool Cimarosto goes to Rome, tells a secret of his to Pope Leo, and has two of his chamberlains beaten. The tale, graceful and loving ladies, wittily told by Fiordiana gave you much reason to shed some tears because it was piteous. But since this place is a place meant more for laughing than for crying, I have decided to tell you one that I hope will give you no small pleasure, for you will hear of the buffoonery of a Brescian who, believing that he would become rich in Rome, ended his life in poverty and misery. In the city of Brescia, in the province of Lombardy, there lived a fool called Cimarosto,30 a very clever man who was, however, little liked by the Brescians, both because he was given to avarice, the devourer of all things, and also because he was Brescian and no prophet is ever accepted in his homeland. Seeing that he was not getting what he thought he deserved for his talents, Cimarosto became very angry inside and, without letting anyone know his plan, he left Brescia and took the road to Rome, thinking to acquire a great amount of money there. But it did not go as he wished, for the city of Rome does not want sheep without wool. There was in that time in Rome the great Pope Leo, of German extraction,31 who, though learned, still sometimes quite enjoyed buffoonery and other similar pleasures, as great men do; however, few, or rather no one, was rewarded by him. Cimarosto, not knowing anyone in Rome nor knowing what to do to make himself known to the pope, decided to go to him personally and show him his talents. He went to the palace of Saint Peter’s, where the pope had his residence, and found at the first door a very stout servant with a thick black beard, who said to him, “And where are you going?” And he put a hand on his chest and pushed him backward. Cimarosto, seeing the servant’s troubled face, said with a humble voice, “Well, my brother, do not block the entrance to me, for I must speak to the pope about very important matters.” The servant said, “Get out of here for your own good. If not, you’ll get something you won’t like.” Cimarosto still insisted on entering, maintaining the entire time that he had very important matters to discuss. The servant, hearing that it was something very important, thought to himself that this man would be richly rewarded by the pope 30. A jester named Cimarosto served at the papal court of Leo X, who was pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:495n1. 31. It is unclear why Straparola says the pope whom Cimarosto meets was German. Pope Leo X, who was born Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici, was Italian. Perhaps he conflated Pope Leo X and Pope Leo IX (1002–54), a German nobleman who was elected pope in 1046 and ruled until his death in 1054.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 295 and bargained with him if he wished to enter freely. And this was their agreement: upon his return from the pope Cimarosto would give the servant half of what was granted to him. Cimarosto generously promised to do so. And having gone a bit further, Cimarosto entered the second room under the watch of a very docile young man who, having risen from his seat, came to meet Cimarosto and said, “What do you want, jolly fellow?” To which Cimarosto replied, “I would like to speak with the pope.” The young man said, “You cannot speak with him now because he is busy with other business, and God only knows when it will be the right time for you to be able to speak with him.” Cimarosto said, “Well, do not keep me at bay, for the things I mean to tell him are much too important.” Hearing such words, the young man thought to himself what the other servant had imagined, and said to him, “If you want to go in, I want half of what the pope gives you.” Cimarosto replied freely that he would do it. Once Cimarosto had entered the pope’s sumptuous chamber, he saw a German bishop in a corner a good distance from the pope and approaching him he began conversing with him. The bishop, who did not know the Italian language, was speaking first in German and then in Latin, and Cimarosto, pretending to speak German, as buffoons sometimes do, replied with whatever came out of his mouth. And their words were such that neither one understood what was said. The pope, who was busy with a cardinal, said to the cardinal, “Do you hear what I hear?” “Yes, most blessed father,” replied the cardinal. When the pope, who knew every language very well, realized the joke that Cimarosto was playing on the bishop, he laughed and took great delight in it. And pretending to speak with the cardinal, so that it would drag on longer, he turned his back to them. After Cimarosto and the bishop had quarreled at great length to the immense delight of the pope, without either one understanding the other’s language, in the end Cimarosto said to the bishop in Latin, “Which city are you from?” To which the bishop replied, “I am from the city of None.” Then Cimarosto said, “My dear monsignor, it is no surprise that you do not understand my speech, nor I yours, since you come from None and I come from Compline.”32 When the pope heard this quick-witted reply, he began laughing so hard with the cardinal that he almost broke his jaw. And calling Cimarosto before him, he asked him who he was, where he came from, and what he was doing there. 32. Here the joke hinges on Cimarosto’s first purposefully confusing the Croatian city of Nona (Nin in Croatian) with the canonical hour none and then declaring his own city to be another canonical hour, compline. On the canonical hours see note 78 in Volume One.

296 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Having prostrated himself and kissed the foot of the Holy Father, Cimarosto replied that he was Brescian and was called Cimarosto, and he had come from Brescia to Rome to obtain His Holiness’s favor. The pope said, “Ask for what you want.” “I,” replied Cimarosto, “want nothing more from Your Holiness than twenty-five lashes, the best you can give.” When he heard this foolish request, the pope was quite amazed and laughed a lot about it. But Cimarosto insisted unflinchingly that the favor be granted to him. The pope, seeing him persist in this desire of his and knowing that he was speaking seriously, had a very strong young man summoned and ordered him to give Cimarosto twenty-five lashes in his presence for his sake. Most obedient to the pope, the young man had Cimarosto stripped naked as the day he was born and, taking a stiff whip in his hand, he wanted to carry out the order the pope had given him. But Cimarosto said in a clear voice, “Stop young man and do not beat me.” The pope, seeing his madness and not knowing where it would end, burst out laughing and ordered the young man to stop. When the young man halted, Cimarosto knelt completely naked before the pope and with hot tears said, “There is nothing in the world that displeases God more than a broken promise. I want to keep mine, if Your Holiness is not opposed. Against my will I promised two of your servants half of what Your Holiness would grant me. I asked for twenty-five stiff lashes and you, due to your innate humanity and courtesy, have given them to me. You then, in my name, will have twelve and a half given to the one servant and twelve and half to the other; and by doing this you will fulfill my request and I will keep my promise to them.” The pope, who did not understand the final part, said, “And what do mean by this?” Then Cimarosto said, “When I, Most Holy Father, wished to enter here and come before you, I was forced against my will to bargain with two of your chamberlains, and with an oath I promised them half of what you would grant me. Hence, not wanting to break the promise, I am forced to give each of them his part, and I will be left with nothing.” Having heard this, the pope became quite angry and had the servants summoned before him. He ordered that they strip and, according to the promise Cimarosto had made, that they be beaten. This was done immediately. The young man had given each of them twelve lashings and since they were one shy of twenty-five, the pope ordered that the last one receive thirteen of them. But Cimarosto said, “That is not fitting, since he would have more than I promised him.” “Well, what would you do?” asked the pope. Cimarosto replied, “Have both of them tied on top of a table, one near the other with their backs facing up, and the young man can give them one good one

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 297 which will gird them both equally, and so each one will have an equal part, and I will be free of it.” Cimarosto left the pope without any reward and was, due to his witty retorts, surrounded by people. A prelate who was a jolly fellow approached him and said, “What’s new?” And Cimarosto quickly replied, “Nothing less than tomorrow peace will ring out.” The prelate, who would not believe it nor was there any reason that he should believe it, said to Cimarosto, “You do not know what you are talking about. The pope and France have been at war with each other for a long time, nor have we ever heard a word about peace.” And after they had quarreled with each other for a long time, Cimarosto said to the prelate, “Messere, would you like us to begin reveling if tomorrow peace rings out?” “Yes,” replied the prelate. And in the presence of witnesses, they each put up ten florins to enjoy together. Leaving in the mood for revelry at Cimarosto’s expense, the prelate went away cheerfully. But Cimarosto went to his lodgings unable to sleep and having found the landlord, he said, “Landlord, I would like a favor from you which will be useful and pleasurable.” “What do you want?” said the landlord, “Don’t you know that your wish is my command?” “I,” said Cimarosto, “want nothing from you but for your wife to dress herself tomorrow in that old armor that is in your room. Do not worry at all that it will involve something bad or any dishonor, and then leave everything to me.” The landlord’s wife was named Peace and the soldier’s armor was so rusty and heavy that a man, no matter how strong he was, would not be able to get up if he were lying on the ground. The landlord, who was waggish and very attractive, knew that Cimarosto was full of tricks and so he wanted to humor him. The following day, the landlord made his wife put on all that armor and so armed he made her lie down in his room, and then he said to the woman, “Get up on your feet,” and she did her best many times to get up, but she could not move. Cimarosto, seeing that it was turning out as he wanted, said to the landlord, “Let us leave,” and closing the door to the room that looked onto the public street, they left. The landlord’s wife, seeing herself shut alone in the room and unable to move, greatly feared that something bad would happen and began yelling in a loud voice. The neighborhood, hearing the great racket and the sound of arms, ran to the landlord’s house. When he heard the tumult of the men and women who had run there, Cimarosto said to the landlord, “Don’t move or speak, but leave everything to me, because soon we shall enjoy this.”

298 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Once down the stairs, he went into the street and asked this and that fellow, “Who is the man who is yelling so loudly?” And everyone replied with one voice, “Don’t you hear that it is Peace?” And having repeated and three-peated his question, he called many to witness Peace’s screaming When the hour of compline had passed, the prelate came and said, “You have lost the bet, brother. For there hasn’t been a word about peace.” “On the contrary, there has,” replied Cimarosto. A great quarrel arose between them and it was necessary for a judge to settle the case. When he heard the arguments on both sides and heard the witnesses who all swore that the entire neighborhood had heard about Peace, he sentenced the prelate to pay the bet. Not two days later, Cimarosto met a very rich Roman woman while walking in the city, who was, however, as ugly as the devil. This lady was married to a very handsome young man and everyone was amazed by this marriage. It happened that by chance an ass passed by, and Cimarosto said turning to it, “Oh you poor thing, if you had a lot of money like she does, you could get married.” When a gentleman who was a relative of the ugly woman heard this, he took a club and gave Cimarosto such a blow that they carried him by his hands and feet to the innkeeper’s house. The surgeon, in order to treat him better, had his head shaved. His friends who came to visit him would say, “Cimarosto, how are you? You shaved smooth as silk?” And he would say to them, “Well, be quiet, by your faith, and don’t bother me, because if I were silk or damask, I would be worth a florin a yard, but now I’m worth nothing.” When his final hour arrived, the priest came to give him extreme unction and he began to anoint him. When he came to the anointing of his feet, Cimarosto said, “Well, Messere, don’t grease me anymore, don’t you see that I am going quickly and I will run lightly?” Upon hearing this, those present began to laugh; and joking like this, Cimarosto died right then. And so in this way, he met a miserable end with his jesting. The tale recounted by Lodovica had already come to an end when the Signora commanded her to follow the order with a learned riddle. With a joyful countenance and beaming face, she spoke like this, I was already old for a while and when I was born My mother made me a male; I lay many days in the cold waters And then, drawn forth, was martyred. I was already cooked and when I pleased the man, He had me all torn up with an iron.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 299 From then on, I was always good for serving; Tell me, if you know, who I am.33 The honorable company felt more than a little bit of admiration for this clever riddle, nor was there anyone who knew how to solve it. But prudent Lodovica, seeing that it was left unsolved, said smiling, “Not because I am longing to teach others, but in order not to hold this assembly, such as it is, at bay for a long time, I will explain the riddle I recited. If I am not mistaken, it depicts nothing other than linen. For he is created male by his mother, that is by the earth; after being left in the cold, running water to soak, then he is cooked by the sun, placed in a cauldron, and fiercely beaten with a wooden mallet, and finally with an iron, that is a bobbin, and with the scutch he is completely mangled and torn up.” The explanation of the riddle pleased everyone, and they judged it to be learned. But Lionora, who was sitting nearby, rose from her seat and, after having curtsied properly, began her tale in this way.

33. “Vecchio già fui per tempo, e quando nacqui / fui da mia madre maschio procreato; / molti giorni ne l’acque fredde giacqui, / indi poi tratto fuor, martiriggiato. / Cotto già fui; e quando a l’uomo piacqui / col ferro m’ebbe ancor tutto squarciato. / Da indi in qua al servir fui sempre buono: / ditemi, se ’l sapete, chi ch’io sono.”

300 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA SEVENTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Two brothers love each other above all else; one wants to divide their patrimony, and the other consents but wants his brother to be the one to divide it. He divides it, the other is not satisfied but wants half of his brother’s wife and children, and then they both settle down. Loving and charming ladies, truly great is the tender father’s love toward his son; great is the benevolence of one close and faithful friend to another; great is the fondness that an honorable citizen bears for his dear, beloved country. No less do I judge to be that of two brothers when they love each other with sincere, perfect love. From this, although one often sees the contrary, they achieve happy and marvelous results that beyond all expectations bring man to his desired end. And I can cite infinite examples of this, but in order not to annoy this noble and grateful company, I will pass over them in silence. And in order to attend to what I have promised, I plan now to tell you of the case of two brothers that happened not long ago, which I hope will be no less useful than it is satisfying. In Naples, a truly celebrated and famous city, full of pretty ladies, civil, and abounding in everything that you can imagine, there were two brothers, one named Ermacora and the other Andolfo. These two belonged to the noble stock of the Carafa family and both were endowed with lively minds that they used to manage the many goods with which they had earned a great fortune. Since they were rich and of noble lineage and without wives, they lived together sharing expenses as befits loving brothers; and so great was their brotherly love that one did not act unless it would provide the utmost contentment for the other. It happened that the younger brother Andolfo, however, married, with Ermacora’s consent, and took as his lawful wife a kind, beautiful woman of noble blood, whose name was Castoria. This woman, for she was prudent and quite intelligent, loved and revered her brother-in-law Ermacora no less sincerely than her husband Andolfo; both of them reciprocated her love and so great was the concord and peace among them that such peace was never seen before. Castoria, as pleased righteous God, had many children and, as the family grew, so grew the love and peace, and their wealth increased, nor was there ever any disagreement among them; on the contrary, all three were of one heart and mind. When the children had grown and come of age, blind fortune, envious of others’ happiness, intervened and where there was unity and peace tried to put war and discord. Hence, Andolfo, moved by an infantile and intemperate desire, firmly resolved to leave his brother, to claim part of the fortune, and to live elsewhere on his own. One day he said to his brother, “Ermacora, we have lived together lovingly for a long time and have shared our wealth, nor has there ever been a bad word between us. So that fortune, which is as inconstant as a leaf in the

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 301 wind, does not sow some sort of weeds between us, putting disorder and discord where there is order and peace,34 I have decided to claim what is mine and to leave you. And I am doing this not because I have ever been offended by you, but so that I can dispose of my things as I see fit.” Ermacora, having heard his brother’s foolish desire, could not refrain from complaining, and principally because there was no reason for which he should act so capriciously and leave him. With sweet, affectionate words, he began to admonish him and exhort him to dismiss this iniquitous thought. But Andolfo persisted more stubbornly than before in his wicked desire, nor did he consider the harm that could come of it. Hence in a severe tone he said, “Ermacora, the popular proverb says that a man who has made up his mind does not need advice, and so it is not necessary that you dissuade me from what I have already firmly proposed to do in my mind with your flattering words, nor do I want you to force me to give you a reason for which I am compelled to part from you. And the sooner that I leave, the happier I will be.” Hearing his brother’s firm intention and seeing that he could not dissuade him with sweet words, he said, “Then since it pleases you that we divide our goods and part from each other, I, not without great sorrow and intense regret, am ready to satisfy and fulfill all of your wishes. But I ask you only one favor, and I pray you do not deny me that, and by denying me this, you would soon see the end of my life.” To which Andolfo replied, “Say what you please, because in everything, save for this, I will satisfy you.” Then Ermacora said, “It is just and reasonable to divide our goods and leave each other, but since we must part ways, I would like for you to be the one to divide the goods, dividing them in such a way that no one has reason to take offence.” Andolfo replied, “Ermacora, it is not my place to divide them, since I am the younger brother, but it is yours as the older brother.” In the end, Andolfo, yearning to divide them and satisfy his unbridled desire, nor seeing any other remedy with which to resolve it, divided the goods and gave his older brother the choice. Ermacora, who was a cunning, clever, and kindhearted man, although he saw that the parts were correctly divided, pretended that they were not equal but were missing various things. He said, “Andolfo, the division you made, seems in your view to be well done and no one should have 34. A reference, Pirovano notes, to the Parable of the Tares, or Weeds, in Matt. 13:24–30 (Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:507n4). In this parable Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a man who sows good seeds in his field, but at night his enemy comes and sows weeds. When some time later his servants see weeds growing in the fields, they ask if they should remove them. The man instructs them to wait until the harvest when they will first gather up the weeds and burn them before gathering the wheat to place in the barn.

302 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA reason to complain, but to me it seems that they are not equal. So, I beg you to better divide the assetts, so that both of us are satisfied.” Seeing that his brother was not satisfied with the distribution, Andolfo removed a few things from one side and put them on the other side and asked him if in this way the parts were equal and the distribution of the goods satisfied him. Ermacora, who was all love and charity, always opposed him and pretended not to be satisfied, although everything was, in all sincerity, divided extremely well. It seemed very strange to Andolfo that his brother was not satisfied with what he had done, and with his face full of indignation, he took the paper on which he had detailed the distribution of the goods and ripped it up in a great rage. Turning to his brother, he said, “Go and divide it as you like, for I am entirely ready to see the end of this, although it will bring no small harm to me.” Ermacora, who clearly saw his brother’s fiery heart, with a humble voice said graciously, “Andolfo, my brother, do not be angry, do not allow anger to overcome reason, rein in your fury, temper your choler and get a hold of yourself, then like a prudent, wise man consider whether the parts are equal, and if they are not equal, make them so, since then I will be quiet and will take my part without a quarrel.” Andolfo still did not understand the noble notion that was hidden in his brother’s kind heart, nor did he perceive the artful net with which he strove to catch him. So with greater vehemence and greater furor than before he said to his brother, “Ermacora, did I not tell you, as the older brother, to divide everything? And why do you not do it? Did you not promise me you would be satisfied with what I decided? And why do you now fault me?” Ermacora relied, “My very sweet brother, if you had divided the goods and given me my share and it was not equal to yours, why wouldn’t I complain?” Andolfo said, “What is there in the house of which have not yet had your part?” Ermacora replied that he had not received it, and Andolfo said yes, and Ermacora said no. “I would like to know, “ said Andolfo, “what you are missing that makes the shares unequal.” To which Ermacora replied, “You failed, my brother, by giving yourself more.” And because Ermacora saw Andolfo growing more angry and that if things went on any longer they could lead to a scandal concerning both their honor and life, he heaved a great sigh and said, “You say, oh loving brother, that you have given me the entire share that reasonably belongs to me and I deny it and I will prove it with very clear reasoning, so that you will be able to see with yours eyes and feel it with your hand. Tell me, leaving your anger aside, when you brought Castoria, your beloved wife and my dear sister-in-law home, were we not jointly administering our patrimony?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 303 “Yes.” “Did she not toil to govern the house for the universal good?” “Yes.” “Did she not give birth to as many children as you now see? Were they not born at home? Did she not live with her children at our shared expense?” Andolfo was completely astonished listening to the loving words of his brother, nor was he able to understand their purpose. “You have, my brother, divided the goods,” said Ermacora, “but you have not divided your wife and children, giving me my share of them. Must I not also share them? And what will I do without my share of my beloved sister-in-law and of my loving nephews and nieces? Give me, then, my share of your wife and children and then go in peace for I will be satisfied. And if you do otherwise, I have no intention of allowing the partition to take place by any means. And if by chance, God forbid, you do not wish to consent to this, I swear I will have you summoned before the civil court and ask for justice, and not being able to obtain it from the world, I will take you before the tribunal of Christ, to whom all things are plain and clear.” Andolfo paid close attention to his brother’s words, listening to them in great amazement, and he considered with some tenderness in his heart that they came from the living wellspring of affection, and almost stunned he was not able to collect himself in order to form the words to reply to him. When he came to and his hardened heart was softened, prostrate on the ground he said, “Ermacora, great has been my ignorance, great my error, but greater was your kindness and humanity. Now I recognize my foolish error, now I see my obvious ignorance, now I clearly understand the hazy cloud of my simple mind, nor is there tongue so ready and quick that could express how much I am worthy of harsh punishment, nor a penalty so harsh and cruel that I do not deserve. But because great is the mercy and kindness that dwells in your heart and great is the love that you show me and have always shown, I run to you as to a living spring and I ask your forgiveness for each of my errors. I promise never to leave you, but to remain obedient to you with my wife and children, whom I want you treat as if you had fathered them.” Then the brothers, with many tears falling from their eyes, embraced and in this way settled it so that in the future there were never words between them; they lived in this way in tranquil peace, so that the children and the grandchildren were very rich after their death. The entire company very much liked the pathetic case of the loving brothers and it was so piteous that it made not only the women cry, but also the men, when they thought how great was the sincere love that Ermacora bore for his brother Andolfo, and how with such great virtue and humanity he had quieted his

304 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA brother’s obstinate will, trampling the considerable forces of wicked fortune. But because the prudent Signora saw that men as well as the women were drying their eyes due to the tears they had already shed, she made a sign that everyone stop crying and ordered Lionora to continue with the riddle. Humble and obedient, she spoke like this: When I look well in this part and in that I see pretty things come forth among us. A plump and slender virgin, I became the mother and daughter of my father. And with the milk of my breast I feed a son, the bridegroom of my mother. Kind blood, noble and high born, That you now nourish the one who has fathered you.35 When Lionora had finished her riddle, which was praised a good deal by everyone, someone rose to his feet and made a sign that he had understood it, but his explanation was pointless and quite far from the true one. Lionora smiled about this a bit and solved it in this way, “An innocent old man was unjustly imprisoned and condemned to death. And since he was denied his daily bread so that he would die of hunger, he was visited by his daughter and fed with her milk. Hence, the daughter became the mother, nourishing the one who had begotten her.”36 As explained by Lionora, the riddle was no less satisfying than was the piteous case she recounted. And so that the others could tell their tales, she, having bowed properly to everyone, sat down. But Isabella whose turn it was for the final round of the present night rose from her seat and with a mirthful face spoke.

35. “Quando ben miro in questa parte e in quella / uscir veggio fra noi cose leggiadre. / Vergine essendo ritondetta e snella / divenni madre e figlia di mio padre. / E con il latte della mia mammella / pascer un figlio sposo di mia madre. / Benigno sangue, nobile e ben nato, / ch’ora nodrisci chi t’ha generato.” 36. This episode appears in Valerius Maximus’s first-century Memorable Deeds and Sayings 4.4, and was retold both in learned and popular contexts; see Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:513n1. In The Book of the City of Ladies (ed. and trans. Rosalind Brown-Grant [New York: Penguin Books, 1999], 105–6), Christine de Pizan (1364?–1430) tells of a dutiful daughter who breastfed her mother in prison.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 305 SEVENTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Three poor brothers go out into the world and become very rich.37 I have heard it said that the mind is superior to physical strength and that there is nothing in the world so arduous and difficult that man cannot conquer it with his mind. I will prove this to you with a very brief tale, if you will listen to me attentively. There was in this great city38 a poor man who had three sons, and due to his great poverty he had no way to feed and support them. So, compelled by necessity, his sons, seeing their father’s great indigence and considering what little strength he had and how weak he was, conferred together and decided to lighten their father’s load and to go wandering about the world with a stick and a satchel in order to try to earn something to support themselves. Therefore, after kneeling before their father, they asked his permission to go earn something, promising him that when ten years had passed they would return to their homeland. And setting out with this wish, when they arrived at a place that seemed right to them, they parted ways. And the oldest, by chance, went to the camp of some soldiers who were at war and agreed to serve with the leader of the troops. In little time he became skilled in the art of war and made himself into a capable soldier and valiant warrior, so that he was the best among them. He was so agile and nimble that with two daggers in his hand he scaled the walls of every high fortress. The second son arrived in a certain port where they built ships, and he approached one of those master shipbuilders who excelled in that art. In a short time he gained so much from this experience that he had no equals and he was quite famous throughout the entire land. The last son, as a matter of fact, upon hearing the sweet songs of Philomela39 and finding great delight in them, always went along following her tracks and songs through dark valleys and thick woods, passing by lakes and solitary, reverberant forests, and through deserted, uninhabited places. And he was so taken with the sweetness of bird-song that he forgot the way to return and remained an inhabitant of those forests. After staying there continuously in such solitude for 37. Tale 80 from Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae. Morlini, Novelle e favole, 374–79. ATU 653: The Four Skillful Brothers. 38. We can assume this means Venice. 39. The nightingale. In Greek mythology, Philomela is raped by her sister Procne’s husband, King Tereus of Thrace. In order to keep his crime a secret, Tereus cuts out Philomela’s tongue. Philomela weaves a tapestry depicting the rape and sends it to her sister Procne, who then kills, cooks, and serves Tereus’s children to him in revenge. When Tereus discovers this and pursues the two women in order to kill them, the gods turn them into into birds: a hoopoe (Tereus), a swallow (Procne), and a nightingale (Philomela).

306 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA ten years without any house, he became like a wild man.40 He learned the language of all of the birds by dwelling constantly in such places for such a long time. He listened to them with great pleasure and he understood them and they recognized him as if he were the god Pan among the Fauns.41 When the day for the brothers to return to their homeland was approaching, the oldest two met in the place they had chosen and waited for the third brother. They then saw him coming all hairy and naked and they went to meet him. Bursting into tears because of their tender affection for him, they embraced him, kissed him, and dressed him. While they were eating at the inn, here comes a bird that flew onto a tree and singing with its voice said, “Know, oh diners, that in the corner of the inn is hidden a great treasure that has long been destined for you, go and take it.” Having said these words, it flew away. Then the brother who had been the last to arrive revealed to his brothers the words that the bird had spoken. They dug in the spot that the bird had said and they took the treasure that they found there. Hence, very happy, they returned to their father very rich men. After the paternal embraces and the rich and sumptuous dinners, one day the brother who had been the last to arrive heard another bird, who said that in the Aegean Sea, about ten miles off the coast, there was an island called Chios, on which Apollo’s daughter had built a very big castle of marble.42 A serpent that shoots fire and poison from its mouth guards the entryway, and a basilisk43 is tied at the threshold of the castle. There Aglea, one of the prettiest women in the world, is locked up with all of the treasure that she has ammassed, and she has accumulated there an infinite sum of money. Whoever goes to that place and climbs the tower, will obtain the treasure and Aglea. Having said these words, the bird flew away. Once what the bird had said had been explained, the three brothers decided to go there. The first promised to climb the tower with two daggers, the second to build a very fast ship. This was done in a short time, and one day they set out for the island of Chios crossing the sea with good luck and a good wind. When they arrived there around daybreak, that mercenary soldier armed with two daggers scaled the fortress and took Aglea. Having tied her up with a rope, he gave her to his brothers, and taking the rubies and gems and a mountain of gold that was 40. On the figure of the wild man see tale 5.1 and notes. 41. The Greek god Pan was depicted as a human with the legs and horns of a goat. The hybrid nature of Pan and the fauns (or satyrs, who are woodland gods) reflect the god’s close association with nature, hunting, shepherds, and rustic music (the pipes). 42. Chios is a Greek island named for Apollo’s son, rather than daughter: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:516n4. 43. This legendary monster was a type of venomous serpent whose gaze could kill. See note 119 in Volume One.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 307 there, he then merrily descended, leaving bare the land that he had plundered, and all three returned safe and sound to their homeland. And a disagreement arose among the brothers regarding with which brother the woman, who was indivisible, should stay. And there were many, long arguments over which of them deserved to have her. And even now the case is still pending before a judge. Which one truly deserves her, I will leave it to us to decide. Isabella had already ended her brief tale, when she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the riddle, speaking thus: A black, noble steed with white wings Flies when moving and never touches the earth. The man who holds the bit and often seems to tire Encloses in his breast great valor. Beating now his wings, now the free feathers He runs thus in both peace and war; He has two big eyes, yet sees nothing But often leads the man where he does not think to go.44 The riddle cleverly recited by Isabella was understood by almost everyone to represent nothing other than the splendid and proud galley, which is black because of the pitch and has white sails; it plows the sea and flees the land so that it will not break apart; it has the rudder in the back that steers it and it has oars on either side that seem to be wings. It is used in times of peace for trading and in times of war for fighting, it has two big eyes in the front and often in storms leads men to strange places where they would prefer not to go. And because the hour was late, the Signora ordered that the torches be lit and that everyone go to their dwellings, strictly ordering them all to return to the usual place well prepared the following evening, and everyone with one voice promised to do so. THE END OF THE SEVENTH NIGHT

44. “Un nero alto destrier con ali bianche / ne l’andar vola e mai non tocca terra. / Tien dietro il freno e spesso par che stanche / l’uomo, e nel petto valor grande serra. / Battendo or l’ali e or le penne franche / corre cosí da pace qual da guerra: / ha duoi grand’occhi e nulla però vede, / ma spesso scorge l’uom dov’ei non crede.”

308 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THE EIGHTH NIGHT Blond, luminous Apollo, son of thundering Jove and Latona, had already left us, the fireflies that had come out of the blind shadowy caves were rejoicing in flying through the darkness of the night that now ruled everywhere, when the Signora, having come to the spacious hall with the maidens, graciously received the noble and honorable company that had arrived in the beautiful antechamber a short time prior. And seeing that everyone had arrived as during the previous evening, she commanded that the instruments be brought out. Then, after they had danced for a while, a servant came with the gold vase and a boy drew five names, the first was Eritrea’s, the next Cateruzza’s, the third Arianna’s, the fourth Alteria’s, and last place was reserved for Lauretta. But before witty Eritrea began her tale, the Signora wanted all five of them to sing a song together with their instruments. With joyous faces and angelic countenances, they began their singing in this way: This noble beast, In whose beautiful eyes my death and life I often find united, While I loosen ever more the reins on my tears In order to find compassion as well as mercy, Cares little nor does she believe the pain. And in her serene face— Greater my pain and worse my fate— I sense that the heavens abhor me, love and death.45 The sweet, celestial singing pleased everyone, and most of all Bembo, who was touched by it more than the others. But in order to not reveal what he kept hidden in his heart, he refrained from laughing. And turning his face toward the charming Eritrea, he said, “It is high time that you begin the storytelling with a delightful tale.” And without waiting for another order from the Signora, she cheerfully began like this.

45. “Questa fera gentile, / dove soglio trovar sovente unita / ne’ suoi begli occhi la mia morte e vita, / mentre piú allargo a le lagrime il freno / per ritrovar pietà non pur mercede, / ella poco si cura e ’l duol non crede, / e nel volto sereno / per maggior doglia e per peggio mia sorte / scorgo che ’l ciel m’ha in odio, amor e morte.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 309 EIGHTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Three scoundrels keep each other company on the way to Rome. Along the way they find a jewel and fight over whose it should be. A gentleman declares that it must go to the one who performs the most rascally deed, and the case remains unresolved. I was thinking to myself, gallant ladies, of the great variety of states that miserable mortals find themselves in today, and I judged that among human beings, none is more wretched or wicked than idle living, because the idle are blamed and criticized by everyone for their worthlessness. They would rather live in rags and torment than quit their idleness, as happened to three great scoundrels, whose character you will understand fully during the course of my narration. I say then that not two years ago, in the territory of Siena, there were three boon companions, young in years, but old hands and excellent in every sort of idleness that one could mention or imagine. One of them was called Gordino because he was more given over to gluttony than the others. Everyone called the other one Fentuzzo because he was worthless and lazy. The third, because he had little sense in his noggin was called Sennuccio.46 One day when all three found themselves by chance at a crossroads and were conversing together, Fentuzzo said, “Where are you heading, brothers?” To which Gordino said, “I am going to Rome.” “To do what?” said Fentuzzo. “To find,” replied Gordino, “some opportunity that suits me, so that I can live without working hard.” “And so we will go too,” said his two companions. “And if it will please you,” said Sennuccio, “I will willingly come with you.”47 The two companions graciously accepted and they gave one another their word to never part ways until they had reached Rome. While all three were continuing their journey and speaking together about many things, Gordino lowered his eyes to the ground and saw a gem mounted in gold that sparkled so brightly that it dazzled his eyes. But Fentuzzo had already pointed it out to his companions, and Sennuccio picked it up from the ground and put it on his finger. Therefore a great quarrel erupted among them over whose it should be. Gordino said that it should be his because he was the first to see it. Fentuzzo said, “On the contrary, it should be mine because before that I showed it to you.” 46. The nicknames fit their personalities: “Gordino” (from “ingordo”) means greedy, thirsty, or gluttonous; “Fentuzzo” derives from a word in Venetian dialect meaning lazy; and “Sennuccio” is formed from the word “senno,” which means common sense or judgment, with the diminutive suffix “uccio,” and so translates into something like “little common sense.” See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:522n4. 47. These two lines seem out of order, indicating either a printing error, as Pirovano suggests, or perhaps the stupidity of Sennuccio.

310 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “On the contrary, it rightly belongs to me,” said Sennuccio, “because I picked it up off the ground and put it on my finger.” Continuing then with this quarrel and none of them wishing to yield to the others, the wretches came to blows and gave each other such punches to the head and the face, that blood was raining down from all over. It happened that in that moment a certain Messer Gavardo Colonna,48 a very important person and a Roman gentleman, was coming from an estate of his and returning to Rome. Having seen from afar the three scoundrels and heard their noise, Gavardo stopped and was beside himself, terrified that they were assassins who would kill him. Many times he wanted to turn his horse’s bridle and go back. But once he had screwed up his courage and reassured himself, he continued on his way and, approaching them, he greeted them and said, “Fine fellows, what are you quarreling about?” Gordino replied, “My good gentleman, our quarrel is this. We left our own quarters and by chance we met on the road; we are keeping each other company as we go to Rome. While walking and talking together, I saw a very beautiful gem mounted in gold on the ground, which should be mine by all rights, because I saw it first.” “And I,” said Fentuzzo, “first pointed it out to them and because I first pointed it out, it seems to me that it belongs more to me than to them.” But Sennuccio, who was not asleep, said, “On the contrary, my good sir, the gem should be mine and not theirs, for, without any signal being given to me, I picked it up off the ground and put it on my finger. So, since no one of us wants to yield to the others, we are in grave danger.” When Messer Gavardo had heard the cause of their disagreement, he said, “Do you want me, oh fine fellows, to settle your differences? And I will see to straightening this out for you?” All three responded “yes” to this question with one voice and swore to each other to abide by whatever the gentleman would decide. The gentleman, seeing their good will, said, “Then since you, out of a common desire, have placed yourselves in my hands, wishing me to be the moderator of your quarrel, I ask only two things of you, first, that you put the jewel in my hands; then that each of you strives alone to perform some rascally deed and after fifteen days whoever will have performed the most useless and vile deed, will become the rightful owner of the gem.” The companions were satisfied; they placed the jewel in his hands and went to Rome. When they had arrived in Rome, they separated, with one going here and the other going there, and each of them seeking according to his powers to carry out a truly rascally deed that would be laudable and worthy of being remembered forever. 48. Here as elsewhere in The Pleasant Nights, Straparola uses a surname closely associated with the city he mentions: the Colonna family was one of the most powerful families in Rome in Straparola’s day.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 311 Gordino found a master and reached an agreement with him. One day while in the square, the master bought some of the first figs, which arrive at the end of the month of June, and he gave them to Gordino to hold until he went home. Gordino, who was a most excellent scoundrel and also by nature very gluttonous, took one of the figs and always following behind his master, secretly ate it little by little. And because he liked the fig so much, the scoundrel continued with his habit and secretly ate some more of them. In the end, the lout, continuing then with his gluttony, put one of them in his mouth that was too big, and fearing that his master would realize it he put it in the corner of his mouth and kept it shut like a monkey. His master, having turned around by chance, saw Gordino and thought that his left cheek looked very swollen, and taking a better look at his face, he saw that it truly was quite swollen. When he asked him what was wrong with him that his cheek was so swollen, Gordino, like a mute, did not reply at all. Seeing this, his master was very surprised and said, “Gordino, open your mouth so that I can see what is wrong with you in order to be better able to cure it.” But the wicked man did not wish to open his mouth or speak. And the more his master strove to make him open his mouth, the more the lout clamped his teeth together and closed it. After his master had tried different things to make him open his mouth and saw that none of them succeeded, so that no great harm would come to Gordino, he led him to a barber shop near there, and he showed him to the surgeon49 speaking thus, “Maestro, something horrible has happened to this servant of mine and, as you see, his cheek is swollen in such a way that he does not speak and cannot open his mouth. I am afraid that he will suffocate.” The surgeon skillfully touched his cheek and said to Gordino, “What do you feel, brother?” And he did not reply at all. “Open your mouth!” And he did not move at all. The surgeon, seeing that he could not do anything with words, took in his hand one of his instruments and began to try to see if he could open his mouth, but there was no way in the world that the scoundrel was going to open it. The surgeon thought that it was an abscess that had grown little by little and was now ripe and at the point of exploding, and he was going to lance it so that the abscess would drain better. That rascal Gordino, who had heard everything, never moved or said a word, on the contrary like a sturdy tower he remained immobile. The surgeon began to rub his cheek so that he could better see what was coming out, but instead of putrefaction and pus, out came fresh blood mixed with the fig that he still held fast in his mouth. Once he had seen the fig and considered Gordino’s idleness the master, had him treated, healed, and sent him to the devil.

49. Barbers often performed minor surgery in this period as well as trimming hair and beards.

312 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Fentuzzo, who was no less an idler than Gordino, having already wasted the few quattrinos that he found himself with, nor finding, due to his ineptitude, anyone who would support him, went about begging at this and that person’s door and sometimes he slept under one portico and other times under another one, and sometimes in the forest. One of those nights, it happened that the lout ended up in a place that was completely in ruins and once inside he found a dung heap covered with a bit of straw on top of which, as best he could, he lay down on his back with his legs crossed, and overcome by drowsiness he began to sleep. It was not long before a furious wind rose up with such a raging rainstorm that it seemed that the world wanted to end, nor did it ever stop raining or lightning that whole night. And because the dwelling was poorly covered, a trickle of rain that descended down through a small opening was hitting his eye in such a way as to not let him rest. Due to the great laziness that ruled his body, the wretch never wanted to move away, nor avoid the danger that befell him. On the contrary, persisting in his wicked and obstinate desire, he pathetically allowed the trickle of water to strike his eye, as if it were a hard, unfeeling stone. The trickle, which continuously fell down from the roof and struck his eye, was so cold that before morning the wretch lost sight in the eye. When Fentuzzo got up none too early in the morning in order to see to earning his living, he found that he had lost his sight; but, because he thought he was dreaming, he placed his hand over his good eye and shut it and then he knew that the other was blind. This made him extremely happy, nor could anything have happened to him that would be more dear or welcome, for he persuaded himself that for such a great feat of laziness, he would win the jewel. Sennuccio, who led his life with no less laziness than the other two, married and took as his wife a woman who was no less lazy than he, and she was called Bedovina. One evening after supper when the two were seated near the doorway of their house to enjoy the breeze, for it was the hot season, Sennuccio said to his wife, “Bedovina, shut the door because now it is time for us to go to rest.” To which she replied, “You shut it.” With both of them locked in this argument and neither one wishing to close the door, Sennuccio said, “Bedovina, I want us to make a pact, whoever is the first to speak must close the door.” The woman, who was a scoundrel by nature and stubborn out of habit, agreed to this. Wallowing in their idleness, they did not dare speak so as not to incur the penalty of closing the door. The good woman, who already regretted this joke and was heavy with sleep, left her husband on a bench and after taking off her skirt, went to bed. She was not there long when there passed by on the road a gentleman’s servant who was going to his home. By chance the candle in the lantern he was carrying had gone out and when he saw the door of that little house open, he entered and said, “Hey, anyone there? Light this candle for me!”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 313 And no one answered him. When the servant went further into the house and found Sennuccio resting on the bench with his eyes open, he asked him if he would light his candle, but he did not reply at all. The servant, who thought that Sennuccio was sleeping, took him by the hand and began to shake him, saying, “Brother, hey, what are you doing? Answer me!” But Sennuccio, although he was not sleeping, did not wish to speak out of fear of incurring the penalty of closing the door. The servant, stepping forward a bit, saw a small candle that was shining inside a little room and when he went inside there he did not see anyone but Bedovina who was lying alone in the bed. He called her and shook her many times, but she, in order not to incur the aforementioned penalty of shutting the door, did not wish to move or speak at all. Seeing that she was beautiful and plump and did not wish to speak, the servant lay down beside her slowly and, having placed a hand on his irons, which were almost rusted, he then put them in the forge. But Bedovina, saying nothing, sweetly enduring everything and still in her husband’s sight, allowed the young man to obtain all he pleased. When the servant had left and had his good time, Bedovina got up from the bed. She went to the door, found her husband who was awake, and in a reproving tone said to him, “Oh what a fine man you are! You have left the door open for the whole night, licentiously allowing men to come into our house, without putting up any resistance. You should be made to drink from a shoe with a hole in it.” Having then risen to his feet, instead of responding the great lout Sennuccio said, “Go! Shut the door, you crazy woman! Now I have you beat! You thought you would make me close it and you were tricked. This is the way the stubborn are punished!” Bedovina, who saw that she had lost the contest with her husband and also had herself a good time, quickly closed the door and went to lie down with her cuckolded husband. When the final day of the contest came, all three men went before Gavardo who, after hearing of their aforementioned deeds and having considered their reasoning, did not want to pass judgment, thinking that that you could not find three bigger louts like them under the sun. And having taken the jewel, he threw it on the ground saying that whoever grabbed it would own it. When the entertaining tale was finished, a great dispute arose among the listeners. Some said that Gordino deserved the jewel, others Fentuzzo, and others Sennuccio, and they adduced very convincing reasons. But the Signora, who saw that time was flying, wanted the judgment to be saved for another time and commanded everyone to be quiet and Eritrea to follow the order with a riddle. Merry and smiling, she spoke thus,

314 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA In the salty waves of this land of ours, On a pole, the bird blessed with sight Sits the whole day and never leaves, Watching the fish that swim by day. And seeing a good one, it stands aloof Waiting for better and looking around again. When the late evening comes—what a fine showing!— He eats worms that he finds in the mud.50 The riddle recounted by Eritrea pleased everyone a great deal and no one understood it except for Bembo, who said it was a very cowardly bird called a waste-the-day,51 which lives only in swampy places because it feeds on carrion. Its laziness is such that it sits all day on a pole gazing at the fish going by, and seeing a big one, it does not move, but lets it go by as it waits for a bigger one. And it does this from morning to night and sits there without eating. And as this goes on, the night arrives and, pressed by hunger, it descends to the mud and goes about the swamp looking for worms and feeds on those. Having heard and understood the learned explanation of her riddle, Eritrea, even though it bothered her, nonetheless fell silent, waiting for the time and place to get him back. Cateruzza, who saw that the riddle had already come to its end, did not wish to wait for an order, but clearing her throat a little, spoke in this way.

50. “Ne l’onde salse in questa nostra parte / sopra d’un pal l’augel di vista adorno / tutto ’l dí posa, e indi mai si parte, / mirando e’ pesci che nuotano il giorno. / E veggendone un buono, sta in disparte / meglio aspettando e riguardando intorno. / Giunge dopo la sera, o bella prova, / di vermi mangia che nel fango trova.” 51. The Italian is perdigiornata, a nickname for the heron, which translates as waste (perdi) the day (giornata).

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 315 EIGHTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE Two soldiers, who are brothers in arms, take two sisters as wives. One dotes on his wife and she disobeys her husband’s rule; the other threatens his wife and she does whatever he commands. The one asks what he must do to make his wife obey and the other teaches him. He threatens her and she laughs at him, and in the end the husband is mocked by her. When he sees an infirmity about to appear in some human body, the wise and shrewd doctor takes up those remedies that seem best to save it, without waiting for the infirmity to overtake it, for a recent wound is healed more easily than an old one. So similarly—you will pardon me ladies—must a husband do when he takes a wife, that is, he must not allow her to have authority over him, so that then when he wishes to act he cannot, for he stays with her until his death. So it happened to a soldier who, wishing to punish his wife and having waited too long, patiently endured all of her flaws until he died. Not long ago in Cornetto, the Roman town in the Papal States, there were two brothers in arms who loved each other as if they had been born from the same womb. One was called Pisardo and the other Silverio, and both were soldiers by trade and received salaries from the pope. And although the love between them was great, they did not live together. Silverio, who was younger, having no one to look after him, took as his wife a tailor’s daughter called Spinella, who was young, beautiful, and charming, but very headstrong. When the wedding was over and he took his wife home, Silverio was so inflamed by her beauty that he thought that no one could compare to her, and he gave her everything she asked. For this reason, Spinella became so bold and powerful that she paid little or no attention to her husband. And the billy goat was already reduced to such a state that when he ordered her to do something, she did something else; when he said “Come here,” she went over there and laughed at him. And since the twit did not see through eyes other than his own, he did not dare to reproach her, nor employ any remedy for this fault, but he left her to do what she pleased. Not a year had passed when Pisardo took as his wife the tailor’s other daughter, who was named Fiorella, a woman no less good-looking or headstrong than her sister Spinella. When the wedding was over and his wife was led to his home, Pisardo took a pair of men’s trousers and two clubs and said, “Fiorella, these are men’s trousers, you take one side of them and I will take the other, and let us fight over which one of us should wear them, and the one who is the victor shall wear them and the one who is the loser will obey the winner.” Hearing her husband’s words, she replied kindly without missing a beat, “Ah, husband, what words are these that you say? Are not you the husband and I am the wife? Must not the wife obey her husband? How could I ever do such a

316 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA crazy thing? You wear the trousers because they are more fitting for you than for me.” “I, then,” said Pisardo, “will wear the trousers and will be the husband and you, my beloved wife, will obey me. But see that you do not change your mind, nor that you want to be the husband and me to be the wife, so that you will not complain about me later.” Fiorella, who was prudent, confirmed everything he had said, and her husband in that moment ceded to her the governance of the entire household and handed over to her his possessions, showing her the way and manner in which he lived. Then he said, “Fiorina,52 come with me, because I want to show you my horses and teach you how to care for them when need be.” When they arrived at the stable, he said, “What do you think, Fiorella, of these horses of mine? Are they not beautiful? Are they not well kept?” To which Fiorella replied, “Yes, sir.” “But look,” said Pisardo, “how easy to handle and how quick they are.” And taking a whip in hand, he touched now this one, now that, saying, “Go here, go there.” And the horses, pulling their tails between their legs and moving in a herd, obeyed their master. Pisardo had among his horses one that was very beautiful to look at, but headstrong and lazy, and it paid little attention to him. Approaching it with the whip, he said, “Go here, go there,” and beat him. And the horse, which was by nature lazy, let himself be beaten without doing anything that his master wanted; on the contrary, he kicked first with one foot, then another, and then with both together. Upon seeing the horse’s stubbornness, Pisardo took a hard, solid club and began to give it such a thrashing that he wore himself out. But the horse, more obstinate than before, let himself be beaten and did not move at all. Seeing the horse’s harsh obstinacy, he was filled with rage and, putting his hand on the sword that he had at his side, he killed it. Seeing this deed, Fiorella was moved by compassion for the horse and said, “Well, husband, why have you killed the horse? He was quite beautiful; this was a great shame.” Pisardo replied with a troubled face, “Know that all who eat my food and do not do as I wish are paid with the same coin.” Having heard this reply, Fiorella grew very sad and said to herself, “Alas, how miserable and sorry I am! How badly things have turned out with this man! I thought that I had a prudent man for a husband, and I have fallen in with a savage. Look how he killed such a beautiful horse over so little or nothing!” And so she complained bitterly to herself, not thinking why her husband had said this. For this reason, Fiorella became so afraid and frightened of her husband that when she heard him move she trembled all over; and, when he ordered her to do something, she immediately carried out his order, no sooner had her husband 52. This is the only instance in the tale she is referred to as “Fiorina.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 317 opened his mouth than she heard him, nor did ever a bad word pass between them. Silverio, who loved Pisardo very much, often visited him and dined and supped with him. Seeing Fiorella’s manners and behavior, he was quite amazed and said to himself, “Oh God, why did I not have the luck of my brother Pisardo to have Fiorella as my wife? Look how well she runs the house and does her chores without any complaint. Look how obedient she is to her husband and does what he commands. But mine, poor me, does the exact opposite and treats me in the worst possible way.” One day when Silverio was with Pisardo and they were talking about various things, he said, “Pisardo, my brother, you know the love that exists between us; I would willingly learn from you what method you used in training your wife, who is so obedient and adores you so. I cannot very lovingly ask anything of Spinella that she does not reply unwillingly and then she does the exact opposite of what I command her.” Pisardo, smiling, recounted to him in detail the manner and method that he had used when he brought her home. He persuaded Silverio that he must do the same and see if it helped, and if this did not help he did not know what advice to give him. Silverio liked this excellent advice and, after taking his leave, he departed. When he arrived at home, he called his wife without delay. He took a pair of trousers and two clubs and did exactly what Pisardo had advised him. Seeing this, Spinella said, “What strange thing is this, Silverio? What are you doing? What whims have gotten into your head? Have you gone mad? Do you not believe that we know that men, and not women, should wear trousers? And why do such things that are entirely unnecessary?” But Silverio did not respond and continued what he had begun, ceding to her the governance of the household. Spinella, amazed by this, said with a mocking sneer, “Does it seem to you perhaps, Silverio, that I have not yet learned to manage your possessions which you are so earnestly showing me?” But the husband was silent and went with his wife to the stable, where he did just as Pisardo had done with the horses and killed one of them. Seeing such idiocy, Spinella thought to herself that he had truly lost his mind and said, “Well, tell me by your faith, my husband, what is this madness that has gotten into your head? What do these crazy things mean that you do without thinking? Is it your misfortune to have gone mad?” Silverio replied, “I have not gone mad, but I will punish those who live at my expense and do not obey me in this way that you have seen.” Having understood her foolish husband’s savage deed, Spinella said, “Ah you poor little fellow! It seems that that horse of yours was a simple beast, since he pathetically let himself be killed. But what is your idea? Do you think, perhaps, that you are going to do to me what you did to that horse? Certainly, if you believe

318 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA that, you are really fooling yourself and you were too late in taking the steps that you would now like to take. The bone has grown too hard now, the wound is by now infected, nor is there any remedy left; you should have seen to your strange misfortune much earlier. Oh mad and witless man! Do you not realize how harmful and shameful your innumerable foolish acts have been? And what do you attain by this? Surely nothing.” Silverio, hearing the words of his wise wife and knowing that due to too much love he had accomplished nothing, decided, to his great displeasure, to bear his bad luck patiently until his death. Seeing that the advice had not been helpful to her husband, Spinella, if before she took an inch, now took a mile, since the woman, obstinate by nature, would rather suffer a thousand deaths than weaken her unshakeable resolve. The women laughed a good deal at Silverio’s foolishness, but they laughed even more when he came to her with the duel for the trousers and which of them should wear them, and since the laughter was increasing and time was flying, the Signora gestured for everyone to be quiet and for Cateruzza to follow the order with a riddle. Knowing her will, she spoke thus: I would like, ladies, to die with you If you know to guess what is The thing of mine that so pleases you, Or rather, delights everyone who tries it, With her sweet tones she puts Her tongue in my mouth and I hold her tight. But note that when I lie with her, Everyone who is not blind can see me.53 The riddle recited by Cateruzza provided greater pleasure than the tale she told, for it offered ample material for discussion and there were some who interpreted it one way and some another, but their interpretations were very far from the true one. Hence, prudent Cateruzza, all joyous and merry, smiled somewhat and with the Signora’s permission explained it in this way, “My riddle denotes nothing other than the bagpipe, which puts its tongue in the mouth of the one who plays it and holds it tight, and it greatly delights those listening.” Everyone liked the explanation of the subtle riddle and praised it highly. And so that more time was not taken up, the Signora enjoined Arianna to follow the order, and she, after first making a proper curtsy with her eyes lowered, loosened up her little mouth in this way. 53. “Vorrei, donne, morir con esso voi / s’indovinar sapeste com’è detta / la cosa mia che tanto piace a voi, / anzi a ciascun che la gusta, diletta. / Ella mi dà co i dolci accenti suoi / la lingua in bocca e io la tengo stretta. / M’avertite che quando giaccio seco, / ognun mi può veder se non è cieco.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 319 EIGHTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Brother Tiberio Palavicino, an apostate who then became a priest and doctor of theology, loved the wife of the woodcarver Maestro Chechino; she brings him into their house with her husband’s permission, and when discovered by her husband she sends him away with an ignominious trick and saves him from death.54 If today, charming ladies, clergymen—speaking, however, of the wicked ones and not of the good ones—would look after their studies, providing us with good examples and living piously according to their rule, common ignorant men would not be so daring in telling tales about them.55 On the contrary, they would hold them in such veneration that by touching the hem of their robes they would consider themselves to be saved and blessed.56 But since they have mingled with lay people, giving themselves over to the world and lasciviousness and doing what they would forbid us to do in both public and private places without any respect, we talk about them profusely. Since this is the case, I will not refrain from telling you a tale about an apostate that, although it is somewhat long, will be nonetheless entertaining and comic and perhaps more than a little pleasing to you. I tell you, then, that in Florence, a noble and ancient city, there was a reverend father, called Maestro Tiberio. To which order he belonged, I do not dare say, even if it did come to mind now. He was a man of letters, a skilled preacher, a very astute disputant, and very observant and revered. Due to certain reasons of his that are unknown to me, he decided to take off his monk’s robes and become a priest. And although after taking off his robes he was no longer venerated as he had been before, his name was still good among a few gentlemen and mainly among the common people. And because he was a good confessor, a very beautiful woman appeared before him to confess. She was called Savia, a name truly fitting for she was as modest as any woman.57 This woman had a carver of wooden statues for a husband; he was called Chechino, and in his day there was no one better at that art. 54. Beginning with the 1555 edition of The Pleasant Nights, this anticlerical tale was replaced by the two tales found in the appendix to this volume. While there are a number of Straparola’s tales that put the clergy in a bad light that were edited but not removed from the text, this tale begins with an overt criticism of the clergy. Furthermore, the tale includes a blasphemous depiction a lecherous clergyman who will imitate Christ by posing nude as a carved crucifix in order to escape the wrath of the husband whose wife he has tried to seduce. 55. The “rule” refers to the monastic rules and precepts that governed the various religious orders. 56. Here the words “touching the hem of their robes” equate the clergymen with Jesus Christ. In Luke 8:40–49, a woman touches Jesus’ robe as he moves through a crowd and is miraculously cured of her illness. 57. “Savia” means wise.

320 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Savia, then, having kneeled before Maestro Tiberio, said, “Father, the confessor to whom I told my secrets has died. And having heard tell of your fame and saintliness, I have elected you to take his place as my spiritual father, begging that my soul be entrusted to you.” Seeing that she was so beautiful and fresh that she resembled a morning rose and recognizing her vigor and that she was in the most flowering moment of her youth that one could be, Maestro Tiberio was so inflamed by her that he had almost gone mad confessing her, nor did he know how to get rid of her. When Maestro Tiberio came to the sin of lust, he questioned her, “Have you ever, my lady, had an enduring, particular affection for some priest or monk with whom you fell in love?” And she, not considering for a moment what he wished to suggest, replied sincerely, “Yes, father. I dearly loved my confessor as a father and bore him that reverence and honor that he deserved.” When Maestro Tiberio understood the woman’s fine disposition, with sweet and clever words he made her tell him her name and her condition and indicate to him the house where she lived, imploring and begging her to hold and keep him in that good grace that she had held and kept her deceased confessor. As a gesture of charity, when the Easter celebrations had passed, he would come to visit her, to give her some spiritual consolation. She thanked him very much for this and, after having received absolution, she left. When Savia had gone, Maestro Tiberio began to consider in detail the beauty of the woman and her manners. He was much more inflamed with love for her and resolved in his mind to win her love; however, it did not work out for him, for he did not know how to color in as well as he could draw.58 When the celebration of the Resurrection had ended, Maestro Tiberio began strolling in front of Savia’s house, and when he saw her, he would wave to her and modestly greet her. But she, who was prudent, kept her eyes lowered and pretended not to see him. As Maestro Tiberio continued greeting her as was his habit, the woman felt in her heart that she should no longer let herself be seen so that no one could harbor any sinister suspicions about her. This caused him no small displeasure. But since Love had so cruelly bound him that he was unable to loose the bonds by himself, he decided to send an altar boy to speak to her, begging her to deign to arrange it so that he could enter her home as her spiritual father to visit her. When she saw the altar boy and heard his proposal, the woman, prudent and wise, did not reply at all. Upon hearing that the woman had not replied, Maestro Tiberio, who was clever, judged her in his mind to be very prudent, and decided that it was necessary to knock at the door many times, because a tower built on 58. This painting metaphor suggests that Maestro Tiberio will be able to lay the groundwork for his plan (sketch) but not complete it (paint over the sketch to complete the image). The master wood carver will triumph over this failed painter.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 321 strong foundations and never attacked is easily defended. Hence, he decided not to fail in the undertaking he had begun, and he constantly sent her messages. and wherever she went he followed her. Seeing Maestro Tiberio’s perseverance and fearing for her honor, Savia was filled with indignation and one day said to her husband, “Chechino, for many days now Maestro Tiberio, my spiritual father, has sent different emissaries to speak to me, and wherever he sees me, not only does he greet me, but he follows behind me talking, and I, in order to remove this bother from underfoot, no longer let myself be seen, nor am I a woman who raises her eyes or goes anywhere.” “And you,” said Maestro Chechino, “what do you say to him?” “Nothing,” replied his wife. “You have behaved like the prudent woman you are, but when he greets you again and says something to you, you reply to him prudently and with that chaste manner that you see most fit. Afterward, you will tell me everything that happened.” When one day after lunch Savia was in the workshop, for Maestro Chechino had gone to see to some business of his, Maestro Tiberio showed up and, seeing her alone in the workshop, said to her, “Good day, my lady.” And she graciously replied to him, “Good day and good year, my father.” Hearing that she greeted him, something she had not done in the past, Maestro Tiberio thought that he had softened her great stubbornness and he was more ardently inflamed by her. And he entered the workshop and began conversing lovingly with her and stayed there for more than an hour. But because he feared that Maestro Chechino would return home and find her conversing with him, he took his leave, begging her to keep him in her good graces, offering himself as ready and willing to serve her every need. She thanked him a great deal for this and commended herself entirely to him. When Maestro Tiberio had gone, Maestro Chechino arrived, and she told him everything that had happened in an orderly manner. Maestro Chechino said, “You have acted well and responded wisely. But if he comes back again, put on a happy face, giving him the welcome that seems honorable to you.” And his wife said she would do this. Maestro Tiberio, who had already tasted the sweet conversation of his beloved woman, began to send her some honorable presents, which Savia accepted. And then with very sweet and well chosen words, he asked for her love begging her not to deny him this, for in denying it, she would be the cause of his certain death. The woman replied, “I, my father, would satisfy your desire and mine, but I fear being discovered by my husband and losing in the same moment my honor and my life.” These words greatly displeased Maestro Tiberio and caused him to almost die in front of the woman. When he came to, he begged her not to be the cause

322 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA of his death. Pretending to take pity on him, Savia decided to satisfy him and arranged to meet him the next evening, because her husband was to leave in the morning and go out of the city to buy wood. Hearing this, Maestro Tiberio was the happiest man in the world, and after saying goodbye, he left. When Maestro Chechino came home, his wife immediately told him what she had done. And he said, “This is not enough, but I want us to humiliate him so that he puts this house out of his mind and never again dares to bother you. Go and honorably make the bed and move everything that is in the room outside except for the chests that are there; afterward, you will clean the two armoires so that nothing is left resting on top of them; and I will likewise clean the workshop and I will hide everything, then I want us to play the trick on him that I will tell you.” And he told her in detail what she had to do. When she heard her husband’s wish, Savia promised to please him. It seemed a thousand years to Maestro Tiberio before the night came for being tightly embraced by his beloved woman. He went to the square and he bought many things and sent them to Savia’s house, informing her that she should cook each thing with care, because at the chosen hour he would come to dine with her. When Savia received the things, she began to prepare the dinner, and Maestro Chechino hid, waiting for Maestro Tiberio to arrive there. While Maestro Chechino was waiting then, here comes Maestro Tiberio and enters the house, and when he saw his lover preparing the dinner, he wanted to give her a kiss, but she resisted and said to him, “Suffer a bit, my dear, since you have suffered a great deal, because it is not proper for me, so dirty from cooking, to touch you,” and she arranged the chickens on the spit and put the veal in the pot. Maestro Chechino had climbed into a hidden passageway that looked onto the room, and he stayed there to listen to what they were saying to each other and to see what they were doing, fearing perhaps that the trick would be played on him. Then, with Savia, sticking to her plan and pretending to do first one thing and then another, Maestro Tiberio thought that his soul would leave his body, and so that she would be quicker, he gave her a hand in preparing things, but she hurried even less. Seeing that it was dragging on and feeling that too much time had passed, he said to the woman, “So great is my desire to be with you, that I have lost the desire to eat, nor do I intend to sup this evening.” And taking off his vestments, he went to bed. Savia, who laughed at him, mockingly said to him, “Only a madman would give up eating! If you, Father, are crazy enough not to want to eat dinner, well too bad for you, now I do not want to deprive myself of the dinner.” And saying this, she continued with her preparations. Maestro Tiberio still pressed her to come to bed and she slowed down even more. In the end, seeing that he was full of spite, she said in order to satisfy him,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 323 “My Father, I would never sleep with a man who keeps his shirt on during the night, if you want me to come to bed with you, take it off, because then you will have me ready for your every desire.” When he heard her wish, which seemed like a small request to him, Tiberio immediately took off the shirt and was as nude as when he was born. Savia, seeing that she had led the good father where she wanted him, took the shirt with all of his vestments and put them in a chest and shut it. Then, she pretended to want to undress, wash, and perfume herself, and she did some chores around the house, so that the poor stupid wretch left alone in the bed was pining away. Maestro Chechino, who had seen everything from the passageway, quietly went outside the house and knocked at the door. The woman, having heard her husband’s knocking, pretended to be at a loss and trembling all over said, “Alas, sir, who is that who is knocking at the door? Surely it is my husband. Oh poor me, what shall we do so that he does not find you here or so that he does not see you?” Maestro Tiberio said, “Quick! Give me my clothes so that I can get dressed and hide under the bed.” “No,” said the woman, “do not look for the clothes, because you would take too long, but climb on top of the armoire that is in the right hand corner of the room, and I will help you climb up, and stretch out with your arms open, for my husband, coming into the room and seeing you there on the cross, will think that you are one of the crucifixes he works on during the day and he will not think anymore about it.” And her husband was still knocking on the door loudly. Not thinking further or considering the husband’s trick, Maestro Tiberio climbed up onto the armoire and he stretched out like a cross with his arms open and did not move at all. Savia went downstairs and opened the door for her husband, who showed he was irate because his wife had not opened it very quickly. After he had entered the room and pretended not to see Maestro Tiberio, he sat down to dinner with his wife, and when they had eaten dinner, they both went to sleep. Just how irksome this was for Maestro Tiberio, I will let you who have felt the harsh blows of love consider, and all the more so when he heard the husband feast on that food that he so ardently desired, and saw, in addition, insult added to injury. The dawn had already begun to show itself, and little by little Apollo was seen leaving the ocean waves with his burning rays, when Maestro Chechino got out of bed and once he had prepared his tools and irons wished to work. No sooner had he begun than two lay sisters arrived from a nearby convent and said, “Maestro, our mother superior has sent us here to you to request that you give us the crucifix that she had ordered from you earlier.” Maestro Chechino replied, “My mothers, tell the mother superior that the crucifix is begun but not yet finished and it will be ready for her in two days, at most.”

324 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The women said, “My maestro, do not take it badly, our mother us gave the express order that finished or unfinished we bring it to her, for you have kept it too long.” Maestro Chechino, pretending to be upset by the nuns’ importunate provocations, said as if he were angry, “My ladies, come here in the room so that you will see it begun but not finished.” When the nuns had entered the room, Maestro Chechino said, “Raise your eyes to that armoire take a look and judge for yourselves whether it is at a good point and whether little is missing for it to be complete, and report back to your mother superior what you have seen with your own eyes.” Having raised their eyes, the nuns saw the crucifix and with very great admiration said, “Oh Maestro, how you have made it seem so natural! He truly seems living flesh like us. Certainly, it is very beautiful and our mother and the nuns will like it very much. But there is just one thing,” said the nuns, “that displeases us greatly, that you have not seen to making it so you do not so openly see that annoyance that he has up front, since such a thing could generate more than a little scandal for the entire convent.” Maestro Chechino said, “Did I not tell you that is was not completely finished? Do not be troubled by this. If only there was a remedy for death like the one I will use for this! And right before your eyes, I will show it to you.” And having taken in hand one of his tools that shaved wood, he said to the nuns, “Step up here and mind well that I will take it all off of him, it is no bother for me.” Maestro Tiberio, who until then had been so still that he almost seemed dead, heard the discussion and saw Maestro Chechino with the newly sharpened tool in hand. Without waiting any longer or saying anything, he jumped down from the armoire and began to flee completely nude, and Maestro Chechino ran after him with the tool in hand in order to remove the annoyance that he had up front. Fearing that some embarrassing incident would take place, Savia grabbed her husband by the robe and held him, so that the priest could more easily flee. The nuns, who were quick, began to yell in loud voice, “A miracle! The crucifix has fled!” and they could not stop screaming. A crowd of people ran toward the screams, and when they understood what the cause was, they laughed; and Maestro Tiberio, wearing different clothes, left the city, and where he went, no one knows; I only know that he was never seen again. Arianna had already ended her ridiculous tale, nor was there anyone who could stop laughing, when the Signora, by clapping her hands together made a sign for everyone to be quiet; she then turned to Arianna and ordered her to follow with a merry riddle. In order not to appear inferior to the others, she spoke thus:

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 325 Ladies, I have a hard, straight, white thing Smooth all around and perforated at the tip. It is one palm long, or a little less, With hard sinews and filthy on top. And it is so used to it, that it never tires However much it is moved up and down. And this thing, women, I told you about, Let everyone declare its name.59 The men laughed a good deal, but they did not know the meaning of the riddle. But Alteria, to whom fell the fourth turn, gaily explained it in this way, “This riddle signifies nothing other than the quill used for writing, which is hard, straight, white, and solid, and it is perforated at the tip and dirty due to the ink, nor does it ever tire, and in public and in private it is led up and down by the writer.” Everyone praised Alteria’s keen wit in explaining the subtle riddle; however, this occurred to the great humiliation of Arianna, who believed that she alone knew the solution. The Signora, seeing her face flushed, said, “Arianna, calm down now, for your turn will come again.” And turning toward Alteria, she ordered her to begin her tale. And with a cheerful she face spoke thus.

59. “Donne, ho una cosa soda, dritta e bianca, / liscia d’intorno e nel capo forata. / Un palmo è di lunghezza, o poco manca, / dura di nervo e di sopra lordata. / Ed è sí avezza, che mai non si stanca, / quantunque su e giú sia dimenata. / E questa cosa, donne, che vi ho detto, / di ciascun dichiarisse il gran concetto.”

326 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA EIGHTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE The tailor Maestro Lattanzio trains his pupil Dionigi, who learns little of the art that he teaches him, but learns well that art that the tailor kept a secret. Hatred grows between them, and in the end Dionigi devours him and takes the king’s daughter Violante as his wife.60 Diverse are the opinions of men and diverse are their desires and everyone, as the wise man says, is full of his own inclinations. From this it proceeds that among men, some give themselves over to the study of law, others to the art of oratory, others to the contemplation of philosophy, and some to one thing and some to another. Working in this way Mistress Nature, like a compassionate mother, moves every person toward that which suits him best. This will be clear to you if you listen kindly to my words. In Sicily, an island that surpasses all others in antiquity, there is a very noble city that is famous on account of its safe and deep harbor, and it is commonly called Messina. In this city, Maestro Lattanzio was born, a man who practiced two arts and was very skilled in both; however, he practiced one publicly and the other one in secret. The art that he practiced openly was tailoring, the other that he did secretly was sorcery. It happened that Lattanzio took as his apprentice the son of a poor man so that the boy would learn the tailor’s art. This boy, a child called Dionigi, was so diligent and clever that he learned whatever was shown to him. One day while Maestro Lattanzio was alone and locked in his room, he was practicing sorcery. When Dionigi realized this, he quietly approached the crack that went through to the room and saw everything that Maestro Lattanzio was doing. Therefore, enamored of that art, he turned all of his thoughts to necromancy, leaving aside his study of tailoring. He did not, however, dare reveal this to his master. Seeing that Dionigi’s character had changed, that he went from being diligent and knowledgeable to being lazy and ignorant and no longer attended to the trade of tailoring as he had before, he dismissed him and sent him to his father’s house. His father, who was very poor, was very sorry when he saw him. And once he had punished and lectured him, he returned him to Lattanzio, begging him profusely to keep him, to punish and nurture him, nor did he wish anything but for his son to learn from him. Lattanzio, who knew that the boy’s father was poor, once again accepted him and each day he taught him to sew; but, Dionigi proved to possess a lazy mind and did not learn anything. So everyday Lattanzio beat him with his feet and fists and more often than not he smashed his face and made him bleed and, in short, there was more beating than there was eating. Dionigi,

60. ATU 325, The Magician and His Pupil.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 327 however, patiently endured everything and went to the crack in the room every night and saw everything. Seeing that the boy was simple-minded and could not learn anything that was shown to him, Lattanzio no longer sought to practice his art in secret, thinking that if he could not learn the tailor’s art, which was easy, then he would learn even less of the art of sorcery, which was difficult. And so Lattanzio no longer sought to hide from him, but did everything right in front of him. Dionigi was quite happy with this, for although he was thought to be simple and coarse, he easily learned the art of sorcery and became so learned and skillful that he far surpassed his master. When Dionigi’s father went one day to the tailor’s workshop, he saw that his son was not working, but carrying the wood and the water needed in the kitchen, sweeping the house, and doing other lowly chores. Hence, he grieved a great deal and, having taken his leave of the master, he led him home. The good father had spent a great deal of money dressing his son so that he would learn the tailor’s trade, but seeing that he could not make him learn anything, he complained loudly and said, “My son, you know how much I have spent to make you a man, nor have I ever benefited from your trade. Hence I find myself in the greatest need and I do not know how I can feed you. I would like, my son, for you to strive to support yourself in some honest way.” To which his son replied, “Father, first I thank you for the money and effort you have spent on me, then I beg you not to worry. Even if I have not learned the art of tailoring, as was your wish, I learned another that will be more useful and satisfying. Remain calm, then, my beloved father, do not lose heart, for soon you will see the profit I will make, and by the fruit of this labor you will be able to maintain our home and the family. Using the sorcerer’s art, I will change myself into a very fine horse and you, equipped with a saddle and bridle, will lead me to the fair and sell me. The next day I will return home as you now see me; but be absolutely sure not to give the bridle to the buyer, for I would not be able to return to you again and perhaps you would never see me again.” After Dionigi had become a very fine horse and had been led to the fair by his father, many who saw him marveled at the horse’s beauty and the tricks it was doing. It happened that at that moment Lattanzio was at the fair and when he saw the horse and knew that it was enchanted, he went home, changed himself into a merchant, took a great sum of money and returned to the fair. Upon approaching the horse, he clearly recognized that it was Dionigi and asking its owner if he wished to sell it, he was told yes. And after much discussion, the merchant offered to give him two hundred gold florins. The owner was satisfied with the price, on the condition, however, that the bridle was not included in the deal. The merchant used so many words and so much money that he also got the bridle, and after leading the horse to his own home, putting him in a stall and tying him tightly, he

328 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA beat it harshly. He kept this rhythm morning and night, so that the horse was so ravaged that he was a sorry sight. Lattanzio had two daughters who, upon seeing the cruelty of their merciless father, were moved to pity and every day went to the stall and stroked the horse, caressing him a thousand times. One of these times, they took it by the halter and led it to the river to give it some water. When the horse arrived at the river, it immediately jumped in the water and, changing into a shark, dove into the waves. When the daughters saw the strange and unexpected event they were bewildered and once they had returned home they began to weep bitterly, beating their breasts and tearing out their blond hair. It was not long before Lattanzio came home and when he went to the stall to beat the horse, he did not find it there. He was immediately inflamed with rage and went to where his daughters were. He saw them weeping bitterly and without asking the cause of their tears, for he had already realized their mistake, he said, “My daughters, do not be afraid to tell me what happened to the horse, because we will take care of it.” Reassured by their father, the daughters told him everything in detail. Their father, having heard of the aforementioned episode, stripped off his robes without delay and went to the riverbank. He jumped into the water and, having changed into a tuna, chased the shark wherever it swam in order to devour it. Seeing the snapping tuna and fearing that it would swallow him, the shark approached the riverbank and, having changed into a very precious ruby, left the water and quietly jumped into the basket of a young lady-in-waiting of the king’s daughter, who was collecting some small stones on the beach to amuse herself and he hid himself among them. When the lady-in-waiting returned home and took the small stones from the basket, the king’s only daughter Violante saw the ring, took it, and then put it on her finger and cherished it. When night came and Violante went to rest, all the while keeping the ring on her finger, the ring changed into a handsome young man who, putting his hand on her lily white chest, found two plump, firm bosoms. And she, who had not yet fallen asleep, was stunned and wanted to scream. But the young man, placing his hand over her perfumed mouth, did not allow her to scream and dropping to his knees asked for her mercy, begging her to help him, for he had not come there to sully her chaste mind, but was forced by necessity. He told her who he was, the reason why he had come, and how and by whom he was persecuted. Somewhat reassured by the young man’s words, and seeing by the lamp that was lit that he was charming and distinguished, Violante was moved by pity and said, “Young man, great was your arrogance in coming here without being called, and even more in touching that which you should not have. But, since I heard the misfortunes you have recounted to me in detail, I, who am not made of marble nor have a heart hard as diamonds, ready myself and prepare to give you all possible and chaste assistance, on the condition that my honor will remain unscathed.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 329 The young man first gave her due thanks, then when day came he changed back into the ring and she placed it there where she kept her precious things and many times she went to visit the one with whom, when he changed into human form, she conversed sweetly. It happened that Violante’s father was stricken with a serious illness and there was no physician able to cure him, but everyone said that the illness was incurable and day by day the king’s health declined. This news arrived at Lattanzio’s ears and, dressed as a physician, he went to the royal palace. Having entered the king’s chamber, he asked him about his illness; then staring straight in his face and touching his wrist, he said, “Holy Crown, your illness is severe and dangerous, but take heart, because soon you will regain your health. I have a remedy that, even though it is a very serious illness, will cure it in no time. Be of good cheer and do not be dismayed.” The king said, “My master, if you cure this illness, I will reward you in such a way that you will be happy for the rest of your life.” The physician said that he did not want a kingdom, nor money, but only one favor. The king promised to grant him anything that was proper. The physician said, “Holy Crown, I want nothing from you save for a ruby set in gold that is now in your daughter’s possession.” When he heard the small request, he said, “Master, if you wish nothing else from me, rest assured that this grace will be granted you.” The physician worked so diligently at curing the king that in ten days he was free of the serious illness. Cured and restored to perfect health, the king with the physician present had his daughter summoned and ordered her to bring all of the jewels she had. Obedient to her father, the daughter did what the king ordered, but she did not, however, bring the one she cherished more than all the others. When he saw the jewels, the physician said that the ruby that he desired was not among them and that the daughter should look harder and she would find it. The daughter, who was already completely inflamed with love for the ruby, denied having it. Hearing this, the king said to the physician, “Go and come back tomorrow, for we will deal with our daughter in such a way that you will have it.” When the physician had gone, the father called Violante, and with both of them locked in a room, he sweetly asked her about the ruby that the physician wanted. But she always denied everything. After she left her father, she went in her room and locked herself inside alone and began to cry, and taking the ruby, she hugged it, kissed it and held it tight, cursing the hour in which the physician had come to that land. The ruby, seeing the hot tears that ran down from her beautiful eyes and the deep sighs that came from her well-disposed heart was moved to pity her and he changed into human form and with affectionate words said, “My lady, to whom I owe my life, do not cry nor sigh for me, I am yours. But seek a remedy for our suffering, for the physician who diligently seeks to lay his hands on me is

330 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA my enemy and would like to take my life; but you, as a prudent and wise woman will not place me in his hands. Instead, showing yourself to be full of contempt, you will throw me against the wall and I will see to the rest.” The next morning, the physician returned to the king and, having heard the bad news, became upset, maintaining that the ruby was actually in the hands of his daughter. The king, calling his daughter before the physician, said, “Violante, you know that thanks to this physician we have regained our health, and as his reward he does not want kingdoms or treasures, but only a ruby which he says is in your hands. I would have thought that for the love that you bear me that you would have given me not just a ruby, but your own blood. Hence, for the love that I bear you and for the pains your mother endured for you, I beg you not to deny me the favor the physician has requested.” The daughter, having heard and understood her father’s will, went back to her room. Taking the ruby along with many other jewels, she returned to her father and one by one showed them to the physician, who, as soon as he spotted the one he so greatly desired, said, “There it is!” and wanted to get his hands on it. Having realized what he was going to do, Violante said, “Master, stand back for you will have it.” And taking the ruby in hand she said with contempt, “Since this is the precious, fine ruby that you are seeking, the loss of which will leave me unhappy for the rest of my life, I give it to you not because I want to but because I am forced to by my father,” and while speaking in this way she threw the beautiful ruby against the wall, which opened as soon as it hit the floor and became a very beautiful pomegranate that scattered its seeds all over. When he saw that the seeds from the fruit had scattered, the physician immediately changed into a rooster and, thinking to take Dionigi’s life with his beak, he was duly tricked, for a seed hid itself so that the rooster did not see it. The hidden seed, having waited for the opportunity, changed into a clever and crafty fox and quickly approaching the crested rooster, grabbed it by the neck, killed it, and devoured it before the king and his daughter. When the king saw this, he was amazed and Dionigi, having returned to his own shape, recounted everything to the king and with his permission he took Violante as his lawfully wedded wife and lived with her for a long time in tranquil and glorious peace. And Dionigi’s father, once a poor man, became very rich, and Lattanzio, full of envy and hatred, was killed. The delightful tale recounted by Alteria had already reached its end and had pleased everyone without exception, when the Signora made a sign for her to continue with her riddle. And delighted, she presented it in this way, My lover, who loves and esteems me too much, With delight now embraces me, now touches me,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 331 Now kisses me, and now caresses me, And now he puts his tongue in my mouth. From this up and down is born a sweetness So gentle that my soul brims over. And it is an effort to pull it out to dry, Tell, women, if this is the goal of love.61 The riddle gave the men more than a little to discuss, but Arianna, who a while earlier had been taunted by Alteria, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, do not be upset and let your hearts cease to think ill, for the riddle told by my sister does not describe anything but the trombone, which the musician leads up and down and dries the water that is inside it so that it will play better.” Alteria, having heard the correct interpretation of her riddle, was left confused and almost wanted to lose her temper, but then when she realized she had been paid back, she calmed down. And the Signora ordered Lauretta to speak. And she immediately began her tale, speaking thus.

61. “L’amante mio, che troppo m’ama e prezza, / con diletto or mi stringe e or mi tocca, / ora mi bascia e ora m’accarezza, / e or la lingua sua mi mette in bocca. / Dal menar nasce poscia una dolcezza / cosí soave che l’alma trabocca. / E forza è trarlo per sciugarlo fuore: / dite, donne, se ciò è quel fin d’amore.”

332 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA EIGHTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE A tale about two physicians; one was very famous and rich, but not very learned, and the other was truly learned but very poor.62 Nowadays, loving ladies, favors, nobility, and wealth are more honored than knowledge, which, although buried in people of low and base condition, nonetheless shines and sparkles like a ray of light. This will be clear to you if you lend your ears to my brief tale. There was once in the Antenorian city63 a physician who was highly respected and quite comfortably rich, but poorly schooled in medicine. In treating one of the most important men in the city, he had as his partner another physician who was exceptionally learned and skilled, but had been denied fortune’s favor. One day when they had gone to visit the patient, that richly dressed great physician touched his wrist and said that he had a very violent fever that made him tremble. The poor physician, cleverly looking under the bed, saw by chance some apple peels and thought to himself, quite reasonably, that the sick man had eaten some apples the previous evening. After he had touched his wrist, he said to him, “My brother, I think that last night you ate some apples, because you have a high fever.” Unable to deny that this was the truth, the sick man told him yes. The proper medicines were ordered and the physicians left. And walking along together, that famous and respected physician, his chest swollen with envy, insistently begged his colleague, the physician upon whom fortune did not smile, if he would reveal the symptoms by which he had understood that the patient had eaten some apples, promising to reward him with a good sum. Seeing his ignorance, the lowly physician, in order to embarrass him, instructed him in this way, “When you happen to go treat a patient, take a look under his bed when you first enter, and whatever you see that is edible, you will be sure that patient has eaten it. This is the notable proof of the great commentator.”64 After he had received some money from him, he left. The next morning, this illustrious and excellent physician was called to treat a certain farmer who was, however, quite comfortable and rich. Entering his room, he spied the skin of an ass under the bed. Then after having sought and 62. This is tale 32 from Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 160–63. 63. According to legend, the Trojan counselor Antenor founded the city of Padua after the fall of Troy. In the thirteenth century, the Paduans build a tomb for Antenor when they thought they had uncovered his remains. 64. The “great commentator” is Ibn Rushd (1126–98), or Averroës, whose commentaries on Aristotle circulated in Latin during the Middle Ages. He compiled the works of the physician Galen and wrote a commentary on Ibn Sina’s (980–1037), or Avicenna’s, medical writings.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 333 examined the patient’s wrist and finding him afflicted by an erratic fever, he said to him, “I know, my brother, that last night you were quite intemperate, for you ate the ass; and for this reason you have almost arrived at the end of your life.” When he heard these mad and outlandish words, the farmer replied smiling, “Pardon me, I beg Your Excellency my lord, it has been more than ten days since I’ve seen or eaten any ass, besides you.” And with these words he dismissed the very wise and learned philosopher and found himself another physician who was more skilled. And so it seems, as I said at the beginning of my discourse, that wealth is respected more than learning. And if I have been briefer than is proper, you will pardon me, for I saw that the hour was growing late and that you were nodding with your heads affirming that everything was true. When Lauretta had put an end to her very brief tale, the Signora, who was almost asleep, ordered her to end the storytelling of the present night with an elegant and chaste riddle, for the rooster was already announcing the future day with his song. And she, without any further excuse, spoke thus, Beautiful little rose worthy of all praise, Honor of the heavens and crown of the world, When you unfold your pure banner Which lifts every gentle person on high, Man is infused with your ample valor, And you spur the soul to do good. But when you reveal the other, somber and black, Every great state must perish.65 “Our riddle means nothing other than the good and the bad tongue, which is red and honors the heavens, for with it we praise and thank God for the good he has granted us, and it is similarly the crown and glory of the world when man uses it for good, but when it is used for the opposite, there is no state powerful enough that the tongue will not fell it and bring it low. And I could adduce infinite examples of this, but the lack of time and your exhausted souls will not suffer me going on any longer.” And after bowing properly, she sat down. When the riddle was finished and praised by everyone more than a little bit, the Signora ordered that the torches be lit and everyone go to their homes, strictly enjoining them all to return well 65. “Rosetta bella d’ogni laude degna, / onor del cielo e del mondo corona, / quando tu spieghi la candida insegna / ch’ad alto lieva ogni gentil persona, / del largo tuo valor l’uomo s’impregna / e a ben operar l’anima sprona. / Ma quando scopri l’altra scura e nera, / convien ch’a forza ogni gran stato pera.”

334 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA prepared the following evening to their usual spot. And so everyone promised together to do so. THE END OF THE EIGHTH NIGHT

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 335 THE NINTH NIGHT The dry earth had already sent forth the damp shadow of the dark night and the pretty birds on the leafy branches of the straight trees rested quietly in their nests, when the loving and honorable company, putting aside all troubling thoughts, gathered at the usual spot. And after a number of dances were danced with slow steps, the Signora commanded that the vase be brought forth and, having placed inside the names of five women; the first pulled out was Diana,66 the next Lionora, the third Isabella, the fourth Vicenza, and the fifth Fiordiana. But before they began the storytelling, the Signora wanted all five of them to sing a song accompanied by their viole da gamba. With cheerful faces and with angelic countenances they uttered these words, Wretched little plants, Where is your valor? Where is your glory And the kind gaze of our lady? Ah, lost is the light, Or rather the beautiful sun that makes all others fade, Who with her divine ways Made us happy hour by hour, And the noble countenance Sweetly loosening the reins on our eyes. Oh, false hope, Like Love, you have left us wholly deprived of the beautiful, serene face, and completely disconsolate.67 Not without some passionate sighs did they listen to the amorous song that perhaps for some penetrated the depths of their hearts. But each of them kept their secret love hidden in their breast. Then charming Diana, knowing that hers was the first turn in the storytelling, gave her tale a good start without waiting for another command.

66. The narrator Diana is introduced here for the first time, without any explanation as to whether she was present (but silent) on the previous evenings or is a new member of the company. 67. “Sconsolate erbecine, / dov’è il valor, dov’è la gloria vostra / e i gentil sguardi de la donna nostra? / Ahimé smarrito è il lume, / anzi il bel sol ch’ogn’altro discolora, / che per divin costume / ci facevan gioir ad ora ad ora, / e la nobil sembianza / dolcemente allargar a gli occhi il freno. / O falace speranza, / come Amor n’hai del bel viso sereno / in tutto privi e sconsolati pieno.”

336 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA NINTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE On account of a palm reader’s prediction that his wife would cuckold him, Galafro, the king of Spain, builds a tower and places his wife in it, and she is deceived by Galeotto, the son of Diego, the king of Castile. Since, loving ladies, the loyalty found in a gentlewoman deserves praise because it is highly lauded by everyone, so then on the contrary the disloyalty that rules her deserves blame for being similarly reviled by everyone. The first extends its arms everywhere and is tightly embraced by the whole world. The other has weak feet and on account of its weakness cannot move forward; hence in the end it is left miserably abandoned by everyone. Having, then, to begin the storytelling for this night, I thought to tell you a tale that will both please and satisfy you. Galafro, the very powerful king of Spain, was a bellicose man in his day and, due to his skill, he conquered many provinces and forced them to submit to his rule. When he arrived in his old age, he took as his wife a young woman called Feliciana, a woman who was truly graceful, courteous, and fresh as a rose. Due to her kindness and prudent manner she was loved deeply by the king, nor did he think of anything but pleasing her. It happened that one day while he was speaking with a palm reader whom everyone reputed to be very skilled in this art, the king wanted him to look at his hand and tell him his fortune. When the palm reader understood the king’s wish, he took his hand and looked hard at each line that he found on it, and after he had looked at it, he fell silent and his face went pale. Seeing that the palm reader was silent and his face had become white, the king clearly knew that he had seen something that he did not like. And after he had encouraged him, he said, “Maestro, say what you have seen and do not fear, for whatever you will say we will accept cheerfully.” Reassured by the king that he could speak freely, the palm reader said, “Holy Majesty, I am very sorry to have come here to tell you something that will bring you grief and trouble. But since you have reassured me, I will tell you everything. Know, oh king, that the wife that you sincerely love so much will place two horns on your head and so you must guard her most carefully.” Upon hearing this, the king was more dead than alive and, after having given permission to the palm reader to leave, he ordered him to keep it a secret. Now left with this painful thought and considering day and night what the palm reader had told him and how he could avoid such shameful humiliation, the king decided to put his wife in a sturdy tower and have her guarded diligently, and so he did this. The rumor had already spread to all corners about how King Galafro had built the stronghold and had put his wife in it under strict watch, but no one knew

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 337 why. This rumor reached the ears of Galeotto, the son of Diego, the king of Castile, who, after he considered the angelic beauty of the queen, her husband’s age, and the life he gave her by keeping her shut up in a sturdy tower, decided to try, if he could, to play a trick, and his plan turned out just as he wished and had resolved. So Galeotto took a great deal of money and many fine wares, secretly went to Spain, and rented two rooms in the house of a poor widow. It happened that early one morning King Galafro mounted his horse and went hunting with his entire court, with the idea of staying out for a number of days. When this news reached Galeotto, he tidied himself up and, dressed like a merchant and taking many gold and silver objects that were very beautiful and worth a kingdom, he left the house and went here and there throughout the city showing his wares. In the end, he arrived at the tower and shouted again and again in a loud voice, “Who wants to buy my wares? Step up!” Hearing the merchant shout so loudly, the queen’s ladies-in-waiting went to a window and saw cloth embroidered with gold and silver that was so beautiful that it was a marvel to behold. The young women immediately ran to the queen and said, “Signora, a merchant is passing by here and he has the most beautiful cloth that you ever saw, and it is not cloth for commoners, but for kings, princes, and great lords, and among them are some suitable for you, all bejeweled with precious gems.” Yearning to see such beautiful wares, the queen begged the guards to let him enter, but they, fearing they would be discovered and ill treated, did not want to allow it, for the king’s order was strict and they would lose their lives. Softened, however, by the affectionate words of the queen and by the ample promises of the merchant, they let him enter. After having first made a respectful proper bow, he greeted her and then showed her his noble wares. The queen, who was merry and bold, seeing that he was handsome, pleasant, and good-natured, began to make eyes at him and inflame him with love for her. The merchant, who was no fool, showed on his face that he reciprocated her love. After the queen had seen many things, she said, “Maestro, your things are very beautiful and have no flaws, but among all of them this one pleases me very much. I would very much like to know what you ask for it.” The merchant replied, “Signora, there is not money enough to buy it. But if it pleases you, I would more quickly give it to you than sell it, on the condition that I would be sure to obtain your favor, which I hold more dear than anything else.” When she saw his magnificent and generous liberality and considered the greatness of his heart, the queen thought to herself that he was not a lowly person but of noble stock, and she turned to him and said, “Maestro, what you say is not the act of a lowly man, who is more often than not dedicated to greedy profit, but through your actions you demonstrate the magnanimity that reigns in your welldisposed heart. I, though unworthy, offer myself for your pleasure and command.”

338 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Seeing the queen favorably disposed and that things would turn out as he desired, he said, “Signora, true and sturdy pillar of my life, your angelic beauty along with that sweet and kind welcome, has so strongly bound me that I do not hope to ever be able to free myself from you. I burn for you, nor do I find water that can extinguish such a raging fire in which I find myself. I left faraway countries for no other reason than to see the rare and singular beauty that elevates you above all other women. If you, kind and courteous, will accept me into your favor, you will have a servant whom you can command as yourself.” When she heard such words she was beside herself, and she was more than a little in awe that the merchant had felt such ardor; however, since she saw that he was handsome and charming, and when she considered the injustice her husband did her by keeping her locked up in the tower, the queen decided to pursue her own pleasure. But before she satisfied him, she said, “Maestro, great are the powers of love that have reduced me to this state so that I am more yours than mine. But since fate wants me to be commanded by others, I want thoughts to become deeds, but on this condition, that I keep the things I earn.” Once he saw the queen’s greed, he took his noble wares and gave them to her as a gift. Enamored with the costly and precious cloth, the queen, proving that she did not have a heart of stone or diamond, took the young man by the hand, led him into her room, and they embraced affectionately and kissed. The young man, having put her on the bed and lain down beside her, lifted up her chemise, which was whiter than snow, and he took in hand the hoe, which was by now already straight, and immediately put it in the furrow and gathered the greatest fruits of love. When he had satisfied his desire, the merchant left the room and asked the queen to return his goods. Upon hearing this, the queen was stunned and, crushed by pain and shame, spoke thus, “It is not fitting for a generous and liberal man to request the return of the thing that he had fairly given. This is what children do who, on account of their tender age, lack wisdom and intelligence. But I do not intend to return the cloth to you, a wise and shrewd man, who has no need of a guardian.” The young man, amused by this, said, “Signora, if you do not give it to me and allow me to go promptly, I will not leave here until the king comes and he, being just and sincere, will either pay for it or he will give it back to me, as is fitting.” Duped by the clever merchant, the queen feared that the king would arrive and she unwillingly returned the cloth. When the merchant was about to leave the castle, the guards set upon him and asked him for the share that he had promised them. The merchant did not deny that he had made the promise, but that he had done so on the condition that he sold his wares or a part of them.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 339 “Hence, since I did not sell either all or some of them, I do not consider myself obliged to give you anything, for I am leaving the tower with the same goods I entered with.” The guards were inflamed with rage and fury and they absolutely did not want to let him leave if he did not first pay the toll. The merchant, who was more greedy than they were, said, “Brothers, since you forbid me to leave, holding me at bay here, I will stay until your king comes, and he, a magnanimous and just lord, will settle our disagreement.” The guards, who feared that the king would come, find the young man there, and have them killed because they disobeyed him, opened the door and let him go as he pleased. When the merchant had left the tower, and left the queen with more shame than wares, he began to yell in a loud voice, “I know it, but I do not want to say it! I know and do not want to say it!” At that moment, Galafro was returning from the hunt and, upon hearing from far off the shouting of the merchant, he had a good laugh over it. When he arrived at the palace and went to the tower where the queen dwelled, instead of greeting her, he said joking, “Madame, I know it and I do not want to say it!” And he repeated this many times. Hearing the king’s words and thinking that he spoke seriously and not in jest, she considered herself dead and trembling all over while lying prostrate on the ground the queen said, “Oh king, know that I have betrayed you and I ask your pardon for my great sin, not that I do not deserve to die, but trusting in your clemency, I hope to obtain grace and pardon.” The king, who did not know what had happened, was quite amazed and ordered her to rise to her feet and tell him everything. The frightened queen, with trembling voice and most abundant tears, told him what happened from the beginning to the end. When he heard it, the king said, “Madame, be of good cheer and do not be frightened, for what the heavens want is fitting.” And in that moment he had the tower leveled and freed his wife, with whom he lived happily. And Galeotto, victorious in battle, returned home with his wares. The company rather liked the tale told by Diana, but they were surprised that the queen so easily revealed her secret sin, for she should have preferred to suffer a thousand deaths than to take that shameful blame. But fortune was on her side, and the king even more so, who out of his grace and by virtue of his love freed her. And so that the other young women could tell their tales, the Signora ordered Diana to follow with the riddle. Quick to respond to the Signora’s commands, she spoke in this way, From the northern regions come A robust people dressed in white,

340 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And they wound all without mercy, their heads, their feet, and their waists. People are covered by the dead and each one, here and there, tries to save himself. The fire burns in the homes in every corner, and there is no place to shield yourself from them.68 The riddle recited by Diana delighted everyone, and there were some who interpreted it one way and some another way, but few understood it. Hence Diana explained it in this way, “My riddle denotes nothing other than the white snow that falls down in flakes and comes from the north and, unforgiving, hits everyone and most of all when it is cold, and no one finds a place where they can defend themselves from it.” With the fine solution of the subtle riddle complete, Lionora, who was seated next to Diana, stood and began her tale in this way.

68. “Vien da le parti di settentrione / gente rubesta di bianco vestita, / ferisse ognun senza compassione / nel capo, ne li piedi e ne la vita. / Di morti stan coperte le persone / e di salvarsi ognun qua e là s’aita. / Arde in le case d’ogni canto il fuoco, / da lor schermirsi non si trova luoco.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 341 NINTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE Rodolino, the son of the Lodovico, the king of Hungary, loves Violante, the daughter of Domizio the tailor, and when Rodolino dies, Violante, overcome by immense grief, dies on his dead body in the church.69 If love is guided by a gentle spirit with that modesty and temperance which is proper, only rarely does it not turn out well. But when it is guided by a greedy and unruly appetite, it is quite harmful and leads men to a dreadful and unpleasant end. You will discover the reason for this brief discourse at the end of this tale. I say then, charming ladies, that Lodovico, the king of Hungary, had only one son, named Rodolino, who, although he was still very young, was not immune from feeling the burning sting of love. One day while sitting at a window in his room and turning his mind to various subjects that he very much enjoyed, the lad by chance saw a girl, the tailor’s daughter, with whom—because she was beautiful, modest, and charming—he fell so deeply in love that he could not find relief. The girl, who was called Violante, noticed Rodolino’s love and was no less inflamed with love for him than he was for her. And when she did not see him, she felt like she was dying. As their benevolent feelings for each other grew, Love, who is the faithful guide and true light of every gentle heart, acted so that the young woman made certain to speak with him. One day, when Rodolino was at the window and clearly knew the mutual love that Violante bore him, he said, “Violante, know that so great is the love I bear for you that nothing will divide us save for dark death. Your laudable and charming manner, your honest and noble habits, your eyes as pretty and bright as stars, and the other qualities I see blossoming in you have persuaded me to love you so ardently that I do not intend to take any woman but you for a wife.” And she, who was astute despite being young, replied that if he loved her she loved him much more and that her love could not be compared to his, for man does not love with a good heart, but his love is foolish and vain, and more often than not leads the woman whom he loves so greatly to a miserable end. “Well, my love,” said Rodolino, “do not say this, because if you felt a thousandth of the passion that I feel for you, you would not say such words. And if you do not believe it, try, because you will see whether I love you or not.” 69. The plot of this tale resembles that of tale 4.8 in the Decameron, in which Girolamo’s mother sends him to Paris, separating him from his beloved Salvestra, who marries in his absence. In Boccaccio’s tale, however, Salvestra allows Girolamo to warm himself in her bed (but not touch her), and when he dies she consults her husband, who advises that Girolamo’s body must be carried secretly back to his house. Salvestra’s husband suggests they both attend the funeral services to discover if they have been implicated in the death, and Salvestra flings herself on Girolamo’s body and dies.

342 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA It happened that one day King Lodovico, Rodolino’s father, realized his son had fallen in love, and he grieved bitterly to himself, greatly fearing that which could easily bring disgrace and shame upon his kingdom. And without letting his son know anything about this, he decided to send him to faraway lands in order that time and distance would make him forget his love. Therefore, having called his son before him, the king said, “Rodolino, my son, you know that we don’t have any other children besides you, nor will we have any others, and that after our death the kingdom is yours as the true successor. So that you will become a prudent and wise man, and at the right time and place you can wisely rule your kingdom, I have decided to send you to Austria, where Lamberico lives, your uncle on your mother’s side. There are very learned men there who, out of love for us, will instruct you and under their tutelage you will become prudent and wise.” When he heard his father speak, Rodolino was dumbfounded and almost mute, but coming to his senses he said, “My father, although going far from you grieves and pains me, for I will be deprived of your presence and that of my mother, because it pleases you, I am willing to obey you.” Having heard his son’s favorable response, the king immediately wrote to his brother-in-law Lamberico and explained the situation, commending his son to him as if he were himself. Once he had made the great promise to his father, Rodolino grieved bitterly, but unable to go back on his word, he complied. But before he left, he found the opportunity to speak with his Violante in order to instruct her regarding what she must do until he returned so that such a great love would not be destroyed. When then they were together, Rodolino said, “Violante, in order to please my father I will will go away with my body, but not with my heart, and wherever I will be, I will always remember you. But I beg you for that love that I bore for you, bear now, and will bear you, as long as the spirit rules these bones, that you not wish to marry any man. For without fail as soon as I return, I will take you as my lawfully wedded wife; and as a sign of my unbroken faith, take this ring and cherish it.” Upon receiving the sad news, Violante wished to die from grief, but once she regained her lost strength, she replied, “Signor, I wish to God that I had never met you, for then I would not suffer as I do now. But since the heavens and my fate want you to leave me, at least tell me whether your time away will be short or long, for if it were to be long, I would not be able to resist my father’s will if he were to want to marry me off.” Rodolino said, “Violante, do not be upset, be cheerful, because before the year ends I will be here, and if I do not come by the end of the year, I give you full permission to marry.” And having spoken thus, with tears and sighs he said goodbye to her. In the early morning he mounted his horse, rode with an honorable company toward

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 343 Austria, and when he arrived there he was honorably received by his uncle Lamberico. Rodolino grieved a good deal over Violante, whom he had left behind, nor was he able to enjoy anything, and although the young men strove to provide him all the pleasures that one could imagine, these things did little or nothing. With Rodolino living like this in Austria to his great displeasure and having his mind fixed on his beloved Violante, the year passed without him realizing it. Hence, when he realized this, he asked his uncle’s permission to return home to see his father and mother and Lamberico kindly permitted him to do so. When Rodolino arrived in his father’s kingdom and was welcomed by his father and mother with great rejoicing, he came to find out that Violante, the daughter of Maestro Domizio the tailor, had married. This occasioned great delight in the king, but infinite sadness in Rodolino, who grieved bitterly, saying to himself that he had been the cause of that marriage. The poor wretch, dwelling in this agonizing torment, nor knowing how to find a remedy for his passionate love, wanted to die from grief. But Love, who does not abandon his followers and punishes those who do not keep their promises, found a way for Rodolino to meet Violante again. One evening unbeknownst to Violante, Rodolino hid himself in her room and as she was lying with her husband in bed, he went quietly to the space between the bed and the wall, and once there he slowly raised the bed-curtain and placed his hand on her breast. When she felt herself touched by someone other than her husband, Violante, who did not know he had come, wanted to yell out, but Rodolino, who had put his hand over her mouth, did not let her and made himself known to her. When she knew that it was Rodolino, the young woman was immediately frightened and she feared that her husband would hear him. Acting prudently, she pushed him away from her as best she could, nor did she let herself be kissed. Seeing that he was totally abandoned by his dear sweetheart and openly driven away, nor seeing any remedy for the great affliction he felt, he said, “Oh most cruel beast, here I am dying, be content knowing that you will no longer have the bother of seeing me, and when you become merciful, blaming your cruelty, it will be too late. Alas, how can it be that the enduring love that you once bore me now has completely left you?” And saying this he tightly embraced his Violante and, wanting and not wanting to kiss her and feeling his soul leave his heart, he collected himself, then he sent forth a deep sigh, and died unhappily at her side. When she realized that he was dead, the poor wretch was terrified and thought about which path she should take so that her husband would not realize what had happened. After she had let him fall softly from the base of the bed to the space between the bed and the wall, she pretended to dream and let out a very loud shriek that immediately woke her husband. When she was asked what caused her to shriek, all trembling

344 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and frightened she told him how Rodolino, the king’s son, seemed to lie with her and die in her arms, and when she rose from the bed, she found the dead body, which was still warm, stretched out in the space between the bed and the wall. Upon seeing this strange situation, her husband was astonished and feared greatly for his life. And mustering his courage, he took the dead body on his shoulders and without being seen by anyone placed it in the doorway of the royal palace. When the king heard the sad news, he wanted to kill himself out of grief and anger, but then when he had regained his senses he sent for the doctors, who were to examine Rodolino and determine the cause of death. The doctors examined the dead body individually and uniformly judged him to have died not by the sword or by poison, but due to an internal affliction. When this was understood, the king ordered the funerary obsequies be prepared and that the cadaver be carried to the cathedral and that all of the women of the city, whatever their status, under penalty of incurring his disfavor, must go to the coffin and kiss his dead son. Many matrons arrived who out of pity wept bitterly for him, and among them went unhappy Violante, who, wishing at least to see dead the one whom she did not want to please with a single kiss when alive, threw herself on the dead body. Thinking that he had lost his life due to his love for her, she held her breath in such a way that without saying a word she passed from this life. When they saw this unexpected event, the women ran to help her, but they toiled in vain, for her soul had left her body and gone to find that of Rodolino, her cherished beloved. The king, who knew of the love between Violante and his son, kept it a secret and ordered that they be buried in the same tomb. Lionora had already ended her piteous tale, when the Signora gestured for her to follow with her riddle. Without delay she said, And for my part, I stand still, and if someone assails me I go up to the rooftops and often crash into the wall. The blows make me fly without wings And jump without feet into the light and into the dark. I never cease, and if my adversary Does not rest, then let his wish be granted. In me one does not see a beginning or end, And I was a living thing, nor does anyone believe me.70 The majority of the listeners understood the riddle recited by Lionora to mean nothing other than the ball that is assailed by the players who send it here or 70. “Per me sto ferma, e se talun m’assale / vo su per tetti e spesso urto nel muro. / Le percosse mi fan volar senz’ale / e saltar senza piedi al chiaro al scuro. / Non cesso mai, se ’l mio contrario tale / non resta, che ’l desir suo sia sicuro. / In me principio o fin pur non si vede / e cosa viva fui, n’alcun me ’l crede.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 345 there hitting it with their hands. Isabella, whose turn was third for the storytelling, rose to her feet and began to speak like this.

346 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA NINTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Francesco Sforza,71 son of Lodovico Moro, duke of Milan, pursues a deer during a hunt and strays from his companions. He arrives at the house of some peasants, who decide together to kill him. A young girl reveals the plot, he saves himself, and the peasants are quartered alive. The tale told by Lionora leaves the field wide open for me to tell you of a piteous incident that is considered to be more history than tale, because it happened to the son of a duke who, after many troubles, was able to make his enemies endure a harsh penance for the sin they committed. I tell you then that in our own day there lived in Milan Signor Francesco Sforza, son of Lodovico Moro, the duke of Milan, who, while his father was alive and after his death, was often targeted by envious Fortune. In his early years, Signor Francesco was good looking, adorned with fine manners, and his face revealed his good character. When he arrived at the age of blooming adolescence, after his studies and other worthy pursuits, he sometimes devoted himself to fencing, to throwing a ball, and to going hunting, which he truly enjoyed.72 On account of his manners and prowess, the young people loved him a great deal and he loved them, nor was there a young man in the city who was not generously rewarded by him. One day for his amusement Signor Francesco gathered together a number of young men, none of whom had reached his twentieth year and, after mounting his horse, he set off to hunt with them. And when they had arrived at a little wood where the beasts lived, they surrounded it. It happened that from the direction where Signor Francesco was watching attentively, a graceful deer came out and when it saw the hunters it began fleeing out of fear. Seeing the deer flee quickly, the gentleman, who had the heart of a lion and was an able rider, drove his horse with his spurs and boldly began to follow it. He pursued it for so long that while riding away from his company he strayed from the straight road, so that when he had lost sight of the deer and abandoned the effort, he did not know where he was or where to go. Therefore, finding himself alone and off the usual road, nor knowing how to return with the dark of night arriving, he was somewhat frightened, fearing that something unpleasant would befall him, just as it did. 71. Francesco Sforza II (1495–1535) ruled over the Duchy of Milan. See notes 3 and 4 in Volume One. 72. All of these skills and activities were considered fundamental for both courtiers and princes to master. In The Prince (chap. 14), Machiavelli suggests that hunting allows a prince the opportunity to study the topography of his kingdom, but that he must also study books on war. For Castiglione, the perfect courtier must be an expert in both letters and arms. Like Machiavelli, Castiglione suggests that hunting benefits the courtier as training for war (The Book of the Courtier, bk. 1, chap. 22), but also as a way to prove his worth among his peers.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 347 Continuing then to wander about lost, Signor Francesco finally arrived at a small house in disrepair with a thatched roof. After entering the courtyard, he dismounted his horse and tied him to a nearby hedge; then, when he entered the house, he found a little old man who was no less than ninety and with him there was peasant woman, young and very beautiful, who held in her arms a girl of about five years and was feeding her. After he had warmly greeted the little old man and the peasant woman, the young man sat down with them and asked them kindly if they would give him lodging for that night, without, however, revealing who he was. Seeing that the young man was well dressed and good looking, the little old man and the woman, who was his daughter-in-law, quite willingly accepted, excusing themselves nevertheless for not having a place that was fitting for a person like him. The gentleman thanked them heartily and left the house to tend to his horse and, when he had taken care of this, he returned to the house. The girl, who was affectionate, approached the gentleman and gave him a warm welcome and fawned over him a great deal, and in return he kissed her and flattered her. While the gentleman, the little old man, and the daughter-in-law were conversing, Malacarne,73 the son of the old man and the husband of the young woman, arrived. When he entered the house, he saw the gentleman who was speaking with the old man and caressing the little girl, and after exchanging “good evenings,” he ordered his wife to prepare the dinner. Approaching the gentleman, he asked him why he had come to that wild and uninhabited place. To which the gentleman, excusing himself, said, “Brother, the reason I have come to this place is none other than this: finding myself alone on the road with the night having arrived nor knowing where to go, for I am not familiar with these lands, by my good luck I found this small dwelling, where I was cheerfully welcomed by this little old man and this woman.” When he had heard the gentleman’s words and saw him finely dressed with a gold chain hanging from his neck, he immediately set his designs on him and firmly resolved to kill and rob him. Wishing then to carry out his diabolical plan, Malacarne called his old father and his wife and with the girl in his arms they went outside of the house. Moving off to one side, they conferred and decided to kill the young man and once they had stripped him of his rich robe, to bury him in the countryside, persuading themselves that no one would hear news of him ever again. But righteous God did not allow their wicked plan to work, but revealed their pact in a fine way. When the pact and the wicked council were finished, Malacarne thought that he would not be able to carry out the plan they had decided on, for his father was old and helpless and his wife was a woman and not very brave. Furthermore, he thought that the young man appeared to be very courageous and easily able 73. The name translates as “Evil Flesh” and recalls the name of the group of demons in Dante’s Inferno 21, Malabranche (Evil Claws), and of one particular devil, Malacoda (Evil Tail).

348 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA to defend himself and flee. So he decided to go to a place nearby and call three friends of his and carry out everything with them. After hearing about it, the friends, greedy for gain, easily agreed, and taking up their arms they went to Malacarne’s house. Having left the little old man in her mother’s company, the girl returned to the gentleman and greeted him joyfully and fawned over him more than before. Seeing the girl’s great affection, the gentleman took her in his arms and sweetly caressed and kissed her. Seeing the shine of the gold chain and liking it, the girl, as is the habit of every child, placed her hand on the chain and wanted to put it on her neck. The gentleman, who saw that the chain delighted the girl, said while continuing to caress her, “Would you like me, daughter, to give it to you?” Having said this, he placed it around her neck. The girl, who had heard the plot, without saying another word, replied, “It will soon be mine, for my father and my mother want to take it from you and kill you.” When he heard the girl’s evil words, Signor Francesco, who was wise and clever, did not let her fall to the ground, but like a prudent man was silent and rose from his seat with the girl in his arms, placed her on a little bed with the chain around her neck. She fell asleep immediately for the hour was late. Then Signor Francesco locked himself in the house and shored up the door with two large chests, waiting like a man to see what the scoundrels wanted to do. Soon after this, the gentleman took out a small musket that he kept at his side that had five balls that could be fired together or individually. The gentleman’s companions, seeing that they were missing their leader nor knowing where he had gone, began to blow the horns and call him but no one responded. For this reason, the young men feared that his horse might have fallen off some precipice while running and consequently died with his master and that they were devoured by wild animals. The young men were deeply worried and did not know which way to turn, when one of the companions said, “I saw him pursue a deer on this path and follow the trail toward the deep valley; and because his horse was faster in the chase than mine, I could not keep up. So I quickly lost sight of him and I do not know where he went.” When the young men had heard his words, they set out and followed the deer’s tracks for the whole night, thinking to find him dead or alive. While the young men were riding, Malacarne, joined by his three wicked friends, came home. Thinking to enter his house without a problem, he found the door closed. Malacarne banged the door with his foot, saying, “Oh dear friend, open the door, what are you doing that you do not open up?” The duke was silent and did not respond at all. But looking out a crack, he saw Malacarne with an ax on his shoulder and the three others well equipped with weapons. The gentleman, who had already loaded the musket, did not hold back, but placing it in a crack he fired a shot and it went through one of the three

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 349 companion’s chest in such a way that he fell to the ground dead without confessing his sins. Upon seeing this, Malacarne began to strike the door with his ax to knock it down, but he did not do anything since it was shored up well. Without delay, the duke fired the second shot and the shot was such that it fatally wounded another one of the companions in the arm. Angered, the two who remained alive redoubled their efforts to knock down the door and they made such a ruckus that it seemed the world was coming to an end. But the duke, who was not unafraid, shored up the door with chairs, benches, and other things. And because the more the night is clear and calm, the more it is peaceful and quiet, one easily hears every sound even though far off, the gentleman’s retinue heard the din. So they formed a tight band, let loose their horses’ reins, and immediately arrived at the place where the noise was and saw the criminals who were working hard to knock down the door. One of the company said to them, “What is this altercation and the noise that you are making?” Malacarne replied, “Gentlemen, I will tell you. This evening when I came home completely exhausted, I found a young, very hardy soldier. And because he wanted to kill my old father, rape my wife, kidnap my daughter, and take my things, I fled because I was not able to defend myself. Seeing that I was in a bad way, I went to the house of certain friends and relatives of mine and begged them to help me and when we arrived at the house, we found the door shut and strongly shored up on the inside in such a way that we could not enter if we did not first break down the door. And not satisfied with raping my wife, he has also killed, as you see, one friend and fatally wounded the other with a musket. So, unable to bear such insults, I wanted to get my hands on him, dead or alive.” Hearing of the incident and it seeming true on account of the body that lay dead on the ground and his mortally wounded companion, the duke’s young men were moved to pity him, and dismounting their horses, they began to knock down the door, yelling loudly, “Ah, traitor! Ah, enemy of God! Open the door, what are you waiting for? You will suffer the punishment for your sin!” The duke did not respond at all, but with all skill and art saw to shoring up the door, not realizing, however, that those men were his companions. With the young men continuing in this fight and unable to open the door by any violent act, one of the group withdrew and saw a horse that was tied to the hedge in the courtyard, and approaching it, he recognized that it was the gentleman’s and in a loud voice he said, “Be quiet, lord knights, and do not proceed further, for our lord is inside here,” and he showed them the horse tied to the hedge. Once they saw and recognized the horse, his companions were firmly convinced that the duke was inside the locked house and with great joy they called him by name. Hearing himself called, the duke immediately realized that the men were his companions, and sure of his life, after he unblocked the door, he opened it. And when they heard the reason he had shut himself in the house, they took

350 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA the criminals and led them tightly bound to Milan. First, they were tortured with heated pincers and then, still alive, they were quartered by four horses. The duke put the girl, Verginea, who had revealed the wicked plot, in the care of the duchess, who was to educate her. And when she arrived at marriageable age, as a reward for the great good the duke had received from her, she was honorably married with a large dowry to a charming knight. And shortly after that he gave her as a gift the castle in Binasio, located between Milan and Pavia, which today due to the ongoing wars lies in such ruins that not one stone has remained on top of another. And in this way the evil and wicked ones ended their lives and the girl lived happily with her husband for many years. Each of the listeners was no less piteous than amazed listening to the pathetic tale. But then since it came to a pleasant end, everyone brightened up and the Signora ordered Isabella to tell her riddle. With her eyes not yet dry, she humbly spoke thus, Ladies and gentlemen, there is a thing among us That is not seen; and it goes but it does not move itself; Rather, it has gone and does not return again; And it stands still here and has gone I know not where. So many and varied are its effects, That without leaving it flies off somewhere else. Which among you will be so clever, As to know how to guess what this thing of mine is?74 The learned and clever riddle Isabella recited pleased everyone, nor was there anyone in the company who had the courage to solve it. But prudent Isabella explained it like this, it is the mutable thought of man, which is invisible and goes every place, but does not move from the man. It stands still and goes who knows where, but directed toward different parts of the intellect it produces varied and innumerable effects without moving. The explanation of the riddle she recounted was profound and subtle, nor was there anyone who was not satisfied. Vicenza, who knew it was her turn to speak, did not wait for another order from the Signora, but began her tale in this way.

74. “Signori, e ’l ci è una cosa qua fra noi, / che non si vede; e va né pur si move; / anzi è partita né piú torna poi; / e qui sta ferma, e gita è non so dove. / Molti e diversi son gli effetti suoi, / che non partendo se ne vola altrove. / Qual alma fia di voi sí ingeniosa, / che sappia indovinar questa mia cosa?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 351 NINTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Father Papiro Schizza, though presuming to know a great deal, is completely ignorant, and through his ignorance he tricks a farmer’s son, who burned down the priest’s house and everything in it to avenge himself. If we, pleasant ladies, wished to prudently discover with that diligence which is fitting how large is the number of foolish and ignorant men, we would quite easily find it to be infinite. And furthermore, if we wished to know the faults that proceed from ignorance, let us go with experience, the teacher of all things, and she like a beloved mother will show us everything. And so that we are not left with a fistful of flies, as is commonly said, I say to you that among the other vices born from her is one called pride, the foundation of all evil and the root of every human error, for the ignorant man presumes to know that which he does not know and wants to appear that which he is not, as happened to a village priest who, presuming himself to be learned, was the greatest ignoramus that nature ever created. And deceived by his false knowledge, he was deprived of his property and almost his life, as you will fully understand through the present novella, which you have perhaps already heard. I say to you then that not long ago in the province of Brescia, a very rich, noble, and populous city, there was a priest whose name was Papiro Schizza, and he was the rector of the church in the town of Bedicuollo, not far from the city. This man, who was ignorance incarnate, pretended to be a man of letters and seemed to everyone to be a very learned man. The men of the region saw him quite willingly, they honored him, and held him to be very learned. When on the day of Saint Macarius75 it was time to hold a solemn religious procession in Brescia, the bishop issued a binding order for all of the clergy, both in the city and the villages, to come with cappis et coctis to celebrate the solemn feast, as was fitting for such a devout saint, or to pay a fine of five ducats. When the bishop’s nuncio went to the town of Bedicuollo, he found Messer Father Papiro and gave him the order on behalf of monsignor the bishop that under penalty of five ducats he should be in Brescia in the cathedral early in the morning on the feast day of Saint Macarius cum cappis et coctis, so that he could celebrate the solemn feast with the other priests. When the nuncio had gone Messer Father Papiro began to think over and over to himself what it meant for him to come to such a feast day cum cappis et coctis.76 And pacing back and forth through his house, he ruminated on this using 75. There are a number of Saint Macariuses, but this is most likely the fourth-century bishop of Jerusalem, whose feast day is March 10, which might explain why further on in the tale Father Papiro thinks that the bishop is requesting firewood. 76. Meaning “with cassock and cape.”

352 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA his erudition and knowledge to see if by chance he could arrive at the meaning of the aforementioned words. Now having thought a long time about this, in the end it came to mind that cappis et coctis meant nothing other than “cooked capons.” Hence, having concluded this with his own brutish mind without hearing the opinion of others, he took two pairs of capons, some of the best, and ordered his serving girl to cook them with care. The next morning, Father Papiro mounted his horse at dawn and, having had the cooked capons given to him on a plate, carried them to Brescia. When he stood before monsignor the bishop, he gave him the cooked capons, saying to him that he had been ordered by his nuncio to come to celebrate the feast of Saint Macarius cum cappis et coctis, and in order to do his duty he had come and brought with him cooked capons. The bishop, who was wise and clever, seeing that the capons were fat and well roasted, and taking into account the priest’s ignorance, pressed his lips together and refrained from laughing heartily. Then, with a merry and cheerful face, he accepted the capons and gave him a thousand gratis.77 When heard the bishop’s words, Messer Father Papiro did not understand them due to his thick-headedness, but thought to himself that the bishop had asked him for a thousand faggots of wood. Therefore, the great idiot threw himself down on his knees at the bishop’s feet and said, “My monsignor, I beg you for the love that you bear for God and for the reverence I bear for you, do not wish to place such a burden on me, for the village is poor and a thousand gratis are too great a burden for such a needy place, but be satisfied with five hundred, which I will send most willingly.” Although the bishop was crafty and clever, he nonetheless did not understand what the priest meant, and because he did not want to appear as ignorant as the priest, he resigned himself to the priest’s will. After the celebration had ended and he had taken his leave and received the bishop’s benediction, the priest returned home. And as soon as he arrived home, he found the carts and had the wood loaded and the following morning he sent it to be presented to the bishop. Once he saw the wood and understood who had sent it, the bishop was very happy and accepted it most willingly. And in this way, the coarse man, persisting in his ignorance to his disgrace and detriment, lost the capons and the wood. Not many days later, it happened that in the aforementioned town of Bedicuollo there was a farmer by the name of Gianotto, who, even though he was a peasant and did not know how to read or write, was nonetheless such a lover of learned men that he would enslave himself out for the love of them. This man had a good-looking son named Pirino, who showed clear signs of becoming a learned scholar. Gianotto, who deeply loved Pirino, decided to send him to the Studium in Padua78 and not let him want for anything that befits a scholar, and so he did. 77. Here is seems that Father Papiro has confused “cratis” (bundles of wood) with what the bishop actually said, “gratis” (thank you). See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:597n1. 78. The University of Padua.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 353 After a certain amount of time had passed, the son, well grounded in the art of Latin, returned home, not for good, but to visit his family and friends. Gianotto, desiring to honor his son and wishing to know if he had profited from the Studium, decided to invite family and friends and prepare a fine lunch for them, and to invite Father Papiro to examine his son in their presence, so that they would see if he was wasting time in vain. When the day of the invitation arrived, all the relatives and friends met at Gianotto’s house as he had ordered, and after the priest had said the benediction, they all sat at the table, each according to his station. When the meal was finished and the tablecloths were removed, Gianotto rose to his feet and said, “Messere, I would very much like, if it is to your liking, for you to examine Pirino, my son, so that we might see if he is bearing fruit or not.” To which Father Papiro replied, “Gianotto, my dear friend,79 this is a small request compared to what I would like to do for you, for what you ask of me is a trifle compared to my abilities.” Having turned his face toward Pirino, who was sitting opposite him, he spoke thus, “Pirino, my son, we are all gathered here for the same reason and we want to honor you and we wish to know if you have used your time well at the Studium of Padua. Hence, to satisfy your father Gianotto and satisfy this honorable company, we will give you a little examination on the things you have learned; and if you act, as we hope, valiantly, you will give your father, friends, and me no small consolation. Tell me then, Pirino my son, how do you say ‘priest’ in Latin?” Pirino who was very well instructed in the rules of grammar, replied with confidence, “Praesbyter.”80 Upon hearing the quick and ready reply given to him by Pirino, said, “What do you mean praesbyter, my son? You greatly deceive yourself.” But Pirino, who knew that he was telling the truth, boldly stated that what he had replied was the truth, and he proved it by citing many authorities. With both of them remaining locked in this very great dispute and Father Papiro not wishing to cede to the young man’s intelligence, he turned toward those who were seated at the table and said, “Tell me, my brothers and sons, when in the middle of the night you need something important, such as confession, communion, or another sacrament that is necessary for the well being of your soul, do you not immediately call for a priest? “Yes.” “And what do you do first? Do you not knock at the door?” “Certainly, yes.” 79. Here he calls Gianotto “compare”; see note 33 in Volume One. 80. Pirino answers each question correctly during the exam that follows, but Father Papiro corrects him with words that more closely resemble Italian than Latin (e.g. saltagraffa, meaning cat according to Papiro, is composed of the verbs saltare, meaning to jump, and graffiare, meaning to scratch).

354 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA “After do you not say, ‘Quickly, quickly, sir, get up and come quickly to give the sacraments to a sick person who is dying’?” Unable to deny it, the farmers confirmed that it was the truth. “Therefore,” said Father Papiro, “in Latin for priest you don’t say praesbyter but prestule, because he comes quickly to assist the sick person. But I want to spare you this first time. But tell me, how do you say ‘bed’?” Perino readily replied, “Lectus, thorus.” Upon hearing this response, Father Papiro said, “Oh my son, you are greatly mistaken and your teacher has taught you the wrong thing,” and turning to his father he said, “Gianotto, when you come home from the field tired, after you have eaten, don’t you say, I want to go rest?” “Yes,” replied Gianotto. “Therefore,” said the priest, “the bed was called reposorium.” Everyone confirmed that this was true. But Pirino, who was full of contempt for the priest, did not dare contradict him, so that his relatives would not become angry. Now continuing Father Papiro said, “And what do you call the table on which you eat?” “Mensa,” replied Pirino. Then Father Papiro said to all of the company, “Well, how badly Gianotto has spent his money and Pirino his time! For he is completely lacking a Latin vocabulary and the rules of grammar, for the table where you eat is called gaudium and not mensa, because when a man is at the table, he feels bliss and joy.” To everyone who was present this seemed very worthy of praise, and each one commended the priest a great deal holding him to be very learned and scholarly. To his dismay, Pirino was forced to cede to the priest’s ignorance, because he was cut off by his own relatives. Father Papiro, who saw himself worthily praised by all those present, strutted about, and raising his voice somewhat louder, he said, “And how do you say cat, my son?” “Felis,” replied Pirino. “Oh you billy goat!” said the priest, “you say saltagraffa, for when you offer it bread, it immediately jumps and attacks with its paw and scratches and then flees.” The men of the village were full of admiration and listened attentively to the quick questions and answers of the priest, and they judged him to be very learned. Returning again to the questioning, the priest said, “And how do you say fire?” “Ignis,” replied Pirino. “What do you mean ignis?” said the priest, and turning to the company said, “When, my brothers, you bring meat home to eat, what do you do with it? Do you not cook it?” Everyone replied yes.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 355 “Therefore,” said the priest, “it is not called ignis but carniscoculum. But tell me, my Pirino, by your faith, how do you say water?” “Limpha,” replied Pirino. “Alas,” said Father Papiro, “what are you saying? You went to Padua a beast and you returned a beast.” And turning to the company he said, “Know, my brothers, that experience is the teacher of all things and water is not limpha, but abondantia, for if you go to the rivers to draw water or to water your animals, you are not lacking water, and so one says abondantia.” Gianotto almost lost his senses and he lamented the time wasted and the money badly spent. Seeing that Gianotto was upset, Father Papiro said, “I would like only to know from you, my Pirino, how you say riches and then we will end our questioning.” Pirino replied, “Divitiae, divitiarum.” “Oh my son,” said the priest, “you deceive yourself and you are greatly mistaken, for they are called sostantia, because they are the sustenance of man.” When the fine banquet and the questioning were over, Father Papiro pulled Gianotto aside and said to him, “Gianotto, my dear friend, you can easily comprehend how little fruit your son’s stay in Padua bore. And so I advise you to not send him to the Studium any longer, so that he won’t waste his time and your money, and if you do otherwise, you will regret it.” Gianotto, who did not know any better, believed the priest’s words, and stripping his son of his city clothes and dressing him in grey cloth, he sent him to tend the pigs. Seeing himself falsely bested by the ignorance of the priest without having had the chance to argue with him, not because he did not know how, but so as not to upset his relatives who revered the priest, and seeing himself turned from a scholar into a swineherd, Pirino hid the pain he felt in his lofty mind and became so angry and furious that he firmly resolved to avenge himself for such a shameful humiliation. And fortune favored him in this, for, while going one day to graze the pigs in front of the priest’s house, he saw his cat. He got into its good graces with so much bread that he grabbed it, found some rough tow, tied it to its tail, and, setting it on fire, let the cat go. The cat, feeling that its tail was tightly bound and that its buttocks were on fire, ran in the house and went through a hole into the room next to the one where the priest was still sleeping, and ran under the bed frame where there was a large quantity of linen. It was not there long before the linen, the bed frame, and the entire room began to burn. Seeing that Father Papiro Schizza’s house was burning and that there was now no way to extinguish the fire, Pirino began to yell in a loud voice, “Prestule, prestule, surge de reposorio et vidde ne cadas in gaudium, quia venit saltagraffa et portavit carniscoculum, et nisi succurres domum cum abundatia, non restabit tibi substantia.”

356 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA When Father Papiro, who was still lying in bed and sleeping, heard Pirino’s shouting, he got up and pricked up his ears to listen to the shouting, but he did not understand what Pirino was saying, for he did not recall the words that he had said to him. The fire was making its virtue known in every part of the house save for the doorway of the room where the priest slept, when Father Papiro woke up and saw that the entire house was burning. Hence, having risen from bed, he ran to extinguish the fire, but there was no time to do it, for everything was burning, and he barely escaped with his life. And so Father Papiro was stripped of his worldly goods and left in his ignorance, and Pirino grievously avenged himself for the insult he had received, ceased to care for the pigs, and returned as best he could to Padua, where he took up the studies he had begun and became a very famous man. After Vicenza had ended her ridiculous tale that was uniformly praised by everyone, the Signora ordered her to follow with a riddle. With the others still laughing, she spoke thus, I am dead, as everyone knows and believes, And I have a soul and spirit and I complain, “Look what a harsh fate heaven gave me!” Because when someone blows on me, I feel nothing. One lays his hands on me, another his feet, In a moment, one pushes me here, one there. Oh cruel fate, I have not committed a sin And everyone drives me away like a sworn enemy.81 Vicenza, who saw that no one understood the dubious riddle, with a charming and laudable bearing untied the knot in this way: “The riddle that you have listened to attentively denotes nothing other than a large ball, which is dead and has a spirit when it is inflated, and it is tossed here and there by the players, first with their hands, then with their feet, and is driven away by all as a mortal enemy.” Fiordiana, whose turn was the final one of the present night, rose to her feet and cheerfully said, “Signora, I would be more than happy if Signor Ferier Beltramo wished, out of his kindness, to do me a favor for which I will always be beholden to him.”

81. “Morto son com’ognun conosce e crede; / e alma e spirto tengo, e mi lamento, / guarda che dura sorte il ciel mi diede! / ché quando alcun mi buffa, nulla sento. / Chi mi dà delle mani, chi del piede, / chi qua, chi là mi spinge in un momento. / O dura sorte, error non ho comesso, / e ognun mi scaccia qual nemico espresso.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 357 Signor Ferier, hearing himself named and a favor asked of him, said, “Signora Fiordiana, yours is to command and mine to obey. Command, then, what you like and I will strive to satisfy you completely.” The maiden, after she heard the kind reply, first thanked him profoundly for his good will, and then said, “I ask nothing other, Signor Feriero, than if now that it is my turn to tell a tale you will tell a tale in my stead,.” When he heard the honest request, Signor Feriero, first with affectionate words, as was always his custom, excused himself a little, then seeing that her heart and that of the entire company was set on this, put aside all obstinacy and said, “In order to content you and this honorable company, I, Signora Fiordiana, am disposed to please you. But if you do not obtain from me that which you yearn for and is my desire, do not blame me, the weak instrument unaccustomed to such things, for you have been the primary cause of this.” And having made his excuses, he began his tale in this way, speaking thus.

358 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA NINTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE The Florentines and Bergamasques conduct a debate among their scholars, and the Bergamasques defeat the Florentines with a trick.82 Even though, charming ladies, the difference between wise, lettered men and those who are crude and rough is very great, nonetheless sometimes wise men have been known to be outdone by illiterate men. And this is clearly seen in the Holy Scriptures, where the simple and lowly apostles defeated the learning of those who were prudent and wise, as you will clearly understand from my little tale.83 Long ago, as I heard many times from my grandfathers, and perhaps you too have heard, there were some Florentine merchants traveling in the company of some Bergamasque merchants, who were conversing about various different things as they went along, as one does. While speaking about this and that, a Florentine said, “Truly you Bergamasques, as much as we can tell, are stupid and dimwitted, and if it were not for that bit of trade that you do, you would not be good for anything due to your great ignorance. And although Fortune favors you in trading, not because of any subtle wit or learning you possess, but rather for the lust and greed for profit that you hold within you, nonetheless, I do not know any men more dim and ignorant than you.” Then a Bergamasque stepped forward and said, “And I tell you that we Bergamasques are better than you in every way. And although you Florentines have your sweet way of speaking, which delights the ears of listeners more than ours, nonetheless in every other way, you are inferior to us by far. And if we consider this well, there is no one among our people, whether he be patrician or plebian, who is not literate to some degree; because of this we are ready for every highminded endeavor. Truly, one does not find this quality among you, and if it is found, it is only in a few of you.” There was then a great quarrel between the two sides, and since the Bergamasques did not want to cede to the Florentines, nor the Florentines to the Bergamasques, with each defending his side, a Bergamasque rose to his feet and said, “Why so many words? Let us put it to the test and organize a serious debate in which the best of our scholars compete, and then we will clearly see which are the more excellent.” 82. This tale plays upon sixteenth-century stereotypes: Bergamasques often worked as porters and were depicted in comedies as dimwitted working stiffs, whereas Florence was considered the center of Italian culture and learning. Contrasts or debates between the citizens of these two cities were a common trope in sixteenth-century literature. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:607n1. 83. Pirovano notes that the reference is to 1 Cor. 1: 27: Le piacevoli notti, 2:607n5. The verse reads: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 359 The Florentines consented, but they still disagreed over whether the Florentines should go to Bergamo or the Bergamasques to Florence, and after many words they agreed to leave it to chance. After they had taken two pieces of paper and placed them in a jar, the Florentines were to go to Bergamo. May Day was chosen as the day for the debate. The merchants went to their cities and recounted everything to their learned men, who, when they heard, were very happy and prepared themselves for a fine, long debate. The Bergamasques, as wise and clever people, thought to act so that the Florentines would be confused and humiliated. Hence, after they had assembled all of the wise men of the city, grammarians as well as orators, scholars of civil as well as cannon law, philosophers as well as theologians, and every other sort of scholar, they chose the best among them, and kept them in the city so that they would be the stronghold and fortress in the debate with the Florentines. They actually had the others don humble rags and they sent them out of the city to the area where the Florentines would pass by and ordered them to always speak to them in Latin. So the Bergamasque scholars, dressed in rough cloth and mixed in among the peasants, set about doing many jobs, some dug ditches, others hoed the land, and some did one thing, others did another. While the Bergamasque scholars who appeared to be peasants were occupied with these tasks, here come the Florentines riding with very great pomp and when they saw the men who were working the land they said, “God keep you, brothers.” To which the peasants replied, “Bene veniant tanti viri.”84 Thinking that they were joking, the Florentines said, “How many miles to the city of Bergamo?” To which the Bergamasques replied, “Decem, vel circa.”85 Hearing this reply, the Florentines said, “Oh brothers, we are speaking to you in the vernacular, and so why do you reply to us in Latin?” The Bergamasques replied, “Ne miremini, excellentissimi domini. Unusquisque enim nostrum sic, ut auditis, loquitur, quoniam maiores et sapientores nostri sic nos docuerunt.”86 Continuing on their journey, the Florentines saw some peasants on the road digging ditches, and they stopped and said, “Oh fellows! Hey! God help you!” To which the Bergamasques replied, “Et Deus vobiscum semper sit.”87 “How much farther to Bergamo?” said the Florentines. “Exigua vobis restat via.”88 84. “Welcome, worthy men.” 85. “About ten.” 86. “Do not be surprised, good sirs. As you hear, each of speaks this way because our elders and learned men have instructed us in this way.” 87. “And God be with you always.” 88. “You need only go a little farther.”

360 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And, with one word leading to another, they began to battle over philosophy, and the Bergamasque peasants argued so hard that the Florentine scholars almost did not know how to respond. Hence, amazed, they said to each other, “How is it possible that these men, dimwitted and devoted to farming and other rustic tasks, are so well instructed in the human sciences?” They left and rode toward an inn not very far from the city that was quite comfortable. But before they reached the lodging, a stable boy appeared and, inviting them to his inn, he said, “Domini, libet ne vobis hospitari? Hic enim vobis erit bonum hospitium.”89 And because the Florentines were already tired from the long journey, they dismounted their horses and though they were hoping to go upstairs to rest, the owner of the inn came forward and said, “Eccellentissimi domini, placet ne vobis ut praeparetur coena? Hic enim sunt bona vina, ova recentia, carnes, volatilia et alia huiusmodi.”90 The Florentines were truly amazed, nor did they know what to say, for everyone with whom they had conversed spoke Latin as if he spent his entire life at the Studium. It was not long before a serving girl came who was really a nun, a very wise and learned woman, and for this reason she had been cleverly brought there, and said, “Indigent ne dominationes vostrae re aliqua? Placet ut sternentur lecturli, ut requiem capiatis?”91 These words spoken by the serving girl left the Florentines even more amazed and they began to converse with her. After they had spoken about many things, always in Latin, she entered into a discussion of theology and spoke so catholicly that there was no one who did not praise her a great deal. While the serving girl was speaking, a man came dressed like a baker all stained with charcoal and when he heard the debate they were having with the serving girl, he intervened and he interpreted holy scriptures with such knowledge and learning that all of the Florentine scholars declared among themselves that they had never before heard better. When the debate ended, the Florentines went to sleep and when day came they held a meeting to decide whether they should leave or go forward. And after much debate, they decided that it was better to leave, for if there was such profound learning in the farmers, the innkeepers, in the servants, and the women, what sort would there be in the city, where there are very skilled men who do nothing other than constantly attend to their studies? So, with the decision made, without any delay and without even having seen the walls of the city of Bergamo, they mounted their horses and set off toward 89. “Sirs, are you looking for a place to stay? Here you will surely find great hospitality.” 90. “Excellent sirs, would you like dinner prepared for you? Here there is truly good wine, fresh eggs, meat, poultry, and other similar things.” 91. “Sirs, do you need anything? Do you want the beds made so that you can rest?”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 361 Florence. And in this way, through their trick, the Bergamasques triumphed over the Florentines. And from that point on the Bergamasques received a privilege from the emperor that enabled them to go safely to all parts of the world without any hindrance. Not without laughter did Signor Feriero end his brief tale and everyone praised the cleverness of the Bergamasques and condemned the cowardice of the Florentines. And because the Signora knew that such a discussion brought shame on the Florentine scholars, with whom she was more than a little bit enamored, she ordered that everyone be quiet and that Signor Feriero follow with the riddle. Turning toward Fiordiana, he said, “Signora, you gave me the burden of telling a tale, to the little satisfaction of all; it would be honest and just that now you bear the burden of telling the riddle; such a task does not suit me, for I have never done such things.” Fiordiana, who was not cowardly but possessed a brave heart, said, “Signor Feriero, I do not refuse the task, on the contrary I thank you for all you have done for me,” and cheerfully she spoke thus: I do not know whether some disgrace of mine, or wicked misfortune, Often leads me to such an evil port That from the male that I am, I change nature, And bear the name of vile female. With fists and blows beyond measure Everyone loads me up so that in the end I am skinned; But worse still happens to me, because at the proper time and place, For the life of others, I suffer the flames.92 Because the hour was late and by then the crickets had ceased to chirp and the bright day was drawing near, the Signora ordered Fiordiana to explain it, and that once it was explained, everyone should go to their own homes, returning, however, the next night as was their way. And she, with a charming and laudable bearing untied the dubious knot in this way: “The riddle that I told does not denote anything other than wheat, which is masculine, then when ground changes name and becomes feminine, as flour, and then beaten with fists becomes bread and is cooked in the fire in order to nourish man.”93 92. “Non so qual mia disgrazia o ria sciagura / spesso m’induca a sí malvaggio porto, / che di maschio ch’io son, cangio natura, / e di vil feminella il nome porto. / Di punzoni e di busse fuor misura / ognun mi carca sí ch’al fin son scorto; / ma peggio ancor m’avien, ch’a tempo e loco, / per la vita d’altrui patisco il foco.” 93. The solution hinges on the gender of the nouns, “grano” (“wheat”) is masculine and “farina” (“flour”) is feminine.

362 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA After they had greatly praised the solution to the riddle, the company rose to its feet, and having taken their leave of the Signora, left with sleepy eyes. THE END OF THE NINTH NIGHT

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 363 THE TENTH NIGHT Due to their diurnal toil, the tired animals everywhere were already resting their afflicted limbs, some on soft feathers, others on hard and rough stones, some on tender grasses, and some on the leafy trees, when the Signora left the chamber with her ladies and came to the hall where their company had already gathered to listen to the storytelling. And a servant was called and the Signora ordered him to bring the gold vase and when the names of five of the maidens were put inside, the first to come out was Lauretta’s, the second Arianna’s, the third Alteria’s, the fourth Eritrea’s, and the fifth Cateruzza’s. But before they began storytelling, the Signora wanted Bembo to sing a song after a few dances. Unable to excuse himself, he began so sweetly that everyone fell silent: Gone is that humor and that ardor That before gave me the strength To converse with you and, in the end, the hope Of obtaining the ultimate gift of love. Already I feel my strength lacking And myself drawing near to the one whom everyone Vainly flees, Because these are the delicate fruits That come from this rind, After much toil and great suffering, As a final remedy For such a long siege. And it seems the soul finds comfort in The transformation of bitter life into sweet death.94 Everyone was perfectly pleased by Bembo’s singing. But then, when he fell silent, noble Lauretta rose from her seat and began her tale speaking thus.

94. “Mancato è quel umor e quell’ardore / che già mi diè possanza / di ragionar con voi, e in fin speranza / di conseguir l’ultimo don d’amore. / Già sento venir men omai la forza / e appressarmi a chi cercano tutti / vanamente fuggire, / ché questi sono i delicati frutti / ch’escon di questa scorza, / dopo tante fatiche e gran martire, / per ultimo rimedio / di cosí lungo assedio; / e in questo par che l’alma si conforte, / cangiar l’amara vita in dolce morte.”

364 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA TENTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Finetta steals a necklace, pearls, and other jewels from Madonna Veronica, the wife of Messer Brocardo di Cavalli of Verona, and she recovers it all, thanks to a suitor of hers, without her husband realizing anything. Many times while thinking about and reflecting upon the travails and worries that day after day befall miserable mortals, I find no greater suffering or worry than when a woman who faithfully loves her husband is scorned and despised by him for no reason. However, no one should be surprised if sometimes miserable and unhappy women seek to remedy their situation any way they can. And if by chance the poor wretches unwittingly fall into some error, their husbands should not complain about them, but about themselves, for they are the primary cause of all their harm and humiliation, as easily could have happened to a gentlewoman about whom I intend to speak. But she, prudent and wise, virtuously broke the arrows of love, and her honor and that of her husband remained unscathed. In Verona, a noble and ancient city, there lived long ago a Messer Brocardo di Cavalli, a rich man who was highly regarded in the city. Since this man did not have a wife, he took as his lady one of Signor Can dalla Scala’s daughters who was called Veronica.95 Even though she was beautiful, graceful, and kind, her husband did not love her. As often times happens, he kept a woman whom he loved from the bottom of his heart and he did not pay attention at all to his wife. Very much distressed by this, his wife could not bear that her unparalleled beauty that was so highly regarded by everyone was so vilely despised by her husband. Finding herself in a country villa during the summer and walking all alone in front of the door to her house, she thought to herself about her husband’s manners, habits, and actions in detail and the little love that he bore her, and how a prostitute and a vile woman, foul and dirty, had so totally blinded his mind’s eye that he did not see. And complaining to herself, she said, “Oh how much better it would have been if my father had married me to a poor man rather than to a rich one, for I would live more happily and gladly than I do! What are riches worth to me? What are the magnificent dresses worth to me? What are the gems, necklaces, pendants, and the other costly jewels worth to me? Truly all of these things are smoke compared to the pleasure a wife takes in her husband.” While Signora Veronica was dwelling on these troublesome thoughts, there appeared unexpectedly a poor beggar woman, whose craft was that of stealing this and that, and she was so clever and wise that she would have tricked any great man, even a wise one, let alone a simple woman. This woman was called Finetta, and when she saw the gentlewoman walking in front of the house lost 95. Brocardo di Cavalli is perhaps Giacomo Cavalli, who married Costanza della Scala and worked for the Della Scala family. He died in 1384 in Venice. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:616n4.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 365 in her thoughts, she immediately set her designs on her and approaching her she respectfully greeted her and asked her for alms. The woman, who had other things on her mind besides giving alms, drove her away with a troubled face. But cunning and accursed Finetta did not leave, but stared fixedly at the woman’s face, and seeing that she was melancholy said, “Oh, sweet lady, what has happened that I see you so pensive? By chance is your husband causing you to live an unhappy life? Do you want me to read your future?” Hearing these words and recognizing that the lowly woman had found the wound that tormented her fiercely, she began weeping so bitterly that it seemed that she had beheld her husband dead before her eyes. Finetta, seeing the hot tears, the deep sighs, the agonizing sobs, and the harsh wailing of the woman said, “And what is the reason, magnanimous lady, for such plaintive weeping? To which the woman replied, “When you said to me that my husband must be causing me to live an unhappy life, you opened my heart then with a knife.” Finetta said, “Gentle lady, no sooner have I looked at a person’s face, than I know how to recount their whole life in detail. Your wound is recent and fresh and it can easily be healed, but if it were old and infected it would be difficult to cure.” Upon hearing this, the woman recounted to Finetta her husband’s habits, the wicked life he lived and the unhappy life he provided her, nor was there anything that she did not recount in great detail. When she heard the piteous situation and saw things working out as she wished, Finetta went even further and said, “My dear lady, do not complain anymore, be steadfast and in good cheer, because we will cure him. I, obliging you still, will give you such a cure that your husband will love you so deeply that he will pursue you like a madman.” And speaking like this together, they went into the room where she slept with her husband, and once they had sat down Finetta said, “Madonna, if you wish us to do something, send all of the serving women out of the room and order them to look after the household chores and we will do what is necessary.”96 When the door to the room was closed, Finetta said, “Bring me one of your gold necklaces, the most beautiful one, and a strand of pearls.” The woman, having opened a drawer, pulled out the necklace with a beautiful pendant and a strand of Oriental pearls and gave them to Finetta. Once she had the jewels, Finetta, asked for a white linen cloth, which was given to her immediately. Having taken all those things one by one and made some signs as was her way, she placed them one by one in the white cloth and tightly wrapped up the cloth with the jewels inside while standing in front of the woman. After having 96. Finetta wants privacy because she will be practicing love magic. Finetta’s actions (uttering incantations, placing an object in the lover’s bed, and having Veronica strip nude) are all typical of sixteenth-century “sortilegi,” or love spells, documented in Inquisition trials. On these practices see Guido Ruggiero, Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage, and Power at the End of the Renaissance (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993).

366 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA spoken some of her secret nonsense and made some other signs, she gave the cloth to the lady and said to her, “Madonna, take this cloth and with your hand place it under the pillow where your husband sleeps and you will see marvelous things; but do not open the cloth until tomorrow, for everything would go up in smoke.” The woman took the cloth with the jewels inside and placed them under the pillow where Messer Brocardo her husband slept. When this was done, Finetta said, “Let us go into the cellar.” They went, and wise Finetta spied a cask tapped with a spout and said, “Madonna, strip off all of the clothes you are wearing.” The woman stripped and was as nude as when she was born. Finetta then took out the spout of the cask, which was full of good wine, and said, “Madonna, place your finger here in the hole and keep it tightly closed so that the wine does not leak out, and do not move until I return, for I will go outside here and I will make some of my signs and then everything will be settled.” The nude woman, who fully trusted Finetta, stayed there quietly and kept her finger in the hole in the cask. While the woman was like this, charming Finetta went into the room where the knotted cloth with the jewels was and untied it; she took the necklace and the pearls and filled the cloth with pebbles and dirt; she knotted it and once she had put it back in its place, she fled. The naked woman with her finger stuck in the hole in the cask waited for Finetta to return. But seeing that she was not returning and that by now the hour was late, she was afraid that her husband would come, find her naked like that and think that she had gone mad. So, taking the spout that was nearby, once she had closed the hole in the cask and put on her clothes, she went upstairs. Not long after this, Messer Brocardo, Madonna Veronica’s husband, came home, and with a charming face greeted her saying, “Good to see you, my dear wife, refuge and solace of my heart.” Hearing this unusual and uncharacteristic greeting, his wife was amazed and to herself she thanked God that he had sent her that woman with whose help she had found a cure for her grave suffering. And all of that day and the following night they remained in a tight embrace kissing passionately, not unlike when they were newlyweds. Thoroughly pleased and merry on account of her husband’s caresses, Madonna Veronica told him of the suffering, the affliction, and the torment that she had endured out of love for him. And he promised her to cherish her as a wife and that that which had come between them until then would not come between them anymore. When the next morning her husband got up from bed and went hunting, as noble men do, Madonna Veronica went to the bed and lifting the pillow took the cloth in which the jewels had been placed. Thinking to find the necklace and the pearls, she untied it and found it full of stones. Seeing this, the wretch was at a loss, nor did she know which way to turn, for she feared that, when he discovered this, her husband would kill her.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 367 So dwelling in such affliction and turning over many things in her mind, nor knowing which path to take in order to get back her precious jewels, in the end the beautiful woman thought of how to trick in a chaste way the man who had desired her for a long time. There lived in Verona a knight of handsome build and proud spirit who was famous for his deeds and from an honorable family. He, like everyone exposed to the flames of love, was so fiercely inflamed with love for Madonna Veronica that he could not find relief. He often jousted for his love, fought in tournaments, and organized parties and processions, delighting the entire city. But she, who had given her love entirely to her husband, cared little for him and his parties. For this reason, the knight felt more sorrow and torment than ever a lover felt. After her husband had left the house, Madonna Veronica placed herself at the window and by chance that knight who was quite ardently inflamed with love for her passed by there. She cautiously called him and said to him, “Knight, you know the fervid and burning love that you have already borne for me for a long time and now bear for me, and even though in all my actions I have perhaps seemed harsh and cruel to you, this is not however because I do not love you, nor do not have you engraved deep in my heart, but the reason for this was the preservation of my honor which I always place above every other thing. And so do not be surprised if I did not take fast flight to your inflamed desires, for the honor that the chaste wife renders to the dissolute husband is to be held very dear. And though due to your poorly founded opinion I am held to be cruel, ill-disposed, and severe with you, I will, however, with trust and conviction run to you as to the fountain of all of my well-being. And if you, as a loving man, will help me with my grave trouble by granting me immediate aid, you will always have me in chains and you can do with me as you would with your own person.” And having said this, she recounted her misfortune in detail. The knight, having heard his beloved woman’s words, first thanked her for having deigned to command him and then promised her not to fail in aiding her and lamented with her what had happened. The knight left secretly, mounted his horse, and with four fine companions followed the woman who was fleeing with the jewels. Before the evening arrived, he came upon her at a swollen river that she wanted to cross and, having recognized her by the description, he took her by her braids and made her confess everything. The knight, happy to have the jewels back, returned to Verona and when he found the right moment he gave them to his woman. And she, without her husband realizing it, was left with her honor intact as before. Lauretta had already ended her tale, when the Signora gestured for her to follow with the riddle. And without delay she spoke in this way,

368 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Handsome and charming am I, graceful and adorned, I dwell among young women and great ladies, With them I go entertaining night and day, Above suspicion, inside and out. I move the dust and heat about To their satisfaction, but a great dishonor, It seems to me, to my status and worthy capital, To ward off flies, wasps, and mosquitos.97 The riddle was, if not by everyone, at least by the majority of them understood to mean the fan that a woman holds in her hand. And so that the order would be followed, the Signora ordered Arianna to speak and she began to speak like this.

97. “Bello e leggiadro son, vago e adorno, / albergo fra donzelle e gran signore, / seco vo sollazzando notte e giorno / senza sospetto alcun dentro e di fuore. / La polve e ’l caldo levole d’intorno / di lor contento, ma gran disonore / parmi al mio stato e degno capitale, / parar le mosche, vespi, e le cenzale.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 369 TENTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE An ass flees from a miller and ends up on top of a mountain, and when the lion finds him he asks who he is, and the ass in return asks the lion his name. The lion says he is Leone, and the ass replies that he is Brancaleone,98 and, challenged to give some proof, in the end the ass is the victor. The diversity of human endeavors, the difference in the times, and the customs of evil men often make that which is beautiful appear to be ugly and that which is ugly appear beautiful. So, if in this tale that I intend to tell you now there were to be something that offended your ears, you will pardon me, saving the appropriate punishment for another time. In Arcadia, a country in the Peloponnesus named for Arcade, the son of Jove, where the rustic, woodland bagpipes were first found, there lived a long time ago a miller, a bestial and cruel man, and he was by nature so contemptuous that it took little wood to light his fire.99 He had a long-eared ass with pendulous lips, which made the whole plain echo when it brayed. This ass, due to the small amount of food and water that the miller provided, could not endure the great toil or tolerate the harsh blows that its master continually gave it. Hence, the poor ass was so exhausted and worn out that he was only skin and miserable bones. It happened that the poor ass, absolutely furious, as much for the many blows that he received every day as for the little food he had, left the miller and went very far away from him with the pack saddle on his back. After he had walked a great deal, the miserable ass, already weary and tired, arrived at the foot of a delightful mountain that was much more domesticated than wild. And seeing it so green and beautiful, he resolved to himself to climb it and live and end his life there. Dwelling on this thought, the ass looked around to see if anyone had seen him and not seeing anyone who would bother him, he boldly climbed the mountain and with great delight and pleasure began grazing, thanking God that He had freed him from the hands of the wicked and cruel tyrant, and that he had found such excellent food to sustain his miserable life. While the good ass was living on the mountain and grazing on soft, delicate grasses, with the pack saddle always on his back, from a dark cave there came a fierce lion, and after he had seen the ass and watched him attentively, he was quite amazed that he possessed such arrogance and the courage to climb the mountain without his permission or knowledge. And since the lion had never seen such an animal before, he was very frightened about approaching it. When the ass saw the lion, he felt all his hair stand up and due to the fear he felt he stopped eating, 98. The name means lion catcher. The Italian verb “abbrancare” (“branca”) means to grasp or to seize. 99. Arcadia, birthplace of the rustic god Pan, was depicted in Renaissance texts as a sort of bucolic paradise inhabited by shepherds and nymphs and often constrasted with the corrupt space of the city.

370 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA nor did he even dare move. The lion, having screwed up some courage, stepped forward and said to the ass, “What are you doing here, oh fine fellow? Who gave you permission to climb up here? And who are you?” To which the ass, puffed up with daring courage, replied, “And who are to ask me who I am?” The lion, surprised by such a response, said, “I am the king of all the animals.” The ass said, “And what is your name?” He replied, “Leone is my name, and what is yours?” “I am called Brancaleone.” Hearing this, the lion said, “He must truly be more powerful than I.” The lion said, “Brancaleone, your name and your words clearly show me that you are stronger and braver than I, but I want us to put it to the test.” Then the ass’s boldness grew more and turning his buttocks toward the lion, he said, “You see this saddle pack and the cross-bow that I keep under my tail? If I let you have it, you would die of spasms.” And speaking like this he gave a pair of kicks in the air and let loose several fine farts that dazed the lion. Hearing the great boom of the kicks and the crackling thunder that came out of the crossbow, the lion was very frightened. And because the night was already drawing near, the lion said, “My brother, I do not want us to exchange words or kill each other, for there is nothing worse than dying, but I want us to go rest. And tomorrow, we will meet and each of us will undergo three great trials and whichever of us performs better will be the lord of the mountain.” And so they agreed on this. When the morning came and they found themselves together, the lion who desired to see some feat said, “Brancaleone, I am inflamed with love for you, nor will I be happy until I see some marvelous demonstration from you.” And walking together they arrived at a very large and deep ditch. The lion said, “Friend, the time has come for us to see which of us will better jump this ditch.” The lion, who was brave, no sooner arrived at the ditch than he was on the other side. The ass, when he arrived on the bank of the ditch boldly jumped, but while jumping he fell in the middle of the ditch, and remained hung up on some planks placed across it. The ass was suspended on those planks, and hung down partly on one side, partly on the other, and he was in great danger of breaking his neck. Seeing this, the lion said, “What are you doing, my good fellow?” But the ass, who was trying everything to free himself, did not reply. Fearing that the ass would die, the lion went down into the ditch and helped him. The ass, when he was free of all danger, was even bolder and turning to the lion said such insulting things to him as you could ever say to someone. Stunned by this,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 371 the lion was quite amazed, asking him why he was insulting him so viciously since he had so lovingly saved him from death. The ass, showing that he was full of scorn, proudly replied, “Ah, wicked and evil one, you ask me why I insult you? Know that you have deprived me of the sweetest pleasure that I ever had in my time. You thought that I was about to die from it and I was happy and delighted because of it.” To which the lion said, “And what pleasure was yours?” “I,” replied the ass, “put myself on top of those planks and hung down, part on one side, part on the other, and wanted at all costs to know which weighed more, my head or my tail.” The lion said, “I swear on my word not to bother you any more, and thus far I see and clearly know that you will be the lord of the mountain.” Leaving there, they arrived at a wide and raging river and the lion said, “I want, my Brancaleone, both of us to show our valor by crossing the river.” “I’m happy to do so,” said Brancaleone, “but I want you to be the first to cross.” The lion, who knew how to swim well, crossed the river with great skill and sitting on the other bank of the river said, “Friend, what are you doing? You cross also.” Seeing that he could not fail to keep his promise, the ass threw himself into the water and swam so hard that he came to the middle of the river and, caught in the whirlpool, he went under first with his head then with his feet, and then he was so completely submerged that you saw little or nothing of him. When the lion saw this and turned over the insulting words in his mind, on the one hand he greatly feared not helping him and on the other he feared that once freed the ass would kill him. Therefore, caught between yes and no, he decided to help him, come what may. And having dived into the water, he approached him and taking him by the tail pulled so hard that he led him out of the water. The ass, seeing himself on the shore of the river and now safe from the threatening waves, was very troubled, and inflamed with rage said in a loud voice, “Ah, wicked one, ah scoundrel, I do not know what keeps me from shooting off my crossbow and making you feel what you’d rather not. You are a nuisance to me and the privation of my every pleasure. And when, woe is me, will I experience greater amusement?” The lion, having become more fearful than before, said, “My friend, I greatly feared that you would drown in the river and I came and helped you thinking, however, to do something to please, not displease, you.” “Now don’t say anything more,” said the ass. “But I wish to know only one thing from you, what fruit, what profit have you gained from your crossing of the river? “Nothing,” replied the lion.

372 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA But the ass turned to him and said, “Look well to see whether I felt delight in the river.” And having shaken himself and his ears that were full of water, he showed him the little fish and the other little animals that came out of his ears, and complaining, said, “Do you see what a mistake you made? If I had gone to the bottom of the river, I would have caught, to my great delight, fish that would have amazed you. But let us make it so that in the future you don’t bother me anymore, for then rather than be friends, we would become enemies, and it would be worse for you. And even if you see me dying, I want you to ignore it completely, for that which might seem to you to be my death, is my delight and life.” By then for its amusement the sun was doubling the shadows, when the lion gestured to his companion that both should go rest and meet together, however, the next morning. When the clear day came, the ass and the lion met and decided then and there to go hunting, but one in one place and the other in another place, and then to meet at a given hour and whichever one of them had taken a greater number of animals, the mountain would be his. The lion went hunting and caught many wild beasts, but the ass found the door of a house open and entered inside. He saw a great pile of maize on the threshing floor and he approached it and took so much that his cinch was close to breaking. The ass returned to the spot they had chosen and began to rest and, because he was so full, he frequently shot off the crossbow, which first opened, then closed like the mouth of a large fish that is out of the river on dry land. A crow that was flying through the air, seeing that the ass lay prostrate on the ground without moving at all so that he appeared dead and seeing under his tail the undigested maize and that his haunches were all smeared with dung, came down and began to peck and went so far forward that he put his head inside the ass’s haunches. Feeling himself pecked in that orifice, the ass clenched his haunches and the crow was caught with its head inside and died. When the lion returned to the chosen spot with a great amount of quarry, he saw the ass lying on the ground and said to him, “See, my good fellow, the animals I got?” The ass said, “What did you do to get them?” The lion told him how he had caught them. But the ass, interrupting him, said, “Oh senseless fool! You toiled so much this morning, running through the forests, the woods, and the mountains, and I have stayed around here and lying on the ground caught so many crows and many other animals with my haunches, on which, as you see, I fed abundantly. And only this one is left in my haunches, which I saved in your name and I beg you, for love of me, to take it.” Then the lion was much more afraid and he took the crow out of love for the ass and kept it, and without saying anything returned to his quarry; and walking

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 373 at a gallop, not however without fear, he met the wolf, who was passing by very quickly. The lion said to him, “My dear friend wolf, where are you going all alone with such haste?” The wolf replied, “I am going to take care of something that is very important to me.” Nonetheless, the lion tried to insist. But the wolf, fearing for his life, vehemently insisted that he not hold him up. The lion, seeing the great risk that the wolf was running, urged him not to go any further, for a short distance from there is Brancaleone, a very ferocious animal that has a crossbow under its tail that thunders loudly and woe to anyone who comes across him. And besides this, he has a certain leather thing on his back that almost completely covers him and he has grey fur, performs great feats, and scares everyone who comes near him. But the wolf, who clearly realized from the clues provided which animal the lion was talking about, said, “Dear friend, do not be afraid for he is called the ass and is the lowliest animal that nature created, and he is made for nothing other than carrying burdens and the club. I alone have devoured more than a hundred of them in my day. Let us go then, dear friend, surely you will see the proof.” “Dear friend,” said the lion, “I do not want to come; if you want to go, go in peace.” And the wolf repeated that the lion should not be afraid. The lion, seeing the wolf remain firm in his resolve, said, “Since you want me to come with you and you reassure me, I want us to tie our tails tightly together, so that when we see him, we do not run away, nor will either one of us remain in his power.” Having tightly tied their tails together, they went to find him. The ass, who was on his feet grazing on grass, saw the lion and the wolf from far off and, terribly frightened, wanted to flee. But the lion, pointing out Brancaleone to the wolf, said, “There he is, dear friend, he is coming toward us; let’s not wait for him because we will surely die.” The wolf, who had seen then the ass and recognized him, said, “Let us pull ourselves together and be strong, dear friend; do not doubt that he is an ass.” But the lion, more afraid than before, began fleeing and running like this through the harsh brambles, jumped first over one bush then another, and while he was jumping, a sharp thorn gouged out his left eye. The lion, thinking that the thorn had been one of those ordinances that Brancaleone carried under his tail, said to the wolf while running, “Did I not tell you, dear friend? Let us run away! Has he not already gouged out my eye with his crossbow?” And running ever faster, he dragged the wolf and led him through thorny brambles, over craggy rocks, through thick woods and through other narrow and rugged spots. Because of this, the wolf died broken and completely exhausted. When it seemed that he was in a safe place, the lion said to the wolf, “Dear friend, the time has come to untie our tails,” and the wolf did not respond at all.

374 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And turning toward him, he saw that he was dead. So, stunned, he said, “Dear friend, did I not tell you that he would kill you? You see what you have gained? You have lost your life and I my left eye. But it is better to have lost a part than to have lost everything.” And when his tail was untied, he left the dead wolf and went to live in caves, and the ass stayed as lord and owner of the mountain, where he happily lived a long time. And this is why asses live in domesticated places and lions in uninhabitable and wild places, for the lowly animal beat the ferocious lion with his cunning and deceit. The tale recited by Arianna in a womanly way had come to an end. Although the tale had been modest and of little substance, nevertheless the fine and honorable company did not refrain from praising it highly. And so that order of the other nights would be diligently observed, the Signora ordered her to tell her riddle. And without delay, she opened her mouth in this way, Large and ugly am I, fat and round, And I give women much delight; They embrace me with joyful faces And between their thighs they hold me tight, They stick me and give it to me, and I, according To their desires, agree to stay, to my annoyance. Women, if you guess this thing, I will surely say that you are enchanted.100 The riddle told by Arianna was more pleasing than the tale, for it gave them a lot to laugh about and almost all of them interpreted it in a lascivious way. But Arianna, knowing that their solution was far from the true one, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, my riddle denotes nothing other than the pillow on which women make ribbons, since it is round and fat and women hold it between their thighs; when they work, they stick it with needles, and beat it and make it do as they like.” The subtle solution was judged excellent, or rather most excellent. But Alteria, who saw that now everyone was silent, rose to her feet and began her tale in this way.

100. “Grande e brutto son io, grosso e rotondo, / e a le donne do molto diletto; / elle m’abbraccian con volto giocondo / e fra le cosce lor mi tengon stretto; / elle mi pungon e dano, e io secondo / lor voglie star convengo al mio dispetto. / Donne, se questa cosa indovinate, / dirò ben certo che sete fatate.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 375 TENTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE The Calabrian Cesarino di Berni leaves his mother and sisters, accompanied by a lion, a bear, and a wolf. When he arrives in Sicily he learns that the king’s daughter is about to be devoured by a very ferocious dragon, and he kills it with those three animals. And freed from death, she becomes his wife.101 When consulting the ancient and modern histories, I find prudence to be one of the most eminent and notable virtues that can be found in human beings, for the prudent man remembers the past, clearly sees the present, and with mature wisdom provides for the future. Therefore, since I must tell a tale this evening, Arianna’s fable brought to mind a little novella that, although ridiculous and brief, will be, nonetheless, delightful and of no small profit. There was, not long ago, a poor woman who had a son named Cesarino di Berni of Calabria, who was a truly discreet young man and much more endowed with nature’s gifts than those of fortune. One day after Cesarino had left his house and gone to the countryside, he came upon a thick and very leafy wood and, enamored with the green place, he entered and by chance found a den carved into the rock, where there were lion cubs, bear cubs, and wolf cubs, and he took one of each. He carried them home and with great care and diligence fed them together, and they were so masterfully united that one could not be without the other, and they were so tame with people that they never hurt anyone. Since they were by nature ferocious and by chance raised to be domesticated and had already reached their full strength, Cesarino often went hunting with the animals and always returned home happily weighed down with wild beasts, and he fed his old mother and himself with them. Seeing the great amount of game that her son caught, his mother was very surprised and asked him how he caught so many beasts every day. He replied, “With the animals that you have seen, but I truly beg you not to reveal this to anyone, so that I will not end up losing them.” Not many days had passed when his mother met with a neighbor of hers whom she loved very much, both because she was a good woman and also because she was helpful and loving, and speaking together about various things, the neighbor said, “Dear friend,102 how does your son manage to catch so many beasts?” And the little old lady told her everything; and, after saying goodbye, she returned home. No sooner had the good old woman left the house than her dear friend’s husband came home and she met him with a happy face and told him everything. Hearing this, her husband went immediately to find Cesarino and 101. ATU 300, The Dragon-Slayer. 102. The neighbor calls Cesarino’s mother “comare,” thus underscoring their close relationship. See note 33 in Volume One.

376 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA said to him, “My boy, you go hunting like this without calling a friend to go with you? This is not right considering the love that exists between us.” Cesarino smiled but did not want to reply to him, and without saying goodbye to his old mother and his beloved sisters, he left with his three animals and went to seek his good fortune. And after a long journey, he arrived in a solitary and uninhabited part of Sicily where there was a hermitage, and having gone there, he entered inside, and not seeing anyone there he began to rest with his animals. It was not long before the hermit returned home, and when he went inside he saw those animals. Terrified, he wanted to flee. But Cesarino, who had already realized the hermit was there, said, “Father, do not fear, but enter safely in the cell, for these animals are so tame that they will not harm you in any way.” Reassured by Cesarino’s words, the hermit entered his bare cell. Cesarino was quite exhausted because of the long journey he had completed and turning to the hermit he said, “Father, would you have, by chance, a little bread and wine, so that I can regain my lost strength?” “Yes, certainly, my son,” replied the hermit, “but not perhaps of the quality that you would like.” And after having skinned and butchered the beasts he had caught, he placed them on a long spit and roasted them, and when the table was set and laden with those humble victuals that were there were, they dined together happily. Once they had dined, the hermit said to Cesarino, “Not far from here dwells a dragon, whose breath infects and poisons everything; nor is there anyone who can withstand it, and it is so destructive that it will be necessary for the peasants to abandon the countryside. For this reason they must send a human body everyday to feed it, otherwise it would destroy everything. Due to accursed bad fortune tomorrow, by chance, it is the turn for the king’s daughter, who surpasses every other young lady in beauty, virtue, and morals, nor is there anything in her that is not worthy of praise, and truly it is a very great shame that such a innocent young woman should perish so cruelly.” When Cesarino heard the hermit’s words, he said, “Take heart, my holy father, do not fear at all because you will see the girl freed shortly.” As soon as the morning dawn appeared, Cesarino went where the mighty dragon lived. Taking his three animals with him, he saw the king’s daughter who had already come to be devoured. So once he had approached the girl who was weeping bitterly, he comforted her and said, “Do not cry woman, nor lament anymore, for I have come here to free you.” And as he was speaking in this way, here came with great violence the insatiable dragon and with his mouth open he tried to rip apart and devour the pretty, delicate young woman who was trembling all over from fear. Then Cesarino, moved by pity, screwed up his courage and drove the three animals toward the hungry, greedy beast, and they fought so hard that in they end they felled it

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 377 and killed it. Then, with the knife he held unsheathed in his hand, Cesarino cut out its tongue. He put it in a bag and kept it with great care, and without saying a word to the freed maiden, he left and returned to the hermitage, telling the priest everything that he had done. The hermit, hearing that the dragon was dead and the young woman and the country were free, rejoiced greatly. It happened that, while passing by that place where the horrible beast lay dead, a coarse and rough peasant saw the frightening and cruel monster. Grabbing a large knife that he kept at his side, he cut the head from the body, and after he had placed it in a large sack he had with him, he walked toward the city. Walking at a fast pace, he came upon the young woman who was returning to her father and he accompanied her. When he arrived at the royal palace, he presented himself to her father, who, upon seeing his daughter return, almost died from an abundance of happiness. All cheerful, the peasant, once he had taken off the cap he had on his head, said, “Signore, your daughter should be my wife, for I saved her from death.” And as a sign that this was true, he pulled from the great sack the horrible skull of the slaughtered beast and presented it to the king. Having examined the skull of the proud monster that was no longer to be seen, and having understood that his daughter and the country were free, the king ordered an honorable procession and a magnificent celebration, to which all of the women of the city were invited and who, splendidly dressed, came to offer their congratulations to his daughter who had been set free. It happened that the hermit was in the city at the same moment in which they were preparing the celebrations and processions and the news rang insistently in his ear that a peasant had killed the dragon and that as a reward for freeing the king’s daughter he would take her for a wife. The hermit did not hear this without great sorrow and, abandoning his begging for that day, he returned to the hermitage to tell Cesarino what was happening. When Cesarino heard the news, he was very upset and, taking the tongue of the slaughtered dragon, he made it clear that he had been the one who had killed the beast. When he heard this and was completely convinced that Cesarino had been the slayer, the hermit went to the king and, removing his humble hood from his head, he spoke to him in this way, “Most sacred king, it is most detestable when a wicked, evil man accustomed to living in caves becomes the husband of the woman who is the flower of grace, the standard for good manners, the mirror of kindness, and is endowed with every virtue, and all the more so because he seeks to deceive your majesty, by affirming as true that which is a lie from his throat. I, desirous of your majesty’s honor and the good of your daughter, have come here to reveal that the man who boasts of having freed your daughter is not the one who killed the dragon. And so, most holy king, open your eyes, do not keep your ears closed, listen to one who loves you with a pure heart.”

378 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA When he had heard the hermit who spoke with conviction, knowing that his words sprang from a very faithful and absolute love, the king put his inviolable faith in him and, after he had ordered the celebrations and processions to cease, he ordered the hermit to reveal the identity of the true savior of his daughter. The hermit, who desired nothing else, said, “Signore, it is not necessary for me to tell you his name, but when it pleases Your Majesty, I will bring him here before you, and you will see a young man, well-built, graceful, distinguished, and entirely inclined to love, whose noble and honest manner surpasses that of everyone that I have ever known.” The king, having already taken a fancy to the young man, ordered that he be brought there immediately. After he left the king, the hermit returned to his little hovel and told everything to Cesarino. Cesarino took the tongue and placed it in a game bag and set out with the animals and the hermit and coming before the king and kneeling, he said, “Holy Majesty, the toil and sweat were mine, but the honor belongs to others. With these animals of mine, I killed the beast to free your daughter.” The king said, “And what proof will you give me that you have killed it? For that man has presented me the head that you see hung here.” Cesarino replied, “I do not want your daughter’s word, which would suffice as proof, but I want to give you only one sign so that no one will be able to deny that I was the killer. Have someone look in the head,” said Cesarino, “because you will find there is no tongue.” The king had the head brought down and found that the tongue was missing. Then Cesarino, having put his hands in the game bag, pulled out the dragon’s tongue that was so enormous that never before had a bigger one been seen, and he clearly demonstrated that he had been the slayer of the cruel beast. The king, because of his daughter’s words, the tongue that had been shown, and the other clues he had, had the peasant seized and in that very moment had his head cut from his trunk. And with a procession and feast the wedding with Cesarino was celebrated and the marriage consummated. When his mother and sisters heard the news that Cesarino had been the slayer of the beast and the savior of the girl, and as a reward had already taken her as a wife, they decided to go to Sicily. Climbing aboard a ship, they arrived in the kingdom with a favorable wind where they were received with great honor. These women were not in the kingdom very long before they were moved by such envy of Cesarino that they would have devoured him. And with their hatred growing greater each day, they decided to kill him secretly. And turning over in their minds many things, in the end they thought of taking a bone and sharpening it to a point, putting poison on the tip, and placing it between the sheets and the bed, point up, so that when Cesarino went to rest and threw himself down on the bed, as young men do, he would be pricked and poisoned; and without delay they carried out their evil plan.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 379 When the hour to go to sleep arrived, Cesarino went to his room with his wife and taking off his robes and shirt, he threw himself on the bed and hit his left side against the point of the bone. The wound was so severe that it swelled due to the poison and when the poison went to his heart, he died. The woman, seeing her husband dead, began to scream loudly and weep bitterly. The courtiers ran to the uproar and found Cesarino had left this life. Turning him on one side and then the other, they saw he was all swollen and black like a crow. Therefore, they judged that he had died from poison. Upon hearing this, the king launched a great investigation and unable to arrive at any certainties, he stopped it. Dressed in mourning clothes with his daughter and his court, he ordered that the dead body be given a solemn and magnificent burial. While they were preparing the magnificent and honorable obsequies, Cesarino’s mother and sisters began to fear greatly that the lion, the bear, and the wolf would expose their deed upon hearing that their master was dead. And conspiring together they thought to stop up the animals’ ears with lead and so they did as they had planned. But the wolf ’s ears were not completely stopped up with lead, for he was able to hear a bit in one ear. While the dead body was being carried to the tomb, the wolf said to the lion and to the bear, “Friends, it seems that I am hearing some bad news,” but they had their ears stopped up with lead and did not hear anything, and after repeating the words he had said, they heard less. But the wolf did so much with signs and gestures that they nonetheless understood who knows what about death. Therefore, the bear with his hard, curved claws, penetrated so deeply in the lion’s ears that he extracted the lead and the lion did the same to the bear and the wolf. When their hearing had returned, the wolf said to his companions, “It seems that I heard some talk of the death of our master,” and since their master had not come to visit them and give them food as was his habit, they were sure he was dead. All three left the house and they ran there where the gravediggers were carrying the corpse. When they saw the animals, the clergymen and the other people who were accompanying the corpse to the tomb began to flee and the men who were carrying the coffin put it down and likewise took flight. Others with more courage wanted to see what would happen. The three animals did so much with their teeth and claws that they stripped their master of his clothes and turning him over this way and that found the wound. Then the lion said to the bear, “My brother, now we need to have a bit of fat from your guts, for as soon as the wound is oiled, our master will be revived.” The bear replied, “No need to say another word. I will open my mouth as wide as I can, and you put your paw inside and pull out some fat, as much as you like.”

380 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The lion placed his paw inside the throat of the bear who shrank down so that the lion could stick it further down and he removed the fat that was needed. He oiled all around his master’s wound with it and, having softened it well, he sucked it with his mouth. Then he took a certain herb and put it in the wound and such was its power that it immediately went to his heart and he was completely revived. Therefore, little by little their master began to regain his strength, and from the dead he came back to life. When those who were present saw this, they were stunned and immediately ran to the king and told him that Cesarino was alive. When they heard this, the king and his daughter, who was named Doratea, went to meet him and with unexpected joy they embraced and kissed him, and with a great joy they led him to the royal palace. The news of how Cesarino had been revived made its way to his mother and sisters. They were very sorry to hear it, but pretending nonetheless to be joyful, they went to the palace. When they came before Cesarino, the wound spouted a great amount of blood. They were frightened by this and grew pale. Upon seeing this, the king was more than a little suspicious of them and after he had them seized and tortured, they confessed everything. Without delay the king had them burned alive; and Cesarino and Doratea enjoyed each other’s company for a long time, and left children to succeed them; and the animals were tended to with great care until they died a natural death. After Alteria had ended her tale, without waiting for another command, she told her riddle in this way, saying, A woman’s name I have and I have with me a brother. When he dies, I am born; and when I am dead, he is reborn. Nor am I able to accompany him, Because he flees when I catch up to him. I leave and return and fly more than a bird, Nor was anyone ever allowed to touch me, And I often find myself at dinner with you, Although black and born painlessly.103 The riddle recited by Alteria was of such substance and so witty, nor was anyone able to boast that they had understood it except for the woman who had recited it. Seeing that everyone was puzzled, she said, “My riddle, ladies and gentleman, signifies nothing other than the night, which has a female name, and 103. “Nom ho di donna e ho meco un fratello, / qual morto, io nasco, e morta io, rinasce esso. / Né mai mi posso accompagnar con ello, / ché tosto fugge che li giungo adosso. / Partomi e torno e volo piú ch’augello, / n’ ad alcun mai toccarmi fu permesso, / e vosco spesso mi ritrovo a cena, / quantunque mora e nasca senza pena.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 381 when the night is dead, the day is reborn, and never is she able to accompany the day, and she flies like a bird, nor does she let herself be touched, and often she dines with us.”104 Everyone like the fine interpretation of the subtle riddle and everyone held it to be very learned; and so the night would not pass and the day come, the Signora ordered Eritrea to follow with a tale, which she began to cheerfully tell.

104. The riddle and its solution refer to the female gender of the noun “notte” (“night”) and the male gender of “giorno” (“day”).

382 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA TENTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE Andrigetto Valsabbia, a citizen of Como, makes his will as he is about to die, and he leaves his soul and those of his notary and his confessor to the devil, and then dies damned. Whoever lives badly, dies badly is a common proverb praised by everyone. It is, however, better to live like a Christian than to abandon the reins without any restraint of conscience and satisfy your every unbridled desire, as did a noble citizen who, arriving at his death and desperate, gave his soul to the great enemy, as divine justice permitted, and died badly. In Como, a small city in Lombardy not very far from Milan, there lived a citizen named Andrigetto da Sabbia,105 who, although he was rich with land, herds, and sheep, nor was there anyone in the city who could equal him, nonetheless was not pricked by his conscience for anything that he did, no matter how wicked. Now, being very rich and having a lot of grain and other sorts of feed that his lands yielded, Andrigetto distributed all of his yield to poor farmers and other miserable people, nor did he want to sell it to merchants or to others with money in hand. He did this not because he intended to assist the poor, but so that he could take some fields off their hands and enlarge his landholdings and yield; and he always tried to choose a place best suited to his plan, so that little by little he took possession of everything. It happened that a great famine arrived in those parts, and it was such that the men, women, and children were dying of hunger in many places. For this reason, all those farmers in the area, from both the plains and the mountains, turned to Andrigetto, and there was one who gave him a pasture, one who gave him a wood, and another a plowed field, and in exchange they took as much wheat and feed as they needed. And so great was the number and crowd of people who came from all over to Andrigetto’s house that it seemed to be the Jubilee. He had a notary, Tonisto Raspante by name, a man truly knowledgeable in the notary’s art, but who in fleecing peasants surpassed all others. There was a statute in Como that no notary could write a bill of sale if the money and the witnesses were not first in front of him. Therefore, Tonista Raspante said many times to Andrigetto that he did not want to write such bills, for they went against the spirit of Como’s statute, nor did he wish to incur the fine. But Andrigetto cursed him with unpleasant words and threatened his life. And because he was an important man, one of the

105. Pirovano notes that here Andrigetto is said to be from Sabbia, a town not far from Vercelli that lies between Milan and Turin, whereas in the rubric and in the novella itself he is said to be from Valsabbia, which is near Brescia: Le piacevoli notti, 2: 649n7.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 383 most important citizens of the city, and the Saint Golden Mouths106 continually flowed, the notary did whatever he commanded. It was not long before the time came to confess, and Andrigetto sent to his confessor a beautiful, lavish meal and along with this some very fine cloth with which he could make a pair of hose for himself and his serving girl, and he informed him that the following day he would go confess to him. Because Andrigetto was an important citizen, rich, and well connected, Messer Priest waited for him with a cheerful countenance, and when he came he treated him affectionately with respect. Then when Andrigetto was at the priest’s and diligently accusing himself of his errors, he came to the illegal contracts that he had made and he confessed them in detail. The priest, who had a good deal of learning in his head and clearly recognized those contracts to be illegal and usurious, began humbly to rebuke him, declaring that he was bound to restitution. Andrigetto, who was displeased by the priest’s words, replied that he did not know what he was saying and that he should go learn better about what he had done up until now. The priest, who had received gifts many times from Andrigetto, feared that he would abandon him and go elsewhere to confess, and so after giving him absolution and a light penance, he let him go. Andrigetto put a florin in his hand and left happily. It happened that a short time later Andrigetto was suddenly struck by a very serious illness, which was of the sort that all the doctors took him for a dead man and abandoned him. His friends and relatives, seeing that the doctors declared his illness fatal and incurable, made him understand in a clever way that he must confess and get his affairs in order, as is fitting for every Catholic and good Christian. Andrigetto, who had been entirely devoted to growing rich, and who had thought of nothing day and night other than expanding his holdings, did not fear dying; on the contrary, he dismissed those who spoke to him of death. And he had sometimes one thing, sometimes another brought to him, finding amusement and sport in them. Now it happened that after much encouragement by friends and relatives, he wished to please them and ordered that his notary Tonisto Raspante and his confessor Father Neofito be called, because he wanted to confess and put his affairs in order. When the notary and confessor had come, they stood before him and they said, “Messer Andrigetto, God give you your health, and how do you feel? Take courage and do not be afraid because soon you will get better.” Andrigetto replied that he was very much worse and that he first wanted to put his affairs in order and then confess. The confessor trusted his words and comforted him a great deal and exhorted him to remember God and to yield 106. “San Bocca d’oro” is a slang term for florins, a Florentine gold coin, and perhaps plays upon the name of Saint John Chrysostom (golden mouth). These Florentine coins had on one side a lily, a symbol of the city of Florence, and on the other an image of Saint John the Baptist, a patron saint of the city.

384 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA to His will for by doing this his health would be restored. Andrigetto ordered that seven men be called to witness his last will and testament. When the witnesses had arrived and stood before the sick man, Andrigetto said to the notary, “Tonisto, what does it cost to have you draw up a will?” Tonisto replied, “According to the capitulary of notaries, it costs one florin, then more or less depending upon what the testators want.” “Now,” said Andrigetto, “take two of them and make sure to write down whatever I command you.” The notary replied he would do this. And when he had completed the invocation of the Lord and written the year, the day, the month, and the indication, as notaries usually do on documents, he began to write in this way, “I, Andrigetto di Valsabbia, of sound mind even though my body languishes, leave my soul to my creator God, to whom I render the greatest thanks I possibly can for the many benefits I have received.” Andrigetto said to the notary, “What have you written?” The notary replied, “I wrote such and such,” and he read him everything he had written word by word. Then Andrigetto, inflamed with rage, said, “And who told you to write this way? Why don’t you see to doing what you promised me? Write as I wish in this way, I, Andrigetto of Valsabbia, sick of body and sound of mind, leave my soul to the great devil of Hell.” The notary and the witnesses, hearing these words, were beside themselves and more than a little surprised, and staring fixedly in the face of the testator, they said, “Ah, Messer Andrigetto, where is your intelligence now? Where is your learning? Have you gone mad? The foolish and the mad use such words. Well, do not do this for the love you bear God, for it offends your soul and honor, and disgraces your entire family. The men who up until now have reputed you to be prudent and wise, will hold you to be the most careless, perfidious, and traitorous person that nature ever created, for if you despise your own well-being and what’s good for you, much more will you despise that of others.” Then Andrigetto, inflamed like a burning ember, said to the notary, “Did I not tell you that you should write what I said? Did I not pay you more than required so that you would write what I was saying?” The notary replied, “Yes, sir.” “Therefore,” said the testator, “make note and write what I say to you and do not write what I do not want.” The notary, who would have liked not to be there, seeing Andrigetto’s cruel plan and fearing that he would die from anger, wrote everything he ordered that came out of his mouth. Then Andrigetto said to the notary, “Write. Item, I leave the soul of my notary Tonisto Raspante to the great Satan, so that it will keep mine company when it leaves here.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 385 “Ah, Messere, you offend me,” said the notary, “by taking away my honor and reputation.” “Now continue, wicked man,” said the testator, “and do not bother me anymore with what I am. I paid you, and much more than you deserve, so that you will write my way. Write, then, to the devil like this: For if he had not agreed to write so many illegal and usurious contracts, but had driven me away I would not now find myself in such a labyrinth. And because, then, he held money in greater regard than his soul and mine, I commend it and give it over into Lucifer’s hands.” The notary, who was quite frightened of going from bad to worse, wrote down what he told him. Then Andrigetto said, “Write. Item, I leave the soul of Father Neofito my confessor, present here, to thirty thousand pairs of devils.” “Now what are you saying, my dear Messer Andrigetto?” said the confessor. “Are these the words of a prudent man like yourself? Well, do not speak like this. Do you not know that Jesus Christ is merciful and pious and he always stands with open arms, waiting for one who comes to Him penitent and recognizes the guilt of his sins? Recognize then your grave and enormous crimes and ask forgiveness from God, so He will generously forgive you. You have a way to make restitution and, by making restitution, God who is merciful and who does not want the sinner’s death, will pardon you and will allow you into paradise.” Andrigetto replied, “Ah, wicked priest, scandal of your soul and mine, full of avarice and simony, now you give me good advice! Write, notary, that I leave his soul in the center of Hell, for if it had not been for his corrupting greed, he would not have absolved me, nor would I have committed so many errors, nor would I find myself in the state I now find myself in. Does it seem honest and fitting that I give back the ill-gotten gains? Does it seem just that now that I leave my children poor and mendicant? I will leave this advice for others because I do not want it now. Write on notary. Item, I leave to Felicita, my beloved, land in the town of Comachio,107 so that she can have food and clothing and enjoy herself and have a good time with her lovers, as she has always done, and at the end of her life she should come find me in the dark infernal abyss and along with the three of us she will be tormented by eternal torture. The true remainder of my goods, moveable and immoveable, present and future, in whatever way belonging to or due me, I leave to Comodo and Torquato, my legitimate and natural sons, begging them not to wish to have either masses or psalms said for my soul, but that they see to gambling, whoring, feasting, fighting, and doing all of those things that are most detestable and abominable, so that my wealth, unlawfully acquired, will go to ruin in a short time, and the children, desperate for the loss, will hang themselves by the neck. And I want this to be my last will, and so I ask of all you witnesses and the notary.” 107. Comacchio is a city built on the wetlands near the mouth of the Reno River on the Adriatic Coast.

386 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA When the will was written and issued, Messer Andrigetto turned his face to the wall, and letting out a bellow that seemed that of a bull, he rendered his soul to Pluto,108 who had always been there waiting for him. And in this way, the evil and wicked Andrigetto, unconfessed and unrepentant, ended his foul and wicked life. Bold Eritrea had almost ended her tale when the men, and likewise the women, were filled with admiration, thinking the great foolishness of wretched Andrigetto who preferred to be the slave of the enemy of men rather than repent his sins. But because the hours of the night were fleeting, without waiting for another command Eritrea followed the order with her riddle, speaking thus. White and round am I, not very hard, Fat, for the hand that puts me in is a true thing. Into the females who have wide holes, I stick my whole self in their bodies. I do less with the males And inside of them I go quite lightly. And whoever takes me, squeezes me slowly, slowly, Afraid to soil their hands.109 “Your riddle, Signora Eritrea, means nothing other than giving one’s soul to the devil, but see that you do not put the devil in hell, because he will burn,” said Bembo.110 “I am not afraid,” said Eritrea, “for my riddle is not the sort that you think.” “But explain it,” said Bembo, “so that we are not left perplexed.” “Willingly,” said Eritrea. “My riddle describes the candle, which is white, round, and not very hard, and in the lantern, which has a feminine name, he sticks

108. I have left the god’s name in the Italian here, for it can refer to the god of the underworld, Pluto or Hades, and thus means that Andrigetto is headed to hell, but also can refer to the god of riches, Plutus, who rules over Dante’s fourth circle of Hell, where the avaricious and prodigal are punished, meaning that Andrigetto will be punished specifically for his economic sins. 109. “Bianca e tonda son io, non molto dura, / grossa, che la man m’empie è cosa vera. / A le femine ch’han grand’apertura, / me le ficco nel corpo tutta intiera. / Minor a’ maschi fo di me misura, / e dentro a lor mi vo piú assai leggiera. / E chi mi prende, mi stringe pian piano, / temendo d’inlordarsi al fin la mano.” 110. “Putting the devil in hell” is a sexual metaphor taken from tale 3.10 in Boccaccio’s Decameron, in which the monk Rustico instructs the young woman Alibech on how to “put the devil in hell” and then exhausted by her demands to put his “devil” in her “hell,” he allows her to marry another man. Boccaccio’s narrator Dioneo states that Alibech’s explanation to the townswomen before her marriage of how she “put the devil in hell” led to the coining of the proverb “to the effect that the most agreeable way of serving God was to put the devil back in hell.” Boccaccio, Decameron, 279.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 387 his whole body, and whoever takes it in his hand squeezes it gently because he fears to dirty his hand with tallow.”111 And because the roosters announced that the night was more than half over, the Signora courteously ordered Cateruzza to end the tenth night with a fine tale and riddle. She, more desirous of speaking than of remaining silent, began her tale in this way.

111. The noun “lanterna” (lantern) is feminine in gender.

388 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA TENTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE The murderer and thief Rosolino of Pavia is caught by the chief magistrate’s guards and confesses nothing after being tortured. Afterward, he sees his innocent son tortured and, without further torture, the father confesses. The judge lets him live and exiles him; he becomes a hermit and saves his soul. There is no one who has children who does not clearly know how great and how ardent and undying is a father’s love for a virtuous and well-behaved son. Because not only does he toil to give him that which is necessary for his survival, but he oftentimes also risks his life and sheds his blood to make him advance and grow rich. And I will show you that this is the truth through this brief little tale that I intend to tell you now. Since it is more pitiable than delightful, I think that it will offer you more than a little instruction and learning. In Pavia, a city in Lombardy, noble both for its learned university and for having buried there the most holy body of the venerable and divine Augustine,112 hammer of heretics and luminary and light of the Christian religion, there was a short time ago a man, disloyal, wicked, a murderer and thief, who was willing to do every evil, and everyone called him Rosolino. And because he was rich and the head of a faction, many followed him. And when he was in the street, he stripped, robbed, and killed first this person and then that one. And due to the great following he had, the entire region greatly feared him. Although Rosolino had committed many sins and many accusations were leveled at him, nonetheless, there was no man who dared pursue them, for so many were the favors of evil and wicked men that the plaintiffs, to their dismay, abandoned their suits. Rosolino had only one son, who by his nature was the opposite of his father and led a very laudable and holy life. Many times he rebuked his father for his evil and wicked life with sweet words and sweetly begged that he now put an end to so many wicked acts, painting for him the enormous perils with which he continually lived. But in truth the son’s wise warnings were useless and in vain, for Rosolino attended to his dishonest trade more than ever and you heard nothing day after day but he robbed this one, he killed that one. So with Rosolino, then, continuing with his cruel and bestial plan and going daily from bad to worse, God willed that he be seized, bound, and led to Pavia by the chief magistrate’s guards. And while being interrogated by the judge, he insolently denied everything. When the chief magistrate heard this, he ordered that the guards put him in prison in shackles and heavy chains, giving him only nine ounces of bread and nine of water each day, and that he be carefully guarded. And although the debate among the judges was quite heated regarding whether or not they should hold him as a defendant, after a good deal of quarreling the 112. Saint Augustine’s remains are in the Basilica San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro in Pavia.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 389 chief magistrate and his court decided that they must turn to torture and have the confession from his mouth.113 When the morning came, the chief magistrate had Rosolino brought before him and he began the interrogation without means of force and, as before, he denied everything. Seeing this, the chief magistrate ordered that he be tied to the cord and lifted into the air.114 And although Rosolino was tortured many times by the rope because of the great amount of evidence against him, he never wanted to confess; on the contrary, with great constancy he cursed the magistrate and his court, saying that they were evil, scoundrels, thieves, wicked, and that they deserved a thousand hangings for the bad lives they lead and for the injustice they do, swearing that he himself is a good man, who lives a good life, nor was there anyone who could in truth complain about him. As was said above, many times the chief magistrate had proceeded very severely against Rosolino, nor did he leave any form of torture untried, but Rosolino, steadfast as a sturdy tower, scorned every torment. The chief magistrate, who clearly knew him to be a criminal and was unable to sentence him to death, was quite distressed. Hence, during the night, while thinking about Rosolino’s wickedness and his great constancy, and unable to torture him further, for Rosolino had already cleared himself of all the charges by resisting the torture, the chief magistrate decided to meet with his court and propose something you will hear. When the day came, the chief magistrate summoned his judges and said, “Excellent doctors, great is the constancy of this evil man, and even greater is his wickedness, and he would rather die from torture than confess anything. Hence it would seem to me—if, however, you agree—that we must try the last resort, which is this, send the guards to seize Rosolino’s son Bargetto and torture him in Rosolino’s presence, for the father, seeing his innocent son tortured, will easily confess his sin.” The court very much liked this advice, and the chief magistrate immediately ordered that Bargetto be seized, bound, and brought before him. When Bargetto had been seized and brought before the chief magistrate, the judge of 113. In this legal system, the magistrates investigated, prosecuted, and determined sentences. Torture would be used to secure a confession. Edward Peters explains why torture entered in European legal systems in this way: “For jurists and lay people alike, confession was regina probationum: the queen of proofs. For all the uncertainties that attended the gathering and weighing of evidence, the testimony of witnesses, and the unpredictability of judges and juries, confession provided a remedy, and in some cases, chiefly capital ones, it came to be required. It is the importance of confession upon which hinges, if not the revival, then surely the spread of torture into the legal systems of the thirteenth century.” Peters, Torture, rev. ed. (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996), 44. 114. Also known as the “strappado” or “cola,” the “corda” was one of the most widely used forms of torture and known as the “queen of torments.” Edward Peters describes it as follows: “The accused’s hands were tied behind the back, attached to a rope which was thrown over a beam in the ceiling, and hauled into the air, there to hang for a period of time, then let down, then raised again.” Peters, Torture, 68.

390 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA the maleficent man began his interrogation without force and Bargetto most innocently replied that he did not know anything about what they were asking him. Seeing this, the chief magistrate had him stripped without delay and tortured in front of his father. When he saw his son taken, bound and tortured, Rosolino was stunned and quite distressed. The chief magistrate, still standing before Rosolino, ordered that Bargetto be raised up high and he began to question him about many things; and Bargetto, who was innocent, said he knew nothing. Acting as if he were inflamed with rage, the magistrate said, “I will make you know it well” and ordered him to be pulled up. The poor wretch, who felt great pain and suffering, yelled loudly, “Mercy, signor magistrate, mercy, because I am innocent nor have I ever committed such crimes.” The criminal magistrate, hearing him in pain and crying, said, “Confess, do not let yourself be broken, for we know everything in detail, but we want to hear it from your mouth.” Bargetto replied that he did not know what the judge was talking about nor was what he charged him with true. The judge, who had trained the torturer, gave the sign that he should be dropped from high up without any pity or forgiveness. Bargetto, hearing the words of the judge and feeling great pain in his arms and thinking that he could not bear it, decided to confess that which he had not done and said, “Signori, let me down and I will tell you everything clearly.” After they had slowly lowered the cord down and Bargetto stood before the chief magistrate and the court, he affirmed in his father’s presence that he had committed all of the excesses with which he was charged. Rosolino, who had heard his son’s false confession, meditated on many things in his mind and in the end, moved by love for his son and by having considered his innocence, said, “Signori, do not torture my son any longer, but free him, for he is completely innocent and I am guilty.” And without any other torture he confessed every one of his crimes in detail. After the chief magistrate had heard Rosolino’s confession and had it carefully written down and ratified, desirous to know the cause for it, he said, “Rosolino, you endured many tortures, but we were never able to have the truth from you; but then when you saw Bargetto tortured and you heard the confession he made, you changed your mind and without any torture you confessed everything. I—may God save you and have mercy on your soul—would willingly hear the cause for this change.” “Ah,” replied Rosolino, “do you men not know why?” The chief magistrate said, “Truly, we do not.” Rosolino replied, “And I, if you do not know, will tell you if you listen carefully to me. Merciful lords, men and lovers of justice, you saw and plainly recognized my constancy under torture; nor is it surprising, for then you were

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 391 tormenting dead flesh, but when you tortured Bargetto, my only son, you were torturing live flesh.” “Therefore,” said the magistrate, “you are dead, since your flesh is dead?” “No, I am not dead,” replied Rosolino, “nor is my flesh dead, but it lives, for when you were torturing me, I did not suffer because this flesh that you see now and that you tortured is not mine, but that of my dead father, rotting and already turned to dust; but when you tortured my son, you were torturing my flesh, because the flesh of the son is the father’s own flesh.” Having understood the reason, the magistrate wanted to absolve him of everything, but because justice would not tolerate that so many crimes go unpunished, he decided to exile him forever; not because his sins deserved such light punishment, but because of the love the father bore for his son. When he heard the light sentence, Rosolino raised his hands to heaven and thanked God, promising him with an oath to change his life and live piously. Leaving Pavia, Rosolino went to the hermitage and lived there piously and did so much penance for his sins that by the grace of God he deserved to be saved, and even today, he is remembered as an example of goodness and the damnation of the wicked. Cateruzza’s tale had already come to an end, when the Signora ordered her to follow the order with a riddle. And she, with a mellifluous voice said: In a wide, flowering, green pasture There grazes a charming and gentle duckling.115 Covered with a beautiful mantle and highly adorned With the colors yellow, green, and light blue. He wears a crown and holds his head high; He is very charming and outlandish to see. He raises his tail and looks and faces his love, But if he looks at his feet he screams from shame.116 The majority of them understood the riddle told by Cateruzza to be the peacock devoted to the goddess Juno which, with his many-eyed feathers painted with various colors, looks all around and becomes proud, but then when he sees his filthy, dirty feet, he lowers his splendid tail and is embarrassed. When the 115. Cateruzza’s terms for describing this bird are not precise. She clearly describes a peacock in the riddle and provides peacock (“pavone”) as her answer, but here calls the bird a duckling (“arenino” in Venetian and “anitrino” in Italian). 116. “In un ampio, fiorito e verde prato / si pasce un vago e gentil arenino. / Copresi d’un bel manto e molto ornato / di color giallo, verde e celestino. / Porta corona, e ha ’l capo ellevato; / da veder molto è vago e pellegrino. / La coda leva e mira e ’l suo amor sfida, / ma i piè si guarda e da vergogna grida.”

392 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA riddle was over, everyone rose to their feet and took their leave of the Signora, promising her to return the following evening according to the customary order of things. THE END OF THE TENTH NIGHT

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 393 THE ELEVENTH NIGHT The dark night, the mother of earthly labor, had already arrived and the tired animals were resting, when the affectionate and sweet company, having left aside every sad thought, gathered in the usual hall. After the men had danced for a while with the maidens, as was the custom, the vase was brought out, from which by chance first came Fiordiana’s name, then Lionora’s, third Diana’s, and fourth Isabella’s, reserving the last place for Signora Vicenza. And having had the viole da gamba brought out and tuned, the Signora ordered Molino and Trivigiano to sing a song. Without delay, they began, Your charming visage, In which I see my life and death Follow you, seizes and invites me, my lady. Who is there who sees their reflection in you and gazes fixedly And, from his head to the soles of his feet, Does not become inflamed with desire and a sweet chill? And well a thousand sighs Do you not send forth to move every lover To pity with ardent zeal, And by the favor and grace of the heavens, Nay, a gift from her alone, To find not just mercy, but also pardon?117 The charming and sweet song sung by Molino and Trivigiano was very much to everyone’s liking, and it was so powerful that it made the woman whose turn was first cry a little because of its sweetness. And so that she would begin the storytelling, the Signora commanded Fiordiana to begin, and after she had first curtsied, she spoke thus.

117. “Vostro vago sembiante / nel qual i’ veggio la mia morte e vita / seguirvi, donna mia, mi stringe e ’nvita. / Qual è ch’in voi si specchi o fisso miri, / che dal capo a le piante / d’un desir non s’infiammi e dolce gelo? / e ben mille sospiri / non mandi fuor da far ogn’animante / a pietà mover con ardente zelo, / e per favor e per grazia del cielo, / anzi di lei sol dono, / trovar non pur mercé m’ ancor perdono?”

394 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA ELEVENTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Soriana dies and leaves behind three sons, Dusolino, Tesifone, and Costantino Fortunato, who, thanks to a cat, acquires a mighty kingdom.118 Many times, affectionate ladies, one sees a very rich man fall into great poverty, and one who is in extreme misery rise to a high state. This happened to a poor lad who was a beggar, but who attained royal status. There was in Bohemia a woman called Soriana. She was very poor and had three sons, one called Dusolino, the other Tesifone, and the third Costantino Fortunato. This woman had nothing in the world of value except for three things: a kneading trough in which women knead bread, a bread board on which they make bread, and a female cat. Already burdened by her years, Soriana, approaching death, made her last will and testament, and to Dusolino, her oldest son, she left the kneading trough, to Tesifone, the bread board, and to Costantino, the cat. When their mother was dead and buried, the neighborhood women sometimes asked to borrow the kneading trough, other times the bread board, for their chores, and because they knew that the boys were very poor, they made them a focaccia, which Dusolino and Tesifone ate, excluding their youngest brother Costantino. And if Costantino asked them for anything, they told him to go to his cat, who would give him something. For this reason, poor Costantino suffered greatly with his cat. The cat, who was enchanted, moved by compassion for Costantino and angry with the two brothers who treated him so cruelly, said, “Costantino, do not be sad, for I will provide both your and my living.” And having left the house, she went to the countryside and, pretending to sleep, caught a hare that had come up beside her, and killed it. Then having gone to the royal palace and seen some courtiers, she told them that she wanted to speak with the king. When he heard there was a cat that wanted to speak with him, he had her come before him and asked her what she wanted. She replied that Costantino her master had sent her to give him a hare that he had caught and she offered it to the king. The king, after accepting the gift, asked her who this Costantino was. The cat replied that he was a man whose goodness, beauty, and power knew no equal. Hence the king had her welcomed warmly, giving her a good deal to eat and drink. When she was quite satisfied, using her paw in a graceful way and not being seen by anyone, she filled the satchel that she kept at her side with some tasty morsels; and having taken leave of the king, she brought them to Costantino. Upon seeing the food that Costantino was enjoying, his brothers asked him if he would share with them, but paying them back with their own coin, he said

118. ATU 545B, Puss-in-Boots.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 395 no to them. For this reason, a burning envy grew between them that continually gnawed at their hearts. Although he had a handsome face, due to the suffering he had endured Costantino was, nonetheless, full of scabies and ringworm that were a great annoyance to him. He went with the cat to the river and he was carefully licked and combed from head to foot by her, and in a few days he was completely cured. The cat, as we said above, continued to go often to the royal palace with many gifts for the king, and in this way she provided for her master. And because by then the cat was bothered by all the going back and forth, and she feared she was becoming an annoyance to the king’s courtiers, she said to her master, “Signor, if you want to do what I will command you to do, in a short time I will make you rich.” “How?” asked her master. The cat replied, “Come with me and do not look for anything else because I am entirely willing to make you rich.” And after they had gone together to the river to a place that was near the royal palace, the cat stripped her master and, as they had agreed, she threw him in the river. Then she began screaming in a loud voice, “Help! Help! Run! Run! Messer Costantino is drowning.” Hearing this and considering that Costantino had sent him gifts many times, the king immediately sent his men to help him. When Costantino had gotten out of the water and was dressed in good clothes, he was led before the king, who received him very warmly. And when he was asked why he had been thrown into the river, he could not respond due to his distress, but the cat, who was always near him, said, “Know, oh king, that some thieves had been informed that my master was carrying jewels in order to come and give them to you, and they stripped him of everything and thinking to kill him, they threw him in the river, and thanks to these gentleman he has escaped death.” Upon hearing this, the king ordered that he be well tended to and cared for. And seeing that he was handsome and knowing that he was rich, the king decided to give him his daughter Elisetta as his wife and to give her a dowry of gold, gems, and very beautiful clothes. When the wedding had been celebrated and the festivities ended, the king had ten mules loaded with gold and five with most honorable clothes and sent her to her husband’s house accompanied by many people. Seeing that he was so honored and had become so rich, Costantino did not know where to take his wife and took counsel with his cat, who said, “Do not fear, my master, because we will see to everything.” With all of them riding along cheerfully, the cat quickly walked ahead and, being quite a distance from the company, she met some knights to whom she said, “What are you doing here, you poor men? Leave quickly because there is a great cavalcade of people coming and they will capture you, there, they are close by; hear the clamor and the whinnying horses!”

396 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Terrified, the knights said, “What must we do then?” To which the cat replied, “Do this. If you are asked whose knights you are, respond boldly, “Messer Costantino’s!” and you won’t be bothered.” And having gone further ahead, she found a great number of sheep and herds and she did the same thing with their owners, and with everyone she found on the road, she said the same thing. The people who were accompanying Elisetta asked, “Whose knights are you? And to whom do these many fine herds belong?” And everyone responded in one voice, “Messer Costantino’s.” Those people who were accompanying the bride said, “So, Messer Costantino, are we beginning to enter your estate?” And he affirmed yes with his head. And to everything he was asked, he replied in the same way, yes. For this reason the company judged him to be a very rich man. When the cat arrived at a very beautiful castle, she found a small brigade there and said, “What are you doing, good men? Do you not realize that ruin is upon you?” “What?” asked the castellans. “In less than an hour many soldiers will come here and cut you to pieces. Do you not hear the horses whinnying? Do you not see the dust in the air? And if you do not want to perish, take my advice because all of you will be saved. If anyone asks you whose castle this is, tell them, ‘Messer Costantino Fortunato’s!’ ” and so they did. When the noble company had arrived at the beautiful castle, they asked the guards whose it was, and everyone boldly replied, “Messer Costantino Fortunato’s.” And having entered inside, they were honorably lodged. The lord of that castle was Signor Valentino, a brave soldier who a short time prior had left the castle to lead home his wife, whom he had recently married, and to his misfortune, before he arrived in the land of his beloved wife, an unexpected and horrible accident befell him, from which he died immediately. And Costantino Fortunato was left the lord of the castle. Not long after that, Morando, the king of Bohemia, died and the people cried out for their king Costantino Fortunato, since he was the husband of Elisetta, the daughter of the dead king, to whom by right of succession the kingdom belonged. And in this way, Costantino, a poor beggar boy, became a gentleman and king. He lived a long time with his Elisetta, leaving children by her in the kingdom as his successors. The tale told by Fiordiana pleased her listeners. But so that time would not be wasted, the Signora commanded her to propose her riddle. And she, cheerful and content, spoke in this way,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 397 In a garden adorned with pretty flowers There runs a red flower and a white rose, Nor do they ever tire, night or day, And the garden dazzles and outshines all things. Twelve branches ring all around A large oak that lies in the middle And on each big and thick branch that it has It gives us only four, and no more, acorns.119 There was no one who knew how to solve the very obscure riddle, and although some said one thing and others something else, nonetheless their explanations were very far from the true one. Hence, Fiordiana, seeing that her riddle was left unsolved, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, my riddle denotes nothing but this earthly machine that is like a garden adorned with flowers, that is to say stars, and inside there runs a red flower which is the sun, and a white rose, which is the moon, and both day and night they move and illuminate the universe. In this machine is planted an oak that is the year, and it has twelve branches, that is twelve months, and each of them has four acorns, that is the four weeks of the month.” When they heard the true interpretation of the obscure riddle, everyone universally praised it. And without waiting for another order from the Signora, Lionora, who was sitting nearby, spoke thus.

119. “Dentro un giardin di vaghi fiori adorno / corre un fior rosso e una bianca rosa, / né si stancano mai notte né giorno, / e splende e luce sopra ogn’altra cosa. / Dodeci rami cinge d’ogni intorno / una gran quercia che nel mezzo posa, / e d’ogni ramo grande e grosso c’ha / quattro sol e non piú ghiande ci dà.”

398 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA ELEVENTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE The notary Xenofonte makes his will and leaves to his son Bertuccio three hundred ducats. He spends one hundred of them on a dead body and two hundred for the release of Tarquinia, the daughter of Crisippo, the king of Novara, whom in the end he takes as his wife.120 The common proverb says that you never lose by doing good. And it is true, for it happened to the son of a notary who, according to his mother, had spent his money badly, but in the end they both were happy. In Piedmont, near the castle in Trino, there was a notary whose name was Xenofonte and he had a son, fifteen years old, called Bertuccio, who had more of the simpleton than the sage in him. It happened that Xenofonte fell ill and, seeing that he had arrived at the end of his life, he made his last will and named his legitimate and biological son Bertuccio his sole heir on the condition, however, that he not be granted complete control over the goods until he had passed his thirtieth year. He very much wanted, however, that when he arrived at the age of twenty-five years, he be able to trade and deal with three hundred ducats of his fortune. When the testator had died and Bertuccio arrived at his twenty-fifth year, he asked his mother, who was the executor, for one hundred ducats. His mother, who could not deny him this, for it had been her husband’s intention, gave them to him and urged him to spend them well and to earn something with them, so that he might better provide for the household. And he replied that he would do this so that she would be happy. Having left and set out on his journey, Bertuccio met a brigand who had killed a merchant, and although the merchant was dead, he nonetheless did not refrain from wounding him further. Seeing this, Bertuccio was moved to pity and said, “What are you doing, friend? Do you not see that he is dead?” To which the brigand, full of rage and scorn, his hands dirtied with blood, replied, “Get out of here for your own good, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Bertuccio said, “Oh brother, do you want to give me that body? For I will pay you.” “And what do you wish to give me?” replied the brigand. Bertuccio said, “Fifty ducats.” The brigand replied, “That’s little money compared to what the body is worth, but if you want it is yours for eighty ducats.” Bertuccio, who was full of love, gave him eighty ducats and after he had lifted the dead body onto his shoulder he carried it to a church nearby and had it 120. ATU 505, The Grateful Dead.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 399 honorably buried there. He spent what remained of the hundred ducats to have masses and divine offices said. Stripped of all of his money and not having anything to live on, Bertuccio returned home. Believing that her son had made a profit, his mother went out to meet him and asked him how he had done trading. And he replied, “Well.” His mother was very happy about this, thanking God that he had granted him enlightenment and a sound mind. “Yesterday,” said Bertuccio, “my mother, I saved your soul and mine, and when they leave these bodies, they will go directly to heaven.” And he told her what happened from beginning to end. Upon hearing this, his mother was deeply sorry and rebuked him a great deal. After a few days had passed, Bertuccio surprised his mother and asked her for what remained of the three hundred ducats that his father had left him. His mother, unable to say no to him, like a desperate woman said, “Now take your two hundred ducats and do with them the worst you know how and don’t come back home anymore.” Bertuccio replied, “Do not fear, mother, be of good cheer for I will make you happy.” After the son had left with the money, he arrived in a wood where there were two soldiers who had seized Tarquinia, the daughter of Crisippo, the king of Novara,121 and they were arguing heatedly over whose she should be. Bertuccio said to them, “Oh, brothers, what are you doing? Do you want to kill yourselves over this woman? If you’ll give her to me, I will give you a gift that will make both of you happy.” The soldiers stopped fighting and asked him what he wanted to give them so that they would leave her with him. And he replied two hundred ducats. The soldiers, not knowing whose daughter Tarquinia was, and afraid to die, took the two hundred ducats and divided them between themselves, leaving the maiden to the young man. Bertuccio, all merry for having the girl, returned home and said to his mother, “Mother, you will not be able to complain now that I have not spent my money well. Thinking that you were alone, I bought this maiden for two hundred ducats and have brought her home, so that she will keep you company.” Unable to bear this, his mother wanted to die of grief, but turning to her son, she began to curse and rebuke him greatly, wishing that he would die because he was the ruin and shame of their house. But the son, who was loving, did not become enraged over this; on the contrary, with agreeable and pleasant words he comforted his mother, telling her that he had done this out of his love for her, so that she would not be alone. The king of Novara, who had lost his daughter, sent many soldiers to different places to see if they could find any news about her, and after they had searched and investigated most carefully, they discovered that there was a maiden in the 121. A city west of Milan in Piedmont.

400 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA house of Bertuccio from Trino in Piedmont, whom he had bought for two hundred ducats. The king’s soldiers began walking toward Piedmont, and once they arrived there, they found Bertuccio and asked him if a maiden had fallen into his hands. To which Bertuccio replied, “It is true that a few days ago I bought a young lady from some thieves, but whose she is I do not know.” “And where is she?” the soldiers said. “In my mother’s company,” replied Bertuccio, “who loves her no less than if she were her daughter.” When they went to Bertuccio’s house, they found the maiden and they barely recognized her, for she was dressed badly and her face looked worn due to the hardships she had suffered. But after they had looked at her again and again, they recognized her by her features and said that in truth she was Tarquinia, daughter of Crisippo, king of Novara, and they rejoiced at having found her. Knowing that the soldiers were speaking the truth, Bertuccio said, “Brothers, if the maiden is yours, take her now and lead her away, for I will be happy.” Before she left, Tarquinia instructed Bertuccio that every time he heard that the king wanted to marry her off, he should come to Novara and present himself with his right hand raised to his head, because she would not take anyone but him as a husband. And having taken leave of him and his mother, she went to Novara. When he saw his daughter returned to him, the king cried out of sweet tenderness and after tight embraces and paternal kisses he asked her how she had become lost. And she, still crying, told him of her capture, the ransom, and how her virginity had been preserved. In a few days Tarquinia was plump, fresh, and as beautiful as a rose, and King Crisippo spread the word that he wanted her to marry. When this news came to Bertuccio’s ears, without delay he climbed on a horse that was so thin that you could count all of its bones, and he set off toward Novara. Riding along badly dressed, the good Bertuccio met a finely dressed knight accompanied by many servants, who with a merry expression on his face said, “Where are you going all alone, brother?” And Bertuccio humbly replied, “To Novara.” “To do what?” said the knight. “I will tell you if you listen to me,” said Bertuccio. “Three months ago I freed the daughter of the king of Novara, who had been taken by thieves and, having ransomed her with my own money, she ordered that when the king wanted her to marry, I should go to his palace and place my hand on my head because she will take no other husband but me.” The knight said, “And, before you arrive, I want to go there and I will have the king’s daughter as a wife, for I ride better than you and am bedecked with finer clothes.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 401 Good Bertuccio said, “Go, good luck, sir. I consider all of your good fortune to be mine.” Seeing the young man’s urbanity, or rather simplicity, the knight said, “Give me your clothes and your horse and you take my horse and my clothes, and good luck, make it so that when you return, you return the clothes and the horse to me, giving me half of what you have earned.” And Bertuccio replied that he would do this. So having climbed on the fine horse and dressed himself honorably, he went to Novara. And when he entered the city, he saw Crisippo, who was on a balcony that looked over the square. The king, when he saw the young man, so charming and riding well, said to himself, “Oh, would that God willed my daughter Tarquinia to willingly take him for a husband, for this would make me very happy.” And after he left the balcony, he went to the hall where many gentlemen had gathered to see the young woman. Bertuccio climbed down from the horse and went into the palace, and there put himself among the poor and lowly people. Seeing innumerable gentlemen gathered in the hall, Crisippo had his daughter come and said to her, “Tarquinia, as you see, many gentlemen have come here to take you as a wife, you look and consider well which one you like most, because he will be your husband.” Walking through the hall, Tarquinia saw Bertuccio, who gracefully kept his right hand on his head, and immediately she recognized him. And turning to her father, she said, “Holy Crown, if it please you, I would like no one else but him as my husband.” And the king, who desired this, replied, “And so it is granted to you.” And they did not leave there until a great and splendid wedding was held to the very great pleasure of both parties. When the time came to take the new bride home, Bertuccio mounted the horse and when he arrived in the place where he had seen the knight, he was once again accosted by him and the knight said, “Take your horse, my brother, and your clothes and give me back mine and half of what you earned.” Bertuccio graciously gave him back the horse and the clothes and besides this he gave him part of everything he had received. The knight said, “You have not yet given me half of that which you owe me, for you have not given me half of your wife.” Bertuccio replied, “But how will we divide her?” The knight replied, “We will divide her in half.” Then Bertuccio said, “Ah, sir, it would be a great shame to kill a woman like this. Rather than kill her, you take her whole and lead her away, for the great courtesy you showed me is more than enough for me.” The knight, seeing Bertuccio’s great simplicity, said, “Take it all, my brother, because it is all yours, and I leave you in possession of my horse, clothes, the riches,

402 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA and the woman. And know that I am the ghost of that man who was killed by the thieves and to whom you gave an honorable burial, having them celebrate many masses and divine offices for him. And as a reward for so much good, I give you everything, announcing to you that seats are waiting in the empyrean heaven for you and your mother, where you will live for eternity.” Having said this, he disappeared. Bertuccio, happy with his Tarquinia, returned home and when he went to his mother, he gave her to his mother as daughter and daughter-in-law. After she had embraced her daughter-in-law and kissed her, she took her as her daughter, thanking Almighty God for having been so partial to her. And so to conclude with the beginning, you never lose by doing good. After Lionora had ended her tale, she turned to the Signora and said, “Signora, with your permission I will follow the established order.” And she kindly replied that she should continue. Each one earns the other’s favor, Something that today is no longer found in the world, Because life contends with death, Others grieve and it is not a new thing for me. One is annoyed to serve those Whom he does not know and in the end this helps him. Life was on a limb and slowly Took him from bitter death’s hand.122 There was a very great quarrel over the meaning of the learned riddle; however, no one hit the mark. But prudent Lionora explained it in this way, “There was at the foot of a clear fountain a leafy tree, on which there was a nest full of pretty little birds, whose mother watched them carefully. A young man arrived and with his sword killed a snake that was climbing the tree to kill them. And when the young man wanted to draw some water to drink, the mother of the saved birds clouded the water, sending down dung from inside the nest. And she did this many times. The young man was very surprised by this, and having taken the water from the fountain, he gave it to a little dog he had with him and as soon as it had drank the water, it died. Hence, the young man realized that the bird had saved his life.” The fine explanation of the learned riddle was praised more than a little, and most highly by Diana, who without any encouragement from the others began her tale, speaking thus. 122. “L’uno con l’altro merito si rende, / cosa ch’oggi piú al mondo non si trova / perché la vita con morte contende, / altri si duole e non m’è cosa nuova. / Tal di servir altrui fastidio prende, / che non conosce e ’n su la fin gli giova. / Stava la vita sopra un ramo e piano / acerba morte tolsegli di mano.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 403 ELEVENTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE The monk Don Pomporio is denounced by the abbot for his excessive eating, and by stinging the abbot with a tale, he saves himself from the charge. I would like to fast this evening and not have the burden of telling you tales, because in truth a delightful one does not come to mind. But since I do not wish to upset the established order, I will tell one, which although not pleasant, you will nonetheless cherish. In a famous monastery there was in times past a monk of a certain age who was, however, a remarkable and hearty eater. He boasted of having eaten a quarter of a fatted calf and a pair of capons in a single meal. Named Don Pomporio, this man had a platter that he had given the name “oratory for devotions,” and it held seven large bowls of soup. And furthermore, every day alongside his daily bread he filled himself with watery gruel or some other sort of soup both at lunch as well as dinner, without leaving even a drop to go to waste. And all of the relics that that were left over from the other monks, whether they were many or few, turned up at the oratory and out of devotion he put them in there. And although they were filthy and dirty, because he did everything possible for his oratory, he nonetheless devoured them all like a hungry wolf. Seeing his unbridled gluttony and his great greed, and quite stunned by his great sloth, the other monks rebuked him, sometimes with kind words and sometimes with wicked words. But the more the monks corrected him, the greater grew his desire to add gruel to his oratory, not caring at all about any admonitions. The fat pig had one virtue: he was never offended, and everyone could say whatever he liked against him and he would not take it badly. It happened that one day that he was denounced to the father abbot, who having heard the case, had him summoned and said to him, “Don Pomporio, I have been told a secret about you that, besides being very disgraceful, creates scandal for the entire monastery.” Don Pomporio replied, “And what charge do these accusers make against me? I am the most docile and peaceful monk that there is in your monastery, nor do I ever bother anyone or get in anyone’s way, but I live in tranquility and silence. And if I am offended by others, I endure it patiently, nor am I outraged by this.” The abbot said, “This seems a praiseworthy act to you? You have a platter made not for a clergyman, but for a stinking pig, in which besides your daily ration you put all of the relics that are left over from the others, and you devour them without respect and without shame, not like a human being or like a clergyman, but like a starving beast. Do you not have any qualms, crude and worthless man, that everyone takes you for a fool?”

404 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Don Pomporio replied, “And why, father abbot, must I be ashamed? Where is shame to be found now in the world? And who fears it? But if you give me permission so that I can speak freely, I will respond; if not, I will be obedient and I will keep silent.” The abbot said, “Say what you like, because we are happy that you speak.” Reassured, Don Pomporio then said, “Father abbot, we are like those who carry baskets on their backs, for everyone sees his companion’s but no one sees his own. If I were to eat fine foods, as gentlemen do, certainly I would eat much less than I do. But because I eat simple foods that are easily digested, it does not seem shameful to me to eat a lot.” The abbot, who lived splendidly with the prior and other friends on capons, pheasants, partridges, and other sorts of fowl, realized what the monk had been saying, and fearing that he would reveal it openly, he absolved him, ordering him to eat as much as he pleased; and whoever did not know how to eat and drink well, that was his problem. After Don Pomporio had left the abbot and been absolved, day by day he doubled his meat ration, increasing the worship at the holy oratory of the good serving platter. Because Don Pomporio was harshly rebuked by the monks for such bestiality, he climbed up on the pulpit of the refectory and cleverly told them this brief tale. “A long time ago, the Wind, Water, and Shame met at an inn and ate together, and talking about different things, Shame said to the Wind and the Water, ‘When, brother and sister, will we meet together so peacefully as we do now?’ The Water replied, ‘Certainly, Shame speaks the truth, for God alone knows when there will be another occasion to meet together. But if I want to find you, oh brother, where is your house?’ The Wind said, ‘My sisters, every time you want to find me so that we can enjoy ourselves together, you must come to the middle of some open door or some narrow street, because you will find me immediately, for there I dwell. And you, Water, where do you live?’ ‘I stay,’ said the Water, ‘in the lowest swamps among those little canals, and no matter how dry the earth is, you will always find me there. But you, Shame, where is your dwelling?’ ‘I truly do not know,’ said Shame ‘for I am a poor wretch, chased away by everyone. If you come to look for me among illustrious people, you will not find me, because they do not want to see me and they mock me. If you come to look for me among lowly people, they are so insolent that they care little about me. If you come among women, married, widowed, or maidens, similarly you will not find me, since they flee from me as from a monstrous thing. If you come among the clergy, I will be so far from them, for they chase me away with clubs and wooden clogs, so that up till now I have not found a house where I can stop. And if I do not accompany you, I see myself without any hope.’

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 405 Upon hearing this, the Wind and Water were moved to pity and accepted her into their company. They had not been together long when a very great storm arose and the poor wretch, battered by the Wind and Water, not having a place to rest, was drowned in the sea. Therefore, I looked for her in many places and I am looking for her now, and nor was I ever able to find her, nor any person who knew to tell me where she was. Hence, not finding her, I care little or nothing about her, and I will act my way and you yours, for Shame is not found in the world today.” The tale told by Diana, although she had criticized it, was nonetheless praised a great deal by everyone. But she, who was not ambitious, nor did she very much care about this praise, proposed her riddle in this way, A great lady, beautiful among the beautiful, Reigns in the world among the civilized peoples, Nor is there anyone stranger under the stars. She is pleasing to man, but possesses various defects, She makes the body sick; she wrenches away all virtue; She destroys the mind and all emotions. Wretched is he who by chance falls into her hands, Because she dries up the blood and breeds death.123 The riddle was understood, if not by everyone at least by a majority of them; gluttony124 was that beautiful and strange woman who sickens the body of whoever eats too much, uproots every virtue, and also breeds death, because greater is the number of those who have been killed by gluttony than by a knife. Isabella, who sat next to Diana, seeing her riddle had come to a fitting end, began her tale in this way.

123. “Una gran donna e bella fra le belle / regna nel mondo fra l’umane genti, / né la piú strana v’è sotto le stelle; / aggrada a l’uom, m’ha in sé vari accidenti. / Il corpo inferma, ogni virtute svelle, / il senno strugge e tutti i sentimenti. / Miser chi in le sue man cade per sorte / che ’l sangue asciugge e genera la morte.” 124. In Italian, “gola” (“gluttony”) is a feminine noun.

406 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA ELEVENTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE A fool deceives a gentleman with a trick; he is put in prison for this, and with another trick is freed from the prison.125 There is a widely celebrated saying, that fools are often liked, but not always. So, since mine is the fourth turn for storytelling this evening, a novella came to mind about what a fool did to a gentleman. Even though the gentleman avenged the trick, the fool did not refrain from playing another one on him, by which he was freed from prison. Vicenza, as all of you know, is a noble, rich, splendid city, endowed with roving minds. In that city lived Ettore, born to the ancient and noble Dreseni family,126 who by surpassing all others in the courtesy of his speech and in the greatness of his mind bestowed upon and left to his descendents a noble reputation. So many were the gifts of the soul and body of this gentleman that he earned the right to have his image produced with astounding skill and be placed and hung in the public streets, in the squares, in the temples and theaters, and to be exalted to the heavens. So great was the liberality of this man that it truly seemed that one could not find anything worthy of note that he lacked. Great was his patience in listening, his seriousness in responding, his strength in adverse times, the magnificence of his deeds, his justice and mercy in passing judgment, so that one can truly say that magnanimous Ettore wore the crown in the Dreseni family. It happened that one day a gentleman sent a quarter of a prime calf as a gift to this excellent man. As soon as he arrived at this great man’s house, the servant who carried the meat met a cunning trickster, who, when he saw the servant who had the veal, hurried toward him and asked him who had sent that meat. And when he heard who it was, he told him that he must wait until he notified his master. And when he went back inside he began to juggle, as is the custom of fools, and, staying there a while in order to trick the servant and his master, he did not say anything about the gift. Then he went to the door, thanking the man who had sent it in the name of his master with words suitable for the occasion, and ordered the servant to go with him because Signor Ettore was sending that gift to another gentleman. And so, he shrewdly led the servant inside his own house and when he found his brother there, he gave it to him, with the idea of taking the veal for himself and deceiving his master. When it was done, both returned home, and the servant rendered the due thanks to his master on behalf of Signor Ettore. Then one day, by chance, when the gentleman who had sent the quarter of the calf found himself in the company of the aforementioned Signor Ettore, 125. Tale 7 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 40–45. 126. This was the Trissino family; “Dreseni” was the Vincentine term for the family. In Morlini’s tale the protagonist is Ettore Carafa of Naples. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:690n4.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 407 he asked him, as is customary, if the veal had been good and fat. Not knowing anything about this, Signor Ettore asked him what veal he was talking about, saying he never had either a quarter or a third. The donor who had sent it called his servant and asked him to whom he had given it. The servant provided a description of the man, saying that the man who had taken the meat in his master’s name was a big man, cheerful, with a big belly and stuttered a bit, and he had brought the meat to another gentleman. Immediately, Signor Ettore recognized him by this description, for he usually played similar tricks, and after Ettore had him summoned, he found out what had happened. Then, after he had harshly rebuked him, he had him thrown in prison, and the stocks put on his feet, angry that such a disgrace had been brought upon him by a fool who was not afraid to boldly deceive him. He did not, however, stay in prison the entire day, because at the palace of justice where this parasite was imprisoned there was by chance a guard named Calf,127 whom the prisoner called, either to add insult to injury or to find a cure for his disease. And he wrote a letter to Signor Ettore saying, “My lord, trusting in the generosity of your lordship, I accepted the quarter of a calf sent to you as a gift, but here in the place of a quarter I now send you a whole calf, and I entrust myself to you.” And he sent the guard with the letter who would carry it safely in his name. The guard went immediately to Signor Ettore and gave him the letter. After he read it, the signor immediately ordered two of his servants to go get the calf that the fool had sent and to kill it. The guard, who had heard that the servants must seize him and kill him, drew his sword which he kept at his side and holding it drawn in his hand and having wrapped his cape around his arm, he began to yell loudly, “It is written that deception reigns at the great court. You will not take Calf, if not dead and dismembered. Stand back, servants! If not, you will be killed.” Those present were shocked by the strangeness of the thing and burst out laughing. Hence, the prisoner was set free on account of this joke. And so that very famous philosopher Diogenes rightly said that we should spurn the envy of friends rather than the deceptions of enemies, because the latter is an obvious evil while the former is hidden, but the deception that one does not fear is much more powerful. Since Isabella had ended her brief tale, which was praised in no small way by the honorable company, she put her hand on her weapons and put forth a riddle speaking thus, Two we are in name and only one being. Made with art and full of troubles. Among women we converse without care, 127. The guard’s name is Vitello, which means veal or calf.

408 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA But we are larger among the very rough folk, And innumerable people cannot do without Our skill, nor do we ever complain And are worn out by the work of others, Look, we are no greater than they are.128 This riddle denotes nothing other than scissors, with which women cut threads, but among humble folk, such as tailors, shearers, barbers, and blacksmiths they are much larger than those that women use. The fine riddle did not displease the listeners; instead, they praised it highly. And Vicenza, whose turn was the final one of the evening, began her tale in this way.

128. “Due siam in nome e sol una in presenza, / fatte con arte e fornite con guai. / Fra donne conversian senza avertenza, / ma siam maggior fra genti rozze assai, / e infiniti non posson far senza / nostro valor, né si dogliamo mai, / e consumate per l’altrui lavoro, / guardate non siam piú d’alcun di loro.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 409 ELEVENTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Friar Bigoccio falls in love with Gliceria and, dressed as a layman, he fraudulently takes her as his wife, then when she is pregnant, abandons her and returns to the monastery. When the superior of the monastery learns of this, he marries her off.129 I have heard many times, my dear ladies, that virtue perishes on account of fraud, and this happened to a clergyman who was reputed to be a devout, holy man. Inflamed by love for a young lady, he took her as his wife; and when he was discovered, he did harsh penance and the young woman was honorably married, as you will hear in the course of my speaking. There was in Rome a Friar Bigoccio, who was born of a noble and magnanimous family, very young and endowed with the advantage of a strong body and good fortune. The poor wretch was so inflamed with love for a very beautiful young lady that he was only just barely alive. He did not rest, either day or night; he was quite weak, miserable, and emaciated; doctors could not help him, nor medicine, nor any sort of remedy; hope did not help him, nor did an abundance of paternal wealth. For this reason, while he was dwelling continually on these thoughts, imagining first one then another remedy, he came upon the idea to counterfeit some forged letters addressed to his superior in order to have permission to leave. He composed some fictitious and false letters, pretending that his father was ill, which he wrote to his superior in this way: “Reverend Father, since it pleases almighty and omnipotent God to end my life, nor can death be long in coming for now it is not far away, I decided, before I leave this life, to make my last will and declare my son, who has taken vows with your Reverence, my heir. And because I have no other son left in this old age of mine but this one whom I greatly desire to see, embrace, kiss, and bless, I beg that it pleases you to send him to me with all haste, otherwise, know, your reverence, that dying out of desperation I will go to the Tartarean realms.” When the letters were presented to the superior of the monastery and he had received permission to leave, the aforementioned Bigoccio went to Florence, where his paternal home was and took many jewels and money from his father, bought splendid robes, horses, and household goods and went to Naples where, after renting a house near his beloved, he changed his clothes each day and wore different sorts of silk robes. And having cleverly befriended the father of the woman he loved, he invited him often to lunch or sup with him and gave him gifts, giving him first one thing, then another. After many days had passed in this way, when he found a fitting and opportune moment one day after lunch, they began to speak about different things and certain of his business affairs, as is the custom of those dining together, and 129. Tale 36 of Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 178–81.

410 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA among other things the enamored young man said that he wished to take a wife. And because he understood that his friend had a very charming and beautiful daughter, endowed with every virtue, he would be pleased if he would give her to him as a wife, so that they would be bound with two ties, asserting that he had a fondness for her only due to her exceptional qualities, which had been related to him. The young woman’s father, who was of humble origins, replied to him that if they were to marry, his daughter was not of the same and equal status as he for she was poor and he was rich, she ignoble and he noble; however, when it pleased him, he would give her to him not as a wife, but as a servant. The young man said, “It would not be fitting that such a young woman be given to me as a servant, but due to her qualities she would merit a man of greater lineage than I. Yet, if it pleases you to give her to me not as a serving girl, but as a beloved wife, I will willingly accept her and I will provide her the faithful company that befits a true lady.” In the end, the wedding was celebrated by mutual agreement and Bigoccio took the virgin girl as his wife. When the evening came, the husband and wife went to bed and while touching each other, Friar Bigoccio realized that his wife Gliceria was wearing gloves on her hands and he said to her, “Gliceria, take off your gloves and put them down, for it isn’t fitting that when we are in bed you have gloves on your hands.” Gliceria replied, “My lord, I would not ever touch such things with my bare hands.” Upon hearing this, Friar Bigoccio did not say anything else, but waited to take his pleasure with her. The following night when it was time to go to bed, Friar Bigoccio secretly took the fetters for a sparrow hawk covered with many bells and tied them to his virile member, and without her realizing it, he went to bed and began to caress her, touch her, and kiss her. Gliceria, who had her gloves on her hands and felt the rolling pin from behind, placed her hand on her husband’s member, found the fetters, and said, “My husband, what is this that I am touching? You did not have it last night.” “They are the fetters for going hawking,” and, having climbed the tree, he wanted to put the hoe in the hairy valley. And because the fetters impeded the hoe from entering, Gliceria said, “I do not want the fetters.” “You do not want the fetters,” replied her husband, “and I do not want the gloves.” So, by mutual agreement they threw away the gloves and the fetters. Taking pleasure in each other night and day, the woman became pregnant and they lived together like husband and wife for a year. Then, as the time for the birth drew near, the monk, having secretly taken the good and best things from the house, fled, leaving the woman pregnant, as was said above. Dressed in his old

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 411 clothes, he returned to the monastery. The woman gave birth to a son and waited a long time for her husband. This woman used to sometimes go to the monastery to hear mass. It happened one day by chance, or rather thanks to almighty God, she found her husband the monk who was saying mass and she recognized him. So, as soon as she could, she went to find the superior of this monastery and recounted to him in detail what had happened, as is recounted above. His superior, after finding this out and realizing it was true, wrote up a charge against him, and once sealed he sent it to the head of the congregation who had the monk seized and gave him a penance that he remembered for all of the days of his life. Then, with money from the monastery he secretly married off the woman, giving her to another man in matrimony, and taking the child, he had it raised. Here charming Vicenza ended her tale, which was universally praised by everyone and they enjoyed the part when the woman with the gloves on her hands found the fetters with the bells. And because the hour was by now late, the Signora ordered Vicenza to tell her riddle and she, without waiting for another command, spoke thus, I take my form from everyone but myself, Look well at what state I am in; If anyone comes before me who is Happy or sad, I am as he who desires. And because I distinguish the truth from the lie, Many call me fraudulent and wicked. This seems impossible, yet it is true. I do not know how to make white look black.130 No one could say what the riddle told by Vicenza was meant to signify, for the true meaning was hidden under the bark. But prudent Vicenza, so as not to leave it unsolved, explained it in this way, “My riddle describes nothing other than the mirror, in which both men and women gaze. It takes the form of each person who looks at it, but not its own. It cannot show you one thing for another, but shows you just as you are.” Witty was the riddle and witty the solution. But because by then the dawn already began to appear, the Signora gave everyone permission to go rest, on the condition, however, that everyone come well-armed the following evening, 130. “D’ognun prendo se non la forma mia, / guardate ben qual è lo stato mio; / se me si fa dinanzi aclun che stia / lieto o doglioso, io sto com’ha il disio. / E perché mostro il ver da la bugia, / molti mi chiaman frodolente e rio. / Questo par impossibil, gli è pur vero, / ch’io non so dimostrar bianco per nero.”

412 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA because she wanted everyone to tell a brief tale accompanied by a fine riddle. And everyone promised to do this.131 THE END OF THE ELEVENTH NIGHT

131. This actually happens on the thirteenth night, not the twelfth.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 413 THE TWELFTH NIGHT The pretty birds with large eyes had already ceded to the darkness of the night, and the bats, enemies of the sun devoted to Proserpina,132 had already left their habitual caves and glided merrily through the misty air, when the honorable and pleasant company, having put aside every vexing and troubling thought, cheerfully gathered in the usual spot. When the young women had seated themselves in the usual order, the Signora came and gave them a charming greeting; then, after they had danced a few dances while conversing affectionately, the Signora, as pleased her, ordered that the gold vase be brought to her. Putting her hand inside, she drew out the names of five young maidens, the first of which was Lionora, the second Lodovica, the third Fiordiana, the fourth Vicenza, and the fifth Isabella. These and the other women were given free rein to be able to speak openly about what pleased them most, on this condition, however, that they be briefer and more concise than they had been during the preceding nights. Each one of them, for her part, was quite willing to satisfy this request. When the young maidens who were to tell stories had been chosen, the Signora gestured to Trivigiano and Molino to sing a song. Most obedient to her orders, after having taken up their instruments and tuned them, they artfully sang the following song in this way, If time carries off every mortal beauty With its swift flight, Why delay further, lady, my rescue? Fragile life flees, And hopes are fleeting and frail, Our desires long and the hours short, The thought of which destroys me. But go slowly, oh cruel fate of mortals. Having repented your error and my death, And your cruelty, you will weep. But help me While there is courage in you and life in me.133

132. Carried off by the god of the underworld, Pluto, Proserpina was said to spend a portion of the year with him (winter), depending on the version of the myth from three to six months, and then was allowed to visit her mother Ceres, goddess of grain, for the rest of the year. Proserpina’s story is the myth of springtime and its cyclical return. 133. “S’el tempo invola ogni mortal bellezza / col rapido suo corso / ché piú tardate donna al mio soccorso? / La vita lieve fugge / e le speranze son caduche e frali, / le nostre voglie lunghe e l’ore corte, / di che ’l pensier mi strugge; / ma tarda, o dura sorte de’ mortali, / del vostro error pentita e di mia morte / voi piangerete e di vostra durezza. / Però datemi aita / mentre è valor in voi e in me vita.”

414 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The delightful song, harmoniously sung by Trivigiano and Molino, pleased everyone, and everyone praised it highly in loud voices. But then when the Signora saw that everyone was silent, she ordered Lionora, whose turn it was by chance to tell the first tale of the twelfth night, to begin the storytelling. Without delay, she began in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 415 TWELFTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE Jealous of his own wife, Florio is cleverly tricked by her, and once cured of this infirmity he lives happily with his wife.134 Many, many times, loving and charming ladies, I have heard it said that neither knowledge nor art is effective against the cunning of women, and this proceeds from the fact that they are not produced from the trodden, dry earth, but from the rib of our father Adam; and so they are made of flesh and not of earth, even though in the end their bodies are reduced to dust.135 Therefore, having to begin our merry discussions, I have decided to tell you a novella about a jealous man who, although he was wise, was nonetheless tricked by his wife, and in a short time changed from a fool into a wise man. In Ravenna, a very ancient city in Romagna full of famous men, especially in the field of medicine, there was long ago a man from a very noble family, a rich and a very excellent physician whose name was Florio. Because this man was young and much loved by everyone, in part because he was charming and in part because he was very skilled in his art, he took as a wife a charming and very beautiful young woman named Doratea. And due to her beauty, he was beset by such worry and fear that others would defile his marriage bed that no hole or crack appeared in the entire house that was not very well plugged up and sealed with lime mortar, and iron jalousies were placed on all of the windows.136 Besides this, he did not permit anyone, whether a close relative or someone bound to him by marriage and friendship, to enter his house. The wretch strove with all study and vigilance to remove all of the things that could stain his wife’s purity and make her stray from being faithful to him. And although according to civil and municipal laws those who are imprisoned for debts must be freed on account of the guarantee of bail given to their creditors, and more important, although imprisoned criminals and delinquents after a certain amount of time are freed, it was not, however, possible for her, serving a perpetual sentence, to ever go out of the house and free herself from such servitude, for he kept trusted guards to watch the house and to serve her, nor was he any less of a guard than the others, except he had the freedom to leave as he liked. Not that 134. Tale 26 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 126–31. 135. This interpretation of Genesis was frequently offered by prowomen writers engaged in the querelle des femmes, or debate on the status of women, to demonstrate female superiority and counter negative readings of the creation of Eve that emphasized women’s subordination to men. The argument appears in Henricus Cornelius Agrippa’s Declamation on the Nobility and Preeminence of the Female Sex (1529) which circulated widely in sixteenth-century Italy: Agrippa, Declamation, ed. and trans. Albert Rabil, Jr. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1996), 50. 136. The name of this type of window blinds or shutters is significant in both English (jalousies, from the French word for jealous) and Italian (gelosie).

416 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA he ever left, however, as a provident and very shrewd man, without first having most diligently searched all the holes and cracks in the house and very carefully fastened all the windows and doors with his chains and locked them with superbly crafted keys. And so his wife passed every day of her life under this harsh punishment. Moved to feel compassion due to her husband’s madness, since she was the mirror of virtue and modesty and one could compare her to the Roman Lucretia,137 that most prudent wife decided to cure him of such a horrible infirmity. She thought that this could not happen unless the trick demonstrated what women are capable of making and doing. It happened that she and her husband had planned together to go dressed as monks the following morning to a monastery outside the city to confess. So, when she found a way to open a window, looking between the slats of the iron blinds she saw that by chance a young man who was most ardently inflamed with love for her was passing by. She cautiously called him and said to him, “Early tomorrow you will go dressed as a monk to the monastery that lies outside the city and wait there for me until you see me and my husband come there wearing the same habit. And then, hurrying, full of joy, you will come to meet us and embrace me and kiss me, and you will give us something to eat and you will enjoy my unexpected arrival, for my husband and I have both arranged to go tomorrow morning to that monastery to confess dressed in monk’s robes. Be clever, willing, and vigilant, and do not fail to follow my advice.” Once she said this, the astute young man left, dressed himself as a monk, and prepared a meal with all sorts of delicate foods and many excellent wines. Then he went to the aforementioned monastery, was given a cell by those reverend fathers, and slept there that night. When the morning came, he had the table set with other delicacies for lunch besides those that he had already brought there. When that was done, he began to pace in front of the door of the monastery and he was not there long before he saw his Doratea, who came dressed in monkish garb. He met her with a merry and cheerful face and he almost fainted from the excess of sudden joy. Then putting aside every fear, he said to her, “How pleasant and merry is your arrival for me, most beloved Brother Felice, I will leave you to consider, for we have not seen each other for a long time,” and upon saying these word they hugged each other, and drenching their faces with feigned tears, they kissed. Welcoming them, he made them come to his cell and had them sit at the table that was divinely set and lacked nothing that one could desire.

137. After the Roman noblewoman Lucretia was raped by Tarquin, she revealed the crime to her family and then killed herself. A paragon of female chastity and virtue, Lucretia’s story was retold multiple times in the context of the querelle des femmes and depicted in paintings. See note 88 in the introduction.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 417 And sitting next to the woman, he kissed her sweetly with almost every bite. The jealous man, due to the pecularity of the situation, was completely astonished, shocked, and confused by the very great sorrow he felt. Seeing his wife kissed by the monk in his presence, he could not swallow any bite he took, no matter how small, nor could he spit it out. They spent the whole day in such delight and pleasure. With the evening drawing near, the jealous man asked permission to leave, saying that they had spent a long time outside of their own monastery and must return. At last and not without difficulty he received permission, and after many embraces and sensual kisses they left most regretfully. When they had returned home and the husband realized that he had been the cause of all of this evil and that it had been a unnecessary and useless to wish to resist the subtle tricks of women, already almost conquered and beaten by her, he opened the windows and the locks that had been made for him so that there was no other house with more windows than that one, and he loosened all the bonds, leaving his wife in liberty, and put aside all fear. And cured of such a serious illness, he lived peacefully with his wife. And she, freed from the harsh prison, loyally fulfilled her promise to her husband. Charming Lionora had already ended her delightful tale, which was not praised enough by everyone, when the Signora commanded her to follow the order with a clever riddle and not waiting for another command she cheerfully spoke thus: There was, I saw one morning, a disheveled woman Sitting on the ground, her legs apart, With a thing in the wide entryway— A pit—held between her legs. She was delighted, having grabbed another in her hand, White, fat, round, and putting it inside. She wriggled and squeezed it so That she made a sweet liquor issue forth.138 This riddle made the men whisper and due to their great laughter the women lowered their heads to their laps; there was no one, however, who understood it. Hence, bold Lionora explained it in this way, “She was a country girl who with her braids undone was sitting on the ground with her legs open, and between them she held the mortar and in one hand the pestle, and she pressed the herbs that were inside there so much that the juice came out with which she made the sauce.” 138. “Star vidi una mattina scapigliata / in terra a gambe aperte una sedendo, / e una cosa d’assai larga entrata / e cava tra le cosce ritraendo. / Godeva, e un’altra a piena man pigliata, / bianca, grossa e rotunda entro mettendo. / Tanto la dimenava e ben premeva, / ch’un liquor dolce uscir fuor li faceva.”

418 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The explanation of the misunderstood riddle was praiseworthy and everyone commended it highly with one voice. And after they had laughed a bit, the Signora ordered Lodovica to begin her tale. Not bashful, but mild, she began to speak in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 419 TWELFTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE A madman who has the chance to sleep with a charming and very beautiful woman is rewarded in the end by her husband.139 I had in my mind to tell you a tale on another subject, but the novella recounted by my sister here made me change my mind. I want to show you that being mad is often beneficial and that no one should share their secrets with madmen. In Pisa, a most noble city in Tuscany, there lived in our day a very beautiful woman whose name I will pass over in silence out of respect. This woman, who was joined in matrimony to a very noble, rich, and powerful family, very ardently loved a young man who was no less handsome or pleasant than she. And she made him come to her every day around noon and with their minds at ease they would often turn to wielding Cupid’s weapons. Both of them felt very great delight and pleasure in this. It happened that one day a madman, yelling as loud as he could, followed a dog that was running away and carrying off the meat it had stolen from him. And he followed, yelling at it, with many people making a racket. The dog, now mindful of its own health, which it had not considered, and eager to save its own life, finding the door of this woman’s house slightly ajar, went in and hid itself. The madman, who saw the dog go in the door of that house, began to yell in a loud voice, knocking on the door and saying, “Drive out that big thief who is hidden here and do not seek to hide scoundrels who deserve death. Stop there!” The woman, who had her lover in the house, fearing that many men would gather and the young man would be discovered and her sin would be evident, and fearing that she be punished for adultery according to the laws, quietly opened the door and let this madman into the house. And when the door was shut, she kneeled before him like a supplicant and begged him please to be quiet, offering herself as ready and willing to satisfy his every desire, on the condition that he not make known the young adulterer. The madman—wise however in this—having put his anger aside, began to sweetly embrace her and kiss her and they briefly fought the battle of Venus together. No sooner had they untangled themselves from the valorous deed than her husband arrived unexpectedly, knocked at the door, and called for someone to come and open it for him. But that excellent and illustrious wife, struck by such unexpected and sudden bad fortune, not knowing during such a catastrophe what advice to follow, faithfully hid the adulterer, who was frozen by fear and already half dead under the bed, and made the madman climb up the chimney. Then she opened the door for her husband and caressing him merrily invited him to lie down with her. And because it was wintertime, the husband ordered that a fire 139. Tale 30 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 146–51.

420 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA be lit, because he wanted to warm himself. The wood was brought in to light it; however, it was not dry wood, but very green wood, so that it did not light very quickly. Due to the smoke from this wood the madman’s eyes itched and he was suffocating to the point that he could not draw a breath, nor could he keep from sneezing often. So the husband, looking in the chimney, saw where he had hidden himself. And thinking that he was a thief, he began to rebuke and threaten him vehemently. To which the madman said, “You see me well, but the one who is hidden under the bed you do not see. I have been with your wife only one time, but he has polluted your bed more than a thousand times.” When the husband heard these words wrath overtook him and looking under the bed, he found the adulterer and killed him. The madman, climbed down from the chimney, took a thick club and began to scream in a loud voice, saying, “You killed my debtor, by God, if you do not pay me the debt, I will accuse you before the magistrate and I will see you are found guilty of murder.” The murderer, considering these words and seeing that he could not prevail over the madman, and finding himself in great danger, shut his mouth with a bag full of money. For this reason, his madness earned him that which wisdom would have lost. When Lodovica had finished her very brief tale, she began telling a riddle without waiting for another command from the Signora, and spoke thus, My courteous ladies, I go to meet The friend who gives me such delight And arriving there, I quickly have him given to me And between one thigh and the other I put him. That fuss then, that makes all of you ladies Joyful, I seize, and pulling it Back and forth it sends forth a sweetness That often makes you pine with love.140 Having heard the learned riddle, the women refrained from laughing heartily as best they could, but forced by its sweetness, they could not help from smiling a little. There were some women who rebuked her, saying that such filthy speech tarnished her good reputation. But she, feeling her honor stung, said, “An upset stomach spews forth only things that are wicked and bad. You, whose stomachs are absolutely disgusting, judge that which was not my intent. The riddle, then, describes a violone, which, in order to play and to delight others, the woman 140. “Cortesi donne mie, vommi a trovare / l’amico che mi dà tanto diletto, / e ivi giunta, tosto me ’l fo dare / e tra una coscia e l’altra me lo metto. / Quella novella poi, che rallegrare / tutte vi face, piglio, e inanzi e indietro / menandola, ne manda un dolce fuore / che languire vi fan spesso d’amore.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 421 places between one thigh and the other, and taking the bow in her right hand, she pulls it up and down, so that a sweet sound comes out that makes everyone pine for love.” Everyone was satisfied and content with the witty interpretation of the clever riddle and they declared her to be worthy. But so that they did not lose time, the Signora ordered Fiordiana to begin a pleasant tale of love, using however, that brevity that the other women had used until now. And without holding back her voice behind her teeth, she spoke thus.

422 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA TWELFTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE When forced by his wife to tell her a secret, Federico da Pozzuolo, who understood the language of animals, beat her beyond measure.141 Wise and cunning men must keep their wives in fear, and not let them put breeches on their heads, for if they do otherwise they will be sorry in the end. While riding one day toward Naples on a mare that by chance was pregnant, a discreet young man named Federico da Pozzuolo142 took along his wife, who was also pregnant, on horseback. The mare’s colt, following his mother at a distance, began to whinny and said in his language, “Mother, walk slowly, because since I am young and only a year old, I cannot follow your strides running.” The mare, laying back her ears and blowing hard through her nostrils, began to whinny and responding to him said, “I am carrying the mistress who is pregnant and I also have your brother in my womb, and you who are young, light, and without any weight on you, refuse to walk. Come if you want to come; if not, do as you like.” Hearing these words, the young man smiled because he understood the languages of birds and land animals. His wife, surprised by this, asked him why he was laughing. Her husband replied to her that he had laughed spontaneously to himself, but if at some point he told her the reason why, she could be sure that the Fates would immediately cut the thread of his life and he would die quite young. The importunate wife replied to him that she wanted to know at all costs why he was laughing, and if she did not find out, she would hang herself by her neck. The husband, now finding himself in such dubious danger, replied to her, speaking to her thusly, “When we return to Pozzuolo and my affairs are in order and provisions made for my soul and body, then I will reveal everything to you.” With these promises, his wicked and evil wife quieted down. Then when they had returned to Pozzuolo, she immediately remembered the promise and she urged her husband to do what he had promised. The husband replied to her that she should go call the confessor, for since he had to die on account of this, he wanted first to confess and commend himself to God. Once that was done, he would tell her everything. She then, desiring the death of her husband, went to call the confessor rather than leave aside her dreadful wish. As he lay grieving in his bed, he heard the dog that said these words to the rooster that was singing, “Are you not ashamed,” he said, “you evil scoundrel? Our master is not far from death and you, who should be sad and unwilling, sing with joy?” The rooster promptly replied, “And if the master dies, what is it to me? Am I the cause of his death? He freely wishes to die. Do you not know what is written in 141. Tale 71 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 312–15. 142. This is Pozzuoli, a city northwest of Naples.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 423 the first book of the Politics, women and servants hold the same rank.143 Since the husband is the head of the wife,144 the wife must consider her husband’s morals to be the law of her life. I have one hundred wives and I make them all very obedient to my commands through fear, and I punish sometimes one, sometimes another, and I beat them. And he has but one wife and he does not know how to teach her to be obedient. Let him die, then. Do you not think that she would be able to find another husband? So be it if he is so worthless that he wants to obey the mad and unbridled whim of his wife.” When he had understood and considered well these words, the young man changed his mind and thanked the rooster very much. And with his wife insistently asking the reason why he had laughed, he took her by the hair and began to beat her and he gave her so many blows that he almost left her dead. The women who listened to the tale did not like it very much, and least of all when they heard the husband had beaten up his wife, but they were also very sorry that she would cause her husband’s death. Since everyone was silent, Fiordiana, in order not to disturb the order they had begun, told her riddle in this way, I saw a girl, and it should not seem strange, Who tightened and loosened a slit. She stuck the tip of I do not know what About a palm’s length into the slit, And then, all of it; and she, cheerful and slow, Enjoyed herself immensely with that instrument. I liked this a great deal, and you cannot believe it, Seeing such a thing done with hands and feet.145 The riddle told by Fiordiana gave everyone much reason for laughter, for, if not everyone, at least the majority of them judged it to be most indecent. But Fiordiana, who already realized from the great amount of laughter that she had been misjudged, rose to her feet and with a charming look on her face said, “My ladies and gentlemen, your pleasant laughter clearly indicates to me that you deem our riddle to be dirty, or rather very dirty. But in truth, if you will pay attention with your ears, you will not find it as filthy as you deem it. Our riddle describes 143. This quotation from Aristotle’s Politics (1.2.4) is translated directly from Morlini’s tale: Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:716n1. 144. Saint Paul, Ephes. 5:23: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:716n2. 145. “Vid’una, né paia cosa strana, / ch’una fessa stringeva e allargava. / Un non so che, dopo, lungo una spana, / prima la punta nel fesso ficcava, / il tutto dopo; ed ella allegra e piana / con tal stromento assai si sollacciava. / Piacquemi questo molto, e tu nol credi / veder tal cosa far con mani e piedi.”

424 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA nothing but the pretty weaver who moves the treadle with her feet, and with her hands makes the shuttle go here and there through the crack and pulls the frame toward herself so that the cloth is made tighter.” Everyone commended Fiordiana’s excellent wit, and they held it to be greater than what they had judged, and they rejoiced greatly with her. And so that they would not use up time on further discussions and so that the laughter did not proceed further, the Signora made a sign to Vicenza to follow the order with her tale. And she, all merry, began to speak in this way.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 425 TWELFTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE On some children who did not want to execute their father’s will.146 The greatest folly that man or woman can commit is this: that is, to wait until after their death to do good, inasmuch as nowadays people have little or no use for remaining faithful to the dead, and we have experienced this, because that little good that was left we were never able to obtain. And this happened due to executors who, wishing to enrich the rich, impoverished the poor, as you will hear as I speak. I tell you then that in Pesaro, a city in Romagna,147 there was a citizen who was highly esteemed and rich, but miserly when it came to spending money. And having arrived at the end of his life, he made his last will and testament, in which he made his children, because he had many of them, equal heirs and ordered them to pay many of his bequests and trusts. And so once he was dead, buried, and mourned according to the customs of his homeland, they gathered together and discussed what they should do with the bequests that their father left for his soul, which were many and excessive, inasmuch as if they executed them they would certainly swallow up almost the entire inheritance. Therefore, doing so would have been rather more harmful to them than beneficial. Then, having considered everything, the youngest of these brothers rose and spoke these words, “Know, my brothers, that it is more true than the truth, if one can say this, that if our father’s soul is buried and condemned in the depths of the abyss, it is useless to pay the bequests for his eternal rest since there is no redemption at all in hell; on the contrary, those who enter there have no hope of ever getting out. But if he is in the florid Elysian fields where there is perpetual eternal rest, he does not need bequests or trusts. But if he is in the middle circle where within certain bounds sins are purged, it is clear that, since they will be purged, he will loosen and free himself completely from his bonds, nor will the bequests be of any benefit.148 For this reason, leaving aside our father’s soul to be subject to divine providence, let us divide the paternal inheritance and enjoy it as long as we live, as our father enjoyed it while he lived, so that the dead are not better off than the living.” I conclude, therefore, based on this brief novella of mine, that we must do good while we are living and not after our death, inasmuch as nowadays, as I said at the beginning of my discussion, people have little or no use for remaining faithful to the dead. 146. Tale 27 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 132–35. 147. Pesaro sits on the shores of the Adriatic in the Marches region. 148. The brother’s description of hell combines both pagan (Elysian fields) and Christian references (the middle circle is Purgatory).

426 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Everyone liked the ingenious advice of the clever younger brother, but Vicenza, whose turn it was, did not. But so that she would not be sad, she wanted to end her tale with a merry and delightful riddle, saying, With songs I come and place myself near you, Then I stretch out above your body, And inside your hole I place my length, And I happily take some of your juice. And the deeper I lower it in, The more I take delight and the more I am inflamed. I go inside singing and, if dry, I come out miserable and in tears.149 The riddle describes the serving girl who goes to the well to draw water early in the morning or in the evening, for while she goes the buckets squeak and when she arrives at the well she rests on it. Taking the cord in hand, she places it with the bucket inside the well and with delight draws the water; the more she sends the bucket to the bottom, the more she burns pulling it out because she draws out fresher water. And placing it in a dry well, she shrieks, and pulling it out, she falls silent and cries. The company took great amusement and delight in the pleasant riddle, nor could they refrain from laughing heartily. But when they were quiet, Isabella began her tale speaking thus.

149. “Con canti vengo e presso te mi pongo, / poi sopra il corpo tuo tutto mi stendo, / dentro del bucco tuo metto il mio lungo, / e del tuo succo con diletto prendo. / E quanto piú nel fondo lo perlongo, / tanto piú mi compiaccio e piú m’incendo. / Asciuto me ne vo dentro cantando, / e torno fuor pietoso e lagrimando.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 427 TWELFTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE The supreme pontiff Sixtus made his servant named Gerolamo rich with just one word.150 So fine and witty have been the tales that these sisters of ours have told that I fear that I will miss the mark due to the baseness of my wit. I do not want, however, to abandon the fine order begun. And although the novella that I intend to tell was written by Giovanni Boccaccio in his Decameron, it is not however, told there in the way that you will hear it now, since I have added something that makes it more praiseworthy.151 Sixtus IV, the greatest pontiff from the Genovese nation, born in the maritime city of Savona and first named Francesco da Rovere,152 was going to school in Naples during his youth and had with him a compatriot from his city called Gerolamo da Riario,153 who served him continuously, and he served him not only when he went to school, but also after he had become a monk and prelate. And then, when he ascended to the great pontifical court, that man, always serving him justly and with faith, had grown old. And when Sixtus, after the unexpected death of the supreme pontiff Paul,154 was elevated to the supreme papal rank, he took care of his servants and domestics for the service he had received from them, as is the custom, and he rewarded them generously and beyond measure, except for this Gerolomo, who, for his faithful service and for his great love, was paid with forgetfulness and ingratitude. I believe this happened due to some bad luck of his rather than for any other reason. Hence, this Gerolomo, overcome by ill will and profound grief, desired to ask permission to leave and to return to his homeland. And having kneeled in the presence of His Holiness, he obtained permission. And so great was the ingratitude of this pope, who not only did not give him money, horses, and servants, but forced him, which is the worst part, to 150. Tale 5 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 30–37. 151. Boccaccio tells the story of the worthy knight Messer Ruggieri de’ Figiovanni who feels slighted by the king of Spain, Alphonso, in the Decameron (10.1). Messer Ruggieri rides away from the ungrateful king, but on a mule, rather than on a horse, and the king’s servant overhears his words when the mule stops at a river. Called back to Spain by the king, Messer Ruggieri unsuccessfully attempts to choose which of the two chests placed before him contains jewels (rather than dirt). The king notes that fortune does not favor Messer Ruggieri and gives him the chest full of jewels in gratitude for his loyal service. 152. Francesco della Rovere (1414–1484), a Franciscan, was elected pope in 1471. 153. Girolamo Riario (1443–1488) was Sixtus IV’s nephew and became the ruler of the cities of Forlì and Imola. 154. Born Pietro Barbo in Venice in 1417, Pope Paul II was elected pope in 1464 and ruled until his death in 1471.

428 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA provide an accounting of all that he had done, just like Scipio Africanus,155 who gave a public accounting of his wounds before the Roman people and saw himself remunerated with exile as the reward for his great deeds. And in truth it is well said that the worst part of cupidity is ingratitude. So then leaving Rome and going toward Naples, not a word fell from his lips, except when passing by some water that was along the way. The horse stopped because it wished to rest, and it rested there adding water to the water. And seeing this Gerolomo said, “I see you are quite similar to my master who, in doing everything beyond measure, has left me to come home without any remuneration and has dismissed me as the reward for my long labor. And who is more wretched than the man who sees his living fall away and perish and abuses approach?” The servant who was following him committed these words to memory and judged that Gerolomo surpassed Mutius, Pompey, and Zeno156 in patience, and in this way, they arrived in Naples. The servant took his leave and upon returning to Rome recounted everything in detail to the pontiff. After he had considered these words, he had the messenger go back, writing to Gerolomo that under pain of excommunication he should return and appear before him. When he read these letters, Gerolomo rejoiced and went to Rome as fast as he could and, after the kissing of the feet, the pontiff ordered that the following day at the hour of council after the sound of the trumpet, Gerolamo should come immediately to the College of Cardinals. The pontiff had two very beautiful vases of the same size made, in one of them he put a great quantity of pearls, rubies, sapphires, precious stones, and jewels of very great value, in the other there was only metal, and both vases were the same weight. In the morning when the priests, bishops, presidents, diplomats, and prelates had come to the College of Cardinals and the pontiff was sitting in his tribunal, he had the two aforementioned vases brought to him, made Gerolomo come before him, and spoke these words, “Very dear and most beloved sons, this man above all the others was faithful to my orders, and he behaved so from the early 155. All of the references to classical personages here are drawn from Valerius Maximus’s Memorable Deeds and Sayings, a first-century collection of historical anecdotes. A celebrated general who defeated Hannibal, Scipio Africanus withdrew into a self-imposed exile when the Romans turned against him and his brother Lucius following the defeat of the Syrian general Antiochus III. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:724–25n3. 156. Again the stories of these three figures derive from Valerius Maximus and depict individuals who patiently withstood physical pain, while demonstrating great determination. Gaius Mutius Scaevola was captured by the Etruscans as he tried to assassinate their leader, Porsena. Once captured, he thrust his right hand into a fire to demonstrate his strength and resolve. Pompey was a Roman ambassador who held his finger in a lantern’s flame to prove he would not give up any secrets. After plotting to overthrow the tyrant Nearchus, the Greek philosopher Zeno endured horrible tortures before dying. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:725–26n3.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 429 years, so that one could not say enough about him; and so that he obtain the reward for his good service and sooner has reason to complain about his luck rather than about my ingratitude, I will allow him to choose between these two vases, and let it be his choice to take and enjoy the one he will choose.” But that unhappy and unlucky man, thinking over and over first to take the one, then the other, chose by his bad luck the one that was full of metal. And upon uncovering the other vase and seeing that it held inside the great treasure of gems, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, rubies, topaz, and other sort of precious stones, Gerolomo was completely stunned and half dead. Since the pontiff saw him upset and thoroughly depressed, he exhorted him to confess, saying this had happened due to his unconfessed sins; having absolved him of them, he gave him as penance that he must come at a certain determined hour to the College of Cardinals every day for a year, when they were dealing with the secrets of kings and lords, during which no one was permitted to enter, and say an Ave Maria in his ears. He ordered that upon Gerolamo’s arrival all of the doors be immediately opened and that he be given free access to enter as honorably as one could. Therefore, without saying a word, Gerolamo, went to the pope with great dignity, or rather with great self-importance, and ascending to the papal throne did the penance that had been ordered to do. When it was done, he went back outside. Those present were very surprised by this, and the ambassadors wrote to their princes that Gerolamo was the pontiff and he dealt with everything in the College of Cardinals as he wished. For this reason, he collected a large amount of money, and so many, many gifts were sent to him from Christian princes that in little time he became very rich, and one could hardly find a richer man in Italy. And with the year of penance having passed, he was content and laden with many gifts and riches. And after he was made a gentleman of Naples, Forlì, and many other cities, although previously of a lowly status, he became an eminent and illustrious man, like Tullus Hostilius and David,157 who spent their youth grazing sheep and when they were older, the one ruled over and doubled the Roman Empire and the other reigned over the kingdom of the Hebrews. When the tale told by Isabella came to its desired end, Molino rose to his feet and said, “There was no need, Signora Isabella, to make any excuse at the beginning of your tale, for it wrests the prize from all of the others that have been recounted this evening.” To which Isabella replied, “Signor Antonio, if I believed that you were speaking truthfully, I would greatly rejoice, since I would be praised by the one who is lauded by everyone. But because you say this in jest, I will remain in my ignorance, leaving the prize to these sisters of mine who are wiser than I.” 157. Like the biblical King David, Tullus Hostilius, a legendary king of Rome, was a lowly shepherd before rising to power.

430 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA But so that they would not continue speaking, the Signora made a sign to her to follow with the riddle, and she, joyful for the prize that had been given to her, spoke thus: It was time then, sir, but is not now, That which I go retracting, one cannot; Then when I did not have it, I gave some to you And now that I have it, I no longer give it to you. It will be very hard to think to yourself, Who I am, who I was; what I had then, I don’t have now, But go in the street asking Her to give you some of what she now does not have.158 Here witty Isabella put an end to her riddle and because it was quite mysterious, they interpreted it in different ways. But there was no one who fully understood it. Seeing this, Isabella with a cheerful, fair face said smiling, “With your permission, ladies and gentlemen, we will explain the riddle recited by us, which shows nothing other than an unmarried woman in love who was subject to her lover, but once she married she no longer recognized her lover. Hence, she persuaded him to go through the streets asking for the love of those women who did not have husbands.” The learned explanation of the subtle riddle pleased everyone very much and they all praised it. Already the crested rooster was announcing the bright day, when the splendid ladies and gentlemen took their leave of the Signora who with a cheerful face requested that they return the following evening to the fine hall; and all of them graciously replied that they would. THE END OF THE TWELFTH NIGHT

158. “Tempo già fu, signor, ch’ora non è, / né quel ch’è ito ritrattar si può; / allor quand’io non l’ebbi te ne diè / e or che l’aggio piú non te ne do. / Duro ti fia assai pensar fra te, / chi son, chi fui, già l’ebbi e or non l’ho; / ma per la strada dimandando va / che quella te ne dia, ch’ora non l’ha.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 431 THE THIRTEENTH NIGHT Phoebus had already abandoned our region and the day’s shining splendor had already gone, nor could you clearly discern anything, when the Signora, having left her chamber with the ten maidens, went to the stairs, receiving joyfully the noble company that had already disembarked from the boats. And after they had seated themselves according to their rank, the Signora said, “It would seem fitting to me that after we have danced and sung a song, everyone, the men as well as the women, tell a tale, for it is not fair that only women have to bear this burden. And if, however, it pleases this honorable company, everyone will recount their tale on the condition, however, that it be brief, so that on this last evening of Carnival all of us can tell a tale. And the lord ambassador, as the most important person among us, will be first, then the others will follow one by one according to their rank.” Everyone liked the Signora’s suggestion and, after they had danced a number of dances, the Signora commanded Trivigiano and Molino to tune their instruments and sing a song. They, sons of obedience, took their lutes and sang the following song, Lady, as much beauty and grace Ever found in a pure soul, Gentle nature put all in you. If I gaze on your beautiful face The most beautiful neck, the white breast In which love reigns and raves, I will speak my mind, You were certainly created in paradise And sent down here to honor Our century and save it from its error, And to show the greatness of— After much turning from the heat and cold— The glory of the blessed up in heaven.159 Everyone was quite pleased with the song sung by Trivigiano and Molino and praised it highly. When it was finished, the Signora asked the ambassador to begin the storytelling. And he, who was no boor, began to speak thus.

159. “Donna, quanta bellezza e leggiadria / giamai fu in alma pura / tutta la pose in voi gentil natura. / S’io miro nel bel viso / la bellissima gola, il bianco petto, / nel qual si regge e si vaneggia amore, / dico nel mio concetto: / sete create certo in paradiso / e mandata qua giú a far onore / al secol nostro e trarlo fuor d’errore, / e mostrar quanto sia / dopo molto girar di caldo e gelo / la gloria di beati su ne ’l cielo.”

432 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, FIRST TALE The physician Maestro Gasparino skillfully cured the insane.160 Heavy is the burden that the Signora has given me to tell tales, for it is a woman’s duty rather than a man’s; but since this is her wish and that of this honorable and worthy company, I will force myself, if not wholly, at least in some small part, to satisfy your desire. There was in England a father of a family who was very rich and had only one son, named Gasparino. He sent him to the University of Padua, so that he could study. But, caring little about books, or about surpassing the other students in learning, he dedicated all of his studying to cards and other games, associating with certain dissolute companions of his who were devoted to lascivious and worldly pleasures. Hence, he spent his time in vain and his money, because while he should have been studying medicine and the works of Galen, he studied fine dining, playing cards, and taking pleasure in all of those things that delighted him. And after five years had passed, he returned home and proved that he had forgotten the things he had learned, because although he wanted to appear Roman, everyone considered him to be a Barbarian and a Chaldean, and he was known throughout the city and the men pointed at him so that everyone gossiped about him. How much grief this caused his father, I will let you imagine, because, although he would have preferred to lose his money and his daily bread rather than lose the means to make his son a worthy man, he lost both. For this reason, the father, wishing to mitigate his immense pain, called his son before him and after he had opened the strong box with his money and jewels, he gave him half of his possessions, which in truth he did not deserve, saying to him, “My son, take your part of the paternal inheritance, and go far away from me because I would rather be without sons than live with you in disgrace.” Quicker said than done, the son, obeying his father, took the money willingly and left. After he had gone quite a distance, he came to an opening in a wood through which a great river flowed. There he built a marvelously crafted, fine palace of marble, with bronze doors and the river winding around it. He made some pools with valves for the water that he filled or emptied as he pleased. Hence, he had some of them where the water came in as high as the height of a man, some up to the breasts, some up to the navel, others to the thighs, and still others to the knees. And around each of these pools he had an iron chain placed. And above the gate of this place he had a sign made that said, “Place for Curing the Insane.” And when the fame of this palace had spread, everyone everywhere knew what it was like. So, a great number of madmen from all over assembled there to cure themselves, or rather, to be more direct, they rained down there. The maestro 160. Tale 77 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 360–65.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 433 placed them in those pools according to their madness, and some of them he cured with blows, others with vigils and fasting, and others with the thinness and temperateness of the air, and little by little he restored their sound minds. In front of the door in the very spacious courtyard there were some madmen and goodfor-nothings who, because they were under the pounding rays of the hot sun, were suffering a good deal. It happened that a hunter passed by there who was carrying a sparrowhawk on his fist and was surrounded by a great many dogs. Quite amazed that he was riding with birds and dogs, as soon as these madmen saw him one of them asked him what type of bird he had on his fist, if it was a trap, or a snare for birds, and why he kept it. The hunter replied to him immediately, “This is a very rapacious bird called a sparrow-hawk; these are dogs that go looking for quail, fat and tasty birds. This bird catches them and I eat them.” Then the madman said to him, “Well, tell me, I beg you, how much did you pay for these dogs and this sparrow-hawk?” The hunter replied, “I bought the horse for ten ducats, the sparrow-hawk for eight, and the dogs for twelve, and I spend about twenty ducats every year to feed them.” “Well, tell me by your faith,” said the madman, “how many quail do you bag a year and how much are they worth?” The hunter replied, “I bag about two hundred of them and they are worth at least two ducats.” Raising his voice then, the madman, who was certainly not mad in this case, but instead proved himself to be wise, yelled, “Run! Run, madman that you are! You spend fifty ducats a year to earn two, besides you did not mention the time it takes. Run, by God, run! Because if the maestro finds you here, I fear that he will place you in a pool where without a doubt you will remain submerged and almost dead. Whereas, I who am mad judge that you are more idiotic than those who are complete idiots.” The ambassador’s tale, which was not a fable but the very truth, was much praised inasmuch as, in his madness, the hunter surpassed all of the madmen, that one, I say, who not having enough to live on wastes his time and money going hunting. And so that the ambassador would not be inferior to the others, he proposed a fine riddle in this manner, Have you ever heard such a tale? An animal found in the Orient Most indecent, and it loves the young girl And rests sweetly in her lap?

434 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA It is not a lion, and yet it is called lion,161 And it consents to die in her arms. It is horned and already so full of love That by crying it dissolves all poison.162 The ambassador’s decent and charming riddle was no less pleasing than the tale that he had told, for it offered the maidens a certain sweetness. And although all of them understood it, they did not wish, however, to show it, but most prudently waited for him to declare the answer. With a cheerful face he said it was the unicorn, which although it is an indecent and wild animal, nonetheless likes virginity so much that once it has placed its head in the lap of the girl it lets himself be killed by the hunters. The Signora, who was seated beside the ambassador, began her tale in this way.

161. Here the ambassador plays on the Italian words for unicorn (“leocorno”) and lion (“leone”). 162. “Udito avete mai simil novella, / un animal trovarsi in Oriente / molto inonesto e ama la donzella / e nel suo grembo posa dolcemente? / Non è leone e pur leon s’appella, / e in le sue braccia di morir consente. / Egli è cornuto e già d’amor si pieno / che piangendo disfanta ogni veleno.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 435 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, SECOND TALE The Spaniard Diego buys a large number of hens from a peasant, and when he has to pay for them, he tricks the peasant and a Carmelite monk.163 The tale told by the ambassador was so fine and delightful that I do not think to do one-thousandth as well. But so as not to go against what I proposed at the beginning of this evening before the ambassador began telling a tale, I will tell one that will show you that the cunning of the Spaniards surpasses even that of peasants. In Spain there is a city called Cordova, near which flows a delightful river called the Bacco.164 In this place Diego was born, a clever man, robust, and completely devoted to deceit. Wanting to make dinner for his companions and not having a way to do it as he wished, this man decided to play a trick on a peasant and to give his friends a dinner at his expense. And this occurred as he had wished. Having gone to the square to buy some poultry, he came upon a peasant who had a great number of hens, capons, and eggs. He went with him to the market and promised to give him four florins for all of the birds, and so the peasant was happy. The Spaniard grabbed a porter and sent them home immediately, but he did not give the coins to the vendor, who entreated the Spaniard to pay him. The Spaniard said that he did not have the money with him, but that the peasant should go with him to the Carmelite monastery, because there was a monk there who was his uncle and who would give him his money immediately. And with these words they both went together to the aforementioned monastery. There was, by chance, a certain monk in the church to whom some women were confessing. Drawing near him, the Spaniard spoke these words into his ear, “Father, this villager who has come with me is my dear friend and he has certain heresies in his head. And although he is rich and from a good family, he does not, however, have a sound mind and oftentimes he falls into epileptic fits. Already three years have passed during which he has not confessed and he has moments in which he is not mad. Therefore, moved by charity, fraternal love, and by the spiritual kinship165 that exists between us, I promised his wife to ensure that he will confess. And because the good name and reputation of your holiness runs throughout the city and through the entire region, we have come to your reverence, begging you most graciously that for the love of God you are willing to listen to him patiently and to correct him.” 163. Tale 13 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 66–71. 164. The river is today called Guadalquivir, but in Roman times was known as the Baetis, from which it seems Straparola has derived “Bacco.” See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:737n1. 165. Here Diego claims that he and the peasant are compari. For an explanation of this relationship, see note 33 in Volume One.

436 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA The monk said that he was rather busy then, but that as soon as he had dealt with those ladies, indicating them with his hand, he would listen to him willingly, and having called the peasant, he asked him to wait a little bit for him, promising to be with him shortly. The peasant, thinking that he was talking about the money, said that he would wait for him willingly. And so the clever Spaniard left, leaving the deceived villager waiting in the church. When the monk had in fact seen to the women’s confessions, he called the peasant to him in order to guide him to the faith; the peasant went to him immediately and taking off his hat asked for his money. The monk then commanded the peasant to kneel down and, after having made the sign of the cross, to say an Our Father. The peasant, seeing himself disappointed and deceived, was inflamed with indignation and rage and looking at heaven and cursing God, said these words, “Ah, woe is me, what have I done wrong that I have been so mercilessly deceived by a Spaniard? I do not want to confess nor receive communion, but I want the money that you have promised me.” The good monk, who was ignorant of this matter, correcting him said, “It is true what is said, that you have the devil in you and you are not in your right mind.” After he had opened his missal, he began to exorcise him as if the peasant had been possessed by an evil spirit. The peasant, who could not bear such words, yelled, asking him for the money that he had promised him on the Spaniard’s behalf, saying that he was neither possessed nor mad, but that his poverty had been carried off by a Spanish thief and crying in this way he sought help from those present. Seizing the monk’s hood, he said to him, “I will never leave you alone until you give me my money.” The monk, seeing this and not being able to shield himself from the peasant, excused himself with flattering and sweet words, saying that he had also been tricked by the Spaniard. The peasant, on the other hand, still holding him tightly by the hood, told him what he had been promised, saying, “Did you not promise that you would deal with me immediately?” The monk said, “I promised to confess you.” And while they were arguing with each other like this, some old men came upon them who, seeing them in this drawn out argument, played upon the monk’s conscience and forced him to pay the peasant for the Spaniard. The clever, cursed and wicked Spaniard made a sumptuous dinner for his friends with the hens and capons, showing them that Spanish cunning surpasses that of every good peasant. The ambassador, who had listened attentively to the tale marvelously recounted by the gentle Signora, praised it highly affirming that she had surpassed him with her tale. Everyone affirmed this in a loud voice. So the Signora, seeing her tale was preferred, was delighted, and having turned her dear face to the ambassador said,

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 437 My father was born of my mother and then She killed him and from his dying I was born. And me, with my brothers and her children, She nourishes until we are grown. We lived for a time together, but A wicked man cut short many of our lives. Oh, how great is our infinite goodness That, in the end, we give life to whoever destroys us.166 No one understood the riddle though long comments were made regarding it, so the Signora, seeing that no one hit the mark, said, “My gentlemen, my riddle means nothing other than wheat, which is born from wheat, its father, and from the earth, its mother, which kills the father and by killing him the wheat is born that the earth nourishes until it is grown. The wheat, united together with his other brothers, which is to say with the grains, live together until the miller takes their lives by grinding them. And so great is its goodness that it gives life to the one who destroys it.”167 The explanation of the riddle had been highly praised when Pietro Bembo then began his tale speaking thus.

166. “Nacque il mio padre di mia madre e poi / ella l’uccise e morend’ei nacqu’io, / e me co’ miei fratelli e figli suoi / ella finché crescemmo ni nodrio. / Vivemmo un tempo insieme, ma di noi / gran parte ci troncò la vita un rio. / O quanta è ben nostra bontà infinita, / che chi ci strugge, al fin li diamo vita.” 167. This riddle plays on the gender of the masculine noun “frumento” (wheat) and the feminine “terra” (earth).

438 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE A German and a Spaniard were eating together, and an argument arose among their servants as to which one was more generous. In the end, they conclude that the German is more munificent than the Spaniard.168 The tale told by our valorous Signora brings to mind something that happened due to the envy born between the servants of a German and a Spaniard who were dining together. And although the tale is very brief, it will be, however, very delightful and it will please many of you. Finding themselves one day at a certain inn, a German and a Spaniard dined together and very abundant and delicate dishes of every sort were placed before them. And while they both were eating, the Spaniard offered his servant first a piece of meat, then a piece of chicken, first one thing, then another to eat. The German was silent devouring and wolfing down each thing without thinking at all about his servant. For this reason, a great deal of envy was born between the servants, and the German’s servant said that the Spaniards were the most generous and most distinguished among all men, and the Spaniard’s servant agreed. After he had eaten, the German took the tray with all of the dishes that were on it and offered it to his servant, telling him to dine. Hence, the Spaniard’s servant, feeling envious of his companion, took back his statement, and murmured to himself saying these words, “Now I know that the Germans are generous beyond measure.” The novella shows that no one is happy with his lot.169 And without any pause, he proposed his riddle in this way, saying, I stay shut in such a lofty place That neither wings nor feathers can reach me. Only the power of no small wit Makes me lend myself to one who lacks guidance. In a high place a gentle heart I lay, And I remain obscure to the one who expects things from me. But when struck by those who know nothing, They make me seem what I am not.170 168. Tale 6 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 38–39. 169. As is the case with a number of the tales that are unacknowledged translations from Morlini’s Novellae, Straparola has not perfectly adapted the tale to his frame tale, leaving Morlini’s moral hanging somewhat awkwardly at the end of the tale. See Pirovano Le piacevoli notti, 2:742n1. 170. “Io mi sto chiusa in un sí altiero loco, / ch’arrivar non mi puon ali né piume. / La forza sol de l’ingegno non poco / mi fa prestar a cui non ha buon lume. / Ad alto stato un gentil cor colloco / e

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 439 The riddle demonstrates nothing other than astrology, which is located in a high place, where one cannot fly with wings. When the subtle riddle had been declared, Signora Veronica171 rose to her feet and began her tale in this way speaking thus.

son scura a cui di me presume. / Ma percosa da quei che nulla sanno, / quella che pur non son parer mi fanno.” 171. Introduced in the frame tale, Signora Veronica is the wife of Santo Orbat.

440 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE A servant named Fortunio, wishing to kill a fly, killed his master and was saved from the charge of murder by a witty remark.172 I have heard it said many times, my most distinguished ladies and gentlemen, that the sins we commit unknowingly are not as serious as those we commit willingly, and from this it proceeds that one pardons peasants, children, and other similar persons who do not sin as seriously as those who know what they do. Therefore, since it is my turn to tell you a tale, there comes to mind the story of the servant Fortunio, who, wishing to kill a fly that was bothering his master, inadvertently killed his master. There was a very rich apothecary from a good family in Ferrara and he had a servant called Fortunio, a simple, witless young man. It happened that his master had fallen asleep due to the great heat and Fortunio was chasing away the flies with a fan so that he could sleep better. It happened that among these flies was a dog fly that was so importunate that, ignoring the fan and the blows, it approached his bald head and with piercing stings did not stop biting him. And having been chased away two, three, and four times, it would return to bother him. In the end, seeing the animal’s temerity and presumption, nor able to hold back any longer, Fortunio unwisely thought to kill it. And when the fly was on his master’s bald head and sucking his blood, Fortunio the servant, a simple, unthinking man, took a very heavy bronze pestle and, thinking to kill the fly, killed his master. So, seeing that in fact he had killed his lord and for this reason was destined to die, he thought of fleeing and by fleeing to save himself. Then calling this off, he wisely decided to bury him secretly. And after wrapping him up in a sack and carrying him to a garden near the shop, he buried him. Then he took a billy goat from among the female goats and threw it down the well. When his master did not return home in the evening as he usually did, his wife began to become suspicious of the servant and when she asked him about her husband, he said that he had not seen him. Then the woman, greatly afflicted, began to weep bitterly and with plaintive cries began to call her husband, but she called for him in vain. The woman’s relatives and friends, hearing that her husband was not to be found, went to the magistrate of the city and accused Fortunio the servant, telling the magistrate that he must put him in prison and put him to the cord173 so that he would reveal what had become of his master. Having had the servant seized and tied to the cord, the magistrate, owing to the evidence they had concerning him, put him to the cord according to the law. The servant, who could not bear the torment, promised to reveal the truth if they let him down. And, 172. Tale 21 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 98–101. 173. A form of torture commonly used to extract confessions: see note 115 above.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 441 let down from the cord and placed before the magistrate, with clever trickery he spoke these words, “Yesterday, after having fallen asleep, I heard a great racket as if a large stone had been thrown into water; I was stunned by such a racket and having gone to the well I looked in the water and I saw that it was clear, so I did not look any further; while I was returning, I heard a similar racket and I stopped. In truth, I thought that it was my master, who wishing to draw water from the well had fallen in. And so that the truth not be deferred, but that from these suspicions be born a true and just sentence, let us go to the place, for I will descend immediately into the well and see what is there.” With the magistrate wishing to put to the test what the servant had said, for experience is the teacher of all things and the proof that one acquires with the eyes is always adequate and better by far than other sorts, he went to the well with his entire court, accompanied by many gentlemen. And with them went many people who were very curious to see this thing. And here the accused man descended into the well on the magistrate’s command and, searching for his master in the water, found the billy-goat that he had thrown in there. So, cleverly and decietfully yelling in a loud voice he called his mistress, saying to her, “Oh mistress, tell me, did your husband have horns? I found inside here someone who has very thick, long horns. Could it be your husband?” Then the woman, overcome by shame, fell silent, nor did she even say a word. Those present were expecting to see this dead man, and having pulled him up, when they saw that it was a billy-goat, they exploded in laughter celebrating with their hands and feet.174 Seeing the situation, the magistrate ruled that the servant spoke in good faith and absolved him as innocent, nor did they ever hear anything about the master and the woman was left with the blot of the horns. The men as well as the women laughed about the billy-goat found in the well, and all the more about the woman who remained mute. But because time was passing and many had to say their lines, Signora Veronica proposed her enigma in this way without any other command, I live with my head buried in the sand And I am cheerful and without a care; Young am I, no sooner was I born Than all white, or rather grey I was. I have a green tail and am little appreciated By the noble, rich, and lofty people; Only the lowly, base people hold me dear Because my goodness does not pass among great gentlemen.175 174. Here the joke hinges on the word “becco,” which means both billy goat and cuckold. 175. “Vivo col capo in sabbia sotterato / e sto giocando e senza alcun pensiero; / giovane son, n’appena fui ben nato / che tutto bianco, anzi canuto io ero. / La coda ho verde e poco apprecciato / son dal popolo

442 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Everyone liked the riddle Signora Veronica told, and although everyone understood almost all of it, nonetheless, nobody wished to take credit for explaining it, but they left it for her to solve. Seeing that everyone was silent, she said, “Although I am the least worthy among you, I will not refrain, however, from declaring it with my small wit, abiding nonetheless by those wiser than I. The meaning of my riddle, therefore, is the leek, which stays with its white head in the earth and has a green tail and is the food not of gentlemen, but of lowly folk.” When the explanation of the charming riddle was over, the Signora ordered Signor Bernardo Cappello to join us with one of his tales,176 employing, however, that brevity which is fitting for this night. Leaving aside all serious thoughts, he began to speak like this.

grande, ricco, altero; / caro sol m’ha la gente vil e bassa, / ché mia bontà fra gran signor non passa.” 176. This “with us” is the first indication since the dedicatory letter at the beginning of Volume 2 that the author is present during the tale telling.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 443 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, FIFTH TALE Vilio Brigantello kills a thief who had laid a trap to kill him.177 That most famous poet says that whoever delights in deceiving cannot complain when others deceive him.178 Often, and almost always, I have seen that those who wish to deceive are deceived. This happened to a thief who, wishing to kill an artisan, was killed by him. In Pistoia, a city in Tuscany between Florence and Lucca, there lived a very rich artisan who was full of money and his name was Vilio Brigantello. Because he was afraid of thieves, this man pretended to live in great poverty and he lived alone without a woman and without servants in a little house that was, however, quite full and stocked with all of those things that are necessary for human life. And to lend credence to his infrequent and small expenditures for his sustenance, he wore humble clothes, base and filthy, and he guarded the strongbox with his money. Vilio was most vigilant and very diligent at his work, but he was miserly and avaricious when spending, and his food was nothing more than bread and wine with cheese and the roots of herbs. Some clever and astute thieves, thinking logically that Vilio possessed a great amount of money, went out one night at the hour that seemed best suited for their purpose in order to rob him. And unable to open the door or break it down with their irons and other tools, and fearing that the ruckus would wake the neighbors to their great misfortune, they thought to trick him another way. There was among these thieves one who was very friendly and close to this Vilio and he made a show of being his close friend and sometimes he would take Vilio to dine with him. These villains put one of their companions who was their chief and leader in a sack like a dead man and they carried it to this artisan Vilio’s house, with this false friend begging him insistently to keep it safe until they returned to get it, for it would not stay there long. Not knowing any better, Vilio let them put this body in his house for safekeeping due to the false friend’s entreaties. The thieves had agreed that when Vilio fell asleep the thief should come out of the sack and kill him, taking the money and other things of value that were found there. Therefore, when the sack had been put in the house and Vilio was near the candle working diligently and glancing by chance, as is the habit of those who are timid and fearful, at the sack where the thief was hidden, it seemed to him that the body moved in the sack. So, rising from his seat, he immediately grabbed a myrtle 177. Tale 20 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 94–97. 178. The “most famous poet” is Petrarch, and the line comes from his Triumph of Love (1ines 119–20): “ché, chi prende diletto di far frode / non si de lamenter, s’altri lo ’nganna” [because, he who takes delight in deceit, should not complain when others trick him]. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:748n2.

444 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA club that was full of knots and he beat about the thief ’s head and he struck him so that he killed him and turned him from a false and fake dead man into a real one. The thief ’s companions, having waited for him almost until the next morning and seeing that he did not come, blamed his sleepiness, and worrying not a wit for their companion, but for the dawn that was approaching, they returned to the artisan’s cottage and asked him for what they had stored there. Once he had given it to them, and after he locked and barricaded the door very well, he said to them in a loud voice, “You gave me a live body in the place of a dead one in order to frighten me. Now in order to frighten you, in place of a live one, I have returned a dead one to you.” When they heard this, the thieves were amazed and having opened the sack they found their most loyal companion dead. To honor the valor of their magnanimous captain, after many tears and sighs, they gave him to the sea that covered him. And so the one who had thought to trick and deceive the artisan, was tricked and deceived by him. Signor Bernardo had already finished his witty tale to the great satisfaction of all, when the Signora requested that he follow the order with his riddle, and he began to speak this way: I was born solely from a father, nor any mother Did I ever have, and after I was born, My fortune destined that I Be nourished among all men. In little time I grew in every Part of the world and I am already so common That even though I show myself to be wicked to some, To many my being is delightful and pleasing.179 Many thought that they had understood the charming and learned riddle, but their thoughts were in vain, for their intellects strayed far from the truth. So, seeing that it taking a long time, Cappello said, “Ladies and gentlemen, let us not waste time, for the riddle I recited denotes nothing other than gambling, which is born solely from a father and is nourished by every man and in a short time spread throughout the world, and men are so fond of it that even though some lose, they do not chase it away, but they like it.” Everyone liked very much the explanation of the subtle riddle, and most of all Signor Antonio Bembo, who very much enjoyed gambling. And because 179. “Nacqui di padre sol né madre alcuna / ebbi giamai, e doppo ch’io fui nato / cosí mi destinò la mia fortuna, / che fra tutt’uomo fusse nudrigato. / In poco tempo crebbi per ciascuna / parte del mondo e son già sí avezzato / che quantunque mi mostri ad alcun rio / a molti aggrada e piace l’esser mio.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 445 the night was fleeing, or rather flying by, the Signora ordered Signora Chiara180 to begin her tale. She, rising from her seat and placing herself in an elevated spot because she was short, began to speak like this.

180. Signora Lucrezia’s companion introduced in the proem, Signora Chiara, is the wife of Girolamo Guidiccione.

446 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, SIXTH TALE Lucietta, the mother of Lucilio, a useless and worthless son, sends him to find the good day, and he finds it and returns home with a fourth of a treasure.181 Most gentle ladies, I have heard from the sages of the world that fortune favors the vigilant and chases away those who are timid and fearful. And I will show that this is the truth with a brief tale that will be delightful and satisfying for you. In Cesena, a noble city in Romagna, near which runs the river Savio, there was a poor little widow named Lucietta, who was, however, a good woman. This woman had a son, the most useless and the laziest that nature ever created. Once he had gone to sleep, he did not get up from bed until noon, and sitting up he yawned and rubbed his eyes, stretching his arms and feet in the bed like a worthless idler. For this reason his mother suffered greatly, because she had hoped that he would be her support in her old age. So in order to make him diligent, bold, and wise, she taught him everyday, telling him, “My son, the diligent and wise man who wishes to take advantage of the good day, must wake up early as day is breaking, because fortune lends a hand to the vigilant and not to those who sleep. So, if you take my advice, my son, you will find the good day and will be happy.” More ignorant than ignorance itself, Lucilio, for this was her son’s name, did not understand his mother, but considering only the letter rather than the meaning of her words and excited by his deep profound sleep, left and went out of one of the city gates and began to sleep in the middle of the road in the open air, where he blocked this and that person who came to the city, as well as those who were leaving. It happened by chance that that night three citizens of Cesena were going out of the city to dig up a treasure that they had found and bring it home. When they had dug it up and wanted to bring it into the city, they ran into Lucilio who was lying in the road. He was not, however, sleeping then, but he was vigilantly looking for the good day, as his mother had instructed him. The first of the three citizens said to him while passing by, “My friend, good day to you.” And he replied, “I have one of them,” meaning “days.” The young citizen aware of the treasure, interpreting the man’s words in a way they were not intended, thought that he was referring to him. This is not surprising, for it is written that those who are guilty always think that everything said is about them. When the second man passed by in a similar fashion he greeted Lucilio and said to him, “Good day.” Lucilio then in reply said that he had two of them, meaning “good days.” When the last one was also passing by, he likewise said “Good day” to this man. Then Lucilio, full of joy, rose to his feet, “I have all three,” he 181. Tale 29 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 142–45.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 447 said, “and my plan turned out as I had planned,” meaning to say that he had three “good days.” The three citizens greatly fearing that the young man would go to the magistrate to denounce them, having called him to them and told him about the fact, divided the treasure with him, giving him one-fourth of it. Happily taking his share, the young man went home and gave it to his mother saying to her, “Mother, the grace of God has been with me, for by carrying out your commandments I found the good day. Take this money and use it for our sustenance.” Happy to have received the money, his mother encouraged him to remain vigilant, so that other good days like this one would befall him. When the Signora saw that Madonna Chiara’s story had come to an end, she asked her if she would like to propose a riddle for her amusement so as not to disturb the established order. She, who was never rude, with a cheerful face proposed it speaking thus: Diverse passions and various animals Powerful nature has already produced in the world. One species there is among these others Of such a benign and such a gentle nature, That for his blind father, whose wings, due to old age, No longer work, he procures sustenance, And in order not to be called ungrateful by the world, He feeds him in the nest that he has prepared.182 “My riddle depicts nothing other than gratitude in the guise of a bird called the jackdaw, which, upon seeing its father no longer able to fly due to old age, shows its gratitude by preparing the nest for it and giving it food with which it nourishes itself until its death.” Signor Beltrame, who was sitting next to her, seeing that it was his turn to speak, did not wish to wait for the Signora’s command, but with a jocund face inclined to mirth, he spoke thus.

182. “Diverse volontà, vari animali / nel mondo già produsse alta natura. / Una spezie ve n’è tra questi tali / di sí benigna e sí gentil natura, / che ’l cieco padre per vecchiezza l’ali / piú non oprando, al suo viver procura, / e per non esser detto al mondo ingrato, / nel nido il pasce ch’ei gli ha parecchiato.”

448 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, SEVENTH TALE The servant Giorgio draws up a contract with Pandolfo, his master, regarding his service and in the end bests his master in court.183 Thus far, these illustrious gentlemen and loving ladies have said so much that there is almost nothing left for me to tell. But so that I do not ruin the well-established order, I will force myself, as much as I am able, to tell you a tale that, although it is not clever, nonetheless will be entertaining and delightful, as you will now hear. Pandolfo Zabbarella, a Paduan gentleman, was a man who was daring in his day, magnanimous, and quite shrewd. He had need of a servant to serve him, but had not found one to his liking, when in the end he came upon a wicked and malicious one who appeared completely harmless. Pandolfo inquired whether he wished to stay with him and serve him. The servant, who was called Giorgio, replied yes, on this condition and agreement, however, that he wished to serve him only by looking after and tending to his horse and accompanying him, and he did not want to be bothered at all by the rest. And so they agreed on this and the document was drawn up and certified with their oaths by a notary under penalty and mortgage of all of his goods. One day while Pandolfo was riding on a certain muddy and rough road, having by chance gone into a ditch where his horse could not pull himself out of the mud, he asked his servant for help, fearing that he risked falling. The servant stood there watching and said that he was not obliged to do this because such things were not contained in the contract of his service. And taking the contract out of his pocket, he began to read in detail their contract to see if it discussed that situation. The master said, “Well, help me, my brother!” and the servant replied, “I cannot do it because it goes against the contract.” Pandolfo said, “If you do not help me and save me from this danger, I will not pay you.” The servant responded that he did not want to do it in order not to incur the penalty for breaking the contract. And if by chance his master had not been aided by wayfarers who were passing by on that road, he would certainly not have been able to free himself. So, having reached a new understanding, they drew up another agreement, according to which the servant promised under certain penalty to always help his master in all things that he commanded, nor to ever leave or part from him. It happened that one day as Pandolfo was strolling with some Venetian gentlemen in the church of the Saint,184 the servant, obedient to his master, was 183. Tale 74 of Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 332–37. 184. The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 449 strolling with him, moving along always shoulder to shoulder, nor did he ever leave him. The gentlemen all around them and the others nearby laughed at the novelty of the thing and were amused by it. So once they had returned home his master reprimanded him loudly, telling him he had behaved badly and foolishly by strolling in church with him, going so close to him without any respect or reverence for his master and the gentlemen who were there with him. The servant shrugged his shoulders, saying that he had obeyed his commands and referred to the legal agreements that were in their contract. Therefore, they made a new agreement, according to which the master ordered the servant to keep a greater distance from him. So the servant followed a hundred feet behind him. And although his master called him and gestured for him to come toward him, the servant refused to go and followed him at the distance that had been imposed on him, fearing the whole time to incur the penalty for breaking their pact. Enraged then by his servant’s ineptitude and simplicity, Pandolfo explained to him that the word “distance” should be understood as three feet. The servant, who had clearly understood his master’s will, took a three-foot long cane, putting one end of it on his chest and the other end at his master’s shoulders, and followed him in this way. The citizens and artisans, seeing this and thinking that the servant was mad, burst out laughing at his madness. The master, who had not yet seen that the servant had the cane in his hands, was quite amazed that everyone was looking at them and laughing. But then when he realized the cause of their laughter, he became indignant and, enraged, he harshly reprimanded the servant and also wanted to beat him brutally. And crying and lamenting, he made excuses for himself, saying, “You are wrong to want to beat me, master. Did I not make a pact with you? Have I not fully obeyed your commands? When did I ever go against your will? You read the contract and then punish me if I have failed in anything.” And in this way the servant was always the victor. On another day, the master sent his servant to the butcher to buy some meat and speaking sarcastically, as is the custom of masters, he said to him, “Go and take a year to return.” The servant, truly too obedient to his master returned to his native land and stayed there until the year was over. Returning after the first day of the following year, he brought the meat to the master, who was amazed and, because he had completely forgotten what he had ordered his servant to do, he harshly reprimanded the servant for his running away, saying to him, “You have come a bit late, thief worthy of a thousand gallows! By God, I will you make you pay the price you deserve, wicked scoundrel, nor should you hope to have any salary from me!” The servant replied that he had carried out everything contained in the public contract and had obeyed all of the precepts it contained, “Remember, my lord, that when you commanded me to wait a year to return, I obeyed. And so you will pay me the salary that you have promised me.”

450 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And so when they went for a judgment, the master was, according to the law, forced to pay the servant his salary. Signor Beltrame’s tale, which he was reticent to recount, did not displease his listeners; on the contrary without exception they praised it fittingly, asking him to also propose his riddle with his usual grace. And he, not wishing to contradict such a worthy public spoke in this way: There lies a beast so sweet That nothing equals it in the far West; It has a small body and a somewhat heavy head And it shows itself to be quiet and patient, But it looks down and guides itself with tears; I have said its name and keep in mind That for whoever gazes upon it, it is best To stay alert, because it carries death in its eyes.185 The charming riddle was heard with much amazement, but not understood. The solution was a little animal called the catoblepa, which means nothing other than “to look down.”186 Even though this animal appears to be handsome and pleasant, men must nonetheless remain alert because it carries death in its eyes. One can say the same of the devil, who applauds and caresses man, then kills him through mortal sin and leads him to eternal death. With the remarkable explanation of the learned riddle dispatched, Lauretta, who was sitting next to him, began her tale.

185. “Giace una fiera, ed è soave tanto / che nulla è par, ne l’estremo Occidente; / ha picciol corpo e ’l capo grave alquanto, / e si dimostra queta e paziente, / ma guarda basso e seco guida pianto: / detto v’ho ’l nome, aggiatel ne la mente / che qual vista la mira, esser accorta / convien, ché morte dentro gli occhi porta.” 186. Pliny describes this beast in his Natural History. Petrarch describes his beloved Laura as a catoblepa whose look kills (Canzoniere, 125.31–38; see Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:760n1). Beltrame’s explanation shifts this deadly power from the beloved woman (Petrarch’s Laura) to the devil.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 451 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, EIGHTH TALE Having built a little chapel, the farmer Gasparo calls it Saint Honoratus and presents it to a rector, who goes to visit the farmer with the deacon. And the deacon unwittingly plays a joke on him.187 Great is the sin of gluttony, but greater is that of hypocrisy, for the glutton deceives himself, but the hypocrite tries to deceive others with his dissimulation, wishing to seem that which he is not and to do that which he does not, as happened to a village priest who with his hypocrisy offended his soul and body, as you will briefly hear. Near the city of Padua there is a village called Noventa,188 in which there lived a very wealthy and devout farmer. Out of his devotion and in order to expiate his and his wife’s sins, this man built a little chapel and, having endowed it with sufficient funds and called it Saint Honoratus, he presented it to a clergyman quite learned in canon law who was to be the rector and governor of it. One day, which was a day of fasting for a certain saint, although not one sanctioned by the holy mother church, the said rector called upon the deacon to go visit Ser Gasparo, which is to say the farmer who had made him the governor of this church, either to see to his affairs or for whatever other reason he pleased. Wishing to honor him, the farmer made a sumptuous dinner with roasts, tarts, and other things and wanted him to spend the night. The priest said that he was not eating meat that day since it was a day of fasting, and feigning habits that were completely foreign to him, he showed that he was fasting, denying his ravenous belly the dinner. The farmer, in order not to distract him from his devotion, ordered his wife to save the things that were left over in a certain cupboard for the next day. When they had dispatched with the dinner and the conversation afterward, they went to sleep in the same house, the farmer with his wife and the priest with the deacon. And one room was right across from the other. Around midnight, the priest, shaking the deacon from his sleep, asked him in a whisper where the mistress had put the leftover tart, telling him that if he did not feed his body, he would die of hunger. The obedient deacon rose from the bed and very slowly went quietly to the place where the remains of the dinner were and took a nice piece of tart, and thinking he was going into his master’s room, went by chance into the villager’s room. And because it was summer and the sun was in Leo, the farmer’s wife was nude due to the great heat and was sleeping uncovered, and with her mouth down there she was blowing like a bellows. So the deacon, thinking he was speaking with the priest, said, “Take, master, the tart you asked for. Eat, now, as you please,” and with her still heaving sighs with her other mouth, the deacon said that it was quite cool and that there was no need to cool it. 187. Tale 59 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae Morlini, Novelle e favole, 268–71. 188. Today the town is known as Noventa Padovana.

452 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA And with the woman still continuing to blow, the deacon, now indignant, threw it at the woman’s posterior thinking that he was throwing it in the priest’s face. Feeling that cold thing on her lower parts and waking up immediately, she began to scream in a loud voice. So with her husband shaken from sleep, the wife recounted what had happened to her. The deacon, seeing that he had mistaken the room, slowly returned to the priest’s room. The villager, having risen from bed and lit the lantern, searched throughout the house. And when he saw the tart in the bed he was quite surprised. And thinking that it had been some evil spirit, he called the priest who, singing psalms and hymns on an empty stomach blessed the house with holy water and then everyone went back to sleep. And so, as I said when I began speaking, hypocrisy offended the soul and body of the priest, who thinking to eat the tart ended up fasting against his will. The men laughed a great deal when they heard that the farmer’s wife was blowing behind like a bellows, heaving sighs with the other mouth, and that the tart was cold and did not need to be cooled off; and so that they would stop laughing so much, the Signora commanded Lauretta to follow with a riddle. Still laughing, she spoke thus, Tall as a house am I, but I am not a house, And I shine like a mirror all around. I stand before the one from whom I ask for forgiveness, And because I consume myself night and day, I give myself, a gift, to the triumphal rooftops And I adorn every glorious temple. But too fragile is my life and short Because falling to earth I am left dead.189 The riddle recited by pretty Lauretta was truly learned, nor was there anyone who did not praise it entirely asking her to solve it. And she who desired nothing else explained it in this way: “My riddle denotes nothing other than the lamp which shines in front of the sacrament in every part of the church and is consumed day and night and adorns the temple and is fragile because it is made of glass.” When the interpretation of the riddle concluded, Signor Antonio Molino, whose turn it was to speak, began in this way.

189. “Alta son come ca’ né casa sono, /e splendo come speglio d’ogn’intorno. / Dinanzi sto a cui chiedi perdono, / e perché mi consumo notte e giorno, / a trionfanti tetti mi do in dono / e ogni glorioso tempio adorno, / ma troppo è frale la mia vita e corta / perché cadendo in terra resto morta.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 453 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, NINTH TALE Placed in a convent, the young woman Filomena becomes seriously ill, and after being examined by many physicians in the end she is discovered to be a hermaphrodite.190 My gracious ladies, great and innumerable are the secrets of Nature; nor is there a man who can imagine them all.191 For this reason, I thought to tell you of a case which is not a tale, but occurred a short time ago in the city of Salerno. In Salerno, an honorable city full of beautiful women, there was a father of the house of Porti who had one daughter who was in the flower of her youth, not quite sixteen years old. Her name was Filomena, and on account of her great beauty she was bothered by many men and they asked for her hand in marriage. Her father, seeing his daughter in great danger and fearing that some disgrace would befall her because she was thus provoked, decided to place her in the convent of Saint Iorio in Salerno, not in order that she should take vows, but so that the women there would keep her until she married. While in the convent, the girl was overcome by a powerful fever that was treated with great care and diligence. First, some herbalists came to cure her who with great promises swore that they would have her back in perfect health, but they did not do anything for her. Her father sent excellent and experienced physicians, and some old women who promised to give her fast-acting medicine so that she would get better immediately. A swelling in the shape of a large ball appeared in the beautiful and charming girl’s pubes. Because of this, she was afflicted by many pains, so that she did nothing but cry pitifully, and she seemed to have arrived at the end of her life. Moved by pity for the young woman, her relatives sent to her worthy surgeons who were skilled in art of surgery. Having seen and examined the swollen area, some said that they should apply a poultice of cooked althea root mixed with pork fat because that would relieve the pain and swelling. Some other surgeons suggested other things, and still others were against adopting any of the suggested remedies. In the end, they all agreed that they had to lance the swollen area to remove the pus and the cause of the pain. This being decided, all the nuns in the convent and many ladies and relatives of the charming girl came. And one of the aforementioned surgeons who was more skilled than the others by a mile, took the scalpel in hand and in the blink of an eye, with great skill, lightly struck the 190. Tale 22 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 102–5. 191. While many tales in The Pleasant Nights begin with proverbs, Molino’s words here recall the observation of the Roman naturalist Pliny, in book 7 of his The Natural History: “For whoever believed in Ethiopians before actually seeing them? Or what is not deemed miraculous when it first comes to knowledge? How many things are judged impossible before they actually occur? Indeed the power and majesty of the nature of the universe at every turn lacks credence if one’s mind embraces parts of it only, and not the whole.” Natural History, ed. and trans. H. Rackham, 10 vols. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1947), 2:511.

454 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA swollen area and pierced the skin. While they thought that blood or pus should come out of the incision, a certain large member, that women desire but are disgusted when they see it, came forth. (I cannot refrain from laughing, writing this truth in the place a fiction.)192 Astounded by such a development, all of the nuns wept in misery, not because of the wound, nor for the young woman’s infirmity, but for their own sake, for they would have preferred instead that that which had occurred in the open would have happened in private. To maintain its reputation, the young woman was sent away from the convent. Oh how they would have kept her dearly inside! All the physicians could not have laughed more. And so all of a sudden the young woman regained her health and became a man and a woman. And I am relating to you as a lie that which is the truth, because after that I saw her with my own eyes, dressed as a man, with both sexes. The Signora, seeing that Molino’s tale had reached a ridiculous conclusion, and knowing that time was flying, said that he must follow the order with his riddle. And without holding the company at bay, he spoke like this: I am a son without a father, son to a mother, And I return to her often against my will. With my strong and savory grasp, I satisfy some and others I deceive and scorn. And forasmuch as I do not want anyone’s advice, I act this way in the night as in the day. Sons I have not, nor any daughter, Because my fate makes it so.193 No one could imagine what the riddle recited by Molino meant. But Cateruzza, whose turn it was according to the established order, said, “Your obscure riddle means nothing other, Signor Antonio, than salt, which does not have a father and his mother is the water to whom the son returns often. And with his flavor he is either liked or disliked.”

192. Here Straparola has not altered Morlini’s tale in order to better fit his frame tale, and so his narrator Molino speaks of writing rather than telling a tale. 193. “Son figlio senza padre, a madre figlio, / e spesso a lei contra mia voglia torno. / Con il mio forte e saporito artiglio / altri compiaccio e altri inganno e scorno. / E percioché non vuò d’alcun consiglio, / opro cosí la notte come il giorno. / Figli non tengo e men figliuola alcuna, / ché consente cosí la mia fortuna.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 455 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, TENTH TALE The Neapolitan Cesare, after having spent a long time at the University of Bologna receives his degree, and having returned home strings together rulings in order to know how to pass better judgments.194 Three things, charming ladies, destroy the world and turn everything upside down: money, disrespect, and respect.195 You will be able to easily understand this if you lend a kind ear to my tale. Lodovico Mota, as you have heard at other times, was a shrewd and wise man, one of the most distinguished in the city of Naples, and not having a wife he took as his lady the daughter of Alessandro di Alessandri,196 a Neapolitan citizen, and had with her only one son, whom he named Cesare. When his son had grown a little, he gave him a tutor, who taught him his first letters, and then he sent him to Bologna to study civil and canon law, and he kept him there for a long time, but he profited little from this. Desirous that his son do very well, his father bought him all the books by the jurists of canon law and by the doctors who had written on both subjects, and he thought that he would far outstrip the other legal advisors of Naples, convincing himself that for this reason he would have the best clients and very important cases. But Cesare, that most learned young man, lacking the basic fundamentals of law, was so lacking letters that he did not understand what he read; what he learned he recited boldly, or rather confusedly and backward, letting one thing contradict the other, and demonstrating his ignorance, by taking the truth to be false and the false to true, he oftentimes quarreled with the others. And so like a wine skin full of wind, he went to school with his ears plugged, building castles in the air. And because all those who are ignorant have on their lips the saying that studying is a disreputable and nasty thing for those who have great fortunes, so this man, who was rich, gained little or no profit from the study of civil and canon law. Wishing in his ignorance to equal those who were most learned and had not wasted their effort and time in continual study, he presumptuously attempted to rise to the level of doctor. He presented his request to the senate and with the arguments of his defense accepted, he made a public presentation, proving that black was white and green black; this blind man believed that the others were equally blind. Nonetheless, thanks to good luck, as much due to money as to great 194. Tale 68 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 300–3. 195. This odd phrase is the result of Straparola mistranslating Morlini’s conclusion to his tale which reads “money destroys all respect and consideration.” See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:769n2. 196. Perhaps this is the noted Neapolitan jurist and humanist Alessandro d’Alessandro (1461–1523). See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:769n5.

456 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA nepotism and friendship, he passed and was made a doctor. So, accompanied by a great retinue of honorable people and going about the city with the sound of trumpets and pipes, he came home dressed in a purple silk robe, so that he seemed more like an ambassador than a doctor. One day this excellent magnate, dressed in a deep red robe with a velvet stole, made some small cards and having bound them together like a notary’s files, he placed them in a vase. And when by chance his father came across them, he asked him what he wished to do with those papers. To which he gave this reply, “You will find written, oh father, in the books of civil law that rulings must be counted among fortuitous events. I, who have considered the spirit and not the letter of the law, have made these files in which I have randomly noted some rulings that, when, God willing, with your help I am the judge of the High Court, I will pronounce effortlessly to the litigants. Does it not seem to you, father, that I have thoroughly investigated this thing?” Having heard this, his father, left almost dead from grief, turned his back on him, leaving his worthless son in his ignorance. Not without the greatest pleasure did the honorable company listen to the delightful tale recounted by Cateruzza. And after they had spoken about it for quite a while, the Signora ordered her to propose her riddle. Without waiting any longer, she spoke like this, “Tell me, my friend, if I do not offend you, What have you done with the thing that I placed Between your legs in the dark? I intend to find out Because not seeing it seems too hard for me.” “You are upset, from what I understand, Do not fear, brother, but rest assured That that which goes first up and and then down the thigh, Hangs low and dangles down below my ass.”197 They looked at one another and did not know what to say. But Cateruzza, who realized that no one understood the riddle she had proposed, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, you will not be left in suspense, for I will declare it, although I am not up to the task. There was a young man who had loaned his horse to a friend so he could go to town; the friend sold it. And returning from town he was seen by the young man, who asked him about his horse and, not seeing it, became 197. “ ‘Dimmi, compagno mio, s’io non t’offendo, / quel ch’io posi fra le gambe al scuro / che n’hai tu fatto? di saperlo intendo / ché non vedendol mi par troppo duro. / ‘Tu sei turbato per quant’io conprendo, / non dubitar, fratel, ma sta sicuro, / che quel che su la coscia or sale or scende / mi picca a basso e giú dal cul mi pende.’ ”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 457 quite upset. His friend comforted him, saying that he should not fear for he had the money for the horse he sold in his pocket, which hung down low and dangled behind his ass.” After perceptive Cateruzza had explained her riddle, the Signora turned her eyes toward Trivigiano and with a respectable mien gestured for him to follow the order. He, putting aside all severity, began to speak in this way.

458 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA THIRTEENTH NIGHT, ELEVENTH TALE A poor little monk leaves Collogna to go to Ferrara, and when night falls he hides in a house where a frightening event occurs.198 Fear, loving ladies, is sometimes born from too much daring and sometimes from a pusillanimous heart that should fear only those things that have the power to harm others, not those which are not to be feared. My dear ladies, I want to tell you about a case which is not a joke, but actually happened in our time to a poor little monk, not without great harm to him. Having left Collogna199 to go to Ferrara, he passed by the Abbey of Polesine near Rovigo, and when he had entered the lands of the duke of Ferrara, the dark night overtook him. And although the moon was shining, because he was young, alone, and in a foreign land, he nonetheless feared that he would be killed either by brigands or by wild animals. The poor wretch, not knowing where to turn and finding himself without any money, saw a courtyard a bit apart from the rest and having entered it without having been seen or heard by anyone, he went to the hayloft against which leaned a ladder and, having climbed up, he set himself up as best he could to rest for the night. No sooner had the poor little monk lain down to sleep than a sharp young man turned up who had a sword in his right hand and a buckler in his left hand and he began to whistle softly. Hearing the whistling, the little monk thought that he had been discovered and due to his terror almost all of his hair stood on end, and full of fear he remained very quiet. The young armed man was the priest of that village, who had been inflamed with love for the wife of the owner of that house. While the little monk was there, not without feeling great terror, out of the house comes a woman in a shift, plump and fresh, and she comes toward the hayloft. As soon as the priest saw her, he put down the sword and buckler, ran to embrace and kiss her, and she likewise him. After both of them had moved near the hayloft and lain down on the ground, the priest took that thing that men hide and having raised her shift he firmly put it in the furrow made for this. The little monk, who was up above and saw everything, reassured himself, thinking that the priest was not there to bother him but to take delight in his beloved woman. So, screwing up a bit of courage, he stretched his head out from the hayloft in order to see and hear better what the lovers were doing, and his head went so far forward that, since it weighed more than his trunk and he did not have any way to hold himself up in the hay, he fell on top of them and not without harm to himself, for he almost broke the shin of one of his legs.

198. Tale 54 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 246–51. 199. This is today’s Cologna Veneta, near Verona: Pirovano,Le piacevoli notti, 2:774n3.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 459 The priest and the woman, who were at the best part of pumping the treadle and had not yet come to the end of the task, seeing the monk’s clothes and black hood, were very frightened thinking that he was some sort of nocturnal spirit, and leaving behind the sword and buckler, trembling and full of fear, they began to flee. The poor little monk, not without fear and pain in his shin, fled as best he could to a corner of the hayloft and made a large hole, in which he hid. The priest, who feared being discovered when the sword and buckler were recognized, returned to the hayloft and without seeing another ghost took his sword and the buckler and returned home, but not without profound misgivings. The following morning, the priest wished to celebrate mass a bit early so that he could dispatch with some business, and he was standing on the doorstep of his house waiting for the altar boy who was to serve at the mass to arrive. With the priest waiting like this, here comes the little monk, who had risen before daybreak and left so as not to be locked up and mistreated. And when he arrived at the church, the priest greeted him and asked him where he was going all alone. To which the little monk replied, “I am going to Ferrara.” When asked by the priest if he was in a hurry, he replied no and that he just needed to be in Ferrara by the evening. And asked further if he wished to serve at the mass, he said yes. The priest, seeing that the little monk had his head and tunic all full of hay and was dressed in black cloth, thought that he was ghost that he had seen and said, “My brother, where did you sleep last night?” To which the little monk replied, “I slept badly up in a hayloft not far from here and I almost broke my leg.” Hearing this, the priest was even more convinced this was the case, nor did the little monk leave before he revealed everything that had happened. And having said mass and dined with the priest, the little monk left with his broken shin. And although the priest had asked him if he would like to stay with him on the way back, for the priest wanted him to recount everything to the lady, he did not, however, come. Instead, having received an answer in a dream, he returned to his monastery by another route. When the tale recited by Trivigiano was finished and praised more than a little, he began his riddle without waiting at all speaking in this way, A palm and more of him I take and not in vain, And he sits with his backside in my lap, And I caress him and lead him by the hand And I delight whoever listens and sees. Loving ladies, let it not appear strange to you,

460 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Because I practice my trade with faithful measure And the sweet sound satisfies me, I hold tight as long as it seems good to me.200 “I would not want, most gentle ladies, to be reproached by you for indecency, having put right in front of you you something that might seem to offend your chaste ears. But in truth my riddle does not carry with it anything indecent, on the contrary it is something that pleases you a great deal and in which you take no small delight. My riddle, then, denotes the lute, its handle is more than a palm in length, its belly sits on the lap of the man who plays, and it delights the listeners.” Everyone highly praised the clever riddle that Trivigiano told, and first and foremost the Signora, who listened to it willingly. But once they were silent, the Signora ordered Isabella to follow with a tale, and she, neither deaf nor dumb, spoke this way.

200. “Un palmo e piú lo toglio e non in vano, / ed ei col cul nel grembo mio si siede; / io l’accareccio e lo meno per mano / e do diletto a chi l’ascolta e vede. / Donne amorose, non vi paia strano, / perché ’l mistier fo con misura a fede / e molto mi contenta il dolce suono, / lo tengo duro fin che ’l mi sa buono.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 461 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, TWELFTH TALE Afflicted by an illness, Guglielmo, the king of Brittany, summons all of the physicians in order to regain and maintain his health. Maestro Gotfreddo, a poor physician, gives him three pieces of advice, and with those he rules and remains healthy. Well-born, or rather divine, we can consider those who effectively protect themselves from bad things and with natural wisdom move toward those things that are of benefit and good for them. But rarely were they found in the past—and today few are found—who wish to abide by a rule for their lifetime. But it happened otherwise to a king who, in order to maintain his health, took three pieces of advice from his physician and he ruled abiding by them. I think, or rather I am certain, gracious ladies, that you have never heard the story of Guglielmo, the king of Brittany, who had no equal in his day, either in prowess or in courtesy, and while he was alive fortune was always favorable toward him and propitious. It happened that the king became seriously ill, but being quite young and very courageous, he paid no or little attention to this. Now with the illness continuing and growing worse day by day, it got to the point that there was almost no hope of his living. Therefore, the king ordered that all of the physicians in the city come before him and freely state their opinion. When they heard the king’s will, all of the physicians, whatever their rank and status, went to the royal palace and reported to the king. Among these physicians there was one called Maestro Gotfreddo, a good man of sufficient learning, but poor, badly dressed, and shod even worse. And because he was poorly turned out, he did not dare appear among such learned and illustrious men, but out of shame he placed himself behind the door to the king’s chamber so that he could barely be seen, and he stood there quietly listening to what the very wise physicians were saying. When all of the physicians had come before the king, Guglielmo said, “Most illustrious doctors, I have gathered you together in my presence for no other reason than that I wish to hear from you the cause of this grave illness of mine and I ask that you strive to cure it with all diligence and to give me the appropriate remedies that are warranted, thus restoring me to perfect health. When my health is restored, you will give me that advice you think most appropriate for maintaining it.” The physicians replied, “Holy Majesty, it is not in our power to bestow health, but in the hands of the One who alone rules all with a nod. But we will strive, as best as we ourselves are able, to use those treatments that will make it possible for you to regain your health, and once regained, maintain it.” Then the physicians began to argue about the origins of the king’s illness and the remedies that should be given and each of them, as was their habit, related

462 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA in detail his opinion, citing Galen, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Asclepius, and other doctors of theirs.201 The king, after he had clearly understood their opinion, turning his eyes to the entrance to his chamber saw I do not know what shadow that appeared and asked if anyone remained who had to state his opinion. And he was told no. The king, who had spied someone, said, “It seems to me that I see, if I am not blind, something behind that door; and who is he?” To which one of those wise men replied, “Est homo quidam,”202 almost taunting and mocking him, and he did not consider that often times it happens that art is scorned by art. The king made him understand that he should come forward. And he, so badly dressed that he seemed a beggar, came forward and, absolutely terrified, he bowed humbly giving the king a fine greeting. After the king had him honorably seated, he asked his name. To which he replied, “My name is Gotfreddo, Holy Majesty.” Then the king said, “Maestro Gotfreddo, you must have heard enough about my case during the debate that these honorable physicians have held until now, so there is no need to summarize what was said. What then do you say about this illness of mine?” Maestro Gotfreddo replied, “Holy Majesty, although among these honorable fathers I can deservedly call myself the lowest, the least learned, and the least eloquent because I am poor and little esteemed, nonetheless in order to obey the rules of Your Sublimity, I will strive as best I can to tell you the origin of your illness, then I will give you regulations and rules with which you will be able to live healthily in the future. Know, my lord, that your illness is not mortal, for it is not caused by a underlying condition, but by forced and imprudent accident, which since it came on quickly, will clear up just as quickly. And in order for you to regain your health, I do not want you to change anything but your diet, taking a little cassia flower to cool your blood. When you have done this, you will be cured in eight days. Once you have regained your health, if you would like to keep yourself healthy for a long time, observe these three rules. The first, always keep your head dry. The second, keep your feet warm. The third, that you eat like a beast. If you follow these three things, you will survive a long time, and you will live healthily and vigorously.” The physicians, when they heard the fine orders Gotfreddo gave the king regarding how to live his life, they began to laugh so hard that they almost broke 201. This is a list of great medical authorities: Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) is considered the father of modern medicine; Galen (129–200?) expanded on Hippocrates’ theory of the four humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, yellow bile) and advanced anatomical knowledge; the Persian physician Avicenna or Ibn Sina (980–1037) wrote what would become influential medical textbooks, The Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine; and Asclepius is the Greek god of medicine. The writings of these ancient physicians figured prominently in the curricula of early modern medical schools. 202. The line, which translates as “It is what one might call a man,” is meant to insult the humble Maestro Gotfreddo.

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 463 their jaws laughing, and turning toward the king they said, “These are the canons, these are the rules of Maestro Gotfreddo, this is his learning. Oh what fine remedies! Oh what good remedies to be made for such a king!” And they mocked him in this way. Seeing how much the physicians were laughing, the king ordered that everyone be quiet and stop laughing then and that Maestro Gotfreddo explain the reasoning for everything that he had proposed. “My lord,” said Gotfreddo, “these my most honorable fathers, most expert in the art of medicine, are more than a little amazed by the rules I have given regarding how you should live, but if they were to consider with sound judgment the reasons why men fall ill, perhaps they would not laugh, but would take care to listen to the man who, with all due respect, is wiser and more skilled than they are. Do not be surprised, then, Holy Crown, by my proposal, but be certain that all the illnesses that men have are born either from overheating or from catching cold or from an excess of corrupt humors. Whereas, when a man finds himself sweating due to exhaustion or great heat, he must dry himself immediately, so that the humidity that has left his body does not return back inside and generate illness. Then, the man must keep his feet warm so that the humidity and cold the earth gives off does not ascend to his stomach and from the stomach to the head where it generates headaches, an ill-disposed stomach, and other innumerable ills. Living like beasts means that the man must eat foods appropriate for his complexion, as irrational animals do which feed on foods suited to their nature. And I will give the example of the ox and the horse. If we present a capon to them, a pheasant, a partridge, or the meat of a good calf or another animal, they will certainly not want to eat, because this is not food suited to their nature. If, however, you put before them hay and fodder, since it is food suitable to them they will taste it immediately. But give the capon, the pheasant, and the meat to a dog or a cat and they will devour it immediately, because it is food suitable for them; but on the contrary, they will leave hay and fodder because it is not suitable for them because it goes against their nature. You, then, my lord, leave aside the foods that are not suitable for your nature and embrace those that are suitable for your complexion, and by doing this you will live healthily for a long time.” The king very much liked the advice Gotfreddo had given him and, believing him, he adhered to it, and dismissing the other physicians, he kept him close, holding him in great esteem for his worthy virtues, and from a poor man he turned him into a rich one, as he deserved. And left alone to cure his lord, he lived happily. When Isabella came to the end of her tale that the entire company had listened to not without great delight, she took in hand a fine and clever riddle and gracefully told it in this way:

464 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA Gentle ladies, do not be surprised By that which I now have in mind to tell you, Because what I will tell you is the truth, Even though it seems an unworthy subject. I say that in the midst of my pain If he had not given me a good push from behind And if he did not stick it in the hole, The world then would have been undone.203 The women thought that the riddle she recounted was quite filthy and dirty, but in truth it was not, for beneath the bark it contained a meaning other than that which it displayed. A young man escaped from the constables and fled. While fleeing, he saw the open door of a house and another man in order to save him pushed him into the house, closed the door, and put the bolt in the hole, that is the opening for it. And if he had not done this, the young man would have been undone in the world, because he would have been put in prison. As soon as the explanation of the riddle was finished, Vicenza, without awaiting another command, followed the order with these words.

203. “Donne gentil, non vi maravigliate / di quel ch’ora da dirvi ho nel concetto, / perché quel che dirovvi è veritate, / ancor che paia men degno soggetto. / Dico ch’in tanta mia calamitate / se non glielo spingeva ben da drieto / e non glielo ficcava dentro al tondo, / a pieno era disfatto alor del mondo.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 465 THIRTEENTH NIGHT, THIRTEENTH TALE Pietro Rizzato, a prodigal man, becomes poor and upon finding a treasure becomes miserly.204 Prodigality is a vice that leads a man to a worse end than avariciousness, for the prodigal man consumes his own wealth and that of others, and once he is poor he is not esteemed by anyone, instead everyone avoids him as an unwise and foolish person and they delight in making fun of him, just as happened to Pietro Rizzato, who due to his prodigality fell into abject poverty, then after finding a treasure he became rich and miserly.205 I say then that in the city of Padua, most famous for its university, there lived long ago Pietro Rizzato, an affable man, who cut a fine figure and more than any other man was abounding in riches, but he was prodigal, for he gave his friends first this thing, then that as seemed fitting to their station, and due to his excessive liberality, he had many people who followed him and he never lacked guests at his table, which was always quite laden with delicacies and expensive dishes. This man did two mad things that stand out among his others: one was that while going one day with other gentlemen from Padua to Venice by way of the Brenta river and seeing that each of them was doing something, some playing instruments, some singing, and some doing other things, so as not to appear idle to them he began to use his coins to skip stones, as they say, and threw them one by one into the river; the other, which is of greater import, was that when he was in his villa and many young men were coming to court him and he saw them coming from far off, he set fire to all of the houses of his workers in order to honor them.206 With Pietro wishing to satisfy his unbridled appetite for everything possible and living dissolutely and without any restraint, he soon lost his great wealth and with it all the friends who courted him. He who in the past when he was happy had fed many starving people, now that he was himself hungry and thirsty, did not find anyone who wanted to give him something to eat or drink. He had clothed the naked, but now no one clothed his nakedness. He had cured the sick, but now no one cured his sickness. He had warmly welcomed everyone, honoring them all exceedingly, but now is looked down upon and they flee from him as from a contagious plague.207 Therefore, the poor wretch having arrived at the 204. Tale 51 in Girolamo Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 236–37. 205. The opposing sins of prodigality and avariciousness are punished together in the fourth circle of Dante’s Inferno (canto 7). Dante, however, does not seem to depict one sin as worse than the other. 206. In doing so Pietro Rizzato behaves like Iacopo da Santo Andrea, one of the spendthrifts in Dante’s Inferno (canto 13), who burned his own land and buildings because he wished to see a fire. 207. As Pirovano notes, this lines seems to be an inversion of Christ’s words concerning those who will be on the right hand of God at the second coming (in Matt. 25:35–36): “For I was hungry, and ye gave

466 GIOVAN FRANCESCO STRAPAROLA bitter and cruel pass of poverty and being naked, sick, and so afflicted by the flux that he lost blood, patiently bore his miserable and unhappy life, always thanking God who had granted him understanding. It happened that one day as the poor wretch, full of scabies and all filthy, was going into some ruined house, not for pleasure but to get rid of the natural weight of his bowels, and finally looking at a wall broken down by the years, he saw gold shining through a large crack. And breaking that wall he found a large clay jar full of gold ducats and, having carried it home, he began to spend again, not as profusely as before, but moderately, according to his needs. His friends and dear companions, who courted him continuously in the period in which he was living most happily, having realized that he had become rich, thought that they would find him as prodigal as before, and having gone to him, they began to flatter and court him, thinking still to live at someone else’s expense. So, not only did they not find him to be mad and liberal in his spending, but they clearly recognized that he had become wise and miserly. And when asked by his friends and companions how he had become rich, he replied to them that if they also wanted to become rich, it was necessary to first empty the blood from their bowels, as he had done, noting that he had shed his blood before he had found the money.208 Then, the aforementioned companions and friends, seeing that there was no way to extract any further profit from him, left. Everyone liked the tale very much, for it clearly demonstrated that friends must be tested in adverse not prosperous times, and every extreme is intemperate. But then after everyone was silent, the Signora ordered Vicenza to follow with her riddle, and she boldly said, I would like to know from you, my clever good sir, What is this thing of mine, born twice-born, Et positus in ligno after death Baptized without a midwife or a priest; It has a brief life and often dies mistakenly, Nor perhaps has it ever committed a sin. Small, big, old ones and iunioribus Are good pro nobis peccatoribus.209 me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” 208. Pietro’s bloody discharge renders literal the vulgar Italian idiomatic expression “cacare sangue” (to shit blood), which means to struggle or strive very hard to accomplish something. 209. “Vorrei saper da voi, signor mio accorto, / qual cosa è questa mia, nato bisnato, / et positus in ligno dopo morto, / senza comar né prete batteggiato; / ha vita breve e spesso more a torto, / né forse mai commesse alcun peccato. / Piccioli, grandi, vecchi e iunioribus / sono buoni pro nobis peccatoribus.”

The Pleasant Nights: Volume Two 467 The riddle recounted was judged to be difficult, but fair Vicenza explained it in this way: “The twice-born is the egg, from which without a midwife the chicken is born, which does not live long and often dies without ever having sinned, that is to say without ever having coupled with a hen. And whether they are small or large, they are good for us.” The fine explanation of the very difficult riddle was marvelous, nor was there anyone in the grateful company who did not praise it highly. And because the ruddy dawn began to appear and Carnival had already come to an end and the first day of Lent had arrived, the Signora, having turned to the honorable company with a pleasant face spoke thus: “Know, illustrious gentlemen and loving ladies, that it is the first day of Lent and now one hears everywhere the bells that invite us to holy prayers and to do penance for the sins we have committed. Therefore, it seems proper and right that in these holy days we put aside the delightful conversations, the loving dances, and the sweet music, the angelic songs and the ridiculous tales, and we attend to the well-being of our souls.” The men as well as the women, who desired nothing else, highly praised the Signora’s wish. And without having the torches lit, for by then it was daylight, the Signora ordered each one to go home to rest, nor should they return to enjoy the company in the usual spot unless ordered by her to do so. The men, having taking good leave of the Signora and of the young maidens and left them in blessed peace, returned to their lodgings. THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH AND FINAL NIGHT

Vicenza’s Latin phrases mean: “and placed on the cross” or “and set in a tree” (et positus in ligno); “young” (iunioribus); and “for us sinners” (pro nobis peccatoribus). This final phrase recalls the final part of the Ave Maria, or Hail Mary prayer: “ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae” (pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death).

Appendix Beginning with the 1555 edition of The Pleasant Nights, the two tales translated below replaced the story of the woodcarver Maestro Chechino and the lecherous monk Tiberio (tale 8.3 in this translation). These two tales span the same number of pages as the single tale that they replace and thus were easily inserted into the text without necessitating a resetting of the type for the printing of the second volume. Although typographically efficient, the substitution marred the symmetry of nights 1–12, for in the edition of 1555 and subsequent editions, six tales are told on the eighth night. There is no evidence that Straparola made these changes himself, and whoever did edit the text failed to alter the frame tale in order to logically account for the additional narrators and tales. In fact, the introduction to the eighth night in these later editions still begins with the names of only five women being drawn for the storytelling: Eritrea, Cateruzza, Arianna, Alteria, and Lauretta. Yet there are six tales, told by Eritrea, Cateruzza, Arianna (tale 8.3 below), Alteria (8.4 below), Lauretta (tale 8.4 in earlier editions), and Veronica (tale 8.5 in earlier editions). Furthermore, the introductions, the riddles, and the conclusions to tales 3–6 contain numerous errors in regard to who is narrating.1 These changes mark the beginning of the textual instability of The Pleasant Nights. As I describe in the introduction, in editions printed between 1555 and 1608, sections of tales would be rewritten and entire tales would be deleted as editors tried to adapt the text as best they could to the evolving standards of the censors of the Catholic Church.2 Because the two tales translated below continued to appear in early modern editions printed after 1555, I have included them here.3

1. For example, although in the 1555 edition Veronica tells the sixth and final tale of the night, Lauretta is called upon to supply the riddle, as she does in the earlier editions of volume 2. For a description of these errors, see Pirovano,“Per l’edizione de Le piacevoli notti,” 79–81. 2. On this point see the introduction, pages 32–34. 3. Italian and Anglo-American editors and translators have routinely included these two tales either in the text (Rua, Waters, Beecher) or as an appendix (Pirovano).

469

470 Appendix EIGHTH NIGHT, THIRD TALE Anastasio Minuto loves a gentlewoman and she does not love him. He vituperates her and she tells her husband. Although, gracious women, fiery lust, as Marcus Tullius writes in his book on old age, is fetid and foul at any age, it is however most foul and filthy in hoary old age,4 for besides her filth and dirt, she weakens one’s strength, takes away one’s sight, deprives man of his intellect, renders him disgraceful, empties his purse and with her brief and cloying sweetness spurs him toward every wicked crime.5 You will come to realize this if you lend your kind and favorable attention to my words, as is your habit. In our city,6 which surpasses all others in regard to beautiful women, there was a gentlewoman, graceful and possessing a most perfect beauty, whose pretty eyes shone like a morning star. This woman, who was living in a difficult situation for she was delicate and perhaps mistreated by her husband in bed, chose as her lover a gallant young man, one well-mannered and from an honorable family, and she made him the recipient of her love, loving him more than her own husband. It happened that a man burdened by his years named Anastasio, who was a friend of her husband, was so fiercely inflamed with love for this woman that he found no rest either night or day. And so great was the passion and torment that he felt that in only a few days he became so gaunt and thin that he was just skin and bones. His eyes were teary, his forehead wrinkled, his flat nose always dripped like a still; when he breathed he sent forth a stench that almost killed whoever approached him; and, he had only two teeth in his mouth, which were more painful than useful for him. Furthermore, he was paralytic, and although the sun was in Leo and heated up things quite a bit, he was never warm. This wretch, having been possessed and inflamed by love, sought the attention of the woman, first with one present, then with another. But the woman refused them all, even though the gifts were very expensive, for she did not need his presents because she had a wealthy husband who never let her want for anything. Many times the old man greeted her in the street when she was going to or returning from mass, begging her to 4. “Marcus Tullius” is the Roman author Marcus Tullius Cicero, who wrote a treatise on old age titled De senectute. Pirovano suggests that Straparola’s source is most like an anthology of maxims rather than Cicero’s Latin treatise. 5. Pirovano also notes that Straparola weaves together here a citation from Boccaccio’s prose romance Filocolo (5.92.16) on the effects of lust and Cicero’s maxim. See Pirovano, Le piacevoli notti, 2:793n4. At the end of the Filocolo, before the king of Cordova dies, he advises his son Florio, “Similarly, let lust be your enemy, for it is the one vice that must be fled, whereas all the others are to be fought. This is the enemy of the body and of the purse, with its brief and cloying sweetness, and it is a unique device of the ancient enemy to capture the souls of the wicked” (Boccaccio, Filocolo, 466). 6. Venice.

Appendix 471 accept him as her worthy servant and not to be so cruel as to wish him dead. But she, prudent and wise, returned home with her eyes lowered, not responding to him. It happened that Anastasio realized that the young man whom we mentioned earlier was frequenting the beautiful woman’s house. Anastasio so carefully watched that he saw him go into the house one evening when the husband was out of town. This was a knife in his heart. Out of his head, with no concern for his own honor or that of the woman, he grabbed a great deal of money and jewels and, having gone to the woman’s house, he knocked at the door. The serving girl, who had heard him knock at the door, came to the balcony, asking, “Who is knocking?” The old man replied, “Open up, I am Anastasio and I want to speak with the lady about something very important.” Recognizing him, the servant girl went immediately to the woman who was in her room with her lover enjoying herself. Having called her aside, she said to her, “Madonna, Messer Anastasio is knocking at the door.” To which the woman said, “Go and tell him to go mind his own business, that I do not open the door at night for anyone when my husband is not home.” The servant girl, having heard the woman’s will, told him what the woman had told her. The old man, seeing that he had been rejected, began to knock very hard and stubbornly wished to enter the house. The woman, already inflamed with indignation and rage, both for the disturbance and because she had the young man in the house, came to the window and said, “I am very surprised at you, Messer Anastasio, that you come at this hour without any respect, knocking on the doors of other people’s houses. Go away, you wretch, and rest and do not trouble people who are not bothering you. If my husband were here in town and at home, though he is not, I would willingly open for you, but since he is not home, I do not intend to open the door for you.” The old man nonetheless said that he wished to speak to her and about things of no little import, nor did he cease knocking at the door. The woman, seeing the recklessness of the beast and fearing that out of foolishness he would say something that would taint her honor, consulted her young lover who replied that she should open the door listen to what he wished to say, and that she should not be afraid. With the old man still banging loudly at the door, she had a torch lit and sent the girl to open it. When the old man had entered the room and the woman had come out of the bedroom, coming forth so that she looked like a morning rose, she asked him what he was doing at that hour. The amorous old man with kind and piteous words, almost in tears, said, “Signora, sole hope and sustenance of my miserable life, does it not seem strange to you that I recklessly and presumptuously have come here to knock on your door, bothering you? I have not come to bother you,

472 Appendix but to declare to you the passion and torment that I feel for you. And the cause of this is your unsurpassed beauty, which renders you superior to all other women. If you have not closed the doors of mercy, you will come to my aid, I who die a thousand times a day for you. So, soften your hard heart, do not regard my age and my lowly station, but my lofty and magnificent spirit and burning love that I had, now have and will always have as long as my afflicted spirit holds up these weak and afflicted limbs. As a sign of my love for you, accept this present willingly, which, though small, you will still cherish.” And taking from his breast pocket a large purse of gold ducats that shone like the sun, a strand of white, large, round pearls, and two gems set in gold, he gave them to her, begging her not to reject his love. The woman, having heard and clearly understood the words of the foolish old man, said, “Messer Anastasio, I thought that you were of a different mind than you are, but now you seem completely lacking all sense. Where is your prudence? Do you believe that I am some sort of prostitute, tempting me with your presents? Certainly, you are mistaken. I do not want these things that you wish to give me. Bring them to your whores who will satisfy you. I, as you well know, have a husband who does not deny me anything that I need. So go to hell and with what little time is left you, look after yourself.” The old man, pierced through by grief and indignation, said, “Madonna, I am certain that you are not speaking truthfully, but out of fear for the young man who you now have in your house,” and he said the young man’s name, “and if you do not satisfy my desire, I will reveal this to your husband.” The woman, hearing him mention the name of the young man she had in the house, did not lose heart, but said to him the rudest things that were ever said to a man, and taking a club in hand, she wanted to give him a few blows, but the old man smartly ran down the stairs, opened the door, and left. Once the old man had gone, the woman went into the bedroom where her young lover was and, almost in tears, she told him everything, deeply fearing that the wicked old man would reveal everything to her husband and she asked him which path she should take. The young man, who was wise and shrewd, first comforted the woman and gave her courage, then he thought of the best solution and said, “My beloved, do not fear at all or be dismayed, take the advice that I will give you and rest assured that everything will turn out well. When your husband returns, tell him how things stand, that the evil, reckless old man is defaming you saying that you have committed sins with this and that man and list four or six, among which you will put my name, and then leave the rest to Fortune, who will favor you.” This seemed like excellent advice to the woman and she did just what her lover had advised her to do. When her husband returned home, the woman was troubled and sad, and with her eyes full of tears she cursed her bad luck, and when

Appendix 473 asked by her husband what was wrong with her, she did not respond at all. But while crying she said in a loud voice, “I do not know what is keeping me from killing myself, because I cannot bear that a deceitful and traitorous man is the cause of my ruin and perpetual disgrace. Ah, woe is me, what have I done that I should be so torn and ripped apart alive? And by whom? By a rogue, a murderer who deserves to die a thousand deaths.” Then forced by her husband, she said to him, “That foolhardy and presumptuous old friend of yours, Anastasio, foolish man, lascivious and dissolute, came to me the other evening, asking me things no less dishonest than wicked, offering me money and jewels; and since I did not listen to him nor did I want to satisfy him, he began to curse me saying that I was wicked and that I brought men into the house and that I was involved with this one and that one. Hearing this, I felt dead, but screwing up my courage I grabbed a club to beat him and he, fearing what might happen to him, smartly ran down the stairs and left.” Upon hearing this, her husband was exceedingly upset and after comforting his wife, he decided to play a trick on Anastasio that he would never forget. The next day, the woman’s husband and Anastasio met, and before the husband said anything, Anastasio made a sign that he wanted to speak to him. And he listened to him willingly. So, Anastasio said, “My good sir, you know how great and the sort of the love that has always existed between us and the good will between us which very few could ever equal. Hence, moved by ardent zeal for your honor I have decided to say a few words to you, begging you for the love that exists between us that you keep them secret, seeing to your affairs with mature judgment and with all haste. And so as not to keep you in suspense with a long sermon, I will tell you that your wife is smitten with this young man, and she loves him and takes pleasure and delight in him to the great shame of you and your family. And I swear that this is true, for the other evening when you were out of town, I saw him with my own eyes enter your house in the evening in disguise and leave early in the morning.” Upon hearing this, the husband was filled with rage and began to curse him saying, “Ah, you villain, scoundrel, evil man, I do not know what is keeping me from grabbing you by that beard of yours and pulling it out hair by hair. Do I not know what sort of wife I have? Do you think I do not know that you wanted to corrupt her with money, jewels, and pearls? Did you not say, villain, evil man, that if she did not wish to yield to your unbridled desire that you would speak to me and accuse her, making her sorry and wretched for the rest of her life? Did you not say that this one and that and many others take their pleasure with her? If I did not have respect for your age, I would trample you under my feet and I would load you up with so many blows that your soul would leave your body. Go to hell, you foolish old man, and never let me see you again, nor dare you come near my house.”

474 Appendix The old man, putting his pipes in the bag and falling silent, left. And the wise and prudent woman was kept by her husband and she enjoyed her lover’s company with a greater sense of security than before.7 Arianna had already ended her ridiculous tale and nobody could stop laughing when the Signora, by clapping her hands together, made a sign for everyone to be quiet; she then turned to Arianna and ordered her to follow with a merry riddle. In order not to appear inferior to the others, she spoke thus, Ladies, I have a hard, straight, white thing Smooth all around and perforated at the tip. It is one palm long, or a little less, With hard sinews and filthy on top. And it is so used to it, that it never tires However much it is moved up and down. And this thing, women, I told you about, Let everyone declare its name.8 The men laughed a good deal, but they did not know the meaning of the riddle. So Alteria, to whom fell the fourth turn, gaily explained it in this way, “This riddle signifies nothing other than the quill used for writing, which is hard, straight, white, and solid, and it is perforated at the tip and dirty due to the ink, nor does it ever tire, and in public and in private it is led up and down by the writer.” Everyone praised Alteria’s keen wit in explaining the subtle riddle; however, this occurred to the great humiliation of Arianna, who believed that she alone knew the solution. The Signora, seeing her face flushed, said, “Arianna, calm down now, for your turn will come again.” And turning toward Alteria, she ordered her to begin her tale. And with a cheerful she face spoke thus.

7. The portion of the frame tale and the riddle that follow below are the same as the frame tale and riddle that follow tale 8.3 (Maestro Chechino the woodcarver and the monk Tiberio) in the editions of The Pleasant Nights printed before 1555. 8. “Donne, ho una cosa soda, dritta e bianca, / liscia d’intorno e nel capo forata. / Un palmo è di lunghezza, o poco manca, / dura di nervo e di sopra lordata. / Ed è sí avezza, che mai non si stanca, / quantunque su e giú sia dimenata. / E questa cosa, donne, che vi ho detto, / di ciascun dichiarisse il gran concetto.”

Appendix 475 EIGHTH NIGHT, FOURTH TALE The Genoese merchant Bernardo sells wine diluted with water and by divine will he lost half of his money.9 The tale told by this amiable sister of mine brings to mind something that happened to a Genoese merchant who, selling wine diluted with water, lost his money and almost wanted to die from grief. In Genoa, an illustrious city most devoted to trading, there was a certain Bernardo of the Fulgosa family, an avaricious man devoted to illegal contracts. This man decided to take a ship loaded with excellent wine from Mount Folisco10 to Flanders to sell it there at a high price. After leaving propitiously from the port of Genoa and sailing as he had hoped, he arrived in the territory of Flanders, where—after he had dropped anchor, stopped the ship, and come on land—he added an equal part of water to the wine so that from each barrel of wine he made two. Once that was done, he weighed anchor and sailing with a fine, prosperous wind he arrived in the port of Flanders. And because there was a great dearth of wine there, the inhabitants bought the said wine at a high price. Therefore, the merchant, rejoicing over having filled two great sacks with gold coins, left Flanders and headed toward his homeland. Once he was a good distance from Flanders and found himself in the middle of the ocean, Bernardo put those coins on a table and began to count them. Once counted, he put them back into the two bags and tightly tied them closed. When this was done, a monkey who was on the ship broke free of his chains and jumped up, and, taking the two bags from the table, the animal quickly climbed the ship’s mast and went into the crow’s nest. It began to take the money out of the bags as if it wanted to count it. The merchant, afraid to follow it, or rather to have it followed, because he feared that in a rage it might throw the coins into the sea, was unwilling to do so and, completely dismayed, he almost gave up the ghost, nor did he know what counsel to take, whether to go to it or stay put. And left in this state of uncertain peril, in the end it seemed best to him to submit to the animal’s will. But the monkey, having untied the sacks and after pulling out the coins and putting them back in the sacks and tying them, threw one sack into the sea and the other to the merchant on the ship, as if he meant to say that that coins that had been thrown in the sea were acquired by selling water for wine, and the others that were given to the merchant were for the wine; and so the water 9. Tale 47 from Morlini’s Novellae: Morlini, Novelle e favole, 220–23. 10. Giovanni Villani notes that Morlini, when he called this place Faliscorum monte, most likely confused Falerii, a city of the ancient Falisci people near present day Civita Castellana in Lazio, and the ager Falernus in Campania that has been known since Roman times for its excellent wines. Morlini, Novelle e favole, 220n3.

476 Appendix obtained the profit for the water and Bernardo that for the wine. Hence, seeing that this had occurred due to divine will, he quieted down, thinking that those things acquired dishonestly do not last, and if it happens that the owner enjoys them, his heir will not. The tale Arianna told was witty and praised a great deal by everyone. Then, having received a sign from the Signora to continue with the riddle, she spoke in this way: When I think that I am so well formed, With teeth and a tongue, and I am without bones, And that I am so fixed in place That I cannot chew nor speak, That my life will always be difficult, I blame myself and I am moved to tell you, That in my middle I have a hole and sometimes someone penetrates me, But I also have one who takes them out and hangs them up.11 This riddle gave them much to discuss, but no one understood it but Isabella, who said it meant nothing other than the lock, which has teeth and a tongue, but does not have bones nor can it eat, and the one who penetrates it is the key that many times opens the chest, and there is someone who takes it out of the lock hangs it on a nail. When the learned solution to the riddle was finished, Lauretta, without awaiting any command from the Signora, began to speak like this.

11. Quando penso ch’io son sí ben formata / di denti, della lingua e son senz’ossa / e ch’in luogo mi son sì stabilita / che masticar né ragionar non possa, / sempre vi sarà dura la mia vita, / per me m’accuso e a dirvi mi son mossa, / ch’a mezzo ho un bucco e chi talor mi ficca; / ma tosto ho chi mel tragge e fuor li picca.

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478 Bibliography __________. Urania: A Romance. Edited and translated by Valeria Finucci. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. __________. Urania: The Story of a Young Woman’s Love and The Novella of Giulia Camposanpiero and Thesibaldo Vitaliani. Edited and translated by Christopher Nissen. Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2004. Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Corbaccio, or the Labyrinth of Love. Edited and translated by Anthony K. Cassell. 2nd rev. ed. Binghamton, NY: Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies, 1993. __________. The Decameron. Translated with introduction by G. H. McWilliam. 2nd ed. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. __________. Famous Women. Edited and translated by Virginia Brown. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001. __________. Il Filocolo. Translated by Donald Cheney with Thomas C. Bergin. New York: Garland, 1985. __________. “Giovanni Boccaccio, The Genealogy of the Pagan Gods (begun circa 1350).” Translated and annotated by Suzanne Magnanini. In Bottigheimer, Fairy Tales Framed, 13–21. Bonomo, Giuseppe. “Motivi stregonici in una novella dello Straparola.” Rassegna della letterature italiana 62 (1958): 365–69. Bottigheimer, Ruth. “Fairy Godfather, Fairy-Tale History, and Fairy Tale Scholarship: A Response to Dan Ben-Amos, Jan M. Ziolkowski, and Francisco Vaz da Silva.” Journal of American Folklore 123, no. 490 (2010): 447–97. __________. Fairy Godfather: Straparola, Venice, and the Fairy Tale Tradition. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002. __________, ed. Fairy Tales Framed: Forewords, Afterwords, and Critical Words. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2012. __________. Fairy Tales: A New History. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009. __________. “France’s First Fairy Tales: The Restoration and Rise Tales Narratives of Les Facetieuses nuictz du Seigneur François Straparola.” Marvels & Tales 19, no. 1 (2005): 17–31. Calabrese, Stefano. “L’enigma del racconto: Dallo Straparola al Basile.” Lingua e stile 18, no. 2 (1983): 177–98. Campbell, Mary B. Wonder and Science: Imagining Worlds in Early Modern Europe. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999. Canepa, Nancy. “Italy.” In The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales, edited by Jack Zipes, 252–65. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Carroll, Linda L. Angelo Beolco (Il Ruzante). Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Castiglione, Baldassare. The Book of the Courtier. Translated with introduction by George Bull. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.

Bibliography 479 Clements, Robert J., and Joseph Gibaldi. Anatomy of the Novella. New York: New York University Press, 1977. Coller, Alexandra. “The Sienese Accademia degli Intronati and Its Female Interlocutors.” The Italianist 26, no. 2 (2006): 223–46. Corrigan, Beatrice, ed. and trans. The Story of Lionbruno: Historia di Lionbruno. Toronto: Toronto Public Library, 1976. Cottino-Jones, Marga. “Princesses, Kings, and the Fantastic: A Re-Vision of the Language of Representation in the Renaissance.” Italian Quarterly 37 (2000): 173–84. Cox, Virginia. Women’s Writing in Italy, 1400–1650. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. Crane, Thomas Frederick. Italian Popular Tales. Edited and introduced by Jack Zipes. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Orig. 1885. Dante Alighieri. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Inferno. Edited and translated by Robert Durling. Introduction and notes by Ronald Martinez. Illustrated by Robert Turner. London: Oxford, 1996. Eichel-Lojkine, Patricia. Contes en réseaux: L’émergence du conte sur la scène littéraire européenne. Geneva: Librairie Droz, 2013. __________. “La postérité des contes de Straparola: Quelque aperçus.” In Seminari di storia della lettura e della ricezione tra Italia e Francia, nel Cinquecento, edited by Anna Bettoni, 17–45. Padua: Cooperativa Libraria Editrice Università di Padova, 2013. Elias, Cathy Ann. “Musical Performance in 16th–Century Italian Literature: Straparola’s Le piacevoli notti.” Early Music 17, no. 2 (1989): 161–73. Erizzo, Sebastiano. Le sei giornate. Edited by Renzo Bragantini. Rome: Salerno Editrice, 1977. Fahy, Conor. “Women and Literary Academies.” In Women in Italian Renaissance Culture and Society, edited by Letizia Panizza, 438–52. Oxford, UK: Legenda, 2000. Feldman, Martha. City Culture and the Madrigal in Venice. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995. __________. “The Courtesan’s Voice: Petrarchan Lovers, Pop Philosophy, and Oral Traditions.” In Feldman and Gordon, The Courtesan’s Arts, 105–23. Feldman, Martha, and Bonnie Gordon, eds. The Courtesan’s Arts: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2006. Ferguson, Ronnie. The Theater of Angelo Beolco (Ruzante): Text, Context, and Performance. Ravenna: Longo, 2000. Findlen, Paula. Possessing Nature: Museums, Collecting, and Scientific Culture in Early Modern Italy. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1994. Finucci, Valeria. “Moderata Fonte and the Genre of Women’s Chivalric Romances.” In Fonte, Floridoro, 1–33.

480 Bibliography Fonte, Moderata. Floridoro: A Chivalric Romance. Edited and introduced by Valeria Finucci. Translated by Julia Kisacky. Annotated by Valeria Finucci and Julia Kisacky. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006. __________. The Worth of Women: Wherein is Clearly Revealed their Nobility and their Superiority to Men. Edited and translated by Virginia Cox. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. Forteguerri, Giovanni. Novelle edite ed inedite. Edited by Vittorio Lami. Bologna: Romagnoli, 1882. Franco, Veronica. Poems and Selected Letters. Edited and translated by Ann Rosalind Jones and Margaret F. Rosenthal. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Garzoni, Tomaso. The Hospital of Incurable Madness/L’hospedale de’ pazzi incurabili, 1586. Introduction by Monica Calibritto. Translated and annotated by Daniela Pastina and John W. Crayton. Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2009. Gordon, Bonnie. “The Courtesan’s Singing Body as Cultural Capital in SeventeenthCentury Italy.” In Feldman and Gordon, The Courtesan’s Arts, 182–98. Gozzi, Carlo. Five Tales for the Theatre. Edited and translated by Albert Bermel and Ted Emery. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1989. Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. The Annotated Brothers Grimm. Edited and translated by Maria Tatar. Introduction by A. S. Byatt. New York: W. W. Norton, 2004. __________. Grimm’s Household Tales, with the Authors’ Notes. Edited and translated by Margaret Hunt. Introduction by Andrew Lang. London: George Bell and Sons, 1884. Reprint Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1968. Guglielminetti, Marziano. La cornice e il furto: Studi sulla novella del ’500. Bologna: Zanichelli, 1984. __________. “Dalle ‘Novellae’ del Morlini alle ‘Favole’ dello Straparola.” In Medioevo e Rinascimento Veneto: Con altri studi in onore di Lino Lazzarini, vol. 2: Dal Cinquecento al Novecento, 69–81. Padua: Antenore, 1979. Haas, Louis. “Boccaccio, Baptismal Kinship, and Spiritual Incest.” Renaissance and Reformation 25, no. 4 (1989): 343–56. __________. The Renaissance Man and His Children: Childbirth and Early Childhood in Florence, 1300–1600. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. Haase, Donald. “Feminist Fairy-Tale Scholarship.” In Fairy Tales and Feminism: New Approaches, 1–36. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004. Hanafi, Zakiya. The Monster in the Machine: Magic, Medicine, and the Marvelous in the Time of the Scientific Revolution. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. Hannon, Patricia. Fabulous Identities: Women’s Fairy Tales in Seventeenth-Century France. Atlanta, GA: Rodopi, 1998.

Bibliography 481 Hathaway, Baxter. Marvels and Commonplaces: Renaissance Literary Criticism. New York: Random House, 1968. Imbriani, Vittorio. La novellaja fiorentina con la novellaja milanesei. Intro. Italo Sordi. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, 1997. Jones, Christine A., and Jennifer Schacker, eds. Marvelous Transformations: An Anthology of Fairy Tales and Critical Perspectives. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2012. Kenseth, Joy. The Age of the Marvelous. Hanover, NH: Hood Museum Dartmouth, 1991. Kent, Dale. Friendship, Love, and Trust in Renaissance Florence. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009. Lando, Ortensio. Lettere di molte valorose donne, nelle quali chiaramente appare non esser né di eloquentia né di dottrina alli huomini inferiori. Venice: Giolito, 1548. Lippi, Lorenzo. Il Malmantile racquistato, Poema di Perlone Zipoli con le note di Puccio Lamoni. Venice: Stefano Orlandini, 1748. Lupardi, Bartolomeo. “Dedicatory Letter to Signor Giuseppe Spada.” Edited and translated by Suzanne Magnanini. In Bottigheimer, Fairy Tales Framed, 81–83. Lynch, Joseph H. Godparents and Kinship in Early Medieval Europe. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986. Machiavelli, Niccolò. “A Fable: Belfagor, The Devil Who Took a Wife,” in The Portable Machiavelli, edited and translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa, 416–29. New York: Penguin Books, 1979. __________. The Prince. In The Portable Machiavelli, edited and translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa, 77–166. New York: Penguin Books, 1979. Maggi, Armando. Preserving the Spell: Basile’s “The Tale of Tales” and Its Afterlife in the Fairy-Tale Tradition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. Magnanini, Suzanne. “Between Straparola and Basile: Three Fairy Tales from Lorenzo Selva’s Della metamorfosi (1582).” Marvels & Tales 25, no. 2 (2011): 331–69. __________. Fairy-Tale Science: Monstrous Generation in the Tales of Straparola and Basile. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. __________. “Telling Tales Out of School: The Fairy Tale and Italian Academies.” Romanic Review 99, nos. 3–4 (2008): 257–70. Marinella, Lucrezia. Enrico, or Byzantium Conquered: A Heroic Poem. Edited and translated by Maria Galli Stampino. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009. Mazzacurati, Giancarlo. “La narrativa di G. F. Straparola e l’ideologia del fiabesco.” In Forma e ideologia, 67–113. Naples: Liguori, 1974.

482 Bibliography Medioli, Francesca. “Monache e monacazioni nel Seicento.” Rivista di storia e letteratura religiosa 33, no. 3 (1997): 670–93. Mirollo, James V. “The Aesthetics of the Marvelous.” In The Age of the Marvelous, edited by Joy Kenseth, 61–79. Hanover, NH: Hood Museum Dartmouth, 1991. Morlini, Girolamo. Novelle e favole. Edited and translated by Giovanni Villani. Rome: Salerno Editrice, 1983. Muir, Edward. Civic Ritual in Renaissance Venice. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1981. Murat, Henriette-Julie de. “Perrault’s Preface to Griselda and Murat’s ‘To Modern Fairies.’ ” Edited and translated by Holly Tucker and Melanie R. Siemens. Marvels & Tales 19, no. 1 (2005): 125–30. Niccoli, Ottavia. Prophecy and People in Renaissance Italy. Translated by Lydia G. Cochrane. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1990. Nissen, Christopher. Kissing the Wild Woman: Art, Beauty, and the Reformation of the Italian Prose Romance in Giulia Bigolina’s Urania. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011. Parabosco, Girolamo. I diporti. Edited by Donato Pirovano. Rome: Salerno Editrice, 2005. Paré, Ambroise. On Monsters and Marvels. Edited and translated by Janis L. Pallister. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982. Park, Katharine, and Lorraine Daston. Wonders and the Order of Nature, 1150– 1750. New York: Zone Books, 1998. Passi, Giuseppe. “Giuseppe Passi’s Attacks on Women in The Defects of Women.” Edited and translated by Suzanne Magnanini with David Lamari. In In Dialogue with the Other Voice, edited by Julie Campbell and Maria Galli Stampino, 143–94. Toronto: Iter and CRRS, 2011. Perocco, Daria. “Trascrizione dell’oralità: Gioco delle forme in Straparola.” In Favole parabole istorie: Le forme della scritttura novellistica dal Medioevo al Rinascimento: Atti del Convegno di Pisa 26–28 ottobre 1998, edited by Gabriella Albanese, Lucia Battaglia Ricci, and Rossella Bessi, 465–81. Rome: Salerno Editrice, 2000. Peters, Edward. Torture. Rev. ed. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996. Petrini, Mario. La fiaba di magia nella letteratura italiana. Udine: Del Bianco, 1983. Pirovano, Donato. “Introduzione.” In Straparola, Le piacevoli notti, 1:ix–l. __________. “The Literary Fairy Tale of Giovan Francesco Straparola.” Romanic Review 99, nos. 3–4 (2008): 281–96. __________. “Nota al testo.” In Straparola, Le piacevoli notti, 1:li–liv. __________. “Nota biografica,” In Straparola, Le piacevoli notti, 1:li–liv.

Bibliography 483 __________. “Per l’edizione de Le piacevoli notti di Giovan Francesco Straparola.” Filologia e critica 1 (2001): 60–93. __________. “Una storia editoriale cinquecentesca: Le piacevoli notti di Giovan Francesco Straparola.” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 177 (2000): 540–69. Pitrè, Giuseppe. Fiabe, novelle, e racconti popolari siciliani. 4 vols. Palermo: Luigi Pedone Lauriel, 1875. Pizan, Christine de. The Book of the City of Ladies. Edited and translated by Rosalind Brown-Grant. New York: Penguin Books, 1999. Pliny. Natural History. Edited and translated by H. Rackham. 10 vols. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1947. Rak, Michele. “Il sistema dei racconti nel Cunto de li Cunti di Basile.” In Giovan Battista Basile e l’invenzione della fiaba, edited by Michelangelo Picone and Alfred Messerli, 13–40. Ravenna: Longo, 2004. Ray, Meredith. “Female Impersonations: Ortensio Lando’s Lettere di molte valorose donne.” In Writing Gender in Women’s Letter Collections of the Italian Renaissance, 45–80. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Robert, Marthe. “Un modèle romanesque: le conte de Grimm.” Preuves 185 (1966): 167–205. Robin, Diana. Publishing Women: Salons, the Presses, and the Counter-Reformation in Sixteenth-Century Italy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Rosand, David. Myths of Venice: The Figuration of a State. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001. Rosenthal, Margaret F. “Cutting a Good Figure: The Fashions of Venetian Courtesans in the Illustrated Albums of Early Modern Travelers.” In Feldman and Gordon, The Courtesan’s Arts, 52–74. Rowe, Karen E. “To Spin a Yarn: The Female Voice in Folklore and Fairy Tale.” In Fairy Tales and Society: Illusion, Allusion, and Paradigm, edited by Ruth B. Bottigheimer, 53–74. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986. Rua, Giuseppe. “Intorno alle Piacevoli notti dello Straparola.” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 15 (1890): 111–51; 16 (1890): 218–83. Rubini, Luisa. “Straparola.” In Enzyklopädie des Märchens, edited by Rolf Wilhelm Brednick, 12:1360–69. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2007. Ruggiero, Guido. Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage, and Power at the End of the Renaissance. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Salzberg, Rosa. “ ‘Selling Stories and Many Other Things in and through the City’: Peddling Print in Renaissance Florence and Venice.” Sixteenth Century Journal 42, no. 3 (2011): 737–59. Salzberg, Rosa, and Massimo Rospocher. “Street Singers in Italian Renaissance Urban Culture and Communication.” Cultural and Social History 9, no. 1 (2012): 9–26.

484 Bibliography Sarnelli, Pompeo. Il Posilecheata. Edited and translated by Enrico Malato. Rome: Edizioni G. e M. Benincasa, 1986. Seifert, Lewis C. Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender in France, 1690–1715. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Seifert, Lewis C., and Domna C. Stanton, ed. and trans. Enchanted Eloquence: Fairy Tales by Seventeenth-Century French Women Writers. Toronto: Iter and CRRS, 2010. Selva, Lorenzo. Della metamorfosi, overo le trasformationi del virtuoso. Florence: Giunti, 1583. Sercambi, Giovanni. Novelle. Edited by Giovanni Sinicropi. Bari: Laterza, 1973. Silva, Francisco Vaz da. “The Invention of the Fairy Tale.” Journal of American Folklore 123, no. 490 (2010): 398–425. Smarr, Janet Levarie, ed. and trans. Italian Renaissance Tales. Rochester, MI: Solaris Press, 1983. Sperling, Jutta. Convents and the Body Politic. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999. Stephens, John. “Apuleius, Lucius (c. 124–c. 170 CE).” In Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales, edited by Donald Haase, 1:54–55. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008. Straparola, Giovan Francesco. The Facetious Nights of Straparola. Edited and translated by W. G. Waters. 4 vols. London: Privately Printed for Members of the Society for Bibliophiles, 1901. __________. The Merry Nights of Straparola. Amsterdam: Fredonia Books, 2003. __________. Les nuits facétieuses. Edited by Joël Gayraud. Paris: José Corti, 1999. __________. Le piacevoli notti. Edited by Donato Pirovano. 2 vols. Rome: Salerno Editrice, 2000. __________. Le piacevoli notti. Edited by Giuseppe Rua. 2 vols. Bari: Laterza, 1927. __________. The Pleasant Nights. Edited and revised translation by Donald Beecher. Original translation by W. G. Waters. 2 vols. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012. __________. Le tredici piacevolissime notti. Venice: Zanetto Zanetti, 1608. Tasso, Torquato. Jerusalem Delivered: An English Prose Translation. Edited and translated by Ralph Nash. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1987. Tedeschi, John, and William Monter. “Towards a Statistical Profile of Italian Inquisitions, Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries.” In The Inquisition in Early Modern Europe: Studies on Sources and Methods, edited by Gustav Henningsen and John Tedeschi with Charles Amiel, 130–57. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 1986. Tucker, Holly. Pregnant Fictions: Childbirth and the Fairy Tale in Early Modern France. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2003.

Bibliography 485 Ughetti, Dante. “Larivey traduttore delle Piacevoli notti di Straparola.” In La nouvelle française à la Renaissance, edited by Lionello Sozzi, 481–504. Geneva: Slatkine, 1981. Uther, Hans-Jörg. The Types of International Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 2004. Villani, Giovanni. “Da Morlini a Straparola: Problemi di traduzione e problemi del testo.” Giornale storico della letteratura italiana 159 (1982): 67–73. Vives, Juan Luis. The Education of a Christian Woman. Edited and translated by Charles Fantazzi. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Warner, Marina. From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994. Warner, Marina, ed. and intro. Wonder Tales. Translated by Gilbert Adair, John Ashbery, Ranjit Bolt, A. S. Byatt, and Terence Cave. Illustrated by Sophie Herxheimer. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994. Weinberg, Bernard. A History of Literary Criticism in the Italian Renaissance. 2 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961. Zambrini, Francesco, ed. Cantare del Bel Gherardino. Bologna: Romagnoli, 1867. Ziolkowski, Jan M. Fairy Tales from before Fairy Tales: The Medieval Latin Past of Wonderful Lies. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2007. __________. “Old Wives’ Tales: Classicism and Anticlassicism from Apuleius to Chaucer.” Journal of Medieval Latin 12 (2002): 90–113. __________. “Straparola and the Fairy Tale: Between Literary and Oral Traditions.” Journal of American Folklore 123, no. 490 (2010): 377–97. Zipes, Jack, ed. and trans. Beautiful Angiola: The Great Treasury of Sicilian Folk and Fairy Tales Collected by Laura Gonzenbach. New York: Routledge, 2004. __________. Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion: The Classical Genre for Children and the Process of Civilization. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2006. __________. The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm. New York: W. W. Norton, 2001. __________. “Of Cats and Men: Framing the Civilizing Discourse of the Fairy Tale.” In Out of the Woods: The Origins of the Literary Fairy Tale in Italy and France, edited by Nancy L. Canepa, introduction by Nancy L. Canepa and Antonella Ansani, 176–193. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1997.

Index capon, 124, 179, 352, 403, 404, 435, 463; chick, 247, 249; crow, 372; falcon, 53–57, 230, 247; hen, 249, 435; heron, 314; jackdaw, 447; kite, 81; owl, 266; parrot, 196–197; partridge, 404, 463; peacock, 391; pheasant, 404, 463; pigeon, 89–90; quail, 433; rooster, 120, 203, 204, 210, 241, 333, 422–423, 430; sparrow-hawk, 433 —insects: bumblebee, 221–223; cricket, 361; dog fly, 440; firefly, 308; fly, 368; lice, 151, 196–197; mosquito, 368; scabies, 271–274, 281, 395, 466; silkworm, 293; wasp, 368 —unspecified: frightening animals, 208; wild beasts, 372, 375 (see also enchanted animals) Ansani, Antonella, 11n37 Antenor, 332n63 antipodes, 171 Apollo (Phoebus). See gods apothecary, 234, 440 (see also spices: spice shops) Apuleius: The Golden Ass, or The Metamorphoses, 3–5, 17n57, 33, 41; the Tale of Cupid and Psyche, 19, 33 Arcadia, 369 Aretino, Pietro, 9 Arianna: in editions after 1555, Tale 8.3, 470–474 —narrated by: Tale 1.5, 82–89; Tale 3.2, 137–145; Tale 6.2, 267–270; Tale 8.3, 319–324; Tale 10.2, 369–374 Ariosto, Ludovico, 17, 34–35, 114, 37, 158n79, 284n22

Aarne, Antti, 74n28 Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index (ATU Index), 74n28 (see also fairy tales) Accardo, Pasquale, 3n8 Acocella, Mariantonietta, 3n8 adoption: 52, 156–157, 189; prescription against, 51 Aeolus. See gods Aesop, 4, 12, 13, 55n21 Africa, 137 (see also Cairo; Egypt; Thebes; Tunis) Agrippa, Henricus Cornelius, 2n3, 415n135 Albanese, Gabriella, 36n116 Alessandri, Alessandro di, 455 allegory, 4, 35–39 Alteria: in editions printed after 1555, Tale 8.4, 475–476 —narrated by: Tale 1.2, 60–65; Tale 3.4, 156–163; Tale 5.2, 225–230; Tale 6.1, 259–262; Tale 8.4, 326–330; Tale 10.3, 375–380 Anderson, Graham, 5n15 angel: 287; thief disguised as, 64–65 animals: ass, 298, 332–333, 369–374; bat, 413; beaver, 267n10; billy goat, 248, 315, 354; bull, 165–169; calf, 268, 403; cat, 355, 463; colt, 268; cow, 165–169; crocodile, 266; deer, 157, 346; dog, 419, 422, 432–433, 463; fish, 314; goat, 69–70, 440–441; hare, 394; horse, 139, 160–161, 174, 194, 216–222, 316–318, 448, 456, 463; lion, 144, 369–374; man, 187; monkey, 475; mule, 67–69; ox, 136, 249, 269, 463; pig, 139, 387; sheep, 71–72, 165, 382; snake, 155, 402; wild stallion and mare, 218–222; wolf, 168, 373–374 —birds: 53–54, 92, 128, 248, 305–306, 335, 402, 413, 433; 487

488 Index Aristotle: 332n64; Metaphysics, 17n59; Poetics, 17, 35; Politics, 423 Asclepius. See gods astrologers: 78–79, 203–204; astrology, 438–439 Athens, 182–186, 266 Austria, 342–343 avariciousness, 280, 386n108, 443, 465, 475 (see also greed) Averroes, (Ibn Rushd), 33n64 Avicenna (Ibn Sina), 332n64, 462 Bandello, Matteo, 16n52 Barberi-Squarotti, Giorgio, 8n25, 15n48 Barbo, Pietro, 427n154 (see also popes: Paul II) Bargagli, Girolamo, 35–38 Barsch, Karl-Heinrich, 20 Basile, Giambattista, 4n10, 5–6, 18n60, 24n82, 33, 38, 42, 43n141, 139n67 basilisk. See monsters Battaglia Ricci, Lucia, 36n116 Battiferri, Laura, 37n119 Bedicuollo, 351, 352 Beecher, Donald, 8, 13n43, 20–21, 31n101, 33, 36n116, 43n142, 74n28 Beltrame, Feriero: 19n64, 46, 48 —narrated by: Tale 9.5, 358–361; Tale 13.7, 448–450 Bembo, Antonio: 19n64, 48n13, 50, 444; narrated by, Tale 6.4, 276–279 Bembo, Pietro: 11, 15, 19n64, 48n10, 255; Asolani, 22; narrated by, Tale 13.3, 438; Writings on the Vernacular, 14 Ben-Amos, Dan, 8n23 Bentivogli: family, 52n19; Lamberto, 99 Beolco, Angelo, 241n135, 245n138 Bergamo: 9, 165–169, 280; and Bergamasques, 358–361 (see also dialects) Bergin, Thomas G., 289n25 Bermal, Albert, 43n141 Bessi, Rossella, 36n116 Bettoni, Anna, 32n102

Bible: Acts, 232n124; 1 Corinthians, 358n83; Daniel, 214n215; Ephesians, 423n144; Exodus, 51n18; Genesis, 187n98, 415n135; Holy Scriptures, 358; Luke, 165n82, 319n56; Mark, 165n82; Matthew, 165n82, 301, 465n207; Ten Commandments, 51n18 Bigolina, Giulia, 6n20, 39–40 bishops, 39, 46, 48, 295, 351–352, 428 Boccaccio, Giovanni: cited in tale, 427; Corbaccio, 289n26; Decameron, 1–2, 5, 10–12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 31, 36, 39, 47n7, 91n35, 99n40, 100n41, 102n44, 134n64, 214n115, 283n20, 341n69, 386n110; Famous Women, 25n88; Filocolo, 289n25, 470n5; The Genealogy of the Pagan Gods, 3, 4–5, 19, 35, 41 bogeyman. See monsters Bohemia, 225, 394 Boiardo, Matteo Maria, 3, 158n79 Bologna, 48, 52n19, 99–106, 237, 455–456 Bondanella, Peter, 114n50 Bonomo, Giuseppe, 14n47, 284nn22–23 Botticelli, Sandro, 25n88 Bottigheimer, Ruth, 8, 11n37, 18n62, 32n102 Bracciolini, Poggio, 39 Brescia, 232n125, 233, 294, 296, 351–352, 382n105 Britannia. See England Brittany, 461–463 Brown, Virginia, 25n88 Brown-Grant, Rosalind, 24n86, 304n36 Bulgarini, Bellisario, 35n113 Burton, Richard, 33 Byatt, A. S., 32n104 Cairo, 137–145 Calabrese, Stefano, 13n45 Calabria, 375 Calibritto, Monica, 30n96 Campanella, Tommaso, 35n114

Index 489 Campbell, Julie, 28n90 Campbell, Mary B., 17n56 Camposanpietro, 122 Candia, 182 Canepa, Nancy L., 6n18, 11n37, 24n82, 33n109 cantari, 10, 158n79 Cappello, Bernardo: 19n64, 48n12; narrated by, Tale 13.5, 443–444 Capraia, 130, 134 Carafa, Andolfo and Ermacora, 300–303 Caravaggio, 9, 45, 46, 257, 258 cardinals: 48nn10–12, 295; College of Cardinals, 428–429 Carignano, 267 Carnival, 7, 11, 19, 21, 24, 28, 47n7, 49, 431, 467 Carrington, Charles, 33 Casali, Giambattista: 19nn64–65, 48n9, 255n145; narrated by, Tale 13.1, 332–333 Cassell, Anthony K., 289n26 Castiglione, Baldassare, 22, 48n10, 49n16, 174n89, 346n72 Castile, 336 castration, 267–270 Cateruzza (Brunetta): 20 —narrated by: Tale 1.3, 67–73; Tale 3.1, 130–135; Tale 6.3, 271–274; Tale 8.2, 315–318; Tale 10.5, 388–391; Tale 13.10, 455–456 Catholic Church: 16, 18, 30, 83n33, 157n78; good Catholics, 383 —masses: 198, 199, 411, 459, 470; for deceased, 385, 399, 402 —prayers and praying: 283; Ave Maria, 64, 429, 467n209; psalms, 385, 452 theologians, 319, 359 (see also Bible; bishops; cardinals; churches; clergy; convents; CounterReformation; monastery; monks; nuns; popes; priests)

catoblepa. See monsters Cavalli, Brocardo, 364–368 censorship. See Counter-Reformation Ceres. See goddesses Cesena, 446 Chambers, David, 21n72 Chanson de Roland, 80n29 chastity, 20, 24–28, 75, 100, 109–110, 251, 258, 276, 321, 328, 333, 367, 416n137 Cheney, Donald, 289n25 children: and literature, 35; as public for fairy tales, 3–5, 19, 38, 43n141 Chioggia, 234 Chios (island), 306 (see also gods) churches: Basilica of Saint Anthony (Padua), 448n184; Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata (Florence), 283; Saint Honoratus (Noventa), 451; Saint Mark’s Basilica (Venice), 234; Saint Peter’s (Rome), 294; San Domenico (Perugia), 71; San Gallo, 63–64; San Pietro in Ciel d’Or (Pavia), 388n112 Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 470 Cittadini, Vangelista (Evangelista), 22, 48n11 Clements, Robert J., 12n40 clergy: 11, 13, 31, 351, 379, 403, 404, 409, 451; deacon, 451–452; denunciation of corrupt, 319; prelate, 297, 427, 428; vicar, 276–279 (see also bishops; cardinals; confessor; monks; nuns; popes; priests) coins: ducats, 351, 398–400, 433, 466, 472; florin, 61, 62, 65, 67, 70, 71, 179, 239, 267, 284, 297, 298, 327, 383n106, 384 Coller, Alexandra, 38n120 Collogna (Cologna Veneta), 458 Colonna: family, 52n19; Gavardo, 310, 313; Vittoria, 15, 34 Comacchio, 385 comare. See compare

490 Index Como, 382 compare, 83n33, 236n131, 259–262, 353n79, 375n102, 435 confessor: 319–320, 382–386, 422; confession, 436 convents: 26, 276–279, 323–324; Saint Iorio (Salerno), 453–454; women fleeing to, 58, 112 (see also nuns) Cordova, 435 Cornetto, 315 corpses: 61–62, 292; revived, 379 Corrigan, Beatrice, 10n34, 158n79 Cottino-Jones, Marga, 10n31, 13n46, 17n57, 20, 21 Council of Trent. See Counter-Reformation Counter-Reformation: censorship, 469; Council of Trent, 30–31, 34–35; Index of Forbidden Books, 31–32; Inquisition, Roman, 16n55, 365n96 (see also Catholic Church) courtesans: 20, 21, 22, 227n120; Argentina (character), 283–287 (see also D’Aragona, Tullia; Franco, Veronica; prostitutes) Cox, Virginia, 15n49, 23n81, 40n131 Crane, John Frederick, 42n137 Crayton, John, 30n96 Crete, 99, 182n94 cuckolds, 168, 169, 336, 441 Cupid. See Apuleius; love: god (Cupid) Cupid and Psyche, Tale of. See Apuleius Cyclops. See monsters Cyprus, 82, 83 Dalmatia: 173n88, 289; Dalmatian (language), 48n15 Damascus, 137 (see also Syria) dancing: 49, 50, 255; Bembo leading dance in a round, 128, 255; circle dance, 91, 212, 308, 335, 393, 413, 431, 467; and courtship, 99–100; horse, 139; part of woman’s education, 20, 174; peasant woman

dancing at feasts, 243–244; proverb on dancing badly, 243; water, 191 Dante, 17, 34, 80n29, 100n41, 122n56, 209n109, 347n73, 386n108, 465nn205–206 Danza, Battista, Giovanni Antonio, and Sebastiano, 45n1 D’Aragona, Tullia, 34, 41 Daston, Lorraine, 17n56 D’Aulnoy, Marie-Catherine, 6 David (King), 429 death. See personified figures devil: 27, 111, 205, 232, 382, 384, 436, 450; Astaroth, 284–285; Farfarello, 284–285; Lucifer, 385; protagonist of Tale 2.4, 114–120; “putting the devil in hell,” 386; Satan, 384; sending someone to the devil, 311 dialects: Bergamasque, 12, 232n123, Tale 5.3, 232–240; pavano, 12, 241n135, Tale 5.4, 243–249; Venetian, 9, 15, 48n15, 309n46, 391n115 Diana. See goddesses Diana (narrator): introduced in frame tale, 335 —narrated by: Tale 9.1, 336–339; Tale 11.3, 403–405 Diogenes, 407 discord, 180, 300–301 (see also personified figures) diseases: diarrhea, 281; fever, 124, 151, 332–333, 453; flux (dysentery), 466; ringworm, 281, 395; scabies, 271–274, 281, 395, 466 doctor. See physician Doglioni, Nicolò, 41 Doni, Anton Francesco, 10n31, 17n57 Doria: family, 52n19; Odescalco, 52 Douglas, Paul, 32–33, 33n105 dowry: 18, 29, 114, 173–174, 201, 221, 350, 395; in convents, 277 dragons. See monsters Dreseni, Ettore. See Trissino, Ettore

Index 491 Durling, Robert, 122n56, 210n109 Echo. See goddesses Egypt, 138, 139n67, 173, 266 (see also Cairo; Thebes) Eichel-Lojkine, Patricia, 32n102 Elias, Cathy, 20n66 Elysian Fields, 425 Emery, Ted, 43n141 enchanted animals: ant, 156–163; bear, 375–380; beast, 208; cat, 394–396; dove, 191–192; eagle, 156–163; falcon, 141–144, 230; fish, 141–144, 230; fox, 330; green bird, 187, 194–196; horse, 138–144, 218–223, 285, 327–328; lion, 375–380; pig, 92–97; poisonous animals (fire-breathing), 191; rooster, 330; serpent (fire-breathing), 305; shark, 328; snake, 147–155; tuna, 130–135, 328; unicorn, 433–434; wolf, 156–163, 375–380 enchanted objects: apples, golden, 135; apples, singing, 187–196; doll, 225–230; elixirs and ointments, 208–210; herbs, 152, 360; liquors, 75, 284; pomegranate seeds, 330; ruby ring, 328–330; water, dancing, 187–196; water of life, 143–144 England: 48, 74–80, 92, 432; Britannia, 76 envy, 80–81, 140–141, 188–196, 204, 227, 257, 330, 332, 378, 395, 407, 438 epic poems: 4, 10, 17, 41; chivalric epic, 35, 37–39; written by women, 41 (see also Ariosto; Boiardo; D’Aragona; Fonte; Marinella; Pulci; Tasso) Eritrea: 22 —narrated by: Tale 1.4, 74–80; Tale 3.5, 165–169; Tale 5.1, 214–223; Tale 6.5, 280–281; Tale 8.1, 309–313; Tale 10.4, 382–386

Erizzo, Sebastiano, 16n52 Ethiopians, 112, 453n191 Eve, 415n135 exorcism, 117–119, 436 Fahy, Conor, 37n119 fairies, 4, 18, 24, 35, 37–38, 92, 217 fairy tales: 1–10, 15–43 —fairy tales in The Pleasant Nights by ATU number: ATU 300 The Dragon-Slayer (Tale 10.3, 375–380); ATU 316 The Nix of the Mill Pond (Tale 3.4, 156–163); ATU 325 The Tailor and His Pupil (Tale 8.4, 326– 330); ATU 326 The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is (Tale 4.5, 205–210); ATU 433B King Lindorm (Tale 2.1, 92–97); ATU 441 Hans my Hedgehog (Tale 2.1, 92–97); ATU 502 The Wild Man (Tale 5.1, 214–222); ATU 505 The Grateful Dead (Tale 11.2, 398–402); ATU 510B The Princess in the Chest (Tale 1.4, 74–81); ATU 514** A Young Woman Disguised as a Man Is Wooed by the Queen (Tale 4.1, 173–180); ATU 545B Puss-inBoots (Tale 11.1, 394–396); ATU 554 The Grateful Animals (Tale 3.4, 156–163); ATU 571C The Biting Doll (Tale 5.2, 225–230); ATU 653 The Four Skillful Brothers (Tale 7.5, 305–307); ATU 675 The Lazy Boy (Tale 3.1, 130–135); ATU 706, The Maiden without Hands (Tale 3.3, 147–155); ATU 706C The Father who Wanted to Marry his Daughter (Tale 1.4, 74–81); ATU 707 The Three Golden Children (Tale 4.3, 187–196); ATU 712 Crescentia (Tale 1.4, 74–81)

492 Index —types of fairy tales: animal bridegroom, 24–25, 92–97; Beauty and the Beast, 1, 3, 11; Cinderella, 33; dragon-slayer tales, 1, 11, 13n45, 16; Puss-inBoots, 1, 11, 18, 33 falconry, 410–411 (see also animals; enchanted animals) Fano, 267 Fantazzi, Charles, 2n3 fashion (women’s), 21, 24, 28, 115–117 (see also Venice: sumptuary laws) Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos). See goddesses faun. See monsters favola, 11, 13, 37–38, 40 fear. See personified figures Federico, marquis of Mantua, 46 Feldman, Martha, 10n32, 21nn72–73, 22 Ferguson, Ronnie, 245n138 Ferrandino II, 149n73 Ferrara, 10, 440, 458 figs. See plants: figs Findlen, Paula, 17n56 Finucci, Valeria, 39n127, 40n130, 41n135 Fiordiana: 22, 25 —narrated by: Tale 4.1, 173–181; Tale 7.2, 289–292; Tale 11.1, 394–396; Tale 12.3, 422–423 Firenzuola, Agnolo, 3, 10n31, 17n57 Flanders, 283–287, 475 Florence: 10, 84n33, 276, 283–287, 319–324, 358, 383n106, 409, 443; Florentines, 358–361 flowers. See plants: flowers Folisco, Mount, 475 Fonte, Moderata (Modesta Pozzo): Floridoro, 41; Tale of Prince Lioncorno, 40; The Worth of Women, 6, 23n81, 25n87, 28n91, 39–41 fool, 294–298, 406–407 Forlì, 427n153, 429 Forteguerri, Giovanni, 6 Forteguerri, Laura, 34

fortune, 4, 11, 13, 91, 137, 156, 175, 201, 225, 232, 240, 300, 332, 339, 346, 375, 446 France, 6, 32, 35n113, 187n99, 283n20, 297 (see also Paris; Provins) Franco, Veronica, 28n91, 227n120 Fulgosa, Bernardo, 475 Furetta, Gabrina, 284–285 (see also witchcraft) Fusina, 234 Galen, 332n64, 432, 462 Galli Stampino, Maria, 28n90, 41n134 gambling: 117, 385, 444; and Antonio Bembo, 444; hazard, 240–241 Gano di Maganza, 80 Garzoni, Tomaso, 30 Genoa, 51, 259, 427, 475 Gentileschi, Artemisia, 25 Germans: 294–295, 438; German (language), 32, 42n139, 295 ghosts, 111, 230, 400–402, 459 (see also spirits) Gibaldi, Joseph, 12n40 gluttony: 405 —gluttons: Don Pomporio, 403–405; Each-one, 90; Gordino, 309–311 godchildren. See compare goddesses: Ceres, 413n132; Diana, 212n112, 241; Echo, 151; Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos), 210, 422; Juno, 391; Latona, 212, 308; Proserpina, 413; Psyche, 19, 33; Venus, 40, 218, 419 godparents. See compare gods: 100, 305n39, 307n41, 370n99, 386n108, 463n201; Aeolus, 258; Apollo (Phoebus), 40, 91, 128, 171, 306, 308, 323, 431; Asclepius, 462; Chios (island), 306n42; Cupid (see Apuleius; love: god (Cupid)); Jove, 47, 105, 212n112, 308, 369; Mercury, 210; Pan, 306, 369n99; Pluto, 282, 386, 413n132

Index 493 Goldoni, Carlo, 42 Gonzaga, Giovanfranesco, 46 Gonzaga, Lucrezia: 10–11, 19, 26, 28, 46n5 —narrated by: Tale 5.5, 251–254; Tale 13.2, 435–436 Gonzenbach, Laura, 42 Gordon, Bonnie, 21n72, 22n77 Gozzi, Carlo, 42–43 gratitude, 447 (see also ingratitude) greed, 60, 67, 163, 240, 267, 309n46, 337–339, 341, 348, 385, 403 (see also avariciousness) Grimm, The Brothers, 29n93, 32, 41 guards: 55–56, 63, 111, 135, 185, 280, 337–339, 388, 389, 396; named Calf, 407, 415; old woman guarding palace, 66 Guglielminetti, Marziano, 10n31, 12n39 Guidiccione, Chiara: 47–48; 445n180; narrated by, Tale 13.6, 446–447 Haas, Louis, 84n33 Haase, Donald, 3n9, 23n80, 24n83 Hanafi, Zakiya, 17n56 Hannon, Patricia, 33–34 Hathaway, Baxter, 17n58, 35nn113–114 heaven(s), 47, 64, 99, 100, 111, 120, 152, 161, 165, 170, 212, 280, 301n34, 308, 333, 339, 342, 356, 391, 393, 399, 402, 406, 431, 436 (see also Elysian Fields) Hebrews, 429 hell: 119, 384, 385, 425; Tartarean realms, 409 herbs. See plants: herbs hermaphrodites: 19n65, 453–454; as metaphor, 2 hermit, 207, 376–378, 391 Hippocrates, 462 Holy Land, 134 honor: female, 110, 200, 271–272, 282, 290, 321, 367, 420; male, 85, 169, 271–272, 285–286, 290, 302, 377 Hungary, 92, 341

Hunt, Margaret, 32n104 Imbriani, Vittorio, 41 Imola, 67, 427n153 incantations, 16, 247–248, 264–265, 283–284, 365n96 (see also magic; witchcraft) incest, 74–75 Index of Forbidden Books. See Counter-Reformation ingratitude, 120, 135, 158, 427–429 Inquisition, Roman. See Counter-Reformation Intronati Academy (Siena), 35–38 Irlanda, 218 Isabella: 24 —narrated by: Tale 2.1, 92–97; Tale 4.4, 198–204; Tale 7.5, 305–307; Tale 9.3, 346–350; Tale 11.4, 406–407; Tale 12.5, 427–429; Tale 13.12, 461–463 Italy: 429; and fairy tales, 1, 5, 8, 10, 11; and women writers, 30–40; and women’s issues, 39 jealousy, 82, 182–186, 244, 415–417 Jerusalem, 134, 352n75 Jones, Ann Rosalind, 28n91 Jones, Christine A., 1n1 joust and jousting, 158–161, 174, 367 Jove. See gods judges: 112, 298, 307, 388, 456; magistrates, 26, 39, 60–65, 82, 111–112, 185–186, 388–391, 420, 440–441, 447 Juno. See goddesses justice, 180–181 (see also judges; law; torture) Kenseth, Joy, 16n54, 17n59 Kent, Dale, 84n33 King, Margaret L., 23n81 Kisacky, Julia, 39n127 knights, 10, 29, 35n113, 36, 48, 80n29, 93, 141, 144, 158n79, 160–161,

494 Index 174, 177, 180, 217–219, 284n23, 349, 350, 367, 395–396, 400–401, 427n151 Lami, Vittorio, 6n18 Lando, Ortensio, 2 Lang, Andrew, 32n104 languages: misunderstanding, 295; understanding language of animals, 305–307, 422–423 (see also dialects; Germans; Latin) Larivey, Pierre de, 32 Latin: 20, 198, 280n15, 295, 332n64; Bergamasques speaking, 358–361; priest tests student’s Latin, 351–356; used in tales and riddles, 232, 351–356, 358–361, 462, 466 Latona. See goddesses Lauretta: 22n78 —narrated by: Tale 1.1, 51–58; Tale 3.3, 147–155; Tale 8.5, 332–333; Tale 10.1, 364–368; Tale 13.8, 451–452 law —laws concerning: adultery, 185–186, 419; bill of sale, 382; burying dead pilgrims in Rome, 239; censorship, 39; contracts with servants, 450; debts, 415; election of abbess, 276; female succession to throne, 137–138; starving, 235; torture, 440 natural law, 284; scholars of canon and civil law, 326, 359, 451, 455–456; Venetian laws, 18, 21, 82 (see also judges; notary; torture) Lent, 47n7, 467 letter(s): counterfeit, 409 —dedicatory: Lupardi’s for Basile’s Tale of Tales, 38; to The Pleasant Nights, 12, 18–19, 45, 257 exchanged among family members, 236, 285–286; from pope, 428; letter patent, 140–141; love

letters, 103, 200; sent from prison, 407 (see also Lando, Ortensio) Lhéretier, Marie-Jeanne, 6 life. See personified figures Lionbruno, 10n34, 158n79 Lionora: 26 —narrated by: Tale 2.3, 109–112; Tale 4.5, 205–210; Tale 7.4, 300–304; Tale 9.2, 341–344; Tale 11.2, 398–402; Tale 12.1, 415–417 Lippi, Lorenzo, 33, 38 locus amoenus, 47n7, 134n64 Lodi, 10, 46 Lodovica: 26, 29n29 —narrated by: Tale 4.3, 187–196; Tale 7.3, 294–298; Tale 12.2, 419–420 Lombardy, 46, 99, 156, 165, 232n125, 294, 382, 388 Louveau, Jean, 32 love: among friends, 259, 300, 466, 473; amorous love, 176; definition, 289; filial love, 287, 399; fraternal, 218, 219, 300–304, 435; goal of love, 331; god (Cupid), 74, 122, 182, 183, 186, 212, 258, 289, 290, 320, 341, 343, 419; guided by a gentle spirit, 341; Italian lyric poetry and, 100n41; paternal love, 300; perfect love, 282; too much, 318 (see also Apuleius; goddesses: Venus; lust) Lucca, 6, 39, 443 Lucretia, 25n88, 106n45, 416 Lupardi, Bartolomeo, 38 lust: 28n90, 75, 109, 123n56, 124, 252–254, 271, 285n25, 320, 470; lascivious love, 87, 109–112, 167–168 Lynch, Joseph H., 84n33 Machiavelli, Niccolò, 27n89, 114n50, 346n72 madmen, 29n92, 111, 130–135, 419–420, 432–433 Maggi, Armando, 4n10

Index 495 magic: 1, 3, 11n37, 14, 18, 24, 29, 30–31, 35, 39, 43, 112; love magic, 363–367; necromancy, 326; sorcery, 284, 326–327; used for metamorphosis, 326–330; used to find lost objects, 264–265; wife flies to Flanders on devil’s back, 283–287 (see also enchanted animals; enchanted objects; marvelous and marvels; metamorphosis) magistrates. See judges Marcellino, Evangelista. See Selva, Lorenzo Marches, 236n130, 267, 425n147 Marinella, Lucrezia, 41 marriage, 14, 18, 24–27, 29, 40 (see also dowry) Martinez, Ronald, 122n56, 210n109 marvelous and marvels: 5–6, 10, 14, 30; Age of the Marvelous, 16–18; and Italian women writers, 39–41; in literature, 34–38 —in tales: flower producing hands, 149–155; jewel-producing hair, 149–155, 190; palace magically appearing, 153 (see also enchanted animals; enchanted objects; fairies; magic; metamorphosis) Mazzacurati, Giancarlo, 8n25, 15 McWilliam, G. H., 91n35 Medici, Giovanni di Lorenzo de’. See popes: Leo X Medioli, Francesca, 277n13 Melfi, 114, 117 merchants, 11, 13, 46n6, 239, 382, 398 —characters disguised as merchants: Prince Galeotto, 337; sorcerer Lattanzio, 327; Tebaldo, 77–78 —characters who are merchants: Ambros dal Mul (cloth merchant), 236–240; Artilao Sara, 259–262; Cassandrino (thief who becomes a merchant),

65; Dimitrio (peddler), 82–89; Florentine and Bergamasque (quarreling merchants), 358– 361; Genoese merchants, 76, 475–476; Ortodosio Simeoni, 283–287; wife selling sex for shoes, 251–254 Mercury. See gods Messina, 42n139, 326 metamorphosis: from devil to horse, 285; from girl to beautiful girl, 148 —from man: to ant, 159; to eagle, 159, 163; to fox, 330; to horse, 327–328; to pomegranate seeds, 330; to rooster, 330; to ruby ring, 328; to shark, 328; to statue, 194–195; to tuna, 328; to wild man, 216–217; to wolf, 163 from pig to man, 92–95; from snake to fairy-woman, 152 —from woman: to husband’s lover, 285; to invisible old woman, 285 mutilated arms and eyes restored, 152 (see also Apuleius; Ovid; Selva, Lorenzo) Mezzo Island, 289 Milan, 41n136, 46, 48, 165n81, 346, 350, 382, 399n121 Mirollo, James V., 17n59 misogyny, 23, 26–30 Molino, Antonio: 11, 12, 19nn64–65, 22, 25, 48n15; il Burchiella (nickname), 48 —narrated by: Tale 2.2, 99–106; Tale 5.3, 232–242; Tale 13.9, 453–454 monastery: 403–405, 409–411, 416–417; Abbey of Polesine, 458; Carmelite, 435 Monferrato, 51–52, 58, 147 monks: 289–292, 403–405, 409–411, 458–459; Carmelite monk, 435– 436; couple disguised as monks, 416–417 (see also monastery)

496 Index monsters: basilisk, 22, 223–224, 306; bogeyman, 5; catoblepa, 450; Cyclops, 5; dragons, 6, 144, 177n91, 375–380; faun, 176n91, 306; satyr, 16, 39, 176–180, 306n41; siren, 157, 162–163, 164; wild man, 39, 214–223, 214n115, 305–307; wild woman, 39 (see also devil; enchanted animals; ghosts; pregnancy; pregnancy: birth defects, as proof of paternity; pregnancy: birth defects, avoided; pregnancy: enchanted) Monter, William, 16n55 Morlini, Girolamo: 12 —tales from Novellae in The Pleasant Nights: Novellae 5, 427–429 (12.5); Novellae 6, 438 (13.3); Novellae 7, 406–407 (11.4); Novellae 13, 435–436 (13.2); Novellae 20, 443–444 (13.5); Novellae 21, 440–441 (13.4); Novellae 22, 453–454 (13.9); Novellae 26, 415–417 (12.1); Novellae 27, 425 (12.4); Novellae 29, 446–447 (13.6); Novellae 30, 419–420 (12.2); Novellae 32, 332–333 (8.5); Novellae 36, 409–411 (11.5); Novellae 47, 475–476 (in 1555 edition, 8.4); Novellae 51, 465–466 (13.13); Novellae 54, 458–459 (13.11); Novellae 59, 451–452 (Tale 13.8); Novellae 61, 280–281 (6.5); Novellae 68, 455–456 (13.10); Novellae 71, 422–423 (12.3); Novellae 74, 448–450 (13.7); Novellae 77, 432–433 (13.1); Novellae 80, 305–307 (7.5) Moro, Lodovico, 46n4, 346 Mother Goose, 3, 6 Muir, Edward, 82n32, 214n115 Murano, 11, 46 Murat, Henriette-Julie de 6, 7

Musa, Mark, 114n50 music: 19–20, 22; proposed as part of evening entertainment, 49; songs performed in frame tale, 50, 91, 128, 171, 212–213, 258, 282, 308, 335, 263, 393, 413–414, 431 musical instruments: bagpipes, 318, 369; bells, 64, 119, 276, 467; castanets, 119, 163; cithara, 154; cymbals, 119; drums, 119, 163; flute, 91, 212; horns, 35, 119; lute, 128, 171, 431, 459–460; pipes, 306n41, 456; trombone, 330–331; trumpets, 161, 163, 428, 456; viola, 20, 128, 258; viola da gamba, 335, 393; violone, 420–421; unspecified instruments, 50, 161, 163 musket, 348–349 mythology, 4, 40 (see also goddesses; gods; monsters) Naples, 147, 150, 153, 300, 406n126, 409, 422, 427–428, 455 Navarre, Marguerite de, 39n128 Nebuchadnezzar, 214n115 necromancy. See magic needlework. See spinning and sewing Niccoli, Ottavia, 214n115 Nissen, Christopher, 39, 40nn129–130 Nona, 295n32 notary: 51, 166, 382–386, 398, 448; notary’s files, 456 (see also law) Novara, 398–401 novella, 2, 6, 10–16, 35–40, 55n21, 281, 351, 375, 406, 415, 419, 425, 427, 438 Noventa, 451 nuns: 18, 31, 39; in tales, 276–279, 323–324, 360, 453–454 (see also convents) nurses, 24n82, 72, 78, 132–133, 147–148, 174, 198, 287 oceans and seas: 81, 164, 171, 212, 292, 323, 475; Adriatic Sea, 82,

Index 497 109n47, 236n130, 267, 385n107, 425n147; Aegean Sea, 306; Atlantic Ocean, 76, 162; Indian Ocean, 91; Venetian Lagoon, 47 opium, 78, 263 Orbat, Veronica: 47–48; narrated by, Tale 13.4, 440–441 Orfeo dalla carta, 12, 15, 18, 45 Orient, 77 (see also Damascus; Holy Land; Jerusalem; Syria) Ostia, 205, 210 Ovid, 3, 13, 23 Padua, 122, 198, 233, 241n135, 243–245, 332n63, 352–353, 448, 451, 465 Pallister, Janis L., 261n4 Pan. See gods Panchatantra, 10, 12, 18n57 Panizza, Letizia, 37n119 Parabosco, Girolamo, 16n52 Paré, Ambroise, 260n4 Paris, 2, 7, 22, 32, 41 Park, Katharine, 17n56 Passi, Giuseppe, 28n90 Pastina, Daniela, 30n96 Pavia, 36, 350, 388–391 peasants, 41, 42, 206, 228, 249, 253, 346–350, 358–361, 377–378 Peloponnesus, 369 perfume, 77, 102, 146, 323 Perocco, Daria, 36n116 Perrault, Charles, 3, 6, 24n82, 32n102 Persia, 153, 462n102 personified figures: Death, 205–210; Discord, 156; Fear, 205–210; Life, 205–210; Shame, 404–405; Water, 404–405; Wind, 404–405 (see also love: god (Cupid)) Perugia, 60 Pesaro, 425 Peters, Edward, 389nn113–114 Petrarch, 9, 14, 20, 48n10, 100n41, 101n42, 443n178, 450n186 Petrini, Mario, 13

Philomela, 3, 305 Phoebus. See gods: Apollo (Phoebus) physician: 198, 233, 315, 332–333, 383, 432–33, 453, 461–463; sorcerer disguised as physician, 329–330 Piedmont, 52, 147n71, 398, 399n121, 400 Piove di Sacco, 243 Pirovano, Donato, 8n26, 9nn29–30, 11n38, 12 n41, 14n47, 15n50, 30n97, 31nn98 and 100, 43, 45n1, 47n7, 55n21, 61n24, 91n35, 99n40, 100n41, 101n42, 102n44, 134 n64, 158n79, 173n88, 245n138, 280n16, 289n25, 290n30, 301n34, 304n36, 306n42, 309n46, 352n77, 358n83, 364n95, 382n105, 406n126, 423nn143–144, 428 nn155–156, 435n164, 438n169, 443n178, 450n186, 455nn195–196, 465n207, 469n1, 470nn4–5 Pisa, 419 Pistoia, 6, 28, 251, 443 Pitrè, Giuseppe, 41 Pizan, Christine de, 24n86, 25n88, 304n36 plagiarism: 12, 257; riscrittura, 13 plants: figs, 133, 234–235, 280, 311 —flowers: 46, 77, 92, 132, 147–148, 210, 391, 397; cassia, 462; lily, 383n106; roses, 77, 147, 397; roses, violets, flowers from hands, 149, 151, 154; serpent among flowers, 273; violets, 77 —herbs: 77, 234, 268, 280, 417, 443; herbalists, 453 (see also enchanted objects) The Pleasant Nights, 9–14; frame tale, 10 —individual tales discussed in introduction: (Tale 2.1) 11, 18n63, 24–25; (Tale 2.2) 25–26; (Tale 2.3) 26; (Tale 2.4) 26–28; (Tale 3.1) 6, 29; (Tale 3.3) 29; (Tale 4.1) 29, 39; (Tale 4.3) 29; (Tale 5.2) 29; (Tale 5.5) 28–29;

498 Index (Tale 6.1) 31; (Tale 6.4) 31; (Tale 7.5) 29; (Tale 8.3) 31, 469; (Tale 8.4) 43; (Tale 10.3) 11; (Tale 11.1) 11, 18 publication history, 30–34 —translations: English, 32–34; French, 32–34; German, 32; Spanish, 32 women narrators (damigelle), 11, 18–23 (see also fairy tales; Morlini, Girolamo; riddles; Straparola, Giovan Francesco) Pliny, 17n59, 224n118, 450n186, 453n191 Pluto. See gods poison: 40, 344; Cesarino poisoned by mother and sister, 378–379; poisonous animals, 191–192, 224n118, 306, 376; unicorn as antidote for, 434 Polonia, 156, 158 Pompey, 428 popes: Leo IX and Leo X, 294; Paul II, 427; Sixtus IV, 427–429; Sixtus V, 31–32; unspecified, 315 pornography, 32–33 Portugal, 198 Postema, 67 poverty: Adamantina and Cassandra, 225; Bergamasque laborers, 232n123, 241n135; brides for King Pig, 175; Cimarosto dies in, 294; Costantino Fortunato, 394; description of, 245; feigning poverty, 443; hunchback brothers, 232; old man who takes in Biancabella, 152; prodigal man becomes poor, 465; three poor brothers, 305 Pozzuolo, 422 prayers and praying. See Catholic Church pregnancy: 150, 156, 285; at advanced age, 173; birth defects, as proof of paternity, 287; birth defects, avoided, 259–262; enchanted, 92,

131–132, 188; virgin birth, 131; woman abandoned after, 410–411, 422–423 pride, 94, 182, 351 priests: 31, 178–179, 203–204, 377, 383–385, 428, 451–452, 458–459, 466; Brother Tiberio Palavicino, 319–324; Father Scarpacifico, 67–73; Father Severino, 63–65; Father Papiro Schizza, 351–356; Father Zefiro, 280; lover of Polissena, 82–89 printing: 15, 32; and women, 34 (see also Danza (family); Orfeo dalla carta; Trino, Comin da) Procne, 305n39 Proserpina. See goddesses prostitutes, 102n44, 227nn120–121, 364, 472 (see also courtesans) proverbs: A lord is like wine in a flask, 55; A man who has made up his mind does not need advice, 301; Don’t joke so hard it hurts or mock the truth, 156; Fools are often liked, but not always, 406; He who dances badly, entertains well, 243; Man does what he wants, 60; Power lies in words, in herbs, and in stones, 280; Studying is disreputable for those who have great fortunes, 455; Whoever lives badly, dies badly, 382 Provins, 187 prudence, 147, 180–181, 375, 472 psalms. See Catholic Church Psyche. See goddesses Puglia, 84 Pulci, Luigi, 80n29, 284n23 Pullan, Brian, 21n72 purgatory, 425n148 Pyrrheus, 183 Querelle des femmes, 23–30, 415n135, 416n137

Index 499 Rabil, Albert, 2n3, 23n81, 415n135 Rackham, H., 453n191 Ragusa, 289 Rak, Michele, 18n60 Ravenna, 415 Ray, Meredith, 2n4 Recanati, 236 Riario, Girolamo, 427–429, 427n153 riddles: 15, 21, 24, 32, 36n116; sexual double-entendres, 127 (2.5), 170 (3.5), 230 (5.2), 254 (5.5), 266 (6.1), 325 (8.1), 270 (6.2), 274–275 (6.3), 279 (6.4), 287–288 (7.1), 318 (8.2), 330–331 (8.4), 374 (10.2), 386 (10.4), 417 (12.1), 420–421 (12.2), 423–424 (12.3), 426 (12.4), 456 (13.10), 459–460 (13.11), 464 (13.12) Rimini, 109, 122n56 rivers: Bacco (Guadalquivir), 435; Brenta, 465; Reno, 385n107; Savio, 446; Tiber, 232, 239–240 Robert, Marthe, 29n93 Robin, Diana, 15n49, 34, 38n128 Romagna, 60, 99n40, 415, 425, 446 Roman Empire: 429; Romans, 432 Rome, 48n12, 52n19, 205, 232, 235–240, 294–298, 309–313, 409, 427–429 Rosand, David, 82n32 Rosenthal, Margaret F., 21n73, 28n91 Rospocher, Massimo, 5n14 Rovere, Francesco della (Pope Sixtus IV), 427 Rovigo, 458 Rowe, Karen E., 3nn6–7, 23 Rua, Giuseppe, 9n28, 43, 469n3 Rubini, Luisa, 74n28 Ruggiero, Guido, 365n96 Ruzante. See Beolco, Angelo Sacchetti, Franco, 55n21 saints: Augustine, 388; John the Baptist, 383n106; John Chrysostom,

383n106; Macarius, 351; Paul, 232n124, 423n144; Quentin, 247 Salerno, 19n65, 24n82, 74, 453 salons: and French women, 2, 5–7, 22, 41, 42–43; and Italian women, 34; depicted in Straparola’s frame tale, 19, 48n10, 49n16; Venetian, 1–2, 20 Salzberg, Rosa, 5n14, 10n33 Samos, 266 Santa Eufemia, 122 Sarnelli, Pompeo, 33, 42 satyr. See monsters Savona, 427 Scaevola, Gaius Mutius, 428 Schacker, Jennifer, 1n1 Scipio Africanus, 428 Scotland, 173 Seifert, Lewis, 1, 7n21, 29, 30n94 Selva, Lorenzo, 4–6, 33, 42 Sercambi, Giovanni, 5–6 servants: 57, 59, 62, 63, 66, 76, 78, 89, 101, 109–112, 120, 124, 138, 147, 151, 177, 183–184, 203, 216–218, 229, 251, 253, 267, 294–296, 301n34, 308, 311, 312–313, 351, 363, 400, 406–407, 410, 423, 438; as tellers of tales, 41; devil’s servants, 292; maidservant, 82–89 —men describing themselves as servants to women: 114, 159, 338, 471; Filenio Sisterna, 99–100; Orfeo della carta, 45; Straparola, 257 —servants as protagonists of tales: Costanza/Costanzo as servant to the king, 173–180; Fortunio, 440–441; Gerolamo Riario, servant to the pope, 427–429; Giorgio, 448–450 servants of a Spaniard and a German, 438; Travaglino, 165–169; Zambò, marries his master’s wife, 237

500 Index Sforza, Francesco II: 46; protagonist of Tale 9.3, 346–350 Sforza, Ottaviano Maria, 10, 46 shame. See personified figures Sicily, 42, 214, 326, 375–380 Siemans, Melanie, 7n22 Siena, 36, 309 Silva, Francisco Vaz da, 8n23 Sinicropi, Giovanni, 6n17 siren. See monsters Smarr, Janet, 33 soldier, 217, 305, 315–318, 349, 396, 399–400 songs. See music sorcery. See magic Sozzi, Lionello, 32n102 Spain: 39, 149n73, 336–339, 435; Spaniards, 435–436, 438 Sperling, Jutta, 18n61 spices: 69, 77, 274; spice shops (spezierie or speciri), 234n127 spinning and sewing: 106, 111, 112– 113, 225, 244; and telling tales, 3–4, 19, 22–24, 97–98; needlework, 174, 199, 326; spindles and distaffs, 77–78, 187, 210, 244; weaver, 423–424; winding thread, 246 spirits: evil, 240, 452; nocturnal, 459 (see also devil; exorcism; ghosts) Stanton, Domna, 1 Stephens, John, 3n9 Straparola, Giovan Francesco: biography, 8–9; Canzoniere, 9 (see also The Pleasant Nights) student: 107 in Athens (Ippolito) 182–186 —in Bologna: (Cesare Mota) 455–456; (Filenio Sisterna) 99–10 —in Padua: (Gasparino) 432–433; (Nerino) 198–204; (Pirino) 351–356 superstitions, 16, 18, 35 surgeons: 298, 408, 453; barber-surgeon, 311

Syria, 139n67, 259, 428n155 (see also Damascus) Tasso, Torquato, 17, 34–35, 35n114, 38, 176n91 Tatar, Maria, 32n104 Tedeschi, John, 16n55 Tereus, 305n39 Thebes, 173 theologians. See Catholic Church thief: Brunello, 158n36; Cassandrino, 61–65, 66; dog as thief, 419–420; killed, 443–444; Rosolino, 388–391; servant accused of being a thief, 449; Spaniard as thief, 435–436; unnamed, 166, 248 Thompson, Stith, 74n28 (see also Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index) The Thousand and One Nights, 23 time: Canonical Hours, 157n78, 295n32; fourth hour, 290 Titian, 25n88 torture: buried alive, 79; cord, 389–391, 440; eternal, 385; father and son tortured, 388–391; flogging, 296; heated pincers, then quartered, 350; role in legal system, 389n113; tortured then burned alive, 380; whipped, flayed, and quartered, 80 trades and occupations: artisan, 443–444; blacksmith, 265, 408; boatmen, 234; cap maker, 233; chimney sweep, 253; cowherd, 165–169; farmer, 234, 267, 332–333, 351–356, 382, 451–452; farrier, 219–221; field hand, 243; goldsmith, 271; gravediggers, 239–240, 379; innkeeper, 193, 218–221; miller, 189, 369; porters, 76, 183, 184, 201, 253, 358n82, 435; sailors, 162–163, 164, 258; shepherd, 71, 212; shipbuilder, 305; shoe maker, 206; swineherd, 140, 355; tailor, 206–207, 315, 326–330, 341, 408; woodcarver, 319–324

Index 501 (see also clergy; judges; merchants; nurses; peasants; physician; servants; student) tragedy, 17 Tredennick, Hugh, 17n59 Trino, Comin da, 15, 45n1 Trissino, Ettore, 406–407 Trivigiano, Benedetto: 12, 19n64, 26–27, 48n14 —narrated by: Tale 2.4, 114–120; Tale 5.4, 243–249; Tale 13.11, 458–459 Truchado, Francisco, 32 Tucker, Holly, 7n22, 34 Tullus Hostilius, 429 Tunis, 137, 150 Tuscany, 130n62, 251, 419, 443 Ughetti, Dante, 32n102 Uther, Hans-Jörg, 74n28 (see also Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index) Valerius Maximus, 304n36, 428nn155–156 Valsabbia, 232, 382 Venice: 2, 7, 14, 45–46, 83–84, 214n115, 227n120, 232n123, 233–234, 246n138, 252, 257, 264n6, 271, 305, 465, 470; calendar, 45n2; marriage, 18; myth of Venice, 82 and 82n32; printing, 9–10, 13; sumptuary laws, 22 (see also dialects) Venus. See goddesses Verona, 39, 233, 364, 367 Vicenza (city), 233, 406 Vicenza (narrator): 27–28 —narrated by: Tale 2.5, 122–126; Tale 4.2, 182–186; Tale 7.1, 283–287; Tale 9.4, 351–356; Tale 11.5, 409–411; Tale 12.4, 425; Tale 13.13, 465–466 Villani, Giovanni, 12n39, 280n15, 475n10 virginity: 26, 75, 109–112, 304, 400, 410; virgin birth, 131

Vives, Juan Luis, 2n3, 22n78, 38–39 Warner, Marina, 3n7, 18n60, 40n133 water. See enchanted objects; personified figures Waters, W. G., 8, 32–33, 43, 469n3 Weinberg, Bernard, 17n58 wild man. See monsters wild woman. See monsters wills and testaments: 51, 225, 384–386, 394, 398, 409, 425; paternal inheritance, 432 wind. See gods: Aeolus; personified figures witchcraft, 4, 16, 18, 26, 35–36 (see also Furetta, Gabrina) women, debate on the status of. See Querelle des femmes wonder, 16–18, 38 (see also enchanted animals; enchanted objects; marvelous and marvels) Zambrini, Francesco, 158n79 Zeno, 428 Ziolkowski, Jan, 5, 8n23, 30 Zipes, Jack, 6n18, 11n37, 24, 33, 42nn137–139 zodiac: Leo, 451, 470; Taurus, 196