Federigos Falcon

There was of yore in Florence, a gallant named Federigo di Messer Filippo Alberighi, whise feats of arms and courtesy had not his peer in Tuscany. As is the common lot of gentlemen, Federigo became enamored of a lady named Monna Giovanna, who in her day held rank among the fairest and most elegant ladies of Florence; to gain whose love he jousted, tilted, gave entertainments, scattered largess, and, in short, set no bounds to his expenditure.

However, the lady, no less virtuous than fair, cared not a lot for what he did for her sake, nor yet for him. Spending thus greatly beyond his means, Federigo was at length reduced to such poverty that he had nothing left but a little estate, on the rents of which he lived very straightly , and a single falcon, the best in the world. The estate was at Campi, and there, in complete seclusion, diverting himself with hawking, he bore his poverty as patiently as he might.

Now, Federigo being thus reduced to extreme poverty, it so happened that one day Monna Giovanna’s husband, who was very rich, fell ill, and seeing that he was nearing his end, made his will, whereby he left his estate to his son, who was not growing up, and in the event of his death as lawful their named Monna Giovanna, whom he dearly loved, there in his stead; and having made these dispositions, he died. Monna Giovanna, being thus left a widow, did as our ladies are wont, and repaired in the summer to one of her estates in the country, which lay very near to that of federigo.

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And so it befell that her son began to make friends with Federigo, and to show a fondness for hawks and dogs, and having seen Federigo’s falcon fly not a few times, took singular fancy to him, and greatly longed to have him for his own. Still he did not dare to ask the hawk to Federigo, knowing that Federigo prized him so much. So the matter stood when by chance the boy fell sick. The mother, sore distressed, again and again asked him if there were ought that he wished for, imploring him to say the word, and, if it might by any means be had, she would assuredly do her utmost to procure it from him.

Thus, repeatedly exhorted , the boy said, “Mother mine, do but get me Federigo’s falcon, and I doubt not I shall soon be well. ” Where upon the lady was silent a while, bethinking her what she should do. She knew that Federigo had long loved her, and had never had so much as a single kind look from her. Wherefore she said to herself. “How can I send or go to beg of him his falcon, which what I hear is the best that ever flew, and moreover is his sole comfort? And how could I be so unfeeling as to seek to deprive a gentleman of the one solace that is now left him? And so albeit she very well knew that she might have the falcon for the asking, she was perplexed, and knew not what to say, and gave her son no answer.

At length, however, the love she bore the boy carried the day; and she made up her mind, for his contentment, come what might, not to send, but to go herself and fetch him the falcon. SO-“ Be of good cheer, my son”, she said, “and doubt not thou wilt soon be well; for I promise thee that the very first thing that I shall do tomorrow morning will be to go and fetch thee the falcon. Where- at the child was so pleased that he began to mend that very day. On the morrow the lady, as if for pleasure, hid her with another lady to Federigo’s little house,and asked to see him. “Twas still, as for some days past , no weather for hawking and Federigo was in his garden, busy about some small matters which needed to be set right there. When he heard that Monna Giovanna was at the door, asking to see him, he was not a little surprised and pleased and held him to her with all speed.

As soon as she saw him, she came forward to meet him womanly grace, and having received his respectful salutation, said to him, “ I am come to requite thee for what thou hast lost by loving me more than thou shouldst: which compensation is this, that I and this lady that accompanies me will breakfast with thee without ceremony this morning”. “Madam”, Federigo replied with all humility, “I mind not ever to have lost ought by loving you, but rather to have been so much profited that, if I ever deserve well in ought, t’was to your merit that I owed it, and to the love that I bore you.

And of a surety had I still as much to spend as I have spent in the past, I should not prize it so much as this visit you so frankly pay me, come as you are to one who can afford you but a sorry sort of hospitality. ” Which said, with some confusion, he bade her welcome to his house, and then led her into his garden, where having none else to present to her by way of companion, he said, “ Madam, as there is none other here, this good woman, wife of this husbandman, will bear you company, while I go to have the table set. Now, albeit his poverty was extreme, yet he had not known as yet how sore was the need to which his extravagance had reduced him, for that he could find nought wherewith to do honor to the lady, for love of whom distressed beyond measure, and inwardly cursing his evil fortune, he looked hither like one beside himself, but never a coin found he, nor yet ought to pledge. Meanwhile it grew late, and sorely he longed that the lady might not leave his house altogether unhonored, and yet to crave help of his own husbandman was more than his pride could brook.

In these desperate straits his glance happened to fall on his brave falcon on its perch in his little parlor. And so, as a last resource, he took it, and finding it plump, deemed that it would make a dish meet for such a lady. Wherefore, without thinking twice about it, he wrung the bird’s neck and caused his maid forthwith to pluck it and set the bird in a spit, and roast it carefully; and having still some spotless table linen, he had the table laid therewith, and with a cheereful countenance held him back to his lady garden, and told her that such breakfast as he could give her was ready.

So the lady and her companion rose and came to table, and there, with Federigo, who waited them mostly faithfully, ate the brave falcon, knowing not what it was. When they were risen from table, and had daliied a while in gay converse with him, the lady deemed it time to tell the reason of her visit. Wherefore, graciously addressing Federigo, thus began she, “Federigo, by what thou rememberesr of thy past, perchance, thou hast deemed me harsh and cruel.

I doubt not thou must marvel at my presumption now, when thou hearest the main purpose of main visit; but if thou hadst sons, so that thou mightiest know the full force of the love that is borne them. I should make no doubt that thou wouldst hold me in part excused. For, having a son, I must, though fain would I not, crave of thee that which I know thou dost of all things and with justice prize most highly; which gift is no other than the falcon, on which my boy has so set his heart that, if bring him it not, I fear lest he froe so much worseof the malady, that he has, that thereby it might come to pass that I lose him.

And so, not for the love which thou dost bear me, and which may no wise bind thee, but for that nobleness of temper, whereof in courtesy more conspicuously than in ought else thou hast given proof, I implore thee that thou be pleased to give me the bird; that thereby I may say that I have kept my son alive, and thus made him for aye thy debtor. NO sooner had Federigo apprehended what the lady wanted, than for grief that ‘twas not in his power to serve her because he had given her the falcon to eat, he fell a –weeping in her presence, before he could so much as utter a word. At first the lady supposed that ‘twas only because he was loath to part with the brave falcon that he wept, and as good as made up her mind that he would refuse her.

However, she waited with patience Federigo’s answer, which was on the wise: “ Madam, since it pleased God that I should set my affections upon you there have been matters not a few, in which to my sorrow I have deemed Fortune adverse to me; but they have all been triffles in comparison of the trick that she now plays me : the which I shall never forgive her, seeing that you are come here to my poor house, where, while I was rich, you deigned not to come, and ask a trifling favor to me, which she has put it out of my power to frant: how ‘tis so, I will briefly tell you.

When I learned that you of your grace were minded to breakfast with me, having respect to your dignity and desert, I deemed it due and seemly that in your honor I should regale you, to the best of my power, with fare of a more excellent quality than is commonly set before others. Calling to mind the falcon, which you now ask me, and his excellence, I judge him, meet food for you; and so you have him roasted on the trencher this morning.

Well, indeed I thought I had bestowed him; but , as now I see that you would fain have had him in another guise, so mortified am I that I am not able to serve you, that I doubt I shall never know peace of mine anymore”. In witness whereof he had the feathers and feet and beak of the bird brought in and lay before her.

The first thing the lady did, when she had heard Federigo’s story, and seen the relics of the bird, was to chide him that he had killed so fine a falcon to furnish a woman with a breakfast; after which the magnanimity of her host, which poverty had been and was powerless to impair, elicited no small share of inward commendation. Then, frustrate of her hope of leave with the heaviest heart, and heid her back to the boy: who whether for fretting, that he might not have the falcon, or by the unaided energy of his disorder, departed this life not many days after, to the exceeding great grief of his mother.

For a while she would do nought but weep and bitterly bewail herself; but still being young, and left very wealthy, she was often urged by their being importuned, and remembering Federigo’s high desrt, and the magnificent generosity with which he had finally killed his falcon to do her honor, she said to her brothers, “ Gladly with your consent, would I remain a widow; but if you will not be satisfied except I take a husband, rest assured that one other will I ever take save Federigo di Messer Filippo Alberghi”. Whereupon her brothers derided her, saying, “ Foolish woman, what is thou sayst?

How shouldst thou want federigo, who has not a thing in the world? ” To them she answered, “ My brothers, well wit I that ‘tis as you say ; but I had rather have a man without wealth than wealth without a man. ” The brothers, perceiving that her mind was made up, and knowing Federigo for good man and true, poor though he was, gave her to him with all her wealth. And so Federigo, being mated with such a wife, and one that he had so much loved, and being very wealthy to boot, lived happily, keeping more exact accounts, to the end of his days.

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