TWO STORIES

from THE DECAMERON by Giovanni Boccaccio

RESTITUTA THE BEAUTIFUL

Ischia is an island very near Naples. A lovely young woman lived there, whose name was Restituta, and who was the daughter of a very important gentleman named Marino Bolgaro. A handsome youth called Guion, living on another island nearby fell in love her with her. She also fell in love with him. He would often visit her on her island.

It happened one day that Restituta was walking on the seashore. That part of the shore was lonely and dark. Certain young gentlemen, from Naples, had landed there in order to have a party. When they saw how beautiful Restituta was, they decided to kidnap her, and they left the shore in their boat.

But the young men couldn't decide which of them should get Restituta. Each felt that she should belong to him, since all the men were from noble families. They were afraid, however, that their disagreement might break up their friendship for each other. So they decided to give her as a rich present to Frederigo King of Sicily; and so they did.

The King liked Restituta far more than all his other loves. He commanded that she should be kept in a house with a beautiful garden, called the Cube. At this time there was much talk in Ischia about the kidnapping of Restituta. Guion di Procida, who loved her much more than any other person did, found out where the young gentlemen's boat had gone, and followed after it. He finally reached Palermo.

After carefully searching there, Guion learned that Restituta had been given as a present to the King, and that she stayed at one of his places of pleasure called the Cube. This information upset Guion, because he was sure that the situation was hopeless. He believed that he would never be able to enjoy her, or even see her. Nevertheless, his love for Restituta would not let him become discouraged completely. He walked many times by the Cube.

One day as he was walking by the Cube, Fortune let him see Restituta at her window. She also saw him. Both were inspired when they saw each other. Guion approached very close to the Cube in order to speak to Restituta. This little time of unseen talk inspired him with courage, and her with a clear-headed plan for Guion to secretly meet with her.

Therefore, he returned that night and used iron hooks to climb over the wall and into the garden. In the garden, he found the ladder which Restituta had told him about. He placed it up against her chamber wall and ascended to her window which she had left open for his easier entrance.

You cannot deny that this was a very hopeful beginning, but true love also has a fatal side. This night, intended for our lovers' meeting, proved to be disastrous for them. The King had ordered his eunuchs and other women, to prepare a luxurious bath Restituta, because the next day he intended to visit her. Restituta was royally conducted from her chamber to the bath. None remained behind, but a few women servants, and the guards who watched outside the chamber door.

Poor Guion reached the window and called softly to his mistress, thinking she was there; but he was overheard by the women in the dark: and immediately caught by the guards. He was kept in prison till the next morning.

That morning he was brought before king. Restituta likewise was sent for. When she saw her dear love Guion, she ran and hugged him around his neck, kissing him in tears, and greatly upset at his hard fortune. When the king saw this, he grew exceedingly enraged, and hating her now, he became convinced that they had met many times.

So full of hatred for them, the king sentenced them both to death. He commanded that they should be taken to Palermo, and there (being stripped completely naked) be bound, back to back, to a stake. They were to stand that way for nine hours to see if any one could take identify them. Then afterward, they were to be burned at that stake.

The poor unfortunate lovers stood looking with their eyes, dejected, to the ground. They were pitied by all of Palermo, who came to witness this sad spectacle, but there was no way to help or rescue them. Among those who came to the stake was a man named Don Rogiero de Oria, who was the Lord High Admiral of Sicily. This noble admiral, when he saw poor condemned Guion, recalled that he had seen him before. He said: "Is not thy name Guion di Procida?"

Guion answered, "Sir, I was, but now both that name and man must die with me." Then the admiral wanted to know how the young man had got into this terrible predicament. Having heard how it had happened, the admiral turned his horse to ride away. Guion called to him, "My lord, I ask you for one favor."

"What is that?" replied the admiral.

" Sir, I am to die very shortly; you see that I am tied back to back with this pure virgin, whom I honor and love more than my life. I beg you to have our faces turned toward each other, so that when the fire shall finish my life, by looking at her, my soul may leave my body in great happiness."

The admiral smiling said, "I will do for thee what I can. Indeed you may have the opportunity to look at her so much that, becoming tired of it, you will want to look at something else!" As he rode off, he commanded the executioners to do nothing further, until they heard more from the king.

He rode straight to the king. Although the king was still furious, the admiral willingly said, "Sir, how has this poor young couple offended you, who are so shamefully to be burnt at Palermo?" The King told him. The admiral replied, "Believe me sir, if true love is an offence, then they have sinned and deserve death. But think twice, my king. You should forgive them, for do you know what and who they are?"

"Not I," answered the king. "

"The young gentleman, is the son of Landolfo di Procida, the only brother to Lord John di Procida. It was this brother who made it possible for you to become lord and king of this Sicily. The lovely young woman is the daughter of Marino Bulgaro, whose power is very extensive. He has prevented your kingdom from being invaded by Ischia. Besides these two main reasons, the young man and woman are in the flower and pride of their youth. They are deeply in love and have no wish to displease your majesty. Rather than letting them die, don't you think you ought to honor and reward them?"

When the king heard this, and believed for a certainty that the admiral was telling him the truth, he was extremely sorry for what he had done. He soon had the couple released, and brought with honor to him. He had them dressed in royal clothes, and knowing how they loved each other he had them married. And giving them many rich gifts, sent them, honorably attended, home to Ischia. There, they were welcomed with much joy and comfort, and lived long after in great happiness.

Moral: Love leads to countless difficulties. These can be overcome without too much difficulty.

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POISON

Not long ago there lived in Florence a young and beautiful maiden. She was the daughter of a poor father. Her name was Simonida. She was poor enough that she had to earn her bread before she could eat it. How did she do that? By carding and spinning wool for making clothing. However, although she was poor, she had both courage and sufficient virtue to understand the secret concerns of love. She knew the difference between young men's private behavior and their outward flattery of women. Her first tutor concerning matters of love was her natural instinct, but she had a second tutor, a proper young man no better in birth than herself. His name was Pasquino. He was generous, and graceful in his actions, and every day would bring her wool to spin. He worked for a master clothes maker. She became very fond of Pasquino.

Our young man Pasquino realized that Simonida adored him, and before long he was on fire for her, too. It wasn't clear who like the other more. Both strongly felt the fire of love. Whenever he brought her a fresh supply of wool, she would sigh and cry because she had such a wonderful opinion of him, and wanted so much to be with him. Pasquino on the other side, felt the same love disease as Simonida did, for tears stood in his eyes, and he sighed often. He often complimented her on her work.

Before long, both became bolder and less bashful, but without being immodest. It seemed that death only could divide them. One day when Pasquino was sitting by Simonida, he told her of a pretty garden to which he would like to take her. There they could talk in private, and no one would be able to gossip about them. Simonida agreed to go. She told her father about the walk, and he gave her permission to go on the following Sunday.

Simonida brought with her a close friend named Lagina. They came to the garden, where she found Pasquino waiting for her. He too had brought a friend with him. His name was Puccino, and was secretly in love with Lagina. The two couples each walked by themselves through the large garden: Puccino with his Lagina in one part, and Pasquino with his Simonida in another.

The walk which the latter couple chose went past a bed of sage. They walked past the sage and then returned toward it. They were having a pleasant time together, and for one reason or another decided to stay there, preferring that place to any part of the garden. At one time they would sit down by the sage bed, and at another time rise to walk again, as ease and weariness seemed to invite them. At length, Pasquino chanced to pick off a leaf of the sage, which he both rubbed against his teeth and gums, and grinding it between them also. He told Simonida that there was no better thing in the world to clean one's teeth with, after eating. Not long after, his face began to grow very pale, his sight failed, and he couldn't speak. Suddenly he dropped to the ground, dead.

Wringing her hands, Simonida cried out for help to Strambo and Lagina, who immediately came running to her. They found Pasquino not only dead, but his body swollen and strangely covered over with foul black spots, both on his face, hands, and all other parts. Strambo cried out, "Ah wicked girl, what, have you poisoned him?"

These words and their loud cries also were heard by neighbors living near the garden. They came quickly They saw Pasquino lying dead, and greatly swollen, and they heard Strambo accusing Simonida of having poisoned him. Simonida didn't answer, but stood in terrified amazement. All her senses were so confused, because the accident was so strange and because she had just lost him whom she so dearly loved. Therefore all the neighbors were convinced that Strambo had not unjustly accused her.

Poor miserable maiden. She was instantly arrested, and was led, tearfully, ruler's palace, where she was again accused by Strambo, and by Lagina, and two of the neighbors.

The judge, however, could not believe that she was guilty of the man's death. In the presence of Simonida, he wished to see the dead body, and the place where he fell down dead. So all departed from the court of justice, and came to the place where Pasquino's body lay swollen like a tuna. The judge asked questions concerning his behavior.

Simonida went to the bed of Sage, and, recovering her senses, reported the whole story to the judge about what happened. Accordingly, as she had seen Pasquino do, she plucked another leaf of the sage, rubbing her teeth with it, and grinding it between them as he formerly had done. Strambo and the other intimate friends of Pasquino who were there, having noted how she used the sage, ridiculed whatever she said or did. They wanted her to be found guilty and, as a just punishment, to be burned at the stake for the crime, they believed, she had committed. Poor Simonida, by tasting of the same sage, fell down dead by the bed, to the complete astonishment of all there present.

The judge was amazed. Everybody was silent for a long time. The judge spoke, "This whole matter surely was caused by the bed of sage, that it is poisonous or dangerously infected, which is seldom found in sage. But to be absolutely safe, I will have it dug up by the roots, and then burnt." When the gardener dug up the sage, the true cause of the two poor lovers' deaths was found. For just in the middle of the bed, and at the main root, lay a huge toad sitting in a hole full of poison. Clearly, everybody believed, the whole bed of sage had become poisoned; every single leaf was deadly when tasted. They made a flaming fire, and threw all the sage into it, and the bodies of Pasquino and Simonida were carried to the Church of Saint Paul, by their sad and sorrowful accusers, Strambo, Lagina, and the others. The couple were buried together in one goodly monument, for future persons to reflect on their hard fortune.

Moral: Love and death are experienced by the poor and miserable, as well as by the rich and noble.