Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/151

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As soon as he saw the bouquet in the hand of the old lady, he realized that it had been made by Feristeno's wife.

He was immeasurably delighted and said to her, "Please, mother mine, would you by any chance sell that rose bouquet to me?" "Never," she replied, "I don't want to, unless you give me at least ten scudi."

The young man who pretended to greatly admire it, replied that if she gave him only two scudi, he could show her a more beautiful bouquet. The old lady became very covetous. "Certainly," she replied, "I will be happy to give you not two, but five scudi, if you let me have one, not more, but as beautiful as this one."

And he agreed to this and overjoyed he took the old lady by the hand and brought her to Feristeno's residence. When they were in his presence, Giassemen approached him and whispered in his ear, "Be very happy today, because now I bring you good news." The young man rose immediately to his feet when he heard these words, and when he saw the bouquet of his Giulla in the hands of the woman, and remembering the agreement she had made with Giassemen, he said, "Now, mother mine, if you bring me a basket of roses, I will make a bouquet far more beautiful than you see now."

This was above all what she wanted, so that she would no longer have to fear Giulla's skill. She left her bouquet with him and quickly went to fetch the roses.