--
Two young men ask counsel of Solomon; the one, how he is to make himself
beloved, the other, how he is to reduce an unruly wife to order. The King
bids the one to love, and the other to go to the Bridge of Geese.
--
None now remained to tell save the queen, unless she were minded to
infringe Dioneo's privilege. Wherefore, when the ladies had laughed their
fill over the misfortunes of Biondello, thus gaily the queen
began:--Observe we, lovesome ladies, the order of things with a sound
mind, and we shall readily perceive that we women are one and all
subjected by Nature and custom and law unto man, by him to be ruled and
governed at his discretion; wherefore she, that would fain enjoy quietude
and solace and comfort with the man to whom she belongs, ought not only
to be chaste but lowly, patient and obedient: the which is the discreet
wife's chief and most precious possession. And if the laws, which in all
matters have regard unto the common weal, and use and wont or custom
(call it what you will), a power very great and to be had in awe, should
not suffice to school us thereto; yet abundantly clear is the witness of
Nature, which has fashioned our frames delicate and sensitive, and our
spirits timorous and fearful, and has decreed that our bodily strength
shall be slight, our voices tunable, and our movements graceful; which
qualities do all avouch that we have need of others' governance. And
whoso has need of succour and governance ought in all reason to be
obedient and submissive and reverent towards his governor. And whom have
we to govern and succour us save men? 'Tis then our bounden duty to give
men all honour and submit ourselves unto them: from which rule if any
deviate, I deem her most deserving not only of grave censure but of
severe chastisement. Which reflections, albeit they are not new to me, I
am now led to make by what but a little while ago Pampinea told us
touching the perverse wife of Talano, on whom God bestowed that
chastisement which the husband had omitted; and accordingly it jumps with
my judgment that all such women as deviate from the graciousness,
kindliness and compliancy, which Nature and custom and law prescribe,
merit, as I said, stern and severe chastisement. Wherefore, as a salutary
medicine for the healing of those of us who may be afflicted with this
disease, I am minded to relate to you that which was once delivered by
Solomon by way of counsel in such a case. Which let none that stands not
in need of such physic deem to be meant for her, albeit a proverb is
current among men; to wit:--
Good steed, bad steed, alike need the rowel's prick,
Good wife, bad wife, alike demand the stick.
Which whoso should construe as a merry conceit would find you all ready
enough to acknowledge its truth. But even in its moral significance I say
that it ought to command assent. For women are all by nature apt to be
swayed and to fall; and therefore, for the correction of the wrong-doing
of such as transgress the bounds assigned to them, there is need of the
stick punitive; and also for the maintenance of virtue in others, that
they transgress not these appointed bounds, there is need of the stick
auxiliary and deterrent. However, to cut short this preachment, and to
come to that which I purpose to tell you, I say:
That the bruit of the incomparable renown of the prodigious wisdom of
Solomon, as also of the exceeding great liberality with which he accorded
proof thereof to all that craved such assurance, being gone forth over
well-nigh all the earth, many from divers parts were wont to resort to
him for counsel in matters of most pressing and arduous importance; among
whom was a young man, Melisso by name, a very wealthy nobleman, who was,
as had been his fathers before him, of Lazistan, and there dwelt. And as
Melisso fared toward Jerusalem, on his departure from Antioch he fell in
with another young man, Giosefo by name, who was going the same way, and
with whom, after the manner of travellers, he entered into converse.
Melisso, having learned from Giosefo, who and whence he was, asked him
whither he went, and on what errand: whereupon Giosefo made an answer
that he was going to seek counsel of Solomon, how he should deal with his
wife, who had not her match among women for unruliness and perversity,
insomuch that neither entreaties nor blandishments nor aught else availed
him to bring her to a better frame. And thereupon he in like manner asked
Melisso whence he was, and whither he was bound, and on what errand:
whereto:--"Of Lazistan, I," replied Melisso, "and like thyself in evil
plight; for albeit I am wealthy and spend my substance freely in
hospitably entertaining and honourably entreating my fellow-citizens, yet
for all that, passing strange though it be to think upon, I find never a
soul to love me; and therefore I am bound to the self-same place as thou,
to be advised how it may come to pass that I be beloved."
So the two men fared on together, and being arrived at Jerusalem, were,
by the good offices of one of Solomon's barons, ushered into his
presence, and Melisso having briefly laid his case before the King, was
answered in one word:--"Love." Which said, Melisso was forthwith
dismissed, and Giosefo discovered the reason of his coming. To whom
Solomon made no answer but:--"Get thee to the Bridge of Geese." Whereupon
Giosefo was likewise promptly ushered out of the King's presence, and
finding Melisso awaiting him, told him what manner of answer he had
gotten. Which utterances of the King the two men pondered, but finding
therein nought that was helpful or relevant to their need, they doubted
the King had but mocked them, and set forth upon their homeward journey.
Now when they had been some days on the road, they came to a river, which
was spanned by a fine bridge, and a great caravan of sumpter mules and
horses being about to cross, they must needs tarry, until the caravan had
passed by. The more part of which had done so, when it chanced that a
mule turned sulky, as we know they will not seldom do, and stood stock
still; wherefore a muleteer took a stick and fell a beating the mule
therewith, albeit at first with no great vigour, to urge the mule
forward. The mule, however, swerving, now to this, now to the other side
of the bridge, and sometimes facing about, utterly refused to go forward.
Whereat the muleteer, wroth beyond measure, fell a belabouring him with
the stick now on the head, now on the flanks, and anon on the croup,
never so lustily, but all to no purpose. Which caused Melisso and Giosefo
ofttimes to say to him:--"How now, caitiff? What is this thou doest?
Wouldst kill the beast? Why not try if thou canst not manage him kindly
and gently? He would start sooner so than for this cudgelling of thine."
To whom:--"You know your horses," replied the muleteer, "and I know my
mule: leave me to deal with him." Which said, he resumed his cudgelling
of the mule, and laid about him on this side and on that to such purpose
that he started him; and so the honours of the day rested with the
muleteer. Now, as the two young men were leaving the bridge behind them,
Giosefo asked a good man that sate at its head what the bridge was
called, and was answered:--"Sir, 'tis called the Bridge of Geese." Which
Giosefo no sooner heard than he called to mind Solomon's words, and
turning to Melisso:--"Now, comrade, I warrant thee I may yet find
Solomon's counsel sound and good, for that I knew not how to beat my wife
is abundantly clear to me; and this muleteer has shewn me what I have to
do."
Now some days afterwards they arrived at Antioch, where Giosefo prevailed
upon Melisso to tarry with him and rest a day or two; and meeting with
but a sorry welcome on the part of his wife, he told her to take her
orders as to supper from Melisso, who, seeing that such was Giosefo's
will, briefly gave her his instructions; which the lady, as had been her
wont, not only did not obey, but contravened in almost every particular.
Which Giosefo marking:--"Wast thou not told," quoth he angrily, "after
what fashion thou wast to order the supper?" Whereto:--"So!" replied the
lady haughtily: "what means this? If thou hast a mind to sup, why take
not thy supper? No matter what I was told, 'tis thus I saw fit to order
it. If it like thee, so be it: if not, 'tis thine affair." Melisso heard
the lady with surprise and inward disapprobation: Giosefo retorted:--"Ay
wife, thou art still as thou wast used to be; but I will make thee mend
thy manners." Then, turning to Melisso:--"Friend," quoth he, "thou wilt
soon prove the worth of Solomon's counsel: but, prithee, let it not irk
thee to look on, and deem that what I shall do is but done in sport; and
if thou shouldst be disposed to stand in my way, bear in mind how we were
answered by the muleteer, when we pitied his mule." "I am in thy house,"
replied Melisso, "and thy pleasure is to me law."
Thereupon Giosefo took a stout cudgel cut from an oak sapling, and hied
him into the room whither the lady had withdrawn from the table in high
dudgeon, seized her by the hair, threw her on to the floor at his feet,
and fell a beating her amain with the cudgel. The lady at first uttered a
shriek or two, from which she passed to threats; but seeing that, for all
that, Giosefo slackened not, by the time she was thoroughly well
thrashed, she began to cry him mercy, imploring him not to kill her, and
adding that henceforth his will should be to her for law. But still
Giosefo gave not over, but with ever fresh fury dealt her mighty
swingeing blows, now about the ribs, now on the haunches, now over the
shoulders; nor had he done with the fair lady, until, in short, he had
left never a bone or other part of her person whole, and he was fairly
spent. Then, returning to Melisso:--"To-morrow," quoth he, "we shall see
whether 'Get thee to the Bridge of Geese' will prove to have been sound
advice or no." And so, having rested a while, and then washed his hands,
he supped with Melisso. With great pain the poor lady got upon her feet
and laid herself on her bed, and having there taken such rest as she
might, rose betimes on the morrow, and craved to know of Giosefo what he
was minded to have to breakfast. Giosefo, laughing with Melisso over the
message, gave her his directions, and when in due time they came to
breakfast, they found everything excellently ordered according as it had
been commanded: for which cause the counsel, which they had at first
failed to understand, now received their highest commendation.
Some few days later Melisso, having taken leave of Giosefo, went home,
and told a wise man the counsel he had gotten from Solomon.
Whereupon:--"And no truer or sounder advice could he have given thee,"
quoth the sage: "thou knowest that thou lovest never a soul, and that the
honours thou payest and the services thou renderest to others are not
prompted by love of them, but by love of display. Love, then, as Solomon
bade thee, and thou shalt be loved." On such wise was the unruly
chastised; and the young man, learning to love, was beloved.