— Talano di Molese dreams that a wolf
tears and rends all the neck and face of his wife:
he gives her warning thereof, which she heeds not,
and the dream comes true. —
When Pamfilo had brought his story to a close, and
all had commended the good woman’s quick perception,
the queen bade Pampinea tell hers; and thus Pampinea
began:—A while ago, debonair my ladies,
we held discourse of the truths that dreams shew forth,
which not a few of us deride; for which cause, albeit
the topic has been handled before, I shall not spare
to tell you that which not long ago befell a neighbour
of mine, for that she disbelieved a dream that her
husband had.
I wot not if you knew Talano di Molese, a man right
worthy to be had in honour; who, having married a
young wife—Margarita by name—fair
as e’er another, but without her match for whimsical,
fractious, and perverse humours, insomuch that there
was nought she would do at the instance of another,
either for his or her own good, found her behaviour
most grievous to bear, but was fain to endure what
he might not cure. Now it so befell that Talano
and Margarita being together at an estate that Talano
had in the contado, he, sleeping, saw in a dream a
very beautiful wood that was on the estate at no great
distance from the house, and his lady there walking.
And as she went, there leapt forth upon her a huge
and fierce wolf that griped her by the throat, and
bore her down to the ground, and (she shrieking the
while for succour) would have carried her off by main
force; but she got quit of his jaws, albeit her neck
and face shewed as quite disfigured. On the morrow,
as soon as he was risen, Talano said to his wife:—“Albeit
for thy perversity I have not yet known a single good
day with thee, yet I should be sorry, wife, that harm
should befall thee; and therefore, if thou take my
advice, thou wilt not stir out of doors to-day.”
“Wherefore?” quoth the lady; and thereupon
he recounted to her all his dream.
The lady shook her head, saying:—“Who
means ill, dreams ill. Thou makest as if thou
wast mighty tender of me, but thou bodest of me in
thy dream that which thou wouldst fain see betide
me. I warrant thee that to-day and all days I
will have a care to avoid this or any other calamity
that might gladden thy heart.” Whereupon:—“Well
wist I,” replied Talano, “that thou wouldst
so say, for such is ever the requital of those that
comb scurfy heads; but whatever thou mayst be pleased
to believe, I for my part speak to thee for thy good,
and again I advise thee to keep indoors to-day, or
at least not to walk in the wood.” “Good,”
returned the lady, “I will look to it,”
and then she began communing with herself on this
wise:—Didst mark how artfully he thinks
to have scared me from going into the wood to-day?
Doubtless ’tis that he has an assignation there
with some light o’ love, with whom he had rather
I did not find him. Ah! he would sup well with
the blind, and what a fool were I to believe him!
But I warrant he will be disappointed, and needs must
I, though I stay there all day long, see what commerce
it is that he will adventure in to-day.
