Boccaccio

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=**Giova** **nni Boccaccio** =


 * 1313-1375
 * was born in Paris, France but moved to Florence, Italy
 * was an Italian poet
 * he was an illegitimate child of a merchant
 * was well educated as a child
 * some of his works were translated by Chaucer
 * his famous works are //Two Noble Kinsmen, Filostrato// and //Teseide//

=Frederigo's Falcon=



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Monna Giovanna was now a widow, and every summer, as our women usually do, she would go to the country with son to one of their estates very close by to Federigo's farm. Now this young boy of hers happened to become more and more friendly with Federigo and he began to enjoy birds and dogs; and after seeing

Federigo's falcon fly many times, it made him so happy that he very much wished it were his own, but he did not dare to ask for it, for he could see how precious it was to Federigo. During this time, it happened that the young boy took ill, and his mother was much grieved, for he was her only child and she loved him dearly; she would spend the entire day by his side, never ceasing to comfort him, asking him time and again if there was anything he wished, begging him to tell her what it might be, for if it was possible to obtain it, she would certainly do everything in her power to get it. After the young boy had heard her make this __offer__ many times, he said:

"Mother, if you can arrange for me to have Federigo's falcon, I think I would get well quickly."

"My son, cheer up and think only of getting well, for I promise you that first thing tomorrow  morning I shall go and fetch it for you."

Though he was very poor, Federigo until now had never realized to what extent he had wasted his __wealth__; but this morning, the fact that he had nothing in the __house__ with which he could honor the lady for the love of whom he had in the past entertained countless people, gave him cause to reflect: in great anguish, he cursed himself and his fortune, and like someone out of his senses he started running here and there throughout the house, but unable to find either money or anything he might be able to pawn, and since it was getting late and he was still very much set on serving this noble lady some sort of meal, but unwilling to turn for __help__ to even his own farmer (not to mention anyone else), he set his eyes upon his good falcon, which was sitting on its perch in a small room, and since he had nowhere else to turn, he took the bird, and finding it plump, he decided that it would be a worthy food for such a lady. So, without giving the matter a second thought, he wrung its neck and quickly gave it to his servant girl to pluck, prepare, and place on a spit to be roasted with care;

1. What does Monna's son want? 2. Why does Frederigo sacrifice his falcon?

= = =THE DECAMERON =



[|The Story]