them to
death. Then he shut the door, and took the keys to the King, who,
seeing the valour and cleverness of the lad, in spite of ill-fortune
and the envy and annoyance of the courtiers, gave him his daughter to
wife; so that the crosses of envy had proved rollers to launch
Corvetto's bark of life on the sea of greatness; whilst his enemies
remained confounded and bursting with rage, and went to bed without a
candle; for--

"The punishment of ill deeds past,
Though long delay'd, yet comes at last."

XIX

THE BOOBY

An ignorant man who associates with clever people has always been more
praised than a wise man who keeps the company of fools; for as much
profit and fame as one may gain from the former, so much wealth and
honour one may lose by the fault of the latter; and as the proof of the
pudding is in the eating, you will know from the story which I am going
to tell you whether my proposition be true.

There was once a man who was as rich as the sea, but as there can never
be any perfect happiness in this world, he had a son so idle and
good-for-nothing that he could not tell a bean from a cucumber. So
being unable any longer to put up with his folly, he gave him a good
handful of crowns, and sent him to trade in the Levant; for he well
knew that seeing various countries and mixing with divers people awaken
the genius and sharpen the judgment, and make men expert.

Moscione (for that was the name of the son) got on horseback, and began
his journey towards Venice, the arsenal of the wonders of the world, to
embark on board some vessel bound for Cairo; and when he had travelled
a good day's journey, he met with a person who was standing fixed at
the foot of a poplar, to whom he said, "What is your name, my lad?
Whence are you, and what is your trade?" And the lad replied, "My name
is Lightning; I am from Arrowland, and I can run like the wind." "I
should like to see a proof of it," said Moscione; and Lightning
answered, "Wait a moment, and you will see whether it is dust or flour."

When they had stood waiting a little while, a doe came bounding over
the plain, and Lightning, letting her pass on some way, to give her the
more law, darted after her so rapidly and light of foot, that he would
have gone over a place covered with flour without leaving the mark of
his shoe, and in four bounds he came up with her. Moscione, amazed at
this exploit, asked if he would come and live with him, and promised