ce and bring me to know the friends and devotees of God and
yourself, to the end that I, who am young and better able to toil than
you, may after, whenas it pleaseth you, go to Florence for our
occasions, whilst you abide here?" The worthy man, considering that
his son was now grown to man's estate and thinking him so inured to
the service of God that the things of this world might thenceforth
uneath allure him to themselves, said in himself, "The lad saith
well"; and accordingly, having occasion to go thither, he carried him
with him. There the youth, seeing the palaces, the houses, the
churches and all the other things whereof one seeth all the city full,
began, as one who had never to his recollection beheld the like, to
marvel amain and questioned his father of many things what they were
and how they were called. Filippo told him and he, hearing him, abode
content and questioned of somewhat else.

As they went thus, the son asking and the father answering, they
encountered by chance a company of pretty and well-dressed young
women, coming from a wedding, whom as soon as the young man saw, he
asked his father what manner of things these were. "My son," answered
Filippo, "cast your eyes on the ground and look not at them, for that
they are an ill thing." Quoth the son, "And how are they called?" The
father, not to awaken in the lad's mind a carnal appetite less than
useful, would not name them by the proper name, to wit, women, but
said, "They are called green geese." Whereupon, marvellous to relate,
he who have never seen a woman and who recked not of palaces nor oxen
nor horses nor asses nor monies nor of aught else he had seen, said
suddenly, "Father mine, I prithee get me one of these green geese."
"Alack, my son," replied the father, "hold they peace; I tell thee
they are an ill thing." "How!" asked the youth. "Are ill things then
made after this fashion?" and Filippo answered, "Ay." Then said the
son, "I know not what you would say nor why these are an ill thing;
for my part, meseemeth I never yet saw aught goodly or pleasing as are
these. They are fairer than the painted angels you have shown me
whiles. For God's sake, an you reck of me, contrive that we may carry
one of yonder green geese back with us up yonder, and I will give it
to eat." "Nay," answered the father, "I will not: thou knowest not
whereon they feed." And he understood incontinent that nature was
stronger than his wit and repented him of having