tties. On this wise they abode till it seemed to the queen time to
go to sleep,[26] and she accordingly dismissed them all; whereupon the
young men retired to their chambers, which were withdrawn from the
ladies' lodging, and finding them with the beds well made and as full
of flowers as the saloon, put off their clothes and betook themselves
to rest, whilst the ladies, on their part, did likewise.

[Footnote 25: The table of Boccaccio's time was a mere board upon
trestles, which when not in actual use, was stowed away, for room's
sake, against the wall.]

[Footnote 26: _i.e._ to take the siesta or midday nap common in hot
countries.]

None[27] had not long sounded when the queen, arising, made all the
other ladies arise, and on like wise the three young men, alleging
overmuch sleep to be harmful by day; and so they betook themselves to
a little meadow, where the grass grew green and high nor there had the
sun power on any side. There, feeling the waftings of a gentle breeze,
they all, as their queen willed it, seated themselves in a ring on the
green grass; while she bespoke them thus, "As ye see, the sun is high
and the heat great, nor is aught heard save the crickets yonder among
the olives; wherefore it were doubtless folly to go anywhither at this
present. Here is the sojourn fair and cool, and here, as you see, are
chess and tables,[28] and each can divert himself as is most to his
mind. But, an my counsel be followed in this, we shall pass away this
sultry part of the day, not in gaming,--wherein the mind of one of the
players must of necessity be troubled, without any great pleasure of
the other or of those who look on,--but in telling stories, which, one
telling, may afford diversion to all the company who hearken; nor
shall we have made an end of telling each his story but the sun will
have declined and the heat be abated, and we can then go a-pleasuring
whereas it may be most agreeable to us. Wherefore, if this that I say
please you, (for I am disposed to follow your pleasure therein,) let
us do it; and if it please you not, let each until the hour of vespers
do what most liketh him." Ladies and men alike all approved the
story-telling, whereupon, "Then," said the queen, "since this pleaseth
you, I will that this first day each be free to tell of such matters
as are most to his liking." Then, turning to Pamfilo, who sat on her
right hand, she smilingly bade him give beginning to the story-telling
with one