ersion (Ive, _Nozze Ive-Lorenzetto_, III. p. 19).

XXXV. FAIR BROW.

There was once a father who had a son. After this son had passed through
school, his father said to him: "Son, now that you have finished your
studies, you are of an age to travel. I will give you a vessel, in order
that you may load it and unload it, buy and sell. Be careful what you
do; take care to make gains!" He gave him six thousand _scudi_ to buy
merchandise, and the son started on his voyage. On his journey, without
having yet purchased anything, he arrived at a town, and on the
sea-shore he saw a bier, and noticed that those who passed by left there
some a penny, some two; they bestowed alms on the corpse. The traveller
went there and asked: "Why do you keep this dead man here? _for the
dead desires the grave_." They replied: "Because he owed a world of
debts, and it is the custom here _to bury no one until his debts are
paid_. Until this man's debts are paid by charity we cannot bury him."
"What is the use of keeping him here?" he said. "Proclaim that all those
whom he owed shall come to me and be paid." Then they issued the
proclamation and he paid the debts; and, poor fellow! he did not have a
farthing left--not a penny of his capital. So he returned to his
father's house. "What news, son? What means your return so soon?" He
replied: "On crossing the sea, we encountered pirates; they have robbed
me of all my capital!" His father said: "No matter, son; it is enough
that they have left you your life. Behold, I will give you more money;
but you must not go again in that direction." He gave him another six
thousand _scudi_. The son replied: "Yes, father, don't worry; I will
change my course." He departed and began his journey. When he was well
out at sea he saw a Turkish vessel. He said to himself: "Now it is
better for me to summon them on board than for them to summon us." They
came on board. He said to them: "Whence do you come?" They answered: "We
come from the Levant." "What is your cargo?" "Nothing but a beautiful
girl." "How do you come to have this girl?" "For her beauty; to sell her
again. We have stolen her from the Sultan, she is so beautiful!" "Let me
see this girl." When he saw her he said: "How much do you want for her?"
"We want six thousand _scudi_!" The money which his father gave him he
gave to those corsairs, and took the girl and carried her away to his
ship. But he at once had her become a Christian and married her.

He