Federigo is happy to see Monna Giovanna and sacrifices his prized falcon to be a good host. Despite his poverty, he goes to great lengths to honor her by preparing a meal, ultimately deciding to use his falcon as the main dish to provide a worthy feast for her.
Federigo's Falcon
Giovanni Boccaccio, translated by Mark Musa and Peter Bondanella
The child was so happy that he showed some improvement that very day. The following morning, the lady, accompanied by another woman, as if going for a stroll, went to Federigo’s modest house and asked for him. Since it was not the season for it, Federigo had not been hawking for some days and was in his orchard, attending to certain tasks. When he heard that Monna Giovanna was asking for him at the door, he was very surprised and happy to run there. As she saw him coming, she greeted him with feminine charm, and once Federigo had welcomed her courteously, she said:
“Greetings, Federigo!” Then she continued: “I have come to compensate you for the harm you have suffered on my account by loving me more than you needed to; and the compensation is this: I, along with this companion of mine, intend to dine with you—a simple meal—this very day.”
To this Federigo humbly replied: “Madonna, I never remember having suffered any harm because of you. On the contrary, so much good have I received from you that if ever I have been worth anything, it has been because of your merit and the love I bore for you; and your generous visit is certainly so dear to me that I would spend all over again that which I spent in the past; but you have come to a poor host.”
And having said this, he received her into his home humbly, and from there he led her into his garden, and since he had no one there to keep her company, he said:
“My lady, since there is no one else, this good woman here, the wife of this workman, will keep you company while I go to set the table.”
Though he was very poor, Federigo, until now, had never before realized to what extent he had wasted his wealth; but this morning, the fact that he found nothing with which he could honor the lady for the love of whom he had once entertained countless men in the past gave him cause to reflect. In great anguish, he cursed himself and his fortune and, like a man beside himself, he started running here and there, but could find neither money nor a pawnable object. The hour was late and his desire to honor the gracious lady was great, but not wishing to turn for help to others (not even to his own workman), he set his eyes upon his good falcon, perched 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 further 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; and when he had set the table with the whitest of tablecloths (a few of which he still had left), he returned, with a cheerful face, to the lady in his garden, saying that the meal he was able to prepare for her was ready.
How does Federigo act when Monna visits?
He resents her because he lost his fortune courting her, so he is very rude.
He is delighted to see her and spends all his money to make a great feast for her.
He is embarrassed because she rejected him but still tries to be a good host.
He is happy to see her and sacrifices his prized falcon to be a good host.
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