Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/150

 Because, the old woman who believed that she was masterful in this art, was eager to see how capable the young girl was and rushed to pick the roses. As soon as she had brought those to Giulla, to console herself, she wanted to fulfill the request that Feristeno had made in her dream. She placed herself in front of a mirror, looked into it, and arranged her own face with so much skill in the bouquet that everyone could recognize her.

Then she called the old woman and presented her the bouquet, saying, "Present it as a gift to whom you like most."

When the woman looked at it, she realized that it was so beautiful and delicate that it surpassed her own creation. She was suspicious that if she presented it to the King in Giulla's name, she would lose her position as the caretaker of that place, and that the King would assign it to the young woman who was so much more skillful. Not only did she not want to present it to the King, but she suspected also that if he was not aware of the skill of the young woman, she did not have to guard her any more. So, she decided to search around the city gardens if she could find a master who would be better than Giulla, and by employing him, she could preserve her profession, her honor and her work.

But because she was unable to find anyone who could make a more beautiful bouquet than Giulla's, she went back to Giulistano, full of sorrow, and happened to meet Giassemen.