Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/154

 In a small letter she told him right away what had happened to her, and let him know where she was. She placed the letter in a small reed, like Feristeno had done and awaited the next morning anxiously.

Upon sunrise, the old woman arrived with the roses. Giulla received her cheerfully. Around the reed with the letter she arranged a bouquet more beautiful than the one Feristeno had made. She gave it to the old woman and words cannot express how much she admired its artistry. But she became as suspicious as before that if the King would become aware of Giulla's skill in this art, she could be deprived of her position. So, she returned to Feristeno with the bouquet from Giulla and took with her a small basket of roses, so that he could arrange one even more beautiful.

And when she came into his presence, she handed him the bouquet of roses and said, "My son, because I know that the bouquet which I have brought you now is more beautiful and shows more artistry than yours, I wanted to bring you roses as well, so you can make one that is even more beautiful and the master of the other one will know that your skill is greater than his."

Feristeno appreciated the words of the old woman very much and he accepted the bouquet from the young woman which he recognized immediately. He asked the woman to return to him late in the evening for the bouquet which he would have created.