Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/66

 And by discussing a great many things with him on the way and considering how wisely and intelligently the animal reasoned, he began to believe that he should be able to acquire great wealth with him.

Now he arrived in the city, and as he passed through the square, he was met by some friends of his, and while he stopped to talk to them, there was a great tumult not far from them and when the parrot asked his master, what the noise from the surrounding area was all about, he was told that there was a famous and beautiful harlot who had dreamed that she had spent the night before with a gentleman from the city whom she had met in the square. She grabbed his clothes and demanded a hundred scudi telling him that she had never been with any man for less money. A tumult arose when the gentlemen was unwilling to consent to this.

After the parrot heard this, he said, "It is really bad, master, that they are quarreling so fiercely. And if you let me come with you, I believe I can certainly reconcile them." So, knowing how prudent the gifted parrot was, the bird-catcher gave the cage with him in it to one of his friends that he had met in the square. There was a lot of tumult when they arrived there. And with words which acknowledged somewhat the issue between the gentleman and the harlot, he held them by the hand and led them in front of the parrot, telling them,