Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/67

 "If you are content to allow this animal to pass judgment on your differences, I assure you that he will give you a fair verdict." The onlookers mocked these words because it seemed impossible to them that an irrational animal could do what the bird-catcher had said.

The gentleman who wanted to see such a miracle, addressed the harlot as follows, "If you agree," he said, "I shall consent in good faith to the judgment of the parrot on the issue between us." The harlot also agreed. They approached the cage, whereupon the parrot first interrogated them about their differences. After he had heard their testimony and they agreed to abide by the judgment he would pass on them, he ordered that a large mirror should be placed in front of his cage. This was carried out at once; the mirror was placed before him on a table, and his master who was standing in front of it was told to hold it upright. The parrot then addressed the gentleman and told him to immediately put the hundred scudi that the harlot asked him to pay on the table.

The harlot was extremely happy and cheerful, believing that she could fill her purse with them, and the gentleman reluctantly disbursed the money in front of the mirror. "And you, madam," said the parrot, don't touch the scudi which you see gathered on the table but instead that pile of one hundred that you see inside the mirror. For if you were with the gentleman in a dream, it is only fair that the compensation you asked for, should also be dreamlike.