palm-fibre and
leather. Costanza soon learned to do some of these and falling to
working with the rest, became in such favour with the lady and the
others that it was a marvellous thing; nor was it long before, with
their teaching, she learnt their language.

What while she abode thus at Susa, being now mourned at home for lost
and dead, it befell that, one Mariabdela[274] being King of Tunis, a
certain youth of great family and much puissance in Granada, avouching
that that kingdom belonged to himself, levied a great multitude of
folk and came upon King Mariabdela, to oust him from the kingship.
This came to the ears of Martuccio Gomito in prison and he knowing the
Barbary language excellent well and hearing that the king was making
great efforts for his defence, said to one of those who had him and
his fellows in keeping, 'An I might have speech of the king, my heart
assureth me that I could give him a counsel, by which he should gain
this his war.' The keeper reported these words to his chief, and he
carried them incontinent to the king, who bade fetch Martuccio and
asked him what might be his counsel; whereto he made answer on this
wise, 'My lord, if, what time I have otherwhiles frequented these your
dominions, I have noted aright the order you keep in your battles,
meseemeth you wage them more with archers than with aught else;
wherefore, if a means could be found whereby your adversary's bowmen
should lack of arrows, whilst your own had abundance thereof,
methinketh your battle would be won.' 'Without doubt,' answered the
king, 'and this might be compassed, I should deem myself assured of
victory.' Whereupon, 'My lord,' quoth Martuccio, 'an you will, this
may very well be done, and you shall hear how. You must let make
strings for your archers' bows much thinner than those which are
everywhere commonly used and after let make arrows, the notches
whereof shall not serve but for these thin strings. This must be so
secretly done that your adversary should know nought thereof; else
would he find a remedy therefor; and the reason for which I counsel
you thus is this. After your enemy's archers and your own shall have
shot all their arrows, you know that, the battle lasting, it will
behove your foes to gather up the arrows shot by your men and the
latter in like manner to gather theirs; but the enemy will not be able
to make use of your arrows, by reason of the strait notches which will
not take their thick strings,