, to honour you, as far as in me lay, with some choicer
victual than that which is commonly set before other folk; wherefore,
remembering me of the falcon which you ask of me and of his
excellence, I judged him a dish worthy of you. This very morning,
then, you have had him roasted upon the trencher, and indeed I had
accounted him excellently well bestowed; but now, seeing that you
would fain have had him on other wise, it is so great a grief to me
that I cannot oblige you therein that methinketh I shall never forgive
myself therefor.' So saying, in witness of this, he let cast before
her the falcon's feathers and feet and beak.

The lady, seeing and hearing this, first blamed him for having, to
give a woman to eat, slain such a falcon, and after inwardly much
commended the greatness of his soul, which poverty had not availed nor
might anywise avail to abate. Then, being put out of all hope of
having the falcon and fallen therefore in doubt of her son's recovery,
she took her leave and returned, all disconsolate, to the latter,
who, before many days had passed, whether for chagrin that he could
not have the bird or for that his disorder was e'en fated to bring him
to that pass, departed this life, to the inexpressible grief of his
mother. After she had abidden awhile full of tears and affliction,
being left very rich and yet young, she was more than once urged by
her brothers to marry again, and albeit she would fain not have done
so, yet, finding herself importuned and calling to mind Federigo's
worth and his last magnificence, to wit, the having slain such a
falcon for her entertainment, she said to them, 'I would gladly, an it
liked you, abide as I am; but, since it is your pleasure that I take a
[second] husband, certes I will never take any other, an I have not
Federigo degli Alberighi.' Whereupon her brothers, making mock of her,
said 'Silly woman that thou art, what is this thou sayest? How canst
thou choose him, seeing he hath nothing in the world?' 'Brothers
mine,' answered she, 'I know very well that it is as you say; but I
would liefer have a man that lacketh of riches than riches that lack
of a man.' Her brethren, hearing her mind and knowing Federigo for a
man of great merit, poor though he was, gave her, with all her wealth,
to him, even as she would; and he, seeing himself married to a lady of
such worth and one whom he had loved so dear and exceeding rich, to
boot, became a better husband of his substanc