6) where a master orders his
lazy servant to go to market and buy some meat, and says to him,
sarcastically: "Go and stay a year!" which command the servant obeys to
the letter.

The viceroy at last, angry at one of Firrazzanu's jokes, banished him to
the town of Murriali. When Firrazzanu grew tired of the place, he had a
cart filled with the earth of the town, and rode into Palermo on it. The
viceroy had him arrested as soon as he saw him, but Firrazzanu protested
that he had not broken the viceroy's command, for he was still on the
earth of Murriali.

The same story is told of Gonnella, the Italian counterpart of
Firrazzanu, by Sacchetti (Nov. 27), and Bandello (IV. 18).

The prince desired once to give Firrazzanu a lesson that would correct
him of his fondness for jokes; so he told the commandant of the castle
that he would send him one day a servant of his with a letter, and that
he, the commandant, should carry out the orders contained in it.

A week after, the prince called Firrazzanu and said: "Go to the
commandant of the castle and ask him to give you what this letter says."

Firrazzanu went, turning over the letter and in doubt about the matter.
Just then he met another servant and said to him: "Carry this letter for
me to the commandant of the castle, and tell him to give you what he has
to give you. When you return, we will have a good drink of wine."

The servant went and delivered the letter to the commandant, who opened
it, and read: "The commandant will give my servant, who is a rascal, a
hundred lashes, and then send him back to me." The order was carried
out, and the poor servant returned to the palace more dead than alive.
When Firrazzanu saw him, he burst out laughing, and said: "My brother,
for me and for you, better you than me."

This story is told in Gonzenbach (No. 75) as the way in which the queen
tried to punish Firrazzanu for the joke he played on her by telling her
his wife was deaf.

There are other stories told of Firrazzanu, but they do not deserve a
place here, and we can direct our attention at once to Giufa, the
typical booby, who appears in the various provinces of Italy under
different names.[10]

The first story told of him in Pitre's collection (No. 190) is:

XCIX. GIUFA AND THE PLASTER STATUE.

Once upon a time there was a very poor woman who had a son called Giufa,
who was stupid, lazy, and cunning. His mother had a piece of cloth, and
said one day to Giufa: "Take t