In prime of maidenhood, and fair and feat
  ’Mid spring’s fresh foison chant I merrily: 
  Thanks be to Love and to my fancies sweet.

As o’er the grassy mead I, glancing, fare,
  I mark it white and yellow and vermeil dight
  With flowers, the thorny rose, the lily white: 
  And all alike to his face I compare,
  Who, loving, hath me ta’en, and me shall e’er
  Hold bounden to his will, sith I am she
  That in his will findeth her joy complete.

Whereof if so it be that I do find
  Any that I most like to him approve,
  That pluck I straight and kiss with words of love,
  Discovering all, as, best I may, my mind;
  Yea, all my heart’s desire; and then entwined
  I set it in the chaplet daintily,
  And with my yellow tresses bind and pleat.

And as mine eyes do drink in the delight
  Which the flower yields them, even so my mind,
  Fired with his sweet love, doth such solace find,
  As he himself were present to the sight: 
  But never word of mine discover might
  That which the flower’s sweet smell awakes in me: 
  Witness the true tale that my sighs repeat.

For from my bosom gentle and hot they fly,
  Not like the gusty sighs that others heave,
  Whenas they languish and do sorely grieve;
  And to my love incontinent they hie: 
  Whereof when he is ware, he, by and by,
  To meward hasting, cometh suddenly,
  When:—­“Lest I faint,” I cry, “come, I entreat.”

The king and all the ladies did not a little commend Neifile’s song; after which, as the night was far spent, the king bade all go to rest until the morrow.

—­ Endeth here the ninth day of the Decameron, and beginneth the tenth, in which, under the rule of Pamfilo, discourse is had of such as in matters of love, or otherwise, have done something with liberality or magnificence. —­

Some cloudlets in the West still shewed a vermeil flush, albeit those of the eastern sky, as the sun’s rays smote them anear, were already fringed as with most lucent gold, when uprose Pamfilo, and roused the ladies and his comrades.  And all the company being assembled, and choice made of the place whither they should betake them for their diversion, he, accompanied by Filomena and Fiammetta, led the way at a slow pace, followed by all the rest.  So fared they no little space, beguiling the time with talk of their future way of life, whereof there was much to tell and much to answer, until, as the sun gained strength, they returned, having made quite a long round, to the palace; and being gathered about the fountain, such as were so minded drank somewhat from beakers rinsed in its pure waters; and then in the delicious shade of the garden they hied them hither and thither, taking their pleasure until breakfast-time.  Their meal taken, they slept as they were wont; and then, at a spot chosen by the king, they reassembled, where Neifile, having received his command to lead the way, blithely thus began.