Messer Ruggieri being mounted on the mule given him by the King:—­“Methinks,” quoth the other, it being then hard upon tierce, “that ’twere well to give the beasts a voidance;” and by and by, being come to a convenient place, they voided all the beasts save the mule.  Then, as they continued their journey, the squire hearkening attentively to the knight’s words, they came to a river, and while there they watered the beasts, the mule made a voidance in the stream.  Whereat:—­“Ah, foul fall thee, beast,” quoth Messer Ruggieri, “that art even as thy master, that gave thee to me!” Which remark, as also many another that fell from Ruggieri as they rode together throughout the day, the squire stored in his memory; but never another word did he hear Ruggieri say touching the King, that was not laudatory to the last degree.

On the morrow, when they were gotten to horse, and had set their faces towards Tuscany, the squire apprised Ruggieri of the King’s command, and thereupon Ruggieri turned back.  On his arrival the King, having already heard what he had said touching the mule, gave him gladsome greeting, and asked him wherefore he had likened him to the mule, or rather the mule to him.  Whereto Messer Ruggieri answered frankly:—­“My lord, I likened you to the mule, for that, as you bestow your gifts where ’tis not meet, and where meet it were, bestow them not, so the mule where ’twas meet, voided not, and where ’twas not meet, voided.”  “Messer Ruggieri,” replied the King, “’tis not because I have not discerned in you a knight most good and true, for whose desert no gift were too great, that I have not bestowed on you such gifts as I have bestowed upon many others, who in comparison of you are nothing worth:  the fault is none of mine but solely of your fortune, which would not suffer me; and that this which I say is true, I will make abundantly plain to you.”  “My lord,” returned Messer Ruggieri, “mortified am I, not that you gave me no gift, for thereof I had no desire, being too rich, but that you made no sign of recognition of my desert; however, I deem your explanation sound and honourable, and whatever you shall be pleased that I should see, that gladly will I, albeit I believe you without attestation.”

The King then led him into one of the great halls, in which, by his preordinance, were two chests closed under lock and key, and, not a few others being present, said to him:—­“Messer Ruggieri, one these chests contains my crown, sceptre and orb, with many a fine girdle, buckle, ring, and whatever else of jewellery I possess; the other is full of earth:  choose then, and whichever you shall choose, be it yours; thereby you will discover whether ’tis due to me or to your fortune that your deserts have lacked requital.”  Such being the King’s pleasure, Messer Ruggieri chose one of the chests, which at the King’s command being opened and found to be that which contained the earth:—­“Now, Messer Ruggieri,” quoth the King with a laugh,