Then Malagigi took from his sack a gown, and gave it to Rinaldo to put on over his armor, and a hat that was full of holes, and an old pair of shoes to put on.  They looked like two pilgrims, very old and poor.  Then they went forth from the wood, and after a little while saw four monks riding along the road.  Malagigi said to Rinaldo, “I will go meet the monks, and see what news I can learn.”

Malagigi learned from the monks that on the approaching festival there would be a great crowd of people at court, for the prince was going to show the ladies the famous horse Bayard that used to belong to Rinaldo.  “What!” said the pilgrim; “is Bayard there?” “Yes,” answered the monks; “the king has given him to Charlot, and, after the prince has ridden him the king means to pass sentence on the brothers of Rinaldo, and have them hanged.”  Then Malagigi asked alms of the monks, but they would give him none, till he threw aside his pilgrim garb, and let them see his armor, when, partly for charity and partly for terror, they gave him a golden cup, adorned with precious stones that sparkled in the sunshine.

Malagigi then hastened back to Rinaldo, and told him what he had learned.

The morning of the feast-day Rinaldo and Malagigi came to the place where the sports were to be held.  Malagigi gave Rinaldo his spurs back again, and said, “Cousin, put on your spurs, for you will need them.”  “How shall I need them,” said Rinaldo, “since I have lost my horse?” Yet he did as Malagigi directed him.

When the two had taken their stand on the border of the field among the crowd the princes and ladies of the court began to assemble.  When they were all assembled the king came also, and Charlot with him, near whom the horse Bayard was led, in the charge of grooms, who were expressly enjoined to guard him safely.  The king, looking round on the circle of spectators, saw Malagigi and Rinaldo, and observed the splendid cup that they had, and said to Charlot, “See, my son, what a brilliant cup those two pilgrims have got.  It seems to be worth a hundred ducats.”  “That is true,” said Charlot; “Let us go and ask where they got it.”  So they rode to the place where the pilgrims stood, and Charlot stopped Bayard close to them.

The horse snuffed at the pilgrims, knew Rinaldo, and caressed his master.  The king said to Malagigi, “Friend, where did you get that beautiful cup?” Malagigi replied, “Honorable sir, I paid for it all the money I have saved from eleven years’ begging in churches and convents.  The Pope himself has blessed it, and given it the power that whosoever eats or drinks out of it shall be pardoned of all his sins.”  Then said the king to Charlot, “My son, these are right holy men; see how the dumb beast worships them.”