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"rime e aspre e chiocce, "Come si converrebbe al tristo buco." I turn with pleasure from these wretched performances to Mr Cary's translation. It is a work which well deserves a separate discussion, and on which, if this article were not already too long, I could dwell with great pleasure.
One day the Cogia bought a quantity of eggs at the rate of nine for the aspre, and carrying them to another place, he sold them at the rate of ten. Some people asking him, 'Why do you sell ten for what you gave for nine? the Cogia replied, 'I always wish my friends to see that I lose by my bargains.
Once he went to the barber, had his head shaved, paid an aspre, and went away. The following week he went again, was shaved, and had a looking-glass placed before him. 'As the half of my head is scalt, said the Cogia, 'is not an aspre for shaving it too much by half? One day the Cogia went with some men a-fishing. They cast the net into the sea, and the Cogia cast himself into the net.
There are seven more "where nows," including lovers, and "proffered husbands," and "romances," and ending with the startling question and answer, the counterpoint of the former close, "Ove son l' aspre selve e i lupi adesso, E gli orsi, e i draghi, e i tigri? Son qui presso." Where now are all the woods and forests drear, Wolves, tigers, bears, and dragons? Alas, here!
He put in the will of a burgess of Ephesus that he would make in that mountain, which was desert and aspre, a stable for his pasturers and herdmen. And it happed that of adventure the masons, that made the said stable, opened this cave.
And when Christopher saw that, he marvelled, and demanded whereof he doubted, and had left the high and fair way, and had gone so far about by so aspre a desert. And the devil would not tell him in no wise. Then Christopher said to him: If thou wilt not tell me, I shall anon depart from thee, and shall serve thee no more.
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