داستان منشی

Chapter three

The Clerk’s Tale

The Clerk was the next person to tell his story. “I have an interesting story,” he said. “It’s about a king called Walter. He was the king of Saluce, in Italy. Walter wanted to marry a woman. But only he knew the name of this woman. It was a secret. The woman’s name was Griselda. She was young and beautiful and she was very nice. She was very poor and she lived in a small house with her father. She cooked and cleaned for him every day. And now I’ll tell you their story,” said the Clerk.

One day, Griselda was at home with her father. ‘Today is the day,’ said Griselda. ‘Today we’ll know the name of the king’s wife. Who will it be? It’s very exciting.’

‘I think his wife will be a rich woman,’ said Griselda’s father. But Griselda’s father was wrong. And soon he heard somebody at the door. Griselda’s father opened the door. And he saw Walter, the King of Saluce.

‘I want to speak to you. I want to marry Griselda,’ said Walter.

‘Griselda? M-m-m-my Griselda’ said the father. ‘But this is strange. We’re poor. And you’re the king. Why do you want a poor wife?’

‘That’s not important,’ said Walter. ‘She’s the woman I love. Can I speak to her?’

‘Well, of course,’ said the father.

And then Walter went inside the house. And he spoke to Griselda. ‘Griselda,’ said Walter. ‘Will you be my wife? You must do everything I say.’

‘I’m too poor for you,’ said Griselda. ‘I cook and clean. I work hard. I have a different kind of life. But, I want you to be happy. I’ll be your wife. And I promise to do everything you say.’

‘That’s good’ said Walter. And then Griselda went home with Walter. Servants arrived. They gave Griselda a beautiful dress. And on that day, Walter married Griselda.

Walter and Griselda were very happy. The people of the city liked her. Soon, Griselda had a beautiful baby girl. Walter was also happy. But he was worried about something, ‘Griselda is very nice,’ he thought. ‘But, does she love me? Is she only nice because I’m the king? I have to know that she loves me.’ Then, Walter did something very bad.

One night, Griselda was in her room. She was with her daughter. Walter’s servant came into her room. ‘I’m sorry, it’s late,’ said the servant. ‘But I must do what the king says. I must take your daughter.’

The servant took the child from Griselda. Griselda was very worried. ‘What’s he going to do with my daughter, Is he going to kill her’ thought Griselda. But Griselda said nothing. ‘Now go’ said Griselda to the servant. ‘And do what the king says.’

Then the servant took the child to Walter. ‘Don’t tell anybody about this,’ said Walter to his servant. ‘Go with my daughter to Milan. She’ll live with my sister. But remember! It’s a secret. Nobody must know that this girl is my daughter.’ And then the king’s servant took the child to Milan.

What did Griselda do? Did she hate her husband? The answer to this question is no. Griselda didn’t change.

‘Does Griselda love me or not,’ thought the king. ‘Oh, I don’t know!’

After five years, Griselda had another baby. It was a boy. Griselda was happy again. But Walter wasn’t happy. ‘Griselda,’ said Walter. ‘Do you promise that you’ll always love me?’

‘Yes I do,’ said Griselda. ‘I’m your wife. And I left my old life. I left my house, and my father. I’ll die for you. Is that what you want?’

But Walter wasn’t happy. ‘I have to know that she loves me,’ he thought.

Soon, Griselda’s son was two years old. One night, Griselda was in her room. She was with her son. Then, the servant came into her room again.

‘I must take your son,’ he said. ‘It’s what the king wants.’

‘First my daughter, and now my son,’ thought Griselda. ‘Oh, my children! What will Walter do to my son?’ Griselda said goodbye to her son. And then the servant took the child to Walter.

Take my son to Bologna,’ said Walter. And remember, this must be a secret.’ And then the servant left. He took the boy to a family in Bologna. ‘Now I’ll know,’ thought the King. ‘Will Griselda love me now?’

But Griselda didn’t change. She didn’t hate Walter. She was good to him. ‘I don’t know what Walter is thinking,’ thought Griselda. I promised to love him. And I will love him. But why does he do these bad things?’

For some years, Walter was happy. His daughter was in Milan. And she was now 18 years old. And Walter began to worry again. ‘Does Griselda love me’ he thought again. And then he did another bad thing. The king called for Griselda, and he said to her, ‘I don’t need you anymore. I want a new wife.’ Griselda said nothing. And then she left Walter’s room.

Walter then spoke to his servant. ‘Bring me my son and daughter,’ he said. ‘But it must be a secret. Don’t tell anybody who these children are. I’ll say to everybody that I’m going to marry the girl.

Of course, I’m not going to marry her. She’s my daughter. But nobody will know this.’

That afternoon, Walter spoke to Griselda again. ‘Griselda, a poor woman can’t be my wife, I was wrong,’ he said. ‘My new wife is arriving. You must go back to your father’s home. Leave your clothes here! I’ll give them to my new wife.’

‘Thank you for everything,’ said Griselda. ‘I’ll go home to my father. He’s old. I want you to be happy with your new wife.’ And then she left the room.

The king was very sad. ‘I hate doing this,’ he thought. ‘I love her so much but I must know that she loves me.’

The next day, Walter went to Griselda’s house. He wanted to ask Griselda something. ‘Griselda, as you know, my new wife is arriving,’ said Walter. ‘I need somebody to clean her room. Will you help me?’

‘I’ll be happy to help,’ said Griselda. And then she went to Walter’s house. She cleaned the rooms. She made the beds. And she washed the plates.

That morning, Griselda’s son and daughter arrived. When Griselda saw the girl she thought,

‘She’s beautiful,’ and she thought of her daughter. ‘My daughter is the same age,’ she thought. And when Griselda saw the boy, she thought of her son, ‘The boy is so clever. My son is the same age.’

‘Of course, she didn’t know, that they were her children.’

When Griselda saw the king she said, ‘That girl is very nice. She’s beautiful. Be nice to her. I hope you’ll be happy.’

‘Stop this’ said the king. ‘I don’t want to do this anymore! My dear wife Griselda. I love you very much! Griselda. You are my wife. And you’re perfect.’ And then Walter called for his son and daughter.

‘Griselda, this is our daughter, and not my new wife. And this is our son. I’m very sorry. I only wanted you to love me. And now I know that you do. These are our children!’

Griselda was happy to see her children again. ‘Thank you, thank you’ said Griselda. ‘My children are safe.’

That night they had a big party. Griselda and Walter were both very happy. And Walter never worried about Griselda’s love again.