Griselda

In the vicinity of the Po River, where it flows out of its reedy bed onto the nearby plain, there resided a young and brave prince who was beloved by all the locals. He possessed a combination of physical and intellectual attributes, being both strong and clever, skilled in warfare, and showed a great passion for the arts. He took pleasure in fighting, winning battles, and achieving great deeds of glory, all of which would ensure his name lived on in history. However, above all these pursuits, his greatest joy was in the well-being and happiness of his subjects.

The prince's magnificent character was marred by a dark cloud of melancholy that made him believe, deep down in his heart, that all women were unfaithful and deceitful. The prince's belief was that even in the most distinguished woman, he could only see a hypocritical heart full of pride. He saw them as cruel enemies whose sole ambition was to dominate and gain control over any man who surrendered to them.

Every day, the prince dedicated his mornings to attending to his duties as a ruler. He governed with wisdom and made decisions that he believed would benefit his people he protected the rights of everyone, including the vulnerable orphans and widows who were facing oppression. The prince spent the rest of the day hunting, pursuing either deer or bears. He found the ferocious beasts less intimidating than the alluring women whom he avoided every day.

Despite his aversion to women, the prince's subjects persisted in their requests for him to produce an heir who would govern them with the same kindness and care that he had always shown.

The prince responded to their requests saying, "I am greatly pleased by your eagerness for me to marry." "I am deeply moved by your zeal in urging me to marry," he replied. "However, I firmly believe that true happiness in marriage can only be achieved when one partner is dominant over the other." To marry, the prince believed that one partner must be dominant over the other. He expressed his gratitude for their urging, but insisted that he would only marry a young woman who was humble, obedient, patient, and lacked a strong will. Once you have succeeded in locating such a woman, I will agree to marry her!"

The prince finished speaking and immediately mounted his horse to ride off and join his hounds. He rode swiftly across the fields and meadows, until he arrived at the gathering place of his fellow hunters, who were already waiting for him, prepared and attentive. He promptly commanded the start of the hunt and spurred the dogs to chase after the stag. The forest resounded with the noise of the horns, the horses' hooves pounding the ground, and the barking of the hounds, as the prince ordered the start of the chase, the sound echoed and reverberated throughout the woods, growing louder and louder in the hollows.

One day, possibly by chance or fate, the prince ventured onto a winding path where none of the other hunters had followed him. As he continued on the road, he gradually distanced himself from the other hunters until he reached a spot where he could no longer hear the sounds of their horns and the baying of their hounds.

The prince was filled with awe as he looked around at the place where his strange adventure had led him, with its clear streams and shadowy trees. The prince was filled with awe by the beautiful and pure nature around him, with its clear streams and shadowy trees, he felt that his adventure had led him to a place that was simple and unspoiled, and he blessed his decision to wander from the well-known paths a thousand times

The prince was lost in thought, enjoying the beauty of nature around him, when he suddenly came across something that delighted him like nothing else he had ever seen. It was a young shepherdess, the sweetest and kindest person he had ever laid eyes on.

A heart, no matter how savage, would have been softened by the sight of the young shepherdess. The shepherdess had a complexion as pure and fair as a lily that had never been exposed to sunlight. She had captivating lips and her eyes were adorned with dark lashes, making them brighter and bluer than the sky.

The prince was overwhelmed with joy and quietly retreated into the woods to admire the beauty without being noticed. The commotion he unintentionally created caught the attention of the girl, causing her to look in his direction. When the shepherdess caught sight of the prince, she blushed intensely, enhancing her already stunning beauty. The prince found that behind her facade of modesty, the woman possessed qualities such as simplicity, sweetness, and sincerity that he never thought a woman could have. Despite being timid and confused, he approached her and asked, in a trembling voice, if she knew whether the other huntsmen had passed through that part of the wood as he had lost their trace.