INTRODUCTIONNobody can be sure
whether any given tale
originates with the written
form and has from there
passed into folklore: or
the other way about.
Some traditional tales are
actually presented as true
stories, even in modern
biographies. Among these
is this one, claimed to be
an incident in the life of
Lord Chancellor Egerton
of England (died 1617)
and also attributed to a
case of Attorney-General
William Noy (died 1634).
Yet the same story is found
in the writings of Valerius
Maximus, nearly two
thousand years ago! It is
attributed to Demosthenes,
who died in 322 BC, and
reappears, according
to a cardinal, as having
actually happened in the
Italian family of Lambertini
in the 14th century. Here
is a version taken from
the novel by Le Sage, The
History of Vanillo Gonzales,
supposedly from a Spanish
original, published in 1734,
two thousand years after
Spain
Three merchants, named Charles Azarini, Peter
Scannati and Jerom Avellino, went to the house
of a venerable citizen of Palermo, Sicily, taking
with them a notary public and ten thousand
gold pieces. The old man agreed, in writing, to look after
the money and not to give it up to any one of them unless
in the presence of the two others. The agreement was
duly notarised.
The money was carefully looked after until, some months
later, Avellino knocked on the door during the night, most
urgently, saying that the money was needed. Azarini,
Scannati and he, he said, had an opportunity of buying a
valuable cargo if they could move quickly.
‘But you seem to forget that I cannot give you the money,
according to our contract, unless all of you are present,’
said the old man.
‘I do indeed remember it,’ said Avellino, ‘but Azarini
and Scannati are ill, and cannot come. But they are in
agreement that you yield the money to me. Surely you
remember that you have known me for a long time, and
that I am an honest man?’
The old man was at first uncertain what he should do;
but eventually he overcame his fears, and parted with
the
UYTGH
45 - Straight
athens, Greece
Aug 14, 2023 15:35
INTRODUCTIONNobody can be sure
whether any given tale
originates with the written
form and has from there
passed into folklore: or
the other way about.
Some traditional tales are
actually presented as true
stories, even in modern
biographies. Among these
is this one, claimed to be
an incident in the life of
Lord Chancellor Egerton
of England (died 1617)
and also attributed to a
case of Attorney-General
William Noy (died 1634).
Yet the same story is found
in the writings of Valerius
Maximus, nearly two
thousand years ago! It is
attributed to Demosthenes,
who died in 322 BC, and
reappears, according
to a cardinal, as having
actually happened in the
Italian family of Lambertini
in the 14th century. Here
is a version taken from
the novel by Le Sage, The
History of Vanillo Gonzales,
supposedly from a Spanish
original, published in 1734,
two thousand years after
Spain
Three merchants, named Charles Azarini, Peter
Scannati and Jerom Avellino, went to the house
of a venerable citizen of Palermo, Sicily, taking
with them a notary public and ten thousand
gold pieces. The old man agreed, in writing, to look after
the money and not to give it up to any one of them unless
in the presence of the two others. The agreement was
duly notarised.
The money was carefully looked after until, some months
later, Avellino knocked on the door during the night, most
urgently, saying that the money was needed. Azarini,
Scannati and he, he said, had an opportunity of buying a
valuable cargo if they could move quickly.
‘But you seem to forget that I cannot give you the money,
according to our contract, unless all of you are present,’
said the old man.
‘I do indeed remember it,’ said Avellino, ‘but Azarini
and Scannati are ill, and cannot come. But they are in
agreement that you yield the money to me. Surely you
remember that you have known me for a long time, and
that I am an honest man?’
The old man was at first uncertain what he should do;
but eventually he overcame his fears, and parted with
the
whether any given tale
originates with the written
form and has from there
passed into folklore: or
the other way about.
Some traditional tales are
actually presented as true
stories, even in modern
biographies. Among these
is this one, claimed to be
an incident in the life of
Lord Chancellor Egerton
of England (died 1617)
and also attributed to a
case of Attorney-General
William Noy (died 1634).
Yet the same story is found
in the writings of Valerius
Maximus, nearly two
thousand years ago! It is
attributed to Demosthenes,
who died in 322 BC, and
reappears, according
to a cardinal, as having
actually happened in the
Italian family of Lambertini
in the 14th century. Here
is a version taken from
the novel by Le Sage, The
History of Vanillo Gonzales,
supposedly from a Spanish
original, published in 1734,
two thousand years after
Spain
Three merchants, named Charles Azarini, Peter
Scannati and Jerom Avellino, went to the house
of a venerable citizen of Palermo, Sicily, taking
with them a notary public and ten thousand
gold pieces. The old man agreed, in writing, to look after
the money and not to give it up to any one of them unless
in the presence of the two others. The agreement was
duly notarised.
The money was carefully looked after until, some months
later, Avellino knocked on the door during the night, most
urgently, saying that the money was needed. Azarini,
Scannati and he, he said, had an opportunity of buying a
valuable cargo if they could move quickly.
‘But you seem to forget that I cannot give you the money,
according to our contract, unless all of you are present,’
said the old man.
‘I do indeed remember it,’ said Avellino, ‘but Azarini
and Scannati are ill, and cannot come. But they are in
agreement that you yield the money to me. Surely you
remember that you have known me for a long time, and
that I am an honest man?’
The old man was at first uncertain what he should do;
but eventually he overcame his fears, and parted with
the
