In a small town in the north of the Principality lived a bravado who took great joy in battle but lacked humility and was given to crowing which wars had they been in, which tournaments, which great lords they challenged and what a beating had been given. Being proud and quick to wrath, though of great courage, and sometimes esteeming fighting over learning, this bravado did not always remember to tell that it had been given to them. All day this bravado was out talking and swinging swords, prattling of which great list they might enter this week, next week or the next month and whom they would defeat, forgetting to do what they had been told to practice, and bemoaning not having the finest clothes to fight in and to sit drinking at feast after.
Now it happened that in the next town lived a seamstress who passed the bravado when she came to market or went to see tournaments or attended great feasts, for her work was fine and she had sewn even for the Queen herself. This seamstress heard the great boasting and occasional pellwork and thought, “Truly this must be a noble of high rank and great skill if they can afford to talk more and practice less. I can make fine clothes of brocade and silk wool from Flanders. I can sew finest linen for shirts to dress them for battle.” And so the seamstress asked the bravado what clothes were wanted and the bravado replied saying “all of them.” And the seamstress, being of wit as well as beauty, replied saying “that is as well, but they must be paid for”. “Of course” replied the bravado and brought out a great purse and said “there will be more once I have finished the next tournament” And the seamstress took the purse and began sewing and soon the fine clothes were brought and were received with great joy.
