On the day of the event, Giufa arose and washed. When he arrived with others, Giufa was dressed in his usual ribbons and rags, only to be stopped by the servants at the door.
The servants said to Giufa, "Why did you come in here without a wedding garment? You are one who is not worthy to sit at our master's tables at the wedding of his son. Go away before we cast you out into the streets!" As Giufa was speechless, he simply left.
Upon retuning home, Giufa dressed in his finest clothes, including a tunic of costly fabric with long sleeves. He saddled his mule and rode to the banquet.
Though the feast was now in progress, this time a servant welcomed him with courtesy and seated him in a place of honor at the tables.
As Giufa reached for a piece of food on a platter, his long sleeve slipped into the sauce.
"Your fine sleeve has fallen into the sauce," a fellow guest whispered to him.
"And why not?" Giufa responded to the guest. "Eat your fill, my fine clothes," said Giufa. "You have more right to this feast than I, since they have more respect for you than me."
copyright 2012, retold by Myth Woodling
Myth's notes:
The Scillian Giufa, the Fool, sometimes demonstrates rare wisdom.