“the beer with a crest”

—He sang at the top of his
lungs cheerful and upright,
the Duke of Serrauccelli,
also known as Lord
of the Pranksters, who loved
music and theatre and voices,
but out of his mouth
came only rude noises.
Convinced that it was all
about whim, he improvised
and refused any master
to help him.

One day, while trying to seduce
Brunilda of the Vigneti Giacchè
di Rossabacca, exercising his
uvula in the palace’s court,
he fell on the ground with
a loud squawk.

Blue in the face, he pulled
himself together at once
to check, thinking he had
risked to break his neck.
He saw the lady bend over
with laughter.
“Forgive me, Duke, I lost control,
but actually you do better
imitate a rooster’s crow!—