THERE WAS once a good man named Jacopo, who made a living at a strange business. He was a dyer, that is, he took cloths of plain colors and turned them into all the shades of the rainbow. When rich people saw Jacopo’s purple silk, his scarlets and blues and yellows, they usually decided on some new clothes right away and bought yards and yards of the wonderful material. In such a way Jacopo became quite wealthy and built a nice house for his wife and family.
Now, Jacopo’s house was a big place. In it lived Jacopo’s numerous children, his wife, his servants and the men and boys who helped around the shop and sold goods to customers. Very seldom was there a quiet moment in Jacopo’s house. Something was always going on, either a banquet, a business deal, a wedding or a visit from the neighbors. There was always food cooking in the kitchen, too, for it took a lot to feed all the people who lived with Jacopo or who came to visit him. It was a busy place, Jacopo’s house. His children loved it, and when any of the sons got married they always brought their brides home to live. In fact, as years went by, Jacopo’s house became more and more crowded, so that one wondered how it could ever hold any more people.
One day in the year 1347 Jacopo and his wife Lapa, who lived in the Italian city of Siena and already had twenty-three children, were blessed by God with twin baby girls.
