Grumio cooks a peacock for dinner. While he cooks it, his mind drifts off and he starts thinking about the beautiful slave girl he met the night before. Her hair was as black as night, and her lips as red as roses. She sang sweetly, and Grumio delighted in her music. While thinking about the slave girl, Grumio burns the peacock, but he does not notice. He carries the burnt peacock to Caecilius. Caecilius tastes the peacock. Caecilius is very mad. Caecilius shouts,
"THIS PEACOCK TASTES HORRIBLE! PEST! SCOUNDREL! GO OUTSIDE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE."
Grumio is very sad. He exits the house. Grumio walks to the marketplace. Grumio sees a barber walking and gets an idea. Grumio greets the barber. Grumio begs the barber to give him a fashionable hair cut.
"Well, I know the most popular hair style, and good news, it's for free!" says the barber.
Grumio is very happy. The barber cuts his hair. When Grumio looks into a mirror, he is shocked. ALL OF GRUMIO'S HAIR HAS BEEN SHAVED OFF!
Grumio's head resembles an egg, and the beard he was oh-so-very-proud-of has disappeared! (this draws attention to his hideous nose) Grumio faints. When he wakes up, it is the morning. Grumio decides to walk around the marketplace.
"Hello, Caecilius!" A banker (who is Caecilius' best friend) says to Grumio. Grumio is confused. Then, Grumio realizes that he now looks exactly like Caecilius because he is bald. Grumio gets an idea.
"Why, hello there!" Grumio responds, "I'm a little short on money at the moment, and I was wondering if you could lend me some--being that we are best friends and all..."
The banker smiles and says,
"Sure!" The banker takes out his wallet and gives Grumio $5,000 worth of coins. Grumio thanks the banker and says goodbye. Grumio decides to go on a shopping spree. He buys a very expensive toga, along with a tunic and sandals to go with it. He also buys a mouse dipped in honey at a bakery, which he then eats. Grumio sneaks back into the house and hides his money and fancy clothes under a loose floorboard in his room. After that, Grumio walks to the kitchen and starts to sweep the floor, like nothing ever happened...
END OF CHAPTER 1
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The Adventures of Grumio
AdventureGrumio leads a double life. By day, he is a mistreated cook, and by night he pretends to be his master. When he falls in love with a singer named Melissa while pretending to be his wealthy master, he gets caught in a mess that he won't be able to ge...
