FOURTH DAY.
A little before the Dawn went forth to a draught from the labourers, having brought the news of the Sun's approach, the princely pair, one white and the other black, were at the appointed place, where the ten women had arrived shortly before, who having feasted on mulberries, had made their mouths just like a dyer's hands. Then sitting down all together beside a fountain, which served as a looking-glass to the feet of some citron-trees, that were interlacing their heads to prevent the Sun's peeping through, they bethought them how to pass the time until the hour arrived to set their jaws to work, so as to afford amusement to Taddeo and Lucia; and they began to discuss whether they should play at 'Saw-brick,' 'Head or tail,' 'Egg or wind[1],' 'Springstick[2],' 'Morra,' 'Even or odd,' 'the Bell,' 'the Boaster,' 'Little Castles,' 'Throw the ball here,' 'Two or one,' 'The Owl,' or 'The Ball.'
At length the Prince, tired of these games, commanded some instruments to be brought, and that they should sing awhile; and instantly a number of attendants, who were dilettanti in music, came with lutes, tambourins, guitars, harps, mandolins, violins, castanets, flutes and cornets; and giving a beautiful concert, and playing the harmonies of the Abbate Zefero, and Cuccara Gianmartino, and the Florentine dance, they sang a number of Canzoni of the good old time, which are now more easily sighed for than found again; and amongst the rest they sang the following[3]:—
"Fie for shame, O Margarita!
’Tis indeed too cruel this,
That for every little kiss
I must to a new gown treat her.
Fie for shame, O Margarita!"
And this one:—
"O cruel Fair! I fain would see
Myself a slipper, but to be
Under that foot; yet if she knew it,
She'd stamp and run, to make me rue it!"
Then followed this:—
"Come forth, come forth, O Sun!
Shine on the Emperor.
My little box of silver,
Which is worth four hundred.
One hundred and fifty.
Sings the whole night long.
Sings Viola,
The master of the school.
O master, O master.
Send us away quickly!
For Master Tiesto's coming down
With lances and with swords,
And follow'd by the birds.
Sound, sound the little pipe.
For I'll buy you a little gown,
A little gown of scarlet red.
But if you don't play, I'll break your head."
Nor did they omit the following:—
"Sun, sun, keep off the rain!
For I must turn the corn and grain
Of Master Giuliano.
O Master, lend me a lance,
For I will go to France,
From France to Lombardia,
Where dwells my fair Lucia."
Whilst they were in the midst of the singing, the dishes were placed upon the table, and they ate till they were near bursting. Then Taddeo told Zeza to begin, and usher in the day with her song: so, in accordance with the command of the Prince, she spoke as follows.
1. A game in which one person holds out both hands closed, and the other guesses which hand contains the prize.
2. Mazz'e ppiuzo. A game very common in our streets; a boy strikes the tip of a little bit of wood on the ground, and makes it spring into the air. For remarks on these games, see the Notes at the end of this volume.
3. The difficulty of translating these verses into corresponding measures is my excuse for their lameness.
THE STONE IN THE COCK'S HEAD.
The robber's wife does not always laugh: he who weaves fraud, works his own ruin: there is no deceit which is not at last discovered, no treachery that does not come to light: walls have ears, and are spies to rogues: the earth gapes and discovers theft; as I will prove to you if you pay attention.
There was once in the city of Dark Grotto a certain man named Minecco Aniello, who was so persecuted by fortune, that all his fixtures and moveables consisted only of a short-legged cock, which he had reared upon bread-crumbs. But one morning, being pinched with appetite, (for hunger drives the wolf from the thicket,) he took it into his head to sell the cock; and taking it to the market, he met two thievish magicians, with whom he made a bargain, and sold it for half a crown. So they told him to take it to their house, and they would count him out the money. Then the magicians went their way, and Minecco Aniello following them, overheard them talking gibberish together and saying, "Who would have told us that we should meet with such a piece of good luck, Jennarone? this cock will make our fortune to a certainty by the stone which, you know, he has in his pate: we will quickly have it set in a ring, and then we shall have everything we can ask for."
"Be quiet, Jacovuccio," answered Jennarone; "I see myself rich and can hardly believe it; and I am longing to twist the cock's neck, and give a kick in the face of beggary; for in this world virtue without money goes for nothing, and a man is judged of by his coat."
When Minecco Aniello, who had travelled about in the world and eaten bread from more than one oven, heard this gibberish, he turned on his heel and scampered off. And running home he twisted the cock's neck, and opening its head found the stone, which he had instantly set in a brass ring. Then, to make a trial of its virtue, he said, "I wish to become a youth eighteen years old."
Hardly had he uttered the words, when his blood began to flow more quickly, his nerve became stronger, his limbs firmer, his flesh fresher, his eye more fiery, his silver hairs were turned into gold, his mouth, which was a sacked village, became peopled with teeth, his beard, which was as thick as a wood, became like a nursery-garden; in short he was changed to a most beautiful youth. Then he said again, "I wish for a splendid palace, and to marry the king's daughter." And lo! there instantly appeared a palace of incredible magnificence, in which were apartments that would amaze you, columns to astound you, pictures to fill you with wonder: silver glittered around, and gold was trodden underfoot; the jewels dazzled your eyes; the servants swarmed like ants, the horses and carriages were not to be counted; in short, there was such a display of riches, that the king stared at the sight, and willingly gave him his daughter Natalizia.
Meanwhile the magicians, having discovered Minecco Aniello's great wealth, laid a plan to rob him of his good fortune; so they made a pretty little doll, which played and danced by means of clockwork; and dressing themselves like merchants, they went to Pentella, the daughter of Minecco Aniello, under pretext of selling it to her. When Pentella saw the beautiful little thing, she asked them what price they put upon it; and they replied, that it was not to be bought for money, but that she might have it and welcome if she would only do them a favour, which was, to let them see the make of the ring which her father possessed, in order to take the model and make another like it; then they would give her the doll without any payment at all.
Pentella, who had never heard the proverb, "Think well before you buy anything cheap," instantly accepted this offer; and bidding them return the next morning, she promised to ask her father to lend her the ring. So the magicians went away, and when her father returned home, Pentella coaxed and caressed him, until at last she persuaded him to give her the ring, making the excuse that she was sad at heart, and wished to divert her mind a little.
When the next day came, as soon as the scavenger of the Sun sweeps the last trace of the Shades from the streets and squares of Heaven, the magicians returned; and no sooner had they the ring in their hands, than they instantly vanished, and not a trace of them was to be seen; so that poor Pentella had like to have died with terror.
But when the magicians came to a wood, where the branches of some of the trees were dancing the sword-dance, and the boughs of others were playing together at hot-cockles, they desired the ring to destroy the spell by which the old man had become young again. And instantly Minecco Aniello, who was just at that minute in the presence of the king, was suddenly seen to grow hoary, his hairs to whiten, his forehead to wrinkle, his eyebrows to grow bristly, his eyes to sink in, his face to be furrowed, his mouth to become toothless, his beard to grow bushy, his back to be humped, his legs to tremble, and above all his glittering garments to turn to rags and tatters.
The king, seeing this miserable beggar seated beside him at table, ordered him to be instantly driven away with blows and hard words; whereupon Aniello, thus suddenly fallen from his good luck, went weeping to his daughter, and asked for the ring in order to set matters to rights again. But when he heard the fatal trick played by the false merchants, he was ready to throw himself out of the window, cursing a thousand times the ignorance of his daughter, who for the sake of a silly doll had turned him into a miserable scarecrow, and for a paltry thing of rags had brought him to rags himself; adding that he was resolved to go wandering about in the world, like a bad shilling, until he should get tidings of those merchants. So saying he threw a cloak about his neck and a wallet on his back, drew his sandals on his feet, took a staff in his hand, and leaving his daughter all chilled and frozen, he set out walking desperately on and on until he arrived at the kingdom of Deep-Hole, inhabited by the mice, where, being taken for a big spy of the cats, he was instantly led before Rosecone[1] the king. Then the king asked him who he was, whence he came, and what he was about in that country; and Minecco Aniello, after first giving the king a cheese-paring, in sign of tribute, related to him all his misfortunes one by one, and concluded by saying that he was resolved to continue his toil and travel, until he should get tidings of those thievish villains who had robbed him of so precious a jewel, taking from him at once the flower of his youth, the source of his wealth, and the prop of his honour.
At these words Rosecone felt pity nibbling at his heart; and wishing to comfort the poor man, he summoned the eldest mice to a council, and asked their opinions on the misfortunes of Minecco Aniello, commanding them to use all diligence and endeavour to obtain some tidings of those false merchants. Now among the rest it happened that Rudolo and Saltariello[2] were present,—mice who were well used to the ways of the world, and had lived for six years at a tavern of great resort hard by; and they said to Aniello, "Be of good heart, comrade! matters will turn out better than you imagine. You must know that one day, when we were in a room in the hostelry of the 'Horn,' where the most famous men in the world lodge and make merry, two persons from Hook-Castle came in, who, after they had eaten their fill and had seen the bottom of their flagon, fell to talking of a trick they had played a certain old man of Dark-Grotto, and how they had cheated him out of a stone of great value, which one of them named Jennarone said he would never take from his finger, that he might not run the risk of losing it as the old man's daughter had done.
When Minecco Aniello heard this, he told the two mice, that if they would trust themselves to accompany him to the country where these rogues lived, and recover the ring for him, he would give them a good lot of cheese and salt meat, which they might eat and enjoy with his majesty the king. Then the two mice, after bargaining for a reward, offered to go over sea and mountain; and taking leave of his mousy majesty, they set out.
After journeying a long way, they arrived at Hook-Castle, where the mice told Minecco Aniello to remain under some trees on the brink of a river, which like a leech drew the moisture from the land and discharged it into the sea. Then they went to seek the house of the magicians; and observing that Jennarone never took the ring from his finger, they sought to gain the victory by stratagem. So waiting till Night had dyed with purple grape-juice the sunburnt face of Heaven, and the magicians had gone to bed and were fast asleep, Rudolo began to nibble the finger on which the ring was, whereupon Jennarone, feeling the smart, took the ring off and laid it on a table at the head of the bed. But as soon as Saltariello saw this, he popped the ring into his mouth, and in four skips he was off to find Minecco Aniello, who with even greater joy than a man at the gallows feels when a pardon arrives, instantly turned the magicians into two jackasses; and throwing his mantle over one of them, he bestrode him like a noble count; then he loaded the other with cheese and bacon, and set off toward Deep-Hole, where having given presents to the king and his councillors, he thanked them for all the good fortune he had received by their assistance, praying Heaven that no mousetrap might ever lay hold of them, that no cat might ever harm them, and that no arsenic might ever poison them.
Then leaving that country, Minecco Aniello returned to Dark-Grotto even more handsome than before, and was received by the king and his daughter with the greatest affection in the world. And having ordered the two asses to be cast down from a rock, he lived happy with his wife, never more taking the ring from his finger, that he might not again commit such a folly; for
"The dog who has been scalded with hot water has ever after a dread of cold water."
The adventures of Minecco Aniello gave great satisfaction to the Prince and his wife, and they blest the mice a thousand times for getting the stone again for the poor man, and rewarding the magicians with O plus O[3] and a broken neck into the bargain. But as Meneca had now taken her station on the racecourse of story-telling, all present barred the door of words with the bolt of silence, and she began as follows.
1. Nibbler.
2. Nibbler and Skipjack.
3. Co lo chirchio de lo dito.
THE THREE ENCHANTED PRINCES.
Once upon a time the King of Green-Bank had three daughters, who were perfect jewels, with whom three sons of the King of Fair-Meadow were desperately in love; hut these princes having been changed into animals by the spell of a fairy, the king of Green-Bank disdained to give them his daughters to wife. Whereupon the first, who was a beautiful Falcon, called together all the birds to a council; and there came the chaffinches, tomtits, woodpeckers, flycatchers, jays, blackbirds, cuckoos, thrushes, and alia genera pennatorum. And when they were all assembled at his summons, he ordered them to destroy all the blossoms on the trees of Green-Bank, so that not a flower or leaf should remain. The second prince, who was a Stag, summoning all the goats, rabbits, hares, hedgehogs, and other animals of that country, laid waste all the corn-fields, so that there was not a single blade of grass or corn left. The third prince, who was a Dolphin, consulting together with a hundred monsters of the sea, made such a tempest arise upon that coast, that not a boat escaped.
Now when the king saw that matters were going from bad to worse, and that he could not remedy the mischief which these three wild lovers were causing, he resolved to get out of his trouble, and made up his mind to give them his daughters to wife; and thereupon, without wanting either feasts or songs, they carried their brides off and out of the kingdom.
On parting from her daughters, Granzolla the queen gave each of them a ring, one exactly like the other, telling them that if they happened to be separated, and after awhile to meet again, or to see any of their kinsfolk, they would recognize one another by means of these rings. So taking their leave they departed; and the Falcon carried Fabiella, who was the eldest of the sisters, to the top of a mountain, which was so high that, passing the confines of the clouds, it reached with a dry head to a region where it never rains; and there, leading her to a most beautiful palace, she lived like a queen.
The Stag carried Vasta, the second sister, into a wood, which was so thick, that the Shades, when summoned by the Night, could not find their way out to escort her. There he placed her, as befitted her rank, in a wonderfully splendid house with a garden.
The Dolphin swam with Rita, the third sister, on his back into the middle of the sea, where upon a large rock he showed her a mansion in which three crowned kings might have lived.
Meanwhile Granzolla gave birth to a fine little boy, whom they named Tittone. And when he was fifteen years old, hearing his mother lamenting continually that she never heard any tidings of her three daughters, who were married to three animals, he took it into his head to travel through the world, until he should obtain some news of them. So after begging and entreating his father and mother for a long time, they granted him permission, bidding him take for his journey attendants and everything needful and befitting a prince; and the queen also gave him another ring, similar to those she had given to her daughters.
Tittone went his way, and left no corner of Italy, not a nook in France, nor any part of Spain unsearched; then he passed through England, and traversed Slavonia, and visited Poland, and in short travelled both east and west. At length, leaving all his servants, some at the taverns and some at the hospitals, he set out without a farthing in his pocket, and came to the top of the mountain where dwelt the Falcon and Fabiella. And as he stood there, beside himself with amazement, contemplating the beauty of the palace, the cornerstones of which were of porphyry, the walls of alabaster, the windows of gold and the tiles of silver, his sister observed him; and ordering him to be called, she demanded who he was, whence he came, and what chance had brought him to that country. When Tittone told her his country, his father and mother, and his name, Fabiella knew him to be her brother, and the more when she compared the ring upon his finger with that which her mother had given her; and embracing him with great joy, she concealed him, fearing that her husband would be angry when he returned home.
As soon as the Falcon came home, Fabiella began to tell him that a great longing had come over her to see her parents; and the Falcon answered, "Let the wish pass, wife; for that cannot be, unless the humour takes me."
"Let us at least," said Fabiella, "send to fetch one of my kinsfolk, to keep me company."
And pray who will come so far to see you?" replied the Falcon.
"Nay, but if any one should come," added Fabiella, "would you be displeased?"
"Why should I be displeased?" said the Falcon;
"'t would be enough that he were one of your kinsfolk, to make me take him to my heart."
When Fabiella heard this she took courage, and calling to her brother to come forth, she presented him to the Falcon, who exclaimed, "Five and five make ten; love passes through the glove, and water through the boot. A hearty welcome to you! you are master in this house; command, and do just as you like." Then he gave orders that Tittone should be served and treated with the same honour as himself.
Now when Tittone had stayed a fortnight on the mountain, it came into his head to go forth and seek his other sisters; so taking leave of Fabiella and his brother-in-law, the Falcon gave him one of his feathers, saying, "Take this and prize it, my dear Tittone; for you may one day be in trouble, and you will then esteem it a treasure. Enough—take good care of it, and if ever you meet with any mishap, throw it on the ground and say, 'Come hither, come hither and you shall have cause to thank me."
Tittone wrapped the feather up in a sheet of paper, and putting it in his pocket, after a thousand ceremonies departed. And travelling on and on a very long way, he arrived at last at the wood where the Stag lived with Vasta; and going, half-dead with hunger, into the garden to pluck some fruit, his sister saw him, and recognized him in the same manner as Fabiella had done. Then she presented Tittone to her husband, who received him with the greatest friendship, and treated him truly like a prince.
At the end of a fortnight, when Tittone wished to depart, and go in search of his other sister, the Stag gave him one of his hairs, repeating the same words as the Falcon had spoken about the feather. And setting out on his way, with a bagful of crown-pieces which the Falcon had given him, and as many more which the Stag gave him, he walked on and on until he came to the end of the earth, where, being stopped by the sea and unable to walk any further, he took ship, intending to seek through all the islands for tidings of his sister. So setting sail, he went about and about, until at length he was carried to an island, where lived the Dolphin with Rita. And no sooner had he landed, than his sister saw and recognized him in the same manner as the others had done, and he was received by her husband with all possible affection.
Now after awhile Tittone wished to set out again, to go and visit his father and mother, whom he had not seen for so long a time. So the Dolphin gave him one of his scales, telling him the same as the others had; and Tittone, mounting a horse, set out on his travels. But he had hardly proceeded half a mile from the sea-shore, when entering a wood—the abode of Fear and the Shades, where a continual fair of darkness and terror was kept up—he found a great tower in the middle of a lake, whose waters were kissing the feet of the trees, and entreating them not to let the Sun witness their pranks. At a window in the tower Tittone saw a most beautiful maiden, sitting at the feet of a hideous dragon, who was asleep. When the damsel saw Tittone, she said in a low and piteous voice, "O noble youth, sent perchance by Heaven to comfort me in my miseries in this place, where the face of a Christian is never seen, release me from the power of this tyrannical serpent, who has carried me off from my father, the king of Bright-Valley, and shut me up in this frightful tower, where I must die a miserable death."
"Alas, my beauteous lady," replied Tittone, what can I do to serve thee? who can pass this lake? who can climb this tower? who can approach yon horrid dragon, that carries terror in his look, sows fear, and causes dismay to spring up? But softly; wait a minute, and we'll find a way with another's help to drive this serpent away. Step by step—the more haste the worse speed[1]: we shall soon see whether 'tis egg or wind." And so saying he threw the feather, the hair and the scale, which his brothers-in-law had given him, on the ground, exclaiming, "Come hither, come hither!" And falling on the earth like drops of summer rain, which makes the frogs spring up, suddenly there appeared the Falcon, the Stag and the Dolphin, who cried out all together, "Behold us here! what are your commands?"
When Tittone saw this, he said with great joy, "I wish for nothing but to release this poor damsel from the claws of yon dragon, to take her away from this tower, to lay it all in ruins, and to carry this beautiful lady home with me as my wife."
"Hush!" answered the Falcon; "for the bean springs up where you least expect it. We'll soon make him dance upon a sixpence, and take good care that he shall have little ground enough."
"Let us lose no time," said the Stag; troubles and macaroni are swallowed hot."
So the Falcon summoned a large flock of griffins, who flying to the window of the tower carried off the damsel, bearing her over the lake to where Tittone was standing with his three brothers-in-law: and if from afar off she appeared a moon, believe me when near she looked truly like a sun, she was so beautiful.
Whilst Tittone was embracing her, and telling her how he loved her, the dragon awoke; and rushing out of the window, he came swimming across the lake to devour Tittone. But the Stag instantly called up a squadron of lions, tigers, panthers, bears and wild-cats, who falling upon the dragon tore him in pieces with their claws. Then Tittone wishing to depart, the Dolphin said, "I likewise desire to do something to serve you." And in order that no trace should remain of that frightful and accursed place, he made the sea rise so high that, overflowing its bounds, it attacked the tower furiously and overthrew it to its foundations.
When Tittone saw these things, he thanked the animals in the best manner he could, telling the damsel at the same time that she ought to do so too, as it was by their aid she had escaped from peril. But the animals answered, "Nay, we ought rather to thank this beauteous lady, since she is the means of restoring us to our proper shapes; for a spell was laid upon us at our birth, caused by our mother's having offended a fairy, and we were compelled to remain in the form of animals, until we should have freed the daughter of a king from some great trouble. And now behold the time is arrived which we have longed for; the fruit is ripe[2], and we already feel new spirit in our breasts, new blood in our veins." So saying, they were changed into three handsome youths, and one after another they embraced their brother-in-law, and shook hands with the lady, who was in an ecstasy of joy.
When Tittone saw this, he was on the point of fainting away; and heaving a deep sigh he said, "O heavens! why have not my mother and father a share in this happiness? they would be out of their wits with joy were they to see such graceful and handsome sons-in-law before their eyes."
"Nay," answered the princes, "'tis not yet night; "the shame at seeing ourselves so transformed obliged us to flee from the sight of men; but now that, thank Heaven! we can appear in the world again, we will all go and live with our wives under one roof, and spend our lives merrily. Let us therefore set out instantly, and before the Sun tomorrow morning unpacks the bales of his rays at the custom-house of the East, our wives shall be with you."
So saying, in order that they might not have to go on foot,—for there was only an old broken-down mare which Tittone had brought,—the brothers caused a most beautiful coach to appear, drawn by six lions, in which they all five seated themselves; and having travelled the whole day, they came in the evening to a tavern, where, whilst the supper was being prepared, they passed the time in reading all the proofs of men's ignorance which were scribbled upon the walls[3]. At length, when all had eaten their fill and retired to rest, the three youths, feigning to go to bed, went out and walked about the whole night long, till in the morning, when the Stars, like bashful maidens, retire from the gaze of the Sun, they found themselves in the same inn with their wives; whereupon there was a great embracing, and a joy beyond the beyonds. Then they all eight seated themselves in the same coach, and after a long journey arrived at Green-Bank, where they were received with incredible affection by the king and queen, who had not only regained the capital of four children, whom they had considered lost, but likewise the interest of three sons-in-law and a daughter-in-law, who were verily four columns of the temple of Beauty. And when the news of the adventures of their children was brought to the kings of Fair-Meadow and Bright-Valley, they both came to the feasts which were made, adding the rich ingredient of joy to the porridge of their satisfaction, and receiving a full recompense for all their past misfortunes; for
"One hour of joy dispels the cares
And sufferings of a thousand years."
All praised Meneca's story, which she had told with such spirit as to bring events that had happened at so great a distance before the eyes of all present. But Popa, being unwilling to yield a jot to Meneca, embarked on the sea of fables with the following story.
1. A passo a passo diceva Grudasso. A common saying, but I believe unconnected with Gradasso of the Orlando Innamorato.
2. Ecco maturato sto spognile de sorva. The Sorba is a kind of medlar, gathered green and hung up to ripen.
3. Basile repeatedly allndes to the practice of scribbling over the walls of public-houses.
THE DRAGON.
He who seeks the injury of another, finds his own hurt; and he who spreads the snares of treachery and deceit, often falls into them himself; as you shall hear in the story of a queen, who with her own hands constructed the trap in which she was caught by the foot.
There was one time a king of High-Shore, who practised such tyranny and cruelty, that whilst he was once gone with his wife on a visit of pleasure to a castle at a distance from the city, his royal seat was usurped by a certain sorceress. Whereupon, having consulted a wooden statue which used to give oracular responses, it answered, that he would recover his dominions when the sorceress should lose her sight. But seeing that the sorceress, besides being well guarded, knew at a glance the people whom he sent to annoy her, and did dog's justice upon them, he became quite desperate; and out of spite to her, he deprived all the women of that place whom he could get into his hands first of honour and then life.
Now after hundreds and hundreds had been led thither by their ill-luck, only to lose their reputation and their life, there chanced, among others, to come a maiden named Porziella, the most beautiful creature that could be seen on the whole earth. Her locks were manacles of the constables of Love, her forehead a tablet on which was written the inscription over the shop of amorous charms, her eyes two lighthouses, her mouth a cave of honey between two hedges of roses.
When Porziella fell into the hands of the king, he was going to kill her like the rest; but just as he was raising the dagger, a bird let fall a certain root upon his arm, and he was seized with such a trembling that the weapon fell from his hand. This bird was a fairy, who, a few days before, having gone to sleep in a wood, where beneath the tent of the shades Fear kept watch and defied the Sun's heat, a certain satyr was about to ill-treat her, when she was awakened by Porziella; and for this kindness she continually followed her steps, in order to make her a return.
When the king saw this, he thought that the beauty of Porziella's face had arrested his arm, and bewitched the dagger, to prevent its piercing her as it had done so many others. He resolved therefore not to make the attempt a second time, but that she should die built up in a garret of his palace. No sooner said than done: the unhappy creature was enclosed within four walls, without having anything to eat or drink, and left to waste away and die little by little.
The bird, seeing her in this wretched state, consoled her with kind words, bidding her be of good cheer, and promising, in return for the great kindness she had done her, to aid her if necessary with her very life. In spite however of all the entreaties of Porziella, the bird would never tell who she was, but only said that she was under obligations to her, and would leave nothing undone to serve her. And seeing that the poor girl was famished with hunger, she flew out, and speedily returned with a pointed knife which she had taken from the king's pantry, and told her to make a hole in the corner of the floor just over the kitchen, through which she would regularly bring her food to sustain her life. So Porziella bored away, until she had made a passage for the bird, who watching till the cook was gone out to fetch a pitcher of water from the well, went down through the hole, and taking a fine fowl that was cooking at the fire brought it to Porziella: then to relieve her thirst, not knowing how to carry her any drink, she flew to the pantry, where there was a quantity of grapes hanging, and brought her a fine bunch: and this she did regularly for many days.
Meanwhile Porziella gave birth to a fine little boy, whom she suckled and reared with the constant aid of the bird. And when he was grown big, the fairy advised his mother to make the hole larger, and to raise so many boards of the floor as would allow Miuceio (for so the child was called) to pass through; and then, after letting him down with some cords which the bird brought, to put the boards back into their place, that it might not be seen where he came from. So Porziella did as the bird directed her; and as soon as the cook was gone out, she let down her son, desiring him never to tell whence he came nor whose son he was.
When the cook returned, and saw such a fine little boy, he asked him who he was, whence he came, and what he wanted; whereupon the child, remembering his mother's advice, said that he was a poor forlorn boy, who was looking about for a master. As they were talking the butler came in, and seeing the spritely little fellow, he thought that he would make a pretty page for the king. So he led him to the royal apartments; and when the king saw him look so handsome and lovely that he appeared a very jewel, he was vastly pleased with him, and took him into his service as a page and to his heart as a son, and had him taught all the exercises befitting a cavalier, so that Miuccio grew up the most accomplished one in the court, and the king loved him much better than his stepson. Now the queen on this account began to take a dislike to him, and to hold him in aversion; and her envy and malice gained ground just in proportion as the favours and kindness which the king bestowed on Miuccio cleared the way for them: so she resolved to soap the ladder of his fortune, in order that he should tumble down from top to bottom.
Accordingly one evening, when the king and queen had tuned their instruments together and were making music of their discourse, the queen told the king that Miuccio had boasted he would build three castles in the air. So the next morning, at the time when the Moon, the schoolmistress of the Shades, gives a holiday to her scholars for the festival of the Sun, the king, either from surprize or to gratify his wife, ordered Miuccio to be called, and commanded him forthwith to build the three castles in the air as he had promised, or else he would make him dance a jig in the air.
When Miuccio heard this, he went to his chamber, and began to lament bitterly, seeing what glass the favour of princes is, and how short a time it lasts. And while he was weeping thus, lo! the bird came, and said to him, "Take heart, Miuccio, and fear not while you have me by your side, for I am able to draw you out of the fire." Then she directed him to take pasteboard and glue and make three large castles; and calling up three large griffins, she tied a castle to each, and away they flew up into the air. Thereupon Miuccio called the king, who came running with all his court to see the sight; and when he saw the ingenuity of Miuccio, he had a still greater affection for him, and lavished on him caresses of the other world, which added snow to the envy of the queen and fire to her rage, seeing that all her plans failed; insomuch that, both sleeping and waking, she was for ever thinking of some way to remove this thorn from her eyes. So at last, after some days, she said to the king, "Husband, the time is now come for us to return to our former greatness and the pleasures of past times, since Miuccio has offered to blind the fairy, and by the disbursement of her eyes to make you recover your lost kingdom."
The king, who felt himself touched in the sore place, called for Miuccio that very instant, and said to him, "I am greatly surprised that, notwithstanding all my love for you, and that you have the power to restore me to the seat from which I have fallen, you remain thus careless, instead of endeavouring to relieve me from the misery I am in,—reduced thus from a kingdom to a wood, from a city to a paltry castle, and from commanding so great a people, to be hardly waited on by a parcel of half-starved menials[1]. If therefore you do not wish me ill, run now at once and blind the eyes of the fairy who has possession of my property; for by shutting up her shops you will open the warehouse of my greatness,—by putting out her lanterns, you will light the lamps of my honour, that are now dark and dismal."
When Miuccio heard this proposal, he was about to reply that the king was ill-informed, and had mistaken him, as he was neither a raven to pick out eyes nor an auger to bore holes; but the king said, "No more words;—so I will have it, so let it be done! Remember now, that in the mint of this brain of mine I have the balance ready: in one scale the reward, if you do what I tell you; in the other the punishment, if you neglect doing what I command."
Miuccio, who could not butt against a rock, and had to do with a man who was not to be moved, went into a corner to bemoan himself; and the bird came to him and said, "Is it possible, Miuccio, that you will always be drowning yourself in a tumbler of water? If I were dead indeed you could not make more fuss. Do you not know that I have more regard for your life than for my own? Therefore don't lose courage: come with me, and you shall see what I can do." So saying off she flew, and alighted in the wood, where as soon as she began to chirp, there came a large flock of birds about her, to whom she told the story, assuring them that whoever would venture to deprive the sorceress of sight, should have from her a safeguard against the talons of the hawks and kites, and a letter of protection against the guns, crossbows, longbows, and bird-lime of the fowlers.
There was among them a swallow, who had made her nest against a beam of the royal palace, and who hated the sorceress, because, when making her accursed conjurations, she had several times driven her out of the chamber with her fumigations; for which reason, partly out of desire of revenge and partly to gain the reward that the bird promised, she offered herself to perform the service. So away she flew like lightning to the city, and entering the palace found the fairy lying on a couch, with two damsels fanning her. Then the swallow came, and alighting directly over the eyes of the fairy deprived her of sight[2]. Whereupon the fairy, thus seeing night at mid-day, knew that by this closing of the custom-house the merchandise of the kingdom was all lost; and uttering yells of a condemned soul, she abandoned the sceptre and went off to hide herself in a certain cave, where she knocked her head continually against the wall, until at length she ended her days.
When the sorceress was gone, the councillors sent ambassadors to the king, praying him to come back to his castle, since the blinding of the sorceress had caused him to see this happy day. And at the same time that they arrived came also Miuccio, who, by the bird's direction, said to the king, "I have served you to the best of my power: the sorceress is blinded, the kingdom is yours; wherefore, if I deserve recompense for this service, I wish for no other than to be left to my ill-fortune, without being again exposed to these dangers."
But the king embracing him with great affection, bade him put on his cap and sit beside him; and how the queen was enraged at this, Heaven knows! for by the bow of many colours that appeared in her face, might be known the wind of the storm that was brewing in her heart against poor Miuccio.
Not far from this castle lived a most ferocious dragon, who was born the same hour with the queen; and the astrologers being called by her father to astrologize on this event, said that his daughter would be safe as long as the dragon was safe, and that when one died the other would of necessity die also. One thing alone could bring back the queen to life, and that was to anoint her temples, chest, nostrils and pulse with the blood of the same dragon.
Now the queen, knowing the strength and fury of this animal, resolved to send Miuccio into his claws, well assured that the beast would make but a mouthful of him, and that he would be like a strawberry in the throat of a bear. So turning to the king she said, "Upon my word, this Miuccio is the treasure of your house, and you would be ungrateful indeed if you did not love him, especially as he has expressed his desire to kill the dragon, who, though he is my brother, is nevertheless your enemy; and I care more for a hair of my husband's head than for a hundred brothers."
The king, who hated the dragon mortally, and knew not how to remove him out of his sight, instantly called for Miuccio, and said to him, "I know that you can put your hand to whatever you wlll; therefore, as you have done so much, grant me yet another pleasure, and then turn me whithersoever you will. Go this very instant and kill the dragon; for you will do me a singular service, and I will reward you well for it."
Miuccio at these words was near losing his senses, and as soon as he was able to speak, he said to the king, "Alas, what a headache have you given me by your continual teazing! Is my life a black goat-skin rug, that you are for ever wearing it away thus? This is not a pared pear, ready to drop into one's mouth, but a dragon, that tears with his claws, breaks to pieces with his head, crushes with his tail, craunches with his teeth, poisons with his eyes, and kills with his breath. Wherefore do you want to send me to death? Is this the sinecure you give me for having given you a kingdom? Who is the wicked soul that has set this die on the table[3]? what son of perdition has taught you these capers, and put these words into your mouth?" Then the king, who, although he let himself be tossed to and fro as light as a ball, was firmer than a rock in keeping to what he had once said, stamped with his feet and exclaimed, "After all you have done, do you fail at the last? but no more words,—go, rid my kingdom of this plague, unless you would have me rid you of life."
Poor Miuccio, who thus received one minute a favour, at another a threat, now a pat on the face, and now a kick, now a kind word, now a cruel one, reflected how mutable court-fortune is, and would fain have been without the acquaintance of the king. But knowing that to reply to great men is a folly, and like plucking a lion by the beard, he withdrew, cursing his fate, which had led him to the court only to curtail the days of his life. And as he was sitting on one of the doorsteps, with his head between his knees, washing his shoes with his tears and warming the ground with his sighs, behold the bird came flying with a plant in her beak, and throwing it to him said, "Get up, Miuccio, and take courage! for you are not going to play at 'Unload the ass[4]' with your days, but at backgammon with the life of the dragon. Take this plant, and when you come to the cave of that horrid animal, throw it in, and instantly such a drowsiness will come over him that he will fall fast asleep; whereupon nicking and sticking him with a good knife, you may soon make an end of him. Then come away, for things will turn out better than you think."
"Enough!" replied Miuccio; "I know what I carry under my belt; we have more time than money, and he who has time has life." So saying he got up, and sticking a pruning-knife in his belt, and taking the plant, he went his way to the dragon's cave, which was under a mountain of such goodly growth, that the three mountains that were steps to the Giants would not have reached up to its waist. When he came there, he threw the plant into the cave, and instantly a deep sleep laid hold on the dragon, and Miuccio began to cut him in pieces.
Now just at the time that he was busied thus, the queen felt a cutting pain at her heart; and seeing herself brought to a bad pass, she perceived her error in having purchased death with ready money. So she called her husband, and told him what the astrologers had predicted,—how her life depended on that of the dragon, and how she feared that Miuccio had killed him, for she felt herself gradually sliding away. Then the king replied, "If you knew that the life of the dragon was the prop of your life and the root of your days, why did you make me send Miuccio? who is in fault? you have yourself done the mischief, and you must suffer for it; you have broken the glass, and you may pay the cost." And the queen answered, "I never thought that such a stripling could have the skill and strength to overthrow an animal which made nothing of an army; and I expected that he would have left his rags there; but since I reckoned without my host, and the bark of my projects is gone out of its course, do me one kindness if you love me,—when I am dead, take a sponge dipped in the blood of this dragon, and anoint with it all the extremities of my body before you bury me."
"That is but a small thing for the love I bear you," replied the king; "and if the blood of the dragon is not enough, I will add my own to give you satisfaction." The queen was about to thank him, but the breath left her with the speech; for just then Miuccio had made an end of scoring the dragon[5].
No sooner had Miuccio come into the king's presence, with the news of what he had done, than the king ordered him to go back for the dragon's blood; but being curious to see the deed done by Miuccio's hand, he followed him. And as Miuccio was going out of the palace-gate, the bird met him and said, "Whither are you going?" and Miuccio answered, "I am going whither the king sends me; he makes me fly backwards and forwards like a shuttle, and never lets me rest an hour." "What to do?" said the bird. "To fetch the blood of the dragon," said Miuccio. And the bird replied, "Ah wretched youth! this dragon's blood will be bulls' blood[6] to you, and make you burst; for this blood will cause to spring up again the evil seed of all your misfortunes! The queen is continually exposing you to new dangers, that you may lose your life; and the king, who lets this odious creature put the pack-saddle on him, orders you, like a castaway, to endanger your person, which is his own flesh and blood and a shoot of his stem. But the wretched man does not know you, though the inborn affection he bears you should have betrayed your kindred. Moreover the services you have rendered the king, and the gain to himself of so handsome a son and heir, ought to obtain favour for unhappy Porziella, your mother, who has now for fourteen years been buried alive in a garret, where is seen a temple of beauty built up within a little chamber."
While the fairy was speaking thus, the king, who had heard every word, stepped forward, to learn the truth of the matter better; and finding that Miuccio was his own and Porziella's son, and that Porziella was still alive in the garret, he instantly gave orders that she should be set free and brought before him. And when he saw her looking more beautiful than ever, owing to the care taken of her by the bird, he embraced her with the greatest affection, and was never satisfied with pressing to his heart first the mother and then the son, praying forgiveness of Porziella for his ill-treatment of her, and of his son for all the dangers to which he had exposed him. Then he ordered her to be clothed in the richest dress of the dead queen, and took her to wife. And when the king heard that her preservation, and the escape of his son from so many dangers, were entirely owing to the bird, which had given food to the one and counsel to the other, he offered her his kingdom and his life. But the bird said she desired no other reward for her services than to have Miuccio for a husband; and as she uttered the words she was changed into a beautiful maiden, and, to the great joy and satisfaction of the king and Porziella, she was given to Miuecio to wife. Then the newly married couple, to give still greater festivals, went their way to their own kingdom, where they were anxiously expected; every one ascribing this good fortune to the fairy, for the kindness that Porziella had done her; for at the end of the end
"A good deed is never lost."
Popa's story gave the greatest pleasure, and all felt glad at Porziella's happy lot. No one however envied her good fortune, which was purchased with such hardships; since to attain the royal state, she had all but quitted her personal state. But Antonella, observing that Porziella's sufferings had troubled the minds of the princely pair, wished to revive their spirits a little, and began as follows.
1. Servuto da quatto pane a parte—or Settepanelle—a poor ill-paid servant. Until the discovery of America introduced such quantities of the precious metals, the old Roman custom prevailed in Italy of paying the servants small wages in money and the rest in food. The bread was baked once a week, and a certain number of loaves (at least seven) given to each servant for the week. See also Horace, Sat. i. 5, 68.
2. In the same way as Tobit was blinded. This superstition is widely spread.
i. e. 'that has caused thia trouble.'
3. Scareca l'aseno—a game.
4. Scomputa de fare tonnina—'finished making pickled tunny.'
5. Pliny, Hist. Nat. xi. 38; xxviii. 10
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