Giambattista Basile

“ So the slave climbed up the tree, and the fairy held out her white hand to her, which looked in the black paws of the slave like a crystal mirror in a frame of ebony. But no sooner did the slave begin to comb the fairy's locks, than she suddenly stuck a hair-pin into her head. Then the fairy, feeling herself pricked, cried out, "Dove, dove!" and instantly she became a dove and flew away; whereupon the slave stripped herself, and making a bundle of all the rags that she had worn, she threw them a mile away: and there she sat, up in the tree, looking like a statue of jet in a house of emerald. ”

“ Thereupon Cianna, letting go the weights, kissed the old woman's hand, which had a mouldy feel and a musty smell. And the old woman, seeing the courtesy of the damsel, said to her, "Hide yourself behind this door, and when Time comes home I will make him tell me all you wish to know. And as soon as he goes out again—for he never stays quiet in one place—you can depart. But do not let yourself be heard or seen, for he is such a glutton, that he does not spare even his own children; and when all fails, he devours himself, and then springs up anew." ”

“ O ruined, banished and undone prince! O my leafless myrtle! my lost fairy! O my wretched life! my joys vanished into smoke! my pleasures turned to vinegar! What will you do, unhappy Cola Marchione [8] ? Leap quickly over this ditch! you have fallen from all happiness, and will you not cut your throat? you are robbed of every treasure, and will you not open a vein? you are expelled from life, and do you not go mad? Where are you? where are you, my myrtle? ”

“ But as he was going up the stairs, his mother met him half-way, and embraced and kissed him, saying, "My son, my jewel, the apple of my eye, where have you been? how is it you have stayed away so long, to make us all die with anxiety?" The prince knew not what to answer, for he did not wish to tell her his misfortunes; but no sooner had his mother kissed him with her poppy lips, than, owing to the curse of the ogress, all that had passed went from his memory. ”

“ Zoza pondered over the words of the old woman, and after ruminating and turning over a hundred thoughts in her mind, until her head was like a mill full of doubts, she was at last struck by a dart of the passion which blinds the judgement and puts a spell upon the reason of man; and taking with her a handful of dollars from her father’s coffers, she left the palace, and walked on and on, until she arrived at the castle of a fairy, to whom she unburdened her heart. ”

“ But bearing in mind the maxim, "Pain in one's elbow and pain for one's wife are alike hard to bear, but are soon over," ere the Night had gone forth into the place-of-arms in the sky to muster the bats, he began to count upon his fingers and to reflect thus to himself: "Here is my wife dead, and I am left a wretched widower, with no hope of seeing any one but this poor daughter whom she has left me. I must therefore try to discover some means or other of having a son and heir. But where shall I look? where shall I find a woman equal in beauty to my wife? ”

“ But courage, man! there is still another, and three is the lucky number [4] ; either this knife shall give me the fay, or it shall take my life away." So saying he cut the third citron, and forth came the third fairy, who said like the others, "Give me to drink!" Then the prince instantly handed her the water, and behold there stood before him a delicate maiden, white as a junket with red streaks, who looked like an Abruzzi ham or a Nola sausage,—a thing never before seen in the world, with a beauty without compare, a fairness beyond the beyonds, a grace more than the most. ”

“ So the feast being now ended, they all betook themselves to rest; and the prince and Filadoro lived happy ever after, proving the truth of the proverb, that
"He who stumbles and does not fall,
Is help'd on his way like a rolling ball."
"Of a truth," said the Prince, "every man ought to act according to his station,—the nobleman as a nobleman, the lacquey as a lacquey, and the constable as a constable; for as the beggar-boy, wishing to act the prince, becomes ridiculous, so the prince acting like a beggar-boy loses his reputation." ”

“ O wretched Porziella, behold you are running like a weasel into the toad's throat of your own accord! like an unfortunate sheep you are the prey of a ravenous wolf! Is this, O father, the affection you bear your own blood? is this the love you show to her whom you used to call the joy of your soul? do you thus tear from your heart her who is a part of your blood? do you drive from your sight her who is the apple of your eye? O father, O cruel father! you surely are not born of human flesh ”

“ SUN, MOON AND TALIA.
It is a well-known fact, that the cruel man is generally his own hangman; and he who throws stones at Heaven, frequently comes off with a broken head. But the reverse of the medal shows us that innocence is a shield of fig-tree wood, upon which the sword of malice is broken, or blunts its point; so that, when a poor man fancies himself already dead and buried, he revives again in bone and flesh, as you shall hear in the story which I am going to draw from the cask of memory with the tap of my tongue. ”

“ Whereupon the old man said to her, "You ought to recollect, Renzolla, that you are the daughter of a peasant, and that it was the fairy who raised you to be a queen; but you, rude, unmannerly and thankless as you are, having little gratitude for such favours, have kept her waiting in the ante-chamber without showing her the slightest mark of affection. So take and spend; go off with this, and come back for the rest. You have brought the quarrel on yourself: see what a face you have got by it! ”

“ At these words the lovely fairy grew as red as fire, and replied, "Not so much praise, my lord prince! I am your servant, and would do anything in the world to serve that kingly face; and I esteem it great good fortune that from a branch of myrtle, set in a pot of earth, I have become a branch of laurel hung over the inn-door of a heart of flesh [3] ,—of a heart in which there is so much greatness and virtue." ”

“ Petrullo, whenever he throws on the ground a drop of water, makes a terrific river: Ascaddeo, every time he flings a stone, causes a strong tower to spring up; and Ceccone shoots so straight with a cross-bow, that he can hit a hen's eye a mile off. Now with the help of my sons, who are all courteous and friendly, and who will all take compassion on your condition, I will contrive to free you from the claws of the ogre; for such a delicate morsel is not food for the huge throat of this monster."
"No time is better than now," replied Porziella ”

“ Cianna thanked him much, but excused herself, saying that she was going in haste to find the Mother of Time. And when the oak heard this he replied, "You are not far from her dwelling; for before you have gone another day's journey you will see upon a mountain a house, in which you will find her whom you seek. But if you have as much kindness as beauty, I prithee learn for me what I can do to regain my lost honour; for instead of being food for great men, I am now only made the food of hogs." ”

“ 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. ”

“ Then the serpent carried her into another room, and fastened the door; and shaking off his skin on the ground, he became a most beautiful youth, with a head all covered with ringlets of gold, and with eyes that would enchant you.
When the king saw the serpent going into the room with his daughter, and shutting the door after him, he said to his wife, "Heaven have mercy on that good soul my daughter! for she is dead to a certainty, and that accursed serpent has doubtless swallowed her down like the yolk of an egg!" ”

“ But Taddeo, who was constantly flying like a bat around that black night of a Slave, chanced to perceive Zoza, and he became an eagle, to gaze fixedly at her person, the casket of the graces of Nature, and the ne-plus-ultra of the bounds of Beauty. When the Slave perceived this, she was beside herself with rage; and being now in the family way, she threatened her husband, that if he did not instantly leave the window, the child should not be born alive. ”

“ And Grannonia, when she saw the prince stout and hearty, bade the king keep his word; whereupon the king turning round to his son said, "My son, a moment ago you were all but dead, and now I see you alive, and can hardly believe it. Therefore, as I have promised this maiden, that if she cured you she should have you for a husband, now that Heaven has shown you favour, enable me to perform my promise, by all the love you bear me, since gratitude obliges me to pay this debt." ”

“ What is to be done? we can only look on and burst."
These and other words flew from the bow of their mouth, like poisoned arrows aimed at the butt of Corvetto's ruin. Alas for him who is condemned to that infernal den the court, where flattery is sold by kilderkins, malignity and ill offices are measured out in bushels, deceit and treachery are weighed by the ton! But who can count all the bits of orange-peel these courtiers put under his feet to make him slip, or tell the soap of falseness with which they besmeared the ladder to the king's ears, to make Corvette fall and break his neck? ”

“ When the king beheld her, so beautiful and splendidly attired, he loved her as his own life; blaming himself for all the misery he had made her endure, but excusing himself on account of that odious goat-face which had been the came of it. Thus Renzolla lived happy, loving her husband, honouring the fairy, and showing herself grateful to the old man, having learned at her cost that
"It is always good to be mannerly." ”

“ Then the cat, who heard this fine reward when she least expected it, began to say, "Is this the return you make for my taking you from beggary? is this the thanks I get for freeing you from rags that you might have hung distaffs with? is this my reward for having put good clothes on your back, and fed you well when you were a poor starved, miserable, tatter-brogued ragamuffin? But such is the fate of him who washes an ass's head. Go, a curse upon all I have done for you! you are not worth spitting upon in the face. ”

“ When the time for the feast was come, and the stepmother's daughters appeared, drest out so fine, all ribbands and flowers, and slippers and shoes, sweet smells and bells, and roses and posies, Zezolla ran quickly to the flowerpot; and no sooner had she repeated the words which the fairy had told her, than she saw herself arrayed like a queen, seated upon a palfrey, and attended by twelve smart pages all drest in their best. ”

“ Taddeo, who from Zoza's tears and the Slave's silence discerned the truth of the matter, gave Lucia such a scolding as he would scarcely have bestowed on a jackass, and made her confess her treachery with her own lips. Then he gave instant orders that she should be buried alive up to her neck, that she might die a more painful death. And embracing Zoza, he caused her to be treated with all honour as his Princess and wife, sending to invite the King of Woody-Valley to come to the feasts. ”

“ Go now, serve, labour, toil, sweat, to get this fine reward! Unhappy is he who does a good deed in hopes of a return! Well was it said by the philosopher, 'He who lies down an ass, an ass he finds himself.' But let him who does most expect least: smooth words and ill deeds deceive alike both wise and fools."
So saying she threw her cloak about her, and went her way; and all that Gagliuso with the utmost humility could do to soothe her was of no avail: she would not return, but kept running on without ever turning her head about, and saying.
"Heaven protect us from a rich man grown poor. ”