ol　of　her　heart；　she　could　at　least　look　upon　the　walls　wherein　what　she　sighed　for　was　enclosed。
  But　Taddeo；　who　was　constantly　flying　like　a　bat　round　that　black　night　of　a　Slave；　chanced　to　perceive　Zoza　and　was　entranced　with　her　beauty。　When　the　Slave　saw　this　she　was　beside　herself　with　rage；　and　vowed　that　if　Taddeo　did　not　leave　the　window；　she　would　kill　her　baby　when　it　was　born。
  Taddeo；　who　was　anxiously　desiring　an　heir；　was　afraid　to　offend　his　wife　and　tore　himself　away　from　the　sight　of　Zoza；　who　seeing　this　little　balm　for　the　sickness　of　her　hopes　taken　away　from　her；　knew　not；　at　first；　what　to　do。　But；　recollecting　the　fairies'　gifts；　she　opened　the　walnut；　and　out　of　it　hopped　a　little　dwarf　like　a　doll；　the　most　graceful　toy　that　was　ever　seen　in　the　world。　Then；　seating　himself　upon　the　window；　the　dwarf　began　to　sing　with　such　a　trill　and　gurgling；　that　he　seemed　a　veritable　king　of　the　birds。
  The　Slave；　when　she　saw　and　heard　this；　was　so　enraptured　that；　calling　Taddeo；　she　said；　〃Bring　me　the　little　fellow　who　is　singing　yonder；　or　I　will　kill　the　child　when　it　is　born。〃　So　the　Prince；　who　allowed　this　ugly　woman　to　put　the　saddle　on　his　back；　sent　instantly　to　Zoza；　to　ask　if　she　would　not　sell　the　dwarf。　Zoza　answered　she　was　not　a　merchant；　but　that　he　was　welcome　to　it　as　a　gift。　So　Taddeo　accepted　the　offer；　for　he　was　anxious　to　keep　his　wife　in　good　humour。
  Four　days　after　this；　Zoza　opened　the　chestnut；　when　out　came　a　hen　with　twelve　little　chickens；　all　of　pure　gold；　and；　being　placed　on　the　window；　the　Slave　saw　them　and　took　a　vast　fancy　to　them；　and　calling　Taddeo；　she　showed　him　the　beautiful　sight；　and　again　ordered　him　to　procure　the　hen　and　chickens　for　her。　So　Taddeo；　who　let　himself　be　caught　in　the　web；　and　become　the　sport　of　the　ugly　creature；　sent　again　to　Zoza；　offering　her　any　price　she　might　ask　for　the　beautiful　hen。　But　Zoza　gave　the　same　answer　as　before；　that　he　might　have　it　as　a　gift。　Taddeo；　therefore；　who　could　not　do　otherwise；　made　necessity　kick　at　discretion；　and　accepted　the　beautiful　present。
  But　after　four　days　more；　Zoza　opened　the　hazel…nut；　and　forth　came　a　doll　which　spun　goldan　amazing　sight。　As　soon　as　it　was　placed　at　the　same　window；　the　Slave　saw　it　and；　calling　to　Taddeo；　said；　〃I　must　have　that　doll；　or　I　will　kill　the　child。〃　Taddeo；　who　let　his　proud　wife　toss　him　about　like　a　shuttle；　had　nevertheless　not　the　heart　to　send　to　Zoza　for　the　doll；　but　resolved　to　go　himself；　recollecting　the　sayings：　〃No　messenger　is　better　than　yourself；〃　and　〃Let　him　who　would　eat　a　fish　take　it　by　the　tail。〃　So　he　went　and　besought　Zoza　to　pardon　his　impertinence；　on　account　of　the　caprices　of　his　wife；　and　Zoza；　who　was　in　ecstasies　at　beholding　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　put　a　constraint　on　herself；　and　so　let　him　entreat　her　the　longer　to　keep　in　sight　the　object　of　her　love；　who　was　stolen　from　her　by　an　ugly　slave。　At　length　she　gave　him　the　doll；　as　she　had　done　the　other　things；　but　before　placing　it　in　his　hands；　she　prayed　the　little　doll　to　put　a　desire　into　the　heart　of　the　Slave　to　hear　stories　told　by　her。　And　when　Taddeo　saw　the　doll　in　his　hand；　without　his　paying　a　single　coin；　he　was　so　filled　with　amazement　at　such　courtesy　that　he　offered　his　kingdom　and　his　life　in　exchange　for　the　gift。　Then；　returning　to　his　palace；　he　placed　it　in　his　wife's　hands；　and　instantly　such　a　longing　seized　her　to　hear　stories　told；　that　she　called　her　husband　and　said；　〃Bid　some　story…tellers　come　and　tell　me　stories；　or　I　promise　you；　I　will　kill　the　child。〃
  Taddeo；　to　get　rid　of　this　madness；　ordered　a　proclamation　instantly　to　be　made；　that　all　the　women　of　the　land　should　come　on　the　appointed　day。　And　on　that　day；　at　the　hour　when　the　star　of　Venus　appears；　who　awakes　the　Dawn；　to　strew　the　road　along　which　the　Sun　has　to　pass；　the　ladies　were　all　assembled　at　the　palace。　But　Taddeo；　not　wishing　to　detain　such　a　rabble　for　the　mere　amusement　of　his　wife；　chose　ten　only　of　the　best　of　the　city　who　appeared　to　him　most　capable　and　eloquent。　These　were　Bushy…haired　Zeza；　Bandy…legged　Cecca；　Wen…necked　Meneca；　Long…nosed　Tolla；　Humph…backed　Popa；　Bearded　Antonella；　Dumpy　Ciulla；　Blear…eyed　Paola；　Bald…headed　Civonmetella；　and　Square…shouldered　Jacova。　Their　names　he　wrote　down　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　and　then；　dismissing　the　others；　he　arose　with　the　Slave　from　under　the　canopy；　and　they　went　gently　to　the　garden　of　the　palace；　where　the　leafy　branches　were　so　closely　interlaced；　that　the　Sun　could　not　separate　them　with　all　the　industry　of　his　rays。　And　seating　themselves　under　a　pavilion；　formed　by　a　trellis　of　vines；　in　the　middle　of　which　ran　a　great　fountainthe　schoolmaster　of　the　courtiers；　whom　he　taught　everyday　to　murmurTaddeo　thus　began：
  〃There　is　nothing　in　the　world　more　glorious；　my　gentle　dames；　than　to　listen　to　the　deeds　of　others；　nor　was　it　without　reason　that　the　great　philosopher　placed　the　highest　happiness　of　man　in　listening　to　pretty　stories。　In　hearing　pleasing　things　told；　griefs　vanish；　troublesome　thoughts　are　put　to　flight　and　life　is　lengthened。　And；　for　this　reason；　you　see　the　artisans　leave　their　workshops；　the　merchants　their　country…houses；　the　lawyers　their　cases；　the　shopkeepers　their　business；　and　all　repair　with　open　mouths　to　the　barbers'　shops　and　to　the　groups　of　chatterers；　to　listen　to　stories；　fictions；　and　news　in　the　open　air。　I　cannot；　therefore；　but　pardon　my　wife；　who　has　taken　this　strange　fancy　into　her　head　of　hearing　the　telling　of　tales。　So；　if　you　will　be　pleased　to　satisfy　the　whim　of　the　Princess　and　comply　with　my　wishes；　you　will；　during　the　next　four　or　five　days；　。each　of　you　relate　daily　one　of　those　tales　which　old　women　are　wont　to　tell　for　the　amusement　of　the　little　ones。　And　you　will　come　regularly　to　this　spot；　where；　after　a　good　repast；　you　shall　begin　to　tell　stories；　so　as　to　pass　life　pleasantlyand　sorrow　to　him　that　dies！〃
  At　these　words；　all　bowed　assent　to　the　commands　of　Taddeo；　and　the　tables　being　meanwhile　set　out　and　feast　spread；　they　sat　down　to　eat。　And　when　they　had　done　eating；　the　Prince　took　the　paper　and　calling　on　each　in　turn；　by　name；　the　stories　that　follow　were　told；　in　due　order。
  II　THE　MYRTLE
  There　lived　in　the　village　of　Miano　a　man　and　his　wife；　who　had　no　children　whatever；　and　they　longed　with　the　greatest　eagerness　to　have　an　heir。　The　woman；　above　all；　was　for　ever　saying；　〃O　heavens！　if　I　might　but　have　a　little　babyI　should　not　care；　were　it　even　a　sprig　of　a　myrtle。〃　And　she　repeated　this　song　so　often；　and　so　wearied　Heaven　with　these　words；　that　at　last　her　wish　was　granted；　and　at　the　end　of　nine　months；　instead　of　a　little　boy　or　girl；　she　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　nurse　a　fine　sprig　of　myrtle。　This　she　planted　with　great　delight　in　a　pot；　ornamented　with　ever　so　many　beautiful　figures；　and　set　it　in　the　window；　tending　it　morning　and　evening　with　more　diligence　than　the　gardener　does　a　bed　of　cabbages　from　which　he　reckons　to　pay　the　rent　of　his　garden。
  Now　the　King's　son　happening　to　pass　by；　as　he　was　going　to　hunt；　took　a　prodigious　fancy　to　this　beautiful　plant；　and　sent　to　ask　the　mistress　of　the　house　if　she　would　sell　it；　for　he　would　give　even　one　of　his　eyes　for　it。　The　woman　at　last；　after　a　thousand　difficulties　and　refusals；　allured　by　his　offers；　dazzled　by　his　promises；　frightened　by　his　threats；　overcome　by　his　prayers；　gave　him　the　pot；　beseeching　him　to　hold　it　dear；　for　she　loved　it　more　than　a　daughter；　and　valued　it　as　much　as　if　it　were　her　own　offspring。　Then　the　Prince　had　the　flower…pot　carried　with　the　greatest　care　in　the　world　into　his　own　chamber；　and　placed　it　in　a　balcony；　and　tended　and　watered　it　with　his　own　hand。
  It　happened　one　evening；　when　the　Prince　had　gone　to　bed；　and　put　out　the　candles；　and　all　were　at　rest　and　in　their　first　sleep；　that　he　heard　the　sound　of　some　one　stealing　through　the　house；　and　coming　cautiously　towards　his　bed；　whereat　he　thought　it　must　be　some　chamber…boy　coming　to　lighten　his　purse　for　him；　or　some　mischievous　imp　to　pull　the　bed…clothes　off　him。　But　as　he　was　a　bold　fellow；　whom　none　could　frighten；　he　acted　the　dead　cat；　waiting　to　see　the　upshot　of　the　affair。　When　he　perceived　the　object　approach　nearer；　and　stretching　out　his　hand　felt　something　smooth；　and　instead　of　laying　hold；　as　he　expected；　on　the　prickles　of　a　hedgehog；　he　touched　a　little　creature　more　soft　and　fine　than　Barbary　wool；　more　pliant　and　tender　than　a　marten's　tail；　more　delicate　than　thistle…down；　he　flew　from　one　thought　to　another；　and　taking　her　to　be　a　fairy　（as　indeed　she　was）；　he　conceived　at　once　a　great　affection　for　her。　The　next　morning；　before　the　Sun；　like　a　chief　physician；　went　out　to　visit　the　flowers　that　are　sick　and　languid；　the　unknown　fair　one　rose　and　disappeared；　leaving　the　Prince　filled　with　curiosity　and　wonder。
  But　when　this　had　gone　on　for　seven　days；　he　was　burning　and　melting　with　desire　to　know　what　good　fortune　this　was　that　the　stars　had　showered　down　on　him；　and　what　ship　freighted　with　the　graces　of　Love　it　was　that　had　come　to　its　moorings　in　his　chamber。　So　one　night；　when　the　fair　maiden　was　fast　asleep；　he　tied　one　of　her　tresses　to　his　arm；　that