er。　So　one　night；　when　the　fair　maiden　was　fast　asleep；　he　tied　one　of　her　tresses　to　his　arm；　that　she　might　not　escape；　then　he　called　a　chamberlain；　and　bidding　him　light　the　candles；　he　saw　the　flower　of　beauty；　the　miracle　of　women；　the　looking…glass　and　painted　egg　of　Venus；　the　fair　bait　of　Lovehe　saw　a　little　doll；　a　beautiful　dove；　a　Fata　Morgana；　a　bannerhe　saw　a　golden　trinket；　a　hunter；　a　falcon's　eye；　a　moon　in　her　fifteenth　day；　a　pigeon's　bill；　a　morsel　for　a　king；　a　jewelhe　saw；　in　short；　a　sight　to　amaze　one。
  In　astonishment　he　cried；　〃O　sleep；　sweet　sleep！　heap　poppies　on　the　eyes　of　this　lovely　jewel；　interrupt　not　my　delight　in　viewing　as　long　as　I　desire　this　triumph　of　beauty。　O　lovely　tress　that　binds　me！　O　lovely　eyes　that　inflame　me！　O　lovely　lips　that　refresh　me！　O　lovely　bosom　that　consoles　me！　Oh　where；　at　what　shop　of　the　wonders　of　Nature；　was　this　living　statue　made？　What　India　gave　the　gold　for　these　hairs？　What　Ethiopia　the　ivory　to　form　these　brows？　What　seashore　the　carbuncles　that　compose　these　eyes？　What　Tyre　the　purple　to　dye　this　face？　What　East　the　pearls　to　string　these　teeth？　And　from　what　mountains　was　the　snow　taken　to　sprinkle　over　this　bosomsnow　contrary　to　nature；　that　nurtures　the　flowers　and　burns　hearts？〃
  So　saying　he　made　a　vine　of　his　arms；　and　clasping　her　neck；　she　awoke　from　her　sleep　and　replied；　with　a　gentle　smile；　to　the　sigh　of　the　enamoured　Prince；　who；　seeing　her　open　her　eyes；　said；　〃O　my　treasure；　if　viewing　without　candles　this　temple　of　love　I　was　in　transports；　what　will　become　of　my　life　now　that　you　have　lighted　two　lamps？　O　beauteous　eyes；　that　with　a　trump…card　of　light　make　the　stars　bankrupt；　you　alone　have　pierced　this　heart；　you　alone　can　make　a　poultice　for　it　like　fresh　eggs！　O　my　lovely　physician；　take　pity；　take　pity　on　one　who　is　sick　of　love；　who；　having　changed　the　air　from　the　darkness　of　night　to　the　light　of　this　beauty；　is　seized　by　a　fever；　lay　your　hand　on　this　heart；　feel　my　pulse；　give　me　a　prescription。　But；　my　soul；　why　do　I　ask　for　a　prescription？　I　desire　no　other　comfort　than　a　touch　of　that　little　hand；　for　I　am　certain　that　with　the　cordial　of　that　fair　grace；　and　with　the　healing　root　of　that　tongue　of　thine；　I　shall　be　sound　and　well　again。〃
  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　bunch　of　myrtle；　set　in　a　pot　of　earth；　I　have　become　a　branch　of　laurel　hung　over　the　inn…door　of　a　heart　in　which　there　is　so　much　greatness　and　virtue。〃
  The　Prince；　melting　at　these　words　like　a　tallow…candle；　began　again　to　embrace　her；　and　sealing　the　latter　with　a　kiss；　he　gave　her　his　hand；　saying；　〃Take　my　faith；　you　shall　be　my　wife；　you　shall　be　mistress　of　my　sceptre；　you　shall　have　the　key　of　this　heart；　as　you　hold　the　helm　of　this　life。〃　After　these　and　a　hundred　other　ceremonies　and　discourses　they　arose。　And　so　it　went　on　for　several　days。
  But　as　spoil…sport；　marriage…parting　Fate　is　always　a　hindrance　to　the　steps　of　Love；　it　fell　out　that　the　Prince　was　summoned　to　hunt　a　great　wild　boar　which　was　ravaging　the　country。　So　he　was　forced　to　leave　his　wife。　But　as　he　loved　her　more　than　his　life；　and　saw　that　she　was　beautiful　beyond　all　beautiful　things；　from　this　love　and　beauty　there　sprang　up　the　feeling　of　jealousy；　which　is　a　tempest　in　the　sea　of　love；　a　piece　of　soot　that　falls　into　the　pottage　of　the　bliss　of　loverswhich　is　a　serpent　that　bites；　a　worm　that　gnaws；　a　gall　that　poisons；　a　frost　that　kills；　making　life　always　restless；　the　mind　unstable；　the　heart　ever　suspicious。　So；　calling　the　fairy；　he　said　to　her；　〃I　am　obliged；　my　heart；　to　be　away　from　home　for　two　or　three　days；　Heaven　knows　with　how　much　grief　I　tear　myself　from　you；　who　are　my　soul；　and　Heaven　knows　too　whether；　ere　I　set　out；　my　life　may　not　end；　but　as　I　cannot　help　going；　to　please　my　father；　I　must　leave　you。　I；　therefore；　pray　you；　by　all　the　love　you　bear　me；　to　go　back　into　the　flower…pot；　and　not　to　come　out　of　it　till　I　return；　which　will　be　as　soon　as　possible。〃
  〃I　will　do　so；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃for　I　cannot　and　will　not　refuse　what　pleases　you。　Go；　therefore；　and　may　the　mother　of　good　luck　go　with　you；　for　I　will　serve　you　to　the　best　of　my　power。　But　do　me　one　favour；　leave　a　thread　of　silk　with　a　bell　tied　to　the　top　of　the　myrtle；　and　when　you　come　back　pull　the　thread　and　ring；　and　immediately　I　will　come　out　and　say；　　Here　I　am。'〃
  The　Prince　did　so；　and　then　calling　a　chamberlain；　said　to　him；　〃Come　hither；　come　hither；　you！　Open　your　ears　and　mind　what　I　say。　Make　this　bed　every　evening；　as　if　I　were　myself　to　sleep　in　it。　Water　this　flower…pot　regularly；　and　mind；　I　have　counted　the　leaves；　and　if　I　find　one　missing　I　will　take　from　you　the　means　of　earning　your　bread。〃　So　saying　he　mounted　his　horse；　and　went；　like　a　sheep　that　is　led　to　the　slaughter；　to　follow　a　boar。　In　the　meanwhile　seven　wicked　women；　with　whom　the　Prince　had　been　acquainted；　began　to　grow　jealous；　and　being　curious　to　pry　into　the　secret；　they　sent　for　a　mason；　and　for　a　good　sum　of　money　got　him　to　make　an　underground　passage　from　their　house　into　the　Prince's　chamber。　Then　these　cunning　jades　went　through　the　passage　in　order　to　explore。　But　finding　nothing；　they　opened　the　window；　and　when　they　saw　the　beautiful　myrtle　standing　there；　each　of　them　plucked　a　leaf　from　it；　but　the　youngest　took　off　the　entire　top；　to　which　the　little　bell　was　hung；　and　the　moment　it　was　touched　the　bell　tinkled　and　the　fairy；　thinking　it　was　the　Prince；　immediately　came　out。
  As　soon　as　the　wicked　women　saw　this　lovely　creature　they　fastened　their　talons　on　her；　crying；　〃You　are　she　who　turns　to　your　own　mill　the　stream　of　our　hopes！　You　it　is　who　have　stolen　the　favour　of　the　Prince！　But　you　are　come　to　an　end　of　your　tricks；　my　fine　lady！　You　are　nimble　enough　in　running　off；　but　you　are　caught　in　your　tricks　this　time；　and　if　you　escape；　you　were　never　born。〃
  So　saying；　they　flew　upon　her；　and　instantly　tore　her　in　pieces；　and　each　of　them　took　her　part。　But　the　youngest　would　not　join　in　this　cruel　act；　and　when　she　was　invited　by　her　sisters　to　do　as　they　did；　she　would　take　nothing　but　a　lock　of　those　golden　hairs。　So　when　they　had　done　they　went　quickly　away　by　the　passage　through　which　they　had　come。
  Meanwhile　the　chamberlain　came　to　make　the　bed　and　water　the　flower…pot；　according　to　his　master's　orders；　and　seeing　this　pretty　piece　of　work；　he　had　like　to　have　died　of　terror。　Then；　biting　his　nails　with　vexation；　he　set　to　work；　gathered　up　the　remains　of　the　flesh　and　bones　that　were　left；　and　scraping　the　blood　from　the　floor；　he　piled　them　all　up　in　a　heap　in　the　pot；　and　having　watered　it；　he　made　the　bed；　locked　the　door；　put　the　key　under　the　door；　and　taking　to　his　heels　ran　away　out　of　the　town。
  When　the　Prince　came　back　from　the　chase；　he　pulled　the　silken　string　and　rung　the　little　bell；　but　ring　as　he　would　it　was　all　lost　time；　he　might　sound　the　tocsin；　and　ring　till　he　was　tired；　for　the　fairy　gave　no　heed。　So　he　went　straight　to　the　chamber；　and　not　having　patience　to　call　the　chamberlain　and　ask　for　the　key；　he　gave　the　lock　a　kick；　burst　open　the　door；　went　in；　opened　the　window；　and　seeing　the　myrtle　stript　of　its　leaves；　he　fell　to　making　a　most　doleful　lamentation；　crying；　shouting；　and　bawling；　〃O　wretched　me！　unhappy　me！　O　miserable　me！　Who　has　played　me　this　trick？　and　who　has　thus　trumped　my　card？　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　man！　Leap　quickly　over　this　ditch！　You　have　fallen　from　all　happiness；　and　will　you　not　cut　your　throat？　You　are　robbed　of　every　treasure！　You　are　expelled　from　life；　and　do　you　not　go　mad？　Where　are　you？　where　are　you；　my　myrtle？　And　what　soul　more　hard　than　marble　has　destroyed　this　beautiful　flower…pot？　O　cursed　chase；　that　has　chased　me　from　all　happiness！　Alas！　I　am　done　for；　I　am　overthrown；　I　am　ruined；　I　have　ended　my　days；　it　is　not　possible　for　me　to　get　through　life　without　my　life；　I　must　stretch　my　legs；　since　without　my　love　sleep　will　be　lamentation；　food；　poison；　pleasure　insipid；　and　life　sour。〃
  These　and　many　other　exclamations　that　would　move　the　very　stones　in　the　streets；　were　uttered　by　the　Prince；　and　after　repeating　them　again　and　again；　and　wailing　bitterly；　full　of　sorrow　and　woe；　never　shutting　an　eye　to　sleep；　nor　opening　his　mouth　to　eat；　he　gave　such　way　to　grief；　that　his　face；　which　was　before　of　oriental　vermilion；　became　of　gold　paint；　and　the　ham　of　his　lips　became　rusty　bacon。
  The　fairy；　who　had　sprouted　up　again　from　the　remains　that　were　put　in　the　pot；　seeing　the　misery　and　tribulation　of　her　poor　lover；　and　how　he　was　turned　in　a　second　to　the　colour　of　a　sick　Spaniard；　of　a　venomous　lizard；　of　the　sap　of　a　leaf；　of　a　jaundiced　person；　of　a　dried　pear；　was　moved　with　compassion；　and　springing　out　of　the　pot；　like　the　light　of　a　candle　shooting　out　of　a　dark　lantern；　she　stood　before　Cola　Marchione；　and　embracing　him　in　her