f　a　candle　shooting　out　of　a　dark　lantern；　she　stood　before　Cola　Marchione；　and　embracing　him　in　her　arms　she　said；　〃Take　heart；　take　heart；　my　Prince！　have　done　now　with　this　lamenting；　wipe　your　eyes；　quiet　your　anger；　smooth　your　face。　Behold　me　alive　and　handsome；　in　spite　of　those　wicked　women；　who　split　my　head　and　so　ill…treated　me。〃
  The　Prince；　seeing　this　when　he　least　expected　it；　arose　again　from　death　to　life；　and　the　colour　returned　to　his　cheeks；　warmth　to　his　blood；　breath　to　his　breast。　After　giving　her　a　thousand　caresses　and　embraces；　he　desired　to　know　the　whole　affair　from　head　to　foot；　and　when　he　found　that　the　chamberlain　was　not　to　blame；　he　ordered　him　to　be　called；　and　giving　a　great　banquet；　he；　with　the　full　consent　of　his　father；　married　the　fairy。　And　he　invited　all　the　great　people　of　the　kingdom；　but；　above　all　others；　he　would　have　present　those　seven　serpents　who　had　committed　the　slaughter　of　that　sweet　suckling…calf。
  And　as　soon　as　they　had　done　eating；　the　Prince　asked　all　the　guests；　one　after　another；　what　he　deserved　who　had　injured　that　beautiful　maidenpointing　to　the　fairy；　who　looked　so　lovely　that　she　shot　hearts　like　a　sprite　and　drew　souls　like　a　windlass。
  Then　all　who　sat　at　table；　beginning　with　the　King；　said；　one　that　he　deserved　the　gallows；　another　that　he　merited　the　wheel；　a　third　the　pincers；　a　fourth　to　be　thrown　from　a　precipice；　in　short　one　proposed　this　punishment　and　another　that。　At　last　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the　seven　wicked　women　to　speak；　who；　although　they　did　not　much　relish　this　conversation；　yet；　as　the　truth　comes　out　when　the　wine　goes　about；　answered；　that　whoever　had　the　heart　basely　to　touch　only　this　quintessence　of　the　charms　of　love　deserved　to　be　buried　alive　in　a　dungeon。
  〃As　you　have　pronounced　this　sentence　with　your　own　lips；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃you　have　yourselves　judged　the　cause；　you　have　yourselves　signed　the　decree。　It　remains　for　me　to　cause　your　order　to　be　executed；　since　it　is　you　who　with　the　heart　of　a　negro；　with　the　cruelty　of　Medea；　made　a　fritter　of　this　beautiful　head；　and　chopped　up　these　lovely　limbs　like　sausage…meat。　So　quick；　make　haste；　lose　not　a　moment！　throw　them　this　very　instant　into　a　large　dungeon；　where　they　shall　end　their　days　miserably。〃
  So　this　order　was　instantly　carried　into　execution。　The　Prince　married　the　youngest　sister　of　these　wicked　creatures　to　the　chamberlain；　and　gave　her　a　good　portion。　And　giving　also　to　the　father　and　mother　of　the　myrtle　wherewithal　to　live　comfortably；　he　himself　spent　his　days　happily　with　the　fairy；　while　the　wicked　women　ended　their　lives　in　bitter　anguish；　and　thus　verified　the　proverb　of　the　wise　men　of　old
  〃The　lame　goat　will　hop　　　　　　If　he　meets　with　no　stop。〃
  III
  PERUONTO
  A　good　deed　is　never　lost。　He　who　sows　courtesy　reaps　benefit；　and　he　who　gathers　kindness　gathers　love。　Pleasure　bestowed　on　a　grateful　mind　was　never　barren；　but　always　brings　a　good　recompense；　and　that　is　the　moral　of　the　story　I　am　going　to　tell　you。
  Once　upon　a　time　a　woman　who　lived　in　a　village；　and　was　called　Ceccarella；　had　a　son　named　Peruonto；　who　was　one　of　the　most　stupid　lads　that　ever　was　born。　This　made　his　mother　very　unhappy；　and　all　day　long　she　would　grieve　because　of　this　great　misfortune。　For　whether　she　asked　him　kindly；　or　stormed　at　him　till　her　throat　was　dry；　the　foolish　fellow　would　not　stir　to　do　the　slightest　hand's　turn　for　her。　At　last；　after　a　thousand　dinnings　at　his　brain；　and　a　thousand　splittings　of　his　head；　and　saying　〃I　tell　you〃　and　〃I　told　you〃　day　after　day；　she　got　him　to　go　to　the　wood　for　a　faggot；　saying；　〃Come　now；　it　is　time　for　us　to　get　a　morsel　to　eat；　so　run　off　for　some　sticks；　and　don't　forget　yourself　on　the　way；　but　come　back　as　quick　as　you　can；　and　we　will　boil　ourselves　some　cabbage；　to　keep　the　life　in　us。〃
  Away　went　the　stupid　Peruonto；　hanging　down　his　head　as　if　he　was　going　to　gaol。　Away　he　went；　walking　as　if　he　were　a　jackdaw；　or　treading　on　eggs；　counting　his　steps；　at　the　pace　of　a　snail's　gallop；　and　making　all　sorts　of　zigzags　and　excursions　on　his　way　to　the　wood；　to　come　there　after　the　fashion　of　a　raven。　And　when　he　reached　the　middle　of　a　plain；　through　which　ran　a　river　growling　and　murmuring　at　the　bad　manners　of　the　stones　that　were　stopping　its　way；　he　saw　three　youths　who　had　made　themselves　a　bed　of　grass　and　a　pillow　of　a　great　flint　stone；　and　were　lying　sound　asleep　under　the　blaze　of　the　Sun；　who　was　shooting　his　rays　down　on　them　point　blank。　When　Peruonto　saw　these　poor　creatures；　looking　as　if　they　were　in　the　midst　of　a　fountain　of　fire；　he　felt　pity　for　them；　and　cutting　some　branches　of　oak；　he　made　a　handsome　arbour　over　them。　Meanwhile；　the　youths；　who　were　the　sons　of　a　fairy；　awoke；　and；　seeing　the　kindness　and　courtesy　of　Peruonto；　they　gave　him　a　charm；　that　every　thing　he　asked　for　should　be　done。
  Peruonto；　having　performed　this　good　action；　went　his　ways　towards　the　wood；　where　he　made　up　such　an　enormous　faggot　that　it　would　have　needed　an　engine　to　draw　it；　and；　seeing　that　he　could　not　in　any　way　get　in　on　his　back；　he　set　himself　astride　of　it　and　cried；　〃Oh；　what　a　lucky　fellow　I　should　be　if　this　faggot　would　carry　me　riding　a…horseback！〃　And　the　word　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　when　the　faggot　began　to　trot　and　gallop　like　a　great　horse；　and　when　it　came　in　front　of　the　King's　palace　it　pranced　and　capered　and　curvetted　in　a　way　that　would　amaze　you。　The　ladies　who　were　standing　at　one　of　the　windows；　on　seeing　such　a　wonderful　sight；　ran　to　call　Vastolla；　the　daughter　of　the　King；　who；　going　to　the　window　and　observing　the　caracoles　of　a　faggot　and　the　bounds　of　a　bundle　of　wood；　burst　out　a…laughinga　thing　which；　owing　to　a　natural　melancholy；　she　never　remembered　to　have　done　before。　Peruonto　raised　his　head；　and；　seeing　that　it　was　at　him　that　they　were　laughing；　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　Vastolla；　I　wish　that　I　could　be　your　husband　and　I　would　soon　cure　you　of　laughing　at　me！〃　And　so　saying；　he　struck　his　heels　into　the　faggot；　and　in　a　dashing　gallop　he　was　quickly　at　home；　with　such　a　train　of　little　boys　at　his　heels　that　if　his　mother　had　not　been　quick　to　shut　the　door　they　would　soon　have　killed　him　with　the　stones　and　sticks　with　which　they　pelted　him。
  Now　came　the　question　of　marrying　Vastolla　to　some　great　prince；　and　her　father　invited　all　he　knew　to　come　and　visit　him　and　pay　their　respects　to　the　Princess。　But　she　refused　to　have　anything　to　say　to　either　of　them；　and　only　answered；　〃I　will　marry　none　but　the　young　man　who　rode　on　the　faggot。〃　So　that　the　King　got　more　and　more　angry　with　every　refusal；　and　at　last　he　was　quite　unable　to　contain　himself　any　longer；　and　called　his　Council　together　and　said；　〃You　know　by　this　time　how　my　honour　has　been　shamed；　and　that　my　daughter　has　acted　in　such　a　manner　that　all　the　chronicles　will　tell　the　story　against　me；　so　now　speak　and　advise　me。　I　say　that　she　is　unworthy　to　live；　seeing　that　she　has　brought　me　into　such　discredit；　and　I　wish　to　put　her　altogether　out　of　the　world　before　she　does　more　mischief。〃　The　Councillors；　who　had　in　their　time　learned　much　wisdom；　said；　〃Of　a　truth　she　deserves　to　be　severely　punished。　But；　after　all；　it　is　this　audacious　scoundrel　who　has　give　you　the　annoyance；　and　it　is　not　right　that　he　should　escape　through　the　meshes　of　the　net。　Let　us　wait；　then；　till　he　comes　to　light；　and　we　discover　the　root　of　this　disgrace；　and　then　we　will　think　it　over　and　resolve　what　were　best　to　be　done。〃　This　counsel　pleased　the　King；　for　he　saw　that　they　spoke　like　sensible；　prudent　men；　so　he　held　his　hand　and　said；　〃Let　us　wait　and　see　the　end　of　this　business。〃
  So　then　the　King　made　a　great　banquet；　and　invited　every　one　of　his　nobles　and　all　the　gentlemen　in　his　kingdom　to　come　to　it；　and　set　Vastolla　at　the　high　table　at　the　top　of　the　hall；　for；　he　said；　〃No　common　man　can　have　done　this；　and　when　she　recognises　the　fellow　we　shall　see　her　eyes　turn　to　him；　and　we　will　instantly　lay　hold　on　him　and　put　him　out　of　the　way。〃　But　when　the　feasting　was　done；　and　all　the　guests　passed　out　in　a　line；　Vastolla　took　no　more　notice　of　them　than　Alexander's　bull…dog　did　of　the　rabbits；　and　the　King　grew　more　angry　than　ever；　and　vowed　that　he　would　kill　her　without　more　delay。　Again；　however；　the　Councillors　pacified　him　and　said；　〃Softly；　softly；　your　Majesty！　quiet　your　wrath。　Let　us　make　another　banquet　to…morrow；　not　for　people　of　condition　but　for　the　lower　sort。　Some　women　always　attach　themselves　to　the　worst；　and　we　shall　find　among　the　cutlers；　and　bead…makers；　and　comb…sellers；　the　root　of　your　anger；　which　we　have　not　discovered　among　the　cavaliers。〃
  This　reasoning　took　the　fancy　of　the　King；　and　he　ordered　a　second　banquet　to　be　prepared；　to　which；　on　proclamation　being　made；　came　all　the　riff…raff　and　rag…tag　and　bob…tail　of　the　city；　such　as　rogues；　scavengers；　tinkers；　pedlars；　sweeps；　beggars；　and　such　like　rabble；　who　were　all　in　high　glee；　and；　taking　their　seats　like　noblemen　at　a　great　long　table；　they　began　to　feast　and　gobble　away。
  Now；　when　Ceccarella　heard　this　proclamation；　she　began　to　urge　Peruonto　to　go　there　too；　until　at　last　she　got　him　to　set　out　fo