vil　die　with　her！〃　said　Pippo。　〃Better　her　than　we！〃　〃What　shall　we　do　with　her？〃　replied　the　wife。　〃Take　her　by　the　leg；〃　said　he；　〃and　fling　her　out　of　the　window！〃
  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？　Are　these　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　when　you　were　a　poor；　starved；　miserable；　tatter…shod　ragamuffin？　But　such　is　the　fate　of　him　who　washes　an　ass's　head！　Go！　A　curse　upon　all　I　have　done　for　you！　A　fine　gold　coffin　you　had　prepared　for　me！　A　fine　funeral　you　were　going　to　give　me！　Go；　now！　serve；　labour；　toil；　sweat　to　get　this　fine　reward！　Unhappy　is　he　who　does　a　good　deed　in　hope　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　fools　and　wise！〃
  So　saying；　she　drew　her　cloak　about　her　and　went　her　way。　All　that　Pippo；　with　the　utmost　humility；　could　do　to　soothe　her　was　of　no　avail。　She　would　not　return；　but　ran　on　and　on　without　ever　turning　her　head　about；　saying
  〃Heaven　keep　me　from　the　rich　grown　poor；　　　　　　And　from　the　beggar　who　of　wealth　gains　store。〃
  XIV
  THE　SERPENT
  It　always　happens　that　he　who　is　over…curious　in　prying　into　the　affairs　of　other　people；　strikes　his　own　foot　with　the　axe；　and　the　King　of　Long…Furrow　is　a　proof　of　this；　who；　by　poking　his　nose　into　secrets；　brought　his　daughter　into　trouble　and　ruined　his　unhappy　son…in…lawwho；　in　attempting　to　make　a　thrust　with　his　head　was　left　with　it　broken。
  There　was　once　on　a　time　a　gardener's　wife；　who　longed　to　have　a　son　more　than　a　man　in　a　fever　for　cold　water；　or　the　innkeeper　for　the　arrival　of　the　mail…coach。
  It　chanced　one　day　that　the　poor　man　went　to　the　mountain　to　get　a　faggot；　and　when　he　came　home　and　opened　it　he　found　a　pretty　little　serpent　among　the　twigs。　At　the　sight　of　this；　Sapatella　（for　that　was　the　name　of　the　gardener's　wife）　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　and　said；　〃Alas！　even　the　serpents　have　their　little　serpents；　but　I　brought　ill…luck　with　me　into　this　world。〃　At　these　words；　the　little　serpent　spoke；　and　said；　〃Well；　then；　since　you　cannot　have　children；　take　me　for　a　child；　and　you　will　make　a　good　bargain；　for　I　shall　love　you　better　than　my　mother。〃　Sapatella；　hearing　a　serpent　speak　thus；　nearly　fainted；　but；　plucking　up　courage；　she　said；　〃If　it　were　for　nothing　else　than　the　affection　which　you　offer；　I　am　content　to　take　you；　and　treat　you　as　if　you　were　really　my　own　child。〃　So　saying；　she　assigned　him　a　hole　in　a　corner　of　the　house　for　a　cradle；　and　gave　him　for　food　a　share　of　what　she　had　with　the　greatest　goodwill　in　the　world。
  The　serpent　increased　in　size　from　day　to　day；　and　when　he　had　grown　pretty　big；　he　said　to　Cola　Matteo；　the　gardener；　whom　he　looked　on　as　his　father；　〃Daddy；　I　want　to　get　married。〃　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Cola　Matteo。　〃We　must　look　out　for　another　serpent　like　yourself；　and　try　to　make　up　a　match　between　you。〃　〃What　serpent　are　you　talking　of？〃　said　the　little　serpent。　〃I　suppose；　forsooth；　we　are　all　the　same　with　vipers　and　adders！　It　is　easy　to　see　you　are　nothing　but　a　country　bumpkin；　and　make　a　nosegay　of　every　plant。　I　want　the　King's　daughter；　so　go　this　very　instant　and　ask　the　King　for　her；　and　tell　him　it　is　a　serpent　who　demands　her。〃　Cola　Matteo；　who　was　a　plain；　straightforward　kind　of　man；　and　knew　nothing　about　matters　of　this　sort；　went　innocently　to　the　King　and　delivered　his　message；　　saying
  〃The　messenger　should　not　be　beaten　more　　　　　　Than　are　the　sands　upon　the　shore！〃
  〃Know　then　that　a　serpent　wants　your　daughter　for　his　wife；　and　I　am　come　to　try　if　we　can　make　a　match　between　a　serpent　and　a　dove！〃　The　King；　who　saw　at　a　glance　that　he　was　a　blockhead；　to　get　rid　of　him；　said；　〃Go　and　tell　the　serpent　that　I　will　give　him　my　daughter　if　he　turns　all　the　fruit　of　this　orchard　into　gold。〃　And　so　saying；　he　burst　out　a…laughing；　and　dismissed　him。
  When　Cola　Matteo　went　home　and　delivered　the　answer　to　the　serpent；　he　said；　〃Go　to…morrow　morning　and　gather　up　all　the　fruit…stones　you　can　find　in　the　city；　and　sow　them　in　the　orchard；　and　you　will　see　pearls　strung　on　rushes！〃　Cola　Mateo；　who　was　no　conjurer；　neither　knew　how　to　comply　nor　refuse；　so　next　morning；　as　soon　as　the　Sun　with　his　golden　broom　had　swept　away　the　dirt　of　the　Night　from　the　fields　watered　by　the　dawn；　he　took　a　basket　on　his　arm　and　went　from　street　to　street；　picking　up　all　the　stones　of　peaches；　plums；　nectarines；　apricots；　and　cherries　that　he　could　find。　He　then　went　to　the　orchard　of　the　palace　and　sowed　them；　as　the　serpent　had　desired。　In　an　instant　the　trees　shot　up；　and　stems　and　branches；　leaves；　flowers；　and　fruit　were　all　of　glittering　　goldat　the　sight　of　which　the　King　was　in　an　ecstasy　of　amazement；　and　cried　aloud　with　joy。
  But　when　Cola　Matteo　was　sent　by　the　serpent　to　the　King；　to　demand　the　performance　of　his　promise；　the　King　said；　〃Fair　and　easy；　I　must　first　have　something　else　if　he　would　have　my　daughter；　and　it　is　that　he　make　all　the　walls　and　the　ground　of　the　orchard　to　be　of　precious　stones。〃
  When　the　gardener　told　this　to　the　serpent；　he　made　answer；　〃Go　to…morrow　morning　and　gather　up　all　the　bits　of　broken　　crockery…ware　you　can　find；　and　throw　them　on　the　walks　and　on　the　walls　of　the　orchard；　for　we　will　not　let　this　small　difficulty　stand　in　our　way。〃　As　soon；　therefore；　as　the　Night；　having　aided　the　robbers；　is　banished　from　the　sky；　and　goes　about　collecting　the　faggots　of　twilight；　Cola　Matteo　took　a　basket　under　his　arm；　and　went　about　collecting　bits　of　tiles；　lids　and　bottoms　of　pipkins；　pieces　of　plate　and　dishes；　handles　of　jugs；　spouts　of　pitchers。　He　picked　up　all　the　spoiled；　broken；　cracked　lamps　and　all　the　fragments　of　pottery　he　could　find　in　his　way。　And　when　he　had　done　all　that　the　serpent　had　told　him；　you　could　see　the　whole　orchard　mantled　with　emeralds　and　chalcedonies；　and　coated　with　rubies　and　carbuncles；　so　that　the　lustre　dazzled　your　eyes。　The　King　was　struck　all　of　a　heap　by　the　sight；　and　knew　not　what　had　befallen　him。　But　when　the　serpent　sent　again　to　let　him　know　that　he　was　expecting　the　performance　of　his　promise；　the　King　answered；　〃Oh；　all　that　has　been　done　is　nothing；　if　he　does　not　turn　this　palace　into　gold。〃
  When　Cola　Matteo　told　the　serpent　this　new　fancy　of　the　King's；　the　serpent　said；　〃Go　and　get　a　bundle　of　herbs　and　rub　the　bottom　of　the　palace　walls　with　them。　We　shall　see　if　we　cannot　satisfy　this　whim！〃　Away　went　Cola　that　very　moment；　and　made　a　great　broom　of　cabbages；　radishes；　leeks；　parsley；　turnips；　and　carrots；　and　when　he　had　rubbed　the　lower　part　of　the　palace　with　it；　instantly　you　might　see　it　shining　like　a　golden　ball　on　a　　weather…vane。　And　when　the　gardener　came　again　to　demand　the　hand　of　the　Princess；　the　King；　seeing　all　his　retreat　cut　off；　called　his　daughter；　and　said　to　her；　〃My　dear　Grannonia；　I　have　tried　to　get　rid　of　a　suitor　who　asked　to　marry　you；　by　making　such　conditions　as　seemed　to　me　impossible。　But　as　I　am　beaten；　and　obliged　to　consent；　I　pray　you；　as　you　are　a　dutiful　daughter；　to　enable　me　to　keep　my　word；　and　to　be　content　with　what　Fate　wills　and　I　am　obliged　to　do。〃
  〃Do　as　you　please；　father；〃　said　Grannonia；　〃I　shall　not　oppose　a　single　jot　of　your　will！〃　The　King；　hearing　this；　bade　Cola　Matteo　tell　the　serpent　to　come。
  The　serpent　then　set　out　for　the　palace；　mounted　on　a　car　all　of　gold　and　drawn　by　four　golden　elephants。　But　wherever　he　came　the　people　fled　away　in　terror；　seeing　such　a　large　and　frightful　serpent　making　his　progress　through　the　city；　and　when　he　arrived　at　the　palace；　the　courtiers　all　trembled　like　rushes　and　ran　away；　and　even　the　very　scullions　did　not　dare　to　stay　in　the　place。　The　King　and　Queen；　also；　shivering　with　fear；　crept　into　a　chamber。　Only　Grannonia　stood　her　ground；　for　though　her　father　and　her　mother　cried　continually；　〃Fly；　fly；　Grannonia；　save　yourself；〃　she　would　not　stir　from　the　spot；　saying；　〃Why　should　I　fly　from　the　husband　you　have　given　me？〃　And　when　the　serpent　came　into　the　room；　he　took　Grannonia　by　the　waist；　in　his　tail；　and　gave　her　such　a　shower　of　kisses　that　the　King　writhed　like　a　worm；　and　went　as　pale　as　Death。　Then　the　serpent　carried　her　into　another　room　and　fastened　the　door；　and　shaking　off　his　skin　on　the　floor；　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　go　into　the　room　with　his　daughter　and　shut　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。〃　Then　he　put　his　eye　to　the　　key…hole　to　see　what　had　become　of　her；　but　when　he　saw　the　exceeding　beauty　of　the　youth；　and　the　skin　of　the　serpent　that　he　had　left　lying　on　the　ground；　he　gave　the　door　a　kick；　then　in　they　rushed；　and；　taking　the　skin；　flung　it　into　the　fire　and　burned　it。