The　King；　who　loved　his　wife　beyond　measure；　hearing　this　her　last　wish；　burst　into　tears；　and　for　some　time　could　not　answer　a　single　word。　At　last；　when　he　had　done　weeping；　he　said　to　her；　〃Sooner　than　take　another　wife　may　the　gout　lay　hold　of　me；　may　I　have　my　head　cut　off　like　a　mackerel！　My　dearest　love；　drive　such　a　thought　from　your　mind；　do　not　believe　in　dreams；　or　that　I　could　love　any　other　woman；　you　were　the　first　new　coat　of　my　love；　and　you　shall　carry　away　with　you　the　last　rags　of　my　affection。〃
  As　he　said　these　words　the　poor　young　Queen；　who　was　at　the　point　of　death；　turned　up　her　eyes　and　stretched　out　her　feet。　When　the　King　saw　her　life　thus　running　out　he　unstopped　the　channels　of　his　eyes；　and　made　such　a　howling　and　beating　and　outcry　that　all　the　Court　came　running　up；　calling　on　the　name　of　the　dear　soul；　and　upbraiding　Fortune　for　taking　her　from　him；　and　plucking　out　his　beard；　he　cursed　the　stars　that　had　sent　him　such　a　misfortune。　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？　Every　one　appears　a　witch　in　comparison　with　her；　where；　then；　shall　I　find　another　with　a　bit　of　stick；　or　seek　another　with　the　bell；　if　Nature　made　Nardella　（may　she　be　in　glory）；　and　then　broke　the　mould？　Alas；　in　what　a　labyrinth　has　she　put　me；　in　what　a　perplexity　has　the　promise　I　made　her　left　me！　But　what　do　I　say？　I　am　running　away　before　I　have　seen　the　wolf；　let　me　open　my　eyes　and　ears　and　look　about；　may　there　not　be　some　other　as　beautiful？　Is　it　possible　that　the　world　should　be　lost　to　me？　Is　there　such　a　dearth　of　women；　or　is　the　race　extinct？〃
  So　saying　he　forthwith　issued　a　proclamation　and　command　that　all　the　handsome　women　in　the　world　should　come　to　the　　touch…stone　of　beauty；　for　he　would　take　the　most　beautiful　to　wife　and　endow　her　with　a　kingdom。　Now；　when　this　news　was　spread　abroad；　there　was　not　a　woman　in　the　universe　who　did　not　come　to　try　her　lucknot　a　witch；　however　ugly；　who　stayed　behind；　for　when　it　is　a　question　of　beauty；　no　scullion…wench　will　acknowledge　herself　surpassed；　every　one　piques　herself　on　being　the　handsomest；　and　if　the　looking…glass　tells　her　the　truth　she　blames　the　glass　for　being　untrue；　and　the　quicksilver　for　being　put　on　badly。
  When　the　town　was　thus　filled　with　women　the　King　had　them　all　drawn　up　in　a　line；　and　he　walked　up　and　down　from　top　to　bottom；　and　as　he　examined　and　measured　each　from　head　to　foot　one　appeared　to　him　wry…browed；　another　long…nosed；　another　broad…mouthed；　another　thick…lipped；　another　tall　as　a　　may…pole；　another　short　and　dumpy；　another　too　stout；　another　too　slender；　the　Spaniard　did　not　please　him　on　account　of　her　dark　colour；　the　Neopolitan　was　not　to　his　fancy　on　account　of　her　gait；　the　German　appeared　cold　and　icy；　the　Frenchwoman　frivolous　and　giddy；　the　Venetian　with　her　light　hair　looked　like　a　distaff　of　flax。　At　the　end　of　the　end；　one　for　this　cause　and　another　for　that；　he　sent　them　all　away；　with　one　hand　before　and　the　other　behind；　and；　seeing　that　so　many　fair　faces　were　all　show　and　no　wool；　he　turned　his　thoughts　to　his　own　daughter；　saying；　〃Why　do　I　go　seeking　the　impossible　when　my　daughter　Preziosa　is　formed　in　the　same　mould　of　beauty　as　her　mother？　I　have　this　fair　face　here　in　my　house；　and　yet　go　looking　for　it　at　the　fag…end　of　the　world。　She　shall　marry　whom　I　will；　and　so　I　shall　have　an　heir。〃
  When　Preziosa　heard　this　she　retired　to　her　chamber；　and　bewailing　her　ill…fortune　as　if　she　would　not　leave　a　hair　upon　her　head；　and；　whilst　she　was　lamenting　thus；　an　old　woman　came　to　her；　who　was　her　confidant。　As　soon　as　she　saw　Preziosa；　who　seemed　to　belong　more　to　the　other　world　than　to　this；　and　heard　the　cause　of　her　grief；　the　old　woman　said　to　her；　〃Cheer　up；　my　daughter；　do　not　despair；　there　is　a　remedy　for　every　evil　save　death。　Now　listen；　if　your　father　speaks　to　you　thus　once　again　put　this　bit　of　wood　into　your　mouth；　and　instantly　you　will　be　changed　into　a　she…bear；　then　off　with　you！　for　in　his　fright　he　will　let　you　depart；　and　go　straight　to　the　wood；　where　Heaven　has　kept　　good…fortune　in　store　for　you　since　the　day　you　were　born；　and　whenever　you　wish　to　appear　a　woman；　as　you　are　and　will　remain；　only　take　the　piece　of　wood　out　of　your　mouth　and　you　will　return　to　your　true　form。〃　Then　Preziosa　embraced　the　old　woman；　and；　giving　her　a　good　apronful　of　meal；　and　ham　and　bacon；　sent　her　away。
  As　soon　as　the　Sun　began　to　change　his　quarters；　the　King　ordered　the　musicians　to　come；　and；　inviting　all　his　lords　and　vassals；　he　held　a　great　feast。　And　after　dancing　for　five　or　six　hours；　they　all　sat　down　to　table；　and　ate　and　drank　beyond　measure。　Then　the　King　asked　his　courtiers　to　whom　he　should　marry　Preziosa；　as　she　was　the　picture　of　his　dead　wife。　But　the　instant　Preziosa　heard　this；　she　slipped　the　bit　of　wood　into　her　mouth；　and　took　the　figure　of　a　terrible　she…bear；　at　the　sight　of　which　all　present　were　frightened　out　of　their　wits；　and　ran　off　as　fast　as　they　could　scamper。
  Meanwhile　Preziosa　went　out；　and　took　her　way　to　a　wood；　where　the　Shades　were　holding　a　consultation　how　they　might　do　some　mischief　to　the　Sun　at　the　close　of　day。　And　there　she　stayed；　in　the　pleasant　companionship　of　the　other　animals；　until　the　son　of　the　King　of　Running…Water　came　to　hunt　in　that　part　of　the　country；　who；　at　the　sight　of　the　bear；　had　like　to　have　died　on　the　spot。　But　when　he　saw　the　beast　come　gently　up　to　him；　wagging　her　tail　like　a　little　dog　and　rubbing　her　sides　against　him；　he　took　courage；　and　patted　her；　and　said；　〃Good　bear；　good　bear！　there；　there！　poor　beast；　poor　beast！〃　Then　he　led　her　home　and　ordered　that　she　should　be　taken　great　care　of；　and　he　had　her　put　into　a　garden　close　to　the　royal　palace；　that　he　might　see　her　from　the　window　whenever　he　wished。
  One　day；　when　all　the　people　of　the　house　were　gone　out；　and　the　Prince　was　left　alone；　he　went　to　the　window　to　look　out　at　the　bear；　and　there　he　beheld　Preziosa；　who　had　taken　the　piece　of　wood　out　of　her　mouth；　combing　her　golden　tresses。　　At　the　sight　of　this　beauty；　which　was　beyond　the　beyonds；　he　had　like　to　have　lost　his　senses　with　amazement；　and　tumbling　down　the　stairs　he　ran　out　into　the　garden。　But　Preziosa；　who　was　on　the　watch　and　observed　him；　popped　the　piece　of　wood　into　her　mouth；　and　was　instantly　changed　into　a　bear　again。
  When　the　Prince　came　down　and　looked　about　in　vain　for　Preziosa；　whom　he　had　seen　from　the　window　above；　he　was　so　amazed　at　the　trick　that　a　deep　melancholy　came　over　him；　and　in　four　days　he　fell　sick；　crying　continually；　〃My　bear；　my　bear！〃　His　mother；　hearing　him　wailing　thus；　imagined　that　the　bear　had　done　him　some　hurt；　and　gave　orders　that　she　should　be　killed。　But　the　servants；　enamoured　of　the　tameness　of　the　bear；　who　made　herself　beloved　by　the　very　stones　in　the　road；　took　pity　on　her；　and；　instead　of　killing　her；　they　led　her　to　the　wood；　and　told　the　queen　that　they　had　put　an　end　to　her。
  When　this　came　to　the　ears　of　the　Prince；　he　acted　in　a　way　to　pass　belief。　Ill　or　well　he　jumped　out　of　bed；　and　was　going　at　once　to　make　mincemeat　of　the　servants。　But　when　they　told　him　the　truth　of　the　affair；　he　jumped　on　horseback；　half…dead　as　he　was；　and　went　rambling　about　and　seeking　everywhere；　until　at　length　he　found　the　bear。　Then　he　took　her　home　again；　and　putting　her　into　a　chamber；　said　to　her；　〃O　lovely　morsel　for　a　King；　who　art　shut　up　in　this　skin！　O　candle　of　love；　who　art　enclosed　within　this　hairy　lanthorn！　Wherefore　all　this　trifling？　Do　you　wish　to　see　me　pine　and　pant；　and　die　by　inches？　I　am　wasting　away；　without　hope；　and　tormented　by　thy　beauty。　And　you　see　clearly　the　proof；　for　I　am　shrunk　two…thirds　in　size；　like　wine　boiled　down；　and　am　nothing　but　skin　and　bone；　for　the　fever　is　double…stitched　to　my　veins。　So　lift　up　the　curtain　of　this　hairy　hide；　and　let　me　gaze　upon　the　spectacle　of　thy　beauty！　Raise；　O　raise　the　leaves　off　this　basket；　and　let　me　get　a　sight　of　the　fine　fruit　beneath！　Lift　up　that　curtain；　and　let　my　eyes　pass　in　to　behold　the　pomp　of　wonders！　Who　has　shut　up　so　smooth　a　creature　in　a　prison　woven　of　hair？　Who　has　locked　up　so　rich　a　treasure　in　a　leathern　chest？　Let　me　behold　this　display　of　graces；　and　take　in　payment　all　my　love；　for　nothing　else　can　cure　the　troubles　I　endure。〃
  But　when　he　had　said；　again　and　again；　this　and　a　great　deal　more；　and　still　saw　that　all　his　words　were　thrown　away；　he　took　to　his　bed；　and　had　such　a　desperate　fit　that　the　doctors　prognosticated　badly　of　his　case。　Then　his　mother；　who　had　no　other　joy　in　the　world；　sat　down　by　his　bedside；　and　said　to　him；　〃My　son；　whence　comes　all　this　grief？　What　melancholy　humour　has　seized　you？　You　are　young；　you　are　loved；