ou　are　loved；　you　are　great；　you　are　　richwhat　then　is　it　you　want；　my　son？　Speak；　a　bashful　beggar　carries　an　empty　bag。　If　you　want　a　wife；　only　choose；　and　I　will　bring　the　match　about；　do　you　take；　and　I'll　pay。　Do　you　not　see　that　your　illness　is　an　illness　to　me？　Your　pulse　beats　with　fever　in　your　veins；　and　my　heart　beats　with　illness　in　my　brain；　for　I　have　no　other　support　of　my　old　age　than　you。　So　be　cheerful　now；　and　cheer　up　my　heart；　and　do　not　see　the　whole　kingdom　thrown　into　mourning；　this　house　into　lamentation；　and　your　mother　forlorn　and　heart…broken。〃
  When　the　Prince　heard　these　words；　he　said；　〃Nothing　can　console　me　but　the　sight　of　the　bear。　Therefore；　if　you　wish　to　see　me　well　again；　let　her　be　brought　into　this　chamber；　I　will　have　no　one　else　to　attend　me；　and　make　my　bed；　and　cook　for　me；　but　she　herself；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　this　pleasure　will　make　me　well　in　a　trice。〃
  Thereupon　his　mother；　although　she　thought　it　ridiculous　enough　for　the　bear　to　act　as　cook　and　chambermaid；　and　feared　that　her　son　was　not　in　his　right　mind；　yet；　in　order　to　gratify　him；　had　the　bear　fetched。　And　when　the　bear　came　up　to　the　Prince's　bed；　she　raised　her　paw　and　felt　the　patient's　pulse；　which　made　the　Queen　laugh　outright；　for　she　thought　every　moment　that　the　bear　would　scratch　his　nose。　Then　the　Prince　said；　〃My　dear　bear；　will　you　not　cook　for　me；　and　give　me　my　food；　and　wait　upon　me？〃　and　the　bear　nodded　her　head；　to　show　that　she　accepted　the　office。　Then　his　mother　had　some　fowls　brought；　and　a　fire　lighted　on　the　hearth　in　the　same　chamber；　and　some　water　set　to　boil；　whereupon　the　bear；　laying　hold　on　a　fowl；　scalded　and　plucked　it　handily；　and　drew　it；　and　then　stuck　one　portion　of　it　on　the　spit；　and　with　the　other　part　she　made　such　a　delicious　hash　that　the　Prince；　who　could　not　relish　even　sugar；　licked　his　fingers　at　the　taste。　And　when　he　had　done　eating；　the　bear　handed　him　drink　with　such　grace　that　the　Queen　was　ready　to　kiss　her　on　the　forehead。　Thereupon　the　Prince　arose；　and　the　bear　quickly　set　about　making　the　bed；　and　running　into　the　garden；　she　gathered　a　clothful　of　roses　and　citron…flowers　and　strewed　them　over　it；　so　that　the　queen　said　the　bear　was　worth　her　weight　in　gold；　and　that　her　son　had　good　reason　to　be　fond　of　her。
  But　when　the　Prince　saw　these　pretty　offices　they　only　added　fuel　to　the　fire；　and　if　before　he　wasted　by　ounces；　he　now　melted　away　by　pounds；　and　he　said　to　the　Queen；　〃My　lady　mother；　if　I　do　not　give　this　bear　a　kiss；　the　breath　will　leave　my　body。〃　Whereupon　the　Queen；　seeing　him　fainting　away；　said；　〃Kiss　him；　kiss　him；　my　beautiful　beast！　Let　me　not　see　my　poor　son　die　of　longing！〃　Then　the　bear　went　up　to　the　Prince；　and　taking　him　by　the　cheeks；　kissed　him　again　and　again。　Meanwhile　（I　know　not　how　it　was）　the　piece　of　wood　slipped　out　of　Preziosa's　mouth；　and　she　remained　in　the　arms　of　the　Prince；　the　most　beautiful　creature　in　the　world；　and　pressing　her　to　his　heart；　he　said；　〃I　have　caught　you；　my　little　rogue！　You　shall　not　escape　from　me　again　without　a　good　reason。〃　At　these　words　Preziosa；　adding　the　colour　of　modesty　to　the　picture　of　her　natural　beauty；　said　to　him；　〃I　am　indeed　in　your　handsonly　guard　me　safely；　and　marry　me　when　you　will。〃
  Then　the　Queen　inquired　who　the　beautiful　maiden　was；　and　what　had　brought　her　to　this　savage　life；　and　Preziosa　related　the　whole　story　of　her　misfortunes；　at　which　the　Queen；　praising　her　as　a　good　and　virtuous　girl；　told　her　son　that　she　was　content　that　Preziosa　should　be　his　wife。　Then　the　Prince；　who　desired　nothing　else　in　life；　forthwith　pledged　her　his　faith；　and　the　mother　giving　them　her　blessing；　this　happy　marriage　was　celebrated　with　great　feasting　and　illuminations；　and　Preziosa　experienced　the　truth　of　the　saying　that
  〃One　who　acts　well　may　always　expect　good。〃
  XVI
  THE　DOVE
  He　who　is　born　a　prince　should　not　act　like　a　beggar　boy。　The　man　who　is　high　in　rank　ought　not　to　set　a　bad　example　to　those　below　him；　for　the　little　donkey　learns　from　the　big　one　to　eat　straw。　It　is　no　wonder；　therefore；　that　Heaven　sends　him　troubles　by　　bushelsas　happened　to　a　prince　who　was　brought　into　great　difficulties　for　ill…treating　and　tormenting　a　poor　woman；　so　that　he　was　near　losing　his　life　miserably。
  About　eight　miles　from　Naples　there　was　once　a　deep　wood　of　　fig…trees　and　poplars。　In　this　wood　stood　a　half…ruined　cottage；　wherein　dwelt　an　old　woman；　who　was　as　light　of　teeth　as　she　was　burdened　with　years。　She　had　a　hundred　wrinkles　in　her　face；　and　a　great　many　more　in　her　purse；　and　all　her　silver　covered　her　head；　so　that　she　went　from　one　thatched　cottage　to　another；　begging　alms　to　keep　life　in　her。　But　as　folks　nowadays　much　rather　give　a　purseful　of　crowns　to　a　crafty　spy　than　a　farthing　to　a　poor　needy　man；　she　had　to　toil　a　whole　day　to　get　a　dish　of　kidney…beans；　and　that　at　a　time　when　they　were　very　plentiful。　Now　one　day　the　poor　old　woman；　after　having　washed　the　beans；　put　them　in　a　pot；　placed　it　outside　the　window；　and　went　on　her　way　to　the　wood　to　gather　sticks　for　the　fire。　But　while　she　was　away；　Nardo　Aniello；　the　King's　son；　passed　by　the　cottage　on　his　way　to　the　chase；　and；　seeing　the　pot　at　the　window；　he　took　a　great　fancy　to　have　a　fling　at　it；　and　he　made　a　bet　with　his　attendants　to　see　who　should　fling　the　straightest　and　hit　in　the　middle　with　a　stone。　Then　they　began　to　throw　at　the　innocent　pot；　and　in　three　or　four　casts　the　prince　hit　it　to　a　hair　and　won　the　bet。
  The　old　woman　returned　just　after　they　had　gone　away；　and　seeing　the　sad　disaster；　she　began　to　act　as　if　she　were　beside　herself；　crying；　〃Ay；　let　him　stretch　out　his　arm　and　go　about　boasting　how　he　has　broken　this　pot！　The　villainous　rascal　who　has　sown　my　beans　out　of　season。　If　he　had　no　compassion　for　my　misery；　he　should　have　had　some　regard　for　his　own　interest；　for　I　pray　Heaven；　on　my　bare　knees　and　from　the　bottom　of　my　soul；　that　he　may　fall　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　some　ogress；　who　may　plague　and　torment　him　in　every　way。　May　his　mother…in…law　lay　on　him　such　a　curse　that　he　may　see　himself　living　and　yet　bewail　himself　as　dead；　and　being　spellbound　by　the　beauty　of　the　daughter；　and　the　arts　of　the　mother；　may　he　never　be　able　to　escape；　but　be　obliged　to　remain。　May　she　order　him　about　with　a　cudgel　in　her　hand；　and　give　him　bread　with　a　little　fork；　that　he　may　have　good　cause　to　lament　over　my　beans　which　he　has　spilt　on　the　ground。〃　The　old　woman's　curses　took　wing　and　flew　up　to　Heaven　in　a　trice；　so　that；　notwithstanding　what　a　proverb　says；　〃for　a　woman's　curse　you　are　never　the　worse；　and　the　coat　of　a　horse　that　has　been　cursed　always　shines；〃　she　rated　the　Prince　so　soundly　that　he　well…nigh　jumped　out　of　his　skin。
  Scarcely　had　two　hours　passed　when　the　Prince；　losing　himself　in　the　wood　and　parted　from　his　attendants；　met　a　beautiful　maiden；　who　was　going　along　picking　up　snails　and　saying　with　a　　laugh
  〃Snail；　snail；　put　out　your　horn；　　　　　　Your　mother　is　laughing　you　to　scorn；　　　　　　For　she　has　a　little　son　just　born。〃
  When　the　Prince　saw　this　beautiful　apparition　he　knew　not　what　had　befallen　him；　and；　as　the　beams　from　the　eyes　of　that　crystal　face　fell　upon　the　tinder　of　his　heart；　he　was　all　in　a　flame；　so　that　he　became　a　lime…kiln　wherein　the　stones　of　designs　were　burnt　to　build　the　houses　of　hopes。
  Now　Filadoro　（for　so　the　maiden　was　named）　was　no　wiser　than　other　people；　and　the　Prince；　being　a　smart　young　fellow　with　handsome　moustachios；　pierced　her　heart　through　and　through；　so　that　they　stood　looking　at　one　another　for　compassion　with　their　eyes；　which　proclaimed　aloud　the　secret　of　their　souls。　After　they　had　both　remained　thus　for　a　long　time；　unable　to　utter　a　single　word；　the　Prince　at　last；　finding　his　voice；　addressed　Filadoro　thus；　〃From　what　meadow　has　this　flower　of　beauty　sprung？　From　what　mine　has　this　treasure　of　beauteous　things　come　to　light？　O　happy　woods；　O　fortunate　groves；　which　this　nobility　inhabits；　which　this　illumination　of　the　festivals　of　love　irradiates。〃
  〃Kiss　this　hand；　my　lord；〃　answered　Filadoro；　〃not　so　much　modesty；　for　all　the　praise　that　you　have　bestowed　on　me　belongs　to　your　virtues；　not　to　my　merits。　Such　as　I　am；　handsome　or　ugly；　fat　or　thin；　a　witch　or　a　fairy；　I　am　wholly　at　your　command；　for　your　manly　form　has　captivated　my　heart；　your　princely　mien　has　pierced　me　through　from　side　to　side；　and　from　this　moment　I　give　myself　up　to　you　for　ever　as　a　chained　slave。〃
  At　these　words　the　Prince　seized　at　once　her　hand；　kissing　the　ivory　hook　that　had　caught　his　heart。　At　this　ceremony　of　the　prince；　Filadoro's　face　grew　as　red　as　scarlet。　But　the　more　Nardo　Aniello　wished　to　continue　speaking；　the　more　his　tongue　seemed　tied；　for　in　this　wretched　life　there　is　no　wine　of　enjoyment　without　dregs　of　vexation。　And　just　at　this　moment　Filadoro's　mother　suddenly　appeared；　who　was　such　an　ugly　ogress　that　Nature　seemed　to　have　formed　her　as　a　model　of　horrors。　Her　hair　was　like　a　besom　of　holly；　her　forehead　like　a　rough　stone；　her　eyes　were　comets　that　predicted　all　sorts　of　evils；　her　mouth　had　tusks　like　a　boar'sin　short；　from　head　to　foot　she　was　ugly　beyond　imagination。