After　journeying　a　long　way　they　arrived　at　Hook　Castle；　where　the　mice　told　Minecco　Aniello　to　remain　under　some　trees　on　the　brink　of　a　river；　which　like　a　leech　drew　the　moisture　from　the　land　and　discharged　it　into　the　sea。　Then　they　went　to　seek　the　house　of　the　magicians；　and；　observing　that　Jennarone　never　took　the　ring　from　his　finger；　they　sought　to　gain　the　victory　by　stratagem。　So；　waiting　till　Night　had　dyed　with　purple　　grape…juice　the　sunburnt　face　of　Heaven；　and　the　magicians　had　gone　to　bed　and　were　fast　asleep；　Rudolo　began　to　nibble　the　finger　on　which　the　ring　was；　whereupon　Jennarone；　feeling　the　smart；　took　the　ring　off　and　laid　it　on　a　table　at　the　head　of　the　bed。　But　as　soon　as　Saltariello　saw　this；　he　popped　the　ring　into　his　mouth；　and　in　four　skips　he　was　off　to　find　Minecco　Aniello；　who；　with　even　greater　joy　than　a　man　at　the　gallows　feels　when　a　pardon　arrives；　instantly　turned　the　magicians　into　two　jackasses；　and；　turning　his　mantle　over　one　of　them；　he　bestrode　him　like　a　noble　count；　then　he　loaded　the　other　with　cheese　and　bacon；　and　set　off　toward　Deep…Hole；　where；　having　given　presents　to　the　King　and　his　councillors；　he　thanked　them　for　all　the　good　fortune　he　had　received　by　their　assistance；　praying　Heaven　that　no　　mouse…trap　might　ever　lay　hold　of　them；　that　no　cat　might　ever　harm　them；　and　that　no　arsenic　might　ever　poison　them。
  Then；　leaving　that　country；　Minecco　Aniello　returned　to　　Dark…Grotto　even　more　handsome　than　before；　and　was　received　by　the　King　and　his　daughter　with　the　greatest　affection　in　the　world。　And；　having　ordered　the　two　asses　to　be　cast　down　from　a　rock；　he　lived　happily　with　his　wife；　never　more　taking　the　ring　from　his　finger　that　he　might　not　again　commit　such　a　folly；　　for
  〃The　cat　who　has　been　burnt　with　fire　ever　after　fears　the　cold　hearthstone。〃
  XXI
  THE　THREE　ENCHANTED　PRINCES
  Once　upon　a　time　the　King　of　Green…Bank　had　three　daughters；　who　were　perfect　jewels；　with　whom　three　sons　of　the　King　of　Fair…Meadow　were　desperately　in　love。　But　these　Princes　having　been　changed　into　animals　by　the　spell　of　a　fairy；　the　King　of　Green…Bank　disdained　to　give　them　his　daughters　to　wife。　Whereupon　the　first；　who　was　a　beautiful　Falcon；　called　together　all　the　birds　to　a　council；　and　there　came　the　chaffinches；　tomtits；　woodpeckers；　fly…catchers；　jays；　blackbirds；　cuckoos；　thrushes；　and　every　other　kind　of　bird。　And　when　they　were　all　assembled　at　his　summons；　he　ordered　them　to　destroy　all　the　blossoms　on　the　trees　of　Green…Bank；　so　that　not　a　flower　or　leaf　should　remain。　The　second　Prince；　who　was　a　Stag；　summoning　all　the　goats；　rabbits；　hares；　hedgehogs；　and　other　animals　of　that　country；　laid　waste　all　the　corn…fields　so　that　there　was　not　a　single　blade　of　grass　or　corn　left。　The　third　Prince；　who　was　a　Dolphin；　consulting　together　with　a　hundred　monsters　of　the　sea；　made　such　a　tempest　arise　upon　the　coast　that　not　a　boat　escaped。
  Now　the　King　saw　that　matters　were　going　from　bad　to　worse；　and　that　he　could　not　remedy　the　mischief　which　these　three　wild　lovers　were　causing；　so　he　resolved　to　get　out　of　his　trouble；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　give　them　his　daughters　to　wife；　and　thereupon；　without　wanting　either　feasts　or　songs；　they　carried　their　brides　off　and　out　of　the　kingdom。
  On　parting　from　her　daughters；　Granzolla　the　Queen　gave　each　of　them　a　ring；　one　exactly　like　the　other；　telling　them　that　if　they　happened　to　be　separated；　and　after　a　while　to　meet　again；　or　to　see　any　of　their　kinsfolk；　they　would　recognise　one　another　by　means　of　these　rings。　So　taking　their　leave　they　departed。　And　the　Falcon　carried　Fabiella；　who　was　the　eldest　of　the　sisters；　to　the　top　of　a　mountain；　which　was　so　high　that；　passing　the　confines　of　the　clouds；　it　reached　with　a　dry　head　to　a　region　where　it　never　rains；　and　there；　leading　her　to　a　most　beautiful　palace；　she　lived　like　a　Queen。
  The　Stag　carried　Vasta；　the　second　sister；　into　a　wood；　which　was　so　thick　that　the　Shades；　when　summoned　by　the　Night；　could　not　find　their　way　out　to　escort　her。　There　he　placed　her；　as　befitted　her　rank；　in　a　wonderfully　splendid　house　with　a　garden。
  The　Dolphin　swam　with　Rita；　the　third　sister；　on　his　back　into　the　middle　of　the　sea；　where；　upon　a　large　rock；　he　showed　her　a　mansion　in　which　three　crowned　Kings　might　live。
  Meanwhile　Granzolla　gave　birth　to　a　fine　little　boy；　whom　they　named　Tittone。　And　when　he　was　fifteen　years　old；　hearing　his　mother　lamenting　continually　that　she　never　heard　any　tidings　of　her　three　daughters；　who　were　married　to　three　animals；　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　travel　through　the　world　until　he　should　obtain　some　news　of　them。　So　after　begging　and　entreating　his　father　and　mother　for　a　long　time；　they　granted　him　permission；　bidding　him　take　for　his　journey　attendants　and　everything　needful　and　befitting　a　Prince；　and　the　Queen　also　gave　him　another　ring　similar　to　those　she　had　given　to　her　daughters。
  Tittone　went　his　way；　and　left　no　corner　of　Italy；　not　a　nook　of　France；　nor　any　part　of　Spain　unsearched。　Then　he　passed　through　England；　and　traversed　Slavonia；　and　visited　Poland；　and；　in　short；　travelled　both　east　and　west。　At　length；　leaving　all　his　servants；　some　at　the　taverns　and　some　at　the　hospitals；　he　set　out　without　a　farthing　in　his　pocket；　and　came　to　the　top　of　the　mountain　where　dwelt　the　Falcon　and　Fabiella。　And　as　he　stood　there；　beside　himself　with　amazement；　contemplating　the　beauty　of　the　　palacethe　corner…stones　of　which　were　of　porphyry；　the　walls　of　alabaster；　the　windows　of　gold；　and　the　tiles　of　silverhis　sister　observed　him；　and　ordering　him　to　be　called；　she　demanded　who　he　was；　whence　he　came；　and　what　chance　had　brought　him　to　that　country。　When　Tittone　told　her　his　country；　his　father　and　mother；　and　his　name；　Fabiella　knew　him　to　be　her　brother；　and　the　more　when　she　compared　the　ring　upon　his　finger　with　that　which　her　mother　had　given　her；　and　embracing　him　with　great　joy；　she　concealed　him；　fearing　that　her　husband　would　be　angry　when　he　returned　home。
  As　soon　as　the　Falcon　came　home；　Fabiella　began　to　tell　him　that　a　great　longing　had　come　over　her　to　see　her　parents。　And　the　Falcon　answered；　〃Let　the　wish　pass；　wife；　for　that　cannot　be　unless　the　humour　takes　me。〃
  〃Let　us　at　least；〃　said　Fabiella；　〃send　to　fetch　one　of　my　kinsfolk　to　keep　my　company。〃
  〃And；　pray；　who　will　come　so　far　to　see　you？〃　replied　the　Falcon。
  〃Nay；　but　if　any　one　should　come；〃　added　Fabiella；　〃would　you　be　displeased？〃
  〃Why　should　I　be　displeased？〃　said　the　Falcon；　〃it　would　be　enough　that　he　were　one　of　your　kinsfolk　to　make　me　take　him　to　my　heart。〃
  When　Fabiella　heard　this　she　took　courage；　and　calling　to　her　brother　to　come　forth；　she　presented　him　to　the　Falcon；　who　exclaimed；　〃Five　and　five　are　ten；　love　passes　through　the　glove；　and　water　through　the　boot。　A　hearty　welcome　to　you！　you　are　master　in　this　house；　command；　and　do　just　as　you　like。〃　Then　he　gave　orders　that　Tittone　should　be　served　and　treated　with　the　same　honour　as　himself。
  Now　when　Tittone　had　stayed　a　fortnight　on　the　mountain；　it　came　into　his　head　to　go　forth　and　seek　his　other　sisters。　So　taking　leave　of　Fabiella　and　his　brother…in…law；　the　Falcon　gave　him　one　of　his　feathers；　saying；　〃Take　this　and　prize　it；　my　dear　Tittone；　for　you　may　one　day　be　in　trouble；　and　you　will　then　esteem　it　a　treasure。　Enoughtake　good　care　of　it；　and　if　ever　you　meet　with　any　mishap；　throw　it　on　the　ground；　and　say；　　Come　hither；　come　hither！'　and　you　shall　have　cause　to　thank　me。〃
  Tittone　wrapped　the　feather　up　in　a　sheet　of　paper；　and；　putting　it　in　his　pocket；　after　a　thousand　ceremonies　departed。　And　travelling　on　and　on　a　very　long　way；　he　arrived　at　last　at　the　wood　where　the　Stag　lived　with　Vasta；　and　going；　half…dead　with　hunger；　into　the　garden　to　pluck　some　fruit；　his　sister　saw　him；　and　recognised　him　in　the　same　manner　as　Fabiella　had　done。　Then　she　presented　Tittone　to　her　husband；　who　received　him　with　the　greatest　friendship；　and　treated　him　truly　like　a　Prince。
  At　the　end　of　a　fortnight；　when　Tittone　wished　to　depart；　and　go　in　search　of　his　other　sister；　the　Stag　gave　him　one　of　his　hairs；　repeating　the　same　words　as　the　Falcon　had　spoken　about　the　feather。　And　setting　out　on　his　way；　with　a　bagful　of　　crown…pieces　which　the　Falcon　had　given　him；　and　as　many　more　which　the　Stag　gave　him；　he　walked　on　and　on；　until　he　came　to　the　end　of　the　earth；　where；　being　stopped　by　the　sea　and　unable　to　walk　any　further；　he　took　ship；　intending　to　seek　through　all　the　islands　for　tidings　of　his　sister。　So　setting　sail；　he　went　about　and　about；　until　at　length　he　was　carried　to　an　island；　where　lived　the　Dolphin　with　Rita。　And　no　sooner　had　he　landed；　than　his　sister　saw　and　recognised　him　in　the　same　manner　as　the　others　had　done；　and　he　was　received　by　her　husband　with　all　possible　affection。
  Now　after　a　while　Tittone　wished　to　set　out　again　to　go　and　visit　his　father　and　mother；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　so　long　a　time。　So　the　Dolphin　gave　him　one　of　his　scales；　telling　him　the　same　as　the　others　had；　and　Tittone；　mounting　a　horse；　set　out　on　his　travels。　But　he　had　hardly　proceeded　half　a　mile　from　the　seashore；　when　enterin