The　King；　who　hated　the　dragon　mortally；　and　knew　not　how　to　remove　him　out　of　his　sight；　instantly　called　Miuccio；　and　said　to　him；　〃I　know　that　you　can　put　your　hand　to　whatever　you　will；　therefore；　as　you　have　done　so　much；　grant　me　yet　another　pleasure；　and　then　turn　me　whithersoever　you　will。　Go　this　very　instant　and　kill　the　dragon；　for　you　will　do　me　a　singular　service；　and　I　will　reward　you　well　for　it。〃
  Miuccio　at　these　words　was　near　losing　his　senses；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　able　to　speak；　he　said　to　the　King；　〃Alas；　what　a　headache　have　you　given　me　by　your　continual　teasing！　Is　my　life　a　black　goat…skin　rug　that　you　are　for　ever　wearing　it　away　thus？　This　is　not　a　pared　pear　ready　to　drop　into　one's　mouth；　but　a　dragon；　that　tears　with　his　claws；　breaks　to　pieces　with　his　head；　crushes　with　his　tail；　crunches　with　his　teeth；　poisons　with　his　eyes；　and　kills　with　his　breath。　Wherefore　do　you　want　to　send　me　to　death？　Is　this　the　sinecure　you　give　me　for　having　given　you　a　kingdom？　Who　is　the　wicked　soul　that　has　set　this　die　on　the　table？　What　son　of　perdition　has　taught　you　these　capers　and　put　these　words　into　your　mouth？〃　Then　the　King；　who；　although　he　let　himself　be　tossed　to　and　fro　as　light　as　a　ball；　was　firmer　than　a　rock　in　keeping　to　what　he　had　once　said；　stamped　with　his　feet；　and　exclaimed；　〃After　all　you　have　done；　do　you　fail　at　the　last？　But　no　more　words；　go；　rid　my　kingdom　of　this　plague；　unless　you　would　have　me　rid　you　of　life。〃
  Poor　Miuccio；　who　thus　received　one　minute　a　favour；　at　another　a　threat；　now　a　pat　on　the　face；　and　now　a　kick；　now　a　kind　word；　now　a　cruel　one；　reflected　how　mutable　court　fortune　is；　and　would　fain　have　been　without　the　acquaintance　of　the　King。　But　knowing　that　to　reply　to　great　men　is　a　folly；　and　like　plucking　a　lion　by　the　beard；　he　withdrew；　cursing　his　fate；　which　had　led　him　to　the　court　only　to　curtail　the　days　of　his　life。　And　as　he　was　sitting　on　one　of　the　door…steps；　with　his　head　between　his　knees；　washing　his　shoes　with　his　tears　and　warming　the　ground　with　his　sighs；　behold　the　bird　came　flying　with　a　plant　in　her　beak；　and　throwing　it　to　him；　said；　〃Get　up；　Miuccio；　and　take　courage！　for　you　are　not　going　to　play　at　　unload　the　ass'　with　your　days；　but　at　backgammon　with　the　life　of　the　dragon。　Take　this　plant；　and　when　you　come　to　the　cave　of　that　horrid　animal；　throw　it　in；　and　instantly　such　a　drowsiness　will　come　over　him　that　he　will　fall　fast　asleep；　whereupon；　nicking　and　sticking　him　with　a　good　knife；　you　may　soon　make　an　end　of　him。　Then　come　away；　for　things　will　turn　out　better　than　you　think。〃
  〃Enough！〃　cried　Miuccio；　〃I　know　what　I　carry　under　my　belt；　we　have　more　time　than　money；　and　he　who　has　time　has　life。〃　So　saying；　he　got　up；　and　sticking　a　pruning…knife　in　his　belt　and　taking　the　plant；　he　went　his　way　to　the　dragon's　cave；　which　was　under　a　mountain　of　such　goodly　growth；　that　the　three　mountains　that　were　steps　to　the　Giants　would　not　have　reached　up　to　its　waist。　When　he　came　there；　he　threw　the　plant　into　the　cave；　and　instantly　a　deep　sleep　laid　hold　on　the　dragon；　and　Miuccio　began　to　cut　him　in　pieces。
  Now　just　at　the　time　that　he　was　busied　thus；　the　Queen　felt　a　cutting　pain　at　her　heart；　and　seeing　herself　brought　to　a　bad　pass；　she　perceived　her　error　in　having　purchased　death　with　ready　money。　So　she　called　her　stepson　and　told　him　what　the　astrologers　had　predictedhow　her　life　depended　on　that　of　the　dragon；　and　how　she　feared　that　Miuccio　had　killed　him；　for　she　felt　herself　gradually　sliding　away。　Then　the　King　replied；　〃If　you　knew　that　the　life　of　the　dragon　was　the　prop　of　your　life　and　the　root　of　your　days；　why　did　you　make　me　send　Miuccio？　Who　is　in　fault？　You　must　have　done　yourself　the　mischief；　and　you　must　suffer　for　it；　you　have　broken　the　glass；　and　you　may　pay　the　cost。〃　And　the　Queen　answered；　〃I　never　thought　that　such　a　stripling　could　have　the　skill　and　strength　to　overthrow　an　animal　which　made　nothing　of　an　army；　and　I　expected　that　he　would　have　left　his　rags　there。　But　since　I　reckoned　without　my　host；　and　the　bark　of　my　projects　is　gone　out　of　its　course；　do　me　one　kindness　if　you　love　me。　When　I　am　dead；　take　a　sponge　dipped　in　the　blood　of　this　dragon　and　anoint　with　it　all　the　extremities　of　my　body　before　you　bury　me。〃
  〃That　is　but　a　small　thing　for　the　love　I　bear　you；〃　replied　the　King；　〃and　if　the　blood　of　the　dragon　is　not　enough；　I　will　add　my　own　to　give　you　satisfaction。〃　The　Queen　was　about　to　thank　him；　but　the　breath　left　her　with　the　speech；　for　just　then　Miuccio　had　made　an　end　of　scoring　the　dragon。
  No　sooner　had　Miuccio　come　into　the　King's　presence　with　the　news　of　what　he　had　done　than　the　King　ordered　him　to　go　back　for　the　dragon's　blood；　but　being　curious　to　see　the　deed　done　by　Miuccio's　hand；　he　followed　him。　And　as　Miuccio　was　going　out　of　the　palace　gate；　the　bird　met　him；　and　said；　〃Whither　are　you　going？〃　and　Miuccio　answered；　〃I　am　going　whither　the　King　sends　me；　he　makes　me　fly　backwards　and　forwards　like　a　shuttle；　and　never　lets　me　rest　an　hour。〃　〃What　to　do？〃　said　the　bird。　〃To　fetch　the　blood　of　the　dragon；〃　said　Miuccio。　And　the　bird　replied；　〃Ah；　wretched　youth！　this　dragon's　blood　will　be　bull's　blood　to　you；　and　make　you　burst；　for　this　blood　will　cause　to　spring　up　again　the　evil　seed　of　all　your　misfortunes。　The　Queen　is　continually　exposing　you　to　new　dangers　that　you　may　lose　your　life；　and　the　King；　who　lets　this　odious　creature　put　the　　pack…saddle　on　him；　orders　you；　like　a　castaway；　to　endanger　your　person；　which　is　his　own　flesh　and　blood　and　a　shoot　of　his　stem。　But　the　wretched　man　does　not　know　you；　though　the　inborn　affection　he　bears　you　should　have　betrayed　your　kindred。　Moreover；　the　services　you　have　rendered　the　King；　and　the　gain　to　himself　of　so　handsome　a　son　and　heir；　ought　to　obtain　favour　for　unhappy　Porziella；　your　mother；　who　has　now　for　fourteen　years　been　buried　alive　in　a　garret；　where　is　seen　a　temple　of　beauty　built　up　within　a　little　chamber。〃
  While　the　fairy　was　thus　speaking；　the　King；　who　had　heard　every　word；　stepped　forward　to　learn　the　truth　of　the　matter　better；　and　finding　that　Miuccio　was　his　own　and　Porziella's　son；　and　that　Porziella　was　still　alive　in　the　garret；　he　instantly　gave　orders　that　she　should　be　set　free　and　brought　before　him。　And　when　he　saw　her　looking　more　beautiful　than　ever；　owing　to　the　care　taken　of　her　by　the　bird；　he　embraced　her　with　the　greatest　affection；　and　was　never　satisfied　with　pressing　to　his　heart　first　the　mother　and　then　the　son；　praying　forgiveness　of　Porziella　for　his　　ill…treatment　of　her；　and　of　his　son　for　all　the　dangers　to　which　he　had　exposed　him。　Then　he　ordered　her　to　be　clothed　in　the　richest　robes；　and　had　her　crowned　Queen　before　all　the　people。　And　when　the　King　heard　that　her　preservation；　and　the　escape　of　his　son　from　so　many　dangers　were　entirely　owing　to　the　bird；　which　had　given　food　to　the　one　and　counsel　to　the　other；　he　offered　her　his　kingdom　and　his　life。　But　the　bird　said　she　desired　no　other　reward　for　her　services　than　to　have　Miuccio　for　a　husband；　and　as　she　uttered　the　words　she　was　changed　into　a　beautiful　maiden；　and；　to　the　great　joy　and　satisfaction　of　the　King　and　Porziella；　she　was　given　to　Miuccio　to　wife。　Then　the　newly…married　couple；　to　give　still　greater　festivals；　went　their　way　to　their　own　kingdom；　where　they　were　anxiously　expected；　every　one　ascribing　this　good　fortune　to　the　fairy；　for　the　kindness　that　Porziella　had　done　her；　for　at　the　end　of　the　end
  〃A　good　deed　is　never　lost。〃
  XXIII
  THE　TWO　CAKES
  I　have　always　heard　say；　that　he　who　gives　pleasure　finds　it：　the　bell　of　Manfredonia　says；　〃Give　me；　I　give　thee〃：　he　who　does　not　bait　the　hook　of　the　affections　with　courtesy　never　catches　the　fish　of　kindness；　and　if　you　wish　to　hear　the　proof　of　this；　listen　to　my　story；　and　then　say　whether　the　covetous　man　does　not　always　lose　more　than　the　liberal　one。
  There　were　once　two　sisters；　named　Luceta　and　Troccola；　who　had　two　daughters；　Marziella　and　Puccia。　Marziella　was　as　fair　to　look　upon　as　she　was　good　at　heart；　whilst；　on　the　contrary；　Puccia　by　the　same　rule　had　a　face　of　ugliness　and　a　heart　of　pestilence；　but　the　girl　resembled　her　parent；　for　Troccola　was　a　harpy　within　and　a　very　scare…crow　without。
  Now　it　happened　that　Luceta　had　occasion　to　boil　some　parsnips；　in　order　to　fry　them　with　green　sauce；　so　she　said　to　her　daughter；　〃Marziella；　my　dear；　go　to　the　well　and　fetch　me　a　pitcher　of　water。〃
  〃With　all　my　heart；　mother；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃but　if　you　love　me　give　me　a　cake；　for　I　should　like　to　eat　it　with　a　draught　of　the　fresh　water。〃
  〃By　all　means；〃　said　the　mother；　so　she　took　from　a　basket　that　hung　upon　a　hook　a　beautiful　cake　（for　she　had　baked　a　batch　the　day　before）；　and　gave　it　to　Marziella；　who　set　the　pitcher　on　a　pad　upon　her　head；　and　went　to　the　fountain；　which　like　a　charlatan　upon　a　marble　bench；　to　the　music　of　the　falling　water；　was　selling　secrets　to　drive　away　thirst。　And　as　she　was　stooping　down　to　fill　her　pitcher；　up　came　a　hump…backed　old　woman；　and　seeing　the　beautiful　cake；　which　Marziella　was　just　going　to　bite；　she　said　to　her；　〃My　pretty　girl；