d；　〃Would　you　give　the　blood　of　your　children？〃　〃Nay；　not　that；　indeed；〃　replied　the　Queen；　〃for　I　could　not　be　so　cruel　as　to　tear　out　with　my　own　hands　the　apple　of　my　eyes。〃　〃Alas！〃　said　the　King；　〃in　order　to　see　a　brother　alive；　I　have　killed　my　own　children！　for　this　was　the　price　of　Jennariello's　life！〃
  So　saying；　he　showed　the　Queen　the　little　boys　in　the　coffin；　and　when　she　saw　this　sad　spectacle；　she　cried　aloud　like　one　mad；　saying；　〃O　my　children！　you　props　of　my　life；　joys　of　my　heart；　fountains　of　my　blood！　Who　has　painted　red　the　windows　of　the　sun？　Who　has　without　a　doctor's　licence　bled　the　chief　vein　of　my　life？　Alas；　my　children；　my　children！　my　hope　now　taken　from　me；　my　light　now　darkened；　my　joy　now　poisoned；　my　support　now　lost！　You　are　stabbed　by　the　sword；　I　am　pierced　by　grief；　you　are　drowned　in　blood；　I　in　tears。　Alas　that；　to　give　life　to　an　uncle；　you　have　slain　your　mother！　For　I　am　no　longer　able　to　weave　the　thread　of　my　days　without　you；　the　fair　counterpoises　of　the　loom　of　my　unhappy　life。　The　organ　of　my　voice　must　be　silent；　now　that　its　bellows　are　taken　away。　O　children；　children！　why　do　ye　not　give　answer　to　your　mother；　who　once　gave　you　the　blood　in　your　veins；　and　now　weeps　it　for　you　from　her　eyes？　But　since　fate　shows　me　the　fountain　of　my　happiness　dried　up；　I　will　no　longer　live　the　sport　of　fortune　in　the　world；　but　will　go　at　once　to　find　you　again！〃
  So　saying；　she　ran　to　a　window　to　throw　herself　out；　but　just　at　that　instant　her　father　entered　by　the　same　window　in　a　cloud；　and　called　to　her；　〃Stop；　Liviella！　I　have　now　accomplished　what　I　intended；　and　killed　three　birds　with　one　stone。　I　have　revenged　myself　on　Jennariello；　who　came　to　my　house　to　rob　me　of　my　daughter；　by　making　him　stand　all　these　months　like　a　marble　statue　in　a　block　of　stone。　I　have　punished　you　for　your　　ill…conduct　in　going　away　in　a　ship　without　my　permission；　by　showing　you　your　two　children；　your　two　jewels；　killed　by　their　own　father。　And　I　have　punished　the　King　for　the　caprice　he　took　into　his　head；　by　making　him　first　the　judge　of　his　brother；　and　afterwards　the　executioner　of　his　children。　But　as　I　have　wished　only　to　shear　and　not　to　flay　you；　I　desire　now　that　all　the　poison　may　turn　into　sweetmeats　for　you。　Therefore；　go；　take　again　your　children　and　my　grandchildren；　who　are　more　beautiful　than　ever。　And　you；　Milluccio；　embrace　me。　I　receive　you　as　my　　son…in…law　and　as　my　son。　And　I　pardon　Jennariello　his　offence；　having　done　all　that　he　did　out　of　love　to　so　excellent　a　brother。〃
  And　as　he　spoke；　the　little　children　came；　and　the　grandfather　was　never　satisfied　with　embracing　and　kissing　them；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　rejoicings　Jennariello　entered；　as　a　third　sharer　in　them；　who；　after　suffering　so　many　storms　of　fate；　was　now　swimming　in　macaroni　broth。　But　notwithstanding　all　the　after　pleasures　that　he　enjoyed　in　life；　his　past　dangers　never　went　from　his　mind；　and　he　was　always　thinking　on　the　error　his　brother　had　committed；　and　how　careful　a　man　ought　to　be　not　to　fall　into　the　ditch；　　since
  〃All　human　judgment　is　false　and　perverse。〃
  XXVI
  THE　MONTHS
  It　is　a　saying　worthy　to　be　written　in　letters　as　big　as　those　on　a　monument；　that　silence　never　harmed　any　one：　and　let　it　not　be　imagined　that　those　slanderers　who　never　speak　well　of　others；　but　are　always　cutting　and　stinging；　and　pinching　and　biting；　ever　gain　anything　by　their　malice；　for　when　the　bags　come　to　be　shaken　out；　it　has　always　been　seen；　and　is　so　still；　that　whilst　a　good　word　gains　love　and　profit；　slander　brings　enmity　and　ruin；　and　when　you　shall　have　heard　how　this　happens；　you　will　say　I　speak　with　reason。
  Once　upon　a　time　there　were　two　brothersCianne；　who　was　as　rich　as　a　lord；　and　Lise；　who　had　barely　enough　to　live　upon：　but　poor　as　one　was　in　fortune；　so　pitiful　was　the　other　in　mind；　for　he　would　not　have　given　his　brother　a　farthing　were　it　to　save　his　life；　so　that　poor　Lise　in　despair　left　his　country；　and　set　out　to　wander　over　the　world。　And　he　wandered　on　and　on；　till　one　wet　and　cold　evening　he　came　to　an　inn；　where　he　found　twelve　youths　seated　around　a　fire；　who；　when　they　saw　poor　Lise　benumbed　with　cold；　partly　from　the　severe　season　and　partly　from　his　ragged　clothes；　invited　him　to　sit　down　by　the　fire。
  Lise　accepted　the　invitation；　for　he　needed　it　greatly；　and　began　to　warm　himself。　And　as　he　was　warming　himself；　one　of　the　young　men　whose　face　was　such　a　picture　of　moroseness　as　to　make　you　die　of　fright；　said　to　him；　〃What　think　you；　countryman；　of　this　weather？〃
  〃What　do　I　think　of　it？〃　replied　Lise；　〃I　think　that　all　the　months　of　the　year　perform　their　duty；　but　we；　who　know　not　what　we　would　have；　wish　to　give　laws　to　Heaven；　and　wanting　to　have　things　our　own　way；　we　do　not　fish　deeply　enough　to　the　bottom；　to　find　out　whether　what　comes　into　our　fancy　be　good　or　evil；　useful　or　hurtful。　In　winter；　when　it　rains；　we　want　the　sun　in　Leo；　and　in　the　month　of　August　the　clouds　to　discharge　themselves；　not　reflecting；　that　were　this　the　case；　the　seasons　would　be　turned　topsy…turvy；　the　seed　sown　would　be　lost；　the　crops　would　be　destroyed；　the　bodies　of　men　would　faint　away；　and　Nature　would　go　head　over　heels。　Therefore　let　us　leave　Heaven　to　its　own　course；　for　it　has　made　the　tree　to　mitigate　with　its　wood　the　severity　of　winter；　and　with　its　leaves　the　heat　of　summer。〃
  〃You　speak　like　Samson！〃　replied　the　youth；　〃but　you　cannot　deny　that　this　month　of　March；　in　which　we　now　are；　is　very　impertinent　to　send　all　this　frost　and　rain；　snow　and　hail；　wind　and　storm；　these　fogs　and　tempests　and　other　troubles；　that　make　one's　life　a　burden。〃
  〃You　tell　only　the　ill　of　this　poor　month；〃　replied　Lisa；　〃but　do　not　speak　of　the　benefits　it　yields　us；　for；　by　bringing　forward　the　Spring；　it　commences　the　production　of　things；　and　is　alone　the　cause　that　the　Sun　proves　the　happiness　of　the　present　time；　by　leading　him　into　the　house　of　the　Ram。〃
  The　youth　was　greatly　pleased　at　what　Lise　said；　for　he　was　in　truth　no　other　than　the　month　of　March　itself；　who　had　arrived　at　that　inn　with　his　eleven　brothers；　and　to　reward　Lise's　goodness；　who　had　not　even　found　anything　ill　to　say　of　a　month　so　sad　that　the　shepherds　do　not　like　to　mention　it；　he　gave　him　a　beautiful　little　casket；　saying；　〃Take　this；　and　if　you　want　anything；　only　ask　for　it；　and　when　you　open　this　box　you　will　see　it　before　you。〃　Lise　thanked　the　youth；　with　many　expressions　of　respect；　and　laying　the　little　box　under　his　head　by　way　of　a　pillow；　he　went　to　sleep。
  As　soon；　however；　as　the　Sun；　with　the　pencil　of　his　rays；　had　retouched　the　dark　shadows　of　Night；　Lise　took　leave　of　the　youths　and　set　out　on　his　way。　But　he　had　hardly　proceeded　fifty　steps　from　the　inn；　when；　opening　the　casket；　he　said；　〃Ah；　my　friend；　I　wish　I　had　a　litter　lined　with　cloth；　and　with　a　little　fire　inside；　that　I　might　travel　warm　and　comfortable　through　the　snow！〃　No　sooner　had　he　uttered　the　words　than　there　appeared　a　litter；　with　bearers；　who；　lifting　him　up；　placed　him　in　it；　whereupon　he　told　them　to　carry　him　home。
  When　the　hour　was　come　to　set　the　jaws　to　work　Lise　opened　the　little　box　and　said；　〃I　wish　for　something　to　eat。〃　And　instantly　there　appeared　a　profusion　of　the　choicest　food；　and　there　was　such　a　banquet　that　ten　crowned　kings　might　have　feasted　on　it。
  One　evening；　having　come　to　a　wood　which　did　not　give　admittance　to　the　Sun　because　he　came　from　suspected　places；　Lise　opened　the　little　casket；　and　said；　〃I　should　like　to　rest　　to…night　on　this　beautiful　spot；　where　the　river　is　making　harmony　upon　the　stones　as　accompaniment　to　the　song　of　the　cool　breezes。〃　And　instantly　there　appeared；　under　an　oilcloth　tent；　a　couch　of　fine　scarlet；　with　down　mattresses；　covered　with　a　Spanish　counterpane　and　sheets　as　light　as　a　feather。　Then　he　asked　for　something　to　eat；　and　in　a　trice　there　was　set　out　a　sideboard　covered　with　silver　and　gold　fit　for　a　prince；　and　under　another　tent　a　table　was　spread　with　viands；　the　savoury　smell　of　which　extended　a　hundred　miles。
  When　he　had　eaten　enough；　he　laid　himself　down　to　sleep；　and　as　soon　as　the　Cock；　who　is　the　spy　of　the　Sun；　announced　to　his　master　that　the　Shades　of　Night　were　worn　and　wearied；　and　it　was　now　time　for　him；　like　a　skilful　general；　to　fall　upon　their　rear　and　make　a　slaughter　of　them；　Lise　opened　his　little　box　and　said；　〃I　wish　to　have　a　handsome　dress；　for　to…day　I　shall　see　my　brother；　and　I　should　like　to　make　his　mouth　water。〃　No　sooner　said　than　done：　immediately　a　princely　dress　of　the　richest　black　velvet　appeared；　with　edgings　of　red　camlet　and　a　lining　of　yellow　cloth　embroidered　all　over；　which　looked　like　a　field　of　flowers。　So　dressing　himself；　Lise　got　into　the　litter　and　soon　reached　his　brother's　house。
  When　Cianne　saw　his　brother　arrive；　with　all　this　splendour　and　luxury；　he　wished　to　know　what　good　fortune　had　befallen　him。　Then　Lise　told　him　of　the　youths　whom　he　had　met　in　the　inn；　and　of　the　present　they　had　made　him；　but　he　kept　to　himself　his　conversation　with　the　youths。
  Cianne　was　now　all　impatience　to　get　away　from　his　brother；　and　told　him　to　go　and　rest　himself；　as　he　was　no　doubt　tired；