 CHAPTER 1 OF STORIES FROM PENTAMARONNE The collection of folktales known as Il Pentamerone was first published at Naples and in the Neapolitan dialect by Giambattista Pesilli, Conte di Trone, who is believed to have collected them chiefly in Crete and Venice, and have died about the year 1637. CHAPTER 1 HOW THE TAILS CAME TO BE TOLD It is an old saying that he who seeks what he should not finds what he would not. Everyone has heard of the ape who, in trying to pull on his boots, was caught by the foot. As it happened in like manner to a Richard slave who, although she never had shoes to her feet, wanted to wear a crown on her head. But the straight road is the best, and sooner or later a day comes which settles all accounts. At last, having by evil means usurped what belonged to another, she fell to the ground, and the higher she had mounted, the greater was her fall, as you shall see. Once upon a time the king of Woody Valley had a daughter named Zosa, who was never seen to laugh. The unhappy father, who had no other comfort in life but this only daughter, left nothing untried to drive away her melancholy. So he sent for folks who walk on stilts, for those who jump through hoops, for boxes for conjurers, for jugglers who perform sleight of hand tricks, for strong men, for dancing dogs, for leaping clowns, for the donkey that drinks out of a tumbler. In short, he tried first one thing and then another to make her laugh. But all was time lost, for nothing could bring a smile to her lips. So at length the poor father, at wit's end, and to make a last trial, ordered a large fountain of oil to be set in front of the palace gates, thinking to himself that when the oil ran down the street, along which the people passed like a troop of aunts, they would be obliged, in order not to soar their clothes, to skip like grasshoppers, leap like goats, and run like hares. While one would go picking and choosing his way, and another go creeping along the wall. In short, he hoped that something might come to pass to make his daughter laugh. So the fountain was made, and as Zosa was one day standing at the window, grave and demure, and looking as sour as vinegar, they came by chance an old woman, who soaking up the oil with a sponge, began to fill a little picture which she had brought with her. And as she was laboring hard at this ingenious device, a young page of the court passing by threw a stone so exactly to her hair, that he hit the picture and broke it to pieces. Whereupon the old woman, who had no hair on her tongue, turned to the page full of wrath and exclaimed, Ah, you impertinent young dog, you mule, you gallows rope, you spindle-legs, ill luck to you, may you be pierced by Catalan lads, may a thousand ills before you and something more to boot you, thief, you knave. The lad, who had little beard and less discretion, hearing this string of abuse, repaid the old woman in her own coin, saying, Have you done, you grandmother of witches, you old hag, you child-strangler? When the old woman heard these compliments, she flew into such a rage that losing hold of the bridle and escaping from the stable of patience, she acted as if she were mad, cutting capers in the air and grinning like an ape. At this strange spectacle, Zosa burst into such a fit of laughter that she well-knife fainted away. But when the old woman saw herself played this trick, she flew into her passion, and turning a fierce look on Zosa, she exclaimed, May you never have the least little bit of a husband unless you take the Prince of Roundfield. Upon hearing this, Zosa ordered the old woman to be called, and desired to know whether, in her words, she had laid on her a curse or had only meant to insult her. And the old woman answered, No then, that the Prince of whom I spoke is a most handsome creature and is named Tadeo, who, by the wicked spell of a fairy, having given that last touch to the picture of life, has been placed in a tomb outside the walls of the city. And there is an inscription upon a stone saying that whatever woman shall in three days fill with tears a picture that hangs there upon a hook will bring the Prince to life and shall take him for a husband. But as it is impossible for two human eyes to weep so much as to fill a picture that would hold half a barrel, I have wished you this wish in return for your scoffing and jeering at me. But I pray that it may come to pass to avenge the wrong you have done me. So saying, she scuttled down the stairs for fear of a beating. Zosa pondered over the words of the old woman, and after turning over a hundred thoughts in her mind until her head was like a mill full of doubts, she was at last struck by a dart of the passion that blinds the judgment and puts a spell on the reasoning of man. She took a handful of dollars from her father's coffers and left the palace, walking on and on, until she arrived at the castle of a fairy to whom she unburdened her heart. The fairy, out of pity for such a fair young girl, who had two spares to make her fall, little help and much love for an unknown object, gave her a little recommendation to a sister of hers, who was also a fairy. And this second fairy received her likewise with great kindness, and on the following morning, when Knight commands the birds to proclaim that whoever has seen a flock of black shadows, gone astray, shall be well rewarded. She gave her a beautiful walnut, saying, Take this, my dear daughter, and keep it carefully, but never open it but in time of the greatest need. And then she gave her also a letter, commending her to another sister. After journeying a long way, Zosa arrived at this fairy's castle, and was received with the same affection. And the next morning this fairy likewise gave her a letter to another sister, together with a chestnut, cautioning her in the same manner. Then Zosa travelled on to the next castle, where she was received with a thousand caresses and given a filbert, which she was never to open, unless the greatest necessity obliged her. So she set out upon her journey, and passed so many forests and rivers, that at the end of seven years, just at the time of day when the sun, awakened by the coming of the cocks, has saddled his steed to run his accustomed stages, she arrived almost blame at round field. There, at the entrance to the city, she saw a marble tomb at the foot of a fountain, which was weeping tears of crystal, at seeing itself shut up in a porphyry prison. And lifting up the picture she placed it in her lap, and began to weep into it, imitating the fountain, to make two little fountains of her eyes. And thus she continued, without ever raising her head from the mouth of the picture, until at the end of two days it was full within two inches of the top. But being weary with so much weeping, she was unaware as overtaken by sleep, and was obliged to rest for an hour or so under the canopy of her eyes. Meanwhile a certain slave with the legs of a grasshopper came, as she was want to the fountain, to fill her water-cask. Now she knew the meaning of the fountain which was talked of everywhere, and when she saw Zosa weeping so incessantly, and making two little streams from her eyes, she was always watching and spying until the picture should be full enough for her to add the last drops to it, and thus to leave Zosa cheated of her hopes. Now therefore seeing Zosa asleep, she seized her opportunity, and dexterously removing the picture from under Zosa, and placing her own eyes over it, she filled it in four seconds. But hardly was it full when the prince arose from the white marble shrine, as if awakened from a deep sleep, and embraced that mass of dark flesh, and carried her straight ways to his palace. Feasts and marvellous illuminations were made, and he took her for his wife. When Zosa awoke and saw the picture gone and her hopes with it, and the shrine open, her heart grew so heavy that she was on the point of unpacking the bails of her soul at the custom house of death. But at last, seeing that there was no help for her misfortune, and that she could only blame her own eyes which had served her so ill, she went her way step by step into the city. And when she heard of the feasts which the prince had made, and the daity creature he had married, she instantly knew how all this mischief had come to pass, and said to herself, sighing, Alas, two dark things have brought me to the ground, sleep, and a black slave. Then she took a fine house facing the palace of the prince, for once, though she could not see the idol of her heart, she could at least look upon the walls wherein what she sighed for was enclosed. But Tadeo, who was constantly flying like a bat round that black night of a slave, was to perceive Zosa, and was entranced with her beauty. When the slave saw this, she was beside herself with rage, and vowed that if Tadeo did not leave the window, she would kill her baby when it was born. Tadeo, who was anxiously desiring in air, was afraid to offend his wife, and tore himself away from the sight of Zosa, who seeing this little balm for the sickness of her hopes taken away from her, knew not at first what to do. When recollecting the fairies' gifts, she opened the walnut, and out of it hopped a little dwarf like a doll, the most graceful toy that was ever seen in the world. Then seating himself upon the window, the dwarf began to sing with such a trill and gurgling that he seemed a veritable king of the birds. The slave, when she saw and heard this, was so enraptured that calling to Tadeo she said, bring me the little fellow who is singing yonder, or I will kill the child when it is born. So the prince, who allowed this ugly woman to put the saddle on his back, sent instantly to Zosa, to ask if she would not sell the dwarf. Zosa answered she was not a merchant, but that he was welcome to it as a gift. So Tadeo accepted the offer, for he was anxious to keep his wife in good humour. Four days after this, Zosa opened the chestnut, when out came a hen with twelve little chickens, all of pure gold, and being placed on the window, the slave saw them and took a vast fancy to them, and calling to Tadeo she showed him the beautiful sight, and again ordered him to procure the hen and chickens for her. So Tadeo, who let himself be caught in the web, and become the sport of the ugly creature, sent again to Zosa, offering her any price she might ask for the beautiful hen. But Zosa gave the same answer as before, that he might have it as a gift. Tadeo, therefore, who could not do otherwise, made necessity kick at discretion, and accepted the beautiful present. But after four days more, Zosa opened the hazelnut, and forth came a doll which spun gold, an amazing sight. As soon as it was placed at the same window, the slave saw it, and calling to Tadeo said, I must have that doll, or I will kill the child. Tadeo, who let his proud wife toss in a belt like a shuttle, had nevertheless not the heart to send to Zosa for the doll, but resolved to go himself, recollecting the sayings, no messenger is better than yourself, and let him who would eat a fish take it by the tail. So he went and besought Zosa to pardon his impertinence on account of the caprices of his wife, and Zosa, who was in ecstasies at beholding the cause of her sorrow, put a constraint on herself, and so let him entreat her the longer to keep inside the object of her love, who was stolen from her by an ugly slave. At length she gave him the doll, as she had done the other things, but before placing it in his hands, she prayed the little doll to put a desire into the heart of the slave to hear stories told by her. And when Tadeo sowed the doll in his hand, without his paying a single coin, he was so filled with amazement at such courtesy that he offered his kingdom and his life in exchange for the gift. Then returning to his palace he placed it in his wife's hands, and instantly such a longing seized her to hear stories told that she called her husband and said, Bid some storytellers come and tell me stories, or I promise you I will kill the child. Tadeo, to get rid of this madness, ordered a proclamation instantly to be made, that all the women of the land should come on the appointed day, and on that day at the hour when the star of Venus appears, who awakes the dawn, to strew the road along which the sun has to pass, the ladies were all assembled at the palace. But Tadeo, not wishing to detain such a rabble for the mere amusement of his wife, chose ten only of the best of the city, who appeared to him most capable and eloquent. These were Bushi-haired Caesar, Bany-legged Chekka, Wen-legged Menekka, Long-nosed Tola, Hump-backed Popa, Bearded Antonella, Dumpy Tula, Bleed-eyed Paola, Bald-headed Givenmetella, and Square-shouldered Hakova. Their names he wrote down on a sheet of paper, and then dismissing the others, he arose with the sleigh from under the canopy, and they went gently to the garden of the palace, where the leafy branches were so closely interlaced, that the sun could not separate them with all the industry of his rays, and seating themselves under a pavilion formed by trellis of vines, in the middle of which ran a great fountain, the school mass of the courtiers, who be taught every day to murmur, Tadeo thus began. There is nothing in the world more glorious, my gentle dames, than to listen to the deeds of others, nor was it without reason that the great philosopher placed the highest happiness of man in listening to pretty stories. In hearing pleasing things told, griefs vanish, troublesome thoughts are put to flight, and life is lengthened. And for this reason you see the artisans leave their workshops, the merchants their country houses, the lawyers their cases, the shopkeepers their business, and all repair with open mouths to the barbers shops and to the groups of chatterers to listen to stories, fictions, and news in the open air. I cannot therefore but pardon my wife, who has taken this strange fancy into her head, of hearing the telling of tales. So if you will be pleased to satisfy the whim of the princess, and comply with my wishes, you will, during the next four or five days, each of you relate daily one of those tales which old women want to tell for the amusement of the little ones. And you will come regularly to this spot, where after a good repast you shall begin to tell stories, so as to pass life pleasantly, and sorrow to him that dies. At these words all bowed ascent to the commands of Tadeo, and the tables being meanwhile set out and feast spread, they sat down to eat, and when they had done eating the prince took the paper and calling on each in turn by name. The stories that follow were told in due order. End of chapter one. Chapter two of stories from Pantamaronne. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. Stories from Pantamaronne by Giampattista Pesiri. Chapter two. The Myrtle. They lived in the village of Miano, a man and his wife who had no children whatever, and they longed with the greatest eagerness to have an heir. The woman above all was forever saying, oh heavens if I might but have a little baby I should not care were it even a sprig of a myrtle. And she repeated this song so often and so weary heaven with these words that at last her wish was granted and at the end of nine months instead of a little boy or girl she placed in the hands of the nurse a fine sprig of myrtle. This she planted with great delight in a pot ornamented with ever so many beautiful figures and set it in the window tending it morning and evening with more diligence than the gardener does a bed of cabbages from which she reckons to pay the rent of his garden. Now the king's son happening to pass by as he was going to hunt took a prodigal's fancy to this beautiful plant and sent to ask the mistress of the house as she would sell it for he would give even one of his eyes for it. The woman at last after a thousand difficulties and refusals allured by his offers dazzled by his promises frightened by his threats overcome by his prayers gave him the pot beseeching him to hold it dear for she loved it more than a daughter and valued it as much as if it were her own offspring. Then the prince had the flower pot carried with the greatest care in the world into his own chamber and placed it in a balcony and tended and watered it with his own hand. It happened one evening when the prince had gone to bed and put out the candles and all were at rest and in their first sleep that he heard the sound of someone stealing through the house and coming cautiously towards his bed where he thought it must be some chamber boy coming to lighten his purse for him or some mischievous imp to pull the bed clothes off him. But as he was a bold fellow whom none could frighten he acted the dead cat waiting to see the upshot of the affair. When he perceived the object approached nearer and stretching out his hand felt something smooth and instead of laying hold as he expected on the prickles of a hedgehog he touched a little creature more soft and fine than Barbary Wool more pliant and tender than a martin's tail more delicate than Thistledown. He flew from one thought to another and taking her to be a fairy as indeed she was he conceived at once a great affection for her. The next morning before the sun like a chief physician went out to visit the flowers that are sick and languid the unknown fair one rose and disappeared leaving the prince filled with curiosity and wonder. But when this had gone on for seven days he was burning and melting with desire to know what good fortune this was that the stars had showered down on him and what ship freighted with the graces of love it was that had come to its moorings in his chamber. So one night when the fair maiden was fast asleep he tied one of her tresses to his arm that she might not escape. Then he called a chamberlain and bidding him like the candles he saw the flower of beauty the miracle of women the looking glass and painted egg of venus the fair bait of love. He saw a little doll a beautiful dove a phatomorgana a banner he saw a golden trinket a hunter a falcon's eye a moon in her fifteenth day a pigeon's bill a morsel for a king a jewel he saw in short a sight to amaze one. In astonishment he cried oh sleep sweet sleep heat poppies on the eyes of this lovely jewel interrupt not my delight in viewing as long as I desire this triumph of beauty oh lovely dress that binds me oh lovely eyes that inflame me oh lovely lips that refresh me oh lovely bosom that consoles me oh weird what shop of the wonders of nature was this living statue made what India gave the gold for these hairs what Ethiopia the ivory to form these brows what seashore the carbuncles that compose these eyes what tire the purple to die this face what east the pearls to string these teeth and from what mountains was the snow taken to sprinkle over this bosom snow contrary to nature that nurtures the flowers and burns hearts so saying he made a vine of his arms and clasping her neck she awoke from her sleep and replied with a gentle smile to the sigh of the enamored prince who seeing her open her eyes said oh my treasure if viewing without candles this temple of love I was in transports what will become of my life now that you have lighted two lamps oh beauty eyes that with a trump card of light make the stars bankrupt you alone have pierced this heart you alone can make a porters for it like fresh eggs oh my lovely physician take pity take pity on one who is sick of love who having changed the air from the darkness of night to the light of this beauty is seized by a fever lay your hand on this heart feel my pulse give me a prescription but my soul why do I ask for a prescription I desire no other comfort than a touch of that little hand for I am certain that with the cordial of that fair grace and with the healing root of that tongue of thine I shall be sound and well again at these words the lovely fairy grew as red as fire and replied not so much praise my lord prince I am your servant and would do anything in the world to serve that kingly face and I esteem it great good fortune that from a bunch of myrtle set in a pot of earth I have become a branch of laurel hung over the indoor of a heart in which there is so much greatness and virtue the prince melting at these words like a tallow candle began again to embrace her and sealing the latter with a kiss he gave her his hand saying take my faith you shall be my wife you shall be mistress of my scepter you shall have the key of this heart as you hold the helm of this life after these and a hundred other ceremonies and discourses they arose and so it went on for several days but as spoilsport marriage parting fate is always a hindrance to the steps of love it fell out that the prince was summoned to hunt a great wild boar which was ravaging the country so he was forced to leave his wife but as he loved her more than his life and saw that she was beautiful beyond all beautiful things from this love and beauty they sprang up the feeling of jealousy which is a tempest in the sea of love a piece of soot that falls into the potage of the bliss of lovers which is a serpent that bites a worm that gnaws a gall that poisons a frost that kills making life always restless the mind unstable the heart ever suspicious so calling the fairy he said to her i'm obliged my heart to be away from home for two or three days heaven knows with how much grief i tear myself from you who are my soul and heaven knows too whether here i set out my life may not end but as i cannot help going to please my father i must leave you i therefore pray you by all the love you bear me to go back into the flower pot and not to come out of it till i return which will be as soon as possible i will do so said the fairy for i cannot and will not refuse what pleases you go therefore and may the mother of good luck go with you for i will serve you to the best of my power but do me one favor leave a thread of silk with a bell tied to the top of the myrtle and when you come back pull the thread and ring and immediately i will come out and say here i am the prince did so and then calling a chamberlain said to him come hither come hither you open your ears and mind what i say make this bed every evening as if i were myself to sleep in it water this flower pot regularly and mind i have countered the leaves and if i find one missing i will take from you the means of earning your bread so saying he mounted his horse and went like a sheep that has led the slaughter to follow a ball in the meanwhile seven wicked women with whom the prince had been acquainted began to grow jealous and being curious to pry into the secret they sent for a mason and for a good sum of money got him to make an underground passage from their house into the prince's chamber then these cunning jades went through the passage in order to explore but finding nothing they opened the window and when they saw the beautiful myrtle standing there each of them plucked a leaf from it but the youngest took off the entire top to which the little bell was hung and the moment it was touched the bell tinkered and the fairy thinking it was the prince immediately came out as soon as the wicked women saw this lovely creature they fastened their talons on her crying you are she who turns to your own mill the stream of our hopes you it is who have stolen the favor of the prince but you will come to an end of your tricks my fine lady you are nimble enough in running off but you are caught in your tricks this time and if you escape you are never born so saying they flew upon her and instantly tore her in pieces and each of them took her part but the youngest would not join in this cruel act and when she was invited by his sisters to do as they did she would take nothing but a lock of those golden hairs so when they had done they went quickly away by the passage through which they had come meanwhile the chamberlain came to make the bed and water the flower pot according to his master's orders and seeing this pretty piece of work he had liked to have died of terror then biting his nails with vexation he set to work gathered up the remains of the flesh and bones that were left and scraping the blood from the floor he piled them all up in a heap in the pot and having watered it he made the bed locked the door put the key under the door and taking to his heels ran away out of the town when the prince came back from the chase he pulled the silken string and rung the little bell but ring as he would it was all lost time he might sound the toxin and ring till he was tired for the fairy gave no heed so he went straight to the chamber and not having patience to call the chamberlain and ask for the key he gave the lock a kick burst opened the door went in opened the window and seeing the myrtle stripped of its leaves he fell to making a most doleful lamentation crying shouting and bawling oh wretched me unhappy me oh miserable me who has played me this trick and who has thus trumped my card oh ruined banished and undone prince oh my leafless myrtle my lost fairy oh my wretched life my joys vanished into smoke my pleasures turned to vinegar what will you do unhappy man leap quickly over the stitch you have fallen from all happiness and will you not cut your throat you are robbed of every treasure you are expelled from life and do you not go mad where are you where are you my myrtle and what soul more hard than marble has destroyed this beautiful flowerpot oh cursed chase that has chased me from all happiness alas i am done for i am overthrown i am ruined i have ended my days it is not possible for me to get through life without my life i must stretch my legs since without my love sleep will be lamentation food poison pleasure insipid and life sour these and many other exclamations that would move the very stones in the streets were uttered by the prince and after repeating them again and again and wailing bitterly full of sorrow and woe never shutting an eye to sleep no opening his mouth to eat he gave such weight of grief that his face which was before of oriental vermilion became of gold paint and the ham of his lips became rusty bacon the fairy who had sprashed up again from the remains that were put in the pot seeing the misery and tribulation of her poor lover and how he was turned in a second to the color of a sick spaniard of a venomous lizard of the sap of a leaf of a jaundiced person of a dried pear was moved with compassion and springing out of the pot like the light of a candle shooting out of a dark lantern she stood before cola macchione and embracing him in her arms she said take heart take heart my prince have done now with this lamenting wipe your eyes quiet your anger smooth your face behold me alive and handsome in spite of those wicked women who split my head and so ill treated me the prince seeing this when he least expected it arose again from death to life and the color returned to his cheeks warmth to his blood breath to his breast after giving her a thousand caresses and embraces he desired to know the whole affair from head to foot and when he found that the chamberlain was not to blame he ordered him to be called and giving a great banquet he with the full consent of his father married the fairy and he invited all the great people of the kingdom but above all others he would have present those seven serpents who had committed the slaughter of that sweet suckling calf and as soon as they had done eating the prince asked all the guests one after another what he deserved who had injured that beautiful maiden pointing to the fairy who looked so lovely that she shot hearts like a sprite and drew souls like a windlass then all who sat at table beginning with the king said one that he deserved the gallows another that he merited the wheel a third the pincers a fourth to be thrown from the precipice in short one proposed this punishment and another that at last it came to the turn of the seven wicked women to speak who although they did not much relish this conversation yet as the truth comes out when the wine goes about answered that whoever had the heart basely to touch only this quintessence of the charms of love deserved to be buried alive in a dungeon as you have pronounced this sentence with your own lips said the prince you have yourselves judged the cause you have yourselves signed the decree it remains for me to cause your order to be executed since it is you who with the heart of a negro with the cruelty of medea made a fritter of this beautiful head and chopped up these lovely limbs like sausage meat so quick make haste lose not a moment throw them this very instant into a large dungeon where they shall end their days miserably so this order was instantly carried into execution the prince married the younger sister of these wicked creatures to the chamberlain and gave her a good portion and giving also to the father and mother of the murder wherewithal to live comfortably he himself spent his days happily with the fairy while the wicked women ended their lives in bitter anguish and thus verified the proverb of the wise men of old the lame goat will hop if he meets with no stop end of chapter two chapter three of stories from patamarone this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by joy chan stories from patamarone by giampatista passire chapter three peruonto a good deed is never lost he who sows courtesy reaps benefit and he who gathers kindness gathers love pleasure bestowed on a grateful mind was never barren but always brings a good recompense and that is the moral of the story i'm going to tell you once upon a time a woman who lived in a village and was called checarella had a son named peruonto who was one of the most stupid lads that ever was born this made his mother very unhappy and all day long she would grieve because of this great misfortune for whether she asked him kindly or storms at him till her throat was dry the foolish fellow would not stir to do the slightest hands turn for her at last after a thousand dinnings at his brain and a thousand spittings of his head and saying i tell you and i told you day after day she got him to go to the wood for a faggot saying come now it is time for a stick at a morsel to eat so run off for some sticks and don't forget yourself on the way but come back as quick as you can and we will boil ourselves some cabbage to keep the life in us away went the stupid peruonto hanging down his head as if he were going to jail away he went walking as if he were a jackdaw or treading on eggs counting his steps at the pace of a snail's gallop and making all sorts of zigzags and excursions on his way to the wood to come there after the fashion of a raven and when he reached the middle of a plane through which ran a river growling and murmuring at the bad manners of the stones that were stopping its way he saw three youths who had made themselves a bed of grass and a pillow of a great flintstone and were lying sound asleep under the blaze of the sun who was shooting his rays down on them point blank when peruonto saw these poor creatures looking as if they were in the midst of a fountain of fire he felt pity for them and cutting some branches of oak he made a handsome arbor over them meanwhile the youths who were the sons of a fairy awoke and seeing the kindness and courtesy of peruonto they gave him a charm that everything he asked for should be done peruonto having performed this good action went his ways towards the wood where he made up such an enormous faggot that it would have needed an engine to draw it and seeing that he could not in any way get it on his back he set himself astride of it and cried oh what a lucky fellow I should be if this faggot would carry me riding a horse back and the word was hardly out of his mouth when the faggot began to trot and gallop like a great horse and when it came in front of the king's palace it pranced and capered and coveted in a way that would amaze you the ladies who were standing at one of the windows on seeing such a wonderful sight ran to call Vastola the daughter of the king who going to the window and observing the caracals of a faggot and the bounds of a bundle of wood burst out a laughing a thing which owing to a natural melancholy she never remembered to have done before peruonto raised his head and seeing that it was at him that they were laughing exclaimed oh Vastola I wish that I could be your husband and I would soon cure you of laughing at me and so saying he struck his heels into the faggot and in a dashing gallop who was quickly at home with such a train of little boys at his heels that if his mother had not been quick to shut the door they would soon have killed him with the stones and sticks with which they pelted him now came the question of marrying Vastola to some great prince and her father invited all he knew to come and visit him and pay their respects to the princess but she refused to have anything to say to either of them and only answered I will marry none but the young man who wrote on the faggot so that the king got more and more angry with every refusal and at last he was quite unable to contain himself any longer and called his council together and said you know by this time how my honor has been shamed and that my daughter has acted in such a manner that all the chronicles will tell the story against me so now speak and advise me I say that she is unworthy to live seeing that she has brought me into such discredit and I wish to put her all together out of the world before she does more mischief the counselors who had in their time learned much wisdom said of a truth she deserves to be severely punished but after all it is this audacious scoundrel who has give you the annoyance and it is not right that he should escape through the measures of the net let us wait then till he comes to light and we discover the root of this disgrace and then we will think it over and resolve what were best to be done this council pleased the king for he saw that they spoke like sensible prudent men so he held his hand and said let us wait and see the end of this business so then the king made a great banquet and invited every one of his nobles and all the gentlemen in his kingdom to come to it and set vastola at the high table at the top of the hall for he said no common man can have done this and when she recognizes the fellow we shall see her eyes turn to him and we will instantly lay hold on him and put him out of the way but when the feasting was done and all the guests passed out in a line vastola took no more notice of them than alexander's bulldog did of the rabbits and the king grew more angry than ever and vowed that he would kill her without more delay again however the council has pacified him and said softly softly your majesty quiet your wrath let us make another banquet tomorrow not for people of condition but for the lower sort some women always attach themselves to the worst and we shall find among the cutlers and bead makers and comb sellers the root of your anger which we have not discovered among the cavaliers this reasoning took the fancy of the king and he ordered a second banquet to be prepared to which on proclamation being made came all the riffraff and ragtag and bobtail of the city such as rogues scavengers tinkers peddlers sweeps beggars and such like rabble who were all in high glee and taking their seats like noblemen at a great long table they began to feast and gobble away now when chacarilla heard this proclamation she began to urge peruanto to go there too until at last she got into set out for the feast and scarcely had he arrived there when vestolo cried out without thinking that is my night of the faggot when the king heard this he tore his beard seeing that the bean of the cake the prize in the lottery had fallen to an ugly lout the very sight of whom he could not endure with a shaggy head al's eyes a parrot's nose a deer's mouth and legs bare and bandy then heaving a deep sigh he said what can that jade of a daughter of mine have seen to make her take a fancy to this ogre or strike up a dance with this hairy foot a vile false creature who has cast so base a spell on her but why do we wait let her suffer the punishment she deserves let her undergo the penalty that shall be decreed by you and take her from my presence for I cannot bear to look longer upon her then the counselors consulted together and they reserve that she as well as the evil doer should be shut up in a casque and thrown into the sea so that without staining the king's hands with the blood of one of his family they should carry out the sentence no sooner was the judgment pronounced than the casque was brought and both were put into it but before they cupid it up some of Vastola's ladies crying and sobbing as if their hearts would break put into it a basket of raisins and dried figs that she might have wherewithal to live on for a little while and when the casque was closed up it was flung into the sea on which it went floating as the wind drove it meanwhile Vastola weeping till her eyes ran like two rivers said to Peruanto what a sad misfortune is this of ours oh if I but knew who has played me this trick to have caged me in this dungeon alas alas to find myself in this plight without knowing how tell me tell me oh cruel man what incantation was it you made and what spell did you employ to bring me within the circle of this casque Peruanto who had been for some time paying little attention to her at last said if you want me to tell you you must give me some figs and raisins so Vastola to draw the secret out of him gave him a handful of both and as soon as he had eaten them he told her truly all that had befallen him with the three youths and with the faggot and with herself at the window which when the poor lady heard she took heart and said to Peruanto my friend shall we then let our lives run out in a casque why don't you cause this tub to be changed into a fine ship and run into some good harbour to escape this danger and Peruanto replied if you would have me say the spell with figs and raisins feed me well so Vastola to make him open his mouth filled it with fruit and so she fished the words out of him and lo as soon as Peruanto had said what she desired the casque was turned into a beautiful ship with sails and sailors and everything that could be wished for and guns and trumpets and a splendid cabin in which Vastola sat filled with delight it being now the hour when the moon begins to play at seesaw with the sun Vastola said to Peruanto my fine lad now make this ship to be changed into a palace for then we shall be more secure you know the saying praise the sea but keep to the land and Peruanto replied if you would have me say the spell with figs and raisins feed me well so Vastola at once fed him again and Peruanto swallowing down the raisins and figs did her pleasure and immediately the ship came to land and was changed into a beautiful palace fitted up in a most sumptuous manner and so full of furniture and curtains and hangings that there was nothing more to ask for so that Vastola who were little before would not have set the price of a fathering on her life did not now wish to change places with the greatest lady in the world seeing herself served and treated like a queen then to put the seal on all her good fortune she besought Peruanto to obtain grace to become handsome and polished in his manner that they might live happy together for though the proverb says better to have a pig for a husband than a smile from an emperor still if his appearance were changed she should think herself the happiest woman in the universe and Peruanto replied as before if you would have me say the spell with figs and raisins feed me well then Vastola quickly opened his lips and scarcely had he spoken the words when he was changed as it were from an owl to a nightingale from an ogre to a beautiful youth from a scarecrow to a fine gentleman Vastola seeing such a transformation clasped him in her arms and was almost beside herself with joy then they were married and lived happily for years meanwhile the king grew old and very sad so that one day the courtiers persuaded him to go hunting to cheer him up night overtook him and seeing a light in a palace he sent a servant to know if he could be entertained there and he was answered that everything was at his disposal so the king went to the palace and passing into a great guest chamber he saw no living soul but two little boys who skipped around him crying welcome welcome the king surprised and astonished stood like one that was enchanted and sitting down to rest himself at a table to his amazement he saw invisibly spread on it a flandest tablecloth with dishes full of roast meats and all sorts of vials so that in truth he feasted like a king waited on by those beautiful children and all the while he sat at table a concert of lutes and tambourines never ceased such delicious music that it went to the tips of its fingers and toes when he had done eating a bed suddenly appeared all made of gold and having his boots taken off he went to rest and all his courtiers did the same after having fed heartily at a hundred tables which were laid out in the other rooms when morning came the king wished to thank the two little children but with them appeared Vastola and her husband and casting herself at his feet she asked his pardon and related the whole story the king seeing that he had found two grandsons who were two jewels and a son-in-law who was a fairy embraced first one and then the other and taking up the children in his arms they all returned to the city where there was a great festival that lasted many days. End of chapter three chapter four of stories from Pantamerone this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan stories from Pantamerone by Giambattista Pasiere chapter four Vadiello if nature had given to animals the necessity of clothing themselves and of buying their food the race of quadrupeds would inevitably be destroyed therefore it is that they find their food without trouble without gardener to gather it purchase it to buy it cook to prepare it or carver to cut it up whilst their skin defends them from the rain and snow without the merchant giving them cloth the tailor making the dress or the errand boy begging for a drink penny to man however who has intelligence nature did not care to grant these indulgences since he is able to procure for himself what he wants this is the reason that we commonly see clever men poor and blockheads rich as you may gather from the story which i'm going to tell you Granonia of Aparano was a woman of a great sense and judgment but she had a son named Vadiello who was the greatest booby in Simpleton in the whole country roundabout nevertheless as her mother's eyes are bewitched and see what does not exist she doted upon him so much that she was forever caressing and fondling him as if he were the handsomest creature in the world now granonia kept a brood hen that was sitting upon a nest of eggs in which she had placed all her hope expecting to have a fine brood of chickens and to make a good profit of them and having one day to go out on some business she called her son and said to him my pretty son of your own mother listen to what i say keep your eye upon the hen and if she should get up to scratch and pick look sharp and drive her back to the nest for otherwise the eggs will grow cold and then we shall have neither eggs nor chickens leave it to me replied Vadiello you're not speaking to deaf ears one thing more said the mother look ye my blessed son in young cupboard is a pot full of a certain poisonous things take care that ugly sin does not tempt you to touch them for they would make you stretch your legs in a trice heaven forbid replied Vadiello poison indeed will not tempt me but you have done wisely to give me the warning for if i had got at it i should certainly have eaten it all up there upon the mother went out but Vadiello stayed behind and in order to lose no time he went into the garden to dig holes which he covered with bows and earth to catch the little thieves who come to steal the fruit and as he was in the midst of his work he saw the hen come running out of the room where upon he began to cry hish hish this way that way but the hen did not stir her foot and Vadiello see that she had something of a donkey in her after crying hish hish began to stamp with his feet and after stamping with his feet to throw his cap at her and after the cap a cudgel which hit her just upon the plate and made her quickly stretch her legs when Vadiello saw this sad accident he bethought himself how to remedy the evil and making a virtue of necessity in order to prevent the eggs growing cold he set himself down upon the nest but in doing so he gave the eggs an unlucky blow and quickly made an omelette of them in despair at what he had done he was on the point of knocking his head against the wall at last however as all grief turns to hunger feeling his stomach begin to grumble he resolved to eat up the hen so he plucked her and sticking her upon a spit he made a great fire and set to work to roast her and when she was cooked Vadiello to do everything in due order spread a clean cloth upon an old chest and then taking a fagon he went down into the cellar to draw some wine but just as he was in the midst of drawing the wine he heard a noise a disturbance an uproar on the house which seemed like the clattering of horses hoos whereas starting up in alarm and turning his eyes he saw a big tomcat which had run off with the hen spit and all and another cat chasing after him mewing and crying out for a part Vadiello in order to set this mishap to rights darted upon the cat like an unchained lion and in his haste he left the tap of the barrel running and after chasing the cat through every hole and corner of the house he recovered the hen but the cask had meanwhile all run out and when Vadiello returned and saw the wine running about he let the cask of his soul empty itself through the tap holes of his eyes but at last judgment came to his aid and he hit upon a plan to remedy the mischief and prevent his mother's finding out what had happened so taking a sack of flour filled full to the bath he sprinkled it over the wine on the floor but when he meanwhile reckoned up on his fingers all the disasters he had met with and thought to himself that from the number of foolories he had committed he must have lost the game in the good graces of granonia he resolved in his heart not to let his mother see him again alive so thrusting his hand into the jar of pickled walnuts which his mother had said contained poison he never stopped eating until he came to the bottom and when he had right well filled his stomach he went and hid himself in the oven in the meanwhile his mother returned and stood knocking for a long time at the door but at last seeing that no one came she gave it a kick and going in she called her son at the top of a voice but as nobody answered she imagined that some mischief must have happened and with increased lamentation she went on crying louder and louder vadiello vadiello are you deaf that you don't hear have you the cramp that you don't run have you the pit that you don't answer where are you you rogue where are you hidden you naughty fellow vadiello on hearing all this hubbub and abuse cried out at last with a pittiest voice here I am here I am in the oven but you will never see me again mother why so said the poor mother because I am poisoned replied the son alas alas cry granonia how come you to do that what cause have you had to commit this homicide and who has given you poison then vadiello told her one after another all the pretty things he had done on which account he wished to die not to remain any longer and laughing stock in the world the poor woman on hearing all this was miserable and wretched and she had enough to do and to say to drive this melancholy whimsy out of vadiello's head and being infatuated and dotingly fond of him she gave him some sweet meats and so put the affair of the pickled walnuts out of his head and convinced him that they were not poison but good and comforting to the stomach and having thus pacified him with chewing words and shout on him a thousand caresses she drew him out of the oven then giving him a fine piece of cloth she bade him go and sell it but cautioning him not to do business with folks of too many words tat tat said vadiello let me alone I know what I'm about never fear so saying he took the cloth and went his way through the city of naples crying cloth cloth but whenever anyone asked him what cloth he replied you are no customer for me you are a man of too many words and when another said to him how do you sell your cloth he called him a chatterbox who deafened him with his noise at length he chanced to a spy in the courtyard of a house which was deserted on account of the monotelo a plaster statue and being tired out and rearing with going about and about he sat himself down on a bench but not seeing anyone astern the house which looked like a sacked village he was lost in amazement and said to the statue tell me comrade does no one live in this house vadiello waited a while but as the statue gave no answer he thought this surely was a man of few words so he said friend will you buy my cloth I'll sell it you cheap and seeing that the statue still remained dumb he exclaimed faithen I found my man at last there take the cloth examine it and give me what you will tomorrow I'll return for the money so saying vadiello left the cloth on the spot where he had been sitting and the first mother's son who passed that way found the prize and carried it off when vadiello returned home without the cloth and told his mother all that had happened she well nice ruined away and said to him when will you put that headpiece of yours in order see now what tricks you have played me only think but I am myself to blame for being too tender-hearted instead of having given you a good beating at first and now I perceive that a pitiful doctor only makes the wound incurable but you'll go on with your pranks until at last we come to a serious falling out and then there will be a long reckoning my lad softly mother replied vadiello matters are not so bad as they seem do you want more than crown pieces brand new from the mint do you think me a fool and that I don't know what I'm about tomorrow is not yet here wait a while and you shall see whether I know how to fit a handle to a shovel the next morning as soon as the shades of night pursued by the constables of the sun had fled the country vadiello repaired to the cult yard with a statue stood and said good day friend can you give me those few pence you owe me come quick pay me for the cloth but when he saw that the statue remained speechless he took up a stone and hurled it at its breast with such force that it burst a vein which proved indeed the cure to his own melody for some pieces of the statue falling off he discovered a pot full of golden crown pieces then taking it in both his hands off he ran home head over heels as far as he could scamper crying out mother mother see here what a load of red lupins I've got how many how many his mother seeing the crown pieces and knowing very well that vadiello would soon make the matter public told him to stand at the door until the man with milk and new made cheese came past as she wanted to buy a penny worth of milk so vadiello who was a great glutton went quickly and seated himself at the door and his mother showered down from the window above raisins and dried figs for more than half an hour we're upon vadiello picking them up as fast as he could cried aloud mother mother bring out some baskets give me some bowls here quick with the tubs and buckets for if it goes on to rain thus we shall be rich in a trice and when he had eaten his fill vadiello went out to sleep it happened one day that two countrymen the food and lifeblood of the law courts fell out and went to law about a gold crown piece which they had found on the ground and vadiello passing by said what jackass is you are to crawl about a red lupin like this for my part I don't value it at a pin's head for I found a whole pot full of them when the judge heard this he opened wide his eyes and ears and examined vadiello closely asking him how when and where he had found the crowns and vadiello replied I found them in a palace inside a dumb man when it rained raisins and dried figs at this the judge stared with amazement but instantly seeing how the matter stood he decreed that vadiello should be sent to a madhouse as the most competent tribunal for him first the stupidity of the son made the mother rich and the mother's wit found a remedy for the foolishness of the son whereby it is clearly seen that a ship when steered by a skillful hand will seldom strike upon rock or sand end of chapter four chapter five of stories from patambrone this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan stories from patambrone by Giambattista Pasire chapter five the flea resolutions taken without thought bring disasters without remedy he who behaves like a fool repents like a wise man as happened to the king of high hill who through unexampled folly committed an act of madness putting in jeopardy both his daughter and his honor once upon a time the king of high hill being bitten by a flea caught him by a wonderful feat of dexterity and seeing how handsome and stately he was he had not the conscience to sentence him to death so he put him into a bottle and feeding him every day himself the little animal grew at such a rate that at the end of seven months it was necessary to shift his quarters for he was growing bigger than a sheep the king then had inflayed and his skin dressed then he issued a proclamation that whoever could tell what this skin was should marry the princess as soon as this decree was made known the people flocked in crowds from all the ends of the world to try their luck one said that it belonged to an ape another to a lynx a third to a crocodile and in short some gave it to one animal and some to another but they were all a hundred miles from the truth and not one hit the nail on the head at last they came to this trial an ogre who was the most ugly being in the world the very sight of whom would make the boldest man tremble and quake with fear but no sooner had he come and turned the skin round and smelt it that he instantly guessed the truth saying this skin belongs to the king of fleas now the king saw that the ogre had hit the mark and not to break his word he ordered his daughter porzella to be called porzella had a face like milk and roses and was such a miracle of beauty that you would never be tired of looking at her and the king said to her my daughter you know who i am i cannot go back from my promise whether a king or a beggar my word is given and i must keep it though my heart should break who would ever have imagined that this prize would have fallen to an ogre but it never does to judge hastily have patience then and do not oppose your father for my heart tells me that you will be happy for rich treasures are often found inside a rough earthen jar when porzella heard this sad saying her eyes grew dim her face turned pale her lips fell her knees shook and at last bursting into tears she said to her father what crime have i committed that i should be punished thus how have i ever behaved badly toward you that i should be given up to this monster is this so father the affection you bear to your own child is this the love you show to her whom you used to call the joy of your soul do you drive from your sight her who is the apple of your eye oh father oh cruel father better had it been if my cradle had been my deathbed since i have lived to see this evil day porzella was going on to say more when the king in a furious rage exclaimed stay your anger fair and softly for appearances deceive is it for a girl to teach her father forsooth have done i say for if i lay these hands upon you i'll not leave a whole bone in your skin prithee how long has a child hardly out of the nursery dead to oppose my will quick then i say take his hand and set off with him home this very instant for i will not have that saucy face a minute longer in my sight poor porzella seeing herself thus caught in the net with the face of a person condemned to death with the heart of one whose head is lying between the axe and the block took the hand of the ogre who dragged her off without any attendance to the wood where the trees made a palace for the meadow to prevent its being discovered by the sun and the brooks murmured having knocked against the stones in the dark while the wild beasts wandered where they liked without paying toll and went safely through the thicket where the no man ever came unless he had lost his way upon this spot which was as black as an unswept chimney stood the ogre's house ornamented all round with the bones of the men whom he had devoured think but a moment of the horror of it to the poor girl but this was nothing at all in comparison with what was to come before dinner she had peas and after dinner parched beans then the ogre went out to hunt and returned home laden with the quarters of the men whom he had killed saying now wife you cannot complain that i don't take good care of you here is a fine store of eatables take and make merry and love me well for the sky will fall before i will let you want for food poor pausiella could not endure this horrible sight and turned her face away but when the ogre saw this he cried ha this is throwing sweetmeats before swine never mind however only have patience till tomorrow morning for i have been invited to a wild boar hunt and will bring you home a couple of boars and will make a grand feast with our kinsfolk and celebrate the wedding so saying he went into the forest now as pausiella stood weeping at the window it chanced that an old woman passed by who being famished with hunger begged some food ah my good woman said pausiella heaven knows i am in the power of the ogre who brings me home nothing but pieces of the men he has killed i pass the most miserable life possible and yet i am the daughter of a king and have been brought up in luxury and so saying she began to cry like a little girl who sees her bread and butter taken away from her the old woman's heart was softened at this site she said to pausiella be of good heart my pretty girl do not spoil your beauty with crying for you have met with luck i can help you to both saddle and trappings listen now i have seven sons who you see are seven giants masse, nado, cola, miko, patrulo, ascadeo and chicone who have more virtues than rosemary especially masse for every time he lays his ear to the ground he hears all that is passing within 30 miles round nado every time he washes his hands makes a great sea of soap suds every time that cola throws a bit of iron on the ground he makes a field of sharp raisers whenever miko flings down a little stick of tangled wood springs up if patrulo lets fall a drop of water it makes a terrible river when ascadeo wishes a strong tower to spring up he has only to throw a stone and chicone shoots so straight with the crossbow that he can hit a hen's eye a mile off now with the help of my sons who are all courteous and friendly and who will all take compassion on your condition i will contrive to free you from the claws of the ogre no time better than now replied pausiella for that evil shadow of a husband of mine has gone out and will not return this evening and we shall have time to slip off and run away cannot be this evening replied the old woman for i live a long way off but i promise you that tomorrow morning i and my sons will all come together and help you out of your trouble so saying the old woman departed and pausiella went to rest with a light heart and slept soundly all night but as soon as the birds began to cry long live the sun lo and behold there was the old woman with her seven children and placing pausiella in the midst of them they proceeded towards the city but they had not gone above half a mile when marce put his ear to the ground and cried hello have a care here's the fox the ogres come home he has missed his wife and he is hastening after us with his cap under his arm no sooner did nado hear this than he washed his hands and made a sea of soap suds and when the ogre came and saw all the suds he ran home and fetching a sack of bran he strewed it about and worked away trading it down with his feet until at last he got over this obstacle though with great difficulty but marce put his ear once more to the ground and exclaimed look sharp conrad here he comes there upon cola flung a piece of iron on the ground and instantly a field of razor sprang up when the ogre saw the path stopped he ran home again and clad himself in iron from head to foot and then returned and got over this peril then marce again putting his ear to the ground cried up up to arms to arms for see here's the ogre coming at such a rate that he is actually flying but miko was ready with his little stick and in an instant he caused a terrible wood to rise up so thick that it was quite impenetrable when the ogre came to this difficult pass he laid hold of a karara knife which he wore at his side and began to cut down the poplars and oaks and pine trees and chestnut trees right and left so that with four or five strokes he had the whole forest on the ground and got clear of it presently marce who kept his ears on the alert like a hair again raised his voice and cried now we must be off for the ogre is coming like the wind and here he is at our heels as soon as patrulah heard this he took water from a little fountain sprinkled it on the ground and in a twinkling of an eye a large river rose up on the spot when the ogre saw this new obstacle and that he could not make holes so fast as they found bungs to stop him he stripped himself stark naked and swam across to the other side of the river with his clothes upon his head marce who put his ear to every chink heard the ogre coming and exclaimed unless matters go ill with us now i already hear the clatter of the ogre's heels we must be on our guard and ready to meet the storm or else we are done for never fear said escodeo i will soon settle this ugly ragamuffin so saying he flung a pebble on the ground and instantly up rose a tower in which they all took refuge without delay and barred the door but when the ogre came up and saw that they had got into so safer place he ran home got a vinedress's ladder and carried it back on his shoulder to the tower now marce who kept his ears hanging down heard at a distance the approach of the ogre and cried we are now at the butt end of the candle of hope chicone's our last resource for the ogre is coming back in a terrible fury and last how my heart beats for i foresee an evil day you coward answered chicone trust to me and i will hit him with a ball as chicone was speaking the ogre came planted his ladder and began to climb up but chicone taking aim at him shot out one of his eyes and laid him at full length on the ground like a pear dropped from a tree then he went out of the tower and cut off the ogre's head with a big knife he carried about with him just as if it had been new made cheese thereupon they took the head with great joy to the king who rejoiced at the recovery of his daughter for he had repented a hundred times at having given her to an ogre and not many days after poziela was married to a handsome prince and the seven sons and their mother who had delivered her from such a wretched life were rewarded with great riches end of chapter five chapter six of stories from pantamarone this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by joy chan stories from pantamarone by jambatista pasire chapter six chanarentola in the sea of malice envy frequently gets out of a depth and while she's expecting to see another drowned she has either drowned herself or is dashed against the rock as happened to some envious girls about whom i will tell you a story they once lived a prince who was a widower he had an only daughter so dear to him that he saw with no other eyes than hers and he kept a governess for her who taught her chain work and knitting and to make pointless and showed her such affection as no words can tell but she was very lonely and many a time she said to the governess oh that you had been my mother you who show me such kindness and love and she said this so often that at last the governess having a bee put into a bonnet said to her one day if you will do as this foolish head of mine advises i shall be mother to you and you will be as dear to me as the apple of my eye she was going to say more when zezola for that was the name of the princess said pardon me if i stopped the word upon your tongue i know you wish me well therefore hush enough only show me the way do you write and i will subscribe well then answered the governess open your ears and listen and you will get bread as white as the flowers you know well enough that your father would even coin false money to please you so do you entreat him when he is caressing you to marry me and make me princess then bless your stars you shall be the mistress of my life when zezola heard this every hour seemed to her a thousand years until she had done all that her governess had advised and as soon as the morning for her mother's death was ended she began to feel her father's pulse and beg him to marry the governess at first the prince took it as a joke but zezola went on shooting so long past the mark that at length she hit it and he gave way to her entreaties so he married the governess and gave a great feast at the wedding now while the young folks were dancing and zezola was standing at the window of her house a dove came flying and perched upon a wall and said to her whenever you need anything send the request to the dove of the fairies in the island of sardinia and you will instantly have what you wish for five or six days the new stepmother overwhelmed zezola with caresses seating her at the best place at table giving her the choiceless morsels to eat and clothing her in the richest apparel but here long forgetting entirely the good service she had received woe to him who has a bad master she began to bring forward six daughters of her own for she had never before told anyone that she was a widow with a bunch of girls and she praised them so much and talked her husband over in such a fashion that at last the stepdaughters had all his favor and the thought of his own child went entirely from his heart in short it fared so ill with the poor girl bad today and worse tomorrow that she was at last brought down from the royal chamber to the kitchen from the canopy of state to the earth from splendid apparel of silks and gold to dishclouts from the scepter to the spit and not only was her condition changed but even her name for instead of zezola she was now called chenera and tola it happened that the prince had occasion to go to sardinia upon affairs of state and calling the six stepdaughters he asked them one by one what they would like him to bring them on his return then one wished for splendid dresses another to have head ornaments another rouge for the face another toys and trinkets one wished for this and one for that at last the prince said to his own daughter as if in mockery and what would you have child nothing father she replied but that you would commend me to the dove of the fairies and bid her send me something and if you forget my request may you be unable to stir backwards or forwards so remember what i tell you for it will fare with you accordingly then the prince went his way and did his business in sardinia and procured all the things that his stepdaughters had asked for but paul zezola is quite out of his thoughts and going on board a ship he set sail to return but the ship could not get out of the harbor there it stuck fast just as if held by a sea-lambry the captain of the ship who was almost in despair and fairly tired out laid himself down to sleep and in his dream he saw a ferry who said to him know you the reason why you cannot work the ship out of port it is because the prince who is on board with you has broken his promise to his daughter remembering everyone except his own child then the king awoke and told his dream to the prince who in shame and confusion at the breach of his promise went to the grotto of the fairies and commending his daughter to them asked them to send her something and behold there stepped forth from the grotto a beautiful maiden who told him that she thanked his daughter for her kind remembrances and bade him tell her to be merry and of good heart out of love to her and thereupon she gave him a date tree a hoe and a little bucket all of gold and a silken napkin adding that the one was to hoe with and the other to water the plant the prince marvelling at this present took leave of the ferry and returned it to his own country and when he had given his step-daughters all the things they had desired he at last gave his own daughter the gift which the ferry had sent her then Zezola out of her wits with joy took the date tree and planted it in a pretty flower pot hoed the earth round it watered it and wiped its leaves morning and evening with the silken napkin in a few days it had grown as tall as a woman and out of it came a ferry who said to Zezola what do you wish for and Zezola replied that she wished sometimes to leave the house without her sister's knowledge the ferry answered whenever you desire this come to the flower pot and say my little date tree my golden tree with a golden hoe I have hoed thee with a golden can I have watered thee with a silken cloth I have wiped thee dry now strip thee and dress me speedily and when you wish to undress change the last words and say strip me and dress thee when the time for the feast was come and the stepmother's daughters appeared dressed out so fine all ribbons and flowers and slippers and shoes sweet smells and bells and roses and posies Zezola ran quickly to the flower pot and no sooner had she repeated the words as the ferry had told her then she saw herself arrayed like a queen seated upon a poultry and attended by 12 smart pages all in their best clothes then she went to the ball and made the sister's envious of this unknown beauty even the young king himself was there and as soon as he saw her he stood magic bound with amazement and ordered a trusty servant to find out who was that beautiful maiden and where she lived so the servant followed in her footsteps but when Zezola noticed the trick she threw on the ground a handful of crown pieces which she had made the date tree give her for this purpose then the servant lighted his lantern and was so busy picking up all the crown pieces that he forgot to follow the poultry and Zezola came home quite safely and changed her clothes as the ferry told her before the wicked sisters arrived and to vex her and make her envious told her of all the fine things they had seen but the king was very angry with the servant and warned him not to miss finding out next time who this beautiful maiden was and where she dwelt soon there was another feast and again the sisters all went to it leaving poor Zezola at home on the kitchen earth then she ran quickly to the date tree and repeated the spell and instantly there appeared a number of dansals one with a looking glass another with a bottle of rose water another with the curling irons another with combs another with pins another with dresses and another with capes and collars and they decked her out as glorious as the sun and put her in a coach drawn by six white horses and attended by footmen and pages and livery and no sooner did she appear in the ballroom then the hearts of the sisters were filled with amazement and the king was overcome with love when Zezola went home the servant followed her again but so that she would not be caught she threw down a handful of pearls and jewels and the good fellow seeing that they were not things to lose stayed to pick them up so she had time to slip away and take off her fine dresses before meanwhile the servant had returned slowly to the king who cried out when he saw him by the souls of my ancestors if you do not find out who she is you shall have such a thrashing as was never before heard of and as many kicks as you have hairs in your beard when the next feast was held and the sisters were safely out of the house Zezola went to the date tree and once again repeated the spell in an instant she found herself splendidly arrayed and seated in a coach of gold with ever so many servants around her so that she looked just like a queen again the sisters were besides themselves with envy but this time when she left the ballroom the king's servant kept close to the coach Zezola seeing that the man was ever running by his side cried coachman drive on quickly and in a trice the coach set off at such a rattling pace that she lost one of her slippers the prettiest thing that ever was seen the servant being unable to catch the coach which flew like a bird picked up the slipper and carrying it to the king told him all that had happened whereupon the king taking it in his hand said if the basement indeed is so beautiful what must the building be you who until now with the prison of a white foot are now the fetter of an unhappy heart then he made a proclamation that all the women in the country should come to a banquet for which the most splendid provision was made of pies and pastries and stews and ragoutes macaroni and sweetbeats enough to feed a whole army and when all the women were assembled noble and ignoble rich and poor beautiful and ugly the king tried the slipper on each one of the guests to see whom it should fit to a hair and thus be able to discover by the help of the slipper the maiden of whom he was in search but not one foot could he find to fit it so he examined them closely whether indeed everyone was there and the prince confessed that he had left one daughter behind but said he she is always on the earth and is such a graceless simpleton that she is unworthy to sit and eat at your table but the king said let her be the very first on the list for so i will so all the guests departed the very next day they assembled again and with the wicked sisters came Zazola when the king saw her he had his suspicions but said nothing and after the feast came the trial of the slipper which as soon as Everett approached Zazola's foot it darted onto it of its own accord like iron flies to the magnet seeing this the king ran to her and took her in his arms and seating her under the royal canopy he set the crown upon her head whereupon all made their obeisance and homage to her as their queen when the wicked sisters saw this they were full of venom and rage and not having patience to look upon the object of their hatred they slipped quietly away on tiptoe and went home to their mother confessing in spite of themselves that he is a mad man who resists the stars end of chapter six chapter seven of stories from Pantamerone this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan stories from Pantamerone by Giambattista Pesire chapter seven the merchant troubles are usually the brooms and shovels that smooth the road to a man's good fortune of which he little dreams many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away hunger as is seen in the person of a young man of whom i will tell you it is said that there was once a very rich merchant named Antoniello who had a son called Cienzo it happened that Cienzo was one day throwing stones on the seashore with the son of the king of Naples and by chance broke his companion's head when he told his father Antoniello flew into a rage with fear of the consequences and abused his son but Cienzo answered sir i have always heard say that better is the law court than the doctor in one's house would it not have been worse if he had broken my head it was he who began and provoked me we are but boys and there are two signs to the quarrel after all it is a first fault and the king is a man of reason but let the worst come to the worst what great harm can he do me the wide world is one's home and let him who is afraid turn constable but Antoniello would not listen to reason he made sure the king would kill Cienzo for his fault and said don't stand here at risk of your life but march off this very instant so that nobody may hear a word new or old of what you have done a bird in the bush is better than a bird in the cage here is money take one of the two enchanted horses i have in the stable and the dog which is also enchanted and tarry no longer here it is better to scamper off and use your own heels than to be touched by another's better to throw your legs over your back than to carry your head between two legs if you don't take your knapsack and be off none of the saints can help you then begging his father's blessing Cienzo mounted his horse and tucking the enchanted dog under his arm he went his way out of the city making a winter of tears with a summer of size he went his way until the evening when he came to a wood that kept the mule of the sun outside its limits while it was amusing itself with silence and the shades an old house stood there at the foot of a tower Cienzo knocked at the door of the tower but the master being in fear of robbers would not open to him so the poor youth was obliged to remain in the ruined old house he turned his horse out to graze in a meadow and threw himself on some straw he found with the dog by his side but scarcely had he closed his eyes when he was awakened by the barking of the dog and heard footsteps stirring in the house Cienzo who was bold and venturesome seized his sword and began to lay about him in the dark but perceiving that he was only striking the wind and hit no one he turned round again to sleep after a few minutes he felt himself pulled gently by the foot he turned to lay hold again of his cutlass and jumping up exclaimed hello there you are getting too troublesome but leave off this sport and let's have a bout of it if you have any pluck for you have found the last to your shoe at these words he heard a shout of laughter and then a hollow voice saying come down here and i will tell you who i am then Cienzo without losing courage answered wait a while i'll come so he groped about until at last he found a ladder which led to a cellar and going down he saw a lightened lamp and three ghost-looking figures who were making a piteous clamor crying alas my beauty is treasure i must lose thee when Cienzo saw this he began himself to cry and lament for company's sake and after he had repped for some time the moon having now with the acts of arrays broken the bar of the sky the three figures who were making the outcry said to Cienzo take this treasure which is destined for thee alone but mind and take care of it then they vanished and Cienzo as spying the sunlight through a hole in the wall wished to climb up again but could not find the ladder where it he set up such a cry that the master of the tower heard him and fetched a ladder when they discovered a great treasure he wished to give part of it to Cienzo but the latter refused and taking his dog and melting once more on his horse set out again on his travels after a while he arrived at a wild and dreary forest so dark that it made you shudder there upon the bank of a river he found a fairy surrounded by a band of robbers Cienzo seeing the wicked intention of the robbers seized his sword and soon made a slaughter of them the fairy showered thanks upon him for this brave deed done for her sake and invited him to her palace that she might reward him but Cienzo replied it is nothing at all thank you kindly another time i will accept the favor but now i am in haste on business of importance so saying he took his leave and traveling on long way he came at last to the palace of a king which was all hung with mourning so that it made one's heart black to look at it when Cienzo inquired the cause of the mourning the folks answered a dragon with seven heads has made his appearance in this country the most terrible monster that ever was seen with a crest of a cock the head of a cat eyes of fire the mouth of a bulldog the wings of a bat the claws of a bear and the tail of a serpent now this dragon swallows are made in every day and now the lot has fallen on Manacela the daughter of the king so there is great weeping and wailing in the royal palace since the fairest creature in all the land is doomed to be devoured by this horrid beast when Cienzo heard this he stepped aside and saw Manacela pass by with the morning train accompanied by the ladies of the court and all the women of the land reeling their hands and tearing out their hair by handfuls and bewailing the sad fate of the poor girl then the dragon came out of the cave but Cienzo laid hold of his sword and struck off a head in a trice but the dragon went and rubbed his neck on a certain plot which grew not far off and suddenly the head joined itself on again like a lizard joining itself to its tail Cienzo seeing this exclaimed he who dares not wins not and setting his teeth he struck such a furious blow that he cut off all seven heads which flew from the necks like peas from the pan whereupon he took out the tongues and putting them in his pocket he flung the heads a mile apart from the body so that they might never come together again then he sent Manacela home to her father and went himself to repose in a tavern when the king saw his daughter his delight is not to be told and having heard the manner in which he had been freed he ordered a proclamation to be instantly made that whosoever had killed the dragon should come and marry the princess now a rascal of a country fellow hearing this proclamation took the heads of the dragon and said Manacela has been saved by me these hands have freed the land from destruction behold the dragon's heads which are the proofs of my valour therefore recollect every promise is a debt as soon as the king heard this he lifted the crown from his own head and set it upon the countryman's pole who looked like a thief on the gallows the news of this proclamation flew through the whole country till at last it came to the ears of Cienzo who said to himself verily I am a great blockhead I had hold a fortune by the forelock and I let her escape out of my hand he is a man offers to give me the half of a treasure he finds and I care no more for it than a German for cold water the fairy wishes to entertain me in her palace and I care as little for it as an ask for music and now that I'm called to the crown here I stand and let a rascally thief cheat me out of my trump card so saying he took an ink stand seized the pen and spreading out a sheet of paper began to write to the most beautiful jewel of women Manacela having by the favour of soul in Leo saved thy life I hear that another plumes himself with my labours that another claimed the reward of the service which I rendered thou therefore who was present at the dragon's death canst assure the king of the truth and prevent his allowing another to gain this reward while I have had all the toil for it will be the right effect of thy fair royal grace and the merited recompense of this strong hero's fist in conclusion I kiss thy delicate little hands from the inn of the flowerpot Sunday having written this letter and sealed it with a wafer he placed it in the mouth of the enchanted dog saying run off as fast as you can and take this to the king's daughter give it to no one else but place it in the hand of that silver-faced maiden herself away ran the dog to the palace as if who were flying and going up the stairs he found the king who was still paying compliments to the country clown when the man saw the dog with the letter in his mouth he ordered it to be taken from him but the dog would not give it to anyone and bounding up to Manacela he placed it in her hand then Manacela rose from a seat and making a curtsy to the king she gave him the letter to read and when the king had read it he ordered that the dog should be followed to see where he went and that his master should be brought before him so two of the courtiers immediately followed the dog until they came to the tavern where they found Cienzo and delivering the message from the king they conducted him to the palace into the presence of the king then the king demanded how it was that he boasted of having killed the dragon since the heads were brought by the man who was sitting crowned at his side and Cienzo answered that father deserves a pasteboard mitre rather than a crown since he has had the influence to tell you a bouncing lie but to prove to you that i have done the deed and not this rascal order the heads to be produced none of them can speak to the proof without a tongue and these i have brought with me as witnesses to convince you of the truth so saying he pulled the tongues out of his pocket while the countryman was stuck all over not knowing what would be the end of it and the more so when Manichella added this is the man ah you dog of a countryman a pretty trick you have played me when the king heard this he took the crown from the head of that false loon and placed it on the head of Cienzo and he was on the point of sending the imposter to the galleys but Cienzo begged the king to have mercy on him and to confound his wickedness with courtesy then he married Manichella and the tables were spread and a royal banquet was set forth and in the morning they sent for Antoniello with all his family and Antoniello soon got into great favour with the king and saw in the person of his son the saying verified a straight port to a crooked ship. End of chapter seven Chapter eight of stories from Pantamerone by Giampattista Pesile this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan stories from Pantamerone by Giampattista Pesile Chapter eight Goatface all the ill deeds that a man commits have some colour of excuse either contempt which provokes need which compels love which blinds or anger which breaks the neck but in gratitude is a thing that has no excuse true or false upon which it can fix and it is therefore the worst of vices since it dries up the fountain of compassion extinguishes the fire of love closes the road to benefits and causes of excation and repentance to spring up in the hearts of the ungrateful as you will see in the story which I'm about to relate a peasant had twelve daughters not one of whom was a head taller than the next for every year their mother presented him with a little girl so that the poor man to support his family decently went early every morning as a day laborer and dug hard the whole day long with what his labor produced he just kept his little ones from dying of hunger he happened one day to be digging at the foot of a mountain the spy of other mountains that thrust its head above the clouds to see what they were doing up in the sky and close to a caverns so deep and dark that the sun was afraid to enter it out of this cabin there came a green lizard as big as a crocodile and the poor man was so terrified that he had not the power to run away expecting every moment the end of his days from a gop of that ugly animal but the lizard approaching him said be not afraid my good man for I am not come here to do you any harm but to do you good when Masaniello for that was the name of the laborer heard this he fell on his knees and said mistress what's your name I am holy in your power act then worthily and have compassion on this poor trunk that has 12 branches to support it is on this very account said the lizard that I am disposed to serve you so bring me tomorrow morning the youngest of your daughters for I will rear her up like my own child and love her as my life at this the poor father was more confounded than a thief when the stolen goods are found on his back for hearing the lizard ask him for one of his daughters and that to the tenderest of them he concluded that the cloak was not without wool on it and that she wanted the child as a titbit to stay her appetite then he said to himself if I give her my daughter I give her my soul if I refuse her she will take this body of mine if I yield her I am robbed of my heart if I deny her she will suck out my blood if I consent she takes away part of myself if I refuse she takes the whole what shall I resolve on what course shall I take what expedience shall I adopt oh what an ill day's work have I made of it what a misfortune has rained down from heaven upon me while he was speaking thus the lizard said resolve quickly and do what I tell you or you will leave only your rags here for so I will have it and so it will be Masa Nielo hearing this decree and having no one to whom he could appeal returned home quite melancholy as yellow in the face as if he had drawn this and his wife seeing him hanging his head like a sick bird and his shoulders like one that has wounded said to him what has happened to your husband have you had a quarrel with anyone is there a warrant out against you or is the ass dead nothing of that sort said Masa Nielo but a horned lizard has put me into a fright for she has threatened that if I do not bring her our youngest daughter she will make me suffer for it my head is turning like a real I know not what fish to take on one side love constrains me on the other the burden of my family I love Renzola dearly I love my own life dearly if I do not give the lizard this portion of my heart she will take the whole compass of my unfortunate body so now dear wife advised me or I'm ruined when his wife heard this she said who knows husband but this may be a lizard with two tails that will make our fortune who knows but this lizard may put an end to all our miseries how often when we should have an eagle sight to discern the good luck that is running to meet us we have a cloth before our eyes and the cramp in our hands when we should lay hold on it so go take her away for my heart tells me that some good fortune awaits the poor little thing these words comforted Masa Nielo and the next morning as soon as the sun with the brush of his rays whitewashed the sky which the shades of night had blackened he took the little girl by the hand and led her to the cave then the lizard came out and taking the child gave the father a bag full of crowns saying go now be happy for Renzola has found both father and mother Masa Nielo overjoyed thanked the lizard and went home to his wife there was money enough for portions to all the other daughters when they married and even then the old folks had souls remaining for themselves to enable them to swallow with relish the toils of life then the lizard made a most beautiful palace for Renzola and brought her up in such state and magnificence as would have dazzled the eyes of any queen she wanted for nothing her food was fit for a count her clothing for a princess she had a hundred maidens to wait upon her and with such good treatment she grew as sturdy as an oak tree it happened as the king was out hunting in those parts that night overtook him and as he stood looking round not knowing where to lay his head he saw a candle shining in the palace so he sent one of his servants to ask the owner to give him shelter when the servant came to the palace the lizard appeared before him in the shape of a beautiful lady who after hearing his message said that his master should be a thousand times welcome and that neither bread nor knife should there be wanting the king on hearing this reply went to the palace and was received like a cavalier a hundred pages went out to meet him so that it looked like the funeral of a rich man a hundred other pages brought the dishes to the table a hundred others made a brave noise with musical instruments but above all Renzola served the king and handed him drink with such grace that he drank more love than wine when he had thus been so royally entertained he felt he could not live without Renzola so calling the fury he asked her for his wife we're upon the fairy who wished for nothing but Renzola's good not only freely consented but gave her a dowry of seven millions of gold the king overjoyed at this piece of good fortune departed with Renzola who ill-mannered and ungrateful for all the fairy had done for her went off with her husband without uttering one single word of thanks then the fairy beholding such ingratitude cursed her and wished that her face to become like that of a she-goat and hardly had she uttered the words when Renzola's mouth stretched out with a beard a span long in it her jaws shrunk her skin hardened her cheeks grew hairy and her plattered tresses turned to pointed horns when the poor king saw this he was thunderstruck not knowing what had happened that so great a beauty should be thus transformed and with sighs and tears he exclaimed where are the locks that bound me where are the eyes that transfixed me must I then be the husband of a she-goat no no my heart shall not break for such a goat face so saying as soon as they reached his palace he put Renzola into a kitchen along with a chambermaid and gave to each of them ten bundles of flax to spin commanding them to have the thread ready at the end of a week the maid in obedience to the king set about carding the flax preparing and putting it on the distaff twirling his spindle reeling it and working away without ceasing so that on Saturday evening her thread was all done but Renzola thinking she was still the same as in the fairy's house not having looked at herself in the glass through the flax out of the window saying a pretty thing indeed of the king to set me such work to do if he wants shirts let him buy them and not fancy that he picked me up out of the gutter but let him remember that I brought him home seven millions of gold and that I am his wife and not his servant me thinks too that he is somewhat of a donkey to treat me this way nevertheless when Saturday morning came seeing that the maid had spun all her share of the flax Renzola was greatly afraid so away she went to the palace of the fairy and told him his fortune then the fairy embraced her with great affection and gave her a bag full of spun thread to present to the king and show him what a notable and industrious housewife she was Renzola took the bag and without saying one word of thanks went to the royal palace so again the fairy was quite angered at the conduct of the graceless girl when the king had taken the thread he gave two little dogs one to Renzola and one to the maid telling them to feed and rear them the maid reared hers on breadcrumbs and treated it like a child but Renzola grumbled saying pretty thing truly as my grandfather used to say are we living under the Turks and my indeed to comb and wait upon dogs and she flung the dog out of the window some months afterwards the king asked for the dogs where at Renzola losing heart ran off again to the fairy and at the gate stood the old man who was the porter who are you said he and whom do you want Renzola hearing herself addressed in this offhand way replied don't you know me your goat beard why do you miscall me said the porter this is the thief accusing the constable I a goat beard indeed you are a goat beard and a half and you merit it and worse for your presumption wait a while you impudent woman I'll enlighten you and you will see to what your heirs and impertinence have brought you so saying he ran into his room and taking a looking-glass set it before Renzola who when she saw her ugly hairy visage was like to have died with terror her dismay at seeing her face so altered that she did not know herself cannot be told where upon the old man said to her you ought to recollect Renzola that you are a daughter of a peasant and that it was the fairy that raised you to be a queen but you ruin unmanly and thankless as you are having little gratitude for such high favors have kept her waiting outside your heart without showing the slightest mark of affection you have brought the crawl on yourself see what a face you've got by it see to what you are brought by your ingratitude for through the fairy spell you have not only changed face but condition but if you will do as this white beard advises go and look for the fairy throw yourself at her feet tear your beard beat your breast and ask pardon for the ill treatment you have shown her she is tender-hearted and she will be moved to pity by your misfortune Renzola who was touched to the quick and felt that he had hit the nail on the head followed the old man's advice then the fairy embraced and kissed her and restoring her to her former appearance she clad her in a robe that was quite heavy with gold and placing her in a magnificent coach accompanied with a crowd of servants she brought her to the king when the king beheld her so beautiful and splendidly attired he loved her as his own life blaming himself for all the misery he had made her endure but excusing himself on account of that odious goat face which had been the cause of it thus Renzola lives happy loving her husband honoring the fairy and showing herself grateful to the old man having learned to her cost that it is always good to be manly