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So　they　travelled　on　till　they　came　to　Fair…Flower；　the　King　of　which　place　had　a　daughter　who　ran　like　the　wind；　and　could　pass　over　the　waving　corn　without　bending　an　ear；　and　the　King　had　issued　a　proclamation　that　whoever　could　over…take　her　in　running　should　have　her　to　wife；　but　whoever　was　left　behind　should　lose　his　head。

When　Moscione　arrived　in　this　country　and　heard　the　proclamation；　he　went　straight　to　the　King；　and　offered　to　run　with　his　daughter；　making　the　wise　agreement　either　to　win　the　race　or　leave　his　noddle　there。　But　in　the　morning　he　sent　to　inform　the　King　that　he　was　taken　ill；　and　being　unable　to　run　himself　he　would　send　another　young　man　in　his　place。　〃Come　who　will！〃　said　Ciannetella　（for　that　was　the　King's　daughter）；　〃I　care　not　a　figit　is　all　one　to　me。〃

So　when　the　great　square　was　filled　with　people；　come　to　see　the　race；　insomuch　that　the　men　swarmed　like　ants；　and　the　windows　and　roofs　were　all　as　full　as　an　egg；　Lightning　came　out　and　took　his　station　at　the　top　of　the　square；　waiting　for　the　signal。　And　lo！　forth　came　Ciannetella；　dressed　in　a　little　gown；　tucked　　half…way　up　her　legs；　and　a　neat　and　pretty　little　shoe　with　a　single　sole。　Then　they　placed　themselves　shoulder　to　shoulder；　and　as　soon　as　the　tarantara　and　too…too　of　the　trumpets　was　heard；　off　they　darted；　running　at　such　a　rate　that　their　heels　touched　their　shoulders；　and　in　truth　they　seemed　just　like　hares　with　the　　grey…hounds　after　them；　horses　broken　loose　from　the　stable；　or　dogs　with　kettles　tied　to　their　tails。　But　Lightning　（as　he　was　both　by　name　and　nature）　left　the　princess　more　than　a　　hand's…breadth　behind　him；　and　came　first　to　the　goal。　Then　you　should　have　heard　the　huzzaing　and　shouting；　the　cries　and　the　uproar；　the　whistling　and　clapping　of　hands　of　all　the　people；　bawling　out；　〃Hurra！　Long　life　to　the　stranger！〃　Whereat　Ciannetella's　face　turned　as　red　as　a　schoolboy's　who　is　going　to　be　whipped；　and　she　stood　lost　in　shame　and　confusion　at　seeing　herself　vanquished。　But　as　there　were　to　be　two　heats　to　the　race；　she　fell　to　planning　how　to　be　revenged　for　this　affront；　and　going　home；　she　put　a　charm　into　a　ring　of　such　power　that　if　any　one　had　it　upon　his　finger　his　legs　would　totter　so　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　walk；　much　less　run；　then　she　sent　it　as　a　present　to　Lightning；　begging　him　to　wear　it　on　his　finger　for　love　of　her。

Quick…ear；　who　heard　this　trick　plotted　between　the　father　and　daughter；　said　nothing；　and　waited　to　see　the　upshot　of　the　affair。　And　when；　at　the　trumpeting　of　the　birds；　the　Sun　whipped　on　the　Night；　who　sat　mounted　on　the　jackass　of　the　Shades；　they　returned　to　the　field；　where　at　the　usual　signal　they　fell　to　plying　their　heels。　But　if　Ciannetella　was　like　another　Atalanta；　Lightning　had　become　no　less　like　an　old　donkey　and　a　foundered　horse；　for　he　could　not　stir　a　step。　But　Shoot…straight；　who　saw　his　comrade's　danger；　and　heard　from　Quick…ear　how　matters　stood；　laid　hold　of　his　crossbow　and　shot　a　bolt　so　exactly　that　it　hit　Lightning's　finger；　and　out　flew　the　stone　from　the　ring；　in　which　the　virtue　of　the　charm　lay；　whereupon　his　legs；　that　had　been　tied；　were　set　free；　and　with　four　goat…leaps　he　passed　Ciannetella　and　won　the　race。

The　King　seeing　this　victory　of　a　blockhead；　the　palm　thus　carried　off　by　a　simpleton；　the　triumph　of　a　fool；　bethought　himself　seriously　whether　or　no　he　should　give　him　his　daughter；　and　taking　counsel　with　the　wiseacres　of　his　court；　they　replied　that　Ciannetella　was　not　a　mouthful　for　the　tooth　of　such　a　miserable　dog　and　lose…the…day　bird；　and　that；　without　breaking　his　word；　he　might　commute　the　promise　of　his　daughter　for　a　gift　of　crowns；　which　would　be　more　to　the　taste　of　a　poor　beggar　like　Moscione　than　all　the　women　in　the　world。

This　advice　pleased　the　King；　and　he　asked　Moscione　how　much　money　he　would　take　instead　of　the　wife　who　had　been　promised　him。　Then　Moscione；　after　consulting　with　the　others；　answered；　〃I　will　take　as　much　gold　and　silver　as　one　of　my　comrades　can　carry　on　his　back。〃　The　king　consented；　whereupon　they　brought　　Strong…back；　on　whom　they　began　to　load　bales　of　ducats；　sacks　of　patacas；　large　purses　full　of　crowns；　barrels　of　copper　money；　chests　full　of　chains　and　rings；　but　the　more　they　loaded　him　the　firmer　he　stood；　just　like　a　tower；　so　that　the　treasury；　the　banks；　the　usurers；　and　the　money…dealers　of　the　city　did　not　suffice；　and　he　sent　to　all　the　great　people　in　every　direction　to　borrow　their　silver　candlesticks；　basins；　jugs；　plates；　trays；　and　baskets；　and　yet　all　was　not　enough　to　make　up　the　full　load。　At　length　they　went　away；　not　laden　but　tired　and　satisfied。

When　the　councillors　saw　what　heaps　and　stores　these　six　miserable　dogs　were　carrying　off；　they　said　to　the　King　that　it　was　a　great　piece　of　assery　to　load　them　with　all　the　sinews　of　his　kingdom；　and　that　it　would　be　well　to　send　people　after　them　to　lessen　the　load　of　that　Atlas　who　was　carrying　on　his　shoulders　a　heaven　of　treasure。　The　King　gave　ear　to　this　advice；　and　immediately　despatched　a　party　of　armed　men；　foot　and　horse；　to　overtake　Moscione　and　his　friends。　But　Quick…ear；　who　had　heard　this　counsel；　informed　his　comrades；　and　while　the　dust　was　rising　to　the　sky　from　the　trampling　of　those　who　were　coming　to　unload　the　rich　cargo；　Blow…blast；　seeing　that　things　were　come　to　a　bad　pass；　began　to　blow　at　such　a　rate　that　he　not　only　made　the　enemies　fall　flat　on　the　ground；　but　he　sent　them　flying　more　than　a　mile　distant；　as　the　north　wind　does　the　folks　who　pass　through　that　country。　So　without　meeting　any　more　hindrance；　Moscione　arrived　at　his　father's　house；　where　he　shared　the　booty　with　his　companions；　since；　as　the　saying　goes；　a　good　deed　deserves　a　good　meed。　So　he　sent　them　away　content　and　happy；　but　he　stayed　with　his　father；　rich　beyond　measure；　and　saw　himself　a　simpleton　laden　with　gold；　not　giving　the　lie　to　the　　saying

　　　　　〃Heaven　sends　biscuits　to　him　who　has　no　teeth。〃



XX

THE　STONE　IN　THE　COCK'S　HEAD

　The　robber's　wife　does　not　always　laugh；　he　who　weaves　fraud　works　his　own　ruin；　there　is　no　deceit　which　is　not　at　last　discovered；　no　treachery　that　does　not　come　to　light；　walls　have　ears；　and　are　spies　to　rogues；　the　earth　gapes　and　discovers　theft；　as　I　will　prove　to　you　if　you　pay　attention。

There　was　once　in　the　city　of　Dark…Grotto　a　certain　man　named　Minecco　Aniello；　who　was　so　persecuted　by　fortune　that　all　his　fixtures　and　moveables　consisted　only　of　a　short…legged　cock；　which　he　had　reared　upon　bread…crumbs。　But　one　morning；　being　pinched　with　appetite　（for　hunger　drives　the　wolf　from　the　thicket）；　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　sell　the　cock；　and；　taking　it　to　the　market；　he　met　two　thievish　magicians；　with　whom　he　made　a　bargain；　and　sold　it　for　half…a…crown。　So　they　told　him　to　take　it　to　their　house；　and　they　would　count　him　out　the　money。　Then　the　magicians　went　their　way；　and；　Minecco　Aniello　following　them；　overheard　them　talking　gibberish　together　and　saying；　〃Who　would　have　told　us　that　we　should　meet　with　such　a　piece　of　good　luck；　Jennarone？　This　cock　will　make　our　fortune　to　a　certainty　by　the　stone　which；　you　know；　he　has　in　his　pate。　We　will　quickly　have　it　set　in　a　ring；　and　then　we　shall　have　everything　we　can　ask　for。〃

〃Be　quiet；　Jacovuccio；〃　answered　Jennarone；　〃I　see　myself　rich　and　can　hardly　believe　it；　and　I　am　longing　to　twist　the　cock's　neck　and　give　a　kick　in　the　face　of　beggary；　for　in　this　world　virtue　without　money　goes　for　nothing；　and　a　man　is　judged　of　by　his　coat。〃

When　Minecco　Aniello；　who　had　travelled　about　in　the　world　and　eaten　bread　from　more　than　one　oven；　heard　this　gibberish　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　scampered　off。　And；　running　home；　he　twisted　the　cock's　neck；　and　opening　its　head　found　the　stone；　which　he　had　instantly　set　in　a　brass　ring。　Then；　to　make　a　trial　of　its　virtue；　he　said；　〃I　wish　to　become　a　youth　eighteen　years　old。〃

Hardly　had　he　uttered　the　words　when　his　blood　began　to　flow　more　quickly；　his　nerves　became　stronger；　his　limbs　firmer；　his　flesh　fresher；　his　eyes　more　fiery；　his　silver　hairs　were　turned　into　gold；　his　mouth；　which　was　a　sacked　village；　became　peopled　with　teeth；　his　beard；　which　was　as　thick　as　a　wood；　became　like　a　nursery　gardenin　short；　he　was　changed　to　a　most　beautiful　youth。　Then　he　said　again；　〃I　wish　for　a　splendid　palace；　and　to　marry　the　King's　daughter。〃　And　lo！　there　instantly　appeared　a　palace　of　incredible　magnificence；　in　which　were　apartments　that　would　amaze　you；　columns　to　astound　you；　pictures　to　fill　you　with　wonder；　silver　glittered　around；　and　gold　was　trodden　underfoot；　the　jewels　dazzled　your　eyes；　the　servants　swarmed　like　ants；　the　horses　and　carriages　were　not　to　be　countedin　short；　there　was　such　a　display　of　riches　that　the　King　stared　at　the　sight；　and　willingly　gave　him　his　daughter　Natalizia。

Meanwhile　the　magicians；　having　discovered　Minecco　Aniello's　great　wealth；　laid　a　plan　to　rob　him　of　his　good　fortune；　so　they　made　a　pretty　little　doll　which　played　and　danced　by　means　of　clockwork；　and；　dressing　themselves　like　merchants；　they　went　to　Pentella；　the　daughter　of　Minecco　Aniello；　under　pretext　of　selling　it　to　her。　When　Pentella　saw　the　beautiful　little　thing　she　asked　them　what　price　they　put　upon　it；　and　they　replied　that　it　was　not　to　be　bought　with　money；　but　that　she　might　have　it　and　welcome　if　she　would　only　do　them　a　favour；　which　was　to　let　them　see　the　make　of　the　ring　which　her　father　possessed；　in　order　to　take　the　model　and　make　another　like　it；　then　they　would　give　her　the　doll　without　any　payment　at　all。

Pentella；　who　had　never　heard　the　proverb；　〃Think　well　before　you　buy　anything　cheap；〃　instantly　accepted　this　offer；　and；　bidding　them　return　the　next　morning；　she　promised　to　ask　her　father　to　lend　her　the　ring。　So　the　magicians　went　away；　and　when　her　father　returned　home　Pentella　coaxed　and　caressed　him；　until　at　last　she　persuaded　him　to　give　her　the　ring；　making　the　excuse　that　she　was　sad　at　heart；　and　wished　to　divert　her　mind　a　little。

When　the　next　day　came；　as　soon　as　the　scavenger　of　the　Sun　sweeps　the　last　traces　of　the　Shades　from　the　streets　and　squares　of　Heaven；　the　magicians　returned；　and　no　sooner　had