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ive　a　hundred　years　if　they　can　dispense　with　flyingfor　when　the　ant　is　going　to　die　she　puts　on　wings；　to　the　whale；　that　it　should　be　of　good　cheer；　and　make　friends　with　the　sea…mouse；　who　will　serve　him　as　a　guide；　so　that　he　will　never　go　wrong；　and　to　the　doves；　that　when　they　alight　on　the　column　of　wealth；　they　will　return　to　their　former　state。〃

So　saying；　Time　set　out　to　run　his　accustomed　post；　and　Cianna；　taking　leave　of　the　old　woman；　descended　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　just　at　the　very　time　that　the　seven　doves；　who　had　followed　their　sister's　footsteps；　arrived　there。　Wearied　with　flying　so　far；　they　stopped　to　rest　upon　the　horn　of　a　dead　ox；　and　no　sooner　had　they　alighted　than　they　were　changed　into　handsome　youths　as　they　were　at　first。　But　while　they　were　marvelling　at　this；　they　heard　the　reply　which　Time　had　given；　and　saw　at　once　that　the　horn；　as　the　symbol　of　plenty；　was　the　column　of　wealth　of　which　Time　had　spoken。　Then　embracing　their　sister　with　great　joy；　they　all　set　out　on　the　same　road　by　which　Cianna　had　come。　And　when　they　came　to　the　oak…tree；　and　told　it　what　Cianna　had　heard　from　Time；　the　tree　begged　them　to　take　away　the　treasure　from　its　roots；　since　it　was　the　cause　why　its　acorns　had　lost　their　reputation。　Thereupon　the　seven　brothers；　taking　a　spade　which　they　found　in　a　garden；　dug　and　dug；　until　they　came　to　a　great　heap　of　gold　money；　which　they　divided　into　eight　parts　and　shared　among　themselves　and　their　sister；　so　that　they　might　carry　it　away　conveniently。　But　being　wearied　with　the　journey　and　the　load；　they　laid　themselves　down　to　sleep　under　a　hedge。　Presently　a　band　of　robbers　coming　by；　and　seeing　the　poor　fellows　asleep；　with　their　heads　upon　the　clothfuls　of　money；　bound　them　hand　and　foot　to　some　trees　and　took　away　their　money；　leaving　them　to　bewail　not　only　their　wealthwhich　had　slipped　through　their　fingers　as　soon　as　foundbut　their　life；　for　being　without　hope　of　succour；　they　were　in　peril　of　either　soon　dying　of　hunger　or　allaying　the　hunger　of　some　wild　beast。

As　they　were　lamenting　their　unhappy　lot；　up　came　the　mouse；　who；　as　soon　as　she　heard　the　reply　which　Time　had　given；　in　return　for　the　good　service；　nibbled　the　cords　with　which　they　were　bound　and　set　them　free。　And　having　gone　a　little　way　farther；　they　met　on　the　road　the　ant；　who；　when　she　heard　the　advice　of　Time；　asked　Cianna　what　was　the　matter　that　she　was　so　pale…faced　and　cast　down。　And　when　Cianna　told　her　their　misfortune；　and　the　trick　which　the　robbers　had　played　them；　the　ant　replied；　〃Be　quiet；　I　can　now　requite　the　kindness　you　have　done　me。　You　must　know；　that　whilst　I　was　carrying　a　load　of　grain　underground；　I　saw　a　place　where　these　dogs　of　assassins　hide　their　plunder。　They　have　made　some　holes　under　an　old　building；　in　which　they　shut　up　all　the　things　they　have　stolen。　They　are　just　now　gone　out　for　some　new　robbery；　and　I　will　go　with　you　and　show　you　the　place；　so　that　you　may　recover　your　money。〃

So　saying；　she　took　the　way　towards　some　tumbled…down　houses；　and　showed　the　seven　brothers　the　mouth　of　the　pit；　whereupon　Giangrazio；　who　was　bolder　than　the　rest；　entering　it；　found　there　all　the　money　of　which　they　had　been　robbed。　Then　taking　it　with　them；　they　set　out；　and　walked　towards　the　seashore；　where　they　found　the　whale；　and　told　him　the　good　advice　which　Time　who　is　the　father　of　counselhad　given　them。　And　whilst　they　stood　talking　of　their　journey　and　all　that　had　befallen　them；　they　saw　the　robbers　suddenly　appear；　armed　to　the　teeth；　who　had　followed　in　their　footsteps。　At　this　sight　they　exclaimed；　〃Alas；　alas！　we　are　now　wholly　lost；　for　here　come　the　robbers　armed；　and　they　will　not　leave　the　skin　on　our　bodies。〃

〃Fear　not；〃　replied　the　whale；　〃for　I　can　save　you　out　of　the　fire；　and　will　thus　requite　the　love　you　have　shown　me；　so　get　upon　my　back；　and　I　will　quickly　carry　you　to　a　place　of　safety。〃

Cianna　and　her　brothers；　seeing　the　foe　at　their　heels　and　the　water　up　to　their　throats；　climbed　upon　the　whale；　who；　keeping　far　off　from　the　rocks；　carried　them　to　within　sight　of　Naples。　But　being　afraid　to　land　them　on　account　of　the　shoals　and　shallows；　he　said；　〃Where　would　you　like　me　to　land　you？　On　the　shore　of　Amalfi？〃　And　Giangrazio　answered；　〃See　whether　that　cannot　be　avoided；　my　dear　fish。　I　do　not　wish　to　land　at　any　place　hereabouts；　for　at　Massa　they　say　barely　good…day；　at　Sorrento　thieves　are　plenty；　at　Vico　they　say　you　may　go　your　way；　at　Castel…a…mare　no　one　says　how　are　ye。〃

Then　the　whale；　to　please　them；　turned　about　and　went　toward　the　Salt…rock；　where　he　left　them；　and　they　got　put　on　shore　by　the　first　fishing…boat　that　passed。　Thereupon　they　returned　to　their　own　country；　safe　and　sound　and　rich；　to　the　great　joy　and　consolation　of　their　mother　and　father。　And；　thanks　to　the　goodness　of　Cianna；　they　enjoyed　a　happy　life；　verifying　the　old　saying

　　　　〃Do　good　whenever　you　can；　and　forget　it。〃



XXV

THE　RAVEN

It　is　truly　a　great　proverb〃Rather　a　crooked　sight　than　a　crooked　judgment〃；　but　it　is　so　difficult　to　adopt　it　that　the　judgment　of　few　men　hits　the　nail　on　the　head。　On　the　contrary；　in　the　sea　of　human　affairs；　the　greater　part　are　fishers　in　smooth　waters；　who　catch　crabs；　and　he　who　thinks　to　take　the　most　exact　measure　of　the　object　at　which　he　aims　often　shoots　widest　of　the　mark。　The　consequence　of　this　is　that　all　are　running　pell…mell；　all　toiling　in　the　dark；　all　thinking　crookedly；　all　acting　child's…play；　all　judging　at　random；　and　with　a　haphazard　blow　of　a　foolish　resolution　bringing　upon　themselves　a　bitter　repentance；　as　was　the　case　with　the　King　of　Shady…Grove；　and　you　shall　hear　how　it　fared　with　him　if　you　summon　me　within　the　circle　of　modesty　with　the　bell　of　courtesy；　and　give　me　a　little　attention。

It　is　said　that　there　was　once　a　king　of　Shady…Grove　named　Milluccio；　who　was　so　devoted　to　the　chase；　that　he　neglected　the　needful　affairs　of　his　state　and　household　to　follow　the　track　of　a　hare　or　the　flight　of　a　thrush。　And　he　pursued　this　road　so　far　that　chance　one　day　led　him　to　a　thicket；　which　had　formed　a　solid　square　of　earth　and　trees　to　prevent　the　horses　of　the　Sun　from　breaking　through。　There；　upon　a　most　beautiful　marble　stone；　he　found　a　raven；　which　had　just　been　killed。

The　King；　seeing　the　bright　red　blood　sprinkled　upon　the　white；　white　marble；　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　exclaimed；　〃O　heavens！　and　cannot　I　have　a　wife　as　white　and　red　as　this　stone；　and　with　hair　and　eyebrows　as　black　as　the　feathers　of　this　raven？〃　And　he　stood　for　a　while　so　buried　in　this　thought　that　he　became　a　counterpart　to　the　stone；　and　looked　like　a　marble　image　making　love　to　the　other　marble。　And　this　unhappy　fancy　fixing　itself　in　his　head；　as　he　searched　for　it　everywhere　with　the　lanthorn　of　desire；　it　grew　in　four　seconds　from　a　picktooth　to　a　pole；　from　a　crab…apple　to　an　Indian　pumpkin；　from　barber's　embers　to　a　glass　furnace；　and　from　a　dwarf　to　a　giant；　insomuch　that　he　thought　of　nothing　else　than　the　image　of　that　object　encrusted　in　his　heart　as　stone　to　stone。　Wherever　he　turned　his　eyes　that　form　was　always　presented　to　him　which　he　carried　in　his　breast；　and　forgetting　all　besides；　he　had　nothing　but　that　marble　in　his　head；　in　short；　he　became　in　a　manner　so　worn　away　upon　the　stone　that　he　was　at　last　as　thin　as　the　edge　of　a　penknife；　and　this　marble　was　a　millstone　which　crushed　his　life；　a　slab　of　porphyry　upon　which　the　colours　of　his　days　were　ground　and　mixed；　a　tinder…box　which　set　fire　to　the　brimstone　match　of　his　soul；　a　loadstone　which　attracted　him；　and　lastly；　a　rolling…stone　which　could　never　rest。

At　length　his　brother　Jennariello；　seeing　him　so　pale　and　half…dead；　said　to　him；　〃My　brother；　what　has　happened　to　you；　that　you　carry　grief　lodged　in　your　eyes；　and　despair　sitting　under　the　pale　banner　of　your　face？　What　has　befallen　you？　Speakopen　your　heart　to　your　brother：　the　smell　of　charcoal　shut　up　in　a　chamber　poisons　peoplepowder　pent　up　in　a　mountain　blows　it　into　the　air；　open　your　lips；　therefore；　and　tell　me　what　is　the　matter　with　you；　at　all　events　be　assured　that　I　would　lay　down　a　thousand　lives　if　I　could　to　help　you。〃

Then　Milluccio；　mingling　words　and　sighs；　thanked　him　for　his　love；　saying　that　he　had　no　doubt　of　his　affection；　but　that　there　was　no　remedy　for　his　ill；　since　it　sprang　from　a　stone；　where　he　had　sown　desires　without　hope　of　fruita　stone　from　which　he　did　not　expect　a　mushroom　of　contenta　stone　of　Sisyphus；　which　he　bore　to　the　mountain　of　designs；　and　when　it　reached　the　top　rolled　over　and　over　to　the　bottom。　At　length；　however；　after　a　thousand　entreaties；　Milluccio　told　his　brother　all　about　his　love；　whereupon　Jennariello　comforted　him　as　much　as　he　could；　and　bade　him　be　of　good　cheer；　and　not　give　way　to　an　unhappy　passion；　for　that　he　was　resolved；　in　order　to　satisfy　him；　to　go　all　the　world　over　until　he　found　a　woman　the　counterpart　of　the　stone。

Then　instantly　fitting　out　a　large　ship；　filled　with　merchandise；　and　dressing　himself　like　a　merchant；　he　sailed　for　Venice；　the　wonder　of　Italy；　the　receptacle　of　virtuous　men；　the　great　book　of　the　marvels　of　art　and　nature；　and　having　procured　there　a　　safe…conduct　to　pass　to　the　Levant；　he　set　sail　for　Cairo。　When　he　arrived　there　and　entered　the　city；　he　saw　a　man　who　was　carrying　a　most　beautiful　falcon；　and　Jennariello　at　once　purchased　it　to　take　to　his　brother；　who　was　a　sportsman。　Soon　afterwards　he　met　another　man　with　a　splendid　horse；　which　he　also　bought；　whereupon　he　went　to　an　inn　to　refresh　himself　after　the　fatigues　he　had　suffered　at　sea。

The　following　morning；　when　the　army　of　the　Star；　at　the　command　of　the　general　of　the　Light；　strikes　the　tents　in　the　camp　of　the　sky　and　abandons　the　post；　Jennariello　set　out　to　wander　through　the　city；　having　his　eyes　about　him　like　a　lynx；　looking　at　this　woman　and　that；　to　see　whether　by　chance　he　could　find　the　likeness　to　a　stone　upon　a　face　of　flesh。　And　as　he　was　wandering　about　at　random；　turning　continually　to　this　side　and　that；　like　a　thief　in　fear　of　the　constables；　he　met　a　beggar　carrying　an　hospital　of　plasters　and　a　mountain　of　rags　upon　his　back；　who　said　to　him；　〃My　gallant　sir；　what　makes　you