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column　of　my　life）　had　not　protected　me；　you　would　at　this　moment　have　been　a　widow。〃　So　saying；　he　gave　orders　that　justice　should　take　its　course。

When　Jennariello　heard　this　sentence；　and　saw　himself　so　　ill…rewarded　for　doing　good；　he　knew　not　what　to　think　or　to　do。　If　he　said　nothing；　bad；　if　he　spoke；　worse；　and　whatever　he　should　do　was　a　fall　from　the　tree　into　the　wolf's　mouth。　If　he　remained　silent；　he　should　lose　his　head　under　an　axe；　if　he　spoke；　he　should　end　his　days　in　a　stone。　At　length；　after　various　resolutions；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　disclose　the　matter　to　his　brother；　and　since　he　must　die　at　all　events；　he　thought　it　better　to　tell　his　brother　the　truth；　and　to　end　his　days　with　the　title　of　an　innocent　man；　than　to　keep　the　truth　to　himself　and　be　sent　out　of　the　world　as　a　traitor。　So　sending　word　to　the　King　that　he　had　something　to　say　of　importance　to　his　state；　he　was　led　into　his　presence；　where　he　first　made　a　long　preamble　of　the　love　he　had　always　borne　him；　then　he　went　on　to　tell　of　the　deception　he　had　practiced　on　Liviella　in　order　to　give　him　pleasure；　and　then　what　he　had　heard　from　the　doves　about　the　falcon；　and　how；　to　avoid　being　turned　to　marble；　he　had　brought　it　him；　and　without　revealing　the　secret　had　killed　it　in　order　not　to　see　him　without　eyes。

As　he　spoke；　he　felt　his　legs　stiffen　and　turn　to　marble。　And　when　he　went　on　to　relate　the　affair　of　the　horse　in　the　same　manner；　he　became　visibly　stone　up　to　the　waist；　stiffening　miserably　a　thing　which　at　another　time　he　would　have　paid　in　ready　money；　but　which　now　his　heart　wept　at。　At　last；　when　he　came　to　the　affair　of　the　dragon；　he　stood　like　a　statue　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　stone　from　head　to　foot。　When　the　King　saw　this；　reproaching　himself　for　the　error　he　had　committed；　and　the　rash　sentence　he　had　passed　upon　so　good　and　loving　a　brother；　he　mourned　him　more　than　a　year；　and　every　time　he　thought　of　him　he　shed　a　river　of　tears。

Meanwhile　Liviella　gave　birth　to　two　sons；　who　were　two　of　the　most　beautiful　creatures　in　the　world。　And　after　a　few　months；　when　the　Queen　was　gone　into　the　country　for　pleasure；　and　the　father　and　his　two　little　boys　chanced　to　be　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　gazing　with　tearful　eyes　on　the　statuethe　memorial　of　his　folly；　which　had　taken　from　him　the　flower　of　men　behold　a　stately　and　venerable　old　man　entered；　whose　long　hair　fell　upon　his　shoulders　and　whose　beard　covered　his　breast。　And　making　a　reverence　to　the　King；　the　old　man　said　to　him；　〃What　would　your　Majesty　give　to　have　this　noble　brother　return　to　his　former　state？〃　And　the　King　answered；　〃I　would　give　my　kingdom。〃　〃Nay；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃this　is　not　a　thing　that　requires　payment　in　wealth；　but　being　an　affair　of　life；　it　must　be　paid　for　with　as　much　again　of　life。〃

Then　the　King；　partly　out　of　the　love　he　bore　Jennariello；　and　partly　from　hearing　himself　reproached　with　the　injury　he　had　done　him；　answered；　〃Believe　me；　my　good　sir；　I　would　give　my　own　life　for　his　life；　and　provided　that　he　came　out　of　the　stone；　I　should　be　content　to　be　enclosed　in　a　stone。〃

Hearing　this　the　old　man　said；　〃Without　putting　your　life　to　the　risksince　it　takes　so　long　to　rear　a　manthe　blood　of　these；　your　two　little　boys；　smeared　upon　the　marble；　would　suffice　to　make　him　instantly　come　to　life。〃　Then　the　King　replied；　〃Children　I　may　have　again；　but　I　have　a　brother；　and　another　I　can　never　more　hop　to　see。〃　So　saying；　he　made　a　pitiable　sacrifice　of　two　little　innocent　kids　before　an　idol　of　stone；　and　besmearing　the　statue　with　their　blood；　it　instantly　became　alive；　whereupon　the　King　embraced　his　brother；　and　their　joy　is　not　to　be　told。　Then　they　had　these　poor　little　creatures　put　into　a　coffin；　in　order　to　give　them　burial　with　all　due　honour。　But　just　at　that　instant　the　Queen　returned　home；　and　the　King；　bidding　his　brother　hide　himself；　said　to　his　wife；　〃What　would　you　give；　my　heart；　to　have　my　brother　restored　to　life？〃　〃I　would　give　this　whole　kingdom；〃　replied　Liviella。　And　the　King　answered；　〃Would　you　give　the　blood　of　your　children？〃　〃Nay；　not　that；　indeed；〃　replied　the　Queen；　〃for　I　could　not　be　so　cruel　as　to　tear　out　with　my　own　hands　the　apple　of　my　eyes。〃　〃Alas！〃　said　the　King；　〃in　order　to　see　a　brother　alive；　I　have　killed　my　own　children！　for　this　was　the　price　of　Jennariello's　life！〃

So　saying；　he　showed　the　Queen　the　little　boys　in　the　coffin；　and　when　she　saw　this　sad　spectacle；　she　cried　aloud　like　one　mad；　saying；　〃O　my　children！　you　props　of　my　life；　joys　of　my　heart；　fountains　of　my　blood！　Who　has　painted　red　the　windows　of　the　sun？　Who　has　without　a　doctor's　licence　bled　the　chief　vein　of　my　life？　Alas；　my　children；　my　children！　my　hope　now　taken　from　me；　my　light　now　darkened；　my　joy　now　poisoned；　my　support　now　lost！　You　are　stabbed　by　the　sword；　I　am　pierced　by　grief；　you　are　drowned　in　blood；　I　in　tears。　Alas　that；　to　give　life　to　an　uncle；　you　have　slain　your　mother！　For　I　am　no　longer　able　to　weave　the　thread　of　my　days　without　you；　the　fair　counterpoises　of　the　loom　of　my　unhappy　life。　The　organ　of　my　voice　must　be　silent；　now　that　its　bellows　are　taken　away。　O　children；　children！　why　do　ye　not　give　answer　to　your　mother；　who　once　gave　you　the　blood　in　your　veins；　and　now　weeps　it　for　you　from　her　eyes？　But　since　fate　shows　me　the　fountain　of　my　happiness　dried　up；　I　will　no　longer　live　the　sport　of　fortune　in　the　world；　but　will　go　at　once　to　find　you　again！〃

So　saying；　she　ran　to　a　window　to　throw　herself　out；　but　just　at　that　instant　her　father　entered　by　the　same　window　in　a　cloud；　and　called　to　her；　〃Stop；　Liviella！　I　have　now　accomplished　what　I　intended；　and　killed　three　birds　with　one　stone。　I　have　revenged　myself　on　Jennariello；　who　came　to　my　house　to　rob　me　of　my　daughter；　by　making　him　stand　all　these　months　like　a　marble　statue　in　a　block　of　stone。　I　have　punished　you　for　your　　ill…conduct　in　going　away　in　a　ship　without　my　permission；　by　showing　you　your　two　children；　your　two　jewels；　killed　by　their　own　father。　And　I　have　punished　the　King　for　the　caprice　he　took　into　his　head；　by　making　him　first　the　judge　of　his　brother；　and　afterwards　the　executioner　of　his　children。　But　as　I　have　wished　only　to　shear　and　not　to　flay　you；　I　desire　now　that　all　the　poison　may　turn　into　sweetmeats　for　you。　Therefore；　go；　take　again　your　children　and　my　grandchildren；　who　are　more　beautiful　than　ever。　And　you；　Milluccio；　embrace　me。　I　receive　you　as　my　　son…in…law　and　as　my　son。　And　I　pardon　Jennariello　his　offence；　having　done　all　that　he　did　out　of　love　to　so　excellent　a　brother。〃

And　as　he　spoke；　the　little　children　came；　and　the　grandfather　was　never　satisfied　with　embracing　and　kissing　them；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　rejoicings　Jennariello　entered；　as　a　third　sharer　in　them；　who；　after　suffering　so　many　storms　of　fate；　was　now　swimming　in　macaroni　broth。　But　notwithstanding　all　the　after　pleasures　that　he　enjoyed　in　life；　his　past　dangers　never　went　from　his　mind；　and　he　was　always　thinking　on　the　error　his　brother　had　committed；　and　how　careful　a　man　ought　to　be　not　to　fall　into　the　ditch；　　since

　　　　　〃All　human　judgment　is　false　and　perverse。〃



XXVI

THE　MONTHS

It　is　a　saying　worthy　to　be　written　in　letters　as　big　as　those　on　a　monument；　that　silence　never　harmed　any　one：　and　let　it　not　be　imagined　that　those　slanderers　who　never　speak　well　of　others；　but　are　always　cutting　and　stinging；　and　pinching　and　biting；　ever　gain　anything　by　their　malice；　for　when　the　bags　come　to　be　shaken　out；　it　has　always　been　seen；　and　is　so　still；　that　whilst　a　good　word　gains　love　and　profit；　slander　brings　enmity　and　ruin；　and　when　you　shall　have　heard　how　this　happens；　you　will　say　I　speak　with　reason。

Once　upon　a　time　there　were　two　brothersCianne；　who　was　as　rich　as　a　lord；　and　Lise；　who　had　barely　enough　to　live　upon：　but　poor　as　one　was　in　fortune；　so　pitiful　was　the　other　in　mind；　for　he　would　not　have　given　his　brother　a　farthing　were　it　to　save　his　life；　so　that　poor　Lise　in　despair　left　his　country；　and　set　out　to　wander　over　the　world。　And　he　wandered　on　and　on；　till　one　wet　and　cold　evening　he　came　to　an　inn；　where　he　found　twelve　youths　seated　around　a　fire；　who；　when　they　saw　poor　Lise　benumbed　with　cold；　partly　from　the　severe　season　and　partly　from　his　ragged　clothes；　invited　him　to　sit　down　by　the　fire。

Lise　accepted　the　invitation；　for　he　needed　it　greatly；　and　began　to　warm　himself。　And　as　he　was　warming　himself；　one　of　the　young　men　whose　face　was　such　a　picture　of　moroseness　as　to　make　you　die　of　fright；　said　to　him；　〃What　think　you；　countryman；　of　this　weather？〃

〃What　do　I　think　of　it？〃　replied　Lise；　〃I　think　that　all　the　months　of　the　year　perform　their　duty；　but　we；　who　know　not　what　we　would　have；　wish　to　give　laws　to　Heaven；　and　wanting　to　have　things　our　own　way；　we　do　not　fish　deeply　enough　to　the　bottom；　to　find　out　whether　what　comes　into　our　fancy　be　good　or　evil；　useful　or　hurtful。　In　winter；　when　it　rains；　we　want　the　sun　in　Leo；　and　in　the　month　of　August　the　clouds　to　discharge　themselves；　not　reflecting；　that　were　this　the　case；　the　seasons　would　be　turned　topsy…turvy；　the　seed　sown　would　be　lost；　the　crops　would　be　destroyed；　the　bodies　of　men　would　faint　away；　and　Nature　would　go　head　over　heels。　Therefore　let　us　leave　Heaven　to　its　own　course；　for　it　has　made　the　tree　to　mitigate　with　its　wood　the　severity　of　winter；　and　with　its　leaves　the　heat　of　summer。〃

〃You　speak　like　Samson！〃　replied　the　youth；　〃but　you　cannot　deny　that　this　month　of　March；　in　which　we　now　are；　is　very　impertinent　to　send　all　this　frost　and　rain；　snow　and　hail；　wind　and　storm；　these　fogs　and　tempests　and　other　troubles；　that　make　one's　life　a　burden。〃

〃You　tell　only　the　ill　of　this　poor　month；〃　replied　Lisa；　〃but　do　not　speak　of　the　benefits　it　yields　us；　for；　by　bringing　forward　the　Spring；　it　commences　the　production　of　things；　and　is　alone　the　cause　that　the　Sun　proves　the　happiness　of　the　present　time；　by　leading　him　into　the　house　of　the　Ram。〃

The　youth　was　greatly　pleased　at　what　Lise　said；　for　he　was　in　truth　no　other　than　the　month　of　March　itself；　who　had　arrived　at　that　inn　with　his　eleven　brothers；　and　to　reward　Lise's　goodness；　who　had　no