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d　with　all　his　family。　It　was　decreed；　however；　perhaps　by　the　judgment　of　Heaven；　that　he　who　had　committed　his　crimes　upon　the　sea；　upon　the　sea　should　suffer　the　punishment　of　them；　for　having　embarked　in　a　small　boat；　no　sooner　was　he　upon　the　open　sea　than　there　came　such　a　storm　of　wind　and　tumult　of　the　waves；　that　the　boat　was　upset　and　all　were　drownedall　except　Nennella；　who　having　had　no　share　in　the　corsair's　robberies；　like　his　wife　and　children；　escaped　the　danger；　for　just　then　a　large　enchanted　fish；　which　was　swimming　about　the　boat；　opened　its　huge　throat　and　swallowed　her　down。

The　little　girl　now　thought　to　herself　that　her　days　were　surely　at　an　end；　when　suddenly　she　found　a　thing　to　amaze　her　inside　the　fish；beautiful　fields　and　fine　gardens；　and　a　splendid　mansion；　with　all　that　heart　could　desire；　in　which　she　lived　like　a　Princess。　Then　she　was　carried　quickly　by　the　fish　to　a　rock；　where　it　chanced　that　the　Prince　had　come　to　escape　the　burning　heat　of　a　summer；　and　to　enjoy　the　cool　sea…breezes。　And　whilst　a　great　banquet　was　preparing；　Nennillo　had　stepped　out　upon　a　balcony　of　the　palace　on　the　rock　to　sharpen　some　knives；　priding　himself　greatly　on　acquiring　honour　from　his　office。　When　Nennella　saw　him　through　the　fish's　throat；　she　cried　aloud；

　　　　　〃Brother；　brother；　your　task　is　done；　　　　　　The　tables　are　laid　out　every　one；　　　　　　But　here　in　the　fish　I　must　sit　and　sigh；　　　　　　O　brother；　without　you　I　soon　shall　die。〃

Nennillo　at　first　paid　no　attention　to　the　voice；　but　the　Prince；　who　was　standing　on　another　balcony　and　had　also　heard　it；　turned　in　the　direction　whence　the　sound　came；　and　saw　the　fish。　And　when　he　again　heard　the　same　words；　he　was　beside　himself　with　amazement；　and　ordered　a　number　of　servants　to　try　whether　by　any　means　they　could　ensnare　the　fish　and　draw　it　to　land。　At　last；　hearing　the　words　〃Brother；　brother！〃　continually　repeated；　he　asked　all　his　servants；　one　by　one；　whether　any　of　them　had　lost　a　sister。　And　Nennillo　replied；　that　he　recollected；　as　a　dream；　having　had　a　sister　when　the　Prince　found　him　in　the　wood；　but　that　he　had　never　since　heard　any　tidings　of　her。　Then　the　Prince　told　him　to　go　nearer　to　the　fish；　and　see　what　was　the　matter；　for　perhaps　this　adventure　might　concern　him。　As　soon　as　Nennillo　approached　the　fish；　it　raised　up　its　head　upon　the　rock；　and　opening　its　throat　six　palms　wide；　Nennella　stepped　out；　so　beautiful　that　she　looked　just　like　a　nymph　in　some　interlude；　come　forth　from　that　animal　at　the　incantation　of　a　magician。　And　when　the　Prince　asked　her　how　it　had　all　happened；　she　told　him　a　part　of　her　sad　story；　and　the　hatred　of　their　stepmother；　but　not　being　able　to　recollect　the　name　of　their　father　nor　of　their　home；　the　Prince　caused　a　proclamation　to　be　issued；　commanding　that　whoever　had　lost　two　children；　named　Nennillo　and　Nennella；　in　a　wood；　should　come　to　the　royal　palace；　and　he　would　there　receive　joyful　news　of　them。

Jannuccio；　who　had　all　this　time　passed　a　sad　and　disconsolate　life；　believing　that　his　children　had　been　devoured　by　wolves；　now　hastened　with　the　greatest　joy　to　seek　the　Prince；　and　told　him　that　he　had　lost　the　children。　And　when　he　had　related　the　story；　how　he　had　been　compelled　to　take　them　to　the　wood；　the　Prince　gave　him　a　good　scolding；　calling　him　a　blockhead　for　allowing　a　woman　to　put　her　heel　upon　his　neck　till　he　was　brought　to　send　away　two　such　jewels　as　his　children。　But　after　he　had　broken　Jannuccio's　head　with　these　words；　he　applied　to　it　the　plaster　of　consolation；　showing　him　the　children；　whom　the　father　embraced　and　kissed　for　half　an　hour　without　being　satisfied。　Then　the　Prince　made　him　pull　off　his　jacket；　and　had　him　dressed　like　a　lord；　and　sending　for　Jannuccio's　wife；　he　showed　her　those　two　golden　pippins；　asked　her　what　that　person　would　deserve　who　should　do　them　any　harm；　and　even　endanger　their　lives。　And　she　replied；　〃For　my　part；　I　would　put　her　into　a　closed　cask；　and　send　her　rolling　down　a　mountain。〃

〃So　it　shall　be　done！〃　said　the　Prince。　〃The　goat　has　butted　at　herself。　Quick　now！　you　have　passed　the　sentence；　and　you　must　suffer　it；　for　having　borne　these　beautiful　stepchildren　such　malice。〃　So　he　gave　orders　that　the　sentence　should　be　instantly　executed。　Then　choosing　a　very　rich　lord　among　his　vassals；　he　gave　him　Nennella　to　wife；　and　the　daughter　of　another　great　lord　to　Nennillo；　allowing　them　enough　to　live　upon；　with　their　father；　so　that　they　wanted　for　nothing　in　the　world。　But　the　stepmother；　shut　into　the　cask　and　shut　out　from　life；　kept　on　crying　through　the　bunghole　as　long　as　she　had　breath

　　　　　〃To　him　who　mischief　seeks；　shall　mischief　fall；　　　　　　There　comes　an　hour　that　recompenses　all。〃



XXXI

THE　THREE　CITRONS

Well　was　it　in　truth　said　by　the　wise　man；　〃Do　not　say　all　you　know；　nor　do　all　you　are　able〃；　for　both　one　and　the　other　bring　unknown　danger　and　unforeseen　ruin；　as　you　shall　hear　of　a　certain　slave　（be　it　spoken　with　all　reverence　for　my　lady　the　Princess）；　who；　after　doing　all　the　injury　in　her　power　to　a　poor　girl；　came　off　so　badly　in　the　court；　that　she　was　the　judge　of　her　own　crime；　and　sentenced　herself　to　the　punishment　she　deserved。

The　King　of　Long…Tower　had　once　a　son；　who　was　the　apple　of　his　eye；　and　on　whom　he　had　built　all　his　hopes；　and　he　longed　impatiently　for　the　time　when　he　should　find　some　good　match　for　him。　But　the　Prince　was　so　averse　to　marriage　and　so　obstinate　that；　whenever　a　wife　was　talked　of；　he　shook　his　head　and　wished　himself　a　hundred　miles　off；　so　that　the　poor　King；　finding　his　son　stubborn　and　perverse；　and　foreseeing　that　his　race　would　come　to　an　end；　was　more　vexed　and　melancholy；　cast　down　and　out　of　spirits；　than　a　merchant　whose　correspondent　has　become　bankrupt；　or　a　peasant　whose　ass　has　died。　Neither　could　the　tears　of　his　father　move　the　Prince；　nor　the　entreaties　of　the　courtiers　soften　him；　nor　the　counsel　of　wise　men　make　him　change　his　mind；　in　vain　they　set　before　his　eyes　the　wishes　of　his　father；　the　wants　of　the　people；　and　his　own　interest；　representing　to　him　that　he　was　the　full…stop　in　the　line　of　the　royal　race；　for　with　the　obstinacy　of　Carella　and　the　stubbornness　of　an　old　mule　with　a　skin　four　fingers　thick；　he　had　planted　his　foot　resolutely；　stopped　his　ears；　and　closed　his　heart　against　all　assaults。　But　as　frequently　more　comes　to　pass　in　an　hour　than　in　a　hundred　years；　and　no　one　can　say；　Stop　here　or　go　there；　it　happened　that　one　day；　when　all　were　at　table；　and　the　Prince　was　cutting　a　piece　of　　new…made　cheese；　whilst　listening　to　the　chit…chat　that　was　going　on；　he　accidentally　cut　his　finger；　and　two　drops　of　blood；　falling　upon　the　cheese；　made　such　a　beautiful　mixture　of　colours　　thateither　it　was　a　punishment　inflicted　by　Love；　or　the　will　of　Heaven　to　console　the　poor　fatherthe　whim　seized　the　Prince　to　find　a　woman　exactly　as　white　and　red　as　that　cheese　tinged　with　blood。　Then　he　said　to　his　father；　〃Sir；　unless　I　have　a　wife　as　white　and　red　as　this　cheese；　it　is　all　over　with　me；　so　now　resolve；　if　you　wish　to　see　me　alive　and　well；　to　give　me　all　I　require　to　go　through　the　world　in　search　of　a　beauty　exactly　like　this　cheese；　or　else　I　shall　end　my　life　and　die　by　inches。〃

When　the　King　heard　this　mad　resolution；　he　thought　the　house　was　falling　about　his　ears；　his　colour　came　and　went；　but　as　soon　as　he　recovered　himself　and　could　speak；　he　said；　〃My　son；　the　life　of　my　soul；　the　core　of　my　heart；　the　prop　of　my　old　age；　what　mad…brained　fancy　has　made　you　take　leave　of　your　senses？　Have　you　lost　your　wits？　You　want　either　all　or　nothing：　first　you　wish　not　to　marry；　on　purpose　to　deprive　me　of　an　heir；　and　now　you　are　impatient　to　drive　me　out　of　the　world。　Whither；　O　whither　would　you　go　wandering　about；　wasting　your　life？　And　why　leave　your　house；　your　hearth；　your　home？　You　know　not　what　toils　and　peril　he　brings　on　himself　who　goes　rambling　and　roving。　Let　this　whim　pass；　my　son；　be　sensible；　and　do　not　wish　to　see　my　life　worn　out；　this　house　fall　to　the　ground；　my　household　go　to　ruin。〃

But　these　and　other　words　went　in　at　one　ear　and　out　at　the　other；　and　were　all　cast　upon　the　sea；　and　the　poor　King；　seeing　that　his　son　was　as　immovable　as　a　rook　upon　a　belfry；　gave　him　a　handful　of　dollars　and　two　or　three　servants；　and　bidding　him　farewell；　he　felt　as　if　his　soul　was　torn　out　of　his　body。　Then　weeping　bitterly；　he　went　to　a　balcony；　and　followed　his　son　with　his　eyes　until　he　was　lost　to　sight。

The　Prince　departed；　leaving　his　unhappy　father　to　his　grief；　and　hastened　on　his　way　through　fields　and　woods；　over　mountain　and　valley；　hill　and　plain；　visiting　various　countries；　and　mixing　with　various　peoples；　and　always　with　his　eyes　wide　awake　to　see　whether　he　could　find　the　object　of　his　desire。　At　the　end　of　several　months　he　arrived　at　the　coast　of　France；　where；　leaving　his　servants　at　a　hospital　with　sore　feet；　he　embarked　alone　in　a　Genoese　boat；　and　set　out　towards　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar。　　There　he　took　a　larger　vessel　and　sailed　for　the　Indies；　seeking　everywhere；　from　kingdom　to　kingdom；　from　province　to　province；　from　country　to　country；　from　street　to　street；　from　house　to　house；　in　every　hole　and　corner；　whether　he　could　find　the　original　likeness　of　that　beautiful　image　which　he　had　pictured　to　his　heart。　And　he　wandered　about　and　about　until　at　length　he　came　to　the　Island　of　the　Ogresses；　where　he　cast　anchor　and　landed。　There　he　found　an　old；　old　woman；　withered　and　shrivelled　up；　and　with　a　hideous　face；　to　whom　he　related　the　reason　that　had　brought　him　to　the　country。　The　old　woman　was　beside　herself　with　amazement　when　she　heard　the　strange　whim　and　the　fancy　of　the　Prince；　and　the　toils　and　perils　he　had　gone　through　to　satisfy　himself；　then　she　said　to　him；　〃Hasten　away；　my　son！　for　if　my　three　daughters　meet　you　I　would　not　give　a　farthing　for　your　life；　half…alive　and　　half…roasted；　a　frying…pan　would　be　your　bier　and　a　belly　your　grave。　But　away　with　you　as　fast　as　a　hare；　and　you　will　not　go　far　before　you　find　what　you　are　seeking！〃

When　the　Prince　heard　this；　frightened；　terrified；　and　aghast；　he　set　off　running　at　full　speed；　and　ran　till　he　came　to　another　country；　where　he　a