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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　Peruonto　replied　as　before

　　　　　〃If　you　would　have　me　say　the　spell；　　　　　　With　figs　and　raisins　feed　me　well！〃

Then　Vastolla　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。　Vastolla；　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　a…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　Flanders　tablecloth；　with　dishes　full　of　roast　meats　and　all　sorts　of　viands；　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　ceasedsuch　delicious　music　that　it　went　to　the　tips　of　his　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　Vastolla　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。



IV

VARDIELLO

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；　purchaser　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　am　going　to　tell　you。

Grannonia　of　Aprano　was　a　woman　of　a　great　sense　and　judgment；　but　she　had　a　son　named　Vardiello；　who　was　the　greatest　booby　and　simpleton　in　the　whole　country　round　about。　Nevertheless；　as　a　mother's　eyes　are　bewitched　and　see　what　does　not　exist；　she　doted　upon　him　so　much；　that　she　was　for　ever　caressing　and　fondling　him　as　if　he　were　the　handsomest　creature　in　the　world。

Now　Grannonia　kept　a　brood…hen；　that　was　sitting　upon　a　nest　of　eggs；　in　which　she　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　Vardiello；　〃you　are　not　speaking　to　deaf　ears。〃

〃One　thing　more；〃　said　the　mother；　〃look…ye；　my　blessed　son；　in　yon　cupboard　is　a　pot　full　of　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　Vardiello；　〃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。〃

Thereupon　the　mother　went　out；　but　Vardiello　stayed　behind；　and；　in　order　to　lose　no　time；　he　went　into　the　garden　to　dig　holes；　which　he　covered　with　boughs　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；　whereupon　he　began　to　cry；　〃Hish；　hish！　this　way；　that　way！〃　But　the　hen　did　not　stir　a　foot；　and　Vardiello；　seeing　that　she　had　something　of　the　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　pate；　and　made　her　quickly　stretch　her　legs。

When　Vardiello　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　omelet　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；　Vardiello；　to　do　everything　in　due　order；　spread　a　clean　cloth　upon　an　old　chest；　and　then；　taking　a　flagon；　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　in　the　house；　which　seemed　like　the　clattering　of　horses'　hoofs。　Whereat　starting　up　in　alarm　and　turning　his　eyes；　he　saw　a　big　tom…cat；　which　had　run　off　with　the　hen；　spit　and　all；　and　another　cat　chasing　after　him；　mewing；　and　crying　out　for　a　part。

Vardiello；　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　Vardiello　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　mouth；　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　fooleries　he　had　committed；　he　must　have　lost　the　game　in　the　good　graces　of　Grannonia；　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　her　voice。　But　as　nobody　answered；　she　imagined　that　some　mischief　must　have　happened；　and　with　increased　lamentation　she　went　on　crying　louder　and　louder；　〃Vardiello！　Vardiello！　are　you　deaf；　that　you　don't　hear？　Have　you　the　cramp；　that　you　don't　run？　Have　you　the　pip；　that　you　don't　answer？　Where　are　you；　you　rogue？　Where　are　you　hidden；　you　naughty　fellow？〃

Vardiello；　on　hearing　all　this　hubbub　and　abuse；　cried　out　at　last　with　a　piteous　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！〃　cried　Grannonia；　〃how　came　you　to　do　that？　What　cause　have　you　had　to　commit　this　homicide？　And　who　has　given　you　poison？〃　Then　Vardiello　told　her；　one　after　another；　all　the　pretty　things　he　had　done；　on　which　account　he　wished　to　die　and　not　to　remain　any　longer　a　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　whimsey　out　of　Vardiello's　head。　And　being　infatuated　and　dotingly　fond　of　him；　she　gave　him　some　nice　sweetmeats；　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　cheering　words；　and　showered　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。

〃Tut；　tut！〃　said　Vardiello；　〃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　any　one　asked　him；　〃What　cloth　have　you　there？〃　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　espy；　in　the　courtyard　of　a　house　which　was　deserted　on　account　of　the　Monaciello；　a　plaster　statue；　and　being　tired　out；　and　wearied　with　going　about　and　about；　he　sat　himself　down　on　a　bench。　But　not　seeing　any　one　astir　in　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？〃　Vardiello　waited　awhile；　but　as　the　statue　gave　no　answer；　he　thought　this　surely　was　a　man　of　few　words。　So　he　said；　〃Friend；　will　you