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So　saying　he　took　his　leave；　and　travelling　on　a　long　way　he　came　at　last　to　the　palace　of　a　King；　which　was　all　hung　with　mourning；　so　that　it　made　one's　heart　black　to　look　at　it。　When　Cienzo　inquired　the　cause　of　the　mourning　the　folks　answered；　〃A　dragon　with　seven　heads　has　made　his　appearance　in　this　country；　the　most　terrible　monster　that　ever　was　seen；　with　the　crest　of　a　cock；　the　head　of　a　cat；　eyes　of　fire；　the　mouth　of　a　bulldog；　the　wings　of　a　bat；　the　claws　of　a　bear；　and　the　tail　of　a　serpent。　Now　this　dragon　swallows　a　maiden　every　day；　and　now　the　lot　has　fallen　on　Menechella；　the　daughter　of　the　King。　So　there　is　great　weeping　and　wailing　in　the　royal　palace；　since　the　fairest　creature　in　all　the　land　is　doomed　to　be　devoured　by　this　horrid　beast。〃

When　Cienzo　heard　this　he　stepped　aside　and　saw　Menechella　pass　by　with　the　mourning　train；　accompanied　by　the　ladies　of　the　court　and　all　the　women　of　the　land；　wringing　their　hands　and　tearing　out　their　hair　by　handfuls；　and　bewailing　the　sad　fate　of　the　poor　girl。　Then　the　dragon　came　out　of　the　cave。　But　Cienzo　laid　hold　of　his　sword　and　struck　off　a　head　in　a　trice；　but　the　dragon　went　and　rubbed　his　neck　on　a　certain　plant　which　grew　not　far　off；　and　suddenly　the　head　joined　itself　on　again；　like　a　lizard　joining　itself　to　its　tail。　Cienzo；　seeing　this；　exclaimed；　〃He　who　dares　not；　wins　not〃；　and；　setting　his　teeth；　he　struck　such　a　furious　blow　that　he　cut　off　all　seven　heads；　which　flew　from　the　necks　like　peas　from　the　pan。　Whereupon　he　took　out　the　tongues；　and　putting　them　in　his　pocket；　he　flung　the　heads　a　mile　apart　from　the　body；　so　that　they　might　never　come　together　again。　Then　he　sent　Menechella　home　to　her　father；　and　went　himself　to　repose　in　a　tavern。

When　the　King　saw　his　daughter　his　delight　is　not　to　be　told；　and　having　heard　the　manner　in　which　she　had　been　freed；　he　ordered　a　proclamation　to　be　instantly　made；　that　whosoever　had　killed　the　dragon　should　come　and　marry　the　Princess。　Now　a　rascal　of　a　country　fellow；　hearing　this　proclamation；　took　the　heads　of　the　dragon；　and　said；　〃Menechella　has　been　saved　by　me；　these　hands　have　freed　the　land　from　destruction；　behold　the　dragon's　heads；　which　are　the　proofs　of　my　valour；　therefore　recollect；　every　promise　is　a　debt。〃　As　soon　as　the　King　heard　this；　he　lifted　the　crown　from　his　own　head　and　set　it　upon　the　countryman's　poll；　who　looked　like　a　thief　on　the　gallows。

The　news　of　this　proclamation　flew　through　the　whole　country；　till　at　last　it　came　to　the　ears　of　Cienzo；　who　said　to　himself；　〃Verily；　I　am　a　great　blockhead！　I　had　hold　of　Fortune　by　the　forelock；　and　I　let　her　escape　out　of　my　hand。　Here's　a　man　offers　to　give　me　the　half　of　a　treasure　he　finds；　and　I　care　no　more　for　it　than　a　German　for　cold　water；　the　fairy　wishes　to　entertain　me　in　her　palace；　and　I　care　as　little　for　it　as　an　ass　for　music；　and　now　that　I　am　called　to　the　crown；　here　I　stand　and　let　a　rascally　thief　cheat　me　out　of　my　trump…card！〃　So　saying　he　took　an　inkstand；　seized　a　pen；　and　spreading　out　a　sheet　of　paper；　began　to　write：

〃To　the　most　beautiful　jewel　of　women；　MenechellaHaving；　by　the　favour　of　Sol　in　Leo；　saved　thy　life；　I　hear　that　another　plumes　himself　with　my　labours；　that　another　claims　the　reward　of　the　service　which　I　rendered。　Thou；　therefore；　who　wast　present　at　the　dragon's　death；　canst　assure　the　King　of　the　truth；　and　prevent　his　allowing　another　to　gain　this　reward　while　I　have　had　all　the　toil。　For　it　will　be　the　right　effect　of　thy　fair　royal　grace　and　the　merited　recompense　of　this　strong　hero's　fist。　In　conclusion；　I　kiss　thy　delicate　little　hands。　〃From　the　Inn　of　the　Flower…pot；　Sunday。〃

Having　written　this　letter；　and　sealed　it　with　a　wafer；　he　placed　it　in　the　mouth　of　the　enchanted　dog；　saying；　〃Run　off　as　fast　as　you　can　and　take　this　to　the　King's　daughter。　Give　it　to　no　one　else；　but　place　it　in　the　hand　of　that　silver…faced　maiden　herself。〃

Away　ran　the　dog　to　the　palace　as　if　he　were　flying；　and　going　up　the　stairs　he　found　the　King；　who　was　still　paying　compliments　to　the　country　clown。　When　the　man　saw　the　dog　with　the　letter　in　his　mouth；　he　ordered　it　to　be　taken　from　him；　but　the　dog　would　not　give　it　to　any　one；　and　bounding　up　to　Menechella　he　placed　it　in　her　hand。　Then　Menechella　rose　from　her　seat；　and；　making　a　curtsey　to　the　King；　she　gave　him　the　letter　to　read；　and　when　the　King　had　read　it　he　ordered　that　the　dog　should　be　followed　to　see　where　he　went；　and　that　his　master　should　be　brought　before　him。　So　two　of　the　courtiers　immediately　followed　the　dog；　until　they　came　to　the　tavern；　where　they　found　Cienzo；　and；　delivering　the　message　from　the　King；　they　conducted　him　to　the　palace；　into　the　presence　of　the　King。　Then　the　King　demanded　how　it　was　that　he　boasted　of　having　killed　the　dragon；　since　the　heads　were　brought　by　the　man　who　was　sitting　crowned　at　his　side。　And　Cienzo　answered；　〃That　fellow　deserves　a　pasteboard　mitre　rather　than　a　crown；　since　he　has　had　the　impudence　to　tell　you　a　bouncing　lie。　But　to　prove　to　you　that　I　have　done　the　deed　and　not　this　rascal；　order　the　heads　to　be　produced。　None　of　them　can　speak　to　the　proof　without　a　tongue；　and　these　I　have　brought　with　me　as　witnesses　to　convince　you　of　the　truth。〃

So　saying　he　pulled　the　tongues　out　of　his　pocket；　while　the　countryman　was　struck　all　of　a　heap；　not　knowing　what　would　be　the　end　of　it；　and　the　more　so　when　Menechella　added；　〃This　is　the　man！　Ah；　you　dog　of　a　countryman；　a　pretty　trick　you　have　played　me！〃　When　the　King　heard　this；　he　took　the　crown　from　the　head　of　that　false　loon　and　placed　it　on　that　of　Cienzo；　and　he　was　on　the　point　of　sending　the　imposter　to　the　galleys；　but　Cienzo　begged　the　King　to　have　mercy　on　him　and　to　confound　his　wickedness　with　courtesy。　Then　he　married　Menechella；　and　the　tables　were　spread　and　a　royal　banquet　was　set　forth；　and　in　the　morning　they　sent　for　Antoniello　with　all　his　family；　and　Antoniello　soon　got　into　great　favour　with　the　King；　and　saw　in　the　person　of　his　son　the　saying　verified

〃A　straight　port　to　a　crooked　ship。〃


VIII

GOAT…FACE

All　the　ill…deeds　that　a　man　commits　have　some　colour　of　　excuseeither　contempt　which　provokes；　need　which　compels；　love　which　blinds；　or　anger　which　breaks　the　neck。　　But　ingratitude　is　a　thing　that　has　no　excuse；　true　or　false；　upon　which　it　can　fix；　and　it　is　therefore　the　worst　of　vices；　since　it　dries　up　the　fountain　of　compassion；　extinguishes　the　fire　of　love；　closes　the　road　to　benefits；　and　causes　vexation　and　repentance　to　spring　up　in　the　hearts　of　the　ungrateful。　As　you　will　see　in　the　story　which　I　am　about　to　relate。

A　peasant　had　twelve　daughters；　not　one　of　whom　was　a　head　taller　than　the　next；　for　every　year　their　mother　presented　him　with　a　little　girl；　so　that　the　poor　man；　to　support　his　family　decently；　went　early　every　morning　as　a　day　labourer　and　dug　hard　the　whole　day　long。　With　what　his　labour　produced　he　just　kept　his　little　ones　from　dying　of　hunger。

He　happened；　one　day；　to　be　digging　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　the　spy　of　other　mountains；　that　thrust　its　head　above　the　clouds　to　see　what　they　were　doing　up　in　the　sky；　and　close　to　a　cavern　so　deep　and　dark　that　the　sun　was　afraid　to　enter　it。　Out　of　this　cavern　there　came　a　green　lizard　as　big　as　a　crocodile；　and　the　poor　man　was　so　terrified　that　he　had　not　the　power　to　run　away；　expecting　every　moment　the　end　of　his　days　from　a　gulp　of　that　ugly　animal。　But　the　lizard；　approaching　him；　said；　〃Be　not　afraid；　my　good　man；　for　I　am　not　come　here　to　do　you　any　harm；　but　to　do　you　good。〃

When　Masaniello　（for　that　was　the　name　of　the　labourer）　heard　this；　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　said；　〃Mistress　What's…your…name；　I　am　wholly　in　your　power。　Act　then　worthily　and　have　compassion　on　this　poor　trunk　that　has　twelve　branches　to　support。〃

〃It　is　on　this　very　account；〃　said　the　lizard；　〃that　I　am　disposed　to　serve　you；　so　bring　me；　to…morrow　morning　the　youngest　of　your　daughters；　for　I　will　rear　her　up　like　my　own　child；　and　love　her　as　my　life。〃

At　this　the　poor　father　was　more　confounded　than　a　thief　when　the　stolen　goods　are　found　on　his　back。　For；　hearing　the　lizard　ask　him　for　one　of　his　daughters；　and　that　too；　the　tenderest　of　them；　he　concluded　that　the　cloak　was　not　without　wool　on　it；　and　that　she　wanted　the　child　as　a　titbit　to　stay　her　appetite。　Then　he　said　to　himself；　〃If　I　give　her　my　daughter；　I　give　her　my　soul。　If　I　refuse　her；　she　will　take　this　body　of　mine。　If　I　yield　her；　I　am　robbed　of　my　heart；　if　I　deny　her　she　will　suck　out　my　blood。　If　I　consent；　she　takes　away　part　of　myself；　if　I　refuse；　she　takes　the　whole。　What　shall　I　resolve　on？　What　course　shall　I　take？　What　expedient　shall　I　adopt〃　Oh；　what　an　ill　day's　work　have　I　made　of　it！　What　a　misfortune　has　rained　down　from　heaven　upon　me！〃

While　he　was　speaking　thus；　the　lizard　said；　〃Resolve　quickly　and　do　what　I　tell　you；　or　you　will　leave　only　your　rags　here。　For　so　I　will　have　it；　and　so　it　will　be。〃　Masaniello；　hearing　this　decree　and　having　no　one　to　whom　he　could　appeal；　returned　home　quite　melancholy；　as　yellow　in　the　face　as　if　he　had　jaundice；　and　his　wife；　seeing　him　hanging　his　head　like　a　sick　bir