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ella　was　just　going　to　bite；　she　said　to　her；　〃My　pretty　girl；　give　me　a　little　piece　of　your　cake；　and　may　Heaven　send　you　good　fortune！〃

Marziella；　who　was　as　generous　as　a　queen；　replied；　〃Take　it　all；　my　good　woman；　and　I　am　only　sorry　that　it　is　not　made　of　sugar　and　almonds；　for　I　would　equally　give　it　you　with　all　my　heart。〃

The　old　woman；　seeing　Marziella's　kindness；　said　to　her；　〃Go；　and　may　Heaven　reward　you　for　the　goodness　you　have　shown　me！　and　I　pray　all　the　stars　that　you　may　ever　be　content　and　happy；　that　when　you　breathe　roses　and　jessamines　may　fall　from　your　mouth；　that　when　you　comb　your　locks　pearls　and　garnets　may　fall　from　them；　and　when　you　set　your　foot　on　the　ground　lilies　and　violets　may　spring　up。〃

Marziella　thanked　the　old　woman；　and　went　her　way　home；　where　her　mother；　having　cooked　a　bit　of　supper；　they　paid　the　natural　debt　to　the　body；　and　thus　ended　the　day。　And　the　next　morning；　when　the　Sun　displayed　in　the　market…place　of　the　celestial　fields　the　merchandise　of　light　which　he　had　brought　from　the　East；　as　Marziella　was　combing　her　hair；　she　saw　a　shower　of　pearls　and　garnets　fall　from　it　into　her　lap；　whereupon　calling　her　mother　with　great　joy；　they　put　them　all　into　a　basket；　and　Luceta　went　to　sell　a　great　part　of　them　to　a　usurer；　who　was　a　friend　of　hers。　Meanwhile　Troccola　came　to　see　her　sister；　and　finding　Marziella　in　great　delight　and　busied　with　the　pearls；　she　asked　her　how；　when；　and　where　she　had　gotten　them。　But　the　maiden；　who　did　not　understand　the　ways　of　the　world；　and　had　perhaps　never　heard　the　proverb；　〃Do　not　all　you　are　able；　eat　not　all　you　wish；　spend　not　all　you　have；　and　tell　not　all　you　know；〃　related　the　whole　affair　to　her　aunt；　who　no　longer　cared　to　await　her　sister's　return；　for　every　hour　seemed　to　her　a　thousand　years　until　she　got　home　again。　Then　giving　a　cake　to　her　daughter；　she　sent　her　for　water　to　the　fountain；　where　Puccia　found　the　same　old　woman。　And　when　the　old　woman　asked　her　for　a　little　piece　of　cake　she　answered　gruffly；　〃Have　I　nothing　to　do；　forsooth；　but　to　give　you　cake？　Do　you　take　me　to　be　so　foolish　as　to　give　you　what　belongs　to　me？　Look　ye；　charity　begins　at　home。〃　And　so　saying　she　swallowed　the　cake　in　four　pieces；　making　the　old　woman's　mouth　water；　who　when　she　saw　the　last　morsel　disappear　and　her　hopes　buried　with　the　cake；　exclaimed　in　a　rage；　〃Begone！　and　whenever　you　breathe　may　you　foam　at　the　mouth　like　a　doctor's　mule；　may　toads　drop　from　your　lips；　and　every　time　you　set　foot　to　the　ground　may　there　spring　up　ferns　and　thistles！〃

Puccia　took　the　pitcher　of　water　and　returned　home；　where　her　mother　was　all　impatience　to　hear　what　had　befallen　her　at　the　fountain。　But　no　sooner　did　Puccia　open　her　lips；　than　a　shower　of　toads　fell　from　them；　at　the　sight　of　which　her　mother　added　the　fire　of　rage　to　the　snow　of　envy；　sending　forth　flame　and　smoke　through　nose　and　mouth。

Now　it　happened　some　time　afterwards　that　Ciommo；　the　brother　of　Marziella；　was　at　the　court　of　the　King　of　Chiunzo；　and　the　conversation　turning　on　the　beauty　of　various　women；　he　stepped　forward；　unasked；　and　said　that　all　the　handsome　women　might　hide　their　heads　when　his　sister　made　her　appearance；　who　beside　the　beauty　of　her　form；　which　made　harmony　on　the　song　of　a　noble　soul；　possessed　also　a　wonderful　virtue　in　her　hair；　mouth；　and　feet；　which　was　given　to　her　by　a　fairy。　When　the　King　heard　these　praises　he　told　Ciommo　to　bring　his　sister　to　the　court；　adding　that；　if　he　found　her　such　as　he　had　represented；　he　would　take　her　to　wife。

Now　Ciommo　thought　this　a　chance　not　to　be　lost；　so　he　forthwith　sent　a　messenger　post…haste　to　his　mother；　telling　her　what　had　happened；　and　begging　her　to　come　instantly　with　her　daughter；　in　order　not　to　let　slip　the　good　luck。　But　Luceta；　who　was　very　unwell；　commending　the　lamb　to　the　wolf；　begged　her　sister　to　have　the　kindness　to　accompany　Marziella　to　the　court　of　Chiunzo　for　such　and　such　a　thing。　Whereupon　Troccola；　who　saw　that　matters　were　playing　into　her　hand；　promised　her　sister　to　take　Marziella　safe　and　sound　to　her　brother；　and　then　embarked　with　her　niece　and　Puccia　in　a　boat。　But　when　they　were　some　way　out　at　sea；　whilst　the　sailors　were　asleep；　she　threw　Marziella　into　the　water；　and　just　as　the　poor　girl　was　on　the　point　of　being　drowned　there　came　a　most　beautiful　syren；　who　took　her　in　her　arms　and　carried　her　off。

When　Troccola　arrived　at　Chiunzo；　Ciommo；　who　had　not　seen　his　sister　for　so　long　a　time；　mistook　Puccia；　and　received　her　as　if　she　were　Marziella；　and　led　her　instantly　to　the　King。　But　no　sooner　did　she　open　her　lips　than　toads　dropped　on　the　ground；　and　when　the　King　looked　at　her　more　closely　he　saw；　that　as　she　breathed　hard　from　the　fatigue　of　the　journey；　she　made　a　lather　at　her　mouth；　which　looked　just　like　a　washtub；　then　looking　down　on　the　ground；　he　saw　a　meadow　of　stinking　plants；　the　sight　of　which　made　him　quite　ill。　Upon　this　he　drove　Puccia　and　her　mother　away；　and　sent　Ciommo　in　disgrace　to　keep　the　geese　of　the　court。

Then　Ciommo；　in　despair　and　not　knowing　what　had　happened　to　him；　drove　the　geese　into　the　fields；　and　letting　them　go　their　way　along　the　seashore；　he　used　to　retire　into　a　little　straw　shed；　where　he　bewailed　his　lot　until　evening；　when　it　was　time　to　return　home。　But　whilst　the　geese　were　running　about　on　the　shore；　Marziella　would　come　out　of　the　water；　and　feed　them　with　sweetmeats；　and　give　them　rose…water　to　drink；　so　that　the　geese　grew　as　big　as　sheep；　and　were　so　fat　that　they　could　not　see　out　of　their　eyes。　And　in　the　evening　when　they　came　into　a　little　garden　under　the　King's　window；　they　began　to　sing

　　　　　〃Pire；　pire　pire！　　　　　　The　sun　and　the　moon　are　bright　and　clear；　　　　　　But　she　who　feeds　us　is　still　more　fair。〃

Now　the　King；　hearing　this　goose…music　every　evening；　ordered　Ciommo　to　be　called；　and　asked　him　where；　and　how；　and　upon　what　he　fed　his　geese。　And　Ciommo　replied；　〃I　give　them　nothing　to　eat　but　the　fresh　grass　of　the　field。〃　But　the　King；　who　was　not　satisfied　with　this　answer；　sent　a　trusty　servant　after　Ciommo　to　watch　and　observe　where　he　drove　the　geese。　Then　the　man　followed　in　his　footsteps；　and　saw　him　go　into　the　little　straw　shed；　leaving　the　geese　to　themselves；　and　going　their　way　they　had　no　sooner　come　to　the　shore　than　Marziella　rose　up　out　of　the　sea；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　even　the　mother　of　that　blind　boy　who；　as　the　poet　says；　〃desires　no　other　alms　than　tears；〃　ever　rose　from　the　waves　so　fair。　When　the　servant　of　the　King　saw　this；　he　ran　back　to　his　master；　beside　himself　with　amazement；　and　told　him　the　pretty　spectacle　he　had　seen　upon　the　seashore。

The　curiosity　of　the　King　was　increased　by　what　the　man　told　him；　and　he　had　a　great　desire　to　go　himself　and　see　the　beautiful　sight。　So　the　next　morning；　when　the　Cock；　the　ringleader　of　the　birds；　excited　them　all　to　arm　mankind　against　the　Night；　and　Ciommo　went　with　the　geese　to　the　accustomed　spot；　the　King　followed　him　closely；　and　when　the　geese　came　to　the　seashore；　without　Ciommo；　who　remained　as　usual　in　the　little　shed；　the　King　saw　Marziella　rise　out　of　the　water。　And　after　giving　the　geese　a　trayful　of　sweetmeats　to　eat　and　a　cupful　of　rose…water　to　drink；　she　seated　herself　on　a　rock　and　began　to　comb　her　locks；　from　which　fell　handfuls　of　pearls　and　garnets；　at　the　same　time　a　cloud　of　flowers　dropped　from　her　mouth；　and　under　her　feet　was　a　Syrian　carpet　of　lilies　and　violets。

When　the　King　saw　this　sight；　he　ordered　Ciommo　to　be　called；　and；　pointing　to　Marziella；　asked　him　whether　he　knew　that　beautiful　maiden。　Then　Ciommo；　recognising　his　sister；　ran　to　embrace　her；　and　in　the　presence　of　the　King　heard　from　her　all　the　treacherous　conduct　of　Troccola；　and　how　the　envy　of　that　wicked　creature　had　brought　that　fair　fire　of　love　to　dwell　in　the　waters　of　the　sea。

The　joy　of　the　King　is　not　to　be　told　at　the　acquisition　of　so　fair　a　jewel；　and　turning　to　the　brother　he　said　that　he　had　good　reason　to　praise　Marziella　so　much；　and　indeed　that　he　found　her　three　times　more　beautiful　than　he　had　described　her；　he　deemed　her；　therefore；　more　than　worthy　to　be　his　wife　if　she　would　be　content　to　receive　the　sceptre　of　his　kingdom。

〃Alas；　would　to　Heaven　it　could　be　so！〃　answered　Marziella；　〃and　that　I　could　serve　you　as　the　slave　of　your　crown！　But　see　you　not　this　golden　chain　upon　my　foot；　by　which　the　sorceress　holds　me　prisoner？　When　I　take　too　much　fresh　air；　and　tarry　too　long　on　the　shore；　she　draws　me　into　the　waves；　and　thus　keeps　me　held　in　rich　slavery　by　a　golden　chain。〃

〃What　way　is　there；〃　said　the　King；　〃to　free　you　from　the　claws　of　this　syren？〃

〃The　way；〃　replied　Marziella；　〃would　be　to　cut　this　chain　with　a　smooth　file；　and　to　loose　me　from　it。〃

〃Wait　till　to…morrow　morning；〃　answered　the　King；　〃I　will　then　come　with　all　that　is　needful；　and　take　you　home　with　me；　where　you　shall　be　the　pupil　of　my　eye；　the　core　of　my　heart；　and　the　life　of　my　soul。〃　And　then　exchanging　a　shake　of　the　hands　as　the　earnest…money　of　their　love；　she　went　back　into　the　water　and　he　into　the　fireand　into　such　a　fire　indeed　that　he　had　not　an　hour's　rest　the　whole　day　long。　And　when　the　black　old