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Cianne　was　now　all　impatience　to　get　away　from　his　brother；　and　told　him　to　go　and　rest　himself；　as　he　was　no　doubt　tired；　then　he　started　post…haste；　and　soon　arrived　at　the　inn；　where；　finding　the　same　youths；　he　fell　into　chat　with　them。　And　when　the　youth　asked　him　the　same　question；　what　he　thought　of　that　month　of　March；　Cianne；　making　a　big　mouth；　said；　〃Confound　the　miserable　month！　the　enemy　of　shepherds；　which　stirs　up　all　the　ill…humours　and　brings　sickness　to　our　bodies。　A　month　of　which；　whenever　we　would　announce　ruin　to　a　man；　we　say；　　Go；　March　has　shaved　you！'　A　month　of　which；　when　you　want　to　call　a　man　presumptuous；　you　say；　　What　cares　March？'　A　month　in　short　so　hateful；　that　it　would　be　the　best　fortune　for　the　world；　the　greatest　blessing　to　the　earth；　the　greatest　gain　to　men；　were　it　excluded　from　the　band　of　brothers。〃

March；　who　heard　himself　thus　slandered；　suppressed　his　anger　till　the　morning；　intending　then　to　reward　Cianne　for　his　calumny；　and　when　Cianne　wished　to　depart；　he　gave　him　a　fine　whip；　saying　to　him；　〃Whenever　you　wish　for　anything；　only　say；　　Whip；　give　me　a　hundred！'　and　you　shall　see　pearls　strung　upon　a　rush。〃

Cianne；　thanking　the　youth；　went　his　way　in　great　haste；　not　wishing　to　make　trial　of　the　whip　until　he　reached　home。　But　hardly　had　he　set　foot　in　the　house；　when　he　went　into　a　secret　chamber；　intending　to　hide　the　money　which　he　expected　to　receive　from　the　whip。　Then　he　said；　〃Whip；　give　me　a　hundred！〃　and　thereupon　the　whip　gave　him　more　than　he　looked　for；　making　a　score　on　his　legs　and　face　like　a　musical　composer；　so　that　Lise；　hearing　his　cries；　came　running　to　the　spot；　and　when　he　saw　that　the　whip；　like　a　runaway　horse；　could　not　stop　itself；　he　opened　the　little　box　and　brought　it　to　a　standstill。　Then　he　asked　Cianne　what　had　happened　to　him；　and　upon　hearing　his　story；　he　told　him　he　had　no　one　to　blame　but　himself；　for　like　a　blockhead　he　alone　had　caused　his　own　misfortune；　acting　like　the　camel；　that　wanted　to　have　horns　and　lost　its　ears；　but　he　bade　him　mind　another　time　and　keep　a　bridle　on　his　tongue；　which　was　the　key　that　had　opened　to　him　the　storehouse　of　misfortune；　for　if　he　had　spoken　well　of　the　youths；　he　would　perhaps　have　had　the　same　good　fortune；　especially　as　to　speak　well　of　any　one　is　a　merchandise　that　costs　nothing；　and　usually　brings　profit　that　is　not　expected。　In　conclusion　Lise　comforted　him；　bidding　him　not　seek　more　wealth　than　Heaven　had　give　him；　for　his　little　casket　would　suffice　to　fill　the　houses　of　thirty　misers；　and　Cianne　should　be　master　of　all　he　possessed；　since　to　the　generous　man　Heaven　is　treasurer；　and　he　added　that；　although　another　brother　might　have　borne　Cianne　　ill…will　for　the　cruelty　with　which　he　had　treated　him　in　his　poverty；　yet　he　reflected　that　his　avarice　had　been　a　favourable　wind　which　had　brought　him　to　this　port；　and　therefore　wished　to　show　himself　grateful　for　the　benefit。

When　Cianne　heard　these　things；　he　begged　his　brother's　pardon　for　his　past　unkindness；　and　entering　into　partnership　they　enjoyed　together　their　good　fortune；　and　from　that　time　forward　Cianne　spoke　well　of　everything；　however　bad　it　might　be；　　for

　　　　　〃The　dog　that　was　scalaed　with　hot　water；　for　ever　dreads　that　which　is　cold。〃



XXVII

PINTOSMALTO

It　has　always　been　more　difficult　for　a　man　to　keep　than　to　get；　for　in　the　one　case　fortune　aids；　which　often　assists　injustice；　but　in　the　other　case　sense　is　required。　Therefore　we　frequently　find　a　person　deficient　in　cleverness　rise　to　wealth；　and　then；　from　want　of　sense；　roll　over　heels　to　the　bottom；　as　you　will　see　clearly　from　the　story　I　am　going　to　tell　you；　if　you　are　quick　of　understanding。

A　merchant　once　had　an　only　daughter；　whom　he　wished　greatly　to　see　married；　but　as　often　as　he　struck　this　note；　he　found　her　a　hundred　miles　off　from　the　desired　pitch；　for　the　foolish　girl　would　never　consent　to　marry；　and　the　father　was　in　consequence　the　most　unhappy　and　miserable　man　in　the　world。　Now　it　happened　one　day　that　he　was　going　to　a　fair；　so　he　asked　his　daughter；　who　was　named　Betta；　what　she　would　like　him　to　bring　her　on　his　return。　And　she　said；　〃Papa；　if　you　love　me；　bring　me　half　a　hundredweight　of　Palermo　sugar；　and　as　much　again　of　sweet　almonds；　with　four　to　six　bottles　of　scented　water；　and　a　little　musk　and　amber；　also　forty　pearls；　two　sapphires；　a　few　garnets　and　rubies；　with　some　gold　thread；　and　above　all　a　trough　and　a　little　silver　trowel。〃　Her　father　wondered　at　this　extravagant　demand；　nevertheless　he　would　not　refuse　his　daughter；　so　he　went　to　the　fair；　and　on　his　return　brought　her　all　that　she　had　requested。

As　soon　as　Betta　received　these　things；　she　shut　herself　up　in　a　chamber；　and　began　to　make　a　great　quantity　of　paste　of　almonds　and　sugar；　mixed　with　rosewater　and　perfumes；　and　set　to　work　to　form　a　most　beautiful　youth；　making　his　hair　of　gold　thread；　his　eyes　of　sapphires；　his　teeth　of　pearls；　his　lips　of　rubies；　and　she　gave　him　such　grace　that　speech　alone　was　wanting　to　him。　When　she　had　done　all　this；　having　heard　say　that　at　the　prayers　of　a　certain　King　of　Cyprus　a　statue　had　once　come　to　life；　she　prayed　to　the　goddess　of　Love　so　long　that　at　last　the　statue　began　to　open　its　eyes；　and　increasing　her　prayers；　it　began　to　breathe；　and　after　breathing；　words　came　out；　and　at　last；　disengaging　all　its　limbs；　it　began　to　walk。

With　a　joy　far　greater　than　if　she　had　gained　a　kingdom；　Betta　embraced　and　kissed　the　youth；　and　taking　him　by　the　hand；　she　led　him　before　her　father　and　said；　〃My　lord　and　father；　you　have　always　told　me　that　you　wished　to　see　me　married；　and　in　order　to　please　you　I　have　now　chosen　a　husband　after　my　own　heart。〃　When　her　father　saw　the　handsome　youth　come　out　of　his　daughter's　room；　whom　he　had　not　seen　enter　it；　he　stood　amazed；　and　at　the　sight　of　such　beauty；　which　folks　would　have　paid　a　halfpenny　a　head　to　gaze　at；　he　consented　that　the　marriage　should　take　place。　So　a　great　feast　was　made；　at　which；　among　the　other　ladies　present；　there　appeared　a　great　unknown　Queen；　who；　seeing　the　beauty　of　Pintosmalto　（for　that　was　the　name　Betta　gave　him）；　fell　desperately　in　love　with　him。　Now　Pintosmalto；　who　had　only　opened　his　eyes　on　the　wickedness　of　the　world　three　hours　before；　and　was　as　innocent　as　a　babe；　accompanied　the　strangers　who　had　come　to　celebrate　his　nuptials　to　the　stairs；　as　his　bride　had　told　him；　and　when　he　did　the　same　with　this　Queen；　she　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　quietly　to　her　coach；　drawn　by　six　horses；　which　stood　in　the　courtyard；　then　taking　him　into　it；　she　ordered　the　coachman　to　drive　off　and　away　to　her　country。

After　Betta　had　waited　a　while　in　vain　expecting　Pintosmalto　to　return；　she　sent　down　into　the　courtyard　to　see　whether　he　were　speaking　with　any　one　there；　then　she　sent　up　to　the　roof　to　see　if　he　had　gone　to　take　fresh　air；　but　finding　him　nowhere；　she　directly　imagined　that；　on　account　of　his　great　beauty；　he　had　been　stolen　from　her。　So　she　ordered　the　usual　proclamations　to　be　made；　but　at　last；　as　no　tidings　of　him　were　brought；　she　formed　the　resolution　to　go　all　the　world　over　in　search　of　him；　and　dressing　herself　as　a　poor　girl；　she　set　out　on　her　way。　After　some　months　she　came　to　the　house　of　a　good　old　woman；　who　received　her　with　great　kindness；　and　when　she　had　heard　Betta's　misfortune；　she　took　compassion　on　her；　and　taught　her　three　sayings。　The　first　was；　〃Tricche　varlacche；　the　house　rains！〃　the　second；　〃Anola　tranola；　the　fountain　plays！〃；　the　third；　〃Scatola　matola；　the　sun　shines！〃telling　her　to　repeat　these　words　whenever　she　was　in　trouble；　and　they　would　be　of　good　service　to　her。

Betta　wondered　greatly　at　this　present　of　chaff；　nevertheless　she　said　to　herself；　〃He　who　blows　into　your　mouth　does　not　wish　to　see　you　dead；　and　the　plant　that　strikes　root　does　not　wither；　everything　has　its　use；　who　knows　what　good　fortune　may　be　contained　in　these　words？〃　So　saying；　she　thanked　the　old　woman；　and　set　out　upon　her　way。　And　after　a　long　journey　she　came　to　a　beautiful　city　called　Round　Mount；　where　she　went　straight　to　the　royal　palace；　and　begged　for　the　love　of　Heaven　a　little　shelter　in　the　stable。　So　the　ladies　of　the　court　ordered　a　small　room　to　be　given　her　on　the　stairs；　and　while　poor　Betta　was　sitting　there　she　saw　Pintosmalto　pass　by；　whereat　her　joy　was　so　great　that　she　was　on　the　point　of　slipping　down　from　the　tree　of　life。　But　seeing　the　trouble　she　was　in；　Betta　wished　to　make　proof　of　the　first　saying　which　the　old　woman　had　told　her；　and　no　sooner　had　she　repeated　the　words；　〃Tricche　varlacche；　the　house　rains！〃　than　instantly　there　appeared　before　her　a　beautiful　little　coach　of　gold　set　all　over　with　jewels；　which　ran　about　the　chamber　of　itself　and　was　a　wonder　to　behold。

When　the　ladies　of　the　court　saw　this　sight　they　went　and　told　the　Queen；　who　without　loss　of　time　ran　to　Betta's　chamber；　and　when　she　saw　the　beautiful　little　coach；　she　asked　whether　she　would　sell　it；　and　offered　to　give　whatever　she　might　demand。　But　Betta　replied　that；　although　she　was　poor　she　would　not　sell　it　for　all　the　gold　in　the　world；　but　if　the　Queen　wished　for　the　little　coach；　she　must　allow　her