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low　this　little　path　of　bran　which　I　have　made　for　you　in　a　straight　line；　and　you　can　come　and　seek　what　you　require。〃　So　saying；　he　turned　away　his　face；　not　to　let　himself　be　seen　to　weep　and　dishearten　the　poor　little　creatures。

When　Nennillo　and　Nennella　had　eaten　all　that　was　in　the　basket；　they　wanted　to　return　home；　but　alas！　a　jackassthe　son　of　　ill…luckhad　eaten　up　all　the　bran　that　was　strewn　upon　the　ground；　so　they　lost　their　way；　and　wandered　about　forlorn　in　the　wood　for　several　days；　feeding　on　acorns　and　chestnuts　which　they　found　fallen　on　the　ground。　But　as　Heaven　always　extends　its　arm　over　the　innocent；　there　came　by　chance　a　Prince　to　hunt　in　that　wood。　Then　Nennillo；　hearing　the　baying　of　the　hounds；　was　so　frightened　that　he　crept　into　a　hollow　tree；　and　Nennella　set　off　running　at　full　speed；　and　ran　until　she　came　out　of　the　wood；　and　found　herself　on　the　seashore。　Now　it　happened　that　some　pirates；　who　had　landed　there　to　get　fuel；　saw　Nennella　and　carried　her　off；　and　their　captain　took　her　home　with　him　where　he　and　his　wife；　having　just　lost　a　little　girl；　took　her　as　their　daughter。

Meantime　Nennillo；　who　had　hidden　himself　in　the　tree；　was　surrounded　by　the　dogs；　which　made　such　a　furious　barking　that　the　Prince　sent　to　find　out　the　cause；　and　when　he　discovered　the　pretty　little　boy；　who　was　so　young　that　he　could　not　tell　who　were　his　father　and　mother；　he　ordered　one　of　the　huntsmen　to　set　him　upon　his　saddle　and　take　him　to　the　royal　palace。　Then　he　had　him　brought　up　with　great　care；　and　instructed　in　various　arts；　and　among　others；　he　had　him　taught　that　of　a　carver；　so　that；　before　three　or　four　years　had　passed；　Nennillo　became　so　expert　in　his　art　that　he　could　carve　a　joint　to　a　hair。

Now　about　this　time　it　was　discovered　that　the　captain　of　the　ship　who　had　taken　Nennella　to　his　house　was　a　sea…robber；　and　the　people　wished　to　take　him　prisoner；　but　getting　timely　notice　from　the　clerks　in　the　law…courts；　who　were　his　friends；　and　whom　he　kept　in　his　pay；　he　fled　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　thi