Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/80

 58 easily and quickly, but the Moors found it difficult to effect a path through it. When they had reached half way on their road home the dumb princess a second time exclaimed "ah!" Further on the girl again looked behind her, and saw the Moors were still behind. She threw out the third tube and a sea was formed. They crossed with ease the water, and this time the Moors found it impossible to follow the fugitives. When the girl and the princess arrived at the palace the princess a third time uttered an exclamation, and said, "ah!" When the queen saw her daughter she was very angry and went to the king to say that Peter vaunted that he could give speech to the princess, who was dumb. The king called up Peter and asked her if she was capable of executing what she said she could do. The girl replied as before, that if the queen had said so it was because she could do so. But she went to her room to weep, and she called out saying, "Oh! my godfather, come to my help," who instantly appeared and asked her, "Why are you weeping?" The girl told him everything, and St. Peter instructed her what she was to do. From there the girl went up to the king and told him that he could put her to death if he chose, but that she could not possibly give the princess speach. The queen was delighted to hear her say this; and it was decided that Peter should be hung. When the rope was already round her neck she asked leave in the presence of all the court assembled in front of the scaffold to publish three things to the world. The king gave the desired permission and she then asked:—

"Oh! Anna Deladana, why didst thou exclaim ah! as we left Moirama?"

The princess replied: "Because my mother went to seek for you in your bed."

The girl again asked: "Oh! Anna Deladana, why didst thou exclaim a second time ah! when half way home?"

The princess replied: "Because Saint Peter is your godfather!"