Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/120

96 happy, Renzolla has found both father and mother; and happy is she to have met with this good fortune."

Masaniello, overjoyed, thanked the lizard and went home to his wife, and told her the matter, and showed her the money, with which they married all their other daughters, and had enough vinegar remaining for themselves to enable them to swallow with relish the toils of life.

The lizard, as soon as she got Renzolla, caused a most beautiful palace to appear, and placed her in it, and brought her up in such state and magnificence as would have dazzled the eyes of any queen; and the story goes that she even did not want for ant's milk. Her food was fit for a count, her clothing for a prince: she had a hundred maidens ready to wait upon her; and with such good treatment in a short time she grew as round as an oak-tree.

It happened, as the king was out hunting in these woods, that night overtook him; and as he stood looking around, not knowing where to lay his head, he saw a candle shining in this palace; whereupon he sent one of his servants to it, to pray the owner to give him shelter. When the servant came to the palace, the lizard appeared before him in the shape of a beautiful lady,