Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/125

Rh shield, so changed from what he had been, was nothing to her dismay at seeing her face so altered that she did not know herself. Whereupon the old man said to her, "You ought to recollect, Renzolla, that you are the daughter of a peasant, and that it was the fairy who raised you to be a queen; but you, rude, unmannerly and thankless as you are, having little gratitude for such favours, have kept her waiting in the ante-chamber without showing her the slightest mark of affection. So take and spend; go off with this, and come back for the rest. You have brought the quarrel on yourself: see what a face you have got by it! see to what you are brought by your ingratitude; for through the fairy's malediction you have not only changed face but condition. But if you will do as this white-beard advises, go and look for the fairy; throw yourself at her feet, tear your beard, scratch your face, beat your breast, and ask pardon for the ill-treatment you have shown her; for, as she is tender-hearted, she will be moved to pity at your misfortune."

Renzolla, who was touched to the quick, and felt that he had hit the nail on the head, followed the old man's advice. Then the fairy embraced and kissed her, and restoring her to her former appearance, she put on her a dress which was quite heavy with gold; and placing