Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/28

4 ape. At this strange spectacle, Zoza burst into such a fit of laughter that she well nigh fainted away. But when the old woman saw herself played this trick, she flew into a passion, and turning a fierce look on Zoza, she exclaimed, "May you never have the least little bit of a husband, unless you take the Prince of Roundfield."

Upon hearing this, Zoza ordered the old woman to be called, and desired to know whether in her words she had laid on her a curse, or had only meant to insult her. And the old woman answered, "Know then, that the prince whom I spoke of is a most handsome creature, and is named Taddeo, who, by the wicked spell of a fairy, having given the last touch to the picture of life, has been placed in a tomb outside the walls of the city; and there is an inscription upon a stone, saying, that whatever woman shall in three days fill with her tears a pitcher which hangs there upon a hook, will bring the prince to life again, and shall take him for a husband. But as it is impossible for two human eyes to weep so much as to fill a pitcher that would hold half a barrel, unless it were those of Egeria, who, as I've heard say, was turned into a fountain of tears at Rome, I have wished you this wish, in return for your scoffing and jeering at me; and I pray Heaven that it may come to pass, to avenge the wrong you have done me." So saying she scudded down the stairs, for fear of a beating.