Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/284

254, who cried out all together, "Behold us here! what are your commands?"

When Tittone saw this, he said with great joy, "I wish for nothing but to release this poor damsel from the claws of yon dragon, to take her away from this tower, to lay it all in ruins, and to carry this beautiful lady home with me as my wife."

"Hush!" answered the Falcon; "for the bean springs up where you least expect it. We'll soon make him dance upon a sixpence, and take good care that he shall have little ground enough."

"Let us lose no time," said the Stag; troubles and macaroni are swallowed hot."

So the Falcon summoned a large flock of griffins, who flying to the window of the tower carried off the damsel, bearing her over the lake to where Tittone was standing with his three brothers-in-law: and if from afar off she appeared a moon, believe me when near she looked truly like a sun, she was so beautiful.

Whilst Tittone was embracing her, and telling her how he loved her, the dragon awoke; and rushing out of the window, he came swimming across the lake to devour Tittone. But the Stag instantly called up a squadron of lions, tigers, panthers, bears and wild-cats, who falling upon the dragon tore him in pieces with their claws. Then Tittone wishing to depart, the