Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/377

Rh, who already began to get a little more sense, heard this, he guessed how matters stood, and resolved that, if the same thing happened again, he would not drink what the queen gave him.

Betta now wished to make the third trial; so she said the words, "Scatola matola, the sun shines!" and instantly there appeared a quantity of stuffs of silk and gold, and embroidered scarfs, with a golden cup; in short the queen herself could not have brought together so many beautiful ornaments. When the ladies saw these things, they told their mistress, who endeavoured to obtain them as she had done the others; but Betta replied as before, that if the queen wished to have them she must let her spend the night at the door of the chamber. Then the queen said to herself, "What can I lose by satisfying this silly girl, in order to get from her these beautiful things?" So taking all the treasures which Betta offered her, as soon as Night appeared, the instrument for the debt contracted with Sleep and Repose being liquidated, she gave the sleeping-draught to Pintosmalto; but this time he did not swallow it, and making an excuse to leave the room, he spat it out again, and then went to bed.

Betta now began to the same tune again, saying how she had kneaded him with her own hands of sugar and