Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/392

358 the instruments which stand behind the door, and hie off before the ogress returns, or else you are lost. The instruments are in a box, but beware of opening it, or you will repent."

Parmetella did all that Thunder-and-Lightning told her; but on her way back with the instruments she opened the box, and lo and behold! they all flew out and about—here a flute, there a flageolet, here a pipe, there a bagpipe, making a thousand different sounds in the air, whilst Parmetella stood looking on and tearing her hair in despair.

Meanwhile the ogress came downstairs, and not finding Parmetella, she went to the window, and called out to the door, "Crush that traitress!" But the door answered, "I will not use the poor girl ill, for she has made me at last stand still." Then the ogress cried out to the horse, "Trample on the thief!" But the horse replied, "Let the poor girl go her way, for she has given me the hay." And lastly the ogress called to the dog, saying, "Bite the rogue!" But the dog answered, "I'll not hurt a hair of her head, for she it was who gave me the bread."

Now as Parmetella ran crying after the instruments, she met Thunder-and-Lightning, who scolded her well, saying, "Traitress, will you not learn at your cost that by your fatal curiosity you are brought to this