Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/427

Rh king felt at this good turn of fortune? Who can describe the shouting and leaping for joy that there was? for the king was swimming in a sea of delight, and was wafted to heaven on a tide of rapture. Then he embraced the fairy, and ordered her to be handsomely drest from head to foot; and taking her by the hand he led her into the middle of the hall, where all the courtiers and great folks of the city were met to celebrate the feast. Then the king called on them one by one, and said, "Tell me, what punishment would that person deserve who should do any harm to this beautiful lady?" And one replied that such a person would deserve a hempen collar—another, a breakfast of stones—a third, a good beating on his stomach—a fourth, a draught of scammony—a fifth, a millstone for a brooch; in short, one said this thing and another that. At last he called on the black queen, and putting the same question, she replied, "Such a person would deserve to be burned, and that her ashes should be thrown from the roof of the castle."

When the king heard this he said to her, "You have struck your own foot with the axe, you have made your own fetters, you have sharpened the knife and mixed the poison, for no one has done this lady so much harm as yourself, you good-for-nothing creature! Know you that this is the beautiful maiden whom you wounded