Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/90

66 you be unable to stir either backwards or forwards: so remember what I tell you, for it will fare with you accordingly."

Then the prince went his way, and transacted his affairs in Sardinia, and procured all the things which his stepdaughters had asked for; but poor Zezolla went quite out of his thoughts. And embarking on board a ship, he set sail to return; but the ship could not get out of the harbour; there it stuck fast, just as if held back by a sea-lamprey. The captain of the ship, who was almost in despair and fairly tired out, laid himself down to sleep; and in his dream he saw a fairy, who said to him, "Know you the reason why you cannot work the ship out of port? it is because the prince who is on board with you has broken his promise to his daughter, remembering every one except his own blood."

Then the captain awoke, and told his dream to the prince, who, in shame and confusion at the breach of his promise, went to the Grotto of the Fairies, and commending his daughter to them, asked them to send her something. And behold there stepped forth from the grotto a beautiful maiden, who told him that she thanked his daughter for her kind remembrance, and bade him tell her to be merry and of good heart, out of