The Nights of Straparola (1894) (14766028205)

Identifier: nightsofstraparo01stra (find matches)
Title: The Nights of Straparola
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Straparola, Giovanni Francesco, ca. 1480-1557? Morlino, Gerolamo Waters, W. G. (William George), 1844-1928 Hughes, Edward Robert, d. 1914
Subjects: Tales Fairy tales
Publisher: London : Lawrence and Bullen
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive



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content to do as the queen bade her, and thanked her humblyfor deigning to choose her as a daughter-in-law; for, seeing that sheherself had nothing in the world, it was indeed great good fortunethat she, a poor girl, should become the daughter-in-law of a potentsovereign. The queen, when she heard this modest and amiablereply, could not keep b.ick her tears for the happiness she felt; butshe feared all the time that the same fate might be in store forMeldina as her sisters. When the new bride had been clothed in rich attire and deckedwith jewels, and was awaiting the bridegroom, the pig prince came in,filthier and more muddy than ever ; but she spread out her rich gownand besought him to lie down by her side. Whereupon the queenbade her to thrust him away, but to this she would not consent, andspoke thus to the queen : There are three wise sayings, graciouslady, which I remember to have heard. The first is that it is follyto waste time in searching for that which cannot be found. The
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FABLE I.) STRAPAROLA. 63 second is that we should helieve nothing we may hear, except thosethings which bear the marks of sense and reason. The third is that,when once you have got possession of some rare and precious treasure,prize it well and keep a firm hold upon it. When the maiden had finished speaking, the pig prince, who hadbeen wide awake and had heard all that she had said, got up, ki.ssedher on the face and neck and bosom and shoulders with his tongue,and she was not backward in returning his caresses; so that he wasfired with a warm love for her. As soon as the time for retiring forthe night had come, the bride went to bed and awaited her unseemlyspouse, and, as soon as he came, she raised the coverlet and bade himlie near to her and put his head upon the pillow, covering him care-fully with the bed-clothes and drawing the curtains so that he mightfeel no cold. When morning had come the pig got up and rangedabroad to pasture, as was his wont, and very scon after the queenwe