Stories from Pentamerone | Page 5

run his accustomed stages, she arrived almost lame at
Round-Field.
There, at the entrance to the city, she saw a marble tomb, at the foot of
a fountain, which was weeping tears of crystal at seeing itself shut up in
a porphyry prison. And, lifting up the pitcher, she placed it in her lap
and began to weep into it, imitating the fountain to make two little
fountains of her eyes. And thus she continued without ever raising her

head from the mouth of the pitcher--until, at the end of two days, it was
full within two inches of the top. But, being wearied with so much
weeping, she was unawares overtaken by sleep, and was obliged to rest
for an hour or so under the canopy of her eyes.
Meanwhile a certain Slave, with the legs of a grasshopper, came, as she
was wont, to the fountain, to fill her water-cask. Now she knew the
meaning of the fountain which was talked of everywhere; and when she
saw Zoza weeping so incessantly, and making two little streams from
her eyes, she was always watching and spying until the pitcher should
be full enough for her to add the last drops to it; and thus to leave Zoza
cheated of her hopes. Now, therefore, seeing Zoza asleep, she seized
her opportunity; and dexterously removing the pitcher from under Zoza,
and placing her own eyes over it, she filled it in four seconds. But
hardly was it full, when the Prince arose from the white marble shrine,
as if awakened from a deep sleep, and embraced that mass of dark flesh,
and carried her straightways to his palace; feasts and marvellous
illuminations were made, and he took her for his wife.
When Zoza awoke and saw the pitcher gone, and her hopes with it, and
the shrine open, her heart grew so heavy that she was on the point of
unpacking the bales of her soul at the custom-house of Death. But, at
last, seeing that there was no help for her misfortune, and that she could
only blame her own eyes, which had served her so ill, she went her way,
step by step, into the city. And when she heard of the feasts which the
Prince had made, and the dainty creature he had married, she instantly
knew how all this mischief had come to pass; and said to herself,
sighing, "Alas, two dark things have brought me to the ground,--sleep
and a black slave!" Then she took a fine house facing the palace of the
Prince; from whence, though she could not see the idol of her heart, she
could at least look upon the walls wherein what she sighed for was
enclosed.
But Taddeo, who was constantly flying like a bat round that black night
of a Slave, chanced to perceive Zoza and was entranced with her beauty.
When the Slave saw this she was beside herself with rage, and vowed
that if Taddeo did not leave the window, she would kill her baby when
it was born.
Taddeo, who was anxiously desiring an heir, was afraid to offend his
wife and tore himself away from the sight of Zoza; who seeing this

little balm for the sickness of her hopes taken away from her, knew not,
at first, what to do. But, recollecting the fairies' gifts, she opened the
walnut, and out of it hopped a little dwarf like a doll, the most graceful
toy that was ever seen in the world. Then, seating himself upon the
window, the dwarf began to sing with such a trill and gurgling, that he
seemed a veritable king of the birds.
The Slave, when she saw and heard this, was so enraptured that, calling
Taddeo, she said, "Bring me the little fellow who is singing yonder, or I
will kill the child when it is born." So the Prince, who allowed this ugly
woman to put the saddle on his back, sent instantly to Zoza, to ask if
she would not sell the dwarf. Zoza answered she was not a merchant,
but that he was welcome to it as a gift. So Taddeo accepted the offer,
for he was anxious to keep his wife in good humour.
Four days after this, Zoza opened the chestnut, when out came a hen
with twelve little chickens, all of pure gold, and, being placed on the
window, the Slave saw them and took a vast fancy to them; and calling
Taddeo, she showed him the beautiful sight, and again ordered him to
procure the hen and chickens for her. So Taddeo, who let himself be
caught in the web, and become the sport of the ugly creature, sent again
to Zoza, offering her any price she might ask for the beautiful hen. But
Zoza