Once upon a time the King of Green-Bank had three daughters, who were
perfect jewels, with whom three sons of the King of Fair-Meadow were
desperately in love. But these Princes having been changed into animals
by the spell of a fairy, the King of Green-Bank disdained to give them
his daughters to wife. Whereupon the first, who was a beautiful Falcon,
called together all the birds to a council; and there came the
chaffinches, tomtits, woodpeckers, fly-catchers, jays, blackbirds,
cuckoos, thrushes, and every other kind of bird. And when they were all
assembled at his summons, he ordered them to destroy all the blossoms
on the trees of Green-Bank, so that not a flower or leaf should remain.
The second Prince, who was a Stag, summoning all the goats, rabbits,
hares, hedgehogs, and other animals of that country, laid waste all the
corn-fields so that there was not a single blade of grass or corn left.
The third Prince, who was a Dolphin, consulting together with a hundred
monsters of the sea, made such a tempest arise upon the coast that not
a boat escaped.
Now the King saw that matters were going from bad to worse, and that he
could not remedy the mischief which these three wild lovers were
causing; so he resolved to get out of his trouble, and made up his mind
to give them his daughters to wife; and thereupon, without wanting
either feasts or songs, they carried their brides off and out of the
kingdom.
On parting from her daughters, Granzolla the Queen gave each of them a
ring, one exactly like the other, telling them that if they happened to
be separated, and after a while to meet again, or to see any of their
kinsfolk, they would recognise one another by means of these rings. So
taking their leave they departed. And the Falcon carried Fabiella, who
was the eldest of the sisters, to the top of a mountain, which was so
high that, passing the confines of the clouds, it reached with a dry
head to a region where it never rains; and there, leading her to a most
beautiful palace, she lived like a Queen.
The Stag carried Vasta, the second sister, into a wood, which was so
thick that the Shades, when summoned by the Night, could not find their
way out to escort her. There he placed her, as befitted her rank, in a
wonderfully splendid house with a garden.
The Dolphin swam with Rita, the third sister, on his back into the
middle of the sea, where, upon a large rock, he showed her a mansion in
which three crowned Kings might live.
Meanwhile Granzolla gave birth to a fine little boy, whom they named
Tittone. And when he was fifteen years old, hearing his mother
lamenting continually that she never heard any tidings of her three
daughters, who were married to three animals; he took it into his head
to travel through the world until he should obtain some news of them.
So after begging and entreating his father and mother for a long time,
they granted him permission, bidding him take for his journey
attendants and everything needful and befitting a Prince; and the Queen
also gave him another ring similar to those she had given to her
daughters.
Tittone went his way, and left no corner of Italy, not a nook of
France, nor any part of Spain unsearched. Then he passed through
England, and traversed Slavonia, and visited Poland, and, in short,
travelled both east and west. At length, leaving all his servants, some
at the taverns and some at the hospitals, he set out without a farthing
in his pocket, and came to the top of the mountain where dwelt the
Falcon and Fabiella. And as he stood there, beside himself with
amazement, contemplating the beauty of the palace--the corner-stones of
which were of porphyry, the walls of alabaster, the windows of gold,
and the tiles of silver--his sister observed him, and ordering him to
be called, she demanded who he was, whence he came, and what chance had
brought him to that country. When Tittone told her his country, his
father and mother, and his name, Fabiella knew him to be her brother,
and the more when she compared the ring upon his finger with that which
her mother had given her; and embracing him with great joy, she
concealed him, fearing that her husband would be angry when he returned
home.
As soon as the Falcon came home, Fabiella began to tell him that a
great longing had come over her to see her parents. And the Falcon
answered, "Let the wish pass, wife; for that cannot be unless the
humour takes me."
"Let us at least," said Fabiella, "send to fetch one of my kinsfolk to
keep my company."
"And, pray, who will come so far to see you?" replied the Falcon.
"Nay, but if any one should come," added Fabiella, "would you be
displeased?"
"Why should I be displeased?" said the Falcon, "it would be enough that
he were one of your kinsfolk to make me take him to my heart."
When Fabiella heard this she took courage, and calling to her brother
to come forth, she presented him to the Falcon, who exclaimed, "Five
and five are ten; love passes through the glove, and water through the
boot. A hearty welcome to you! you are master in this house; command,
and do just as you like." Then he gave orders that Tittone should be
served and treated with the same honour as himself.
Now when Tittone had stayed a fortnight on the mountain, it came into
his head to go forth and seek his other sisters. So taking leave of
Fabiella and his brother-in-law, the Falcon gave him one of his
feathers, saying, "Take this and prize it, my dear Tittone; for you may
one day be in trouble, and you will then esteem it a treasure.
Enough--take good care of it; and if ever you meet with any mishap,
throw it on the ground, and say, Come hither, come hither!' and you
shall have cause to thank me."
Tittone wrapped the feather up in a sheet of paper, and, putting it in
his pocket, after a thousand ceremonies departed. And travelling on and
on a very long way, he arrived at last at the wood where the Stag lived
with Vasta; and going, half-dead with hunger, into the garden to pluck
some fruit, his sister saw him, and recognised him in the same manner
as Fabiella had done. Then she presented Tittone to her husband, who
received him with the greatest friendship, and treated him truly like a
Prince.
At the end of a fortnight, when Tittone wished to depart, and go in
search of his other sister, the Stag gave him one of his hairs,
repeating the same words as the Falcon had spoken about the feather.
And setting out on his way, with a bagful of crown-pieces which the
Falcon had given him, and as many more which the Stag gave him, he
walked on and on, until he came to the end of the earth, where, being
stopped by the sea and unable to walk any further, he took ship,
intending to seek through all the islands for tidings of his sister. So
setting sail, he went about and about, until at length he was carried
to an island, where lived the Dolphin with Rita. And no sooner had he
landed, than his sister saw and recognised him in the same manner as
the others had done, and he was received by her husband with all
possible affection.
Now after a while Tittone wished to set out again to go and visit his
father and mother, whom he had not seen for so long a time. So the
Dolphin gave him one of his scales, telling him the same as the others
had; and Tittone, mounting a horse, set out on his travels. But he had
hardly proceeded half a mile from the seashore, when entering a
wood--the abode of Fear and the Shades, where a continual fair of
darkness and terror was kept up--he found a great tower in the middle
of a lake, whose waters were kissing the feet of the trees, and
entreating them not to let the Sun witness their pranks. At a window in
the tower Tittone saw a most beautiful maiden sitting at the feet of a
hideous dragon, who was asleep. When the damsel saw Tittone, she said
in a low and piteous voice, "O noble youth, sent perchance by heaven to
comfort me in my miseries in this place, where the face of a Christian
is never seen, release me from the power of this tyrannical serpent,
who has carried me off from my father, the King of Bright-Valley, and
shut me up in this frightful tower, where I must die a miserable death."
"Alas, my beauteous lady!" replied Tittone, "what can I do to serve
thee? Who can pass this lake? Who can climb this tower? Who can
approach yon horrid dragon, that carries terror in his look, sows fear,
and causes dismay to spring up? But softly, wait a minute, and we'll
find a way with another's help to drive this serpent away. Step by
step--the more haste, the worse speed: we shall soon see whether tis
egg or wind." And so saying he threw the feather, the hair, and the
scale, which his brothers-in-law had given him, on the ground,
exclaiming, "Come hither, come hither!" And falling on the earth like
drops of summer rain, which makes the frogs spring up, suddenly there
appeared the Falcon, the Stag, and the Dolphin, who cried out all
together, "Behold us here! what are your commands?"
When Tittone saw this, he said with great joy, "I wish for nothing but
to release this poor damsel from the claws of yon dragon, to take her
away from this tower, to lay it all in ruins, and to carry this
beautiful lady home with me as my wife."
"Hush!" answered the Falcon, "for the bean springs up where you least
expect it. We'll soon make him dance upon a sixpence, and take good
care that he shall have little ground enough."
"Let us lose no time," said the Stag, "troubles and macaroni are
swallowed hot."
So the Falcon summoned a large flock of griffins, who, flying to the
window of the tower, carried off the damsel, bearing her over the lake
to where Tittone was standing with his three brothers-in-law; and if
from afar she appeared a moon, believe me, when near she looked truly
like a sun, she was so beautiful.
Whilst Tittone was embracing her and telling her how he loved her, the
dragon awoke; and, rushing out of the window, he came swimming across
the lake to devour Tittone. But the Stag instantly called up a squadron
of lions, tigers, panthers, bears, and wild-cats, who, falling upon the
dragon, tore him in pieces with their claws. Then Tittone wishing to
depart, the Dolphin said, "I likewise desire to do something to serve
you." And in order that no trace should remain of the frightful and
accursed place, he made the sea rise so high that, overflowing its
bounds, it attacked the tower furiously, and overthrew it to its
foundations.
When Tittone saw these things, he thanked the animals in the best
manner he could, telling the damsel at the same time that she ought to
do so too, as it was by their aid she had escaped from peril. But the
animals answered, "Nay, we ought rather to thank this beauteous lady,
since she is the means of restoring us to our proper shapes; for a
spell was laid upon us at our birth, caused by our mother's having
offended a fairy, and we were compelled to remain in the form of
animals until we should have freed the daughter of a King from some
great trouble. And now behold the time is arrived which we have longed
for; the fruit is ripe, and we already feel new spirit in our breasts,
new blood in our veins." So saying, they were changed into three
handsome youths, and one after another they embraced their
brother-in-law, and shook hands with the lady, who was in an ecstasy of
joy.
When Tittone saw this, he was on the point of fainting away; and
heaving a deep sigh, he said, "O Heavens! why have not my mother and
father a share in this happiness? They would be out of their wits with
joy were they to see such graceful and handsome sons-in-law before
their eyes."
"Nay," answered the Princes, "'tis not yet night; the shame at seeing
ourselves so transformed obliged us to flee from the sight of men; but
now that, thank Heaven! we can appear in the world again, we will all
go and live with our wives under one roof, and spend our lives merrily.
Let us, therefore, set out instantly, and before the Sun to-morrow
morning unpacks the bales of his rays at the custom-house of the East,
our wives shall be with you."
So saying, in order that they might not have to go on foot--for there
was only an old broken-down mare which Tittone had brought--the
brothers caused a most beautiful coach to appear, drawn by six lions,
in which they all five seated themselves; and having travelled the
whole day, they came in the evening to a tavern, where, whilst the
supper was being prepared, they passed the time in reading all the
proofs of men's ignorance which were scribbled upon the walls. At
length, when all had eaten their fill and retired to rest, the three
youths, feigning to go to bed, went out and walked about the whole
night long, till in the morning, when the Stars, like bashful maidens,
retire from the gaze of the Sun, they found themselves in the same inn
with their wives, whereupon there was a great embracing, and a joy
beyond the beyonds. Then they all eight seated themselves in the same
coach, and after a long journey arrived at Green-Bank, where they were
received with incredible affection by the King and Queen, who had not
only regained the capital of four children, whom they had considered
lost, but likewise the interest of three sons-in-law and a
daughter-in-law, who were verily four columns of the Temple of Beauty.
And when the news of the adventures of their children was brought to
the Kings of Fair-Meadow and Bright-Valley, they both came to the
feasts which were made, adding the rich ingredient of joy to the
porridge of their satisfaction, and receiving a full recompense for all
their past misfortunes; for--
"One hour of joy dispels the cares
And sufferings of a thousand years."