Peruonto

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The ministers all took counsel together, and resolved that the princess and the malefactor, with the two children, should be put into a cask and thrown into the sea, so that they should thus end their days without the king soiling his hands with his own blood.

No sooner was the sentence pronounced than the cask was brought, and all four were put therein; but before they were thrown in, some of the handmaidens of Princess Vastolla, who were weeping bitterly, put inside the hogshead raisins and dried figs, so that they could live for a little time. Then the cask was closed, and taken away, and flung into the sea, and it kept sailing on wherever the wind blew it.

Meanwhile Vastolla, weeping with sore weeping, her eyes running two streamlets of tears, said to Peruonto, "What great misfortune is ours that our grave should be Bacchus' cradle! Oh, could I but have known who it was that worked in this body to have me thrown into this prison! Alas! I have come to a sad end, without knowing the why or wherefore. O you cruel one, tell me, tell me, what magic art did you use, what wand did thou wave, to bring me to this pass, to be shut herein by this hogshead's hoops? Tell me, tell me, what devil tempted you to put into me the invisible pipe, and gain nothing by it but this dark spectacle?

Peruonto, who had for a time listened and pretended not to hear, answered at last, "If thou want know how it came to pass, give me some raisins and figs."

The princess, desiring to draw from him something, gave him a handful of each; and as soon as he had eaten them, he began to recount all that had happened to him with the three young girls and the fagot of wood, and how at last he had passed under her window, and how, when she laughed at him, he wished her to be with child by him.

When the lady Vastolla heard this, she took heart, and said to him, "Why should we make exit of life inside this hogshead? Why not wish for this vessel to become a splendid ship, so that we may escape from this peril and arrive in good port?'

Peruonto answered, "Give me some figs and raisins, if you want this to happen."

Vastolla at once satisfied his gluttony, so that he should be willing to speak, and like a carnival fisherwoman, with the raisins and figs she fished for the words fresh out of his body. Peruonto said the words desired by the princess, and at once the cask became a ship, with all the sails ready for sailing, and with all the sailors that were needed for the ship's service; and there were to be seen some lowering the sheets, some hauling the shrouds, some holding the rudder, some setting the studding-sails, some mounting to the upper-main-topsail, one crying, "Put the ship about!" and another, "Put the helm up!" and one blowing the trumpet, and others firing the guns, and some doing one thing, and some another, so long as Vastolla remained on board the ship, swimming in a sea of sweetness.

It was now the hour when the moon played with the sun at going and coming, and Vastolla said to Peruonto, "Handsome youth of mine, wish that this ship may become a palace, so that we may be more secure. You know the proverb, 'Praise the sea, but dwell on shore.'"

Peruonto answered, "If you want this to happen, give me some figs and raisins," and she at once gave him what he asked for.

Peruonto, having eaten, wished his wish, and the ship became a beautiful palace, adorned in all points, and furnished with such splendor that nothing was wanting. So that the princess, who would have parted with life easily but a short time before, now would not have exchanged her place with the highest lady in the world, seeing that she was served and entreated as a queen.

Then, to put a seal, upon her good fortune, she begged Peruonto to obtain the grace of becoming handsome and polished, so that they could be happy together, for although the proverb says, "Better a pig for a husband than an emperor for a friend," if he could change his looks she would take it as the greatest good fortune.

Peruonto once again answered, "Give me some figs and raisins, if you want this to happen,"

Vastolla at once responded with the raisins and figs, so that as soon as the wish was spoken he became from a sparrow a bullfinch, from a ghoul a narcissus, and from a hideous mask a handsome youth. Vastolla, seeing such a transformation, was beside herself with joy, and throwing her arms around him, tasted the sweet juice of happiness.

Now it so happened that at this same time the king, who from the day on which he had pronounced the cruel sentence had not lifted his eyes from the ground, was entreated to go hunting by his courtiers, who though thus to cheer him up.

He went, but was surprised by nightfall. Sighting from afar a light from a lantern at one of the windows of the palace, he sent one of his followers to see if they would receive him there, and he was answered that he could shelter there for the night.

The king accepted the invitation, and mounting the steps, entered, and going from room to room, he could see no person living except the two children, who kept at his side, saying, "Grandfather! grandfather! grandfather!"

The king wondered with greatest wonder, and marveled with greatest marvel. Being wearied, he seated himself by a table, when he beheld spread on it by invisible hands a white cloth and divers dishes of food, of which he partook, and wines of good vintage, of which he drank truly as a king, served by the two pretty children, never ceasing: and whilst he was eating, a band of musicians played beautifully, touching even the marrow of his bones. When he was finished eating, a bed suddenly appeared made of cloth of gold; and having had his boots pulled off, he took his rest, and all his courtiers did the same, after having eaten well at a hundred tables, which had been made ready in other rooms.

As soon as morning came, the king got ready to depart, and was going to take with him also the little ones, when Vastolla and her husband appeared, and falling at his feet, asked his pardon, and recounted to him all their fortune. The king, seeing that he had won two grandsons that were like two grains of gold and two priceless gems, and a son-in-law like a jinn, embraced first one and then the other, and took them with him to the city, and commanded great festivals and rejoicings to be made for this great gain, which lasted many days, solemnly confessing to himself that "Man proposes, but God disposes."

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