"ComeinandaskFairySibiana,"repliedthedwarf,showingthemintothepalace,whichhadgoldfloorsandcrystalwalls.FairySibianasatonathroneofcrystalandgold.
"Kingsandprinceshavebroughtentirearmiestofreetheprincess,"saidthefairy,"andeverylastoneofthemdied."
"AllIhavearemywillandmycourage,"saidtheyouth.
"Well,then,youmustundergothreetrials.Ifyoufail,youllnotgetawayfromherealive.Doyouseethatmountainshuttingoutthesunfrommyview?Youmustlevelitbytomorrowmorning.WhenIwakeupIwantthesunlightstreamingintomyroom."
Thedwarfcameoutwithapickaxandledtheyouthtothefootofthemountain.Theyoungmanbroughtthepickaxdownonce,andthebladesnappedintwo."NowhowamIgoingtodig?"hewondered,thenrememberedtheratsontheotherisland."Rats,finerats,helpme!"
Hednotgotthewordsoutofhismouthbeforethemountainwasswarmingwithratsfromtoptobottom.Theydugandgnawedandclawed,whilethemountaindwindledanddwindledanddwindled
NextmorningFairySibianawasawakenedbythefirstraysofsunstreamingintoherroom."congratulations!"shesaidtotheyouth,"butyourenotdoneyet."Sheledhimtothepalacesundergroundvaults,inthecenterofwhichwasaroomwithaceilingashighasachurchsandcontainingonebigheapofpeasandlentilsthatreachedtheceiling."Youhavethiswholenighttoseparatethepeasfromthelentilsintotwodistinctpiles.Heavenhelpyouifyouleaveonesinglelentilinthepeapile,oronesinglepeainthelentilpile."
Thedwarflefthimacandlewickandwentoffwiththefairy.Asthewickburneddowntonothing,theyouthcontinuedtostareatthehugepile,wonderinghowanyhumancouldeveraccomplishsointricateatask.Thenherememberedtheantsontheotherisland."Ants,fineants,"hecalled,"helpme!"
Nosoonerhadhesaidthosewordsthantheentirecellarteemedwiththosetinyinsects.Theyconvergedontheheapand,withorderandpatience,madetwoseparatepiles,oneteamofantscarryingpeasandtheotherlentils.
"Imstillnotdefeated,"saidthefairywhenshesawthetaskcompleted."Afarmoredifficulttrialnowawaitsyou.Youhavefromnowtilldawntofetchmeabarrelofthewateroflonglife."
Thespringoflonglifewasatthetopofasteepmountaininfestedwithsavagebeasts.Scalingthemountainwasoutofthequestion,muchlesswhilecarryingabarrel.Buttheyouthcalled,"Vultures,finevultures,helpme!"andtheskydarkenedwithvulturescirclingdowntoearth.Theyouthattachedaphialtotheneckofeach,andthevulturessoaredinagrandformationstraighttothespringonthemountaintop,filledtheirphials,andflewbackwiththemtotheyouth,whopouredthewaterintothebarrelhehadwaiting.
Whenthebarrelwasfull,hoofbeatswereheardretreating.FairySibianawasfleeingfordearlife,followedbyherdwarfs,whileoutofthepalaceranthekingofEnglandsdaughter,cheering:"Imsafeatlast!Yousetmefree!"
Withthekingsdaughterandthewateroflonglife,theyouthreturnedtohisship,wheretheoldsailorwasallreadytoweighanchor.
ThekingofEnglandscannedtheseaeverydaythroughhistelescope.SeeingashipapproachthatwasflyingtheEnglishflag,herantoportoverjoyed.Whenthemangyonebeheldtheyouthsafeandsoundandescortingthekingsdaughter,hewasfittobetiedandresolvedtohavehimkilled.
Whilethekingwascelebratinghisdaughtersreturnwithagrandbanquet,twogrim-lookingfellowscametogettheyouth,sayingitwasamatteroflifeanddeath.Puzzled,hefollowedthem.Whentheygottothewoods,thetwofellows,whowereassassinshiredbythemangyone,drewtheirknivesandcuttheyouthsthroat.
Meanwhileatthebanquet,thekingsdaughterwasmoreandmoreworried,sincetheyouthhadgoneoffwiththatsinisterpairandnotreturned.Shewentoutlookingforhimand,reachingthewoods,foundhisbodycoveredwithwounds.Buttheoldsailorhadbroughtalongthebarrelcontainingthewateroflonglife,inwhichheimmersedtheyouthsbody,onlytoseehimjumprightbackoutassoundaseverandsohandsomethatthekingsdaughterthrewherarmsaroundhisneck.
Themangyonewaslividwithrage."Whatsinthatbarrel?"heasked.
"Boilingoil,"repliedthesailor.
Sothemangyonehadabarrelofoilheatedtoboilingandannouncedtotheprincess:"IfyoudontlovemeIllkillmyself."Hestabbedhimselfwithhisdaggerandleapedintotheboilingoil.Hewasinstantlyscaldedtodeath.Alsohisblackwighadflownoffwhenheleaped,revealinghismangyhead.
"Ah,themangyone!"exclaimedthekingofEngland."Thecruelestofallmyenemies.Hefinallygotwhatwascomingtohim.Soyou,valiantyouth,aremygodson!Youshallmarrymydaughterandinheritmykingdom!"Andsoitwas.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
NOTES:
"TheShipwithThreeDecks"(Ilbastimentoatrepiani)fromAndrews,2and27,Menton,toldbyGiuaninaPiomboditeLaMova,andbyAngelinaMoretti.
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