t of a grizzled hag who is maid of all work in a robbers'
cave. She tells it to divert the mind of a lovely young bride
held for ransom. It begins like a modern fairy tale, with a
great king and queen who had "three daughters of remarkable
beauty," the loveliest being the peerless Psyche. Even Venus
becomes envious of the honors paid to Psyche's charms, and
summons Cupid to wing one of his shafts which shall cause her
"to be seized with the most burning love for the lowest of
mankind," so as to disgrace and ruin her. Cupid undertakes
the task, but instead falls in love with her himself.
Meanwhile an oracle from Apollo, instigated by Venus, dooms
her to be sacrificed in marriage to some unknown aerial
monster, who must find her alone on a naked rock. She is so
placed, awaiting her doom in terror; but the zephyrs bear her
away to the palace of Love. Cupid hides her there, lest Venus
wreak vengeance on them both: and there, half terrified but
soon soothed, in the darkness of night she hears from Cupid
that he, her husband, is no monster, but the fairest of
immortals. He will not disclose his identity, however; not
only so, but he tenderly warns her that she must not seek to
discover it, or even to behold him, till he gives permission,
unless she would bring hopeless disaster on both. Nor must
she confide in her two sisters, lest their unwisdom or sudden
envy cause harm.

The simple-hearted and affectionate girl, however, in her
craving for sympathy, cannot resist the temptation to boast
of her happiness to her sisters. She invites them to pass a
day in her magnificent new home, and tells contradictory
stories about her husband. Alas! they depart bitterly
envious, and plotting to make her ruin her own joy out of
fear and curiosity.]

"What are we to say, sister, [said one to the other] of the monstrous
lies of that silly creature? At one time her husband is a young man,
with the down just showing itself on his chin; at another he is of
middle age, and his hair begins to be silvered with gray.... You may
depend upon it, sister, either the wretch has invented these lies to
deceive us, or else she does not know herself how her husband looks.
Whichever is the case, she must be deprived of these riches as soon as
possible. And yet, if she is really ignorant of her husband's
app