ag, and without
saying one word of thanks, went to the royal palace; so again the fairy
was quite angered at the conduct of the graceless girl.

When the King had taken the thread, he gave two little dogs, one to
Renzolla and one to the maid, telling them to feed and rear them. The
maid reared hers on bread crumbs and treated it like a child; but
Renzolla grumbled, saying, "A pretty thing truly! As my grandfather
used to say, Are we living under the Turks? Am I indeed to comb and
wait upon dogs?" and she flung the dog out of the window!

Some months afterwards, the King asked for the dogs; whereat Renzolla,
losing heart, ran off again to the fairy, and at the gate stood the old
man who was the porter. "Who are you," said he, "and whom do you want?"
Renzolla, hearing herself addressed in this off-hand way, replied,
"Don't you know me, you old goat-beard?"

"Why do you miscall me?" said the porter. "This is the thief accusing
the constable. I a goat-beard indeed! You are a goat-beard and a half,
and you merit it and worse for your presumption. Wait awhile, you
impudent woman; I'll enlighten you and you will see to what your airs
and impertinence have brought you!"

So saying, he ran into his room, and taking a looking-glass, set it
before Renzolla; who, when she saw her ugly, hairy visage, was like to
have died with terror. Her dismay at seeing her face so altered that
she did not know herself cannot be told. Whereupon the old man said to
her, "You ought to recollect, Renzolla, that you are a daughter of a
peasant and that it was the fairy that raised you to be a queen. But
you, rude, unmannerly, and thankless as you are, having little
gratitude for such high favours, have kept her waiting outside your
heart, without showing the slightest mark of affection. You have
brought the quarrel on yourself; see what a face you have got by it!
See to what you are brought by your ingratitude; for through the
fairy's spell you have not only changed face, but condition. But if you
will do as this white-beard advises, go and look for the fairy; throw
yourself at her feet, tear your beard, beat your breast, and ask pardon
for the ill-treatment you have shown her. She is tender-hearted and she
will be moved to pity by your misfortune."

Renzolla, who was touched to the quick, and felt that he had hit the
nail on the head, followed the old man's advice. Then the fairy
embraced and kissed her; and restoring her to her former appearanc