if it had been new-made
cheese. Thereupon they took the head with great joy to the King, who
rejoiced at the recovery of his daughter, for he had repented a hundred
times at having given her to an ogre. And not many days after Porziella
was married to a handsome prince, and the seven sons and their mother
who had delivered her from such a wretched life were rewarded with
great riches.

VI

CENERENTOLA

In the sea of malice envy frequently gets out of her depth; and, while
she is expecting to see another drowned, she is either drowned herself,
or is dashed against a rock, as happened to some envious girls, about
whom I will tell you a story.

There once lived a Prince, who was a widower. He had an only daughter,
so dear to him that he saw with no other eyes than hers; and he kept a
governess for her, who taught her chain-work and knitting, and to make
point-lace, and showed her such affection as no words can tell. But she
was very lonely, and many a time she said to the governess, "Oh, that
you had been my mother, you who show me such kindness and love," and
she said this so often that, at last, the governess, having a bee put
into her bonnet, said to her one day, "If you will do as this foolish
head of mine advises I shall be mother to you, and you will be as dear
to me as the apple of my eye."

She was going to say more, when Zezolla, for that was the name of the
Princess, said, "Pardon me if I stop the word upon your tongue. I know
you wish me well, therefore, hush--enough. Only show me the way. Do you
write and I will subscribe." "Well, then," answered the governess,
"open your ears and listen, and you will get bread as white as the
flowers. You know well enough that your father would even coin false
money to please you, so do you entreat him when he is caressing you to
marry me and make me Princess. Then, bless your stars! you shall be the
mistress of my life."

When Zezolla heard this, every hour seemed to her a thousand years
until she had done all that her governess had advised; and, as soon as
the mourning for her mother's death was ended, she began to feel her
father's pulse, and beg him to marry the governess. At first the Prince
took it as a joke, but Zezolla went on shooting so long past the mark
that at length she hit it, and he gave way to her entreaties. So he
married the governess, and gave a great feast at the wedding.

Now, while the young folks were dancing, and Zezolla was standing at