3. The Snake (Schmidt, 24).
4. The Gift of the Three Beasts (Schmidt, 158).
5. The Faithful Man (Schmidt, 147).
IV. 1. The Princess as Knight (Schmidt, 195).
3. The Three Kings' Children (Schmidt, 44). In German, The Three Little Birds, No. 96.
V. 1. The Wild Man in the Forest (Schmidt, 92). In German, Iron Hans, No. 136.
2. The Doll (poavola). Omitted by Schmidt. In the Viennese translation, 2. 97-105. Here, however, the doll is turned into a magpie, which seats itself on the king's shoulder, and holds so fast with its bill that no one but the youngest sister can take it off. In the Pentamerone, there is a goose instead of a doll, but in other respects the story is the same.
VII. 5. The Three Brothers (Schmidt, p. 262), in Morlini, No. 79. The Five Sons, in the Pentamerone, (5, 7), is better and more perfect. In German, see The Four Brothers, No. 129.
VIII. 5. The Scholar in Magic. In German, the Master-Thief, No. 68. This is omitted in the expurgated edition of Straparola, and consequently in Schmidt also, where the jest of the Two Physicians directly follows; in the complete edition, it is the sixth Fable. Lactantius, who is secretly a magician, to outward appearance carries on the trade of a tailor; "his apprentice stealthily espies what he does, and then has no longer any fancy for tailoring, so his father takes him home. The magician allows him to come back again, but makes him perform menial offices, so the father himself takes him away. As they are poor, the youth says, "Father, I will transform myself into a beautiful horse, sell me, but keep the bridle yourself, and do not give me away with it on, or I shall not be able to return." Lactantius recognizes the horse, buys it of the father, and cajoles him into letting him have the bridle too. Then he mocks, beats, and ill-treats the horse. One day, however, the magician's daughters take it to the water, whereupon it instantly changes itself into a little fish, and dives down below. The magician hastens after it, transforms itself into a voracious fish, and chases the little one. The latter however leaps, in the shape of a ruby set in a gold ring, into the basket of the king's daughter, who is picking up pebbles just there. She carries it away with her, and he shews himself to her in his true form as a handsome young man. She takes a great liking to him, and keeps him with her in the form of a ring. The old king becomes ill. Lactantius assumes the form of a physician, cures him, and, as a recompense, will have nothing but the Princess's ruby ring, for he well knows who it is. She refuses to give it up, and at length, when she is compelled to do so, the youth tells her to throw it against the wall in the physician's presence. As soon as the ring falls to the
