king at
it, he perceived that it was carved of fine marble, and that the figure
on it was that of a beautiful nymph, or a Bellaria flying in the air, and
there came from the ashes which it held a sweet odour of some perfume
which was unknown to him. Now as he had, _sentito ragionare tanto di
fate_, heard much talk of supernatural beings, so he reflected: 'Some
_fata_ must have dwelt here in days of old, and she was here buried, and
this vase is now as a body from which the spirit freely passes, therefore
I will show it respect.'

"And so he hung round the neck of the vase a wreath of the most beautiful
and fragrant roses, and draped a veil over it to shield it from dust, and
set it up under cover in his own garden, and sang to it as follows:

"'Vaso! o mio bel vaso!
Di rose ti ho contornato.
La rosa e un bel fior,
Piu bello e il suo odor."

"'Vase, oh lovely vase of mine!
With roses I thy neck entwine;
The rose is beautiful in bloom,
More beautiful its sweet perfume,
The finest rose above I place,
To give the whole a crowning grace,
As thou dost crown my dwelling-place
Another rose I hide within,
As thou so long hast hidden been,
Since Roman life in thee I see,
Rosa Romana thou shalt be!
And ever thus be called by me!
And as the rose in early spring
Rises to re-awakening,
Be it in garden, fair, or plain,
From death to blooming life again,
So rise, oh fairy of the flowers,
And seek again these shady bowers!
Come every morning to command
My flowers, and with thy tiny hand
Curve the green leaf and bend the bough,
And teach the blossoms how to blow;
But while you give them living care,
Do not neglect the gardener;
And as he saved your lovely urn,
I pray protect him too in turn,
Even as I this veil have twined,
To guard thee from the sun and wind:
Oh, Fairy of the Vase--to you,
As Queen of all the Fairies too,
And Goddess of the fairest flowers
In earthly fields or elfin bowers,
To thee with earnest heart I pray,
Grant me such favour as you may.' {196}

"Then he saw slowly rising from the vase, little by little, a beautiful
woman, who sang:

"'Tell me what is thy desire,
Oh youth, and what dost thou require?
From realms afar I come to thee,
For thou indeed hast summoned me,
With such sweet love and gentleness,
That I in turn t