er
behind; and, seeing that so many fair faces were all show and no wool,
he turned his thoughts to his own daughter, saying, "Why do I go
seeking the impossible when my daughter Preziosa is formed in the same
mould of beauty as her mother? I have this fair face here in my house,
and yet go looking for it at the fag-end of the world. She shall marry
whom I will, and so I shall have an heir."

When Preziosa heard this she retired to her chamber, and bewailing her
ill-fortune as if she would not leave a hair upon her head; and, whilst
she was lamenting thus, an old woman came to her, who was her
confidant. As soon as she saw Preziosa, who seemed to belong more to
the other world than to this, and heard the cause of her grief, the old
woman said to her, "Cheer up, my daughter, do not despair; there is a
remedy for every evil save death. Now listen; if your father speaks to
you thus once again put this bit of wood into your mouth, and instantly
you will be changed into a she-bear; then off with you! for in his
fright he will let you depart, and go straight to the wood, where
Heaven has kept good-fortune in store for you since the day you were
born, and whenever you wish to appear a woman, as you are and will
remain, only take the piece of wood out of your mouth and you will
return to your true form." Then Preziosa embraced the old woman, and,
giving her a good apronful of meal, and ham and bacon, sent her away.

As soon as the Sun began to change his quarters, the King ordered the
musicians to come, and, inviting all his lords and vassals, he held a
great feast. And after dancing for five or six hours, they all sat down
to table, and ate and drank beyond measure. Then the King asked his
courtiers to whom he should marry Preziosa, as she was the picture of
his dead wife. But the instant Preziosa heard this, she slipped the bit
of wood into her mouth, and took the figure of a terrible she-bear, at
the sight of which all present were frightened out of their wits, and
ran off as fast as they could scamper.

Meanwhile Preziosa went out, and took her way to a wood, where the
Shades were holding a consultation how they might do some mischief to
the Sun at the close of day. And there she stayed, in the pleasant
companionship of the other animals, until the son of the King of
Running-Water came to hunt in that part of the country, who, at the
sight of the bear, had like to have died on the spot. But when he saw
the beast come gen