ch a hair of your head. Trust to me and do not be afraid; for you
must know that I possess magical powers, and am able to make cream set
on water and to darken the sun. Be of good heart, for by the evening
the piece of land will be dug and sown without any one stirring a hand."

When Nardo Aniello heard this, he answered, "If you have magic power,
as you say, O beauty of the world, why do we not fly from this country?
For you shall live like a queen in my father's house." And Filadoro
replied, "A certain conjunction of the stars prevents this, but the
trouble will soon pass and we shall be happy."

With these and a thousand other pleasant discourses the day passed, and
when the ogress came back she called to her daughter from the road and
said, "Filadoro, let down your hair," for as the house had no staircase
she always ascended by her daughter's tresses. As soon as Filadoro
heard her mother's voice she unbound her hair and let fall her tresses,
making a golden ladder to an iron heart. Whereupon the old woman
mounted up quickly, and ran into the garden; but when she found it all
dug and sown, she was beside herself with amazement; for it seemed to
her impossible that a delicate lad should have accomplished such hard
labour.

But the next morning, hardly had the Sun gone out to warm himself on
account of the cold he had caught in the river of India, than the
ogress went down again, bidding Nardo Aniello take care that in the
evening she should find ready split six stacks of wood which were in
the cellar, with every log cleft into four pieces, or otherwise she
would cut him up like bacon and make a fry of him for supper.

On hearing this decree the poor Prince had liked to have died of
terror, and Filadoro, seeing him half dead and pale as ashes, said,
"Why! What a coward you are to be frightened at such a trifle." "Do you
think it a trifle," replied Nardo Aniello, "to split six stacks of
wood, with every log cleft into four pieces, between this time and the
evening? Alas, I shall sooner be cleft in halves myself to fill the
mouth of this horrid old woman." "Fear not," answered Filadoro, "for
without giving yourself any trouble the wood shall all be split in good
time. But meanwhile cheer up, if you love me, and do not split my heart
with such lamentations."

Now when the Sun had shut up the shop of his rays, in order not to sell
light to the Shades, the old woman returned; and, bidding Filadoro let
down the usual la