the King and his stepmother had tuned
their instruments together and were making music of their discourse,
the Queen told the King that Miuccio had boasted he would build three
castles in the air. So the next morning, at the time when the Moon, the
school-mistress of the Shades, gives a holiday to her scholars for the
festival of the Sun, the King, either from surprise or to gratify the
old Queen, ordered Miuccio to be called, and commanded him forthwith to
build the three castles in the air as he had promised, or else he would
make him dance a jig in the air.

When Miuccio heard this he went to his chamber and began to lament
bitterly, seeing what glass the favour of princes is, and how short a
time it lasts. And while he was weeping thus, lo! the bird came, and
said to him, "Take heart, Miuccio, and fear not while you have me by
your side, for I am able to draw you out of the fire." Then she
directed him to take pasteboard and glue and make three large castles;
and calling up three large griffins, she tied a castle to each, and
away they flew up into the air. Thereupon Miuccio called the King, who
came running with all his court to see the sight; and when he saw the
ingenuity of Miuccio he had a still greater affection for him, and
lavished on him caresses of the other world, which added snow to the
envy of the Queen and fire to her rage, seeing that all her plans
failed; insomuch that, both sleeping and waking, she was for ever
thinking of some way to remove this thorn from her eyes. So at last,
after some days, she said to the King, "Son, the time is now come for
us to return to our former greatness and the pleasures of past times,
since Miuccio has offered to blind the sorceress, and by the
disbursement of her eyes to make you recover your lost kingdom."

The King, who felt himself touched in the sore place, called for
Miuccio that very instant, and said to him, "I am greatly surprised
that, notwithstanding all my love for you, and that you have the power
to restore me to the seat from which I have fallen, you remain thus
careless, instead of endeavouring to relieve me from the misery I am
in--reduced thus from a kingdom to a wood, from a city to a paltry
castle, and from commanding so great a people to be hardly waited on by
a parcel of half-starved menials. If, therefore, you do not wish me
ill, run now at once and blind the eyes of the fairy who has possession
of my property, for by putting out her lanterns you