man to keep than to get; for in
the one case fortune aids, which often assists injustice, but in the
other case sense is required. Therefore we frequently find a person
deficient in cleverness rise to wealth, and then, from want of sense,
roll over heels to the bottom; as you will see clearly from the story I
am going to tell you, if you are quick of understanding.

A merchant once had an only daughter, whom he wished greatly to see
married; but as often as he struck this note, he found her a hundred
miles off from the desired pitch, for the foolish girl would never
consent to marry, and the father was in consequence the most unhappy
and miserable man in the world. Now it happened one day that he was
going to a fair; so he asked his daughter, who was named Betta, what
she would like him to bring her on his return. And she said, "Papa, if
you love me, bring me half a hundredweight of Palermo sugar, and as
much again of sweet almonds, with four to six bottles of scented water,
and a little musk and amber, also forty pearls, two sapphires, a few
garnets and rubies, with some gold thread, and above all a trough and a
little silver trowel." Her father wondered at this extravagant demand,
nevertheless he would not refuse his daughter; so he went to the fair,
and on his return brought her all that she had requested.

As soon as Betta received these things, she shut herself up in a
chamber, and began to make a great quantity of paste of almonds and
sugar, mixed with rosewater and perfumes, and set to work to form a
most beautiful youth, making his hair of gold thread, his eyes of
sapphires, his teeth of pearls, his lips of rubies; and she gave him
such grace that speech alone was wanting to him. When she had done all
this, having heard say that at the prayers of a certain King of Cyprus
a statue had once come to life, she prayed to the goddess of Love so
long that at last the statue began to open its eyes; and increasing her
prayers, it began to breathe; and after breathing, words came out; and
at last, disengaging all its limbs, it began to walk.

With a joy far greater than if she had gained a kingdom, Betta embraced
and kissed the youth, and taking him by the hand, she led him before
her father and said, "My lord and father, you have always told me that
you wished to see me married, and in order to please you I have now
chosen a husband after my own heart." When her father saw the handsome
youth come out of his daughter's