(Palermo, 1875), No. 43, "La Ragazza astuta": Once upon
a time there was a huntsman who had a wife and two
children, a son and a daughter; and all lived together
in a wood where no one ever came, and so they knew
nothing about the world. The father alone sometimes went
to the city, and brought back the news. The king's son
once went hunting, and lost himself in that wood, and
while he was seeking his way it became night. He was
weary and hungry. Imagine how he felt. But all at once
he saw a light shining in the distance. He followed it
and reached the huntsman's house, and asked for lodging
and something to eat. The huntsman recognised him at
once and said: "Highness, we have already supped on our
best; but if we can find anything for you, you must be
satisfied with it. What can we do? We are so far from
the towns that we cannot procure what we need every
day." Meanwhile he had a capon cooked for him. The
prince did not wish to eat it alone, so he called all
the huntsman's family, and gave the head of the capon to
the father, the back to the mother, the legs to the son,
and the wings to the daughter, and ate the rest himself.
In the house there were only two beds, in the same room.
In one the husband and wife slept, in the other the
brother and sister. The old people went and slept in the
stable, giving up their bed to the prince. When the girl
saw that the prince was asleep, she said to her brother:
"I will wager that you do not know why the prince
divided the capon among us in the manner he did." "Do
you know? Tell me why." "He gave the head to our father,
because he is the head of the family; the back to our
mother, because she has on her shoulders all the affairs
of the house; the legs to you, because you must be quick
in performing the errands which are given you; and the
wings to me, to fly away and catch a husband." The
prince pretended to be asleep, but he was awake and
heard these words, and perceived that the girl had much
judgment, and as she was also pretty, he fell in love
with her [and ultimately married this clever girl].

V

MORAL TALES, FABLES, AND PARABLES.

Reverence for parents, which is still a