and pearls.
Oraggio's sister is fair,
She is fair as the sun;
She would suit our master well."

The prince asked Oraggio how the geese came to repeat those words every
day. He told him that his sister, thrown into the sea, had been seized
by a fish, which had taken her to a beautiful palace under the water,
where she was in chains. But that, attached to a long chain, she was
permitted to come to the shore when he drove the geese there. The prince
said: "If what you relate is true, ask her what is required to liberate
her from that prison."

The next day Oraggio asked Bianchinetta how it would be possible to take
her from there and conduct her to the prince. She replied: "It is
impossible to take me from here. At least, the monster always says to
me: 'It would require a sword that cuts like a hundred, and a horse that
runs like the wind.' It is almost impossible to find these two things.
You see, therefore, it is my fate to remain here always." Oraggio
returned to the palace, and informed the prince of his sister's answer.
The latter made every effort, and succeeded in finding the horse that
ran like the wind, and the sword that cut like a hundred. They went to
the sea, found Bianchinetta, who was awaiting them. She led them to her
palace. With the sword the chain was cut. She mounted the horse, and
thus was able to escape. When they reached the palace the prince found
her as beautiful as the portrait Oraggio was always gazing at, and
married her. The other homely one was burned in the public square, with
the accustomed pitch-shirt; and they lived content and happy.[22]

* * * * *

We have already encountered the trait of "Thankful Animals," who assist
the hero in return for kindness he has shown them. What is merely an
incident in the stories above alluded to constitutes the main feature of
a class of stories which may be termed "Animal Brothers-in-law." The
usual formula in these stories is as follows: Three princes, transformed
into animals, marry the hero's sisters. The hero visits them in turn;
they assist him in the performance of difficult tasks, and are by him
freed from their enchantment. This formula varies, of course. Sometimes
there are but two sisters, and the brothers-in-law are freed from their
enchantment in some other way than by the hero. A good specimen of this
class is from the south of Italy, Basilicata (Comparetti, No. 20), and
is called:

XIII. T