Page 23 - The Green Beaubird

graceful they were, he deemed them to be
the children of some noble lady who, to
hide her shame, had committed this crime.
Having taken home the box he said to his
wife, who was called Gordiana, See here,
wife, what I have found in the river; it is a
present for you.' Gordiana received the
children joyfully, and brought them up as if

they had been her own, giving to one the
name of Acquirino, to another Fluvio-as
they had been found in the river-and to the
girl that of Serena.

Ancilotto, when he came back from his
journey, was in high spirits, for he fully

expected to find on his return that Chiaretta
had fulfilled her pledge and given him the
three fair children as she had promised; but
the issue was not what he hoped, for the
cunning queen- mother, when she saw her
son drawing near, went to meet him, and
told him that the wife he prized so highly
had given him, instead of three children,
three mongrel dogs. And having brought

him into the chamber of the unfortunate
Chiaretta, she showed him the pups which
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