Page 63 - The Green Beaubird

hopping about on the tall tree and softly
talking. There the first things she saw was her
brothers' horses, which were grazing on the
turf, and, casting her eyes upon the statues,
she saw that two of them must be Acquirino
and Fluvio, for the unhappy youths, though
turned into marble, retained their features
exactly as in life. Serena dismounted, and

going softly up to the tree she laid hands on
the Green Beaubird from behind, and he,
finding himself a prisoner, besought her to let
him go, and promised that at the right time
and place he would remember her. But Serena
answered that first of all he must restore her
brothers to their former state, upon which the

bird replied: 'Look then under my left wing,
and there you will find a feather much greener
than any of the others and marked with
yellow. Pluck it out and touch with it the eyes
of the statues, and then your brothers will
return to flesh and blood.' Serena raised the
wing, and found the feather, and did as the
bird had directed, and the statues of Acquirino
and Fluvio at once became living men and

embraced their sister joyfully.
This wonder being accomplished, the bird
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