Page 71 - The Green Beaubird

want of reverence. They were all anxious to
amend their conduct in the future. The king,
when he heard they had been in tribulation,
was moved to pity, and bade them all
accompany him back to the palace to dinner;
but before they set forth Acquirino filled
secretly a phial with the dancing water, Fluvio
took the singing apple, and Serena the talking

bird, and they rode back with the king and
joyously entered the palace with him and sat
down at the royal table. It chanced that the
queen-mother and also the two sisters of
Chiaretta marked them as they passed, and
observing the beauty of the maiden and the
handsome bright- eyed youths, they were

filled with dread and suspicion as to who they
might be.

When the royal banquet had come to an end,
Acquirino said to the king: 'May it please your
majesty that, before we take our leave, we
should show your majesty some marvels
which may delight you;' and with these words
he poured into a silver tazza some of the

dancing water, while Fluvio put his hand into
his bosom and drew therefrom the singing
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