Page 27 - The Goose
P. 27

le corze ’nzino facennole tanta carizze e basannola,
          remedies they tried, the more the goose tightened
          her hold, and pinched the wretched prince's back
          parts, and it seemed as if all the prescriptions of
          Galen had been gathered together, and all the
          aphorisms of Hippocrates, and the remedies of
          Mesoc against the posterior of Aristotiles, to
          torment that unhappy prince. But by decree of the
          Decreer, amid so many who came and went to try
          this trial, came also Lolla, the youngest of the two
          sisters, and when she beheld the goose she knew
          her, and cried, 'O Niofatella mine, Niofatella;' and
          the goose, hearing the voice of her beloved
          mistress, at once left her prey, and ran to meet her,
          caressing her and kissing her, well pleased to
          change the back parts of a prince for the mouth of
          a country-maid. The prince, seeing this marvel,
          desired to know how it had occurred, and Lolla
          related the story from beginning to end, and when
          she came to the trick played on the gossips, the
          prince laughed till he fell backwards; and he bade
          them be taken, and whipped well with switches,
          and sent into exile; and thereafter amid joyance
          and feasting he took Lolla to wife, with the goose
          that could shit so many treasures for her dowry.



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