This Italian folktale story is collected from the famous ancient Italian folktales collection, named “Stories from Pentamerone”. This book was first published at Naples and it was written by - Giambattista Basile.
The Three Sisters - Part 1
- An Italian Folktales
There was at one time a woman who had three daughters, two of whom were so unlucky that nothing ever succeeded with them, all their projects went wrong, all their hopes were turned to tease. But the youngest, who was named “Nella”, was born to good luck, and I verily believe that at her birth all things conspired to present on her the best and choicest gifts in their power. The Sky gave her perfection of its light; Venus, matchless beauty of form; Love, the first dash of his power; Nature, the flower of manners. She never set about any work that it did not go off to a nicety; she never took anything in hand that it did not succeed to a hair; she never stood up to dance, that she did not sit down with praise.
On which account she was envied by her jealous sisters and yet not so much as she was loved and wished well to by all others; as greatly as her sisters desired to put her underground, so much more did other folks carry her on the palms of their hands.
Now there was in that country a charming Prince who was so attracted by Nella’s beauty that he secretly married her. And in order that they might enjoy one another's company without exciting the doubt of the mother, who was a wicked woman. The Prince made a crystal passage which led from the royal palace directly into Nella's apartment, although it was eight miles distant.
Having arranged it this way, not a night passed that the Prince did not go in and out, backwards and forwards, along the crystal passage, until at last the sisters, who were spying the actions of Nella, found out the secret and laid a plan to put a stop to the sport. And in order to cut the thread at once, they went and broke the passage here and there. So that, when Nella threw the powder into the fire, to give the signal to her husband, who used always to come running in furious rush; the Prince hurt himself in such a manner against the broken crystal that it was truly a pathetic sight to see. And being unable to pass further on the Prince turned back all cut and slashed like a Dutchman's breeches. Then he sent for all the doctors in the town; but as the crystal was enchanted the wounds were mortal, and no human remedy availed. When the King saw this, despairing of his son's condition, he sent out an announcement that whoever would cure the wounds of the Prince-if a woman she should have him for a husband-if a man he should have half his kingdom.
Now when Nella, who was mourning from the loss of the Prince, heard this she dyed her face, disguised herself, and unknown to her sisters she left home to go to see her husband before his death. But as by this time the Sun's gilded ball with which he plays in the Fields of Heaven, was running towards the west, night overtook her in a wood close to the house of a Demon. In order to get out of the way of danger from there, she climbed up into a tree.
Meanwhile the Demon and his wife were sitting at table with the windows open in order to enjoy the fresh air while they ate; as soon as they had emptied their cups and put out the lamps they began to chat of one thing and another, so that Nella, who was as near to them as the mouth to the nose, heard every word they spoke.
Among other things the lady Demon said to her husband, "My pretty Hairy-Hide, tell me what news; what do they say abroad in the world?"
And the Demon answered, "Trust me; there is no hand's breadth cleans; everything's going disordered and wrong."
"But what is it?" replied the Demon’s wife.
"Why I could tell pretty stories of all the confusion that is going on," replied the Demon, "for one hears things that are enough to drive one mad, such as clowns rewarded with gifts, rogues respected, cowards honored, robbers protected, and honest men little thought of. But, as these things only irritate one, I will just tell you what has befallen the King's son. He had made a crystal path along which he used to go to visit a pretty lady; but by some means or other, I know not how, all the road has been broken; and as he was going along the passage as usual, he has wounded himself in such a manner that before he can stop the leak the whole conduit of his life will run out. The King has indeed issued an announcement with great promises to whoever cures his son; but it is all labor lost, and the best he can do is quickly to get ready mourning and prepare the funeral."
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