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188 |
THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. |
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So Cola-Mattheo rose at cock-crow, took a large basket under his arm, and carefully collected all the broken fragments of pots and pans, and jugs and lamps, and other trash of that sort. No sooner had he scattered them over the paths and walls of the king's garden than they became one blaze of glittering gold, so that every one's eyes were dazzled with the brilliancy and every one's soul was filled with wonder. The king, too, was amazed at the sight, but still he couldn't make up his mind to part with his daughter, so when Cola-Mattheo came to remind him of his promise he replied: "I have still a third demand to make. If the snake can turn all the trees and fruit of my garden into precious stones, then I promise him my daughter in marriage."
When the peasant informed the snake what the king had said he replied: "To-morrow morning early you must go to the market and buy all the fruit you see there, and then sow all the stones and seeds in the palace garden, and if I'm not mistaken the king will be satisfied with the result."
Cola-Mattheo rose at dawn, and taking a basket on his arm he went to the market and bought all the pomegranates, apricots, cherries, and other fruit he could find there, and sowed the seeds and stones in the palace garden. In one moment the trees were all ablaze with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and every other precious stone you can think of.
This time the king felt obliged to keep his promise, and calling his daughter to him he said: "My dear Gran-nonia," for that was the princess' name, "more as a joke than anything else I demanded what seemed to me impossibilities from your bridegroom, but now that he has done all I required, I am bound to stick to my part of the bargain. Be a good child, and as you love me do not force me to break my word, but give yourself up with as good grace as you can to a most unhappy fate."
"Do with me what you like, my lord and father, for your will is my law," answered Grannonia.
When the king heard this he told Cola-Mattheo to bring the snake to the palace, and said that he was prepared to receive the creature as his son-in-law.
The snake arrived at court in a carriage made of gold and drawn by six white elephants; but wherever it |
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