“But the vengeance of a woman strikes more powerfully than that of a man. “One day when Biancone was passing over the Arno in his chariot, with all his attendants, he thought he saw the eel engaged in forming the basin of a fountain (_vasca_), and bear it away in a car, she herself being in it, {156} and it was covered with glass; but in the time that he thought (or dreamed) that he saw this, the eel appeared and said: “‘Il momenta della mia vendetta E arrivato, e ti giuro Giuro che la mia vendetta E potente, or Turanna, Mia regina delle Fate, E dea dell Arno, commanda Che questa carroza sprafondi, E che tu e la tua servitu, Non vi potrete salvare.’ “‘Now the time to wreak my vengeance Has arrived, and I swear thee That my vengeance shall be fearful, Very great, because my sovereign, Turanna, queen of all the fairies, Orders that thy chariot Shall be firmly fixed for ever, And that thou and all thy following Never more canst hope for rescue.’ “Then she sang again: “‘Confino i tuoi servitori, Quelli che ti aiut avanno A discacciar sui, o Diventare della forma, Mezze bestie, mezzi uomini, E tu o Biancone, Che tanto grande siei, Ti confino a stare sempre, Sempre ritto e non potrete Mai ragionare, ne camminare Solo quando sara luna, Luna piena, passero io Ti vedro, e mi vedrai, Ma parlarmi non potrai. “‘Quando sara luna piena, E che sara una notte, Che sara mezza nuvola, E mezza serena s’enderai, Della tua carozza nei, Nei momenti che la Luna Resta sotto le nuvole, E cosi potrei favellare, Con tutte le statue, che ai Attorno, allor tua carozza, E col mio permesso potrai Andare anche dai tuoi amici!’ “‘I hereby compel thy servants, Those who aided thee, to vanish, Or take forms half brute, half human. {158} As for thee, O Biancone! Thou who art so tall and stately, Thou shalt stand erect for ever, Without power to speak or wander, Only when the full moon shining Falls upon thee, I will pass thee, I shall see thee; thou will see me, Without power to address me! “‘When the moon in full is shining, Yet when clouds begin to gather; Half in light and half in darkness, Thou may’st only in the moment When the moon is overclouded, Leave thy chariot, and have converse With the statues who are round thee, Then thou may’st, by my permission, Go among thy friends, then only.’” * * * * *