“Now the fairy had converted so many folk from their evil ways, that a certain devil or imp—who also had much business in Florence about that time—became jealous of the intruder, and swore to avenge himself; but it appears that there was as much love as hate in the fiend’s mind, for the fairy’s beautiful voice had worked its charm even when the hearer was a devil. Now, besides being an imp of superior intelligence, he was also an accomplished ventriloquist (or one who could imitate strange voices as if sounding afar or in any place); so one day while the pious fairy in the form of a beautiful maiden held forth to an admiring audience, two voices were heard in the street, one here, another there, and the first sang: “‘Senti o bella una parola, Te la dico a te sola, Qui nessun ci puo’l sentire Una cosa ti vuo dire; Se la senti la stemperona, L’a un voce da buffona Tiene in mano la corona. {103} Per fare credere a questo o quella, Che l’e sempre una verginella.’ “‘Hear, O lovely maid, a word, Only to thyself I’d bear it, For it must not be o’erheard, Least of all should the preacher hear it. ’Tis that, while seeming pious, she, Holding in hand a rosary, Her talk is all hypocrisy, To make believe to simple ears, That still the maiden wreath she wears.’ “Then another voice answered: “‘La risposta ti vuo dare, Senza farti aspettare; Ora di un bell’ affare, Te la voglio raccontare, Quella donna che sta a cantare, E una Strega di queste contrade, Che va da questo e quello, A cantarle indovinello, A chi racconta: Voi siete Buona donna affezionata. Al vostro marito, ma non sapete, Cie’ di voi un ’altra appasionata.’ “‘Friends, you’ll not have long to wait For what I’m going to relate; And it is a pretty story Which I am going to lay before ye. That dame who singing there you see Is a witch of this our Tuscany, Who up and down the city flies, Deceiving people with her lies, Saying to one: The truth to tell, I know you love your husband well; But you will find, on close inspection, Another has his fond affection.’ “In short, the imp, by changing his voice artfully, and singing his ribald songs everywhere, managed in the end to persuade people that the fairy was no better than she should be, and a common mischief-maker and disturber of domestic peace. So the husbands, becoming jealous, began to quarrel with their wives, and then to swear at the witch who led them astray or put false suspicion into their minds. “But it happened that the fairy was in high favour with a great saint, and going to him, she told all her troubles and the wicked things which were said of her, and besought him to free her good name from the slanders which the imp of darkness had spread abroad (_l’aveva chalugnato_).