The nights of Straparola, volume 1 [of 2]Straparola, Giovanni Francesco
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The nights of Straparola, volume 1 [of 2]
Straparola, Giovanni Francesco
Fairy tales -- Italy; Tales -- Italy
Tebaldo, when he learned that the queen had been adjudged guilty and
condemned to a cruel death, rejoiced greatly, and, as soon as he had
taken leave of the king, left England, quite satisfied with his work,
and returned secretly to Salerno. Arrived there he told to the old nurse
the whole story of his adventures, and how Doralice had been sentenced
to death by her husband. As she listened the nurse feigned to be as
pleased as Tebaldo himself, but in her heart she grieved sorely,
overcome by the love which she had always borne towards the princess,
and the next morning she took horse early and rode on day and night
until she came to England. Immediately she repaired to the palace and
went before the king, who was giving public audience in the great hall,
and, having thrown herself at his feet, she demanded an interview on a
matter which concerned the honour of his crown. The king granted her
request, and took her by the hand and bade her rise; then, when the rest
of the company had gone and left them alone, the nurse thus addressed
the king: ‘Sire, know that Doralice, your wife, is my child. She is not,
indeed, the fruit of my womb, but I nourished her at these breasts. She
is innocent of the deed which is laid to her charge, and for which she
is sentenced to a lingering and cruel death. And you, when you shall
have learnt everything, and laid your hands upon the impious murderer,
and understood the reason which moved him to slay your children, you
will assuredly show her mercy and deliver her from these bitter and
cruel torments. And if you find that I speak falsely in this, I offer
myself to suffer the same punishment which the wretched Doralice is now
enduring.’
Then the nurse set forth fully from beginning to end the whole history
of Doralice’s past life; and the king when he heard it doubted not the
truth of it, but forthwith gave orders that the queen, who was now more
dead than alive, should be taken out of the earth; which was done at
once, and Doralice, after careful nursing and ministration by
physicians, was restored to health.
Next King Genese stirred up through all his kingdom mighty preparations
for war, and gathered together a great army, which he despatched to
Salerno. After a short campaign the city was captured, and Tebaldo,
bound hand and foot, taken back to England, where King Genese, wishing
to know the whole sum of his guilt, had him put upon the rack, whereupon
the wretched man made full confession. The next day he was conducted
through the city in a cart drawn by four horses, and then tortured with
red-hot pincers like Gano di Magazza, and after his body had been
quartered his flesh was thrown to be eaten of ravenous dogs.
And this was the end of the impious wretch Tebaldo; and King Genese and
Doralice his queen lived many years happily together, leaving at their
death divers children in their place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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