Lionbruno

A FISHERMAN sat watching his wife baking a cake. It was a rich and pretty cake, not just one for everyday.

"What are you making that for?" he asked.

"Surely you haven't forgotten that it is our youngest boy's birthday tomorrow," answered his wife. "Thirteen he is. How the years pass."

The husband grew suddenly pale. "I had forgotten." he said. "I had forgotten." He sat by the fireside dejected and sad. His face was hidden in his hands, and when his wife turned round she saw him shaken by sobs, and his tears fell on the hearth.

"What is the matter, my good Luca? What has come over you?"

For some time she could not get a word from him, but at last he told her his trouble. You remember the time before our youngest son Lionbruno was born? We were very poor. We were before often hungry. There seemed no fish left in the sea."

* I remember, I remember," she answered. "But we've been well off this many a year. What's the use of calling up old sorrows?"

"But did you never wonder how luck came to us so suddenly?"

"Yes," said the woman. "I did at first, but I got used to it."

"Well, listen," said Luca. "One day I was in sore straits. Out in my boat I kept thinking of you and the children with nothing to eat at home, and hardly a stick of furniture left. For a week or more I had not caught a fish that would fetch a penny. Then out of the sea there rose up a strange dark shape, very horrible to look at, and fear struck into my heart. The creature called me by my name, and asked what ailed me.

"Poverty, just poverty," I answered.

He told me that might be cured. My children should never want for a good meal on one condition. "What is the condition?" I demanded.

''You have sons enough and to spare," said he, "and I'm always in want of stout lads. Keep those you have, but give me the next son born to you, and luck will be yours for the rest of your life."

Well, it did not seem likely we should have any more children, but I would not promise at first. "My wife would never consent," said I. "Oh," answered the monster, "she would have him for thirteen years."

Then again I thought of all the hardships we suffered, and I promised. "Bring him to the seashore on his thirteenth birthday," he said, and vanished.

In less than a year after our dear Lionbruno was born, the best and handsomest of all our children. I dared not tell you his fate. I have tried to forget it, and not to count the years. But tomorrow he must go, for the monster will not forget. Ah me! Ah me! "

The mother wept, lamented, and protested. Next day she hid the boy, but his father, fearing some terrible calamity would befall the household if he failed to keep his promise, went in search of him, found him, and took him along to the seashore. He could not bear to see his son carried off, so leaving him there, without a word of farewell he hurried back to his grief-stricken home.

Lionbruno was playing in his father's boat, never guessing the fate that hung over him, when, suddenly, out of the water there rose a dark monster of terrible aspect. "The Ore!" he cried, but he did not budge.

"Come with me, my child." said a voice. "The hour has arrived."

But the lad looked the horrible creature in the face and said, "Come with you? No!"

It was not an easy thing to face the hideous Ore without flinching, and the creature was so much astonished that a mere child should resist him, that he paused a moment before he put out the claws that would clutch the boy and drag him down below the sea. That moment gave Lionbruno his great chance.

For just then the fairy princessAurelia was walking near, though unseen by either; and when she saw the little stripling prepare to resist her old enemy, the Black Ore, she was much pleased. "That's a lad of spirit," she said, "and he deserves a kinder fate. He'd better serve me than that odious monster." So she signed to an eagle who was in attendance on her, and next moment Lionbruno was seized by the hair of his head and carried to the fairy palace, which stood on a far-away seashore.

Think of the rage of the cheated monster! But he could do nothing, for the power of the fairy Aurelia was greater than his. He might trouble the waters and spoil the fishing, but with grown-up sons to work for him in the fields and vineyards, Luca was not much worse off than before.

In the fairy palace Lionbruno lived a happy, merry life. Sometimes he attended on the princess. At other times he played with the fairies and with those other mortal youths whom the princess had adopted. He rode, he hunted, he learned all kinds of knightly exercises, and when seven years had passed he had grown to be a tall, handsome, accomplished young man, the comeliest that ever was seen. Then the fairy Aurelia married him.

His happiness was almost perfect, but not quite; for he felt a great longing to see his old home, his parents and his brothers, and to share with them some of his good fortune. He did not need to tell his wish. Aurelia guessed it and granted him leave. Moreover, she gave him rich presents for all his kinsfolk, and sent him off splendidly clad, and with an equipage that the greatest prince might have envied.

And as he was taking leave of her, she brought him a precious ring with a flashing stone in it. "This ring is for you only," she said. "Rub this ring, and whatever you desire most at the moment shall be yours. Now, dear Lionbruno, hasten back. I give you but a month's leave. And, remember, that all will go well with you, on one condition. You must never boast of me. If you do, you will bitterly repent it."

Lionbruno promised, and away he went. In a second he was sped far on his way by her magic, so that in what part of the world stood the fairy palace was quite hidden from him. In his old village nobody knew him, but thought he was some great prince. Not even his mother recognised him, till he spoke of things that had happened in the days of his childhood. "And I thought you devoured by a monster!" she cried. Her joy was past description, and so was his father's. Then he brought out the presents for them, such things as they had never set eyes on before. Besides, he added to them by means of his magic ring. His father had now lands and a grand mansion; his mother ruled over a household of servants; and his brothers were fine gallants with jewelled swords by their sides.

But all their joy was turned to sorrow when they learned that Lionbruno could pay them only a short visit; and, indeed, it was hard for Lionbruno to tear himself away from them. But he thought of Aurelia, her commands and her goodness, and with promises of return he said farewell.

Now, on his way back to the fairy palace the horses knew the road and needed no directions Lionbruno heard a king's herald proclaim a great tournament. None but princes and knights of rare skill might enter the lists; but the prize was splendid nothing less than the hand of the king's daughter, the princess Claudia.

Of course Lionbruno did not want to marry any king's daughter; he had the loveliest bride in all the world. But he was tempted to show the court and all the assembled princes what a fine fellow he was; and then he was quite sure he could be victor, if he chose; for had he not his magic ring, obedient to his wishes? So he entered the lists.

Now, each competitor had to mount his horse, and, while riding, to throw his spear and pierce the jewelled eye of a bird that swung high in the air. Hundreds of fine knights made a trial; Lionbruno alone pierced the jewel. But at the end of the contest he had disappeared. The same thing happened the next day. And on the third he was again victor, but before he left the field the soldiers stopped him and led him before the king.

The king paid him many compliments on his skill and his modesty. "Now shall you have your reward," he said, and he called the princess Claudia to come forward. He was just going to put her hand in that of the victor when Lionbruno stepped back. Bowing low, he said, "Madam, I cannot have the honour. I have a bride at home."

"Why then did you enter the lists?" cried the king. "You have mocked us. But you have your punishment for insulting us. You will go back to some miserable, ugly creature whom you can never love again after having seen the beautiful lady whom you might have married."

"Your Majesty has, indeed, a lovely daughter," said Lionbruno, "but my wife surpasses her in beauty and every grace." (It was out of his mouth before he remembered his vow never to boast of the fairy Aurelia.)

There was an uproar at his words. "Let us see her then!" they cried on all sides. And the king's voice rose above the others, saying, "It is easy to make vain boasts. We command you to prove them. Send for your wife. If in three days she does not come, you shall die."

"She lives a long way off, your Majesty."

But they told him he was a liar, a braggart, and no true knight. So poor Lionbruno rubbed his ring hard, saying to it, "Tell my dear princess to come to me without delay." Aurelia refused; for had not he broken his word? Instead, she sent her kitchenmaid.

Suddenly she appeared in the hall before them all, a girl so beautiful that there was a general cry of "Oh! He spoke the truth! What a lovely creature!"

But Lionbruno was indignant. "That my lady?" he said. "I should think not. That is her kitchenmaid."

What must his lady be like then? But the king was suspicious. He again accused him of lying, and as his Majesty angrily left the hall, he once more reminded him of the punishment awaiting him if he could not prove his boast.

Next day Lionbruno was brought again into the king's presence. He rubbed the ring very hard, and in a low, pleading voice said, "Aurelia, my Princess, come to my help."

Suddenly there appeared a lady whom all eyes turned to look at, so fair she was and graceful. "There she is at last!" they cried. "After all he spoke the truth."

But Lionbruno cried out, "That my bride? Why, that's the goose-herd."

Oh! if the goose-herd was like that, what must her mistress be? But the king spoke sternly, and said, "No more vain boasting! I give you till tomorrow. If your wife comes not then, I deliver you over to the executioner. We will not be mocked." Then he sent him out of his presence.

Once more Lionbruno stood before the king. It was his last chance. He could see the gallows through the window. " Aurelia, my Aurelia," he pleaded, as he rubbed the ring, "come to the help of your Lionbruno, for death threatens."

The door swung open, and suddenly all eyes rested on a lady of such dazzling beauty as they had never seen before. Not a sound could be heard in the hall, and the king sat motionless as a statue in his astonishment and admiration. There could be no doubt this time. It was Aurelia.

She walked up to where Lionbruno stood, but instead of giving him the affectionate greeting he hoped for, she seized his hand, took off the ring from his finger, and flicked him scornfully on the cheek. "That for your broken promise!" she said. "If I am your beautiful wife, as you boast, come and find me!" And she vanished.

The king, seeing how she had repulsed Lionbruno, and taken away his ring, cried out to his guards, "Seize the impostor! Seize him! To the gallows with him!" And had not Lionbruno taken to his heels, slipped through the crowd like an eel, and made use of all the agility he had learned in the fairy palace, it would have been all over with him.