[No. 50.]
Title Of Story.—Signor Lattanzio.
Dramatis Personæ,—Duke (Signor Lattanzio).—Lady's daughter.—Fairies, cats (fairies transformed).—Other cats (suitors who have failed).—Suitors (released from spell).
Abstract Of Story.—(1) Duke wanders over world seeking wife; comes to inn, where he meets lady. She asks him what he is seeking; he tells her he has journeyed half the world over to find a wife to his fancy; not finding one, he is going back to his native city as he came. Lady says she has a daughter, the most beautiful maiden ever made, taken possession of by three fairies and locked up in a casino on the Campagna, where no one can get to see her. Duke begs to know where she is. Lady says it's no use, so many have tried and failed. Duke argues and prevails on her to tell him, though she says all who go to seek her never come back.—(2) She tells him he must go to mountain of Russia, where three most beautiful maidens will meet him, and by all manner of blandishments will try to entice him to their palace; he will not be able to resist, and if he goes into palace he will be turned into a cat, for they are fairies; but if he can resist them for only an hour, he will have conquered they will be turned into cats, and he will be able to release daughter.—(3) Duke goes, bandages his eyes so that he shall not see fairies; they come to meet him and try in every way to make him only look at them; but though much tempted he is firm; at last takes out his repeater, strikes it, and the hour of trial is over.—(4) "Traitor," cry the three fairies, and are turned the same instant into cats. Duke goes into palace, takes wand, with it opens door of casino where lady's daughter is imprisoned; restores all the cats upon the mountain to natural shapes as those that had failed in their enterprise; takes daughter home to be his wife.
Alphabetical List of Incidents—
Cats, suitors who have yielded to fairies (4).
Fairies entice Duke (3); failing, are turned into cats (4).
Maiden imprisoned by fairies (1); rescued by Duke (4).
Mountain of Russia, beautiful maidens at foot of (2); cats on the mountain, other suitors (4).
Repeater, Duke strikes (3).
Search for wife (1).
Wand used to restore cats on mountain to natural shape (4).
Yielding to enticements of fairies entails transformation to cats (2).
