THE LEARNED DOG.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 49, 10 April 1896, Page 11

THE LEARNED DOG.

(By Mabt Kylk Dallas.)

THE ROMANTIC TALE OP THE IM PBOVISATORE.

As ia other lands there are street singers, in Italy there are Improwitatori who tell stories io the twilight to little crowds who gather about them. One of these men told the following story :—: — Long ago a girl, as beautiful as a dream, came to Naples from no one knows where. She earned her bread by selling fruit in the streets. Men fell in love with her but she did not seem to notice it ; bat do one dared to touch io much as her small, brown hand. She •came and went, admired and recpected by everybody. At last one day it chanced that Prince Luigi Vanvitelli saw her and lost his heart. He loved her very tenderly. It msde no matter to Mm that she was poor and perhaps ignorant, since she was -virtuous aud beautiful, and he desired to woo a^d marry her ; but the girl had no faith in the honourable attentions of princ<s to those below them. She refused to listen to his fine speeches ; aod she threatened him with some strange punishment if he persecuted her, saying :—: — " My grandfather was a great magician, and knew how to do •wonderful things. When he died he gave me a little phial." "'You will be alone, Bella,' he s»id. • K^ep this sacred. If ever you find yourself in danger, throw its contents in the f«ce of your enemy. He will instantly become a dog, and so remain.' " On hearing this the prince could not restrain his laiwhter. " Yon had much better trust to the protection of a good husband," be sai-J. " Child, do you think I believe th&t story ?" '■ I believe it,'' said the girl, solemnly. " Bat you are wan cd. ■Beware 1 ' The prince depaited ; but when next he met Bella, it was at early dawn. She was spreading her oranges, grapes and melonß on the great board with the little pink awning over it. As she turned to hang some fruit in a conspecuous place, Princa Luigi crept sjftly behind her, siole his arm about her waist, and kissed her. In another moment she had drawn a blue phial from her pocket, and thrown the •contents full in his face. The prince felt that something strange had happened to him, lifted his voice in a cry of horror, and uttered only a howl. He had become a dog. Bella stared at him in horror of her own act. Waat had she •done? Overwhelmed with remorse, she burst into tears. Toe dog ■understood her. He came clote to her, and licked her hands. The prince could no longer speak, but he had a heart. But now the streets began to fill, and customers to arrive. The dog still lay at B ilia's feet. " What a splendid animal ! " everyone would cry. Indeed, he was a very fine dig, though it can never be so fine to be a dog as to be a prince. It took him some time to get used to it. That night he went to his palace and stretched upon the stppp, •nd a servant fed him. He heard them marvelling at the prince's absßnce, and tried to explain, but all he gained by this was a command to be quiet, and in the morning, when he awoke, he went back to the fruit stand. Bella looked alarmed when she first caw him, but he licked her hands, and presently began to help her, carrying •away the empty baskets, and even hanging bunches of grapes to their little pegs. " What a wonderful dog !" cried a man who bad stopped to look •at him. Bella, who had never looked so bad before, replied, very softly :— " Yee, sir ; indeed he is." "He looks as though he could sell me a melon," said the man. "" I say, doggie, what are melonß apiece ?" The dog looked up at Bella. She gave the price. He repeated it, counting the sum in as many little barks and striking his forepaw ■on the ground each time. Then he rolled a great melon towards the purchaser, " It's a wonderful dog I" said the man. He paid for the melons, and carried it away, and told his story. A throng gathered abont Bella's taole. She took the custom from all the other fruit-sellers. Sbe began to make her fortune. To Bee the dog who could make change, and who understood every word •that was uttered to him, became the fashion in Naples, Bella left her board and took a fruit-shop. The dog now slept under the counter. He could do the m^st wonderfal things. We who kaow he was an enchanted prince are not surprised, bot those who were not aware of the fact came to see if those who told them what they saw spoke tbe truth. " A dog with a man's mind. Perhaps he can read and write," someone said. They tried him with letter blocks. He could spell any word they desired him to Bpell. Then great folks invited him to their palaces.

He wai scot for to his own. They hoped at least for * fe* momenta, to amuae his mother, who wept incessantly because of his disappearance. Hia brother, whose faci was also worn with care, and several more distant relatives, were there. Loigi looked about him. " Ah, they loved me ; they mourn for me," he said to himself. He went to hiß mother, lifted her band to his mouth, and respectfully touched it. " What a graceful dog," she siid. "My dear, have you taught him these tricks yourself V " No madam," said Bella, courtesying low. " I hear wonderfal things of your dog," said the princess. " Bat nothing interests me much at present, They scot for you to divert me. Alas I my heart is breaking. I have a dear bod — or had, I know not which. He has disappeared. Perhaps he has been murdered. How can Ibe diverted under these circumstances ? Aek what you will. My son will pay you. Bat my heart is too full to be amused by dog-tricks." But at this instant, Luigi, who carried about bis neck the bag with the alphabets in it, emptied the blocks on the ground, and quickly set apart some letters. " Great heavens ! See wbat he has done 1" cried Luigi's brother. For these words could be read across the floor : — '■Your son Lnigi lives, and still loves you." "Is it magic ?" cried the old princess. (l The dog knows my grief. Tell me, then, where is my boy, my son, my darling?" Tbe dog spelt out the words : — "Not far away. No one h»s murdered him. Hope for hia return." Then tbe oil princess knelt beside tbe dug and kissed him. bhe loaded the girl with present?. " It may be some trick," she said, " but it comforts me." Meanwhile the servants fldd, shrieking and saying that Satan, ia a dog'a form, had entered the palace. Bella, her faci hidden and weeping bitterly, went homeward The enchanted dog followed her. Alone in tie little fruit-shop. Bha knelt down before the dog with folded bands. Tak^ me to the Cardinal," bhe said. '• Tell your story. What a fiend I am 1" 11 Laigi " licked her face: Suddenly she cried oat :—: — " Wait bnt a moment I If God has mercy on a sinner t^ere may be some means to undo this deed." The rushed to on old desk and drew forth a black book. "My grandfather bade me study this well," she said. " I have not opened it." She ran her eye down the long colamas of black letters. Suddenly she gave a tcream of deligkt, and read aloud these words : — "Haviog cast enchantment, upon any man by means of the contents of the blue phial, if you desire to restore him to his proper form again, you have only to t »ke a siarp knife and cut his bead off. Instantly he will become a man again. Have no fear. It will surely be aa I say. But remember you can never enchant that same person again." The enchanted prince heard all this, rushed away and returned with a sharp knife with which pineapples were sliced. Bella took it in her hand. " I will do the deed," she said, " but if it fails I will plunge the blade into my own breast, for I love you — I love you, aud if you were to woo me again I could not oe cruel. I changed you from a prince to a dog, and you did not tear me to pieces, as you might very well have done. You have befriended me, and made my fortune." Tbe dog laid its head on her knee. She plunged tbe knife into into its throat, but no blood was seen to flow. Instead, the prince stood ap before her, dressed as he hid been whea she threw tbe contents of the phial into his face, but very pale. " Thank heaven 1" cried Bella. Then she waited far the offer she expected him to make on the spot ; but be looked at her iv a way that made her tremble. " I have fawned on yon all this while," he said, " becaass I knew that you only could break my enchantment ; but how I hated you 1 Ah 1 I loved you very honestly, and my proud mother would not have disdained a good and beautiful girl, wbom I loved tenderly, if I had made her my wife ; but a sorcerer's grand-daughter, who makes use of his arts — thank you, signora, no. I bid you adieu. I hasten to relieve the anxiety of those who love me. Adieu " " I, also, love you," cried Bella ; but he was gone. The next morning the fruit-shop was closed, and its mistress was found with a great knife driven to the hilt in her heart. Of course, no one ever saw the wonderful dog again, but there was great rejoicing over the return of lost Prince Luigi. And here the improvisator* bowed, picked up his hat full of small coin, and departed. — From Boston Pilot.