A Translation of Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales A Translation of Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales A New Translation by Christopher Stace A Translation of Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales By Christopher Stace This book first published 2018 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2018 by Christopher Stace All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-5275-1153-7 ISBN (13): 978-1-5275-1153-8 Portrait of Basile (1566 – 1632): 17C engraving by Nicolaus Perrey, after Jacobus Pecini (1641). CONTENTS List of Illustrations ...................................................................................... x Introduction ................................................................................................ xi Carmela Bernadetta Scala Translator’s Preface ............................................................................... xxxii THE TALE OF TALES First Day Introduction ................................................................................................. 4 The Tale of the Ogre .................................................................................. 12 The Myrtle Bush ........................................................................................ 19 Peruonto ..................................................................................................... 27 Vardiello .................................................................................................... 35 The Flea ..................................................................................................... 40 The Cat Cinderella .................................................................................... 46 The Merchant............................................................................................. 52 Goat-Face .................................................................................................. 62 The Enchanted Doe ................................................................................... 68 The Old Woman who was Skinned ........................................................... 74 ECLOGUE: The Crucible ......................................................................... 85 Second Day Introduction ............................................................................................. 112 Petrosinella .............................................................................................. 113 Verdeprato ............................................................................................... 117 Viola ........................................................................................................ 122 Cagliuso ................................................................................................... 127 The Serpent .............................................................................................. 132 The She-Bear ........................................................................................... 140 The Dove ................................................................................................. 147 viii Contents The Little Slave Girl ................................................................................ 157 The Padlock ............................................................................................. 161 The Neighbour ......................................................................................... 165 ECLOGUE: The Dye .............................................................................. 170 Third Day Introduction ............................................................................................. 182 Cannetella ................................................................................................ 183 Penta, the Girl who chopped her Hands off ............................................. 189 Face ......................................................................................................... 198 Sapia Liccarda ......................................................................................... 207 The Cockroach, the Mouse and the Cricket ............................................. 212 The Plot of Garlic ................................................................................... 220 Corvetto ................................................................................................... 225 The Dullard .............................................................................................. 230 Rosella ..................................................................................................... 236 The Three Fairies ..................................................................................... 242 ECLOGUE: The Stove ............................................................................ 251 Fourth Day Introduction ............................................................................................. 262 The Stone in the Cockerel ....................................................................... 265 The Two Brothers .................................................................................... 270 The Three Animal Kings ......................................................................... 279 The Seven Bits of Bacon Rind ................................................................ 286 The Dragon .............................................................................................. 291 The Three Crowns ................................................................................... 300 The Two Little Pizzas .............................................................................. 308 The Seven Little Doves ........................................................................... 315 The Crow ................................................................................................. 325 Pride Punished ......................................................................................... 335 ECLOGUE: The Hook ............................................................................ 342 A Translation of Giambattista Basile’s The Tale of Tales ix Fifth Day Introduction ............................................................................................. 354 The Goose ................................................................................................ 358 The Months .............................................................................................. 362 Pinto Smalto ............................................................................................ 367 The Golden Trunk ................................................................................... 373 Sun, Moon and Talia ............................................................................... 382 Sapia ........................................................................................................ 387 Nennillo and Nennella ............................................................................. 392 The Five Sons .......................................................................................... 397 The Three Citrons .................................................................................... 403 Conclusion to the Tale of Tales ............................................................... 412 Select Bibliography ................................................................................. 415 Index ........................................................................................................ 423 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS All Figures by Franz von Bayros (1866 – 1924) Portrait of Basile (1566 – 1632): 17C engraving by Nicolaus Perrey, after Jacobus Pecini (1641) .................................................................... v Peruonto (Peruonto) .................................................................................. 27 The Old Woman who was Skinned (Die Alte) ........................................... 74 The Serpent (Schlange) ............................................................................ 132 Viso (Viso) ............................................................................................... 198 The Dullard (Dümmling)......................................................................... 230 The Three Animal Kings (Tierbrüder) ..................................................... 279 The Two little Pizzas (Die Kuchen) ......................................................... 308 Pride Punished (Der Gärtner) .................................................................. 335 The Golden Trunk (Goldwurzel) ............................................................. 373 The Five Sons (Die Söhne) ...................................................................... 397 INTRODUCTION CARMELA BERNADETTA SCALA Basile’s life Giambattista Basile was born in Naples between 1566 and 15751. Very little is known about his childhood and his family. Possibly he had six siblings and his family belonged to the Neapolitan middle class that emerged in Naples during the sixteenth century. Around 1603 he joined the army of the Venetian Republic and left