“Thou seest this wood? In one day it must be all cut down and cleared away to a clean field, in which must be growing all kinds of plants which are to be found in the world.”
And Antonuccio began to hew with an axe, and worked well, but soon gave up the task in despair.
At noon came Marietta with her basket.
“What, crying again! What is the trouble to-day?”
“Only to clear away all this forest, make a clean field, and plant it with all the herbs in the world.”
“Oh, well, eat your lunch, and I will see about it. It is lucky that it is not something difficult!”
She ran home, got a magic wand, and went to work. Down the trees came crashing—away they flew! ’Twas a fine sight, upon my word! And then up sprouted all kinds of herbs and flowers, till there was the finest garden in the world.
In the evening came the magician, and was well pleased at finding how well Antonuccio had done the work. But when his wife heard all, she raged more than ever, declaring that it had all been done by Marietta, who was destined to be ruined by the boy.
“Well, well!” exclaimed the wizard. “If you will give me no peace, I must put an end to this trouble. I will give the boy nothing to do to-morrow—he may remain idle—and in the evening I will chop off his head with this axe.”
Antonuccio heard this speech as he had done the others, and this time was in despair. In the morning Marietta found him weeping.