There were a husband, a wizard, and his wife (who was a witch), who had a beautiful daughter, and a house with a fine garden which was full of broccoli—oh, the finest broccoli in the world!
And opposite to this, or overlooking the garden, dwelt two women, and one of these was incinta, or with child, and she said to the other woman:
“Comare, [140] how I would like to have two broccoli from the magician’s garden. They’re so nice!”
“Yes, comare, but how to get them? It would be dangerous!”
“La cosa si farà—it can be done, at midnight when the sorcerer is asleep, by stealing a little.”
And so they did, for at midnight both went with a sack, climbed over the iron gate, and, having filled their bag, went away. [141a]
In the morning the magician Virgilio went to his garden and found that many broccoli were gone. In a rage he ran to his wife, and said: “What’s to be done?”
She replied: “This night we’ll set the cat on guard upon the gate.”
Which was done. That evening, fra il lusco e il brusco, [141b] the one said:
“Ah, gossip, this night it can’t be done.”