[4]. M. Jannet in his preface to the “Facétieuses Nuits de Straparole” (Paris, 1857), says he has not been able to find a copy of this work in any library. There is one in the British Museum, under the title, “Opera nova da Zoan Francesco Streparola da Caravazo novamēte stampata Sonetti CXV., Strabotti XXXV., Epistole VII., Capitoli XII.” (Ven. 1508, per Georgio de Ruschoni).
[5]. The “Decameron” did not reach its sixteenth edition till fifty years after its first publication.
[6]. In his introduction to the recent edition of Painter, Mr. Joseph Jacobs cites the presence of this fable as an argument that Painter must occasionally have translated directly from the Italian. There is no reason, however, why he should not have used Louveau’s work.
[7]. It was published with seven other stories in a volume, “Novelle otto rarissime stampate a spese de Signor Giacomo conte de Clambrassil, J. Stanley, et Wogan Browne. Londra, Giacomo Edwards, 1790.”
[8]. Brackelmann says that it was a selection from the first six nights, while Grimm maintains that it contains the whole of these, and Grimm’s English translator says that it “only contains six stories.” In fact, it is made up chiefly of the contents of the first six nights, but in addition to these it contains fables from Nights VII., VIII., and XIII. It would appear that neither Dunlop nor Schmidt knew of the existence of this work.
[9]. Night IV., Fable I.; Night IV., Fable III.; Night V., Fable III., and Night XII., Fable III.
[10]. Night V., Fable I.
[11]. In the National Gallery.
[12]. Di che le donne, et parimente gli huomini fecero si gran risa che ancora ridono.
[13]. Night VII., Fable II.