The editor is indebted to Professor Joynes's French Fairy Tales for hints touching the annotation of the first two stories, and to Professor Grandgent's Italian Grammar and Composition for the wording of two or three statements in the notes and vocabulary; also to Professor Matzke of Stanford University for suggestions as to various series of racconti.
B. L. B.
Ohio State University,
Columbus, November 12, 1896.
FIRST ITALIAN READINGS
I.
IL GATTO COGLI STIVALI.
UN mugnajo, venuto a morte, non lasciò altri beni ai suoi tre figliuoli che aveva, se non il suo mulino, il suo asino e il suo gatto.