“Pinsomalto." Stories from the Pentamerone, by Giambattista Basile; selected and edited by E.F. Strange, London: Macmillan; 1911, pp. 252-259.

Tale Summary

There once was a merchant who wished to see his only daughter, Betta, married, but she would not consent. One day, he asked his daughter what she would like him to bring back from the fair. She asked for half a hundredweight of Palermo sugar, the same amount of sweet almonds, four to six bottles of scented water, a little musk and amber, forty pearls, two sapphires, a few garnets and rubies, some golden thread, and a trough with a little silver trowel. Her father was puzzled, but brought her everything she had asked for. Betta took the things and shut herself in her chamber, where she used them to make a perfect young man. Having heard of a certain King of Cypress bringing a statue to life, she prayed to the goddess of Love, and made her man real. She named him Pintosmalto, and married him under the approval of her father. At the feast, an unknown Queen took a liking to him and stole him away without issue because of his innocence. Betta resolved to search the world and find him. She set off dressed as a poor girl, and after several months came to the house of an old woman who took pity on her. The woman taught her three phrases to say when in trouble: 

“Tricche varlacche, the house rains!”

“Anola tranola, the fountain plays!”

“Scatola, matola, the sun shines!”

Betta continued on to the beautiful city of Round Mount, where she begged for shelter at the palace. There, she saw Pinsomalto pass by, and repeated the first phrase the old woman had taught her. Immediately, a bejeweled golden coach appeared, and steered itself around the room on its own. The Queen said she must have it, and would offer anything. Betta asked for one night at the door of Pinsomalto’s chamber, and was granted it. Pinsomalto was giving a sleeping draught, and the girl spent the whole night lamenting because he would not wake. The next morning, after being led away by the Queen, she repeated the second phrase, which produced a gold cage with a bejeweled bird inside which sang beautifully. As before, the Queen consented to Betta’s wish to spend a night at Pinsomalto’s bedchamber in exchange for the item. Again, he slept through her weeping. The next morning, Pinsomalto met a cobbler who slept nearby, who recounted all that he had heard throughout the night. Pinsomalto resolved not to take the sleeping draught if offered to him, and that night heard all that Betta had to say. She had uttered the last phrase, and exchanged a collection of beautiful textiles for one more night. Pinsomalto embraced her, and went into the Queen’s chambers to take back all Betta had given her, and more. The two then traveled to her home, where her father met her joyfully. The Queen, however, found no trace of Pinsomalto and the beggar-girl, and called to mind the phrase:

“He who cheats must not complain if he be cheated”