But after four days more, Zoza opened the hazel-nut, and forth
came a doll which spun gold--an amazing sight. As soon as it was
placed at the same window, the Slave saw it and, calling to
Taddeo, said, "I must have that doll, or I will kill the child."
Taddeo, who let his proud wife toss him about like a shuttle, had
nevertheless not the heart to send to Zoza for the doll, but resolved
to go himself, recollecting the sayings: "No messenger is better
than yourself," and "Let him who would eat a fish take it by the
tail." So he went and besought Zoza to pardon his impertinence,
on account of the caprices of his wife; and Zoza, who was in
ecstasies at beholding the cause of her sorrow, put a constraint on
herself; and so let him entreat her the longer to keep in sight the
object of her love, who was stolen from her by an ugly slave. At
length she gave him the doll, as she had done the other things, but
before placing it in his hands, she prayed the little doll to put a
desire into the heart of the Slave to hear stories told by her. And
when Taddeo saw the doll in his hand, without his paying a single
coin, he was so filled with amazement at such courtesy that he
offered his kingdom and his life in exchange for the gift. Then,
returning to his palace, he placed it in his wife's hands; and
instantly such a longing seized her to hear stories told, that she
called her husband and said, "Bid some story-tellers come and tell
me stories, or I promise you, I will kill the child."

Taddeo, to get rid of this madness, ordered a proclamation
instantly to be made, that all the women of the land should come
on the appointed day. And on that day, at the hour when the star of
Venus appears, who awakes the Dawn, to strew the road along
which the Sun has to pass, the ladies were all assembled at the