Italian Folktales Quotes

“Dauntless Little John was a wealthy youth indeed with all those gold pieces, and he lived happily in his palace. Then one day what should he do but look behind him and see his shadow: he was so frightened he died.”

“Once he was on the ship, Samphire Starboard did nothing but stand around all day long with his hands in his pockets and dream about the taverns he had left behind.”

“Don’t dare tell your father that drunkard freed you. Tell him I freed you myself, since I’m the captain of the ship and ordered him to rescue you.”

″‘By the power of the diamond,’ whispered the bride, ‘may the child laugh and dance and frolic!’ At that, the child started laughing, dancing, and frolicking.”

″‘I was kidnapped by a huge octopus, whose prisoner I now am,’ said the king’s daughter. ‘Flee before it returns. But note that for three hours a day it changes into a red mullet and can be caught. But you have to kill the mullet at once, or it will change into a sea gull and fly away.‘”

“Order the wedding banquet right away. But I’m asking one favor of you: since those three crones made me laugh so hard, let me invite them to the banquet.”

″‘Ah, the mangy one!’ exclaimed the king of England. ‘The cruelest of all my enemies. He finally got what was coming to him. So you, valiant youth, are my godson! You shall marry my daughter and inherit my kingdom.‘”

″‘Kings and princes have brought entire armies to free the princess,’ said the fairy, ‘and every last one of them died.’ ‘All I have are my will and my courage,’ said the youth.”

“Seven spindles of hemp! I have a daughter so crazy about work that she’d even spin the wool on the sheep’s back!”

″‘Rats, fine rats, help us!’ and we’ll be right there to help you.”