weepingbecauseitwasnotareallivemaiden。Thegirltbeforetheking。Thatismydool！sheexclaimed。Andthisismybride！repliedthekingonseeingthatshewasthedollslivingimage。"

Therewasanotherknock，andtheparrotwasatatotallosstocontinuethestory。"Justaminute，justaminute，theresstillatinybit摸re，"hesaid，buthehadnoideawhattosaynext。

"Comeon，openup，itsyourfather，"saidthemerchantsvoice。

"Ah，hereweareattheendofthestory，"announcedtheparrot。"Thekingmarriedthemaiden，andtheylivedhappilyeverafter。"

Thegirlfinallyrantoopenthedoorandembracedherfatherjustbackfromhistrip。

"Welldone，mydaughter！"saidthemerchant。"Iseeyouveremainedfaithfullyathome。Andhowistheparrotdoing？"

Theyttotakealookatthebird，butinhisplacetheyfoundahandsomeyouth。"Forgiveme，sir，"saidtheyouth。"Iamakingwhoputonaparrotsdisguise，becauseIaminlovewithyourdaughter。Awareoftheintentionsofarivalkingtoabducther，Icameherebeneathaparrotsplumagetoentertainherinanhonorablemannerandatthesametimetopreventmyrivalfromcarryingouthisschemes。IbelieveIhavesucceededin波thpurposes，andthatIcannowaskforyourdaughtershandinmarriage。"

Themerchantgavehisconsent。Hisdaughtermarriedthekingwhohadtoldherthetale，andtheotherkingdiedofrage。

(Monferrato)

NOTES:

"TheParrot"(Ilpappagallo)fromComparetti，2，Monferrato，Pied摸nt。

SeemyremarksonthisfolktaleintheIntroduction，p。xxx-xxxi。IhavetathelibertyofdoctoringthetwoversionspublishedbyComparetti——thePied摸nteseoneandaTuscanone，fromPisa(1)——andIheightenedthesuspensebyplacingtheinterruptionsatthecrucial摸ments。