Cannetella
Encyclopedia
Cannetella is an Italian literary fairy tale
told by Giambattista Basile
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
. Andrew Lang
included it in The Grey Fairy Book, as collected by Hermann Kletke.
Another version of this tale is told in A Book of Wizards
, by Ruth Manning-Sanders
Fioravante, a mortal enemy of the king's and a magician, turned
himself into a man with golden hair and golden teeth. The king agreed to their marriage, but Fioravante insisted on carrying off the princess with no attendants or baggage. When they reached a stable, he left her there with strict orders not to leave it or be seen, and to eat only what the horses left. One day, looking through a hole, she saw a garden filled with lemons, flowers, citrons, and vines. A desire for a bunch of grapes seized her, and she stole it. The horses told Fioravante when he returned, and he was ready to stab her, but she pled for her life; he set her to the same conditions and left again.
A royal locksmith came by, and Cannetella called to him, persuaded him that it was really her despite her altered looks, and had him smuggle her back to her father. Fioravante came after her. He bribed an old woman to let him see the princess, and Cannetella saw him. She had her father build her a chamber with seven iron doors. Fioravante went back to the old woman and had her go to the castle, selling rouge, and slip a piece of paper in the princess's bed, to charm everyone else asleep. Everyone fell asleep. Fioravante burst through all seven doors to get to the princess, and picked her up, bed clothes and all, to carry her off, but he knocked free the paper, and everyone woke. They pounced on him and cut him to pieces.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
told by Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector.- Biography :Born to a Neapolitan middle-class family, Basile was, during his career, a courtier and soldier to various Italian princes, including the doge of Venice. According to Benedetto Croce he was born in 1575, while...
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
Pentamerone
The Pentamerone is a seventeenth-century fairy tale collection by Italian poet and courtier Giambattista Basile.-Background:...
. Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
included it in The Grey Fairy Book, as collected by Hermann Kletke.
Another version of this tale is told in A Book of Wizards
A Book of Wizards
A Book of Wizards is a 1967 anthology of 11 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders....
, by Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders was a prolific British poet and author who was perhaps best known for her series of children's books in which she collected and retold fairy tales from all over the world. All told, she published more than 90 books during her lifetime. The dust jacket for A Book of Giants...
Synopsis
A king longed for a child, and a daughter was born to him, whom he named Cannetella. When she was grown, he wanted to marry her off; she did not want to, but at last consented if her husband would have no like in the world. He presented candidates, and when she found fault with them, concluded she did not want to marry at all. Cannetella said she would marry a man with golden hair and golden teeth.Fioravante, a mortal enemy of the king's and a magician, turned
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
himself into a man with golden hair and golden teeth. The king agreed to their marriage, but Fioravante insisted on carrying off the princess with no attendants or baggage. When they reached a stable, he left her there with strict orders not to leave it or be seen, and to eat only what the horses left. One day, looking through a hole, she saw a garden filled with lemons, flowers, citrons, and vines. A desire for a bunch of grapes seized her, and she stole it. The horses told Fioravante when he returned, and he was ready to stab her, but she pled for her life; he set her to the same conditions and left again.
A royal locksmith came by, and Cannetella called to him, persuaded him that it was really her despite her altered looks, and had him smuggle her back to her father. Fioravante came after her. He bribed an old woman to let him see the princess, and Cannetella saw him. She had her father build her a chamber with seven iron doors. Fioravante went back to the old woman and had her go to the castle, selling rouge, and slip a piece of paper in the princess's bed, to charm everyone else asleep. Everyone fell asleep. Fioravante burst through all seven doors to get to the princess, and picked her up, bed clothes and all, to carry her off, but he knocked free the paper, and everyone woke. They pounced on him and cut him to pieces.