"that everybody, including herself, was taking their stories from ‘Straparola.’" Some of Straparola's tales or their plot elements can indeed be found in the works of later authors. Please note that these similarities alone do not confirm the claim that any of the plots or plotlines in The Pleasant Nights originated with Straparola. Giambattista Basile's (1575?–1632) "Peruonto" and Mme d’Aulnoy's (1650?–1705) "The Dolphin," contain most of the same storyline as Straparola's "Peter the Fool", though the two former are studded with added morality: a foolish/ugly protagonist releases a fish/dolphin with magic powers that grants whatever is asked of it. (Compare Basile 2007, 32–41 and d’Aulnoy 1892, 509–535 with Straparola 1894, 1: 102–110.) Both Basile's "Cagliuso" and Charles Perrault's (1628–1703) "The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots" follow the same plotlines as Straparola's "Costantino Fortunato:" the protagonist inherits a talking cat that gains a royal marriage and wealth for her/his master. (Compare Basile 2007, 145–150 and Perrault 1969, 45–57 with Straparola 1894 2: 209–214.) "Iron Hans" ("Iron John"?) in Grimm (1785–1863 & 1786–1859) contains the same basic plot as that of "Guerrino and the Savage Man:" the protagonist is helped in his quest(s) by a wild or savage man he sets free. (Compare Grimm 1972, 612–620 with Straparola 1894 1: 221–236.) The plot in Straparola's "Ancilotto" is followed closely, with some differing details, in "The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird" as found in Joseph Jacobs's collection of 1916: to prevent a king from meeting with his children, they’re sent on near-impossible quests. (Compare Straparola 1894 vol. 1: 186–198 with Jacobs 1916, 51–65.) In this same collection of Jacob's is the story "The Master Thief," which follows the same plot as Straparola's "Cassandrino the Thief": a magistrate or lord has a thief prove how good he is or will be killed. (Compare Jacobs 1916, 121–128 with Straparola 1894 1: 20–27.) Basile's ‘The Goose’ follows the same plotline as Straparola's "Adamantina and the Doll": a doll/goose that grants bounty to two poor sisters ultimately leads them to marrying royally. (Compare Basile 2007, 397–401 with Straparola 1894 1: 236–245.) Italo Calvino was inspired by Straparola in the curation of his work Fiabe italiane. Works by Straparola New Works (1508) The Pleasant Nights vol. 1 (1551) and vol. 2 (1553) See also Charles Perrault Giambattista Basile Footnotes References With citations above Without citations above External links 1480s births 1550s deaths 16th-century