At the same time he said to himself , ` If I refuse her request , she will certainly eat me up on the spot . If I give her what she asks she does indeed take part of myself , but if I refuse she will take the whole of me . What am I to do , and how in the world am I to get out of the difficulty ? ' As he kept muttering to himself the lizard said , ` Make up your mind to do as I tell you at once . I desire to have your youngest daughter , and if you wo n't comply with my wish , I can only say it will be the worse for you . ' Seeing that there was nothing else to be done , Masaniello set off for his home , and arrived there looking so white and wretched that his wife asked him at once : ` What has happened to you , my dear husband ? Have you quarrelled with anyone , or has the poor donkey fallen down ? ' ` Neither the one nor the other , ' answered her husband , ` but something far worse than either . A terrible lizard has nearly frightened me out of my senses , for she threatened that if I did not give her our youngest daughter , she would make me repent it . My head is going round like a mill-wheel , and I do n't know what to do . I am indeed between the Devil and the Deep Sea . You know how dearly I love Renzolla , and yet , if I fail to bring her to the lizard to-morrow morning , I must say farewell to life . Do advise me what to do . ' When his wife had heard all he had to say , she said to him : ` How do you know , my dear husband , that the lizard is really our enemy ? May she not be a friend in disguise ? And your meeting with her may be the beginning of better things and the end of all our misery . Therefore go and take the child to her , for my heart tells me that you will never repent doing so . ' Masaniello was much comforted by her words , and next morning as soon as it was light he took his little daughter by the hand and led her to the cave . The lizard , who was awaiting the peasant 's arrival , came forward to meet him , and taking the girl by the hand , she gave the father a sack full of gold , and said : ` Go and marry your other daughters , and give them dowries with this gold , and be of good cheer , for Renzolla will have both father and mother in me ; it is a great piece of luck for her that she has fallen into my hands . ' -LSB- Illustration : The Lizard takes charge of Renzolla -RSB- Masaniello , quite overcome with gratitude , thanked the lizard , and returned home to his wife .
As soon XXXXX it was known how rich the peasant had become , suitors for the hands of his daughters were not wanting , and very soon he married them all off ; and even then there was enough gold left to keep himself and his wife in comfort and plenty all their days .
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