The Penguin Book of Mermaids

by The Penguin Book of Mermaids (retail) (epub)

  As the earliest known printed version of this tale, “Fortunio and the Siren” offers an entry point into thinking about mermaids in the European literary and fairy-tale traditions. Versions of “The Mermaid in the Pond,” Fortunio’s tale type, were later collected from the oral tradition in Europe in the nineteenth century, and we also find literary adaptations in French and German. While the tale is not well known in our times, it used to be popular, and we have included in this volume two other versions, the Grimms’ tale “The Nixie in the Pond” and “The Mermaid” from Greek oral tradition. Good or bad fortune does not play much of a role in these later versions; for instance, in the Grimms’ tale, the pact between the miller and the nixie points to how the family is indebted to the nixie: while this gains her no sympathy in the storyworld, the boy is owed to her.

  There was once a man named Bernio, who lived in the outer regions of Lombardy. Though fortune had not been kind to him, he had a good heart and good head on his shoulders. One day he married a valiant and gracious woman named Alchia. Though she was of low origin, she was nevertheless endowed with brains and commendable manners and loved her husband as dearly as any woman could. They desired very much to have children, but God did not grant them this gift perhaps because man does not know what will be best for him when he asks for things. Still, they both continued to want a child, and since fortune kept going against them, they decided at last to adopt a child whom they would nurture and raise as their own legitimate son.

  So, early one morning they went to a place where young children who had been abandoned by their parents were left, and seeing one that appeared more handsome and charming than the others, they took him home with them, named him Fortunio, and brought him up with utmost diligence and discipline. Now, it so happened—in accordance with the wishes and will of He who rules the universe and tempers and modifies everything—that Alchia became pregnant, and when the time of delivery arrived, she gave birth to a boy who completely resembled his father. As a result, both the mother and the father were incredibly happy and gave their son the name of Valentino.

  The boy was well nurtured and educated, and he grew up with good manners and qualities. Moreover, he loved his brother, Fortunio, so much that he despaired whenever he was not with him. But discord, the enemy of everything good, became aware of their warm and fervid friendship, and not being able to tolerate their affection for one another, it intervened and worked its evil so effectively that the brothers soon began to taste its bitter fruits.

  One day, as they were fooling around with one another, as boys are apt to do, their play became heated, and Valentino, who could not bear that Fortunio was better in their game, exploded with such anger and fury that he called Fortunio a bastard several times and the son of a vile woman. When Fortunio heard those words, he was very astonished and disturbed, and turning to Valentino, he said, “What do you mean, I’m a bastard?”

  In reply, Valentino muttered angrily between his teeth and repeated what he had said. Consequently, Fortunio was so disturbed that he stopped playing and left. He went straight to his so-called mother and politely asked her whether he was the son of Bernio and herself. Alchia responded with a yes, and once she learned that Valentino had insulted Fortunio with vicious words, she scolded the latter soundly and swore that she would punish him severely if he ever did something like that again. But the words that Alchia spoke only aroused suspicion in Fortunio, and he thus became certain that he was not her legitimate son. Indeed, he often sought to test her to see whether he really was her son and to know the truth. Seeing how obstinate Fortunio was and not being able to resist his pleas, Alchia finally told him that he was not her true son, but that he had been adopted and raised in their house for the love of God and to alleviate the faults of her and her husband. Upon hearing these words, Fortunio felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart many times, and he was tormented all the more. He could barely endure the grief, but he could also not bring himself to use violence and to kill himself. So, he decided to leave Bernio’s house and to wander around the world to see if fortune would treat him more favorably in time.

  When Alchia saw that Fortunio’s desire to leave grew stronger each day and that she could not find any way to prevent him from carrying out his plans, she became enraged, cursed him, and prayed to God that if he should ever take a journey by sea, he would be swallowed up by sirens just as ships are by the stormy and high waves. But Fortunio, driven by the impetuous wind of indignation and wrath, did not care about the maternal curse, and without saying farewell to his parents, he departed and set out in the direction of the west.

  As he journeyed, he passed lakes, valleys, mountains, and other wild places. Finally, early one morning, he came upon a densely covered forest. As soon as he entered, he found a wolf, an eagle, and an ant quarreling over the body of a dead stag because they could not agree on how to divide the meat among themselves. After Fortunio had come unexpectedly upon the three animals in midst of their hard dispute and none of them willing to yield to the others, they agreed after a while that the young man should resolve their argument and give each one of them some part of the meat that he thought would be most suitable. They also promised to be content with his final decision and not seek to contradict it, even though it might seem unjust. Then Fortunio undertook the task, and after he carefully investigated everything, he divided the prey among them in the following manner. To the wolf, who was a voracious animal with sharp teeth, he gave all the bones of the deer and all the lean flesh as reward for his hard work. To the eagle, a rapacious bird without teeth, he gave the entrails and all the fat lying around the lean parts and the bones. To the granivorous and diligent ant, which lacked the strength that nature had bestowed upon the wolf and the eagle, he gave the soft brains as her reward for her arduous work. Each one of the animals was very content with this just and reasonable decision, and they thanked Fortunio as best they knew and could for the favor that he had done for them. And since ingratitude is the most reprehensible of all the vices, the three animals agreed that the young man should not depart until they had rewarded him extremely well for the service he had done them. Thus, after acknowledging the decision, the wolf said, “My brother, I’m going to give you a certain power so that, if at any time you want to become a wolf, all you have to say is: ‘If only I were a wolf.’ And you will immediately be transformed into a wolf. At the same time you will be able to return to your former shape whenever you so desire.”

  Both the eagle and the ant rewarded him with the same power to assume their shapes whenever he wanted. Then Fortunio, extremely pleased by their gifts, thanked the animals as best he knew how and could and took his leave. He continued his journey until he finally arrived in Polonia, a noble and populous city, which was at that time under the rule of Odescalco, a powerful and valorous king who had only one child, a daughter named Doralice. Now, since the king was eager to arrange an honorable marriage for this princess, he had proclaimed throughout his kingdom that a great tournament was to take place and the winner in the jousts was to receive Princess Doralice as his bride. Many dukes, counts, and other powerful nobles from all over had already gathered in Polonia to contend for this precious prize. The first day of the tournament had already passed, and the jousting was won by a foul Saracen, who was deformed and strange and had a face as black as pitch. When the king’s daughter saw the warped and filthy figure of the Saracen, she was extremely upset that he had carried away the honors of the day. Burying her face, crimson with shame, in her tender and delicate hands, she wept and bemoaned her hard and cruel fate, longing to die rather than to marry the deformed Saracen.

  In the meantime, Fortunio entered the city and saw the splendid pomp and the grand competition of the contestants, and when he learned why this glorious tournament was being held, he ardently desired to show his valor in the jousts. But when he realized that he lacked all the equipment necessary for such competition, he lamented his situation. While he was contem
plating his predicament, he raised his eyes to the sky and caught sight of Princess Doralice, who was leaning out of one of the large windows of the palace. She was surrounded by a group of lovely and noble dames and damsels and stood out among them like the radiant clear sun does among the lesser lights of heaven.

  When it eventually became dark and all the ladies had retired to their apartments, Doralice, sad and alone, went to a small and beautifully decorated chamber. While she was standing by her open window, Fortunio was there below her. As soon as he saw her, he said to himself, “If only I were an eagle!” No sooner did he utter these words than he became an eagle and flew through the window of her chamber, where he became a man again. When he stepped toward Doralice with a light and joyful air to present himself, she was completely bewildered and began to shout in a loud voice as if she were being torn apart by hungry dogs. The king, who was in a nearby apartment, heard her cries and ran to help her. She told him that there was a young man in the room, and he ordered the servants to search every corner. When nothing was found, they all went back to bed. Indeed, Fortunio had changed himself back into an eagle and had flown out of the chamber. However, no sooner had the father returned to his room to rest than the maiden began to shout once more because Fortunio had come back. This time, when the young man heard the girl’s cries he feared for his life, changed himself into an ant, and hid himself beneath the blond tresses of the lovely maiden’s hair. When King Odescalco heard his daughter’s shouts, he ran to her again, but when he found nothing a second time, he was greatly disturbed and threatened her with harsh words that if she were to cry out again, he would play some joke on her that would not be to her liking. Thus he left her in an angry mood and thought that she had imagined seeing one or another of the contestants who, out of love for her, had been killed in the tournament. Fortunio had listened closely to what the king had told his daughter, and when he saw him leave, he discarded the shape of the ant and returned to his own form. As soon as Doralice saw him, she wanted to jump out of bed and scream, but Fortunio prevented her from doing this by placing one of his hands on her lips and whispering, “My lady, I have not come here to dishonor you or steal your virtue. I have come rather to comfort you and to declare myself your most humble servant. But if you cry out, one or two things will happen. Either your reputation and fair name will be tarnished, or you will be the cause of your death and mine. Therefore, oh lady of my heart, do not stain your honor and simultaneously endanger our lives.”

  While Fortunio was saying these words, Doralice was shedding a flood of tears. She could barely stand this fearful assault. But Fortunio realized how disturbed the lady was, and he kept talking to her with the sweetest of words that would have melted a heart of stone. Finally Doralice’s stubborn will softened, and she was conquered by his tender way, which pacified her. When she also saw how handsome the young man’s face was, and how strong and well-built his body was in comparison to the ugly, deformed Saracen, she began to feel tormented again by the thought that the Saracen as victor might soon possess her. While she was contemplating her lamentable situation, the young man said to her, “Dear lady, if I had some way, I would gladly enter the tournament, and I would win the heart that belongs to the victor.”

  “If this were to happen, my lord,” she replied, “there is indeed none other to whom I would give myself but you.”

  Recognizing how ardent and how well disposed he was to her, the princess gave him a great deal of jewels and money, which Fortunio accepted with all his heart. Then he asked her what garment she wished him to wear in the tournament, and she said, “Dress in white satin,” and he intended to do as she requested.

  On the following day, Fortunio was dressed in polished armor covered by a coat of white satin that was hand-carved and embroidered with the finest gold. He mounted a powerful and fiery steed, decked in the same colors that he wore. Then he rode into the piazza unknown to anyone there. The people in the crowd had already gathered to watch the grand spectacle, and when they saw the gallant unknown knight with lance in hand ready for the joust, everyone stared and marveled at him. Indeed, they began asking, “Who could this brave and glorious knight be who has entered the tournament? Does anyone know him?”

  In the meantime, Fortunio had joined the lists and called upon his rival to advance. Then the knights lowered the points of their knotty lances and charged at each other like two lions let loose upon one another. Fortunio dealt such a grave below to the head of the Saracen that the latter was knocked out of the saddle of his horse and crashed to the ground as if he had been broken like glass thrown against a wall. No matter what contestant he met that day, Fortunio came away the victor. The princess was very happy and watched Fortunio intently with the deepest admiration. She thanked God in her heart for having delivered her from the bonds of the Saracen and prayed to Him to let Fortunio win all the laurels.

  When night arrived, Doralice was summoned to dinner, but she did not want to go. So she commanded the servants to bring her some delicious food and precious wine to her chamber, pretending that she did not have much appetite at present but perhaps she would eat later on. After locking herself alone in her chamber, she opened the window and watched with ardent desire for the arrival of her lover. When Fortunio returned like the previous night, they dined together with great joy. Then he asked her how she would like him to dress for the tournament the next day, and she replied, “I would like you to wear green satin embroidered with the finest threads of silver and gold, and your horse is to be decked in the same way.”

  On the following morning Fortunio appeared just as Doralice had requested. He presented himself in the piazza at the appointed time and demonstrated his valor as he had done on the day before and even more. And everyone shouted that he deserved to win the lovely princess.

  When evening came, the princess was very cheerful and happy. She used the same pretext to excuse herself from dinner as she had done the previous day. After locking the door of her chamber and opening the window, she waited for the valorous Fortunio and had a pleasant meal with him. When he asked once more what color he should wear the following day, she answered, “I would like you to wear crimson satin embroidered with gold and pearls, and I would like your horse to be decked in the same fashion because I myself shall be wearing the same colors.”

  “Lady,” replied Fortunio, “if by some chance, I should be somewhat late in making my entry into the lists, do not be astonished, for I shall not be late without good reason.”

  When the third day came and the tournament began, the spectators awaited the outcome of the glorious contest with great joy, but because of the indomitable power of the gallant unknown knight, none of the contestants wanted to enter the lists against him. Meanwhile, his own whereabouts were not known, and the princess began to suspect something, especially since she did not know where he was. Indeed, she was overcome by so much torment that she fainted and fell to the ground. But as soon as she heard that the unknown knight was approaching the large piazza, her failing spirits began to revive.

  Fortunio was clad in rich and sumptuous garments, and his horse was decked with the finest cloth, embroidered with shining rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and large pearls that, according to everyone present, were worth a kingdom. Once the brave Fortunio arrived at the piazza, the people all cried out, “Long live the unknown knight!” and applauded vigorously by clapping their hands. Then Fortunio entered the lists and fought so valiantly that he sent all his opponents to the ground and triumphed in glory. After he had dismounted from his powerful horse, the leading men of the city hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him to the king amid the sound of trumpets and other musical instruments and loud shouts that went up to the heavens. When they had taken off his helmet and shining armor, the king saw a charming young man. Then he summoned his daughter and had them wed. The marriage was celebrated with the greatest pomp, and the party went on for an entire month.

  After Fortunio had
lived some time with his beloved wife, it appeared to him improper and somewhat deplorable to be so idle, merely counting the hours as they passed like those fools who make nothing out of their lives. Therefore, he decided to depart and go to places where he could demonstrate his valor. So, he prepared a ship and took a large treasure which his father-in-law had given him. Then he took leave of his wife and King Odescalco and embarked on a voyage. Prospering from gentle and favorable winds, he sailed until he reached the Atlantic Ocean. But before he had gone more than ten leagues, the most beautiful siren that had ever been seen appeared at the side of the ship and began singing softly. Fortunio leaned over the side of the ship to listen to her song, and soon he fell asleep. While he was dozing, the siren drew him gently into her arms and plunged with him deep into the ocean. The sailors were not able to save him and broke out into loud cries of sorrow. Grief-stricken and disconsolate, they decked the ship with black cloth and returned to the unfortunate and unhappy Odescalco to tell him about the horrible and lamentable accident they had had at sea.

  When King Odescalco, Doralice, and the entire city heard about this, they were overcome with grief and began dressing themselves in black. Soon thereafter, Doralice, who had been pregnant, gave birth to a beautiful boy, who was gently and carefully raised until he was two. At this time, the sad and tormented Doralice, who kept thinking about her beloved and dear husband, began to abandon hope of ever seeing him again. But noble and brave as she was, she decided to test her fortune and to go and search for him on the deep seas, even if her father would not consent to let her depart. She ordered a ship to be prepared for her voyage, and it was well equipped and well armed. She also took with her three apples, marvelously wrought, one made out of brass, another out of silver, and the last out of the finest gold. Then, after she took leave of her father the king, she embarked with her son and sailed into the open sea with a propitious wind.