TALE II.
THE SILVER CUP.
There is a village a few miles distant from the eastern sea, near which those famous waters, they vulgarly call Gipse, burst out of the earth with a numerous sprinkling. From this village a certain rustic, having gone to salute a friend dwelling in a neighbouring place, returned, late at night, not perfectly sober: and, behold! from the next hill, which I have very often seen, and is two or three furlongs from the village, he heard the voices of persons singing, and, as it were, festively banqueting. Wondering who, in that place, should break the silence of the unseasonable night, he was willing to inspect this matter more curiously, and seeing, in the side of the hill, a gate open, he approached and looked within, and saw a house spacious and lightsome, and filled with people sitting, as well ment as women, as it were at a solemn feast. Now
