An old shepherd was playing on a flute on the marshlands outside  Rome. He played so sweetly that a lovely fairy came and listened to him.
“Will you marry me, and play to me in my castle?” she said.
“Yes, yes, lovely lady!” said the shepherd.
The fairy put a ring on his finger. At once he became a handsome young man dressed in princely robes.
“But I must first go to Rome and bid  farewell to my friends”, he said.
The fairy gave him a golden coach with twelve white horses. As he rode in State to Rome, he met the young Queen of Italy, who invited him to her palace.
The shepherd saw that he had won the queen’s heart. He resolved to  marry her and become the King of Italy and let the fairy go. So when he and the Queen were alone together he knelt down and took her hand, saying.
“Marry me, dearest and I will help you to govern Italy.”
But as soon as he spoke he turned into an old and rugged shepherd.
“What is this horrible beggar doing  here?” cried the queen. “Whip him out of the palace.
When the shepherd reached Rome, he -