Once upon a time, a poor man lived with his three daughters. The youngest, Zelinda, was the fairest and kindest of them all. Her father loved her dearly, but her two elder sisters, Rosina and Marietta, could not bear the affection she received. Their envy grew stronger because Zelinda remained gentle despite their unkindness.
One January, their father prepared to travel to a neighbouring town for a great fair, where he would buy provisions for the family. Before leaving, he asked his daughters what presents they would like, promising to spend only what his modest means allowed.
Rosina requested a dress, Marietta asked for a shawl, and Zelinda wished for nothing more than a beautiful rose.
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The father set off early the following morning. After buying the provisions, he found the dress and shawl without much difficulty. The rose, however, proved impossible to find. Flowers were scarce at that time of year, and despite searching wherever he could, he returned empty-handed in his search for Zelinda’s simple gift.
Unwilling to disappoint his beloved daughter, he continued along an unfamiliar road until he came upon a magnificent garden surrounded by high walls. The gate stood partly open, so he entered, hoping to find someone who might sell him a flower.
The garden was filled with beautiful plants, and in one corner stood a tall rose bush covered in lovely buds. The father looked around, but nobody appeared. Thinking only of how pleased Zelinda would be, he reached out and plucked a rose.
At once, the garden erupted into chaos. A terrible noise shook the air, flames sprang from the ground, and a monstrous creature resembling a dragon appeared before him.
“Foolish man!” the Monster roared. “How dare you damage my rose bush? You must pay for what you have done with your life!”
The terrified father fell to his knees and begged for mercy. He explained that he had taken the rose as a gift for his youngest daughter and pleaded to be allowed to return home to his family.
But the Monster would not listen.
“You have two choices,” it declared. “Bring me the daughter who asked for the rose, or I shall kill you here and now.”
No amount of pleading could change its mind. At last, the father swore that he would bring Zelinda to the garden, and only then did the Monster allow him to leave.
The journey home was a miserable one. When the father arrived, he gave Rosina her dress, Marietta her shawl, and Zelinda the rose she had requested. Yet his face was so pale and troubled that his daughters immediately demanded to know what had happened.
Through his tears, he told them everything. The Monster had demanded Zelinda in exchange for his life, and if he failed to keep his promise, he would be killed.
Rosina and Marietta turned against their younger sister at once. They blamed her for asking for a rose in the middle of winter and insisted that their father should not sacrifice himself for her foolish wish.
Zelinda listened quietly. Rather than argue with her sisters, she accepted responsibility for the trouble her request had caused.
“Father,” she said, “I will go with you to the garden. If my wish has brought this misfortune upon us, I must face what follows.”
The next morning, Zelinda and her sorrowful father set out together. They reached the garden at nightfall and discovered that, beyond its walls, stood a magnificent palace illuminated by countless lights. Its doors were wide open, although no servant could be seen.
As they entered the hall, four marble statues suddenly descended from their pedestals. Each carried a burning torch, and together they escorted the weary travellers upstairs to a splendid dining room. A lavish meal had been prepared for them, and after eating, they were led to separate, beautifully furnished bedrooms.
Exhausted from their journey, father and daughter slept peacefully through the night.
At daybreak, invisible servants provided their breakfast. Afterwards, Zelinda and her father went down into the garden to find the Monster.
They discovered it beside the very rose bush that had brought them there. Its enormous, fiery eyes fixed upon Zelinda, who trembled at the sight of its dreadful appearance.
The Monster turned to her father.
“You have kept your promise. Now leave me here with the girl.”
The father was devastated. He begged the creature to show mercy, while Zelinda stood with tears in her eyes. But the Monster remained unmoved. With no way to save his daughter, the poor man was forced to depart, leaving her alone in the creature’s power.
Once they were alone, however, the Monster behaved very differently from the fearsome being who had threatened her father. It treated Zelinda with tenderness, spoke affectionately to her, and ensured that she wanted for nothing. She lived in comfort, surrounded by the wonders of the palace and garden.
Every day, the Monster asked her the same question.
“Zelinda, do you love me? Will you become my wife?”
And every day she gave the same answer.
“I like you, sir, but I shall never marry you.”
The Monster would grow sorrowful at her refusal, then try once more to win her affection. It hinted that their marriage would bring about wonderful things, but it would not reveal what they were until she agreed to become its wife.
Zelinda appreciated the comfort and kindness she received, yet she could not bring herself to marry a creature whose appearance frightened her. So she continued to refuse.
One day, the Monster summoned her urgently.
“Zelinda, your father is gravely ill and close to death. If you do not agree to marry me, he will die, and you will never see him again.”
To prove its words, the Monster produced an enchanted mirror. Within it, Zelinda saw her father lying on his deathbed.
Her heart broke at the sight. Forgetting her fear and every objection she had made, she cried out for the Monster to save him.
“Please, let me embrace my father once more before he dies! I promise to be your faithful wife. I will marry you without delay, but spare his life!”
No sooner had she spoken than a marvellous transformation took place. The dreadful Monster disappeared, and in its place stood a handsome young man.
Zelinda stared at him in astonishment.
The young man took her hand and explained the secret behind his monstrous appearance. He was the son of the King of the Oranges, but an old witch had cast a spell upon him, transforming him into a terrifying creature and condemning him to remain hidden in the rose bush until a beautiful maiden agreed to become his wife.
Zelinda had finally given her consent, and the enchantment was broken.
The young prince and Zelinda were now free to begin a new life together, but their troubles were not entirely over. When they sought his royal parents’ approval for their marriage, the King and Queen refused to accept their union. The young couple therefore fled the royal palace, only to fall into the power of an ogre and his wife. The account in Italian Popular Tales briefly records that they eventually escaped, but does not narrate the details of their escape.
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Moral
Kindness, courage, and love for one’s family can inspire extraordinary acts of sacrifice, while jealousy can deepen suffering. The tale also reminds readers that a promise made under fear or desperation is not the same as a choice made freely.
Knowledge Check
1. Why did Zelinda’s father enter the mysterious garden?
He wanted to find a rose for Zelinda because he could not find one at the fair.
2. Why did the Monster demand that Zelinda be brought to the garden?
It demanded the girl who had asked for the rose as payment for her father taking a flower from its rose bush.
3. Why did Zelinda agree to marry the Monster?
She believed her father was dying and agreed in the hope that the Monster would save his life.
4. What happened when Zelinda agreed to the marriage?
The Monster transformed into a handsome young man and revealed that he was the son of the King of the Oranges, placed under an enchantment by a witch.
5. What happened after the prince revealed his identity?
The couple sought his parents’ approval, but the King and Queen refused their marriage. They fled the palace and later escaped from an ogre and his wife, although the source does not provide the details of that escape.
Source
Crane, Thomas Frederick. Italian Popular Tales. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1885. Chapter I, “Fairy Tales,” Story II, “Zelinda and the Monster,” printed pages 7–11.
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