Giambattista Basile

thumb| Giambattista Basile (15 February 1566 (date of baptism) – 23 February 1632) was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector. His collections include the oldest recorded forms of many well-known (and more obscure) European fairy tales. He is chiefly remembered for writing the collection of Neapolitan fairy tales known as Il Pentamerone. Quotes Il Pentamerone (1634, 1636) And after he had four fresh figs picked for each of them, figs that with their pauper’s skin, hanged man’s neck, and whore’s tears, made everyone’s mouth water, a thousand games commenced so that the time left before eating might be deceived. Second Day, Introduction (tr. Nancy L. Canepa, 2016) The old woman's curses took wing and flew up to Heaven in a trice; so that, notwithstanding what a proverb says, "for a woman's curse you are never the worse, and the coat of a horse that has been cursed always shines," she rated the Prince so soundly that he well-nigh jumped out of his skin. Second Day, 7. The Dove (tr. John Edward Taylor, 1850) External links Category:Poets from Italy Category:1560s births Category:1632 deaths Category:Short story writers from Italy