One night the Prince, her husband, happened to be in a company where the talk turned on the virtue of women, and the Prince said he would put his hand in the fire if his wife were not faithful to him; so sure was he of her virtue. Then spoke up another of the company, who made light of the caresses and compliments with which women use to deceive, and told a tale for the Prince’s warning.

"There was once a man," said he, "who thought as you do, dear Prince; for he took his wife for a pattern of virtue, and would have pledged, not his hand only, but his very life that she was so. It happened, however, that he had a friend who knew of the wizard whom they call Mengot, dwelling without the Croce Gate of Florence, and having his house below the ground, closed by a flat stone of the field so as to be secret. Those who would inquire of him must pass to the place and cry ’Mengot! Master Mengot! I seek a favour of thee, and, if thou tell me true, I shall not stint thy reward; whereupon he doth straightaway appear.

This then was what the friend of the too confident husband did, for he summoned Mengot, and, in the presence of all, said to him: "Tell me the truth, and whether the wife of this gentleman deserves his confidence or not.’ After some thought, the wizard replied, ‘Do you wish a true answer, or one made to please? I should be sorry to hurt the husband’s feelings.’ When all desired to have the truth, Mengot told them that the lady in question had gone to a place in the Via Calzaiuoli where disguises were arranged, and that she would be found next day dressed as a servant in the course of carrying on a vulgar intrigue in the Ghetto. Now all this was verified; for the wizard told them even the very house in the Via delle Ceste where she would be found with her lover, and it proved to be exactly as he had said."

When this tale was done, all who heard it cried that Mengot should be summoned again, to see whether the Princess was faithful or not. So they called him, as had been done in the other case, but with the same result; for here also the Prince’s confidence had been misplaced, and that in a high degree. Then said the Princess between rage and shame, "Hast thou scotched me this time; but next time I will scotch thee." She straightaway sought a witch, said to be more powerful then Mengot himself, and, telling what had happened, promised gold by handfuls if she would revenge her on the wizard. The woman told her to be easy, for she would arrange the matter.

She paid Mengot a visit as if to take his advice, and, stealing his magic rod, struck the ground three times, whereupon Mengot was turned into a hare, and fled from his habitation. Having foreseen, however, by his art that such danger might arise, Mengot had prepared a pool of enchanted water at his door. Into this he now leaped, and by its virtue was able to resume his proper form. The first thing he did was to seek the magic rod, and, finding it still in his house, he struck the witch on the head. She became a skinless cat, and in that form haunted the guilty Princess for her sins; while Mengot was ever afterwards distinguished by the name of Scot.

Collected by C.G. Leland circa 1896.