"Toinvitemetoyourweddingbanquet,"saidtheoldwoman,"youmustcallColumbun.Butifyouforgetmyname,itwouldbebetterifyoudneverseenme."
Whenthecaptaincamehomeandfoundthehempallspun,hewascompletelysatisfied."Fine,"hesaid,"nowyouwillbemywife."Heorderedpreparationsmadeforthewedding,towhichheinvitedallthenobilityintown.
Caughtupinthepreparations,thebridethoughtnomoreoftheoldwomen.Onthemorningoftheweddingsherememberedthatshewassupposedtoinvitethem,butwhenshewenttopronouncetheirnames,shefoundtheyhadslippedhermind.Shecudgeledherbrainsbut,forthelifeofher,couldntrecallasinglename.
Fromthecheerfulgirlshewas,shesankintoastateofbottomlessgloom.Thecaptainnoticeditandaskedherwhatthematterwas,butshewouldsaynothing.Unabletoaccountforhersadness,thebridegroomthought,Thisisperhapsnottherightday.Hethereforepostponedtheweddinguntilthedayafter.Butthenextdaywasstillworse,andthedayfollowingwewontevenmention.Witheverydaythatpassed,thebridebecamegloomierandquieter,withherbrowsknitinconcentration.Hetoldherjokesandstoriesinanefforttomakeherlaugh,butnothinghesaidordidaffectedher.
Sincehecouldntcheerherup,hedecidedtogohuntingandcheerhimselfup.Rightintheheartofthewoodshewascaughtinastormandtookrefugeinahovel.Hewasinthereinthedark,whenheheardvoices:
"OColumbina!"
"OColumbara!"
"OColumbun!"
"Putonthepottomakepolenta!Thatconfoundedbridewontbeinvitingustoherbanquetafterall!"
Thecaptainwheeledaroundandsawthreecrones.Onehadeyelashesthatdraggedontheground,anotherlipsthathungdowntoherfeet,andthethirdteeththatgrazedherknees.
Well,well,hethoughttohimself.NowIcantellhersomethingthatwillmakeherlaugh.IfshedoesntlaughoverwhatIvejustseen,shellneverlaughatanything!
Hewenthomeandsaidtohisbride,"Justlistentothis.TodayIwasinthewoodsandwentintoahoveltogetoutoftherain.IgoinandwhatshouldIseebutthreecrones:onewitheyelashesthatdraggedontheground,anotherwithlipsthathungdowntoherfeet,andthethirdwithteeththatgrazedherknees.Andtheycalledeachother:OColumbina,OColumbara,OColumbun!"
Thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly,andsheburstoutlaughing,andlaughedandlaughed."Ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway.ButImaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard,letmeinvitethemtothebanquet."
Invitethemshedid.Forthethreeoldwomenaseparateroundtablewassetup,butsosmallthatwhatwiththeeyelashesofone,thelipsoftheother,andtheteethofthethird,younolongerknewwhatwaswhat.
Whendinnerwasover,thebridegroomaskedColumbina,"Tellme,goodlady,whyareyourlashessolong?"
"Thatsfromstrainingmyeyestospinfinethread!"saidColumbina.
"Andyou,whyareyourlipssothick?"
"Thatcomesfromalwaysrubbingmyfingeronthemtowetthethread!"saidColumbara.
"Andyou,howonearthdidyourteethgetsolong?"
"Thatsfrombitingtheknotofthethread!"saidColumbun.
"Isee,"saidthebridegroom,andheturnedtohiswife."Gogetthespindle."Whenshebroughtittohim,hethrewitintothefire."Youllspinnomorefortherestofyourlife!"
Sothebig,fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
NOTES:
"AndSeven!"(Esette!)fromAndrews,4,23,47.(ThefirsttwowerecollectedinMenton,thethirdnearVentimiglia.)
Marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiationmotifs(thesecretnametoremember)areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadinEurope(ofEnglish,Swedish,orGermanorigin,accordingtoscholars),subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinNaples(Basile,IV,4)andwellknownthroughoutItaly.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980
无灵之体&意大利童话(28)
从前有一个寡妇，带着一个儿子，儿子名字叫朱瓦宁。当他十三岁的时候，就想出去周游世界碰运气。妈妈对他说：“你要出去干什么？你不知道你还小吗？到了你能把我们家屋后的那棵松树一脚踹倒的时候，你就出去。”
从那天起，每天早上，朱瓦宁一起床就对着那棵松树，助跑、起跳，用双脚猛力地踹向树干。松树一动不动，他却四脚朝天地摔在地上。他站起来，掸掸背上的土，又回到了自己的房间。
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