“别害怕，”这个男人说，“我是一位王子，必须跟您说话，否则明天早晨您父亲就要杀我的头了。请您对您父亲说，说您跟我已谈过话了，这样就救了我的命。”
第二天，国王召见了王子。“喂，钱使你跟我女儿谈话了吗？”
“是的，陛下，”王子回答说。
“怎么？你是说，你跟她谈过话了？”
“问她吧。”
公主走了进来，讲了王子藏在银鹅中的事，而银鹅却又是国王亲自下令让带入城堡的。
听到这里，国王摘下王冠，戴到王子头上。“这样看来，你不但有钱，而且还有个聪明的头脑！我把女儿嫁给你，你们幸福地生活吧！”
（热那亚地区）
注释：
材料来源：詹姆士·安德鲁斯编《利古里亚故事集》（巴黎，1892年版）第六十四篇；搜集地区：热那亚；讲述者：凯特瑞纳·格兰迪。
这是一篇起源于东方的故事（收集在用梵语写的动物故事集中）。在热那亚人的传说里，这篇故事有自己的独特之处，它强调了功利主义和商业道德（那位国王的最后一句评语与整个故事不协调，我决定赞颂聪明；再说，这也是适当的……）
MoneyCanDoEverything
Therewasonceaprinceasrichascream,whotookitintohisheadtoputupapalacerightacrossthestreetfromthekings,butapalacefarmoresplendidthanthekings.Onceitwasfinished,heputonitsfrontinboldlettering:MONEYCANDOEVERYTHING.
Whenthekingcameoutandsawthat,hesentimmediatelyfortheprince,whowasnewintownandhadntyetvisitedthecourt.
"Congratulations,"thekingsaid."Yourpalaceisatruewonder.Myhouselookslikeahutcomparedwithit.Congratulations!Butwasityourideatoputupthewords:Moneycandoeverything?"
Theprincerealizedthatmaybehehadgonetoofar.
"Yesitwas,"heanswered,"butifYourMajestydoesntlikeit,Icaneasilyhavethelettersstrippedoff."
"Oh,no,Iwouldntthinkofhavingyoudothat.Imerelywantedtohearfromyourownlipswhatyoumeantbysuchastatement.Forinstance,doyouthinkthat,withyourmoney,youcouldhavemeassassinated?"
Theprincerealizedhehadgothimselfintoatightspot.
"Oh,Majesty,forgiveme.Illhavethewordsremovedatonce.Andifyoudontlikethepalace,justsayso,andIllhaveittorndowntoo."
"No,no,leaveitthewayitis.Butsinceyouclaimapersonwithmoneycandoanything,proveittome.Illgiveyouthreedaystotrytotalktomydaughter.Ifyoumanagetospeaktoher,wellandgood;youwillmarryher.Ifnot,Illhaveyoubeheaded.Isthatclear?"
Theprincewastoodistressedtoeat,drink,orsleep.Dayandnight,allhethoughtofwashowhemightsavehisneck.Bytheseconddayhewascertainoffailureanddecidedtomakehiswill.Hisplightwashopeless,forthekingsdaughterhadbeenclosedupinacastlesurroundedbyonehundredguards.Paleandlimpasarag,theprincelayonhisbedwaitingtodie,wheninwalkedhisoldnurse,adecrepitoldsoulnowwhohadnursedhimasababyandwhostillworkedforhim.Findinghimsohaggard,theoldwomanaskedwhatwaswrong.Hemmingandhawing,hetoldherthewholestory.
"So?"saidthenurse."Andyouregivingup,likethat?Youmakemelaugh!IllseewhatIcandoaboutallthis!"
Offshewobbledtothefinestsilversmithintownandorderedhimtomakeasolidsilvergoosethatwouldopenandcloseitsbill.Thegoosewastobeasbigasamanandhollowinside."Itmustbereadytomorrow,"sheadded.
"Tomorrow?Yourecrazy!"exclaimedthesilversmith.
"TomorrowIsaid!"Theoldwomanpulledoutapurseofgoldcoinsandcontinued,"Thinkitover.Thisisthedownpayment.Illgiveyoutheresttomorrowwhenyoudeliverthegoose."
Thesilversmithwasdumbfounded."Thatmakesallthedifferenceintheworld,"hesaid."Illdomybesttohavethegoosetomorrow."
Thenextdaythegoosewasready,anditwasabeauty.
Theoldwomansaidtotheprince,"Takeyourviolinandgetinsidethegoose.Playassoonaswereachtheroad."
Theywoundtheirwaythroughthecity,withtheoldwomanpullingthesilvergoosealongbyaribbonandtheprinceinsideplayinghisviolin.Thepeoplelinedthestreetstowatch:therewasntasoulintownthatdidntcomerunningtoseethebeautifulgoose.Wordofitreachedthecastlewherethekingsdaughterwasshutup,andsheaskedherfathertolethergoandseetheunusualsight.
Thekingsaid,"Timesupforthatboastfulprincetomorrow.Youcangooutthenandseethegoose."
耽美书斋推荐浏览： 伊塔罗·卡尔维诺