TheycalledherPerina,andshewassuchacleverlittlegirlthatinnotimeshewasdoingthehouseworkbetterthanthekingsownmaidservants.Shewassoprettynoonecouldhelplovingher.Thekingsson,whowasherageexactly,wasalwayswithPerina,andtheybecameveryfondofeachother.
Asthemaidengrewup,themaidservantsbegantoenvyher.Theyheldtheirtonguesforawhile,thenaccusedPerinaofboastingshewouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure.Thekinggotwindofitandsendforthegirl."Isittrueyouboastedyouwouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure?"
"No,SacredCrown,Imadenosuchboast."
"Youdidso,"insistedtheking,"andnowyouhavetokeepyourword."Atthat,hebanishedherfromthepalaceuntilsheshouldreturnwiththetreasure.
Onandonshewalkeduntilnightfall.Perinacametoanappletree,butkeptongoing.Shenextcametoapeachtree,butstilldidntstop.Thenshecametoapeartree,climbedit,andfellasleep.
Inthemorningtherestoodalittleoldwomanunderthetree."Whatareyoudoingupthere,mydaughter?"askedtheoldwoman.
Perinatoldheraboutthedifficultyshewasin.Theoldwomansaid,"Takethesethreepoundsofgrease,threepoundsofbread,andthreepoundsofmilletandbeonyourway."Perinathankedherverymuchandmovedon.
Shecametoabakerywherethreewomenwerepullingouttheirhairtosweepouttheovenwith.Perinagavethemthethreepoundsofmillet,whichtheythenusedtosweepouttheovenandallowedthelittlegirltocontinueonherway.
Onandonshewalkedandmetthreemastiffsthatbarkedandrushedatanyonecomingtheirway.Perinathrewthemthethreepoundsofbread,andtheyletherpass.
Afterwalkingformilesandmilesshecametoablood-redriver,whichshehadnoideahowtocross.Buttheoldwomanhadtoldhertosay:
"Finewatersored,
Imustmakehaste;
Else,ofyouwouldItaste."
Atthosewords,thewaterspartedandletherthrough.
Ontheothersideoftheriver,Perinabeheldoneofthefinestandlargestpalacesintheworld.Butthedoorwasopeningandslammingsorapidlythatnoonecouldpossiblygoin.Perinathereforeappliedthethreepoundsofgreasetoitshinges,andfromthenonitopenedandclosedquitegently.
Inside,Perinaspiedthetreasurechestsittingonasmalltable.Shepickeditupandwasabouttogooffwithit,whenthechestspoke:"Door,killher,killher!"
"Iwont,either,sinceshegreasedmyhingesthathadntbeenlookedaftersincegoodnessknowswhen."
Perinareachedtheriver,andthechestsaid,"River,drownher,drownher!"
"Iwont,either,"repliedtheriver,"sinceshecalledmeFinewatersored."
Shecametothedogs,andthechestsaid,"Dogs,devourher,devourher!"
"Wewont,either,"repliedthedogs,"sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofbread."
Shecametothebakeryoven."Oven,burnher,burnher!"
Butthethreewomenreplied,"Wewont,either,sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofmillet,sothatnowwecanspareourhair."
Whenshewasalmosthome,Perina,whohadasmuchcuriosityasthenextlittlegirl,decidedtopeepintothetreasurechest.Sheopenedit,andoutcameahenandherbroodofgoldchicks.Theyscuttledawaytoofastforasoultocatchthem.Perinastruckoutafterthem.Shepassedtheappletree,buttheywerenowhereinsight.Shepassedthepeachtree,wheretherewasstillnosignofthem.Shecametothepeartree,andtherestoodthelittleoldwomanwithawandinherhandandhenandchicksfeedingaroundher."Shoo,shoo!"wenttheoldwoman,andthehenandchicksreenteredthetreasurechest.
Uponherarrival,thekingssoncameouttomeether."Whenmyfatheraskedwhatyouwantasareward,tellhimthatboxfilledwithcoalinthecellar."
Onthedoorstepoftheroyalpalacestoodthemaidservants,theking,andtheentirecourt.Perinahandedthekingthehenwiththebroodofgoldchicks."Askforwhateveryouwant,"saidtheking,"andIwillgiveittoyou."
"Iwouldliketheboxofcoalinthecellar,"repliedPerina.
Theybroughthertheboxofcoal,whichsheopened,andoutjumpedthekingsson,whowashidinginside.ThekingwasthenhappyforPerinatomarryhisson.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheLittleGirlSoldwiththePears"(Labambinavendutaconlepere)fromComparetti,10,Monferrato,Piedmont.
IchangedthenameMargheritinatoPerina(Pearlet),andIinventedthemotifofthepeartreeandthelittleoldwoman(intheoriginal,themagicpropscomefromthekingsson,whoisunderaspell),toreinforcethepear/girllink.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
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