意大利童话(50)

2025-10-09 评论

    马夫问:“这些冬天里长出的无花果我该怎么要价呢?”
    姑娘说:“你就说要换一对眼珠。”
    马夫按照姑娘的话提出了要求,但是不论是王后、国王,还是王后的妹妹,都不愿意挖出自己的眼珠。姐妹二人商量了一下,说:“那就把小妹的那对眼珠给他吧,我们留着它们有什么用?”就这样,她们用妹妹的这对眼珠换了两篮无花果。
    马夫把这对眼珠带了回来交给姑娘,姑娘把它们重新装好后,又像以前一样可以看东西了。
    后来,王后又想吃桃子,国王便派人来找马夫,问他能不能像找到无花果那样,找到桃子。第二天早上,马夫家院子中的桃树果然长出桃子,他又用驴子立即驮到王宫里去了。国王、王后问他要多少钱,马夫说:“要换一双手。”
    但是没人愿意砍下自己的双手,即使是那些想讨好国王的人也不愿意。王后姐妹又私下商量:“把小妹的那双手给他吧。”
    姑娘得到了自己的一双手,重新接到胳膊上,活动如初。
    不久,王后分娩了,生下了一只蝎子。尽管如此,国王还是同样为她举行了庆祝宴会,邀请了所有的人来参加。小妹妹穿得像王后般高贵,成为晚会上最漂亮的姑娘。国王爱上了她,而且在爱上她的同时发觉她就是自己先前看中的那个新娘。姑娘向国王讲述了自己的经历,边讲边笑,边讲边哭,笑的时候,金石榴籽就从她的头上扑扑地掉下来,哭的时候,眼泪就会变成串串珍珠,洗手时,满盆都是活鱼。
    两个狠毒的姐姐和刚生出来的蝎子,被拉到高高的木柴垛上烧死了。同一天,国王和小妹举行了盛大的结婚典礼。
    他们过着奢侈、冷酷的生活
    我却躲在门后挨饿,
    我回到客栈去吃饭
    我的故事到此说完。
    (蒙费拉托地区)
    TheSnake
    Afarmerwentoutmowingeveryday,andatnoononeortheotherofhisthreedaughterswouldbringhimhislunch.Onacertaindayitfelltotheoldestgirltogo.Bythetimeshereachedthewoods,though,shewastiredandsatdownonastonetorestaminutebeforeproceedingtothemeadow.Nosoonerhadshetakenaseatthanshefeltastrongthudunderneath,andoutcrawledasnake.Thegirldroppedthebasketandranhomeasfastasherlegswouldcarryher.Thatdaythefatherwenthungryandwhenhecameinfromthefieldhescoldedhisdaughtersangrily.
    Thenextdaythemiddlegirlstartedout.Shetoosatdownonthestone,andthesamethingoccurredasthedaybefore.Thenthethirdgirlsaid,"Itsmyturnnow,butImnotafraid."Insteadofonelunchbasket,shepreparedtwo.Whenshefeltthethudandsawthesnake,shegaveitoneofthebasketsoffood,andthesnakespoke."Takemehomewithyou,andIwillbringyouluck."Thegirlputthesnakeinherapronandthenwentontoherfatherwithhislunch.Whenshegotbackhome,sheplacedthesnakeunderherbed.Itgrewsorapidlythatsoonitwastoobigtofitunderthebed,soitwentaway.Beforeleaving,however,itbestowedthreecharmsonthegirl:weeping,shewouldshedtearsofpearlandsilver;laughing,shewouldseegoldenpomegranateseedsfallfromherhead;andwashingherhands,shewouldproducefishofeverykind.
    Thatdaytherewasnothinginthehousetoeat,andherfatherandsisterswereweakfromthehunger,sowhatdidshedobutwashherhandsandseethebasinfillupwithfish!Hersistersbecameenviousandconvincedtheirfatherthattherewassomethingstrangebehindallthisandthathewouldbewisetolockthegirlupintheattic.
    Fromtheatticwindowthegirllookedintothekingsgarden,wherethekingssonwasplayingball.Runningaftertheball,heslippedandfell,sendingthegirlintopealsoflaughter.Asshelaughed,goldpomegranateseedsrainedfromherheadonthegarden.Thekingssonhadnoideawheretheycamefrom,forthegirlhadslammedthewindow.
    Returningtothegardennextdaytoplayball,thekingssonnoticedthatapomegranatetreehadsprungup.Itwasalreadyquitetallandladenwithfruit.Hewenttopickthepomegranates,butthetreegrewtallerrightbeforehiseyes,andallhehadtodowasreachforapomegranateandthebrancheswouldriseafootbeyondhisgrasp.Sincenobodymanagedtoplucksomuchasoneleafofthetree,thekingassembledthewisementoexplainthemagicspell.Theoldestofthemallsaidthatonlyonemaidenwouldbeabletopickthefruitandthatshewouldbecomethebrideofthekingsson.
    Sothekingissuedaproclamationforallmarriageablegirlstocometothegarden,underpainofdeath,totrytopickthepomegranates.Girlsofeveryraceandstationshowedup,butnoladderswereeverlongenoughforthemtoreachthefruit.Amongthecontestantswerethefarmerstwoolderdaughters,buttheyfellofftheladderandlandedflatontheirbacks.Thekinghadthehousessearchedandfoundothergirls,includingtheonelockedupintheattic.Assoonastheytookhertothetree,thebranchesbentdownandplacedthepomegranatesrightinherhands.Everyonecheered,"Thatsthebride,thatsthebride!"withthekingssonshoutingloudestofall.

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