Preparationsweremadeforthewedding,towhichthesisters,asenviousasever,wereinvited.Theyallthreerodeinthesamecarriage,whichdrewtoahaltinthemiddleofaforest.Theoldergirlsorderedtheyoungeroneoutofthecarriage,curoffherhands,gougedouthereyes,andleftherlyingunconsciousinthebushes.Thentheoldestgirldressedintheweddinggownandwenttothekingsson.Hecouldntunderstandwhyshedbecomesougly,butsinceshefaintlyresembledtheothergirl,hedecidedhedbeenmistakenallalongaboutheroriginalbeauty.
Eyelessandhandless,themaidenremainedintheforestweeping.Acartercamebyandhadpityonher.Heseatedheronhismuleandtookhertohishouse.Shetoldhimtolookdown:thegroundwasstrewnwithsilverandpearls,whichwerenoneotherthanthegirlstears.Thecartertookthemandsoldthemformorethanathousandcrowns.Howgladhewastohavetakenthepoorgirlin,evenifshewasunabletoworkandhelpthefamily.
Onedaythegirlfeltasnakewraparoundherleg:itwasthesnakeshehadoncebefriended."Didyouknowyoursistermarriedthekingssonandbecamequeen,sincetheoldkingdied?Nowshesexpectingababyandwantsfigs."
Thegirlsaidtothecarter,"Loadamulewithfigsandtakethemtothequeen."
"WhereamIgoingtogetfigsthistimeofyear?"askedthecarter.Ithappenedtobewinter.
Butthenextmorninghewentintothegardenandfoundthefigtreeladenwithfruit,eventhoughtherewasntaleafonthetree.Hefilleduptwobasketsandloadedthemontohisdonkey.
"HowhighapricecanIaskforfigsinwinter?"saidthecarter.
"Askforapairofeyes,"repliedthemaiden.
Thathedid,butneitherthekingnorthequeennorherothersisterwouldhaveevergougedouttheireyes.Sothesisterstalkedthematterover."Letsgivehimoursisterseyes,whichareofnousetous."Withthoseeyestheypurchasedthefigs.
Thecarterreturnedtothemaidenwiththeeyes.Sheputthembackinplaceandsawagainaswellasever.
Thenthequeenhadadesireforpeaches,andthekingsenttothecarteraskingifhecouldntfindsomepeachesthewayhedfoundfigs.Thenextmorningthepeachtreeinthecartersgardenwasladenwithpeaches,andhetookaloadtocourtatonceonhisdonkey.Whentheyaskedhimwhathewantedforthem,hereplied,"Apairofhands."
Butnobodywouldcutofftheirhands,noteventopleasetheking.Thenthesisterstalkedthematterover."Letsgivehimoursisters."
Whenthegirlgotherhandsback,shereattachedthemtoherarmsandwasassoundasever.
Notlongafterward,thequeenwentintolaborandbroughtforthascorpion.Thekingnonethelessgaveaball,towhicheverybodywasinvited.Thegirlwentdressedasaqueenandwasthebelleoftheball.Thekingfellinlovewithherandrealizedshewashistruebride.Shelaughedgoldenseeds,weptpearls,andwashedfishintothebasin,asshetoldherstoryfromstarttofinish.
Thetwowickedsistersandthescorpionwereburnedonapyreskyhigh.Onthesamedaythegrandweddingbanquettookplace.
Theyputonthedogandhighdidtheysoar;
Isaw,Iheard,Ihidbehindthedoor.
ThentodinerepairedItotheinn,
Andtheremystorydrawstoanend.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheSnake"(LaBiscia)fromComparetti,25,Monferrato,Piedmont.
TheluxuriantstoryfromTheFacetiousNights(III,3)aboutBiancabellaandtheserpent,oneofStraparolasfinest,isheretold,onthecontrary,inbarerusticsimplicity,inthemidstofmeadowsreadyforamowing,fruits,andseasons.TheepisodeofthepomegranatetreewithitsfruitthatcannotbepluckedwasaddedbymetofilloutasomewhatsketchypassageinthePiedmonteseversion.ItookitfromaTuscanvariant(Gradi),basedonmotifsfromthistaleandothers,wheresupernaturalhelpcomesfromaredandgoldfish.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980
三个城堡&意大利童话(51)
有个小伙子突然想要去偷东西，他把这个念头跟妈妈一说，妈妈就说：“你不觉得羞耻吗？你马上去忏悔，听听神父给你的劝告。”
小伙子去忏悔，神父说：“偷窃是罪过，但假如你偷窃的对象是贼，罪孽还不算深。”
于是，小伙子来到森林里，找到了一处贼窝，他敲开门，请贼人收下他做仆从。
贼人说：“我们偷东西，但我们并没有罪，因为我们偷的都是些收苛捐杂税的人。”
一天晚上，贼人们出去偷一个收税官的家，小伙子从马厩里挑了最好的骡子，驮了一袋金币溜走了。
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