就这样他们结了婚，牧羊小伙子后来又当上了国王。
所有的人都心满意足、高高兴兴，
我却一无所得，只是个局外人。
（蒙费拉托地区）
TheThreeCastles
Aboyhadtakenitintohisheadtogooutandsteal.Healsotoldhismother.
"Arentyouashamed!"saidhismother."Gotoconfessionatonce,andyoullseewhatthepriesthastosaytoyou."
Theboywenttoconfession."Stealingisasin,"saidthepriest,"unlessyoustealfromthieves."
Theboywenttothewoodsandfoundthieves.Heknockedattheirdoorandgothimselfhiredasaservant.
"Westeal,"explainedthethieves,"butwerenotcommittingasin,becausewerobthetaxcollectors."
Onenightwhenthethieveshadgoneouttorobataxcollector,theboyledthebestmuleoutofthestable,loadeditwithgoldpieces,andfled.
Hetookthegoldtohismother,thenwenttotowntolookforwork.Inthattownwasakingwhohadahundredsheep,butnoonewantedtobehisshepherd.Theboyvolunteered,andthekingsaid,"Look,therearethehundredsheep.Takethemouttomorrowmorningtothemeadow,butdontcrossthebrook,becausetheywouldbeeatenbyaserpentontheotherside.Ifyoucomebackwithnonemissing,Illrewardyou.Failtobringthemallback,andIlldismissyouonthespot,unlesstheserpenthasalreadydevouredyoutoo."
Toreachthemeadow,hehadtowalkbythekingswindows,wherethekingsdaughterhappenedtobestanding.Shesawtheboy,likedhislooks,andthrewhimacake.Hecaughtitandcarrieditalongtoeatinthemeadow.Onreachingthemeadow,hesawawhitestoneinthegrassandsaid,"Illsitdownnowandeatthecakefromthekingsdaughter."Butthestonehappenedtobeontheothersideofthebrook.Theshepherdpaidnoattentionandjumpedacrossthebrook,withthesheepallfollowinghim.
Thegrasswashighthere,andthesheepgrazedpeacefully,whilehesatonthestoneeatinghiscake.Allofasuddenhefeltablowundertherockwhichseemedtoshaketheworlditself.Theboylookedallaroundbut,seeingnothing,wentoneatinghiscake.Anotherblowmorepowerfulthanthefirstfollowed,buttheshepherdignoredit.Therewasathirdblow,andoutfromundertherockcrawledaserpentwiththreeheads.Ineachofitsmouthsitheldaroseandcrawledtowardtheboy,asthoughitwantedtoofferhimtheroses.Hewasabouttotakethem,whentheserpentlungedathimwithitsthreemouthsallsettogobblehimupinthreebites.Butthelittleshepherdprovedthequicker,clubbingitwithhisstaffoveroneheadandthenextandthenextuntiltheserpentlaydead.
Thenhecutoffthethreeheadswithasickle,puttingtwoofthemintohishuntingjacketandcrushingonetoseewhatwasinside.Whatshouldhefindbutacrystalkey.Theboyraisedthestoneandsawadoor.Slippingthekeyintothelockandturningit,hefoundhimselfinsideasplendidpalaceofsolidcrystal.Throughallthedoorscameservantsofcrystal."Goodday,mylord,whatareyourwishes?"
"Iwishtobeshownallmytreasures."
Sotheytookhimupcrystalstairsintocrystaltowers;theyshowedhimcrystalstableswithcrystalhorsesandarmsandarmorofsolidcrystal.Thentheyledhimintoacrystalgardendownavenuesofcrystaltreesinwhichcrystalbirdssang,pastflowerbedswherecrystalflowersblossomedaroundcrystalpools.Theboypickedasmallbunchofflowersandstuckthebouquetinhishat.Whenhebroughtthesheephomethatnight,thekingsdaughterwaslookingoutthewindowandsaid,"MayIhavethoseflowersinyourhat?"
"Youcertainlymay,"saidtheshepherd."Theyarecrystalflowersculledfromthecrystalgardenofmysolidcrystalcastle."Hetossedherthebouquet,whichshecaught.
Whenhegotbacktothestonethenextday,hecrushedasecondserpentheadandfoundasilverkey.Heliftedthestone,slippedthesilverkeyintothelockandenteredasolidsilverpalace.Silverservantscamerunningupsaying,"Command,ourlord!"Theytookhimofftoshowhimsilverkitchens,wheresilverchickensroastedoversilverfires,andsilvergardenswheresilverpeacocksspreadtheirtails.Theboypickedalittlebunchofsilverflowersandstucktheminhishat.Thatnighthegavethemtothekingsdaughterwhensheaskedforthem.
Thethirdday,hecrushedthethirdheadandfoundagoldkey.Heslippedthekeyintothelockandenteredasolidgoldpalace,wherehisserventsweregoldtoo,fromwigtoboots;thebedsweregold,withgoldsheets,pillows,andcanopy;andintheaviariesflutteredhundredsofgoldbirds.Inagardenofgoldflowerbedsandfountainswithgoldsprays,hepickedasmallbunchofgoldflowerstostickinhishatandgavethemtothekingsdaughterthatnight.
Nowthekingannouncedatournament,andthewinnerwouldhavehisdaughterinmarriage.Theshepherdunlockedthedoorwiththecrystalkey,enteredthecrystalpalaceandchoseacrystalhorsewithcrystalbridleandsaddle,andthusrodetothetournamentincrystalarmorandcarryingacrystallance.Hedefeatedalltheotherknightsandfledwithoutrevealingwhohewas.
耽美书斋推荐浏览： 伊塔罗·卡尔维诺