十二头牛
十二头牛 (第3/3页)
alwayscarriedwithher,whenanoldwomanwalkeduptoher.
"Willyougivemeabunchofgrapes,mygoodprincess?"
"Yes,dearoldsoul,helpyourself."
"Icantreachupthathigh,pleasepickthemforme."
"Rightaway,"saidtheprincess,reachingupforabunch.
"Pickthatbunchthere,theyretheripest,"saidtheoldwoman,pointingtoabunchabovethecistern.
Toreachit,theprincesshadtostandontherimofthecistern.Theoldwomangaveherapush,andtheprincessfellin.Thelambstartedbleating,andbleatedallaroundthecistern,butnobodyunderstoodwhatitwasbleatingabout,nordidtheyheartheprincessmoaningdowninthewell.Meanwhilethewitchhadtakentheprincesssshapeandgotintoherbed.Whentheprincecamehome,heasked,"Whatareyoudoinginbed?"
"Imsick,"saidthefalseprincess."Ineedtoeatamorseloflamb.Slaughtermethatoneouttherethatwontstopbleating."
"Didntyoutellmesometimeago,"askedtheprince,"thatthelambwasyourbrother?Andyouwanttoeathimnow?"
Thewitchhadblunderedandwasatalossforwords.Theprince,sensingthatsomethingwasamiss,wentintothegardenandfollowedthelambthatwasbleatingsopitifully.Itapproachedthecistern,andtheprinceheardhiswifecalling.
"Whatareyoudoingatthebottomofthecistern?"heexclaimed."DidntIjustleaveyouinbed?"
"No,Ivebeendownhereeversincethismorning!Awitchthrewmein!"
Theprinceorderedhiswifepulledupatonce.Thewitchwascaughtandburnedatthestake.Whilethefireburned,theoxenandalsothelambslowlyturnedbackintofine,strappingyoungmen,andyoudhavethoughtthecastlehadbeeninvadedbyabandofgiants.Theywereallmadeprinces,whileIvestayedaspoorasoulasever.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheTwelveOxen"(Idodicibuoi)fromComparetti,47,Monferrato,Piedmont.
Thefolktalesaboutthesisterwhorescuesherbrotherorbrotherschangedintoanimalscanbedividedintotwogroups:theonewherethesevensonsareunderacurse(asinBasile,IV,8,orinGrimm,9and25),andtheotherwherethesolebrotheristransformedintoalamb(asinGrimm,11,orinmyno.178).Thebrothersaremostcommonlytransformedintobirds(swans,ravens,doves),andthefirstliterarymanifestationofthemotifdatesbacktothetwelfthcentury;thelatestispossiblyAndersens"WildSwans."
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980
如果觉得《意大利童话》好看，请把本站网址推荐给您的朋友吧！88106 http://www.88106.com/