stories from pentamerone-第12部分

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tell；　and；　unless　I　have　put　on　my　spectacles　upside　down；　I　fancy　it　will　give　you　pleasure。

There　was；　once　upon　a　time；　a　woman　named　Pascadozzia；　and　one　day；　when　she　was　standing　at　her　window；　which　looked　into　the　garden　of　an　ogress；　she　saw　such　a　fine　bed　of　parsley　that　she　almost　fainted　away　with　desire　for　some。　So　when　the　ogress　went　out　she　could　not　restrain　herself　any　longer；　but　plucked　a　handful　of　it。　The　ogress　came　home　and　was　going　to　cook　her　pottage　when　she　found　that　some　one　had　been　stealing　the　parsley；　and　said；　〃Ill　luck　to　me；　but　I'll　catch　this　long…fingered　rogue　and　make　him　repent　it；　I'll　teach　him　to　his　cost　that　every　one　should　eat　off　his　own　platter　and　not　meddle　with　other　folks'　cups。〃

The　poor　woman　went　again　and　again　down　into　the　garden；　until　one　morning　the　ogress　met　her；　and　in　a　furious　rage　exclaimed；　〃Have　I　caught　you　at　last；　you　thief；　you　rogue；　prithee；　do　you　pay　the　rent　of　the　garden　that　you　come　in　this　impudent　way　and　steal　my　plants？　By　my　faith；　I'll　make　you　do　penance　without　sending　you　to　Rome。〃

Poor　Pascadozzia；　in　a　terrible　fright；　began　to　make　excuses；　saying　that　neither　from　gluttony　nor　the　craving　of　hunger　had　she　been　tempted　by　the　devil　to　commit　this　fault；　but　from　her　fear　lest　her　child　should　be　born　with　a　crop　of　parsley　on　its　face。

〃Words　are　but　wind；〃　answered　the　ogress；　〃I　am　not　to　be　caught　with　such　prattle；　you　have　closed　the　balance…sheet　of　life；　unless　you　promise　to　give　me　the　child；　girl　or　boy；　whichever　it　may　be。〃

The　poor　woman；　in　order　to　escape　the　peril　in　which　she　found　herself；　swore；　with　one　hand　upon　the　other；　to　keep　the　promise；　and　so　the　ogress　let　her　go　free。　But　when　the　baby　came　it　was　a　little　girl；　so　beautiful　that　she　was　a　joy　to　look　upon；　who　was　named　Parsley。　The　little　girl　grew　from　day　to　day　until；　when　she　was　seven　years　old；　her　mother　sent　her　to　school；　and　every　time　she　went　along　the　street　and　met　the　ogress　the　old　woman　said　to　her；　〃Tell　your　mother　to　remember　her　promise。〃　And　she　went　on　repeating　this　message　so　often　that　the　poor　mother；　having　no　longer　patience　to　listen　to　the　refrain；　said　one　day　to　Parsley；　〃If　you　meet　the　old　woman　as　usual；　and　she　reminds　you　of　the　hateful　promise；　answer　her；　　Take　it。'〃

When　Parsley；　who　dreamt　of　no　ill；　met　the　ogress　again；　and　heard　her　repeat　the　same　words；　she　answered　innocently　as　her　mother　had　told　her；　whereupon　the　ogress；　seizing　her　by　her　hair；　carried　her　off　to　a　wood　which　the　horses　of　the　Sun　never　entered；　not　having　paid　the　toll　to　the　pastures　of　those　Shades。　Then　she　put　the　poor　girl　into　a　tower　which　she　caused　to　arise　by　her　art；　having　neither　gate　nor　ladder；　but　only　a　little　window　through　which　she　ascended　and　descended　by　means　of　Parsley's　hair；　which　was　very　long；　just　as　sailors　climb　up　and　down　the　mast　of　a　ship。

Now　it　happened　one　day；　when　the　ogress　had　left　the　tower；　that　Parsley　put　her　head　out　of　the　little　window　and　let　loose　her　tresses　in　the　sun；　and　the　son　of　a　Prince　passing　by　saw　those　two　golden　banners　which　invited　all　souls　to　enlist　under　the　standard　of　Beauty；　and；　beholding　with　amazement；　in　the　midst　of　those　gleaming　waves；　a　face　that　enchanted　all　hearts；　he　fell　desperately　in　love　with　such　wonderful　beauty；　and；　sending　her　a　memorial　of　sighs；　she　decreed　to　receive　him　into　favour。　She　told　him　her　troubles；　and　implored　him　to　rescue　her。　But　a　gossip　of　the　ogress；　who　was　for　ever　prying　into　things　that　did　not　concern　her；　and　poking　her　nose　into　every　corner；　overheard　the　secret；　and　told　the　wicked　woman　to　be　on　the　look…out；　for　Parsley　had　been　seen　talking　with　a　certain　youth；　and　she　had　her　suspicions。　The　ogress　thanked　the　gossip　for　the　information；　and　said　that　she　would　take　good　care　to　stop　up　the　road。　As　to　Parsley；　it　was；　moreover；　impossible　for　her　to　escape；　as　she　had　laid　a　spell　upon　her；　so　that　unless　she　had　in　her　hand　the　three　gall…nuts　which　were　in　a　rafter　in　the　kitchen　it　would　be　labour　lost　to　attempt　to　get　away。

Whilst　they　were　thus　talking　together；　Parsley；　who　stood　with　her　ears　wide　open　and　had　some　suspicion　of　the　gossip；　overheard　all　that　had　passed。　And　when　Night　had　spread　out　her　black　garments　to　keep　them　from　the　moth；　and　the　Prince　had　come　as　they　had　appointed；　she　let　fall　her　hair；　he　seized　it　with　both　hands；　and　cried；　〃Draw　up。〃　When　he　was　drawn　up　she　made　him　first　climb　on　to　the　rafters　and　find　the　gall…nuts；　knowing　well　what　effect　they　would　have；　as　she　had　been　enchanted　by　the　ogress。　Then；　having　made　a　rope…ladder；　they　both　descended　to　the　ground；　took　to　their　heels；　and　ran　off　towards　the　city。　But　the　gossip；　happening　to　see　them　come　out；　set　up　a　loud　〃Halloo；〃　and　began　to　shout　and　make　such　a　noise　that　the　ogress　awoke；　and；　seeing　that　Parsley　had　run　away；　she　descended　by　the　same　ladder；　which　was　still　fastened　to　the　window；　and　set　off　after　the　couple；　who；　when　they　saw　her　coming　at　their　heels　faster　than　a　horse　let　loose；　gave　themselves　up　for　lost。　But　Parsley；　recollecting　the　gall…nuts；　quickly　threw　one　of　the　ground；　and　lo；　instantly　a　Corsican　bulldog　started　upO；　mother；　such　a　terrible　beast！which；　with　open　jaws　and　barking　loud；　flew　at　the　ogress　as　if　to　swallow　her　at　a　mouthful。　But　the　old　woman；　who　was　more　cunning　and　spiteful　than　ever；　put　her　hand　into　her　pocket；　and　pulling　out　a　piece　of　bread　gave　it　to　the　dog；　which　made　him　hang　his　tail　and　allay　his　fury。

Then　she　turned　to　run　after　the　fugitives　again；　but　Parsley；　seeing　her　approach；　threw　the　second　gall…nut　on　the　ground；　and　lo；　a　fierce　lion　arose；　who；　lashing　the　earth　with　his　tail；　and　shaking　his　mane　and　opening　wide　his　jaws　a　yard　apart；　was　just　preparing　to　make　a　slaughter　of　the　ogress；　when；　turning　quickly　back；　she　stripped　the　skin　off　an　ass　which　was　grazing　in　the　middle　of　a　meadow　and　ran　at　the　lion；　who；　fancying　it　a　real　jackass；　was　so　frightened　that　he　bounded　away　as　fast　as　he　could。

The　ogress　having　leaped　over　this　second　ditch　turned　again　to　pursue　the　poor　lovers；　who；　hearing　the　clatter　of　her　heels；　and　seeing　clouds　of　dust　that　rose　up　to　the　sky；　knew　that　she　was　coming　again。　But　the　old　woman；　who　was　every　moment　in　dread　lest　the　lion　should　pursue　her；　had　not　taken　off　the　ass's　skin；　and　when　Parsley　now　threw　down　the　third　gall…nut　there　sprang　up　a　wolf；　who；　without　giving　the　ogress　time　to　play　any　new　trick；　gobbled　her　up　just　as　she　was　in　the　shape　of　a　jackass。　So　Parsley　and　the　Prince；　now　freed　from　danger；　went　their　way　leisurely　and　quietly　to　the　Prince's　kingdom；　where；　with　his　father's　free　consent；　they　were　married。　Thus；　after　all　these　storms　of　fate；　they　experienced　the　truth　that

　　　　　〃One　hour　in　port；　the　sailor；　freed　from　fears；　　　　　　　Forgets　the　tempests　of　a　hundred　years。〃



XI

THE　THREE　SISTERS

It　is　a　great　truth　that　from　the　same　wood　are　formed　the　statues　of　idols　and　the　rafters　of　gallows；　kings'　thrones　and　cobblers'　stalls；　and　another　strange　thing　is　that　from　the　same　rags　are　made　the　paper　on　which　the　wisdom　of　sages　is　recorded；　and　the　crown　which　is　placed　on　the　head　of　a　fool。　The　same；　too；　may　be　said　of　children：　one　daughter　is　good　and　another　bad；　one　idle；　another　a　good　housewife；　one　fair；　another　ugly；　one　spiteful；　another　kind；　one　unfortunate；　another　born　to　good　luck；　and　who　being　all　of　one　family　ought　to　be　of　one　nature。　But　leaving　this　subject　to　those　who　know　more　about　it；　I　will　merely　give　you　an　example　in　the　story　of　the　three　daughters　of　the　same　mother；　wherein　you　will　see　the　difference　of　manners　which　brought　the　wicked　daughters　into　the　ditch　and　the　good　daughter　to　the　top　of　the　Wheel　of　Fortune。

There　was　at　one　time　a　woman　who　had　three　daughters；　two　of　whom　were　so　unlucky　that　nothing　ever　succeeded　with　them；　all　their　projects　went　wrong；　all　their　hopes　were　turned　to　chaff。　But　the　youngest；　who　was　named　Nella；　was　born　to　good　luck；　and　I　verily　believe　that　at　her　birth　all　things　conspired　to　bestow　on　her　the　best　and　choicest　gifts　in　their　power。　The　Sky　gave　her　the　perfection　of　its　light；　Venus；　matchless　beauty　of　form；　Love；　the　first　dart　of　his　power；　Nature；　the　flower　of　manners。　She　never　set　about　any　work　that　it　did　not　go　off　to　a　nicety；　she　never　took　anything　in　hand　that　it　did　not　succeed　to　a　hair；　she　never　stood　up　to　dance；　that　she　did　not　sit　down　with　applause。　On　which　account　she　was　envied　by　her　jealous　sisters　and　yet　not　so　much　as　she　was　loved　and　wished　well　to　by　all　others；　as　greatly　as　her　sisters　desired　to　put　her　underground；　so　much　more　did　other　folks　carry　her　on　the　palms　of　their　hands。

Now　there　was　in　that　country　an　enchanted　Prince　who　was　so　attracted　by　her　beauty　that　he　secretly　married　her。　And　in　order　that　they　might　enjoy　one　another's　company　without　exciting　the　suspicion　of　the　mother；　who　was　a　wicked　woman；　the　Prince　made　a　crystal　passage　which　led　from　the　royal　palace　directly　into　Nella's　apartment；　although　it　was　eight　miles　distant。　Then　he　gave　her　a　certain　powder　saying；　〃Every　time　you　wish　to　see　me　throw　a　little　of　this　powder　into　the　fire；　and　instantly　I　will　come　through　this　passage　as　quick　as　a　bird；　running　along　the　crystal　road　to　gaze　upon　this　face　of　silver。〃

Having　arranged　it　thus；　not　a　night　passed　that　the　Prince　did　not　go　in　and　out；　backwards　and　forwards；　along　the　crystal　passage；　until　at　last　the　sisters；　who　were　spying　the　actions　of　Nella；　found　out　the　secret　and　laid　a　plan　to　put　a　stop　to　the　sport。　And　in　order　to　cut　the　thread　at　once；　they　went　and　broke　the　passage　here　and　there；　so　that；　when　the　unhappy　girl　threw　the　powder　into　the　fire；　to　give　the　signal　to　her　husband；　the　Prince；　who　used　always　to　come　running　in　furious　haste；　hurt　himself　in　such　a　manner　against　the　broken　crystal　that　it　was　truly　a　pitiable　sight　to　see。　And　being　unable　to　pass　further　on　he　turned　back　all　cut　and　slashed　like　a　Dutchman's　breeches。　Then　he　sent　for　all　the　doctors　in　the　town；　but　as　the　crystal　was　enchanted