stories from pentamerone-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　magicians　returned；　and　no　sooner　had　they　the　ring　in　their　hands　than　they　instantly　vanished；　and　not　a　trace　of　them　was　to　be　seen；　so　that　poor　Pentella　had　like　to　have　died　with　terror。

But　when　the　magicians　came　to　a　wood；　where　the　branches　of　some　of　the　trees　were　dancing　the　sword…dance；　and　the　boughs　of　the　others　were　playing　together　at　hot…cockles；　they　desired　the　ring　to　destroy　the　spell　by　which　the　old　man　had　become　young　again。　And　instantly　Minecco　Aniello；　who　was　just　at　that　moment　in　the　presence　of　the　King；　was　suddenly　seen　to　grow　hoary；　his　hairs　to　whiten；　his　forehead　to　wrinkle；　his　eyebrows　to　grow　bristly；　his　eyes　to　sink　in；　his　face　to　be　furrowed；　his　mouth　to　become　toothless；　his　beard　to　grow　bushy；　his　back　to　be　humped；　his　legs　to　tremble；　and；　above　all；　his　glittering　garments　to　turn　to　rags　and　tatters。

The　King；　seeing　the　miserable　beggar　seated　beside　him　at　table；　ordered　him　to　be　instantly　driven　away　with　blows　and　hard　words；　whereupon　Aniello；　thus　suddenly　fallen　from　his　good　luck；　went　weeping　to　his　daughter；　and　asked　for　the　ring　in　order　to　set　matters　to　rights　again。　But　when　he　heard　the　fatal　trick　played　by　the　false　merchants　he　was　ready　to　throw　himself　out　of　the　window；　cursing　a　thousand　times　the　ignorance　of　his　daughter；　who；　for　the　sake　of　a　silly　doll　had　turned　him　into　a　miserable　scarecrow；　and　for　a　paltry　thing　of　rags　had　brought　him　to　rags　himself；　adding　that　he　was　resolved　to　go　wandering　about　the　world　like　a　bad　shilling；　until　he　should　get　tidings　of　those　merchants。　So　saying　he　threw　a　cloak　about　his　neck　and　a　wallet　on　his　back；　drew　his　sandals　on　his　feet；　took　a　staff　in　his　hand；　and；　leaving　his　daughter　all　chilled　and　frozen；　he　set　out　walking　desperately　on　and　on　until　he　arrived　at　the　kingdom　of　Deep…Hole；　inhabited　by　the　mice；　where；　being　taken　for　a　big　spy　of　the　cats；　he　was　instantly　led　before　Rosecone；　the　King。　Then　the　King　asked　him　who　he　was；　whence　he　came；　and　what　he　was　about　in　that　country；　and　Minecco　Aniello；　after　first　giving　the　King　a　cheese…paring；　in　sign　of　tribute；　related　to　him　all　his　misfortunes　one　by　one；　and　concluded　by　saying　that　he　was　resolved　to　continue　his　toil　and　travel；　until　he　should　get　tidings　of　those　thievish　villains　who　had　robbed　him　of　so　precious　a　jewel；　taking　from　him　at　once　the　flower　of　his　youth；　the　source　of　his　wealth；　and　the　prop　of　his　honour。

At　these　words　Rosecone　felt　pity　nibbling　at　his　heart；　and；　wishing　to　comfort　the　poor　man；　he　summoned　the　eldest　mice　to　a　council；　and　asked　their　opinions　on　the　misfortunes　of　Minecco　Aniello；　commanding　them　to　use　all　diligence　and　endeavour　to　obtain　some　tidings　of　these　false　merchants。　Now；　among　the　rest；　it　happened　that　Rudolo　and　Saltariello　were　presentmice　who　were　well　used　to　the　ways　of　the　world；　and　had　lived　for　six　years　at　a　tavern　of　great　resort　hard　by；　and　they　said　to　Aniello；　〃Be　of　good　heart；　comrade！　matters　will　turn　out　better　than　you　imagine。　You　must　know　that　one　day；　when　we　were　in　a　room　in　the　hostelry　of　the　　Horn；'　where　the　most　famous　men　in　the　world　lodge　and　make　merry；　two　persons　from　Hook　Castle　came　in；　who；　after　they　had　eaten　their　fill　and　had　seen　the　bottom　of　their　flagon；　fell　to　talking　of　a　trick　they　had　played　a　certain　old　man　of　Dark…Grotto；　and　how　they　had　cheated　him　out　of　a　stone　of　great　value；　which　one　of　them；　named　Jennarone；　said　he　would　never　take　from　his　finger；　that　he　might　not　run　the　risk　of　losing　it　as　the　old　man's　daughter　had　done。〃

When　Minecco　Aniello　heard　this；　he　told　the　two　mice　that　if　they　would　trust　themselves　to　accompany　him　to　the　country　where　these　rogues　lived　and　recover　the　ring　for　him；　he　would　give　them　a　good　lot　of　cheese　and　salt　meat；　which　they　might　eat　and　enjoy　with　his　majesty　the　King。　Then　the　two　mice；　after　bargaining　for　a　reward；　offered　to　go　over　sea　and　mountain；　and；　taking　leave　of　his　mousy　majesty；　they　set　out。

After　journeying　a　long　way　they　arrived　at　Hook　Castle；　where　the　mice　told　Minecco　Aniello　to　remain　under　some　trees　on　the　brink　of　a　river；　which　like　a　leech　drew　the　moisture　from　the　land　and　discharged　it　into　the　sea。　Then　they　went　to　seek　the　house　of　the　magicians；　and；　observing　that　Jennarone　never　took　the　ring　from　his　finger；　they　sought　to　gain　the　victory　by　stratagem。　So；　waiting　till　Night　had　dyed　with　purple　　grape…juice　the　sunburnt　face　of　Heaven；　and　the　magicians　had　gone　to　bed　and　were　fast　asleep；　Rudolo　began　to　nibble　the　finger　on　which　the　ring　was；　whereupon　Jennarone；　feeling　the　smart；　took　the　ring　off　and　laid　it　on　a　table　at　the　head　of　the　bed。　But　as　soon　as　Saltariello　saw　this；　he　popped　the　ring　into　his　mouth；　and　in　four　skips　he　was　off　to　find　Minecco　Aniello；　who；　with　even　greater　joy　than　a　man　at　the　gallows　feels　when　a　pardon　arrives；　instantly　turned　the　magicians　into　two　jackasses；　and；　turning　his　mantle　over　one　of　them；　he　bestrode　him　like　a　noble　count；　then　he　loaded　the　other　with　cheese　and　bacon；　and　set　off　toward　Deep…Hole；　where；　having　given　presents　to　the　King　and　his　councillors；　he　thanked　them　for　all　the　good　fortune　he　had　received　by　their　assistance；　praying　Heaven　that　no　　mouse…trap　might　ever　lay　hold　of　them；　that　no　cat　might　ever　harm　them；　and　that　no　arsenic　might　ever　poison　them。

Then；　leaving　that　country；　Minecco　Aniello　returned　to　　Dark…Grotto　even　more　handsome　than　before；　and　was　received　by　the　King　and　his　daughter　with　the　greatest　affection　in　the　world。　And；　having　ordered　the　two　asses　to　be　cast　down　from　a　rock；　he　lived　happily　with　his　wife；　never　more　taking　the　ring　from　his　finger　that　he　might　not　again　commit　such　a　folly；　　for

　　　　　〃The　cat　who　has　been　burnt　with　fire　ever　after　fears　the　cold　hearthstone。〃



XXI

THE　THREE　ENCHANTED　PRINCES

Once　upon　a　time　the　King　of　Green…Bank　had　three　daughters；　who　were　perfect　jewels；　with　whom　three　sons　of　the　King　of　Fair…Meadow　were　desperately　in　love。　But　these　Princes　having　been　changed　into　animals　by　the　spell　of　a　fairy；　the　King　of　Green…Bank　disdained　to　give　them　his　daughters　to　wife。　Whereupon　the　first；　who　was　a　beautiful　Falcon；　called　together　all　the　birds　to　a　council；　and　there　came　the　chaffinches；　tomtits；　woodpeckers；　fly…catchers；　jays；　blackbirds；　cuckoos；　thrushes；　and　every　other　kind　of　bird。　And　when　they　were　all　assembled　at　his　summons；　he　ordered　them　to　destroy　all　the　blossoms　on　the　trees　of　Green…Bank；　so　that　not　a　flower　or　leaf　should　remain。　The　second　Prince；　who　was　a　Stag；　summoning　all　the　goats；　rabbits；　hares；　hedgehogs；　and　other　animals　of　that　country；　laid　waste　all　the　corn…fields　so　that　there　was　not　a　single　blade　of　grass　or　corn　left。　The　third　Prince；　who　was　a　Dolphin；　consulting　together　with　a　hundred　monsters　of　the　sea；　made　such　a　tempest　arise　upon　the　coast　that　not　a　boat　escaped。

Now　the　King　saw　that　matters　were　going　from　bad　to　worse；　and　that　he　could　not　remedy　the　mischief　which　these　three　wild　lovers　were　causing；　so　he　resolved　to　get　out　of　his　trouble；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　give　them　his　daughters　to　wife；　and　thereupon；　without　wanting　either　feasts　or　songs；　they　carried　their　brides　off　and　out　of　the　kingdom。

On　parting　from　her　daughters；　Granzolla　the　Queen　gave　each　of　them　a　ring；　one　exactly　like　the　other；　telling　them　that　if　they　happened　to　be　separated；　and　after　a　while　to　meet　again；　or　to　see　any　of　their　kinsfolk；　they　would　recognise　one　another　by　means　of　these　rings。　So　taking　their　leave　they　departed。　And　the　Falcon　carried　Fabiella；　who　was　the　eldest　of　the　sisters；　to　the　top　of　a　mountain；　which　was　so　high　that；　passing　the　confines　of　the　clouds；　it　reached　with　a　dry　head　to　a　region　where　it　never　rains；　and　there；　leading　her　to　a　most　beautiful　palace；　she　lived　like　a　Queen。

The　Stag　carried　Vasta；　the　second　sister；　into　a　wood；　which　was　so　thick　that　the　Shades；　when　summoned　by　the　Night；　could　not　find　their　way　out　to　escort　her。　There　he　placed　her；　as　befitted　her　rank；　in　a　wonderfully　splendid　house　with　a　garden。

The　Dolphin　swam　with　Rita；　the　third　sister；　on　his　back　into　the　middle　of　the　sea；　where；　upon　a　large　rock；　he　showed　her　a　mansion　in　which　three　crowned　Kings　might　live。

Meanwhile　Granzolla　gave　birth　to　a　fine　little　boy；　whom　they　named　Tittone。　And　when　he　was　fifteen　years　old；　hearing　his　mother　lamenting　continually　that　she　never　heard　any　tidings　of　her　three　daughters；　who　were　married　to　three　animals；　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　travel　through　the　world　until　he　should　obtain　some　news　of　them。　So　after　begging　and　entreating　his　father　and　mother　for　a　long　time；　they　granted　him　permission；　bidding　him　take　for　his　journey　attendants　and　everything　needful　and　befitting　a　Prince；　and　the　Queen　also　gave　him　another　ring　similar　to　those　she　had　given　to　her　daughters。

Tittone　went　his　way；　and　left　no　corner　of　Italy；　not　a　nook　of　France；　nor　any　part　of　Spain　unsearched。　Then　he　passed　through　England；　and　traversed　Slavonia；　and　visited　Poland；　and；　in　short；　travelled　both　east　and　west。　At　length；　leaving　all　his　servants；　some　at　the　taverns　and　some　at　the　hospitals；　he　set　out　without　a　farthing　in　his　pocket；　and　came　to　the　top　of　the　mountain　where　dwelt　the　Falcon　and　Fabiella。　And　as　he　stood　there；　beside　himself　with　amazement；　contemplating　the　beauty　of　the　　palacethe　corner…stones　of　which　were　of　porphyry；　the　walls　of　alabaster；　the　windows　of　gold；　and　the　tiles　of　silverhis　sister　observed　him；　and　ordering　him　to　be　called；　she　demanded　who　he　was；　whence　he　came；　and　what　chance　had　brought　him　to　that　country。　When　Tittone　told　her　his　country；　his　father　and　mother；　and　his　name；　Fabiella　knew　him　to　be　her　brother；　and　the　more　when　she　compared　the　ring　upon　his　finger　with　that　which　her　mother　had　given　her；　and　embracing　him　with　great　joy；　she　concealed　him；　fearing　that　her　husband　would　be　angry　when　he　returned　home。

As　soon　as　the　Falcon　came　home；　Fabiella　began　to　tell　him　that　a　great　longing　had　come　over　her　to　see　her　parents。　And　the　Falcon　answered；　〃Let　the　wi