stories from pentamerone-第30部分

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and　offered　to　go　round　the　world　until　she　should　find　the　dwelling　of　the　old　woman。　Then　praying　them　not　to　stir　from　the　house　until　she　returned；　lest　any　ill　should　betide　them；　she　set　out；　and　journeyed　on　and　on　without　ever　tiring；　and　though　she　went　on　foot；　her　desire　to　aid　her　brothers　served　her　as　a　sumpter…mule；　with　which　she　made　three　miles　an　hour。　At　last　she　came　to　the　seashore；　where　with　the　blows　of　the　waves　the　sea　was　banging　the　rocks　which　would　not　repeat　the　Latin　it　gave　them　to　do。　Here　she　saw　a　huge　whale；　who　said　to　her；　〃My　pretty　maiden；　what　go　you　seeking？〃　And　she　replied；　〃I　am　seeking　the　dwelling　of　the　Mother　of　Time。〃　〃Hear　then　what　you　must　do；〃　replied　the　whale；　〃go　straight　along　this　shore；　and　on　coming　to　the　first　river；　follow　it　up　to　its　source；　and　you　will　meet　with　some　one　who　will　show　you　the　way：　but　do　me　one　kindness；when　you　find　the　good　old　woman；　beg　of　her　the　favour　to　tell　me　some　means　by　which　I　may　swim　about　safely；　without　so　often　knocking　upon　the　rocks　and　being　thrown　on　the　sands。〃

〃Trust　to　me；〃　said　Cianna；　then　thanking　the　whale　for　pointing　out　the　way；　she　set　off　walking　along　the　shore；　and　after　a　long　journey　she　came　to　the　river；　which　like　a　clerk　of　the　treasury　was　disbursing　silver　money　into　the　bank　of　the　sea。　Then　taking　the　way　up　to　its　source；　she　arrived　at　a　beautiful　open　country；　where　the　meadow　vied　with　the　heaven；　displaying　her　green　mantle　starred　over　with　flowers；　and　there　she　met　a　mouse　who　said　to　her；　〃Whither　are　you　going　thus　alone；　my　pretty　girl？〃　And　Cianna　replied；　〃I　am　seeking　the　Mother　of　Time。〃

〃You　have　a　long　way　to　go；〃　said　the　mouse；　〃but　do　not　lose　heart；　everything　has　an　end。　Walk　on；　therefore；　toward　yon　mountains；　which；　like　the　free　lords　of　these　fields；　assume　the　title　of　Highness；　and　you　will　soon　have　more　news　of　what　you　are　seeking。　But　do　me　one　favour；when　you　arrive　at　the　house　you　wish　to　find；　get　the　good　old　woman　to　tell　you　what　you　can　do　to　rid　us　of　the　tyranny　of　the　cats；　then　command　me；　and　I　am　your　slave。〃

Cianna；　after　promising　to　do　the　mouse　this　kindness；　set　off　towards　the　mountains；　which；　although　they　appeared　to　be　close　at　hand；　seemed　never　to　be　reached。　But　having　come　to　them　at　length；　she　sat　down　tired　out　upon　a　stone；　and　there　she　saw　an　army　of　ants；　carrying　a　large　store　of　grain；　one　of　whom　turning　to　Cianna　said；　〃Who　art　thou；　and　whither　art　thou　going？〃　And　Cianna；　who　was　courteous　to　every　one；　said　to　her；　〃I　am　an　unhappy　girl；　who；　for　a　matter　that　concerns　me；　am　seeking　the　dwelling　of　the　Mother　of　Time。〃

〃Go　on　farther；〃　said　the　ant；　〃and　where　these　mountains　open　into　a　large　plain　you　will　obtain　more　news。　But　do　me　a　great　favour；get　the　secret　from　the　old　woman；　what　we　ants　can　do　to　live　a　little　longer；　for　it　seems　to　me　a　folly　in　worldly　affairs　to　be　heaping　up　such　a　large　store　of　food　for　so　short　a　life；　which；　like　an　auctioneer's　candle；　goes　out　just　at　the　best　bidding　of　years。〃

〃Be　at　ease；〃　said　Cianna；　〃I　will　return　the　kindness　you　have　shown　me。〃

Then　she　passed　the　mountains　and　arrived　at　a　wide　plain；　and　proceeding　a　little　way　over　it；　she　came　to　a　large　oak…tree；　a　memorial　of　antiquity；　whose　fruit　（a　mouthful　which　Time　gives　to　this　bitter　age　of　its　lost　sweetness）　tasted　like　sweetmeats　to　the　maiden；　who　was　satisfied　with　little。　Then　the　oak；　making　lips　of　its　bark　and　a　tongue　of　its　pith；　said　to　Cianna；　〃Whither　are　you　going　so　sad；　my　little　daughter？　Come　and　rest　under　my　shade。〃　Cianna　thanked　him　much；　but　excused　herself；　saying　that　she　was　going　in　haste　to　find　the　Mother　of　Time。　And　when　the　oak　heard　this　he　replied；　〃You　are　not　far　from　her　dwelling；　for　before　you　have　gone　another　day's　journey；　you　will　see　upon　a　mountain　a　house；　in　which　you　will　find　her　whom　you　seek。　But　if　you　have　as　much　kindness　as　beauty；　I　prithee　learn　for　me　what　I　can　do　to　regain　my　lost　honour；　for　instead　of　being　food　for　great　men；　I　am　now　only　made　the　food　of　hogs。〃

〃Leave　that　to　me；〃　replied　Cianna；　〃I　will　take　care　to　serve　you。〃　So　saying；　she　departed；　and　walking　on　and　on　without　ever　resting；　she　came　at　length　to　the　foot　of　an　impertinent　mountain；　which　was　poking　its　head　into　the　face　of　the　clouds。　There　she　found　an　old　man；　who；　wearied　and　wayworn；　had　lain　down　upon　some　hay；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　Cianna；　he　knew　her　at　once；　and　that　it　was　she　who　had　cured　his　bump。

When　the　old　man　heard　what　she　was　seeking；　he　told　her　that　he　was　carrying　to　Time　the　rent　for　the　piece　of　earth　which　he　had　cultivated；　and　that　Time　was　a　tyrant　who　usurped　everything　in　the　world；　claiming　tribute　from　all；　and　especially　from　people　of　his　age；　and　he　added　that；　having　received　kindness　from　Cianna；　he　would　now　return　it　a　hundredfold　by　giving　her　some　good　information　about　her　arrival　at　the　mountain；　and　that　he　was　sorry　he　could　not　accompany　her　thither；　since　his　old　age；　which　was　condemned　rather　to　go　down　than　up；　obliged　him　to　remain　at　the　foot　of　those　mountains；　to　cast　up　accounts　with　the　clerks　of　Timewhich　are　the　labours；　the　sufferings；　and　the　infirmities　of　lifeand　to　pay　the　debt　of　Nature。　So　the　old　man　said　to　her；　〃Now；　my　pretty；　innocent　child；　listen　to　me。　You　must　know　that　on　the　top　of　this　mountain　you　will　find　a　ruined　house；　which　was　built　long　ago；　time　out　of　mind。　The　walls　are　cracked；　the　foundations　crumbling　away；　the　doors　worm…eaten；　the　furniture　all　worn　outand；　in　short；　everything　is　gone　to　wrack　and　ruin。　On　one　side　are　seen　shattered　columns；　on　another　broken　statues；　and　nothing　is　left　in　a　good　state　except　a　coat…of…arms　over　the　door；　quartered　on　which　you　will　see　a　serpent　biting　its　tail；　a　stag；　a　raven；　and　a　phoenix。　When　you　enter；　you　will　see　on　the　ground；　files；　saws；　scythes；　sickles；　pruning…hooks；　and　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　vessels　full　of　ashes；　with　the　names　written　on　them；　like　gallipots　in　an　apothecary's　shop；　and　there　may　be　read　Corinth；　Saguntum；　Carthage；　Troy；　and　a　thousand　other　cities；　the　ashes　of　which　Time　preserved　as　trophies　of　his　conquests。

〃When　you　come　near　the　house；　hide　yourself　until　Time　goes　out；　and　as　soon　as　he　has　gone　forth；　enter；　and　you　will　find　an　old；　old　woman；　with　a　beard　that　touches　the　ground　and　a　hump　reaching　to　the　sky。　Her　hair；　like　the　tail　of　a　dapple…grey　horse；　covers　her　heels；　her　face　looks　like　a　plaited　collar；　with　the　folds　stiffened　by　the　starch　of　years。　The　old　woman　is　seated　upon　a　clock；　which　is　fastened　to　a　wall；　and　her　eyebrows　are　so　large　that　they　overshadow　her　eyes；　so　that　she　will　not　be　able　to　see　you。　As　soon　as　you　enter；　quickly　take　the　weights　off　the　clock；　then　call　to　the　old　woman；　and　beg　her　to　answer　your　questions；　whereupon　she　will　instantly　call　her　son　to　come　and　eat　you　up。　But　the　clock　upon　which　the　old　woman　sits　having　lost　its　weights；　her　son　cannot　move；　and　she　will　therefore　be　obliged　to　tell　you　what　you　wish。　But　do　not　trust　any　oath　she　may　make；　unless　she　swears　by　the　wings　of　her　son；　and　you　will　be　content。〃

So　saying；　the　poor　old　man　fell　down　and　crumbled　away；　like　a　dead　body　brought　from　a　catacomb　to　the　light　of　day。　Then　Cianna　took　the　ashes；　and　mixing　them　with　a　pint　of　tears；　she　made　a　grave　and　buried　them；　praying　Heaven　to　grant　them　quiet　and　repose。　And　ascending　the　mountain　till　she　was　quite　out　of　breath；　she　waited　until　Time　came　out；　who　was　an　old　man　with　a　long；　long　beard；　and　who　wore　a　very　old　cloak　covered　with　slips　of　paper；　on　which　were　worked　the　names　of　various　people。　He　had　large　wings；　and　ran　so　fast　that　he　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

When　Cianna　entered　the　house　of　his　mother；　she　started　with　affright　at　the　sight　of　that　black　old　chip；　and　instantly　seizing　the　weights　of　the　clock；　she　told　what　she　wanted　to　the　old　woman；　who；　setting　up　a　loud　cry；　called　to　her　son。　But　Cianna　said　to　her；　〃You　may　butt　your　head　against　the　wall　as　long　as　you　like；　for　you　will　not　see　your　son　whilst　I　hold　these　clock…weights。〃

Thereupon　the　old　woman；　seeing　herself　foiled；　began　to　coax　Cianna；　saying；　〃Let　go　of　them；　my　dear；　and　do　not　stop　my　son's　course；　for　no　man　living　has　ever　done　that。　Let　go　of　them；　and　may　Heaven　preserve　you！　for　I　promise　you；　by　the　acid　of　my　son；　with　which　he　corrodes　everything；　that　I　will　do　you　no　harm。〃

〃That's　time　lost；〃　answered　Cianna；　〃you　must　say　something　better　if　you　would　have　me　quit　my　hold。〃

〃I　swear　to　you　by　those　teeth；　which　gnaw　all　mortal　things；　that　I　will　tell　you　all　you　desire。〃

〃That　is　all　nothing；〃　answered　Cianna；　〃for　I　know　you　are　deceiving　me。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃I　swear　to　you　by　those　wings　which　fly　over　all　that　I　will　give　you　more　pleasure　than　you　imagine。〃

Thereupon　Cianna；　letting　go　the　weights；　kissed　the　old　woman's　hand；　which　had　a　mouldy　feel　and　a　nasty　smell。　And　the　old　woman；　seeing　the　courtesy　of　the　damsel；　said　to　her；　〃Hide　yourself　behind　this　door；　and　when　Time　comes　home　I　will　make　him　tell　me　all　you　wish　to　know。　And　as　soon　as　he　goes　out　againfor　he　never　stays　quiet　in　one　placeyou　can　depart。　But　do　not　let　yourself　be　heard　or　seen；　for　he　is　such　a　glutton　that　he　does　not　spare　even　his　own　children；　and　when　all　fails；　he　devours　himself　and　then　springs　up　anew。〃

Cianna　did　as　the　old　woman　told　her；　and；　lo！　soon　after　Time　came　flying　quick；　quick；　high　and　light；　and　having　gnawed　whatever　came　to　hand；　down　to　the　very　mouldiness　upon　the　walls；　he　was　about　to　depart；　when　his　mother　told　him　all　she　had　heard　from　Cianna；　beseeching　him　by　the　milk　she　had　given　him　to　answer　exactly　all　her　questions。　After　a　thousand　entreaties；　her　son　replied；　〃To　the　tree　may　be　answered；　that　it　can　never　be　prized　by　men　so　long　as　it　keeps　treasures　buried　under　its　roots；　to　the　mice；　that　they　will　never　be　safe　from　the　cat　unless　they　tie　a　bell　to　her　leg　to　tell　them　when　she　is　coming；　to　the　ants；　that　they　will　live　a　hundred　years　if　they　can　dispense　with　flyingfor　when　the　ant　is　going　to　die　she　puts　on　win