stories from pentamerone-第13节

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t！　where　have　you　been　all　this　time？〃

Fonzo　immediately　perceived　that　Canneloro　had　come　to　this　country　and　had　left　it　again；　so　he　resolved　to　examine　the　matter　adroitly；　to　learn　from　the　Princess's　discourse　where　his　brother　might　be　found。　And；　hearing　her　say　that　he　had　put　himself　in　great　danger　by　that　accursed　hunting；　especially　if　the　cruel　ogre　should　meet　him；　he　at　once　concluded　that　Canneloro　must　be　there。

The　next　morning；　as　soon　as　the　Sun　had　gone　forth　to　give　the　gilded　frills　to　the　Sky；　he　jumped　out　of　bed；　and　neither　the　prayers　of　Fenicia；　nor　the　commands　of　the　King　could　keep　him　back；　but　he　would　go　to　the　chase。　So；　mounting　his　horse；　he　went　with　the　enchanted　dogs　to　the　wood；　where　the　same　thing　befell　him　that　had　befallen　Canneloro；　and；　entering　the　cave；　he　saw　his　brother's　arms　and　dogs　and　horse　fast　bound；　by　which　he　became　assured　of　the　nature　of　the　snare。　Then　the　doe　told　him　in　like　manner　to　tie　his　arms；　dogs；　and　horse；　but　he　instantly　set　them　upon　her　and　they　tore　her　to　pieces。　And　as　he　was　looking　about　for　some　traces　of　his　brother；　he　heard　his　voice　down　in　the　pit；　so；　lifting　up　the　stone；　he　drew　out　Canneloro；　with　all　the　others　whom　the　ogre　had　buried　alive　to　fatten。　Then　embracing　each　other　with　great　joy；　the　twin…brothers　went　home；　where　Fenicia；　seeing　them　so　much　alike；　did　not　know　which　to　choose　for　her　husband；　until　Canneloro　took　off　his　cap　and　she　saw　the　mark　of　the　old　wound　and　recognised　him。　Fonzo　stayed　there　a　month；　taking　his　pleasure；　and　then　wished　to　return　to　his　own　country；　and　Canneloro　wrote　by　him　to　his　mother；　bidding　her　lay　aside　her　enmity　and　come　and　visit　him　and　partake　of　his　greatness；　which　she　did。　But　from　that　time　forward；　he　never　would　hear　of　dogs　or　of　hunting；　recollecting　the　saying

〃Unhappy　is　he　who　corrects　himself　at　his　own　cost。〃



X

PARSLEY

This　is　one　of　the　stories　which　that　good　soul；　my　uncle's　grandmother　（whom　Heaven　take　to　glory）；　used　to　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　pa