stories from pentamerone-第23节

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s　hand；　since　hunger　drives　the　wolf　from　the　wood。　And　she　begged　so　hard　that　Fioravante　replied；　〃I　forgive　you　this　time；　and　grant　you　your　life　out　of　charity；　but　if　ever　again　you　are　tempted　to　disobey　me；　and　I　find　that　you　have　let　the　sun　see　you；　I　will　make　mincemeat　of　you。　Now；　mind　me；　I　am　going　away　once　more；　and　shall　be　gone　seven　years。　So　take　care　and　plough　straight；　for　you　will　not　escape　so　easily　again；　but　I　shall　pay　you　off　the　new　and　the　old　scores　together。〃

So　saying；　he　departed；　and　Cannetella　shed　a　river　of　tears；　and；　wringing　her　hands；　beating　her　breast；　and　tearing　her　hair；　she　cried；　〃Oh；　that　ever　I　was　born　into　the　world　to　be　destined　to　this　wretched　fate！　Oh；　father；　why　have　you　ruined　me？　But　why　do　I　complain　of　my　father　when　I　have　brought　this　ill　upon　myself？　I　alone　am　the　cause　of　my　misfortunes。　I　wished　for　a　head　of　gold；　only　to　come　to　grief　and　die　by　iron！　This　is　the　punishment　of　Fate；　for　I　ought　to　have　done　my　father's　will；　and　not　have　had　such　whims　and　fancies。　He　who　minds　not　what　his　father　and　mother　say　goes　a　road　he　does　not　know。〃　And　so　she　lamented　every　day；　until　her　eyes　became　two　fountains；　and　her　face　was　so　thin　and　sallow；　that　her　own　father　would　not　have　known　her。

At　the　end　of　a　year　the　King's　locksmith；　whom　Cannetella　knew；　happening　to　pass　by　the　stable；　she　called　to　him　and　went　out。　The　smith　heard　his　name；　but　did　not　recognise　the　poor　girl；　who　was　so　much　altered；　but　when　he　knew　who　she　was；　and　how　she　had　become　thus　changed；　partly　out　of　pity　and　partly　to　gain　the　King's　favour；　he　put　her　into　an　empty　cask　he　had　with　him　on　a　pack…horse；　and；　trotting　off　towards　High…Hill；　he　arrived　at　midnight　at　the　King's　palace。　Then　he　knocked　at　the　door；　and　at　first　the　servants　would　not　let　him　in；　but　roundly　abused　him　for　coming　at　such　an　hour　to　disturb　the　sleep　of　the　whole　house。　The　King；　however；　hearing　the　uproar；　and　being　told　by　a　chamberlain　what　was　the　matter；　ordered　the　smith　to　be　instantly　admitted；　for　he　knew　that　something　unusual　must　have　made　him　come　at　that　hour。　Then　the　smith；　unloading　his　beast；　knocked　out　the　head　of　the　cask；　and　forth　came　Cannetella；　who　needed　more　than　words　to　make　her　father　recognise　her；　and　had　it　not　been　for　a　mole　on　her　arm　she　might　well　have　been　dismissed。　But　as　soon　as　he　was　assured　of　the　truth　he　embraced　and　kissed　her　a　thousand　times。　Then　he　instantly　commanded　a　warm　bath　to　be　got　ready；　when　she　was　washed　from　head　to　foot；　and　had　dressed　herself；　he　ordered　food　to　be　brought；　for　she　was　faint　with　hunger。　Then　her　father　said　to　her；　〃Who　would　ever　have　told　me；　my　child；　that　I　should　see　you　in　this　plight？　Who　has　brought　you　to　this　sad　condition？〃　And　she　answered；　〃Alas；　my　dear　sire；　that　Barbary　Turk　has　made　me　lead　the　life　of　a　dog；　so　that　I　was　nearly　at　death's　door　again　and　again。　I　cannot　tell　you　what　I　have　suffered；　but；　now　that　I　am　here；　never　more　will　I　stir　from　your　feet。　Rather　will　I　be　a　servant　in　your　house　than　a　queen　in　another。　Rather　will　I　wear　sackcloth　where　you　are　than　a　golden　mantle　away　from　you。　Rather　will　I　turn　a　spit　in　your　kitchen　than　hold　a　sceptre　under　the　canopy　of　another。〃

Meanwhile　Fioravante；　returning　home；　was　told　by　the　horses　that　the　locksmith　had　carried　off　Cannetella　in　the　cask；　on　hearing　which；　burning　with　shame；　and　all　on　fire　with　rage；　off　he　ran　towards　High…Hill；　and；　meeting　an　old　woman　who　lived　opposite　to　the　palace；　he　said　to　her；　〃What　will　you　charge；　good　mother；　to　let　me　see　the　King's　daughter？〃　Then　she　asked　a　hundred　ducats；　and　Fioravante；　putting　his　hand　in　his　purse；　instantly　counted　them　out；　one　a…top　of　the　other。　Thereupon　the　old　woman　took　him　up　on　the　roof；　where　he　saw　Cannetella　drying　her　hair　on　a　balcony。　Butjust　as　if　her　heart　had　whispered　to　herthe　maiden　turned　that　way　and　saw　the　knave。　She　rushed　downstairs　and　ran　to　her　father；　crying　out；　〃My　lord；　if　you　do　not　this　very　instant　make　me　a　chamber　with　seven　iron　doors　I　am　lost　and　undone！〃

〃I　will　not　lose　you　for　such　a　trifle；〃　said　her　father；　〃I　would　pluck　out　an　eye　to　gratify　such　a　dear　daughter！〃　So；　no　sooner　said　than　done；　the　doors　were　instantly　made。

When　Fioravante　heard　of　this　he　went　again　to　the　old　woman　and　said　to　her；　〃What　shall　I　give　you　now？　Go　to　the　King's　house；　under　pretext　of　selling　pots　of　rouge；　and　make　your　way　to　the　chamber　of　the　King's　daughter。　When　you　are　there　contrive　to　slip　this　little　piece　of　paper　between　the　bed…clothes；　saying；　in　an　undertone；　as　you　place　it　there

　　　　　Let　every　one　now　soundly　sleep；　　　　　　But　Cannetella　awake　shall　keep。〃

So　the　old　woman　agreed　for　another　hundred　ducats；　and　she　served　him　faithfully。

Now；　as　soon　as　she　had　done　this　trick；　such　a　sound　sleep　fell　on　the　people　of　the　house　that　they　seemed　as　if　they　all　were　dead。　Cannetella　alone　remained　awake；　and　when　she　heard　the　doors　bursting　open　she　began　to　cry　aloud　as　if　she　were　burnt；　but　no　one　heard　her；　and　there　was　no　one　to　run　to　her　aid。　So　Fioravante　threw　down　all　the　seven　doors；　and；　entering　her　room；　seized　up　Cannetella；　bed…clothes　and　all；　to　carry　her　off。　But；　as　luck　would　have　it；　the　paper　the　old　woman　had　put　there　fell　on　the　ground；　and　the　spell　was　broken。　All　the　people　of　the　house　awoke；　and；　hearing　Cannetella's　cries；　they　rancats；　dogs；　and　alland；　laying　hold　on　the　ogre；　quickly　cut　him　in　pieces　like　a　pickled　tunny。　Thus　he　was　caught　in　the　trap　he　had　laid　for　poor　Cannetella；　learning　to　his　cost　that

　　　　　〃No　one　suffereth　greater　pain　　　　　　Than　he　who　by　his　own　sword　is　slain。〃



XVIII

CORVETTO

I　once　heard　say　that　Juno　went　to　Candia　to　find　Falsehood。　But　if　any　one　were　to　ask　me　where　fraud　and　hypocrisy　might　truly　be　found；　I　should　know　of　no　other　place　to　name　than　the　Court；　where　detraction　always　wears　the　mask　of　amusement；　where；　at　the　same　time；　people　cut　and　sew　up；　wound　and　heal；　break　and　glue　togetherof　which　I　will　give　you　one　instance　in　the　story　that　I　am　going　to　tell　you。

There　was　once　upon　a　time　in　the　service　of　the　King　of　　Wide…River　an　excellent　youth　named　Corvetto；　who；　for　his　good　conduct；　was　beloved　by　his　master；　and　for　this　very　cause　was　disliked　and　hated　by　all　the　courtiers。　These　courtiers　were　filled　with　spite　and　malice；　and　bursting　with　envy　at　the　kindness　which　the　King　showed　to　Corvetto；　so　that　all　day　long；　in　every　corner　of　the　palace；　they　did　nothing　but　tattle　and　whisper；　murmur　and　grumble　at　the　poor　lad；　saying；　〃What　sorcery　has　this　fellow　practised　on　the　King　that　he　takes　such　a　fancy　to　him？　How　comes　he　by　this　luck　that　not　a　day　passes　that　he　receives　some　new　favours；　whilst　we　are　for　ever　going　backward　like　a　rope…maker；　and　getting　from　bad　to　worse；　though　we　slave　like　dogs；　toil　like　field…labourers；　and　run　about　like　deer　to　hit　the　King's　pleasure　to　a　hair？　Truly　one　must　be　born　to　good　fortune　in　this　world；　and　he　who　has　not　luck　might　as　well　be　thrown　into　the　sea。　What　is　to　be　done？　We　can　only　look　on　and　envy。〃　These　and　other　words　fell　from　their　mouths　like　poisoned　arrows　aimed　at　the　ruin　of　Corvetto　as　at　a　target。　Alas　for　him　who　is　condemned　to　that　den　the　Court；　where　flattery　is　sold　by　the　kilderkin；　malignity　and　ill…offices　are　measured　out　in　bushels；　deceit　and　treachery　are　weighed　by　the　ton！　But　who　can　count　all　the　attempts　these　courtiers　made　to　bring　him　to　grief；　or　the　false　tales　that　they　told　to　the　King　to　destroy　his　reputation！　But　Corvetto；　who　was　enchanted；　and　perceived　the　traps；　and　discovered　the　tricks；　was　aware　of　all　the　intrigues　and　the　ambuscades；　the　plots　and　conspiracies　of　his　enemies。　He　kept　his　ears　always　on　the　alert　and　his　eyes　open　in　order　not　to　take　a　false　step；　well　knowing　that　the　fortune　of　courtiers　is　as　glass。　But　the　higher　the　lad　continued　to　rise　the　lower　the　others　fell；　till　at　last；　being　puzzled　to　know　how　to　take　him　off　his　feet；　as　their　slander　was　not　believed；　they　thought　of　leading　him　to　disaster　by　the　path　of　flattery；　which　they　attempted　in　the　following　manner。

Ten　miles　distant　from　Scotland；　where　the　seat　of　this　King　was；　there　dwelt　an　ogre；　the　most　inhuman　and　savage　that　had　ever　been　in　Ogreland；　who；　being　persecuted　by　the　King；　had　fortified　himself　in　a　lonesome　wood　on　the　top　of　a　mountain；　where　no　bird　ever　flew；　and　was　so　thick　and　tangled　that　one　could　never　see　the　sun　there。　This　ogre　had　a　most　beautiful　horse；　which　looked　as　if　it　were　formed　with　a　pencil；　and　amongst　other　wonderful　things；　it　could　speak　like　any　man。　Now　the　courtiers；　who　knew　how　wicked　the　ogre　was；　how　thick　the　wood；　how　high　the　mountain；　and　how　difficult　it　was　to　get　at　the　horse；　went　to　the　King；　and　telling　him　minutely　the　perfections　of　the　animal；　which　was　a　thing　worthy　of　a　King；　added　that　he　ought　to　endeavour　by　all　means　to　get　it　out　of　the　ogre's　claws；　and　that　Corvetto　was　just　the　lad　to　do　this；　as　he　was　expert　and　clever　at　escaping　out　of　the　fire。　The　King；　who　knew　not　that　under　the　flowers　of　these　words