stories from pentamerone-第8节

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Mase；　who　put　his　ear　to　every　chink；　heard　the　ogre　coming　and　exclaimed；　〃Alas！　matters　go　ill　with　us　now。　I　already　hear　the　clatter　of　the　ogre's　heels。　We　must　be　on　our　guard　and　ready　to　meet　the　storm　or　else　we　are　done　for。〃　〃Never　fear；〃　said　Ascaddeo；　〃I　will　soon　settle　this　ugly　ragamuffin。〃　So　saying；　he　flung　a　pebble　on　the　ground　and　instantly　up　rose　a　tower　in　which　they　all　took　refuge　without　delay；　and　barred　the　door。　But　when　the　ogre　came　up　and　saw　that　they　had　got　into　so　safe　a　place　he　ran　home；　got　a　vine…dresser's　ladder；　and　carried　it　back　on　his　shoulder　to　the　tower。

Now　Mase；　who　kept　his　ears　hanging　down；　heard　at　a　distance　the　approach　of　the　ogre　and　cried；　〃We　are　now　at　the　butt　end　of　the　Candle　of　Hope。　Ceccone　is　our　last　resource；　for　the　ogre　is　coming　back　in　a　terrible　fury。　Alas！　how　my　heart　beats；　for　I　foresee　an　evil　day。〃　〃You　coward；〃　answered　Ceccone；　〃trust　to　me　and　I　will　hit　him　with　a　ball。〃

As　Ceccone　was　speaking　the　ogre　came；　planted　his　ladder　and　began　to　climb　up；　but　Ceccone；　taking　aim　at　him；　shot　out　one　of　his　eyes　and　laid　him　at　full　length　on　the　ground；　like　a　pear　dropped　from　a　tree。　Then　he　went　out　of　the　tower　and　cut　off　the　ogre's　head　with　a　big　knife　he　carried　about　with　him；　just　as　if　it　had　been　new…made　cheese。　Thereupon　they　took　the　head　with　great　joy　to　the　King；　who　rejoiced　at　the　recovery　of　his　daughter；　for　he　had　repented　a　hundred　times　at　having　given　her　to　an　ogre。　And　not　many　days　after　Porziella　was　married　to　a　handsome　prince；　and　the　seven　sons　and　their　mother　who　had　delivered　her　from　such　a　wretched　life　were　rewarded　with　great　riches。



VI

CENERENTOLA

In　the　sea　of　malice　envy　frequently　gets　out　of　her　depth；　and；　while　she　is　expecting　to　see　another　drowned；　she　is　either　drowned　herself；　or　is　dashed　against　a　rock；　as　happened　to　some　envious　girls；　about　whom　I　will　tell　you　a　story。

There　once　lived　a　Prince；　who　was　a　widower。　He　had　an　only　daughter；　so　dear　to　him　that　he　saw　with　no　other　eyes　than　hers；　and　he　kept　a　governess　for　her；　who　taught　her　chain…work　and　knitting；　and　to　make　point…lace；　and　showed　her　such　affection　as　no　words　can　tell。　But　she　was　very　lonely；　and　many　a　time　she　said　to　the　governess；　〃Oh；　that　you　had　been　my　mother；　you　who　show　me　such　kindness　and　love；〃　and　she　said　this　so　often　that；　at　last；　the　governess；　having　a　bee　put　into　her　bonnet；　said　to　her　one　day；　〃If　you　will　do　as　this　foolish　head　of　mine　advises　I　shall　be　mother　to　you；　and　you　will　be　as　dear　to　me　as　the　apple　of　my　eye。〃

She　was　going　to　say　more；　when　Zezolla；　for　that　was　the　name　of　the　Princess；　said；　〃Pardon　me　if　I　stop　the　word　upon　your　tongue。　I　know　you　wish　me　well；　therefore；　hushenough。　Only　show　me　the　way。　Do　you　write　and　I　will　subscribe。〃　〃Well；　then；〃　answered　the　governess；　〃open　your　ears　and　listen；　and　you　will　get　bread　as　white　as　the　flowers。　You　know　well　enough　that　your　father　would　even　coin　false　money　to　please　you；　so　do　you　entreat　him　when　he　is　caressing　you　to　marry　me　and　make　me　Princess。　Then；　bless　your　stars！　you　shall　be　the　mistress　of　my　life。〃

When　Zezolla　heard　this；　every　hour　seemed　to　her　a　thousand　years　until　she　had　done　all　that　her　governess　had　advised；　and；　as　soon　as　the　mourning　for　her　mother's　death　was　ended；　she　began　to　feel　her　father's　pulse；　and　beg　him　to　marry　the　governess。　At　first　the　Prince　took　it　as　a　joke；　but　Zezolla　went　on　shooting　so　long　past　the　mark　that　at　length　she　hit　it；　and　he　gave　way　to　her　entreaties。　So　he　married　the　governess；　and　gave　a　great　feast　at　the　wedding。

Now；　while　the　young　folks　were　dancing；　and　Zezolla　was　standing　at　the　window　of　her　house；　a　dove　came　flying　and　perched　upon　a　wall；　and　said　to　her；　〃Whenever　you　need　anything　send　the　request　to　the　Dove　of　the　Fairies　in　the　Island　of　Sardinia；　and　you　will　instantly　have　what　you　wish。〃

For　five　or　six　days　the　new　stepmother　overwhelmed　Zezolla　with　caresses；　seating　her　at　the　best　place　at　table；　giving　her　the　choicest　morsels　to　eat；　and　clothing　her　in　the　richest　apparel。　But　ere　long；　forgetting　entirely　the　good　service　she　had　received　（woe　to　him　who　has　a　bad　master！）；　she　began　to　bring　forward　six　daughters　of　her　own；　for　she　had　never　before　told　any　one　that　she　was　a　widow　with　a　bunch　of　girls；　and　she　praised　them　so　much；　and　talked　her　husband　over　in　such　a　fashion；　that　at　last　the　stepdaughters　had　all　his　favour；　and　the　thought　of　his　own　child　went　entirely　from　his　heart。　In　short；　it　fared　so　ill　with　the　poor　girl；　bad　to…day　and　worse　to…morrow；　that　she　was　at　last　brought　down　from　the　royal　chamber　to　the　kitchen；　from　the　canopy　of　state　to　the　hearth；　from　splendid　apparel　of　silks　and　gold　to　dishclouts；　from　the　sceptre　to　the　spit。　And　not　only　was　her　condition　changed；　but　even　her　name；　for；　instead　of　Zezolla；　she　was　now　called　Cenerentola。

It　happened　that　the　Prince　had　occasion　to　go　to　Sardinia　upon　affairs　of　state；　and；　calling　the　six　stepdaughters；　he　asked　them；　one　by　one；　what　they　would　like　him　to　bring　them　on　his　return。　Then　one　wished　for　splendid　dresses；　another　to　have　　head…ornaments；　another　rouge　for　the　face；　another　toys　and　trinkets：　one　wished　for　this　and　one　for　that。　At　last　the　Prince　said　to　his　own　daughter；　as　if　in　mockery；　〃And　what　would　you　have；　child？〃　〃Nothing；　father；〃　she　replied；　〃but　that　you　commend　me　to　the　Dove　of　the　Fairies；　and　bid　her　send　me　something；　and　if　you　forget　my　request；　may　you　be　unable　to　stir　backwards　or　forwards；　so　remember　what　I　tell　you；　for　it　will　fare　with　you　accordingly。〃

Then　the　Prince　went　his　way　and　did　his　business　in　Sardinia；　and　procured　all　the　things　that　his　stepdaughters　had　asked　for；　but　poor　Zezolla　was　quite　out　of　his　thoughts。　And　going　on　board　a　ship　he　set　sail　to　return；　but　the　ship　could　not　get　out　of　the　harbour；　there　it　stuck　fast　just　as　if　held　by　a　sea…lamprey。　The　captain　of　the　ship；　who　was　almost　in　despair　and　fairly　tired　out；　laid　himself　down　to　sleep；　and　in　his　dream　he　saw　a　fairy；　who　said　to　him；　〃Know　you　the　reason　why　you　cannot　work　the　ship　out　of　port？　It　is　because　the　Prince　who　is　on　board　with　you　has　broken　his　promise　to　his　daughter；　remembering　every　one　except　his　own　child。〃

Then　the　captain　awoke　and　told　his　dream　to　the　Prince；　who；　in　shame　and　confusion　at　the　breach　of　his　promise；　went　to　the　Grotto　of　the　Fairies；　and；　commending　his　daughter　to　them；　asked　them　to　send　her　something。　And　behold；　there　stepped　forth　from　the　grotto　a　beautiful　maiden；　who　told　him　that　she　thanked　his　daughter　for　her　kind　remembrances；　and　bade　him　tell　her　to　be　merry　and　of　good　heart　out　of　love　to　her。　And　thereupon　she　gave　him　a　date…tree；　a　hoe；　and　a　little　bucket　all　of　gold；　and　a　silken　napkin；　adding　that　the　one　was　to　hoe　with　and　the　other　to　water　the　plant。

The　Prince；　marvelling　at　this　present；　took　leave　of　the　fairy；　and　returned　to　his　own　country。　And　when　he　had　given　his　stepdaughters　all　the　things　they　had　desired；　he　at　last　gave　his　own　daughter　the　gift　which　the　fairy　had　sent　her。　Then　Zezolla；　out　of　her　wits　with　joy；　took　the　date…tree　and　planted　it　in　a　pretty　flower…pot；　hoed　the　earth　round　it；　watered　it；　and　wiped　its　leaves　morning　and　evening　with　the　silken　napkin。　In　a　few　days　it　had　grown　as　tall　as　a　woman；　and　out　of　it　came　a　fairy；　who　said　to　Zezolla；　〃What　do　you　wish　for？〃　And　Zezolla　replied　that　she　wished　sometimes　to　leave　the　house　without　her　sisters'　knowledge。　The　fairy　answered；　〃Whenever　you　desire　this；　come　to　the　flower…pot　and　say：

　　　　　My　little　Date…tree；　my　golden　tree；　　　　　　With　a　golden　hoe　I　have　hoed　thee；　　　　　　With　a　golden　can　I　have　watered　thee；　　　　　　With　a　silken　cloth　I　have　wiped　thee　dry；　　　　　　Now　strip　thee　and　dress　me　speedily。

And　when　you　wish　to　undress；　change　the　last　words　and　say；　　Strip　me　and　dress　thee。'〃

When　the　time　for　the　feast　was　come；　and　the　stepmother's　daughters　appeared；　dressed　out　so　fine；　all　ribbons　and　flowers；　and　slippers　and　shoes；　sweet　smells　and　bells；　and　roses　and　posies；　Zezolla　ran　quickly　to　the　flower…pot；　and　no　sooner　had　she　repeated　the　words；　as　the　fairy　had　told　her；　than　she　saw　herself　arrayed　like　a　queen；　seated　upon　a　palfrey；　and　attended　by　twelve　smart　pages；　all　in　their　best　clothes。　Then　she　went　to　the　ball；　and　made　the　sisters　envious　of　this　unknown　beauty。

Even　the　young　King　himself　was　there；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　her　he　stood　magic…bound　with　amazement；　and　ordered　a　trusty　servant　to　find　out　who　was　that　beautiful　maiden；　and　where　she　lived。　So　the　servant　followed　in　her　footsteps；　but　when　Zezolla　noticed　the　trick　she　threw　on　the　ground　a　handful　of　　crown…pieces　which　she　had　made　the　date…tree　give　her　for　this　purpose。　Then　the　servant　lighted　his　lantern；　and　was　so　busy　picking　up　all　the　crown…pieces　that　he　forgot　to　follow　the　palfrey；　and　Zezolla　came　home　quite　safely；　and　had　changed　her　clothes；　as　the　fairy　told　her；　before　the　wicked　sisters　arrived；　and；　to　vex　her　and　make　her　envious；　told　her　of　all　the　fine　things　they　had　seen。