意大利童话夜游人

"iamwilling,"saidthebride.

thebridegroomslippedadiamondringonherfinger."ifyouuseittoagoodend,thisringwillhelpyouinwhateversituationyoufindyourself."

dayhaddawned,andthebridegroomturnedintoatortoiseandcrawledofftobeginhisjourneyaroundtheworld.

y,shecameacrossachildcryingandsaidtohismother,"letmeholdhiminmyarmsandcalmhim."

"youdbethefirstpersontodothat,"answeredthemother."hesbeencryingalldaylong."

"bythepowerofthediamond,"whisperedthebride,"maythechildlaughanddanceandfrolic!"atthat,thechildstartedlaughing,dancing,andfrolicking.

next,thebrideenteredabakeryandsaidtothewomanwhoownedit,"youllhavenoregretsifyouhiremetoworkforyou."theownerhiredher,andshebeganmakingbread,sayingunderherbreath,"bythepowerofthediamond,letthewholetownbuybreadatthisbakeryaslongasiworkhere!"fromthenon,ustomerswerethreeyoungmenwhosawthebrideandfellinlovewithher.

"ifyouletmespendanightwithyou,"oneofthemsaidtoher,"illgiveyouathousandfrancs."

"illgiveyoutwothousand,"saidanother.

"andillmakeitthreethousand,"saidthethird.

shecollectedthethreethousandfrancsfromthethirdmanandsmuggledhimintothebakerythatverynight.

"illbewithyouinaminute,"shetoldhim,"yourewaiting,wouldyoupleasekneadthedoughalittlebitforme?"

themanbegankneading,andkneadedandkneadedandkneaded.bythepowerofthediamond,hecouldntforthelifeofhimtakehishandsoutofthedough,andthereforewentonkneadingtilldaylight.

"soyoufinallyfinished!"shesaidtohim."youreallytookyourtime!"

andshesenthimpacking.

thenshesaidyestothemanwiththetwothousandfrancs,broughthiminassoonasitgrewdark,blewandblewandblew.bythepowerofthediamond,hehadtokeeprightonblowinguptothenextmorning,withhisfacebulginglikeawineskin.

"whatawaytobehave!"shesaidtohiminthemorning."youcometoseeme,butspendthenightblowingonthefire!"

andshesenthimpacking.

thenextnightshebroughtinthemanwiththethousandfrancs."ihavetoaddtheyeast,"shetoldhim."whileimdoingthat,goshutthedoor."

themanshutthedoor,seditonlytoseeitimmediatelyreopen,andinnotimethesunwasup.

"didyoufinallyclosethisdoor?well,youmaynowopenitagainandgetout."

seethingwithrage,dayandtimetherewere,inadditiontopolicemen,womenofficerswhowerecalledwheneverawomanwastobebroughtintocustody.sofourwomenofficerswenttoapprehendthebride.

"bythepowerofthediamond,"saidthebride,"letthesewomenboxoneanothersearsuntiltomorrowmorning."

thefourwomenofficersbeganboxingoneanothersearssohardthattheirheadsswelleduplikepumpkins,andtheystillwentonstrikingeachotherforalltheywereworth.

whenthewomenofficersfailedtoreturnwiththeculprit,bridesawthemcomingandsaid,"bythepowerofthediamond,letthosemenplayleapfrog."oneofthemaleofficersdroppeddownatonceonallfours;asecondonemovedup,puthishandsontheofficersback,andleapedoverhim,usbeganagameofleapfrog.

rightatthatpoint,sawhiswife,andbehold!hewasagainahandsomeyoungman,andahandsomeyoungmanheremained,byhiswifesside,uptoaripeoldage.

(rivieraligurediponente)

notes:

"themanwhocameoutonlyatnight"(luomocheuscivasolodinotte)fromandrews,14and21,menton,toldbyirengenaandirenepanduro.

atalefullofoddities,themoststrikingofwhichisthatofwomenconstables,drewssfirstvariant,thebridegroomturnsintoatoad.

translatedbygeorgemartin,

pantheonbooks,newyork1980