意大利童话七！

ashamedofherdaughtersgluttony,themotherreplied,"sevenspindlesofhemp!ihaveadaughtersocrazyaboutworkthatshedevenspinthewoolonthesheepsback!canyouimaginethatshesalreadyspunsevenspindlesofhempthismorningandstillwantstospin?tomakeherstop,ihavetobeather."

"ifshesthathard-working,givehertome,"saidtheyoungman."illtryherouttoseeifyouretellingthetruthandthenillmarryher."

hetookhertohishouseandshutherupinaroomfullofhempwaitingtobespun."imaseacaptain,andimleavingonavoyage,"hesaid."ifyouvespunallthishempbythetimeireturn,illmarryyou."

theroomalsocontainedexquisiteclothesandjewels,forthecaptainhappenedtobeveryrich."whenyoubecomemywife,"heexplained,"thesethingswillallbeyours."thenhelefther.

thegirlspentherdaystryingondressesandjewelsandadmiringherselfinthemirror.shealsodevotedmuchtimetoplanningmeals,pwasspunyet,rlgaveupallhopeofevermarryinghimandburstintotears.shewasstillcryingwhenthroughthewindowflewabundleofragsandcametorestonitsfeet:itwasanoldwomanwithlongeyelashes."dontbeafraid,"shetoldthegirl."spinwhileyoumaketheskein."

dthemoreshespun,thelongerherlashesbecame;longerthanhernose,longerthanherchin,theycamedownmorethanafoot;andhereyelidsalsogrewmuchlonger.

whentheworkwasfinished,thegirlsaid,"howcanirepayyou,mygoodlady?"

"idontwanttoberepaid.justinvitemetoyourweddingbanquetwhenyoumarrythecaptain."

"howdoigoaboutinvitingyou?"

"justcallcolumbinaandillcomeuldbeasthoughidneverhelpedyou,andyoudbeundone."

thenextdaythecaptainarrivedandfoundthehempallspun."excellent!"hesaid."rearetheclothesandjewelsiboughtforyouyouspinitallbythetimeireturn,illmarryyou."

asshehaddonebefore,thegirlspenthertimetryingongownsandjewels,eatingsoupandlasagna,andgottothelastdaywithallthehempstillwaitingtobespun.shewasweepingoveritwhen,loandbehold,somethingdroppeddownthechimney,restonitsfeet,sonetoopromisedtohelp,beganspinning,reshespun,pwasallspuninahalf-hour,theoldwomanaskedonlytobeinvitedtotheweddingbanquet."justcallcolumbara.butdontforgetmyname,ormyhelpwillhavebeeninvainandyouwillsuffer."

thecaptainreturnedandaskedbeforeheevengotintothehouse,"didyouspinitall?"

"ijustnowfinished!"

",ificomebackfrommythirdvoyageandfindyouvespunthisthirdloadofhemp,whichismuchbiggerthantheothertwo,ipromisewellgetmarriedatonce."

asusual,thegirlwaiteduntilthelastdaywithouttouchingthehemp.downfromtheroofsgutterfellabundleofrags,andoutcameanoldwomanwithbuckteeth.shebeganspinning,spinningevenfaster,andthemoreshespun,thelongergrewherteeth.

"toinvitemetoyourweddingbanquet,"saidtheoldwoman,"youmustcallcolumbun.butifyouforgetmyname,itwouldbebetterifyoudneverseenme."

whenthecaptaincamehomeandfoundthehempallspun,hewascompletelysatisfied."fine,"hesaid,"nowyouwillbemywife."heorderedpreparationsmadeforthewedding,towhichheinvitedallthenobilityintown.

caughtupinthepreparations,rningoftheweddingsherememberedthatshewassupposedtoinvitethem,butwhenshewenttopronouncetheirnames,shefoundtheyhadslippedhermind.shecudgeledherbrainsbut,forthelifeofher,couldntrecallasinglename.

fromthecheerfulgirlshewas,ptainnoticeditandaskedherwhatthematterwas,butshewouldsaynothing.unabletoaccountforhersadness,thebridegroomthought,reforepostponedtheweddinguntilthedayafter.butthenextdaywasstillworse,verydaythatpassed,thebridebecamegloomierandquieter,dherjokesandstoriesinanefforttomakeherlaugh,butnothinghesaidordidaffectedher.

sincehecouldntcheerherup,hedecidedtogohuntingandcheerhimselfusinthereinthedark,whenheheardvoices:

"ocolumbina!"

"ocolumbara!"

"ocolumbun!"

"putonthepottomakepolenta!thatconfoundedbridewontbeinvitingustoherbanquetafterall!"

deyelashesthatdraggedontheground,anotherlipsthathungdowntoherfeet,andthethirdteeththatgrazedherknees.

well,well,shedoesntlaughoverwhativejustseen,shellneverlaughatanything!

hewenthomeandsaidtohisbride,"dwhatshouldiseebutthreecrones:onewitheyelashesthatdraggedontheground,anotherwithlipsthathungdowntoherfeet,dtheycalledeachother:ocolumbina,ocolumbara,ocolumbun!"

thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly,andsheburstoutlaughing,andlaughedandlaughed."ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway.butimaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard,letmeinvitethemtothebanquet."

rthethreeoldwomenaseparateroundtablewassetup,butsosmallthatwhatwiththeeyelashesofone,thelipsoftheother,andtheteethofthethird,younolongerknewwhatwaswhat.

whendinnerwasover,thebridegroomaskedcolumbina,"tellme,goodlady,whyareyourlashessolong?"

"thatsfromstrainingmyeyestospinfinethread!"saidcolumbina.

"andyou,whyareyourlipssothick?"

"thatcomesfromalwaysrubbingmyfingeronthemtowetthethread!"saidcolumbara.

"andyou,howonearthdidyourteethgetsolong?"

"thatsfrombitingtheknotofthethread!"saidcolumbun.

"isee,"saidthebridegroom,andheturnedtohiswife."gogetthespindle."whenshebroughtittohim,hethrewitintothefire."youllspinnomorefortherestofyourlife!"

sothebig,fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter.

(rivieraligurediponente)

notes:

"andseven!"(esette!)fromandrews,4,23,47.(thefirsttwowerecollectedinmenton,thethirdnearventimiglia.)

marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiationmotifs(thesecretnametoremember)areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadineurope(ofenglish,swedish,orgermanorigin,accordingtoscholars),subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinnaples(basile,iv,4)andwellknownthroughoutitaly.

translatedbygeorgemartin,

pantheonbooks,newyork1980