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.
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
translatedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980
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