oneeveningwhenthegirlwenttopreparesupper,savetime,dwomanatthecottagegraciouslygaveherthelight,butsaidthat,inexchange,shewouldcometothegirlonthemorrowandsuckabitofbloodfromherlittlefinger.
"icantletanyoneinthehouse,"saidthegirl."mybrothersforbidit."
"youdontevenhavetoopenthedoor,"repliedtheoldwoman."wheniknock,allyouhavetodoisstickyourlittlefingerthroughthekeyhole,andillsuckit."
sotheoldwomancamebyeveryeveningtosuckthebloodfromher,rbrothersnoticeditandaskedhersomanyquestionsthatsheadmittedgoingtoanoldwitchforalightandhavingtopayforitwithherblood."justletustakecareofher,"saidthebrothers.
thewitcharrived,knocked,andwhenthegirlfailedtostickherfingerthroughthekeyhole,ypitchedtheremainsintoaravine.
onedayonthewaytothefountain,thegirlmetanotheroldwoman,whowassellingwhitebowls.
"ihavenomoney,"saidthegirl.
"inthatcaseillmakeyouapresentofthem,"saidtheoldwoman.
sowhenthebrotherscamehomethirsty,ypitchedinanddrank,ythetwelfth,whosethirstwasslight,sisterthereforefoundherselfalonewithelevenoxenandonelambtofeedeveryday.
aprinceouthuntingwentastrayinthewoodsand,turningupatthegirlshouse,skedhertomarryhim,rlbecamehisprincessbride,andtheelevenoxenandthelambwereputintoamarblebarnwithgoldmangers.
daytheprincesswasstrollingunderthegrapearborwithherlambkinbrotherthatshealwayscarriedwithher,whenanoldwomanwalkeduptoher.
"willyougivemeabunchofgrapes,mygoodprincess?"
"yes,dearoldsoul,helpyourself."
"icantreachupthathigh,pleasepickthemforme."
"rightaway,"saidtheprincess,reachingupforabunch.
"pickthatbunchthere,theyretheripest,"saidtheoldwoman,pointingtoabunchabovethecistern.
toreachit,dwomangaveherapush,bstartedbleating,andbleatedallaroundthecistern,butnobodyunderstoodwhatitwasbleatingabout,princecamehome,heasked,"whatareyoudoinginbed?"
"imsick,"saidthefalseprincess."ineedtoeatamorseloflamb.slaughtermethatoneouttherethatwontstopbleating."
"didntyoutellmesometimeago,"askedtheprince,"thatthelambwasyourbrother?andyouwanttoeathimnow?"
prince,sensingthatsomethingwasamiss,pproachedthecistern,andtheprinceheardhiswifecalling.
"whatareyoudoingatthebottomofthecistern?"heexclaimed."didntijustleaveyouinbed?"
"no,ivebeendownhereeversincethismorning!awitchthrewmein!"
reburned,theoxenandalsothelambslowlyturnedbackintofine,strappingyoungmen,ywereallmadeprinces,whileivestayedaspoorasoulasever.
(monferrato)
notes:
"thetwelveoxen"(idodicibuoi)fromcomparetti,47,monferrato,piedmont.
thefolktalesaboutthesisterwhorescuesherbrotherorbrotherschangedintoanimalscanbedividedintotwogroups:theonewherethesevensonsareunderacurse(asinbasile,iv,8,oringrimm,9and25),andtheotherwherethesolebrotheristransformedintoalamb(asingrimm,11,orinmyno.178).thebrothersaremostcommonlytransformedintobirds(swans,ravens,doves),andthefirstliterarymanifestationofthemotifdatesbacktothetwelfthcentury;thelatestispossiblyandersens"wildswans."
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
translatedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980
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