意大利童话十二头牛

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."

translatedbygeorgemartin,

pantheonbooks,newyork1980