"oink,oink,"gruntedkingcrin.",oink,iwantthebakersdaughter!"
thekingsentforthebaker,whohadthreedaughters,andaskedifhisoldestdaughterwaswillingtomarryhispig-rnbetweenthethrillofweddingthekingssonandthehorrorofmarryingapig,thedaughtermadeuphermindtoaccepttheproposal.
tickledpink,returnedtothebridalchamber,dingtocaressher,bridewasdisgustedand,insteadofcaressinghim,gavehimakick."getawayfromhere,younastypig!"
kingcrinmovedaway,grunting."oink!youllpayforthat!"
thatnightthebridewasdiscovereddeadinherbed.
theoldkingwasquitedistressed,butafewmonthslaterwhenhissonwasagainascrossascouldbeandclamoringforawife,hesentforthebakersseconddaughter,whoaccepted.
theeveningoftheweddingkingcrinwentbackoutandwallowedinthemuddyroads,onlytoreturnandrubagainsthisbride,whodrovehimoutoftheroom."scram,younastypig!"sincidentgavethecourtabadname,beingthesecondofitskind.
moretimewentby,andkingcrinbeganactingupagain."wouldyouhavethenerve,"saidhisfather,"toaskforthebakersthirddaughter?"
"oink,oink,,oink,imusthaveher!"
sotheysentforthethirdgirltoseeifshewouldmarrykingcrinsweddingnight,asusual,kingcrinwentouttowallow,thenranbackinsideallmuddytocaresshiswife.sherespondedwithcaressesofherownanddriedhimoffwithfinelinenhandkerchiefs,murmuring,"myhandsomecrin,mydarlingcrin,iloveyouso."kingcrinwasoverjoyed.
nextmorningatthecourteverybodyexpectedtohearthatthethirdbridehadbeenfounddead,sagrandoccasionforcelebrationintheroyalhouse,andthekinggaveareception.
thenextnightthebridebecamecurioustoseekingcrinasheslept,becauseshehadhersuspicions.shelitataperandbeheldayouthhandsomebeyondallstretchesoftheimagination.butasshestoodthereraptwithadmiration,upandjumpedoutofbed,furious."youbrokethespellandwillneverseemeagain,oronlywhenyouhaveweptsevenbottlesoftearsandwornoutsevenpairsofironshoes,sevenironmantles,andsevenironhatslookingforme."atthat,hevanished.
sodeepwasherdistressthatthebridehadnochoicebuttogoinsearchofherhusband.shehadablacksmithforgesevenpairsofironshoes,sevenironmantles,andsevenironhatsforher,thendeparted.
shewalkedalldaylonguntilnightovertookheronamountain,whereshesawacottageandknockedonthedoor."mypoorgirl,"saidanoldwoman,"icantgiveyoushelter,sincemysonisthewindwhocomeshomeandturnseverythingupsidedown,andwoetoanyoneinhisway!"
dsoonarrivedandsniffedallaround,saying:
"human,human,ismellahuman."
rningsheroseatdaybreakandsoftlyawakenedtheyounglady,advising,"fleebeforemysongetsupandtakealongthischestnutasasouvenirofme,butcrackitopenonlyinaseriousemergency."
shewalkedalldaylongandwasovertakenbynightontopofanothermountain.shespiedacottage,andanoldladyonthedoorstepsaid,"iwouldgladlylodgeyou,butimlightningsmother,andpooryouifmysoncamehomeandcaughtyouhere!"rrivedsoonafterward:
"human,human,ismellahuman."
buthedidntfindherand,aftersupper,wenttobed.
"fleebeforemysonwakesup,"saidlightningsmotherinthemorning,"andtakealongthiswalnut,whichmightcomeinveryhandy."
restoodthehouseofthundersmother,undertoocameinsaying:
"human,human,ismellahuman."
butneitherdidhefindher,andinthemorningshewentoffwithahazelnutasapresentfromthundersmother.
afterwalkingformilesandmilesshereachedacitywhoseprincess,shelearned,uldshedotopreventthemarriage?howcouldshegetintothecastle?
shecrackedopenthechestnutandoutpoureddiamondsandotherjewels,youngladysaid,"illletyouhaveallthesegemsfornothing,ifyouallowmetospendonenightinthebedchamberoftheyoungmanstayingatyourpalace."
theprincesswasafraidtheyoungladywouldtalktohimandmaybepersuadehimtofleewithher,buthermaidsaid,"vehimasleepingpotionandhewontwakeup."theydidjustthat,andassoonasthehandsomeyouthwenttosleep,rowneyes,theyoungladysawthathis(sic)wasnoneotherthanherhusband.
"wakeup,mylove,wakeup!ivewalkedalloverforyou,wearingoutsevenpairsofironshoes,sevenironmantles,andsevenironvefinallyfoundyou,yousleepanddonthearme!"
andthatwentontillmorning,when,atherwitsend,utrolledexquisitegownsandsilks,sightofallthesewonderfulthings,themaidcalledtheprincess,whosimplyhadtohavethemallandthereforegrantedtheyoungladyanothernightwiththeyouth.buttheyoungladywastakenintothebedchamberlaterthanthelasttimeandbroughtoutearlierinthemorning.
quirethem,theprincessagainletherspendthenightwiththeyoungman.
butbythistimehehadgrowntiredofdrinkingwhattheybroughthimeverynight,youngladybegantalkingtohim,hemadeoutasifheweresleeping,butthemomenthewassureitwashiswife,sehorsesandcarriagestheyhadnoproblemgettingawayandbackhome,wheretherewasagrandcelebration.
theyputonthedogandhighdidtheysoar,
theysawmenot,istoodbehindthedoor.
(collinedelpo)
notes:
"kingcrin"(recrin)frompitrè(inarchivioperlostudiodelletradizionipopolari,i[1882],424),monteudapo,piedmont.
ofillustriousorigin(sinceitiscertainlyrelated——atleastinthemotifofthebridegroomwhocannotbeseeninhistrueform——tothemythofamorandpsyche),developmentrepeats——withthewalnutstobecracked,spyingonthesleeper,etc——amotifalsocommontoothertypesandofwhichmyno.140presentsaricherversion.
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
translatedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980
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