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when the sorcerer returned； jacked changed back into an ant。 the kings daughter made a big to…do over body…without…soul； seating him at her feet and drawning his head onto her lap。 then she began： 〃my darling sorcerer； i know youre a body without a soul and therefore incapable of dying。 but i live in constant fear of someone finding your soul and putting you to death。〃
〃i can tell you the secret；〃 replied the sorcerer； 〃since youre imprisoned here and cant possibly betray me。 to slay me would require a lion mighty enough to kill the black lion in the forest。 out of the belly of the dead lion would leap a black dog so swift that only the fastest dog on earth could catch it。 out of the belly of the dead black dog would fly a black eagle that could withstand every eagle under the sun。 but if by chance that eagle were slain； a black egg would have to be taken out of its craw and cracked over my brow for my soul to fly away and leave me dead。 does all that seem easy？ do you have any real grounds for worry？〃
with his tiny ant ears； jack took in every word； then crawled back under the window to the ledge； where he again turned into an eagle and soared into the forest。 there he changed into a lion and stalked the underbrush until he came face to face with the black lion。 the black lion jumped him； but jack； being the strongest lion in the world； tore it to bits。 （back at the castle； the sorcerer felt his head spin。） the lions belly was slit open； and out bolted a swift…footed black dog； but jack turned into the fastest dog on earth； caught him； and they rolled together in a ball； biting each other until the black dog lay dead。 （back at the castle； the sorcerer had to take to his bed。） the dogs belly was slit open and out flew a black eagle； but jack became the most powerful eagle under the sun and they soared through the sky pecking and clawing each other until the black eagle folded its wings and fell to earth。 （at the castle； the sorcerer ran a high fever and curled up under the bedclothes。）
jack changed back into a man； opened the eagles craw； and removed the black egg。 he returned to the castle and gave it to the kings daughter； who was overjoyed。
〃how on earth did you do it？〃 she asked。
〃nothing to it；〃 replied jack。 〃the rest is now up to you。〃
the kings daughter entered the sorcerers bedchamber； asking； 〃how do you feel？〃
〃woes me！ ive been betrayed。。。〃
〃i brought you a cup of broth。 drink some。〃
the sorcerer sat up in his bed and bent over to drink the broth。
〃here； let me break an egg into it and give it more body。〃 at that； the kings daughter broke the black egg over his brow and body…without…soul died on the spot。
jack took the kings daughter home to her father。 everyone was overjoyed； and the young couple was married forthwith。
（riviera ligure di ponente）
notes：
〃body…without…soul〃 （corpo…senza…lanima） from andrews； 46； riviera ligure。
this ligurian jack differs from fellow heroes and liberators of princesses by his systematic cautiousness bordering on distrust （he is one of the few who； the minute he receives a magic gift； must test it before he is able to believe in it）。 in that respect he takes after his mother； who will not let him go out into the world until he has given proof of perseverance by felling the tree with his kicks。 i have been faithful to the original version while aiming to endow it with a particular rhythm。
copyright： italian folktales selected and retold by italo calvino；
translated by george martin；
pantheon books； new york 1980
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有钱能使鬼推磨
有钱能使鬼推磨&意大利童话
从前有一位十分富有的王子，他要在王宫的对面造一座宫殿，而且造得比王宫还要宏伟富丽。宫殿一落成，他就在门前写了“有钱能使鬼推磨”几个大字。
国王外出巡游，看见了写在门前的这些字，马上召见王子。这时，王子刚到都城不久，还没有去拜见国王。
“恭喜你啦，”国王说，“你的宫殿真是富丽堂皇啊，相比之下，我的小宫不过是茅庐寒舍。真是恭喜你了！不过，在门前写的‘有钱能使鬼推磨’是你出的主意吗？”
王子意识到，自己可能做得太过份了。
“是的，是我，”王子答覆说，“可是，如果陛下不喜欢，我就派人把这些字刮掉，这很方便。”
“哦，不必了。我并不打算让你刮掉，只是想叫你亲自告诉我，你那句话的意思是什么。比如说，你有钱就可以派人行刺我吗？”
王子感觉到，他的处境不妙了。
“哦，陛下，请您恕罪。我立刻将那些字刮掉。如果您不喜欢这座宫殿的话，您只管说，我可把它拆毁。”
“不，不，不要动它。可是，既然你说，有钱什么事都能办到，那么你就得向我证实这话是不是真的。我限你三天之内同我女儿谈话，如果办到了，我就让你跟她结婚。要不，我就砍掉你的脑袋！懂吗？”
王子愁得吃不下饭，睡不著觉。他日夜想的是怎样才能保住自己的脑袋。到了第二天，他确信自己无路可走了，就决定写遗嘱。他一筹莫展，因为国王的女儿被关在一座城堡里，周围有一百名卫兵看守著。王子脸色苍白，无精打采，躺在床上等死；就在这时候，他的老奶妈走进屋来。王子从小是她奶大的，后来她一直服侍他，现在已是个老态龙钟的老太婆了。老奶妈看见王子面容憔悴，便问他有什么不舒服。王子哼哼唧唧地把事情一五一十全都告诉了她。
“就这件事？”老奶妈说，“你就毫无办法了吗？真让人笑掉大牙！让我想想看，能帮你什么忙呢。”
老奶妈颤颤巍巍地走了出去，到了城里最出名的银匠家里。她向银匠定做了一只银鹅；这只银鹅做得要象人一般大，肚子里是空的，还要会张嘴、闭嘴。“必须明天做好！”她又加了一句。
“明天？你说胡话！”银匠惊叫起来。
“明天必须做好！”老奶妈掏出一个装著金币的钱包，接著说：“你再想想吧。这是现钱，剩下的钱等你明天交货时再付给你。”
银匠惊呆了，“这样的话，咱们好商量，好商量，我尽量照办，明天交货。”
第二天，银鹅做好了，做得非常漂亮。
老奶妈对王子说：“带上你的提琴，鉆到鹅肚子里去。我们一到街上，你就在里面拉琴。”
老奶妈在前面用一根缎带拖著银鹅，王子在里面拉著提琴，他们在城里走街串巷地兜著圈子。人们夹道观看这只漂亮的银鹅，城里的人没有不跑出来看的。消息传到了关著国王女儿的城堡里，她要求父亲准许她出去看一看这只银鹅。
国王说：“明天，那个牛皮王子的死期就到了，那时你再出去看银鹅吧。”
可是公主听说，那个拖著银鹅的老婆婆明天就要离开了。国王只好叫人把银鹅带到城堡里来，让他女儿看一眼。这正是老奶妈巴不得的事。公主独自看著这只银鹅，听著从它嘴里传出的琴声，感到十分惬意。这时，银鹅突然打开了，一个男人走了出来。
“别害怕，”这个男人说，“我是一位王子，必须跟您说话，否则明天早晨您父亲就要杀我的�