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t his fingernails grow twelve meters long to dig for water； in the sea i saw a fish with a shoe and a slipper who wanted to be king of the other fish； since no other fish possessed shoe or slipper； in sicily i saw a woman with seventy sons and only one kettle； in naples i saw people who walked while standing still； since the chatter of other people kept them going； i saw sinners and i saw saints； i saw fat people and people no bigger than mites； many； many frightened souls did i see； but never so many as here in pocapaglia。〃
the farmers hung their heads in shame； for masino had hit a sensitive spot in suggesting they were cowards。 but masino was not cross with his fellow townsmen。 he asked for a detailed account of the witchs doings； then said； 〃let me ask you three questions； and at the stroke of midnight ill go out and catch the witch and bring her back to you。〃
〃lets hear your questions！ out with them！〃 they all said。
〃the first question is for the barber。 how many people came to you this month？〃
the barber replied：
〃long beards； short beards；
fine beards； coarse beards；
locks straight； locks curly；
all i trimmèd（sic） in a hurry。〃
〃your turn now； cobbler。 how many people brought you their old shoes to mend this month？〃
〃alas！〃 began the cobbler：
〃shoes of wood； shoes of leather；
nail by nail i hammered back together；
mended shoes of satin and shoes of serpent。
but theres nothing left to do；
all their money is spent。〃
〃the third question goes to you； rope maker。 how much rope did you sell this month？〃
the rope maker replied：
〃rope galore of every sort i sold：
hemp rope； braided； wicker； cord；
needle…thin to arm…thick；
lard…soft to iron…strong。。。
this month i couldnt go wrong。〃
〃very well；〃 said masino； stretching out by the fire。 〃im now going to sleep for a few hours； im very tired。 wake me up at midnight and ill go after the witch。〃 he put his hat over his face and fell asleep。
the farmers kept perfectly quiet until midnight； not even daring to breathe； for fear of awaking him。 at midnight masino shook himself； yawned； drank a cup of mulled wine； spat three times into the fire； got up without looking at a soul； and headed for the woods。
the farmers stayed behind watching the fire burn down and the last embers turn to ashes。 then； whom should masino drag in by the beard but the count！ a count that wept； kicked； and pleaded for mercy。
〃heres the witch！〃 cried masino； and asked； 〃where did you put the mulled wine？〃
beneath the farmers amazed stares； the count tried to make himself as small as possible； sitting on the ground and shrinking up like a cold…bitten fly。
〃the thief could have been none of you；〃 explained masino； 〃since you had all gone to the barber and had no hair to lose in the bushes。 then there were those tracks made by big heavy shoes； but all of you go barefoot。 nor could the thief have been a ghost； since he wouldnt have needed to buy all that cord to tie up the animals and carry them away。 but where is my mulled wine？〃
shaking all over； the count tried to hide in that beard of his which masino had tousled and torn in pulling him out of the bushes。
〃how did he ever make us faint by just looking at us？〃 asked one farmer。
〃he would smite you on the head with a padded club。 that way you would hear only a whir。 hed leave no mark on you； youd simply wake up with a headache。〃
〃and those hairpins he lost？〃 asked another。
〃they were used to hold his beard up on his head and make it look like a womans hair。〃
until then the farmers had listened in silence； but when masino said； 〃and now； what shall we do with him？〃 a storm of shouts arose： 〃burn him！ skin him alive！ string him up for a scarecrow！ seal him in a cask and roll him down the cliff！ sew him up in a sack with six cats and six dogs！〃
〃have mercy！〃 said the count in a voice just above a whisper。
〃spare him；〃 said masino； 〃and he will bring back your cattle and clean your barns。 and since he enjoyed going into the woods at night； make him go there every night and gather bundles of firewood for each of you。 tell the children never to pick up the hairpins they find on the ground； for they belong to micillina the witch； whose hair and beard will be disheveled from now on。〃
the farmers followed the suggestion； and soon masino left pocapaglia to travel about the world。 in the course of his travels； he found himself fighting in first one war and another； and they all lasted so long that his saying sprang up：
soldier fighter； what a hard lot！
wretched food； the ground for a cot。
you feed the cannon powder：
boom…boom！ boom…boom！ boom louder！
（bra）
notes：
〃the counts beard〃 （la barba del conte）。 published here for the first time； collected by giovanni arpino in july 1956； in certain villages of southern piedmont： bra （told by caterina asteggiano； inmate of a home for old people； and luigi berzia）； in guarene （told by doro palladino； farmer）； in narzole （told by annetta taricco； servant woman）； and in pocapaglia。
this long narrative； which writer giovanni arpino has transcribed and unified from different versions with variants and additions from bra and surroundings； cannot in my view be classified as a folktale。 it is a local legend of recent origin in part （i am thinking； for instance； of the geographical particulars given）； that is； not prior to the nineteenth century； and containing disparate elements： explanation of a local superstition （the hairpins of witch micillina）； antifeudal country legend such as one finds in many northern countries； curious detective…story structure à la sherlock holmes； many digressions nonessential to the story （such as the trip from africa back to town …… which arpino tells me also exists as a separate story …… and all the allusions to masinos past and future adventures which lead to the conclusion globetrotter from a country whose inhabitants are reputed to be contrastingly slow and backward）； verse （of which arpino and i have presented only as much as we could effective translate）； and grotesque images which seem rooted in tradition； such as the sacks under th