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three pounds of bread； and three pounds of millet and be on your way。〃 perina thanked her very much and moved on。
she came to a bakery where three women were pulling out their hair to sweep out the oven with。 perina gave them the three pounds of millet； which they then used to sweep out the oven and allowed the little girl to continue on her way。
on and on she walked and met three mastiffs that barked and rushed at anyone ing their way。 perina threw them the three pounds of bread； and they let her pass。
after walking for miles and miles she came to a blood…red river； which she had no idea how to cross。 but the old woman had told her to say：
〃fine water so red；
i must make haste；
else； of you would i taste。〃
at those words； the waters parted and let her through。
on the other side of the river； perina beheld one of the finest and largest palaces in the world。 but the door was opening and slamming so rapidly that no one could possibly go in。 perina therefore applied the three pounds of grease to its hinges； and from then on it opened and closed quite gently。
inside； perina spied the treasure chest sitting on a small table。 she picked it up and was about to go off with it； when the chest spoke： 〃door； kill her； kill her！〃
〃i wont； either； since she greased my hinges that hadnt been looked after since goodness knows when。〃
perina reached the river； and the chest said； 〃river； drown her； drown her！〃
〃i wont； either；〃 replied the river； 〃since she called me fine water so red。〃
she came to the dogs； and the chest said； 〃dogs； devour her； devour her！〃
〃we wont； either；〃 replied the dogs； 〃since she gave us three pounds of bread。〃
she came to the bakery oven。 〃oven； burn her； burn her！〃
but the three women replied； 〃we wont； either； since she gave us three pounds of millet； so that now we can spare our hair。〃
when she was almost home； perina； who had as much curiosity as the next little girl； decided to peep into the treasure chest。 she opened it； and out came a hen and her brood of gold chicks。 they scuttled away too fast for a soul to catch them。 perina struck out after them。 she passed the apple tree； but they were nowhere in sight。 she passed the peach tree； where there was still no sign of them。 she came to the pear tree； and there stood the little old woman with a wand in her hand and hen and chicks feeding around her。 〃shoo； shoo！〃 went the old woman； and the hen and chicks reentered the treasure chest。
upon her arrival； the kings son came out to meet her。 〃when my father asked what you want as a reward； tell him that box filled with coal in the cellar。〃
on the doorstep of the royal palace stood the maidservants； the king； and the entire court。 perina handed the king the hen with the brood of gold chicks。 〃ask for whatever you want；〃 said the king； 〃and i will give it to you。〃
〃i would like the box of coal in the cellar；〃 replied perina。
they brought her the box of coal； which she opened； and out jumped the kings son； who was hiding inside。 the king was then happy for perina to marry his son。
（monferrato）
notes：
〃the little girl sold with the pears〃 （la bambina venduta con le pere） from paretti； 10； monferrato； piedmont。
i changed the name margheritina to perina （pearlet）； and i invented the motif of the peartree and the little old woman （in the original； the magic props e from the kings son； who is under a spell）； to reinforce the pear/girl link。
copyright： italian folktales selected and retold by italo calvino；
translated by george martin；
pantheon books； new york 1980
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意大利童话蛇
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蛇&意大利童话
有一个农夫每天都到田里去除草，到了中午，他的三个女儿轮流给他送饭。一天大女儿来送饭，穿过树林的时候，她因为走累了，就坐在一块石头上休息。刚一坐下，就听到地下发出一声巨大的敲击声，一条蛇从石头下边钻了出来。姑娘吓得扔下盛饭的篮子，大喊救命，逃走了。结果，那天爸爸一整天都饿着肚子，晚上回到家里，狠狠地训斥了三个女儿。
第二天，轮到二女儿去送饭。她也坐在那块石头上休息，也看见了那条蛇，也吓得逃走了。于是三女儿说：“我去，我去！我不怕。”她带去了两篮子食物，当她听见声响看到蛇钻出来的时候，就递给它一篮子食物。蛇对她说：“把我带回你家，我会给你带来好运。”女孩就把它藏在围裙里，给田里的爸爸送去另一份午餐后，回到了家，把蛇放在自己的床下。蛇一天天长大，不能再待在床下了。它要离开了，走之前，它送给姑娘三个法宝作为报答：当姑娘哭的时候，掉下来的眼泪会变成一串串珍珠和银子；笑的时候，会从头上掉下来一粒粒的金石榴籽；洗手的时候，会从她的手指间掉出各种各样的鱼。
一天，家里什么吃的也没有了，父亲和姐姐们饿得无精打采的。三女儿突然试着洗洗手，果然，脸盆里立即游满了鱼。两个姐姐心生嫉妒，硬说这里面一定有什么邪术，让父亲最好把她关在阁楼上。
姑娘从阁楼的窗户，可以看见王宫的花园，国王的儿子正在花园里踢球。踢着踢着，一不小心，王子滑倒了，摔了个屁股蹲。姑娘禁不住大笑起来。她一笑，一粒粒的金石榴籽像雨点般落了下去。王子弄不清这些金石榴籽是从哪里掉下来的，因为姑娘很快关上了窗户。
第二天，王子又来到花园踢球，他发现花园中长出一棵石榴树，石榴树长得很高，还结出了果实。王子让人去摘石榴果，但石榴树眼看着就长高了，正好就高出一个手掌；怎么够也够不到。看到人们连一片树叶也摘不到，国王就召集身边的几位智者，让他们搞清楚这棵树到底有什么魔力。其中一位年纪最大的老智者说，只有一个姑娘才能把这些石榴果摘下来，而这个姑娘将会成为王子的新娘。
国王立即派人贴出布告，让每个待嫁的姑娘都到王宫花园来试着摘石榴，违令者斩首。结果，各家各户的姑娘都来了，可是不论她们用多高的梯子，都够不到果子。农夫的两个大女儿也来了，但很快就从梯子上摔了下来。国王又派人继续到各家去搜寻，看有没有遗漏的姑娘，这样，被关在阁楼上的姑娘就被找到了。她刚被送到树旁，树枝就垂下来，把石榴果送到她的手上。所有人都惊奇地大叫：“她就是新娘！她就是新娘！”其中，王子叫得最欢。
婚礼已经准备就绪，一直就怀着妒意的两个姐姐也被邀请去参加婚礼。姐妹三人坐同一辆马车进宫。马车穿过一处森林时，停了下来。两个姐姐让小妹下车，砍下她的双手，挖出她的双眼，把她当作死人扔在了树丛中。而大姐则穿上新娘的衣服，去见王子。王子看见新娘一时变得如此丑陋，疑惑不解，但是因为大姐与小妹妹长得有些相像，王子觉得是自己先前看走眼了。
失去了双眼、双手的姑娘在树林中哭着。这时一个马夫正好路过，他很同情她，扶她上了自己的驴背，好把她带回家。姑娘让马夫看看地上，只见满地是姑娘眼泪变成的珍珠和银子，马夫把这些东西�