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three days later the older brothers anxiously hastened to the baker girl and the weaver girl to pick up their spun hemp。 the baker girl produced a beautiful piece of work； the weaver girl； who was an expert at this sort of thing； had spun hers to look like silk。 but how did the youngest son fare？ he went to the ditch and called：
〃frog； frog！〃
〃who calls？〃
〃your love who loves you not。〃
〃if you love me not； never mind。 later you shall； when a fine figure i cut。〃
she jumped onto a leaf holding a walnut in her mouth。 he was somewhat embarrassed to give his father a walnut while his brothers brought spun hemp。 he nevertheless took heart and presented the king with the walnut。 the king； who had already scrutinized the handiwork of the baker and the weaver girls； cracked open the walnut as the older brothers looked on； snickering。 out came cloth as fine as gossamer that continued to unroll until the throne room was covered with it。 〃but theres no end to this cloth！〃 exclaimed the king。 no sooner were the words out of his mouth than the cloth came to an end。
but the father refused to accept the idea of a frog being queen。 his favorite hunting bitch had just had three puppies； which he gave the three sons。 〃take them to your betrothed and go back for them a month later。 the one whos taken the best care of her dog will bee the queen。〃
a month later； the baker girls dog had turned into a big； fat mastiff； having got all the bread he could eat。 the weavers dog； not nearly so well supplied； was now a half…starved hound。 the youngest son came in with a small box。 the king opened it and out jumped a tiny； beribboned poodle； impeccably groomed and perfumed； that stood on its hind legs and marched and counted。
〃no doubt about it；〃 said the king； 〃my youngest son will be king； and the frog will be queen。〃
the wedding of all three brothers was set for the same day。 the older brothers went for their brides in garlanded carriages drawn by four horses； and the brides climbed in； decked with feathers and jewels。
the youngest boy went to the ditch； where the frog awaited him in a carriage fashioned out of a fig leaf and drawn by four snails。 they set out。 he walked ahead while the snails followed； pulling the fig leaf with the frog upon it。 every now and then he stopped for them to catch up with him； and once he even fell asleep。 when he awakened； a gold carriage had pulled up beside him。 it was drawn by two white horses； and inside on velvet upholstery； sat a maiden as dazzling as the sun and dressed in an emarald…green gown。
〃who are you？〃 asked the youngest son。
〃i am the frog。〃
he couldnt believe it； so the maiden opened a jewel case containing the fig leaf； the frog skin； and four snail shells。 〃i was a princess turned into a frog； and the only chance i had of getting my human form back was for a kings son to agree to marry me the way i was。〃
the king was overjoyed and told his two older sons； who were consumed with envy； that whoever picked the wrong wife was unworthy of the crown。 so the youngest boy and his bride became king and queen。
（monferrato）
notes：
〃the prince who married a frog〃 （il principe che sposò una rana） from paretti； 4； monferrato； piedmont。
the tale of the frog bride is mon to all of europe； scholars have counted 300 versions。 paring it； for instance； with grimm； no。63； or with afanasevs 〃the frog prince；〃 this variant which we can classify as distinctly italian （since it shows up uniformly throughout the peninsula； even if slinging to locate the bride is rather rare） stands out in its near…geometrical logic and linearity。
copyright： italian folktales selected and retold by italo calvino；
translated by george martin；
pantheon books； new york 1980
．．
意大利童话鹦鹉
小说
鹦鹉&意大利童话
从前有一个商人要外出经商，但他不敢把女儿一个人留在家里，因为有个国王早就在打她的坏主意了。
他叮嘱女儿：“孩子啊，我要动身了，你一定要答应我，在我回来之前，你不要踏出家门一步，也不要为任何人开门。”
那天早晨，姑娘发现窗外的树上落着一只漂亮的鹦鹉，彬彬有礼，很讨人喜爱，她跟这只鹦鹉聊了一会，觉得很有意思。
姑娘说：“亲爱的爸爸，我一个人留在家里会很孤单的，能不能买一只鹦鹉陪伴我呢？”
商人视女儿为掌上明珠，马上就出去给她找鹦鹉。他遇到了一位卖鹦鹉的老者，而且卖得很便宜，就买下了这只鹦鹉送给了女儿。他对女儿千叮万嘱后，才离家上路。
商人刚一离家，国王就开始琢磨用什么方法能接近姑娘。他与一个老妇串通好了，派她给姑娘送去一封信。
但那时，姑娘正在跟鹦鹉说着话：“鹦鹉，你给我说些什么有趣的事呢？”
“我给你讲一个动人的故事。从前有一个国王，他只有一个女儿，因为是独生女，没有兄弟姐妹陪她玩。人们给她做了一个玩具娃娃，跟她真人一样大，脸也像她，穿的也像她。她不管到哪里总把娃娃带在身边，大家常常错把她当做娃娃，错把娃娃当成她。有一次，国王带着她和娃娃坐着马车来到一片森林，敌人袭击他们，杀死了国王，掳走了公主，把娃娃丢在了车里。公主伤心地嚎啕大哭，敌人只好放了她，她就独自一人在森林中走着。走到一个女王的王宫里，女王把她收为女仆。姑娘聪明贤惠，深得女王宠爱。别的奴仆开始嫉妒她了，为了让她失宠，她们对她说：‘你知道吗。女主人对你真的很好，有什么话都对你说，不过，有一件事情我们都知道，她却不曾对你说，就是她曾有过一个儿子但后来死了。’于是姑娘便去问女王：‘陛下，你真的有一个儿子，后来死了吗？’听到这句话，女王差点气晕过去。这件事没人敢提，谁提到她死去的儿子，就是死罪。姑娘照例要判死刑的，可是女王对她有点怜惜，只把她关进了地牢。姑娘被关进来后，觉得很失落；她吃不下饭，整夜哭泣。半夜，她正在哭着，突然听到开门的声音，只见有五个人，其中四个是魔法师，另一个正是女王的儿子，他被他们囚禁着，他们带他出来散散步。”
故事讲到这里，一个仆人打断了鹦鹉，他给姑娘送来一封信。信是那个国王写的，他想方设法让人把这封信递到了这里。但是当时姑娘正在兴头上，她想知道故事的下文，就说：“我爸爸回来之前，我不收任何信。请不要打扰我。鹦鹉，继续讲下去吧。”
仆人拿着那封信出去了，鹦鹉继续讲故事：“到了早上，看管姑娘的狱卒发现犯人什么也没吃，就禀报了女王。女王传她上殿，姑娘就把在地牢里看见王子还活着、被四个魔法师关押着、每晚半夜押他出来放风的情况告诉了女王。女王马上派了十二名军士，手持长矛来到地牢，杀死了四个魔法师，把女王的儿子就了回来。女王因为姑娘救了王子，决定让王子娶姑娘为妻。”
正讲到这里，敲门声又响了，家仆来请求小主人读一读那个国王写来的信。商人的女儿说：