意大利童话- 第25部分

by　the　time　they　finished　confessing　all　their　love　for　one　another；　it　was　evening。　slowly；　the　princess　leafed　through　the　book。　looking　into　her　eyes　the　youth　turned　back　into　a　canary；　perched　on　the　windowsill；　then　on　the　eaves；　then　trusting　to　the　wind；　flew　down　in　wide　arcs；　lighting　on　the　lower　limb　of　a　tree。　at　that；　she　turned　the　pages　back　in　the　book　and　the　canary　was　a　prince　once　more　who　jumped　down；　whistled　for　his　dogs；　threw　a　kiss　toward　the　window；　and　continued　along　the　trail　out　of　sight。　

so　every　day　the　pages　were　turned　forward　to　bring　the　prince　flying　up　to　the　window　at　the　top　of　the　tower；　then　turned　backward　to　restore　his　human　form；　then　forward　again　to　enable　him　to　fly　away；　and　finally　backward　for　him　to　get　home。　never　in　their　whole　life　had　the　two　young　people　known　such　happiness。　

one　day　the　queen　called　on　her　stepdaughter。　she　walked　about　the　room；　saying；　〃youre　all　right；　arent　you？　i　see　youre　a　trifle　slimmer；　but　thats　certainly　no　cause　for　concern；　is　it？　its　true；　isnt　it；　youve　never　felt　better？〃　as　she　talked；　she　checked　to　see　that　everything　was　in　place。　she　opened　the　window　and　peered　out。　here　came　the　prince　in　yellow　along　the　trail　with　his　dogs。　〃if　this　silly　girl　thinks　she　is　going　to　flirt　at　the　window；〃　said　the　stepmother　to　herself；　〃she　has　another　thought　ing　to　her。〃　she　sent　the　girl　for　a　glass　of　water　and　some　sugar；　then　hurriedly　removed　five　or　six　hairpins　from　her　own　hair　and　concealed　them　in　the　pillow　with　the　sharp　points　sticking　straight　up。　〃that　will　teach　her　to　lean　on　the　windowsill！〃　the　girl　returned　with　the　water　and　sugar；　but　the　queen　said；　〃oh；　im　no　longer　thirsty；　you　drink　it；　my　dear！　i　must　be　getting　back　to　your　father。　you　dont　need　anything；　do　you？　well；　goodbye。〃　and　she　was　off。　

as　soon　as　the　queens　carriage　was　out　of　sight；　the　girl　hurriedly　flipped　over　the　pages　of　the　book；　the　prince　turned　into　a　canary；　flew　to　the　window；　and　struck　the　pillow　like　an　arrow。　he　instantly　let　out　a　shrill　cry　of　pain。　the　yellow　feathers　were　stained　with　blood；　the　canary　had　driven　the　pins　into　his　breast。　he　rose　with　a　convulsive　flapping；　trusted　himself　to　the　wind；　descended　in　irregular　arcs；　and　lit　on　the　ground　with　outstretched　wings。　the　frightened　princess；　not　yet　fully　aware　of　what　had　happened；　quickly　turned　the　pages　back　in　the　hope　there　would　be　no　wounds　when　he　regained　his　human　form。　alas；　the　prince　reappeared　dripping　blood　from　the　deep　stabs　that　had　rent　the　yellow　garment　on　his　chest；　and　lay　back　surrounded　by　his　dogs。　

at　the　howling　of　the　dogs；　the　other　hunters　came　to　his　aid　and　carried　him　off　on　a　stretcher　of　branches；　but　he　didnt　so　much　as　glance　up　at　the　window　of　his　beloved；　who　was　still　overwhelmed　with　grief　and　fright。　

back　at　his　palace；　the　prince　showed　no　promise　of　recovery；　nor　did　the　doctors　know　what　to　do　for　him。　the　wounds　refused　to　heal　over；　and　constantly　hurt。　his　father　the　king　posted　proclamations　on　every　street　corner　promising　a　fortune　to　anyone　who　could　cure　him；　but　not　a　soul　turned　up　to　try。　

the　princess　meanwhile　was　consumed　with　longing　for　her　lover。　she　cut　her　sheets　into　thin　strips　which　she　tied　one　to　the　other　in　a　long；　long　rope。　then　one　night　she　let　herself　down　from　the　high　tower　and　set　out　on　the　hunters　trail。　but　because　of　the　thick　darkness　and　the　howls　of　the　wolves；　she　decided　to　wait　for　daylight。　finding　an　old　oak　with　a　hollow　trunk；　she　nestled　inside　and；　in　her　exhaustion；　fell　asleep　at　once。　she　woke　up　while　it　was　still　pitch…dark；　under　the　impression　she　had　heard　a　whistle。　listening　closely；　she　heard　another　whistle；　then　a　third　and　a　fourth；　after　which　she　saw　four　candle　flames　advancing。　they　were　four　witches　ing　from　the　four　corners　of　the　earth　to　their　appointed　meeting　under　that　tree。　through　a　crack　in　the　trunk　the　princess；　unseen　by　them；　spied　on　the　four　crones　carrying　candles　and　sneering　a　wele　to　one　another：　〃ah；　ah；　ah！〃　

they　lit　a　bonfire　under　the　tree　and　sat　down　to　warm　themselves　and　roast　a　couple　of　bats　for　dinner。　when　they　had　eaten　their　fill；　they　began　asking　one　another　what　they　had　seen　of　interest　out　in　the　world。　

〃i　saw　the　sultan　of　turkey；　who　bought　himself　twenty　new　wives。〃　

〃i　saw　the　emperor　of　china；　who　has　let　his　pigtail　grow　three　yards　long。〃　

〃i　saw　the　king　of　the　cannibals；　who　ate　his　chamberlain　by　mistake。〃　

〃i　saw　the　king　of　this　region；　who　has　the　sick　son　nobody　can　cure；　since　i　alone　know　the　remedy。〃　

〃and　what　is　it？〃　asked　the　other　witches。　

〃in　the　floor　of　his　room　is　a　loose　tile。　all　one　need　to　do　is　lift　the　tile；　and　there　underneath　is　a　phial　containing　an　ointment　that　would　heal　everyone　of　his　wounds。〃　

it　was　all　the　princess　inside　the　tree　could　do　not　to　scream　for　joy。　by　this　time　the　witches　had　told　one　another　all　they　had　to　say；　so　each　went　her　own　way。　the　princess　jumped　from　the　tree　and　set　out　in　the　dawn　for　the　city。　at　the　first　secondhand　dealers　she　came　to；　she　bought　an　old　doctors　gown　and　a　pair　of　spectacles；　and　knocked　at　the　royal　palace。　seeing　the　little　doctor　with　such　scant　paraphernalia；　the　servants　werent　going　to　let　him　in；　but　the　king　said；　〃what　harm　could　he　do　my　son　who　cant　be　any　worse　off　than　he　is　now？　let　him　see　what　he　can　do。〃　the　sham　doctor　asked　to　be　left　alone　with　the　sick　man；　and　the　request　was　granted。　

finding　her　lover　groaning　and　unconscious　in　his　sickbed；　the　princess　felt　like　weeping　and　smothering　him　with　kisses。　but　she　restrained　herself　because　of　the　urgency　of　carrying　out　the　witchs　directions。　she　paced　up　and　down　the　room　until　she　stepped　on　a　loose　tile；　which　she　raised　and　discovered　a　phial　of　ointment。　with　it　she　rubbed　the　princes　wounds；　and　no　sooner　had　she　touched　each　one　with　ointment　than　the　wound　disappeared　pletely。　overjoyed　she　called　the　king；　who　came　in　and　saw　his　son　sleeping　peacefully；　with　the　color　back　in　his　cheeks；　and　no　trace　of　any　of　the　wounds。　

〃ask　for　whatever　you　like；　doctor；〃　said　the　king。　〃all　the　wealth　in　the　kingdom　is　yours。〃　

〃i　wish　no　money；〃　replied　the　doctor。　〃just　give　me　the　princes　shield　bearing　the　family　coat…of…arms；　his　standard；　and　his　yellow　vest　that　was　rent　and　bloodied。〃　upon　receiving　the　three　items；　she　took　her　leave。　

three　days　later；　the　kings　son　was　again　out　hunting。　he　passed　the　castle　in　the　heart　of　the　forest；　but　didnt　deign　to　look　up　at　the　princesss　window。　she　immediately　picked　up　the　book；　leafed　through　it；　and　the　prince　had　no　choice　but　change　into　a　canary。　he　flew　into　the　room；　and　the　princess　turned　him　back　into　a　man。　〃let　me　go；〃　he　said。　〃isnt　it　enough　to　have　pierced　me　with　those　pins　of　yours　and　caused　me　so　much　agony？〃　the　prince；　in　truth；　no　longer　loved　the　girl；　blaming　her　for　his　misfortune。　

on　the　verge　of　fainting；　she　exclaimed；　〃but　i　saved　your　life！　i　am　the　one　who　cured　you！〃　

〃thats　not　so；〃　said　the　prince。　〃my　life　was　saved　by　a　foreign　doctor　who　asked　for　no　repense　except　my　coat…of…arms；　my　standard；　and　my　bloodied　vest！〃　

〃here　are　your　coat…of…arms；　your　standard；　and　your　vest！　the　doctor　was　none　other　than　myself！　the　pins　were　the　cruel　doing　of　my　stepmother！〃　

the　prince　gazed　into　her　eyes；　dumbfounded。　never　had　she　looked　so　beautiful。　he　fell　at　her　feet　asking　her　forgiveness　and　declaring　his　deep　gratitude　and　love。　

that　very　evening　he　informed　his　father　he　was　going　to　marry　the　maiden　in　the　castle　in　the　forest。　

〃you　may　marry　only　the　daughter　of　a　king　or　an　emperor；〃　replied　his　father。　

〃i　shall　marry　the　woman　who　saved　my　life。〃　

so　they　made　preparations　for　the　wedding；　inviting　all　the　kings　and　queens　in　the　vicinity。　also　present　was　the　princesss　royal　father；　who　had　been　informed　of　nothing。　when　the　bride　came　out；　he　looked　at　her　and　exclaimed；　〃my　daughter！〃　

〃what！〃　said　the　royal　host。　〃my　sons　bride　is　your　daughter？　why　did　she　not　tell　us？〃　

〃because；〃　explained　the　bride；　〃i　no　longer　consider　myself　the　daughter　of　a　man　who　let　my　stepmother　imprison　me。〃　and　she　pointed　at　the　queen。　

learning　of　all　his　daughters　misfortune；　the　father　was　filled　with　pity　for　the　girl　and　with　loathing　for　his　wicked　wife。　nor　did　he　wait　until　he　was　back　home　to　have　the　woman　seized。　thus　the　marriage　was　celebrated　to　the　satisfaction　and　joy　of　all；　with　the　exception　of　that　wretch。　

（turin）　

notes：　

〃the　canary　prince〃　il　principe　canarino）　from　rua　（in　archivio　per　lo　studio　delle　tradizioni　popolari；　palermo…turin；　vi　＇1887＇；　401）；　turin。　

this　folktale　from　turin；　with　its　balladlike　pathos；　develops　a　medieval　motif；　which　is　also　literary。　（but　marie　de　frances　lai；　yonec；　is　quite　different；　being　the　story　of　an　adultery。）　my　personal　touches　here　include　the　princes　yellow　suit　and　leggings；　the　description　of　the　transformation　in　a　flutter　of　wings；　the　gossip　of　the　witches　who　traveled　the　world　over；　and　a　bit　of　stylistic　cunning。　

copyright：　italian　folktales　selected　and　retold　by　italo　calvino；　

translated　by　george　m