stories from pentamerone-第14节

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'　thrones　and　cobblers'　stalls；　and　another　strange　thing　is　that　from　the　same　rags　are　made　the　paper　on　which　the　wisdom　of　sages　is　recorded；　and　the　crown　which　is　placed　on　the　head　of　a　fool。　The　same；　too；　may　be　said　of　children：　one　daughter　is　good　and　another　bad；　one　idle；　another　a　good　housewife；　one　fair；　another　ugly；　one　spiteful；　another　kind；　one　unfortunate；　another　born　to　good　luck；　and　who　being　all　of　one　family　ought　to　be　of　one　nature。　But　leaving　this　subject　to　those　who　know　more　about　it；　I　will　merely　give　you　an　example　in　the　story　of　the　three　daughters　of　the　same　mother；　wherein　you　will　see　the　difference　of　manners　which　brought　the　wicked　daughters　into　the　ditch　and　the　good　daughter　to　the　top　of　the　Wheel　of　Fortune。

There　was　at　one　time　a　woman　who　had　three　daughters；　two　of　whom　were　so　unlucky　that　nothing　ever　succeeded　with　them；　all　their　projects　went　wrong；　all　their　hopes　were　turned　to　chaff。　But　the　youngest；　who　was　named　Nella；　was　born　to　good　luck；　and　I　verily　believe　that　at　her　birth　all　things　conspired　to　bestow　on　her　the　best　and　choicest　gifts　in　their　power。　The　Sky　gave　her　the　perfection　of　its　light；　Venus；　matchless　beauty　of　form；　Love；　the　first　dart　of　his　power；　Nature；　the　flower　of　manners。　She　never　set　about　any　work　that　it　did　not　go　off　to　a　nicety；　she　never　took　anything　in　hand　that　it　did　not　succeed　to　a　hair；　she　never　stood　up　to　dance；　that　she　did　not　sit　down　with　applause。　On　which　account　she　was　envied　by　her　jealous　sisters　and　yet　not　so　much　as　she　was　loved　and　wished　well　to　by　all　others；　as　greatly　as　her　sisters　desired　to　put　her　underground；　so　much　more　did　other　folks　carry　her　on　the　palms　of　their　hands。

Now　there　was　in　that　country　an　enchanted　Prince　who　was　so　attracted　by　her　beauty　that　he　secretly　married　her。　And　in　order　that　they　might　enjoy　one　another's　company　without　exciting　the　suspicion　of　the　mother；　who　was　a　wicked　woman；　the　Prince　made　a　crystal　passage　which　led　from　the　royal　palace　directly　into　Nella's　apartment；　although　it　was　eight　miles　distant。　Then　he　gave　her　a　certain　powder　saying；　〃Every　time　you　wish　to　see　me　throw　a　little　of　this　powder　into　the　fire；　and　instantly　I　will　come　through　this　passage　as　quick　as　a　bird；　running　along　the　crystal　road　to　gaze　upon　this　face　of　silver。〃

Having　arranged　it　thus；　not　a　night　passed　that　the　Prince　did　not　go　in　and　out；　backwards　and　forwards；　along　the　crystal　passage；　until　at　last　the　sisters；　who　were　spying　the　actions　of　Nella；　found　out　the　secret　and　laid　a　plan　to　put　a　stop　to　the　sport。　And　in　order　to　cut　the　thread　at　once；　they　went　and　broke　the　passage　here　and　there；　so　that；　when　the　unhappy　girl　threw　the　powder　into　the　fire；　to　give　the　signal　to　her　husband；　the　Prince；　who　used　always　to　come　running　in　furious　haste；　hurt　himself　in　such　a　manner　against　the　broken　crystal　that　it　was　truly　a　pitiable　sight　to　see。　And　being　unable　to　pass　further　on　he　turned　back　all　cut　and　slashed　like　a　Dutchman's　breeches。　Then　he　sent　for　all　the　doctors　in　the　town；　but　as　the　crystal　was　enchanted　the　wounds　were　mortal；　and　no　human　remedy　availed。　When　the　King　saw　this；　despairing　of　his　son's　condition；　he　sent　out　a　proclamation　that　whoever　would　cure　the　wounds　of　the　Princeif　a　woman　she　should　have　him　for　a　husbandif　a　man　he　should　have　half　his　kingdom。

Now　when　Nella；　who　was　pining　away　from　the　loss　of　the　Prince；　heard　this　she　dyed　her　face；　disguised　herself；　and　unknown　to　her　sisters　she　left　home　to　go　to　see　him　before　his　death。　But　as　by　this　time　the　Sun's　gilded　ball　with　which　he　plays　in　the　Fields　of　Heaven；　was　running　towards　the　west；　night　overtook　her　in　a　wood　close　to　the　house　of　an　ogre；　where；　in　order　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　danger；　she　climbed　up　into　a　tree。　Meanwhile　the　ogre　and　his　wife　were　sitting　at　table　with　the　windows　open　in　order　to　enjoy　the　fresh　air　while　they　ate；　as　soon　as　they　had　emptied　their　cups　and　put　out　the　lamps　they　began　to　chat　of　one　thing　and　another；　so　that　Nella；　who　was　as　near　to　them　as　the　mouth　to　the　nose；　heard　every　word　they　spoke。

Among　other　things　the　ogress　said　to　her　husband；　〃My　pretty　Hairy…Hide；　tell　me　what　news；　what　do　they　say　abroad　in　the　world？〃　And　he　answered；　〃Trust　me；　there　is　no　hand's　breadth　clean；　everything's　going　topsy…turvy　and　awry。〃　〃But　what　is　it？〃　replied　his　wife。　〃Why　I　could　tell　pretty　stories　of　all　the　confusion　that　is　going　on；〃　replied　the　ogre；　〃for　one　hears　things　that　are　enough　to　drive　one　mad；　such　as　buffoons　rewarded　with　gifts；　rogues　esteemed；　cowards　honoured；　robbers　protected；　and　honest　men　little　thought　of。　But；　as　these　things　only　vex　one；　I　will　merely　tell　you　what　has　befallen　the　King's　son。　He　had　made　a　crystal　path　along　which　he　used　to　go　to　visit　a　pretty　lass；　but　by　some　means　or　other；　I　know　not　how；　all　the　road　has　been　broken；　and　as　he　was　going　along　the　passage　as　usual；　he　has　wounded　himself　in　such　a　manner　that　before　he　can　stop　the　leak　the　whole　conduit　of　his　life　will　run　out。　The　King　has　indeed　issued　a　proclamation　with　great　promises　to　whoever　cures　his　son；　but　it　is　all　labour　lost；　and　the　best　he　can　do　is　quickly　to　get　ready　mourning　and　prepare　the　funeral。〃

When　Nella　heard　the　cause　of　the　Prince's　illness　she　sobbed　and　wept　bitterly　and　said　to　herself；　〃Who　is　the　wicked　soul　who　has　broken　the　passage　and　caused　so　much　sorrow？〃　But　as　the　ogress　now　went　on　speaking　Nella　was　as　silent　as　a　mouse　and　listened。

〃And　is　it　possible；〃　said　the　ogress；　〃that　the　world　is　lost　to　this　poor　Prince；　and　that　no　remedy　can　be　found　for　his　malady？〃

〃Hark…ye；　Granny；〃　replied　the　ogre；　〃the　doctors　are　not　called　upon　to　find　remedies　that　may　pass　the　bounds　of　nature。　This　is　not　a　fever　that　will　yield　to　medicine　and　diet；　much　less　are　these　ordinary　wounds　which　require　lint　and　oil；　for　the　charm　that　was　on　the　broken　glass　produces　the　same　effect　as　onion　juice　does　on　the　iron　heads　of　arrows；　which　makes　the　wound　incurable。　There　is　one　thing　only　that　could　save　his　life；　but　don't　ask　me　to　tell　it　to　you；　for　it　is　a　thing　of　importance。〃

〃Do　tell　me；　dear　old　Long…tusk；〃　cried　the　ogress；　〃tell　me；　if　you　would　not　see　me　die。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　the　ogre；　〃I　will　tell　you　provided　you　promise　me　not　to　confide　it　to　any　living　soul；　for　it　would　be　the　ruin　of　our　house　and　the　destruction　of　our　lives。〃

〃Fear　nothing；　my　dear；　sweet　little　husband；〃　replied　the　ogress；　〃for　you　shall　sooner　see　pigs　with　horns；　apes　with　tails；　moles　with　eyes；　than　a　single　word　shall　pass　my　lips。〃　And　so　saying；　she　put　one　hand　upon　the　other　and　swore　to　it。

〃You　must　know　then；〃　said　the　ogre；　〃that　there　is　nothing　under　the　sky　nor　above　the　ground　that　can　save　the　Prince　from　the　snares　of　death；　but　our　fat。　If　his　wounds　are　anointed　with　this　his　soul　will　be　arrested　which　is　just　at　the　point　of　leaving　the　dwelling　of　his　body。〃

Nella；　who　overheard　all　that　passed；　gave　time　to　Time　to　let　them　finish　their　chat；　and　then；　getting　down　from　the　tree　and　taking　heart；　she　knocked　at　the　ogre's　door　crying；　〃Ah！　my　good　masters；　I　pray　you　for　charity；　alms；　some　sign　of　compassion。　Have　a　little　pity　on　a　poor；　miserable；　wretched　creature　who　is　banished　by　fate　far　from　her　own　country　and　deprived　of　all　human　aid；　who　has　been　overtaken　by　night　in　this　wood　and　is　dying　of　cold　and　hunger。〃　And　crying　thus；　she　went　on　knocking　and　knocking　at　the　door。

Upon　hearing　this　deafening　noise；　the　ogress　was　going　to　throw　her　half　a　loaf　and　send　her　away。　But　the　ogre；　who　was　more　greedy　of　flesh　than　the　squirrel　is　of　nuts；　the　bear　of　honey；　the　cat　of　fish；　the　sheep　of　salt；　or　the　ass　of　bran；　said　to　his　wife；　〃Let　the　poor　creature　come　in；　for　if　she　sleeps　in　the　fields；　who　knows　but　she　may　be　eaten　up　by　some　wolf。〃　In　short；　he　talked　so　much　that　his　wife　at　length　opened　the　door　for　Nella；　whilst　with　all　his　pretended　charity　he　was　all　the　time　reckoning　on　making　four　mouthfuls　of　her。　But　the　glutton　counts　one　way　and　the　host　another；　for　the　ogre　and　his　wife　drank　till　they　were　fairly　tipsy。　When　they　lay　down　to　sleep　Nella　took　a　knife　from　a　cupboard　and　made　a　hash　of　them　in　a　trice。　Then　she　put　all　the　fat　into　a　phial；　went　straight　to　the　court；　where；　presenting　herself　before　the　King；　she　offered　to　cure　the　Prince。　At　this　the　King　was　overjoyed　and　led　her　to　the　chamber　of　his　son；　and　no　sooner　had　she　anoited　him　well　with　the　fat　than　the　wound　closed　in　a　moment　just　as　if　she　had　thrown　water　on　the　fire；　and　he　became　sound　as　a　fish。

When　the　King　saw　this；　he　said　to　his　son；　〃This　good　woman　deserves　the　reward　promised　by　the　proclamation　and　that　you　should　marry　her。〃　But　the　Prince　replied；　〃It　is　hopeless；　for　I　have　no　store…room　full　of　hearts　in　my　body　to　share　among　so　many；　my　heart　is　already　disposed　of；　and　another　woman　is　already　the　mistress　of　it。〃　Nella；　hearing　this；　replied；　〃You　should　no　longer　think　of　her　who　has　been　the　cause　of　all　your　misfortune。〃　〃My　misfortune　has　been　brought　on　me　by　her　sisters；〃　re