stories from pentamerone-第16节

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　in　great　terror　and　cried　out；　〃Oh；　mother；　mother；　help　me！〃　And　after　repeating　this　two　or　three　times；　they　slipped　away　home。

The　next　morning　the　Prince　went　to　take　a　walk　in　the　garden；　for　he　could　not　live　a　moment　without　the　sight　of　Violet；　who　was　a　pink　of　pinks。　And　seeing　her　standing　at　the　door；　he　said；　　〃Good…day；　good…day；　Violet！〃　And　Violet　answered；　　〃Good…day；　King's　son！　I　know　more　than　you！〃　Then　the　Prince　said；　〃Oh；　father；　father；　what　a　quantity　of　fleas！〃　But　Violet　replied；　〃Oh；　mother；　mother；　help　me！〃

When　the　Prince　heard　this；　he　said　to　Violet；　〃You　have　　wonyour　wits　are　better　than　mine。　I　yieldyou　have　conquered。　And　now　that　I　see　you　really　know　more　than　I　do；　I　will　marry　you　without　more　ado。〃　So　he　called　the　ogre　and　asked　her　of　him　for　his　wife；　but　the　ogre　said　it　was　not　his　affair；　for　he　had　learned　that　very　morning　that　Violet　was　the　daughter　of　Cola　Aniello。　So　the　Prince　ordered　her　father　to　be　called　and　told　him　of　the　good　fortune　that　was　in　store　for　his　daughter；　whereupon　the　marriage　feast　was　celebrated　with　great　joy；　and　the　truth　of　the　saying　was　seen　that

　　　　　〃A　fair　maiden　soon　gets　wed。〃



XIII

PIPPO

Ingratitude　is　a　nail；　which；　driven　into　the　tree　of　courtesy；　causes　it　to　wither。　It　is　a　broken　channel　by　which　the　foundations　of　affection　are　undermined；　and　a　lump　of　soot；　which；　falling　into　the　dish　of　friendship；　destroys　its　scent　and　savouras　is　seen　in　daily　instances；　and；　amongst　others；　in　the　story　which　I　will　now　tell　you。

There　was　one　time　in　my　dear　city　of　Naples　an　old　man　who　was　as　poor　as　poor　could　be。　He　was　so　wretched；　so　bare；　so　light；　and　with　not　a　farthing　in　his　pocket；　that　he　went　naked　as　a　flea。　And　being　about　to　shake　out　the　bags　of　life；　he　called　to　him　his　sons；　Oratiello　and　Pippo；　and　said　to　them；　〃I　am　now　called　upon　by　the　tenor　of　my　bill　to　pay　the　debt　I　owe　to　Nature。　Believe　me；　I　should　feel　great　pleasure　in　quitting　this　abode　of　misery；　this　den　of　woes；　but　that　I　leave　you　here　behind　mea　pair　of　miserable　fellows；　as　big　as　a　church；　without　a　stitch　upon　your　backs；　as　clean　as　a　barber's　basin；　as　nimble　as　a　serjeant；　as　dry　as　a　plum…stone；　without　so　much　as　a　fly　can　carry　upon　its　foot；　so　that；　were　you　to　run　a　hundred　miles；　not　a　farthing　would　drop　from　you。　My　ill…fortune　has　indeed　brought　me　to　such　beggary　that　I　lead　the　life　of　a　dog；　for　I　have　all　along；　as　well　you　know；　gaped　with　hunger　and　gone　to　bed　without　a　candle。　Nevertheless；　now　that　I　am　a…dying；　I　wish　to　leave　you　some　token　of　my　love。　So　do　you；　Oratiello；　who　are　my　first…born；　take　the　sieve　that　hangs　yonder　against　the　wall；　with　which　you　can　earn　your　bread；　and　do　you；　little　fellow；　take　the　cat　and　remember　your　daddy！〃　So　saying；　he　began　to　whimper；　and　presently　after　said；　〃God　be　with　youfor　it　is　night！〃

Oratiello　had　his　father　buried　by　charity；　and　then　took　the　sieve　and　went　riddling　here；　there；　and　everywhere　to　gain　a　livelihood；　and　the　more　he　riddled；　the　more　he　earned。　But　Pippo；　taking　the　cat；　said；　〃Only　see　now　what　a　pretty　legacy　my　father　has　left　me！　I；　who　am　not　able　to　support　myself；　must　now　provide　for　two。　Whoever　beheld　so　miserable　an　inheritance？〃　Then　the　cat；　who　overheard　this　lamentation；　said　to　him；　〃You　are　grieving　without　need；　and　have　more　luck　than　sense。　You　little　know　the　good　fortune　in　store　for　you；　and　that　I　am　able　to　make　you　rich　if　I　set　about　it。〃　When　Pippo　had　heard　this；　he　thanked　Her　Pussyship；　stroked　her　three　or　four　times　on　the　back；　and　commended　himself　warmly　to　her。　So　the　cat　took　compassion　on　poor　Pippo；　and；　every　morning；　when　the　Sun；　with　the　bait　of　light　on　his　golden　hook；　fishes　for　the　shakes　of　Night；　she　betook　herself　to　the　shore；　and　catching　a　goodly　grey　mullet　or　a　fine　dory；　she　carried　it　to　the　King　and　said；　〃My　Lord　Pippo；　your　Majesty's　most　humble　slave；　sends　you　this　fish　with　all　reverence；　and　says；　　A　small　present　to　a　great　lord。'〃　Then　the　King；　with　a　joyful　face；　as　one　usually　shows　to　those　who　bring　a　gift；　answered　the　cat；　〃Tell　this　lord；　whom　I　do　not　know；　that　I　thank　him　heartily。〃

Again；　the　cat　would　run　to　the　marshes　or　the　fields；　and　when　the　fowlers　had　brought　down　a　blackbird；　a　snipe；　or　a　lark；　she　caught　it　up　and　presented　it　to　the　King　with　the　same　message。　She　repeated　this　trick　again　and　again；　until　one　morning　the　King　said　to　her；　〃I　feel　infinitely　obliged　to　this　Lord　Pippo；　and　am　desirous　of　knowing　him；　that　I　may　make　a　return　for　the　kindness　he　has　shown　me。〃　And　the　cat　replied；　〃The　desire　of　my　Lord　Pippo　is　to　give　his　life　for　your　Majesty's　crown；　and　tomorrow　morning；　without　fail；　as　soon　as　the　Sun　has　set　fire　to　the　stubble　of　the　fields　of　air；　he　will　come　and　pay　his　respects　to　you。〃

So　when　the　morning　came；　the　cat　went　to　the　King；　and　said　to　him：　〃Sire；　my　Lord　Pippo　sends　to　excuse　himself　for　not　coming；　as　last　night　some　of　his　servants　robbed　him　and　ran　off；　and　have　not　left　him　a　single　shirt　to　his　back。〃　When　the　King　heard　this；　he　instantly　commanded　his　retainers　to　take　out　of　his　own　wardrobe　a　quantity　of　clothes　and　linen；　and　sent　them　to　Pippo；　and；　before　two　hours　had　passed；　Pippo　went　to　the　palace；　conducted　by　the　cat；　where　he　received　a　thousand　compliments　from　the　King；　who　made　him　sit　beside　himself；　and　gave　him　a　banquet　that　would　amaze　you。

While　they　were　eating；　Pippo　from　time　to　time　turned　to　the　cat　and　said　to　her；　〃My　pretty　puss；　pray　take　care　that　those　rags　don't　slip　through　our　fingers。〃　Then　the　cat　answered；　〃Be　quiet；　be　quiet；　don't　be　talking　of　these　beggarly　things。〃　The　King；　wishing　to　know　the　subject　of　their　talk；　the　cat　made　answer　that　Pippo　had　taken　a　fancy　to　a　small　lemon；　whereupon　the　King　instantly　sent　out　to　the　garden　for　a　basketful。　But　Pippo　returned　to　the　same　tune　about　the　old　coats　and　shirts；　and　the　cat　again　told　him　to　hold　his　tongue。　Then　the　King　once　more　asked　what　was　the　matter；　and　the　cat　had　another　excuse　to　make　amends　for　Pippo's　rudeness。

At　last；　when　they　had　eaten　and　conversed　for　some　time　about　one　thing　and　another；　Pippo　took　his　leave；　and　the　cat　stayed　with　the　King；　describing　the　worth；　the　wisdom；　and　the　judgment　of　Pippo；　and；　above　all；　the　great　wealth　he　had　in　the　plains　of　Rome　and　Lombardy；　which　well　entitled　him　to　marry　even　into　the　family　of　a　crowned　King。　Then　the　King　asked　what　might　be　his　fortune；　and　the　cat　replied　that　no　one　could　ever　count　the　moveables；　the　fixtures；　and　the　household　furniture　of　this　rich　man；　who　did　not　even　know　what　he　possessed。　If　the　King　wished　to　be　informed　of　it；　he　had　only　to　send　messengers　with　the　cat；　and　she　would　prove　to　him　that　there　was　no　wealth　in　the　world　equal　to　his。

Then　the　King　called　some　trusty　persons；　and　commanded　them　to　inform　themselves　minutely　of　the　truth；　so　they　followed　in　the　footsteps　of　the　cat；　who；　as　soon　as　they　had　passed　the　frontier　of　the　kingdom；　from　time　to　time　ran　on　before；　under　the　pretext　of　providing　refreshments　for　them　on　the　road。　Whenever　she　met　a　flock　of　sheep；　a　herd　of　cows；　a　troop　of　horses；　or　a　drove　of　pigs；　she　would　say　to　the　herdsmen　and　keepers；　〃Ho！　have　a　care！　A　troop　of　robbers　is　coming　to　carry　off　everything　in　the　country。　So　if　you　wish　to　escape　their　fury；　and　to　have　your　things　respected；　say　that　they　all　belong　to　the　Lord　Pippo；　and　not　a　hair　will　be　touched。〃

She　said　the　same　at　all　the　farmhouses；　so　that　wherever　the　King's　people　came　they　found　the　pipe　tuned；　for　everything　they　met　with；　they　were　told；　belonged　to　the　Lord　Pippo。　At　last　they　were　tired　of　asking；　and　returned　to　the　King；　telling　seas　and　mountains　of　the　riches　of　Lord　Pippo。　The　King；　hearing　this　report；　promised　the　cat　a　good　drink　if　she　should　manage　to　bring　about　the　match；　and　the　cat；　playing　the　shuttle　between　them；　at　last　concluded　the　marriage。　So　Pippo　came；　and　the　King　gave　him　his　daughter　and　a　large　portion。

At　the　end　of　a　month　of　festivities；　Pippo　wished　to　take　his　bride　to　his　estates；　so　the　King　accompanied　them　as　far　as　the　frontiers；　and　he　went　on　to　Lombardy；　where；　by　the　cat's　advice；　he　purchased　a　large　estate　and　became　a　baron。

Pippo；　seeing　himself　now　so　rich；　thanked　the　cat　more　than　words　can　express；　saying　that　he　owed　his　life　and　his　greatness　to　her　good　offices；　and　that　the　ingenuity　of　a　cat　had　done　more　for　him　that　the　wit　of　his　father。　Therefore；　said　he；　she　might　dispose　of　his　life　and　his　property　as　she　pleased；　and　he　gave　her　his　word　that　when　she　died；　which　he　prayed　might　not　be　for　a　hundred　years；　he　would　have　her　embalmed　and　put　into　a　golden　coffin；　and　set　in　his　own　chamber；　that　he　might　keep　her　memory　always　before　his　eyes。

The　cat　listened　to　these　lavish　professions；　and　before　three　days　she　pretended　to　be　dead；　and　stretched　herself　at　full　length　in　the　garden。　When　Pippo's　wife　saw　her；　she　cried　out；　〃Oh；　husband；　what　a　sad　misfortune！　The　cat　is　dead！〃　〃Devil　die　with　her！〃　said　Pippo。　〃Better　her　than　we！〃　〃What　shall　we　do　with　her？〃　replied　the　wife。