stories from pentamerone-第21节

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vils；　her　mouth　had　tusks　like　a　boar'sin　short；　from　head　to　foot　she　was　ugly　beyond　imagination。　Now　she　seized　Nardo　Aniello　by　the　nape　of　his　neck；　saying；　〃Hollo！　what　now；　you　thief！　you　rogue！〃

〃Yourself　the　rogue；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃back　with　you；　old　hag！〃　And　he　was　just　going　to　draw　his　sword；　when　all　at　once　he　stood　fixed　like　a　sheep　that　has　seen　the　wolf　and　can　neither　stir　nor　utter　a　sound；　so　that　the　ogress　led　him　like　an　ass　by　the　halter　to　her　house。　And　when　they　came　there　she　said　to　him；　〃Mind；　now；　and　work　like　a　dog；　unless　you　wish　to　die　like　a　dog。　For　your　first　task　to…day　you　must　have　this　acre　of　land　dug　and　sown　level　as　this　room；　and　recollect　that　if　I　return　in　the　evening　and　do　not　find　the　work　finished；　I　shall　eat　you　up。〃　Then；　bidding　her　daughter　take　care　of　the　house；　she　went　to　a　meeting　of　the　other　ogresses　in　the　wood。

Nardo　Aniello；　seeing　himself　in　this　dilemma；　began　to　bathe　his　breast　with　tears；　cursing　his　fate　which　brought　him　to　this　pass。　But　Filadoro　comforted　him；　bidding　him　be　of　good　heart；　for　she　would　ever　risk　her　life　to　assist　him。　She　said　that　she　ought　not　to　lament　his　fate　which　had　led　him　to　the　house　where　she　lived；　who　loved　him　so　dearly；　and　that　he　showed　little　return　for　her　love　by　being　so　despairing　at　what　had　happened。　The　Prince　replied：　〃I　am　not　grieved　at　having　exchanged　the　royal　palace　for　this　hovel；　splendid　banquets　for　a　crust　of　bread；　a　sceptre　for　a　spade；　not　at　seeing　myself；　who　have　terrified　armies；　now　frightened　by　this　hideous　scarecrow；　for　I　should　deem　all　my　disasters　good　fortune　to　be　with　you　and　to　gaze　upon　you　with　these　eyes。　But　what　pains　me　to　the　heart　is　that　I　have　to　dig　till　my　hands　are　covered　with　hard　skinI　whose　fingers　are　so　delicate　and　soft　as　Barbary　wool；　and；　what　is　still　worse；　I　have　to　do　more　than　two　oxen　could　get　through　in　a　day。　If　I　do　not　finish　the　task　this　evening　your　mother　will　eat　me　up；　yet　I　should　not　grieve　so　much　to　quit　this　wretched　body　as　to　be　parted　from　so　beautiful　a　creature。〃

So　saying　he　heaved　sighs　by　bushels；　and　shed　many　tears。　But　Filadoro；　drying　his　eyes；　said　to　him；　〃Fear　not　that　my　mother　will　touch　a　hair　of　your　head。　Trust　to　me　and　do　not　be　afraid；　for　you　must　know　that　I　possess　magical　powers；　and　am　able　to　make　cream　set　on　water　and　to　darken　the　sun。　Be　of　good　heart；　for　by　the　evening　the　piece　of　land　will　be　dug　and　sown　without　any　one　stirring　a　hand。〃

When　Nardo　Aniello　heard　this；　he　answered；　〃If　you　have　magic　power；　as　you　say；　O　beauty　of　the　world；　why　do　we　not　fly　from　this　country？　For　you　shall　live　like　a　queen　in　my　father's　house。〃　And　Filadoro　replied；　〃A　certain　conjunction　of　the　stars　prevents　this；　but　the　trouble　will　soon　pass　and　we　shall　be　happy。〃

With　these　and　a　thousand　other　pleasant　discourses　the　day　passed；　and　when　the　ogress　came　back　she　called　to　her　daughter　from　the　road　and　said；　〃Filadoro；　let　down　your　hair；〃　for　as　the　house　had　no　staircase　she　always　ascended　by　her　daughter's　tresses。　As　soon　as　Filadoro　heard　her　mother's　voice　she　unbound　her　hair　and　let　fall　her　tresses；　making　a　golden　ladder　to　an　iron　heart。　Whereupon　the　old　woman　mounted　up　quickly；　and　ran　into　the　garden；　but　when　she　found　it　all　dug　and　sown；　she　was　beside　herself　with　amazement；　for　it　seemed　to　her　impossible　that　a　delicate　lad　should　have　accomplished　such　hard　labour。

But　the　next　morning；　hardly　had　the　Sun　gone　out　to　warm　himself　on　account　of　the　cold　he　had　caught　in　the　river　of　India；　than　the　ogress　went　down　again；　bidding　Nardo　Aniello　take　care　that　in　the　evening　she　should　find　ready　split　six　stacks　of　wood　which　were　in　the　cellar；　with　every　log　cleft　into　four　pieces；　or　otherwise　she　would　cut　him　up　like　bacon　and　make　a　fry　of　him　for　supper。

On　hearing　this　decree　the　poor　Prince　had　liked　to　have　died　of　terror；　and　Filadoro；　seeing　him　half　dead　and　pale　as　ashes；　said；　〃Why！　What　a　coward　you　are　to　be　frightened　at　such　a　trifle。〃　〃Do　you　think　it　a　trifle；〃　replied　Nardo　Aniello；　〃to　split　six　stacks　of　wood；　with　every　log　cleft　into　four　pieces；　between　this　time　and　the　evening？　Alas；　I　shall　sooner　be　cleft　in　halves　myself　to　fill　the　mouth　of　this　horrid　old　woman。〃　〃Fear　not；〃　answered　Filadoro；　〃for　without　giving　yourself　any　trouble　the　wood　shall　all　be　split　in　good　time。　But　meanwhile　cheer　up；　if　you　love　me；　and　do　not　split　my　heart　with　such　lamentations。〃

Now　when　the　Sun　had　shut　up　the　shop　of　his　rays；　in　order　not　to　sell　light　to　the　Shades；　the　old　woman　returned；　and；　bidding　Filadoro　let　down　the　usual　ladder；　she　ascended；　and　finding　the　wood　already　split　she　began　to　suspect　it　was　her　own　daughter　who　had　given　her　this　check。　At　the　third　day；　in　order　to　make　a　third　trial；　she　told　the　Prince　to　clean　out　for　her　a　cistern　which　held　a　thousand　casks　of　water；　for　she　wished　to　fill　it　anew；　adding　that　if　the　task　were　not　finished　by　the　evening　she　would　make　mincemeat　of　him。　When　the　old　woman　went　away　Nardo　Aniello　began　again　to　weep　and　wail；　and　Filadoro；　seeing　that　the　labours　increased；　and　that　the　old　woman　had　something　of　the　brute　in　her　to　burden　the　poor　fellow　with　such　tasks　and　troubles；　said　to　him；　〃Be　quiet；　and　as　soon　as　the　moment　has　passed　that　interrupts　my　art；　before　the　Sun　says　　I　am　off；'　we　will　say　good…bye　to　this　house；　sure　enough；　this　evening　my　mother　shall　find　the　land　cleared；　and　I　will　go　off　with　you；　alive　or　dead。〃　The　Prince；　on　hearing　this　news；　embraced　Filadoro　and　said；　〃Thou　art　the　pole…star　of　this　storm…tossed　bark；　my　soul！　Thou　art　the　prop　of　my　hopes。〃

Now；　when　the　evening　drew　nigh；　Filadoro　having　dug　a　hole　in　the　garden　into　a　large　underground　passage；　they　went　out　and　took　the　way　to　Naples。　But　when　they　arrived　at　the　grotto　of　Pozzuolo；　Nardo　Aniello　said　to　Filadoro；　〃It　will　never　do　for　me　to　take　you　to　the　palace　on　foot　and　dressed　in　this　manner。　Therefore　wait　at　this　inn　and　I　will　soon　return　with　horses；　carriages；　servants；　and　clothes。〃　So　Filadoro　stayed　behind　and　the　Prince　went　on　his　way　to　the　city。　Meantime　the　ogress　returned　home；　and　as　Filadoro　did　not　answer　to　her　usual　summons；　she　grew　suspicious；　ran　into　the　wood；　and　cutting　a　great；　long　pole；　placed　it　against　the　window　and　climbed　up　like　a　cat。　Then　she　went　into　the　house　and　hunted　everywhere　inside　and　out；　high　and　low；　but　found　no　one。　At　last　she　perceived　the　hole；　and　seeing　that　it　led　into　the　open　air；　in　her　rage　she　did　not　leave　a　hair　upon　her　head；　cursing　her　daughter　and　the　Prince；　and　praying　that　at　the　first　kiss　Filadoro's　lover　should　receive　he　might　forget　her。

But　let　us　leave　the　old　woman　to　say　her　wicked　curses　and　return　to　the　Prince；　who　on　arriving　at　the　palace；　where　he　was　thought　to　be　dead；　put　the　whole　house　in　an　uproar；　every　one　running　to　meet　him　and　crying；　〃Welcome！　welcome！　Here　he　is；　safe　and　sound；　how　happy　we　are　to　see　him　back　in　this　country；〃　with　a　thousand　other　words　of　affection。　But　as　he　was　going　up　the　stairs　his　mother　met　him　half…way　and　embraced　and　kissed　him；　saying；　〃My　son；　my　jewel；　the　apple　of　my　eye；　where　have　you　been　and　why　have　you　stayed　away　so　long　to　make　us　all　die　with　anxiety？〃　The　Prince　knew　not　what　to　answer；　for　he　did　not　wish　to　tell　her　of　his　misfortunes；　but　no　sooner　had　his　mother　kissed　him　than；　owing　to　the　curse；　all　that　had　passed　went　from　his　memory。　Then　the　Queen　told　her　son　that　to　put　an　end　to　his　going　hunting　and　wasting　his　time　in　the　woods；　she　wished　him　to　get　married。　〃Well　and　good；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃I　am　ready　and　prepared　to　do　what　you　desire。〃　So　it　was　settled　that　within　four　days　they　should　lead　home　to　him　the　bride　who　had　just　arrived　from　the　country　of　Flanders；　and　thereupon　a　great　feasting　and　banquets　were　held。

But　meanwhile　Filadoro；　seeing　that　her　husband　stayed　away　so　long　and　hearing　（I　know　not　how）　of　the　feast；　waited　in　the　evening　till　the　servant…lad　of　the　inn　had　gone　to　bed；　and　taking　his　clothes　from　the　head　of　the　bed；　she　left　her　own　in　their　place；　and　disguising　herself　like　a　man；　went　to　the　court　of　the　king；　where　the　cooks；　being　in　want　of　help；　took　her　as　kitchen　boy。　When　the　tables　were　set　out　and　the　guests　all　took　their　seats；　and　the　dishes　were　set　down　and　the　carver　was　cutting　up　a　large　English　pie　which　Filadoro　had　made　with　her　own　hands；　lo；　out　flew　such　a　beautiful　dove　that　the　guests　in　their　astonishment；　forgetting　to　eat；　fell　to　admiring　the　pretty　bird；　which　said　to　the　Prince　in　a　piteous　voice；　〃Have　you　so　soon　forgotten　the　love　of　Filadoro；　and　have　all　the　services　you　received　from　her；　ungrateful　man；　gone　from　your　memory？　Is　it　thus　you　repay　the　benefits　she　has　done　you：　she　who　took　you　out　of　the　claws　of　the　ogress　and　gave　you　life　and　herself　too？　Woe　to　the　woman　who　trusts　too　much　to　the　words　of　man；　who　ever　requites　kindness　with　ingratitude；　and　pays　debts　with　forgetfulness。　But　go；　forget　your　promises；　false　man。　And　may　the　curses　follow　you　which　the　unhappy　maiden　sends　you　from　the　bottom　of　her　hea