stories from pentamerone-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　But　he　had　hardly　proceeded　half　a　mile　from　the　seashore；　when　entering　a　woodthe　abode　of　Fear　and　the　Shades；　where　a　continual　fair　of　darkness　and　terror　was　kept　uphe　found　a　great　tower　in　the　middle　of　a　lake；　whose　waters　were　kissing　the　feet　of　the　trees；　and　entreating　them　not　to　let　the　Sun　witness　their　pranks。　At　a　window　in　the　tower　Tittone　saw　a　most　beautiful　maiden　sitting　at　the　feet　of　a　hideous　dragon；　who　was　asleep。　When　the　damsel　saw　Tittone；　she　said　in　a　low　and　piteous　voice；　〃O　noble　youth；　sent　perchance　by　heaven　to　comfort　me　in　my　miseries　in　this　place；　where　the　face　of　a　Christian　is　never　seen；　release　me　from　the　power　of　this　tyrannical　serpent；　who　has　carried　me　off　from　my　father；　the　King　of　Bright…Valley；　and　shut　me　up　in　this　frightful　tower；　where　I　must　die　a　miserable　death。〃

〃Alas；　my　beauteous　lady！〃　replied　Tittone；　〃what　can　I　do　to　serve　thee？　Who　can　pass　this　lake？　Who　can　climb　this　tower？　Who　can　approach　yon　horrid　dragon；　that　carries　terror　in　his　look；　sows　fear；　and　causes　dismay　to　spring　up？　But　softly；　wait　a　minute；　and　we'll　find　a　way　with　another's　help　to　drive　this　serpent　away。　Step　by　stepthe　more　haste；　the　worse　speed：　we　shall　soon　see　whether　　tis　egg　or　wind。〃　And　so　saying　he　threw　the　feather；　the　hair；　and　the　scale；　which　his　brothers…in…law　had　given　him；　on　the　ground；　exclaiming；　〃Come　hither；　come　hither！〃　And　falling　on　the　earth　like　drops　of　summer　rain；　which　makes　the　frogs　spring　up；　suddenly　there　appeared　the　Falcon；　the　Stag；　and　the　Dolphin；　who　cried　out　all　together；　〃Behold　us　here！　what　are　your　commands？〃

When　Tittone　saw　this；　he　said　with　great　joy；　〃I　wish　for　nothing　but　to　release　this　poor　damsel　from　the　claws　of　yon　dragon；　to　take　her　away　from　this　tower；　to　lay　it　all　in　ruins；　and　to　carry　this　beautiful　lady　home　with　me　as　my　wife。〃

〃Hush！〃　answered　the　Falcon；　〃for　the　bean　springs　up　where　you　least　expect　it。　We'll　soon　make　him　dance　upon　a　sixpence；　and　take　good　care　that　he　shall　have　little　ground　enough。〃

〃Let　us　lose　no　time；〃　said　the　Stag；　〃troubles　and　macaroni　are　swallowed　hot。〃

So　the　Falcon　summoned　a　large　flock　of　griffins；　who；　flying　to　the　window　of　the　tower；　carried　off　the　damsel；　bearing　her　over　the　lake　to　where　Tittone　was　standing　with　his　three　　brothers…in…law；　and　if　from　afar　she　appeared　a　moon；　believe　me；　when　near　she　looked　truly　like　a　sun；　she　was　so　beautiful。

Whilst　Tittone　was　embracing　her　and　telling　her　how　he　loved　her；　the　dragon　awoke；　and；　rushing　out　of　the　window；　he　came　swimming　across　the　lake　to　devour　Tittone。　But　the　Stag　instantly　called　up　a　squadron　of　lions；　tigers；　panthers；　bears；　and　　wild…cats；　who；　falling　upon　the　dragon；　tore　him　in　pieces　with　their　claws。　Then　Tittone　wishing　to　depart；　the　Dolphin　said；　〃I　likewise　desire　to　do　something　to　serve　you。〃　And　in　order　that　no　trace　should　remain　of　the　frightful　and　accursed　place；　he　made　the　sea　rise　so　high　that；　overflowing　its　bounds；　it　attacked　the　tower　furiously；　and　overthrew　it　to　its　foundations。

When　Tittone　saw　these　things；　he　thanked　the　animals　in　the　best　manner　he　could；　telling　the　damsel　at　the　same　time　that　she　ought　to　do　so　too；　as　it　was　by　their　aid　she　had　escaped　from　peril。　But　the　animals　answered；　〃Nay；　we　ought　rather　to　thank　this　beauteous　lady；　since　she　is　the　means　of　restoring　us　to　our　proper　shapes；　for　a　spell　was　laid　upon　us　at　our　birth；　caused　by　our　mother's　having　offended　a　fairy；　and　we　were　compelled　to　remain　in　the　form　of　animals　until　we　should　have　freed　the　daughter　of　a　King　from　some　great　trouble。　And　now　behold　the　time　is　arrived　which　we　have　longed　for；　the　fruit　is　ripe；　and　we　already　feel　new　spirit　in　our　breasts；　new　blood　in　our　veins。〃　So　saying；　they　were　changed　into　three　handsome　youths；　and　one　after　another　they　embraced　their　brother…in…law；　and　shook　hands　with　the　lady；　who　was　in　an　ecstasy　of　joy。

When　Tittone　saw　this；　he　was　on　the　point　of　fainting　away；　and　heaving　a　deep　sigh；　he　said；　〃O　Heavens！　why　have　not　my　mother　and　father　a　share　in　this　happiness？　They　would　be　out　of　their　wits　with　joy　were　they　to　see　such　graceful　and　handsome　sons…in…law　before　their　eyes。〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　the　Princes；　〃　tis　not　yet　night；　the　shame　at　seeing　ourselves　so　transformed　obliged　us　to　flee　from　the　sight　of　men；　but　now　that；　thank　Heaven！　we　can　appear　in　the　world　again；　we　will　all　go　and　live　with　our　wives　under　one　roof；　and　spend　our　lives　merrily。　Let　us；　therefore；　set　out　instantly；　and　before　the　Sun　to…morrow　morning　unpacks　the　bales　of　his　rays　at　the　custom…house　of　the　East；　our　wives　shall　be　with　you。〃

So　saying；　in　order　that　they　might　not　have　to　go　on　footfor　there　was　only　an　old　broken…down　mare　which　Tittone　had　　broughtthe　brothers　caused　a　most　beautiful　coach　to　appear；　drawn　by　six　lions；　in　which　they　all　five　seated　themselves；　and　having　travelled　the　whole　day；　they　came　in　the　evening　to　a　tavern；　where；　whilst　the　supper　was　being　prepared；　they　passed　the　time　in　reading　all　the　proofs　of　men's　ignorance　which　were　scribbled　upon　the　walls。　At　length；　when　all　had　eaten　their　fill　and　retired　to　rest；　the　three　youths；　feigning　to　go　to　bed；　went　out　and　walked　about　the　whole　night　long；　till　in　the　morning；　when　the　Stars；　like　bashful　maidens；　retire　from　the　gaze　of　the　Sun；　they　found　themselves　in　the　same　inn　with　their　wives；　whereupon　there　was　a　great　embracing；　and　a　joy　beyond　the　beyonds。　Then　they　all　eight　seated　themselves　in　the　same　coach；　and　after　a　long　journey　arrived　at　Green…Bank；　where　they　were　received　with　incredible　affection　by　the　King　and　Queen；　who　had　not　only　regained　the　capital　of　four　children；　whom　they　had　considered　lost；　but　likewise　the　interest　of　three　sons…in…law　and　a　daughter…in…law；　who　were　verily　four　columns　of　the　Temple　of　Beauty。　And　when　the　news　of　the　adventures　of　their　children　was　brought　to　the　Kings　of　Fair…Meadow　and　Bright…Valley；　they　both　came　to　the　feasts　which　were　made；　adding　the　rich　ingredient　of　joy　to　the　porridge　of　their　satisfaction；　and　receiving　a　full　recompense　for　all　their　past　misfortunes；　for

　　　　　〃One　hour　of　joy　dispels　the　cares　　　　　　And　sufferings　of　a　thousand　years。〃



XXII

THE　DRAGON

He　who　seeks　the　injury　of　another　finds　his　own　hurt；　and　he　who　spreads　the　snares　of　treachery　and　deceit　often　falls　into　them　himself；　as　you　shall　hear　in　the　story　of　a　queen；　who　with　her　own　hands　constructed　the　trap　in　which　she　was　caught　by　the　foot。

There　was　one　time　a　King　of　High…Shore；　who　practised　such　tyranny　and　cruelty　that；　whilst　he　was　once　gone　on　a　visit　of　pleasure　to　a　castle　at　a　distance　from　the　city；　his　royal　seat　was　usurped　by　a　certain　sorceress。　Whereupon；　having　consulted　a　wooden　statue　which　used　to　give　oracular　responses；　it　answered　that　he　would　recover　his　dominions　when　the　sorceress　should　lose　her　sight。　But　seeing　that　the　sorceress；　besides　being　well　guarded；　knew　at　a　glance　the　people　whom　he　sent　to　annoy　her；　and　did　dog's　justice　upon　them；　he　became　quite　desperate；　and　out　of　spite　to　her　he　killed　all　the　women　of　that　place　whom　he　could　get　into　his　hands。

Now　after　hundreds　and　hundreds　had　been　led　thither　by　their　　ill…luck；　only　to　lose　their　lives；　there　chanced；　among　others；　to　come　a　maiden　named　Porziella；　the　most　beautiful　creature　that　could　be　seen　on　the　whole　earth；　and　the　King　could　not　help　falling　in　love　with　her　and　making　her　his　wife。　But　he　was　so　cruel　and　spiteful　to　women　that；　after　a　while；　he　was　going　to　kill　her　like　the　rest；　but　just　as　he　was　raising　the　dagger　a　bird　let　fall　a　certain　root　upon　his　arm；　and　he　was　seized　with　such　a　trembling　that　the　weapon　fell　from　his　hand。　This　bird　was　a　fairy；　who；　a　few　days　before；　having　gone　to　sleep　in　a　wood；　where　beneath　the　tent　of　the　Shades　Fear　kept　watch　and　defied　the　Sun's　heat；　a　certain　satyr　was　about　to　rob　her　when　she　was　awakened　by　Porziella；　and　for　this　kindness　she　continually　followed　her　steps　in　order　to　make　her　a　return。

When　the　King　saw　this；　he　thought　that　the　beauty　of　Porziella's　face　had　arrested　his　arm　and　bewitched　the　dagger　to　prevent　its　piercing　her　as　it　had　done　so　many　others。　He　resolved；　therefore；　not　to　make　the　attempt　a　second　time；　but　that　she　should　die　built　up　in　a　garret　of　his　palace。　No　sooner　said　than　done：　the　unhappy　creature　was　enclosed　within　four　walls；　without　having　anything　to　eat　or　drink；　and　left　to　waste　away　and　die　little　by　little。

The　bird；　seeing　her　in　this　wretched　state；　consoled　her　with　kind　words；　bidding　her　be　of　good　cheer；　and　promising；　in　return　for　the　great　kindness　she　had　done　for　her；　to　aid　her　if　necessary　with　her　very　life。　In　spite；　however；　of　all　the　entreaties　of　Porziella；　the　bird　would　never　tell　her　who　she　was；　but　only　said　that　she　was　under　obligations　to　her；　and　would　leave　nothing　undone　to　serve　her。　And　seeing　that　the　poor　girl　was　famished　with　hunger；　she　flew　out　and　speedily　returned　with　a　pointed　knife　which　she　had　taken　from　the　king's　pantry；　and　told　her　to　make　a　hole　in　the　corner　of　the　floo