stories from pentamerone-第29节

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fe　which　she　had　taken　from　the　king's　pantry；　and　told　her　to　make　a　hole　in　the　corner　of　the　floor　just　over　the　kitchen；　through　which　she　would　regularly　bring　her　food　to　sustain　her　life。　So　Porziella　bored　away　until　she　had　made　a　passage　for　the　bird；　who；　watching　till　the　cook　was　gone　out　to　fetch　a　pitcher　of　water　from　the　well；　went　down　through　the　hole；　and　taking　a　fine　fowl　that　was　cooking　at　the　fire；　brought　it　to　Porziella；　then　to　relieve　her　thirst；　not　knowing　how　to　carry　her　any　drink；　she　flew　to　the　pantry；　where　there　was　a　quantity　of　grapes　hanging；　and　brought　her　a　fine　bunch；　and　this　she　did　regularly　for　many　days。

Meanwhile　Porziella　gave　birth　to　a　fine　little　boy；　whom　she　suckled　and　reared　with　the　constant　aid　of　the　bird。　And　when　he　was　grown　big；　the　fairy　advised　his　mother　to　make　the　hole　larger；　and　to　raise　so　many　boards　of　the　floor　as　would　allow　Miuccio　（for　so　the　child　was　called）　to　pass　through；　and　then；　after　letting　him　down　with　some　cords　which　the　bird　brought；　to　put　the　boards　back　into　their　place；　that　it　might　not　be　seen　where　he　came　from。　So　Porziella　did　as　the　bird　directed　her；　and　as　soon　as　the　cook　was　gone　out；　she　let　down　her　son；　desiring　him　never　to　tell　whence　he　came　nor　whose　son　he　was。

When　the　cook　returned　and　saw　such　a　fine　little　boy；　he　asked　him　who　he　was；　whence　he　came；　and　what　he　wanted；　whereupon；　the　child；　remembering　his　mother's　advice；　said　that　he　was　a　poor　forlorn　boy　who　was　looking　about　for　a　master。　As　they　were　talking；　the　butler　came　in；　and　seeing　the　spritely　little　fellow；　he　thought　he　would　make　a　pretty　page　for　the　King。　So　he　led　him　to　the　royal　apartments；　and　when　the　King　saw　him　look　so　handsome　and　lovely　that　he　appeared　a　very　jewel；　he　was　vastly　pleased　with　him；　and　took　him　into　his　service　as　a　page　and　to　his　heart　as　a　son；　and　had　him　taught　all　the　exercises　befitting　a　cavalier；　so　that　Miuccio　grew　up　the　most　accomplished　one　in　the　court；　and　the　King　loved　him　much　better　than　his　stepson。　Now　the　King's　stepmother；　who　was　really　the　queen；　on　this　account　began　to　take　a　dislike　to　him；　and　to　hold　him　in　aversion；　and　her　envy　and　malice　gained　ground　just　in　proportion　as　the　favours　and　kindness　which　the　King　bestowed　on　Miuccio　cleared　the　way　for　them；　so　she　resolved　to　soap　the　ladder　of　his　fortune　in　order　that　he　should　tumble　down　from　top　to　bottom。

Accordingly　one　evening；　when　the　King　and　his　stepmother　had　tuned　their　instruments　together　and　were　making　music　of　their　discourse；　the　Queen　told　the　King　that　Miuccio　had　boasted　he　would　build　three　castles　in　the　air。　So　the　next　morning；　at　the　time　when　the　Moon；　the　school…mistress　of　the　Shades；　gives　a　holiday　to　her　scholars　for　the　festival　of　the　Sun；　the　King；　either　from　surprise　or　to　gratify　the　old　Queen；　ordered　Miuccio　to　be　called；　and　commanded　him　forthwith　to　build　the　three　castles　in　the　air　as　he　had　promised；　or　else　he　would　make　him　dance　a　jig　in　the　air。

When　Miuccio　heard　this　he　went　to　his　chamber　and　began　to　lament　bitterly；　seeing　what　glass　the　favour　of　princes　is；　and　how　short　a　time　it　lasts。　And　while　he　was　weeping　thus；　lo！　the　bird　came；　and　said　to　him；　〃Take　heart；　Miuccio；　and　fear　not　while　you　have　me　by　your　side；　for　I　am　able　to　draw　you　out　of　the　fire。〃　Then　she　directed　him　to　take　pasteboard　and　glue　and　make　three　large　castles；　and　calling　up　three　large　griffins；　she　tied　a　castle　to　each；　and　away　they　flew　up　into　the　air。　Thereupon　Miuccio　called　the　King；　who　came　running　with　all　his　court　to　see　the　sight；　and　when　he　saw　the　ingenuity　of　Miuccio　he　had　a　still　greater　affection　for　him；　and　lavished　on　him　caresses　of　the　other　world；　which　added　snow　to　the　envy　of　the　Queen　and　fire　to　her　rage；　seeing　that　all　her　plans　failed；　insomuch　that；　both　sleeping　and　waking；　she　was　for　ever　thinking　of　some　way　to　remove　this　thorn　from　her　eyes。　So　at　last；　after　some　days；　she　said　to　the　King；　〃Son；　the　time　is　now　come　for　us　to　return　to　our　former　greatness　and　the　pleasures　of　past　times；　since　Miuccio　has　offered　to　blind　the　sorceress；　and　by　the　disbursement　of　her　eyes　to　make　you　recover　your　lost　kingdom。〃

The　King；　who　felt　himself　touched　in　the　sore　place；　called　for　Miuccio　that　very　instant；　and　said　to　him；　〃I　am　greatly　surprised　that；　notwithstanding　all　my　love　for　you；　and　that　you　have　the　power　to　restore　me　to　the　seat　from　which　I　have　fallen；　you　remain　thus　careless；　instead　of　endeavouring　to　relieve　me　from　the　misery　I　am　inreduced　thus　from　a　kingdom　to　a　wood；　from　a　city　to　a　paltry　castle；　and　from　commanding　so　great　a　people　to　be　hardly　waited　on　by　a　parcel　of　half…starved　menials。　If；　therefore；　you　do　not　wish　me　ill；　run　now　at　once　and　blind　the　eyes　of　the　fairy　who　has　possession　of　my　property；　for　by　putting　out　her　lanterns　you　will　light　the　lamps　of　my　honour　that　are　now　dark　and　dismal。〃

When　Miuccio　heard　this　proposal　he　was　about　to　reply　that　the　King　was　ill…informed　and　had　mistaken　him；　as　he　was　neither　a　raven　to　pick　out　eyes　nor　an　auger　to　bore　holes；　but　the　King　said；　〃No　more　wordsso　I　will　have　it；　so　let　it　be　done！　Remember　now；　that　in　the　mint　of　this　brain　of　mine　I　have　the　balance　ready；　in　one　scale　the　reward；　if　you　do　what　I　tell　you；　in　the　other　the　punishment；　if　you　neglect　doing　what　I　command。〃

Miuccio；　who　could　not　butt　against　a　rock；　and　had　to　do　with　a　man　who　was　not　to　be　moved；　went　into　a　corner　to　bemoan　himself；　and　the　bird　came　to　him　and　said；　〃Is　it　possible；　Miuccio；　that　you　will　always　be　drowning　yourself　in　a　tumbler　of　water？　If　I　were　dead　indeed　you　could　not　make　more　fuss。　Do　you　not　know　that　I　have　more　regard　for　your　life　than　for　my　own？　Therefore　don't　lose　courage；　come　with　me；　and　you　shall　see　what　I　can　do。〃　So　saying　off　she　flew；　and　alighted　in　the　wood；　where　as　soon　as　she　began　to　chirp；　there　came　a　large　flock　of　birds　about　her；　to　whom　she　told　the　story；　assuring　them　that　whoever　would　venture　to　deprive　the　sorceress　of　sight　should　have　from　her　a　safeguard　against　the　talons　of　the　hawks　and　kites；　and　a　letter　of　protection　against　the　guns；　crossbows；　longbows；　and　bird…lime　of　the　fowlers。

There　was　among　them　a　swallow　who　had　made　her　nest　against　a　beam　of　the　royal　palace；　and　who　hated　the　sorceress；　because；　when　making　her　accursed　conjurations；　she　had　several　times　driven　her　out　of　the　chamber　with　her　fumigations；　for　which　reason；　partly　out　of　a　desire　of　revenge；　and　partly　to　gain　the　reward　that　the　bird　promised；　she　offered　herself　to　perform　the　service。　So　away　she　flew　like　lightning　to　the　city；　and　entering　the　palace；　found　the　fairy　lying　on　a　couch；　with　two　damsels　fanning　her。　Then　the　swallow　came；　and　alighting　directly　over　the　fairy；　pecked　out　her　eyes。　Whereupon　the　fairy；　thus　seeing　night　at　midday；　knew　that　by　this　closing　of　the　custom…house　the　merchandise　of　the　kingdom　was　all　lost；　and　uttering　yells；　as　of　a　condemned　soul；　she　abandoned　the　sceptre　and　went　off　to　hide　herself　in　a　certain　cave；　where　she　knocked　her　head　continually　against　the　wall；　until　at　length　she　ended　her　days。

When　the　sorceress　was　gone；　the　councillors　sent　ambassadors　to　the　King；　praying　him　to　come　back　to　his　castle；　since　the　blinding　of　the　sorceress　had　caused　him　to　see　this　happy　day。　And　at　the　same　time　they　arrived　came　also　Miuccio；　who；　by　the　bird's　direction；　said　to　the　King；　〃I　have　served　you　to　the　best　of　my　power；　the　sorceress　is　blinded；　the　kingdom　is　yours。　Wherefore；　if　I　deserve　recompense　for　this　service；　I　wish　for　no　other　than　to　be　left　to　my　ill…fortune；　without　being　again　exposed　to　these　dangers。〃

But　the　King；　embracing　him　with　great　affection；　bade　him　put　on　his　cap　and　sit　beside　him；　and　how　the　Queen　was　enraged　at　this；　Heaven　knows；　for　by　the　bow　of　many　colours　that　appeared　in　her　face　might　be　known　the　wind　of　the　storm　that　was　brewing　in　her　heart　against　poor　Miuccio。

Not　far　from　this　castle　lived　a　most　ferocious　dragon；　who　was　born　the　same　hour　with　the　Queen；　and　the　astrologers　being　called　by　her　father　to　astrologise　on　this　event；　said　that　his　daughter　would　be　safe　as　long　as　the　dragon　was　safe；　and　that　when　one　died；　the　other　would　of　necessity　die　also。　One　thing　alone　could　bring　back　the　Queen　to　life；　and　that　was　to　anoint　her　temples；　chest；　nostrils；　and　pulse　with　the　blood　of　the　same　dragon。

Now　the　Queen；　knowing　the　strength　and　fury　of　this　animal；　resolved　to　send　Miuccio　into　his　claws；　well　assured　that　the　beast　would　make　but　a　mouthful　of　him；　and　that　he　would　be　like　a　strawberry　in　the　throat　of　a　bear。　So　turning　to　the　King；　she　said；　〃Upon　my　word；　this　Miuccio　is　the　treasure　of　your　house；　and　you　would　be　ungrateful　indeed　if　you　did　not　love　him；　especially　as　he　had　expressed　his　desire　to　kill　the　dragon；　who；　though　he　is　my　brother；　is　nevertheless　your　enemy；　and　I　care　more　for　a　hair　of　your　head　than　for　a　hundred　brothers。〃

The　King；　who　hated　the　dragon　mortally；　and　knew　not　how　to　remove　him　out　of　his　sight；　instantly　called　Miuccio；　and　said　to　him；　〃I