stories from pentamerone-第34节

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　trust　any　oath　she　may　make；　unless　she　swears　by　the　wings　of　her　son；　and　you　will　be　content。〃

So　saying；　the　poor　old　man　fell　down　and　crumbled　away；　like　a　dead　body　brought　from　a　catacomb　to　the　light　of　day。　Then　Cianna　took　the　ashes；　and　mixing　them　with　a　pint　of　tears；　she　made　a　grave　and　buried　them；　praying　Heaven　to　grant　them　quiet　and　repose。　And　ascending　the　mountain　till　she　was　quite　out　of　breath；　she　waited　until　Time　came　out；　who　was　an　old　man　with　a　long；　long　beard；　and　who　wore　a　very　old　cloak　covered　with　slips　of　paper；　on　which　were　worked　the　names　of　various　people。　He　had　large　wings；　and　ran　so　fast　that　he　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

When　Cianna　entered　the　house　of　his　mother；　she　started　with　affright　at　the　sight　of　that　black　old　chip；　and　instantly　seizing　the　weights　of　the　clock；　she　told　what　she　wanted　to　the　old　woman；　who；　setting　up　a　loud　cry；　called　to　her　son。　But　Cianna　said　to　her；　〃You　may　butt　your　head　against　the　wall　as　long　as　you　like；　for　you　will　not　see　your　son　whilst　I　hold　these　clock…weights。〃

Thereupon　the　old　woman；　seeing　herself　foiled；　began　to　coax　Cianna；　saying；　〃Let　go　of　them；　my　dear；　and　do　not　stop　my　son's　course；　for　no　man　living　has　ever　done　that。　Let　go　of　them；　and　may　Heaven　preserve　you！　for　I　promise　you；　by　the　acid　of　my　son；　with　which　he　corrodes　everything；　that　I　will　do　you　no　harm。〃

〃That's　time　lost；〃　answered　Cianna；　〃you　must　say　something　better　if　you　would　have　me　quit　my　hold。〃

〃I　swear　to　you　by　those　teeth；　which　gnaw　all　mortal　things；　that　I　will　tell　you　all　you　desire。〃

〃That　is　all　nothing；〃　answered　Cianna；　〃for　I　know　you　are　deceiving　me。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃I　swear　to　you　by　those　wings　which　fly　over　all　that　I　will　give　you　more　pleasure　than　you　imagine。〃

Thereupon　Cianna；　letting　go　the　weights；　kissed　the　old　woman's　hand；　which　had　a　mouldy　feel　and　a　nasty　smell。　And　the　old　woman；　seeing　the　courtesy　of　the　damsel；　said　to　her；　〃Hide　yourself　behind　this　door；　and　when　Time　comes　home　I　will　make　him　tell　me　all　you　wish　to　know。　And　as　soon　as　he　goes　out　againfor　he　never　stays　quiet　in　one　placeyou　can　depart。　But　do　not　let　yourself　be　heard　or　seen；　for　he　is　such　a　glutton　that　he　does　not　spare　even　his　own　children；　and　when　all　fails；　he　devours　himself　and　then　springs　up　anew。〃

Cianna　did　as　the　old　woman　told　her；　and；　lo！　soon　after　Time　came　flying　quick；　quick；　high　and　light；　and　having　gnawed　whatever　came　to　hand；　down　to　the　very　mouldiness　upon　the　walls；　he　was　about　to　depart；　when　his　mother　told　him　all　she　had　heard　from　Cianna；　beseeching　him　by　the　milk　she　had　given　him　to　answer　exactly　all　her　questions。　After　a　thousand　entreaties；　her　son　replied；　〃To　the　tree　may　be　answered；　that　it　can　never　be　prized　by　men　so　long　as　it　keeps　treasures　buried　under　its　roots；　to　the　mice；　that　they　will　never　be　safe　from　the　cat　unless　they　tie　a　bell　to　her　leg　to　tell　them　when　she　is　coming；　to　the　ants；　that　they　will　live　a　hundred　years　if　they　can　dispense　with　flyingfor　when　the　ant　is　going　to　die　she　puts　on　wings；　to　the　whale；　that　it　should　be　of　good　cheer；　and　make　friends　with　the　sea…mouse；　who　will　serve　him　as　a　guide；　so　that　he　will　never　go　wrong；　and　to　the　doves；　that　when　they　alight　on　the　column　of　wealth；　they　will　return　to　their　former　state。〃

So　saying；　Time　set　out　to　run　his　accustomed　post；　and　Cianna；　taking　leave　of　the　old　woman；　descended　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　just　at　the　very　time　that　the　seven　doves；　who　had　followed　their　sister's　footsteps；　arrived　there。　Wearied　with　flying　so　far；　they　stopped　to　rest　upon　the　horn　of　a　dead　ox；　and　no　sooner　had　they　alighted　than　they　were　changed　into　handsome　youths　as　they　were　at　first。　But　while　they　were　marvelling　at　this；　they　heard　the　reply　which　Time　had　given；　and　saw　at　once　that　the　horn；　as　the　symbol　of　plenty；　was　the　column　of　wealth　of　which　Time　had　spoken。　Then　embracing　their　sister　with　great　joy；　they　all　set　out　on　the　same　road　by　which　Cianna　had　come。　And　when　they　came　to　the　oak…tree；　and　told　it　what　Cianna　had　heard　from　Time；　the　tree　begged　them　to　take　away　the　treasure　from　its　roots；　since　it　was　the　cause　why　its　acorns　had　lost　their　reputation。　Thereupon　the　seven　brothers；　taking　a　spade　which　they　found　in　a　garden；　dug　and　dug；　until　they　came　to　a　great　heap　of　gold　money；　which　they　divided　into　eight　parts　and　shared　among　themselves　and　their　sister；　so　that　they　might　carry　it　away　conveniently。　But　being　wearied　with　the　journey　and　the　load；　they　laid　themselves　down　to　sleep　under　a　hedge。　Presently　a　band　of　robbers　coming　by；　and　seeing　the　poor　fellows　asleep；　with　their　heads　upon　the　clothfuls　of　money；　bound　them　hand　and　foot　to　some　trees　and　took　away　their　money；　leaving　them　to　bewail　not　only　their　wealthwhich　had　slipped　through　their　fingers　as　soon　as　foundbut　their　life；　for　being　without　hope　of　succour；　they　were　in　peril　of　either　soon　dying　of　hunger　or　allaying　the　hunger　of　some　wild　beast。

As　they　were　lamenting　their　unhappy　lot；　up　came　the　mouse；　who；　as　soon　as　she　heard　the　reply　which　Time　had　given；　in　return　for　the　good　service；　nibbled　the　cords　with　which　they　were　bound　and　set　them　free。　And　having　gone　a　little　way　farther；　they　met　on　the　road　the　ant；　who；　when　she　heard　the　advice　of　Time；　asked　Cianna　what　was　the　matter　that　she　was　so　pale…faced　and　cast　down。　And　when　Cianna　told　her　their　misfortune；　and　the　trick　which　the　robbers　had　played　them；　the　ant　replied；　〃Be　quiet；　I　can　now　requite　the　kindness　you　have　done　me。　You　must　know；　that　whilst　I　was　carrying　a　load　of　grain　underground；　I　saw　a　place　where　these　dogs　of　assassins　hide　their　plunder。　They　have　made　some　holes　under　an　old　building；　in　which　they　shut　up　all　the　things　they　have　stolen。　They　are　just　now　gone　out　for　some　new　robbery；　and　I　will　go　with　you　and　show　you　the　place；　so　that　you　may　recover　your　money。〃

So　saying；　she　took　the　way　towards　some　tumbled…down　houses；　and　showed　the　seven　brothers　the　mouth　of　the　pit；　whereupon　Giangrazio；　who　was　bolder　than　the　rest；　entering　it；　found　there　all　the　money　of　which　they　had　been　robbed。　Then　taking　it　with　them；　they　set　out；　and　walked　towards　the　seashore；　where　they　found　the　whale；　and　told　him　the　good　advice　which　Time　who　is　the　father　of　counselhad　given　them。　And　whilst　they　stood　talking　of　their　journey　and　all　that　had　befallen　them；　they　saw　the　robbers　suddenly　appear；　armed　to　the　teeth；　who　had　followed　in　their　footsteps。　At　this　sight　they　exclaimed；　〃Alas；　alas！　we　are　now　wholly　lost；　for　here　come　the　robbers　armed；　and　they　will　not　leave　the　skin　on　our　bodies。〃

〃Fear　not；〃　replied　the　whale；　〃for　I　can　save　you　out　of　the　fire；　and　will　thus　requite　the　love　you　have　shown　me；　so　get　upon　my　back；　and　I　will　quickly　carry　you　to　a　place　of　safety。〃

Cianna　and　her　brothers；　seeing　the　foe　at　their　heels　and　the　water　up　to　their　throats；　climbed　upon　the　whale；　who；　keeping　far　off　from　the　rocks；　carried　them　to　within　sight　of　Naples。　But　being　afraid　to　land　them　on　account　of　the　shoals　and　shallows；　he　said；　〃Where　would　you　like　me　to　land　you？　On　the　shore　of　Amalfi？〃　And　Giangrazio　answered；　〃See　whether　that　cannot　be　avoided；　my　dear　fish。　I　do　not　wish　to　land　at　any　place　hereabouts；　for　at　Massa　they　say　barely　good…day；　at　Sorrento　thieves　are　plenty；　at　Vico　they　say　you　may　go　your　way；　at　Castel…a…mare　no　one　says　how　are　ye。〃

Then　the　whale；　to　please　them；　turned　about　and　went　toward　the　Salt…rock；　where　he　left　them；　and　they　got　put　on　shore　by　the　first　fishing…boat　that　passed。　Thereupon　they　returned　to　their　own　country；　safe　and　sound　and　rich；　to　the　great　joy　and　consolation　of　their　mother　and　father。　And；　thanks　to　the　goodness　of　Cianna；　they　enjoyed　a　happy　life；　verifying　the　old　saying

　　　　〃Do　good　whenever　you　can；　and　forget　it。〃



XXV

THE　RAVEN

It　is　truly　a　great　proverb〃Rather　a　crooked　sight　than　a　crooked　judgment〃；　but　it　is　so　difficult　to　adopt　it　that　the　judgment　of　few　men　hits　the　nail　on　the　head。　On　the　contrary；　in　the　sea　of　human　affairs；　the　greater　part　are　fishers　in　smooth　waters；　who　catch　crabs；　and　he　who　thinks　to　take　the　most　exact　measure　of　the　object　at　which　he　aims　often　shoots　widest　of　the　mark。　The　consequence　of　this　is　that　all　are　running　pell…mell；　all　toiling　in　the　dark；　all　thinking　crookedly；　all　acting　child's…play；　all　judging　at　random；　and　with　a　haphazard　blow　of　a　foolish　resolution　bringing　upon　themselves　a　bitter　repentance；　as　was　the　case　with　the　King　of　Shady…Grove；　and　you　shall　hear　how　it　fared　with　him　if　you　summon　me　within　the　circle　of　modesty　with　the　bell　of　courtesy；　and　give　me　a　little　attention。

It　is　said　that　there　was　once　a　king　of　Shady…Grove　named　Milluccio；　who　was　so　devoted　to　the　chase；　that　he　neglected　the　needful　affairs　of　his　state　and　household　to　follow　the　track　of　a　hare　or　the　flight　of　a　thrush。　And　he　pursued　this　road　so　far　that　chance　one　day　led　him　to　a　thicket；　which　had　formed　a　solid　square　of　earth　and　trees　to　prevent　the　horses　of　the　Su