stories from pentamerone-第41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！


mind　she　will　only　go　to　whet　her　tusks；　in　order　to　tear　you　in　pieces。　Then　throw　the　little　child　into　the　oven　without　pity；　take　the　instruments　which　stand　behind　the　door；　and　hie　off　before　the　ogress　returns；　or　else　you　are　lost。　The　instruments　are　in　a　box；　but　beware　of　opening　it；　or　you　will　repent。〃

Parmetella　did　all　that　Thunder…and…Lightning　told　her；　but　on　her　way　back　with　the　instruments　she　opened　the　box；　and　lo　and　behold！　they　all　flew　out　and　abouthere　a　flute；　there　a　flageolet；　here　a　pipe；　there　a　bagpipe；　making　a　thousand　different　sounds　in　the　air；　whilst　Parmetella　stood　looking　on　and　tearing　her　hair　in　despair。

Meanwhile　the　ogress　came　downstairs；　and　not　finding　Parmetella；　she　went　to　the　window；　and　called　out　to　the　door；　〃Crush　that　traitress！〃　But　the　door　answered：

　　　　　〃I　will　not　use　the　poor　girl　ill；　　　　　　For　she　has　made　me　at　last　stand　still。〃

Then　the　ogress　cried　out　to　the　horse；　〃Trample　on　the　thief！〃　But　the　horse　replied：

　　　　　〃Let　the　poor　girl　go　her　way；　　　　　　For　she　has　given　me　the　hay。〃

And　lastly；　the　ogress　called　to　the　dog；　saying；　〃Bite　the　rogue！〃　But　the　dog　answered：

　　　　　〃I'll　not　hurt　a　hair　of　her　head；　　　　　　For　she　it　was　who　gave　me　the　bread。〃

Now　as　Parmetella　ran　crying　after　the　instruments；　she　met　Thunder…and…Lightning；　who　scolded　her　well；　saying；　〃Traitress；　will　you　not　learn　at　your　cost　that　by　your　fatal　curiosity　you　are　brought　to　this　plight？〃　Then　he　called　back　the　instruments　with　a　whistle；　and　shut　them　up　again　in　the　box；　telling　Parmetella　to　take　them　to　his　mother。　But　when　the　ogress　saw　her；　she　cried　aloud；　〃O　cruel　fate！　even　my　sister　is　against　me；　and　refuses　to　give　me　this　pleasure。〃

Meanwhile　the　new　bride　arriveda　hideous　pest；　a　compound　of　ugliness；　a　harpy；　an　evil　shade；　a　horror；　a　monster；　a　large　tub；　who　with　a　hundred　flowers　and　boughs　about　her　looked　like　a　newly　opened　inn。　Then　the　ogress　made　a　great　banquet　for　her；　and　being　full　of　gall　and　malice；　she　had　the　table　placed　close　to　a　well；　where　she　seated　her　seven　daughters；　each　with　a　torch　in　one　hand；　but　she　gave　two　torches　to　Parmetella；　and　made　her　sit　at　the　edge　of　the　well；　on　purpose　that；　when　she　fell　asleep；　she　might　tumble　to　the　bottom。

Now　whilst　the　dishes　were　passing　to　and　fro；　and　their　blood　began　to　get　warm；　Thunder…and…Lightning；　who　turned　quite　sick　at　the　sight　of　the　new　bride；　said　to　Parmetella；　〃Traitress；　do　you　love　me？〃　〃Ay；　to　the　top　of　the　roof；〃　she　replied。　And　he　answered；　〃If　you　love　me；　give　me　a　kiss。〃　〃Nay；〃　said　Parmetella；　〃YOU　indeed；　who　have　such　a　pretty　creature　at　your　side！　Heaven　preserve　her　to　you　a　hundred　years　in　health　and　with　plenty　of　sons！〃　Then　the　new　bride　answered；　〃It　is　very　clear　that　you　are　a　simpleton；　and　would　remain　so　were　you　to　live　a　hundred　years；　acting　the　prude　as　you　do；　and　refusing　to　kiss　so　handsome　a　youth；　whilst　I　let　a　herdsman　kiss　me　for　a　couple　of　chestnuts。〃

At　these　words　the　bridegroom　swelled　with　rage　like　a　toad；　so　that　his　food　remained　sticking　in　his　throat；　however；　he　put　a　good　face　on　the　matter　and　swallowed　the　pill；　intending　to　make　the　reckoning　and　settle　the　balance　afterwards。　But　when　the　tables　were　removed；　and　the　ogress　and　his　sisters　had　gone　away；　Thunder…and…Lightning　said　to　the　new　bride；　〃Wife；　did　you　see　this　proud　creature　refuse　me　a　kiss？〃　〃She　was　a　simpleton；〃　replied　the　bride；　〃to　refuse　a　kiss　to　such　a　handsome　young　man；　whilst　I　let　a　herdsman　kiss　me　for　a　couple　of　chestnuts。〃

Thunder…and…Lightning　could　contain　himself　no　longer；　the　mustard　got　up　into　his　nose；　and　with　the　flash　of　scorn　and　the　thunder　of　action；　he　seized　a　knife　and　stabbed　the　bride；　and　digging　a　hole　in　the　cellar　he　buried　her。　Then　embracing　Parmetella　he　said　to　her；　〃You　are　my　jewel；　the　flower　of　women；　the　mirror　of　honour！　Then　turn　those　eyes　upon　me；　give　me　that　hand；　put　out　those　lips；　draw　near　to　me；　my　heart！　for　I　will　be　yours　as　long　as　the　world　lasts。〃　　　The　next　morning；　when　the　Sun　aroused　his　fiery　steeds　from　their　watery　stable；　and　drove　them　to　pasture　on　the　fields　sown　by　the　Dawn；　the　ogress　came　with　fresh　eggs　for　the　newly　married　couple；　that　the　young　wife　might　be　able　to　say；　〃Happy　is　she　who　marries　and　gets　a　mother…in…law！〃　But　finding　Parmetella　in　the　arms　of　her　son；　and　hearing　what　had　passed；　she　ran　to　her　sister；　to　concert　some　means　of　removing　this　thorn　from　her　eyes　without　her　son's　being　able　to　prevent　it。　But　when　she　found　that　her　sister；　out　of　grief　at　the　loss　of　her　daughter；　had　crept　into　the　oven　herself　and　was　burnt；　her　despair　was　so　great；　that　from　an　ogress　she　became　a　ram；　and　butted　her　head　against　the　wall　under　she　broke　her　pate。　Then　　Thunder…and…Lightning　made　peace　between　Parmetella　and　her　sisters…in…law；　and　they　all　lived　happy　and　content；　finding　the　saying　come　true；　that

　　　　　〃Patience　conquers　all。〃



XXIX

SUN；　MOON；　AND　TALIA

It　is　a　well…known　fact　that　the　cruel　man　is　generally　his　own　hangman；　and　he　who　throws　stones　at　Heaven　frequently　comes　off　with　a　broken　head。　But　the　reverse　of　the　medal　shows　us　that　innocence　is　a　shield　of　fig…tree　wood；　upon　which　the　sword　of　malice　is　broken；　or　blunts　its　point；　so　that；　when　a　poor　man　fancies　himself　already　dead　and　buried；　he　revives　again　in　bone　and　flesh；　as　you　shall　hear　in　the　story　which　I　am　going　to　draw　from　the　cask　of　memory　with　the　tap　of　my　tongue。

There　was　once　a　great　Lord；　who；　having　a　daughter　born　to　him　named　Talia；　commanded　the　seers　and　wise　men　of　his　kingdom　to　come　and　tell　him　her　fortune；　and　after　various　counsellings　they　came　to　the　conclusion；　that　a　great　peril　awaited　her　from　a　piece　of　stalk　in　some　flax。　Thereupon　he　issued　a　command；　prohibiting　any　flax　or　hemp；　or　such…like　thing；　to　be　brought　into　his　house；　hoping　thus　to　avoid　the　danger。　

When　Talia　was　grown　up；　and　was　standing　one　day　at　the　window；　she　saw　an　old　woman　pass　by　who　was　spinning。　She　had　never　seen　a　distaff　or　a　spindle；　and　being　vastly　pleased　with　the　twisting　and　twirling　of　the　thread；　her　curiosity　was　so　great　that　she　made　the　old　woman　come　upstairs。　Then；　taking　the　distaff　in　her　hand；　Talia　began　to　draw　out　the　thread；　when；　by　mischance；　a　piece　of　stalk　in　the　flax　getting　under　her　　finger…nail；　she　fell　dead　upon　the　ground；　at　which　sight　the　old　woman　hobbled　downstairs　as　quickly　as　she　could。

When　the　unhappy　father　heard　of　the　disaster　that　had　befallen　Talia；　after　weeping　bitterly；　he　placed　her　in　that　palace　in　the　country；　upon　a　velvet　seat　under　a　canopy　of　brocade；　and　fastening　the　doors；　he　quitted　for　ever　the　place　which　had　been　the　cause　of　such　misfortune　to　him；　in　order　to　drive　all　remembrance　of　it　from　his　mind。

Now；　a　certain　King　happened　to　go　one　day　to　the　chase；　and　a　falcon　escaping　from　him　flew　in　at　the　window　of　that　palace。　When　the　King　found　that　the　bird　did　not　return　at　his　call；　he　ordered　his　attendants　to　knock　at　the　door；　thinking　that　the　palace　was　inhabited；　and　after　knocking　for　some　time；　the　King　ordered　them　to　fetch　a　vine…dresser's　ladder；　wishing　himself　to　scale　the　house　and　see　what　was　inside。　Then　he　mounted　the　ladder；　and　going　through　the　whole　palace；　he　stood　aghast　at　not　finding　there　any　living　person。　At　last　he　came　to　the　room　where　Talia　was　lying；　as　if　enchanted；　and　when　the　King　saw　her；　he　called　to　her；　thinking　that　she　was　asleep；　but　in　vain；　for　she　still　slept　on；　however　loud　he　called。　So；　after　admiring　her　beauty　awhile；　the　King　returned　home　to　his　kingdom；　where　for　a　long　time　he　forgot　all　that　had　happened。

Meanwhile；　two　little　twins；　one　a　boy　and　the　other　a　girl；　who　looked　like　two　little　jewels；　wandered；　from　I　know　not　where；　into　the　palace　and　found　Talia　in　a　trance。　At　first　they　were　afraid　because　they　tried　in　vain　to　awaken　her；　but；　becoming　bolder；　the　girl　gently　took　Talia's　finger　into　her　mouth；　to　bite　it　and　wake　her　up　by　this　means；　and　so　it　happened　that　the　splinter　of　flax　came　out。　Thereupon　she　seemed　to　awake　as　from　a　deep　sleep；　and　when　she　saw　those　little　jewels　at　her　side；　she　took　them　to　her　heart；　and　loved　them　more　than　her　life；　but　she　wondered　greatly　at　seeing　herself　quite　alone　in　the　palace　with　two　children；　and　food　and　refreshment　brought　her　by　unseen　hands。

After　a　time　the　King；　calling　Talia　to　mind；　took　occasion　one　day　when　he　went　to　the　chase　to　go　and　see　her；　and　when　he　found　her　awakened；　and　with　two　beautiful　little　creatures　by　her　side；　he　was　struck　dumb　with　rapture。　Then　the　King　told　Talia　who　he　was；　and　they　formed　a　great　league　and　friendship；　and　he　remained　there　for　several　days；　promising；　as　he　took　leave；　to　return　and　fetch　her。

When　the　King　went　back　to　his　own　kingdom　he　was　for　ever　repeating　the　names　of　Talia　and　the　little　ones；　insomuch　that；　when　he　was　eating　he　had　Talia　in　his　mouth；　and　Sun　and　Moon　（for　so　he　named　the　children）；　nay；　even　when　he　went　to　rest　he　did　not　leave　off　calling　on　them；　first　one　and　then　the　other。

Now　the　King's　stepmother　had　grown　suspicious　at