stories from pentamerone-第44节

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ve　and　well；　to　give　me　all　I　require　to　go　through　the　world　in　search　of　a　beauty　exactly　like　this　cheese；　or　else　I　shall　end　my　life　and　die　by　inches。〃

When　the　King　heard　this　mad　resolution；　he　thought　the　house　was　falling　about　his　ears；　his　colour　came　and　went；　but　as　soon　as　he　recovered　himself　and　could　speak；　he　said；　〃My　son；　the　life　of　my　soul；　the　core　of　my　heart；　the　prop　of　my　old　age；　what　mad…brained　fancy　has　made　you　take　leave　of　your　senses？　Have　you　lost　your　wits？　You　want　either　all　or　nothing：　first　you　wish　not　to　marry；　on　purpose　to　deprive　me　of　an　heir；　and　now　you　are　impatient　to　drive　me　out　of　the　world。　Whither；　O　whither　would　you　go　wandering　about；　wasting　your　life？　And　why　leave　your　house；　your　hearth；　your　home？　You　know　not　what　toils　and　peril　he　brings　on　himself　who　goes　rambling　and　roving。　Let　this　whim　pass；　my　son；　be　sensible；　and　do　not　wish　to　see　my　life　worn　out；　this　house　fall　to　the　ground；　my　household　go　to　ruin。〃

But　these　and　other　words　went　in　at　one　ear　and　out　at　the　other；　and　were　all　cast　upon　the　sea；　and　the　poor　King；　seeing　that　his　son　was　as　immovable　as　a　rook　upon　a　belfry；　gave　him　a　handful　of　dollars　and　two　or　three　servants；　and　bidding　him　farewell；　he　felt　as　if　his　soul　was　torn　out　of　his　body。　Then　weeping　bitterly；　he　went　to　a　balcony；　and　followed　his　son　with　his　eyes　until　he　was　lost　to　sight。

The　Prince　departed；　leaving　his　unhappy　father　to　his　grief；　and　hastened　on　his　way　through　fields　and　woods；　over　mountain　and　valley；　hill　and　plain；　visiting　various　countries；　and　mixing　with　various　peoples；　and　always　with　his　eyes　wide　awake　to　see　whether　he　could　find　the　object　of　his　desire。　At　the　end　of　several　months　he　arrived　at　the　coast　of　France；　where；　leaving　his　servants　at　a　hospital　with　sore　feet；　he　embarked　alone　in　a　Genoese　boat；　and　set　out　towards　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar。　　There　he　took　a　larger　vessel　and　sailed　for　the　Indies；　seeking　everywhere；　from　kingdom　to　kingdom；　from　province　to　province；　from　country　to　country；　from　street　to　street；　from　house　to　house；　in　every　hole　and　corner；　whether　he　could　find　the　original　likeness　of　that　beautiful　image　which　he　had　pictured　to　his　heart。　And　he　wandered　about　and　about　until　at　length　he　came　to　the　Island　of　the　Ogresses；　where　he　cast　anchor　and　landed。　There　he　found　an　old；　old　woman；　withered　and　shrivelled　up；　and　with　a　hideous　face；　to　whom　he　related　the　reason　that　had　brought　him　to　the　country。　The　old　woman　was　beside　herself　with　amazement　when　she　heard　the　strange　whim　and　the　fancy　of　the　Prince；　and　the　toils　and　perils　he　had　gone　through　to　satisfy　himself；　then　she　said　to　him；　〃Hasten　away；　my　son！　for　if　my　three　daughters　meet　you　I　would　not　give　a　farthing　for　your　life；　half…alive　and　　half…roasted；　a　frying…pan　would　be　your　bier　and　a　belly　your　grave。　But　away　with　you　as　fast　as　a　hare；　and　you　will　not　go　far　before　you　find　what　you　are　seeking！〃

When　the　Prince　heard　this；　frightened；　terrified；　and　aghast；　he　set　off　running　at　full　speed；　and　ran　till　he　came　to　another　country；　where　he　again　met　an　old　woman；　more　ugly　even　than　the　first；　to　whom　he　told　all　his　story。　Then　the　old　woman　said　to　him　in　like　manner；　〃Away　with　you！　unless　you　wish　to　serve　as　a　breakfast　to　the　little　ogresses　my　daughters；　but　go　straight　on；　and　you　will　soon　find　what　you　want。〃

The　Prince；　hearing　this；　set　off　running　as　fast　as　a　dog　with　a　kettle　at　its　tail；　and　he　went　on　and　on；　until　he　met　another　old　woman；　who　was　sitting　upon　a　wheel；　with　a　basket　full　of　little　pies　and　sweetmeats　on　her　arm；　and　feeding　a　number　of　jackasses；　which　thereupon　began　leaping　about　on　the　bank　of　a　river　and　kicking　at　some　poor　swans。　When　the　Prince　came　up　to　the　old　woman；　after　making　a　hundred　salaams；　he　related　to　her　the　story　of　his　wanderings；　whereupon　the　old　woman；　comforting　him　with　kind　words；　gave　him　such　a　good　breakfast　that　he　licked　his　fingers　after　it。　And　when　he　had　done　eating　she　gave　him　three　citrons；　which　seemed　to　be　just　fresh　gathered　from　the　tree；　and　she　gave　him　also　a　beautiful　knife；　saying；　〃You　are　now　free　to　return　to　Italy；　for　your　labour　is　ended；　and　you　have　what　you　were　seeking。　Go　your　way；　therefore；　and　when　you　are　near　your　own　kingdom　stop　at　the　first　fountain　you　come　to　and　cut　a　citron。　Then　a　fairy　will　come　forth　from　it；　and　will　say　to　you；　　Give　me　to　drink。'　Mind　and　be　ready　with　the　water　or　she　will　vanish　like　quicksilver。　But　if　you　are　not　quick　enough　with　the　second　fairy；　have　your　eyes　open　and　be　watchful　that　the　third　does　not　escape　you；　giving　her　quickly　to　drink；　and　you　shall　have　a　wife　after　your　own　heart。〃

The　Prince；　overjoyed；　kissed　the　old　woman's　hairy　hand　a　hundred　times；　which　seemed　just　like　a　hedgehog's　back。　Then　taking　his　leave　he　left　that　country；　and　coming　to　the　seashore　sailed　for　the　Pillars　of　Hercules；　and　arrived　at　our　Sea；　and　after　a　thousand　storms　and　perils；　he　entered　port　a　day's　distance　from　his　own　kingdom。　There　he　came　to　a　most　beautiful　grove；　where　the　Shades　formed　a　palace　for　the　Meadows；　to　prevent　their　being　seen　by　the　sun；　and　dismounting　at　a　fountain；　which；　with　a　crystal　tongue；　was　inviting　the　people　to　refresh　their　lips；　he　seated　himself　on　a　Syrian　carpet　formed　by　the　plants　and　flowers。　Then　he　drew　his　knife　from　the　sheath　and　began　to　cut　the　first　citron；　when　lo！　there　appeared　like　a　flash　of　lightning　a　most　beautiful　maiden；　white　as　milk　and　red　as　a　strawberry；　who　said；　〃Give　me　to　drink！〃　The　Prince　was　so　amazed；　bewildered；　and　captivated　with　the　beauty　of　the　fairy　that　he　did　not　give　her　the　water　quick　enough；　so　she　appeared　and　vanished　at　one　and　the　same　moment。　Whether　this　was　a　rap　on　the　Prince's　head；　let　any　one　judge　who；　after　longing　for　a　thing；　gets　it　into　his　hands　and　instantly　loses　it　again。

Then　the　Prince　cut　the　second　citron；　and　the　same　thing　happened　again；　and　this　was　a　second　blow　he　got　on　his　pate；　so　making　two　little　fountains　of　his　eyes；　he　wept；　face　to　face；　tear　for　tear；　drop　for　drop；　with　the　fountain；　and　sighing　he　exclaimed；　〃Good　heavens；　how　is　it　that　I　am　so　unfortunate？　Twice　I　have　let　her　escape；　as　if　my　hands　were　tied；　and　here　I　sit　like　a　rock；　when　I　ought　to　run　like　a　greyhound。　Faith　indeed　I　have　made　a　fine　hand　of　it！　But　courage；　man！　there　is　still　another；　and　three　is　the　lucky　number；　either　this　knife　shall　give　me　the　fay；　or　it　shall　take　my　life　away。〃　So　saying　he　cut　the　third　citron；　and　forth　came　the　third　fairy；　who　said　like　the　others；　〃Give　me　to　drink。〃　Then　the　Prince　instantly　handed　her　the　water；　and　behold　there　stood　before　him　a　delicate　maiden；　white　as　a　junket　with　red　streaks；a　thing　never　before　seen　in　the　world；　with　a　beauty　beyond　compare；　a　fairness　beyond　the　beyonds；　a　grace　more　than　the　most。　On　that　hair　Jove　had　showered　down　gold；　of　which　Love　made　his　shafts　to　pierce　all　hearts；　that　face　the　god　of　Love　had　tinged　with　red；　that　some　innocent　soul　should　be　hung　on　the　gallows　of　desire；　at　those　eyes　the　sun　had　lighted　two　fireworks；　to　set　fire　to　the　rockets　of　sighs　in　the　breast　of　the　beholder；　to　the　roses　on　those　lips　Venus　had　given　their　colour；　to　wound　a　thousand　enamoured　hearts　with　their　thorns。　In　a　word；　she　was　so　beautiful　from　head　to　foot；　that　a　more　exquisite　creature　was　never　seen。　The　Prince　knew　not　what　had　happened　to　him；　and　stood　lost　in　amazement；　gazing　on　such　a　beautiful　offspring　of　a　citron；　and　he　said　to　himself；　〃Are　you　asleep　or　awake；　Ciommetiello？　Are　your　eyes　bewitched；　or　are　you　blind？　What　fair　white　creature　is　this　come　forth　from　a　yellow　rind？　What　sweet　fruit；　from　the　sour　juice　of　a　citron？　What　lovely　maiden　sprung　from　a　citron…pip？〃

At　length；　seeing　that　it　was　all　true　and　no　dream；　he　embraced　the　fairy；　giving　her　a　hundred　and　a　hundred　kisses；　and　after　a　thousand　tender　words　had　passed　between　themwords　which；　as　a　setting；　had　an　accompaniment　of　sugared　kissesthe　Prince　said；　〃My　soul；　I　cannot　take　you　to　my　father's　kingdom　without　handsome　raiment　worthy　of　so　beautiful　a　person；　and　an　attendance　befitting　a　Queen；　therefore　climb　up　into　this　　oak…tree；　where　Nature　seems　purposely　to　have　made　for　us　a　hiding…place　in　the　form　of　a　little　room；　and　here　await　my　return；　for　I　will　come　back　on　wings；　before　a　tear　can　be　dry；　with　dresses　and　servants；　and　carry　you　off　to　my　kingdom。〃　So　saying；　after　the　usual　ceremonies；　he　departed。

Now　a　black　slave；　who　was　sent　by　her　mistress　with　a　pitcher　to　fetch　water；　came　to　the　well；　and　seeing　by　chance　the　reflection　of　the　fairy　in　the　water；　she　thought　it　was　herself；　and　exclaimed　in　amazement；　〃Poor　Lucia；　what　do　I　see？　Me　so　pretty　and　fair；　and　mistress　send　me　here。　No；　me　will　no　longer　bear。〃　So　saying　she　broke　the　pitcher　and　returned　home；　and　when　her　mistress　asked　her；　〃Why　have　you　done　this　mischief？〃　she　replied；　〃Me　go　to　the　well　alone；　pitcher　break　upon　a　stone。〃　Her　mistress　swallowed　this　idle　story；　and　the　next　day　she　gave　her　a　pretty　little　cask；　telling　her　to　go　and　fill　it　with　wa