stories from pentamerone-第45节

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dle　story；　and　the　next　day　she　gave　her　a　pretty　little　cask；　telling　her　to　go　and　fill　it　with　water。　So　the　slave　returned　to　the　fountain；　and　seeing　again　the　beautiful　image　reflected　in　the　water；　she　said　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃Me　no　ugly　slave；　me　no　broad…foot　goose；　but　pretty　and　fine　as　mistress　mine；　and　me　not　go　to　the　fountain！〃　So　saying；　smash　again！　she　broke　the　cask　into　seventy　pieces；　and　returned　grumbling　home；　and　said　to　her　mistress；　〃Ass　come　past；　tub　fell　down　at　the　well；　and　all　was　broken　in　pieces。〃　The　poor　mistress；　on　hearing　this；　could　contain　herself　no　longer；　and　seizing　a　broomstick　she　beat　the　slave　so　soundly　that　she　felt　it　for　many　days；　then　giving　her　a　leather　bag；　she　said；　〃Run；　break　your　neck；　you　wretched　slave；　you　grasshopper…legs；　you　black　beetle！　Run　and　fetch　me　this　bag　full　of　water；　or　else　I'll　hang　you　like　a　dog；　and　give　you　a　good　thrashing。〃

Away　ran　the　slave　heels　over　head；　for　she　had　seen　the　flash　and　dreaded　the　thunder；　and　while　she　was　filling　the　leather　bag；　she　turned　to　look　again　at　the　beautiful　image；　and　said；　〃Me　fool　to　fetch　water！　better　live　by　one's　wits；　such　a　pretty　girl　indeed　to　serve　a　bad　mistress！〃　So　saying；　she　took　a　large　pin　which　she　wore　in　her　hair；　and　began　to　pick　holes　in　the　leather　bag；　which　looked　like　an　open　place　in　a　garden　with　the　rose　of　a　　watering…pot　making　a　hundred　little　fountains。　When　the　fairy　saw　this　she　laughed　outright；　and　the　slave　hearing　her；　turned　and　espied　her　hiding…place　up　in　the　tree；　whereat　she　said　to　herself；　〃O　ho！　you　make　me　be　beaten？　but　never　mind！〃　Then　she　said　to　her；　〃What　you　doing　up　there；　pretty　lass？〃　And　the　fairy；　who　was　the　very　mother　of　courtesy；　told　her　all　she　knew；　and　all　that　had　passed　with　the　Prince；　whom　she　was　expecting　from　hour　to　hour　and　from　moment　to　moment；　with　fine　dresses　and　servants；　to　take　her　with　him　to　his　father's　kingdom　where　they　would　live　happy　together。

When　the　slave；　who　was　full　of　spite；　heard　this；　she　thought　to　herself　that　she　would　get　this　prize　into　her　own　hands；　so　she　answered　the　fairy；　〃You　expect　your　husband；me　come　up　and　comb　your　locks；　and　make　you　more　smart。〃　And　the　fairy　said；　〃Ay；　welcome　as　the　first　of　May！〃　So　the　slave　climbed　up　the　tree；　and　the　fairy　held　out　her　white　hand　to　her；　which　looked　in　the　black　paws　of　the　slave　like　a　crystal　mirror　in　a　frame　of　ebony。　But　no　sooner　did　the　slave　begin　to　comb　the　fairy's　locks；　than　she　suddenly　stuck　a　hairpin　into　her　head。　Then　the　fairy；　feeling　herself　pricked；　cried　out；　〃Dove；　dove！〃　and　instantly　she　became　a　dove　and　flew　away；　whereupon　the　slave　stripped　herself；　and　making　a　bundle　of　all　the　rags　that　she　had　worn；　she　threw　them　a　mile　away；　and　there　she　sat；　up　in　the　tree；　looking　like　a　statue　of　jet　in　a　house　of　emerald。

In　a　short　time　the　Prince　returned　with　a　great　cavalcade；　and　finding　a　cask　of　caviar　where　he　had　left　a　pan　of　milk；　he　stood　for　awhile　beside　himself　with　amazement。　At　length　he　said；　〃Who　has　made　this　great　blot　of　ink　on　the　fine　paper　upon　which　I　thought　to　write　the　brightest　days　of　my　life？　Who　has　hung　with　mourning　this　newly　white…washed　house；　where　I　thought　to　spend　a　happy　life？　How　comes　it　that　I　find　this　touchstone；　where　I　left　a　mine　of　silver；　that　was　to　make　me　rich　and　happy？〃　But　the　crafty　slave；　observing　the　Prince's　amazement；　said；　〃Do　not　wonder；　my　Prince；　for　me　turned　by　a　wicked　spell　from　a　white　lily　to　a　black　coal。〃

The　poor　Prince；　seeing　that　there　was　no　help　for　the　mischief；　drooped　his　head　and　swallowed　this　pill；　and　bidding　the　slave　come　down　from　the　tree；　he　ordered　her　to　be　clothed　from　head　to　foot　in　new　dresses。　Then　sad　and　sorrowful；　cast…down　and　woe…begone；　he　took　his　way　back　with　the　slave　to　his　own　country；　where　the　King　and　Queen；　who　had　gone　out　six　miles　to　meet　them；　received　them　with　the　same　pleasure　as　a　prisoner　feels　at　the　announcement　of　a　sentence　of　hanging；　seeing　the　fine　choice　their　foolish　son　had　made；　who　after　travelling　about　so　long　to　find　a　white　dove　had　brought　home　at　last　a　black　crow。　However；　as　they　could　do　no　less；　they　gave　up　the　crown　to　their　children；　and　placed　the　golden　tripod　upon　that　face　of　coal。

Now　whilst　they　were　preparing　splendid　feasts　and　banquets；　and　the　cooks　were　busy　plucking　geese；　killing　little　pigs；　flaying　kids；　basting　the　roast　meat；　skimming　pots；　mincing　meat　for　dumplings；　larding　capons；　and　preparing　a　thousand　other　delicacies；　a　beautiful　dove　came　flying　to　the　kitchen　window；　and　said；

　　　　　〃O　cook　of　the　kitchen；　tell　me；　I　pray；　　　　　　What　the　King　and　the　slave　are　doing　to…day。〃

The　cook　at　first　paid　little　heed　to　the　dove；　but　when　she　returned　a　second　and　a　third　time；　and　repeated　the　same　words；　he　ran　to　the　dining…hall　to　tell　the　marvellous　thing。　But　no　sooner　did　the　lady　hear　this　music　than　she　gave　orders　for　the　dove　to　be　instantly　caught　and　made　into　a　hash。　So　the　cook　went；　and　he　managed　to　catch　the　dove；　and　did　all　that　the　slave　had　commanded。　And　having　scalded　the　bird　in　order　to　pluck　it；　he　threw　the　water　with　the　feathers　out　from　a　balcony　on　to　a　garden…bed；　on　which；　before　three　days　had　passed；　there　sprang　up　a　beautiful　citron…tree；　which　quickly　grew　to　its　full　size。

Now　it　happened　that　the　King；　going　by　chance　to　a　window　that　looked　upon　the　garden；　saw　the　tree；　which　he　had　never　observed　before；　and　calling　the　cook；　he　asked　him　when　and　by　whom　it　had　been　planted。　No　sooner　had　he　heard　all　the　particulars　from　Master　Pot…ladle；　than　he　began　to　suspect　how　matters　stood。　So　he　gave　orders；　under　pain　of　death；　that　the　tree　should　not　be　touched；　but　that　it　should　be　tended　with　the　greatest　care。

At　the　end　of　a　few　days　three　most　beautiful　citrons　appeared；　similar　to　those　which　the　ogress　had　given　Ciommetiello。　And　when　they　were　grown　larger；　he　plucked　them；　and　shutting　himself　up　in　a　chamber；　with　a　large　basin　of　water　and　the　knife；　which　he　always　carried　at　his　side；　he　began　to　cut　the　citrons。　Then　it　all　fell　out　with　the　first　and　second　fairy　just　as　it　had　done　before；　but　when　at　last　he　cut　the　third　citron；　and　gave　the　fairy　who　came　forth　from　it　to　drink；　behold；　there　stood　before　him　the　self…same　maiden　whom　he　had　left　up　in　the　tree；　and　who　told　him　all　the　mischief　that　the　slave　had　done。

Who　now　can　tell　the　least　part　of　the　delight　the　King　felt　at　this　good　turn　of　fortune？　Who　can　describe　the　shouting　and　leaping　for　joy　that　there　was？　For　the　King　was　swimming　in　a　sea　of　delight；　and　was　wafted　to　Heaven　on　a　tide　of　rapture。　Then　he　embraced　the　fairy；　and　ordered　her　to　be　handsomely　dressed　from　head　to　foot；　and　taking　her　by　the　hand　he　led　her　into　the　middle　of　the　hall；　where　all　the　courtiers　and　great　folks　of　the　city　were　met　to　celebrate　the　feast。　Then　the　King　called　on　them　one　by　one；　and　said；　〃Tell　me；　what　punishment　would　that　person　deserve　who　should　do　any　harm　to　this　beautiful　lady！〃　And　one　replied　that　such　a　person　would　deserve　a　hempen　collar；　another；　a　breakfast　of　stones；　a　third；　a　good　beating；　a　fourth；　a　draught　of　poison；　a　fifth；　a　millstone　for　a　broochin　short；　one　said　this　thing　and　another　that。　At　last　he　called　on　the　black　Queen；　and　putting　the　same　question；　she　replied；　〃Such　a　person　would　deserve　to　be　burned；　and　that　her　ashes　should　be　thrown　from　the　roof　of　the　castle。〃

When　the　King　heard　this；　he　said　to　her；　〃You　have　struck　your　own　foot　with　the　axe；　you　have　made　your　own　fetters；　you　have　sharpened　the　knife　and　mixed　the　poison；　for　no　one　has　done　this　lady　so　much　harm　as　yourself；　you　good…for…nothing　creature！　Know　you　that　this　is　the　beautiful　maiden　whom　you　wounded　with　the　hairpin？　Know　you　that　this　is　the　pretty　dove　which　you　ordered　to　be　killed　and　cooked　in　a　stewpan？　What　say　you　now？　It　is　all　your　own　doing；　and　one　who　does　ill　may　expect　ill　in　return。〃　So　saying；　he　ordered　the　slave　to　be　seized　and　cast　alive　on　to　a　large　burning　pile　of　wood；　and　her　ashes　were　thrown　from　the　top　of　the　castle　to　all　the　winds　of　Heaven；　verifying　the　truth　of　the　saying　that

　　　　　〃He　who　sows　thorns　should　not　go　barefoot。〃



XXXII

CONCLUSION

All　sat　listening　to　Ciommetella's　last　story。　Some　praised　the　skill　with　which　she　had　told　it；　while　others　murmured　at　her　indiscretion；　saying　that；　in　the　presence　of　the　Princess；　she　ought　not　to　have　exposed　to　blame　the　ill…deeds　of　another　slave；　and　run　the　risk　of　stopping　the　game。　But　Lucia　herself　sat　upon　thorns；　and　kept　turning　and　twisting　herself　about　all　the　time　the　story　was　being　told；　insomuch　that　the　restlessness　of　her　body　betrayed　the　storm　that　was　in　her　heart；　at　seeing　in　the　tale　of　another　slave　the　exact　image　of　her　own　deceit。　Gladly　would　she　have　dismissed　the　whole　company；　but　that；　owing　to　the　desire　which　the　doll　had　given　her　to　hear　stories；　she　could　not　restrain　her　passion　for　them。　And；　partly　also　not　to　give　Taddeo　cause　for　suspicion；　she　swallowed　this　bitter　pill；　intending　to　take　a　good　revenge　in　proper　time　and　place。　But　Taddeo；　who　had　grow