意大利童话 作者:卡尔维诺-第25节
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敲门声还在响个不停，商人的女儿想让屋外的人进来，就先问了鹦鹉一句：“你的故事讲玩了还是没讲完？”
“还没讲完，”鹦鹉说，“你听着：姑娘不想在王宫里做御医，又来到另一个城邦。她听说这里的国王疯了。他在森林中捡回一个玩具娃娃就爱上了它，把自己关在房间里一边凝视着娃娃，一边哭，因为它不是一个真的女人。姑娘听了这个消息后，来到国王的房间一看，惊奇地说：‘这是我的那个娃娃！’而国王看见姑娘长得跟娃娃一模一样，就说：‘这就是我要娶的新娘！’”
敲门声还在响着，鹦鹉实在不知道如何再把故事讲下去了。只是说：“等一下，等一下，还有一段呢。”但它不会往下讲了。
门外传来商人的说话声：“开门，开门啊，我是你爸爸。”
鹦鹉一听，说：“故事讲完了，国王娶了这个姑娘，两个人幸福地生活在一起了。”
姑娘这才跑去打开门，紧紧抱住远道归来的爸爸。
商人说：“我的女儿真乖，一步也没跨出家门。那只鹦鹉呢？”
他们走回房间里找鹦鹉，却找不到鹦鹉了，看到的是一个英俊的小伙子，小伙子说：“请原谅，先生，我是一个乔装成鹦鹉的国王，我爱上了您的女儿。我了解到我的情敌――另一个国王――想要拐骗您的女儿，就披上鹦鹉皮，诚心诚意地跟她交谈，阻止她陷进我的情敌设下的圈套。我相信我成功了，现在我可以向您的女儿求婚了。”
商人答应了他们的婚事，于是姑娘嫁给了那个给他讲过童话的国王，而另一个国王被气死了。
（蒙费拉托地区）
The Parrot
Once upon a time there was a merchant who was supposed to go away on business； but he was afraid to leave his daughter at home by herself； as a certain king had designs on her。
〃Dear daughter；〃 he said； 〃I'm leaving； but you must promise not to stick your head out of the door or let anyone in until I get back。〃
Now that very morning the daughter had seen a handsome parrot in the tree outside her window。 He was a well…bred parrot； and the maiden had delighted in talking with him。
〃Father；〃 she replied； 〃it just breaks my heart to have to stay home all by myself。 Couldn't I at least have a parrot to keep me pany？〃
The merchant； who lived only for his daughter； went out at once to get her a parrot。 He found an old man who sold him one for a song。 He took the bird to his daughter； and after much last…minute advice to her； he set out on his trip。
No sooner was the merchant out of sight than the king began devising a way to join the maiden。 He enlisted an old woman in his scheme and sent her to the girl with a letter。
In the meantime the maiden got into conversation with the parrot。 〃Talk to me； parrot。〃
〃I will tell you a good story。 Once upon a time there was a king who had a daughter。 She was an only child； with no brothers or sisters； nor did she have any playmates。 So they made her a doll the same size as herself； with a face and clothes exactly like her own。 Everywhere she went the doll went too； and no one could tell them apart。 One day as king； daughter； and doll drove through the woods in their carriage； they were attacked by enemies who killed the king and carried off his daughter； leaving the doll behind in the abandoned carriage。 The maiden screamed and cried so； the enemies let her go； and she wandered off into the woods by herself。 She eventually reached the court of a certain queen and became a servant。 She was such a clever girl that the queen liked her better all the time。 The other servants grew jealous and plotted her downfall。 'You are aware； of course；' they said； 'that the queen likes you very much and tells you everything。 But there's one thing which we know and you don't。 She had a son who died。' At that； the maiden went to the queen and asked； 'Majesty； is it true that you had a son who died？' Upon hearing those words； the queen almost fainted。 Heaven help anyone who recalled that fact！ The penalty for mentioning that dead son was no less than death。 The maiden too was condemned to die； but the queen took pity on her and had her shut up in a dungeon instead。 There the girl gave way to despair； refusing all food and passing her nights weeping。 At midnight； as she sat there weeping； she heard the door bolts slide back； and in walked five men： four of them were sorcerers and the fifth was the queen's son； their prisoner； whom they were taking out for exercise。〃
At that moment； the parrot was interrupted by a servant bearing a letter for the merchant's daughter。 It was from the king； who had finally managed to get it to her。 But the girl was eager to hear what happened next in the tale； which had reached the most exciting part； so she said； 〃I will receive no letters until my father returns。 Parrot； go on with your story。〃
The servant took the letter away； and the parrot continued。 〃In the morning the jailers noticed the prisoner had not eaten a thing and they told the queen。 The queen sent for her； and the maiden told her that her son was alive and in the dungeon a prisoner of four sorcerers； who took him out every night at midnight for exercise。 The queen dispatched twelve soldiers armed with crowbars； who killed the sorcerers and freed her son。 Then she gave him as a husband to the maiden who had saved him。〃
The serant knocked again； insisting that the young lady read the king's letter。 〃Very well。 Now that the story is over； I can read the letter；〃 said the merchant's daughter。
〃But it's not finished yet； there's still some more to e；〃 the parrot hastened to say。 〃Just listen to this： the maiden was not interested in marrying the queen's son。 She settled for a purse of money and a man's outfit and moved on to another city。 The son of this city's king was ill； and no doctor knew how to cure him。 From midnight to dawn he raved like one possessed。 The maiden showed up in man's attire； claiming to be a foreign doctor and asking to be left with the youth for one night。 The first thing she did was look under the bed and find a trapdoor。 She opened it and went down into a long corridor； at the end of which a lamp was burning。〃
At that moment the servant knocked and announced there was an old woman to see the young lady； whose aunt she claimed to be。 （It was not an aunt； but the old woman sent by the king。） But the merchant's daughter was dying to know the oute of the tale； so she said she was receiving no one。 〃Go on； parrot； go on with your story。〃
Thus the parrot continued。 〃The maiden walked down to that light and found an old woman boiling the heart of the king's son in a kettle； in revenge for the king's execution of her son。 The maiden removed the heart from the kettle； carried it back to the king's son to eat； and he got well。 The king said； 'I promised half of my kingdom to the doctor who cured my son。 Since you are a woman； you will marry my son and bee queen。'〃
〃It's a fine story；〃 said the merchant's daughter。 〃Now that it's over； I can receive that woman who claims to be my aunt。〃
〃But it's not quite over；〃 said the parrot。 〃There's still some more to e。 Just listen to this。 The maiden in doctor's disguise also refused to marry that king's son and was off to another city whose king's son was under a spell and speechless。 She hid under the bed； at midnight； she saw two witches ing through the window and remove a pebble from the young man's mouth； whereupon he could speak。 Before leaving； they replaced the pebble； and he was again mute。〃
Someone knocked on the door； but the merchant's daughter was so absorbed in the story that she didn't even hear the knock。 The parrot continued。
〃The next night when the witches put the pebble on the bed； she gave the bedclothes a jerk and it dropped on the floor。 Then she reached out for it and put it in her pocket。 At dawn the witches couldn't find it and had to flee。 The king's son was well； and they named the maiden physician to the court。〃
The knocking continued； and the merchant's daughter was all ready to say 〃e in；〃 but first she asked the parrot； 〃Does the story go on； or is it over？〃
〃It goes on；〃 replied the parrot。 〃Just listen to this。 The maiden wasn't interested in remaining as physician to the court； and moved on to another city。 The talk there was that the king of this city had gone mad。 He'd found a doll in the woods and fallen in love with it。 He stayed shut up in his room admiring it and weeping because it was not a real live maiden。 The girl went before the king。 'That is my dool！' she exclaimed。 'And this is my bride！' replied the king on seeing that she was the doll's living image。〃
There was another knock； and the parrot was at a total loss to continue the story。 〃Just a minute； just a minute； there's still a tiny bit more；〃 he said； but he had no idea what to say next。
〃e on； open up； it's your father；〃 said the merchant's voice。
〃Ah； here we are at the end of the story；〃 announced the parrot。 〃The king married the maiden； and they lived happily ever after。〃
The girl finally ran to open the door and embraced her father just back from his trip。
〃Well done； my daughter！〃 said the merchant。 〃I see you've remained faithfully at home。 And how is the parrot doing？〃
They went to take a look at the bird； but in his place they found a handsome youth。 〃Forgive me； sir；〃 said the youth。 〃I am a king who put on a parrot's disguise； because I am in love with your daughter。 Aware of the intentions of a rival king to abduct her； I came here beneath a parrot's plumage to entertain her in an honorable ma
