有錢能使鬼推磨&意大利童話
從前有一位十分富有的王子,他要在王宮的對麵造一座宮殿,而且造得比王宮還要宏偉富麗。宮殿一落成,他就在門前寫了“有錢能使鬼推磨”幾個大字。
國王外出巡遊,看見了寫在門前的這些字,馬上召見王子。這時,王子剛到都城不久,還沒有去拜見國王。
“恭喜你啦,”國王說,“你的宮殿真是富麗堂皇啊,相比之下,我的小宮不過是茅廬寒舍。真是恭喜你了!不過,在門前寫的‘有錢能使鬼推磨’是你出的主意嗎?”
王子意識到,自己可能做得太過份了。
“是的,是我,”王子答覆說,“可是,如果陛下不喜歡,我就派人把這些字刮掉,這很方便。”
“哦,不必了。我並不打算讓你刮掉,隻是想叫你親自告訴我,你那句話的意思是什麽。比如說,你有錢就可以派人行刺我嗎?”
王子感覺到,他的處境不妙了。
“哦,陛下,請您恕罪。我立刻將那些字刮掉。如果您不喜歡這座宮殿的話,您隻管說,我可把它拆毀。”
“不,不,不要動它。可是,既然你說,有錢什麽事都能辦到,那麽你就得向我證實這話是不是真的。我限你三天之內同我女兒談話,如果辦到了,我就讓你跟她結婚。要不,我就砍掉你的腦袋!懂嗎?”
王子愁得吃不下飯,睡不著覺。他日夜想的是怎樣才能保住自己的腦袋。到了第二天,他確信自己無路可走了,就決定寫遺囑。他一籌莫展,因為國王的女兒被關在一座城堡裏,周圍有一百名衛兵看守著。王子臉色蒼白,無精打采,躺在床上等死;就在這時候,他的老奶媽走進屋來。王子從小是她奶大的,後來她一直服侍他,現在已是個老態龍鍾的老太婆了。老奶媽看見王子麵容憔悴,便問他有什麽不舒服。王子哼哼唧唧地把事情一五一十全都告訴了她。
“就這件事?”老奶媽說,“你就毫無辦法了嗎?真讓人笑掉大牙!讓我想想看,能幫你什麽忙呢。”
老奶媽顫顫巍巍地走了出去,到了城裏最出名的銀匠家裏。她向銀匠定做了一隻銀鵝;這隻銀鵝做得要象人一般大,肚子裏是空的,還要會張嘴、閉嘴。“必須明天做好!”她又加了一句。
“明天?你說胡話!”銀匠驚叫起來。
“明天必須做好!”老奶媽掏出一個裝著金幣的錢包,接著說:“你再想想吧。這是現錢,剩下的錢等你明天交貨時再付給你。”
銀匠驚呆了,“這樣的話,咱們好商量,好商量,我盡量照辦,明天交貨。”
第二天,銀鵝做好了,做得非常漂亮。
老奶媽對王子說:“帶上你的提琴,鉆到鵝肚子裏去。我們一到街上,你就在裏麵拉琴。”
老奶媽在前麵用一根緞帶拖著銀鵝,王子在裏麵拉著提琴,他們在城裏走街串巷地兜著圈子。人們夾道觀看這隻漂亮的銀鵝,城裏的人沒有不跑出來看的。消息傳到了關著國王女兒的城堡裏,她要求父親準許她出去看一看這隻銀鵝。
國王說:“明天,那個牛皮王子的死期就到了,那時你再出去看銀鵝吧。”
可是公主聽說,那個拖著銀鵝的老婆婆明天就要離開了。國王隻好叫人把銀鵝帶到城堡裏來,讓他女兒看一眼。這正是老奶媽巴不得的事。公主獨自看著這隻銀鵝,聽著從它嘴裏傳出的琴聲,感到十分愜意。這時,銀鵝突然打開了,一個男人走了出來。
“別害怕,”這個男人說,“我是一位王子,必須跟您說話,否則明天早晨您父親就要殺我的頭了。請您對您父親說,說您跟我已談過話了,這樣就救了我的命。”
第二天,國王召見了王子。“喂,錢使你跟我女兒談話了嗎?”
“是的,陛下,”王子回答說。
“怎麽?你是說,你跟她談過話了?”
“問她吧。”
公主走了進來,講了王子藏在銀鵝中的事,而銀鵝卻又是國王親自下令讓帶入城堡的。
聽到這裏,國王摘下王冠,戴到王子頭上。“這樣看來,你不但有錢,而且還有個聰明的頭腦!我把女兒嫁給你,你們幸福地生活吧!”
(熱那亞地區)
注釋:
材料來源:詹姆士·安德魯斯編《利古裏亞故事集》(巴黎,1892年版)第六十四篇;搜集地區:熱那亞;講述者:凱特瑞納·格蘭迪。
這是一篇起源於東方的故事(收集在用梵語寫的動物故事集中)。在熱那亞人的傳說裏,這篇故事有自己的獨特之處,它強調了功利主義和商業道德(那位國王的最後一句評語與整個故事不協調,我決定讚頌聰明;再說,這也是適當的……)
moneycandoeverything
therewasonceaprinceasrichascream,whotookitintohisheadtoputupapcerightacrossthestreetfromthekings,butapcefarmoresplendidthanthekings.onceitwasfinished,heputonitsfrontinboldlettering:moneycandoeverything.
whenthekingcameoutandsawthat,hesentimmediatelyfortheprince,whowasnewintownandhadntyetvisitedthecourt.
"congrattions,"thekingsaid."yourpceisatruewonder.myhouselookslikeahuparedwithit.congrattions!butwasityourideatoputupthewords:moneycandoeverything?"
theprincerealizedthatmaybehehadgoofar.
"yesitwas,"heanswered,"butifyourmajestydoesntlikeit,icaneasilyhavethelettersstrippedoff."
"oh,no,iwouldntthinkofhavingyoudothat.imerelywantedtohearfromyourownlipswhatyoumeantbysuchastatement.forinstance,doyouthinkthat,withyourmoney,youcouldhavemeassassinated?"
theprincerealizedhehadgothimselfintoatightspot.
"oh,majesty,forgiveme.illhavethewordsremovedatonce.andifyoudontlikethepce,justsayso,andillhaveittorndowntoo."
"no,no,leaveitthewayitis.butsinceyouimapersonwithmoneycandoanything,proveittome.illgiveyouthreedaystotrytotalktomydaughter.ifyoumanagetospeaktoher,wendgood;youwillmarryher.ifnot,illhaveyoubeheaded.isthatclear?"
theprincewastoodistressedtoeat,drink,orsleep.dayandnight,allhethoughtofwashowhemightsavehisneck.bytheseconddayhewascertainoffailureanddecidedtomakehiswill.hisplightwashopeless,forthekingsdaughterhadbeenclosedupinacastlesurroundedbyonehundredguards.paleandlimpasarag,theprincyonhisbedwaitingtodie,wheninwalkedhisoldnurse,adecrepitoldsoulnowwhohadnursedhimasababyandwhostillworkedforhim.findinghimsohaggard,theoldwomanaskedwhatwaswrong.hemmingandhawing,hetoldherthewholestory.
"so?"saidthenurse."andyouregivingup,likethat?youmakemugh!illseewhaticandoaboutallthis!"
offshewobbledtothefinestsilversmithintownandorderedhimtomakeasolidsilvergoosethatwouldopenandcloseitsbill.thegoosewastobeasbigasamanandhollowinside."itmustbereadytomorrow,"sheadded.
"tomorrow?yourecrazy!"eximedthesilversmith.
"tomorrowisaid!"theoldwomanpulledoutapurseofgoldcoinsandcontinued,"thinkitover.thisisthedownpayment.illgiveyoutheresttomorrowwhenyoudeliverthegoose."
thesilversmithwasdumbfounded."thatmakesallthedifferenceintheworld,"hesaid."illdomybesttohavethegoosetomorrow."
thenextdaythegoosewasready,anditwasabeauty.
theoldwomansaidtotheprince,"takeyourviolinandgetinsidethegoose.yassoonaswereachtheroad."
theywoundtheirwaythroughthecity,withtheoldwomanpullingthesilvergoosealongbyaribbonandtheprinceinsideyinghisviolin.thepeoplelinedthestreetstowatch:therewasntasoulintownthatdidnerunningtoseethebeautifulgoose.wordofitreachedthecastlewherethekingsdaughterwasshutup,andsheaskedherfathertolethergoandseetheunusualsight.
thekingsaid,"timesupforthatboastfulprincetomorrow.youcangooutthenandseethegoose."
butthegirlhadheardthattheoldwomanwiththegoosewouldbegonebytomorrow.thereforethekinghadthegoosebroughtinsidethecastlesohisdaughtercouldseeit.thatsjustwhattheoldwomanwascountingon.assoonastheprincesswasalonewiththesilvergooseanddelightinginthemusicpouringfromitsbill,thegoosesuddenlyopenedandoutsteppedaman.
"dontbeafraid,"saidtheman."iamtheprincewhomusteitherspeaktoyouorbedecapitatedbyyourfathertomorrowmorning.youcansayyouspoketomeandsavemylife."
thenextdaythekingsentfortheprince."well,didyourmoneymakeitpossibleforyoutospeaktomydaughter?"
"yes,majesty,"answeredtheprince.
"what!doyoumeanyouspoketoher?"
"askher."
thegirlcameinandtoldhowtheprincewashiddeninthesilvergoosewhichthekinghimselfhadorderedbroughtinsidethecastle.
theking,atthat,removedhiscrownandceditontheprinceshead."thatmeansyouhavenotonlymoneybutalsoafinehead!livehappily,foriamgivingyoumydaughterinmarriage."
(genoa)
notes:
"moneycandoeverything"(ildanarofatutto)fromandrews,64,genoa,toldbycaterinagrande.
thisstory,oforientalorigin(foundinthepanchatantra),stressesinitsgenoeseversionautilitariananmercialmorllitsown.(thefinalremarkofthekingwaseventooharshalongthatline,soidecidedtogivecreditalso,asitmeet,tocleverness)
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
trantedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980
從前有一位十分富有的王子,他要在王宮的對麵造一座宮殿,而且造得比王宮還要宏偉富麗。宮殿一落成,他就在門前寫了“有錢能使鬼推磨”幾個大字。
國王外出巡遊,看見了寫在門前的這些字,馬上召見王子。這時,王子剛到都城不久,還沒有去拜見國王。
“恭喜你啦,”國王說,“你的宮殿真是富麗堂皇啊,相比之下,我的小宮不過是茅廬寒舍。真是恭喜你了!不過,在門前寫的‘有錢能使鬼推磨’是你出的主意嗎?”
王子意識到,自己可能做得太過份了。
“是的,是我,”王子答覆說,“可是,如果陛下不喜歡,我就派人把這些字刮掉,這很方便。”
“哦,不必了。我並不打算讓你刮掉,隻是想叫你親自告訴我,你那句話的意思是什麽。比如說,你有錢就可以派人行刺我嗎?”
王子感覺到,他的處境不妙了。
“哦,陛下,請您恕罪。我立刻將那些字刮掉。如果您不喜歡這座宮殿的話,您隻管說,我可把它拆毀。”
“不,不,不要動它。可是,既然你說,有錢什麽事都能辦到,那麽你就得向我證實這話是不是真的。我限你三天之內同我女兒談話,如果辦到了,我就讓你跟她結婚。要不,我就砍掉你的腦袋!懂嗎?”
王子愁得吃不下飯,睡不著覺。他日夜想的是怎樣才能保住自己的腦袋。到了第二天,他確信自己無路可走了,就決定寫遺囑。他一籌莫展,因為國王的女兒被關在一座城堡裏,周圍有一百名衛兵看守著。王子臉色蒼白,無精打采,躺在床上等死;就在這時候,他的老奶媽走進屋來。王子從小是她奶大的,後來她一直服侍他,現在已是個老態龍鍾的老太婆了。老奶媽看見王子麵容憔悴,便問他有什麽不舒服。王子哼哼唧唧地把事情一五一十全都告訴了她。
“就這件事?”老奶媽說,“你就毫無辦法了嗎?真讓人笑掉大牙!讓我想想看,能幫你什麽忙呢。”
老奶媽顫顫巍巍地走了出去,到了城裏最出名的銀匠家裏。她向銀匠定做了一隻銀鵝;這隻銀鵝做得要象人一般大,肚子裏是空的,還要會張嘴、閉嘴。“必須明天做好!”她又加了一句。
“明天?你說胡話!”銀匠驚叫起來。
“明天必須做好!”老奶媽掏出一個裝著金幣的錢包,接著說:“你再想想吧。這是現錢,剩下的錢等你明天交貨時再付給你。”
銀匠驚呆了,“這樣的話,咱們好商量,好商量,我盡量照辦,明天交貨。”
第二天,銀鵝做好了,做得非常漂亮。
老奶媽對王子說:“帶上你的提琴,鉆到鵝肚子裏去。我們一到街上,你就在裏麵拉琴。”
老奶媽在前麵用一根緞帶拖著銀鵝,王子在裏麵拉著提琴,他們在城裏走街串巷地兜著圈子。人們夾道觀看這隻漂亮的銀鵝,城裏的人沒有不跑出來看的。消息傳到了關著國王女兒的城堡裏,她要求父親準許她出去看一看這隻銀鵝。
國王說:“明天,那個牛皮王子的死期就到了,那時你再出去看銀鵝吧。”
可是公主聽說,那個拖著銀鵝的老婆婆明天就要離開了。國王隻好叫人把銀鵝帶到城堡裏來,讓他女兒看一眼。這正是老奶媽巴不得的事。公主獨自看著這隻銀鵝,聽著從它嘴裏傳出的琴聲,感到十分愜意。這時,銀鵝突然打開了,一個男人走了出來。
“別害怕,”這個男人說,“我是一位王子,必須跟您說話,否則明天早晨您父親就要殺我的頭了。請您對您父親說,說您跟我已談過話了,這樣就救了我的命。”
第二天,國王召見了王子。“喂,錢使你跟我女兒談話了嗎?”
“是的,陛下,”王子回答說。
“怎麽?你是說,你跟她談過話了?”
“問她吧。”
公主走了進來,講了王子藏在銀鵝中的事,而銀鵝卻又是國王親自下令讓帶入城堡的。
聽到這裏,國王摘下王冠,戴到王子頭上。“這樣看來,你不但有錢,而且還有個聰明的頭腦!我把女兒嫁給你,你們幸福地生活吧!”
(熱那亞地區)
注釋:
材料來源:詹姆士·安德魯斯編《利古裏亞故事集》(巴黎,1892年版)第六十四篇;搜集地區:熱那亞;講述者:凱特瑞納·格蘭迪。
這是一篇起源於東方的故事(收集在用梵語寫的動物故事集中)。在熱那亞人的傳說裏,這篇故事有自己的獨特之處,它強調了功利主義和商業道德(那位國王的最後一句評語與整個故事不協調,我決定讚頌聰明;再說,這也是適當的……)
moneycandoeverything
therewasonceaprinceasrichascream,whotookitintohisheadtoputupapcerightacrossthestreetfromthekings,butapcefarmoresplendidthanthekings.onceitwasfinished,heputonitsfrontinboldlettering:moneycandoeverything.
whenthekingcameoutandsawthat,hesentimmediatelyfortheprince,whowasnewintownandhadntyetvisitedthecourt.
"congrattions,"thekingsaid."yourpceisatruewonder.myhouselookslikeahuparedwithit.congrattions!butwasityourideatoputupthewords:moneycandoeverything?"
theprincerealizedthatmaybehehadgoofar.
"yesitwas,"heanswered,"butifyourmajestydoesntlikeit,icaneasilyhavethelettersstrippedoff."
"oh,no,iwouldntthinkofhavingyoudothat.imerelywantedtohearfromyourownlipswhatyoumeantbysuchastatement.forinstance,doyouthinkthat,withyourmoney,youcouldhavemeassassinated?"
theprincerealizedhehadgothimselfintoatightspot.
"oh,majesty,forgiveme.illhavethewordsremovedatonce.andifyoudontlikethepce,justsayso,andillhaveittorndowntoo."
"no,no,leaveitthewayitis.butsinceyouimapersonwithmoneycandoanything,proveittome.illgiveyouthreedaystotrytotalktomydaughter.ifyoumanagetospeaktoher,wendgood;youwillmarryher.ifnot,illhaveyoubeheaded.isthatclear?"
theprincewastoodistressedtoeat,drink,orsleep.dayandnight,allhethoughtofwashowhemightsavehisneck.bytheseconddayhewascertainoffailureanddecidedtomakehiswill.hisplightwashopeless,forthekingsdaughterhadbeenclosedupinacastlesurroundedbyonehundredguards.paleandlimpasarag,theprincyonhisbedwaitingtodie,wheninwalkedhisoldnurse,adecrepitoldsoulnowwhohadnursedhimasababyandwhostillworkedforhim.findinghimsohaggard,theoldwomanaskedwhatwaswrong.hemmingandhawing,hetoldherthewholestory.
"so?"saidthenurse."andyouregivingup,likethat?youmakemugh!illseewhaticandoaboutallthis!"
offshewobbledtothefinestsilversmithintownandorderedhimtomakeasolidsilvergoosethatwouldopenandcloseitsbill.thegoosewastobeasbigasamanandhollowinside."itmustbereadytomorrow,"sheadded.
"tomorrow?yourecrazy!"eximedthesilversmith.
"tomorrowisaid!"theoldwomanpulledoutapurseofgoldcoinsandcontinued,"thinkitover.thisisthedownpayment.illgiveyoutheresttomorrowwhenyoudeliverthegoose."
thesilversmithwasdumbfounded."thatmakesallthedifferenceintheworld,"hesaid."illdomybesttohavethegoosetomorrow."
thenextdaythegoosewasready,anditwasabeauty.
theoldwomansaidtotheprince,"takeyourviolinandgetinsidethegoose.yassoonaswereachtheroad."
theywoundtheirwaythroughthecity,withtheoldwomanpullingthesilvergoosealongbyaribbonandtheprinceinsideyinghisviolin.thepeoplelinedthestreetstowatch:therewasntasoulintownthatdidnerunningtoseethebeautifulgoose.wordofitreachedthecastlewherethekingsdaughterwasshutup,andsheaskedherfathertolethergoandseetheunusualsight.
thekingsaid,"timesupforthatboastfulprincetomorrow.youcangooutthenandseethegoose."
butthegirlhadheardthattheoldwomanwiththegoosewouldbegonebytomorrow.thereforethekinghadthegoosebroughtinsidethecastlesohisdaughtercouldseeit.thatsjustwhattheoldwomanwascountingon.assoonastheprincesswasalonewiththesilvergooseanddelightinginthemusicpouringfromitsbill,thegoosesuddenlyopenedandoutsteppedaman.
"dontbeafraid,"saidtheman."iamtheprincewhomusteitherspeaktoyouorbedecapitatedbyyourfathertomorrowmorning.youcansayyouspoketomeandsavemylife."
thenextdaythekingsentfortheprince."well,didyourmoneymakeitpossibleforyoutospeaktomydaughter?"
"yes,majesty,"answeredtheprince.
"what!doyoumeanyouspoketoher?"
"askher."
thegirlcameinandtoldhowtheprincewashiddeninthesilvergoosewhichthekinghimselfhadorderedbroughtinsidethecastle.
theking,atthat,removedhiscrownandceditontheprinceshead."thatmeansyouhavenotonlymoneybutalsoafinehead!livehappily,foriamgivingyoumydaughterinmarriage."
(genoa)
notes:
"moneycandoeverything"(ildanarofatutto)fromandrews,64,genoa,toldbycaterinagrande.
thisstory,oforientalorigin(foundinthepanchatantra),stressesinitsgenoeseversionautilitariananmercialmorllitsown.(thefinalremarkofthekingwaseventooharshalongthatline,soidecidedtogivecreditalso,asitmeet,tocleverness)
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
trantedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980