和梨子一起賣掉的小女孩&意大利童話
從前，有個人有一棵梨樹，每年都能收四大筐梨子，正好夠交給國王。有一年，隻收了三筐半梨子。他沒法裝滿第四個筐，就把他最小的女兒裝進去，然後蓋上了些梨子和樹葉。
這四筐梨子被送到了王宮的食品庫，倒梨子的時候，小女孩跟梨子一起被倒了出來，沒被發現。這樣，她就被留在了倉庫裏，除了梨子，沒有別的東西可以吃，小女孩餓了就啃起梨子來。過了不久，宮裏的仆人發現梨子比梨子比先前少了，還找到了不少梨核，就說：“這裏一定有老鼠之類的東西偷啃梨子，需要好好檢查檢查。”邊說，邊在梨堆中搜查，果然發現了小女孩。
他們問小女孩：“你在這裏幹什麽？跟我們走，到王宮的廚房去打下手吧。”
他們給小女孩起了個名字叫梨娃。梨娃是一個聰明機靈的女孩，她很快就學會了怎樣討好這些仆人，加上模樣俊秀可愛，惹得大家人人喜歡。連王子也常來和她在一起玩，她和王子年齡一般大，他們很快就產生了好感。
梨娃一天天長大，仆人們卻越來越嫉妒她了，他們先是不搭理她，後來就開始給她使壞，還造謠說梨娃自誇要去拿到女巫的珍寶。謠言傳到國王的耳朵裏，國王馬上把梨娃叫來，問她：“你真得說過要去拿到女巫的珍寶嗎？”
梨娃說：“絕對沒有，聖明的國王，他們傳說的那些事我一點也不知道。”
但是國王堅持說：“你一定是說過了，話已出口就要去實現諾言。”說著，就把梨娃趕出了王宮，讓她拿到珍寶才可以回來。
梨娃走呀，走呀，天黑了。她走到一棵蘋果樹前，沒有停腳。又走到一棵桃樹前，也沒有停腳。遇到一棵梨樹的時候，她爬了上去，在樹枝間睡著了。
早上一睜眼，她看見一個老婦人在樹下。老婦人問她：“漂亮的小女孩，你在上麵幹什麽？”
梨娃就把她遇到的麻煩告訴了老婦人。老婦人對她說：“拿著這三磅豬油、三磅麵包和三磅高粱穗，一直向前走。”梨娃對她感謝了一番，就又出發了。
她來到一個地方，那裏有一座麵包爐。隻見三位烤麵包的女工扯下自己的頭發，用頭發來打掃爐子。梨娃便把那三磅高粱穗送給了她們。三位女工可以用這些高粱穗清掃爐子了，就放梨娃過去了。
走呀，走呀，梨娃來到一個地方，見到有三隻凶猛的狗大聲叫著、跳著、還撲向她，阻止她過去。梨娃把三磅麵包扔給了它們。它們就讓她過去了。
走呀，走呀，梨娃又來到一條大河前，河裏的水像血一樣，她不知道如何才能過去。她記起老婦人曾經告訴她的咒語，就念道：
“溪水啊，美麗的溪水，
若我沒有急事
就會喝上一盆。”
話音剛落，河水退下，讓梨娃過去了。
在河的對岸，梨娃看見一座可以說是世界上最雄偉、最輝煌的宮殿。但是宮殿的大門開闔得很快，沒有人可以進去。於是，梨娃拿出那三磅豬油，倒在鉸鏈上，大門就開始慢慢地開關了。
走進宮殿，梨娃一眼望見在一張小桌子上放著的珍寶盒。她抱起珍寶盒，剛要離開，珍寶盒開始說話了。
“大門殺死她，大門殺死她！”珍寶盒說。
大門卻回答：“我不能殺死她，我很久沒上油了，是她給我上了油。”
梨娃回到河水前，盒子又開始說話了：“河淹死她，河淹死她！”
河答道：“我不能淹死她，因為她對我說：溪水啊，美麗的溪水。”
到了三隻狗那裏，盒子說：“狗吃掉她，狗吃掉她！”可是三隻狗說：“我們不能吃她，她給了我們三磅麵包呢。”
路過麵包爐，盒子說：“爐子燒死她，爐子燒死她。”
烤麵包的女工說：“我們不能燒死她，她送給我們三磅高粱穗，這樣打掃爐子的時候就不用我們的頭發了。”
快到王宮的時候，梨娃想看看盒子裏麵裝的到底是什麽，因為她也像所有的女孩子一樣好奇心強。她打開盒子，隻見從裏麵跳出一隻金母雞和一群金小雞。它們搖晃著跑走了，跑得很快，追都追不上。梨娃跟在它們後邊追著，追到蘋果樹下，沒找到它們，追到桃樹下，還是沒找到它們，追到梨樹前，隻見那個老婦人，手裏拿著根小木棍，正趕著那隻金母雞和那群金小雞呢。“噓，噓……”老婦人將這些金雞趕回到了盒子裏麵。
回家途中，梨娃看見國王的兒子迎麵走過來，“如果我父親問你想要什麽獎賞，你就說要那個放在地下室的裝滿煤塊的箱子。”
在王宮的門口，國王帶著仆從和滿朝文武，正等著她呢。梨娃把金母雞和金小雞交給國王，國王問：“你想要什麽，說出來，我就給你。”
梨娃回答說：“我要地下室裏的那個裝煤的箱子。”國王把煤箱給了她，梨娃打開一看，預先躲在裏麵的王子跳了出來。就這樣，國王滿心歡喜地讓梨娃嫁給了他的兒子。
（蒙費拉托地區）
thelittlegirlsoldwiththepears
onceamanhadapeartreethatusedtobearfourbasketsofpearsayear.oneyear,though,itonlyborethreebasketsandahalf,whilehewassupposedtocarryfourtotheking.seeingnootherwayout,heputhisyoungestdaughterintothefourthbasketandcoveredherupwithpearsandleaves.
thebasketswerecarriedintothekingspantry,wherethechildstayedinhidingunderneaththepears.buthavingnothingtoeat,shebegannibblingonthepears.afterawhiletheservantsnoticedthesupplyofpearsdwindlingandalsosawthecores."theremustbearatoramolegnawingonthepears,"theysaid."weshalllookinsidethebaskets."theyremovedthetopandfoundthelittlegirl.
"whatareyoudoinghere?"theyasked."ewithusandworkinthekingskitchen."
theycalledherperina,andshewassuchacleverlittlegirlthatinnotimeshewasdoingthehouseworkbetterthanthekingsownmaidservants.shewassoprettynoonecouldhelplovingher.thekingsson,whowasherageexactly,wasalwayswithperina,andtheybecameveryfondofeachother.
asthemaidengrewup,themaidservantsbegantoenvyher.theyheldtheirtonguesforawhile,thenusedperinaofboastingshewouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure.thekinggotwindofitandsendforthegirl."isittrueyouboastedyouwouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure?"
"no,sacredcrown,imadenosuchboast."
"youdidso,"insistedtheking,"andnowyouhavetokeepyourword."atthat,hebanishedherfromthepceuntilsheshouldreturnwiththetreasure.
onandonshewalkeduntilnightfall.perinacametoanappletree,butkeptongoing.shenextcametoapeachtree,butstilldidntstop.thenshecametoapeartree,climbedit,andfesleep.
inthemorningtherestoodalittleoldwomanunderthetree."whatareyoudoingupthere,mydaughter?"askedtheoldwoman.
perinatoldheraboutthedifficultyshewasin.theoldwomansaid,"takethesethreepoundsofgrease,threepoundsofbread,andthreepoundsofmilletandbeonyourway."perinathankedherverymuchandmovedon.
shecametoabakerywherethreewomenwerepullingouttheirhairtosweepouttheovenwith.perinagavethemthethreepoundsofmillet,whichtheythenusedtosweepouttheovenandallowedthelittlegirltocontinueonherway.
onandonshewalkedandmetthreemastiffsthatbarkedandrushedatanyoningtheirway.perinathrewthemthethreepoundsofbread,andtheyletherpass.
afterwalkingformilesandmilesshecametoablood-redriver,whichshehadnoideahowtocross.buttheoldwomanhadtoldhertosay:
"finewatersored,
imustmakehaste;
else,ofyouwoulditaste."
atthosewords,thewaterspartedandletherthrough.
ontheothersideoftheriver,perinabeheldoneofthefinestanrgestpcesintheworld.butthedoorwasopeningandmmingsorapidlythatnoonecouldpossiblygoin.perinathereforeappliedthethreepoundsofgreasetoitshinges,andfromthenonitopenedandclosedquitegently.
inside,perinaspiedthetreasurechestsittingonasmalltable.shepickeditupandwasabouttogooffwithit,whenthechestspoke:"door,killher,killher!"
"iwont,either,sinceshegreasedmyhingesthathadntbeenlookedaftersincegoodnessknowswhen."
perinareachedtheriver,andthechestsaid,"river,drownher,drownher!"
"iwont,either,"repliedtheriver,"sinceshecalledmefinewatersored."
shecametothedogs,andthechestsaid,"dogs,devourher,devourher!"
"wewont,either,"repliedthedogs,"sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofbread."
shecametothebakeryoven."oven,burnher,burnher!"
butthethreewomenreplied,"wewont,either,sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofmillet,sothatnowwecanspareourhair."
whenshewasalmosthome,perina,whohadasmuchcuriosityasthenextlittlegirl,decidedtopeepintothetreasurechest.sheopenedit,andoutcameahenandherbroodofgoldchicks.theyscuttledawaytoofastforasoultocatchthem.perinastruckoutafterthem.shepassedtheappletree,buttheywerenowhereinsight.shepassedthepeachtree,wheretherewasstillnosignofthem.shecametothepeartree,andtherestoodthelittleoldwomanwithawandinherhandandhenandchicksfeedingaroundher."shoo,shoo!"wenttheoldwoman,andthehenandchicksreenteredthetreasurechest.
uponherarrival,thekingssoncameouttomeether."whenmyfatheraskedwhatyouwantasareward,tellhimthatboxfilledwithcoalinthecer."
onthedoorstepoftheroyalpcestoodthemaidservants,theking,andtheentirecourt.perinahandedthekingthehenwiththebroodofgoldchicks."askforwhateveryouwant,"saidtheking,"andiwillgiveittoyou."
"iwouldliketheboxofcoalinthecer,"repliedperina.
theybroughthertheboxofcoal,whichsheopened,andoutjumpedthekingsson,whowashidinginside.thekingwasthenhappyforperinatomarryhisson.
(monferrato)
notes:
"thelittlegirlsoldwiththepears"bambinavendutaconlepere)froparetti,10,monferrato,piedmont.
ichangedthenamemargheritinatoperina(pearlet),andiinventedthemotifofthepeartreeandthelittleoldwoman(intheoriginal,themagicpropefromthekingsson,whoisunderaspell),toreinforcethepear/girllink.
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
trantedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980
從前，有個人有一棵梨樹，每年都能收四大筐梨子，正好夠交給國王。有一年，隻收了三筐半梨子。他沒法裝滿第四個筐，就把他最小的女兒裝進去，然後蓋上了些梨子和樹葉。
這四筐梨子被送到了王宮的食品庫，倒梨子的時候，小女孩跟梨子一起被倒了出來，沒被發現。這樣，她就被留在了倉庫裏，除了梨子，沒有別的東西可以吃，小女孩餓了就啃起梨子來。過了不久，宮裏的仆人發現梨子比梨子比先前少了，還找到了不少梨核，就說：“這裏一定有老鼠之類的東西偷啃梨子，需要好好檢查檢查。”邊說，邊在梨堆中搜查，果然發現了小女孩。
他們問小女孩：“你在這裏幹什麽？跟我們走，到王宮的廚房去打下手吧。”
他們給小女孩起了個名字叫梨娃。梨娃是一個聰明機靈的女孩，她很快就學會了怎樣討好這些仆人，加上模樣俊秀可愛，惹得大家人人喜歡。連王子也常來和她在一起玩，她和王子年齡一般大，他們很快就產生了好感。
梨娃一天天長大，仆人們卻越來越嫉妒她了，他們先是不搭理她，後來就開始給她使壞，還造謠說梨娃自誇要去拿到女巫的珍寶。謠言傳到國王的耳朵裏，國王馬上把梨娃叫來，問她：“你真得說過要去拿到女巫的珍寶嗎？”
梨娃說：“絕對沒有，聖明的國王，他們傳說的那些事我一點也不知道。”
但是國王堅持說：“你一定是說過了，話已出口就要去實現諾言。”說著，就把梨娃趕出了王宮，讓她拿到珍寶才可以回來。
梨娃走呀，走呀，天黑了。她走到一棵蘋果樹前，沒有停腳。又走到一棵桃樹前，也沒有停腳。遇到一棵梨樹的時候，她爬了上去，在樹枝間睡著了。
早上一睜眼，她看見一個老婦人在樹下。老婦人問她：“漂亮的小女孩，你在上麵幹什麽？”
梨娃就把她遇到的麻煩告訴了老婦人。老婦人對她說：“拿著這三磅豬油、三磅麵包和三磅高粱穗，一直向前走。”梨娃對她感謝了一番，就又出發了。
她來到一個地方，那裏有一座麵包爐。隻見三位烤麵包的女工扯下自己的頭發，用頭發來打掃爐子。梨娃便把那三磅高粱穗送給了她們。三位女工可以用這些高粱穗清掃爐子了，就放梨娃過去了。
走呀，走呀，梨娃來到一個地方，見到有三隻凶猛的狗大聲叫著、跳著、還撲向她，阻止她過去。梨娃把三磅麵包扔給了它們。它們就讓她過去了。
走呀，走呀，梨娃又來到一條大河前，河裏的水像血一樣，她不知道如何才能過去。她記起老婦人曾經告訴她的咒語，就念道：
“溪水啊，美麗的溪水，
若我沒有急事
就會喝上一盆。”
話音剛落，河水退下，讓梨娃過去了。
在河的對岸，梨娃看見一座可以說是世界上最雄偉、最輝煌的宮殿。但是宮殿的大門開闔得很快，沒有人可以進去。於是，梨娃拿出那三磅豬油，倒在鉸鏈上，大門就開始慢慢地開關了。
走進宮殿，梨娃一眼望見在一張小桌子上放著的珍寶盒。她抱起珍寶盒，剛要離開，珍寶盒開始說話了。
“大門殺死她，大門殺死她！”珍寶盒說。
大門卻回答：“我不能殺死她，我很久沒上油了，是她給我上了油。”
梨娃回到河水前，盒子又開始說話了：“河淹死她，河淹死她！”
河答道：“我不能淹死她，因為她對我說：溪水啊，美麗的溪水。”
到了三隻狗那裏，盒子說：“狗吃掉她，狗吃掉她！”可是三隻狗說：“我們不能吃她，她給了我們三磅麵包呢。”
路過麵包爐，盒子說：“爐子燒死她，爐子燒死她。”
烤麵包的女工說：“我們不能燒死她，她送給我們三磅高粱穗，這樣打掃爐子的時候就不用我們的頭發了。”
快到王宮的時候，梨娃想看看盒子裏麵裝的到底是什麽，因為她也像所有的女孩子一樣好奇心強。她打開盒子，隻見從裏麵跳出一隻金母雞和一群金小雞。它們搖晃著跑走了，跑得很快，追都追不上。梨娃跟在它們後邊追著，追到蘋果樹下，沒找到它們，追到桃樹下，還是沒找到它們，追到梨樹前，隻見那個老婦人，手裏拿著根小木棍，正趕著那隻金母雞和那群金小雞呢。“噓，噓……”老婦人將這些金雞趕回到了盒子裏麵。
回家途中，梨娃看見國王的兒子迎麵走過來，“如果我父親問你想要什麽獎賞，你就說要那個放在地下室的裝滿煤塊的箱子。”
在王宮的門口，國王帶著仆從和滿朝文武，正等著她呢。梨娃把金母雞和金小雞交給國王，國王問：“你想要什麽，說出來，我就給你。”
梨娃回答說：“我要地下室裏的那個裝煤的箱子。”國王把煤箱給了她，梨娃打開一看，預先躲在裏麵的王子跳了出來。就這樣，國王滿心歡喜地讓梨娃嫁給了他的兒子。
（蒙費拉托地區）
thelittlegirlsoldwiththepears
onceamanhadapeartreethatusedtobearfourbasketsofpearsayear.oneyear,though,itonlyborethreebasketsandahalf,whilehewassupposedtocarryfourtotheking.seeingnootherwayout,heputhisyoungestdaughterintothefourthbasketandcoveredherupwithpearsandleaves.
thebasketswerecarriedintothekingspantry,wherethechildstayedinhidingunderneaththepears.buthavingnothingtoeat,shebegannibblingonthepears.afterawhiletheservantsnoticedthesupplyofpearsdwindlingandalsosawthecores."theremustbearatoramolegnawingonthepears,"theysaid."weshalllookinsidethebaskets."theyremovedthetopandfoundthelittlegirl.
"whatareyoudoinghere?"theyasked."ewithusandworkinthekingskitchen."
theycalledherperina,andshewassuchacleverlittlegirlthatinnotimeshewasdoingthehouseworkbetterthanthekingsownmaidservants.shewassoprettynoonecouldhelplovingher.thekingsson,whowasherageexactly,wasalwayswithperina,andtheybecameveryfondofeachother.
asthemaidengrewup,themaidservantsbegantoenvyher.theyheldtheirtonguesforawhile,thenusedperinaofboastingshewouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure.thekinggotwindofitandsendforthegirl."isittrueyouboastedyouwouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure?"
"no,sacredcrown,imadenosuchboast."
"youdidso,"insistedtheking,"andnowyouhavetokeepyourword."atthat,hebanishedherfromthepceuntilsheshouldreturnwiththetreasure.
onandonshewalkeduntilnightfall.perinacametoanappletree,butkeptongoing.shenextcametoapeachtree,butstilldidntstop.thenshecametoapeartree,climbedit,andfesleep.
inthemorningtherestoodalittleoldwomanunderthetree."whatareyoudoingupthere,mydaughter?"askedtheoldwoman.
perinatoldheraboutthedifficultyshewasin.theoldwomansaid,"takethesethreepoundsofgrease,threepoundsofbread,andthreepoundsofmilletandbeonyourway."perinathankedherverymuchandmovedon.
shecametoabakerywherethreewomenwerepullingouttheirhairtosweepouttheovenwith.perinagavethemthethreepoundsofmillet,whichtheythenusedtosweepouttheovenandallowedthelittlegirltocontinueonherway.
onandonshewalkedandmetthreemastiffsthatbarkedandrushedatanyoningtheirway.perinathrewthemthethreepoundsofbread,andtheyletherpass.
afterwalkingformilesandmilesshecametoablood-redriver,whichshehadnoideahowtocross.buttheoldwomanhadtoldhertosay:
"finewatersored,
imustmakehaste;
else,ofyouwoulditaste."
atthosewords,thewaterspartedandletherthrough.
ontheothersideoftheriver,perinabeheldoneofthefinestanrgestpcesintheworld.butthedoorwasopeningandmmingsorapidlythatnoonecouldpossiblygoin.perinathereforeappliedthethreepoundsofgreasetoitshinges,andfromthenonitopenedandclosedquitegently.
inside,perinaspiedthetreasurechestsittingonasmalltable.shepickeditupandwasabouttogooffwithit,whenthechestspoke:"door,killher,killher!"
"iwont,either,sinceshegreasedmyhingesthathadntbeenlookedaftersincegoodnessknowswhen."
perinareachedtheriver,andthechestsaid,"river,drownher,drownher!"
"iwont,either,"repliedtheriver,"sinceshecalledmefinewatersored."
shecametothedogs,andthechestsaid,"dogs,devourher,devourher!"
"wewont,either,"repliedthedogs,"sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofbread."
shecametothebakeryoven."oven,burnher,burnher!"
butthethreewomenreplied,"wewont,either,sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofmillet,sothatnowwecanspareourhair."
whenshewasalmosthome,perina,whohadasmuchcuriosityasthenextlittlegirl,decidedtopeepintothetreasurechest.sheopenedit,andoutcameahenandherbroodofgoldchicks.theyscuttledawaytoofastforasoultocatchthem.perinastruckoutafterthem.shepassedtheappletree,buttheywerenowhereinsight.shepassedthepeachtree,wheretherewasstillnosignofthem.shecametothepeartree,andtherestoodthelittleoldwomanwithawandinherhandandhenandchicksfeedingaroundher."shoo,shoo!"wenttheoldwoman,andthehenandchicksreenteredthetreasurechest.
uponherarrival,thekingssoncameouttomeether."whenmyfatheraskedwhatyouwantasareward,tellhimthatboxfilledwithcoalinthecer."
onthedoorstepoftheroyalpcestoodthemaidservants,theking,andtheentirecourt.perinahandedthekingthehenwiththebroodofgoldchicks."askforwhateveryouwant,"saidtheking,"andiwillgiveittoyou."
"iwouldliketheboxofcoalinthecer,"repliedperina.
theybroughthertheboxofcoal,whichsheopened,andoutjumpedthekingsson,whowashidinginside.thekingwasthenhappyforperinatomarryhisson.
(monferrato)
notes:
"thelittlegirlsoldwiththepears"bambinavendutaconlepere)froparetti,10,monferrato,piedmont.
ichangedthenamemargheritinatoperina(pearlet),andiinventedthemotifofthepeartreeandthelittleoldwoman(intheoriginal,themagicpropefromthekingsson,whoisunderaspell),toreinforcethepear/girllink.
copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino,
trantedbygeorgemartin,
pantheonbooks,newyork1980