天刚亮，就听到有人在唱：上帝怜悯我们，上帝怜悯我们。正是那群教士带着棺材来收小乔万尼的尸首。他们看见小伙子正在窗口抽烟斗呢。
无畏的小乔万尼有了那些金币成了富人，他快乐地住在那幢楼里。直到有一天，他仅仅因为一转身，看见了自己的影子，被吓死了。
DauntlessLittleJohn
TherewasoncealadwhomeveryonecalledDauntlessLittleJohn,sincehewasafraidofnothing.Travelingabouttheworld,hecametoaninn,whereheaskedforlodgings."Wehavenoroomhere,"saidtheinnkeeper,"butifyourenotafraid,Iwilldirectyoutoacertainpalacewhereyoucanstay."
"WhyshouldIbeafraid?"
"Peopleshudderatthethoughtofthatpalace,sincenobodywhosgoneinhascomeoutalive.Inthemorningthefriarsgoupwiththebierforanyonebraveenoughtospendthenightinside."
SowhatdidLittleJohndobutpickupalamp,abottle,andasausage,andmarchstraighttothepalace.
Atmidnighthewassittingatthetableeating,whenheheardavoiceinthechimney."ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Goahead!"repliedLittleJohn.
Downthechimneyintothefireplacefellamansleg.LittleJohndrankaglassofwine.
Thenthevoicespokeagain."ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Goahead!"Soanotherlegdroppedintothefireplace.LittleJohnbitintothesausage.
"ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Goahead!"Sodowncameanarm.LittleJohnbeganwhistlingatune.
"ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Byallmeans!"Andtherewasanotherarm.
"ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Yes!"
Thencamethetrunkofabody,andthearmsandlegsstuckontoit,andtherestoodamanwithoutahead.
"ShallIthrowitdown?"
"Throwitdown!"
Downcametheheadandsprangintoplaceatopthetrunk.Hewastrulyagiant,andLittleJohnraisedhisglassandsaid,"Toyourhealth!"
Thegiantsaid,"Takethelampandcomewithme."
LittleJohnpickedupthelamp,butdidntbudge.
"Yougofirst!"saidthegiant.
"No,afteryou,"insistedLittleJohn.
"Afteryou!"thunderedthegiant.
"Youleadtheway!"yelledLittleJohn.
Sothegiantwentfirst,withLittleJohnbehindhimlightingtheway,andtheywentthroughroomafterroomuntiltheyhadwalkedthewholelengthofthepalace.Beneathoneofthestaircaseswasasmalldoor.
"Openit!"orderedthegiant.
"Youopenit!"repliedLittleJohn.
Sothegiantshoveditopenwithhisshoulder.Therewasaspiralstaircase.
"Goondown,"directedthegiant.
"Afteryou,"answeredLittleJohn.
Theywentdownthestepsintoacellar,andthegiantpointedtoastoneslabontheground."Raisethat!"
"Youraiseit!"repliedLittleJohn,andthegiantlifteditasthoughitwereamerepebble.
Beneaththeslabtherewerethreepotsofgold."Carrythoseupstairs!"orderedthegiant.
"Youcarrythemup!"answeredLittleJohn.Andthegiantcarriedthemuponebyone.
Whentheywerebackinthehallwherethegreatfireplacewas,thegiantsaid,"LittleJohn,thespellhasbeenbroken!"Atthat,oneofhislegcameoffandkickeditswayupthechimney."Oneofthesepotsofgoldisforyou."Anarmcamelooseandclimbedupthechimney."Thesecondpotofgoldisforthefriarswhocometocarryawayyourbody,believingyouperished."Theotherarmcameoffandfollowedthefirst."Thethirdpotofgoldisforthefirstpoormanwhocomesby."Thentheotherlegdroppedoff,leavingthegiantseatedonthefloor."Keepthepalaceforyourself."Thetrunkseparatedfromtheheadandvanished."Theownersofthepalaceandtheirchildrenarenowgoneforever."Atthat,theheaddisappearedupthechimney.
Assoonasitwaslight,adirgearose:"Misereremei,misereremei."ThefriarshadcomewiththebiertocarryoffLittleJohnsbody.Buttherehestood,atthewindow,smokinghispipe!
DauntlessLittleJohnwasawealthyyouthindeedwithallthosegoldpieces,andhelivedhappilyinhispalace.Thenonedaywhatshouldhedobutlookbehindhimandseehisshadow:hewassofrightenedhedied.
NOTES:
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