意大利童话(53)

2025-10-09 评论

    就这样他们结了婚,牧羊小伙子后来又当上了国王。
    所有的人都心满意足、高高兴兴,
    我却一无所得,只是个局外人。
    (蒙费拉托地区)
    TheThreeCastles
    Aboyhadtakenitintohisheadtogooutandsteal.Healsotoldhismother.
    "Arentyouashamed!"saidhismother."Gotoconfessionatonce,andyoullseewhatthepriesthastosaytoyou."
    Theboywenttoconfession."Stealingisasin,"saidthepriest,"unlessyoustealfromthieves."
    Theboywenttothewoodsandfoundthieves.Heknockedattheirdoorandgothimselfhiredasaservant.
    "Westeal,"explainedthethieves,"butwerenotcommittingasin,becausewerobthetaxcollectors."
    Onenightwhenthethieveshadgoneouttorobataxcollector,theboyledthebestmuleoutofthestable,loadeditwithgoldpieces,andfled.
    Hetookthegoldtohismother,thenwenttotowntolookforwork.Inthattownwasakingwhohadahundredsheep,butnoonewantedtobehisshepherd.Theboyvolunteered,andthekingsaid,"Look,therearethehundredsheep.Takethemouttomorrowmorningtothemeadow,butdontcrossthebrook,becausetheywouldbeeatenbyaserpentontheotherside.Ifyoucomebackwithnonemissing,Illrewardyou.Failtobringthemallback,andIlldismissyouonthespot,unlesstheserpenthasalreadydevouredyoutoo."
    Toreachthemeadow,hehadtowalkbythekingswindows,wherethekingsdaughterhappenedtobestanding.Shesawtheboy,likedhislooks,andthrewhimacake.Hecaughtitandcarrieditalongtoeatinthemeadow.Onreachingthemeadow,hesawawhitestoneinthegrassandsaid,"Illsitdownnowandeatthecakefromthekingsdaughter."Butthestonehappenedtobeontheothersideofthebrook.Theshepherdpaidnoattentionandjumpedacrossthebrook,withthesheepallfollowinghim.
    Thegrasswashighthere,andthesheepgrazedpeacefully,whilehesatonthestoneeatinghiscake.Allofasuddenhefeltablowundertherockwhichseemedtoshaketheworlditself.Theboylookedallaroundbut,seeingnothing,wentoneatinghiscake.Anotherblowmorepowerfulthanthefirstfollowed,buttheshepherdignoredit.Therewasathirdblow,andoutfromundertherockcrawledaserpentwiththreeheads.Ineachofitsmouthsitheldaroseandcrawledtowardtheboy,asthoughitwantedtoofferhimtheroses.Hewasabouttotakethem,whentheserpentlungedathimwithitsthreemouthsallsettogobblehimupinthreebites.Butthelittleshepherdprovedthequicker,clubbingitwithhisstaffoveroneheadandthenextandthenextuntiltheserpentlaydead.
    Thenhecutoffthethreeheadswithasickle,puttingtwoofthemintohishuntingjacketandcrushingonetoseewhatwasinside.Whatshouldhefindbutacrystalkey.Theboyraisedthestoneandsawadoor.Slippingthekeyintothelockandturningit,hefoundhimselfinsideasplendidpalaceofsolidcrystal.Throughallthedoorscameservantsofcrystal."Goodday,mylord,whatareyourwishes?"
    "Iwishtobeshownallmytreasures."
    Sotheytookhimupcrystalstairsintocrystaltowers;theyshowedhimcrystalstableswithcrystalhorsesandarmsandarmorofsolidcrystal.Thentheyledhimintoacrystalgardendownavenuesofcrystaltreesinwhichcrystalbirdssang,pastflowerbedswherecrystalflowersblossomedaroundcrystalpools.Theboypickedasmallbunchofflowersandstuckthebouquetinhishat.Whenhebroughtthesheephomethatnight,thekingsdaughterwaslookingoutthewindowandsaid,"MayIhavethoseflowersinyourhat?"
    "Youcertainlymay,"saidtheshepherd."Theyarecrystalflowersculledfromthecrystalgardenofmysolidcrystalcastle."Hetossedherthebouquet,whichshecaught.
    Whenhegotbacktothestonethenextday,hecrushedasecondserpentheadandfoundasilverkey.Heliftedthestone,slippedthesilverkeyintothelockandenteredasolidsilverpalace.Silverservantscamerunningupsaying,"Command,ourlord!"Theytookhimofftoshowhimsilverkitchens,wheresilverchickensroastedoversilverfires,andsilvergardenswheresilverpeacocksspreadtheirtails.Theboypickedalittlebunchofsilverflowersandstucktheminhishat.Thatnighthegavethemtothekingsdaughterwhensheaskedforthem.
    Thethirdday,hecrushedthethirdheadandfoundagoldkey.Heslippedthekeyintothelockandenteredasolidgoldpalace,wherehisserventsweregoldtoo,fromwigtoboots;thebedsweregold,withgoldsheets,pillows,andcanopy;andintheaviariesflutteredhundredsofgoldbirds.Inagardenofgoldflowerbedsandfountainswithgoldsprays,hepickedasmallbunchofgoldflowerstostickinhishatandgavethemtothekingsdaughterthatnight.
    Nowthekingannouncedatournament,andthewinnerwouldhavehisdaughterinmarriage.Theshepherdunlockedthedoorwiththecrystalkey,enteredthecrystalpalaceandchoseacrystalhorsewithcrystalbridleandsaddle,andthusrodetothetournamentincrystalarmorandcarryingacrystallance.Hedefeatedalltheotherknightsandfledwithoutrevealingwhohewas.

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