Oneeveningwhenthegirlwenttopreparesupper,shefoundthatthefirehadgoneout.Tosavetime,shewenttoanearbycottagetogetalight.Anoldwomanatthecottagegraciouslygaveherthelight,butsaidthat,inexchange,shewouldcometothegirlonthemorrowandsuckabitofbloodfromherlittlefinger.
"Icantletanyoneinthehouse,"saidthegirl."Mybrothersforbidit."
"Youdontevenhavetoopenthedoor,"repliedtheoldwoman."WhenIknock,allyouhavetodoisstickyourlittlefingerthroughthekeyhole,andIllsuckit."
Sotheoldwomancamebyeveryeveningtosuckthebloodfromher,whilethegirlgrewpalerandpaler.Herbrothersnoticeditandaskedhersomanyquestionsthatsheadmittedgoingtoanoldwitchforalightandhavingtopayforitwithherblood."Justletustakecareofher,"saidthebrothers.
Thewitcharrived,knocked,andwhenthegirlfailedtostickherfingerthroughthekeyhole,shepokedherheadthroughthecatdoor.Oneofthebrothershadhishatchetallreadyandchoppedoffherhead.Thentheypitchedtheremainsintoaravine.
Onedayonthewaytothefountain,thegirlmetanotheroldwoman,whowassellingwhitebowls.
"Ihavenomoney,"saidthegirl.
"InthatcaseIllmakeyouapresentofthem,"saidtheoldwoman.
Sowhenthebrotherscamehomethirsty,theyfoundtwelvebowelsfilledwithwater.Theypitchedinanddrank,andinstantlychangedintoaherdofoxen.Onlythetwelfth,whosethirstwasslight,barelytouchedthewaterandturnedintoalamb.Thesisterthereforefoundherselfalonewithelevenoxenandonelambtofeedeveryday.
Aprinceouthuntingwentastrayinthewoodsand,turningupatthegirlshouse,fellinlovewithher.Heaskedhertomarryhim,butsherepliedthatshehadtothinkofheroxenbrothersandcouldntpossiblyleavethem.Theprincetookhertohispalacealongwithallthebrothers.Thegirlbecamehisprincessbride,andtheelevenoxenandthelambwereputintoamarblebarnwithgoldmangers.
Butthewitchesinthewoodsdidnotgiveup.Onedaytheprincesswasstrollingunderthegrapearborwithherlambkinbrotherthatshealwayscarriedwithher,whenanoldwomanwalkeduptoher.
"Willyougivemeabunchofgrapes,mygoodprincess?"
"Yes,dearoldsoul,helpyourself."
"Icantreachupthathigh,pleasepickthemforme."
"Rightaway,"saidtheprincess,reachingupforabunch.
"Pickthatbunchthere,theyretheripest,"saidtheoldwoman,pointingtoabunchabovethecistern.
Toreachit,theprincesshadtostandontherimofthecistern.Theoldwomangaveherapush,andtheprincessfellin.Thelambstartedbleating,andbleatedallaroundthecistern,butnobodyunderstoodwhatitwasbleatingabout,nordidtheyheartheprincessmoaningdowninthewell.Meanwhilethewitchhadtakentheprincesssshapeandgotintoherbed.Whentheprincecamehome,heasked,"Whatareyoudoinginbed?"
"Imsick,"saidthefalseprincess."Ineedtoeatamorseloflamb.Slaughtermethatoneouttherethatwontstopbleating."
"Didntyoutellmesometimeago,"askedtheprince,"thatthelambwasyourbrother?Andyouwanttoeathimnow?"
Thewitchhadblunderedandwasatalossforwords.Theprince,sensingthatsomethingwasamiss,wentintothegardenandfollowedthelambthatwasbleatingsopitifully.Itapproachedthecistern,andtheprinceheardhiswifecalling.
"Whatareyoudoingatthebottomofthecistern?"heexclaimed."DidntIjustleaveyouinbed?"
"No,Ivebeendownhereeversincethismorning!Awitchthrewmein!"
Theprinceorderedhiswifepulledupatonce.Thewitchwascaughtandburnedatthestake.Whilethefireburned,theoxenandalsothelambslowlyturnedbackintofine,strappingyoungmen,andyoudhavethoughtthecastlehadbeeninvadedbyabandofgiants.Theywereallmadeprinces,whileIvestayedaspoorasoulasever.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheTwelveOxen"(Idodicibuoi)fromComparetti,47,Monferrato,Piedmont.
Thefolktalesaboutthesisterwhorescuesherbrotherorbrotherschangedintoanimalscanbedividedintotwogroups:theonewherethesevensonsareunderacurse(asinBasile,IV,8,orinGrimm,9and25),andtheotherwherethesolebrotheristransformedintoalamb(asinGrimm,11,orinmyno.178).Thebrothersaremostcommonlytransformedintobirds(swans,ravens,doves),andthefirstliterarymanifestationofthemotifdatesbacktothetwelfthcentury;thelatestispossiblyAndersens"WildSwans."
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980
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