"AndyoumustbeCrook."
"Right."
"Fine,wellworktogether."
Theywenttothecityandmadeforthekingstreasury,whichwascompletelysurroundedbyguards.Thethievesthereforeduganundergroundtunnelintothetreasuryandstoleeverything.Surveyinghisloss,thekinghadnoideahowhemightcatchtherobbers.HewenttoamannamedSnare,whohadbeenputinprisonforstealing,andsaid,"Ifyoucantellmewhocommittedthisrobbery,Illsetyoufreeandmakeyouamarquis."
Snarereplied,"ItcanbenoneotherthanCrackorCrook,orbothofthemtogether,sincetheyarethemostnotoriousthievesalive.ButIlltellyouhowyoucancatchthem.Havethepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound.Thepersonwhopaysthatmuchforitwillbeyourthief."
Thekinghadthepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound,andeverybodystoppedbuyingmeat.Finallyitwasreportedthatafriarhadgonetoacertainbutcherandboughtmeat.Snaresaid,"ThathadtobeCrackorCrookindisguise.Illnowdisguisemyselfandgoaroundtothehousesbegging.Ifanybodygivesmemeat,Illmakearedmarkonthefrontdoor,andyourguardscangoandarrestthethieves."
ButwhenhemadearedmarkonCrackshouse,thethiefsawitandwentandmarkedalltheotherdoorsinthecitywithred,sotherewasnotellingintheendwhereCrackandCrooklived.
Snaresaidtotheking,"DidntItellyoutheywerefoxy?Buttheressomeoneelsefoxierthantheyare.Heresthenextthingtodo:putatubofboilingpitchatthebottomofthetreasurysteps.Whoevergoesdowntostealwillfallrightintoit,andhisdeadbodywillgivehimaway."
CrackandCrookhadrunoutofmoneyinthemeantimeanddecidedtogobacktothetreasuryformore.Crookwentinfirst,butitwasdark,andhefellintothetub.Crackcamealongandtriedtopullhisfriendsbodyoutofthepitch,butitstuckfastinthetub.Hethencutofftheheadandcarrieditaway.
Thenextdaythekingwenttoseeifhehadcaughtthethief."Thistimewegothim!Wegothim!"Butthecorpsehadnohead,sotheywerenonethewiseraboutthethieforanyaccompliceshemighthavehad.
Snaresaid,"Theresonemorethingwecando:havethedeadmandraggedthroughthecitybytwohorses.Thehousewhereyouhearsomeoneweepinghastobethethiefshouse."
Ineffect,whenCrookswifelookedoutthewindowandsawherhusbandsbodybeingdraggedthroughthestreet,shebeganscreamingandcrying.ButCrackwasthereandknewrightawaythatwouldbetheirundoing.Hethereforestartedsmashingdishesrightandleftandthrashingthepoorwomanatthesametime.Attractedbyallthatscreaming,theguardscameinandfoundamanbeatinghiswifeforbreakingupallthedishesinthehouse.
Thekingthenhadadecreepostedoneverystreetcornerthathewouldpardonthethiefwhohadrobbedhim,ifthethiefnowmanagedtostealthesheetsoutfromunderhimatnight.Crackcameforwardandsaidhecoulddoit.
Thatnightthekingundressedandwenttobedwithhisguntowaitforthethief.Crackgotadeadbodyfromagravedigger,dresseditinhisownclothes,andcarriedittotheroofoftheroyalpalace.Atmidnightthecadaver,heldbyarope,wasdanglingbeforethekingswindows.ThinkingitwasCrack,thekingfiredoneshotandwatchedhimfall,cordandall.Herandownstairstoseeifhewasdead.Whilethekingwasgone,Crackslippedintohisroomandstolethesheets.Hewasthereforepardoned,andsothathewouldnthavetostealanylonger,thekingmarriedhisdaughtertohim.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"CrackandCrook"(CriceCroc)fromComparetti,13,Monferrato,Piedmont.
Thisisoneoftheoldestandmostfamoustales,whichhasoccupiedtheattentionofscholarsforgenerations.ThePiedmonteseversionIfollowedisfaithfultotheoldesttraditionandincludesthecuriouscharacter-namesandabriskdoseofrusticcunning.Herodotus(Histories)tellsindetailaboutEgyptianKingRhampsinitusstreasure,chiefsourceofthevastnarrativetraditionconcerningwilyrobbersputtothetestbyaruler.ThebeheadingofacadaversoitwillnotberecognizedisalsoencounteredinPausanias,whopresentsthemythofTrophoniusandAgamedes(DescriptionofGreece,IX,372).EitherthroughtheGreeksorthroughorientaltraditionthetaleenteredmedievalliterature,inthevarioustranslationsoftheBookoftheSevenSagesandotherItalian,English,andGermantexts.LiteraryversionsbyItalianRenaissancestorywritersarenumerous.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980
金丝雀王子&意大利童话(63)
从前有一个国王，他有一个女儿。这女孩的母亲去世后，继母容不下她，总对国王说她的坏话。姑娘一再为自己辩白，可继母说尽了坏话，用尽了手段，尽管国王很疼爱自己的女儿，最终也不得不顺从王后之意，让她把姑娘送走。不过一定要给公主安排一个好去处，不能亏待了她。继母说：“这件事，您就放心吧，不必操劳了。”可一转脸，她就命人把公主关进森林中的一个城堡里了。还挑选了一批宫中贵妇，让她们到城堡陪伴公主，并下令不许公主出去，连窗户也不能靠近，当然，她也照着王宫里的标准支付这些侍女的报酬。她给公主安排了一间不错的房间，吃的喝的都可以满足她，只是不许她跨出大门一步。但是，那些拿着优厚报酬的侍女，整天无所事事，只顾自己寻乐，根本不管公主。
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