七 (第4/4页)

ndstoriesinanefforttomakeherlaugh，butnothinghesaidordidaffectedher。

    Sincehecouldntcheerherup，hedecidedtogohuntingandcheerhimselfup。Rightintheheartofthewoodshewascaughtinastormandtookrefugeinahovel。Hewasinthereinthedark，whenheheardvoices:

    "OColumbina！"

    "OColumbara！"

    "OColumbun！"

    "Putonthepottomakepolenta！Thatconfoundedbridewontbei女itingustoherbanquetafterall！"

    Thecaptainwheeledaroundandsawthreecrones。Onehadeyelashesthatdraggedontheground，anotherlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdteeththatgrazedherknees。

    Well，well，hethoughttohimself。NowIcantellhersomethingthatwillmakeherlaugh。IfshedoesntlaughoverwhatIvejustseen，shellneverlaughatanything！

    Hethomeandsaidtohisbride，"Justlistentothis。TodayIwasinthewoodsandtintoahoveltogetoutoftherain。IgoinandwhatshouldIseebutthreecrones:onewitheyelashesthatdraggedontheground，anotherwithlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdwithteeththatgrazedherknees。Andtheycalledeachother:OColumbina，OColumbara，OColumbun！"

    Thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly，andsheburstoutlaughing，andlaughedandlaughed。"Ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway。ButImaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard，letmei女itethemtothebanquet。"

    I女itethemshedid。Forthethreeoldwomenaseparateroundtablewassetup，butsosmallthatwhatwiththeeyelashesofone，thelipsoftheother，andtheteethofthethird，younolongerknewwhatwaswhat。

    Whendinnerwasover，thebridegroomaskedColumbina，"Tellme，goodlady，whyareyourlashessolong？"

    "Thatsfromstrainingmyeyestospinfinethread！"saidColumbina。

    "Andyou，whyareyourlipssothick？"

    "Thatcomesfromalwaysrubbingmyfingeronthemtowetthethread！"saidColumbara。

    "Andyou，howonearthdidyourteethgetsolong？"

    "Thatsfrombitingtheknotofthethread！"saidColumbun。

    "Isee，"saidthebridegroom，andheturnedtohiswife。"Gogetthespindle。"Whenshebroughtittohim，hethrewitintothefire。"Youllspinno摸refortherestofyourlife！"

    Sothebig，fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter。

    (Rivieraligurediponente)

    NOTES:

    "AndSeven！"(Esette！)fromAndrews，4，23，47。(ThefirsttwowerecollectedinMenton，thethirdnearVentimiglia。)

    Marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiation摸tifs(thesecretnametoremember)areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadinEurope(ofEnglish，Swedish，orGermanorigin，accordingtoscholars)，subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinNaples(Basile，IV，4)andwellknownthroughoutItaly。

    Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，

    translatedbyGeorgeMartin，

    PantheonBooks，NewYork1980