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克利克和克罗克（第2页）

正在这时，侍卫们循着哭声进来了，看到的却是一个妇人打碎了盘、碗，而男人给了她几个耳光，妇人就哭了起来。

国王无计可施，便让人在全城贴出告示说，谁有本事偷走他床上的床单，他就原谅他的偷盗之罪。

克利克听到消息就来了，说自己有本事做到。

晚上国王脱衣上了床，手里拿着一杆火枪等着盗贼。

克利克从掘墓人那里要来一具尸体，给他穿上自己的衣服，带到王宫的屋顶。

等到半夜，克利克用绳子把尸体吊在国王寝室的窗户前。

国王以为这就是克利克，朝他开了一枪，又看见他带着绳子摔了下去。

国王跑下去看看人是不是死了。

可就在同时，克利克从屋顶下到国王的寝室，偷走了国王的床单。

克利克被国王赦免了，而且因为他已经无所不能偷了，国王就把自己的女儿嫁给了他。

（蒙费拉托地区）①这篇故事中的两个盗贼的外号“克利克”

与“克罗克”

都是形容断裂、破碎的象声词。

CrackandCrookInadistanttowntherewasafamousthiefknownasCrack，whomnobodyhadeverbeenabletocatch.ThemainambitionofthisCrackwastomeetCrook，anothernotoriousthief，andformapartnershipwithhim.OnedayasCrackwaseatinglunchatthetavernacrossthetablefromastranger，hewenttolookathiswatchandfounditmissing.Theonlypersoninthisworldwhocouldhavetakenitwithoutmyknowledge，hethought，isCrook.SowhatdidCrackdobutturnrightaroundandstealCrookspurse.Whenthestrangergotreadytopayforhislunch，hefoundhispursegoneandsaidtohistablecompanion，"

Well，well，youmustbeCrack."

"

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