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三个城堡（第3页）

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.Thenextdayhereturnedonasilverhorsewithtrappingsofsilver，dressedinsilverarmorandcarryinghissilverlanceandshield.Hedefeatedeveryoneandfled，stillunknowntoall.Thethirddayhereturnedonagoldhorse，outfittedentirelyingold.Hewasvictoriousthethirdtimeaswell，andtheprincesssaid，"

Iknowwhoyouare.Yourethemanwhogavemeflowersofcrystal，silver，andgold，fromthegardensofyourcastlesofcrystal，silver，andgold."

Sotheygotmarried，andthelittleshepherdbecameking.Andallwereveryhappyandgay，Buttomewhowatchedtheygavenothoughtnorpay.（Monferrato）NOTES:"

TheThreeCastles"

（Itrecastelli）fromComparetti，62and22，Monferrato，Piedmont.ThesetwoPiedmontesetalesarevariantsofasingletype.Itookthebeginningfromoneandconcludedwiththeother.Nothingwasadded;Imerelyunderlinedafewelementsalreadyinthetext（suchasthetaxcollector）andtherhythm.Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，translatedbyGeorgeMartin，PantheonBooks，NewYork1980