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七！（第5页）

hesaid，"

nowyouwillbemywife."

Heorderedpreparationsmadeforthewedding，towhichheinvitedallthenobilityintown.Caughtupinthepreparations，thebridethoughtnomoreoftheoldwomen.Onthemorningoftheweddingsherememberedthatshewassupposedtoinvitethem，butwhenshewenttopronouncetheirnames，shefoundtheyhadslippedhermind.Shecudgeledherbrainsbut，forthelifeofher，couldntrecallasinglename.Fromthecheerfulgirlshewas，shesankintoastateofbottomlessgloom.Thecaptainnoticeditandaskedherwhatthematterwas，butshewouldsaynothing.Unabletoaccountforhersadness，thebridegroomthought，Thisisperhapsnottherightday.Hethereforepostponedtheweddinguntilthedayafter.Butthenextdaywasstillworse，andthedayfollowingwewontevenmention.Witheverydaythatpassed，thebridebecamegloomierandquieter，withherbrowsknitinconcentration.Hetoldherjokesandstoriesinanefforttomakeherlaugh，butnothinghesaidordidaffectedher.Sincehecouldntcheerherup，hedecidedtogohuntingandcheerhimselfup.Rightintheheartofthewoodshewascaughtinastormandtookrefugeinahovel.Hewasinthereinthedark，whenheheardvoices:"

OColumbina!"

"

OColumbara!"

"

OColumbun!"

"

Putonthepottomakepolenta!Thatconfoundedbridewontbeinvitingustoherbanquetafterall!"

Thecaptainwheeledaroundandsawthreecrones.Onehadeyelashesthatdraggedontheground，anotherlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdteeththatgrazedherknees.Well，well，hethoughttohimself.NowIcantellhersomethingthatwillmakeherlaugh.IfshedoesntlaughoverwhatIvejustseen，shellneverlaughatanything!Hewenthomeandsaidtohisbride，"

Justlistentothis.TodayIwasinthewoodsandwentintoahoveltogetoutoftherain.IgoinandwhatshouldIseebutthreecrones:onewitheyelashesthatdraggedontheground，anotherwithlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdwithteeththatgrazedherknees.Andtheycalledeachother:OColumbina，OColumbara，OColumbun!"

Thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly，andsheburstoutlaughing，andlaughedandlaughed."

Ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway.ButImaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard，letmeinvitethemtothebanquet."

Invitethemshedid.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."

Youllspinnomorefortherestofyourlife!"

Sothebig，fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter.（Rivieraligurediponente）NOTES:"

AndSeven!"

（Esette!）fromAndrews，4，23，47.（ThefirsttwowerecollectedinMenton，thethirdnearVentimiglia.）Marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiationmotifs（thesecretnametoremember）areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadinEurope（ofEnglish，Swedish，orGermanorigin，accordingtoscholars），subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinNaples（Basile，IV，4）andwellknownthroughoutItaly.Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，translatedbyGeorgeMartin，PantheonBooks，NewYork1980