stories from pentamerone- 第4部分

Once　upon　a　time　a　woman　who　lived　in　a　village；　and　was　called　Ceccarella；　had　a　son　named　Peruonto；　who　was　one　of　the　most　stupid　lads　that　ever　was　born。　This　made　his　mother　very　unhappy；　and　all　day　long　she　would　grieve　because　of　this　great　misfortune。　For　whether　she　asked　him　kindly；　or　stormed　at　him　till　her　throat　was　dry；　the　foolish　fellow　would　not　stir　to　do　the　slightest　hand's　turn　for　her。　At　last；　after　a　thousand　dinnings　at　his　brain；　and　a　thousand　splittings　of　his　head；　and　saying　〃I　tell　you〃　and　〃I　told　you〃　day　after　day；　she　got　him　to　go　to　the　wood　for　a　faggot；　saying；　〃Come　now；　it　is　time　for　us　to　get　a　morsel　to　eat；　so　run　off　for　some　sticks；　and　don't　forget　yourself　on　the　way；　but　come　back　as　quick　as　you　can；　and　we　will　boil　ourselves　some　cabbage；　to　keep　the　life　in　us。〃

Away　went　the　stupid　Peruonto；　hanging　down　his　head　as　if　he　was　going　to　gaol。　Away　he　went；　walking　as　if　he　were　a　jackdaw；　or　treading　on　eggs；　counting　his　steps；　at　the　pace　of　a　snail's　gallop；　and　making　all　sorts　of　zigzags　and　excursions　on　his　way　to　the　wood；　to　come　there　after　the　fashion　of　a　raven。　And　when　he　reached　the　middle　of　a　plain；　through　which　ran　a　river　growling　and　murmuring　at　the　bad　manners　of　the　stones　that　were　stopping　its　way；　he　saw　three　youths　who　had　made　themselves　a　bed　of　grass　and　a　pillow　of　a　great　flint　stone；　and　were　lying　sound　asleep　under　the　blaze　of　the　Sun；　who　was　shooting　his　rays　down　on　them　point　blank。　When　Peruonto　saw　these　poor　creatures；　looking　as　if　they　were　in　the　midst　of　a　fountain　of　fire；　he　felt　pity　for　them；　and　cutting　some　branches　of　oak；　he　made　a　handsome　arbour　over　them。　Meanwhile；　the　youths；　who　were　the　sons　of　a　fairy；　awoke；　and；　seeing　the　kindness　and　courtesy　of　Peruonto；　they　gave　him　a　charm；　that　every　thing　he　asked　for　should　be　done。

Peruonto；　having　performed　this　good　action；　went　his　ways　towards　the　wood；　where　he　made　up　such　an　enormous　faggot　that　it　would　have　needed　an　engine　to　draw　it；　and；　seeing　that　he　could　not　in　any　way　get　in　on　his　back；　he　set　himself　astride　of　it　and　cried；　〃Oh；　what　a　lucky　fellow　I　should　be　if　this　faggot　would　carry　me　riding　a…horseback！〃　And　the　word　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　when　the　faggot　began　to　trot　and　gallop　like　a　great　horse；　and　when　it　came　in　front　of　the　King's　palace　it　pranced　and　capered　and　curvetted　in　a　way　that　would　amaze　you。　The　ladies　who　were　standing　at　one　of　the　windows；　on　seeing　such　a　wonderful　sight；　ran　to　call　Vastolla；　the　daughter　of　the　King；　who；　going　to　the　window　and　observing　the　caracoles　of　a　faggot　and　the　bounds　of　a　bundle　of　wood；　burst　out　a…laughinga　thing　which；　owing　to　a　natural　melancholy；　she　never　remembered　to　have　done　before。　Peruonto　raised　his　head；　and；　seeing　that　it　was　at　him　that　they　were　laughing；　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　Vastolla；　I　wish　that　I　could　be　your　husband　and　I　would　soon　cure　you　of　laughing　at　me！〃　And　so　saying；　he　struck　his　heels　into　the　faggot；　and　in　a　dashing　gallop　he　was　quickly　at　home；　with　such　a　train　of　little　boys　at　his　heels　that　if　his　mother　had　not　been　quick　to　shut　the　door　they　would　soon　have　killed　him　with　the　stones　and　sticks　with　which　they　pelted　him。

Now　came　the　question　of　marrying　Vastolla　to　some　great　prince；　and　her　father　invited　all　he　knew　to　come　and　visit　him　and　pay　their　respects　to　the　Princess。　But　she　refused　to　have　anything　to　say　to　either　of　them；　and　only　answered；　〃I　will　marry　none　but　the　young　man　who　rode　on　the　faggot。〃　So　that　the　King　got　more　and　more　angry　with　every　refusal；　and　at　last　he　was　quite　unable　to　contain　himself　any　longer；　and　called　his　Council　together　and　said；　〃You　know　by　this　time　how　my　honour　has　been　shamed；　and　that　my　daughter　has　acted　in　such　a　manner　that　all　the　chronicles　will　tell　the　story　against　me；　so　now　speak　and　advise　me。　I　say　that　she　is　unworthy　to　live；　seeing　that　she　has　brought　me　into　such　discredit；　and　I　wish　to　put　her　altogether　out　of　the　world　before　she　does　more　mischief。〃　The　Councillors；　who　had　in　their　time　learned　much　wisdom；　said；　〃Of　a　truth　she　deserves　to　be　severely　punished。　But；　after　all；　it　is　this　audacious　scoundrel　who　has　give　you　the　annoyance；　and　it　is　not　right　that　he　should　escape　through　the　meshes　of　the　net。　Let　us　wait；　then；　till　he　comes　to　light；　and　we　discover　the　root　of　this　disgrace；　and　then　we　will　think　it　over　and　resolve　what　were　best　to　be　done。〃　This　counsel　pleased　the　King；　for　he　saw　that　they　spoke　like　sensible；　prudent　men；　so　he　held　his　hand　and　said；　〃Let　us　wait　and　see　the　end　of　this　business。〃

So　then　the　King　made　a　great　banquet；　and　invited　every　one　of　his　nobles　and　all　the　gentlemen　in　his　kingdom　to　come　to　it；　and　set　Vastolla　at　the　high　table　at　the　top　of　the　hall；　for；　he　said；　〃No　common　man　can　have　done　this；　and　when　she　recognises　the　fellow　we　shall　see　her　eyes　turn　to　him；　and　we　will　instantly　lay　hold　on　him　and　put　him　out　of　the　way。〃　But　when　the　feasting　was　done；　and　all　the　guests　passed　out　in　a　line；　Vastolla　took　no　more　notice　of　them　than　Alexander's　bull…dog　did　of　the　rabbits；　and　the　King　grew　more　angry　than　ever；　and　vowed　that　he　would　kill　her　without　more　delay。　Again；　however；　the　Councillors　pacified　him　and　said；　〃Softly；　softly；　your　Majesty！　quiet　your　wrath。　Let　us　make　another　banquet　to…morrow；　not　for　people　of　condition　but　for　the　lower　sort。　Some　women　always　attach　themselves　to　the　worst；　and　we　shall　find　among　the　cutlers；　and　bead…makers；　and　comb…sellers；　the　root　of　your　anger；　which　we　have　not　discovered　among　the　cavaliers。〃

This　reasoning　took　the　fancy　of　the　King；　and　he　ordered　a　second　banquet　to　be　prepared；　to　which；　on　proclamation　being　made；　came　all　the　riff…raff　and　rag…tag　and　bob…tail　of　the　city；　such　as　rogues；　scavengers；　tinkers；　pedlars；　sweeps；　beggars；　and　such　like　rabble；　who　were　all　in　high　glee；　and；　taking　their　seats　like　noblemen　at　a　great　long　table；　they　began　to　feast　and　gobble　away。

Now；　when　Ceccarella　heard　this　proclamation；　she　began　to　urge　Peruonto　to　go　there　too；　until　at　last　she　got　him　to　set　out　for　the　feast。　And　scarcely　had　he　arrived　there　when　Vastolla　cried　out　without　thinking；　〃That　is　my　Knight　of　the　Faggot。〃　When　the　King　heard　this　he　tore　his　beard；　seeing　that　the　bean　of　the　cake；　the　prize　in　the　lottery；　had　fallen　to　an　ugly　lout；　the　very　sight　of　whom　he　could　not　endure；　with　a　shaggy　head；　owl's　eyes；　a　parrot's　nose；　a　deer's　mouth；　and　legs　bare　and　bandy。　Then；　heaving　a　deep　sigh；　he　said；　〃What　can　that　jade　of　a　daughter　of　mine　have　seen　to　make　her　take　a　fancy　to　this　ogre；　or　strike　up　a　dance　with　this　hairy…foot？　Ah；　vile；　false　creature；　who　has　cast　so　base　a　spell　on　her？　But　why　do　we　wait？　Let　her　suffer　the　punishment　she　deserves；　let　her　undergo　the　penalty　that　shall　be　decreed　by　you；　and　take　her　from　my　presence；　for　I　cannot　bear　to　look　longer　upon　her。〃

Then　the　Councillors　consulted　together　and　they　resolved　that　she；　as　well　as　the　evil…doer；　should　be　shut　up　in　a　cask　and　thrown　into　the　sea；　so　that　without　staining　the　King's　hands　with　the　blood　of　one　of　his　family；　they　should　carry　out　the　sentence。　No　sooner　was　the　judgment　pronounced；　than　the　cask　was　brought　and　both　were　put　into　it；　but　before　they　coopered　it　up；　some　of　Vastolla's　ladies；　crying　and　sobbing　as　if　their　hearts　would　break；　put　into　it　a　basket　of　raisins　and　dried　figs　that　she　might　have　wherewithal　to　live　on　for　a　little　while。　And　when　the　cask　was　closed　up；　it　was　flung　into　the　sea；　on　which　it　went　floating　as　the　wind　drove　it。

Meanwhile　Vastolla；　weeping　till　her　eyes　ran　like　two　rivers；　said　to　Peruonto；　〃What　a　sad　misfortune　is　this　of　ours！　Oh；　if　I　but　knew　who　has　played　me　this　trick；　to　have　me　caged　in　this　dungeon！　Alas；　alas；　to　find　myself　in　this　plight　without　knowing　how。　Tell　me；　tell　me；　O　cruel　man；　what　incantation　was　it　you　made；　and　what　spell　did　you　employ；　to　bring　me　within　the　circle　of　this　cask？〃　Peruonto；　who　had　been　for　some　time　paying　little　attention　to　her；　at　last　said；　〃If　you　want　me　to　tell　you；　you　must　give　me　some　figs　and　raisins。〃　So　Vastolla；　to　draw　the　secret　out　of　him；　gave　him　a　handful　of　both；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　eaten　them　he　told　her　truly　all　that　had　befallen　him；　with　the　three　youths；　and　with　the　faggot；　and　with　herself　at　the　window：　which；　when　the　poor　lady　heard；　she　took　heart　and　said　to　Peruonto；　〃My　friend；　shall　we　then　let　our　lives　run　out　in　a　cask？　Why　don't　you　cause　this　tub　to　be　changed　into　a　fine　ship　and　run　into　some　good　harbour　to　escape　this　danger？〃　And　Peruonto　replied

　　　　　〃If　you　would　have　me　say　the　spell；　　　　　　With　figs　and　raisins　feed　me　well！〃

So　Vastolla；　to　make　him　open　his　mouth；　filled　it　with　fruit；　and　so　she　fished　the　words　out　of　him。　And　lo！　as　soon　as　Peruonto　had　said　what　she　desired；　the　cask　was　turned　into　a　beautiful　ship；　with　sails　and　sailors　and　everything　that　could　be　wished　for；　and　guns　and　trumpets　and　a　splendid　cabin　in　which　Vastolla　sat　filled　with　delight。

It　being　now　the　hour　when　the　Moon　begins　to　play　at　see…saw　with　the　Sun；　Vastolla　said　to　Peruonto；　〃My　fine　lad；　now　make　this　ship　to　be　changed　into　a　palace；　for　then　we　shall　be　more　secure；　you　know　the　saying；　〃Praise　the　Sea；　but　keep　to　the　Land。〃　And　Peruonto　replied

　　　　　〃If　you　would　have　me　say　the　spell；　　　　　　With　figs　and　raisins　feed　me　well！〃

So　Vastolla；　at　once；　fed　him　again；　and　Peruonto；　swallowing　down　the　raisins　and　figs；　did　her　pleasure；　and　immediately　the　ship　came　to　land　and　was　changed　into　a　beautiful　palace；　fitted　up　in　a　most　sumptuous　manner；　and　so　full　of　furniture　and　curtains　and　hangings　that　there　was　nothing　more　to　ask　for。　So　that　Vastolla；　who　a　little　before　would　not　have　set　the　price　of　a　farthing　on　her　life；　did　not　now　wish　to　change　places　with　the　greatest　lady　in　the　world；　seeing　herself　served　and　treated　like　a　queen。　Then　to　put　the　seal　on　all　her　good　fortune；　she　besought　Peruonto　to　obtain　grace　to　become　handsome　and　polished　in　his　manner；　that　they　might　live　happy　together；　for　though　the　proverb　sa