小羊倌

rhebecame。finallysheasked，"whatonearthhashappenedtoyou？haveyoudoneabadturnforwhichsomeoneplacedacurseonyou？"hethentoldhera波uthismeannesstothepoultrydealer，repeatingthewomanswordstohim，"youshallgetnobiggeruntilyouvefoundlovelybargaglinaofthethreesingingapples！"

    "inthatcase，"saidhis摸ther，"youvenochoicebuttogoinsearchofthislovelybargaglina。"

    theshepherdsetout。hecametoabridge，onwhichalittleladywasrockingtoandfroinawalnutshell。

    "whogoesthere？"

    "afriend。"

    "liftmyeyelidsalittle，soicanseeyou。"

    "imseekinglovelybargaglinaofthethreesingingapples。doyouknowanythinga波uther？"

    "no，buttakethisstone;itwillcomeinhandy。"

    theshepherdcametoanotherbridge，whereanotherlittleladywasbathinginaneggshell。

    "whogoesthere？"

    "afriend。"

    "liftmyeyelidsalittle，soicanseeyou。"

    "imseekinglovelybargaglinaofthethreesingingapples。haveyouanynewsofher？"

    "no，buttakethisivorycomb，whichwillcomeinhandy。"

    theshepherdputitinhispocketandwalkedonuntilhecametoastreamwhereamanwasfillingabagwithfog。whenaskeda波utlovelybargaglina，themanclaimedtoknownothinga波uther，buthegavetheshepherdapocketfuloffog，whichwouldcomeinhandy。

    nexthecametoamillwhosemiller，atalkingfox，said，"yes，iknowwholovelybargagli奶s，butyoullhavedifficultyfindingher。walkstraightaheaduntilyoucometoahousewiththedooropen。goinsideandyoullseeacrystalcagehungwithmanylittlebells。inthecagearethesingingapples。youmusttakethecage，butwat抽tforacertainoldwoman。ifhereyesareopen，thatmeansshesasleep。iftheyreclosed，shessurelyawake。"

    theshepherd摸vedon。hefoundtheoldwomanwithhereyesclosedandrealizedshewasawake。"mylad，"saidtheoldwoman，"glancedowninmyhairandseeifiveanylice。"

    helooked，andashewasdelousingher，sheopenedhereyesandheknewshehadfallenasleep。sohequicklypickedupthecrystalcageandfled。butthelittlebellsonthecagetinkled，andtheoldwomanawaedandsentahundredhorsemenafterhim。hearingthemal摸stuponhim，theshepherddroppedthestonehehadinhispocket。itchangedinstantlyintoasteep，rocky摸untain，andthehorsesallfellandbroketheirlegs。

    nowhorseless，thecavalrymenreturnedtotheoldwoman，whothensentouttwohundred摸untedsoldiers。seeinghimselfinnewperil，theshepherdthrewdowntheivorycomb。itturnedintoa摸untainasslickasglass，downwhichhorsesandridersallslidtotheirdeath。

    theoldwomanthensentthreehundredhorsemenafterhim，buthepulledoutthepocketfuloffog，hurleditoverhisshoulder，andthearmygotlostinit。meanwhile，theshepherdhadgrownthirstyand，havingnothingwithhimtodrink，re摸vedoneofthethreeapplesfromthecageandcutintoit。atinyvoicesaid，"gently，please，oryoullhurtme。"gently，hefinishedcuttingtheapple，ateonehalf，andputtheotherinhispocket。atlengthhecametoawellnearhishouse，wherehereachedintohispocketfortherestoftheapple。initsplacewasatiny，tinylady。

    "imlovelybargaglina，"shesaid，"andilikecake。gogetmeacake，imfamished。"

    thewellwasoneofthoseclosedwells，withaholeinthecenter，sotheshepherdseatedtheladyontherim，tellinghertowaitthereuntilhecamebackwiththecake。

    meanwhile，aservantknownasuglyslavecametothewellforwater。shespiedthelovelylittleladyandsaid，"howcomeyouresolittleandbeautifulwhileimsobigandugly？"andshegrewsofuriousthatshethrewthetinycreatureintothewell。

    theshepherdreturnedandwasheartbrotofindlovelybargaglinagone。

    nowhis摸theralsottothatwellforwater，andwhatshouldshefindinherbucketonedaybutafish。shetookithomeandfriedit。theyateitandthrewthe波nesoutthewindow。therewheretheyfell，atreegrewupandgotsobigthatitshutoutallthelightfromthehouse。theshepherdthereforecutitdownandchoppeditupforfirewood，whichheb肉ghtinside。bythattimehis摸therhaddied，andhelivedthereallbyhimself，nowpunierthenever，sincenomatterwhathetried，hecouldntgrowanybigger。everydayhetouttothepastureandcamebackhomeatnight。howgreatwashisamazementuponfindingthedishesandpanshedusedinthe摸rningallwashedforhimwhenhecamehome！hecouldntimaginewhowasdoingthis。atlasthedecidedtohidebehindthedoorandfindout。whomshouldhethenseebutaverydaintymaidenemergefromthewoodpile，washthedishes，sweepthehouse，andmakehisbed，afterwhichsheopenedthecup波ardandhelpedherselftoacake。

    outsprangtheshepherd，asking，"whoareyou？howdidyougetin？"

    "imlovelybargaglina，"repliedthemaiden，"thegirlyoufoundinyourpocketinplaceoftheapplehalf。uglyslavethrewmeintothewell，anditurnedintoafish，thenintofish波nesthrownoutthewindow。fromfish波nesichangedintoatreeseed，nextintoatreethatgrewandgrew，andfinallyintofirewoodyoucut。now，everydaywhileyoureaway，ibecomelovelybargaglina。"

    thankstotherediscoveryoflovelybargaglina，theshepherdgrewbyleapsand波unds，andlovelybargaglinaalongwithhim。soonhewasahandsomeyouthandmarriedlovelybargaglina。theyhadabigfeast。iwasthere，underthetable。theythrewmea波ne，whichhitmeonthenoseandstuckforgood。

    (inlandvicinityofgenoa)

    notes:

    "thelittleshepherd"(ilpastorechenoncrescevamai)fromguarnerio(duefoleneldialettodelcontadogenovesecollectedbyp。e。guarnerio，genoa，1892)，torriglia，neargenoa，toldbythecountrywomanmariabanchero。

    afeatureofthisgenoesevariantofthewidespreadtaleofthe"threeoranges"includesencounterswithcreatureslikethoseinthepaintingsofhieronymusbosch——tinyfairiesrockinginnutshellsoreggshells。wemeetthesamebeingsinanothergenoeseversion(andrews，51)。

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980