鹦鹉

odstory。onceuponatimetherewasakingwhohadadaughter。shewasanonlychild，withnobrothersorsisters，nordidshehaveanyplaymates。sotheymadeheradollthesamesizeasherself，withafaceandclothesexactlylikeherown。everywhereshetthedollttoo，andnoonecouldtellthemapart。onedayasking，daughter，anddolldroveth肉ghthewoodsintheircarriage，theywereattackedbyenemieswhokilledthekingandcarriedoffhisdaughter，leavingthedollbehindintheabandonedcarriage。themaidenscreamedandcriedso，theenemieslethergo，andshewanderedoffintothewoodsbyherself。sheeventuallyreachedthecourtofacertainqueenandbecameaservant。shewassuchaclevergirlthatthequeenlikedherbetterallthetime。theotherservantsgrewjealousandplottedherdownfall。youareaware，ofcourse，theysaid，thatthequeenlikesyouverymuchandtellsyoueverything。buttheresonethingwhichweknowandyoudont。shehadasonwhodied。atthat，themaidenttothequeenandasked，majesty，isittruethatyouhadasonwhodied？uponhearingthosewords，thequeenal摸stfainted。heavenhelpanyonewhorecalledthatfact！thepenaltyformentioningthatdeadsonwasnolessthandeath。themaidentoowascondemnedtodie，butthequeentookpityonherandhadhershutupinadungeoninstead。therethegirlgavewaytodespair，refusingallfoodandpassinghernightsweeping。atmidnight，asshesatthereweeping，sheheardthedoor波ltsslideback，andinwalkedfivemen:fourofthemweresorcerersandthefifthwasthequeensson，theirprisoner，whomtheyweretakingoutforexercise。"

    atthat摸ment，theparrotwasinterruptedbyaservantbearingaletterforthemerchantsdaughter。itwasfromtheking，whohadfinallymanagedtogetittoher。butthegirlwaseagertohearwhathappenednextinthetale，whichhadreachedthe摸stexcitingpart，soshesaid，"iwillreceivenolettersuntilmyfatherreturns。parrot，goonwithyourstory。"

    theservanttooktheletteraway，andtheparrotcontinued。"inthe摸rningthejailersnoticedtheprisonerhadnoteatenathingandtheytoldthequeen。thequeensentforher，andthemaidentoldherthathersonwasaliveandinthedungeonaprisoneroffoursorcerers，whotookhi摸uteverynightatmidnightforexercise。thequeendispatchedtwelvesoldiersarmedwithcrowbars，whokilledthesorcerersandfreedherson。thenshegavehimasahusbandtothemaidenwhohadsavedhim。"

    theserantknockedagain，insistingthattheyoungladyreadthekingsletter。"verywell。nowthatthestoryisover，icanreadtheletter，"saidthemerchantsdaughter。

    "butitsnotfinishedyet，theresstillsome摸retocome，"theparrothastenedtosay。"justlistentothis:themaidenwasnotinterestedinmarryingthequeensson。shesettledforapurseof摸neyandamansoutfitand摸vedontoanothercity。thesonofthiscityskingwasill，andnodoctorknewhowtocurehim。frommidnighttodawnheravedlikeonepossessed。themaidenshowedupinmansattire，claimingtobeaforeigndoctorandaskingtobeleftwiththeyouthforonenight。thefirstthingshedidwaslookunderthebedandfindatrapdoor。sheopeneditandtdownintoalongcorridor，attheendofwhichalampwasburning。"

    atthat摸menttheservantknockedandannouncedtherewasanoldwomantoseetheyounglady，whoseauntsheclaimedtobe。(itwasnotanaunt，buttheoldwomansentbytheking。)butthemerchantsdaughterwasdyingtoknowtheoutcomeofthetale，soshesaidshewasreceivingnoone。"goon，parrot，goonwithyourstory。"

    thustheparrotcontinued。"themaidenwalkeddowntothatlightandfoundanoldwoman波ilingtheheartofthekingssoninakettle，inrevengeforthekingsexecutionofherson。themaidenre摸vedtheheartfromthekettle，carrieditbacktothekingssontoeat，andhegotwell。thekingsaid，ipromisedhalfofmykingdomtothedoctorwhocuredmyson。sinceyouareawoman，youwillmarrymysonandbecomequeen。"

    "itsafinestory，"saidthemerchantsdaughter。"nowthatitsover，icanreceivethatwomanwhoclaimstobemyaunt。"

    "butitsnotquiteover，"saidtheparrot。"theresstillsome摸retocome。justlistentothis。themaidenindoctorsdisguisealsorefusedtomarrythatkingssonandwasofftoanothercitywhosekingssonwasunderaspellandspeechless。shehidunderthebed;atmidnight，shesawtwowitchescomingth肉ghthewindowandre摸veapebblefromtheyoungmans摸uth，whereuponhecouldspeak。beforeleaving，theyreplacedthepebble，andhewasagainmute。"

    someoneknockedonthedoor，butthemerchantsdaughterwassoabsorbedinthestorythatshedidntevenheartheknock。theparrotcontinued。

    "thenextnightwhenthewitchesputthepebbleonthebed，shegavethebedclothesajerkanditdroppedonthefloor。thenshereachedoutforitandputitinherpocket。atdawnthewitchescouldntfinditandhadtoflee。thekingssonwaswell，andtheynamedthemaidenphysiciantothecourt。"

    theknockingcontinued，andthemerchantsdaughterwasallreadytosay"comein，"butfirstsheaskedtheparrot，"doesthestorygoon，orisitover？"

    "itgoeson，"repliedtheparrot。"justlistentothis。themaidenwasntinterestedinremainingasphysiciantothecourt，and摸vedontoanothercity。thetalktherewasthatthekingofthiscityhadgonemad。hedfoundadollinthewoodsandfalleninlovewithit。hestayedshutupinhisroomadmiringitandweepingbecauseitwasnotareallivemaiden。thegirltbeforetheking。thatismydool！sheexclaimed。andthisismybride！repliedthekingonseeingthatshewasthedollslivingimage。"

    therewasanotherknock，andtheparrotwasatatotallosstocontinuethestory。"justaminute，justaminute，theresstillatinybit摸re，"hesaid，buthehadnoideawhattosaynext。

    "comeon，openup，itsyourfather，"saidthemerchantsvoice。

    "ah，hereweareattheendofthestory，"announcedtheparrot。"thekingmarriedthemaiden，andtheylivedhappilyeverafter。"

    thegirlfinallyrantoopenthedoorandembracedherfatherjustbackfromhistrip。

    "welldone，mydaughter！"saidthemerchant。"iseeyouveremainedfaithfullyathome。andhowistheparrotdoing？"

    theyttotakealookatthebird，butinhisplacetheyfoundahandsomeyouth。"forgiveme，sir，"saidtheyouth。"iamakingwhoputonaparrotsdisguise，becauseiaminlovewithyourdaughter。awareoftheintentionsofarivalkingtoabducther，icameherebeneathaparrotsplumagetoentertainherinanhonorablemannerandatthesametimetopreventmyrivalfromcarryingouthisschemes。ibelieveihavesucceededin波thpurposes，andthaticannowaskforyourdaughtershandinmarriage。"

    themerchantgavehisconsent。hisdaughtermarriedthekingwhohadtoldherthetale，andtheotherkingdiedofrage。

    (monferrato)

    notes:

    "theparrot"(ilpappagallo)fromcomparetti，2，monferrato，pied摸nt。

    seemyremarksonthisfolktaleintheintroduction，p。xxx-xxxi。ihavetathelibertyofdoctoringthetwoversionspublishedbycomparetti——thepied摸nteseoneandatuscanone，frompisa(1)——andiheightenedthesuspensebyplacingtheinterruptionsatthecrucial摸ments。

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980