十二头牛 --意大利童话.
<p>十二头牛&<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e6%84%8f%e5%a4%a7%e5%88%a9%e7%ab%a5%e8%af%9d">意大利童话</a></p>
<p>从前有十二个兄弟，跟父亲吵架后，一起离开了家。他们在森林里搭起了一座房屋，以做木匠活为生。父母又生了一个女儿，她成了二老生活的寄托。小妹长大了，她只是听说过十二个哥哥的事，但从没跟他们见过面，她非常渴望能见到他们。</p>
<p>有一次，小妹到泉水边洗澡，她先把自己戴的珊瑚项链摘了下来挂在了一根树枝上。正好有一只乌鸦飞过，叼起项链飞走了。小妹追着乌鸦跑进了森林，遇到了哥哥们住的那座房屋。屋里一个人也没有，小妹煮好一锅面条，盛在盘子中，就钻到床下躲起来。十二兄弟回到家，看到面条已经煮好了，而且还给盛在盘子中，就吃了起来。吃完以后，他们都有些害怕，担心是<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>跟他们开的一个<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e7%8e%a9%e7%ac%91">玩笑</a>，因为这片森林里有很多<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>。</p>
<p>第二天，十二兄弟留下一个人守着房间，他发现一个姑娘从床底下跳了出来。当兄弟们知道她并非<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>而是他们从没见过面的小妹时，都高兴地欢呼起来，他们想让小妹留下来跟他们一起生活。但他们又叮嘱她，不得和森林中的任何人说话，因为林子里满是<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>。</p>
<p>一天傍晚，炉火灭了，可小妹要给哥哥们准备晚饭。为了节省时间，她来到附近的一间小屋借火。小屋中住着一个老妇，她很热情地答应借火给小妹，但提出了交换条件：第二天她要来在小妹的小手指上吸一点血。</p>
<p>小妹说：“我不能给任何人开门，我的哥哥们不同意。”</p>
<p>老妇说：“不需要你开门，当你听到敲门声，把小手指伸进钥匙孔里，让我吸几下就行了。”</p>
<p>就这样，老妇每天晚上都来吸小妹的血，小妹的脸色变得越来越苍白。哥哥们觉得不对劲，就问小妹，小妹就把她为了找<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>借火，让<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>吸她的血作交换的事说了。哥哥们说：“这事让我们处理吧。”</p>
<p><a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>又来了，敲门后没看到姑娘的手指伸出来，<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>就从门下方的猫洞伸进头来。一个哥哥拿着一把斧头正等着她呢，手起斧落，<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>的头就被砍了下来。然后兄弟们把<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>的尸首扔下了山谷。</p>
<p>一天，小妹去泉边遇到了另一个老妇，在卖白色的碗。</p>
<p>“我没有钱买。”姑娘说。</p>
<p>“我白送给你。”老妇说。</p>
<p>就这样，哥哥们口干舌燥地回到家时，一眼就看见了盛满了水的十二只白碗，他们纷纷一饮而尽，一下子全都变成了牛。只有第十二个哥哥，不像其它哥哥那么渴，只喝了一口水，变成了一只羊。小妹只好孤单地跟这十一头牛和一只羊一起生活，每天喂养牠们。</p>
<p>这一天，一个王子来森林打猎迷了路，转到小妹的房屋，爱上了她。王子告诉她想要娶她为妻，而她回答说她必须带上她的十二只牛哥羊哥，不能丢下牠们不管。王子带着她和她的十二个兄长回到了王宫，小妹成了他的新娘王妃，那十一头牛和一只羊被安排住进一间大理石砌成的牛棚，用着金子做的食槽。但森林中的<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>并不甘心。有一天，王妃带着羊哥哥——她总是带着牠在身边——到葡萄架下散步，出现了一位老妇。</p>
<p>“好心的王妃，你能赏我一串葡萄吗？”</p>
<p>“好的，老太太，你随便摘吧。”王妃回答。</p>
<p>“我构不到葡萄架，好心的王妃，你帮我摘吧。”</p>
<p>“这就来。”王妃说着，伸出手去摘一串葡萄。</p>
<p>“摘那边那串熟透的吧。”老妇指着池塘上边的那串葡萄说。</p>
<p>王妃为了摘到那串葡萄，爬上池塘的边墙，这时，老妇上去推了她一把，王妃就摔了下去。羊哥一见，咩咩地围着池塘叫，但谁也不明白牠在叫什么，也听不到池塘下边王妃的呻吟声。这时，<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>变成王妃的样子，躺在床上。王子回到家，问：“怎么躺在床上，不舒服吗？”</p>
<p>假王妃回答说：“我不舒服，我需要吃一些羊肉。你让人把那只叫个不停的羊给我宰了。”</p>
<p>王子说：“你还记得你以前对我说的话吗？你说那只羊是你的哥哥，而你现在却要把牠吃了？”</p>
<p><a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>露出了马脚！她愣在那里不知说什么才好。王子发现事有蹊跷，他来到花园，跟着那只拚命叫着的羊向池塘走去。到了池塘边，王子听见妻子呼唤他的声音。王子惊叫道：“你怎么到池塘底下了，刚才你还在床上，我不是刚离开你吗？”</p>
<p>“不，我从早上就掉到这里了，是一个<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>把我推下来了。”</p>
<p>王子立即把妻子救了上来。他派人抓住了<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>，而且要烧死她。随着火一点点烧到<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%a5%b3%e5%b7%ab">女巫</a>的手上、腿上、肘上，一头牛变回了人，另一头也变回了人，所有的牛和羊都变回了人，他们全都很健壮，好象一队威武的巨人闯入了<a href="/Book?Bookes=%e5%9f%8e%e5%a0%a1">城堡</a>。他们全都被封为亲王，而我还跟以前一样是一个穷困潦倒的人。</p>
<p>（蒙费拉托地区）</p>
<p>TheTwelveOxen</p>
<p>Thereweretwelvebrotherswhofelloutwiththeirfather,andalltwelveofthemlefthome.Theybuiltthemselvesahouseinthewoodsandmadetheirlivingascarpenters.Meanwhiletheirparentshadababygirl,whowasagreatcomforttothem.Thechildgrewupwithoutevermeetinghertwelvebrothers.Shehadonlyheardthemmentioned,andshelongedtoseethem.</p>
<p>Onedayshewenttobatheatafountain,andthefirstthingshedidwasremovehercoralnecklaceandhangitonatwig.Aravencameby,grabbedthenecklace,andflewoffwithit.Thegirlranintothewoodsaftertheravenandfoundherbrothershouse.Noonewasathome,soshecookedthenoodles,spoonedthemontothebrothersplates,andhidunderabed.Thebrothersreturnedand,findingthenoodlesreadyandwaiting,satdownandate.Butthentheygrewuneasy,suspectingthewitcheshadplayedajokeonthem,forthewoodswerefullofwitches.</p>
<p>Oneofthetwelvekeptwatchthenextdayandsawthegirljumpoutfromunderthebed.Whenthebrotherslearnedshewasnotawitchbuttheirownlittlesister,theymadeagreatto-dooverherandinsistedthatsheremainwiththem.Buttheycautionedhertospeaktonooneinthewoods,becausetheplacewasfullofwitches.</p>
<p>Oneeveningwhenthegirlwenttopreparesupper,shefoundthatthefirehadgoneout.Tosavetime,shewenttoanearbycottagetogetalight.Anoldwomanatthecottagegraciouslygaveherthelight,butsaidthat,inexchange,shewouldcometothegirlonthemorrowandsuckabitofbloodfromherlittlefinger.</p>
<p>"Icantletanyoneinthehouse,"saidthegirl."Mybrothersforbidit."</p>
<p>"Youdontevenhavetoopenthedoor,"repliedtheoldwoman."WhenIknock,allyouhavetodoisstickyourlittlefingerthroughthekeyhole,andIllsuckit."</p>
<p>Sotheoldwomancamebyeveryeveningtosuckthebloodfromher,whilethegirlgrewpalerandpaler.Herbrothersnoticeditandaskedhersomanyquestionsthatsheadmittedgoingtoanoldwitchforalightandhavingtopayforitwithherblood."Justletustakecareofher,"saidthebrothers.</p>
<p>Thewitcharrived,knocked,andwhenthegirlfailedtostickherfingerthroughthekeyhole,shepokedherheadthroughthecatdoor.Oneofthebrothershadhishatchetallreadyandchoppedoffherhead.Thentheypitchedtheremainsintoaravine.</p>
<p>Onedayonthewaytothefountain,thegirlmetanotheroldwoman,whowassellingwhitebowls.</p>
<p>"Ihavenomoney,"saidthegirl.</p>
<p>"InthatcaseIllmakeyouapresentofthem,"saidtheoldwoman.</p>
<p>Sowhenthebrotherscamehomethirsty,theyfoundtwelvebowelsfilledwithwater.Theypitchedinanddrank,andinstantlychangedintoaherdofoxen.Onlythetwelfth,whosethirstwasslight,barelytouchedthewaterandturnedintoalamb.Thesisterthereforefoundherselfalonewithelevenoxenandonelambtofeedeveryday.</p>
<p>Aprinceouthuntingwentastrayinthewoodsand,turningupatthegirlshouse,fellinlovewithher.Heaskedhertomarryhim,butsherepliedthatshehadtothinkofheroxenbrothersandcouldntpossiblyleavethem.Theprincetookhertohispalacealongwithallthebrothers.Thegirlbecamehisprincessbride,andtheelevenoxenandthelambwereputintoamarblebarnwithgoldmangers.</p>
<p>Butthewitchesinthewoodsdidnotgiveup.Onedaytheprincesswasstrollingunderthegrapearborwithherlambkinbrotherthatshealwayscarriedwithher,whenanoldwomanwalkeduptoher.</p>
<p>"Willyougivemeabunchofgrapes,mygoodprincess?"</p>
<p>"Yes,dearoldsoul,helpyourself."</p>
<p>"Icantreachupthathigh,pleasepickthemforme."</p>
<p>"Rightaway,"saidtheprincess,reachingupforabunch.</p>
<p>"Pickthatbunchthere,theyretheripest,"saidtheoldwoman,pointingtoabunchabovethecistern.</p>
<p>Toreachit,theprincesshadtostandontherimofthecistern.Theoldwomangaveherapush,andtheprincessfellin.Thelambstartedbleating,andbleatedallaroundthecistern,butnobodyunderstoodwhatitwasbleatingabout,nordidtheyheartheprincessmoaningdowninthewell.Meanwhilethewitchhadtakentheprincesssshapeandgotintoherbed.Whentheprincecamehome,heasked,"Whatareyoudoinginbed?"</p>
<p>"Imsick,"saidthefalseprincess."Ineedtoeatamorseloflamb.Slaughtermethatoneouttherethatwontstopbleating."</p>
<p>"Didntyoutellmesometimeago,"askedtheprince,"thatthelambwasyourbrother?Andyouwanttoeathimnow?"</p>
<p>Thewitchhadblunderedandwasatalossforwords.Theprince,sensingthatsomethingwasamiss,wentintothegardenandfollowedthelambthatwasbleatingsopitifully.Itapproachedthecistern,andtheprinceheardhiswifecalling.</p>
<p>"Whatareyoudoingatthebottomofthecistern?"heexclaimed."DidntIjustleaveyouinbed?"</p>
<p>"No,Ivebeendownhereeversincethismorning!Awitchthrewmein!"</p>
<p>Theprinceorderedhiswifepulledupatonce.Thewitchwascaughtandburnedatthestake.Whilethefireburned,theoxenandalsothelambslowlyturnedbackintofine,strappingyoungmen,andyoudhavethoughtthecastlehadbeeninvadedbyabandofgiants.Theywereallmadeprinces,whileIvestayedaspoorasoulasever.</p>
<p>(Monferrato)</p>
<p>NOTES:</p>
<p>"TheTwelveOxen"(Idodicibuoi)fromComparetti,47,Monferrato,Piedmont.</p>
<p>Thefolktalesaboutthesisterwhorescuesherbrotherorbrotherschangedintoanimalscanbedividedintotwogroups:theonewherethesevensonsareunderacurse(asinBasile,IV,8,orinGrimm,9and25),andtheotherwherethesolebrotheristransformedintoalamb(asinGrimm,11,orinmyno.178).Thebrothersaremostcommonlytransformedintobirds(swans,ravens,doves),andthefirstliterarymanifestationofthemotifdatesbacktothetwelfthcentury;thelatestispossiblyAndersens"WildSwans."</p>
<p>Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,</p>
<p>translatedbyGeorgeMartin,</p>
<p>PantheonBooks,NewYork1980</p>