按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
狱。
次日,银鼻子照旧穿得像大人物一样,又来到寡妇家。“我家的活太多,两个姑娘还干不完,您把三女儿也让我带去,好吗?”就这样,他又把三女儿带了回来。三女儿名叫露琪亚,在三姐妹中,她最有头脑。银鼻子也带她看了每个房间,然后照旧叮嘱了她,而且当她睡了之后,也在她的头发上插了一朵花,是一朵茉莉花。早上,露琪亚起床后,就去梳头,照着镜子,她发现了头上的茉莉花。她自语道:“看哪,银鼻子给我插了一朵茉莉花。多优雅的想法!可是,我要让它保持新鲜。”她把花插在一个水杯里。梳完头,看看家里只剩她一个人,她就想:我现在去看看那扇神秘的门里有什么。
刚把门打开,烈火扑面而来,只见里边炼着很多人,而且人群中,她发现了她的大姐,然后又看见了二姐。她们大声叫着:“露琪亚!露琪亚!快拉我们出去!救救我们!”
露琪亚先是关好了门,然后思考如何才能救出两位姐姐。
魔鬼回来的时候,露琪亚早已把那朵茉莉花又插到了头上,装作没事的样子。银鼻子看了一眼茉莉花,说:“噢,还鲜着呢。”
“当然,它怎么会不新鲜呢?谁会把枯败的花戴在头上?”
“不是,我只是这么说说罢了,”银鼻子说,“我觉得你是个不错的姑娘,你要是一直这样,我们就能一直相处得很愉快。你在这里还满意吗?”
“满意,我在这里住得很好,但要不是有放心不下的事,就更好了。”
“放心不下什么?”
“我离家来这里的时候,我妈妈身体不舒服。现在我一点她的消息也没有。”
“要是就这点事,”魔鬼说,“我到你家去一趟,这样可以给你带回点那边的消息。”
“谢谢,您真是个大好人。要是您明天能去,我现在就把这里的脏东西准备成一个袋子,带给妈妈,等妈妈身体好的时候好让她帮忙洗洗。你不会觉得太重吧?”
“哪里的话,”魔鬼说,“再重的东西我也拿得动。”
等魔鬼一出去,露琪亚马上去打开了地狱之门,把大姐拉了出来,然后把她装进一只口袋。“待在里边,别说话,卡尔洛塔。等一会,魔鬼要亲自带你回家。不过,路上你要是觉得他把口袋放在地上,你就要喊:我看见你了!我看见你了!”
银鼻子来了,露琪亚对他说:“这是一袋要洗的东西。但你真的能一气不停地把它带到我妈妈家吗?”
“你不信任我吗?”魔鬼问。
“我当然相信你,因为我有这本领:我能看得很远,反正你把口袋搁在随便什么地方停下,我都看得见。”
魔鬼说:“是吗,等着看吧!”但他对姑娘具有千里眼的法力不以为然。他背起口袋,说:“这包脏东西怎么这么重啊!”
姑娘说:“那当然,你有多少年没洗过一样东西了?”
银鼻子上路了。但走到半路,他想:姑娘的话没错!不过我还是得看一下,也许她是以送该洗的脏东西为借口,想偷我的东西。于是,他把口袋放在地上,要打开看看。
“我看见你了!我看见你了!”姐姐从口袋里立即喊起来。
“啊,是真的!她真是千里眼!”银鼻子说着又背起口袋,一直走到露琪亚妈妈的家。“您的女儿让我把这袋东西带回来洗,她还想问问您身体怎么样……”
银鼻子一走,洗衣妇就打开了口袋,当她看到自己的大女儿时,高兴的样子就可想而知了。
一个星期后,露琪亚又假装忧心忡忡,她对银鼻子说还想知道妈妈的消息。
她又让他带上另一袋的脏东西去她家。于是,银鼻子又背起她二姐上路了,这一次他又没看成袋子里的东西,因为他听到有人叫着:“我看见你了!我看见你了!”
此时,洗衣妇已知道这个银鼻子就是魔鬼了,看到他又背着一袋东西来了,紧张得不得了,生怕银鼻子向她要上次洗好的东西,但银鼻子把肩上的口袋往地上一放,说:“洗好的东西,我下一次再来取,这包东西太重,压得我骨头都快断了,我要空手回去。”
等银鼻子一走远,洗衣妇万分焦急地打开了口袋,紧紧抱住了自己的二女儿。但随后就开始替露琪亚担心,她现在一个人只身留在魔鬼的手里。
露琪亚怎么办呢?过了不久,她又假装想了解母亲的情况。魔鬼此时已经厌倦了替她带脏衣服回家,不过想到她这么听话,也就不忍拒绝。临行前的晚上,露琪亚说她头疼得厉害,要先去睡了。“我把准备好的口袋给你留下,这样,明天即使我不舒服,起不了床,你也可以自己把口袋带去。”
现在,要知道露琪亚早就缝制了一个玩具布娃娃,跟她自己一样大。她把布娃娃放在床上,盖上被子,然后剪掉自己的辫子安在布娃娃的头上,看上去就像她自己睡在床上一样。随后,她又把自己藏在了口袋里。
早上,魔鬼看到姑娘躺在被窝里,就背起口袋上路了,边走边想:今天她病了,不可能再注意我。这是偷看口袋里边到底是不是脏东西的好机会。他放下口袋,刚想打开来看。“我看见你了!我看见你了!”露琪亚喊道。
“啊!她的声音真真切切的,好像就在耳旁!最好别再跟这姑娘开这种玩笑了。”他背起口袋,一直把它送给了洗衣妇。“我以后来把洗好的东西取走,”他急急忙忙地说,“现在我得赶快回去,因为露琪亚病了。”
就这样,一家人又团聚了,而且因为露琪亚还从魔鬼那里带回很多金币,足够全家人幸福、满足地生活着。她们在家门口立起了一个十字架,魔鬼再也不敢靠近了。
Silver Nose
There was once a widowed washerwoman with three daughters。 All four of them worked their fingers to the bone washing; but they still went hungry。 One day the oldest daughter said to her mother; 〃I intend to leave home; even if I have to go and work for the Devil。〃
〃Don't talk like that; daughter;〃 replied the mother。 〃Goodness knows what might happen to you。〃
Not many days afterward; they received a visit from a gentleman attired in black。 He was the height of courtesy and had a silver nose。
〃I am aware of the fact that you have three daughters;〃 he said to the mother。 〃Would you let one e and work for me?〃
The mother would have consented at once; had it not been for that silver nose which she didn't like the looks of。 She called her oldest girl aside and said; 〃No man on earth has a silver nose。 If you go off with him you might well live to regret it; so watch out。〃
The daughter; who was dying to leave home; paid no attention to her mother and left with the man。 They walked for miles and miles; crossing woods and mountains; and finally came in sight of an intense glow in the distance like that of a fire。 〃What is that I see way down there in the valley?〃 asked the girl; growing uneasy。
〃My house。 That's just where we are going;〃 replied Silver Nose。
The girl followed along; but couldn't keep from trembling。 They came to a large palace; and Silver Nose took her through it and showed her every room; each one more beautiful than the other; and he gave her the key to each one。 When they reached the door of the last room; Silver Nose gave her the key and said; 〃You must never open this door for any reason whatever; or you'll wish you hadn't! You're in charge of all the rooms but this one。〃
He's hiding something from me; thought the girl; and resolved to open that door the minute Silver Nose left the house。 That night; while she was sleeping in her little room; in tiptoed Silver Nose and placed a rose in her hair。 Then he left just as quietly as he had entere