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y。〃
Thus the parrot continued。 〃The maiden walked down to that light and found an old woman boiling the heart of the king's son in a kettle； in revenge for the king's execution of her son。 The maiden removed the heart from the kettle； carried it back to the king's son to eat； and he got well。 The king said； 'I promised half of my kingdom to the doctor who cured my son。 Since you are a woman； you will marry my son and bee queen。'〃
〃It's a fine story；〃 said the merchant's daughter。 〃Now that it's over； I can receive that woman who claims to be my aunt。〃
〃But it's not quite over；〃 said the parrot。 〃There's still some more to e。 Just listen to this。 The maiden in doctor's disguise also refused to marry that king's son and was off to another city whose king's son was under a spell and speechless。 She hid under the bed； at midnight； she saw two witches ing through the window and remove a pebble from the young man's mouth； whereupon he could speak。 Before leaving； they replaced the pebble； and he was again mute。〃
Someone knocked on the door； but the merchant's daughter was so absorbed in the story that she didn't even hear the knock。 The parrot continued。
〃The next night when the witches put the pebble on the bed； she gave the bedclothes a jerk and it dropped on the floor。 Then she reached out for it and put it in her pocket。 At dawn the witches couldn't find it and had to flee。 The king's son was well； and they named the maiden physician to the court。〃
The knocking continued； and the merchant's daughter was all ready to say 〃e in；〃 but first she asked the parrot； 〃Does the story go on； or is it over？〃
〃It goes on；〃 replied the parrot。 〃Just listen to this。 The maiden wasn't interested in remaining as physician to the court； and moved on to another city。 The talk there was that the king of this city had gone mad。 He'd found a doll in the woods and fallen in love with it。 He stayed shut up in his room admiring it and weeping because it was not a real live maiden。 The girl went before the king。 'That is my dool！' she exclaimed。 'And this is my bride！' replied the king on seeing that she was the doll's living image。〃
There was another knock； and the parrot was at a total loss to continue the story。 〃Just a minute； just a minute； there's still a tiny bit more；〃 he said； but he had no idea what to say next。
〃e on； open up； it's your father；〃 said the merchant's voice。
〃Ah； here we are at the end of the story；〃 announced the parrot。 〃The king married the maiden； and they lived happily ever after。〃
The girl finally ran to open the door and embraced her father just back from his trip。
〃Well done； my daughter！〃 said the merchant。 〃I see you've remained faithfully at home。 And how is the parrot doing？〃
They went to take a look at the bird； but in his place they found a handsome youth。 〃Forgive me； sir；〃 said the youth。 〃I am a king who put on a parrot's disguise； because I am in love with your daughter。 Aware of the intentions of a rival king to abduct her； I came here beneath a parrot's plumage to entertain her in an honorable manner and at the same time to prevent my rival from carrying out his schemes。 I believe I have succeeded in both purposes； and that I can now ask for your daughter's hand in marriage。〃
The merchant gave his consent。 His daughter married the king who had told her the tale； and the other king died of rage。
（Monferrato）
NOTES：
〃The Parrot〃 （Il pappagallo） from paretti； 2； Monferrato； Piedmont。
See my remarks on this folktale in the Introduction； p。 xxx…xxxi。 I have taken the liberty of doctoring the two versions published by parettithe Piedmontese one and a Tuscan one； from Pisa （1）and I heightened the suspense by placing the interruptions at the crucial moments。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
十二头牛
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。
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，担心是女巫跟他们开的一个玩笑，因为这片森林里有很多女巫。
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女巫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，因为林子里满是女巫。
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。
小妹说：“我不能给任何人开门，我的哥哥们不同意。”
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。”
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，小妹就把她为了找女巫借火，让女巫吸她的血作交换的事说了。哥哥们说：“这事让我们处理吧。”
女巫又来了，敲门后没看到姑娘的手指伸出来，女巫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，女巫的头就被砍了下来。然后兄弟们把女巫的尸首扔下了山谷。
一天，小妹去泉边遇到了另一个老妇，在卖白色的碗。
“我没有钱买。”姑娘说。
“我白送给你。”老妇说。
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。
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。但森林中的女巫并不甘心。有一天，王妃带着羊哥哥她总是带�