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〃Why should I be afraid？〃
〃People shudder at the thought of that palace； since nobody who's gone in has e out alive。 In the morning the friars go up with the bier for anyone brave enough to spend the night inside。〃
So what did Little John do but pick up a lamp； a bottle； and a sausage； and march straight to the palace。
At midnight he was sitting at the table eating； when he heard a voice in the chimney。 〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃Go ahead！〃 replied Little John。
Down the chimney into the fireplace fell a man's leg。 Little John drank a glass of wine。
Then the voice spoke again。 〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃Go ahead！〃 So another leg dropped into the fireplace。 Little John bit into the sausage。
〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃Go ahead！〃 So down came an arm。 Little John began whistling a tune。
〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃By all means！〃 And there was another arm。
〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃Yes！〃
Then came the trunk of a body； and the arms and legs stuck onto it； and there stood a man without a head。
〃Shall I throw it down？〃
〃Throw it down！〃
Down came the head and sprang into place atop the trunk。 He was truly a giant； and Little John raised his glass and said； 〃To your health！〃
The giant said； 〃Take the lamp and e with me。〃
Little John picked up the lamp； but didn't budge。
〃You go first！〃 said the giant。
〃No； after you；〃 insisted Little John。
〃After you！〃 thundered the giant。
〃You lead the way！〃 yelled Little John。
So the giant went first； with Little John behind him lighting the way； and they went through room after room until they had walked the whole length of the palace。 Beneath one of the staircases was a small door。
〃Open it！〃 ordered the giant。
〃You open it！〃 replied Little John。
So the giant shoved it open with his shoulder。 There was a spiral staircase。
〃Go on down；〃 directed the giant。
〃After you；〃 answered Little John。
They went down the steps into a cellar； and the giant pointed to a stone slab on the ground。 〃Raise that！〃
〃You raise it！〃 replied Little John； and the giant lifted it as though it were a mere pebble。
Beneath the slab there were three pots of gold。 〃Carry those upstairs！〃 ordered the giant。
〃You carry them up！〃 answered Little John。 And the giant carried them up one by one。
When they were back in the hall where the great fireplace was； the giant said； 〃Little John； the spell has been broken！〃 At that； one of his leg came off and kicked its way up the chimney。 〃One of these pots of gold is for you。〃 An arm came loose and climbed up the chimney。 〃The second pot of gold is for the friars who e to carry away your body； believing you perished。〃 The other arm came off and followed the first。 〃The third pot of gold is for the first poor man who es by。〃 Then the other leg dropped off； leaving the giant seated on the floor。 〃Keep the palace for yourself。〃 The trunk separated from the head and vanished。 〃The owners of the palace and their children are now gone forever。〃 At that； the head disappeared up the chimney。
As soon as it was light； a dirge arose： 〃Miserere mei； miserere mei。〃 The friars had e with the bier to carry off Little John's body。 But there he stood； at the window； smoking his pipe！
Dauntless Little John was a wealthy youth indeed with all those gold pieces； and he lived happily in his palace。 Then one day what should he do but look behind him and see his shadow： he was so frightened he died。
NOTES：
〃Dauntless Little John〃 （Giovannin senza paura）
I begin with a folktale for which I do not indicate； in contrast to my procedure in all the other tales； the particular version I followed。 As the versions of it from the various regions of Italy are all quite similar； I let myself be freely guided by mon tradition。 Not only for that reason have I put this tale first； but also because it is one of the simplest and； in my view； one of the most beautiful folktales。
Italian tradition sharply diverges from the Grimms' 〃Tale of a Boy Who Set Out to Learn Fear〃 （Grimm no。4） which is no doubt closer to my no。80。 The type of tale is of European origin and not found in Asia。
The disappearance of the man limb by limb is not traditional； but a personal touch of my own； to balance his arrival piece by piece。 I took the finishing stroke of the shadow from a Sienese version （De Gubernatis； 22）； and it is merely a simplification of the more mon ending； where Little John is given a salve for fastening heads back on。 He cuts his head off and puts it on againbackward； the sight of his rear end so horrifies him that he drops dead。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
一身海草的人
有一个国王让人在各个广场上喊话，谁能找回他失踪的女儿，就奖赏谁。可是国王的号令并无效果，因为谁也不知道在哪里可以找到他的女儿。一天夜晚，她被人掳走，国王查遍了所有的角落也找不到她的踪迹。
一位有经验的船长突然想到，如果陆地上找不到踪迹，就有可能在海上。于是，他准备好了一艘船，打算出海寻找。但是当他想要招募水手的时候，却找不到一个人：没人愿意参加这个看不到归期的冒险旅程。
船长站在堤坝上望着，没有人靠近，也没有人敢带头登船。巴奇钦·特里波尔多也在堤坝上，他是一个出了名的酒鬼，一个有名的流浪汉，没人愿意雇用他。“哎，你愿意上船吗？”船长对他说。
“我吗？愿意。”
“那么上船吧。”巴奇钦·特里波尔多第一个上了船。这样，其他一些水手胆子也大了起来，登上了甲板。
在船上，巴奇钦·特里波尔多整天把两只手揣在兜里，怀念岸上的那些小酒馆。大家都骂他，因为航程遥遥无期，食品储备有限，可是还得养活像他这样一个无所事事的人。船长决定甩掉他。“你看见那个小岛了吗？”船长指着海面一个礁石岛对他说，“你划着小舢板过去查看查看，我们就在附近转转。”
巴奇钦·特里波尔多下到舢板上，大船却全速开走了，将他一个人留在大海中，巴奇钦划向礁石。他看见礁石上有一个大山洞，便走了进去。在山洞的尽头绑着一个非常美丽的姑娘，正是国王的女儿。“你是怎么找到我的？”她问巴奇钦·特里波尔多。
“我来这里是为了钓章鱼。”巴奇钦说。
“我就是被一条巨大的章鱼抓来关在这里的，”国王的女儿说，“趁它还没回来，你先躲起来吧。不过，你记着，这条章鱼每天有三个小时会变成红鲤鱼，那时候容易钓到它，但你必须马上杀死它，不然，它会变成一只红嘴鸥飞走。”
巴奇钦·特里波尔多将自己和小船都藏在小岛上。�