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〃I saw the sultan of Turkey； who bought himself twenty new wives。〃
〃I saw the emperor of China； who has let his pigtail grow three yards long。〃
〃I saw the king of the cannibals； who ate his chamberlain by mistake。〃
〃I saw the king of this region； who has the sick son nobody can cure； since I alone know the remedy。〃
〃And what is it？〃 asked the other witches。
〃In the floor of his room is a loose tile。 All one need to do is lift the tile； and there underneath is a phial containing an ointment that would heal everyone of his wounds。〃
It was all the princess inside the tree could do not to scream for joy。 By this time the witches had told one another all they had to say； so each went her own way。 The princess jumped from the tree and set out in the dawn for the city。 At the first secondhand dealer's she came to； she bought an old doctor's gown and a pair of spectacles； and knocked at the royal palace。 Seeing the little doctor with such scant paraphernalia； the servants weren't going to let him in； but the king said； 〃What harm could he do my son who can't be any worse off than he is now？ Let him see what he can do。〃 The sham doctor asked to be left alone with the sick man； and the request was granted。
Finding her lover groaning and unconscious in his sickbed； the princess felt like weeping and smothering him with kisses。 But she restrained herself because of the urgency of carrying out the witch's directions。 She paced up and down the room until she stepped on a loose tile； which she raised and discovered a phial of ointment。 With it she rubbed the prince's wounds； and no sooner had she touched each one with ointment than the wound disappeared pletely。 Overjoyed she called the king； who came in and saw his son sleeping peacefully； with the color back in his cheeks； and no trace of any of the wounds。
〃Ask for whatever you like； doctor；〃 said the king。 〃All the wealth in the kingdom is yours。〃
〃I wish no money；〃 replied the doctor。 〃Just give me the prince's shield bearing the family coat…of…arms； his standard； and his yellow vest that was rent and bloodied。〃 Upon receiving the three items； she took her leave。
Three days later； the king's son was again out hunting。 He passed the castle in the heart of the forest； but didn't deign to look up at the princess's window。 She immediately picked up the book； leafed through it； and the prince had no choice but change into a canary。 He flew into the room； and the princess turned him back into a man。 〃Let me go；〃 he said。 〃Isn't it enough to have pierced me with those pins of yours and caused me so much agony？〃 The prince； in truth； no longer loved the girl； blaming her for his misfortune。
On the verge of fainting； she exclaimed； 〃But I saved your life！ I am the one who cured you！〃
〃That's not so；〃 said the prince。 〃My life was saved by a foreign doctor who asked for no repense except my coat…of…arms； my standard； and my bloodied vest！〃
〃Here are your coat…of…arms； your standard； and your vest！ The doctor was none other than myself！ The pins were the cruel doing of my stepmother！〃
The prince gazed into her eyes； dumbfounded。 Never had she looked so beautiful。 He fell at her feet asking her forgiveness and declaring his deep gratitude and love。
That very evening he informed his father he was going to marry the maiden in the castle in the forest。
〃You may marry only the daughter of a king or an emperor；〃 replied his father。
〃I shall marry the woman who saved my life。〃
So they made preparations for the wedding； inviting all the kings and queens in the vicinity。 Also present was the princess's royal father； who had been informed of nothing。 When the bride came out； he looked at her and exclaimed； 〃My daughter！〃
〃What！〃 said the royal host。 〃My son's bride is your daughter？ Why did she not tell us？〃
〃Because；〃 explained the bride； 〃I no longer consider myself the daughter of a man who let my stepmother imprison me。〃 And she pointed at the queen。
Learning of all his daughter's misfortune； the father was filled with pity for the girl and with loathing for his wicked wife。 Nor did he wait until he was back home to have the woman seized。 Thus the marriage was celebrated to the satisfaction and joy of all； with the exception of that wretch。
（Turin）
NOTES：
〃The Canary Prince〃 Il Principe canarino） from Rua （in Archivio per lo studio delle tradizioni popolari； Palermo…Turin； VI ＇1887＇； 401）； Turin。
This folktale from Turin； with its balladlike pathos； develops a medieval motif； which is also literary。 （But Marie de France's lai； Yonec； is quite different； being the story of an adultery。） My personal touches here include the prince's yellow suit and leggings； the description of the transformation in a flutter of wings； the gossip of the witches who traveled the world over； and a bit of stylistic cunning。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
克林王
从前，有一个国王认了一头猪做自己的儿子，人们称它为“克林王”。克林王在王宫里进进出出，平常显得很有教养，还真像一个王室人物，但它也时常故意捣捣乱，发发脾气。父亲拍着它的屁股对他说：“怎么了，你这么捣乱，有什么事吗？”
克林王叽里咕噜地说：“呃，呃，我想娶老婆，呃，呃，娶那个面包师的女儿！”
于是，国王派人把面包师叫了来。面包师有三个女儿，国王问面包师他的大女儿是否愿意嫁给他的猪儿子。面包师的大女儿很想嫁给国王的儿子，但又不愿意嫁给一头猪，左右为难，最后还是答应了。
婚礼的当天晚上，克林王满心欢喜地跑到街上转了一圈，浑身弄得脏兮兮的回来了。新娘正在房间里等着它，它示意新娘爱抚它，自己也直往新娘裙子上拱。新娘觉得很厌烦，不但没有爱抚它，还踹了它一脚，“滚开，脏猪！”
克林王嘟囔着：“呃！早晚和你算这笔帐！”就离开了。
当天晚上，新娘就被发现死在床上了。
老国王对这件事非常头疼。过了几个月，克林王又开始发脾气，又提出娶老婆的事，嘟嘟囔囔地说：“呃！呃！呃！我想要面包师的女儿为妻！”于是国王让人去喊面包师的二女儿，她也同意了。
婚礼的晚上，克林王又在街上弄得浑身脏兮兮的回来了，一回来就在新娘的身上蹭来蹭去，新娘说：“滚开，脏猪！”把它赶走了。第二天早上，她也被人发现死在床上。一连在新婚之夜死了两个新娘，这件事给宫廷带来了很坏的影响。
过了一段时间，克林王又在王宫里捣乱生事。国王说：“怎么，你还想娶面包师的三女儿吗？”
克林王说：“呃！呃！我是想娶她！呃！呃！我是想娶她！”
国王试着派人把那第三个女儿叫来了，问她是否愿意嫁给克林王。没想到她听了非常高兴。婚礼的当晚，克林王像以前一样，到街上转得浑身脏兮兮的跑回房间，让它的新娘抚摸它。新娘就一边抚摸着它，一边用柔细的亚麻布手帕擦着克林王身上的泥水，说：“我的好克林王，我心爱的克林王，我早就喜欢上你了。”克林王感到很高兴。
早上，宫廷中所有的人都在等着这第三个新娘死去的消息，没想到她看上去比来的时候更大方，更快乐。那一天成了王室大庆的日子，国王举行了盛大的宴会。
到了晚上，因为好奇，新娘很想看看克林王睡觉的样子。她点着一根长蜡烛，看到了一个英俊的小伙子，他长得太英俊了，简直令人无法想象。当她正盯着小伙子看的时候，蜡烛从她手中落下，落在了小伙子的手臂上。小伙子惊醒过来，满腔怒火地跳下床，大声喊道：“你破了魔咒，你不会再看到我了！噢，如果你想再见到我，就必须在七个瓶里灌满你的眼泪，踏破七双铁鞋，穿破七件铁衣，戴破七顶铁帽。”说完就消失了。
新娘悲痛万分，她不能只待在家里等着，决定出去寻找他。她找到一个铁匠，让他打好了七双铁鞋、七件铁衣和七顶铁帽，出发了。
走啊，走啊，当她走到一座山上，天黑下来了。她看到有一座茅屋，就去敲门。一位老婆婆说：“可怜的姑娘，我不能留你过夜，因为我的儿子是风，每次一来到家里就会把所有的东西扔得乱七八糟，要是让他找到你，你就麻烦了！”
可是姑娘再三请求，老婆婆只好把她藏在屋内，风回来了，他到处嗅了嗅，说：
“哼，哼
我闻到人的气味。”
老婆婆给了他一些东西吃，他才平静下来。到了早上，风的母亲早早地起来轻轻叫醒年轻的姑娘，说：“快逃吧，趁我儿子还没起床你赶快上路，拿着这个栗子作纪念，如果不是急需就别打开它。”
姑娘走呀，走呀，来到另一座山上，天又黑了。她看到一座茅屋，一位老婆婆站在门口对她说：“咳，我真想留你过夜，但我的儿子是闪电，如果他回来发现你，你就麻烦了。”但老婆婆觉得姑娘实在可怜，就把她藏在屋里。闪电回来了：
“哼，哼，
我闻到人的气味。”
但他没发现她，吃了些东西就睡觉去了。
到了早晨，闪电的母亲对姑娘说：“趁我儿子还没醒过来，你快逃走吧，拿着这个核桃，它对你会很有用。”
姑娘走呀，走呀，走到另一座山上时天又黑了。这里是雷的妈妈家，她终于也留姑娘过夜并把她藏了起来，雷一回到家就说：
“哼，哼，
我闻到人的气味”
但他没发现她。到了早上，姑娘从雷的妈妈那里得到了一颗榛子做礼物，就又出发了。
经过长途跋涉之后，她来到一座城邦。听人说这里的公主将要跟一个英俊无比的小伙子结婚，他们现在正一起待在城堡中。姑娘猜想这个小伙子一定就是她自己的新郎。但怎么才能阻止他们的婚事呢？怎么才能进到城堡里去呢？
她打开那个栗子，从里面出来一大堆珠宝、钻石。于是她带着这些东西来到公主住的宫殿下叫卖。公主从窗口看见后就让她上来了。姑娘对公主说：“我可以把这些东西都白送给你，只要求你让我在那个小伙子的房间里睡上一夜就行，听说他就在这座宫殿里。”
公主不放心让姑娘跟小伙子单独谈话，甚至担心姑娘会带着小伙子逃走，但她的女仆对她说：“这事交给我了，我们给他吃催眠药，他就不会醒过来了。”她们就这么做了，当女仆陪着姑娘来到房间的时候，小伙子已经睡着了，女仆留下姑娘就出去了。姑娘仔细一看，这果然就是她的新郎，就对他说：“快醒醒