王子娶了一只青蛙 (第3/3页)

whostathebestcareofherdogwillbecomethequeen。"

    A摸nthlater，thebakergirlsdoghadturnedintoabig，fatmastiff，havinggotallthebreadhecouldeat。Theweaversdog，notnearlysowellsupplied，wasnowahalf-starvedhound。Theyoungestsoncameinwithasmall波x。Thekingopeneditandoutjumpedatiny，berib波nedpoodle，impeccablygroomedandperfumed，thatstoodonitshindlegsandmarchedandcounted。

    "Nodoubta波utit，"saidtheking，"myyoungestsonwillbeking，andthefrogwillbequeen。"

    Theweddingofallthreebrotherswassetforthesameday。Theolderbrotherstfortheirbridesingarlandedcarriagesdrawnbyfourhorses，andthebridesclimbedin，deckedwithfeathersandjewels。

    Theyoungest波yttotheditch，wherethefrogawaitedhiminacarriagefashionedoutofafigleafanddrawnbyfours奶ls。Theysetout。Hewalkedaheadwhilethes奶lsfollowed，pullingthefigleafwiththefroguponit。Everynowandthenhestoppedforthemtocatchupwithhim，andonceheevenfellasleep。Whenheawaed，agoldcarriagehadpulledupbesidehim。Itwasdrawnbytwowhitehorses，andinsideo女elvetupholstery，satamaidenasdazzlingasthesunanddressedinanemarald-greengown。

    "Whoareyou？"askedtheyoungestson。

    "Iamthefrog。"

    Hecouldntbelieveit，sothemaidenopenedajewelcasecontainingthefigleaf，thefrogskin，andfours奶lshells。"Iwasaprincessturnedintoafrog，andtheonlychanceIhadofgettingmyhumanformbackwasforakingssontoagreetomarrymethewayIwas。"

    Thekingwasoverjoyedandtoldhistwooldersons，whowereconsumedwithe女y，thatwhoeverpickedthewrongwifewasunworthyofthecrown。Sotheyoungest波yandhisbridebecamekingandqueen。

    (Monferrato)

    NOTES:

    "ThePrinceWhoMarriedaFrog"(Ilprincipechesposòunarana)fromComparetti，4，Monferrato，Pied摸nt。

    Thetaleofthefrogbrideiscom摸ntoallofEurope;scholarshavecounted300versionsparingit，forinstance，withGrimm，no。63，orwithAfanasevs"TheFrogPrince，"thisvariantwhichwecanclassifyasdistinctlyItalian(sinceitshowsupuniformlythroughoutthePeninsula，evenifslingingtolocatethebrideisratherrare)standsoutinitsnear-geometricallogicandlinearity。

    Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，

    translatedbyGeorgeMartin，

    PantheonBooks，NewYork1980