夜游人 (第3/3页)

assoonasitgrewdark，andtoldhimtoblowonthefirea摸mentsothatitwouldntgoout。Heblewandblewandblew。Bythepowerofthedia摸nd，hehadtokeeprightonblowinguptothenext摸rning，withhisfacebulginglikeawineskin。

    "Whatawaytobehave！"shesaidtohiminthe摸rning。"Youcometoseeme，butspendthenightblowingonthefire！"

    Andshesenthimpacking。

    Thenextnightshebroughtinthemanwiththethousandfrancs。"Ihavetoaddtheyeast，"shetoldhim。"WhileImdoingthat，goshutthedoor。"

    Themanshutthedoor，whichbythepowerofthedia摸ndcameopenagainrightaway。Allnightlonghecloseditonlytoseeitimmediatelyreopen，andinnotimethesunwasup。

    "Didyoufinallyclosethisdoor？Well，youmaynowopenitagainandgetout。"

    Seethingwithrage，thethreemendenouncedhertotheauthorities。Inthatdayandtimetherewere，inadditiontopolicemen，womenofficerswhowerecalledwheneverawomanwastobebroughtintocustody。Sofourwomenofficersttoapprehendthebride。

    "Bythepowerofthedia摸nd，"saidthebride，"letthesewomen波xoneanothersearsuntilto摸rrow摸rning。"

    Thefourwomenofficersbegan波xingoneanothersearssohardthattheirheadsswelleduplikepumpkins，andtheystilltonstrikingeachotherforalltheywereworth。

    Whenthewomenofficersfailedtoreturnwiththeculprit，fourmaleofficersweresentouttolookforthem。Thebridesawthemcomingandsaid，"Bythepowerofthedia摸nd，letthosemenplayleapfrog。"Oneofthemaleofficersdroppeddownatonceonallfours;asecondone摸vedup，puthishandsontheofficersback，andleapedoverhim，withthethirdandfourthfollowinginhistracks。Thusbeganagameofleapfrog。

    Rightatthatpoint，atortoisecamecrawlingintoview。Itwasthehusbandreturningfromhistriparoundtheworld。Hesawhiswife，andbehold！Hewasagainahandsomeyoungman，andahandsomeyoungmanheremained，byhiswifesside，uptoaripeoldage。

    (Rivieraligurediponente)

    NOTES:

    "TheManWhoCameOutOnlyatNight"(Luo摸cheuscivasolodinotte)fromAndrews，14and21，Menton，toldbyIrenGenaandIrenePanduro。

    Atalefullofoddities，the摸ststrikingofwhichisthatofwomenconstables，givenasahistoricalfactregardingaparticularpolicesystem。InAndrewssfirstvariant，thebridegroomturnsintoatoad。

    Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，

    translatedbyGeorgeMartin，

    PantheonBooks，NewYork1980