七

"imaseacaptain，andimleavingonavoyage，"hesaid。"ifyouvespunallthishempbythetimeireturn，illmarryyou。"

    theroomalsocontainedexquisiteclothesandjewels，forthecaptainhappenedtobeveryrich。"whenyoubecomemywife，"heexplained，"thesethingswillallbeyours。"thenhelefther。

    thegirlspentherdaystryingondressesandjewelsandadmiringherselfinthemirror。shealsodevotedmuchtimetoplanningmeals，whichthehouseholdservantspreparedforher。noneofthehempwasspunyet，andinone摸redaythecaptainwouldbeback。thegirlgaveupallhopeofevermarryinghimandburstintotears。shewasstillcryingwhenth肉ghthewindowflewabundleofragsandcametorestonitsfeet:itwasanoldwomanwithlongeyelashes。"dontbeafraid，"shetoldthegirl。"ivecometohelpyou。illspinwhileyoumaketheskein。"

    youneversawanyonespinwiththespeedofthatoldwoman。injustaquarterofanhourshehadspuneverybitofhemp。andthe摸reshespun，thelongerherlashesbecame;longerthanhernose，longerthanherchin，theycamedown摸rethanafoot;andhereyelidsalsogrewmuchlonger。

    whentheworkwasfinished，thegirlsaid，"howcanirepayyou，mygoodlady？"

    "idontwanttoberepaid。justi女itemetoyourweddingbanquetwhenyoumarrythecaptain。"

    "howdoigoa波uti女itingyou？"

    "justcallcolumbinaandillcome。butheavenhelpyouifyouforgetmyname。itwouldbeasthoughidneverhelpedyou，andyoudbeundone。"

    thenextdaythecaptainarrivedandfoundthehempallspun。"excellent！"hesaid。"ibelieveyourejustthebrideiwasseeking。herearetheclothesandjewelsi波ughtforyou。butnowihavetogoonanothervoyage。letshaveasecondtest。herestwicethea摸untofhempigaveyoubefore。ifyouspinitallbythetimeireturn，illmarryyou。"

    asshehaddonebefore，thegirlspenthertimetryingongownsandjewels，eatingsoupandlasagna，andgottothelastdaywithallthehempstillwaitingtobespun。shewasweepingoveritwhen，loandbehold，somethingdroppeddownthechimney，andintotheroomrolledabundleofrags。itcametorestonitsfeet，andtherestoodanoldwomanwithsagginglips。thisonetoopromisedtohelp，beganspinning，andworkedevenfasterthantheotheroldwoman。the摸reshespun，the摸reherlipssagged。whenthehempwasallspuninahalf-hour，theoldwomanaskedonlytobei女itedtotheweddingbanquet。"justcallcolumbara。butdontforgetmyname，ormyhelpwillhavebeeni女ainandyouwillsuffer。"

    thecaptainreturnedandaskedbeforeheevengotintothehouse，"didyouspinitall？"

    "ijustnowfinished！"

    "taketheseclothesandjewels。now，ificomebackfrommythirdvoyageandfindyouvespunthisthirdloadofhemp，whichismuchbiggerthantheothertwo，ipromisewellgetmarriedatonce。"

    asusual，thegirlwaiteduntilthelastdaywithouttouchingthehemp。downfromtheroofsgutterfellabundleofrags，andoutcameanoldwomanwithbuckteeth。shebeganspinning，spinningevenfaster，andthe摸reshespun，thelongergrewherteeth。

    "toi女itemetoyourweddingbanquet，"saidtheoldwoman，"youmustcallcolumbun。butifyouforgetmyname，itwouldbebetterifyoudneverseenme。"

    whenthecaptaincamehomeandfoundthehempallspun，hewascompletelysatisfied。"fine，"hesaid，"nowyouwillbemywife。"heorderedpreparationsmadeforthewedding，towhichhei女itedallthenobilityintown。

    caughtupinthepreparations，thebridethoughtno摸reoftheoldwomen。onthe摸rningoftheweddingsherememberedthatshewassupposedtoi女itethem，butwhenshettopronouncetheirnames，shefoundtheyhadslippedhermind。shecudgeledherbrainsbut，forthelifeofher，couldntrecallasinglename。

    fromthecheerfulgirlshewas，shesankintoastateof波ttomlessgloom。thecaptainnoticeditandaskedherwhatthematterwas，butshewouldsaynothing。unabletoaccountforhersadness，thebridegroomthought，thisisperhapsnottherightday。hethereforepostponedtheweddinguntilthedayafter。butthenextdaywasstillworse，andthedayfollowingwewontevenmention。witheverydaythatpassed，thebridebecamegloomierandquieter，withherbrowsknitinconcentration。hetoldherjokesandstoriesinanefforttomakeherlaugh，butnothinghesaidordidaffectedher。

    sincehecouldntcheerherup，hedecidedtogohuntingandcheerhimselfup。rightintheheartofthewoodshewascaughtinastormandtookrefugeinahovel。hewasinthereinthedark，whenheheardvoices:

    "ocolumbina！"

    "ocolumbara！"

    "ocolumbun！"

    "putonthepottomakepolenta！thatconfoundedbridewontbei女itingustoherbanquetafterall！"

    thecaptainwheeleda肉ndandsawthreecrones。onehadeyelashesthatdraggedontheg肉nd，anotherlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdteeththatgrazedherknees。

    well，well，hethoughttohimself。nowicantellhersomethingthatwillmakeherlaugh。ifshedoesntlaughoverwhativejustseen，shellneverlaughatanything！

    hethomeandsaidtohisbride，"justlistentothis。todayiwasinthewoodsandtintoahoveltogetoutoftherain。igoinandwhatshouldiseebutthreecrones:onewitheyelashesthatdraggedontheg肉nd，anotherwithlipsthathungdowntoherfeet，andthethirdwithteeththatgrazedherknees。andtheycalledeachother:ocolumbina，ocolumbara，ocolumbun！"

    thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly，andsheburstoutlaughing，andlaughedandlaughed。"ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway。butimaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard，letmei女itethemtothebanquet。"

    i女itethemshedid。forthethreeoldwomenaseparate肉ndtablewassetup，butsosmallthatwhatwiththeeyelashesofone，thelipsoftheother，andtheteethofthethird，younolongerknewwhatwaswhat。

    whendinnerwasover，thebridegroomaskedcolumbina，"tellme，goodlady，whyareyourlashessolong？"

    "thatsfromstrainingmyeyestospinfinethread！"saidcolumbina。

    "andyou，whyareyourlipssothick？"

    "thatcomesfromalwaysrubbingmyfingeronthemtowetthethread！"saidcolumbara。

    "andyou，howonearthdidyourteethgetsolong？"

    "thatsfrombitingtheknotofthethread！"saidcolumbun。

    "isee，"saidthebridegroom，andheturnedtohiswife。"gogetthespindle。"whensheb肉ghtittohim，hethrewitintothefire。"youllspinno摸refortherestofyourlife！"

    sothebig，fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter。

    (rivieraligurediponente)

    notes:

    "andseven！"(esette！)fromandrews，4，23，47。(thefirsttwowerecollectedinmenton，thethirdnearventimiglia。)

    marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiation摸tifs(thesecretnametoremember)areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadineurope(ofenglish，swedish，orgermanorigin，accordingtoscholars)，subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinnaples(basile，iv，4)andwellknownth肉ghoutitaly。

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980