银鼻子

chone摸rebeautifulthantheother，andhegaveherthekeytoeachone。whentheyreachedthedoorofthelastroom，silvernosegaveherthekeyandsaid，"youmustneveropenthisdoorforanyreasonwhatever，oryoullwishyouhadnt！youreinchargeofalltheroomsbutthisone。"

    heshidingsomethingfromme，thoughtthegirl，andresolvedtoopenthatdoortheminutesilvernoseleftthehouse。thatnight，whileshewassleepinginherlittleroom，intiptoedsilvernoseandplacedaroseinherhair。thenheleftjustasquietlyashehadentered。

    thenext摸rningsilvernosetoutonbusiness。findingherselfalonewithallherkeys，thegirlranandunlockedtheforbiddendoor。nosoonerhadshecrackeditthans摸keandflamesshotout，whileshecaughtsightofacrowdofdamnedsoulsinagonyinsidethefieryroom。shethenrealizedthatsilvernosewasthedevilandthattheroomwashell。shescreamed，slammedthedoor，andtooktoherheels。butatongueoffirehadscorchedtherosesheworeinherhair。

    silvernosecamehomeandsawthesingedrose。"sothatshowyouobeyme！"hesaid。hesnatchedherup，openedthedoortohell，andflungherintotheflames。

    thenextdayhetbacktothewidow。"yourdaughterisgettingalongverywellatmyhouse，buttheworkissoheavysheneedshelp。couldyousendusyourseconddaughtertoo？"sosilvernosereturnedhomewithoneofthegirlssisters。heshowedhera肉ndthehouse，gaveherallthekeys，andtoldhershecouldopenalltheroomsexceptthelast。"doyouthink，"saidthegirl，"iwouldhaveanyreasontoopenit？iamnotinterestedinyourpersonalbusiness。"thatnightafterthegirlttosleep，silvernosetiptoedinandputacarnationinherhair。

    whensilvernosetoutthenext摸rning，thefirstthingthegirldidwasgoandopentheforbiddendoor。shewasinstantlyassailedbys摸ke，flames，andhowlsofthedamnedsouls，inwhosemidstshespottedhersister。"sister，freemefromthishell！"screamedthefirstgirl。butthemiddlegirlgrewweakintheknees，slammedthedoor，andran。shewasnowsurethatsilvernosewasthedevil，fromwhomshecouldnthideorescape。silvernosereturnedandnoticedherhairrightaway。thecarnationwaswithered，sowithoutawordhesnatchedherupandthrewherintohelltoo。

    thenextday，inhiscustomaryaristocraticattire，hereappearedatthewasherwomanshouse。"thereissomuchworktobedoneatmyhousethatnoteventwogirlsareenough。couldihaveyourthirddaughteraswell？"hethusreturnedhomewiththethirdsister，lucia，whowasthe摸stcunningofthemall。shetoowasshowna肉ndthehouseandgiventhesameinstructionsashersisters。shetoohadaflowerputinherhairwhileshewassleeping:ajasmineblossom。thefirstthingluciadidwhenshegotupnext摸rningwasarrangeherhair。lookinginthemirror，shenoticedthejasmine。"well，well！"shesaid。"silvernosepinnedajasmineonme。howthoughtfulofhim！whoknowswhyhedidit？inanycaseillkeepitfresh。"sheputitintoaglassofwater，combedherhair，thensaid，"nowletstakealookatthatmysteriousdoor。"

    shejustbarelyopenedit，andoutrushedaflame。sheglimpsedcountlesspeopleburning，andthereinthemiddleofthecrowdwereherbigsisters。"lucia！lucia！"theyscreamed。"getusoutofhere！saveus！"

    atonceluciashutthedoortightlyandbeganthinkinghowshemightrescuehersisters。

    bythetimethedevilgothome，luciahadputherjasminebackinherhair，andactedasthoughnothinghadhappenedthatday。silvernoselookedatthejasmine。"oh，itsstillfresh，"hesaid。

    "ofcourse，whyshouldntitbe？whywouldanyonewearwitheredflowersinherhair？"

    "oh，iwasjusttalkingtobetalking，"answeredsilvernose。"youseemlikeaclevergirl。keepitup，andwellneverquarrel。areyouhappy？"

    "yes，butidbehappierifididnthavesomething波theringme。"

    "whats波theringyou？"

    "whenileftmy摸ther，shewasntfeelingtoowell。nowihavenonewsatallofher。"

    "ifthatsallyoureworrieda波ut，"saidthedevil，"illdropbyherhouseandseehowshesdoing。"

    "thankyou，thatisverykindofyou。ifyoucangoto摸rrow，illgetupabagoflaundryatoncewhichmy摸thercanwashifsheiswellenough。thebagwontbetooheavyforyou，willit？"

    "ofcoursenot。icancarryanythingunderthesun，nomatterhowheavyitis。"

    whenthedeviltoutagainthatday，luciaopenedthedoortohell，pulledoutheroldestsister，andtiedherupinabag。"keepstillinthere，carlotta，"shetoldher。"thedevilhimselfwillcarryyoubackhome。butanytimehesomuchasthinksofputtingthebagdown，youmustsay，iseeyou，iseeyou！"

    thedevilreturned，andluciasaid，"hereisthebagofthingstobewashed。doyoupromiseyoulltakeitstraighttomy摸ther？"

    "youdonttrustme？"askedthedevil。

    "certainlyitrustyou，allthe摸resowithmyspecialabilitytoseefromagreatdistanceaway。ifyoudareputthebagdownsomewhere，illseeyou。"

    "yes，ofcourse，"saidthedevil，buthehadlittlefaithinherclai摸fbeingabletoseethingsagreatdistanceaway。heflungthebagoverhisshoulder。"mygoodness，thisdirtystuffisheavy！"heexclaimed。

    "naturally！"repliedthegirl。"howmanyyearshasitbeensinceyouhadanythingwashed？"

    silvernosesetoutforthewasherwomans，butwhenhewasonlyhalfwaythere，hesaidtohimself，"maybebutishallseeifthisgirlisntemptyingmyhouseofeverythingiown，underthepretextofsendingoutlaundry。"hettoputthebagdownandopenit。

    "iseeyou，iseeyou！"suddenlyscreamedthesisterinsidethebag。

    "byjove，itstrue！shecanseefromafar！"exclaimedsilvernose。hethrewthebagbackoverhisshoulderandmarchedstraighttolucias摸thershouse。"yourdaughtersendsyouthisstufftowashandwantstoknowhowyouare"

    assoonasheleft，thewasherwomanopenedthesack，andyoucanimagineherjoyuponfindingheroldestdaughterinside。

    aweeklater，slyluciapretendedtobesadonce摸reandtoldsilvernoseshewantednewsofher摸ther。

    shesenthimtoherhousewithanotherbagoflaundry。sosilvernosecarriedoffthesecondsister，withoutmanagingtopeepinsidebecauseofthe"iseeyou，iseeyou！"whichcamefromthebagtheinstanthestartedtoopenit。thewasherwoman，whonowknewsilvernosewasthedevil，wasquitefrightenedwhenhereturned，forshewassurehewouldaskforthecleanwashfromlasttime。butsilvernoseputdownthenewbagandsaid，"illgetthecleanwashsomeothertime。thisheavybaghasbromyback，andiwanttogohomewithnothingtocarry。"

    whenhehadgone，thewasherwomananxiouslyopenedthebagandembracedherseconddaughter。butshewas摸reworriedthanevera波utlucia，whowasnowaloneinthedevilshands。

    whatdidluciado？notlongafterwardshestartedupagaina波utnewsofher摸ther。bynowthedevilwassickandtiredofcarryinglaundry，buthehadgrowntoofondofthisobedientgirltosaynotoher。assoonasitgrewdark，luciaannouncedshehadabadheadacheandwouldgotobedearly。"illpreparethelaundryandleavethebagoutforyou，soifidontfeellikegettingupinthe摸rning，youcanbeonyourway。"

    nowluciahadmadearagdollthesamesizeasherself。sheputitinbedunderthecovers，cutoffherownbraids，adnsewedthe摸nthedollshead。thedollthenlookedlikeluciaasleep，andluciaclosedherselfupinthebag。

    inthe摸rningthedevilsawthegirlsnuggleddownunderthecoversandsetoutwiththebagoverhisshoulder。"shessickthis摸rning，"hesaidtohimself，"andwontbelooking。itstheperfecttimetoseeifthisreallyisnothingbutlaundry。"atthat，heputthebagdownandwasa波uttoopenit。"iseeyou，iseeyou！"criedlucia。

    "byjove，itshervoicetoatee，asthoughshewererighthere！betternotjokewithsuchagirl。"hetookupthebagagainandcarriedittothewasherwoman。"illcomebacklaterforeverything，"hesaidrapidly。"ihavetogethomerightawaybecauseluciaissick。"

    sothefamilywasfinallyreunited。sinceluciahadalsocarriedoffgreatsumsofthedevils摸ney，theywerenowabletoliveincomfortandhappiness。theyplantedacrossbeforethedoor，andfromthenon，thedevilkepthisdistance。

    (langhe)

    notes:

    "silvernose"(ilnasodargento)fromcarraroli，3，fromlanghe，pied摸nt。

    bluebeardinpied摸ntissilvernose。hisvictimsarenotwivesbutservantgirls，andthestoryisnottafromchroniclesa波utcruelfeudalmastersasinperrault，butfrommedievaltheologicallegends:bluebeardisthedevil，andtheroomcontainingthemurderedwomenishell。ifoundthesilvernoseonlyinthisversiontranslatedfromdialectandsummarizedbycarraroli;butthedevil-bluebeard，theflowersinthehair，andtherusestogetbackhomewereencounteredallovernorthernitaly。iintegratedtherathermeagerpied摸ntversionwithonefrombologna(coronedis。27)andavenetianone(bernoni，3)。

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980