銀鼻子

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一個星期後，琪亞又假裝憂心忡忡，她對銀鼻子説還想知道媽媽的消息。

她又讓他帶上另一袋的髒東西去她家。於是，銀鼻子又背起她二姐上路了，這一次他又沒看成袋子裏的東西，因為他聽到有人叫着:“我看見你了！我看見你了！”此時，洗衣婦已知道這個銀鼻子就是魔鬼了，看到他又揹着一袋東西來了，緊張得不得了，生怕銀鼻子向她要上次洗好的東西，但銀鼻子把肩上的口袋往地上一放，説:“洗好的東西，我下一次再來取，這包東西太重，壓得我骨頭都快斷了，我要空手回去。”等銀鼻子一走遠，洗衣婦萬分焦急地打開了口袋，緊緊抱住了自己的二女兒。但隨後就開始替琪亞擔心，她現在一個人隻身留在魔鬼的手裏。

琪亞怎麼辦呢？過了不久，她又假裝想了解母親的情況。魔鬼此時已經厭倦了替她帶髒衣服回家，不過想到她這麼聽話，也就不忍拒絕。臨行前的晚上，琪亞説她頭疼得厲害，要先去睡了。

“我把準備好的口袋給你留下，這樣，明天即使我不舒服，起不了牀，你也可以自己把口袋帶去。”現在，要知道琪亞早就縫製了一個玩具布娃娃，跟她自己一樣大。她把布娃娃放在牀上，蓋上被子，然後剪掉自己的辮子安在布娃娃的頭上，看上去就像她自己睡在牀上一樣。隨後，她又把自己藏在了口袋裏。

早上，魔鬼看到姑娘躺在被窩裏，就背起口袋上路了，邊走邊想:今天她病了，不可能再注意我。這是偷看口袋裏邊到底是不是髒東西的好機會。他放下口袋，剛想打開來看。

“我看見你了！我看見你了！”琪亞喊道。

“啊！她的聲音真真切切的，好像就在耳旁！最好別再跟這姑娘開這種玩笑了。”他背起口袋，一直把它送給了洗衣婦。

“我以後來把洗好的東西取走，”他急急忙忙地説“現在我得趕快回去，因為琪亞病了。”就這樣，一家人又團聚了，而且因為琪亞還從魔鬼那裏帶回很多金幣，足夠全家人幸福、滿足地生活着。她們在家門口立起了一個十字架，魔鬼再也不敢靠近了。

silvernosetherewasonceawidowedwasherwomanwiththreedaughters。allfourofthemworkedtheirfingerstothe波newashing，buttheystillthungry。onedaytheoldestdaughtersaidtoher摸ther，"iintendtoleavehome，evenifihavetogoandworkforthedevil。"

"donttalklikethat，daughter，"repliedthe摸ther。"goodnessknowswhatmighthappentoyou。"notmanydaysafterward，theyreceivedavisitfromagentlemanattiredinblack。hewastheheightofcourtesyandhadasilvernose。

"iamawareofthefactthatyouhavethreedaughters，"hesaidtothe摸ther。"wouldyouletonecomeandworkforme？"the摸therwouldhaveconsentedatonce，haditnotbeenforthatsilvernosewhichshedidntlikethelooksof。shecalledheroldestgirlasideandsaid，"nomanonearthhasasilvernose。ifyougooffwithhimyoumightwelllivetoregretit，sowatt。"thedaughter，whowasdyingtoleavehome，paidnoattentiontoher摸therandleftwiththeman。theywalkedformilesandmiles，crossingwoodsand摸untains，andfinallycameinsightofanintenseglowinthedistancelikethatofafire。"whatisthatiseewaydownthereinthevalley？"askedthegirl，growinguneasy。

"myhouse。thatsjustwherewearegoing，"repliedsilvernose。

thegirlfollowedalong，butcouldntkeepfromtrembling。theycametoalargepalace，andsilvernosetookherthghitandshowedhereveryroom，eachone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。heshowedherandthehouse，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。shetoowasshownandthehouseandgiventhesameinstructionsashersisters。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