ashamed of her daughters gluttony； the mother replied； 〃seven spindles of hemp！ i have a daughter so crazy about work that shed even spin the wool on the sheeps back！ can you imagine that shes already spun seven spindles of hemp this morning and still wants to spin？ to make her stop； i have to beat her。〃
〃if shes that hard…working； give her to me；〃 said the young man。 〃ill try her out to see if youre telling the truth and then ill marry her。〃
he took her to his house and shut her up in a room full of hemp waiting to be spun。 〃im a sea captain； and im leaving on a voyage；〃 he said。 〃if youve spun all this hemp by the time i return； ill marry you。〃
the room also contained exquisite clothes and jewels； for the captain happened to be very rich。 〃when you bee my wife；〃 he explained； 〃these things will all be yours。〃 then he left her。
the girl spent her days trying on dresses and jewels and admiring herself in the mirror。 she also devoted much time to planning meals； which the household servants prepared for her。 none of the hemp was spun yet； and in one more day the captain would be back。 the girl gave up all hope of ever marrying him and burst into tears。 she was still crying when through the window flew a bundle of rags and came to rest on its feet： it was an old woman with long eyelashes。 〃dont be afraid；〃 she told the girl。 〃ive e to help you。 ill spin while you make the skein。〃
you never saw anyone spin with the speed of that old woman。 in just a quarter of an hour she had spun every bit of hemp。 and the more she spun； the longer her lashes became； longer than her nose； longer than her chin； they came down more than a foot； and her eyelids also grew much longer。
when the work was finished； the girl said； 〃how can i repay you； my good lady？〃
〃i dont want to be repaid。 just invite me to your wedding banquet when you marry the captain。〃
〃how do i go about inviting you？〃
〃just call columbina and ill e。 but heaven help you if you forget my name。 it would be as though id never helped you； and youd be undone。〃
the next day the captain arrived and found the hemp all spun。 〃excellent！〃 he said。 〃i believe youre just the bride i was seeking。 here are the clothes and jewels i bought for you。 but now i have to go on another voyage。 lets have a second test。 heres twice the amount of hemp i gave you before。 if you spin it all by the time i return； ill marry you。〃
as she had done before； the girl spent her time trying on gowns and jewels； eating soup and lasagna； and got to the last day with all the hemp still waiting to be spun。 she was weeping over it when； lo and behold； something dropped down the chimney； and into the room rolled a bundle of rags。 it came to rest on its feet； and there stood an old woman with sagging lips。 this one too promised to help； began spinning； and worked even faster than the other old woman。 the more she spun； the more her lips sagged。 when the hemp was all spun in a half…hour； the old woman asked only to be invited to the wedding banquet。 〃just call columbara。 but dont forget my name； or my help will have been in vain and you will suffer。〃
the captain returned and asked before he even got into the house； 〃did you spin it all？〃
〃i just now finished！〃
〃take these clothes and jewels。 now； if i e back from my third voyage and find youve spun this third load of hemp； which is much bigger than the other two； i promise well get married at once。〃
as usual； the girl waited until the last day without touching the hemp。 down from the roofs gutter fell a bundle of rags； and out came an old woman with buckteeth。 she began spinning； spinning even faster； and the more she spun； the longer grew her teeth。
〃to invite me to your wedding banquet；〃 said the old woman； 〃you must call columbun。 but if you forget my name； it would be better if youd never seen me。〃
when the captain came home and found the hemp all spun； he was pletely satisfied。 〃fine；〃 he said； 〃now you will be my wife。〃 he ordered preparations made for the wedding； to which he invited all the nobility in town。
caught up in the preparations； the bride thought no more of the old women。 on the morning of the wedding she remembered that she was supposed to invite them； but when she went to pronounce their names； she found they had slipped her mind。 she cudgeled her brains but； for the life of her； couldnt recall a single name。
from the cheerful girl she was； she sank into a state of bottomless gloom。 the captain noticed it and asked her what the matter was； but she would say nothing。 unable to account for her sadness； the bridegroom thought； this is perhaps not the right day。 he therefore postponed the wedding until the day after。 but the next day was still worse； and the day following we wont even mention。 with every day that passed； the bride became gloomier and quieter； with her brows knit in concentration。 he told her jokes and stories in an effort to make her laugh； but nothing he said or did affected her。
since he couldnt cheer her up； he decided to go hunting and cheer himself up。 right in the heart of the woods he was caught in a storm and took refuge in a hovel。 he was in there in the dark； when he heard voices：
〃o columbina！〃
〃o columbara！〃
〃o columbun！〃
〃put on the pot to make polenta！ that confounded bride wont be inviting us to her banquet after all！〃
the captain wheeled around and saw three crones。 one had eyelashes that dragged on the ground； another lips that hung down to her feet； and the third teeth that grazed her knees。
well； well； he thought to himself。 now i can tell her something that will make her laugh。 if she doesnt laugh over what ive just seen； shell never laugh at anything！
he went home and said to his bride； 〃just listen to this。 today i was in the woods and went into a hovel to get out of the rain。 i go in and what should i see but three crones： one with eyelashes that dragged on the ground； another with lips that hung down to her feet； and the third with teeth that grazed her knees。 and they called each other： o columbina； o columbara； o columbun！〃
the brides face brightened instantly； and she burst out laughing； and laughed and laughed。 〃order the wedding banquet right away。 but im asking one favor of you： since those three crones made me laugh so hard； let me invite them to the banquet。〃
invite them she did。 for the three old women a separate round table was set up； but so small that what with the eyelashes of one； the lips of the other； and the teeth of the third； you no longer knew what was what。
when dinner was over； the bridegroom asked columbina； 〃tell me； good lady； why are your lashes so long？〃
〃thats from straining my eyes to spin fine thread！〃 said columbina。
〃and you； why are your lips so thick？〃
〃that es from always rubbing my finger on them to wet the thread！〃 said columbara。
〃and you； how on earth did your teeth get so long？〃
〃thats from biting the knot of the thread！〃 said columbun。
〃i see；〃 said the bridegroom； and he turned to his wife。 〃go get the spindle。〃 when she brought it to him； he threw it into the fire。 〃youll spin no more for the rest of your life！〃
so the big； fat bride lived happily ever after。
（riviera ligure di ponente）
notes：
〃and seven！〃 （e sette！） from andrews； 4； 23； 47。 （the first two were collected in menton； the third near ventimiglia。）
marriage anecdotes and fairy…tale initiation motifs （the secret name to remember） are blended in this old story widespread in europe （of english； swedish； or german origin； according to scholars）； subjected to literary treatment in the seventeenth century in naples （basile； iv； 4） and well known throughout italy。
copyright： italian folktales selected and retold by italo calvino；
translated by george martin；
pantheon books； new york 1980
。。
无灵之体
…。网
无灵之体&意大利童话
从前有一个寡妇，带着一个儿子，儿子名字叫朱瓦宁。当他十三岁的时候，就想出去周游世界碰运气。妈妈对他说：“你要出去干什么？你不知道你还小吗？到了你能把我们家屋后的那棵松树一脚踹倒的时候，你就出去。”
从那天起，每天早上，朱瓦宁一起床就对着那棵松树，助跑、起跳，用双脚猛力地踹向树干。松树一动不动，他却四脚朝天地摔在地上。他站起来，掸掸背上的土，又回到了自己的房间。
终于在一天早上，他使尽全力跳向松树，松树弯了，慢慢地倒了下来，树根也从地下露了出来，整个松树连根拔起地倒下了。朱瓦宁跑着去告诉妈妈，妈妈来到树前仔细地看了看，对他说：“我的儿子，现在你可以去你想去的地方了。”朱瓦宁告别了妈妈，出发了。
他走了一天又一天，来到一座城市。这里的国王有一匹马，名字叫巡逻道，没有人能骑它。那些来尝试的人一开始都觉得能驯服它，最后都被它甩下马背。朱瓦宁站在旁边先观察了一会，发现这匹马怕见自己的影子。于是他去自荐，要驯服巡逻道。他走近马厩，唤着它的名字，抚摸它，然后，突然一闪身跳上马鞍，他小心地让马的面部对着太阳，骑着它出来。这匹马看不到自己的影子，就不会受惊。朱瓦宁用双膝夹住马肚子，勒紧缰绳，放马奔驰起来。不消一刻钟，巡逻道就被驯服了，温顺得像一只小绵羊，但是除了朱瓦宁，它还是不让别人骑。
从那天起，国王就让朱瓦宁跟随他，并且对他特别好，别的侍从都很嫉妒他，开始刁难他。他们想设计赶走他。
应该交待的是这个国王有一个女儿，前些年被一个叫做“无灵之体”的巫师掳走了，谁也说不清被掳到哪里去了。仆人们对国王说，朱瓦宁向大家吹嘘要�
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