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in tiptoed Silver Nose and placed a rose in her hair。 Then he left just as quietly as he had entered。
The next morning Silver Nose went out on business。 Finding herself alone with all her keys； the girl ran and unlocked the forbidden door。 No sooner had she cracked it than smoke and flames shot out； while she caught sight of a crowd of damned souls in agony inside the fiery room。 She then realized that Silver Nose was the Devil and that the room was Hell。 She screamed； slammed the door； and took to her heels。 But a tongue of fire had scorched the rose she wore in her hair。
Silver Nose came home and saw the singed rose。 〃So that's how you obey me！〃 he said。 He snatched her up； opened the door to Hell； and flung her into the flames。
The next day he went back to the widow。 〃Your daughter is getting along very well at my house； but the work is so heavy she needs help。 Could you send us your second daughter too？〃 So Silver Nose returned home with one of the girl's sisters。 He showed her around the house； gave her all the keys； and told her she could open all the rooms except the last。 〃Do you think；〃 said the girl； 〃I would have any reason to open it？ I am not interested in your personal business。〃 That night after the girl went to sleep； Silver Nose tiptoed in and put a carnation in her hair。
When Silver Nose went out the next morning； the first thing the girl did was go and open the forbidden door。 She was instantly assailed by smoke； flames； and howls of the damned souls； in whose midst she spotted her sister。 〃Sister； free me from this Hell！〃 screamed the first girl。 But the middle girl grew weak in the knees； slammed the door； and ran。 She was now sure that Silver Nose was the Devil； from whom she couldn't hide or escape。 Silver Nose returned and noticed her hair right away。 The carnation was withered； so without a word he snatched her up and threw her into Hell too。
The next day； in his customary aristocratic attire； he reappeared at the washerwoman's house。 〃There is so much work to be done at my house that not even two girls are enough。 Could I have your third daughter as well？〃 He thus returned home with the third sister； Lucia； who was the most cunning of them all。 She too was shown around the house and given the same instructions as her sisters。 She too had a flower put in her hair while she was sleeping： a jasmine blossom。 The first thing Lucia did when she got up next morning was arrange her hair。 Looking in the mirror； she noticed the jasmine。 〃Well； well！〃 she said。 〃Silver Nose pinned a jasmine on me。 How thoughtful of him！ Who knows why he did it？ In any case I'll keep it fresh。〃 She put it into a glass of water； bed her hair； then said； 〃Now let's take a look at that mysterious door。〃
She just barely opened it； and out rushed a flame。 She glimpsed countless people burning； and there in the middle of the crowd were her big sisters。 〃Lucia！ Lucia！〃 they screamed。 〃Get us out of here！ Save us！〃
At once Lucia shut the door tightly and began thinking how she might rescue her sisters。
By the time the Devil got home； Lucia had put her jasmine back in her hair； and acted as though nothing had happened that day。 Silver Nose looked at the jasmine。 〃Oh； it's still fresh；〃 he said。
〃Of course； why shouldn't it be？ Why would anyone wear withered flowers in her hair？〃
〃Oh； I was just talking to be talking；〃 answered Silver Nose。 〃You seem like a clever girl。 Keep it up； and we'll never quarrel。 Are you happy？〃
〃Yes； but I'd be happier if I didn't have something bothering me。〃
〃What's bothering you？〃
〃When I left my mother； she wasn't feeling too well。 Now I have no news at all of her。〃
〃If that's all you're worried about；〃 said the Devil； 〃I'll drop by her house and see how she's doing。〃
〃Thank you； that is very kind of you。 If you can go tomorrow； I'll get up a bag of laundry at once which my mother can wash if she is well enough。 The bag won't be too heavy for you； will it？〃
〃Of course not。 I can carry anything under the sun； no matter how heavy it is。〃
When the Devil went out again that day； Lucia opened the door to Hell； pulled out her oldest sister； and tied her up in a bag。 〃Keep still in there； Carlotta；〃 she told her。 〃The Devil himself will carry you back home。 But any time he so much as thinks of putting the bag down； you must say； 'I see you； I see you！'〃
The Devil returned； and Lucia said； 〃Here is the bag of things to be washed。 Do you promise you'll take it straight to my mother？〃
〃You don't trust me？〃 asked the Devil。
〃Certainly I trust you； all the more so with my special ability to see from a great distance away。 If you dare put the bag down somewhere； I'll see you。〃
〃Yes； of course；〃 said the Devil； but he had little faith in her claim of being able to see things a great distance away。 He flung the bag over his shoulder。 〃My goodness； this dirty stuff is heavy！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Naturally！〃 replied the girl。 〃How many years has it been since you had anything washed？〃
Silver Nose set out for the washerwoman's； but when he was only halfway there； he said to himself； 〃Maybe。。。but I shall see if this girl isn't emptying my house of everything I own； under the pretext of sending out laundry。〃 He went to put the bag down and open it。
〃I see you； I see you！〃 suddenly screamed the sister inside the bag。
〃By Jove； it's true！ She can see from afar！〃 exclaimed Silver Nose。 He threw the bag back over his shoulder and marched straight to Lucia's mother's house。 〃Your daughter sends you this stuff to wash and wants to know how you are。。。〃
As soon as he left； the washerwoman opened the sack； and you can imagine her joy upon finding her oldest daughter inside。
A week later； sly Lucia pretended to be sad once more and told Silver Nose she wanted news of her mother。
She sent him to her house with another bag of laundry。 So Silver Nose carried off the second sister； without managing to peep inside because of the 〃I see you； I see you！〃 which came from the bag the instant he started to open it。 The washerwoman； who now knew Silver Nose was the Devil； was quite frightened when he returned； for she was sure he would ask for the clean wash from last time。 But Silver Nose put down the new bag and said； 〃I'll get the clean wash some other time。 This heavy bag has broken my back； and I want to go home with nothing to carry。〃
When he had gone； the washerwoman anxiously opened the bag and embraced her second daughter。 But she was more worried than ever about Lucia； who was now alone in the Devil's hands。
What did Lucia do？ Not long afterward she started up again about news of her mother。 By now the Devil was sick and tired of carrying laundry； but he had grown too fond of this obedient girl to say no to her。 As soon as it grew dark； Lucia announced she had a bad headache and would go to bed early。 〃I'll prepare the laundry and leave the bag out for you； so if I don't feel like getting up in the morning； you can be on your way。〃
Now Lucia had made a rag doll the same size as herself。 She put it in bed under the covers； cut off her own braids； adn sewed them on the doll's head。 the doll then looked like Lucia asleep； and Lucia closed herself up in the bag。
In the morning the Devil saw the girl snuggled down under the covers and set out with the bag over his shoulder。 〃She's sick this morning；〃 he said to himself； 〃and won't be looking。 It's the perfect time to see if this really is nothing but laundry。〃 At that； he put the bag down and was about to open it。 〃I see you； I see you！〃 cried Lucia。
〃By Jove； it's her voice to a tee； as though she were right here！ Better not joke with such a girl。〃 He took up the bag again and carried it to the washerwoman。 〃I'll e back later for everything；〃 he said rapidly。 〃I have to get home right away because Lucia is sick。〃
So the family was finally reunited。 Since Lucia had also carried off great sums of the Devil's money； they were now able to live in fort and happiness。 They planted a cross before the door； and from then on； the Devil kept his distance。
（Langhe）
NOTES：
〃Silver Nose〃 （Il naso d'argento） from Carraroli； 3； from Langhe； Piedmont。
Bluebeard in Piedmont is Silver Nose。 His victims are not wives but servant girls； and the story is not taken from chronicles about cruel feudal masters as in Perrault； but from medieval theological legends： Bluebeard is the Devil； and the room containing the murdered women is Hell。 I found the silver nose only in this version translated from dialect and summarized by Carraroli； but the Devil…Bluebeard； the flowers in the hair； and the ruses to get back home were encountered all over Northern Italy。 I integrated the rather meager Piedmont version with one from Bologna （Coronedi S。 27） and a Venetian one （Bernoni； 3）。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
伯爵的胡子
博卡帕利亚是建在陡峭山坡上的一个小镇，镇上人家的鸡只要一下蛋就会滚落到山下的树林里。为了防止鸡蛋滚落丢失，居民们在每只母鸡的尾巴上挂了一个小袋子。
这说明博卡帕利亚人并非像别人挖苦的那样软弱无能，附近曾经流传着这样一句话：
谁都知道在博卡帕利亚，
驴子吹口哨，主人嚎叫。
这纯粹是附近村镇的人对他们的污蔑，这些人这样对待博卡帕利亚人就是因为他们生性平静，不愿意和任何人争吵。
“让你们诬蔑吧，挖苦吧，”博卡帕利亚人都这样说，“等马西诺回来，看我们当中谁还会嚎叫。”
马西诺是博卡帕利亚人中最聪明的人，深受全镇的人爱戴。他并不比别人粗壮，甚至比一般人还瘦弱很多，但他天生聪明。他刚出世时，看上去瘦弱娇小，妈妈为了让他能活下来，而且还能长得强壮一点，就用热葡萄酒给他洗澡。爸爸还把烧红的铁放到酒里给酒加热。这样马西诺既通过浸泡皮肤而获得了酒的柔力，又吸收了铁的刚强。洗完澡后，妈妈又把她放在铺满生栗子壳的摇篮里，让他的身体变凉爽，使他在刺痛中变得更加睿智。
长大后，马西诺出发去服兵役，以后再也没有回到自己的村镇。现在好像到了非洲的某个地方。这期间博卡帕利亚开始出了一系列的怪事。每天晚上人们都会发现，他们的牛从平原上的草地放牧回来时，总要被女巫米奇利娜抢走好几头。
女巫米奇利娜总是藏在村子下方的树林中，伺机而出，她只须吹一口气就可以把一头牛劫走。天黑后，每当村民们听到林中灌木丛的沙沙响动，就会吓的牙齿打架，甚至昏倒在地，所以大家都说：
女巫米奇利娜，
从牛栏把牛偷走，
只要用眼斜一下，
你就吓得倒下。
村民们只好在夜里点起一堆堆大篝火，使女巫米奇利娜不敢从树丛中现身。但当只有一个人在篝火边上看守牲畜时，女巫就会悄悄地靠上去，用气把这个人吹昏，等到早上他醒过来的时候，奶牛、耕牛早已不见了，于是大家便听到他痛哭、绝望，击自己的头。然后，所有的人都会一齐到树林中寻找牲畜，结果，除了一绺头发、女人的的发钗和女巫米奇利娜四处留下的足印，什么也找不到。
就这样过去了好几个月，奶牛被一直关在牛圈里变得越来越瘦。刷毛的时候已经不需要刷子了，用耙子在牛肋骨上耙几下就行了。没有人再敢将牲畜带到草地上去了，也没有人敢再进树林里，林子里边的蘑菇因为长久无人采摘，长得像雨伞一般大。
女巫米奇利娜从不去别的村镇抢牛，因为她知道再没有哪个村的村民像博卡帕利亚人这样与世无争、平静忍耐了。每天晚上，这些贫苦的村民就在场院中间点上一堆篝火，女人和孩子留在家中，男人则围着篝火挠头抱怨着。怨了今天，怨明天，最后，他们决定得去找这里的伯爵帮忙。
伯爵住在村镇山顶上的一座圆形庄园里，四周围着围墙，墙上还插满了玻璃片。一个星期天的早上，村民们聚在一块，帽子拿在手上，前来敲响了伯爵家的门。门打开后，村民们来到伯爵圆形房屋前的庭院，只见屋子的窗户都用铁栅栏封着，庭院四周坐着伯爵的卫兵，他们的胡子上都涂着油，好让胡子看上去光彩油亮。这些人一个个对村民们怒目而视。庭院的最里端，伯爵坐在丝绒面的椅子上，黑胡子很长很长，四个卫兵正用四把梳子在给他从上往下地梳理它。
年纪最长的村民定了定神，说：“伯爵老爷，我们斗胆来您这里，是为了向您禀告我们的不幸遭遇，森林中有一个女巫米奇利娜，把我们的牲畜都抢了去。”随后，老人叹着气，诉着苦，在别的村民的点头证实下，向伯爵讲述了他们这段时间的可怕经历。
伯爵一声不吭。
老人又说：“我们来这里想冒昧向老爷您求讨一个解决办法。”
伯爵还是一声不吭。
老人又补充说：“我们来这里想斗胆请老爷您行行好帮我们一把，要是您肯派出一队卫士，我们就可以回到草场上放牲畜了。”
伯爵把脑袋在脖子上转了一圈，说：“要是派卫兵，我就还得派一个队长……”
村民们都竖着耳朵听着，似乎感受到一线希望。
“但要是我派队长去，”伯爵�