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the servant took the letter away； and the parrot continued。 〃in the morning the jailers noticed the prisoner had not eaten a thing and they told the queen。 the queen sent for her； and the maiden told her that her son was alive and in the dungeon a prisoner of four sorcerers； who took him out every night at midnight for exercise。 the queen dispatched twelve soldiers armed with crowbars； who killed the sorcerers and freed her son。 then she gave him as a husband to the maiden who had saved him。〃
the serant knocked again； insisting that the young lady read the kings letter。 〃very well。 now that the story is over； i can read the letter；〃 said the merchants daughter。
〃but its not finished yet； theres still some more to e；〃 the parrot hastened to say。 〃just listen to this： the maiden was not interested in marrying the queens son。 she settled for a purse of money and a mans outfit and moved on to another city。 the son of this citys king was ill； and no doctor knew how to cure him。 from midnight to dawn he raved like one possessed。 the maiden showed up in mans attire； claiming to be a foreign doctor and asking to be left with the youth for one night。 the first thing she did was look under the bed and find a trapdoor。 she opened it and went down into a long corridor； at the end of which a lamp was burning。〃
at that moment the servant knocked and announced there was an old woman to see the young lady； whose aunt she claimed to be。 （it was not an aunt； but the old woman sent by the king。） but the merchants daughter was dying to know the oute of the tale； so she said she was receiving no one。 〃go on； parrot； go on with your story。〃
thus the parrot continued。 〃the maiden walked down to that light and found an old woman boiling the heart of the kings son in a kettle； in revenge for the kings execution of her son。 the maiden removed the heart from the kettle； carried it back to the kings son to eat； and he got well。 the king said； i promised half of my kingdom to the doctor who cured my son。 since you are a woman； you will marry my son and bee queen。〃
〃its a fine story；〃 said the merchants daughter。 〃now that its over； i can receive that woman who claims to be my aunt。〃
〃but its not quite over；〃 said the parrot。 〃theres still some more to e。 just listen to this。 the maiden in doctors disguise also refused to marry that kings son and was off to another city whose kings son was under a spell and speechless。 she hid under the bed； at midnight； she saw two witches ing through the window and remove a pebble from the young mans mouth； whereupon he could speak。 before leaving； they replaced the pebble； and he was again mute。〃
someone knocked on the door； but the merchants daughter was so absorbed in the story that she didnt even hear the knock。 the parrot continued。
〃the next night when the witches put the pebble on the bed； she gave the bedclothes a jerk and it dropped on the floor。 then she reached out for it and put it in her pocket。 at dawn the witches couldnt find it and had to flee。 the kings son was well； and they named the maiden physician to the court。〃
the knocking continued； and the merchants daughter was all ready to say 〃e in；〃 but first she asked the parrot； 〃does the story go on； or is it over？〃
〃it goes on；〃 replied the parrot。 〃just listen to this。 the maiden wasnt interested in remaining as physician to the court； and moved on to another city。 the talk there was that the king of this city had gone mad。 hed found a doll in the woods and fallen in love with it。 he stayed shut up in his room admiring it and weeping because it was not a real live maiden。 the girl went before the king。 that is my dool！ she exclaimed。 and this is my bride！ replied the king on seeing that she was the dolls living image。〃
there was another knock； and the parrot was at a total loss to continue the story。 〃just a minute； just a minute； theres still a tiny bit more；〃 he said； but he had no idea what to say next。
〃e on； open up； its your father；〃 said the merchants voice。
〃ah； here we are at the end of the story；〃 announced the parrot。 〃the king married the maiden； and they lived happily ever after。〃
the girl finally ran to open the door and embraced her father just back from his trip。
〃well done； my daughter！〃 said the merchant。 〃i see youve remained faithfully at home。 and how is the parrot doing？〃
they went to take a look at the bird； but in his place they found a handsome youth。 〃forgive me； sir；〃 said the youth。 〃i am a king who put on a parrots disguise； because i am in love with your daughter。 aware of the intentions of a rival king to abduct her； i came here beneath a parrots plumage to entertain her in an honorable manner and at the same time to prevent my rival from carrying out his schemes。 i believe i have succeeded in both purposes； and that i can now ask for your daughters hand in marriage。〃
the merchant gave his consent。 his daughter married the king who had told her the tale； and the other king died of rage。
（monferrato）
notes：
〃the parrot〃 （il pappagallo） from paretti； 2； monferrato； piedmont。
see my remarks on this folktale in the introduction； p。 xxx…xxxi。 i have taken the liberty of doctoring the two versions published by paretti……the piedmontese one and a tuscan one； from pisa （1）……and i heightened the suspense by placing the interruptions at the crucial moments。
copyright： italian folktales selected and retold by italo calvino；
translated by george martin；
pantheon books； new york 1980
．co
十二头牛
大＿
十二头牛&意大利童话
从前有十二个兄弟，跟父亲吵架后，一起离开了家。他们在森林里搭起了一座房屋，以做木匠活为生。父母又生了一个女儿，她成了二老生活的寄托。小妹长大了，她只是听说过十二个哥哥的事，但从没跟他们见过面，她非常渴望能见到他们。
有一次，小妹到泉水边洗澡，她先把自己戴的珊瑚项链摘了下来挂在了一根树枝上。正好有一只乌鸦飞过，叼起项链飞走了。小妹追着乌鸦跑进了森林，遇到了哥哥们住的那座房屋。屋里一个人也没有，小妹煮好一锅面条，盛在盘子中，就钻到床下躲起来。十二兄弟回到家，看到面条已经煮好了，而且还给盛在盘子中，就吃了起来。吃完以后，他们都有些害怕，担心是女巫跟他们开的一个玩笑，因为这片森林里有很多女巫。
第二�