Italian Popular Tales Part 36

There was once a husband and a wife who had two children, a son and a daughter. The wife died, and the husband married a woman who had a daughter blind of one eye. The husband was a farmer, and went to work in a field. The stepmother hated her husband's children, and to get rid of them she baked some bread, and sent it by them to her husband, but directed them to the wrong field, so that they might get lost. When the children reached a mountain they began to call their father, but no one answered. Now the girl was enchanted; and when they came to a spring and the brother wanted to drink, she said to him: "Do not drink of this fountain, or you will become an a.s.s." Afterwards they found another spring, and the brother wanted to drink; but his sister said to him: "Do not drink of it, or you will become a calf." However, the boy would drink, and became a calf with golden horns. They continued their journey, and came to the sea-sh.o.r.e, where there was a handsome villa belonging to the prince. When the prince saw the young girl, and beheld how beautiful she was, he married her, and afterwards asked her what there was about the little calf, and she replied: "I am fond of him because I have brought him up."

Let us now return to her father, who, from the great grief he had on account of his children's disappearance, had gone out to divert himself, and wandered away, gathering fennel. He arrived at last at the villa, where was his daughter who had married the king. His daughter looked out of the window and said to him: "Come up, friend." His daughter had recognized him, and asked: "Friend, do you not know me?" "No, I do not recognize you." Then she said: "I am your daughter, whom you believed lost." She threw herself at his feet, and said: "Pardon me, dear father; I came by chance to this villa, and the king's son was here and married me." The father was greatly consoled at finding his daughter so well married. "Now, my father," said she, "empty this sack of fennel, for I will fill it with gold for you." And then she begged him to bring his wife, and the daughter blind of one eye. The father returned home with his bag full of money, and his wife asked in terror: "Who gave you this money?" He answered: "O wife! do you know that I have found my daughter, and she is the king's wife, and filled this bag with money?" She, instead of being happy, was angry at hearing that her stepdaughter was still alive; however, she said to her husband: "I will go and take my daughter." So they went, the husband, the wife, and the blind daughter, and came to the husband's daughter, who received her stepmother very kindly. But the latter, seeing that the king was away, and that her stepdaughter was alone, seized her and threw her from a window into the sea; and what did she do then? She took her blind daughter and dressed her in the other's clothes, and said to her: "When the king comes and finds you here weeping, say to him: 'The little calf has blinded me with his horn, and I have only one eye!'" Then the stepmother returned to her own house. The king came and found her daughter in bed weeping, and said to her: "Why are you weeping?" "The little calf struck me with his horn and put out one of my eyes." The king cried at once: "Go call the butcher to kill the calf?" When the calf heard that he was to be killed, he went out on the balcony and called to his sister in the sea:--

"Oh! sister, For me the water is heated, And the knives are sharpened."

The sister replied from the sea:--

"Oh! brother, I cannot help you, I am in the dog-fish's mouth."

When the king heard the calf utter these words, he looked out of the window, and when he saw his wife in the sea, he summoned two sailors, and had them take her out and bring her up and restore her. Then he took the blind girl and killed her and cut her in pieces and salted her like tunny-fish, and sent her to her mother. When her husband found it out he left her and went to live with his daughter.

It may not be amiss to mention here another cla.s.s of stories which come under the formula of "Persecuted Maiden." The cla.s.s resembles in some respects the story of King Lear. The youngest daughter is persecuted by her father because he thinks she does not love him as much as her older sisters. A good example of this cla.s.s is Pitre, No. 10, _L'Acqua e lu Sali_.

XXIII. WATER AND SALT.

A very fine story is related and told to your wors.h.i.+ps. Once upon a time there was a king with three daughters. These three daughters being at table one day, their father said: "Come now, let us see which of you three loves me." The oldest said: "Papa, I love you as much as my eyes."

The second answered: "I love you as much as my heart." The youngest said: "I love you as much as water and salt." The king heard her with amazement: "Do you value me like water and salt? Quick! call the executioners, for I will have her killed immediately." The other sisters privately gave the executioners a little dog, and told them to kill it and rend one of the youngest sister's garments, but to leave her in a cave. This they did, and brought back to the king the dog's tongue and the rent garment: "Royal Majesty, here is her tongue and garment." And his Majesty gave them a reward. The unfortunate princess was found in the forest by a magician, who took her to his house opposite the royal palace. Here the king's son saw her and fell desperately in love with her, and the match was soon agreed upon. Then the magician came and said: "You must kill me the day before the wedding. You must invite three kings, your father the first. You must order the servants to pa.s.s water and salt to all the guests except your father." Now let us return to the father of this young girl, who the longer he lived the more his love for her increased, and he was sick of grief. When he received the invitation he said: "And how can I go with this love for my daughter?"

And he would not go. Then he thought: "But this king will be offended if I do not go, and will declare war against me some time." He accepted and went. The day before the wedding they killed the magician and quartered him, and put a quarter in each of four rooms, and sprinkled his blood in all the rooms and on the stairway, and the blood and flesh became gold and precious stones. When the three kings came and saw the golden stairs, they did not like to step on them. "Never mind," said the prince, "go up: this is nothing." That evening they were married: the next day they had a banquet. The prince gave orders: "No salt and water to that king." They sat down at table, and the young queen was near her father, but he did not eat. His daughter said: "Royal Majesty, why do you not eat? Does not the food please you?" "What an idea! It is very fine." "Why don't you eat then?" "I don't feel very well." The bride and groom helped him to some bits of meat, but the king did not want it, and chewed his food over and over again like a goat (as if he could eat it without salt!). When they finished eating they began to tell stories, and the king told them all about his daughter. She asked him if he could still recognize her, and stepping out of the room put on the same dress she wore when he sent her away to be killed. "You caused me to be killed because I told you I loved you as much as salt and water: now you have seen what it is to eat without salt and water." Her father could not say a word, but embraced her and begged her pardon. They remained happy and contented, and here we are with nothing.

A Venetian version (Bernoni, No. 14) is translated in the _Cornhill Magazine_, July, 1875, p. 80, a Bolognese version may be found in Coronedi-Berti, No. 5, and from the Abruzzi in Finamore, Nos. 18, 26.

Compare also _Pomiglianesi_, p. 42. For trans.m.u.tation of magician's body see _Zool. Myth._ I. p. 123, Benfey, _Pant._ I. pp. 477, 478, Ralston, _R. F. T._ p. 223, and _Indian Fairy Tales_, p. 164.

Other Sicilian versions are in Gonz., Nos. 48, 49. A Neapolitan is in _Pent._ V. 8; a Mantuan, in _Fiabe Mant._ No. 16; a Tuscan, in _Archivio per le Trad. pop._ I. p. 44, and one from the Abruzzi in _Archivio_, III. 546. The same story is in Grimm, Nos. 11 and 141. "The Little Brother and Sister" and "The Little Lamb and the Little Fish." See also Hahn, No. 1. The latter part of the story is connected with "False Bride." See note 21 of this chapter.

[11] Other Italian versions are: Pitre, No. 20; _Pent._ II. 1; _Pomiglianesi_, pp. 121, 130, 136, 188, 191; Busk, p. 3; _Nov. fior._ p.

209; Gargiolli, No. 2; _Fiabe Mant._ No. 20; Bernoni, No. 12; _Archivio_, I. 525 (Tuscan), III. 368 (Abruzzi), and De Nino, XX. Some points of resemblance are found also in _Pent._ V. 4; Coronedi-Berti, No. 8; and Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. 12.

Other stories in which children are promised to ogre, demon, etc., are to be found in Pitre, No. 31, Widter-Wolf, No. XIII., and in the various versions of the story of "Lionbruno." See Chap. II., note 13.

For other European versions of the story in the text, see Ralston's _R.

F. T._ p. 141; Grimm, No. 12, "Rapunzel," and _Basque Legends_, p. 59.

For child promised to demon, see _Romania_, No. 28, p. 531; Grimm, Nos.

31 ("The Girl Without Hands") 55, ("Rumpelstiltskin") 92, ("The King of the Golden Mountain"), and 181 ("The Nix of the Mill-Pond"). See also Hahn, I. p. 47, No. 8.

Some of the incidents of this story are found in those belonging to other cla.s.ses. The girl's face changed to that of dog, etc., is in Comparetti, No. 3 (furnished with a long beard), and Finamore, _Trad.

pop. abruzzesi_, No. 1, _Pent._ I. 8 (goat), Nerucci, Nos. 30 (sheep's neck), 37 (buffalo), and _Nov. pop. toscani_, in _Archivio per la Trad.

pop._ No. 1 (goat). For "flight and obstacles," see _Nov. fior._ pp. 12, 415, _Pent._ II. 1, and stories cited by Pitre in his notes to No. 13, also note 25 to this chapter, _Basque Legends_, p. 120, _Orient und Occident_, II. p. 103, and Brueyre, p. 111. For "ladder of hair," see _Pomiglianesi_, p. 126.

[12] Other Italian versions are: _Pent._ I, 9; Gonz., Nos. 39, 40; Comparetti, No. 46 (Basilicata); De Gub., _Sto. Stefano_, Nos. 17, 18; Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. 22; De Nino LXV.; _Nov. fior_, pp.

375, 387 (Milan); Coronedi-Berti, No. 16; _Fiabe Mant._ No. 19; and Schneller, No. 28. This story, as far as the two brothers (not born miraculously) and liberation of princess are concerned, is in _Pent._ I.

7, and Widter-Wolf, No. 8.

References to other European versions may be found in the _Romania_, Nos. 19, pp. 336, 339; 28, p. 563; 32, p. 606: _Orient und Occident_, II. p. 115 (Kohler to Campbell, No. 4), and Blade, _Agenais_, No. 2 (p.

148).

As regards the separate traits, as usual many of them are found in other cla.s.ses of stories: the cloud occurs in Comp., No. 40; children born from fish, De Gub., _Zool. Myth._ II. 29; for sympathetic objects and life-giving ointment, see last two stories. For "kindness to animals,"

and "thankful beasts," see _Fiabe Mant._ Nos. 37, 26, Gonz., No. 6, and the stories belonging to the cla.s.s "Giant with no heart in his body"

mentioned below. The grat.i.tude and help of an animal form the subject of some independent stories, _e. g._, Strap. III. 1; _Pent._ I. 3; and Gonz., No. 6, above mentioned; and are also found in the formula "Animal Brothers-in-law." See note 23. For European versions see _Orient und Occident_, II. p. 101; Brueyre, p. 98; Ralston, _R. F. T._ p. 98; Benfey, _Pant._ I. p. 193 _et seq._; _Basque Legends_, p. 81, and _Zool.

Myth._ I. p. 197; II. 45. For transformation into statues, see stories mentioned in note 10, Bernoni, _Punt._ III. p. 89, _Nov. fior._ p. 112, and Ortoli, pp. 10, 34.

The most interesting episode, however, is that of "Magician (or Giant) with no heart in his body" (see Chap. III., note 8), which is in the following Italian tales: Pitre, No. 81, Busk, p. 158; _Nov. fior._ pp.

7, 347; Gonz., Nos. 6, 16; _Fiabe Mant._ No. 37; and _Pomiglianesi_, No.

2, p. 21 (v. p. 41). For other references, see _Basque Legends_, p. 83; Brueyre, pp. 81-83; Ralston, _R. F. T._, Am. ed., pp. 119-125; _Orient und Occident_, II. p. 101; Hahn, I. p. 56, No. 31; and _Romania_, No.

22, p. 234. See also note 18 of this chapter.

The story in our text is not a good example of Hahn's Form. 13, "Andromeda, or Princess freed from Dragon." Some of the other stories cited are much better, notably Widter-Wolf, No. 8, Gonz., Nos. 39, 40, and also Strap., X. 3, and Schneller, No. 39. Hahn's Danae Form. 12 is represented by _Nov. tosc._ No. 30. The allied myth of Medusa by _Nov.

tosc._ No. 1, and _Archivio_, I. p. 57.

[13] Versions of this wide-spread story are in Pitre, _Otto Fiabe_, No.

1; Gonz., Nos. 58, 59, 61, 62, 63 (partly), and 64; Kohler, _Italien Volksm._ (Sora) No. 1, "_Die drei Bruder und die drei befreiten Konigstochter_" (_Jahrb._ VIII. p. 241); Widter-Wolf, No. 4 (_Jahrb._ VII. p. 20); Schneller, No. 39; _Nov. fior._ p. 70, and De Gub., _Zool.

Myth._ II. 187 (Tuscan). Part of our story is also found in Schneller, pp. 188-192, and Pitre, Nos. 83, 84 (var.). To these references, which are given by Pitre, may be added the following: Comparetti, Nos. 19 (Monferrato) partly, 35 (Monferrato), and 40 (Pisa); De Gub., _Sto.

Stefano_, No. 19; _Fiabe Mant._ Nos. 18, 32 (the latter part), 49 (partly); _Tuscan Fairy Tales_, No. 3; Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. 29; and _Nov. tosc._ No. 3.

The trait "underground world" is also found in Busk, p. 141. These stories ill.u.s.trate sufficiently Hahn's Form. 40, "Descent into the Nether World."

[14] To the stories in Note 13 containing "liberation of hero by eagle"

may be added Comparetti, No. 24 (Monferrato). See in general: De Gub., _Zool. Myth._ II. 186; Benfey, _Pant._ I. pp. 216, 388; _Rivista Orientale_, I. p. 27; _Orient und Occident_, II. p. 299; and _Basque Legends_, p. 110.

[15] Another version from Avellino is in the same collection, p. 201.

Other Italian versions are: Pitre, No. 79; Gonz., No. 51; De Gub., _Sto.

Stefano_, No. 20; De Nino, No. 2; Comparetti, No. 28 (Monferrato); Ive, _Fiabe pop. rovignesi_, p. 20; No. 3, "_El Pumo de uoro_;" Schneller, No. 51; and Corazzini, p. 455 (Benevento).

In general see Ive's and Kohler's notes to stories above cited, and _Romania_, No. 24, p. 565. The corresponding Grimm story is No. 28, "The Singing Bone."

[16] Other Italian versions are: Pitre, Nos. 41, 42; _Pent._ I. 6; Busk, pp. 26, 31; Comp., No. 23 (Pisa); _Fiabe Mant._ No. 45; _Nov. fior._ p.

162 (Milan); Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. II.; and _Archivio_, II. 185 (Sardinia).

Schneller, No. 24, and Bernoni, No. 8, are connecting links between "Cinderella" and "Allerleirauh." In the former, Cinderella's father asks his three daughters what present he shall make them. Cinderella asks for a sword, and shortly after leaves her home and obtains a situation in a city as servant. In the palace opposite lives a young count, with whom Cinderella falls in love. She obtains a situation in his house. Her sword, which is enchanted, gives her beautiful dresses, and she goes to the b.a.l.l.s as in the other versions. The third evening the count slips a costly ring on her finger, which Cinderella uses to identify herself with. Bernoni, No. 8, is substantially the same. After the death of their mother and father Cinderella's sisters treat her cruelly, and she obtains a place as servant in the king's palace, and is aided by the fairies, who take pity upon her. She is identified by means of a ring, and also by her diamond slipper, which she throws to the servants, who are following her to see where she lives.

European versions will be found in the notes to Grimm, No. 21 ("Cinderella"), and W. R. S. Ralston's article, "Cinderella," in the _Nineteenth Century_, November, 1879.

[17] Other Italian versions are: Pitre, No. 43; Gonz., 38; _Pent._ II.

6; Busk, pp. 66, 84, 90, 91; Comparetti, No. 57. (Montale); De Gub., _Sto. Stefano_, No. 3 (see also _Rivista di Lett. Pop._ I. p. 86); Gradi, _Saggio_, p. 141; _Fiabe Mant._ No. 38; _Nov. fior._ p. 158 (Milan), Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. 3; De Nino, No. 17, and _Archivio_, I. 190 (Tuscany), II. 26 (Sardinia). Straparola, I. 4, contains the first part of our story, which is also partly found in Coronedi-Berti, No. 3, and Finamore, _Trad. pop. abruzzesi_, No. 13.

The gifts, which in the story in the text are given the day of the wedding, in the other versions are bestowed before marriage by father, in order to overcome daughter's opposition. The recognition by means of ring is found in the last two stories mentioned in Note 16, in _Fiabe Mant._ No. 38, above cited, and _Nov. fior._ p. 158 (Milan). See also Grimm, Nos. 93 ("The Raven"), 101 ("Bearskin"); Hahn, No. 25; Asbj., No.

71 (_Tales from the Field_, p. 130); and _Romania_, No. 23, p. 359.

Other European versions of our story will be found mentioned in the notes to Grimm, No. 65 ("Allerleirauh"), to Gonz., No. 38 (II. 229); _Orient und Occident_, II. 295; D'Ancona, _Sacre Rappresent._ III. 238; _Romania_, No. 24, 571; _Basque Legends_, p. 165, and Ralston's _R. F.

T._ p. 159.

[18] See Gonz., No. 26, and Widter-Wolf, No. 8 (_Jahrb._ VII. p. 128).

For story in general, see notes to stories just cited, and c.o.x, _Aryan Myth._ vol. I. p. 224; II. p. 261, "The Myth of Nisos and Skylla;" Hahn, I. p. 52; and De Gub., _Zool. Myth._ I. p. 211 _et seq._