andshrimps.ItwasnoneotherthanSamphireStarboard.Heclimbedoutofthewaterandwentamblingthroughthecitystreets,withseaweeddrapinghisheadandbodyanddraggingalongbehindhim.Atthatverymomenttheweddingprocessionwasmovingthroughthestreetandcamefacetofacewiththemanwreathedinseaweed.Everyonestopped."Whoisthis?"askedtheking."Seizehim!"Theguardscameup,butSamphireStarboardraisedahandandthediamondonhisfingersparkledinthesunlight.
"Mydaughtersring!"exclaimedtheking.
"Yes,"saidthedaughter,"thismanwasmyrescuerandwillbemybridegroom."
SamphireStarboardtoldthestory,andthecaptainwasimprisoned.Greenthoughhewaswithseaweed,Samphiretookhisplacebesidethebridecladinwhiteandwasjoinedtoherinmatrimony.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
NOTES:
"TheManWreathedinSeaweed"(Luomoverdedalghe)fromAndrews,7,Menton,toldbythewidowLavigna.
ThisseataletransferstoanunusualsettingaplotwellknownthroughoutEurope:thatoftheyoungerbrotherwhogoesdownintothewelltofreetheprincessandissubsequentlyabandonedtherehimself(cf.myno.78).AndrewsscollectionoftalespresentsnomorethanbriefsummariesinFrench;forthistale,then,aswellasthefollowing,takenfromthesamecompilation,Igavefreereintomyimaginationinsupplyingdetails,whileadheringtothebasicplot.IchosethenameBaciccinTribordo(GiovanniBattistaStarboard)toreplacetheoriginalnamewhosemeaningisnotveryclear.Intheoriginaltext,theprincessisabductedbyadragoninsteadofbyanoctopus,andthedragonchangesintoabarnacle,whichseemedtometooeasytocatch.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980