erknees.Andtheycalledeachother:OColumbina,OColumbara,OColumbun!"
Thebridesfacebrightenedinstantly,andsheburstoutlaughing,andlaughedandlaughed."Ordertheweddingbanquetrightaway.ButImaskingonefavorofyou:sincethosethreecronesmademelaughsohard,letmeinvitethemtothebanquet."
Invitethemshedid.Forthethreeoldwomenaseparateroundtablewassetup,butsosmallthatwhatwiththeeyelashesofone,thelipsoftheother,andtheteethofthethird,younolongerknewwhatwaswhat.
Whendinnerwasover,thebridegroomaskedColumbina,"Tellme,goodlady,whyareyourlashessolong?"
"Thatsfromstrainingmyeyestospinfinethread!"saidColumbina.
"Andyou,whyareyourlipssothick?"
"Thatcomesfromalwaysrubbingmyfingeronthemtowetthethread!"saidColumbara.
"Andyou,howonearthdidyourteethgetsolong?"
"Thatsfrombitingtheknotofthethread!"saidColumbun.
"Isee,"saidthebridegroom,andheturnedtohiswife."Gogetthespindle."Whenshebroughtittohim,hethrewitintothefire."Youllspinnomorefortherestofyourlife!"
Sothebig,fatbridelivedhappilyeverafter.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
NOTES:
"AndSeven!"(Esette!)fromAndrews,4,23,47.(ThefirsttwowerecollectedinMenton,thethirdnearVentimiglia.)
Marriageanecdotesandfairy-taleinitiationmotifs(thesecretnametoremember)areblendedinthisoldstorywidespreadinEurope(ofEnglish,Swedish,orGermanorigin,accordingtoscholars),subjectedtoliterarytreatmentintheseventeenthcenturyinNaples(Basile,IV,4)andwellknownthroughoutItaly.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980