e;
Else,ofyouwouldItaste."
Atthosewords,thewaterspartedandletherthrough.
Ontheothersideoftheriver,Perinabeheldoneofthefinestandlargestpalacesintheworld.Butthedoorwasopeningandslammingsorapidlythatnoonecouldpossiblygoin.Perinathereforeappliedthethreepoundsofgreasetoitshinges,andfromthenonitopenedandclosedquitegently.
Inside,Perinaspiedthetreasurechestsittingonasmalltable.Shepickeditupandwasabouttogooffwithit,whenthechestspoke:"Door,killher,killher!"
"Iwont,either,sinceshegreasedmyhingesthathadntbeenlookedaftersincegoodnessknowswhen."
Perinareachedtheriver,andthechestsaid,"River,drownher,drownher!"
"Iwont,either,"repliedtheriver,"sinceshecalledmeFinewatersored."
Shecametothedogs,andthechestsaid,"Dogs,devourher,devourher!"
"Wewont,either,"repliedthedogs,"sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofbread."
Shecametothebakeryoven."Oven,burnher,burnher!"
Butthethreewomenreplied,"Wewont,either,sinceshegaveusthreepoundsofmillet,sothatnowwecanspareourhair."
Whenshewasalmosthome,Perina,whohadasmuchcuriosityasthenextlittlegirl,decidedtopeepintothetreasurechest.Sheopenedit,andoutcameahenandherbroodofgoldchicks.Theyscuttledawaytoofastforasoultocatchthem.Perinastruckoutafterthem.Shepassedtheappletree,buttheywerenowhereinsight.Shepassedthepeachtree,wheretherewasstillnosignofthem.Shecametothepeartree,andtherestoodthelittleoldwomanwithawandinherhandandhenandchicksfeedingaroundher."Shoo,shoo!"wenttheoldwoman,andthehenandchicksreenteredthetreasurechest.
Uponherarrival,thekingssoncameouttomeether."Whenmyfatheraskedwhatyouwantasareward,tellhimthatboxfilledwithcoalinthecellar."
Onthedoorstepoftheroyalpalacestoodthemaidservants,theking,andtheentirecourt.Perinahandedthekingthehenwiththebroodofgoldchicks."Askforwhateveryouwant,"saidtheking,"andIwillgiveittoyou."
"Iwouldliketheboxofcoalinthecellar,"repliedPerina.
Theybroughthertheboxofcoal,whichsheopened,andoutjumpedthekingsson,whowashidinginside.ThekingwasthenhappyforPerinatomarryhisson.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheLittleGirlSoldwiththePears"(Labambinavendutaco
本章未完，点击下一页继续阅读。