gotallthebreadhecouldeat.Theweaversdog,notnearlysowellsupplied,wasnowahalf-starvedhound.Theyoungestsoncameinwithasmallbox.Thekingopeneditandoutjumpedatiny,beribbonedpoodle,impeccablygroomedandperfumed,thatstoodonitshindlegsandmarchedandcounted.
"Nodoubtaboutit,"saidtheking,"myyoungestsonwillbeking,andthefrogwillbequeen."
Theweddingofallthreebrotherswassetforthesameday.Theolderbrotherswentfortheirbridesingarlandedcarriagesdrawnbyfourhorses,andthebridesclimbedin,deckedwithfeathersandjewels.
Theyoungestboywenttotheditch,wherethefrogawaitedhiminacarriagefashionedoutofafigleafanddrawnbyfoursnails.Theysetout.Hewalkedaheadwhilethesnailsfollowed,pullingthefigleafwiththefroguponit.Everynowandthenhestoppedforthemtocatchupwithhim,andonceheevenfellasleep.Whenheawakened,agoldcarriagehadpulledupbesidehim.Itwasdrawnbytwowhitehorses,andinsideonvelvetupholstery,satamaidenasdazzlingasthesunanddressedinanemarald-greengown.
"Whoareyou?"askedtheyoungestson.
"Iamthefrog."
Hecouldntbelieveit,sothemaidenopenedajewelcasecontainingthefigleaf,thefrogskin,andfoursnailshells."Iwasaprincessturnedintoafrog,andtheonlychanceIhadofgettingmyhumanformbackwasforakingssontoagreetomarrymethewayIwas."
Thekingwasoverjoyedandtoldhistwooldersons,whowereconsumedwithenvy,thatwhoeverpickedthewrongwifewasunworthyofthecrown.Sotheyoungestboyandhisbridebecamekingandqueen.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"ThePrinceWhoMarriedaFrog"(Ilprincipechesposòunarana)fromComparetti,4,Monferrato,Piedmont.
ThetaleofthefrogbrideiscommontoallofEurope;scholarshavecounted300versions.Comparingit,forinstance,withGrimm,no.63,orwithAfanasevs"TheFrogPrince,"thisvariantwhichwecanclassifyasdistinctlyItalian(sinceitshowsupuniformlythroughoutthePeninsula,evenifslingingtolocatethebrideisratherrare)standsoutinitsnear-geometricallogicandlinearity.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980