dfoundadollinthewoodsandfalleninlovewithit.Hestayedshutupinhisroomadmiringitandweepingbecauseitwasnotareallivemaiden.Thegirlwentbeforetheking.Thatismydool!sheexclaimed.Andthisismybride!repliedthekingonseeingthatshewasthedollslivingimage."
Therewasanotherknock,andtheparrotwasatatotallosstocontinuethestory."Justaminute,justaminute,theresstillatinybitmore,"hesaid,buthehadnoideawhattosaynext.
"Comeon,openup,itsyourfather,"saidthemerchantsvoice.
"Ah,hereweareattheendofthestory,"announcedtheparrot."Thekingmarriedthemaiden,andtheylivedhappilyeverafter."
Thegirlfinallyrantoopenthedoorandembracedherfatherjustbackfromhistrip.
"Welldone,mydaughter!"saidthemerchant."Iseeyouveremainedfaithfullyathome.Andhowistheparrotdoing?"
Theywenttotakealookatthebird,butinhisplacetheyfoundahandsomeyouth."Forgiveme,sir,"saidtheyouth."Iamakingwhoputonaparrotsdisguise,becauseIaminlovewithyourdaughter.Awareoftheintentionsofarivalkingtoabducther,Icameherebeneathaparrotsplumagetoentertainherinanhonorablemannerandatthesametimetopreventmyrivalfromcarryingouthisschemes.IbelieveIhavesucceededinbothpurposes,andthatIcannowaskforyourdaughtershandinmarriage."
Themerchantgavehisconsent.Hisdaughtermarriedthekingwhohadtoldherthetale,andtheotherkingdiedofrage.
(Monferrato)
NOTES:
"TheParrot"(Ilpappagallo)fromComparetti,2,Monferrato,Piedmont.
SeemyremarksonthisfolktaleintheIntroduction,p.xxx-xxxi.IhavetakenthelibertyofdoctoringthetwoversionspublishedbyComparetti——thePiedmonteseoneandaTuscanone,fromPisa(1)——andIheightenedthesuspensebyplacingtheinterruptionsatthecrucialmoments.
Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
PantheonBooks,NewYork1980