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克利克和克罗克

克利克和克罗克&意大利童话
  在一个遥远的小镇上,有一个出了名的盗贼,人送外号克利克①,并且认为永远也不会有人抓到他。这个盗贼很想结识另一个与他同样出名的外号叫克罗克的盗贼,想与他联手作案。一天,克利克在一家酒馆吃饭,同桌坐着一位陌生人。克利克要看时间的时候才发现怀表已经不翼而飞了。克利克想:要是这人能不被我察觉而偷走我的表,那他一定就是克罗克。他回手就偷来了那个人的钱包。陌生人要付帐的时候发现自己的钱包也没了,便对同桌的人说:“看来你就是克利克了。”
  另一个答道:“那你一定就是克罗克喽。”
  “对。”
  “好极了,我们合伙吧。”就这样两个盗贼联起手来。
  两个人进城,来到了由侍卫严密把守的国王宝库。他们挖了一条通向宝库的地道,盗走了宝库里的一些东西。国王眼看着宝库被盗,却找不到一点盗贼的线索,就去找一位关押在狱的盗贼,人称灰浆盆,国王对他说:“你要是能告诉我偷宝库的人是谁,我就放了你,还封你为侯爵。”
  灰浆盆答道:“这一定是克利克和克罗克联手干的,他们是两个最棒的盗贼。不过,我有办法抓住他们。您下令把肉价抬高到每磅一百里拉,谁还去买肉,谁就一定是盗贼。”
  国王依计把肉价抬到一百里拉一磅,没有人再去买肉了。好不容易来人报告说有一个修道士到一家肉铺买过肉。灰浆盆说:“这一定是克利克或克罗克化装的。我也化装成一个乞丐,挨家挨户去乞讨,谁给我肉吃,我就在他家的门上划一个红色标记,这样侍卫就能抓到他。”
  但是当他在克利克家门上划上红色标记时,克利克发觉了。克利克给城里所有人家的门上都划上了同样的标记,结果灰浆盆一无所获。
  灰浆盆又向国王献计说:“我不是跟您说过他们是两个很狡猾的人吗?但是,有人比他们更狡猾。您这么办:让人在宝库台阶的下面放上一桶滚烫的松树油,进去偷东西的人就会掉下去,我们便可以坐等收尸了。”
  克利克和克罗克不久就把偷来的钱用光了,只好再去宝库偷钱。克罗克摸黑走在前面,结果掉进了桶里。克利克看到朋友掉进松油桶死了,就想把尸体捞出来带走,但怎么也捞不出来。他只好砍下克罗克的脑袋,带走了。
  第二天,国王到了现场,说:“这次抓到了,这次抓到了!”可是,只找到一具无头尸,没法辨认身分,也无法断定谁是同谋。
  灰浆盆又说:“我还有一计。你让人用两匹马拖着这具尸体在全城示众,听到哪里有哭声,就一定是盗贼的家。”
  真的,克罗克的妻子从窗户看到丈夫的尸体被拖着游街,就又哭又嚎起来。克利克也在那里,他立即意识到这样会使自己暴露。于是,他开始摔盘子,砸碗,并且打克罗克的妻子。正在这时,侍卫们循着哭声进来了,看到的却是一个妇人打碎了盘、碗,而男人给了她几个耳光,妇人就哭了起来。
  国王无计可施,便让人在全城贴出告示说,谁有本事偷走他床上的床单,他就原谅他的偷盗之罪。克利克听到消息就来了,说自己有本事做到。
  晚上国王脱衣上了床,手里拿着一杆火枪等着盗贼。克利克从掘墓人那里要来一具尸体,给他穿上自己的衣服,带到王宫的屋顶。等到半夜,克利克用绳子把尸体吊在国王寝室的窗户前。国王以为这就是克利克,朝他开了一枪,又看见他带着绳子摔了下去。国王跑下去看看人是不是死了。可就在同时,克利克从屋顶下到国王的寝室,偷走了国王的床单。克利克被国王赦免了,而且因为他已经无所不能偷了,国王就把自己的女儿嫁给了他。
  (蒙费拉托地区)
  ①这篇故事中的两个盗贼的外号“克利克”与“克罗克”都是形容断裂、破碎的象声词。
  CrackandCrook
  InadistanttowntherewasafamousthiefknownasCrack,whomnobodyhadeverbeenabletocatch.ThemainambitionofthisCrackwastomeetCrook,anothernotoriousthief,andformapartnershipwithhim.OnedayasCrackwaseatinglunchatthetavernacrossthetablefromastranger,hewenttolookathiswatchandfounditmissing.Theonlypersoninthisworldwhocouldhavetakenitwithoutmyknowledge,hethought,isCrook.SowhatdidCrackdobutturnrightaroundandstealCrookspurse.Whenthestrangergotreadytopayforhislunch,hefoundhispursegoneandsaidtohistablecompanion,"Well,well,youmustbeCrack."
  "AndyoumustbeCrook."
  "Right."
  "Fine,wellworktogether."
  Theywenttothecityandmadeforthekingstreasury,whichwascompletelysurroundedbyguards.Thethievesthereforeduganundergroundtunnelintothetreasuryandstoleeverything.Surveyinghisloss,thekinghadnoideahowhemightcatchtherobbers.HewenttoamannamedSnare,whohadbeenputinprisonforstealing,andsaid,"Ifyoucantellmewhocommittedthisrobbery,Illsetyoufreeandmakeyouamarquis."
  Snarereplied,"ItcanbenoneotherthanCrackorCrook,orbothofthemtogether,sincetheyarethemostnotoriousthievesalive.ButIlltellyouhowyoucancatchthem.Havethepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound.Thepersonwhopaysthatmuchforitwillbeyourthief."
  Thekinghadthepriceofmeatraisedtoonehundreddollarsapound,andeverybodystoppedbuyingmeat.Finallyitwasreportedthatafriarhadgonetoacertainbutcherandboughtmeat.Snaresaid,"ThathadtobeCrackorCrookindisguise.Illnowdisguisemyselfandgoaroundtothehousesbegging.Ifanybodygivesmemeat,Illmakearedmarkonthefrontdoor,andyourguardscangoandarrestthethieves."
  ButwhenhemadearedmarkonCrackshouse,thethiefsawitandwentandmarkedalltheotherdoorsinthecitywithred,sotherewasnotellingintheendwhereCrackandCrooklived.
  Snaresaidtotheking,"DidntItellyoutheywerefoxy?Buttheressomeoneelsefoxierthantheyare.Heresthenextthingtodo:putatubofboilingpitchatthebottomofthetreasurysteps.Whoevergoesdowntostealwillfallrightintoit,andhisdeadbodywillgivehimaway."
  CrackandCrookhadrunoutofmoneyinthemeantimeanddecidedtogobacktothetreasuryformore.Crookwentinfirst,butitwasdark,andhefellintothetub.Crackcamealongandtriedtopullhisfriendsbodyoutofthepitch,butitstuckfastinthetub.Hethencutofftheheadandcarrieditaway.
  Thenextdaythekingwenttoseeifhehadcaughtthethief."Thistimewegothim!Wegothim!"Butthecorpsehadnohead,sotheywerenonethewiseraboutthethieforanyaccompliceshemighthavehad.
  Snaresaid,"Theresonemorethingwecando:havethedeadmandraggedthroughthecitybytwohorses.Thehousewhereyouhearsomeoneweepinghastobethethiefshouse."
  Ineffect,whenCrookswifelookedoutthewindowandsawherhusbandsbodybeingdraggedthroughthestreet,shebeganscreamingandcrying.ButCrackwasthereandknewrightawaythatwouldbetheirundoing.Hethereforestartedsmashingdishesrightandleftandthrashingthepoorwomanatthesametime.Attractedbyallthatscreaming,theguardscameinandfoundamanbeatinghiswifeforbreakingupallthedishesinthehouse.
  Thekingthenhadadecreepostedoneverystreetcornerthathewouldpardonthethiefwhohadrobbedhim,ifthethiefnowmanagedtostealthesheetsoutfromunderhimatnight.Crackcameforwardandsaidhecoulddoit.
  Thatnightthekingundressedandwenttobedwithhisguntowaitforthethief.Crackgotadeadbodyfromagravedigger,dresseditinhisownclothes,andcarriedittotheroofoftheroyalpalace.Atmidnightthecadaver,heldbyarope,wasdanglingbeforethekingswindows.ThinkingitwasCrack,thekingfiredoneshotandwatchedhimfall,cordandall.Herandownstairstoseeifhewasdead.Whilethekingwasgone,Crackslippedintohisroomandstolethesheets.Hewasthereforepardoned,andsothathewouldnthavetostealanylonger,thekingmarriedhisdaughtertohim.
  (Monferrato)
  NOTES:
  "CrackandCrook"(CriceCroc)fromComparetti,13,Monferrato,Piedmont.
  Thisisoneoftheoldestandmostfamoustales,whichhasoccupiedtheattentionofscholarsforgenerations.ThePiedmonteseversionIfollowedisfaithfultotheoldesttraditionandincludesthecuriouscharacter-namesandabriskdoseofrusticcunning.Herodotus(Histories)tellsindetailaboutEgyptianKingRhampsinitusstreasure,chiefsourceofthevastnarrativetraditionconcerningwilyrobbersputtothetestbyaruler.ThebeheadingofacadaversoitwillnotberecognizedisalsoencounteredinPausanias,whopresentsthemythofTrophoniusandAgamedes(DescriptionofGreece,IX,372).EitherthroughtheGreeksorthroughorientaltraditionthetaleenteredmedievalliterature,inthevarioustranslationsoftheBookoftheSevenSagesandotherItalian,English,andGermantexts.LiteraryversionsbyItalianRenaissancestorywritersarenumerous.
  Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,
  translatedbyGeorgeMartin,
  PantheonBooks,NewYork1980

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