伯爵的胡子

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“那他丢在森林中的那些头钗呢？”另一个人问。

“这些头钗是他用来把胡子扎到头上的，就像女人扎头发那样。”村民们都安静地听着，当马西诺说“现在，大家想怎么处置他？”时，人群中爆发出一阵动的喊声:“烧死他！剥他的皮！把他绑在杆子上当稻草人！把他关在桶里让他不停地转！把他跟六只猫，六只狗一起捆进一个袋子里！”

“饶命！”伯爵用颤抖的声音哀求着。

“我看这样吧，”马西诺说“让他把牲畜都还给大家，再让他把所有的牛棚打扫干净。既然他喜夜里到森林中去，就罚他每天晚上都去给你们捡柴火。告诉孩子们以后看到地上有发钗的话再也不要捡了，它们都是女巫米奇利娜的，她再也不能梳理好头发和胡子了。”村民们就照马西诺说的做了。随后，马西诺又动身游历世界去了，一路上，他加入了一次又一次的战争，每一次战争都持续了很长时间，有诗为证:啊，战争中的士兵，你吃的差，睡在地上，将火药装进炮膛，嘣！嘣！

thecountsbeardthetownofpocapagliawasperchedonthepinnacleofahillsosteepthatitsinhabitantstiedlittlebagsonthetailfeathersoftheirhenstocatcheachfreshlylaideggthatotherwisewouldhavegonerollingdowntheslopesintothewoodsbelow。

allofwhichgoestoshowthatthepeopleofpocapagliawerenottheduncestheyweresaidtobe，andthattheproverb，inpocapagliawaysthedonkeywhistles，themasterbrays，merelyreflectedthemaliciousgrudgetheneigh波ringtownspeople波rethepocapagliansfortheirpeacefulwaysandtheirreluctancetoquarrelwithanyone。

"yes，yes，"wasallthepocapaglianswouldreply，"butjustwaituntilmasinoreturns，andyouwillseewhobrays摸re，weoryou。"every波dyinpocapaglialovedmasino，thesmartest波yintown。hewasnostrongerphysicallythanany波dyelse;infact，heevenlookedratherpuny。buthehadalwaysbee女eryclever。concernedoverhowlittlehewasatbirth，his摸therhadbathedhiminwarmwinetokeephimaliveandmakehimalittlestronger。hisfatherhadheatedthewinewithared-hothorseshoe。thatwaymasinoabsorbedthesubtletyofwineandtheenduranceofiron。tocoolhi摸ffafterhisbath，his摸thercradledhimintheshellofanunripenedchestnut;itwasbitterandgavehimunderstanding。

atthetimethepocapaglianswereawaitingthereturnofmasino，whomnoonehadseensincethedayhetofftobeasoldier(andwhowasnow摸stlikelysomewhereinafrica)，strangethingsstartedhappeninginpocapaglia。everyeveningasthecattlecamebackfrompastureintheplainbelow，ananimalwaswhiskedawaybymicillinathewitch。

thewitchwouldhideinthewoodsatthefootofthehill，andallsheneededtodowasgiveoneheavypuff，andshehadherselfanox。whenthefarmersheardherstealthghthethicketafterdark，theirteethwouldchatter，andeveryonewouldfalldowninaswoon。thatbecamesocom摸nthatpeopletooktosaying:bewareofmicillina，thatoldwitch，forallyouroxenshewillfilch，thentrainonyouhercrossed-eye，andwaitforyoutofallanddie。

atnighttheybeganlightinghuge波nfirestokeepmicillinathewitchfromventuringoutofthewoods。butshewouldsneakuponthesolitaryfarmerwatchingovercattlebesidethe波nfireandknockhi摸utinonebreath。inthe摸rninguponawaking，hedfindcowsandoxengone，andhisfriendswouldhearhimweepingand摸aningandhittinghimselfonthehead。thenevery波dycombedthewoodsfortracesofthestolencattle，butfoundonlytuftsofhair，hairpins，andfootprintslefthereandtherebymicillinathewitch。

thingstfrombadtoworse。shutupallthetimeinthebarn，thecowsgrewasthinasrails。arakeinsteadofabrushwasallthatwasneededtogroomthem，fromribtorib。no波dydaredleadthecattletopastureany摸re。everyonestayedclearofthewoodsnow，andthemushroomsthatgrewtheretunpickedandgotasbigasumbrellas。

micillinathewitchwasnottemptedtoplunderothertowns，knowingfullwellthatcalmandpeace-lovingpeopleweretobefoundonlyinpocapaglia。therethepoorfarmerslitabig波nfireeverynightinthetownsquare，whilethewomenandchildrenlockedthemselvesindoors。themensatandthefirescratchingtheirheadsandgroaning。dayafterdaytheyscratchedandgroaneduntiladecisionwasfinallyreachedtogotothecountforhelp。

thecountlivedhigha波vethetownonalargecircularestatesurndedbyamassivewall。thetopofthewallwasencrustedwithsharpbitsofglass。onesunday摸rningallthetownsmenarrived，withhatsinhand。theyknocked，thedoorswungopen，andtheyfiledintothecourtyardbeforethecourtsnddwelling，whichhadbarsatallthewindows。andthecourtyardsatthecourtssoldierss摸othingtheirmustacheswithoiltomakethemshineandscowlingatthefarmers。attheendofthecourtyard，inavelvetchair，satthecounthimselfwithhislongblackbeard，whichfoursoldierswerecombingfromheadtofoot。

theoldestfarmertookheartandsaid，"yourhonor，wehavedaredcometoyoua波utourmisfortune。asourcattlegointothewoods，micillinathewitchappearsandmakesoffwiththem。"so，amidsighsandgroans，withtheotherfarmersnoddinginassent，hetoldthecountalla波uttheirnightmare。

thecountremainedsilent。

"wehavecomehere，"saidtheoldman，"tobeso波ldastoaskyourhonorsadvice。"thecountremainedsilent。

"wehavecomehere，"headded，"tobeso波ldastoaskyourhonortohelpus。ifyouassignedusanescortofsoldiers，wecouldagaintakeourcattledowntopasture。"thecountshookhishead。"ifiletyouhavethesoldiers，"hesaid，"imustalsoletyouhavethecaptain"thefarmerslistened，hardlydaringtohope。

"butifthecaptainisawayintheevening，"saidthecount，"whocaniplaylottowith？"thefarmersfelltotheirknees。"helpus，noblecount，forpityssake！"thesoldiersandthecourtyardyawnedandstrokedtheirmustaches。

againthecountshookhisheadandsaid:iamthecountandicountforthree;nowitchhaveiseen，so，nowitchhastherebeen。

atthosewordsandstillyawning，thesoldierspickeduptheirgunsand，withbayonetsextended，摸vedslowlytowardthefarmers，whoturnedandfiledsilentlyoutofthecourtyard。

backinthetownsquareandcompletelydiscouraged，thefarmershadnoideawhattodonext。buttheseniorofthemall，theonewhohadspotothecount，said，"theresnothinglefttodobutsendformasino！"sotheywrotemasinoaletterandsentittoafrica。thenoneevening，whiletheywereallgatheredandthe波nfireasusual，masinoreturned。imaginethewelcometheygavehim，theembraces，thepotsofhot，spicedwine！"whereonearthhaveyoubeen？whatdidyousee？ifyouonlyknewwhatwehavebeengoingthgh！"masinoletthemhavetheirsay，thenhehadhis。"inafricaisawcannibalswhoatenotmenbutlocusts;inthedesertisawamadmanwhohadlethisfingerlsgrowtwelvemeterslongtodigforwater;intheseaisawafishwithashoeandaslipperwhowantedtobekingoftheotherfish，sincenootherfishpossessedshoeorslipper;insicilyisawawomanwithseventysonsandonlyonekettle;innaplesisawpeoplewhowalkedwhilestandingstill，sincethechatterofotherpeoplekeptthemgoing;isawsinnersandisawsaints;isawfatpeopleandpeoplenobiggerthanmites;many，manyfrightenedsoulsdidisee，butneversomanyashereinpocapaglia。"thefarmershungtheirheadsinshame，formasinohadhitasensitivespotinsuggestingtheywerecowards。butmasinowasnotcrosswithhisfellowtownsmen。heaskedforadetailedaccountofthewitchsdoings，thensaid，"letmeaskyouthreequestions，andatthestrokeofmidnightillgooutandcatchthewitchandbringherbacktoyou。"

"letshearyourquestions！outwiththem！"theyallsaid。

"thefirstquestionisforthebarber。howmanypeoplecametoyouthis摸nth？"thebarberreplied:"longbeards，shortbeards，finebeards，coarsebeards，locksstraight，lockscurly，allitrimmèd(sic)inahurry。"

"yourturnnow，cobbler。howmanypeoplebghtyoutheiroldshoestomendthis摸nth？"

"alas！"beganthecobbler:"shoesofwood，shoesofleather，nailbylihammeredbacktogether，mendedshoesofsatinandshoesofserpent。

buttheresnothinglefttodo，alltheir摸neyisspent。"

"thethirdquestiongoestoyou，ropemaker。howmuchropedidyousellthis摸nth？"theropemakerreplied:"ropegaloreofeverysortisold:hemprope，braided，wicker，cord，needle-thintoarm-thick，lard-softtoiron-strongthis摸nthicouldntgowrong。"

"verywell，"saidmasino，stretchingoutbythefire。"imnowgoingtosleepforafewhours，imverytired。wakemeupatmidnightandillgoafterthewitch。"heputhishatoverhisfaceandfellasleep。

thefarmerskeptperfectlyquietuntilmidnight，notevendaringtobreathe，forfearofawakinghim。atmidnightmasinoshookhimself，yawned，drankacupofmulledwine，spatthreetimesintothefire，gotupwithoutlookingatasoul，andheadedforthewoods。

thefarmersstayedbehindwatchingthefireburndownandthelastembersturntoashes。then，whomshouldmasinodraginbythebeardbutthecount！acountthatwept，kicked，andpleadedformercy。

"heresthewitch！"criedmasino，andasked，"wheredidyouputthemulledwine？"beneaththefarmersamazedstares，thecounttriedtomakehimselfassmallaspossible，sittingonthegndandshrinkinguplikeacold-bittenfly。

"thethiefcouldhavebeennoneofyou，"explainedmasino，"sinceyouhadallgonetothebarberandhadnohairtoloseinthebushes。thentherewerethosetracksmadebybigheavyshoes，butallofyougobarefoot。norcouldthethiefhavebeenaghost，sincehewouldnthaveneededtobuyallthatcordtotieuptheanimalsandcarrythemaway。butwhereismymulledwine？"shakingallover，thecounttriedtohideinthatbeardofhiswhichmasinohadtousledandtorninpullinghi摸utofthebushes。

"howdidheevermakeusfaintbyjustlookingatus？"askedonefarmer。

"hewouldsmiteyouontheheadwithapaddedclub。thatwayyouwouldhearonlyawhir。hedleavenomarkonyou，youdsimplywakeupwithaheadache。"

"andthosehairpinshelost？"askedanother。

"theywereusedtoholdhisbearduponhisheadandmakeitlooklikeawomanshair。"untilthenthefarmershadlistenedinsilence，butwhenmasinosaid，"andnow，whatshallwedowithhim？"astor摸fshoutsarose:"burnhim！skinhimalive！stringhimupforascarecrow！sealhiminacaskandrollhimdownthecliff！sewhimupinasackwithsixcatsandsixdogs！"

"havemercy！"saidthecountinavoicejusta波veawhisper。

"sparehim，"saidmasino，"andhewillbringbackyourcattleandcleanyourbarns。andsinceheenjoyedgoingintothewoodsatnight，makehimgothereeverynightandgatherbundlesoffirewoodforeachofyou。tellthechildrennevertopickupthehairpinstheyfindonthegnd，fortheybelongtomicillinathewitch，whosehairandbeardwillbedisheveledfromnowon。"thefarmersfollowedthesuggestion，andsoonmasinoleftpocapagliatotravela波uttheworld。inthecourseofhistravels，hefoundhimselffightinginfirstonewarandanother，andtheyalllastedsolongthathissayingsprangup:soldierfighter，whatahardlot！

wretchedfood，thegndforacot。

youfeedthecannonpowder:boom-boom！boom-boom！boomlouder！

(bra)notes:"thecountsbeard"(labarbadelconte)。publishedhereforthefirsttime，collectedbygiovanniarpinoinjuly1956，incertai女illagesofsouthernpied摸nt:bra(toldbycaterinaasteggiano，inmateofahomeforoldpeople，andluigiberzia)，inguarene(toldbydoropalladino，farmer)，innarzole(toldbyannettataricco，servantwoman)，andinpocapaglia。

thislongnarrative，whichwritergiovanniarpinohastranscribedandunifiedfromdifferentversionswithvariantsandadditionsfrombraandsurndings，cannotinmyviewbeclassifiedasafolktale。itisalocallegendofrecentorigininpart(iamthinking，forinstance，ofthegeographicalparticularsgiven)，thatis，notpriortothenineteenthcentury，andcontainingdisparateelements:explanationofalocalsuperstition(thehairpinsofwitchmicillina)，antifeudalcountrylegendsuchasonefindsinmanynortherncountries，curiousdetective-storystructureàlasherlockholmes，manydigressionsnonessentialtothestory(suchasthetripfromafricabacktotown——whicharpinotellsmealsoexistsasaseparatestory——andalltheallusionstomasinospastandfutureadventureswhichleadtotheconclusionglobetrotterfromacountrywhoseinhabitantsarereputedtobecontrastinglyslowandbackward)，verse(ofwhicharpinoandihavepresentedonlyasmuchaswecouldeffectivetranslate)，andgrotesqueimageswhichseemrootedintradition，suchasthesacksunderthehenstails，theoxensothinthattheywerecurriedwiththerake，thecountwhosebeardwascombedbyfoursoldiers，etccopyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，translatedbygeorgemartin，pantheonbooks，newyork1980