in tiptoed Silver Nose and placed a rose in her hair。 Then he left just as quietly as he had entered。
The next morning Silver Nose went out on business。 Finding herself alone with all her keys； the girl ran and unlocked the forbidden door。 No sooner had she cracked it than smoke and flames shot out； while she caught sight of a crowd of damned souls in agony inside the fiery room。 She then realized that Silver Nose was the Devil and that the room was Hell。 She screamed； slammed the door； and took to her heels。 But a tongue of fire had scorched the rose she wore in her hair。
Silver Nose came home and saw the singed rose。 〃So that's how you obey me！〃 he said。 He snatched her up； opened the door to Hell； and flung her into the flames。
The next day he went back to the widow。 〃Your daughter is getting along very well at my house； but the work is so heavy she needs help。 Could you send us your second daughter too？〃 So Silver Nose returned home with one of the girl's sisters。 He showed her around the house； gave her all the keys； and told her she could open all the rooms except the last。 〃Do you think；〃 said the girl； 〃I would have any reason to open it？ I am not interested in your personal business。〃 That night after the girl went to sleep； Silver Nose tiptoed in and put a carnation in her hair。
When Silver Nose went out the next morning； the first thing the girl did was go and open the forbidden door。 She was instantly assailed by smoke； flames； and howls of the damned souls； in whose midst she spotted her sister。 〃Sister； free me from this Hell！〃 screamed the first girl。 But the middle girl grew weak in the knees； slammed the door； and ran。 She was now sure that Silver Nose was the Devil； from whom she couldn't hide or escape。 Silver Nose returned and noticed her hair right away。 The carnation was withered； so without a word he snatched her up and threw her into Hell too。
The next day； in his customary aristocratic attire； he reappeared at the washerwoman's house。 〃There is so much work to be done at my house that not even two girls are enough。 Could I have your third daughter as well？〃 He thus returned home with the third sister； Lucia； who was the most cunning of them all。 She too was shown around the house and given the same instructions as her sisters。 She too had a flower put in her hair while she was sleeping： a jasmine blossom。 The first thing Lucia did when she got up next morning was arrange her hair。 Looking in the mirror； she noticed the jasmine。 〃Well； well！〃 she said。 〃Silver Nose pinned a jasmine on me。 How thoughtful of him！ Who knows why he did it？ In any case I'll keep it fresh。〃 She put it into a glass of water； bed her hair； then said； 〃Now let's take a look at that mysterious door。〃
She just barely opened it； and out rushed a flame。 She glimpsed countless people burning； and there in the middle of the crowd were her big sisters。 〃Lucia！ Lucia！〃 they screamed。 〃Get us out of here！ Save us！〃
At once Lucia shut the door tightly and began thinking how she might rescue her sisters。
By the time the Devil got home； Lucia had put her jasmine back in her hair； and acted as though nothing had happened that day。 Silver Nose looked at the jasmine。 〃Oh； it's still fresh；〃 he said。
〃Of course； why shouldn't it be？ Why would anyone wear withered flowers in her hair？〃
〃Oh； I was just talking to be talking；〃 answered Silver Nose。 〃You seem like a clever girl。 Keep it up； and we'll never quarrel。 Are you happy？〃
〃Yes； but I'd be happier if I didn't have something bothering me。〃
〃What's bothering you？〃
〃When I left my mother； she wasn't feeling too well。 Now I have no news at all of her。〃
〃If that's all you're worried about；〃 said the Devil； 〃I'll drop by her house and see how she's doing。〃
〃Thank you； that is very kind of you。 If you can go tomorrow； I'll get up a bag of laundry at once which my mother can wash if she is well enough。 The bag won't be too heavy for you； will it？〃
〃Of course not。 I can carry anything under the sun； no matter how heavy it is。〃
When the Devil went out again that day； Lucia opened the door to Hell； pulled out her oldest sister； and tied her up in a bag。 〃Keep still in there； Carlotta；〃 she told her。 〃The Devil himself will carry you back home。 But any time he so much as thinks of putting the bag down； you must say； 'I see you； I see you！'〃
The Devil returned； and Lucia said； 〃Here is the bag of things to be washed。 Do you promise you'll take it straight to my mother？〃
〃You don't trust me？〃 asked the Devil。
〃Certainly I trust you； all the more so with my special ability to see from a great distance away。 If you dare put the bag down somewhere； I'll see you。〃
〃Yes； of course；〃 said the Devil； but he had little faith in her claim of being able to see things a great distance away。 He flung the bag over his shoulder。 〃My goodness； this dirty stuff is heavy！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Naturally！〃 replied the girl。 〃How many years has it been since you had anything washed？〃
Silver Nose set out for the washerwoman's； but when he was only halfway there； he said to himself； 〃Maybe。。。but I shall see if this girl isn't emptying my house of everything I own； under the pretext of sending out laundry。〃 He went to put the bag down and open it。
〃I see you； I see you！〃 suddenly screamed the sister inside the bag。
〃By Jove； it's true！ She can see from afar！〃 exclaimed Silver Nose。 He threw the bag back over his shoulder and marched straight to Lucia's mother's house。 〃Your daughter sends you this stuff to wash and wants to know how you are。。。〃
As soon as he left； the washerwoman opened the sack； and you can imagine her joy upon finding her oldest daughter inside。
A week later； sly Lucia pretended to be sad once more and told Silver Nose she wanted news of her mother。
She sent him to her house with another bag of laundry。 So Silver Nose carried off the second sister； without managing to peep inside because of the 〃I see you； I see you！〃 which came from the bag the instant he started to open it。 The washerwoman； who now knew Silver Nose was the Devil； was quite frightened when he returned； for she was sure he would ask for the clean wash from last time。 But Silver Nose put down the new bag and said； 〃I'll get the clean wash some other time。 This heavy bag has broken my back； and I want to go home with nothing to carry。〃
When he had gone； the washerwoman anxiously opened the bag and embraced her second daughter。 But she was more worried than ever about Lucia； who was now alone in the Devil's hands。
What did Lucia do？ Not long afterward she started up again about news of her mother。 By now the Devil was sick and tired of carrying laundry； but he had grown too fond of this obedient girl to say no to her。 As soon as it grew dark； Lucia announced she had a bad headache and would go to bed early。 〃I'll prepare the laundry and leave the bag out for you； so if I don't feel like getting up in the morning； you can be on your way。〃
Now Lucia had made a rag doll the same size as herself。 She put it in bed under the covers； cut off her own braids； adn sewed them on the doll's head。 the doll then looked like Lucia asleep； and Lucia closed herself up in the bag。
In the morning the Devil saw the girl snuggled down under the covers and set out with the bag over his shoulder。 〃She's sick this morning；〃 he said to himself； 〃and won't be looking。 It's the perfect time to see if this really is nothing but laundry。〃 At that； he put the bag down and was about to open it。 〃I see you； I see you！〃 cried Lucia。
〃By Jove； it's her voice to a tee； as though she were right here！ Better not joke with such a girl。〃 He took up the bag again and carried it to the washerwoman。 〃I'll e back later for everything；〃 he said rapidly。 〃I have to get home right away because Lucia is sick。〃
So the family was finally reunited。 Since Lucia had also carried off great sums of the Devil's money； they were now able to live in fort and happiness。 They planted a cross before the door； and from then on； the Devil kept his distance。
（Langhe）
NOTES：
〃Silver Nose〃 （Il naso d'argento） from Carraroli； 3； from Langhe； Piedmont。
Bluebeard in Piedmont is Silver Nose。 His victims are not wives but servant girls； and the story is not taken from chronicles about cruel feudal masters as in Perrault； but from medieval theological legends： Bluebeard is the Devil； and the room containing the murdered women is Hell。 I found the silver nose only in this version translated from dialect and summarized by Carraroli； but the Devil…Bluebeard； the flowers in the hair； and the ruses to get back home were encountered all over Northern Italy。 I integrated the rather meager Piedmont version with one from Bologna （Coronedi S。 27） and a Venetian one （Bernoni； 3）。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
伯爵的胡子
博卡帕利亚是建在陡峭山坡上的一个小镇，镇上人家的鸡只要一下蛋就会滚落到山下的树林里。为了防止鸡蛋滚落丢失，居民们在每只母鸡的尾巴上挂了一个小袋子。
这说明博