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began making bread； saying under her breath； 〃By the power of the diamond； let the whole town buy bread at this bakery as long as I work here！〃 From then on； people poured in and out with no sign of a letup。 Among the customers were three young men who saw the bride and fell in love with her。
〃If you let me spend a night with you；〃 one of them said to her； 〃I'll give you a thousand francs。〃
〃I'll give you two thousand；〃 said another。
〃And I'll make it three thousand；〃 said the third。
She collected the three thousand francs from the third man and smuggled him into the bakery that very night。
〃I'll be with you in a minute；〃 she told him； 〃after I've put the yeast into the flour。 While you're waiting； would you please knead the dough a little bit for me？〃
The man began kneading； and kneaded and kneaded and kneaded。 By the power of the diamond； he couldn't for the life of him take his hands out of the dough； and therefore went on kneading till daylight。
〃So you finally finished！〃 she said to him。 〃You really took your time！〃
And she sent him packing。
Then she said yes to the man with the two thousand francs； brought him in as soon as it grew dark； and told him to blow on the fire a moment so that it wouldn't go out。 He blew and blew and blew。 By the power of the diamond； he had to keep right on blowing up to the next morning； with his face bulging like a wineskin。
〃What a way to behave！〃 she said to him in the morning。 〃You e to see me； but spend the night blowing on the fire！〃
And she sent him packing。
The next night she brought in the man with the thousand francs。 〃I have to add the yeast；〃 she told him。 〃While I'm doing that； go shut the door。〃
The man shut the door； which by the power of the diamond came open again right away。 All night long he closed it only to see it immediately reopen； and in no time the sun was up。
〃Did you finally close this door？ Well； you may now open it again and get out。〃
Seething with rage； the three men denounced her to the authorities。 In that day and time there were； in addition to policemen； women officers who were called whenever a woman was to be brought into custody。 So four women officers went to apprehend the bride。
〃By the power of the diamond；〃 said the bride； 〃let these women box one another's ears until tomorrow morning。〃
The four women officers began boxing one another's ears so hard that their heads swelled up like pumpkins； and they still went on striking each other for all they were worth。
When the women officers failed to return with the culprit； four male officers were sent out to look for them。 The bride saw them ing and said； 〃By the power of the diamond； let those men play leapfrog。〃 One of the male officers dropped down at once on all fours； a second one moved up； put his hands on the officer's back； and leaped over him； with the third and fourth following in his tracks。 Thus began a game of leapfrog。
Right at that point； a tortoise came crawling into view。 It was the husband returning from his trip around the world。 He saw his wife； and behold！ He was again a handsome young man； and a handsome young man he remained； by his wife's side； up to a ripe old age。
（Riviera ligure di ponente）
NOTES：
〃The Man Who Came Out Only at Night〃 （L'uomo che usciva solo di notte） from Andrews； 14 and 21； Menton； told by Iren Gena and Irene Panduro。
A tale full of oddities； the most striking of which is that of women constables； given as a historical fact regarding a particular police system。 In Andrews's first variant； the bridegroom turns into a toad。
Copyright： Italian Folktales Selected and Retold by Italo Calvino；
translated by George Martin；
Pantheon Books； New York 1980
七！
从前有一对母女，女儿又高又胖，吃得又多。妈妈端上的肉汁菜汤，她吃了一盘、两盘、三盘，还不停地要。而妈妈边为她盛，边说：“三！……四！……五！……”当女儿要第七盘汤的时候，妈妈没有盛，而是用棍子敲了一下女儿的头，大喊：“七！”
一个穿着体面的小伙子从这里路过，从窗外看见妈妈打着女儿喊：“七！”
看见这个高大丰满的姑娘挺漂亮，小伙子一下子就喜欢上了，他走进姑娘的家，问道：“七个什么？”
妈妈因为自己有这么个贪吃的女儿而羞愧，就说：“七个线槌啊！我的女儿是个工作狂，她甚至能到羊身上去纺毛线！这不，今天早上她已经纺了七槌线了，可是还没完没了地干！为了让她停手，我才打了她一下！”
小伙子说：“要是这样，您把她交给我吧，我试试她，看她是不是真的这么能干，如果是真的，我就娶她为妻。”
小伙子把她领回家，关进一间屋子，里面堆满了要纺的麻，他说：“我是一个船长，马上要出海。如果我出海回来你已经纺好这些线，我就娶你。”
房间里还有很多漂亮的衣服和珠宝，因为船长非常有钱。“如果你成为我的妻子，这些东西就是你的了。”说完，他就走了。
姑娘每天对着镜子试那些衣服和珠宝，让家里的仆人为她做吃的。而麻还在那里没有纺。剩下最后一天了，明天船长就回来了，姑娘想到永远不会成为船长的新娘了，就失望地哭了起来。正当她失望哭泣的时候，一个破布口袋从窗口飞落进房间。破布口袋站立起来，原来是一个长着长眉毛的老妇人。老妇人说：“你别怕，我是来帮你的。你把线分成缕，我来替你纺。”
从没见过比这老妇人更快的纺织女了，她只用了一刻钟，所有的麻都被纺好了。但是，越纺，她的眉毛长得越长，长过了鼻子，长过了下巴，最后长得超过了一掌长，而且她的眼皮也跟着变长了。
当活干完了，姑娘说：“好心的夫人，我怎么才能报答您呢？”
“我不想要报答，你跟船长结婚的时候，能邀请我参加结婚宴会，我就很满足了。”
“那我怎么邀请你呢？”
“你只要念：‘哥隆比娜！’我就会来。不过，我可提醒你，千万别忘记我的名字。如果忘了，我就不会再帮助你了。你也就完了。”
第二天船长回来了，看到所有的麻都纺好了，就说：“你真能干，我相信你就是我想娶的新娘。这是我为你买回来的珠宝和衣服。但我还必须再出去一次。我们来试第二次。这里的麻有上次的两倍，当我回来的时候，你能把它纺完，我就会跟你结婚。”
像上次一样，姑娘每天试着不同的珠宝和衣服，吃着汤和面包，这样打发着时间。又到了最后一天，一根线也没纺。她又哭了起来，这时她听到从烟囱上掉下来一个东西，一看是一个破布包滚到屋子里来了。破布包站了起来，原来是一个耷拉着嘴唇的老妇人。这个老妇人也愿意帮助她，开始帮她纺线，纺得比上次那个老妇人还快，但是越纺，她的嘴唇长得越长，她只用了半小时就把所有的麻纺完了。老妇人同样不要回报，只要求姑娘邀请她参加婚宴。“你只要念：‘哥隆巴拉’我就会出现。你千万别忘记我的名字。不然我给你的帮助就会失效，你小心记着！”
船长回来了，还没进门就问：“你全都纺完了吗？”
姑娘说：“咳，早就完了！”
“这是给你带回来的珠宝和衣服。这一次，如果我第三次出海回来的时候，你能纺完比上两次都多的麻，我向你保证马上举行婚礼。”
这一次也跟以前一样，姑娘一根线也没纺，当只剩最后一天的时候，从屋檐下掉下来一个破布包，一个露着牙齿的老妇人从破布包里面走了出来。她开始替姑娘纺线，她纺得很快，而且越纺越快，并且她的牙齿就长得越长。
老妇人说：“你想邀请我参加你的婚宴，就必须喊：‘哥隆布恩！’不过你要是忘了我的名字，你会后悔今天遇见了我。”
船长回来的时候，看到所有的麻又都纺好了，非常满意。他说：“好了，现在你就是我的妻子了。”他马上让人开始准备婚礼，并邀请当地所有的大人物。
新娘正在全身心地筹备婚礼，一直就没有想到那三个老妇人。婚礼那天的早晨，她想起应该邀请她们。但当她试图写出她们的名字的时候，才发现她把三人的名字忘得一干二净，她绞尽脑汁地回忆，但连一个名字也想不起来。
新娘从喜悦中一下子掉进了�