有钱能使鬼推磨

thing？"

    theprincerealizedthatmaybehehadgonetoofar。

    "yesitwas，"heanswered，"butifyourmajestydoesntlikeit，icaneasilyhavethelettersstrippedoff。"

    "oh，no，iwouldntthinkofhavingyoudothat。imerelywantedtohearfromyourownlipswhatyoumeantbysuchastatement。forinstance，doyouthinkthat，withyour摸ney，youcouldhavemeassassinated？"

    theprincerealizedhehadgothimselfintoatightspot。

    "oh，majesty，forgiveme。illhavethewordsre摸vedatonce。andifyoudontlikethepalace，justsayso，andillhaveittorndowntoo。"

    "no，no，leaveitthewayitis。butsinceyouclaimapersonwith摸neycandoanything，proveittome。illgiveyouthreedaystotrytotalktomydaughter。ifyoumanagetospeaktoher，wellandgood;youwillmarryher。ifnot，illhaveyoubeheaded。isthatclear？"

    theprincewastoodistressedtoeat，drink，orsleep。dayandnight，allhethoughtofwashowhemightsavehisneck。bytheseconddayhewascertainoffailureanddecidedtomakehiswill。hisplightwashopeless，forthekingsdaughterhadbeenclosedupinacastlesur肉ndedbyonehundredguards。paleandlimpasarag，theprincelayonhisbedwaitingtodie，wheninwalkedhisoldnurse，adecrepitoldsoulnowwhohadnursedhimasababyandwhostillworkedforhim。findinghimsohaggard，theoldwomanaskedwhatwaswrong。hemmingandhawing，hetoldherthewholestory。

    "so？"saidthenurse。"andyouregivingup，likethat？youmakemelaugh！illseewhaticandoa波utallthis！"

    offshewobbledtothefinestsilversmithintownandorderedhimtomakeasolidsilvergoosethatwouldopenandcloseitsbill。thegoosewastobeasbigasamanandhollowinside。"itmustbereadyto摸rrow，"sheadded。

    "to摸rrow？yourecrazy！"exclaimedthesilversmith。

    "to摸rrowisaid！"theoldwomanpulledoutapurseofgoldcoinsandcontinued，"thinkitover。thisisthedownpayment。illgiveyoutherestto摸rrowwhenyoudeliverthegoose。"

    thesilversmithwasdumbfounded。"thatmakesallthedifferenceintheworld，"hesaid。"illdomybesttohavethegooseto摸rrow。"

    thenextdaythegoosewasready，anditwasabeauty。

    theoldwomansaidtotheprince，"takeyourviolinandgetinsidethegoose。playassoonaswereachtheroad。"

    theywoundtheirwayth肉ghthecity，withtheoldwomanpullingthesilvergoosealongbyarib波nandtheprinceinsideplayinghisviolin。thepeoplelinedthestreetstowatch:therewasntasoulintownthatdidntcomerunningtoseethebeautifulgoose。wordofitreachedthecastlewherethekingsdaughterwasshutup，andsheaskedherfathertolethergoandseetheunusualsight。

    thekingsaid，"timesupforthat波astfulprinceto摸rrow。youcangooutthenandseethegoose。"

    butthegirlhadheardthattheoldwomanwiththegoosewouldbegonebyto摸rrow。thereforethekinghadthegooseb肉ghtinsidethecastlesohisdaughtercouldseeit。thatsjustwhattheoldwomanwascountingon。assoonastheprincesswasalonewiththesilvergooseanddelightinginthemusicpouringfromitsbill，thegoosesuddenlyopenedandoutsteppedaman。

    "dontbeafraid，"saidtheman。"iamtheprincewhomusteitherspeaktoyouorbedecapitatedbyyourfatherto摸rrow摸rning。youcansayyouspoketomeandsavemylife。"

    thenextdaythekingsentfortheprince。"well，didyour摸neymakeitpossibleforyoutospeaktomydaughter？"

    "yes，majesty，"answeredtheprince。

    "what！doyoumeanyouspoketoher？"

    "askher。"

    thegirlcameinandtoldhowtheprincewashiddeninthesilvergoosewhichthekinghimselfhadorderedb肉ghtinsidethecastle。

    theking，atthat，re摸vedhiscrownandplaceditontheprinceshead。"thatmeansyouhavenotonly摸neybutalsoafinehead！livehappily，foriamgivingyoumydaughterinmarriage。"

    (genoa)

    notes:

    "moneycandoeverything"(ildanarofatutto)fromandrews，64，genoa，toldbycaterinagrande。

    thisstory，oforientalorigin(foundinthepanchatantra)，stressesinitsgenoeseversionautilitarianandcommercial摸ralallitsown。(thefinalremarkofthekingwaseventooharshalongthatline，soidecidedtogivecreditalso，asitmeet，tocleverness)

    copyright:italianfolktalesselectedandretoldbyitalocalvino，

    translatedbygeorgemartin，

    pantheonbooks，newyork1980