克利克和克羅克&意大利童話
在一個遙遠的小鎮上，有一個出了名的盜賊，人送外號克利克①，並且認為永遠也不會有人抓到他。這個盜賊很想結識另一個與他同樣出名的外號叫克羅克的盜賊，想與他聯手作案。一天，克利克在一家酒館吃飯，同桌坐着一位陌生人。克利克要看時間的時候才發現懷錶已經不翼而飛了。克利克想：要是這人能不被我察覺而偷走我的表，那他一定就是克羅克。他回手就偷來了那個人的錢包。陌生人要付帳的時候發現自己的錢包也沒了，便對同桌的人説：“看來你就是克利克了。”
另一個答道：“那你一定就是克羅克嘍。”
“對。”
“好極了，我們合夥吧。”就這樣兩個盜賊聯起手來。
兩個人進城，來到了由侍衞嚴密把守的國王寶庫。他們挖了一條通向寶庫的地道，盜走了寶庫裏的一些東西。國王眼看着寶庫被盜，卻找不到一點盜賊的線索，就去找一位關押在獄的盜賊，人稱灰漿盆，國王對他説：“你要是能告訴我偷寶庫的人是誰，我就放了你，還封你為侯爵。”
灰漿盆答道：“這一定是克利克和克羅克聯手乾的，他們是兩個最棒的盜賊。不過，我有辦法抓住他們。您下令把肉價抬高到每磅一百里拉，誰還去買肉，誰就一定是盜賊。”
國王依計把肉價抬到一百里拉一磅，沒有人再去買肉了。好不容易來人報告説有一個修道士到一家肉鋪買過肉。灰漿盆説：“這一定是克利克或克羅克化裝的。我也化裝成一個乞丐，挨家挨户去乞討，誰給我肉吃，我就在他家的門上劃一個紅色標記，這樣侍衞就能抓到他。”
但是當他在克利克家門上劃上紅色標記時，克利克發覺了。克利克給城裏所有人家的門上都劃上了同樣的標記，結果灰漿盆一無所獲。
灰漿盆又向國王獻計説：“我不是跟您説過他們是兩個很狡猾的人嗎？但是，有人比他們更狡猾。您這麼辦：讓人在寶庫台階的下面放上一桶滾燙的松樹油，進去偷東西的人就會掉下去，我們便可以坐等收屍了。”
克利克和克羅克不久就把偷來的錢用光了，只好再去寶庫偷錢。克羅克摸黑走在前面，結果掉進了桶裏。克利克看到朋友掉進松油桶死了，就想把屍體撈出來帶走，但怎麼也撈不出來。他只好砍下克羅克的腦袋，帶走了。
第二天，國王到了現場，説：“這次抓到了，這次抓到了！”可是，只找到一具無頭屍，沒法辨認身分，也無法斷定誰是同謀。
灰漿盆又説：“我還有一計。你讓人用兩匹馬拖着這具屍體在全城示眾，聽到哪裏有哭聲，就一定是盜賊的家。”
真的，克羅克的妻子從窗户看到丈夫的屍體被拖着遊街，就又哭又嚎起來。克利克也在那裏，他立即意識到這樣會使自己暴露。於是，他開始摔盤子，砸碗，並且打克羅克的妻子。正在這時，侍衞們循着哭聲進來了，看到的卻是一個婦人打碎了盤、碗，而男人給了她幾個耳光，婦人就哭了起來。
國王無計可施，便讓人在全城貼出告示説，誰有本事偷走他牀上的牀單，他就原諒他的偷盜之罪。克利克聽到消息就來了，説自己有本事做到。
晚上國王脱衣上了牀，手裏拿着一杆火槍等着盜賊。克利克從掘墓人那裏要來一具屍體，給他穿上自己的衣服，帶到王宮的屋頂。等到半夜，克利克用繩子把屍體吊在國王寢室的窗户前。國王以為這就是克利克，朝他開了一槍，又看見他帶着繩子摔了下去。國王跑下去看看人是不是死了。可就在同時，克利克從屋頂下到國王的寢室，偷走了國王的牀單。克利克被國王赦免了，而且因為他已經無所不能偷了，國王就把自己的女兒嫁給了他。
（蒙費拉托地區）
①這篇故事中的兩個盜賊的外號“克利克”與“克羅克”都是形容斷裂、破碎的象聲詞。
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