克利克和克罗克&意大利童话
在一个遥远的小镇上，有一个出了名的盗贼，人送外号克利克①，并且认为永远也不会有人抓到他。这个盗贼很想结识另一个与他同样出名的外号叫克罗克的盗贼，想与他联手作案。一天，克利克在一家酒馆吃饭，同桌坐着一位陌生人。克利克要看时间的时候才发现怀表已经不翼而飞了。克利克想：要是这人能不被我察觉而偷走我的表，那他一定就是克罗克。他回手就偷来了那个人的钱包。陌生人要付帐的时候发现自己的钱包也没了，便对同桌的人说：“看来你就是克利克了。”
另一个答道：“那你一定就是克罗克喽。”
“对。”
“好极了，我们合伙吧。”就这样两个盗贼联起手来。
两个人进城，来到了由侍卫严密把守的国王宝库。他们挖了一条通向宝库的地道，盗走了宝库里的一些东西。国王眼看着宝库被盗，却找不到一点盗贼的线索，就去找一位关押在狱的盗贼，人称灰浆盆，国王对他说：“你要是能告诉我偷宝库的人是谁，我就放了你，还封你为侯爵。”
灰浆盆答道：“这一定是克利克和克罗克联手干的，他们是两个最棒的盗贼。不过，我有办法抓住他们。您下令把肉价抬高到每磅一百里拉，谁还去买肉，谁就一定是盗贼。”
国王依计把肉价抬到一百里拉一磅，没有人再去买肉了。好不容易来人报告说有一个修道士到一家肉铺买过肉。灰浆盆说：“这一定是克利克或克罗克化装的。我也化装成一个乞丐，挨家挨户去乞讨，谁给我肉吃，我就在他家的门上划一个红色标记，这样侍卫就能抓到他。”
但是当他在克利克家门上划上红色标记时，克利克发觉了。克利克给城里所有人家的门上都划上了同样的标记，结果灰浆盆一无所获。
灰浆盆又向国王献计说：“我不是跟您说过他们是两个很狡猾的人吗？但是，有人比他们更狡猾。您这么办：让人在宝库台阶的下面放上一桶滚烫的松树油，进去偷东西的人就会掉下去，我们便可以坐等收尸了。”
克利克和克罗克不久就把偷来的钱用光了，只好再去宝库偷钱。克罗克摸黑走在前面，结果掉进了桶里。克利克看到朋友掉进松油桶死了，就想把尸体捞出来带走，但怎么也捞不出来。他只好砍下克罗克的脑袋，带走了。
第二天，国王到了现场，说：“这次抓到了，这次抓到了！”可是，只找到一具无头尸，没法辨认身分，也无法断定谁是同谋。
灰浆盆又说：“我还有一计。你让人用两匹马拖着这具尸体在全城示众，听到哪里有哭声，就一定是盗贼的家。”
真的，克罗克的妻子从窗户看到丈夫的尸体被拖着游街，就又哭又嚎起来。克利克也在那里，他立即意识到这样会使自己暴露。于是，他开始摔盘子，砸碗，并且打克罗克的妻子。正在这时，侍卫们循着哭声进来了，看到的却是一个妇人打碎了盘、碗，而男人给了她几个耳光，妇人就哭了起来。
国王无计可施，便让人在全城贴出告示说，谁有本事偷走他床上的床单，他就原谅他的偷盗之罪。克利克听到消息就来了，说自己有本事做到。
晚上国王脱衣上了床，手里拿着一杆火枪等着盗贼。克利克从掘墓人那里要来一具尸体，给他穿上自己的衣服，带到王宫的屋顶。等到半夜，克利克用绳子把尸体吊在国王寝室的窗户前。国王以为这就是克利克，朝他开了一枪，又看见他带着绳子摔了下去。国王跑下去看看人是不是死了。可就在同时，克利克从屋顶下到国王的寝室，偷走了国王的床单。克利克被国王赦免了，而且因为他已经无所不能偷了，国王就把自己的女儿嫁给了他。
（蒙费拉托地区）
①这篇故事中的两个盗贼的外号“克利克”与“克罗克”都是形容断裂、破碎的象声词。
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