Chapter 125 124. The First Sword and the Last Broom

Once upon a time there were two merchants who happened to be across the street from each other.There are seven sons in one family, and seven daughters in another family.Every morning, the family with seven sons opened the window and greeted the family with seven daughters, saying, "Hello, merchant! Your daughters are seven broomsticks." angry.He went back into the house and burst into tears.Seeing his appearance, his wife also became sad.Every time she asked him what was wrong, he kept crying and didn't answer. Among the seven daughters of this merchant, the youngest one is also seventeen years old, and she looks as beautiful and lovely as a picture.She was my father's pride and joy.One day she said, "Father, if you really love me as you say, you should tell me what troubles you."

"My dear daughter, the merchant who lives across from my house greets me every morning and says, 'Hello, merchant! Your daughters are the seven broomsticks.' I stand there, not knowing how to greet him. " "Oh, father, that's what bothers you!" said the daughter. "Listen, when he says those things to you, you answer him like this: 'Hello, merchant! Your sons are seven Swords. Let's make a bet: I'll let my last broom out, and you your first sword: let's see which of them will first get the scepter and crown of the King of France and bring them back. If I If your daughter wins, you will give me all your goods; if your son wins, all my goods will be yours.' You must say this to him. If

If he agrees, make a written document, write down the conditions clearly, and ask him to sign and make a deposit. " The father was dumbfounded after listening to his daughter's words from beginning to end.After the daughter had spoken, he said, "But, boy, do you understand what kind of idea you have come up with? Do you want me to lose everything?" "Father, don't be afraid, I'll take care of all this. Just make a bet with him, and I'll do everything else." That night, my father didn't close his eyes all night, anxiously looking forward to the dawn.He was on the balcony earlier than usual, and the windows across the street were still closed.Suddenly, the window opened, and the merchant with seven sons appeared at the window, and greeted him as usual, saying, "Hello, merchant! Your daughters are the seven broomsticks."

Another businessman was waiting for him to say something like this. "Hello, merchant! Suppose your sons were seven swords. Let's make a bet: I'll let my last broom come out, and you let your first sword come out, and we'll give them each a horse Horses and a sack of money, let's see which of them can get the crown and scepter of the king of France and bring them back. We wager all the goods. If my daughter wins, all your goods are mine; if your son wins Now, all my goods are yours." The other businessman stared at him blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing and shaking his head, as if to say he was crazy.

"So you're scared? You don't have confidence?" said the father of seven daughters. The other businessman was offended and replied, "I agree. We'll make a note, sign it, and send them off." He immediately told his eldest son what had happened.The boy was delighted at the thought of walking with a pretty girl.However, when setting off, the girl disguised herself as a man and rode a small white horse, and the young man realized that this was no joke.This is indeed the case. After the two businessmen signed the contract, they immediately sent out the signal "ready, go", and the little white horse galloped away like lightning, and

But the fine horse of the merchant's son was panting with exhaustion and was left behind. To go to France, one must go through a dense forest untouched by humans, which is eerie and terrifying.The little white horse galloped into the woods, as familiar as it was at home, now turning to the right around an oak tree, now around a pine tree on the left, now jumping over holly bushes, and galloping on.The merchant's son, on the other hand, did not know how to direct his steed, and first his chin hit a low branch, and he fell; Later, both the man and the horse were entangled in thorns and could not escape.The girl rode a little white horse through the forest, galloping several miles ahead of the young man.

To go to France, you have to cross a steep mountain.When the girl rode to the hillside, she heard the merchant's son chasing him from behind.The little white horse ran straight to the top of the mountain, just like galloping freely on the plain of his hometown, bypassing the mountains and mountains, finally reached the top of the mountain, and then ran towards the plain below the mountain.However, the merchant's son tightened the reins and drove the horse up the mountain. After a few steps, a landslide occurred, and the rocks pushed him to the foot of the mountain, and his legs were also crippled.

At this time, the girl was far ahead on the way to France.But there was a river to cross before reaching France.The little white horse seemed very familiar and knew where to wade.It jumped into the water and crossed the river as fast as it was running on flat ground.The girl got on the bank and looked across the river. The merchant's son had also come to the river. He kicked the horse's belly so hard that it jumped into the river.But he didn't know where the water was shallow, and as soon as he jumped into the water, he and his horse were swept away by the rapids. When she arrived in Paris, the girl disguised herself as a man and worked as a waiter in a shop.The store specialized in supplying goods to the court, and the owner appointed this handsome young man to deliver goods to the king.When the king saw the fellow, he asked, "Who are you? You look like a foreigner to me. How did you come here?"

'Your Majesty,' replied the fellow, 'I am Temperino, and I am of the King of Naples. Working as a carver at court, a series of misfortunes brought me here. " "If I let you work as a carver in the court of France," asked the king, "will you?" "Your Majesty, I can't ask for more." "Okay, I'll speak to your master." Although the boss was reluctant, he sent the boy to the king.Temperino has since worked as the engraver of the royal palace.However, the more the king looked at him, the more he felt that there must be something inside.One day, the king told his mother about it.

"Mother, I think Temperino is suspicious. He has white hands and a slender waist. He can sing, dance, read and write. Temperino must be a girl I love!" "My son, you are mad," replied the Queen Mother. "Mother, I'm sure Temperino is a girl, but how can I prove she's a girl?" "I'll tell you a way," said the Queen, "take him hunting, and if he shoots only quail, he's a girl, because a girl's only thoughts are roasted quail. If he shoots goldfinch, he's a girl." Men, because men just hunt for fun." So the king gave Temperino a shotgun and led him to hunt.Temperino mounted the little white horse, which he always rode wherever he went.To deceive him, the king only shot quail; but the little white horse turned away every time it saw a quail, and Temperino understood in his heart that he should not have gone there. "Your Majesty," said Temperino, "with all due respect, do you think shooting quail is a test of marksmanship? You have enough quail to roast for a meal, Shoot some goldfinches too, but they're hard to get."

The king went back to the palace and said to his mother, "It is true that he shoots goldfinch and not quail, but I still do not believe that Temperino is a man. His hands are white and his waist is slender, and he will She can dance, sing, read and write, she must be the girl I fall in love with!" "My son, try again," replied the Queen Mother, "take him into the vegetable garden to pick raisins, and if he carefully picks only raisins, he is a girl, because we women are more patient than men; uprooted together, then Temperino must be a man." The king went into the garden with Temperino.The king started to pick raisins, he only picked raisins.Temperino was about to pluck only the leaves like a king, when the little white horse who followed him into the vegetable garden bit the raw leaves and uprooted them.Temperino knew in his heart that they should be uprooted together.In this way, he quickly filled the basket with dirt on the leggan. The king led him through the flower beds. "Tempellino, how about admiring these beautiful roses?" asked the king.But the little white horse raised its mouth and chattered towards the other flower bed. "The thorns of the rose are so hard," said Temperino, "you'd better pick the lilacs and jasmines instead of the roses." The king was disappointed, but did not give up. "Her hands are white and tender, and she has a slender waist," he said to his mother again. "She can sing, dance, read and write. She must be a girl whom I fall in love with!" "My son, up to now, there is only one way, and that is to take him to swim with you." So the king said to Temperino: "Come, come and swim with me in the river." When they reached the river, Temperino said: "Your Majesty, take off your clothes first." The king took off his clothes and jumped into the water. "Come down, too!" said the king. Just then there was the neighing of a horse, and then the little white horse galloped, foaming at the mouth, "My horse!" cried Temperino, "Wait a minute, my lord, my horse!" The horse is frightened and I have to go after him!" She ran away. Temperino ran to the palace and said to the Queen Mother: "Your Majesty, the king took off his clothes and swam in the river. Some guards did not recognize him and wanted to take him away. He asked me to come and fetch his festival." Staff and crown, to prove his identity." The queen took out her scepter and crown, and gave them to Tempelino.As soon as she got it, she got on the little white horse and galloped, singing: "Come a girl, go a girl, I got the king's crown and scepter. " She crossed the river, over the mountains, through the forest, and returned home.Her father won the bet. (Naples area)