Journal of Italian Translation

Santi Buscemi / Luigi Capuana 73
he refilled them with these. Thus it was until he came to the last
room, where he saw the golden oranges of the royal palace piled
up in a corner. Nearby, there happened to be a knapsack, and the
king filled it. Now that he knew the magic words, he would return
over and over again. As he left the grotto with the knapsack on his
back, he found the peasant waiting for him.
”Majesty, now the princess is mine.”
A dark look came over the king’s face.
“Must I give the princess to this lout?” he thought.
”Ask for whatever reward you want and I will grant it to you.,”
said the king. “But as for the princess, say no more.”
”But you gave your word, Majesty.”
”My word is gone with the wind.”
”When you return to the palace, you will realize what you
have done.”
Back at the palace, the king put down the knapsack and emptied
it. But instead of golden oranges, he found rotten oranges. He
put his hands in his pockets, and he found that the diamonds had
turned to snail shells. This is the work of that crusty old peasant!-
But the goldfinch would pay for it. And he decided to torture the
bird.
”Where are my golden oranges?”
”I will tell you, Majesty, if you stop torturing me.”
”I will stop,” said the king.
”They are where you saw them; however, to get them back,
you will need to know other magic words, and only two people
know them: the merchant and the peasant who captured me.
” The king sent for the peasant.”
Let’s make another agreement. Tell me the magic words to get
back the oranges and the princess will be yours.”
”Your word as king?”
”My word as king!”
”Majesty, here are the magic words:”
“I am coming after you; Give me your bones.”
”Very well.”
The king came and went many times with a full knapsack,
and returned all of the golden oranges to the royal palace.
Therefore, the peasant returned:
“Majesty, now the princess is mine.”
A dark look came over the king’s face.