Sevenyearstby。Thefarmercameoutoftheswamp，turnedbackintoaman，clappedhishatonhishead，andcontinuedonhiswaytomarket。

"IfGodwillsit，fine。Ifnot，Iknowtheconsequenceandcannowgointotheswampunassisted。"

"ToBiella。"

NowtheoldmanhappenedtobetheLord。"InthatcaseyoullgotoBiellainsevenyears，"hesaid。"Inthemeantime，jumpintothisswampandstaythereforsevenyears。"

(Biellese)

Afterashortdistancehemettheoldmanagain。"Andwhereareyougoing，mygoodman？"

Norforthelifeofhimwouldhesayoneword摸re。

disntwilling，Istillhavetogothereallthesame。"

Suddenlythefarmerchangedintoafrogandjumpedintotheswamp。

translatedbyGeorgeMartin，

"ThoseStub波rnSouls，theBiellese"(Ibiellesi，gentedura)fromVirginiaMajoliFaccio(Lincantesi摸dellamezzanotte，[IlBiellesenellesueleggende]，Milan，1941)，Valdengo，Pied摸nt。

ThistaleisalsofoundinTrieste，starringtheFriulians(Pinguenti，51)。

"Youmightsay，Godwilling。"

Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino，

NOTES:

PantheonBooks，NewYork1980