As Tias

Era uma vez uma velha avó que tinha uma neta muito bonita. Um dia, enquanto a rapariga estava à janela, o rei passou na rua e ficou deslumbrado com a sua beleza. Bateu à porta e a avó foi abrir. O rei perguntou quem era aquela jovem. A avó, querendo impressionar o rei, disse-lhe que a neta era capaz de fazer uma camisa tão fina que passava pelo buraco de uma agulha.

Once there was an old grandmother who had a very beautiful granddaughter. One day, while the girl was at the window, the king passed in the street and was dazzled by her beauty. He knocked at the door and the grandmother went to open it. The king asked who that young woman was. The grandmother, wanting to impress the king, told him that her granddaughter could make a shirt so fine it would pass through the eye of a needle.

O rei disse que, se ela conseguisse fazer tal coisa, casaria com a rapariga. Mas que, se falhasse, mandaria matá-la. Quando o rei partiu, a rapariga, que não dissera nem pensara nada daquilo, começou a chorar. Então apareceu-lhe uma velha e disse-lhe que não se aflígia, pois ela faria a camisa — mas a rapariga teria de a chamar "tia" diante de todos no banquete do casamento. A rapariga prometeu, e logo depois apareceu a camisa toda pronta.

The king said that if she could do such a thing, he would marry the girl. But that if she failed, he would have her put to death. When the king left, the girl, who had said and thought nothing of the sort, began to cry. Then an old woman appeared to her and said not to worry, for she would make the shirt — but the girl would have to call her "aunt" in front of everyone at the wedding banquet. The girl promised, and shortly after the shirt appeared all ready.

O rei recebeu a camisa e ficou admirado, mas disse que ainda não estava satisfeito: queria mais uma prova. A avó foi dizer-lhe que a neta era capaz de ouvir tudo o que se dizia a três léguas de distância. Quando a rapariga soube disto, tornou a chorar. Mas a velha apareceu de novo e ofereceu-se para lhe dizer o que o rei dissera na caça, se ela tornasse a prometer que a chamaria "tia" perante todos no casamento. A rapariga prometeu, e a velha voltou em breve com as palavras exatas que o rei pronunciara a três léguas de distância.

The king received the shirt and was amazed, but said he was not yet satisfied: he wanted one more proof. The grandmother went to tell him that her granddaughter could hear everything said three leagues away. When the girl learned of this, she wept again. But the old woman appeared once more and offered to tell her what the king had said while hunting, if she again promised to call her "aunt" before everyone at the wedding. The girl promised, and the old woman soon returned with the exact words the king had spoken three leagues away.

Ainda assim o rei pediu uma terceira prova: que a rapariga enrolasse uma meada inteira de fio em meia hora. A rapariga chorou de novo, pois sabia que era impossível. Mas a velha apareceu pela terceira vez com a mesma proposta: faria o trabalho se a rapariga prometesse chamá-la "tia" no banquete de casamento. A rapariga prometeu, e a meada apareceu enrolada em poucos instantes.

Even so the king requested a third proof: that the girl should wind a whole skein of thread in half an hour. The girl wept again, for she knew it was impossible. But the old woman appeared for the third time with the same proposal: she would do the work if the girl promised to call her "aunt" at the wedding banquet. The girl promised, and the skein appeared wound in a few moments.

O dia do casamento chegou por fim e o rei casou com a rapariga. Durante o banquete, enquanto todos festejavam, ouviu-se uma pancada forte na porta da sala. Entrou uma mulher excepcionalmente feia, com olhos enormes e saltados. A rainha levantou-se da mesa e disse: "Boa tarde, tia, dê-me a sua bênção!" Todos ficaram muito admirados.

The wedding day finally came and the king married the girl. During the banquet, while everyone celebrated, a loud knock was heard at the door of the hall. An exceptionally ugly woman entered, with enormous, protruding eyes. The queen rose from the table and said: "Good afternoon, aunt, give me your blessing!" Everyone was very astonished.

A velha virou-se para o rei e explicou-lhe que os seus olhos ficaram tão grandes e saltados de tanto forçar a vista para fazer uma camisa que passasse pelo buraco de uma agulha. Pouco depois bateram novamente à porta e entrou outra mulher com orelhas enormes. A rainha levantou-se e disse: "Boa tarde, tia, dê-me a sua bênção!" Todos ficaram espantados, mas a velha explicou ao rei que as suas orelhas cresceram assim de tanto ouvir o que se dizia a três léguas de distância.

The old woman turned to the king and explained that her eyes had grown so large and protruding from straining them to make a shirt that would pass through the eye of a needle. Shortly afterwards there was another knock at the door and another woman entered with enormous ears. The queen rose and said: "Good afternoon, aunt, give me your blessing!" Everyone was astonished, but the old woman explained to the king that her ears had grown like that from constantly listening to what was said three leagues away.

Não demorou muito e voltou a ouvir-se uma pancada à porta. Entrou uma terceira mulher, muito feia, com braços extremamente compridos e finos como varas. A rainha levantou-se uma vez mais: "Boa tarde, tia, dê-me a sua bênção!" O rei e todos os presentes ficaram boquiabertos. A mulher explicou que os seus braços ficaram assim de tanto estender os braços para enrolar uma meada inteira em meia hora.

Before long there was another knock at the door. A third woman entered, very ugly, with extremely long and thin arms like rods. The queen rose once more: "Good afternoon, aunt, give me your blessing!" The king and everyone present were left open-mouthed. The woman explained that her arms had become like that from constantly stretching them to wind a whole skein in half an hour.

O rei compreendeu a lição. Levantou-se e disse à rainha que não lhe pediria que fizesse a camisa, nem que ouvisse o que se dizia a três léguas, nem que enrolasse meadas em meia hora. A rapariga ficou salva de ter de cumprir o que a avó prometera ao rei. E assim o casamento foi feliz e a rainha nunca mais foi atormentada com tarefas impossíveis, pois o rei percebera bem o aviso das três tias.

The king understood the lesson. He rose and told the queen that he would not ask her to make the shirt, nor to hear what was said three leagues away, nor to wind skeins in half an hour. The girl was saved from having to fulfil what her grandmother had promised the king. And so the marriage was happy and the queen was never again tormented with impossible tasks, for the king had understood the warning of the three aunts well.