The Wolf and the Cardinal
A cock finds a little book with the names of animals in it, including “King Cock,” “Queen Hen,” “Chambermaid Viper,” “Father Wolf the Pope,” and “Cardinal, soldier and guardian of the castle.” The animals rejoice upon finding their names in the book, but the wolf, claiming to be the Pope, lures each animal into a confession booth where he devours them all except the cardinal. The cardinal tricks the wolf by putting his tail in the wolf’s mouth and “shitting,” causing the wolf to let him go. In the end, the cardinal escapes and mocks the wolf for being fooled.
Once upon a time there was a cock, and he usually scraped about in a garbage heap. He scratched and scraped and found a little book, which he opened, and there, on the very first page that he read, stood the name King Cock. As soon as he saw it, he began beating his wings in content. “Cockle-doodle-do! Cockle-doodle-do!”
All at once the hen came running and said, “Why such a commotion! What's making you so happy?”
“What's making me so happy?” replied the cock. “I found this little book, and as I began reading it, the first thing I came across was King Cock!”
“Oh how beautiful!” exclaimed the hen. “Oh how beautiful! Can I look on with you?”
The cock turned another page and read, Queen Hen.
"Oh how happy I am!” the hen cried out. “Cackle, cackle, cackle!”
And she began to beat her wings.
Just then, a viper passed by and said, “What's going on here that’s making you all so cheerful?”
“We've found a little book, and there’s something about us printed in it.”
"No fooling! Let me look at it with you.”
The cock turned another page of the little book and read Chambermaid Viper.
"Really! Oh how happy I am! Tirr! Tirr!” and the viper began to twist her body and dance happily to celebrate the appearance of her name:
At this point a wolf passed by and asked, “What's happened that's making you celebrate this way?”
"What's making me celebrate? We've found a little book here, and there's something about all of us printed here.”
“Oh, what a curious thing! Would you mind seeing if there’s anything about me?”
The cock turned the page and read, Father Wolf the Pope!
“Oh how fortunate, my friend! I feel very pleased. Hoooo! Hoooo!” And he began to jump and turn about cheerfully because he was a father priest.
Just then a cardinal came flying by and saw all four dancing with joy.
"What's making you all so joyful?" The bird asked.
"What's making us so joyful? We found a little book about animals in this garbage heap, and the cock read what was printed there: King Cock, then after Queen Hen, and next, chambermaid viper, and finally, Father Wolf the Pope. This is why we're all so happy!"
“And there’s nothing about me? Look and see! Look and see!"
The cock turned another page and read what was printed: Cardinal, soldier and guardian of the castle. Upon hearing this, the cardinal beat its wings and began singing the best song it knew with all its heart.
“What are we going to do now?" The wolf asked. "We're all here, and there’s a well-bred king. You know what I say? I say that since I'm the Pope and we all want to begin a good reign, I can start by confessing all of you."
"Good idea! Good idea!” they all cried.
“You'll come into the confession booth one by one.”
So, they went to the confession booth, and the first one to enter was the cock (for the wolf was already seated in the confessional booth). As soon as the cock entered, the wolf fell upon him, opened his mouth and . . . Gulp! He swallowed the King Cock. The next one to enter was the Queen Hen, and the same thing happened. He devoured her with great pleasure. Then the viper entered, and gulp!She made a nice bite full! The last one to enter was the cardinal who was very uneasy. He looked about him, and when he saw the feathers, he realized what they meant. “Ahh,” he thought, “that’s why nobody has returned from confession! Maybe the Pope has swallowed each one of them, bones and all. Just wait and see how I'll accommodate you!”
Therefore, the cardinal sat down in the confessional booth and said, “All right Father Pope, raise your head and open your mouth, and I'll tell you my sins.”
The wolf who was hoping to swallow the cardinal, raised his head and opened his mouth, but the cardinal stuck its tail in the wolf’s mouth and shat. Then it flew off singing,
You ate the poor king and the queen,
Then you swallowed the viper clean.
And you thought the cardinal would be sweet,
But he gave you nothing but shit to eat.
The wolf stood there, feeling like a fool and wondering what had happened to the cardinal that he had wanted to catch.
May the tale be long, may the tale be fine,
It’s time to tell yours, for I'm done with mine.
Source:
Giuseppe, Pitrè. “The Wolf and the Cardinal.” Catarina the Wise and Other Wondrous Sicilian Folk & Fairy Tales, translated by Jack Zipes, 2017, pp. 256-258.