蛇
蛇 (第2/3页)
daybefore.Thenthethirdgirlsaid,"Itsmyturnnow,butImnotafraid."Insteadofonelunchbasket,shepreparedtwo.Whenshefeltthethudandsawthesnake,shegaveitoneofthebasketsoffood,andthesnakespoke."Takemehomewithyou,andIwillbringyouluck."Thegirlputthesnakeinherapronandthenwentontoherfatherwithhislunch.Whenshegotbackhome,sheplacedthesnakeunderherbed.Itgrewsorapidlythatsoonitwastoobigtofitunderthebed,soitwentaway.Beforeleaving,however,itbestowedthreecharmsonthegirl:weeping,shewouldshedtearsofpearlandsilver;laughing,shewouldseegoldenpomegranateseedsfallfromherhead;andwashingherhands,shewouldproducefishofeverykind.
Thatdaytherewasnothinginthehousetoeat,andherfatherandsisterswereweakfromthehunger,sowhatdidshedobutwashherhandsandseethebasinfillupwithfish!Hersistersbecameenviousandconvincedtheirfatherthattherewassomethingstrangebehindallthisandthathewouldbewisetolockthegirlupintheattic.
Fromtheatticwindowthegirllookedintothekingsgarden,wherethekingssonwasplayingball.Runningaftertheball,heslippedandfell,sendingthegirlintopealsoflaughter.Asshelaughed,goldpomegranateseedsrainedfromherheadonthegarden.Thekingssonhadnoideawheretheycamefrom,forthegirlhadslammedthewindow.
Returningtothegardennextdaytoplayball,thekingssonnoticedthatapomegranatetreehadsprungup.Itwasalreadyquitetallandladenwithfruit.Hewenttopickthepomegranates,butthetreegrewtallerrightbeforehiseyes,andallhehadtodowasreachforapomegranateandthebrancheswouldriseafootbeyondhisgrasp.Sincenobodymanagedtoplucksomuchasoneleafofthetree,thekingassembledthewisementoexplainthemagicspell.Theoldestofthemallsaidthatonlyonemaidenwouldbeabletopickthefruitandthatshewouldbecomethebrideofthekingsson.
Sothekingissuedaproclamationforallmarriageablegirlstocometothegarden,underpainofdeath,totrytopickthepomegranates.Girlsofeveryraceandstationshowedup,butnoladderswereeverlongenoughforthemtoreachthefruit.Amongthecontestantswerethefarmerstwoolderdaughters,buttheyfellofftheladderandlandedflatontheirbacks.Thekinghadthehousessearchedandfoundothergirls,includingtheonelockedupintheattic.Assoonastheytookhertothetree,thebranchesbentdownandplacedthepomegranatesrightinherhands.Everyonecheered,"Thatsthebride,thatsthebride!"withthekingssonshoutingloudestofall.
Preparationsweremadeforthewedding,towhichthesisters,asenviousasever,wereinvited.Theyallthreerodeinthesamecarriage,whichdrewtoahaltinthemiddleofaforest.Theoldergirlsorderedtheyoungeroneoutofthecarriage,curoffherhands,gougedouthereyes,andleftherlyingunconsciousinthebushes.Thentheoldestgirldressedintheweddinggownandwenttothekingsson.Hecouldntunderstandwhyshedbecomesougly,butsinceshefaintlyresembledtheothergirl,hedecidedhedbeenmistakenallalongaboutheroriginalbeauty.
Eyelessandhandless,themaidenremainedintheforestweeping.Acartercamebyandhadpityonher.Heseatedheronhismuleandtookhertohishouse.Shetoldhimtolookdown:thegroundwasstrewnwithsilverandpearls,whichwerenoneotherthanthegirlstears.T
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