so she is mine.” The huntsman said, “You and the princess, and all of
you, would have been torn to pieces by the dragon if my ball had not
hit him, so she is mine.” The tailor said, “And if I, by my art, had
not sewn the ship together again, you would all of you have been
miserably drowned, so she is mine.” Then the King uttered this saying,
“Each of you has an equal right, and as all of you cannot have the
maiden, none of you shall have her, but I will give to each of you, as
a reward, half a kingdom.” The brothers were pleased with this
decision, and said, “It is better thus than that we should be at
variance with each other.” Then each of them received half a kingdom,
and they lived with their father in the greatest happiness as long as
it pleased God. 130 One-eye, Two-eyes, and Three-eyes

There was once a woman who had three daughters, the eldest of whom was
called One-eye, because she had only one eye in the middle of her
forehead, and the second, Two-eyes, because she had two eyes like other
folks, and the youngest, Three-eyes, because she had three eyes; and
her third eye was also in the centre of her forehead. However, as
Two-eyes saw just as other human beings did, her sisters and her mother
could not endure her. They said to her, “Thou, with thy two eyes, art
no better than the common people; thou dost not belong to us!” They
pushed her about, and threw old clothes to her, and gave her nothing to
eat but what they left, and did everything that they could to make her
unhappy. It came to pass that Two-eyes had to go out into the fields
and tend the goat, but she was still quite hungry, because her sisters
had given her so little to eat. So she sat down on a ridge and began to
weep, and so bitterly that two streams ran down from her eyes. And once
when she looked up in her grief, a woman was standing beside her, who
said, “Why art thou weeping, little Two-eyes?” Two-Eyes answered, “Have
I not reason to weep, when I have two eyes like other people, and my
sisters and mother hate me for it, and push me from one corner to
another, throw old clothes at me, and give me nothing to eat but the
scraps they leave? To-day they have given me so little that I am still
quite hungry.” Then the wise woman said, “Wipe away thy tears,
Two-eyes, and I will tell thee something to stop thee ever suffering
from hunger again; just say to thy goat,

“Bleat, my little goat, bleat,
Cover the table with something to eat,”


and then a clean well-spread little table will stand before thee, with
the most delicious food upon it of which thou mayst eat as much as thou
art inclined for, and when thou hast had enough, and hast no more need
of the little table, just say,

“Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray,
And take the table quite away,”


and then it will vanish again from thy sight.” Hereupon the wise woman
departed. But Two-eyes thought, “I must instantly make a trial, and see
if what she said is true, for I am far too hungry,” and she said,

“Bleat, my little goat, bleat,
Cover the table with something to eat,”


and scarcely had she spoken the words than a little table, covered with
a white cloth, was standing there, and on it was a plate with a knife
and fork, and a silver spoon; and the most delicious food was there
also, warm and smoking as if it had just come out of the kitchen. Then
Two-eyes said the shortest prayer she knew, “Lord God, be with us
always, Amen,” and helped herself to some food, and enjoyed it. And
when she was satisfied, she said, as the wise woman had taught her,

“Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray,
And take the table quite away,”


and immediately the little table and everything on it was gone again. “That is a delightful way of keeping house!” thought Two-eyes, and was
quite glad and happy. In the evening, when she went home with her goat, she found a small
earthenware dish with some food, which her sisters had set ready for
her, but she did not touch it. Next day she again went out with her
goat, and left the few bits of broken bread which had been handed to
her, lying untouched. The first and second time that she did this, her
sisters did not remark it at all, but as it happened every time, they
did observe it, and said, “There is something wrong about Two-eyes, she
always leaves her food untasted, and she used to eat up everything that
was given her; she must have discovered other ways of getting food.” In
order that they might learn the truth, they resolved to send One-eye
with Two-eyes when she went to drive her goat to the pasture, to
observe what Two-eyes did when she was there, and whether any one
brought her anything to eat and drink. So when Two-eyes set out the
next time, One-eye went to her and said, “I will go with you to the
pasture, and see that the goat is well taken care of, and driven where
there is food.” But Two-eyes knew what was in One-eye’s mind, and drove
the goat into high grass and said, “Come, One-eye, we will sit down,
and I will sing something to you.” One-eye sat down and was tired with
the unaccustomed walk and the heat of the sun, and Two-eyes sang
constantly,

“One eye, wakest thou? One eye, sleepest thou?”


until One-eye shut her one eye, and fell asleep, and as soon as
Two-eyes saw that One-eye was fast asleep, and could discover nothing,
she said,

“Bleat, my little goat, bleat,
Cover the table with something to eat,”


and seated herself at her table, and ate and drank until she was
satisfied, and then she again cried,

“Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray,
And take the table quite away,”


and in an instant all was gone. Two-eyes now awakened One-eye, and
said, “One-eye, you want to take care of the goat, and go to sleep
while you are doing it, and in the meantime the goat might run all over
the world. Come, let us go home again.” So they went home, and again
Two-eyes let her little dish stand untouched, and One-eye could not
tell her mother why she would not eat it, and to excuse herself said,
“I fell asleep when I was out.”

Next day the mother said to Three-eyes, “This time thou shalt go and
observe if Two-eyes eats anything when she is out, and if any one
fetches her food and drink, for she must eat and drink in secret.” So
Three-eyes went to Two-eyes, and said, “I will go with you and see if
the goat is taken proper care of, and driven where there is food.” But
Two-eyes knew what was in Three-eyes’ mind, and drove the goat into
high grass and said, “We will sit down, and I will sing something to
you, Three-eyes.” Three-eyes sat down and was tired with the walk and
with the heat of the sun, and Two-eyes began the same song as before,
and sang,

“Three eyes, are you waking?”


but then, instead of singing,

“Three eyes, are you sleeping?”


as she ought to have done, she thoughtlessly sang,

“Two eyes, are you sleeping?”


and sang all the time,

“Three eyes, are you waking?