Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-06-07
THE THREE WISHES.

ldent; had 1t been originally composed In a
northern land it is probable that the king
would have been dethroned by means OF
brlbes from his own treasury. In an east
ern country the story teller who invented
such determination OF his narrative would,
most likely, have experienced the fate III
tended for his hero, as warning to others
how they suggested such unreasonable ideas.
Herr Shimrock says it is German tale, but
it may have had its origin in the east for all
that. Nothing is more difficult, indeed,
than to trace d popular tale to its source.
Cinderella, for example belongs to nearly
all nations even among the Chinese, a
people so different to all European nations,
there is a popular story which reads al
most exactly like it. Here is the tale of
The Three Wishes:
There was once a wise emperor who made
law that to every stranger who came to
his court fried ish should be served. The
servants were then directed to take notice 1t,
when the stranger had eaten the fish to the
bone on one side, he turned 1t over and be-
gan on the other side. If he did, he was I'M
mediately seized, and on the third day there
after he was to be put to death. But, by
great stretch of imperial clemency, the
culprlt was permitted to utter one wish each
day, which the emperor pledged himself 20
grant, provided it was not to spare his life
Many had perished i9 consequence CT this e
dict, when, one day, a count and his young
son presented themselves at court. The fish
was served as usual, and when the count
had removed all the fish from one side, he
turned il over, and was about to commence
on the other, when he was suddenly seized
and thrown into prison, and was told of his
approaching doom.
Sorrow stricken, the counts young son
besought the emperor to allow him to die In
the room of his father-a favor which the
monarch was pleased to accord him. The
count was accordingly released from prison,
and his son was thrown in his cell in his
stead As soon as this had been done, the
young man said to his jailor;
''You know | have the right to make
three demands before | die: go and tell the
emperor to send me his daughter and a
priest to marry us
The first demand was not to the emper-
or S taste nevertheless he felt bound to keep
his word and he therefore complied with
the request, to which the princess had no
kind of objection This occurred in the
time when kings kept their treasury in a
cave, or in a tower set apart for the purpose,
like the Emperor of Morocco in these days;
and on the second day of his imprisonment
the young man demanded the kings trea-
sure.
If his first demand was bold one, the
second was not less So still an emperors
word is sacred, and having made the pro-
mise he was forced to keep it and the trea-
sures of gold and silver and jewels were plac
ed at the prisoners disposal. On gaining
possession of them, he distributed them pro
tusely among the courtiers, end soon had
made host of friends by his liberality.
The emperor began now to feel exceeding
" uncomfortable. Unable to sleep, he rose
early on the third morning and went with
fear in his heart, to the prison to hear what
the third wish was to be.
Now" said he to the prisoner, ''tel me
what your third demand is, that it may be
granted at once, and you may be hung out
of hand, for [ am tired of your demands. y
Sire, answered his prisoner, Il have
but one more favor to request of your maies-
ty, which, when you have granted, L shall
die content. 1t is merely that you cause
the eyes of those who saw my father turn
the fish over to be put out. .
Very good,'' replied the emperor
''your demand is but natural, and springs
from good heart Let the chamberlain be
seized" he continued, turning to his
guards.
L, sir?'' cried the chamberlin; Il did
not see anything-it was the steward.
LET the steward be seized, then, said
the emperor.
But the steward protested, with tears in
his eyes, that he had not seen anything of
what had been reported, and said twas the
butler.
The butler declared he had seen nothing
of the matter, and that it must have been
one of the Wallets.
But they protested they were utterly ig
norant of what had been charged against the
count; in short it turned out that nobody had
seen the count commit the offence, upon
which the princess said =
Il appeal to you. my father, as another
Solomon If nobody saw the offence COM
mitted, the count cannot be guilty, and my
husband is innocent.
The emperor frowned, and forthwith the
conrtiess began to murmur then he smiled,
and Immediately their visages became radi-
ent.
Let it be so, said his majesty, let him
live though | have put many men to death
for lighter offence than this. But if he is
not hung he is married. Justice has been
done.