Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-04-13
foreign Minus.
From Diokens's Once a Week.
THE THREE WISHES.


There was once a wise emperor who made
law that to every stranger who came to his
court fried fsh should be served. The SER
wants were directed to take notice IL, when
the stranger had eaten the fish to the bone
on one side, he turned it over and began on
the other side. II he did, he was to be i'm
mediately seized, and on the third day there
after be put to death. But, by great stretch
Of imperial clemency, the eulprit was per-
mitted to utter one wish each day, which The
emperor pledged himself to grant, provided il
was not 20 spare his life. Many had already
perisbed in consequences Of this edict, when,
one day, count aud his young son present
ed themselves at court The FISH was served
as usual, and when the coun, had removed sll
the fsh from one side, he turned it over, and
was about TO commence 90 the other, when
he was suddenly seized and thrown into pris-
on, and was told Of bis approaching doom -
Sorrow-stricken, the counts young son be-
sought the emperor to allow him to die 10 the
room Of bis father favor which the mon
arch was pleased to accord him. The count
was accordingly released from prison and his
son was thrown into his cell in his stead.
As soon as this was done, the young man
said to his jailors--" You know have The
right to make three demands before ] die
60 and tell the emperor to send me his daueh-
ter and priest TO marry u.s." The first de-
msnd was not much to the emperor's taste;
nevertheless be felt bound to keep his word,
and be therefore complied with the request.
to which the princess had no kind of obiec-
ton. This occurred in the times when the
kings kept their treasures in cave, OF in
tower set apart for the purpose, and on the
second day of his imprisonment the young
man demanded the kings treasures. If his
first demand WAS bold one. the second was
not less so; still an emperot's word is sacred,
and, having made the promise, he was 70 ced
to keep it /; and the treasures Of gold and ell
yer and jewels were placed at the prisoners
disposal. On getting possession Of them he
distributed them profusely among the cour-
tiers and soon he made host of friends BY
his liberality.
The emperor began now to feel exceeding
ly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep, be 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, "tell 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"
Sir" answered the prisoner, " | have but
one more favor to request OF your majesty,
which, when you have granted, / shall die
content. 1t is merely that you will 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.
81, sir :" cried the chamberlain did /
not see anything-it was the steward"
g Let the steward be seized, then" said |
the king.
But the steward protested with tears in his .
eyes that he had not witnessed anything OF
what had been reported, and said it was the .
cutler. The butler declared that he had seen
nothing of the matter, and that it must have
been one the Wallets. But they protested
that they were utterly ignorant Of " hat had
been charged against the count; in short, it /
turned out that nobody could be found who
had seen the count commit the offense; upon
which the princess said:
. appeal to you, my father, as to another /
Solomon. II nobody saw the offense commit
ted. the count cannot be guilty. and my hus-
band is innocent"
The emperor frowned, and forthwith the
courtiers began TO murmur; and then he
smiled, and Immediately their vissges became
radiant.
Let il be So" said his majesty "let
him live, though l have put many to death 4
for lighter ofTense than his. But il he IL
DONE nus OeS"