National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-10-25
The Wicked Stcp.MOther.
A SERBIAN STORY,


into the house. BY and by, the father learn.
ed also to hate his own child he scoldcd
her and beat her just to please his wife, One
day his wife said to him, q" Let us send your
daughter away Let her look out for herself
In the world r. Upon this the man asked,
Where can we send her Where can the
poor girl go alone p Then the wife said,
II you will not do this. husband, will live
no longer with you. You lad better take
her tomorrow out of the house. You can
lead her into the forest, and then steal away
from her and hurry home - She said this 10
often that at length he consented, but said,
" At least prepare the girl something for her
journey, that she may not die the first day
from hunger"
The step-mother therefore made cake,
and the next morning early, the father led
the girl far away into the very heart Of the
forest, and there left her and went back
home. The poor girl. left alone wandered
all day about the wood, but could find 10
way out Of il. When it grew dark, she got
up into a tree to pass the night, fearing lest
some wild beasts would eat her if she ercmain-
ed on the ground. And, indeed, all night
long the wolves were bowling under the
tree, so that the poor girl trembled SO much
that she could hardly keep herself from fall
ing. When day dawned, she descended from
the tree and walked on again, hoping to find
some way out OF the forest. But the wood
,lways grew thicker and thicker, and seemed
10 have no end. In the evening" while she
was looking for tree in which she might re-
main safely over the night all at once she
saw something shining in the forest. So she
went on, hoping TO find some shelter, and at
length came 10 fine large house. The gates
we're open so she went in, and walked through
great many rooms, each one more beautiful
than the other On table in one room Size
ound candle burning She thought this
must be the house of some robbers but she
VAS not afraid, for she reasoned with herself
'' Rich men have reason to fear robbers, but
/ have none--I will tell them that ! will
serve them gladly for Il piece OF bread.
Then she took the cake from her bag, said
grace, and begun to eat Just as she had
begun to eat cock came into the room, and
sprung upon the table to reach the cake, so
the girl crumbled some of ii for him. Then
the little dog came in and jumped quite friend
y upon her so she broke piece from her
cake for the little dog and took him on her
knee and petted and fed him. After that
came in cat also, and the girl fed her too.
At last she heard a gro t noise, as if some
great beast was com (, and was greatly
frightened when q lion came into the room
But the lion moved his tail in such Il friendly
way, and looked SO very kindly, that she took
heart, and offered him piece of cake. The
lion took il and began to lick her hand, and
the girl had no longer any fear OF him, so she
,troked him gently and fed him with the
cake Suddenly she heard great noise of
weapons, and almost swooned as a creature in
bear-skin entered the room The cock, the
dog the cat and the lion all ran to it and
Jumped about it affectionately, showing in all
possible ways their great joy The poor girl
thought it q very strange beast, and expected
it would jump upon her and kill her, But
the fearful thing threw the bear skin from its
| head and shoulders, and all the room shone
! and glittered with its golden garments. The
Door girl almost lost her senses when she saw
before her handsome man beautifully dress
ed. But he came up to her and said, Don't
be afraid, my dear / am not bad man :;
am the son Of the king, and when wish to
hunt come here ana use the bear-skin as a
disguise lest the people should recognize me.
Those who see me believe that / am a ghost
and run away from me. No one dares to
come into this house, knowing that | often
come here. You are the only person who has
ventnred in. How did you know that | am
not ghost 2
Then she told him she had never heard of
him or of the house, but that her step-mother
had driven her away from home. and she told
him all that had happened to her. When
he heard this, he was very sorry, and said,
- Yonr step-mother hated YOU. but God has
been kind to you | will marry you il you
will be my wife-will you ?" "Yes y she
re plied. Next day he took her to his fathers
p,ace and married her. After some time
sho hogoad 70 he allowed to 90 to see her
father So her husband allowed her to 90.
md che dressed herself all in gold and went
+, her fatber's house The father happened
+, be ,wav from home and the step-mother
sennp her coming. was afraid lest she had
come +, revenge herself So she hurried to
mact her and said " Won see that it was
Who cont Won on the road to bappiness
Tho sten-dsurbter kissed her. and embraced
her ba,f.sistrr Then the girl said she was
sorry that she had NOT found her father at
hnn,o ond -, bar go;n, away she gave
nlentv of money to Ter step-mother. When,
bn.oyo, sbo ho3 oone a. .Yav the step-moth-
ar sboo,, bor fst after bor and cried - Wait
/, EttIa Won shaII not he the only one so
dressed ont . to-morrow 7 will send nv own
laughter ofter Won the same way !"
Whom ber bnsbond came home at night she
to,d hin, ali thot boJ bonnnned and said :.
:. WI A., ,,o,, ,t;,i, brshond9 . would il
ot ha h'e oooj thina tn sond NV g;rl aJso into
~ ,,oo5 10 tr', hor cortune for vour Girl
Chow, wa sent t6ere never came hack until
"n'v "o,U' ,nd T'avv shc hos come differing in
a,oI1, a,o' -, 1''' Nv"
7'1I Tbe man siobcd and agreed to the proposal.
W., dn,. he stan.,,othor sta nren.red for her
- 90. tan.,, ~ oaLes and roosted meats
o,si tben scnt her with the father into the
Slrast rho ,na,, lod ber deem into the forest
no he had done his own daughter. and there
Iaft "I har Endino The father did not return,
sLo hod,n - eaai9 u,av to get home and