The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-01-15
THE THREE SISTERS.

THE THREE SISTERS.
The following story of 9 The Three
Sisters is taken from Mr.. Sergeant's
new book on modern Greece 1t is an
old friend in new dress, but so pretty is
the dress that the perusal will repay the
Trouble, and for this reason, although it
is somewhat long We quote it in extens o
from Truth:
Onee upon a time there were three sis
tiers who slept together.
One night the Fates came to tell their
fortunes, anl safe above their heads
for each sister had her Fate.
When the first two had spoken, it was
the turn of the Fate who belonged to the
youngest sister.
Mine," she said, 'being the pref
test, shall have the best fortune. She
shall marry the kings son"
But the eldest sister had awoke, and
was listening. When the morning had
come she took the second sister on one
side and told her all that the Fates had
said and they began to tyrannize over
the youngest.
One day they resolved to go and cut
some wood. They therefore made cake,
and set out When they had gathered
their fagots, they sat down on the edge
of a precipice, so deep that no one could
climb down it on any side. Then the
eldest sister said to the youngest:
Now, little one, come let me do your
hair"
The little one went, and the eldest
began to arrange her hair. But as she
was doing it she let the cake roll from
her knees on the ground.
There" she said, NOW go and look
for it !"
And she gave her a great push, and
the little one fell over the precipice.
The poor child tell to the bottom, and
being unable to climb up again began to
weep. But then, behold, Neried came
to her and said
why are you weeping child ? Have
you fallen from the rock and cannot get
up again Come with me L will take
you for my daughter"
And she took her to her house.
SO the little girl was very happy with
the Nereid. But when Sunday came
the Nereid wanted to 90 to her church
and, as she would be long time away,
she told her that she was to open the
copper in which the serpents were and
give them something to eat.
s. You must not be afraid" she ad
ded. "When you want them to go in
again you have only to rap with a stick
on the pot, and the serpents will 90 in of
themselves
Meanwhile the two sisters when they
got home again, said to the Sun:
Sun, dear Sun. which is now the
fairest one? Is 1t one of US, or she
whom we have thrown over the preci-
pice?"
1T is your sister," he replied, "who
is in the Neried's home.
Then the two sisters returned to the
precipice; and the younger of the two
pushed the elder so that she fell in the
same place where the youngest had fal
len. When she was at the bottom she
came to the home Of the Nereid, went in,
and found her sister; and the little one
kissed her when she saw her.
Then the eldest one began to dress her |
sisters hair again, and by-and by she
stuck poisoned pin in her head. The |
poor little one fell down dead on the |
spot, and the eldest one ran away.
When the Nereid returned she found |
the little one, and took her in her arms |
and wept over her. And then she saw |
the pin and pulled it out, and the little
one came to life again.
Meanwhile the eldest sister had gone |
home; but when she repeated her qnes
tion to the Sun and received the same
answer he,,returned to the Nereid's house.
The Nereid was out again, but she had /
the little one TO open the door
80 the eldest sister took a slate off the
roof and threw in a poisonous grape
The little one ate it and tell down dead
agan.
This time the Neried could not find
the cause of her death, so she put her in
4 box and threw her into the sea. But
ler Fate did not desert her. The waves
shook the grape from her mouth and she
-evi7ed and the box foated until it
came TO the kings palace. Basdopoulo
saw It and told his servants to bring it to
and; but when he found that it was
onlya box he sent it down to the kitchen.
In the night the little one was hungry;
10 she opere ed the lid, got out, ate some
God and lay down in the box again.
This she did every night, until the SER
7ants found how the food disappeared
md vent and told the kings son.
q see," said Bastopoulo. Every
veil, will go and catch the thief.
So he went into the kitchen at mid
light. and saw the little one come out,
md caught her in his arms. And the
ing's son, seeing her SO pretty and SO
weet, loved her and took her for his
wife.
Then the two sisters said to the Sun
"Sun, dear Sun, which is now the
arrest one Is it one of US or she whom
Te poisoned?"
And the Sun replied: "It is your. sis
er, who has the kings son for her hus-
and
Meanwhile Bastopoulo had been
bliged to go to war, and in his absence
he queen had son. One day a poor
roman came to her and asked to be al
owed to live In the palace and nurse her
hid. The queen did not recognize her
lister, and consented Presently the sis
er while dressing the queens hair, stuck
n enchanted pin into her head, and the
ueen was changed into a little bird.
'hen the other took her garments and
ut herself In her place.