The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-11
THE GOLDEN WAND.
A Merchants Daughter Loves a
Dove and Marries a Prince.
Of the Story Of Three Proud Sisters
And a Kings Son, Translated :
From the Greek.
BY REV. T.. M. GELDART,


BY REV. f. M. GELDARr.
There was a merchant who traded in the
Indies and who had three daughters. Once
when he set OH on his tourney to the Indies
his daughters besought him as follows:
The first, to bring her an Indian dress; the
second an Indian turban and the third the
Golden Wand. And they adjured him by
a spell, so that if he did not bring the
things his ship would not leave the shore.
When he got to the Indies he obtained all
the merchandise he desired, and also what
two OF his daughters had begged of him,
only he forgot to get the Golden Wand
for his youngest daughter. When, then. he
prepared to leave the Indies, although it
was fair weather, his ship would not leave
the shore. Then he sat down and consid-
cred, and a countryman passed by and
asked him why he was 80 thoughtful. The
merchant did not wish to tell him. Then
the countryman entreated him to do SO,
and said to him: Think, have you made
some promise?"
The merchant thought and remembered
what he had promised his youngest daugh-
ter, and asked the countryman where the
Golden Wand was to be found. Then the
countryman pointed to road and said
that he must walk for three hours and he
would come upon the Golden Wand. And
the merchant did as the countryman told
him, and walked for three hours, and came
Golden Wand?" And they showed him q
place and told him that inside it was the
Golden Wand, and that it was the name of
the Kings son. He was afraid when they
told him that it was the Kings son. but
afterwards he plucked up heart and went
to the palace and asked leave from the
King to enter. and the King gave him leave.
And when the King asked him what he
wanted he told him that he wished to
speak with the Prince. The King led him
into the room where the Prince vas sit
ting, and the Prince asked him. What do
you want with me?" And the merchant
told him all that his daughter had said TO
him. Then the Prince took him into a
room where there were pictures of a num-
ber of maidens, and asked him: '1s your
daughter as fair as these?"
And he said to him. "Oh, a thousand
times fairer."
Then he took him into another room
where there was a picture OF one whom he
had seen in his sleep and dreamt he was to
take to wife, and he asked him: "Is your
girl as fair as that?"
And he answered "Why, it is she her.
self"
Then the Prince gave him letter and
cub and ring to give to his daughter. And
the merchant took them on board his ship.
And forthwith the ship left the shore and
sailed away home. When he came to his
home his daughters asked: "Well, father,
have you brought us the things you prom
ised us?"
II have" said he, and took them out
and gave each one what he had promised
her. He gave also to the youngest the let
ter, the cup and the ring which the Prince
had gave him. And she took them and
went and shut herself up alone in her room
! a1a opened the letter and read it and saw
what he wrote to her, which was, that Wien
she wanted him she was to put water in
the cup and then to put the ring into the
water and to say three times. "Come, come
come, my Golden Wand !" and that he him.
self would come in the shape OF a dove, and
would wash in the water and become man;
and she was to leave an opening in the cell
ing for him to come in by.
This she did us he wrote to her, and the
dove came, and after swimming in the
water it turned into man, and when they
had talked for IA long time together it again
took swim in the water and became a
dove and flew away. As it flew it left her
cactus berry behind, and told her to
break it open and to put on what she found
inside.
When he was gone she opened it and
found within it a fine dress on which were
embroidered the heavens and the stars.
She put it on and went out. When her
sisters saw it they wondered and began to
ask her questions and grew jealous of her.
She did the same thing another time and
again Golden Wand came, and when he
went away he left her a nut and told her to
T.. 4 %,1, ia
And when the dove was gone and she broke
open the nut and found dress which had
a picture on it of the sea. with the waves,
and she put it on and went out. Again her
sisters wondered as they saw her and were
more jealous of her than ever. Again she
put the cup full OF water before her and
s.lid thrice: "Come, come, come, my Golden
Wand!' And he came and swan in the
| water and became man. When he went
| away again he left fig, and told her to cut
| it open and put on what she found inside.
She obeyed and found another dress, where
on was picture OF May with all it's flowers.
She put it on and went out.
| Then the sisters wondered more than
ever, and took counsel together how they
might work woe, and said to one another
that when they went to bathe the eldest
should take a bag OF pearls and make be-
lieve to spill them, and stay behind the rest
to pick them up, and while the others went
on to battle she should turn back home and
do the same as the youngest used to do
for they had watched her and seen what
she did-and make herself out to be the
youngest, so that he might give her some
thing, too. And in the morning, when they
went to battle, the eldest took the bag oi
pearls, and while they were walking along
the road she made believe to slip and
spilled the pearls, ard said to the others
s'Go on without me while pick up my
pearls" And when the others had gone or
some distance she swept them all up in q
moment and put them in her bag and went
home, and took the key OF the youngest
ones chamber and went in (for she had
watched where she had put the key), and
she opened the cupboard and took the
cup and filled it with water and put in the
ring.
| But her youngest sister had q knife, and
she had forgotten it and left it on the cup,
and when the other said, "Come, my Golden
Wand!" the Prince came and swan, and
when he was about to rise he cut himself
against the knife, and got up and fled.
When she saw the blood in the water she
was much distressed. She left the cup with
the blood in it in the cupboard, and ran
away to join the other girls; and when they
| returned the youngest went INTO her room,
and on entering she said, "Come, my Golden
Wand!' And when she took the cup she
saw it full of blood. She wept and walled
and cried, "Alas! what has befallen me?'
and after weeping much she went out. But
she saw what her sisters had done, and she
went to her father and said to him:
"Sire, cut me out fine dress in the
Frankish fashion and give me good ship
that NAV 90 abroad"
Then her father cut her out the Frankish
dress, and she put it on and went on board
the ship to sail for the Indies to find him.
And as she went on the way she saw bird
which was overtaking another, and the first
bird, who, by-the-by, was q dove, said to
him: "Are you not grieved that the Prince
is i'll, and that the doctors have given him
up?"
And the other bird said to him: "The
doctors don't know it, but the Prince may
yet be healed"
The other bird asked him: "With what
medicine may he be healed ?'
And his companion answered him: "They
must kill us and take us and a little water
from that spring over there. and make all
ointment and anoint his throat where he
is wounded, and he will be healed"
rl,. ~, T., ;lor, uvhop sho hoo ri these words