The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-03-04
THE THREE GIFTS.

liz 1 II lIllIL OlI 10
A poor woman gave birth to daugh-
ter. Her husband had died few days
before the babe was born, so that she
was alone in the world and quite DESC
late. All her love, therefore, centered
upon this child, andclad as she was in
widows weeds she clasped it fondly in
her arms 1
On the third day after its birth three
fairies who greatly commiserated her,
came to visit her, and seeing how beau
tiful the infant was and how much the
mother loved it they promised it three
good gifts.
The first fairy, touching it with her
golden wand, said, The day that she lie
12 years old rose shall fall from her
mouth every time she laughs"
The second fairy then touched it with
her golden wand. The day that she is
12 years old, she said, every time she
weeps pearls shall fall from her eyes"
And lastly the third fairy, with golden
wand, also touched her, saying, Before
your 18th year has passed prince shall
marry you, and you shall become prin-
cess"
The mother listened TO all these pro-
misses, and her heart rejoiced exceeding
ly She was very, very poor, but she
brought up her daughter as well as she
could until she was ~ years of age
The evening of the day ON which she
had completed her 12th year, the girl
laughed right out with joy at something
which her mother had said, and imme-
diately the first rose fell from her lips,
and when the mother saw It she remem-
bered all that the fairies had promised
and her motherly heart rejoiced, for she
said, "lf one promise be fulfilled the
others will surely follow in their turn
The girl was graceful. beautiful and
blithe, and the roses fell from her mouth
like rain. The mother, without having
the trouble to gather roses, put them all
into basket and took them to the
/ town and sold them. With the money
thus obtained she and her daughter
lived-frugally certainly, but neverthe-
| less more comfortably than heretofore
So time went on.
1t was winter, and the queen was 60
| ing to give a great ball at the palace
She had beautiful gown, and it was
rose color, SO she wanted to have real
roses on her head and at her breast to
wear with it. She therefore ordered the
royal gardener to bring her some, but he
said that SO much snow had fallen that
all the roses were spoiled, and that he
could not find even one. The queen was
very angry at this aud told him straight
way that she did not believe him, but
that he preferred to leave them to
perish in the royal garden. adding that
she should go and seek for herself anoth-
Ell gardener and dismiss him forthwith.
The poor gardener sighed upon hear
ing this and went to look at every gar
den far and near to see if he could pos
sibly find any roses, but he found none.
In the course of his wanderings he hap
pened to pass by the cottage in which
dwelt the poor woman and her daughter.
The gardener was so bewildered by his
anxiety that he did not look to see where
he was going, and not observing
stone that was lying before the cottage
he stumbled over it and fell down.
There was something comical in the way
in which he fell, for he did not hurt him
self, but his fez rolled OFF his head into
the mud and got dirtied
The girl, who was looking out of the
window, could not help laughing when
she saw the gardener fall, and down
dropped rose from her mouth and fell
into the road right in front Of the gar
dener. When she saw what had oc-
CURED she felt little bit ashamed and
, drew back to hide herself, but the gar
deneT. rs soon rs he saw it, never stayed
to pick up his fez, but ral quickly to
seize tine rose He could not believe his
own eyes. How did it come there? Per-
- haps it was done by magic. Anyhow it
was real and beautiful rose and
smelled better than those Of April. But
one rose was Of no use to the queen. He
must have 10, and where could lie find
! the othersy
Since, however, it had fallen just in
: front of that house, the people who lived
: there might know something about it,
Anyhow III knock" he said 10 him
= self.
so without any more ado he knocked
at the door, which the mother immedi-
ately opened. Well, my good man,
what do you wantT' she asked
And then he told her all about the
queen S,id the ball, and how he had sud
denly found rose outside her house
when he was almost in a state of despair
After the mother heard all this, she said;
Take this une then and go TO the queen
and tell her that there is only one rose
tree which is able to produce such roses,
and that on the day Of the ball will
ut some and take her AS many as she
iesiTes.
The gardener Immediately went to the
queen with the one rose and told her
what the woman had said, whereat the
queen was greatly oyerioyed. She put
the rose into her bosom, and 1t filled th
hwols palace with scent.
When the day Of the ball arrived, tn
queen ordered the gardener TO fetch bot
the woman and the roses, and abou
noon the mother arrived at the palace
bringing with her covered basket, an
after she had saluted her majesty sh
uncovered it and presented the roses 3
her.
No sooner had the queen seen ther
than she was 80 delighted that she EN-
braced and kissed the poor woma
warmly. There were 10 dozen in th
basket, and what roles! Each was NOR
beautiful than the other.
Madam" said the queen, Il have
favor to ask of You. Sell me tine ros
tree which bears these roses. l will Civ
you whatever yuu may demand for it. ="
But the mother answered: Much hor
Ored queen, ] cannot do this with N
rose tree. l cannot sell it. Only on
thing can do if you are willing. 70
have a prince, and l will bestow it 0
the prince, tu have il for his own an
to keep il honored and loved as if il wsI
living princess
"Aour wish shall be granted, MADAM
90 that we may only have the rose trt
in the palace, and you may come wit
Il and live near MS also"
Il have no wish for that, your ma
esty. My ruse tree is the only thing
care for. ] wish that to bs happy, Il
1t Is All ] have TO love In the worl,
Swear 10 me by the life Of your son thu
il shall be a. you say"
IL swear 10 you by the life Of my onl
son that the tree which brings forth the
resea shall b honorsd IN this palace
D z HNalaaEsal AXing pri1qssa"