Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-02
THE ORIGIN OF THE LOVING
CUP.

The glowing cup is very common nova
days and We see it everywhere. But many
years ago there were no such things as
these queer three-handled affairs. and the
following story tells how they first hap
pened to be made:
Once upon a time, centuries before us.
there lived a great and powerful king who
was extremely fond of hunting. He was one
day in a huge forest pursuing stag, but 1t
was so fleet and clever that it eluded him
and his band of followers. and led them
entirely out of their way. After wandering
about in a hopeless fashion they finally
came upon a little hut and the king himself
dismounted and raped smartly upon the
door.
"A young girl answered his knock and soon
showed the men the right path. The king
was about to go when he saw well near
the house and at the sight of the clear
water Immediately felt thirsty, and going
back, asked the girl for drink. Without
hesitation she went into the house and
came out with an earthen jug filled with the
well water. But, instead of offering his royal
majesty the handle. as most people would
do, she held that herself and handed him
the cup the wrong way.
The king said nothing. thanked the girl.
and he and his band soon found their way
out Of the woods
But when he reached his palace he de-
termined to reward the girl for giving him
the water. and at the same time to teach
her a lesson in pOliteness.
Sending to his jeweler. he babe him make
a silver cup with two handles and deliver
1t to the young girl without word from
whence 1t came.
Perhaps q month after this the king again
hunted In that same forest, sought the little
hut, and asked the girl for another drink Of
water
This time she entered the house and came
out with beautiful silver cup, full Of
sparkling water.
NOW" thought the king. "she has Ger
tainly learned a lesson" But never was he
more mistaken, for the poor. ignorant girl
took a handle in each hand and for the sec
ond time offered her liege lord nothing but
the side Of the cup.
The king rode away deeply perpIexed. He
resolved to teach the girl the polite way to
hand cup without directly rebuking her.
and many were the hours he spent In cudg
do 1t. At last bright idea struck him, and
he sent for his jeweler a second time.
Make me-" said he to the man, "a silver
cup, heavily chased, and with my royal
crest and put three handles on It." The
jeweler much surprised (for remember no
such thing had ever been heard Of up to this
time), did as he was told, and soon the mug
was finished. AS before. the king had 1t pri-
vately sent to the girl who lived in the little
hut.
One day not long after this for the third
time he rode into that forest. and taking the
now well known path soon reached the cot
tage Dismounting, he knocked at the door
and asked humbly for a drink of clear
water.
The girl Immediately came out with the
beautiful three-handled cup, and taking two
Of the handles in her hands she offered him
the third.
So the king rode away, well pleased with
his strategy. and reaching home, ordered
three-handled cups to be made in every
sort of ware. and they became so popular
that we now have them in all our shops
and stores.