Year: 1865

as detbroned by means OF brides obtain.
ed from bis own treasury. In an east
ern country the story>teller who invent
ed such a just termination to his narra-
tive would, most likely, have experienc.
ed the fate intended for his hero, as q
warning to others how they suggested
such reasonable ideas. Herr Simrock
however, says it is German tale but


it may have had its origin i'll the East
for all that Nothing is more fiicult
/ indeed than TO trace popular tale to It's
source Cinderella, for example, belongs
to nearly all nations; even among the
Chinese, people so different to all Eu-
ropean nations, there is a popular story
which reads almost exactly like it.
Here is the tale of the Three Wishes.


There was once a wise emperor who
made law, that to every stranger who
came 10 his court a fried fish should be
served. The servants were directed to
take notice, if, when the stranger bad
eaten the fish to the bone on one side, he
turned it over and began on the other
side. II be did, he was to be Immediate
ly seized, and on the third day thereafter
he was to be put to death. Bot, by a
great stretch Of imperial clemency, the
culprit was permitted 10 utter one wish
each day, which the emperor pledged
himself to grant, provided it was not to
spare his life. Many had already per-
ished in consequence of this edicr, when,
one day count and his young son pres
ented themselves at court. The fish was
served as usual, and when the count had
removed all the fish from one side, he
turned it over, and was about to com
ncnce on the other, when he was sudden,
ly seized and thrown into prison, and
was told of his approaching doom, Sor-
row-stricken, the counts young son be-
sought the emperor to allow him to die
in the room Of his father favor which
the monarch was pleased TO accord him.
The count was accordingly released from
prison, and his son was thrown into bis
cell in his stead. As soon as this had
been done, the young man said to bis
gaolors-"You know | have the right to
make three demands before | die go
and tell the Eemperor to send me his
daughter, and a priest to marry u.s.
The first demand was not much to the
emperor's S e, nevertheless, he ieit
bound to keep his word, and lie there
/ fore complied with the request. to which
the princess had no kind Of objection
This occurred in the times when kings
kept their treasures in a cave, or in a
tower set apart for the purpose, like the
Emperor of Morocco in these days; and
on the second day Of his imprisonment
the young man demanded the kings
treasures. If his first demand was a
bold one, the second was not less so still,
an emperor's word is sacred, and having
made The promise, he was forced to keep
it.; and The treasures of god and silver
and jewels were placed at the prisoners
disposal. Ga getting possession Of them
h. distributed them profusely among the
courliers, and soon be had made host
Of friends by his liberality.


The emperor began now to feel exceed
ingly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep,
he rose early on the thild morning and
went, with fear in bis heart, to the pris-
on to hear what the third wish was to
be-


"Now;" said he to his prisoner. "tell
me what your third demand is, that it
may be granted at once, and you may be
hung out OF hand, for am tired of your
demands"


"Sire," answered his prisoner, 81 have
but one more favor to request of your
majesty, which, when you have granted,
shall die content. 1t is merely that
you will cause the eyes of those who saw
my father turn the fish ever to be put
out"


"Very good" replied + h emperor,
"your demand is but natural, and springs
from a good heart, Let the chamber
lain be seized be continued, turning
to his guards.


II sire y cried the chamberlain, ~
did not see anylhing--it was the steward"


LET the steward be seized then" said
the king.


But the steward protested with tears
in his eyes, that he had not witnessed
anything of what had been reported, and
said it was the butler. The butler de-
cIared that he had seen nothing of the
matter, and that it must have been one
of the Wallets. But they protested that
they were utterly ignorant of what had
been charged against the count in short,
it turned out that nobody could be found
who bad seen the count commit the Of
fence, upon which the princess said -


Il appeal to you, my father, as to an
other Solomon. II nobody saw the of
fence committed, the count cannot be
guilty, and my husband is innocent"


The emperor frowned, and forthwith !
he courtiers began 10 murmur; then be
smiled, and Immediately their yisages
became radiant.


"Let it be SC" said his majesty, "let
him live, though | have put many man
to death for a lighter offence than his
But if be is not hung, he is married.
Justice has been DONE"