Year: 1879

The following story of sThe Three
Sisters is taken from Mr.. Sergeant's new
book on modern Greece. It is an old
friend in a new dress, but so pretty
is the dress that its perusal will
repay the trouble, and for this reason.
although it is somewhat long, we quote
1t IN extenso from Truth.


Once upon time there were three
sisters who slept together.


One night the Fates came to tell their
fortunes, and sat 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.


"Mlne," she said, "being the prettiest,
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 90 and cut
some wood. They therefore made a cake
and set out. When they had gathered
their fagots they sat down on the edge of
precipice, So deep that no one can climb
down it on any side. The eldest sister
said to the youngest:


"Now, little one, come and let me do
your hair"


The little one went, and the eldest be-
gan 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 great push, and the
little one fell over the precipice.


The poor child fell to the bottom, and
being unable to climb up again began to
weep. But then, behold, a Nereid came
to her and said:


"Why are you weeping. child? Have
you fallen from the rock and cannot get
up again? Come with me and I will take
you for nv daughter"


And she took her to her house.


So the little girl was very happy with
the Nereid, bat when Sunday came the
Nereid wanted to go 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.


You must not be afraid,'' she added.
"When you want them to go in again you
have only to rap with stick on the Dot,
and the serpents will go in Of them
selves"


Meanwhile the two sisters, when they
got home again, said to the Sun:


''Sun, dear Snn, which is now the fair
est one? Is it one Of US, or she whom we
have thrown over the precipice?"


1t is your sister," he replied, "who is
in the Nereid's home"


Then the two sisters returned to the
precipice: and the younger Of the two
pushed the elder 50 that she fell in th,
same place where the youngest had fallen.
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,
du\1 IuC clUCSG Ouc Inu away.


When the Neried returned she found
the little one, land took her in her arms and
wept over her. 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 ques-
ton to the Sun and received the same
answer she returned to the Nereid's 3 house.
The Nereid was out again, but she had
forbidden the little one to open the door,
SO the eldest sister took a slate off the roof
and threw in poisoned grape. The lit
tie one ate it and fell down dead again.


This time the Nereid could not find
the cause of her death. so she put her in
a box and threw her into the sea. But
her fate did not desert her. The waves
shook the grape from her mouth and she
revived; and the box foated until it came
to the Kings piece. Basilopoulo saw it
and told his servants to bring it to land;
but when he found that it was only box
he sent it down to the kitchen.


In the night the little one was hungry;
so she opened the lid, got out, ate some
food and lay back in the box again. This
she did every night, until the servants
found how the food disappeared, and went
and told the kings son.


II see," said Basilopoulo. every we'll, I
will go and catch the thief"


So he went into the kitchen at mid
uight, and saw the little one come out,
and caught her in his arms. And the
kings son, seeing her so pretty and so
sweet, loved her and took her for his
wife.


Then the two sisters said to the Sun:


"Sun, dear Sun, which is now the fair
est one? Is it one of us or she whom we
poisoned?'


And the Sun replied: 1T is your
sister, who has the kings son for her
husband"


Meanwhile Basilopoulo had been
obliged to go to war, and in his absense
the queen had son. One day a poor
woman came to her and asked to be al
lowed to live in the palace aud nurse her
child. The queen did not recognize her
sister, and consented. Presently the SIS
ter, whilst dressing the queens hair,
stuck an enchanted pin into her head,
and the queen was changed into a little
bird. Then the other took her garments
and put herself in her place.


When Basilopoulo returned he found