STORY OF THE THREE SISTERS. 119

 

 

The youngest sister, who was very beautiful, and had more charms
and wit than the two elder, spoke in her turn: ‘For my part, sisters,’
said she, ‘I shall not limit my desires to such trifles, but take a higher
flight; and since we are upon wishing, I wish to be the emperor's queen
consort. JI would make him father of a prince, whose hair should be
gold on one side of his head, and silver on the other; when he cried,
the tears from his eyes should be pearl, and when he smiled, his ver-
milion lips should look like a rose-bud fresh blown.’

The three sisters’ wishes, particularly that of the youngest, seemed
so singular to the sultan that he resolved to gratify them in their
desires ; but without communicating his design to his grand vizier, he
charged him only to take notice of the house, and bring the three
sisters before him the following day.

The grand vizier, in executing the emperor's orders, would but just
give the sisters time to dress themselves to appear before him, without
telling them the reason. He brought them to the place, and presented
them to the emperor, who said to them, ‘ Do you remember the wishes
you expressed last night, when you were all in so pleasant a mood ?
Speak the truth ; I must know what they were !’

At these unexpected words of the emperor the three sisters were
much confounded. They cast down their eyes and blushed. Modesty,
and fear lest they might have offended the emperor by their conversa-
tion, kept them silent. The emperor, perceiving their confusion, said,
to encourage them, ‘ Fear nothing ; I did not send for you to distress
you; and since I see that is the effect of the question I asked without
my intending it, as I know the wish of each, I will relieve you from
your fears. You,’ added he, ‘who wished to be my wife shall have your
desire this day ; and you,’ continued he, addressing himself to the two
elder sisters, ‘shall also be married to my chief baker and cook.’

The nuptials were all celebrated that day, as the emperor had re-
solved, butin a different manner. The youngest sister's were solemnized
with all the rejoicings usual at the marriages of the emperors of Persia;
and those of the other two sisters according to the quality and distinc-
tion of their husbands—the one as the sultan’s chief baker, and the
other as head cook.

The two elder felt strongly the disproportion of their marriages to
that of their younger sister. This consideration made them far from
being content; though they were arrived at the utmost height of their
late wishes, and much beyond their hopes. They gave themselves up
to an excess of jealousy, and frequently met together to consult how
they might revenge themselves on the queen. They proposed a great
many ways, which they could not accomplish, but dissimulated all the
time to flatter the queen with every demonstration of affection and respect.

Some months after her marriage the queen gave birth to a young
prince, as bright as the day; but her sisters, to whom the child was
given at his birth, wrapped him up in a basket and floated it away on a
canal that ran near the palace, and declared that the queen had given
birth to a little dog. This made the emperor very angry.