54 SLAV TALES

“Merciful God! ah me!” cried the poor woman, “ what
are these dreams that worry her poor brain!”

In the morning she said, “ What made you sneer so fright-
fully last night? You must have had bad dreams again,
my poor child.”

“Now, mother, you look as if you were going to preach
again.”

“No, no; but I want to know what you were dreaming
about.”

‘Well, I dreamt some one drove up in a golden carriage
and asked me to marry him, and he brought me a mantle
of cloth of pure gold. When we came into church, the crowd
pressed forward to kneel before me.”

The mother wrung her hands piteously, and the girl left
the room to avoid hearing her lamentations. That same
day three carriages entered the yard, one of brass, one of
silver, and one of gold. The first was drawn by two, the
second by three, the third by four magnificent horses. Gentle-
men wearing scarlet gloves and green mantles got out of
the brass and silver carriages, while from the golden carriage
alighted a prince who, as the sun shone on him, looked as
if he were dressed in gold. They all made their way to the
widow and asked for her daughter’s hand.

“TI fear we are not worthy of so much honour,” replied
the widow meekly, but when the daughter’s eyes fell upon
her suitor she recognised in him the lover of her dreams, and
withdrew to weave an aigrette of many-coloured feathers.
In exchange for this aigrette which she offered her bridegroom,
he placed upon her finger a ring set with stones that shone
like the stars in heaven, and over her shoulders a mantle