The Greek Cinderella

[The story of "Cir.dprella" is very oll aD'i has passod tbróush mar.y Forma Perbapw it may be mrprtaing to tmon thai the Qreefca told tliis story u thefr children manj centurtes aso Uwe is the Qreeb versión.] There were once three sisters spinning flax, and tliey said. "Wliosever spindle falls, let us tul her and e;tt her." The mother's spindle fel], and they let her alone. Agais they t;at down to spin, and again the mother's spindle feil, and again, and yet again. "Ah, u-elll" sukl they, "let us eat her now!" "Nol" said the youngest, "do not eat her; eat me, if fleah you uill have." But they would not; and tuo of them killed tlieir mother and cooked her lor eating. When thoy had sat down to make a ineal of her, they aaid to the voungest, "Come and i:t, too!" But sIk refused and sat down on a saddle which the fowls were covering with iilth and wept. Then the voungest, whora tliey called Little Saddleslut, gatherod all the boncs and buried them, and smoked thein every dav with incensé for forty days, and aftèr the forty days were out sho went to take them awáy and put theni in another place. And when she lifted up the stone she was astonished at the rays of liglit which it sent fortli. and raimènt was found there like unto the heavena and the stars, the spring with ts flowers, the Rea with its waves, and man; coins of every kind. On Sunday her sisters went to church; then she, too, aróse; she waslied and attired herself, putting on the garment that was as the heavens with the stars, and went to church. taking with her a few gold pieces in her puree. 'Vvlion she went into the churcli all the people wore araazed and could not gaze upon her by reason of the brightnessof hergarments, When she left the churcli the people followed her tosee whither she west. Then she lilled her hand with mom-v from her bag and cast it in the way. Tl ion tlio crowd Bcrambled for the coins, and left her alone. And Btraightway she went into the house and changed her clothes, and put on her old things, and sat down upon the saddle. Her sisters carne home from chuich and said to her: 'Whore are you, wretch? (.'ome and let us teil you lunv there came into the church a muiden more glorious tlian the sun, who had BUCh garments on as you could not look on, so brightly did they gleam and shine, and sho Btrewed money on the way. Look, see what a lot we have picked u(i! Why did you uot come, too? worse luck to jou!" Next Stinday Üiey went to church again, and sho did the same. Then tliey went anothcr 8unday, and just as she was flingingthe nioney she lost hershoe among the crowd and left it hehind her. Now tlie king's son was following her, but could not catch her, anil only found her shoe. ihen saici ho to himself: "Whose ever foot thisshoe exactly fits, without being either too largo or too smal], I will take her for my wife." And lio went to al] the women ho knew and tried it on, but could not manage to üt it. Tlien her sisters carne to lier and .said: "You go and try it on; perhaps it will lit you." "Do not mako fun of me," she Baid. However, sho went down, and when the prince Baw her ho knew the Bhoe was hers, and said to her: "I will tuk o you to wife." "Do not make fun of rae," ehe answered, "so may your jouth be liappy!" "Nay, but I will marry you," said lie, and lio took her and made hor his wife. Tlien she put on her fairest robes. When a littlc chlld was born to her the sisters carne to seo ít. And when she was hclpless and alono they put her into a chost and cairied her olí and threw her iiito a rivor, and the river cast her forth upon a desert. There was a half witted oíd woman there, and when abe Baw the chest ehe thought to cut it up (for Brewood) and took it awav for that purpoee. And vvlicn blio liad hroken it up and saw sonie ono ulive in t, she got up and mado oí!, tío the princess was lelt alone, and heard thewolves bowling, aod the swino and the lions, and ghe 8at and wept aud prayod to (od, "Oh, God, p;ivo me a little hole i:i tlie c-roimd that 1 niav hide I tny head in it and not hcar tho wild beasts," and lio gavo ber ono. Again sho said, "Oh, Cíod, give me one a litllo larger, that I may get in up to tny 1 waisf." And he gave her one. And : 6lie beaought hún again a (hinl time, i and he gave her a cabin with :11 that I bIk' wanted :i it; and there kIig dwelt, and wbatever slie said, her bidding was I done forthvvith. For instance, when ehe wanted lo eat b!io would say, '"Come, table. with :l that s wanted I Come, foodl Cotnc, epoooa anl forka, and all tliings nci ('nul," and Btraightway they all got ready, and when Bhe finished slio would oak, lkAreyou all there?" and they would answt p, "We are." One da j tlie prince carne ato (he wilderness to hunt, and seeing the cabin lie went to Qnd mt who was inside; and when lio k'(;t there lio knocked .-.t thc door. And she eaw him and knew him íioni afar, and said, "Who i knocking ;t thedoorí" "ItisI, letmein," said he. upen, aoorai said abe, and m a twinkling tlic doors oponed uní he cntered. He went up staira aiul found her seated 011 a chair. "Good day to vou," said he. "Welcome!" said kIio, and straightway all tliat was ín iho room criedout, "Welcome!" "Como, chair!" she cried, and ono carne al unce. "Sit down," she said to him, and down he Bat. And wlion filie asked him the reason of liis coming, slie bade him stay and diñe. Ho agreed, and straichtway che gave her orders: "Come, table, with all the covers," and fortliwith they presented themselves, and he was Bore amazed. "Come, basin," ahe cried. "Come, jog, pour water lor us towashl Come, lood, Ui ten coorses!" and immediatoly all tliat sho ordered made its appeorance. Afterwards, when tlio meal was endcd, the prince tried to liide a spoon. and put it mto Iiis slioc; and when they rose frooi table, fihe said, "Table, have you allyouï covers?" "Yes, I have." "Spoons, are you all there?" "All," they said, except one wtiich . aid, "I am in the prince's 8hoe." Then slie cried again, as though ehe nad oot henrcl, "Are you all there, spoona and forks?" And as soon as the prince heuA her h got rid of it on the sly and blushed. And she said to him, "Why did you blush? Don 't be afraid. I am your wife." Then shc told hitu how she got there and how she fared. And they hugged and kissed each other, and she ordwed the house to move and it did move. And when they came near the town all the world came out to see them. Then the prince gave orders for hls wife's sisters to be brought before him, and they brought them and he hewed them in pieces. And so thenceforward they lived happily, and may we live more happily