130._ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THEE 3-

EYES. 

There  was  once  a  woman  who  had  three  daughters,  the 
eldest  of  whom  was  called  One-eye,  because  she  had  only 
one  eye  in  the  middle  of  her  forehead,  and  the  second.  Two- 
eyes,  because  she  had  two  eyes  like  other  folks,  and  the 
youngest,  Three-eyes,  because  she  had  three  eyes ;  and 
her  third  eye  was  also  in  the  centre  of  her  forehead. 
However,  as  Two-eyes  saw  just  as  other  human  beings  did, 
her  sisters  and  her  mother  could  not  endure  her.  They 
said  to  her,  "  Thou,  with  thy  two  eyes,  art  no  better  than 
the  common  people ;  thou  dost  not  belong  to  us !  "  They 
pushed  her  about,  and  threw  old  clothes  to  her,  and  gave 
her  nothing  to  eat  but  what  they  left,  and  did  everything 
that  they  could  to  make  her  unhappy.  It  came  to  pass 
that  Two-eyes  had  to  go  out  into  the  fields  and  tend  the 
goat,  but  she  was  still  quite  hungry,  because  her  sisters 
had  given  her  so  little  to  eat.  So  she  sat  down  on  a  ridge 
and  began  to  weep,  and  so  bitterly  that  two  streams 
ran  down  from  her  eyes.  And  once  when  she  looked  up 
in  her  grief,  a  woman  was  standing  beside  her,  who  said, 
"  Why  art  thou  weeping,  little  Two-eyes  ?  "  Two-eyes 
answered,  "  Have  I  not  reason  to  weep,  when  I  have  two 
eyes  like  other  people,  and  my  sisters  and  mother  hate  me 
for  it,  and  push  me  from  one  corner  to  another,  throw  old 
clothes  at  me,  and  give  me  nothing  to  eat  but  the  scraps 
they  leave  ?     To-day  they  have  given  me  so  little  that  I 

am  still  quite  liungr}^"  Then  the  wise  woman  said, 
"  Wipe  away  thy  tears,  Two-eyes,  and  I  will  tell  thee 
something  to  sto^D  thee  ever  suffering  from  hunger  again ; 
just  say  to  thy  goat, 

"  Bleat,  my  little  goat,  bleat, 
Cover  the  table  with  something  to  eat," 

and  then  a  clean  well-spread  little  table  will  stand 
before  thee,  with  the  most  delicious  food  upon  it  of  which 
thou  mayst  eat  as  much  as  thoii  art  inclined  for,  and 
when  thou  hast  had  enough,  and  hast  no  more  need  of  the 
little  table,  just  say, 

"Bleat,  bleat,  my  little  goat,  I  pray. 
And  take  the  table  quite  away," 

and  then  it  will  vanish  again  from  thy  sight."  Hereupon 
the  wise  woman  departed.  But  Two- eyes  thought,  "  I 
must  instantly  make  a  trial,  and  see  if  what  she  said  is 
true,  for  I  am  far  too  hungry,"  and  she  said, 

"Bleat,  my  little  goat,  bleat, 
Cover  the  table  with  something  to  eat," 

and  scarcely  had  she  spoken  the  words  than  a  little  table, 
covered  with  a  white  cloth,  was  standing  there,  and  on  it 
was  a  plate  with  a  knife  and  fork,  and  a  silver  spoon ;  and 
the  most  delicious  food  was  there  also,  warm  and  smoking 
as  if  it  had  just  come  out  of  the  kitchen.  Then  I'wo-eyes 
said  the  shortest  prayer  she  knew,  "  Lord  God,  be  with  us 
always,  Amen,"  and  helped  herself  to  some  food,  and 
enjoyed  it.  And  when  she  was  satisfied,  she  said,  as  the 
wise  woman  had  taught  her, 

"  Bleat,  bleat,  my  little  goat,  I  pray, 
And  take  the  table  quite  away," 

and  immediately  the  little  table  and  everything  on  it  was 
gone  again.  "  That  is  a  delightful  way  of  keeping  house  !  " 
thought  Two-eyes,  and  was  quite  glad  and  happy. 

In  the  evening,  when  she  went  home  with  her  goat,  she 
found  a  small  earthenware  dish  with  some  food,  which  her 
sisters  had  set  ready  for  her,  but  she  did  not  touch  it. 
Next  day  she  again  went  out  with  her  goat,  and  left  tha 

few  bits  of  broken  bread  which  had  been  handed  to  her, 
lying  untouched.  The  first  and  second  time  that  she  did 
this,  her  sisters  did  not  remark  it  at  all,  but  as  it  happened 
every  time,  they  did  observe  it,  and  said,  "  There  is  some- 
thing wrong  about  Two-eyes,  she  always  leaves  her  food 
Tintasted,  and  she  used  to  eat  up  everything  that  was 
given  her  ;  she  must  have  discovered  other  ways  of  getting 
food."  In  order  that  they  might  learn  the  truth,  they 
resolved  to  send  One-eye  with  Two-eyes  when  she  went  to 
drive  her  goat  to  the  pasture,  to  observe  what  Two-eyes 
did  when  she  was  there,  and  whether  any  one  brought  her 
anything  to  eat  and  drink.  So  when  Two-eyes  set  out 
the  next  time,  One-eye  went  to  her  and  said,  "  I  will  go 
with  you  to  the  pasture,  and  see  that  the  goat  is  well 
taken  care  of,  and  driven  where  there  is  food."  But  Two- 
eyes  knew  what  was  in  One-eye's  mind,  and  drove  the 
goat  into  high  grass  and  said,  "  Come,  One-eye,  we 
will  sit  down,  and  I  will  sing  something  to  you."  One- 
eye  sat  down  and  was  tired  with  the  unaccustomed  walk 
and  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  Two-eyes  sang  constantly, 

"  One  eye,  wakest  thou  ? 
One  eye,  sleepest  thou?" 

until  One-eye  shut  her  one  eye,  and  fell  asleep,  and  as 
Boon  as  Two-eyes  saw  that  One-eye  was  fast  asleep,  and 
could  discover  nothing,  she  said, 

"  Bleat,  my  little  goat,  bleat, 
Cover  the  table  with  something  to  eat," 

and  seated  herself  at  her  table,  and  ate  and  drank  until 
she  was  satisfied,  and  then  she  again  cried, 

"  Bleat,  bleat,  my  little  goat,  I  pray, 
And  take  the  table  quite  away," 

and  in  an  instant  all  was  gone.  Two-eyes  now  awakened 
One-eye,  and  said,  "  One-eye,  you  want  to  take  care  of  the 
goat,  and  go  to  sleep  while  you  are  doing  it,  and  in  the 
meantime  the  goat  might  run  all  over  the  world.  Come, 
let  us  go  home  again."  So  they  went  home,  and  again 
Two-eyes  let  her  little  dish  stand  untouched,  and  One-eye 
could  not  tell  her  mother  why  she  would  not  eat  it,  and 
to  excuse  herself  said,  "  I  fell  asleep  when  I  was  out." 

Next  day  the  mother  said  to  Three-eyes,  "  This  time  thou 
shalt  go  and  observe  if  Two-eyes  eats  anything  when  she  is 
out,  and  if  any  one  fetches  her  food  and  drink,  for  she  must 
eat  and  drink  in  secret."  So  Three-eyes  went  to  Two-eyes, 
and  said,  "  I  will  go  with  you  and  see  if  the  goat  is  taken 
proper  care  of,  and  driven  where  there  is  food."  But  Two- 
eyes  knew  what  was  in  Three-eyes'  mind,  and  drove  the 
goat  into  high  grass  and  said,  "  We  will  sit  down,  and  I  will 
sing  something  to  you,  Three-eyes."  Three-eyes  sat  down 
and  was  tired  with  the  walk  and  with  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
and  Two-eyes  began  the  same  song  as  before,  and  sang, 

"  Three  eyes,  are  you  waking  ?  " 
but  then,  instead  of  singing, 

"Three  eyes,  are  you  sleeping?" 
as  she  ought  to  have  done,  she  thoughtlessly  sang, 

"  Two  eyes,  are  you  sleeping  ?  " 

and  sang  all  the  time, 

"Three  eyes,  are  you  waking? 
Two  eyes,  are  you  sleeping?'* 

Then  two  of  the  eyes  which  Three-eyes  had,  shut  and 
fell  asleep,  but  the  third,  as  it  had  not  been  named  in  the 
song,  did  not  sleep.  It  is  true  that  Three-eyes  shut  it, 
but  only  in  her  cunning,  to  pretend  it  was  asleep  too,  but 
it  blinked,  and  could  see  everything  very  well.  And 
when  Two-eyes  thought  that  Three-eyes  was  fast  asleep, 
she  used  her  little  charm, 

"Bleat,  my  little  goat,  bleat, 
Cover  the  table  with  something  to  eat," 

and  ate  and  drank  as  much  as  her  heart  desired,  and  then 
ordered  the  table  to  go  away  again, 

"Bleat,  bleat,  my  little  goat,  I  pray, 
And  take  the  table  quite  away," 

and  Three-eyes  had  seen  everything.  Then  Two-eyes 
came  to  her,  waked  her  and  said,  "  Have  you  been  asleep, 
Three-eyes  ?    You  are  a  good  care-taker  !     Come,  we  will 

go  home."  And  when  they  got  home,  Two-eyes  again 
did  not  eat,  and  Three-eyes  said  to  the  mother,  "  Now,  I 
know  why  that  high-minded  thing  there  does  not  eat. 
When  she  is  out,  she  says  to  the  goat, 

"Bleaf,  my  little  goat,  bleat, 
Cover  the  table  with  something  to  eat," 

and  then  a  little  table  appears  before  her  covered  with 
the  best  of  food,  much  better  than  any  we  have  here,  and 
when  she  has  eaten  all  she  wants,  she  says, 

"  Bleat,  bleat,  my  little  goat,  I  pray, 
And  take  the  table  quite  away," 

and  all  disappears.  I  watched  everything  closely.  She 
put  two  of  my  eyes  to  sleep  by  using  a  certain  form  of 
words,  but  luckily  the  one  in  my  forehead  kept  awake." 
Then  the  envious  mother  cried,  "  Dost  thou  want  to  fare 
better  than  we  do?  The  desire  shall  pass  away,"  and  she 
fetched  a  butcher's  knife,  and  thrust  it  into  the  heart  of 
the  goat,  which  fell  down  dead. 

When  Two-eyes  saw  that,  she  went  out  full  of  trouble, 
seated  herself  on  the  ridge  of  grass  at  the  edge  of  the  field, 
and  wept  bitter  tears.  Suddenly  the  wise  woman  once 
more  stood  by  her  side,  and  said,  "  Two-eyes,  why  art 
thou  weeping  ? "  "  Have  I  not  reason  to  weep  ? "  she 
answered.  '*  The  goat  which  covered  the  table  for  me 
every  day  when  I  spoke  your  charm,  has  been  killed  by  my 
mother,  and  now  I  shall  again  have  to  bear  hunger  and 
want."  The  wise  woman  said,  "  Two-eyes,  I  will  give 
thee  a  piece  of  good  advice ;  ask  thy  sisters  to  give  thee 
the  entrails  of  the  slaughtered  goat,  and  bury  them  in  the 
ground  in  front  of  the  house,  and  thy  fortune  will  be 
made."  Then  she  vanished,  and  Two-eyes  went  home 
and  said  to  her  sisters,  "  Dear  sisters,  do  give  me  some 
part  of  my  goat ;  I  don't  wish  for  what  is  good,  but  give 
me  the  entrails."  Then  they  laughed  and  said,  "  If  that's 
all  you  want,  you  can  have  it."  So  Two-eyes  took  the 
entrails  and  buried  them  quietly  in  the  evening,  in  front 
of  the  house-door,  as  the  wise  woman  had  counselled  her 
to  do. 

Next  morning,  when  they  all  awoke,  and  went  to  the 

house-door,  there  stood  a  strangely  magnificent  tree  with 
leaves  of  silver,  and  fruit  of  gold  hanging  among  them, 
so  that  in  all  the  wide  world  there   was   nothing  more 
beautiful  or  precious.     They  did  not  know  how  the  tree 
could  have  come  there  during  the  night,  but   Two-eyes  , 
saw  that  it  had  grown  up  out  of  the  entrails  of  the  goat, 
for   it  was  standing  on  the   exact  spot   where   she  had 
buried  them.     Then  the  mother  said  to  One-eye,  "  Climb 
up,  my  child,  and  gather  some  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  for  us.'* 
One-eye  climbed  up,  but  when  she  was  about  to  get  hold 
of  one  of  the  golden  apples,  the  branch  escaped  from  her 
hands,  and  that  happened  each  time,   so  that  she  could 
not  pluck   a   single   apple,   let   her  do   what   she  might.. 
Then   said   the   mother,   "  Three-eyes,  do  you  climb  up ; 
you   with   your  three   eyes   can   look   about   you   better 
than    One-eye."       One-eye    slipped    down,    and    Three- 
eyes  climbed  up.     Three-eyes  was  not  more  skilful,  and 
might  search  as  she  liked,  but  the  golden  apples  always 
escaped  her.     At  length  the  mother  grew  impatient,  and 
climbed  up  herself,  but  could  get  hold  of  the  fruit  no 
better    than    One-eye   and   Three-eyes,   for   she    always 
clutched  empty  air.     Then  said  Two-eyes,  "I  will  just 
go  up,  perhaps  I  may  succeed  better."     The  sisters  cried, 
*'  You  indeed,  with  your  two  eyes,  what  can  you  do  ? " 
But  Two-eyes  climbed  up,  and  the  golden  apples  did  not 
get  out  of  her  way,  but  came  into  her  hand  of  their  own 
accord,  so  that  she  could  pluck  them  one  after  the  other, 
and   brought   a   whole   apronful   down   with    her.     The 
mother  took  them  away  from  her,  and  instead  of  treating 
poor  Two-eyes  any  better  for  this,  she  and  One-eye  and 
Three-eyes  were   only  envious,   because  Two-eyes   alone 
had  been  able  to  get  the  fruit,  and  they  treated  her  still 
more  cruelly. 

It  so  befell  that  once  when  they  were  all  standing  to- 
gether by  the  tree,  a  young  knight  came  up.  "  Quick, 
Two-eyes,"  cried  the  two  sisters,  "  cree])  under  this,  and 
don't  disgrace  us  !  "  and  with  all  speed  they  turned  an 
empty  barrel  which  was  standing  close  by  the  tree  over 
poor  Two-eyes,  and  they  pushed  the  golden  apples  which 
she  had  been  gathering,  under  it  too.  When  the  knight 
came   nearer    he    was   a    handsome    lord,  who    stopped 

and  admired  the  magnificent  gold  and  silver  tree,  ard 
said  to  the  two  sisters,  "  To  whom  does  this  fine  tree 
belong  ?  Any  one  who  would  bestow  one  branch  of  it  on 
me  might  in  return  for  it  ask  whatsoever  he  desired." 
Then  One-eye  and  Three-eyes  replied  that  the  tree  be- 
longed to  them,  and  that  they  would  give  him  a  branch. 
They  both  took  great  trouble,  but  they  were  not  able  to 
do  it,  for  the  branches  and  fruit  both  moved  away  from 
them  every  time.  Then  said  the  knight,  "  It  is  very 
strange  that  the  tree  should  belong  to  you,  and  that  you 
should  still  not  be  able  to  break  a  piece  off."  They  again 
asserted  that  the  tree  was  their  property.  Whilst  they 
were  saying  so,  Two-eyes  rolled  out  a  couple  of  golden 
apples  from  under  the  barrel  to  the  feet  of  the  knight,  for 
she  was  vexed  with  One-eye  and  Three-eyes,  for  not 
speaking  the  truth.  When  the  knight  saw  the  apples  he 
was  astonished,  and  asked  where  they  came  from.  One- 
eye  and  Three-eyes  answered  that  they  had  another 
sister,  who  was  not  allowed  to  show  herself,  for  she  had  only 
two  eyes  like  any  common  person.  The  knight,  however, 
desired  to  see  her,  and  cried,  "  Two-eyes,  come  forth." 
Then  Two-eyes,  quite  comforted,  came  from  beneath  the 
barrel,  and  the  knight  was  surprised  at  her  great  beauty, 
and  said,  "  Thou,  Two-eyes,  canst  certainly  break  off  a 
branch  from  the  tree  for  me."  "  Yes,"  replied  Two-eyes, 
"  that  I  certainly  shall  be  able  to  do,  for  the  tree  belongs  to 
me."  And  she  climbed  up,  and  with  the  greatest  ease  broke 
off  a  branch  with  beautiful  silver  leaves  and  golden  fruit, 
and  gave  it  to  the  knight.  Then  said  the  knight,  "  Two- 
eyes,  what  shall  I  give  thee  for  it  ? "  "  Alas  !  "  answered 
Two-eyes,  "  I  sufier  from  hunger  and  thirst,  grief  and 
want,  from  early  morning  till  late  night ;  if  you  would 
take  me  with  you,  and  deliver  me  from  these  things,  I 
should  be  happy."  So  the  knight  lifted  Two-eyes  on  to  his 
horse,  and  took  her  home  with  him  to  his  father's  castle,  and 
there  he  gave  her  beautiful  clothes,  and  meat  and  drink  to 
her  heart's  content,  and  as  he  loved  her  so  much  he  married 
her,  and  the  wedding  was  solemnized  with  great  rejoicing. 
When  Two-eyes  was  thus  carried  away  by  the  handsome 
knight,  her  two  sisters  grudged  her  good  fortune  in 
downright  earnest.     "  The  wonderful  tree,  however,  still 

remains  with  us,"  thouglit  they,  "  and  even  if  we  can 
gather  no  fruit  from  it,  still  every  one  will  stand  still  and 
look  at  it,  and  come  to  ns  and  admire  it.  Who  knows 
what  good  things  may  be  in  store  for  us  ?  "  But  next 
morning,  the  tree  had  vanished,  and  all  their  hopes  were 
at  an  end.  And  when  Two-eyes  looked  out  of  the 
window  of  her  own  little  room,  to  her  great  delight  it 
was  standing  in  front  of  it,  and  so  it  had  followed  her. 
Two-eyes  lived  a  long  time  in  happiness.  Once  two 
poor  women  came  to  her  in  her  castle,  and  begged  for 
alms.  She  looked  in  their  faces,  and  recognized  her 
sisters.  One-eye,  and  Three- eyes,  who  had  fallen  into 
such  poverty  that  they  had  to  wander  about  and  beg 
their  bread  from  door  to  door.  Two-eyes,  however,  made 
them  welcome,  and  was  kind  to  them,  and  took  care  of 
them,  so  that  they  both  with  all  their  hearts  repented 
the  evil  that  they  had  done  their  sister  in  their  youth.