THE THREE ORANGES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 80, 25 June 1927, Page 27

THE THREE ORANGES

The King’s daughter, lovely as dawn, fell ill. All the doctors in the land could not cure her. The doctor who knew most declared that she would be well again if she could eat three oranges growing on a tree in a beautiful garden in a far land. On this tree many nightingales sang night and day, and nine oranges glowing like gold were to be found. The king ordered the heralds to proclaim throughout his realm that the princess should be given in marriage to the man who brought three of these oranges, and cured her. Three brothers, the sons of a poor widow, heard this. The two eldest brothers were worthless, idle fellows. The youngest was wise and fearless. The eldest asked his mother for a basket, told her he would return and marry the king’s daughter, and set out to find the oranges. For several weeks he walked from dawn to sunset and at last reached the garden, plucked three oranges, and turned his steps homeward. Passing a well of clear water he saw an old woman, black as night, sitting on the edge. “What have you in your basket, young man?” asked she. “Three toads, old woman.” “Then let it be so.” When the young man arrived at the palace he told the king he had brought the oranges and demanded his daughter in marriage. The king opened the basket and out jumped three toads. Then he sent the young man away to be hanged. Next day, the second son asked his mother for a basket and set off to find the three oranges. He, also, travelled each day from dawn to sunset, and, after several weeks, reached the wonderful garden. The nightingales sang on the orangetree, white blossoms were there, and six oranges glowing like gold. He plucked three of them and set off home. He paused by the well of clear water and saw an old woman, black as night, sitting on the edge. “What have you in your basket, young man?” she asked. “Three serpents, old woman.” “Let it be so, then.” The young man reached the king’s palace, told him he had brought the oranges and demanded the princess as his wife. The king opened the basket and out wriggled three serpents. Then he sent the young man to be hanged. The youngest son asked his mother for a basket and told her he would return, if possible, with a little money. He reached the garden, after walking from dawn to sunset for many weeks. He heard the nightingales, he plucked the three oranges left on the tree and set off home. By the well he saw the same old woman, who asked what was in : # basket. “Three oranges, good woman.” “So let it be,” she said. “Young man, will you fill my pitcher at the well?” “Willingly, good woman.” “Thank you, and what will you do with your oranges?” “I shall take them to the king to cure his daughter, but I am too poor to marry her. I hope the king will reward me with money. If so, I shall give it to my mother, who is very poor and too old to work any longer.”

“You will marry the king’s daughter, but the king will try to prevent it and will set you hard tasks first. Take this whip, this whistle, and this ring. They will help you.

“The first task will be to drive all the flies out of his kingdom. Agree to do this, crack this whip in the air and the flies from leagues around will fly away and not return.

“The second task will be to guard 300 hares in the fields and bring them safely back to the stables every night for a week. You may rest content, for at the sound of the whistle all the hares will follow you. “After that, the king will ask you to give him one of the hares. Do so, but on condition that he lets you put this golden ring on the finger of the princess. It will squeeze her finger very tightly and she will know no rest until the king consents to the marriage.” Everything fell out as the old woman had said. The young man took the oragnes to the king. The princess ate one and felt well enough to get up. She ate the second and became stronger and more beautiful than ever before. She ate the third and desired strongly to marry the young man. But the king looked at the young man and saw that he was poor and of lowly birth, so he set him the tasks which seemed impossible. By the help of the whip the flies were driven away; with the whistle hares could be guarded and brought safely back to the stables. When the king asked for a hare the young man begged in return that he might place a gold ring on the finger of the princess. The king consented, but no sooner was the ring on her finger than the princess cried out that it hurt her and that she would know neither rest nor peace until she married the young man. At that, the king gave his consent, and the young people lived happily ever after. SOME RIDDLES How' do you get down from an elephant’s back? —You don’t; you get it from a goose* Why is a ship always polite?—Because it always advances with a bow. Why does a stork lift one leg?—Because if he lifted two he would fall over. HIS ANSWER The teacher was asking the class a question, and was getting very cross' because not one of the boys could give him the answer. “Now, for the last ; time,” he said, crossly, “what is a fortification?” Little Johnny Jones slowly put up his hand. “Well, Johnny,” said the teacher. “Do you know'?” “Yes, teacher,” was the reply. “Two twentifications.” THE GOOD OLD DAYS A little boy looked up wearily from his homework. "I wish I had lived hundreds of years ago,” he sighed. “Why, dear?” asked his mother. “Because I shouldn’t have Lad so <nuch history to learn,” was the replj.