Part 14 (1/2)

_Little Two-Eyes_ (_goes to door_). Now I'll plant it as the little woman told me. I wonder what kind of a tree will appear to-morrow? Poor little goat, I'm so sorry you have gone! Now I must go into the house and try to sleep.

SCENE X.--_In the Garden_

_Little One-Eye._ Mamma, mamma, look here! Come quickly! Isn't this a wonderful tree!

_Mother._ Why, how strange! This tree was not here yesterday. I wonder how it came! I never saw such a beautiful tree before!

_Little One-Eye._ Do you see the golden apples on it? O mamma! may we have some? Please, mother!

_Mother._ Yes, dear little One-Eye. You are the oldest, climb up into the tree and pick some golden apples for us.

_One-Eye._ That will be fun. Here I go!

_Mother._ Why don't you get the apples, little One-Eye?

_Little One-Eye._ They all get away from me. When I try to pick one it springs back!

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Mother._ Come down, little One-Eye. Now little Three-Eyes, you can see better with your three eyes, than your sister with her one eye. You may climb up and get some apples for us.

_Little Three-Eyes._ I'll pick a lot of them and throw them down for you to catch. Why, how funny they act! I almost get one and it always springs away!

_Mother._ Come down and let me try. I never heard of fruit that would not be picked. Now children, I'll get some of the lovely apples for you.

There! Why, what is the matter? I can't reach a single apple.

_Little Two-Eyes._ Let me try; perhaps I can pick some.

_Mother._ You, with your two eyes! How can you expect to get them if we can't?

_Little Two-Eyes._ Please let me try, mother.

_Mother._ Well, I suppose you can try, but I know you can't get them.

_Two-Eyes._ Here they are. Catch them, mother; catch them, little One-Eye! Oh, mother! I see a young man on horseback coming along the road. He looks like a prince.

_Mother._ Hurry down, little Two-Eyes! He must not see you,--a girl with two eyes! I'm ashamed of you. Hide under this barrel!

[_The prince rides up._]

_Prince._ Good morning, ladies, what a lovely tree you have here! She who gives me a branch shall have whatever she wishes.

_Little One-Eye._ The tree is ours, Great Prince; but when we try to get its fruit, it slips away from us.

_Prince._ It is strange, if the tree belongs to you, that you cannot get the fruit! But where do these apples come from?

_Little Three-Eyes._ We have another sister, but she has only two eyes and we are ashamed of her; so we hid her under this barrel, and she has rolled the apples out to you.

_Prince._ Little Two-Eyes, come out. Can you get me a branch from this wonderful tree?