THE SEWING MATCH

The third tale is herewith translated verbatim:

"There was a man who had a most beautiful daughter, the

favorite of all the young men of the place; two,

especially, tried to win her regard. One day these two

came together and begged her to choose one of them. The

young girl called her father; when the young men had

told him that they were suing for his daughter's hand,

he requested them to come there the next day, when he

would set them a task and the one who got through with

it first should have the girl.

"Meanwhile the father bought in the market a piece of

cloth and cut it up for two garments. Now when the two

rivals appeared the next morning he gave to each the

materials for a garment and told them to sew them

together, promising his daughter to the one who should

get done first. The daughter he ordered to thread the

needles for both the men.

"Now the girl knew very well which of the two young men

she would rather have for a husband; to him, therefore,

she always handed needles with short threads, while the

other was always supplied with long threads. Noon came

and neither of them had finished his garment. After

awhile, however, the one who always got the short

threads finished his task.

"The father was then summoned and the young man showed

him the garment; whereupon the father said: 'You are a

quick worker and will therefore surely be able to

support your wife. Take my daughter as your wife and

always do your work rapidly, then you will always have

food for yourself and your wife.'

"Thus did the young man win his beloved by means of her

cunning. Joyfully he led her home as his wife."

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