They say there was a merchant who had three daughters. When he went
out into foreign countries to buy wares he told them he would bring
them rare presents whatever they might ask for. The eldest asked for
precious jewels, the second for rich shawls, but the youngest who
was always kept out of sight in the kitchen by the others, and made
to do the dirty work of the house, asked only for a little bird.
'So you want a little bird, do you! What is the use of a little bird
to you!' said the sisters mocking her, and 'Papa will have something
else to think of than minding little birds on a long journey.'
'But you will bring me a little bird, won't you, papa?' pleaded the
little girl; 'and I can tell you that if you don't the boat you are
on will stand still, and will neither move backwards nor forwards.'
The merchant went away into a far country and bought precious wares,
but he forgot all about the little bird. It was only when he had
got on board a boat to go down a mighty river on his homeward way,
and the captain found the boat would not move by any means, that he
remembered what his daughter had said to him. Then while the captain
was wondering how it was the boat would not move, he went to him and
told him what he had done. But the captain said, 'That is easily set
right. Here close by is a garden full of thousands of birds; you can
easily creep in and carry off one. One will never be missed among so
many thousands.'
The merchant followed his directions and went into the garden where
there were so many thousand birds that he easily caught one. The
captain gave him a cage, and he brought it safely home and gave it
to his daughter.
That night the elder sisters said as usual, 'We are going to the ball;
you will stay at home and sweep up the place and mind the fire.'
Now all the birds in the garden which the captain had pointed out to
the merchant were fairies; so when the others were gone to the ball and
the youngest daughter went into her room to her bird, she said to it:
Give me splendid raiment,
And I will give you my rags. [36]
Immediately, the bird gave her the most beautiful suit of clothes,
with jewels and golden slippers, and a splendid carriage and prancing
horses. With these the maiden went to the ball which was at the
king's palace. The moment the king saw her he fell in love with her,
and would dance with no one else. The sisters were furious with the
stranger because the king danced all night with her and not with them,
but they had no idea it was their sister.
The second night she did the same, only the bird gave her a yet more
beautiful dress, and the king did all he could to find out who she was,
but she would not tell him. Then he asked her name and she said,--
'They call me Cenorientola.'
'Cenorientola,' said the king; 'what a pretty name! I never heard
it before.'
He had also told the servants that they must run after her carriage
and see where it went; but though they ran as fast as the wind they
could not come near the pace of her horses.
The third night the sisters went to the ball and left her at home,
and she staid at home with her little bird and said to it,--
Give me splendid raiment,
And I will give you my rags. [37]
Then the bird gave her a more splendid suit still, and the king paid
her as much attention as ever. But to the servants he had said,
'If you don't follow fast enough tonight to see where she lives I
will have all your heads cut off.' So they used such extra diligence
that she in her hurry to get away dropped one of her golden slippers;
this the servants picked up and brought to the king.
The next day the king sent a servant into every house in the city till
he should find her whom the golden slipper fitted, but there was not
one; last of all he came to the merchant's house, and he tried it on
the two elder daughters and it would fit neither. Then he said,--
'There must be some other maiden in this house;' but they only shrugged
their shoulders. 'It is impossible; another maiden there must be,
for every maiden in the city we have seen and the slipper fits none,
therefore one there must be here.'