Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/102

 80 who had not said or thought of doing such a thing began to weep: an old woman however appeared to her, and told her not to be troubled, for she would make the shirt for her, but she must promise her to call her "aunt" before every one present at the wedding banquet on her marriage day. The maiden readily promised her to do so; after which the shirt appeared all at once ready made, and it was given to the king. On receiving the shirt the king said that he was not yet satisfied, and that the girl must prove herself more clever still. Upon which the grandmother told him that her granddaughter could hear anything that was said three leagues off. When the maiden knew of this she commenced to cry again, but the woman returned and informed her that if she promised to call her "aunt" on the day of the marriage, before every one, she would tell her what the king would say at the hunt he had gone to three leagues off. The girl promised to comply; and the woman shortly after came and informed her of what the king had said at the hunt. The grandmother then went to the king to tell him. But, as his majesty required yet more proofs of the maiden's extraordinary cleverness, the granny told him that her daughter was so quick at her work, that she could wind in half-an-hour a whole skein of thread. When the girl heard of this she began to weep, because she knew she was not able to do so. The woman, however, who always came to her help, returned once more and offered to do it for her if she complied with the usual promise; which the maiden readily agreed to, and immediately the skein appeared ready wound. The day of the marriage was at last fixed upon, and the king married the maiden. Whilst they were sitting at the banquet which was given on the occasion, a knock was suddenly heard at the door of the hall, and a woman entered who was exceedingly ugly and had very large prominent eyes. The maiden, now a queen, rose at once from the table, and addressed her in this way: "Good afternoon, aunt, give me