Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/42

24 is there in that? I would rather buy you some nice piece of finery."

But in spite of all he said he could not change her mind.

"Buy me a ruby-red flower"—and that was the end of it.

The father bade them good-bye, got into his cart, and rode off to the city to the fair, where he bought his two older daughters what they asked him to get for them; but nowhere could he find the ruby-red flower, though he went through the whole fair from one end to the other; no such flower was to be found anywhere at all.

The old man drove home and he delighted the eldest daughter and the next older with their fine coats.

"Here, my dear daughters, are what you wanted me to get for you," said he; "but," turning to the youngest, "I couldn't find any ruby-red flower for you."

"Very well," said she; "perhaps next time you will have better luck in finding it."

The two older sisters cut and sewed their new coats, and they made fun of their youngest sister.

"Oh, you stupid girl! What did you expect? You should have asked for something else!"