Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/27

Rh work was so fine, that when the time came to weave it nobody would touch it for fear of breaking it,

Vaselesa was very unhappy, and tried to do it herself, but failed. So she went to her doll and asked it to do it for her. Next morning all was done!

Never did human eyes see such beautiful stuff. In fact, it was so much admired that Vaselesa (or rather, her doll) set to work and made some beautiful linen which could almost pass through the eye of the smallest needle! When it was all ready Vaselesa told her nurse to try to sell the stuff, and keep the money for herself.

"Why, my dear child," said the old nurse, looking at the linen in surprise, "this is fit for no one but the king himself! I will take it to him at once. Why it is more like silk than linen!"

Off went the old woman to the palace, and asked to see the king, who ordered her to be brought before him at once. He was delighted with the stuff, and asked the price of it.

"I will let your Majesty have it for nothing."

However, the king would not hear of this, but gave her many rich gifts in return.

Shortly after, the king ordered shirts to be made for him of this beautiful linen, but nobody would touch it. They said it was quite impossible to cut or sew it, as it was much too fine for any human hands to finger. The king then ordered the old woman to come before him.

"You could spin and weave this linen," said the king, "therefore you will also have to make me these shirts, as no one in the kingdom will touch the stuff."