Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/31

Rh Simpleton meanwhile sat in a corner looking at her sisters with great eagerness. Though she was a simpleton, her father found it hard to go away without asking her what she would like him to bring her; so he asked her too.

"Bring me, dear father," said she, "a silver plate and a transparent apple to roll about on it."

The father was rather astonished. But he said nothing and left.

"Whatever made you ask for such rubbish?" asked her sisters laughing.

"You will see for yourselves when my father brings them," said Simpleton, as she left the room.

The peasant, after having sold his hay, bought his daughters the things they had asked for, and drove home.

The two elder girls were delighted with their presents, and laughed at Simpleton, waiting to see what she intended doing with the silver plate and transparent apple. Simpleton did not eat the apple, as they at first thought she would, but sat in a corner pronouncing these words,—

"Roll away, apple, roll away, on this silver plate; show me different towns, fields, and woods, the seas, the heights of the hills, and the heavens in all their glory."

Away rolled the apple, and on the plate became visible, towns, one after another; ships were seen sailing on the seas; green fields were seen; the heights of the hills were shown; the beauty of the heavens and the setting of the sun were all displayed most wonderfully.