Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/34

18 "Play, play, little pipe; comfort my dear parents, and my sisters, who misused, killed, and buried me for the sake of the silver plate and transparent apple."

The peasant made the shepherd take him to the hillock at once. When they got to it they began to dig open the hillock, where they found the dead body of the unfortunate girl. The father fell on his knees before it, and tried to bring her back to life, but all in vain. The people again began asking who it was that killed and buried her, whereupon the pipe replied,—

"My sisters took me into the forest and slew me for the silver plate and transparent apple. If you want to wake me from this sound slumber, you must bring me the water of life from the royal fountain."

The two miserable sisters turned pale, and wanted to run away, whereupon the people seized them, tied them together, and marched them off to a dark cell, where they locked them up until the king should pronounce judgment on them.

The peasant went to the palace, and was brought before the king's son, and falling upon his knees before the prince, he related the whole story. Whereupon the king's son told him to take as much of the water of life from the royal fountain as he pleased.

"When your daughter is well, bring her to me," continued the prince, "and also her evil-minded sisters."

The peasant was delighted. He thanked the young prince, and ran to the forest with the water of life. After he had sprinkled the body several times with