Page:The Enchanted Knights; or The Chronicle of the Three Sisters.djvu/21

Rh appetite for human flesh, and thou seemest to me a fat morsel.” “Pardon,” my lord eagle,” shrieked the count in agony, “Ask what you like from me, and I will give it to you—only spare my life.” “Well,” said the murderous bird, “I take thee at thy word—thou hast two handsome daughters—I want a consort—promise me thy daughter Adelaide for a wife, and thou mayest return in peace, and I shall redeem her with two bars of gold, each weighing an hundred pounds. In seven weeks I come to take my lady-love home.” Upon this the bird arose and disappeared in the clouds.

Necessity makes a man part with everything. When the father saw the traffic with his daughters so profitable to him, he consoled himself upon their loss. Thus he came home in very good temper, carefully concealing his adventure, partly to avoid the reproaches which he feared from the countess, and partly not to afflict too soon the heart of his beloved daughter. For appearance sake, he complained of the loss of his falcon, which, he said, had flown away.

Adelaide was a spinner superior to any in the country, as well as a skilful weaver, and at that moment she took a most beautiful piece from the