Gypsy folk-tales

by Francis Hindes Groome

That young king said to his soldiers, ‘Hark ye, soldiers, go after my two brothers.’

Then those soldiers went after those two brothers, and then they brought the brothers. Then that young king asks them, ‘How many brothers had you?’

And they said, ‘We are only two.’

The king says, ‘Hah! were there ever more of you?’

Then those two brothers say, ‘We were three.’

Then, ‘What have you done with the third one?’

‘Done with him! He demanded of us to eat, then we took out his eyes.’

Then, ‘I am he,’ thus did that young king say. ‘Now, what am I to do with you?’

Those two brothers say, ‘Lead us under that cross.’

He led them under that very cross. When he had led them, there came again those same three crows. When they had come, again they asked one another, ‘What is the news in your country?’