“The wedding came, and the fêtes, and the cripples. A pitiable sight they were, indeed. They were still young; but their distorted forms only made their youth a motive for greater compassion. The back of one was curled over so that her chin touched her waist, and her arms were so short they were no longer than the fins of a fish. Those of the second were so swollen that each was the size of her whole body, and you could scarcely tell which was which; and on her forehead was a great swelling like the horn of a rhinoceros. The skin of the third was all shrivelled and seamed with scars, and her eyes were red all round, and stood out from her head worse than those of a lobster.
“‘Pura!’ exclaimed the bridegroom, as they made their approach, ‘how on earth did these three scarecrows get in? they are almost enough to cast an evil eye on our happiness.’
“‘Say not so, beloved,’ replied Pura; ‘they are three poor girls who might have been as happy as you and I, but that misfortune overtook them. Their life is sad enough, shall we not try to make them glad for once, on our own happy day?’
“‘Sweet child, you are right, and I was hasty,’ answered the bridegroom; ‘but how did you come to know them?’
“‘Some one who was very kind to me seemed to take an interest in them too, and asked me to invite them, that they might have one bright day at least.’
“‘Then, if that is the case, they have my heartiest welcome; I had rather see them here than if they were the highest duchesses of the land.’
“And with that he sent the friend who attended to marshalling the guests, to put them in the best places, nearest to the bride and himself.
“Nevertheless, he could not get over his curiosity, to know why they were formed in such an extraordinary manner; and when the conversation began to get sufficiently general and familiar, he went up to the first, and after an exchange of ordinary compliments, and feeling his way by little and little, at last allowed himself to say in the politest tone,—
“‘May I ask, dear friend, how it is your back comes to be so bent, and your arms so very short?’
“And while he waited in great perturbation, lest he should have offended or hurt the poor thing, she answered cheerfully enough,—