THE STORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO HAD HER WISH
The teller of tales says that, once upon a time, there lived a woman whose only child was a daughter, so beautiful that, of all who saw her, not one had ever beheld her equal. And this daughter not only was fair to look upon, she was gentle and kind to everyone and very loving and obedient to her mother. Indeed, there seemed to be nothing wanting to the happiness of these two.
Her mother had taught the young girl to weave the most delicate lace, and during some portion of every day she sat in her own room and carefully wrought out the pattern. Late one afternoon, as she was engaged thus, a bird flew in at the window. This did not seem strange to one with whom the birds were so friendly that every day they came to eat from her hand. But as she looked upon this little visitor, he seemed unlike those that came to her daily.
Lowering his head three times, he opened his [[45]]bill and spoke to her. The words that he said were very terrible: “Gentle maiden,” quoth the bird, “during forty nights shalt thou keep watch beside a corpse. After that it shall happen to thee according to thy strongest wish.”
The young girl was so surprised and alarmed that she could not command her tongue to ask the bird why this must come to her. Before she became calm the bird had flown.
Now, because the girl loved her mother very deeply, she delayed to speak of this strange matter. At night she went to bed and slept, and when morning came, took up her accustomed duties. At the approach of evening the strange bird came again, spoke as before, and flew away.
Sick at heart, the poor girl ran to her mother and confided all that had passed. The mother, greatly alarmed, questioned her daughter closely. “Dost thou fear another visit from the bird, my child?”
“Twice has he come to me. He will surely come once more. Thou knowest well, my mother, that one who has a second warning surely must receive a third.”
“Ai, my daughter!” exclaimed the mother. “And at what time will the bird visit thee?”