Nursery Tales from Many Lands  by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

Little Two Eyes

Once upon a time three little sisters lived together. The first was called Little One Eye, because she had only one eye. It was in the middle of her forehead.

The second was called Little Two Eyes, because she had two eyes like other people.

The third was called Little Three Eyes, because she had three eyes. One of them was in the middle of her forehead.

Little Two Eyes was not happy. Her sister made fun of her. They said, "You are not like us. You are like other people. You shall wear old clothes and shall have only crumbs to eat. We do not like you."

Every morning Little Two Eyes drove the goat to the fields to graze. One morning she was very hungry, for she had had only a few crumbs for breakfast. She sat down under a tree and began to cry. After awhile she heard some one say,

"Little Two Eyes, tell me why you cry?"

She looked up, and there stood an old woman.

"Because I have two eyes like other people my sisters do not like me. They make me wear old clothes and they give me only a few crumbs to eat. I'm very hungry," said Little Two Eyes.

The old woman said, "You shall never be hungry again. Whenever you wish something to eat, say to your goat,

and a little table, loaded with good food, will stand before you. When you have eaten all you wish, say this,

and the table will go away."

Off went the old woman.

"I'm hungry now," thought Little Two Eyes. So she said,

When she had eaten all she wished, Little Two Eyes said,

Then away went the little table.

"What a nice way to keep house!" said Little Two Eyes, laughing to herself. "I shall not have to eat crumbs to-night."

For three days she did not eat anything at home.

At last Little One Eye said, "Little Two Eyes does not eat our food. What is the matter? She must eat something in the field. I will go with her and see."

The next morning when Little Two Eyes was ready to go to the field Little One Eye said, "I will go with you."

"She will try to see how I get food to eat," thought Little Two Eyes.

So they drove the goat into the thick, long grass and Little Two Eyes said, "Come, let us sit here and I will sing to you."

Little One Eye sat down, for she was tired, and Little Two Eyes sang,

Soon Little One Eye fell fast asleep.

said Little Two Eyes, and there before her once more stood the table loaded with good food. She ate all she wished and then she said,

"Awake, Little One Eye! Awake! You did not watch the goat. Come, we will go home."

"Did you see how Little Two Eyes got something to eat?" asked Little Three Eyes.

"No. I fell asleep in the long grass," said Little One Eye.

"I must go and watch her," said Little Three Eyes, "for she does not eat our food."

The next morning when Little Two Eyes was ready to go to the field Little Three Eyes said, "I will go with you."

"She will try to see how I get food to eat," thought Little Two Eyes.

So they drove the goat into the thick, long grass and Little Two Eyes said, "Come, let us sit here and I will sing to you."

Little Three Eyes sat down, for she was very tired, and Little Two Eyes sang,

Two of her eyes went to sleep, but the eye in the middle of her forehead did not go to sleep. Little Two Eyes did not know this, so she sang,

The table, loaded with food, came and she ate a good dinner. Then she said,

Away went the little table. But Little Three Eyes saw with the eye in the middle of her forehead how Little Two Eyes got plenty to eat.

"Awake, Little Three Eyes! Awake! Yot did not watch the goat. Come, we will go home," said Little Two Eyes.

They went home, and Little Three Eyes said to her mother and sister, "I know how she gets plenty to eat. She put two of my eyes to sleep with a song. But the eye in the middle of my forehead saw everything. She says,

and before her stands a table loaded with good food. When she has eaten all she wishes she says,

Away goes the little table."

"We will kill the goat," said her sister.

The next day Little Two Eyes went alone to the field. She sat down under a tree and cried.

After awhile she heard some one say,

"Little Two Eyes, why do you cry?"

She looked up, and there stood the old woman.

"Because my goat is killed," said Little Two Eyes.

"Beg your sisters to give you the heart of the goat. Plant it by the door of your house."

Off went the old woman.

Little Two Eyes went home and said to her sisters, "Please give me the heart of the goat?"

They laughed and said,

"Here it is. You may have it."

Little Two Eyes planted the heart by the door of the house. In the morning a beautiful tree stood before the door. It was covered with silver leaves and bore golden apples. Little Two Eyes knew how it happened to grow there but she did not tell her sisters.

"I'll climb the tree and gather some of the fruit," said Little One Eye. But when she tried to reach an apple the branch sprang out of her hand.

"Let me  try. I have three eyes and see very well," said Little Three Eyes. But when she tried to reach a golden apple, away flew the branch on which it grew.

"Let me see what I can do," said Little Two Eyes.

"You!" said her sisters. "You with your two eyes! What can you do!"

But Little Two Eyes climbed the tree and the golden apples fell into her hands. She brought down as many as she could carry.

How angry her sisters were!

One morning a beautiful Prince came riding by the house.

"Hide, Little Two Eyes!" called out her sisters. "Hide, quickly! Creep under empty cask, for a Prince is coming. You have two eyes, like other people, and he must see you."

Quickly Little Two Eyes crept under the empty cask.

"What a wonderful tree!" said the Prince when he came near. "Is it yours?"

"It is, indeed," said the sisters.

"May I have a branch with some golden apples on it?" asked the Prince.

"We will give you a branch," said the sisters.

First Little One Eye climbed up and tried to break off a branch. Away it flew from her hand.

Then Little Three Eyes climbed up and tried to break off a branch. Away it flew from her hand.

"How strange it is that you cannot break off a branch of your own tree!" said the Prince. "Why, here is a golden apple."

He stooped down and picked it up. As he did so another golden apple rolled to his feet; then another. They came from under the cask where Little Two Eyes was hidden.

"Who is under the cask?" asked the Prince.

"Our sister," said Little Three Eyes. "She must not be seen because she has two eyes like other people."

But the Prince called out, "Come, Little Two Eyes, come!"

And when Little Two Eyes crept out from the cask the Prince said, "Can you pick me a branch with golden apples on it?"

"I will try to get a beautiful branch for you," said Little Two Eyes.

She sprang up the tree and picked a branch loaded with beautiful golden apples.

"Thank you," said the Prince when she offered him the gift. "Now, tell me, Little Two Eyes, what shall I do for you?"

"I am very unhappy here. May I go away with you?" asked Little Two Eyes.

"You shall go with me," said the Prince. "I will take you to my father's castle."

He lifted her on his fine horse and away they rode.

Little Two Eyes was very happy in the castle.

One day she looked out of her window and there was the wonderful tree filled with golden apples.

"My tree has come to grow in the castle park," said Little Two Eyes to the Prince.

"It is one of our wedding gifts, Little Two Eyes," was the answer.