Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/84

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PORTUGUESE FOLK-TALES.

learn how it is to be done." The old witch, believing them to be innocent and artless, stood upon the peel! "Saint Peter, come to our help!" cried out the brothers, the moment they saw her upon the peel. Saint Peter came, pushed the old hag into the oven, stirred the fire, and shut the oven door, After this the boys continued to partake of the remaining cakes very comfortably.




XV.—The Maiden with the Rose on Her Forehead.

There was once a prince and a princess who were brother and sister, and were very great friends. The prince had a garden which no one was allowed to cultivate but himself. As it happened he had to go to the war; and he was sorry to go, because he did not like to trust any one with the care of his own garden. His sister, however, said to him:—"Dear brother, have no anxiety about your garden, leave it to me, and I promise you that no one but myself shall look after it." The prince then departed, well pleased with his sister's arrangement. The princess not wishing to leave the garden for one minute, as her brother was there constantly when at home, had her couch brought to the garden and placed under a large rose tree. After a time she gave birth to a child, a girl, with a rose on her forehead. The princess was much distressed at this, as it had come upon her without her knowledge, and she was always in the garden day and night. The child began to grow, and the mother sent her to school, enjoined her very particularly never to make herself known to any one, because, if she did, she would kill her. The child went to school; and the prince was expected to arrive home very shortly, and it was thought probable that as soon as he should reach the capital, he would go and visit all the schools