One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes

        There was once a woman who was as ugly and mean as a witch.  She had three daughters, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes, and one stepdaughter.  Her own three daughters sat about the house doing nothing or something as they chose.  It was the stepdaughter who was told to do this and to do that.
        "Serve breakfast to your three weary sisters who must rest in bed!"  "Take the cows to pasture, and hurry!"  "Here is the flax to spin.  Three pounds of it, and it must be finished today!"
        The young girl labored hard each day, often wondering how she could finish all of the work.  One day as she sat weeping because the work was not done, an old man passed by and asked, "Dear daughter, why do you weep so?"
        "I weep because I cannot finish all of my work.  I have these three pounds of flax to spin.  The day is growing short, and my stepmother will beat me if I have not done all that she told me to do."
        "Do not grieve.  That is nothing.  Give the flax to your mother's spotted cow.  She will chew the flax, and the spun, finished linen will come out from her nostrils."
        No sooner said than done.  In a very short time there was the flax all spun.  That evening the young girl gave her stepmother the spools of linen thread, all neatly worked.  The woman looked at the linen and looked at the girl.  How could all this work be finished in one day!
        The next day the woman sent her daughter, One-Eye, to pasture so she might watch her stepsister and discover how all this was done.  As the two sat in the meadow, the young girl began to comb One-Eye's hair and, at the same time, sang softly, "Sleep, sleep, little one eye."  And there was One-Eye, fast asleep.  Immediately, the flax was given to the spotted cow, and before long the flax was all neatly spun.  When One-Eye awakened, her stepsister was waiting patiently, the work finished.  So it was that One-Eye could tell her mother nothing that evening.
        Not satisfied, the stepmother sent Two-Eyes to pasture on the following day.  Certainly, Two-Eyes would be more watchful!  As soon as the two girls reached the pasture, the stepsister began to comb Two-Eyes' hair, singing softly, "Sleep, sleep, little one eye, and soon the other eye will sleep, too."  And there was Two-Eyes, fast asleep.  Once again, the young girl gave the flax to the spotted cow, who spun the flax as quickly as she had done before.  When Two-Eyes awakened, the work was finished.  So it was that Two-Eyes could tell her mother nothing that evening.
         The stepmother was more dissatisfied than ever and sent Three-Eyes to pasture the next day with orders to watch carefully.  As the two girls sat in the meadow, the stepsister began to comb Three-Eyes' hair, singing softly, "Sleep sleep, little one eye.  Soon two and three eyes will sleep, too."  And there was Three-Eyes with two eyes fast asleep.  But her third eye, which was in the back of her head, never closed.  So it was that she could watch and see all that her stepsister did.  That evening, Three Eyes was able to tell her mother more than One-Eye and Two-Eyes had been able to tell.  When the wicked stepmother heard all that had happened, she decided to have the spotted cow slaughtered.  Her stepdaughter wept and begged for the cow's life, but the cow was slaughtered.  As the poor young girl sat weeping, the kind old man passed by again.  He stopped and said quietly, "Look inside the cow.  There you will find a pea, which you are to plant in the ground, and all will go well with you."
         The young girl did as the old man told her, and from the pea there soon grew a golden apple tree bearing golden apples.  All the people about marveled at this rare tree.  Finally, the king's son heard about the golden tree and came to see for himself.
         The stepmother was pleased to have a king's son visit her and she asked, "Would you not like one of the golden apples?"
        Indeed yes, the king's son would like one of the golden apples.  
        First, One-Eye was sent to pluck an apple.  As she reached for one, all of the branches raised upward, and One-Eye could not touch a single apple.  Then Two-Eyes was sent to try her luck.  The same thing happened.  As she reached for a golden apple, all of the branches moved so that not an apple could be plucked.  Finally, Three-Eyes was sent to the tree, but she was no more successful than her sisters.  Not one golden apple could be reached!  Not knowing what else to do, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes turned to their stepsister for help.  
        The young girl  walked to the golden apple tree.  As her hands reached out to the tree, the branches bowed down, and the girl could pluck as many golden apples as she chose.  And that was a sight!
        The king's son was so pleased with his gift and the sight on the comely girl that he seated her in his carriage, and the two rode away.  The girl turned about to take a last glance at the golden apple tree.  To her amazement and that of the prince, there was the tree, tinkling and gleaming, sparkling and jingling, following them to the king's castle. 
         So, the king's son married the lovely stepdaughter, and they lived happily ever after.  As for the stepmother and her three daughters, with all of their cleverness, they could do nothing more.