Once upon a time there was a King who had three daughters as beautiful as the stars that shine in the skies, and as different in their beauty. One day the King was sitting on his gorgeous throne, and he called his children, and said:

"I love you all better than I do my life. Now tell me in turn the nature of the affection you feel for me. According to your answer I shall give each of you the husband that you deserve. The eldest approached, and said:

"I love you better than I do my golden hair and my blue eyes, and I would do anything in the world to be agreeable to you."

"My beloved daughter," exclaimed the Monarch, "the King of Syra shall become your husband."

The second daughter spoke thus:

"I love you, my father, a thousand times better than a queen loves her crown, a thousand times better than a dove loves her young, and to please you I would voluntarily throw myself into a burning furnace."

"Oh, my child! let me embrace you! The Prince Miraz, the handsomest of men, shall be your husband."

The youngest daughter, the favorite of the fairies, the charming Mirza, exclaimed:

"I love you, my father, as we love the salt in the bread, as the fish loves water, and as the May rose loves the dews of the morning."

At these words the King turned pale with anger, and exclaimed:

"Go away! Leave me! You are an ungrateful daughter who cares for no one. Is it thus that you show gratitude for the pains I have taken with you? The love you have for me goes no further than the salt in the bread. Go away!"

The King drove his daughter from the palace, and ordered one of the waiting-maids to follow her everywhere, and to return only to announce her death. The waiting-maid took with her her own daughter, Calamir, and the three women travelled at haphazard for three days and three nights. Finally they perceived an abandoned cabin, and the Princess cried out:

"Let us stop here!" whereupon the women took up their abode there.

One day Mirza was sitting by the roadside, her head in her hands, weeping sadly. She was thinking of the great palace where she was born, and of her more fortunate sisters, who lacked for nothing, and who had bracelets of gold and diamonds. She thought also of her cruel father, whom she still loved with all her heart. Suddenly Mirza felt a hand on her shoulder, and began to tremble with fear. It was the Queen of the Fairies, who looked at her with a smile.

"My beautiful child, why lament?" said the Queen. "All things are possible to me. Make three wishes and you will be satisfied at once."

Mirza, however, did not answer. She remained silent; she could only weep.

"Grief fills your heart," said the Queen of the Fairies, "and you can only weep. You are thinking of your father, your sisters, and the palace where you were born. Calm yourself. Hereafter you will be as rich and as fortunate as they. Weeping or smiling, walking or standing, no person in the wide world will be as fortunate as you."

At these words the young girl smiled, and beautiful roses fell from her lips. She took a few steps to embrace her benefactress, and a thousand precious stones fell under her feet. The tears that shone in her eyes, in falling, became pearls.

"Kind fairy," exclaimed Mirza, beholding these things, "what wishes could I have made that would have been comparable to these gifts you have heaped upon me? A thousand thanks!"

The young girl pressed the queen of the fairies to her heart, kissed her hands and her lips, and gave full play to her happiness. Some days afterward, the Princess Mirza said to her waiting-maid:

"Go into the neighboring city, inquire for the best architect to be found and tell him to bring a hundred experienced workmen."

The maid went into the city, secured the architect, and when three days had passed the workmen arrived.

"Queen of women," said the architect, "what can I do to please you?"

"I want you to build me a marvellous palace of pure gold, with ten doors of diamonds and a thousand windows of crystal. Build me a palace supported by a hundred columns of rubies and emeralds. I want it to be so resplendent that the neighboring kings and princes will stand amazed when they behold it."

The builders went to work, and in the course of a year the masterpiece of architecture was completed. One day the sisters of the princess passed that way. They were going to see their parents, and a joyous escort accompanied them, playing on a thousand instruments in order to make the journey pleasant.

"My gentle pages," exclaimed the eldest, perceiving the palace, "to whom does this magnificent building belong? Is it the home of the fairies?"

"Gracious queen," responded one of the pages, "no one knows."

"Go, then," said the princess, "and find out, and say that we desire to visit this wonderful palace."

When the messengers announced to Mirza the wishes of the princess, she exclaimed, rapturously:

"These are my sisters—the children of my mother—who come to visit me. Happy day! Pages, return and tell them that I await them."

But the pages did not move. Each one seemed to be petrified with surprise and admiration. While Mirza was speaking the most beautiful and fragrant roses fell from her lips, and at her feet hundreds of precious stones, pearls, rubies, amethysts, and diamonds sparkled and glittered. Finally the messengers returned to the princesses, and when the latter found that this beautiful palace belonged to their younger sister, they could not refrain from shedding tears of joy. Immediately they made their way to the palace, and soon they had the pleasure of embracing the sister whom they had long given up for lost.

The two princesses stayed a long time at the grand palace, their eyes dazzled at everything they saw. They were much astonished at the magnificent gifts showered on them by their sister. They went away from the palace with regret, and they were very sorry they could not carry away with them, in addition to their gifts, pieces of the precious stones with which the courtyard was paved.

The renown of Mirza soon spread throughout all the neighboring kingdoms, and everyone praised her beauty and marvelled at her riches. The prince of a strange country fell desperately in love with her, and he sent an ambassador to sue for her hand. Mirza consented, and promised to become the wife of the prince as soon as the orange-trees blossomed. The ambassador was delighted, and hastened to announce the joyous news to his master. Magnificent feasts were given at the court of the prince, and soon everything was ready for the wedding.

As soon as the orange-trees bloomed, Mirza started on her journey to the home of the prince, accompanied by the waiting-maid who had served her in her misfortune. On the way, the princess became very hungry, and asked for something to eat. Instead of giving her sweet cakes and luscious fruits, the maid gave her bread that was so salty and so bitter the princess could scarcely swallow it. Soon she was seized with a devouring thirst.

"My good friend," she exclaimed to her maid, "what have you for me to drink?"

"Nothing, my amiable mistress," said the maid.

"What! not even a glass of water?" said the princess.

"No, your majesty."

The princess withstood the thirst as long as she could, and finally said:

"I pray you, my good friend, go and find a stream, and bring me some water to quench my thirst—only a few drops."

At this, the waiting-maid said:

"Alas! we are in a very strange country. Here, water is the dearest of all beverages."

"Well," said the princess, "take a handful of diamonds and offer them to the charitable person who will take pity on me and give me some water."

The waiting-maid started out, but she did not go a hundred steps when she hid herself behind a bush. Very soon she returned with an air of distress, and with a sad voice she spoke thus:

"Powerful princess, in this country, water is so dear that you will have to pay for a single goblet-full with one of your eyes."

In her despair, the young princess pulled out an eye, and gave it to the waiting-maid.

"Go," said the princess, "run quick, or I die."

The cruel waiting-maid returned, bringing a little water, but scarcely did it quench her thirst for an instant. Not long afterward the princess began lamenting again:

"I am still thirsty," said she, "and I feel that I am perishing."

"Give me your remaining eye," said the servant, "and hereafter you shall be satisfied."

The bewildered young princess consented to make the sacrifice. This time, she thought, she could drink to her heart's content. Night came and the sun sank behind the horizon, and the perfidious servant stripped her mistress of her fine clothes and gave them to her own daughter, Calamir. The poor blind girl was left by the roadside, and the waiting-maid and her daughter continued their journey toward the city where the prince resided.

When they arrived all the bells in the churches rang out their joyous chimes. The people went out to meet her, and the prince tenderly embraced the one whom he thought was his betrothed. Never had such a scene been witnessed in that city. The wedding feast was brilliant and splendid. One thing, however, disturbed the prince. He had been told that a rose fell from the lips of the princess at each smile, and that under her feet diamonds sprung. He did not see any of these things. Puzzled at this, he inquired of his wife's mother:

"Madam, how is it that roses do not fall from the lips of your child, and that precious stones do not appear when she walks?"

"My dear prince, my child is fatigued at the long journey she undertook to come to you. Have patience, and you will soon be satisfied."

During all this time, the poor Mirza, the real princess, wandered alone in the frightful desert in which she had been forsaken. She called for help, but no one came to her assistance. Her cries grew louder, and at last they attracted the attention of an old woman who was gathering herbs for the purpose of making medicine.

"What do you wish, my beautiful child?" inquired the old woman.

"Good mother, what are you doing here?" cried the princess.

"I am looking for herbs that are necessary to make my medicine."

"You can do better than that," said the princess. "Pick up the pearls that you find at my feet, and go into the city and sell them."

The old woman obeyed, and returned with an apron full of gold, saying:

"My child, what shall I do with this fortune?"

"It is for you, my good woman, but on one condition."

"What is that?"

The poor blind girl smiled, and from her lips fell a rose so beautiful and sweet that there had been none like it before. Mirza answered:

"Take this rose and go into the prince's city, and call out, 'Who will buy this flower? who will buy this rose?'"

"And in order to please you," said the old woman, "how much must I sell it for?"

"You must give it," said the princess, "for neither gold nor silver."

"And for what shall I sell it?" said the old woman.

"You shall demand an eye for it," said the princess.

The old woman followed the directions to the letter. When she arrived in the city of the prince, she cried out:

"Who will buy this flower? Who will buy this rose?"

At these words, Mirza's deceitful servant ran to the window of the palace and asked:

"Tell me, good woman, for what will you sell such a beautiful rose?"

"I will sell it for an eye," said the old woman.

"Heavens! what would you do with an eye?" said the maid-servant.

"That is my affair," said the old woman.

"Well, then," said the waiting-maid, "stay a moment;" and she ran to her room; and as she had been careful enough to save the eyes of her mistress, she took one and gave it to the old woman.

"Take this, good woman," she exclaimed.

"And here is your rose," said the old woman.

At night, when the prince returned to the palace, his mother-in-law said to him:

"See this beautiful rose. There is none like it in the flower-gardens. My daughter made it with a smile."

"It came in good time," said the young prince, "but I can scarcely believe it. A thousand times I have seen your daughter smile, and nothing has fallen from her lips."

All this time, the old woman, who had sold her rose for the eye, was on her way to the Princess Mirza. But as she went along, the eye fell from her hand and was lost. She hunted for it a long time, but meanwhile the eye, apparently directed by the good fairies, made its way to the blind girl, who put it in its place and immediately she saw clearly. The old woman returned disconsolate.

"Alas! my beautiful child," she exclaimed, weeping, "I sold your rose as you directed me, but, unfortunately, the eye I received as the price escaped from my hands and I could not find it, though I hunted for it far and wide."

"Do not trouble yourself, my good woman," and Mirza smiled, and another rose fell from her lips.

"Go," said she again, "and sell this flower on the same conditions."

The rose was carried to the castle as the other had been, and sold for the other eye.

The princess recovered her sight, and regained her beauty. Shortly afterward, the beautiful Mirza said to her companion:

"Go into the towns and villages, and inquire by which road the king of this country goes on his hunting excursions."

This order having been obeyed, the young princess sent for a number of workmen and an architect. On her way in search of these, the old woman met a little gray man who had a hump on his back.

"Where are you going, Margaret?" cried the little hunchback.

"I am hunting for workmen and for an architect," she replied.

"I am your man," exclaimed the dwarf.

"Are you capable?" asked the old woman.

"Patience, Margaret! patience!" exclaimed the little gray man. "Of that you will have to judge later."

Mirza accepted the dwarf as her architect, but she could not help saying to him:

"Little gray man, where are your workmen? Do you think to build by yourself the palace I desire?"

Scarcely had she finished speaking, when, at the sound of a low whistle from the little gray man, there appeared on all sides hundreds and thousands of brownies, who were cutting all sorts of antics and capers. Some jumped, some ran, some walked on their hands, and some floated in the air as light as thistle-down. But each of them, when he passed before the little gray man, said:

"Your Majesty, what do you wish to-day of your faithful subjects?"

To these questions the little gray man replied:

"Make the most beautiful palace to be found in all the world."

Mirza, the princess, was filled with astonishment. Never before had she seen so many brownies gathered together in one place, and she said to herself, "Surely these must be the children of the fairies;" and, full of happiness, she went here and there, speaking a kind word to all, and at every step she took hundreds of precious stones were scattered under her feet, and, at each smile a rose fell.

At last all the brownies were set to work under the direction of the little gray man. Some felled the great trees of the forest and trimmed them, some delved in the mines for marble and precious stones, and others forged the rare metals out of which the vast columns of the palace were to be made.

Rapidly the new palace was built, and when it was finished it shone in the land like a rare jewel in the bosom of a beautiful woman.

"Now, then," said the little gray man to the beautiful Mirza, "are you satisfied with my work, and do you repent having chosen me for your architect?"

"Powerful and most generous King of the Brownies," she said to the little gray man, "how can I be dissatisfied at the sight of this rare palace, which you have built for me?"

"This being so," said the little gray man, "what is to be my reward?"

At this the young girl smiled, and a beautiful rose dropped from her lips.

"This shall be your reward," said she, giving him the flower.

"Thanks! thanks!" exclaimed the little gray man, and he instantly disappeared. The brownies were paid in the same way, and the young girl soon found herself alone with the old woman.

One day passed, then two, then three, and still the prince did not come hunting. At this Mirza grew impatient, and she said to the old woman.

"Go to the top of the hill and see if the prince is not coming."

The old woman went to the top of the hill, and looked around on all sides, but there was nothing in sight. The roads on every side were dusty and deserted, and she returned to her mistress.

"What did you see?" inquired the princess.

"Nothing, your majesty, but the floating clouds and the beautiful flowers."

"Go, then, and look again," said Mirza.

The old woman looked again and then returned.

"What have you seen?" inquired the princess.

"The waters flowing, the grasses growing, and in the limbs of the trees I heard the breezes murmuring."

"Return and look again."

So the woman went, and when she had come back the princess said:

"What have you seen?"

"Away in the distance, on the dusty road, I saw horsemen coming."

"It is the prince," said Mirza; and, sure enough, the prince, followed by his retainers, his huntsmen, and his dogs, soon made his appearance. Suddenly, the prince, seized with admiration, paused and looked around him. Here, where there had been only briars and brambles, there arose before his view the marvellous palace that had been erected by the little gray man.

"To whom does this dazzling palace belong?" asked the prince, but no one could answer him. "Await me here," said the prince to his followers, "I will go and inquire, but I will return immediately."

He approached the door and knocked, but there was no response, and one would have supposed the palace was uninhabited. He knocked again, but everything was silent except the clamorous echoes which he himself had aroused. Then the prince climbed up to the nearest window, opened the blinds, and found himself in a marvellous saloon which was uninhabited. He pursued his way through beautiful halls and apartments, until he came to a room more beautiful than the rest.

On a bed of gold, Mirza was reclining, and as he approached she arose and exclaimed:

"Who has dared enter my palace?"

"Powerful princess," said the young man, "I am your slave. Do with me as you will."

"Who are you?" she cried.

"The king of all this country—the most unfortunate of men since I have seen you."

At these words the young girl smiled, and from her lips fell a rose. She took a few steps forward, and precious stones covered the carpet where she walked.

"What do I see?" exclaimed the prince, filled with astonishment. "Are you not Mirza, my affianced?"

"Yes," cried the happy girl, "I am Mirza, who loves you; I am Mirza, whose hand you demanded in marriage through an ambassador."

At the remembrance of her misfortunes tears shone in her eyes, and pearls fell therefrom.

The prince was overjoyed; he had been deceived, but he was now happy. Mirza told him all, and he would have had the deceitful servants burned at the stake, but the princess interceded for them and they were banished from the country. The prince and Mirza lived long and happily together.