"Could your mother have been
here?"
"No," answered the child, "she has not been here."
The merchant went to his wife and said to her, "Could you have gone up to
the child's chamber?"
The woman answered, "I did not go up to the room."
The merchant carried food to the child, who said: "For the love of God, I
adjure you to tell me if you are my father and if your wife is my mother."
The merchant answered: "My son, I am not your father and my wife is not
your mother."
The child said to her, "Prepare us some food."
When she had prepared the food the child mounted a horse and the merchant a
mule. They proceeded a long way, and arrived at the village of which the
real father of the child was the chief. They entered his house. They gave
food to the child, and said, "Eat."
"I will not eat until the other woman comes up here."
"Eat. She is a bad woman."
"No, let her come up." They called her. The merchant ran to the child.
"Why do you act thus toward her?"
"Oh!" cried those present, "she had a child that was changed into a crow."
"No doubt," said the merchant; "but the child had a mark.
Pages:
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439