Once there were three sisters who shared a farm together. Their names were Pegone, Pegit, and Pegeen. They were supposed to share the work too, but Pegone and Pegit only wanted to catch the eye of a rich young man so they spent all their time making fancy dresses for themselves and left Pegeen with all the work.
One day, they heard a rumor that the king had sent his son to live in the neighboring village. It was said the king wanted the prince to dwell among the common folk, dressed as one of them, so that he might learn humbleness and simplicity before ascending to the throne.
Well a prince is prince no matter how simple his clothes. That Sunday he sat in a church pew, plain as cobbler or woodcutter, but no girl could turn her eyes from him. When church let out, each young lady vowed that next Sunday she would make certain he saw her and her alone.
Pegone and Pegit fell to cutting and stitching with a fury.
“I shall wear a rose pink gown,” announced Pegone. “With a pink feathered hat and stockings to match.”
“And I,” replied Pegit, “shall be all in blue from my bonnet to my shoes.”
All week long they crimped and primped. And not a sock would have been darned or an apron patched if it wasn’t for Pegeen.
On Sunday morning, Pegone and Pegit set off, one in pink and the other in blue. Pegeen wanted to come too, but she had only her old homespun dress. “You will look like a dried leaf in a bower of flowers,” they told her. “You had better stay home.”
So she sat on the stoop with her mending and sang to herself, for it was a fine, sunny day. She had only been working a short time when she looked up and saw an old woman coming down the lane with a flock of six white geese.
“My geese are hungry,” the old woman called to her when she reached the gate. “Would you have a bit of corn for them?”
“Certainly.” Pegeen brought out a sack of corn. After the geese had gobbled their fill, the old woman turned to her and said, “Now tell me truly where would you most like to be right this minute?”
“In church so I may see the prince,” Pegeen answered.
“And what would you be wearing?”
Pegeen looked at the geese. “A white lace dress, a white straw hat, and white silk stockings with the finest white satin shoes to match.”
No sooner had she spoken then she was dressed exactly as she said.
“Now run along,” the old woman told her. “But remember, the magic in these clothes will not last long. Take a look at the prince and then come home as fast as you can. For if you tarry at the church, you'll find yourself standing there in your homespun dress again."
Pegeen thanked her, and realizing she had not a moment to waste, set off for the village as fast as she could. When she reached the church and opened the door every eye turned towards her, the prince’s most of all. He rose from his pew.
Pegeen was about to go to him when she felt her dress tingle upon her back. At that moment she remembered the magic and turned and ran. And her heart did not stop pounding till she was back home and clothed her in her old homespun dress again, with not a trace of silk, feathers or white lace upon her.
She sat down upon the stoop and waited for Pegone and Pegit to come home.
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One day, they heard a rumor that the king had sent his son to live in the neighboring village. It was said the king wanted the prince to dwell among the common folk, dressed as one of them, so that he might learn humbleness and simplicity before ascending to the throne.
Well a prince is prince no matter how simple his clothes. That Sunday he sat in a church pew, plain as cobbler or woodcutter, but no girl could turn her eyes from him. When church let out, each young lady vowed that next Sunday she would make certain he saw her and her alone.
Pegone and Pegit fell to cutting and stitching with a fury.
“I shall wear a rose pink gown,” announced Pegone. “With a pink feathered hat and stockings to match.”
“And I,” replied Pegit, “shall be all in blue from my bonnet to my shoes.”
All week long they crimped and primped. And not a sock would have been darned or an apron patched if it wasn’t for Pegeen.
On Sunday morning, Pegone and Pegit set off, one in pink and the other in blue. Pegeen wanted to come too, but she had only her old homespun dress. “You will look like a dried leaf in a bower of flowers,” they told her. “You had better stay home.”
So she sat on the stoop with her mending and sang to herself, for it was a fine, sunny day. She had only been working a short time when she looked up and saw an old woman coming down the lane with a flock of six white geese.
“My geese are hungry,” the old woman called to her when she reached the gate. “Would you have a bit of corn for them?”
“Certainly.” Pegeen brought out a sack of corn. After the geese had gobbled their fill, the old woman turned to her and said, “Now tell me truly where would you most like to be right this minute?”
“In church so I may see the prince,” Pegeen answered.
“And what would you be wearing?”
Pegeen looked at the geese. “A white lace dress, a white straw hat, and white silk stockings with the finest white satin shoes to match.”
No sooner had she spoken then she was dressed exactly as she said.
“Now run along,” the old woman told her. “But remember, the magic in these clothes will not last long. Take a look at the prince and then come home as fast as you can. For if you tarry at the church, you'll find yourself standing there in your homespun dress again."
Pegeen thanked her, and realizing she had not a moment to waste, set off for the village as fast as she could. When she reached the church and opened the door every eye turned towards her, the prince’s most of all. He rose from his pew.
Pegeen was about to go to him when she felt her dress tingle upon her back. At that moment she remembered the magic and turned and ran. And her heart did not stop pounding till she was back home and clothed her in her old homespun dress again, with not a trace of silk, feathers or white lace upon her.
She sat down upon the stoop and waited for Pegone and Pegit to come home.
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