The Covetous King and the Three Children

There were once three orphan children, the oldest of whom was perhaps

ten years old, and the others but little things, almost babies. They

had a tiny little tumble-down house to live in, but very little to

eat. Said the eldest to his little brother and sister, "I will go

yonder on the sands laid bare by the falling tide, and it may be that

I shall find something that we can eat." The little children begged

to go, too, and they all set out over the sands. Soon they found

a large living shell. "Thanks be to God," said the boy, for he was

well instructed, "we shall have something to eat." "Take me home,

but do not cook me," said the shell, "and I will work for you." Now

this was probably the Holy Virgin herself, in the form of a shell,

who had taken pity on the poor children. They took the shell home,

and there it spoke again. "Put me into the rice pot, cover me up,

and you shall turn out plenty of boiled rice for all of you." And

they did so, and the boiled rice came from the pot. "Now put me

into the other pot, and take out ulam." And they took out ulam in

abundance. "Have you a clothes chest?" asked the shell; but there

was none, so they put it into a box, and the box became filled with

clothing. Then the shell filled the spare room with rice, and last

of all filled another large box with money.

Now the king of this city was a cruel man, and he sent for the children

and told them that they must give up their money, their rice and all

to him and be poor again. "O dear king," said the oldest child, "will

you not leave us a little for our living?" "No," replied the king,

"I will give you as much boiled rice as you need, and you ought to

be glad that you get it."

So the king sent ten soldiers to move the rice and the money, but,

as soon as they got it to the king's house, it returned to the

children. The soldiers worked a whole week without getting a grain

of rice or a piece of money to stay in the king's house. Then because

they were about to die from fatigue, the king sent ten more, and these

too failed. Then the king went himself, but when he tried to move

the money he fell down dead. The children, relieved from persecution,

lived long and happy lives and were always rich and influential people.