Atondido Stories
“Have you food ready for me? Have you drink ready for me?
Have you pretty clothes ready for me?”
“Alas, beautiful creature,” the prince sighed, “I have not. I
have nothing for you to eat or to drink or to put on.”
The lovely maiden clapped her hands three times, bowed be-
fore him, and disappeared.
“Ah,” said the prince, “now I know what kind of citrons you
are! I’ll think twice before opening one of you again!”
Of the one he had opened he ate and drank his fill, and so re-
freshed, went on. He traveled three days and three nights and by
that time he began to feel three times hungrier than before.
“God help me!” thought he. “I must eat something! There are
still two citrons and if I cut open one there would still be one
left.”
So he took out the second citron, cut it in two, and lo, a maid-
en twice as beautiful as the first stood before him. She bowed
low and said:
“Have you food ready for me? Have you drink ready for me?
Have you pretty clothes ready for me?”
“No, lovely creature, I haven’t! I haven’t!”
The maiden clapped her hands thrice, bowed before him,
and disappeared.
Now there was only one citron left. The prince took it in his
hand, looked at it, and said: “I won’t cut you open until I’m safe
at home in my father’s house.”
He took up his journey again and on the third day he came
to his native town and his father’s castle. He had been gone a
long time and how he ever got back he didn’t know himself.
Tears of joy rained down the old king’s cheeks.
“Welcome home, my son, welcome a hundred times!” he
cried, falling on the prince’s neck.
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