tothefourthbasketandcoveredherupwithpearsandleaves.
Thebasketswerecarriedintothekingspantry,wherethechildstayedinhidingunderneaththepears.Buthavingnothingtoeat,shebegannibblingonthepears.Afterawhiletheservantsnoticedthesupplyofpearsdwindlingandalsosawthecores."Theremustbearatoramolegnawingonthepears,"theysaid."Weshalllookinsidethebaskets."Theyremovedthetopandfoundthelittlegirl.
"Whatareyoudoinghere?"theyasked."Comewithusandworkinthekingskitchen."
TheycalledherPerina,andshewassuchacleverlittlegirlthatinnotimeshewasdoingthehouseworkbetterthanthekingsownmaidservants.Shewassoprettynoonecouldhelplovingher.Thekingsson,whowasherageexactly,wasalwayswithPerina,andtheybecameveryfondofeachother.
Asthemaidengrewup,themaidservantsbegantoenvyher.Theyheldtheirtonguesforawhile,thenaccusedPerinaofboastingshewouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure.Thekinggotwindofitandsendforthegirl."Isittrueyouboastedyouwouldgoandstealthewitchestreasure?"
"No,SacredCrown,Imadenosuchboast."
"Youdidso,"insistedtheking,"andnowyouhavetokeepyourword."Atthat,hebanishedherfromthepalaceuntilsheshouldreturnwiththetreasure.
Onandonshewalkeduntilnightfall.Perinacametoanappletree,butkeptongoing.Shenextcametoapeachtree,butstilldidntstop.Thenshecametoapeartree,climbedit,andfellasleep.
Inthemorningtherestoodalittleoldwomanunderthetree."Whatareyoudoingupthere,mydaughter?"askedtheoldwoman.
Perinatoldheraboutthedifficultyshewasin.Theoldwomansaid,"Takethesethreepoundsofgrease,threepoundsofbread,andthreepoundsofmilletandbeonyourway."Perinathankedherverymuchandmovedon.
Shecametoabakerywherethreewomenwerepullingouttheirhairtosweepouttheovenwith.Perinagavethemthethreepoundsofmillet,whichtheythenusedtosweepouttheovenandallowedthelittlegirltocontinueonherway.
Onandonshewalkedandmetthreemastiffsthatbarkedandrushedatanyonecomingtheirway.Perinathrewthemthethreepoundsofbread,andtheyletherpass.
Afterwalkingformilesandmilesshecametoablood-redriver,whichshehadnoideahowtocross.Buttheoldwomanhadtoldhertosay:
"Finewatersored,
Imustmakehast
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