Page 15 - The Daughters of the Wild Cabbages' Gatherer

Great labor pains, she called them, and they
came to her. However, the sisters had arranged
with the midwife that, when the queen gave
birth, she was to cart the babies away and
replace them with puppies. Indeed, the queen
gave birth to three children – two boys with
apples in their hands and one girl with a star on
her forehead. After she recoverd from the labor
pains of giving birth, the queen turned to the
midwife and said, «Old woman, what are my
babies like?»
They’re three puppies, your majesty.»
«Three puppies! But I heard three babies
crying!»
«It was your imagination, your majesty.»
The midwife had taken away the three innocent
babies. So, the man who had been placed in
charge of everything wrote to the king: «Your
majesty, the queen gave birth to three puppies.
Please write and tell me what I’m to do.»
When the king received the news, he wrote
back: «Take care of her for two weeks. Then
send her to the treadmill.»
Now let us leave the king and return to the
midwife who had carried the babies outside.

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