" One-eye slipped down, and Three-eyes climbed up.
Three-eyes was not more skilful, and might search as she liked, but the
golden apples always escaped her. At length the mother grew impatient, and
climbed up herself, but could get hold of the fruit no better than One-eye
and Three-eyes, for she always clutched empty air. Then said Two-eyes,
"I will just go up, perhaps I may succeed better." The sisters cried,
"You indeed, with your two eyes, what can you do?" But Two-eyes climbed
up, and the golden apples did get out of her way, but came into her hand
of their own accord, so that she could pluck them one after the other,
and brought a whole apronful down with her. The mother took them away
from her, and instead of treating poor Two-eyes any better for this,
she and One-eye and Three-eyes were only envious, because Two-eyes alone
had been able to get the fruit, and they treated her still more cruelly.
It so befell that once when they were all standing together by the tree,
a young knight came up. "Quick, Two-eyes," cried the two sisters, "creep
under this, and don't disgrace us!" and with all speed they turned an
empty barrel which was standing close by the tree over poor Two-eyes,
and they pushed the golden apples which she had been gathering, under it
too.
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