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Previous  Next    Clever Maria  There was once a merchant who
lived close to the royal palace, and had three daughters. They
were all pretty, but Maria, the youngest, was the prettiest of
the three. One day the king sent for the merchant, who was a
widower, to give him directions about a journey he wished the
good man to take. The merchant would rather not have gone, as he
did not like leaving his daughters at home, but he could not
refuse to obey the king's commands, and with a heavy heart he
returned home to say farewell to them.  Before he left, he took
three pots of basil, and gave one to each girl, saying, 'I am
going a journey, but I leave these pots. You must let nobody
into the house. When I come back, they will tell me what has
happened.'  'Nothing will have happened,' said the girls.  The
father went away, and the following day the king, accompanied by
two friends, paid a visit to the three girls, who were sitting
at supper. When they saw who