r how hard he
worked. The man and his wife were the parents of three lovely
daughters. They were all exceedingly beautiful, and the man and his
wife often lamented the fact that they did not have money enough to
educate them and clothe them fittingly.

One day there came to the door of the poor man's house a handsome
young man mounted on a beautiful horse. He asked to buy one of the
poor man's daughters. The father was very much shocked at this
request. "I may be poor," said he, "but I am not so poor that I have
to sell my children."

The young man, however, threatened to kill him if he refused to do his
bidding; so finally, after a short struggle, the father consented to
part with his eldest daughter. He received a great sum of money in
return.

The father was now a rich man and did not wish to make bowls and
platters any longer. His wife, however, urged him to keep on with his
former occupation. Accordingly he went on with his work. The very next
day there came to his door another young man, even handsomer than the
other, mounted upon even a finer horse. This young man made the same
request that the other had done. He wanted to buy one of the
daughters.

The father burst into tears and told all the dreadful happenings of
the day before. The young man, however, showed no pity and continued
to demand one of the daughters. He made fearful threats if the man
would not yield to his request, and the father became so frightened
that he at length parted with his second daughter. The first young man
had paid a great sum of money, but this one paid even more.

Though he was now very rich the father still went on making bowls and
platters to please his wife. The next day when he was at work the
handsomest young man he had ever seen appeared riding upon a most
beautiful steed. This young man demanded the third daughter. The poor
father had to yield just as before, though it nearly broke his heart
to part with his only remaining child. The price which the young man
paid was so very great that the family was now as rich as it had once
been poor.

Their home was not childless very long, for soon a baby son came to
them. They brought up the boy in great luxury. One day when the child
was at school he quarrelled with one of his playmates. This taunt was
thrown in his face: "Ah, ha! You think your father was always rich, do
you? He is a rich man now, it is true, but it is because he sold your
three sisters." The words made the