Once upon a time there was a king in England. He had three
daughters. One day, he made up his mind to divide his whole kingdom among them
as he became very old. So, he called them in the court and asked each of them
how much they loved him. He called his eldest daughter and wanted to know how
much she loved him. She smilingly and lovingly uttered some beautiful words and
told her father that she loved him more than anything else in this world. The
foolish king was much satisfied at the flattering words of his daughter and
took her flattery for the reality and at once marked one-third area of his
kingdom on the map and declared that it would be hers and for her heirs
forever. Then he called his second daughter and asked her how much she loved
him. The princess standing in front of the king and the Royal Court uttered
even sweeter words than her eldest sister. She said that she loved the king
more than her life, even more than her sister and more than what her words
could express. The king was profoundly delighted by the answer of his second
daughter and marked a large part of his kingdom for her. Finally came the turn
of his youngest and the loving daughter to answer the same question of her father.
The king wanted even a much better answer and loving words from his dearest
daughter. Unfortunately, the daughter came silently to her father without
showing any emotion. She said to her father that she loved him as much as a
daughter should love her father. She said that she loved him as a daughter, but
when she married she would, of course, loved her husband too. Her honest,
forthright reply angered the king. In a blaze of wrath, he disowned her, and
decided to split his kingdom into two rather than three parts.
Finally, the king divided his kingdom among his two
daughters and decided to live in their castle by turn. First he went to his
eldest daughter’s house with some of his servants and knights. Being
ill-treated by his daughter there, soon he found her to be a liar and false.
Then he decided to go to his second daughter with all his servants and knights.
Reaching there he had to wait a long time to see her and while she met her
father she asked him why he had left the house of his sister. Even she told him
to go back to her and beg pardon of her to live there. Being disappointed with
the second daughter the king became mad and cursing her he left her palace and
went into the wilderness where there was one of his faithful servants who
accompanied him always and everywhere in desolate land. Anguished by his two daughters’
ingratitude, the king repented for his ill-treatment of the youngest daughter.
End
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