"The King's Daughters"

   Long time ago, there was a wealthy king had three beautiful daughters. They had everything they wanted. However, only one thing was lacking in their life, none of them had a husband, nor did they have a suitor. This made the king very unhappy.

   The king wanted his children to be happily married, but his daughter think that no one is good enough for them.

   The king’s daughters’ were however not bothered. The oldest daughter want to marry the richest man alive. The younger daughter want to marry the most handsome man. As for the youngest daughter want to marry a king like her father, only he will be richer and more powerful.

   The king’s heart was very troubled. The queen told the king that the daughters will only marry anyone who can tell their names. That way, she will be sure they are marrying the wisest man in the entire land.

   It was announced throughout the land. Whoever could tell their names would be given their hands in marriage. The rich and famous went with gifts to the palace to try but they couldn’t guess the princesses’ names. No one ever called them by their real names.

   So, the tortoise, a very crafty animal decided he would give it a try. Before that, he sneaked around the pricesses, following them everywhere without their knowledge. Luck smiled on him one day. The princesses went apple picking on the outskirts of the town. The youngest princess was so exited that she started singing. As she sang, she called her older sister by her name. The younger sister rushed over, and she did the same, calling their older sister. They ended up singing together, dancing around and calling each other’s name. That was how the tortoise knew all their names.

   Alas, the tortoise went to the palace and told king. The whole town gathered, and the tortoise said the name of each princess. Everyone was shocked. The king had no choice but to give all his daughters to the tortoise as his wives. The princesses and the queen were extremely sad. But there was nothing anyone could do. And so, the tortoise started to take the princesses home as his wives.

   The princesses were so ashamed, that they each chose a very different livestyle rather than become the tortoise wife and so it happened that since that day, no one ever saw any of the princesses again. The king and the queen were very sad, but there was nothing anyone could do. If only the princesses and their mother had known, they would not have been so proud and arrogant in choosing their husbands.