Good evening, children. It's Granny McDuff, ready with a story.

So make yourselves comfy, and I'll begin.

Once upon a time, more than a thousand years ago,

there was a country which had not only one king to oversee everything, but many kings

who ruled over smaller parts of the land.

One day, it happened that one of these kings was out hunting when he came upon three

girls watching their cows graze in the meadow high up on the mountain.

The eldest of the girls saw the king and pointed at him,

If I cannot have that one, then I will have none, she said.

From the other side of the hill, her sister pointed at the man who stood on the

king's right side and said, Oh, ho, sister, if I cannot have that one, then I will have none.

And the third said the same about the man to the king's left. The king heard all of this, and once the hunt was over,

he ordered that the girls be brought to the palace. What were you speaking about on the mountain

yesterday? The king asked the eldest when they arrived at court. Would you really take me for a husband? Yes, she replied.

So they were married. And her sisters married each of the king's men who they picked out on the

mountain, the one on his left and the other on his right.

Time passed.

And one day the king was called away on business.

He left his dear wife in the care of her sisters as she was about to have a child.

The queen had a boy.

With the king still gone, her sisters cared for the baby and did not allow any nurses to help them.

They had not had children of their own and were quite jealous.

...