Doubt

Three young travellers travell’d forth to travel: On their travels met a lovely maiden: Each will give the lovely maid a present: One presents her with a fresh-pluck’d apple: One presents her with bosilka {185a} flowering: One a gold ring for the maiden’s finger. He who gave the maiden the bosilka Said, “The maid is mine—I claim the maiden.” He who gave the maid the fresh-pluck’d apple Said, “The maid is mine—I claim the maiden.” He who gave the gold ring to the maiden Said, “We’ll go and seek the judge {185b} together: He shall say to whom belongs the maiden.” So they went and sought the judge’s presence: “Judge, thou honourable judge! between us: We three travellers travell’d forth together, And we met a maiden in our travels, And we gave her—gave her each a present: One of us a green and fresh-pluck’d apple: One presented her bosilka flowering; And the third a gold ring for her finger:— Now decide to whom belongs the maiden.”

Thus the honourable judge decided: “We present bosilka for its odour: As a pledge of love we give an apple: But to give a ring is a betrothing;— He who gave the ring must have the maiden.”