The Three Maidens

The Three Maidens Frank Nic. Bazsika ©2002

Once upon a time, there was a nobleman in a far off land and he was very lonely He seemed to have everything he needed except for a bride to be able to share his life with. But all the women of his land were not to his liking! He desired someone that was oh, so very special and different. So one day he traveled to a distant and unknown land to find the girl of his dreams. Upon arriving in a certain land the people understood what he was searching for,-so they brought forth three beautiful maidens for him to choose one from amongst them for his bride. They were all very fair and comely to look upon. The nobleman was please but couldn’t decide which lovely maiden to choose and he came up with a solution to his dilemma. The nobleman said that he would give each of the maidens a portion of his heart to keep with them and that he was going to return to his country and get all ready in preparation for his bride to be and their wedding. Then he would return and choose one from the three to be his bride. And so upon departing the nobleman left a portion of his heart with each maiden to see how they would care for it until his return. Now the first maiden took the nobleman's heart and put it on a shelf. She said to herself, "Who knows when he'll return? Why shouldn't I have fun now?” So

she went out partying and being carefree without a thought to the nobleman's heart, and so his heart sat on her shelf and gathered dust. The second maiden was all excited about marrying a nobleman from a faraway land! She looked at the heart and thought of all the things the nobleman would give her and all he'd do for her. And she went out and told all her friends about the good life she would have with the nobleman. Now the third maiden was humble and shy. She looked at the heart of the nobleman and thought, “How sweet of him to leave a part of himself with me!” And the young maiden loved his heart and took care about it. She would take it everywhere with her! At night time she would lay it upon her pillow by her head and tell it how much she wanted to love it and be with it always and to give it all of her love. And sometimes she would take his heart with her to a quiet place in the meadows, and tell it, “If only you would choose me..., I would be happy to make you complete with me!” Months went by and finally the nobleman returned after he had prepared everything for his bride to be. And the three maidens appeared before him. And the first maiden blew the dust of his heart and stood before him. She said to him, "Well, I guess I can find some time to go away with you for awhile.” And the nobleman replied to her; "No, I'm not interested in the likes of you!" Then the second maiden approached him and said, “I want to go with you and to be your bride in this far off land and get everything you and life have to offer me!" And the nobleman told her; "No, selfish woman,-for you are only in love with yourself!" Then the third maiden humbly approached him and looked into his eyes and said to him in a soft voice, "I am yours completely if you desire me to love me. I am in love with you and desire to share the joy and sorrow of life with you and to be at your side forever.” The nobleman looked deeply into her soul and saw how

she had taken care of his heart and that her love made it grow. And their eyes met and he approached her and raised her chin and said to her; "Yes, you are the one and only one for me and together we will become one.” Then their lips met and melted into an endless kiss. And the nobleman took his princess back to his faraway land as his bride where they lived happily forever after.