Page:Fairytales•Tregear•1891.pdf/39

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THE COCO-NUT TREE.
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ling pearls. Refreshing indeed was the luxury of a bath among the shadowy rocks, and among the fresh green leaves. After having enjoyed her splashing and resting in the waters awhile, she looked towards the calabash, and to her horror found that it had sprouted, and that the head of a young tree had appeared, of a foliage that she had never before seen. She ran from the water, and tried to pluck the tree up; but alas! it was rooted firmly, and all her efforts were vain.

Uta sat down and bewailed her folly and disobedience for a long time, weeping bitterly. She hardly knew what to do, being ashamed either to go on empty-handed, or to return and tell her husband what had happened. Just then she perceived a tiny bird, sent as a messenger to her from the king, and the little bird bore her a summons to return. Sadly she went back to her home, and related what had happened to her. Her husband was even more downcast and sorrowful than herself; but he said, “Go to the stream into which you cast the body of the eel whose head was placed in the calabash. Find the wriggling tail and destroy it, by beating it with a stick, and then come back to me.” Then Uta did as the king desired; but when she entered her house, she