210 GLOOSCAP AND OTHER STORIES

“All those tales are false, my son; you must not believe what the bad boys say,” she replied.

But when the boys said to him again: “Your father sold your sisters for gold,” the little prince believed them, and went to his mother and said:

“Mother, tell me about my sisters. Tell me why my father sold them for gold.”

“I will tell you,” the mother said. The sto- ries are all true. You did have three sisters, and your father did sell them for drink.”

“Where are they now?” asked the prince eagerly.

“I do not know where they are,” said the queen. “I have never heard from them since they went away.”

“Oh, mother! I will go in search of my sis- ters,” the little prince cried.

“It will be of no use, my son; no one can find them,” the mother answered.

“But I will find them, and I will set out to- morrow,” he said.

So, early the next morning the prince set out in his chariot with one servant. They travelled a long, long way until they came to a river, a broad, smooth river in a great forest. When they had forded the river the prince said:

“Now take the chariot back to my father; I will go on alone.” The servant did as he was told, and the prince plunged into the forest