The Twins With the Golden Star
O nce upon a time something happened. If it hadn't happened, it wouldn't be told.
There was an emperor, who ruled over a whole world, and in this world lived an old shepherd and shepherdess, who had three daughters, Anna, Stana, and Laptitza.[1]
[1] Little Milk-white, from "Lapte"—milk.
Anna, the oldest sister, was so beautiful that the sheep stopped feeding when she went among them; Stana, the second, was so lovely that the wolves watched the herd when she was the shepherdess, but Laptitza, the youngest, who had a skin as white as the foam of milk, and hair as soft as the wool of the lambkins, was as beautiful as both of her sisters put together, beautiful as only she herself could be.
One summer day, when the sunbeams were growing less scorching, the
