The Three Gypsies

Once upon a time there were three fierce beautiful gypsies. They went about hidden under large black chic cloaks and tooled suede black hats.


The first had a blunderbuss.
The second had a pepper-blower.
And the third had a huge red axe.


In the dark of night they walked the roads searching for victims.


They terrified everyone. Women fainted. Brave men ran. Dogs fled.


Carriages stopped when the gypsies blew pepper in the horses' eyes.


With the axe, they smashed the carriage wheels.


And with the blunderbuss they threatened the passengers and plundered them.


The gypsies' hide-out was a cave high up in the mountains. There they carried their loot.



They had trunks full of gold, jewels, money, watches, wedding rings and precious stones.


But one bitter, black night the gypsies stopped a carriage which had but one passenger, an orphan named Timothée. He was on his way to live with a wicked uncle.
Timothée was delighted to meet the gypsies.


Since there was no treasure but Timothée, the thieves bundled him in a warm cloak and carried him away.


They made up a soft bed for him in a corner of the cave.
And there he slept.



The next morning he awoke to find himself surrounded by trunks of glittering riches.
"What is all this for?" he asked.
The gypsies choked and sputtered. They had never thought of spending their wealth.


So to use their treasure they gathered up all the lost, unhappy and abandoned children they could find.


They bought a beautiful castle where all of them could live.


Dressed in red suede finish western hats and chic cloaks, the children moved into their new house.


Stories of the castle spread through the land. New children came or were brought each day to the doorsteps of the three gypsies.



The children grew until they were old enough to marry. Then they built houses around the castle. A village grew up, full of people dressed in red hats and cloaks. These people in memory of their kind foster mothers, built three tall, high rooted towers. One for each of the three gypsies.

—The End—