Matthew Two Eyes

There was a woman who had three sons, the eldest of whom was called Chris One Eye, because he had only one eye in the middle of his forehead; the second, Matthew Two Eyes, because he had only two eyes like other people; and the youngest, Tom Three Eyes, because he had three eyes, one of them being also in the middle of his forehead. But because Matthew Two Eyes looked no different from other people, his brothers and mother could not bear him. They said, ''You with your two eyes are no better that anybody else; you don't belong to us.'' They knocked him about and gave him shabby clothes, and food which was left over from their own meals; in short, they vexed him whenever they could.

It happened that Matthew Two Eyes had to go out into the fields to look after the goat; but he was still quite hungry, because his brothers had given him so little to eat. He sat down on a hillock and began to cry, and cried so much that two little streams ran down out of each eye. And as he looked up once in his sorrow, a woman stood near him; who asked, ''Matthew Two Eyes, why do you cry?''

Matthew Two Eyes answered, ''Have I not need to cry? Because I have two eyes, like other people, my brothers and my mother cannot bear me; they push me out of one corner into the other, give me shabby clothes, and nothing to eat but what they leave. Today they have given me so little that I am still quite hungry.''

The wise woman said, ''Matthew Two Eyes, dry your tears, and I will tell you something which will keep you from ever being hungry more. Only say to your goat, 'Little goat, bleat; little table, rise,' and a neatly-laid table will stand before you with the most delicious food on it, so that you can eat as much as you like. And when you are satisfied and do not want the table anymore, only say, 'Little goat, bleat; little table, away,' and it will all disappear before your eyes.'' Them the wise woman went out of sight.

Matthew Two Eyes thought, ''I must try directly if it is true what she has said, for I am much to hungry to wait.'' So he said, ''Little goat, bleat; little table, rise.'' and scarcely had he uttered the words, when there stood before him a little table, covered with a white cloth, on which was laid a plate, knife and fork, and a silver spoon. The most delicious food was there also, and smoking hot, as if just come from the kitchen. Then Matthew Two Eyes said the shortest grace that he knew, ''Lord God, be our guest at all times. Amen,'' began to eat, and found it very good. And when he had enough, he said as the wise woman had taught him, ''Little goat, bleat; little table, away.'' In an instant the little table, and all that stood on it, had disappeared again. ''This is a beautiful, easy way of housekeeping,'' thought Matthew Two Eyes, and was quite happy and merry.

In the evening, when he came back home with his goat, he found a little earthen dish with food, which his brothers had put aside for him, but he did not touch anything - he had no need. On the next day he went out again with his goat, and let the few crusts that were given his remain uneaten. The first time and the second time his brothers took no notice; but when the same thing happened every day, they remarked it, and said, ''All is not right with Matthew Two Eyes; he always leaves his food, and he used formerly to eat up everything that was given to him; he must have found other ways of dining.''

In order to discover the truth, they resolved that Chris One Eye should go with Matthew Two Eyes when he drove the goat into the meadow, and see what he did there, and whether anybody brought him anything to eat and drink. So when Matthew Two Eyes set out again, Chris One Eye came with him and said, ''I will go with you into the field, and see that the goat is taken proper care of, and driven to good pasture.''

But Matthew Two Eyes saw what Chris One Eye had in his mind, and drove the goat into long grass, saying, ''Come, Chris One Eye, we will sit down; I will sing you something.'' Chris One Eye sat down, being tired from the unusual walk and from the heat of the sun, and Matthew Two Eyes kept on singing, ''Are you awake, Chris One Eye? Are you asleep, Chris One Eye?'' Then Chris One Eye shut his one eye, and fell asleep. And when Matthew Two Eyes saw that Chris One Eye was fast asleep, and could not betray anything, he said, ''Little goat, bleat; little table, rise.'' and sat himself at his table, and ate and drank till he was satisfied; then he called out again, ''Little goat, bleat; little table, away,'' and instantly everything disappeared.