By Nopparat  Arkkachot

          Once there was an old woman living with her three daughters in an old hut, but later she lived alone.  Her daughters got married and left her to live with their husbands, so the old woman had to live with a hill myna.

          One day, the old woman became sick. The hill myna felt sorry for her, so he flew to tell to the first daughter about

her mother’s sickness. The first daughter was sitting near the river.

          “Your mother is sick.  Will you visit her?” asked the hill myna.

          “Sorry, I’m fishing, and I want to take these fish to sell in the market.  I think that my mother is very old.  She may be sick.  It’s common,” said the first daughter.

          The hill myna was very sad at the first daughter’s word.  Then he flew to tell the second daughter while she was sewing her dress.

          “Your mother is very sick,” said the hill myna.

          “I’m sewing my dress, and I have to finish it in time.  I want to wear this beautiful dress to town with my husband,” said the second daughter.

          “You’re mad.  Your mother is very sick. You should visit her,” said the hill myna.

          “All right.  I’ll visit her after I come back from town.  You should tell the other sisters,” said the second daughter.

          The hill myna felt very sad and very angry.  He flew to the third daughter. She was having lunch in a hut.

          “Your mother is sick.  She lives alone in the hut,” said the hill myna.

          When the third daughter heard the news from the hill myna, she felt very sorry.

          “Really?”

          “Yes.  She is dying and she wants some help,” said the hill myna.

          The third daughter cried.  She hurried to see her mother.

          When she arrived at her mother’s hut, she cried. She stayed with her mother and looked after her very well until she died.  She buried her mother near the hut and grew a beautiful plant on the grave.  This plant grew quickly, and the flowers of it smelt very good.

          One day, the third daughter went to pay respect for her mother’s grave.  She picked the flowers up and sniffed them.  Suddenly, these flowers became gold.  She was very surprised and very glad.  After that she sold the gold from the flowers in the market, and she became a millionaire.  She lived happily. 

          When her two elder sisters heard this news, they went to pay their respect for their mother’s grave quickly.  They fought while trying to pick up the flowers, so they were hurt and died.  Because of their ungratitude to their mother, the first daughter became a crow, and the second daughter became a spider.  The third daughter was grateful, so she was admired and had a happy life.  

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