Free When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew by Jan Andrews Page A

farm was hard. It did not exactly bring the farmer the riches he had hoped for, but he was content enough. He had three sons, and whenever they were worried about what the future might bring, he always said, “When I came from the Old Country I brought gifts that I have saved for you. When I die, you will have them. When you have the gifts, you’ll have nothing to worry about.”
    Time passed and the farmer grew old. He grew sick and took to his bed. He called his sons to him.
    â€œGo into the barn,” he told them. “Far at the back, deep under the hay, you’ll find a chest. That chest contains three objects, one for each of you. I’ll give you the key now, but if you care about me, you’ll wait until I am dead to use it.”
    The sons did wait. They nursed their father and tended to him. They made sure he had a fine funeral with all of the neighbors to pray for his soul.
    At last, however, the funeral was over.
    â€œI believe we can look in the chest now,” the oldest son announced.
    They went into the barn, all three of them together. They dug into the hay at the back. Sure enough, the chest was there as their father had told them it would be.
    The oldest brother put the key in the lock and turned it. The second lifted the lid. The third just watched and waited. His name was Ti-Jean. He wasn’t as quick off the mark as the other two. They didn’t think much of his chances in the world.
    Inside the chest were three objects, just as their father had said. One was a purse, one was a bugle, one was a belt. The objects were not quite the gifts the brothers had been expecting, but when the oldest brother saw his name on the purse, he picked it up.
    On the side of the purse was writing.
    Every time I open wide, a hundred gold coins are inside.
    The oldest brother opened the purse. He could hardly believe his eyes. There were the gold coins all ready to be counted. He opened the purse again. There were more coins.
    The brothers knew the money was going to be useful. It was going to be very useful indeed.
    The second brother saw his name on the bugle. That had writing on it, too.
    Blow one end, the troops appear. Blow the other, the field is clear.
    The second brother blew on the bugle. He blew on the narrow end, the mouthpiece.
    Outside the barn there was the sound of marching feet and officers shouting orders. The second brother went to the door to look.
    â€œI’ve never seen so many soldiers in my life,” he cried.
    His brothers were quite relieved when he blew on the wide end of the bugle and the soldiers disappeared.
    Now, of course, the brothers wanted to know about the belt.
    Ti-Jean saw his name on it. He picked it up. He looked at the back.
    â€œIt says, Put me on and tell me where. In a minute you’ll be there ,” he read.
    â€œWhere are you going to go?” his brothers asked.
    â€œI want to see the Princess of Tomboso,” Ti-Jean replied.
    â€œShe’s just in a story,” his brothers insisted.
    â€œShe isn’t,” said Ti-Jean. “I want to go to the Princess of Tomboso.”
    With that, he was in the Princess of Tomboso’s room. She was sitting on her throne eating an apple. She was very pretty and very surprised to see him.
    â€œWho are you? Why have you come here?” she asked.
    â€œMy name is Ti-Jean. I’ve come for a visit.”

    The princess looked at him more carefully. She noticed he was not as richly dressed as everyone else who approached her.
    â€œMy servants should never have let you enter the palace,” she exclaimed.
    â€œYour servants could not stop me,” Ti-Jean replied. “I came directly here to where you are.”
    â€œSuch a thing is not possible.”
    â€œIt is,” said Ti-Jean. “I have a magic belt.”
    â€œShow me,” she ordered.
    â€œWith pleasure.”
    Ti-Jean showed her the belt. He demonstrated how it worked by having it