Excerpt from Greek Folk Poesy, Vol. 2: Annotated Translations, From the Whole Cycle of Romaic Folk-Verse and Folk-Prose; Edited With Essays on the Science of Folklore, Greek Folkspeech, and the Survival of Paganism; Folk-Prose
Said the eldest, 'I want you to bring me a pair of diamond earrings.'
Said the next, 'I want you to bring me a diamond necklace for my neck.'
Said he to the youngest daughter, 'And thou, what dost thou wish me to bring thee?'
'Let me think, papatsi, and I will tell you later.' She goes to her chamber, and says to her grandmother, 'Lala mine, my father is going away; what shall I charge him to bring me?'
'Tell him, my child, to bring you the Melodious Napkin, and say that, if he forgets it, may his ship move neither backwards nor forwards.'
The Princess went to her father and said to him, 'Papa! bring me the Melodious Napkin - if you don't bring it, may your ship move neither backwards nor forwards!'
The father arose, embraced them, and kissed them, and went away. He came to the place, and fought and conquered. He bought the earrings for the eldest, the necklace for the second, and for the youngest a spray to wear in her hair. He went on board the ship to return to his kingdom, but neither forward, nor backward, would it move. 'Bre aman!' They cast off, and set the sails, but the ship remained in the same spot. There was a merchant on board, and he said to the King,
'My longlived King, perhaps someone has given you a commission, and you have forgotten it.'
'I don't remember, how do I know? I don't remember being told anything.'
Said he, 'But try and recollect, my King, if someone in your house did not happen to give you a charge, and you have not fulfilled it?'
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