There were three sisters fain to die!
Her crown of gold each putteth on,
And forth to seek their death they're gone.

They wandered to the forest forth:
'Give us our death, O forest old,
For here are our three crowns of gold.'

The forest broke into a smile,
And kisses gave to each twice twain,
That showed them all the future plain.

There were three sisters fain to die:
They wandered forth to seek the sea:
They found it after summers three.

'Give us our death, thou ocean old,
For here are our three crowns of gold.'

Then the ocean began to weep:
Three hundred kisses it gave the three,
And all the past was plain to see.

There were three sisters fain to die:
To find the city they sought awhile;
They found it midmost of an isle.

'Give us our death, thou city old,
For here are our three crowns of gold.'

The city opened then and there,
And covered them with kisses dear
That showed them all the present clear.