"the prophecies which came true"
"josephine was the pretty daughter of monsieur tascher, a wealthy frenchman who owned a great estate in martinique, one of the larger islands in the carribean sea. josephine had a slave girl named adee. because they were of the same age, they grew and fond of each other as two sisters. wherever josephine went, adee went, too. they played together, rode together and were inseparable.
"josephine had a friend, aimee dubec de divery, daughter of another frenchman. josephine, aimee and adee would often go on long walks through the valley hunting for rare fruits and exotic flowers. one summer day, they went further than usual. they came to a hut built of palm and cane leaves. a great banyan tree spread its branches above it. under the shelter of this banyan tree, a very old native woman with purple-black eyes sat.
"'who is she?' josephine asked adee.
"'she is a priestess who can tell fortunes by the stars and by reading palms,' answered adee.
"the woman approached them and invited them to her house. 'i have a message for you,' she said.
"josephine and aimee hesitated but adee said, 'she will not hurt you.'
"josephine and aimee went into the hut. 'you did not come to be told of your fortunes,' said the old woman. 'but today, they shall be told to you. do not be afraid for i have wonderful news for you. YOU WILL BOTH BE QUEENS: one will reign in france and the other in the palace of the oriental sultan.' [43/44]
"the girls listened closely, but they did not believe the prophecies.. the priestess frowned, and looking at josephine said slowly. 'IT IS WRITTEN IN THE STARS THAT YOU WILL MARRY THE GREATEST MAN THE WORLD HAS SEEN FOR CENTURIES. he is not yet in the world's eye. wait twenty years and you will see.'
"the girls tried to laugh off the old woman's words but they never forgot the prophecies.
"several years later, while aimee was on a ship going to france, she was captured by pirates who took her to algiers. she was sold as a slave to the sultan. later, the sultan took her for his wife. aimee became queen of algiers.
"josephine, now grown up, was taken to france by her father. there she fell in love with a young corsian officer named napoleon bonaparte and married him.
"in the years that followed, the young general carved an empire for france and made himself the head of it. he crowed himself, napoleon, emperor of france, and josephine became an empress.
"the old priestess' prophecies had indeed come true!"
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