Long ago in a far off land there lived a merchant, his wife and their six children. Three beautiful girls and three strapping boys. The youngest of his daughters (YN), was the most lovely, as well as kind, well-read and pure of heart; while the two elder sisters, in contrast, were wicked, selfish, vain and spoiled, they secretly taunted and treated (YN) more like a servant than a sister.
In a time of disease the merchant's beautiful wife fell gravely sick with smallpox. Only a week later did she die. The three boys, James, Leo, and Jean were very skilled and often helped their father with his trade. But for the girls Mercedes, and Philippa they sought out to make there sister's life miserable. "(YN) iron my dress." " She can't iron your dressage needs to iron mine. I'm going to town today." "Well so am I."
The merchants luck soon ran out when his ships were caught in a violent storm. As a result he lost everything, and had to move his family to a small farm in the country.