THE　BRONZE　RING
  Once　upon　a　time　in　a　certain　country　there　lived　a
  king　whose　palace　was　surrounded　by　a　spacious　garden。
  But；　though　the　gardeners　were　many　and　the　soil　was
  good；　this　garden　yielded　neither　flowers　nor　fruits；　not
  even　grass　or　shady　trees。
  The　King　was　in　despair　about　it；　when　a　wise　old　man
  said　to　him：
  〃Your　gardeners　do　not　understand　their　business：　but
  what　can　you　expect　of　men　whose　fathers　were　cobblers
  and　carpenters？　How　should　they　have　learned　to　cultivate
  your　garden？〃
  〃You　are　quite　right；〃　cried　the　King。
  〃Therefore；〃　continued　the　old　man；　〃you　should　send
  for　a　gardener　whose　father　and　grandfather　have　been
  gardeners　before　him；　and　very　soon　your　garden　will　be
  full　of　green　grass　and　gay　flowers；　and　you　will　enjoy　its
  delicious　fruit。〃
  So　the　King　sent　messengers　to　every　town；　village；　and
  hamlet　in　his　dominions；　to　look　for　a　gardener　whose
  forefathers　had　been　gardeners　also；　and　after　forty　days
  one　was　found。
  〃Come　with　us　and　be　gardener　to　the　King；〃　they　said
  to　him。
  〃How　can　I　go　to　the　King；〃　said　the　gardener；　〃a　poor
  wretch　like　me？〃
  〃That　is　of　no　consequence；〃　they　answered。　〃Here　are
  new　clothes　for　you　and　your　family。〃
  〃But　I　owe　money　to　several　people。〃
  〃We　will　pay　your　debts；〃　they　said。
  So　the　gardener　allowed　himself　to　be　persuaded；　and
  went　away　with　the　messengers；　taking　his　wife　and　his
  son　with　him；　and　the　King；　delighted　to　have　found　a
  real　gardener；　entrusted　him　with　the　care　of　his　garden。
  The　man　found　no　difficulty　in　making　the　royal　garden
  produce　flowers　and　fruit；　and　at　the　end　of　a　year　the
  park　was　not　like　the　same　place；　and　the　King　showered
  gifts　upon　his　new　servant。
  The　gardener；　as　you　have　heard　already；　had　a　son；
  who　was　a　very　handsome　young　man；　with　most　agree…
  able　manners；　and　every　day　he　carried　the　best　fruit　of
  the　garden　to　the　King；　and　all　the　prettiest　flowers　to　his
  daughter。　Now　this　princess　was　wonderfully　pretty　and
  was　just　sixteen　years　old；　and　the　King　was　beginning
  to　think　it　was　time　that　she　should　be　married。
  〃My　dear　child；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　of　an　age　to　take　a
  husband；　therefore　I　am　thinking　of　marrying　you　to　the
  son　of　my　prime　minister。
  〃Father；〃　replied　the　Princess；　〃I　will　never　marry　the
  son　of　the　minister。〃
  〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　King。
  〃Because　I　love　the　gardener's　son；〃　answered　the
  Princess。
  On　hearing　this　the　King　was　at　first　very　angry；　and
  then　he　wept　and　sighed；　and　declared　that　such　a　husband
  was　not　worthy　of　his　daughter；　but　the　young
  Princess　was　not　to　be　turned　from　her　resolution　to
  marry　the　gardener's　son。
  Then　the　King　consulted　his　ministers。　〃This　is　what
  you　must　do；〃　they　said。　〃To　get　rid　of　the　gardener　you
  must　send　both　suitors　to　a　very　distant　country；　and　the
  one　who　returns　first　shall　marry　your　daughter。〃
  The　King　followed　this　advice；　and　the　minister's　son
  was　presented　with　a　splendid　horse　and　a　purse　full　of
  gold　pieces；　while　the　gardener's　son　had　only　an　old　lame
  horse　and　a　purse　full　of　copper　money；　and　every　one
  thought　he　would　never　come　back　from　his　journey。
  The　day　before　they　started　the　Princess　met　her　lover
  and　said　to　him：
  〃Be　brave；　and　remember　always　that　I　love　you。　Take
  this　purse　full　of　jewels　and　make　the　best　use　you　can　of
  them　for　love　of　me；　and　come　back　quickly　and　demand
  my　hand。〃
  The　two　suitors　left　the　town　together；　but　the
  minister's　son　went　off　at　a　gallop　on　his　good　horse；　and　very
  soon　was　lost　to　sight　behind　the　most　distant　hills。　He
  traveled　on　for　some　days；　and　presently　reached　a　fountain
  beside　which　an　old　woman　all　in　rags　sat　upon　a
  stone。
  〃Good…day　to　you；　young　traveler；〃　said　she。
  But　the　minister's　son　made　no　reply。
  〃Have　pity　upon　me；　traveler；〃　she　said　again。　〃I　am
  dying　of　hunger；　as　you　see；　and　three　days　have　I　been
  here　and　no　one　has　given　me　anything。〃
  〃Let　me　alone；　old　witch；〃　cried　the　young　man；　〃I　can
  do　nothing　for　you；〃　and　so　saying　he　went　on　his　way。
  That　same　evening　the　gardener's　son　rode　up　to　the
  fountain　upon　his　lame　gray　horse。
  〃Good…day　to　you；　young　traveler；〃　said　the　beggar…
  woman。
  〃Good…day；　good　woman；〃　answered　he。
  〃Young　traveler；　have　pity　upon　me。〃
  Take　my　purse；　good　woman；〃　said　he；　〃and　mount
  behind　me；　for　your　legs　can't　be　very　strong。〃
  The　old　woman　didn't　wait　to　be　asked　twice；　but
  mounted　behind　him；　and　in　this　style　they　reached　the
  chief　city　of　a　powerful　kingdom。　The　minister's　son　was
  lodged　in　a　grand　inn；　the　gardener's　son　and　the　old
  woman　dismounted　at　the　inn　for　beggars。
  The　next　day　the　gardener's　son　heard　a　great　noise　in
  the　street；　and　the　King's　heralds　passed；　blowing　all
  kinds　of　instruments；　and　crying：
  The　King；　our　master；　is　old　and　infirm。　He　will　give
  a　great　reward　to　whoever　will　cure　him　and　give　him
  back　the　strength　of　his　youth。〃
  Then　the　old　beggar…woman　said　to　her　benefactor：
  〃This　is　what　you　must　do　to　obtain　the　reward　which
  the　King　promises。　Go　out　of　the　town　by　the　south　gate；
  and　there　you　will　find　three　little　dogs　of　different　colors；
  the　first　will　be　white；　the　second　black；　the　third　red。　You
  must　kill　them　and　then　burn　them　separately；　and　gather
  up　the　ashes。　Put　the　ashes　of　each　dog　into　a　bag　of　its　own
  color；　then　go　before　the　door　of　the　palace　and　cry　out；
  ‘A　celebrated　physician　has　come　from　Janina　in　Albania。
  He　alone　can　cure　the　King　and　give　him　back　the
  strength　of　his　youth。'　The　King's　physicians　will　say；
  This　is　an　impostor；　and　not　a　learned　man；'　and　they
  will　make　all　sorts　of　difficulties；　but　you　will　overcome
  them　all　at　last；　and　will　present　yourself　before　the　sick
  King。　You　must　then　demand　as　much　wood　as　three
  mules　can　carry；　and　a　great　cauldron；　and　must　shut
  yourself　up　in　a　room　with　the　Sultan；　and　when　the
  cauldron　boils　you　must　throw　him　into　it；　and　there　leave
  him　until　his　flesh　is　completely　separated　from　his　bones。
  Then　arrange　the　bones　in　their　proper　places；　and　throw
  over　them　the　ashes　out　of　the　three　bags。　The　King　will
  come　back　to　life；　and　will　be　just　as　he　was　when　he　was
  twenty　years　old。　For　your　reward　you　must　demand　the
  bronze　ring　which　has　the　power　to　grant　you　everything
  you　desire。　Go；　my　son；　and　do　not　forget　any　of　my
  instructions。〃
  The　young　man　followed　the　old　beggar…woman's
  directions。　On　going　out　of　the　town　he　found　the　white；
  red；　and　black　dogs；　and　killed　and　burnt　them；　gathering
  the　ashes　in　three　bags。　Then　he　ran　to　the　palace　and
  cried：
  〃A　celebrated　physician　has　just　come　from　Janina　in
  Albania。　He　alone　can　cure　the　King　and　give　him　back
  the　strength　of　his　youth。〃
  The　King's　physicians　at　first　laughed　at　the　unknown
  wayfarer；　but　the　Sultan　ordered　that　the　stranger　should
  be　admitted。　They　brought　the　cauldron　and　the　loads
  of　wood；　and　very　soon　the　King　was　boiling　away。
  Toward　mid…day　the　gardener's　son　arranged　the　bones　in
  their　places；　and　he　had　hardly　scattered　the　ashes　over
  them　before　the　old　King　revived；　to　find　himself　once
  more　young　and　hearty。
  〃How　can　I　reward　you；　my　benefactor？〃　he　cried。
  〃Will　you　take　half　my　treasures？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　gardener's　son。
  〃My　daughter's　hand？〃
  〃NO。〃
  〃Take　half　my　kingdom。〃
  〃No。　Give　me　only　the　bronze　ring　which　can　instantly
  grant　me　anything　I　wish　for。〃
  〃Alas！〃　said　the　King；　〃I　set　great　store　by　that
  marvelous　ring；　nevertheless；　you　shall　have　it。〃　And　he　gave
  it　to　him。
  The　gardener's　son　went　back　to　say　good…by　to　the　old
  beggar…woman；　then　he　said　to　the　bronze　ring：
  〃Prepare　a　splendid　ship　in　which　I　may　continue　my
  journey。　Let　the　hull　be　of　fine　gold；　the　masts　of　silver；
  the　sails　of　brocade；　let　the　crew　consist　of　twelve　young
  men　of　noble　appearance；　dressed　like　kings。　St。　Nicholas
  will　be　at　the　helm。　As　to　the　cargo；　let　it　be　diamonds；
  rubies；　emeralds；　and　carbuncles。〃
  And　immediately　a　ship　appeared　upon　the　sea　which
  resembled　in　every　particular　THE　DESCRIPTION　GIVEN　BY　THE
  GARDENER'S　SON；　and；　stepping　on　board；　he　continued　his
  journey。　Presently　he　arrived　at　a　great　town　and　established
  himself　in　a　wonderful　palace。　After　several　days
  he　met　his　rival；　the　minister's　son；　who　had　spent　all　his
  money　and　was　reduced　to　the　disagreeable　employment
  of　a　carrier　of　dust　and　rubbish。　The　gardener's　son　said
  to　him：
  〃What　is　your　name；　what　is　your　family；　and　from
  what　country　do　you　come？〃
  〃I　am　the　son　of　the　prime　minister　of　a　great　nation；
  and　yet　see　what　a　degrading　occupation　I　am　reduced
  to。〃
  〃Listen　to　me；　though　I　don't　know　anything　more
  about　you；　I　am　willing　to　help　you。　I　w