d that
which is--"

The Salt of Life.

Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons, and by the time
that the youngest prince had down upon his chin the king had grown so
old that the cares of the kingdom began to rest over-heavily upon his
shoulders. So he called his chief councillor and told him that he was of
a mind to let the princes reign in his stead. To the son who loved him
the best he would give the largest part of his kingdom, to the son who
loved him the next best the next part, and to the son who loved him the
least the least part. The old councillor was very wise and shook his
head, but the king's mind had long been settled as to what he was about
to do. So he called the princes to him one by one and asked each as to
how much he loved him.

"I love you as a mountain of gold," said the oldest prince, and the king
was very pleased that his son should give him such love.

"I love you as a mountain of silver," said the second prince, and the
king was pleased with that also.

But when the youngest prince was called, he did not answer at first, but
thought and thought. At last he looked up. "I love you," said he, "as I
love salt."

When the king heard what his youngest son said he was filled with anger.
"What!" he cried, "do you love me no better than salt--a stuff that is
the most bitter of all things to the taste, and the cheapest and the
commonest of all things in the world? Away with you, and never let me
see your face again! Henceforth you are no son of mine."

The prince would have spoken, but the king would not allow him, and bade
his guards thrust the young man forth from the room.

Now the queen loved the youngest prince the best of all her sons, and
when she heard how the king was about to drive him forth into the wide
world to shift for himself, she wept and wept. "Ah, my son!" said she to
him, "it is little or nothing that I have to give you. Nevertheless, I
have one precious thing. Here is a ring; take it and wear it always,
for so long as you have it upon your finger no magic can have power over
you."

Thus it was that the youngest prince set forth into the wide world with
little or nothing but a ring upon his finger.

For seven days he travelled on, and knew not where he was going or
whither his footsteps led. At the end of that time he came to the gates
of a town. The prince entered the gates, and found himself in a city
the like of which he had never seen in his life be