s, and lo! the
field was covered with sheep. Sheds appeared and houses and women, some
of them milking the ewes and others skimming the milk and making
cheeses. In one place men were busy preparing meat for the market and in
another cleaning wool. And all of them as they came and went spoke
respectfully to the second brother and called him, "Master!"

"You have your wish," the Angel said. "Stay here and enjoy prosperity
and see that you do not forget God's poor!"

Then he and the youngest brother went on their way.

"Now, my son," the Angel said, "you, too, may make one wish."

"I want but one thing, father. I pray heaven to grant me a truly pious
wife. That is my only wish."

"A truly pious wife!" the Angel cried. "My boy, you have asked the
hardest thing of all! Why, there are only three truly pious women in all
the world! Two of them are already married and the third is a princess
who is being sought in marriage at this very moment by two kings!
However, your brothers have received their wishes and you must have
yours, too. Let us go at once to the father of this virtuous princess
and present your suit."

So just as they were they trudged to the city where the princess lived
and presented themselves at the palace looking shabby and
travel-stained.

The king received them and when he heard their mission he looked at them
in amazement.

"This makes three suitors for my daughter's hand! Two kings and now this
young man all on the same day! How am I going to decide among them?"

"Let heaven decide!" the Angel said. "Cut three branches of grape-vine
and let the princess mark each branch with the name of a different
suitor. Then let her plant the three branches to-night in the garden
and to-morrow do you give her in marriage to the man whose branch has
blossomed during the night and by morning is covered with ripe clusters
of grapes."

The king and the two other suitors agreed to this and the princess named
and planted three branches of grape-vine. In the morning two of the
branches were bare and dry, but the third, the one which was marked with
the name of the youngest brother, was covered with green leaves and ripe
clusters of grapes. The king accepted heaven's ruling and at once led
his daughter to church where he had her married to the stranger and sent
her off with his blessing.

The Angel led the young couple to a forest and left them there.

A year went by and the Angel was sent back to earth to see h