d as soon as possible. All the good folks
far and near were invited to come to the feast.

The lad's elder brother was invited with the rest, but he never
dreamed that the brave lad who was to marry the Princess was his own
younger brother.

He came to the palace on the feast day and took his place at the table
with the other guests, and then he looked up at the three thrones
where the King and the Princess and the lad were sitting, and there it
was his own younger brother who sat there.

When the man saw that he was afraid, for he remembered how he had
deserted the lad on the seashore to live or die as fate willed, and he
feared he might be punished for it.

But the younger brother bore him no grudge, but was grateful to him
for what he had done. As soon as he saw the elder one there among the
guests, he sent a servant for him and placed him in the seat of honor
and called him brother.

So all was happiness and rejoicing. Everybody was happy, but the lad
and the Princess were happiest of all, because they loved each other
and had just been married.

THE THREE SILVER CITRONS

A PERSIAN STORY

There was once a King who had three sons, and he loved them all
equally, one no more than the other.

When he had grown old and felt his strength leaving him, he called the
three Princes before him.

"My sons," said he, "I am no longer young, and soon the time will come
when I must leave you. I have it in mind to give the kingdom to one or
the other of you now and not to leave it for you to quarrel over after
I have gone. You have reached a time of life when you should marry. Go
forth into the world and seek, each one of you, a bride for himself.
He who brings home the most beautiful Princess shall have the
kingdom."

The three Princes were well content with what their father said. At
once the two elder ones made ready to set out; but the youngest one
said he would wait a bit. "It is not right," said he, "that our father
should be left alone in his old age. I will wait until my brothers
return, and then I too will start out to try my fortune in the world."

That was good hearing for the older Princes, for they had always been
a bit jealous of their younger brother and were just as well pleased
not to have him with them.

Before they set out they packed a bag full of food to carry with them,
for they had no wish to starve by the wayside. They took baked meats