les, moving gracefully
through the water. The eldest of the maidens lowered her bait, but
the fish would not see it. The second sister tried her skill. The
fish bit the bait; but, just as it was being drawn out of the water,
it suddenly released its hold. Now the youngest sister's turn came. The
fish allowed itself to be caught and held in the tender hands of this
beautiful girl. She placed the little fish in a golden basin of water
and took it to her room, where she cared for it very tenderly.

Several months later the king issued a proclamation throughout his
realm and other neighboring kingdoms, saying that the youngest
princess was sick. "To any one who can cure her," he said, "I
promise to give one-half of my kingdom." The most skilful doctors
had already done the best they could, but all their efforts were in
vain. The princess seemed to grow worse and worse every day. "Ay,
what foolishness!" exclaimed Don Luzano when he heard the news of
the sick princess. "The sickness! Pshaw! That's no sickness, never
in the wide world!"

The following morning there was Don Luzano speaking with the king. "I
promise to cure her," said Don Luzano. "I have already cured many
similar cases."

"And your remedy will do her no harm?" asked the king after some
hesitation.

"No harm, sir, no harm. Rely on my honor."

"Very well. And you shall have half of my kingdom if you are
successful."

"No, I thank you, your Majesty. I, being a faithful subject, need no
payment whatever for any of my poor services. As a token from you,
however, I should like to have the fish that the princess keeps in
her room."

"O my faithful subject!" exclaimed the king in joy. "How good you
are! Will you have nothing except a poor worthless fish?"

"No more" that's enough."

"Well, then," returned the king, "prepare your remedy, and on the
third day we shall apply it to the princess. You can go home now,
and you may be sure that you shall have the fish."

Don Luzano took his leave of the king, and then went home. On the third
day this daring magician came back to the palace to apply his remedy
to the princess. Before he began any part of the treatment, however,
he requested that the fish be given to him. The king consented to
his request: but as he was about to dip his hand into the basin,
the princess boldly stopped him. She pretended to be angry on the
ground that Don Luzano would soil with his hands the golden basin of
the monarch. She told hi