A wizard left each of his three sons a gift before he died. The oldest received a mirror, through which he could see anyone in the world. The second, a horse which could ride to any place in the world in one day. The third, a magic apple which would never rot, and when eaten would cure any disease.

One day the brothers heard about a princess in a faraway land who was dying of an unknown disease. Rumour had it the king would let the man who saved his daughter marry her. The brothers sprung into action. The first looked in his mirror and saw the ill princess and the land she lived in. All three jumped on the second brother's horse, and they rode so fast they got to the princess' land the next morning. Then the third son took his apple to the princess, who ate it and recovered full health instantly.

The king was grateful, and indeed intended to let one of them marry the princess. But it had taken the cooperation of all three brothers to save her. Which one did the king decide should marry his daughter?

(In reply to by sandra)

I'm with you, Sandra! It would seem to me that one bite would do, and the never-rotting apple is could for at least a few more cures (unless you're a complete germophobe and too skeeved to bite off of someone else's apple, I guess.

Anyway, the only thing I feel certain about is that miror-boy is out. AFter all, he may have been helpful, but if the brothers had already heard about the dying princess, they probably could have found out where she was without the mirror. The two bro's with the horse and the apple could both argue that they played equally important roles in her recovery, so...

Posted by Jim C on 2004-02-20 12:16:12