d fail to do all that he undertook, the place was made clear of
all but a few guards, and Owney was informed once more, that if he
should restore the king's eyes, he should wed with the princess, and
have the crown after her father's death. This put him in great
spirits, and after making a round upon his bare knees about the
bottle, he took a little of the water, and rubbed it into the king's
eyes. In a minute he jumped up from his throne and looked about him as
well as ever. He ordered Owney to be dressed out like a king's son,
and sent word to his daughter that she should receive him that instant
for her husband.

You may say to yourself that the princess, glad as she was of her
father's recovery, did not like this message. Small blame to her,
when it is considered that she never set her eyes upon the man
himself. However, her mind was changed wonderfully when he was brought
before her, covered with gold and diamonds, and all sorts of grand
things. Wishing, however, to know whether he had as good a wit as he
had a person, she told him that he should give her, on the next
morning, an answer to two questions, otherwise she would not hold him
worthy of her hand. Owney bowed, and she put the questions as follows:

'What is that which is the sweetest thing in the world?'

'What are the three most beautiful objects in the creation?'

These were puzzling questions; but Owney having a small share of
brains of his own, was not long in forming an opinion upon the matter.
He was very impatient for the morning; but it came just as slow and
regular as if he were not in the world. In a short time he was
summoned to the courtyard, where all the nobles of the land assembled,
with flags waving, and trumpets sounding, and all manner of glorious
doings going on. The princess was placed on a throne of gold near her
father, and there was a beautiful carpet spread for Owney to stand
upon while he answered her questions. After the trumpets were
silenced, she put the first, with a clear sweet voice, and he replied:

'It's salt!' says he, very stout, out.

There was a great applause at the answer; and the princess owned,
smiling, that he had judged right.

'But now,' said she, 'for the second. What are the three most
beautiful things in the creation?'

'Why,' answered the young man, 'here they are. A ship in full sail--a
field of wheat in ear--and----'

What the third most beautiful thing was, all the people didn't hear;
but there