ull of copper money, and
every one thought he would never come back from his journey.

The day before they started the Princess met her lover and said to him:

"Be brave, and remember always that I love you. Take this purse full of
jewels and make the best use you can of them for love of me, and come
back quickly and demand my hand."

The two suitors left the town together, but the minister's son went off
at a gallop on his good horse, and very soon was lost to sight behind
the most distant hills. He traveled on for some days, and presently
reached a fountain beside which an old woman all in rags sat upon a
stone.

"Good-day to you, young traveler," said she.

But the minister's son made no reply.

"Have pity upon me, traveler," she said again. "I am dying of hunger,
as you see, and three days have I been here and no one has given me
anything."

"Let me alone, old witch," cried the young man; "I can do nothing for
you," and so saying he went on his way.

That same evening the gardener's son rode up to the fountain upon his
lame gray horse.

"Good-day to you, young traveler," said the beggar-woman.

"Good-day, good woman," answered he.

"Young traveler, have pity upon me."

"Take my purse, good woman," said he, "and mount behind me, for your
legs can't be very strong."

The old woman didn't wait to be asked twice, but mounted behind him,
and in this style they reached the chief city of a powerful kingdom. The
minister's son was lodged in a grand inn, the gardener's son and the old
woman dismounted at the inn for beggars.

The next day the gardener's son heard a great noise in the street, and
the King's heralds passed, blowing all kinds of instruments, and crying:

"The King, our master, is old and infirm. He will give a great reward to
whoever will cure him and give him back the strength of his youth."

Then the old beggar-woman said to her benefactor:

"This is what you must do to obtain the reward which the King promises.
Go out of the town by the south gate, and there you will find three
little dogs of different colors; the first will be white, the second
black, the third red. You must kill them and then burn them separately,
and gather up the ashes. Put the ashes of each dog into a bag of its own
color, then go before the door of the palace and cry out, 'A celebrated
physician has come from Janina in Albania. He alone can cure the King
and give him back the strength of his youth.' The King's phys