ped them.

"What is the virtue of that book, grandmother?" asked Ambo.

"My grandsons," replied she, "if you want to restore a dead person
to life, just open this book before him, and in an instant he will
be revived." Without questioning her further, Ambo at once bought
the book. Then the three continued their journey.

Again they met an old woman selling a mat. Now, Iloy was desirous of
possessing a charm, so he asked the old woman what virtue the mat had.

"Why, if you want to travel through the air," she said, "just step
on it, and in an instant you will be where you desire to go." Iloy
did not hesitate, but bought the mat at once.

Now, Suan was the only one who had no charm. They had not gone far,
however, before he saw two stones, which once in a while would
meet and unite to form one round black stone, and then separate
again. Believing that these stones possessed some magical power,
Suan picked them up; for it occurred to him that with them he would
be able to unite things of the same or similar kind. This belief of
his came true, as we shall see.

These three brothers, each possessing a charm, were very happy. They
went on their way light-hearted. Not long afterward they came upon
a crowd of persons weeping over the dead body of a beautiful young
lady. Ambo told the parents of the young woman that he would restore
her to life if they would pay him a reasonable sum of money. As they
gladly agreed, Ambo opened his book, and the dead lady was brought
back to life. Ambo was paid all the money he asked; but as soon as he
had received his reward, Iloy placed his mat on the ground, and told
his two brothers to hold the young woman and step on the mat. They
did so, and in an instant all four were transported to the seashore.

From that place they took ship to another country; but when they were
in the middle of the sea, a severe storm came, and their boat was
wrecked. All on board would have been drowned had not Suan repaired
the broken planks with his two magical stones. When they landed, a
quarrel arose among the three brothers as to which one was entitled
to the young woman.

Ambo said, "I am the one who should have her, for it was I who restored
her to life."

"But if it had not been for me, we should not have the lady with us,"
said Iloy.

"And if it had not been for me," said Suan, "we should all be dead now,
and nobody could have her."

As they could not come to any agreement, they took the questi