The King was pleased, and went and told his daughter, asking her to
choose which she would have as a husband.
"I will tell you to-morrow," said the girl.
The King agreed, but on the morrow she was nowhere to be found,
and her father, much distressed, went to the three wise men.
"Now," said he to the first, "tell me where my daughter is."
"She is with the fairies," he replied, "and unless the one in charge
of her is killed, she cannot return."
Then the King turned to the other two men. To the horse-maker he said:
"Go and make me a horse," and to the other: "Take your bow and arrow,
mount the horse, and go and shoot the fairy: bring my daughter back
with you."
Forthwith the men prepared: the horse was made, and mounted by the
man with his bow and arrows, then they all disappeared into the
skies. There they found the King's daughter guarded by a fairy.
The third man soon shot the fairy with his bow and arrow, and,
lifting the Princess upon his horse, returned with her to her father.
Now each man felt that he had an equal claim upon her, and had earned
her as his wife; so the King asked her to decide.
"I will marry the man who shot the fairy," said she, "and no other."
This decision being final, they had a grand feast in celebration of
her marriage.
Moral.--Those who think they have the best claim, do not always attain
their desires!