Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a King and Queen who had one beautiful daughter.When the Princess was eighteen years old, the King wanted to find a rich husband for her. He thought that money was the best thing in all the world.

So the King sent messengers all over the country to say that whoever would bring him ten cart-loads of money each day for ten days should marry the Princess and have half of his kingdom, besides. But if anyone tried and failed, he should be put to death.

A poor, hard-working boy named Pablo heard the King’s message. That night he said to his mother, “O Mother, how I should like to marry the beautiful Princess, and have half of the kingdom, besides! Then I should be a handsome prince, and you would be a lovely queen.”

But his mother only laughed at him, for well she knew that they had not even one small piece of money in the house.

The next day Pablo took his ax as usual and went to the forest to cut wood. Picking out the largest tree in the forest, he began to chop it down. When he had struck only two or three blows with his ax he heard a voice saying,“Please do not cut me any more, Pablo. I am the King of the Forest. Put your hand into the hole in my trunk, and you will find a purse which will give you all the money you wish.”

At once Pablo obeyed the voice and, putting his hand into the hole, he pulled out a leather purse. It was empty, however, and so Pablo threw it down, saying, “The King of the Forest is trying to play a joke on me.” But as the purse struck the ground, there was a clinking noise,and silver money rolled out of it.

Pablo was then filled with happiness and, taking the purse, started at once for home to tell his mother of his good luck. As soon as he reached the house, he called his mother and began shaking the purse. Out rolled the money in a silver stream. It spread all over the floor of the little hut.

Of course Pablo’s mother was surprised and delighted when she saw so much money. “Now,my son, you can go to the King,” she said, “and marry the beautiful Princess.”

The next morning Pablo went to the palace and asked to see the King. The King was much surprised to hear such a poorly dressed boy say that he had come to marry the Princess, and ask for half of his kingdom, besides.

“Young man,” said the King, “do you know that if you try to send the cart-loads of money and fail, you will be put to death?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Pablo. “But I shall not fail.”

Then he asked the King to let him have a talk with the Princess. He was taken before the Princess, and was much pleased with her beauty. But the young girl was not pleased with Pablo, because he was so poorly dressed.

After Pablo had bidden her good-bye, he told the King to send ten carts for the first loads of money. The carts were sent with soldiers to guard them. How surprised the soldiers were when they saw the piles of silver around Pablo’s little hut! They filled the carts with money and hauled it away to the palace. The King was overjoyed at the sight, and even the Princess seemed pleased.

Five days went by, and Pablo had not once failed to have the money ready when the soldiers came for it. By this time the Princess was not quite so well pleased. “Only five days more,” she said to herself, “and I shall have to marry Pablo. He is very, very rich, but now we have all the money we need. I do not want to marry him. I will play a trick on him.”

The next day one of the soldiers told the Princess that Pablo got all his money from a magic purse. When she heard this she asked the soldier to tell Pablo that she wished to see him alone. Of course Pablo was much delighted at the message, and hastened at once to the palace.

There the Princess sang and sang to him,until finally he fell asleep. As soon as Pablo closed his eyes, she took the magic purse and hid it. 75yINr2eTUtRgZbz9eIkG7R4L3/pPte2fsnsDhy/rMtr3si8Np3lmdZGWdtE+fh1