there was once upon a time a king, but where he reigned and what he was called, i do not know. he had no son, but an only daughter who had always been ill, and no doctor had been able to cure her. then it was foretold to the king that his daughter should eat herself well with an apple. so he ordered it to be proclaimed throughout the whole of his kingdom, that whosoever brought his daughter an apple with which she could eat herself well, should have her to wife, and be king. this became known to a peasant who had three sons, and he said to the eldest, "go out into the garden and take a basketful of those beautiful apples with the red cheeks and carry them to the court; perhaps the king’s daughter will be able to eat herself well with them, and then thou wilt marry her and be king." the lad did so, and set out.