This story has nothing to do with reality. It is a woman’s fantasy that men will turn the world upside down to gain her favors.

The king's brother died after a long illness leaving behind an only daughter. The king was a kindly man, and invited her to live in the palace with him and his three sons. The cousins loved their beautiful cousin, brought her bonbons and flowers every day just to please her. Life was peaceful until they grew up. Then all three fell in love, and wanted to marry her. “But, my children,” said the father despairingly, "all of you can’t marry her, that’s against the law." From then on, the boys quarreled among themselves until finally one of them said, “All right, the one who brings her the best gift, marries her.”

The brothers scattered everywhere looking for the right present, each trying to outdo the other. One day, the oldest brother saw an unusual rug in the market place of a distant town. “How much do you want for that rug?" he asked the merchant. “That one will cost you thirty dollars", he said. “But it’s not worth anything,” protested the brother. "Look, it’s stained and worn out in spots. “ How can you ask such a price for such a rag?” “Oh,” said the vendor slyly, “if you knew the marvelous things it does, you wouldn’t say that. Here try it out for yourself.” He sat the young man in the middle of the rug. Immediately, it flew into the air, and made a circle around the marketplace. Then it settled down gently in front of the merchant. “This is a wonderful gift,” the young man cried in amazement, and gladly paid the man the thirty dollars. “Remember”, said the merchant as the young man left, “It will take you anywhere you want to go.”

Meanwhile, the middle brother arrived in a town, and went to visit a cousin who lived there. While drinking a glass of refreshing mint tea, he noticed a crystal cube on the table. “Why do you keep such a cheap object in your beautiful house?” he asked. “My dear cousin,” he replied with a smile, “you are wrong, that cube is worth its weight in gold. When I look into it, I can see your whole family, wherever they are. I even knew you were coming long before you arrived. “Sell it to me!” said the brother desperately. “I’ll give you anything you want for it.” “Cousin, “ he said, “I can’t sell it to you, but I’ll swap it for something else.” The brother bought him a handsome gift, and received the crystal cube in exchange.

The youngest prince went to another town. In the fruit and vegetable market, he saw a man selling apples. An unusually large, red apple caught his eye. “How much do you want for it?” he asked the vendor. “Thirty dollars,” he replied. “Thirty dollars!” the boy cried in amazement. “You must be crazy! I can buy a whole bushel, and better ones, for less.” “ Oh, no" said the merchant shaking his head, “not like this one. It is the only one of its kind in the whole wide world.” “ How so?” asked the prince? “It can make a sick person well,” he said. “In that case”, said the boy, “I’ll take it,” and he paid the merchant the thirty dollars and left.

When the brothers were reunited, they examined the gift each one had bought: the flying carpet, the crystal cube, and the red apple. Suddenly, the middle prince, gazing into his cube, cried out in alarm, “Brothers, something terrible has happened. Our cousin is sick, and looks as if she is dying!”

The three princes jumped onto the flying carpet, and in a few minutes were deposited on the palace roof. Immediately they rushed to their cousin’s room. The poor girl was so weak she hardly recognized them. However, the youngest brother fed her the apple a little at a time until her strength returned, and she was able to sit up in bed. Miraculously, the illness had disappeared.

The brothers crowded around her bedside. “Now, tell us, which gift do you like the best?” they asked. “I like them all,” she said, “because al three saved my life. The cube told you I was sick, the magic carpet brought you here in time, and the apple cured me. “Nevertheless”, they insisted, “you must choose one of us.” “Well, since I must”, she said, “I’ll marry the one who throws this stone the farthest.” The oldest threw it as far as he could, the middle hurled it even further, but the youngest, the strongest of the three, threw it three times as far. And he was the one she married.

And they were happy, and so are we.