Once upon a time there were two brothers, who were orphans. The oldest was named Mahobane and the youngest Lovallec. These unfortunate children had been beggars since they were six years of age. They went from house to house and from village to village, on mountains and in valleys, but wherever they went their cry was the same:

"Good friends! give us alms! Kind friends! help the unfortunate!"

Their lot was a hard one, even as children, but it was harder as they grew older, for when the oldest was twenty they discovered that they had only succeeded, after all their efforts, in keeping soul and body together. Finally, one day, Mahobane exclaimed:

"I know what I shall do to make a great deal of money in a very short time."

"What is it?" cried Lovallec.

"One of us," said the eldest, "will have to become blind and lead the other by the hand, going from house to house and along the public highways asking for alms from the people and from the travellers."

"You are right," said Lovallec, "but, alas! neither one of us is blind."

"It will be easy enough," said the other, "to become so."

"How can that be?" asked Lovallec.

"Oh, easy enough," said the elder. "One of us will have to put out his eyes."

"Oh, no!" exclaimed the younger; "that would make one of us suffer too much."

"Ah," said Mahobane, to the younger, "you are timid, you are tender-hearted: What is a little suffering in comparison with the happy times we should have? the soft beds we should sleep in, the fine meats that will be offered us, and the good wines we have not tasted in so long? But it does not follow that you are to be blind," continued Mahobane; "the lot may fall to me instead of you."

"So be it," said the younger; "let us draw straws."

Mahobane prepared the straws, and arranged very cleverly to cheat his younger brother. He had no sooner carried his point than he put out his brother's eyes with a thorn.

Lovallec screamed loudly under the pain of this operation, but the only sympathy he got from his cruel brother was this:

"Cry louder, my brother! cry louder! for here the people are passing, and when they behold your condition they will give us money."

It was even so. Silver and pennies fell into the wooden bowl they carried, and this success was continued for more than a year. Then a wicked thought entered the head of Mahobane, the eldest, and he made up his mind to get rid of his unfortunate brother. So one day he carried him into the great forest and left him to wander alone and find his way out as best he could; but, being blind, this he was unable to do.

"Where am I, my dear brother? Where are you?" But there was no answer to his heart-rending cries. The cowardly brother, who had deserted him, was already far away. It was long before Lovallec, the blind one, would believe that his brother could be cruel enough to desert him. He called and cried for the absent brother, but the only answer he heard was in the mocking echoes. Night came, and he was tired, hungry, and thirsty. Despair seized him and he continued his lamentations.

"Ah, my brother! my brother! how cruel you have been to forsake me! Is it my fate to die of hunger at the foot of this tree, or become the prey of the ravenous beasts that roam through this forest? No! Better a thousand times that I should die at once."

With this the unfortunate brother climbed the tree, at the foot of which he found himself, groping his way up the trunk, and was preparing to throw himself to the ground to end his existence then and there, when he heard in the forest, near at hand, the terrible roaring of a lion. At this sound the leaves and branches of the tree trembled, and the blind unfortunate paused. The roaring of the Lion, as it seemed, was a call to the Wolf, who soon made his appearance at the foot of the tree.

"You are late, Wolf!" exclaimed the Lion; "where do you come from?"

"I have been at Offemborough," said the Wolf, "where I have tasted human flesh. There everyone is dying of thirst, and the people are too weak to protect themselves. That is why I am late." At this the Lion laughed heartily.

"I know," said he, "how water can be procured for the inhabitants of this city."

"But how can this be done?" the Wolf inquired.

"It is easy enough," said the Lion, in his positive way; "take a small piece of the root of this very tree under which we are standing, and strike three times on the rock in the middle of the city, saying:

and immediately water, fresh and clear as crystal will flow, and it will flow in sufficient abundance to satisfy the needs of all."

"You are wise," said the Wolf. "Can you not give me some other useful information?"

"Yes," said the lion, "I can tell you a remedy that will cure all sorts of maladies and infirmities."

"What is that?" said the Wolf.

"To succeed in the art of medicine," said the Lion, shaking his mane and beard, "one has only to take the inner bark of this same tree, and apply it to the seat of the disease. For example, if one is blind, a portion of the inner bark of the tree would have to be applied to the eyes."

"That is very strange," said the Wolf, "and I will remember it. But now tell me from whence you come: I have not seen you for many days."

"I have just arrived from the city of the famous King, whose beautiful daughter now lies dangerously ill."

"And how did the famous King's beautiful daughter come to be ill?" inquired the Wolf.

"Well," said the Lion, "as I was passing over the mountain of Aventin, I met the King's daughter riding on a palfrey. She was smiling on all, and giving alms to every unfortunate she met. She was so beautiful, with her great blue eyes, and so simple and so good, that it made me lonely and lovesick, so I caused to be sent her a terrible malady which will consume her, and to-day she should be dying."

"Do you think," said the Wolf, "that the inner bark of this tree would cure the sick princess?"

"No," said the Lion. "It would not be sufficient in this case, for the princess has an evil spirit for an enemy, and she will have to be treated differently. To be cured, she must be given the blood of a frog mixed with muscadine wine, and the second day she must eat the frog's heart cooked in the juice of a fig."

Here the Lion paused, and the Wolf inquired:

"Have you no more good news for me, good friend?"

"No," said the Lion.

"Then good-by until next year," said the Wolf, "when we will meet at the same time and place."

The Wolf and the Lion parted, each going his way through the forest.

"So, then," exclaimed Lovallec, the blind man, who had been sitting in the tree, "I have not been deserted by Providence after all. These beasts have told me secrets that will surely be useful to me hereafter."

The sun had arisen, and the birds began to sing. Lovallec came down from the tree and took a piece of the inner bark thereof and rubbed it on his eyes. Suddenly he found that his eyesight had been restored to him, and the happy man danced around in a transport of joy. He saw the skies, the birds, the flowers, and, above all, the sun. He was happy once more. He placed the bark in his bosom and pressed it there, after securing a quantity of the precious medicine. He did not forget, also, to procure a piece of the root of the tree, in order that he might be able to give water to the unfortunate inhabitants of Offemborough.

After making these preparations the young man started on his journey. He travelled for many days and crossed many rivers. He was nearly at the end of his journey, but he was as poor now as when he started, and his clothes were in tatters. He had no money, but his riches were all in his heart. He met a priest.

"Good-morning, parson," said he; "can I enjoy your hospitality?"

"No," said the priest, "my house is too small and I have no place for you."

He met the mayor.

"Good-day, Mr. Mayor," Lovallec exclaimed, "will you give me something to eat?"

"Go away, you tramp, or I will have you arrested this instant," cried the mayor.

He met the lord of the castle.

"Good-day," said the traveller. "I am cold, your lordship; can you give me some clothing to wear—something to hide my nakedness?"

Then the lord of the castle called to his servants and directed them to give the beggar a hundred lashes, and the unfortunate young man was beat and left for dead on the way.

A poor girl, passing by, saw him lying on the ground, and bent over him tenderly. Then she called assistance, and had him carried to her home, where she watched over him constantly, weeping and praying that he might recover.

At last Lovallec recovered, and said to the young girl who had rescued him:

"My guardian angel, what has happened since I have been ill? What is the news in the city?"

"There is nothing new," said the young girl. "Every one is the victim of the water-famine."

"What a misfortune!" cried the young man; "let us go at once to the relief of these poor people!"

Although Lovallec was scarcely able to walk, he leaned on the arm of the young girl, and was preparing to go, when, all of a sudden, he remembered the pieces of bark he had secreted in his bosom. He took a portion of this, rubbed himself, and at once the pains in his limbs disappeared, and he was made whole again.

The young girl was astonished at this sudden change, as well she might be, and her surprise continued until they had arrived in the centre of the great city. Once there, however, the young man recognized the rock that had been described by the Lion. Without loss of time he took the piece of the root of the tree that he had procured, and struck the rock three times, crying:

At once there was a mysterious noise in the rock. It parted in twain, and the water gushed forth in an abundant supply. The news of this miracle spread abroad in the city, and the inhabitants came with their jugs and vessels to obtain a supply of water. All quenched their thirst, and were happy; they embraced each other and made ready for celebrating the event with festivities. They were so grateful that they could talk of nothing else but the miracle that had given them an abundance of water.

But in the midst of their congratulations and rejoicings a voice rose above the tumult:

"Friends, let us not be ungrateful. To whom do we owe this abundance of water that has given us renewed strength and life?"

When Lovallec heard these words he made an effort to escape the notice of the crowd, but the young girl could not resist a desire to make him known to the people. She cried out:

"Here is the saviour of Offemborough!"

At this the young man was surrounded by the priest, the mayor, and the lord of the castle, and they wanted to carry him off in triumph. They offered him great sums of money as a reward for the service he had rendered them; but simple and modest as the young man was, he answered:

"No, no! keep all your money. I will have none of that. I was without a shelter, and you drove me from your door; I was dying of hunger, and you refused me even the scraps that you fed to your dogs; I was shivering with cold, and all the clothing you gave me was a beating, and I was left for dead on the pavement. Ah! keep your honors; keep your money!"

At these sad words, and, fearing that the young man would destroy the source of their water as quickly as he had discovered it, the men, women, and children fell on their knees before him and begged for mercy. He bade them rise, and he was weeping as he spoke:

"Your kindness is my best revenge."

Then the people asked Lovallec to make his home among them.

"No! no!" he answered, "I have a great deal of good to do as I journey through the world, and those who are suffering cannot afford to wait."

The people of Offemborough, however, persuaded him to accept a magnificent carriage and horses; they clothed him in fine linen and gave him money to go on his way.

"When will you return to us?" inquired the people.

"Very soon, perhaps, my friends," cried Lovallec, and with that his driver whipped up the horses, and the young man was soon lost to view.

After so long a time, Lovallec, arriving at the city of the famous King, went immediately to the palace-door and knocked.

"What will you have?" said the King, who went to the door.

"Living in a far-off country I heard that your daughter is sick, and I have come to cure her."

"Alas!" cried the King, "you have come in vain. All the great physicians of the world have exhausted their science in her behalf, and I am in despair."

"You must have courage," said the young man; "your daughter will be cured in a few days."

"Stranger," said the famous monarch, "if you can work such a wonderful miracle as this, all that I have is yours. The riches that will fall to you will be beyond computation. You shall have millions of gold pieces, a hundred towns and ten provinces shall be yours, and you may even command my crown if you succeed in curing my daughter."

Then Lovallec thanked the famous King and said:

"Leave me alone a little while, as it is necessary that I should gather some herbs that belong to the medicine which I desire to give your daughter."

Then the famous King went weeping to his daughter's bedside. The young man went down into the garden and caught a frog, and went to the apartments that had been provided for him.

"Quick!" he exclaimed to one of the servants, "bring me a knife and a plate and some green figs; and you," he said to another, "make a big fire, and don't forget to fetch a frying-pan."

Everything was ready in a short time, and Lovallec went to work, having first made sure that there was nobody near to watch him. He first killed the frog and mixed its blood with muscadine wine. Then he took out the heart, and cooked it as the Lion had said. This mixture prepared, the young man went before the King's daughter.

"Powerful princess!" he exclaimed, "drink of this wine, for it is renewed life that I give you."

The princess drank one swallow, and immediately pushed the cup from her.

"I am poisoned!" she cried; "I feel that I am dying."

"Drink, princess, drink!" exclaimed the young man, "for it is an evil spirit that possesses you."

Then the young girl took the rest of the draught, and was immediately relieved.

"Ah! I am better," she exclaimed. "I feel my strength returning. Thanks! thanks! my benefactor!"

The next day Lovallec presented her with the heart of the frog, cooked according to the Lion's directions.

"Eat this meat," the young man said, "and all your troubles will be over."

Then the sick girl ate bravely of the queer morsel, and was immediately restored to health.

"My father! my father!" she cried, "here is your daughter who is restored to you. See my bright eyes and my rosy cheeks." Then she laughed and sang, and with a smile she again thanked her benefactor.

The old King was nearly crazed with joy, and more than once he went to the young man and embraced him; but that seemed insufficient as an expression of the gratitude that he owed the doctor, and he was loaded with presents of all sorts. He had caskets of gold, precious stones, villages and castles, and more riches than he could wish for. One day the King said to him:

"My son, I want to give you my daughter's hand in marriage, and my crown, if you will accept it."

"Your Majesty," said Lovallec, "permit me to think over your proposition. I desire to return to a foreign country to arrange my affairs, and later I can give you an answer."

"Go, my son," said the King, "but return quickly. The hours seem long to those who love and wait."

The young man went away that very day. Where he was going he alone knew, but his horses seemed to know where his heart turned, and he soon found himself on the way to Offemborough, where one poor woman had had pity on him. It was not long before he had reached the end of his journey. He stopped at the best hotel and had a magnificent dinner set before him. After dining he said to the landlord:

"My friend, what is new in the city?"

"Nothing," said the landlord, "except that the marvellous palace, built for the saviour of this city has been completed."

"What is his name?" inquired Lovallec.

"Alas! no one knows," said the landlord. "He was merely passing through this land to a foreign country, where he had other good deeds to perform. When he returns we hope to have him remain with us, and it is our purpose to give him the most beautiful woman of the country for his bride."

"Good-night, good-night," said Lovallec, with a smile, and went to bed.

But the news of his arrival spread through the village, and on all sides the grateful people came to see him and congratulate him. The mayor of the town called on him, made a beautiful speech, and invited him to take possession of the marvellous palace.

"What will I do with it?" asked Lovallec. "I am alone and have no family."

"Then get you a wife," said the mayor.

"You are right," said Lovallec. "To-morrow I will choose me a wife from the beautiful girls of this village."

The next day the maidens were gathered on the lawn before the church. The young man inspected them carefully, but he could not find among them the girl who had befriended him, and for whom he was searching.

The day after, the working-girls were ranged on the lawn, and among these, the simplest and the most beautiful, he found the maiden who had given him aid in the hour of need. This maiden he selected to be his wife in preference to the princess in the far country.

He married her and was living happily, when one day a beggar, clothed in rags, made his appearance at the castle-door and asked for alms.

"You seem to have seen trouble," Lovallec said.

"Yes," said the beggar, "and I have deserved it all."

With that he went on to relate, amid tears and sobs, how, many years before, he had robbed a brother of his eyesight. Lovallec had already recognized him, but he permitted the poor man to tell his story, and then made himself known. And after that they both lived happily together in the palace which the gratitude of the people had provided.