Once there were three brothers sitting in the street near the door of the king"s palace. One of them lifted his head to look at the palace. He looked and looked at it. His brother said, “I see you are staring hard at the palace of the king.”

“I wish the king would give me one hundred dinars,” said the first brother.

The second brother said, “I wish the king would give me his daughter in marriage.”

The two brothers asked the third, “What do you want from the king?”

He answered,” I don"t want anything from the king. Whatever I have should come from Allah, I want nothing else.”

The king happened to be in a room just over the door of the palace. He had heard the three brothers’ wishes and he sent a servant to them who said, “The king wants to see you. Follow me to his room.”

The three brothers went up. They greeted the king and were seated. The king asked them, “What are your wishes?”

The first brother answered," I wish that you would give me one hundred dinars.”

“And so I will,” said the king. “And you, what did you want?”

The second brother said, “I can’t say it.”

“Tell me your wish,” repeated the king.

“I wish to marry your daughter, “said the second brother.

“She will be yours,” replied the king. “What did you want,” he asked the third brother.

“I want whatever I have to come from Allah.”

“Then get out,” ordered the king. “Why did you come to me?”

The third brother got up and left at once.

The king took one hundred dinars and gave them to the first bro¬ther. He ordered his daughter and all her goods and possessions to be prepared and handed them over to the second brother. This king was known to give people whatever they asked for.

The three brothers spent two nights in the city preparing to return to their own town. Then they went on board a boat and set out on their journey.

The first brother with the hundred dinars was sitting in the prow of the ship. A big wave hit the prow and he fell overboard and drowned.

The second brother, who married the king"s daughter ate a fish that evening, and choked on the bones, and died. The third brother received what became rightfully his with the death of his brothers: the hundred dinars were now his and so was the king"s daughter, although he had not asked anything from the king. He returned to his house where he lived alone. He was a very simple man. He said to the king"s daughter, “You are my sister and I am your brother. And they lived together in that house.”

The third brother worked for a butcher and he returned to work. One day his eyes became inflamed and sore, so he did not go to work. The butcher sent after him say¬ing, “Why don"t you come to work?”

The third brother sent word, “My eyes are inflamed and I cannot see well.”

The butcher was very fond of the third brother, who was a good man. If the butcher had ten sheep to cut up and sell, not a bit of meat would be left unsold at the end of the day. So the butcher sent word again to ask him to come even if he only put a chair at the door of the shop and sat there. The brother replied, “Not today. Perhaps tomorrow I can go out.”

So butcher went to the third brother’s modest home, and said to him: “There is a garden in a certain section outside the city. You must go to the garden, take a leaf from a certain tree, put it on your eyes and they will get better.

The third brother thanked his friend and went as directed. That garden had long been neglected. No one passed through it because any person who entered that garden never came out again. The third brother went toward the garden. People who met him said, “Where are you going? That garden is inhabited by jinn. You shouldn’t go there.”

The third brother paid no attention. He continued on his way. At the gate he met a man who took him into the garden which was overgrown and dense with plants and trees. Leaves of many seasons were lying deep on the ground. The garden was neglected. The fruit was on the trees and no one had picked any. The man said. “Where have you been all this time? Why haven"t you come to take care of your property? I have been guarding it, and, whoever has come, I have killed him. Thank Allah you have come to relieve me of my duties.” And he handed over the keys to the third brother.

In that garden there was a house, well-built in a grand style, and furnished with everything imaginable. The man said,” Now I will show you what I have been guarding for you house.” He showed him treasures and boxes full of gold coins. I am relieved that now you are here. Now I am free. I was in debt and was waiting for you. I have served my time and paid my debt so now I am free.” Thereupon the man vanished.

The third brother took the keys and enjoyed himself looking around. Then he locked up the place and returned to his sister. He said, “Oh my Sister, see how generously Allah gives. Allah has given me a great blessing. Come with me and see what I have seen.” The sight of the abundant garden had completely cured his eyes. He took his sister and went to the garden. “This is what Allah has given to me, and it is a very suitable dwelling for you. They returned to their old house, took all their belongings and lived in the house in the garden.

The third brother decided to become a merchant and his good fortune continued. One day the news came that a neighboring king was coming to visit that city. Wazirs and high officials were invited to a feast and the third brother also, because money raises the position of its owner. It so happened that the third brother was seated next to the king. The sister reminded the third brother that the visiting king was her father, and they planned to invite him to their house. After dinner the sister said, “Don"t let the king go before I have a chance to greet him. Tell him someone wants to see him in the women"s apartment.”

The third brother delivered the message to the king that a certain young woman would like to greet him in her private apartment.

The king was surprised but nevertheless went to the women"s apartment where he saw a veiled woman who greeted him and asked about his health. “Don"t you know who I am, Father? I am your daughter,” she said, removing her veil.

When he saw his daughter before him the king was very much amazed. “How strange! Whatever brought you here?”

“You give me to one of those brothers who sat at the door of the palace. The first brother who received one hundred dinars fell into the river and drowned. The second was my husband. He choked on a fish bone and died. I am living now with the third who asked blessings only from Allah. He is the one seated next to you at the table. He is just like my brother and I am his sister.”

The king said to the guests, “You may go, for I am going to spend the night here.” He and his guards stayed for a whole week. The king decided to give his kingdom to his daughter, and the third brother became a prince.