The King’s daughter declared that she would marry a man she herself chose. The King invited all the young men in the kingdom. She looked at each of the young men and walked past them till she came to the last one who was a poor widow’s son. She chose him. The King didn’t wish her to marry a poor widow’s son. So, he told her to go away with her chosen husband.
The Princess turned into a very hard-working wife, spinning all day and taking care of her husband and his mother. But they were very poor. Therefore, her husband decided to go to a neighbouring town to find some work.
There, he became the servant of a rich merchant who travelled with his goods on many camels to sell them. The merchant gave him one year’s pay which he sent to his mother and wife to live comfortably till he returned.
An old man near the city-gate blessed him and gave him a piece of sound advice, “Whoever the heart loves is ever the most beautiful. Patience leads to happiness. If you wait, you will win.”
The young man thanked him and joined the merchant’s caravan. At an oasis all the wells were dry, for there had been no rain. About half a mile away there was a well with a little water. One had to go down into the well, but no one had returned from there. The young man offered to go down to fetch the water.
In the well, an Arab led him to where two handsome young boys were waiting. “Which of them is more handsome?” he asked.
Remembering the old man’s advice, the young man said, “The one we love is always the most handsome!” The Arab was pleased and set him free, giving him water and three precious stones.
The merchant rewarded the young man richly. He sent his wife the precious stones. He served his master for twenty years and the young man, now a rich merchant, returned home. He saw his wife in a magnificent palace near the cottage. His twenty-year-old son had become the Commander-in-Chief of the King’s army. Neither the young man nor the King knew who the Commander was.
The young man was angry when he saw the Commander-in-Chief meeting his wife. But he remembered the second advice, ‘Patience is the first step to happiness.’ He met his wife and realised that he was their son. He was glad, for he waited for long and knew, ‘He who waits wins!’
