Then he sewed
these so skilfully together, that in a very short time the ship was once
more seaworthy, and they could go home again in safety.
When the King once more saw his daughter, there were great rejoicings. He
said to the four brothers, "One of you shall have her to wife, but
which of you it is to be you must settle among yourselves." Then a warm
contest arose among them, for each of them preferred his own claim. The
astronomer said, "If I had not seen the princess, all your arts would
have been useless, so she is mine." The thief said, "What would have been
the use of your seeing, if I had not got her away from the dragon? so
she is mine." The huntsman said, "You and the princess, and all of you,
would have been torn to pieces by the dragon if my ball had not hit him,
so she is mine." The tailor said, "And if I, by my art, had not sewn the
ship together again, you would all of you have been miserably drowned,
so she is mine." Then the King uttered this saying, "Each of you has
an equal right, and as all of you cannot have the maiden, none of you
shall have her, but I will give to each of you, as a reward, half a
kingdom.
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