"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?"
"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.