TheTalisman APrinceandaPrincesswerestillcelebratingtheirhoneymoon.Theywereextremelyhappy；
onlyonethoughtdisturbedthem，andthatwashowtoretaintheirpresenthappiness.Forthatreasontheywishedtoownatalismanwithwhichtoprotectthemselvesagainstanyunhappinessintheirmarriage. Now，theyhadoftenbeentoldaboutamanwholivedoutintheforest，acclaimedbyeverybodyforhiswisdomandknownforhisgoodadviceineveryneedanddifficulty.SothePrinceandPrincesscalleduponhimandtoldhimabouttheirheartsdesire.Afterthewisemanhadlistenedtothemhesaid， “Travelthrougheverycountryintheworld，andwhereveryoumeetacompletelyhappilymarriedcouple，askthemforasmallpieceofthelinentheywearclosetothebody，andwhenyoureceivethis，youmustalwayscarryitonyou.Thatisasureremedy” thePrinceandthePrincessrodeforth，andontheirwaytheysoonheardofaknightandhiswifewhoweresaidtobelivingthemosthappilymarriedlife.Theywenttotheknightscastleandaskedhimandhiswifeiftheirmarriagewastrulyashappyaswasrumored. “Yes，ofcourse，”wastheanswer， “withtheoneexceptionthatwehavenochildren” Herethenthetalismanwasnottobefound，andthePrinceandPrincesscontinuedtheirjourneyinsearchofthecompletelyhappilymarriedcouple. Astheytraveledon，theycametoacountrywheretheyheardofanhonestcitizenwholivedinperfectunityandhappinesswithhiswife.Sotohimtheywent，andaskedifhereallywasashappilymarriedaspeoplesaid. “Yes，Iam，”answeredtheman. “MywifeandIliveinperfectharmony；
ifonlywedidnthavesomanychildren，fortheygiveusalotofworriesandsorrows” Soneitherwithhimwasthetalismantobefound，andthePrinceandthePrincesscontinuedtheirjourneythroughthecountry，alwaysinquiringabouthappilymarriedcouples；
butnonepresentedthemselves. Oneday，astheyrodealongfieldsandmeadows，theynoticedashepherdclosebytheroad，cheerfullyplayinghisflute.Justthenawomancarryingachildinherarm，andholdingalittleboybythehand，walkedtowardshim.Assoonastheshepherdsawher，heGREetedherandtookthelittlechild，whomhekissedandcaressed.Theshepherdsdograntotheboy，lickedhislittlehand，andbarkedandjumpedwithjoy.Inthemeantimethewomanarrangedamealshehadbroughtalong，andthensaid， “Father，comeandeatnow”Themansatdownandtookofthefood，butthefirstbitehegavetothelittleboy，andthesecondhedividedbetweentheboyandthedog.AllthiswasobservedbythePrinceandthePrincess，whowalkedcloser，andspoketothem，saying， “Youmustbeatrulyhappilymarriedcouple.” “Yes，thatweare，”saidtheman. “Godbepraised；
noprinceorprincesscouldbehappierthanweare” “Nowlistenthen，”saidthePrince. “Dousafavor，andyoushallneverreGREtit.Giveusasmallpieceofthelinengarmentyouwearclosetoyourbody” Ashespoke，theshepherdandhiswifelookedstrangelyateachother，andfinallyhesaid， “Godknowswewouldbeonlytoohappytogiveyounotonlyasmallpiece，butthewholeshirt，orundergarment，ifweonlyhadthem，butweownnotasmuchasarag” SothePrinceandthePrincessjourneyedon，theirmissionunaccomplished.Finally，theirunsuccessfulroamingdiscouragedthem，andtheydecidedtoreturnhome.Astheypassedthewisemanshut，theystoppedby，relatedalltheirtravelexperiences，andreproachedhimforgivingthemsuchpooradvice. Atthatthewisemansmiledandsaid， “HasyourtripreallybeenallinvainAreyounotreturningricherinknowledge” “Yes，”answeredthePrince， “Ihavegainedthisknowledge，thatcontentmentisararegiftonthisearth.” “AndIhavelearned，”saidthePrincess， “thattobecontented，oneneedsnothingmorethansimply-tobecontented” WhereuponthePrincetookthePrincesshand；
theylookedateachotherwithanexpressionofdeepestlove.Andthewisemanblessedthemandsaid， “InyourownheartsyouhavefoundthetruetalismanGuarditcarefully，andtheevilspiritofdiscontentmentshallneverinalleternityhaveanypoweroveryou”