The young girl did not identify herself but instead prepared a special dish for the king without any salt in it.  At the same time she heaped the salt on the food prepared for his companions.  She asked the prince if she could personally deliver the food to the old king.  Every day she sat by his side until the plate had been emptied.

On the third day the king finally decided to ask her if she could use salt in preparing his food, complaining that he had been forced to eat without any salt, when he dearly loved it.  As he finished the last morsel from his plate, the princess laughed and asked the old king, “Do you really like salt that much, Grandfather? ”  The old man smiled and said, “Who is it that does not like salt and eats food without it?”  But the girl insisted, “Are you sure that this is what you believe—that you love salt so dearly?”  “Without a doubt,” responded the king.

Then she disguised her smile.  “Do you remember the daughter you banished into the desert because her love for you was as great as her love of salt?”  At this the king was startled and turned white with fright.  Slowly he began to understand and looked intently into the eyes of his host’s wife.  But he was unable to speak.

“Your majesty, look at me now.  Do you know me?” asked the princess.  “Yes,” he whispered, rising to take her into his arms and embracing her.  As the tears streamed down from his eyes, he cried out, “Forgive me, dear daughter.  I have committed a grievous sin against you.”

“Thanks be to God,” exclaimed the king’s daughter, “who has brought us together again and has rescued you from the desert waste and wild beasts. I am indeed your youngest daughter who loved you with all her heart and still does.”  After this the king sat with his daughter for a long time, telling her all the news about their home and family. 

As the conversation seemed nowhere near ending, the prince finally came in with a puzzled look on his face.  Then his wife explained that this was her father, the king, and told the story again from beginning to end.

The prince embraced the old king when he learned that this was his father-in-law, giving thanks to God for this chance meeting and the opportunity at last to know him.  The prince asked the king to remain at the castle to make his daughter happy and cheer himself up as well.  The old king was touched by the offer but said he could stay no more than a week.