don't come back again till the sunbeams have dried the
dew," said the second little fish.

The fisherman did as he was told, gathered the dew from the leaves,
put the little fish into it, placed them in the sun, and did not come
back till the dew was all dried up.

But what had happened! What did he see?

Two boys, handsome princes with golden hair and a golden star on their
foreheads, so exactly alike that no one who saw them could help
knowing that they were twin brothers.

The children grew very rapidly. Every day enough for a year, and every
night enough for another year, but in the dawn of morning when the
stars paled in the sky, enough for three years in a single moment.
Besides, they grew as no other children ever had grown, three times as
fast in age, strength, and wisdom. When three days and nights had
passed, they were twelve years in age, twenty-four in strength, and
thirty-six in wisdom.

"Now let us go to our father," said one of the princes to the
fisherman.

The fisherman dressed the lads in beautiful clothing, and made each a
lambskin cap, which the boys drew low over their faces, that no one
might see their golden hair and the golden star on their foreheads,
and then took the princes to the imperial palace.

It was broad daylight when they arrived.

"We want to speak to the emperor," said one of the princes to the
guard, who stood armed at the door of the palace.

"That can't be done, he's at table," replied the soldier.

"Just because he _is_ at table," said the second prince, passing
through the door.

The guards ran up and tried to drive the boys out of the court-yard,
but the boys slipped through their fingers like quicksilver. Three
paces forward, three up, and they were standing before the great hall,
where the emperor was dining with all his court.

"We want to come in," said one of the princes sharply, to the servants
who stood at the door.

"That can't be done," one of the lackeys answered.

"Indeed! We'll see whether it can be done or not," cried the other
prince, pushing the men aside right and left.

But there were a great many lackeys, and only two princes. A tumult
and uproar arose outside, that resounded through the palace.

"What is going on out there?" asked the emperor angrily.

The princes stopped when they heard their father's voice.

"Two boys are trying to enter by force," said an attendant,
approaching the emperor.

"By force? Who seeks to enter my palace