s wife to bring her brother before him,
and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
"Welcome, dear brother-in-law!"

"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the
Prince; upon which they sat down to supper.

After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the
object of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking
Steelpacha, and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to
counsel him.

"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something about
Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was awaiting
him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle with him.
Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail against
him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I give you
this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure as your
heart desires is yours; take it and go."

But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back
with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find
Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I not
three lives?"

When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him
from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him,
with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come
into great danger strike a fire and burn it I will come at once to
your aid with all my forces."

So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha.

For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at
last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman
called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!"

The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, there was
his youngest sister! They fell into each other's arms and lavished
kisses upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother
into the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you
married?"

And she answered, "My consort is the Emperor of the Eagles; it is he
whom I have married."

When the Eagle-emperor came home that night his wife met him
affectionately; but he paid no attention to her greeting, but asked
her, "What man has come into my castle? Tell me at once!"

She answered, "There is no one here," and they sat down to supper.
During supper she asked him, as if by chance, "Would you do any harm
to my brothers if they should sudden