se it will be my death. Whichever of you shall succeed in
catching Ohnivak alive and inducing him to sing to me, to him I will
give half of my kingdom and the heirship to the throne."

Having taken leave of their father the brothers set off. They
travelled together until they came to a part of the forest where the
road branched off in three directions.

"Which turning shall we take?" asked the eldest.

The second brother answered, "We are three, and three roads lie before
us; let us each choose one, thus we shall treble our chances of
finding the bird, for we shall seek it in three different countries."

"That is a good idea, but how shall each one decide which way to
choose?"

The youngest brother said, "I will leave the choice to you two, and
will take whichever road you leave me."

[Illustration]

So each took the road that chance decided for him, agreeing that when
their mission was over they would return to the point of departure. In
order to recognise the place again each one planted the branch of a
tree at the cross roads, and they believed that he whose branch should
take root and grow into a big tree would be successful in the quest.

When each one had planted his branch at the chosen road they started
off. The eldest rode on, and never stopped until he reached the top of
a high mountain; there he dismounted, and let his horse graze while he
ate his breakfast. Suddenly a red fox came up, and speaking in the
language of men, said: "Pray, my handsome prince, give me a little of
what you are eating; I am very hungry."

For answer the prince let fly an arrow from his crossbow, but it is
impossible to say whether he hit the fox for it vanished and did not
appear again.

The second brother, without meeting with any adventure, reached a
wide-stretching moor, where he stopped for his meal. The red fox
appeared to him and begged for food; but he also refused food to the
famished fox, and shot at him. The creature disappeared as before.

The youngest travelled on till he came to the banks of a river.
Feeling tired and hungry, he got down from his horse and began his
breakfast; while he was eating, up came the red fox.

"Please, young sir," said the fox, "give me a morsel to satisfy my
hunger."

The prince threw him a piece of meat, and spoke kindly to him.

"Come near, do not be afraid, my red fox; I see you are more hungry
than I, but there is enough for us both."

And he divided all his provisions in