he began fumbling with the lock of the
gate.

'Come in, come in,' said she, 'so fine a gentleman will do us no harm.'

'Harm!' repeated the echoes, but again the young man paid no heed.

'Let us go in, ancient dame,' but she interrupted him.

'You must call me the Lady Berberisca,' she answered, sharply; 'and this
is my castle, to which I bid you welcome. You shall live here with me
and be my husband.' But at these words the knight let his spear fall, so
surprised was he.

'I marry YOU? why you must be a hundred at least!' cried he. 'You are
mad! All I desire is to inspect the castle and then go.' As he spoke he
heard the voices give a mocking laugh; but the old woman took no notice,
and only bade the knight follow her.

Old though she was, it seemed impossible to tire her. There was no room,
however small, she did not lead him into, and each room was full of
curious things he had never seen before.

At length they came to a stone staircase, which was so dark that you
could not see your hand if you held it up before your face.

'I have kept my most precious treasure till the last,' said the old
woman; 'but let me go first, for the stairs are steep, and you might
easily break your leg.' So on she went, now and then calling back to
the young man in the darkness. But he did not know that she had slipped
aside into a recess, till suddenly he put his foot on a trap door which
gave way under him, and he fell down, down, as many good knights had
done before him, and his voice joined the echoes of theirs.

'So you would not marry me!' chuckled the old witch. 'Ha! ha! Ha! ha!'

Meanwhile his brother had wandered far and wide, and at last he wandered
back to the same great city where the other young knight had met with so
many adventures. He noticed, with amazement, that as he walked through
the streets the guards drew themselves up in line, and saluted him, and
the drummers played the royal march; but he was still more bewildered
when several servants in livery ran up to him and told him that the
princess was sure something terrible had befallen him, and had made
herself ill with weeping. At last it occurred to him that once more he
had been taken for his brother. 'I had better say nothing,' thought he;
'perhaps I shall be able to help him after all.'

So he suffered himself to be borne in triumph to the palace, where the
princess threw herself into his arms.

'And so you did go to the castle?' she asked.

'Yes, o