At this the serpent was full of shame, but there was nothing to be
said or done. So they went into the garden and sat them down to
dinner. The youngest daughter met them there, and they greeted her.
The prince could not refrain from looking at her, so fair was she, and
now she seemed fairer than ever. Then they sat down and ate, and when
the meal was over the serpent said, "Well, prince, after dinner I'll
bring all my daughters into the courtyard, and if you can find out the
youngest, you may be happy together."

So after dinner the serpent bade his daughters go and dress
themselves, but the prince took counsel of Ivan Golik. Ivan whistled,
and immediately the gnat came flying up. He told the gnat all about
it, and the gnat said, "Thou didst help me, so now I will help thee.
When the serpent brings out his daughters, let the prince keep his
eyes open, for I will fly on her head. Let him walk round them once,
and I will fly round them too. Let him walk round them a second time,
and I will fly round them twice also. Let him walk round them a third
time, and then I'll settle on her nose, and she will not be able to
endure my bite, but will strike at me with her right hand." And with
these words the gnat flew off into the house.

Soon afterward the serpent sent for the prince. He went, and there in
the courtyard stood the twenty-one daughters. They were as like as
peas, their faces, their hair, and their raiment were exactly the
same. He looked and looked, but could not tell one from the other. He
walked round them the first time, but there was no sign of the gnat.
He walked round them the second time, and the gnat came and lit upon
her head. Henceforth he never took his eyes off the gnat, and when he
had begun to walk round the twenty-one daughters for the third time,
the gnat sat on the nose of the youngest, and began to bite her. She
brushed it off with her right hand, whereupon the prince said, "She is
mine!" and led her to the serpent.

The serpent was amazed, but said, "Since thou hast found out thy
bride, we'll wed thee to-day, and all be merry together."

So they made them merry, and that very evening the young couple got
their bridal crowns. And they feasted and fired guns, and what else
did they not do? But at night, Ivan Golik took the prince aside, and
said to him, "Now, prince, see that we go home to-morrow, for they
mean us no good here. And now, listen to me! I beg thee tell not thy
wife the truth of the