hilt, and put forth all his strength; but
the dagger did not move.

Then said the Tsar: 'It is so. Let your younger brother try.'

His words were obeyed; but the dagger was immovable.

Then said the Tsar: 'It is so. Let the youngest try.'

His words were obeyed. The youngest Prince took the hilt, and, with a
mighty wrench, tore it from the wall; then, as he restored it to its
sheath at his side, the snake fell at his feet.

'It is so!' said the Tsar. 'It was your hand saved my daughter's life. I
will give her to you in marriage, and you shall be my Prime Minister.'
Then, to the two elder Princes, he said: 'If you would prefer to remain
with your brother in my country I will bestow two ladies of the land
upon you for wives, and give you suitable castles to live in.'

But, though the youngest accepted the Tsar's offer with a proud
pleasure, the other two excused themselves with thanks, saying that it
was only right for their brother to remain, but, for themselves, their
duty was to carry out the quest for their lost sisters.

The Tsar honoured their refusal, and, having given orders that they
should be escorted from the city with every mark of royal favour, bade
them farewell; and they departed the richer by two asses laden with
gifts of gold and silver and precious stones. Shortly afterwards, the
youngest Prince and the Princess were married; and the whole city
rejoiced for three days with great celebrations.

But the Prince, much as he loved his wife, soon began to blame himself
for accepting this great happiness so easily when the quest of his lost
sisters was his first duty. On this account he began to pine, and the
Princess could not comfort him.

One day, when his grief threatened to sink him in remorse, the Tsar came
to him with a bunch of nine keys in his hand, and said: 'My son; I am
going forth to the hunt; but you remain, and, with these keys, you may
open some delights while I am absent.'

Then he took him and showed him the doors of nine rooms of the palace,
assuring him he would find great joy in the first four, a more hidden
joy in the next three, and, in the eighth, a summing up of all the joys
in the four and the three; but--the ninth he must not enter; for, what
was there, no man could endure.

When the Tsar had gone to the hunt, the young Prince opened the doors
one by one, and he was truly amazed at what was revealed to him. The
first four led him to all the delights of earth; the next thre