night; but a little after
midnight he was overcome by an irresistible drowsiness, and fell fast
asleep. He did not awake till it was bright daylight, and all the
fruit on the trees had vanished.

The following year Warza, the second brother, tried his luck, but with
the same result. Then it came to the turn of the third and youngest
son.

Iwanich was not the least discouraged by the failure of his elder
brothers, though they were both much older and stronger than he was,
and when night came climbed up the tree as they had done. The moon had
risen, and with her soft light lit up the whole neighbourhood, so that
the observant Prince could distinguish the smallest object distinctly.

[Illustration: Iwanich Holds Fast the Swan.]

At midnight a gentle west wind shook the tree, and at the same moment
a snow-white swan-like bird sank down gently on his breast. The Prince
hastily seized the bird's wings in his hands, when, lo! to his
astonishment he found he was holding in his arms not a bird but the
most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

'You need not fear Militza,' said the beautiful girl, looking at the
Prince with friendly eyes. 'An evil magician has not robbed you of
your fruit, but he stole the seed from my mother, and thereby caused
her death. When she was dying she bade me take the fruit, which you
have no right to possess, from the trees every year as soon as it was
ripe. This I would have done to-night too, if you had not seized me
with such force, and so broken the spell I was under.'

[Illustration: Militza Leaves Iwanich in the Tree]

Iwanich, who had been prepared to meet a terrible magician and not a
lovely girl, fell desperately in love with her. They spent the rest of
the night in pleasant conversation, and when Militza wished to go away
he begged her not to leave him.

'I would gladly stay with you longer,' said Militza, 'but a wicked
witch once cut off a lock of my hair when I was asleep, which has put
me in her power, and if morning were still to find me here she would
do me some harm, and you, too, perhaps.'

Having said these words, she drew a sparkling diamond ring from her
finger, which she handed to the Prince, saying: 'Keep this ring in
memory of Militza, and think of her sometimes if you never see her
again. But if your love is really true, come and find me in my own
kingdom. I may not show you the way there, but this ring will guide
you.

'If you have love and courage enough to undertake