avorite tree. This was an apple-tree that had the magic property
of bearing buds, blossoms, and golden fruit every twenty-four hours. It
was known as the golden apple-tree. In the morning the first thing when
he woke up the Tsar would look out his bedroom window to see that all
was well with his beloved tree.

One morning when as usual he looked out he was grieved to see that the
tree had been stripped of all the golden fruit which had ripened during
the night.

"Who has stolen my golden apples?" he cried.

The palace guards looked everywhere for some trace of the thief but
found nothing.

The next morning the same thing had happened and every morning
thereafter when the Tsar looked out of his bedroom window he saw that
the tree had again been stripped of its golden fruit.

He called his three sons to him and said:

"Is it seemly that a Tsar who has three able-bodied sons should be
robbed night after night of his golden apples? Are you willing that this
should happen and you do nothing about it?"

The eldest son who was a braggart said:

"My father, you need say no more. I myself will watch to-night and when
the thief appears I will overpower him and bring him to you."

So the eldest son watched that night, standing on guard under the
apple-tree and leaning against its trunk.

As midnight approached his eyes grew heavy and he fell asleep. While he
slept the golden apples ripened and were stolen and the next morning, as
usual, the branches were bare.

The second son who was a crafty youth laughed at his brother and said:

"To-night I will watch. I will pretend to be asleep and when the thief
appears I will jump upon him and overpower him."

So when night came the second son went on guard under the tree and in
order to deceive the thief he lay down on the ground and closed his
eyes. At first he stayed wide awake but as the hours dragged by he grew
tired and then, because he was in such a comfortable position, he too
fell soundly asleep. Midnight came and the apples ripened but the next
morning, when the second prince awoke, the tree had again been stripped
of its golden fruit.

The Tsar's Youngest Son now said:

"Father, let me go on guard to-night."

His brothers jeered and the Tsar shook his head.

"Nay, nay, my boy, why should you succeed where your older brothers have
failed? It is God's will that my golden apples should be stolen and I
must submit."

But the Youngest Son insisted that he, too,