all
the same.

When they had all left, the prince said to the housekeeper:

'Give me leave to go to the next village--I owe a small bill there, and
I want to go and pay it'; and as there was nothing to be done in the
palace the housekeeper gave him leave.

When he got beyond the town he took out his golden apple, and when the
horse sprang out he swung himself into the saddle. Then he took the
silver and the copper apples, and with all these fine soldiers he joined
the king's army.

The king saw them approach with fear in his heart, for he did not know
if it might not be an enemy; but the prince rode up, and bowed low
before him. 'I bring your Majesty reinforcements,' said he.

The king was delighted, and all dread of his enemy at once disappeared.
The princesses were there too, and they were very friendly with the
prince and begged him to get into their carriage so as to talk to them.
But he declined, and remained on horseback, as he did not know at what
moment the battle might begin; and whilst they were all talking together
the youngest princess, who was also the loveliest, took off her ring,
and her sister tore her handkerchief in two pieces, and they gave these
gifts to the prince.

Suddenly the enemy came in sight. The king asked whether his army or the
prince's should lead the way; but the prince set off first and with his
hussars he fought so bravely that only two of the enemy were left alive,
and these two were only spared to act as messengers.

The king was overjoyed and so were his daughters at this brilliant
victory. As they drove home they begged the prince to join them, but he
would not come, and galloped off with his hussars.

When he got near the town he packed his soldiers and his fine horse all
carefully into the apple again, and then strolled into the town. On his
return to the palace he was well scolded by the housekeeper for staying
away so long.

Well, the whole matter might have ended there; but it so happened that
the younger princess had fallen in love with the prince, as he had with
her. And as he had no jewels with him, he gave her the copper apple and
staff.

One day, as the princesses were talking with their father, the younger
one asked him whether it might not have been their servant who had
helped him so much. The king was quite angry at the idea; but, to
satisfy her, he ordered the servant's room to be searched. And there,
to everyone's surprise, they found the golden ring a