the
chimney corner where you can sit."

The youngest Prince answered never a word, but he put some food in a
scrip and off he set.

He journeyed on and on, a short way and a long way, and then he too
came to the forest and sat down in the shade to eat, as his brothers
had done before him.

Presently the old crone came hobbling out from the forest, and she was
more bent and hideous than ever.

"Good youth, give me a bite and sup, I beg of you," she said. "It is a
hundred years since I have tasted anything but black bread."

"Then it is high time you had something else to eat," said the Prince,
and he gave her the best of all he had, both food and wine.

The old woman ate and drank, and by the time she finished there was
little enough left for the Prince. Then she drew out from her sleeve a
pretty little pipe and gave it to him. "Take this," she said, "and if
there is anything you wish for play a tune upon the pipe, and it may
help you to find it."

After that she disappeared into the forest again.

The Prince hung his scrip over his shoulder, and then he was ready to
set out, but first he thought he might as well see what the pipe was
good for. He set it to his lips and blew a tune.

Immediately a score of little black Trolls with long noses appeared
before him. "Master, here we are!" they cried. "What would you have of
us?"

"I did not know I was your master," thought the Prince, but what he
said was, "What I want is the prettiest Princess in twelve kingdoms
for a bride, and if you can get me such a one I'll thank you kindly."

"We know where to find such a Princess, and we can show you the way,"
said the oldest and blackest of the Trolls, "but we ourselves cannot
touch her. You will have to win her for yourself."

Well, that suited the Prince, and if they would only show him the
Princess he would do his best to get her. So off they set, and
presently they came to a high mountain, and it belonged to the King of
the Trolls. The Prince blew upon the pipe again, and the mountain
opened before him. He went in, and there he was in a great chamber,
where the Troll kept the three daughters of three Kings whom he had
taken captive and brought there, and they were so beautiful that their
beauty lighted the whole place so there was no need of lamps.

When the girls saw the Prince they were terrified and began to run
about this way and that, looking for a place to hide; but they could
find no place, for the chamb