ce set out, gave the poisoned cake to the old
devil who guarded his brothers, and divided the other cakes with them.
They then escaped to the prince's island in the form of doves, and
presently the king and queen arrived, and the king was informed of the
whole plot.

Then the king ordered the wicked queen and the sorceress to be put to
death, and settled down in his son's island with his wife and children.

THE GIFTED BROTHERS.

(KREUTZWALD.)

This familiar story appears in the form of Swiftfoot, Quickhand, and
Sharpeye. It begins with the lamentation of a rich but childless wife,
who is consoled by a pretty little girl,[7] who suddenly appeared, and
directed her to boil three eggs of a black hen for her husband's supper,
and then to send him to bed, but to walk in the open air herself before
retiring. In due course, three strong boys were born, and the fairy came
to see them in their cradles. She took a ball of red thread from her
pocket, and tied threads round the ankles of one boy, the wrists of
another, and the temples of the third. She directed the mother not to
disturb the threads till the children were taken to the christening,
and then to burn the threads, collect the ashes in a spoon, and moisten
them with milk from her breast; and as soon as the children were brought
home from the christening, to give each two drops of the mixture on his
tongue. Of course one boy was gifted with great swiftness, and another
with great strength and skill in handiwork, and another with great
sharpness of sight.

When they grew up, the youths separated to seek their fortunes, agreeing
to meet at home in three years' time, and Swiftfoot went eastwards, and
entered into the service of a king as groom, and made himself famous in
that capacity.

Quickhand, who went southwards, could take up any trade without learning
it, and could turn out twenty coats or pairs of shoes in a day, better
made than the best tailor or shoemaker. He too made himself famous by
supplying a whole army with a full outfit at the shortest notice, when
all the workmen in the kingdom were unable to do so by the time
required.

The adventures of Sharpeye may be given more in detail.

Sharpeye, the third brother, set out westwards. He wandered about for a
long time from one place to another without meeting with any profitable
employment. He could easily earn enough anywhere for his daily expenses
as a good shot, but what could he make in this way