e it fix itself firmly
in the glass. He threw a second and a third and there he had three
steps on which he was able to stand with safety!

The prince was overjoyed. He threw dumpling after dumpling and each
one of them became a step. First he threw the leaden ones, then the
silver ones, and last of all the golden ones. On the steps made in
this way he climbed higher and higher until he had reached the very
summit of the hill. Then he knelt under the magic tree, lifted up his
hands, and into them the Three Citrons dropped of their own accord!

Instantly the tree disappeared, the Glass Hill sank until it was lost,
and when the prince came to himself there was neither tree nor hill to
be seen, but only a wide plain.

Delighted with the outcome of his adventure, the prince turned
homewards. At first he was too happy even to eat or drink. By the
third day his stomach began to protest and he discovered that he was
so hungry that he would have fallen ravenously upon a leaden dumpling
if he had had one in his pocket. But his pocket, alas, was empty, and
the country all about was as bare as the palm of his hand.

Then he remembered what the ogre of the Golden Castle had told him and
he took out one of the Three Citrons. He cut it open, and what do you
suppose happened? Out jumped a beautiful maiden fresh from the hand
of God, who bowed low before him and exclaimed:

"Have you food ready for me? Have you drink ready for me? Have you
pretty clothes ready for me?"

"Alas, beautiful creature," the prince sighed, "I have not. I have
nothing for you to eat or to drink or to put on."

The lovely maiden clapped her hands three times, bowed before him, and
disappeared.

"Ah," said the prince, "now I know what kind of citrons you are! I'll
think twice before opening one of you again!"

Of the one he had opened he ate and drank his fill, and so refreshed,
went on. He traveled three days and three nights and by that time he
began to feel three times hungrier than before.

"God help me!" thought he. "I must eat something! There are still two
citrons and if I cut open one there would still be one left."

So he took out the second citron, cut it in two, and lo, a maiden
twice as beautiful as the first stood before him. She bowed low and
said:

"Have you food ready for me? Have you drink ready for me? Have you
pretty clothes ready for me?"

"No, lovely creature, I haven't! I haven't!"

The maiden clapped her hands thrice, bow