to perform, and whichever should
be the most successful was to have the kingdom as his reward.

It was some time before he could decide what the task should be. But
at last he told them that he had a fancy for a very beautiful little
dog, and that they were all to set out to find one for him. They were
to have a whole year in which to search, and were all to return to the
castle on the same day, and present the various dogs they had chosen
at the same hour.

The three Princes were greatly surprised by their father's sudden
fancy for a little dog, but when they heard that whichever of them
brought back the prettiest little animal was to succeed his father
on the throne, they made no further objection, for it gave the two
younger sons a chance they would not otherwise have had of being King.

So they bade their father good-bye, and after agreeing to be back at
the castle at the same hour, and on the same day, when a year should
have passed away, the three brothers all started together.

A great number of lords and servants accompanied them out of the city,
but when they had ridden about a league they sent everyone back, and
after embracing one another affectionately, they all set out to try
their luck in different directions.

The two eldest met with many adventures on their travels, but the
youngest saw the most wonderful sights of all.

He was young and handsome, and as clever as a Prince should be,
besides being brave.

Wherever he went he enquired for dogs, and hardly a day passed without
his buying several, big and little, greyhounds, spaniels, lap-dogs,
and sheep-dogs--in fact, every kind of dog that you could think of,
and very soon he had a troop of fifty or sixty trotting along behind
him, one of which he thought would surely win the prize.

So he journeyed on from day to day, not knowing where he was going,
until one night he lost his way in a thick dark forest, and after
wandering many weary miles in the wind and rain he was glad to see at
last a bright light shining through the trees. He thought he must
be near some woodcutter's cottage, but what was his surprise when he
found himself before the gateway of a splendid castle!

At first he hesitated about entering, for his garments were travel
stained, and he was drenched with rain, so that no one could have
possibly taken him for a Prince. All the beautiful little dogs he had
taken so much trouble to collect had been lost in the forest, and he
was th