leaning upon a staff of gold. “Eh! my son, what art thou looking for?” she called out to the prince. “Why, here there is not a single little bird, not a single little butterfly to be heard or seen, much less any poor little human being. Ah! as thou lovest thy life, be off with thee | for when my son comes he will eat thee.” Hoj! old mother, he’ll scarcely eat me, I fancy. Why, I have not saluted him yet from his brother of the castle of silver.” “Oh, well, if thou hast not saluted yet from the castle of silver, then come into the hall and tell me what has led thee to us.” “Oh! old mother! what has led me hither? Ever so long I have been wandering through these mountains and cannot discover where the hill of glass is and the three citrons; so they directed me to you, as perhaps you might be able to tell me something about them.” Where is the hill of glass? that I cannot tell thee myself; but wait until my son comes, he will counsel thee what to do and whither to go. Hide under the table, and stay there so long as I do not summon thee.”
The mountains re-bellowed, the castle shook again, and Jeszibaba’s son entered the hall. “Fuj! Fuj! there’s a smell of man’s flesh, I am come to eat it!” he roared, while yet at the door, and thumped with a golden mace upon the ground, so that the whole castle quivered. “Softly, softly, my son,” said Jezibaba coaxingly, “why, it is a beautiful youth that has come and has brought thee salutations from thy brother of the castle of silver; if thou wilt do nothing to him, I will summon him at once.” “Well, if my brother has done nothing to him, I will do nothing to him either.” The prince dragged himself out from under the table and stood beside the other, and looked, compared with him, as if he had posted himself beside some lofty tower; and he shewed him the silver dumplings in proof of his really having been at the castle of silver. “Well, tell me, midget, what wouldst thou?” thundered the tremendous fellow. “If I can advise thee I will advise thee, never fear!” Then the prince recounted to him all his own long journeyings, and begged him to advise him what way to go to get to the hill of glass, and what he ought to do to obtain the three citrons. “Seest thou that globe which blackens yonder?” he said, pointing it out to him with his golden mace; “that is the hill of glass; on its summit stands a tree, and on that tree hang three citrons which scent the air all round for seven miles. Thou shalt climb on to that hill of glass, kneel under the tree and stretch out thy hands; if the citrons are destined for thee they will fall of their own accord into thy hands;
