WhiletheKingwasatabanquet，Iwanichtooksomepursesofgold，andmountingthequickesthorseintheroyalstable，hespedofflikethewindwithoutasinglesoulbeinganythewiser。
　　Itwasonlyonthenextdaythattheymissedhim；theKingwasverydistressedathisdisappearance，andsentsearch-partiesalloverthekingdomtolookforhim，butinvain；andaftersixmonthstheygavehimupasdead，andinanothersixmonthstheyhadforgottenallabouthim。ButinthemeantimethePrince，withthehelpofhisring，hadhadamostsuccessfuljourney，andnoevilhadbefallenhim。
　　Attheendofthreemonthshecametotheentranceofahugeforest，whichlookedasifithadneverbeentroddenbyhumanfootbefore，andwhichseemedtostretchoutindefinitely。ThePrincewasabouttoenterthewoodbyalittlepathhehaddiscovered，whenheheardavoiceshoutingtohim:’Hold，youth！
　　Whitherareyougoing？’
　　Iwanichturnedround，andsawatall，gaunt-lookingman，cladinmiserablerags，leaningonacrookedstaffandseatedatthefootofanoaktree，whichwassomuchthesamecolourashimselfthatitwaslittlewonderthePrincehadriddenpastthetreewithoutnoticinghim。
　　’WhereelseshouldIbegoing，’hesaid，’thanthroughthewood？’
　　’Throughthewood？’saidtheoldmaninamazement。’It’seasilyseenthatyouhaveheardnothingofthisforest，thatyourushsoblindlytomeetyourdoom。Well，listentomebeforeyourideanyfurther；letmetellyouthatthiswoodhidesinitsdepthsacountlessnumberofthefiercesttigers，hyenas，wolves，bears，andsnakes，andallsortsofothermonsters。IfIweretocutyouandyourhorseupintotinymorselsandthrowthemtothebeasts，therewouldn’tbeonebitforeachhundredofthem。Takemyadvice，therefore，andifyouwishtosaveyourlifefollowsomeotherpath。’
　　ThePrincewasrathertakenabackbytheoldman’swords，andconsideredforaminutewhatheshoulddo；thenlookingathisring，andperceivingthatitsparkledasbrightlyasever，hecalledout:’Ifthiswoodheldevenmoreterriblethingsthanitdoes，Icannothelpmyself，forImustgothroughit。’
　　Herehespurredhishorseandrodeon；buttheoldbeggarscreamedsoloudlyafterhimthatthePrinceturnedroundandrodebacktotheoaktree。
　　’Iamreallysorryforyou，’saidthebeggar，’butifyouarequitedeterminedtobravethedangersoftheforest，letmeatleastgiveyouapieceofadvicewhichwillhelpyouagainstthesemonsters。
　　’Takethisbagfulofbread-crumbsandthislivehare。Iwillmakeyouapresentofthemboth，asIamanxioustosaveyourlife；butyoumustleaveyourhorsebehindyou，foritwouldstumbleoverthefallentreesorgetentangledinthebriersandthorns。Whenyouhavegoneaboutahundredyardsintothewoodthewildbeastswillsurroundyou。Thenyoumustinstantlyseizeyourbag，andscatterthebread-crumbsamongthem。Theywillrushtoeatthemupgreedily，andwhenyouhavescatteredthelastcrumbyoumustlosenotimeinthrowingtheharetothem；assoonastheharefeelsitselfonthegrounditwillrunawayasquicklyaspossible，andthewildbeastswillturntopursueit。
　　Inthiswayyouwillbeabletogetthroughthewoodunhurt。’
　　Iwanichthankedtheoldmanforhiscounsel，dismountedfromhishorse，and，takingthebagandthehareinhisarms，heenteredtheforest。Hehadhardlylostsightofhisgauntgreyfriendwhenheheardgrowlsandsnarlsinthethicketclosetohim，andbeforehehadtimetothinkhefoundhimselfsurroundedbythemostdreadful-lookingcreatures。Ononesidehesawtheglitteringeyeofacrueltiger，ontheotherthegleamingteethofagreatshe-wolf；hereahugebeargrowledfiercely，andthereahorriblesnakecoileditselfinthegrassathisfeet。
　　ButIwanichdidnotforgettheoldman’sadvice，andquicklyputhishandintothebagandtookoutasmanybread-crumbsashecouldholdinhishandatatime。Hethrewthemtothebeasts，butsoonthebaggrewlighterandlighter，andthePrincebegantofeelalittlefrightened。Andnowthelastcrumbwasgone，andthehungrybeaststhrongedroundhim，greedyforfreshprey。
　　Thenheseizedthehareandthrewittothem。
　　Nosoonerdidthelittlecreaturefeelitselfonthegroundthanitlaybackitsearsandflewthroughthewoodlikeanarrowfromabow，closelypursuedbythewildbeasts，andthePrincewasleftalone。Helookedathisring，andwhenhesawthatitsparkledasbrightlyaseverhewentstraightonthroughtheforest。
　　Hehadn’tgoneveryfarwhenhesawamostextraordinarylookingmancomingtowardshim。Hewasnotmorethanthreefeethigh，hislegswerequitecrooked，andallhisbodywascoveredwithprickleslikeahedgehog。Twolionswalkedwithhim，fastenedtohissidebythetwoendsofhislongbeard。
　　HestoppedthePrinceandaskedhiminaharshvoice:’Areyouthemanwhohasjustfedmybody-guard？’
　　Iwanichwassostartledthathecouldhardlyreply，butthelittlemancontinued:’Iammostgratefultoyouforyourkindness；whatcanIgiveyouasareward？’
　　’AllIask，’repliedIwanich，’is，thatIshouldbeallowedtogothroughthiswoodinsafety。’
　　’Mostcertainly，’answeredthelittleman；’andforgreatersecurityIwillgiveyouoneofmylionsasaprotector。Butwhenyouleavethiswoodandcomenearapalacewhichdoesnotbelongtomydomain，lettheliongo，inorderthathemaynotfallintothehandsofanenemyandbekilled。’
　　Withthesewordsheloosenedthelionfromhisbeardandbadethebeastguardtheyouthcarefully。
　　WiththisnewprotectorIwanichwanderedonthroughtheforest，andthoughhecameuponagreatmanymorewolves，hyenas，leopards，andotherwildbeasts，theyalwayskeptatarespectfuldistancewhentheysawwhatsortofanescortthePrincehadwithhim。
　　Iwanichhurriedthroughthewoodasquicklyashislegswouldcarryhim，but，nevertheless，hourafterhourwentbyandnotatraceofagreenfieldorahumanhabitationmethiseyes。Atlength，towardsevening，themassoftreesgrewmoretransparent，andthroughtheinterlacedbranchesawideplainwasvisible。
　　Attheexitofthewoodthelionstoodstill，andthePrincetookleaveofhim，havingfirstthankedhimwarmlyforhiskindprotection。Ithadbecomequitedark，andIwanichwasforcedtowaitfordaylightbeforecontinuinghisjourney。
　　Hemadehimselfabedofgrassandleaves，litafireofdrybranches，andsleptsoundlytillthenextmorning。
　　Thenhegotupandwalkedtowardsabeautifulwhitepalacewhichhesawgleaminginthedistance。Inaboutanhourhereachedthebuilding，andopeningthedoorhewalkedin。
　　Afterwanderingthroughmanymarblehalls，hecametoahugestaircasemadeofporphyry，leadingdowntoalovelygarden。
　　ThePrinceburstintoashoutofjoywhenhesuddenlyperceivedMilitzainthecentreofagroupofgirlswhowereweavingwreathsofflowerswithwhichtodecktheirmistress。
　　AssoonasMilitzasawthePrincesheranuptohimandembracedhimtenderly；andafterhehadtoldherallhisadventures，theywentintothepalace，whereasumptuousmealawaitedthem。ThenthePrincesscalledhercourttogether，andintroducedIwanichtothemasherfuturehusband。
　　Preparationswereatoncemadeforthewedding，whichwasheldsoonafterwithgreatpompandmagnificence。
　　Threemonthsofgreathappinessfollowed，whenMilitzareceivedonedayaninvitationtovisithermother’ssister。
　　AlthoughthePrincesswasveryunhappyatleavingherhusband，shedidnotliketorefusetheinvitation，and，promisingtoreturninsevendaysatthelatest，shetookatenderfarewellofthePrince，andsaid:’BeforeIgoIwillhandyouoverallthekeysofthecastle。Goeverywhereanddoanythingyoulike；onlyonethingIbegandbeseechyou，donotopenthelittleirondoorinthenorthtower，whichisclosedwithsevenlocksandsevenbolts；forifyoudo，weshallbothsufferforit。’
　　Iwanichpromisedwhatsheasked，andMilitzadeparted，repeatingherpromisetoreturninsevendays。
　　WhenthePrincefoundhimselfalonehebegantobetormentedbypangsofcuriosityastowhattheroominthetowercontained。
　　Fortwodaysheresistedthetemptationtogoandlook，butonthethirdhecouldstanditnolonger，andtakingatorchinhishandhehurriedtothetower，andunfastenedonelockaftertheotherofthelittleirondooruntilitburstopen。
　　Whatanunexpectedsightmethisgaze！ThePrinceperceivedasmallroomblackwithsmoke，litupfeeblybyafirefromwhichissuedlongblueflames。Overthefirehungahugecauldronfullofboilingpitch，andfastenedintothecauldronbyironchainsstoodawretchedmanscreamingwithagony。
　　Iwanichwasmuchhorrifiedatthesightbeforehim，andaskedthemanwhatterriblecrimehehadcommittedtobepunishedinthisdreadfulfashion。
　　’Iwilltellyoueverything，’saidthemaninthecauldron；’butfirstrelievemytormentsalittle，Iimploreyou。’
　　’AndhowcanIdothat？’askedthePrince。
　　’Withalittlewater，’repliedtheman；’onlysprinkleafewdropsovermeandIshallfeelbetter。’
　　ThePrince，movedbypity，withoutthinkingwhathewasdoing，rantothecourtyardofthecastle，andfilledajugwithwater，whichhepouredoverthemaninthecauldron。
　　Inamomentamostfearfulcrashwasheard，asifallthepillarsofthepalaceweregivingway，andthepalaceitself，withtowersanddoors，windowsandthecauldron，whirledroundthebewilderedPrince’shead。Thiscontinuedforafewminutes，andtheneverythingvanishedintothinair，andIwanichfoundhimselfsuddenlyaloneuponadesolateheathcoveredwithrocksandstones。
　　ThePrince，whonowrealisedwhathisheedlessnesshaddone，cursedtoolatehisspiritofcuriosity。Inhisdespairhewanderedonovertheheath，neverlookingwhereheputhisfeet，andfullofsorrowfulthoughts。Atlasthesawalightinthedistance，whichcamefromamiserable-lookinglittlehut。