which please us."--"Why, how's that? Suppose now that I were to give you a little nag apiece?"--"Ah! little father, we would then always pray to God for thee!"--"Well, come with me."--The old man led them to a huge mountain, opened two cast-iron doors, and brought out two horses of heroic breed. "Here, take your horses and depart in God's name, good youths, and may ye prosper with them!" They thanked him, mounted and galloped home; reached the courtyard, bound their horses to a post, and entered the hut. Their mother then began, and asked them: "Well, my dear children, have you bought yourselves a little nag apiece?"--"We have not bought them with money, but got them as a gift."--"Where have you left them?"--"We put them beside the hut."--"Alas! my children, look if any one has taken them away."--"Nay, dear mother, such horses are not taken away. No one could lead them, and there's no getting near them!" The mother went out, looked at the horses, and burst into tears. "Well, my dear sons, ye are surely never those whom I have nourished." The next day the sons begged their mother to let them go into the town to buy them a sword apiece. "Go, my children!" Then they got them ready, went to the smith's, entered the master's house, and said: "Make us a couple of swords!"--"Why should I make them when they are ready made? Take whichever you like best."--"No, friend, we want swords which weigh ten puds [42] each."--"What are you thinking of? Who would be able to wield a machine like that? You'll find such swords nowhere." So there was nothing for the good youths to do but return homewards with hanging heads. As they were on their way the same old man met them again. "Hail, young men!"--"Hail, dear little father!"--"Whence do you come?"--"From town, from the smith's. We wanted to buy two Damascus blades, and there were none that suited our hands."--"How stupid! Suppose now I were to give you a sword apiece?"--"Ah, dear little father, in that case we would pray to God for thee for evermore." The old man led them to the huge mountain, opened the cast-iron door, and drew out two heroic swords. The brothers took them, thanked the old man, and their hearts were merry and joyful. They came home, and their mother asked them: "Well, my children, have you bought yourselves a sword apiece?"--"We have not bought them for money, but got them as a gift."--"And what have you done with them?"--"We have placed them beside the hut."--"Take care lest some one take them away."--"Nay, dear mother, nobody will take them away, for it is impossible to even carry them." The mother went out into the courtyard and looked; the two heavy, heroic swords were leaning against the wall, the hut was scarce able to bear the weight of them. The old woman burst into tears and said: "Well, my dear sons, ye are surely never those whom I have nourished."