"So I promised you," said the other grandmother. "I have kept my part of the bargain, have I not? Now do you keep yours, and after dinner I will tell you a longer one. Only remember, no more tears!" The little boy kept his part of the bargain, and after dinner the other grandmother told him about THE GOLDEN APPLE-TREE AND THE NINE PEAHENS Once upon a time there was an Emperor who had three sons. Before his palace stood a golden apple-tree which bloomed and bore ripe fruit in one and the self-same night; but it was always plundered by some one who left not the slightest trace behind. At last the father said to his sons, "Who can have made away with the fruit of our apple-tree?" Upon this the eldest son said, "I will watch the tree to-night, and will teach the rogue to know better!" So when twilight began to fall he went and laid himself down beneath the apple-tree to guard it. But he fell asleep just as the apples began to ripen, and when at dawn he awoke, the tree had been already stripped. He therefore went to his father and truthfully told him the whole story. Then the second son pledged himself to guard the tree; but it happened with him precisely as with the other. He fell asleep under the apple-tree, and when the dawning light awoke him not an apple remained upon the tree. It was now the turn of the youngest son to watch the tree. He made himself ready, went out to the tree, prepared his bed immediately under it, and laid himself down to sleep. Just at midnight he suddenly awoke. He cast a glance upward into the tree, the fruit of which was just beginning to ripen. The whole castle glittered with its golden sheen. At that very moment nine golden Peahens came flying by; eight of them settled upon the apple-tree, but the ninth flew down upon the young man's bed and transformed herself into a beautiful maiden--a more beautiful was not to be found in the whole empire. So the two kissed and caressed each other until after midnight, when the maiden stood up, thanked him for the apples, and would have gone, but he entreated her earnestly to leave him at least one. She gave him two--one he was to keep for himself, the other he might give to his father. Then she transformed herself into a Peahen and flew away with the others. At daybreak the imperial Prince arose and carried the apples to his father, who was overjoyed at the sight, and heaped praises upon his son. When evening came again the imperial Prince made ready his resting-place, as on the former evening, in order to watch the apple-tree. Having had the same experiences as on the preceding night, he again brought two golden apples to his father.