After a time word came to the youngest brother in the tower that his brothers and the shepherd were about to marry those three maidens. On the day appointed for the eldest brother's wedding he mounted the white horse and flew down into the midst of the wedding-guests just as they were leaving the church, and struck his brother lightly upon the back with his club. The brother fell from his horse, and the other flew back to his watch-tower. When the second brother's wedding-day came he again flew down upon his steed, gave the second brother a blow upon the back, so that he fell from his horse, and again flew away. But when he at last heard that the shepherd was about to marry the third maiden he again mounted his steed, flew among the wedding-guests just as they were coming out of the church, and dealt the bridegroom such a blow upon the head with his club that the fellow lay dead upon the spot. In a trice the Prince was surrounded by the wedding-guests, who were determined that he should not escape this time. He made no attempt to do so, however, but remained where he was, made himself known as the King's youngest son, revealed the trick his brothers had played upon him by means of the shepherd, and told how they had left him in the watch-tower where he had found his sister and killed the Dragon. His sister and the maidens bore witness to the truth of his story, and when the King heard all this he banished the two elder brothers from his presence, married the youngest to the maiden of his choice, and decreed that he should be heir to the throne after his own decease. "That is a real story, grandmother," said the little boy. "But it was not so very long. Couldn't you tell me just one more?" "If you will promise not to ask for another," said the grandmother, "I will tell you a short one. But you must not ask for another." "I promise," said the little boy. Then she told him about THE BRIDGE Once upon a time there was a man who had a grown-up son. One day the old man said to his son, "My dear son, you are now big and strong enough to earn your own living; so go out into the world and seek a place of service." So the youth went out into the world and came to a large village, where he hired himself out as shepherd to a rich moujik. It was his duty to drive the sheep to pasture early every morning. The flock was enormously large and filled the whole valley. The pasture, however, was on the other side of a stream, and unluckily a storm had carried away the bridge the night before. Only a narrow plank remained, and this was so frail that but one sheep could cross at a time. There was nothing else for the shepherd to do, therefore, than to drive the sheep slowly, one by one, to the other side. Here the grandmother got up and went to the stove as if she had finished. "But, grandmother," said the little boy, "what happened next? Tell the rest!" The grandmother laughed. "Wait until the shepherd has driven all the sheep over the bridge."