When the second brother heard this, he began, "I had the watch on the second night, and I killed a two-headed Dragon. If you don't believe me, here are the ears which I cut from his two heads for a witness." He said it and showed the two pairs of ears. The youngest brother heard the whole in silence. The landlord now turned to him. "By Heaven, youngster, your brothers are valiant heroes! Come, let us hear if you can also boast of any doughty deeds!" Hesitatingly the youngest began his story: "Well, I also did a trifle. It was on the very third night, beside the lake in the wilderness. You, my brothers, were asleep. I kept watch. At a certain hour of the night the lake surged up and a three-headed Dragon arose from it, who would have annihilated us. Then I drew a sword and cut off all three of his heads. If you don't believe it, here are the three pairs of ears!" Upon this the two brothers were dumb with astonishment. But the youngest went on with his story: "In the meantime the fire had gone out, and I went forth to seek a light. While straying around among the hills I stumbled upon nine giants in a cave;" and so he went on and told all his adventures in order, and every one was struck with amazement at the wonderful tale. No sooner had the landlord heard the story than he ran secretly to the Emperor and told him the whole affair. The Emperor gave him a great sum of money, and sent his people at once to bring the three princes before him. When they came into the emperor's presence he put the following question to the youngest: "Is it you who performed the wonders in our city, killing the giants and saving my only daughter from destruction?" "Yes, it was I, mighty Emperor," replied the Prince. Hereupon the Emperor married his daughter to the young Prince and raised him to the highest office in the kingdom. Then the Emperor said to the two elder brothers, "If it please you to remain in my empire, I will give you each a wife and will permit you to build strongholds for yourselves." But they told him they were already married, and explained that they had undertaken this journey merely to seek out their sisters. When the Emperor heard this he detained only the youngest brother, his son-in-law, and to the two other brothers he gave two mules laden with gold. So the two brothers returned home to their own kingdom. Still the youngest brother thought continually of his sisters, and kept always in mind the hope of yet seeking them out. But on the other hand he was pained at the thought of parting from his young wife, and besides he knew that the Emperor would never consent to his leaving him. So he was continually racked with anxiety about his sisters.