They all gathered round and wondered, and after some talk they decided that they would take the little fishes alive as they were, and give them as a present to the emperor. ‘Do not take us there, for that is whence we came, and yonder lies our destruction,’ said one of the fishes. ‘But what are we to do with you?’ asked the fisherman. ‘Go and collect all the dew that lies on the leaves, and let us swim in it. Then lay us in the sun, and do not come near us till the sun’s rays shall have dried off the dew,’ answered the other fish. The fisherman did as they told him--gathered the dew from the leaves and let them swim in it, then put them to lie in the sun till the dew should be all dried up. And when he came back, what do you think he saw? Why, two boys, two beautiful young princes, with hair as golden as the stars on their foreheads, and each so like the other, that at the first glance every one would have known them for twins. The boys grew fast. In every day they grew a year’s growth, and in every night another year’s growth, but at dawn, when the stars were fading, they grew three years’ growth in the twinkling of an eye. And they grew in other things besides height, too. Thrice in age, and thrice in wisdom, and thrice in knowledge. And when three days and three nights had passed they were twelve years in age, twenty-four in strength, and thirty-six in wisdom. ‘Now take us to our father,’ said they. So the fisherman gave them each a lambskin cap which half covered their faces, and completely hid their golden hair and the stars on their foreheads, and led them to the court. By the time they arrived there it was midday, and the fisherman and his charges went up to an official who was standing about. ‘We wish to speak with the emperor,’ said one of the boys. ‘You must wait until he has finished his dinner,’ replied the porter. ‘No, while he is eating it,’ said the second boy, stepping across the threshold. The attendants all ran forward to thrust such impudent youngsters outside the palace, but the boys slipped through their fingers like quicksilver, and entered a large hall, where the emperor was dining, surrounded by his whole court. ‘We desire to enter,’ said one of the princes sharply to a servant who stood near the door. ‘That is quite impossible,’ replied the servant. ‘Is it? let us see!’ said the second prince, pushing the servants to right and left. But the servants were many, and the princes only two. There was the noise of a struggle, which reached the emperor’s ears. ‘What is the matter?’ asked he angrily. The princes stopped at the sound of their father’s voice. ‘Two boys who want to force their way in,’ replied one of the servants, approaching the emperor. ‘To FORCE their way in? Who dares to use force in my palace? What boys are they?’ said the emperor all in one breath.