Strona 356 z 626

Presently the king's daughter herself came down into the garden,

and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she

had given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and

said: 'Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be

my husband until he had brought me an apple from the Tree of

Life.' The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but

he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs

would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he

had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a

wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling

in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand.