he Prince
remained alone, in doubt what to do next. At last he resolved to go
after his wife again.

When he arrived near the cavern he waited for his opportunity till
Steelpacha should be gone away; and once more he fled, taking his wife
with him.

Steelpacha soon heard of it, pursued after them, overtook them, fitted
an arrow to his bow, and cried out, "Would you rather that I kill you
with this arrow, or shall I cut you down with my sword?"

The Prince began to beg with all his might, and Steelpacha said to
him, "This second time I give you your life, but let me tell you one
thing: don't you try again to carry away this woman, for I will not
again give you your life, but will kill you on the spot as dead as a
mouse."

With these words he seized the woman and carried her away, while the
Prince again remained alone, always planning how to rescue his wife.
Finally he said to himself, "After all, why should I be afraid? I
still have two lives--that one which he gave me and the one I had
before."

So he resolved to go back to his wife the next day when Steelpacha was
absent.

"Come," he said to her, "let us flee!" She objected that it was
useless to flee, since they would be at once overtaken; but he
constrained her to go with him.

But very soon Steelpacha overtook them, and cried out to the Prince,
"Wait, just wait! I will never forgive you this!" The Prince was
terrified and began to beg for mercy, but Steelpacha silenced him.

"You remember that I gave you three lives? All right; now I give you
the third, and you have nothing more to expect from me. So go home in
peace, and beware of hazarding the life which God lent you."

When the Prince saw that he was powerless against the might of
Steelpacha he turned back homeward with a heavy heart. Suddenly he
remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when they gave him
the feathers, and he said to himself, "Come what come may, I will go
once more to rescue my wife, and in case of need I will burn the
feathers and call my brothers-in-law to my assistance."

So said and so done.

He went back to the cavern and saw his wife in Steelpacha's arms. He
waited around till the latter had gone away, and then showed himself
to his wife. She was not a little frightened, and cried out in terror,
"In the name of heaven! Is life so hateful that you come back again
for me?"

He calmed her and told her that his brothers-in-law had promised to
help him in utmost nee