after floating in the air for a few moments, fell down into the
great river that flows through the heart of the country. Here the sparks
had turned into two little fishes with golden scales, and one was so
exactly like the other that everyone could tell at the first glance that
they must be twins. Early one morning the emperor's fishermen went down
to the river to get some fish for their master's breakfast, and cast
their nets into the stream. As the last star twinkled out of the sky
they drew them in, and among the multitude of fishes lay two with scales
of gold, such as no man had ever looked on.

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