not where it has taken her. Whoever finds this
out, and brings her back to me, shall have her for his wife, and with
her half my kingdom for a wedding present, and the remainder of my
wealth and titles after my death."

After hearing these words, princes and knights mounted their horses
and set off to search throughout the world for the beautiful Princess
with the Golden Hair, who had been carried away by Vikher.

Now among the seekers were two brothers, sons of a king, and they
travelled together through many countries asking for news of the
princess, but no one knew anything about her. But they continued their
search, and at the end of two years arrived in a country that lies in
the centre of the earth, and has summer and winter at the same time.

The princes determined to find out whether this was the place where
the hurricane had hidden the Princess with the Golden Hair. So they
began to ascend one of the mountains on foot, leaving their horses
behind them to feed on the grass. On reaching the top, they came in
sight of a silver palace supported on a cock's foot, while at one of
the windows the sun's rays shone upon a head of golden hair; surely it
could only belong to the princess. Suddenly the north wind blew so
violently, and the cold became so intense, that the leaves of the
trees withered and the breath froze. The two princes tried to keep
their footing, and battled manfully against the storm, but they were
overcome by its fierceness and fell together, frozen to death.

Their broken-hearted parents waited for them in vain. Masses were
said, charities distributed, and prayers sent up to God to pity them
in their sorrow.

One day when the queen, the mother of the princes, was giving a poor
old man some money she said to him, "My good old friend, pray God to
guard our sons and soon bring them back in good health."

[Illustration]

"Ah, noble lady," answered he, "that prayer would be useless.
Everlasting rest is all one may ask for the dead, but in return for
the love you have shown and the money you have given the poor and
needy, I am charged with this message--that God has taken pity on your
sorrow, and that ere long you will be the mother of a son, the like of
whom has never yet been seen."

The old man, having spoken thus, vanished.

The queen, whose tears were falling, felt a strange joy enter her
heart and a feeling of happiness steal over her, as she went to the
king and repeated the old man's wo