flung the gates wide. There was no one there, but a
sizzling light moved in towards them, and, out of the heart of it came a
clear, cold voice:

'I have come to demand the hand of your eldest sister in marriage.
Forbid me not. I await your consent, but, if you refuse, it will be at
your peril.'

The eldest brother answered at once, without a glance at the other two:
'It is unheard of! I cannot see you; I do not know you; who is to know
where or how you will bestow my sister? I might never see her again.' He
turned to the younger one and added, 'What say you, brother?'

'For my part, I will not consent,' replied he readily. 'I like not these
signs of ill omen.'

Then they both turned to the youngest.

'What say you, little brother?'

He was quick to answer:

'I obey my father, and counsel you to do the same. It is not that I fear
his curse, but I love him, and will obey his wish.'

Without waiting for any reply he ran within, and soon returned, leading
his eldest sister by the hand.

'Here,' said he, offering her to the unseen visitant, 'in accordance
with the custom of my country and the dying wish of my father, I give
you my sister for your wedded wife. May she be faithful to you.'

The Princess was then taken by an invisible hand and led away; and, as
she stepped across the threshold of the palace gates, a tremendous clap
of thunder burst overhead; the lightning flashed again, and the whole
earth rocked at the sound and sight of it; and, at terror of it, the
courtiers who had gathered round fell on their faces and prayed for
deliverance with all their might.

When the sun rose, the palace was still astir. None had slept, so none
had dreamed; therefore, when eyes met eyes, the truth was known: a
terrible thing had happened, but none knew how it had happened. All
sought to find some clue to explain the disappearance of the eldest
Princess, but there was no clue to the midnight mystery of the thing.

And on the second night the same terrible thing occurred again. The
palace was stormed by thunder and lightning till its foundations
quaked. Then, above all, came another commanding voice: 'Open the gates
immediately--in the name of a King!'

Again the elder brother demurred, and again the youngest admitted the
invisible but powerful applicant, and bestowed upon him the second
sister.

'I trust she will be loyal and faithful to you,' he said; and, as she
stepped over the threshold, the elements roared like