t a common rope on
this glorious creature!"

Just think of it! For the third time Janko forgot the Little Fox's
warning! I have no excuse to make for him. I don't see how he could have
forgotten a third time! But he did. He took the golden bridle instead of
the hempen one and put it over the head of the Golden Horse. The Horse
neighed and instantly all the sleeping guards awoke and came running to
the stall. They caught Janko, of course, and when morning broke carried
him to their master, the king.

He questioned Janko as the others had done and Janko answered him
simply:

"You see I have to have the Golden Horse, O king, to exchange it for the
Golden Apple-Tree. And I have to have the Golden Apple-Tree to exchange
it for the Magic Grape-Vine that really belongs to my father. It was
stolen from him years ago and ever since then his left eye has wept over
the loss of it. Give me the Golden Horse, O king, for if you don't give
him to me I shall have to come back and try again to steal him."

"But, Janko," the king said, "I can't give you the Golden Horse for
nothing! But I tell you what I'll do: I will give him to you provided
you get for me the Golden Maiden who has never seen the sun."

With that Janko was dismissed and led out of the stable.

Janko really was awfully ashamed this time when he had again to confess
to the Little Fox that he had forgotten her warning and had touched the
golden bridle.

"Janko! Janko!" the Little Fox said. "Where are your wits! Now what
shall we do?"

Then Janko told the Little Fox of the king's offer:

"He will give me the Golden Horse provided I get for him the Golden
Maiden who has never seen the sun. Dear Little Fox, will you help me
this one time more? I know I am very stupid but I promise you faithfully
that this time I will not forget."

"Of course, brother," the Little Fox said, "I'll help you again. But
this will have to be the last time. If you forget this time I won't be
able to help you any more. Take hold of my tail and away we'll go."

So for the fourth time Janko took hold of the Little Fox's tail and away
they went. They went and they went--I can't tell you how far! But they
weren't tired when they arrived, they weren't even breathless.

"Now, brother," the Little Fox said, "listen carefully to what I tell
you. Here we are in another kingdom close to a great cavern where for
sixteen years the Golden Maiden has been kept a prisoner under the
enchantment of her