eldest son shot his arrow, and he aimed it toward the east,
where the sun rises. The arrow fell upon the balcony of a great
nobleman's house.

Well and good! The nobleman had a daughter, and she was so stately and
handsome that the Prince was very glad to take her for a wife.

Then the second Prince shot an arrow and aimed it toward the west,
where the sun is in its glory. He was no less lucky than his brother,
for his arrow fell into the court of a rich merchant, and he also had
a daughter who was a beauty. So the second son took her for a bride,
and he was well content.

Last of all Prince Ivan shot his arrow, and he aimed neither toward
the east nor the west, but straight up into the sky above him. Then a
sudden gust of wind arose and caught the arrow and blew it away so
that it fell in a great swamp. In this swamp were no rich nor
beautiful ladies, but only a poor, green, croaking frog.

When the young Prince Ivan saw where his arrow had fallen he was in
despair. "How can I marry a frog," said he, "and have her rule with me
as my Princess?"

"It is a great pity," said the Tsar; "nevertheless what I have said I
have said, and where your arrow fell there must you take your bride."

So Prince Ivan was married to the frog, and the Tsar built a castle on
the edge of the swamp for them to live in.

Now the Tsar was growing old, and he began to consider in his mind to
which of his sons he would leave his kingdom. Gladly would he have
left it to his youngest son, who was his favorite, but it did not seem
right that a frog should ever rule over the kingdom as Queen.

At last he called the three Princes before him and said, "My sons,
to-morrow let your wives bake me some soft white bread. I will eat of
it, and in this way I will know which of you has the cleverest wife,
and he who has the cleverest wife shall inherit my kingdom."

After they had heard him the three Princes went away to their own
homes, and Prince Ivan was very sad.

"What ails you, my dear husband," said the frog, "that you hang your
head and are so downcast?"

"It is no wonder I am downcast," answered Prince Ivan. "My father
has commanded that you shall make him a loaf of soft white bread
to-morrow, and well I know that your webby fingers can never make
bread that he would taste or even so much as look at."

"Do not be too sure of that," answered the frog. "Sleep in peace, and
I promise that to-morrow I will provide a loaf that even the Tsar w