the youngest son undertook the task. They all
laughed him to scorn, because he was so stupid, feeling sure he wouldn't
do anything. But he took his arms, and went straight into the park, and
sat down on the grass in such a position that the moment he went asleep
his weapons would prick him, and he would awake.

Presently the midnight hour sounded. The earth began to shake, and the
Norka came rushing up, and burst right through the fence into the park,
so huge was it. The Prince pulled himself together, leapt to his feet,
crossed himself, and went straight at the beast. It fled back, and the
Prince ran after it. But he soon saw that he couldn't catch it on foot,
so he hastened to the stable, laid his hands on the best horse there,
and set off in pursuit. Presently he came up with the beast, and they
began a fight. They fought and fought; the Prince gave the beast three
wounds. At last they were both utterly exhausted, so they lay down to
take a short rest. But the moment the Prince closed his eyes, up jumped
the beast and took to flight. The Prince's horse awoke him; up he jumped
in a moment, and set off again in pursuit, caught up the beast, and
again began fighting with it. Again the Prince gave the beast three
wounds, and then he and the beast lay down again to rest. Thereupon away
fled the beast as before. The Prince caught it up, and again gave it
three wounds. But all of a sudden, just as the Prince began chasing it
for the fourth time, the beast fled to a great white stone, tilted it
up, and escaped into the other world, crying out to the Prince: 'Then
only will you overcome me, when you enter here.'

The Prince went home, told his father all that had happened, and asked
him to have a leather rope plaited, long enough to reach to the other
world. His father ordered this to be done. When the rope was made, the
Prince called for his brothers, and he and they, having taken servants
with them, and everything that was needed for a whole year, set out for
the place where the beast had disappeared under the stone. When they got
there, they built a palace on the spot, and lived in it for some time.
But when everything was ready, the youngest brother said to the others:
'Now, brothers, who is going to lift this stone?'

Neither of them could so much as stir it, but as soon as he touched it,
away it flew to a distance, though it was ever so big--big as a hill.
And when he had flung the stone aside, he spoke a second time