m the oat cake, which the
great dog instantly snapped up, and the young Prince passed quietly on.

A few yards further he saw a huge oven, with a wide, red-hot gaping
mouth. A woman as tall as a giant was leaning over the oven. Desire gave
her the brush, which she took in silence.

Then he went on to the well, drew up the cord, which was half rotten,
and stretched it out in the sun.

Lastly he went round the castle, and plunged into the orange grove.
There he gathered the three most beautiful oranges he could find, and
turned to go back to the gate.

But just at this moment the sun was darkened, the earth trembled, and
Desire heard a voice crying:

'Baker, baker, take him by his feet, and throw him into the oven!'

'No,' replied the baker; 'a long time has passed since I first began to
scour this oven with my own flesh. YOU never cared to give me a brush;
but he has given me one, and he shall go in peace.'

'Rope, O rope!' cried the voice again, 'twine yourself round his neck
and strangle him.'

'No,' replied the rope; 'you have left me for many years past to fall to
pieces with the damp. He has stretched me out in the sun. Let him go in
peace.'

'Dog, my good dog,' cried the voice, more and more angry, 'jump at his
throat and eat him up.'

'No,' replied the dog; 'though I have served you long, you never
gave me any bread. He has given me as much as I want. Let him go in
peace.'

'Iron gate, iron gate,' cried the voice, growling like thunder, 'fall on
him and grind him to powder.'

'No,' replied the gate; 'it is a hundred years since you left me to
rust, and he has oiled me. Let him go in peace.'

VI

Once outside, the young adventurer put his oranges into a bag that hung
from his saddle, mounted his horse, and rode quickly out of the forest.

Now, as he was longing to see the princesses, he was very anxious to
come to a river or a fountain, but, though he rode for hours, a river or
fountain was nowhere to be seen. Still his heart was light, for he felt
that he had got through the most difficult part of his task, and the
rest was easy.

About mid-day he reached a sandy plain, scorching in the sun. Here he
was seized with dreadful thirst; he took his gourd and raised it to his
lips.

But the gourd was empty; in the excitement of his joy he had forgotten
to fill it. He rode on, struggling with his sufferings, but at last he
could bear it no longer.

He let himself slide to the earth, and lay d