th their nephews were missing, were
delighted; and the sister, on looking at her ring, saw that it had
become clear again.

Now when the Speaking Bird saw the youth appear in the garden it said to
him: "What has become of your brother? Your mother has been sent to the
tread-mill." "Alas, my mother in the tread-mill!" And when he had spoken
these words he became a statue.

The sister looked at her ring, and it had become black. Poor child! not
having anything else to do, she dressed herself like a page and set out.

Like her brothers, she met the three hermits, and received their
instructions. The third concluded thus: "Beware, for if you answer when
the bird speaks you will lose your life." She continued her way,
followed exactly the hermit's directions, and reached the garden in
safety. When the bird saw her it exclaimed: "Ah! you here, too? Now you
will meet the same fate as your brothers. Do you see them? one, two, and
you make three. Your father is at the war. Your mother is in the
tread-mill. Your aunts are rejoicing." She did not reply, but let the
bird sing on. When it had nothing more to say it flew down, and the
young girl caught it, pulled a feather from its wing, dipped it into the
jar, and anointed her brothers' nostrils, and they at once came to life
again. Then she did the same with all the other statues, with the lions
and the giants, until all became alive again. Then she departed with her
brothers, and all the noblemen, princes, barons, and kings' sons
rejoiced greatly. Now when they had all come to life again the palace
disappeared, and the hermits disappeared, for they were the three
fairies.

The day after the brothers and sister reached the city where they lived,
they summoned a goldsmith, and had him make a gold chain, and fasten the
bird with it. The next time the aunts looked out they saw in the window
of the palace opposite the Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the
Speaking Bird. "Well," said they, "the real trouble is coming now!"

The bird directed the brothers and sister to procure a carriage finer
than the king's, with twenty-four attendants, and to have the service of
their palace, cooks and servants, more numerous and better than the
king's. All of which the brothers did at once. And when the aunts saw
these things they were ready to die of rage.

At last the king returned from the war, and his subjects told him all
the news of the kingdom, and the thing they talked about the lea