* * *

We now pass to the class of stories in which one of several brothers
succeeds in some undertaking where the others fail, and thereby draws
down on himself the hatred of the others, who either abandon him in a
cavern, or kill him and hide his body, which is afterwards discovered
by a musical instrument made of one of the bones or of the reeds growing
over the grave. The former treatment is illustrated by a Sicilian tale
(Pitre, No. 80) called:

VII. THE CISTERN.

There were once three king's sons. Two of them were going hunting one
day, and did not want to take their youngest brother with them. Their
mother asked them to let him go with them, but they would not. The
youngest brother, however, followed them, and they had to take him with
them. They came to a beautiful plain, where they found a fine cistern,
and ate their lunch near it. After they had finished, the oldest said:
"Let us throw our youngest brother into the cistern, for we cannot take
him with us." Then he said to his brother: "Salvatore, would you like to
descend into this cistern, for there is a treasure in it?" The youngest
consented, and they lowered him down. When he reached the bottom, he
found three handsome rooms and an old woman, who said to him: "What are
you doing here?" "I am trying to find my way out; tell me how to do it."
The old woman answered: "There are here three princesses in the power of
the magician; take care." "Never mind, tell me what to do; I am not
afraid." "Knock at that door." He did so and a princess appeared: "What
has brought you here?" "I have come to liberate you; tell me what I have
to do." "Take this apple and pass through that door; my sister is there,
who can give you better directions than I can."

She gave him the apple as a token. He knocked at that door, another
princess appeared, who gave him a pomegranate for a remembrance and
directed him to knock at a third door. It opened and the last princess
appeared. "Ah! Salvatore" (for she knew who he was), "what have you come
for?" "I have come to liberate you; tell me what to do." She gave him a
crown, and said: "Take this; when you are in need, say: 'I command! I
command!' and the crown will obey you. Now enter and eat; take this
bottle; the magician, you see, is about rising; hide yourself behind
this door, and when he awakens he will ask you: 'What are you here for?'
You will answer: 'I have come to fight you; but you must agree to take
s