or two
weeks, and then put into a tread-mill.

Meanwhile the nurse took the little babies, and carried them out of
doors, saying: "I will make the dogs eat them up," and she left them
alone. While they were thus exposed, three fairies passed by and
exclaimed: "Oh how beautiful these children are!" and one of the fairies
said: "What present shall we make these children?" One answered: "I will
give them a deer to nurse them." "And I a purse always full of money."
"And I," said the third fairy, "will give them a ring which will change
color when any misfortune happens to one of them."

The deer nursed and took care of the children until they grew up. Then
the fairy who had given them the deer came and said: "Now that you have
grown up, how can you stay here any longer?" "Very well," said one of
the brothers, "I will go to the city and hire a house." "Take care,"
said the deer, "that you hire one opposite the royal palace." So they
all went to the city and hired a palace as directed, and furnished it as
if they had been royal personages. When the aunts saw these three
youths, imagine their terror! "They are alive!" they said. They could
not be mistaken, for there were the apples in their hands, and the star
on the girl's brow. They called the nurse and said to her: "Nurse, what
does this mean? are our nephews and niece alive?" The nurse watched at
the window until she saw the two brothers go out, and then she went over
as if to make a visit to the new house. She entered and said: "What is
the matter, my daughter; how do you do? Are you perfectly happy? You
lack nothing. But do you know what is necessary to make you really
happy? It is the Dancing Water. If your brothers love you, they will
get it for you!" She remained a moment longer and then departed.

When one of the brothers returned, his sister said to him: "Ah! my
brother, if you love me go and get me the Dancing Water." He consented,
and next morning saddled a fine horse, and departed. On his way he met a
hermit, who asked him, "Where are you going, cavalier?" "I am going for
the Dancing Water." "You are going to your death, my son; but keep on
until you find a hermit older than I." He continued his journey until he
met another hermit, who asked him the same question, and gave him the
same direction. Finally he met a third hermit, older than the other two,
with a white beard that came down to his feet, who gave him the
following directions: "You must climb yonder m