see me again."

Plavachek thanked his godmother most gratefully and departed.

When he reached the first city the king asked him what news he
brought.

"Good news!" Plavachek said. "Have the well cleaned out and kill the
frog that sits on its spring. If you do this the water will flow again
as it used to."

The king ordered this to be done at once and when he saw the water
beginning to bubble up and flow again, he made Plavachek a present of
twelve horses, white as swans, laden with as much gold and silver as
they could carry.

When Plavachek came to the second city and the king of that city asked
him what news he brought, he said:

"Good news! Have the apple tree dug up. At its roots you will find a
snake. Kill the snake and replant the tree. Then it will bear fruit as
it used to."

The king had this done at once and during the night the tree burst
into bloom and bore great quantities of fruit. The king was delighted
and made Plavachek a present of twelve horses, black as ravens, laden
with as much riches as they could carry.

Plavachek traveled on and when he came to the black sea, the boatman
asked him had he the answer to his question.

"Yes, I have," said Plavachek, "but you must ferry me over before I
tell you."

The boatman wanted to hear the answer at once, but Plavachek was firm.
So the old man ferried him across with his twelve white horses and his
twelve black horses.

When Plavachek was safely landed, he said: "The next person who comes
to be ferried over, thrust the oar into his hand and do you jump
ashore. Then the other man will have to be boatman in your place."

Plavachek traveled home to the palace. The king could scarcely believe
his eyes when he saw the three golden hairs of Grandfather Knowitall.
The princess wept again, not for sorrow this time but for joy at her
bridegroom's return.

"But, Plavachek," the king gasped, "where did you get these beautiful
horses and all these riches?"

"I earned them," said Plavachek proudly. Then he related how he helped
one king who had a tree of the apples of youth and another king who
had a well of the water of life.

"Apples of youth! Water of life!" the king kept repeating softly to
himself. "If I ate one of those apples I should become young again! If
I were dead the water of life would restore me!"

He lost no time in starting out in quest of the apples of youth and
the water of life. And do you know, he hasn't come back yet!

So Plav