u a penny."

But the red flame called out quickly: "Not so, father! Get some water
and pour it on the white flame and I'll give you a shilling!"

Now of course the shilling appealed to the beggar more than the penny.
So he got some water, poured it on the white flame and that was the
end of the king.

The red flame turned into a man who seized the flaming horse by the
bridle, mounted him and, after he had rewarded the beggar, called his
servant and rode off.

Meanwhile at the royal palace there was deep sorrow for the murdered
kings. The halls were draped in black and people came from miles
around to gaze at the mutilated bodies of the two elder brothers which
the horses had carried home.

The old witch was beside herself with rage. As soon as she had devised
a plan whereby she could avenge the murder of her sons-in-law, she
took her three daughters under her arm, mounted an iron rake, and
sailed off through the air.

The seer and his man had already covered a good part of their journey
and were hurrying on over rough mountains and across desert plains,
when the servant was taken with a terrible hunger. There wasn't
anything in sight that he could eat, not even a wild berry. Then
suddenly they came upon an apple tree that was bending beneath a load
of ripe fruit. The apples were red and pleasant to the sight and sent
out a fragrance that was most inviting.

The servant was delighted. "Glory to God!" he cried. "Now I can feast
to my heart's content on these apples!"

He was already running to the tree when the seer called him back.

"Wait! Don't touch them! I will pick them for you myself!"

But instead of picking an apple, the seer drew his sword and struck a
mighty blow into the apple tree. Red blood gushed forth.

"Just see, my man! You would have perished if you had eaten one apple.
This apple tree is the eldest queen, whom her mother, the witch,
placed here for our destruction."

Presently they came to a spring. Its water bubbled up clear as crystal
and most tempting to the tired traveler.

"Ah," said the servant, "since we can get nothing better, at least we
can take a drink of this good water."

"Wait!" cried the seer. "I will draw some for you."

But instead of drawing water he plunged his naked sword into the
middle of the spring. Instantly it was covered with blood and blood
began to spurt from the spring in thick streams.

"This is the second queen, whom her mother, the witch, placed here t