give my greetings
to my brother and my aunt."

So the prince took some silver dumplings, made suitable thanks, and
departed.

He journeyed on from the Silver Castle three days and three nights,
through dense forests and over rough mountains, not knowing where he
was nor which way to turn. At last all worn out he threw himself down
in the shade of a beech tree to rest. As the sword clanked on the
ground, its silver voice rang out and a flock of thirty-six ravens
circled over his head.

"Caw! Caw!" they croaked. Then, frightened by the sound of the sword,
they flew away.

"Praise God!" cried the prince. "The Golden Castle can't be far!"

He jumped up and started eagerly off in the direction the ravens had
taken. As he left a valley and climbed a little hill he saw before him
a beautiful wide meadow in the midst of which stood the Golden Castle
shining like the sun. Before the gate of the castle stood a bent old
Yezibaba leaning on a golden staff.

"Yi, yi, my boy," she cried to the prince, "how did you get here? Why,
not even a little bird or a tiny butterfly comes here, much less a
human being! You'd better escape if life is dear to you, or my son,
when he comes home, will eat you!"

"No, no, old mother, he won't eat me, for I bring him greetings from
his brother of the Silver Castle!"

"Well, if you bring greetings from the Silver Castle you are safe
enough. Come in, my boy, and tell me your business."

"My business, old mother? For a long time I've been wandering over
these wild mountains in search of the Glass Hill and the Three
Citrons. At the Silver Castle they sent me to you because they thought
you might know something about them."

"The Glass Hill? No, I don't know where it is. But wait until my son
comes. He will advise you where to go and what to do. Hide under the
table and stay there till I call you."

The mountains rumbled and the castle trembled and Yezibaba's son came
home.

"Phew! Phew! I smell human meat! I'll eat it!" he roared. He stood in
the doorway and pounded the ground with his golden club until the
whole castle shook.

"No, no, my son," said Yezibaba, "don't talk that way! A pretty little
fellow has come bringing you greetings from your brother of the Silver
Castle. If you won't harm him, I'll call him out."

"Well, if my brother didn't do anything to him, I won't either."

So the prince crawled out from under the table and stood before the
giant. It was like standing beneat