The young lad buried a grape-seed in the ground and said:

      "Thank you, vine, and good luck to you! Grow and multiply, but I go further."

      "I wish you good health and good luck!"

      The King's son went forward. Soon he saw a wounded eagle, and stretched his bow to shoot, but the eagle said:

      "Don't shoot, my fine fellow, and don't kill me. Cure and nurse me and I'll be of great help to you. When you get into any trouble you have only to think of me and I'll fly to help you."

      The King's son nursed the eagle, dressed its wounds as well as he could, fed it and went on further.

      Shortly after that he came to a sea. Walking along the shore, he saw something all shiny and white before him.

      "What can that be?" he thought, "What marvel is this?"

      He stepped nearer, and what did he see? The waves rolled back and he saw the King of the fishes left lying on the hot sand, basking in the sun. He was twelve paces long and as tall as a man, with silver fins and golden scales. Nobody had ever seen such a wonder before. The prince went up to him and said:

      "Oh, what a tasty feast I shall make of this fish!"

      The fish heard him and answered:

      "My fine young fellow, if you eat me you won't get one little bit further. It would be better to take me to the deeper water and set me free. Whenever you need me, think of me, and I'll be at your service at once."

      The lad looked for a long pole and little by little heaved the king of the fishes along until he got him into deep water.

      Then he walked on further and further. He passed kings and their castles, markets and dirty rascals. Then at last he saw a fox that was being chased by some hounds. He was all bitten and out of breath. The prince stretched his bow to shoot, but the fox said:

      "My fine young fellow, don't kill me. Save me from the hounds, heal my wounds, and may be some day I shall help you."

      The King's son drove the hounds away, took the fox under his protection, and looked after him until he was well again. Then he let him go. When they parted the fox said:

      "Thank you, prince, that you did not let the hounds tear me to pieces. If you are in trouble, think of me and I'll be beside you."

      The King's son set out again. The further he went the more the gold ball unravelled, and the smaller it became. He walked and walked until he came to an elm tree with two trunks. Between them was stretched a cobweb. A mosquito was struggling there. When the mosquito saw the King's son, it began to cry:

      "My fine young fellow, save me and I'll help you somehow. I know where you are going. You are going to the immortal kingdom, and if you help me, you won't be sorry afterwards."

      When the prince heard such words he stopped, took the mosquito from the spider's web, fed it, and let it go.

      "Thank you, traveller, for your kindness. When you have any troubles only think of me and I'll fly to help you. Now on you go, and good luck go with you. You haven't got much further to go and you'll come to a palace. When you reach it, go straight to the King and ask him to give you his younger daughter for your bride, because you can't rule over the immortal kingdom, if you are not married."

      The King's son went further and as he went the ball of thread became as small as an apple, then as small as a nut, and when it became as small as a pea, the King's son saw a very beautiful palace, with towers, gilded all over. It was without a doubt the most beautiful palace in the world. The prince went straight up to the palace and knocked at the gate. The King sent a guard to ask whom it was, why he was there, where he came from, and where he was going.

      The prince told him everything and answered all his questions. Then the King himself came to the gate, and the brave lad told him:

      "Your Highness, I have come to ask you to let me marry your younger daughter. I should like to sit at the head of the table as bridegroom, and have your daughter by me as my bride. Do you agree to my proposal?"

      "Why not? I'll give her to you as your bride, if you can hide so that nobody can find you. Then we shall celebrate the wedding with a feast and you'll live here for ever, because from this gate onwards the immortal kingdom begins."

      The poor fellow became very sad because he didn't 'know how to hide, and nothing could be done. He sat down deep in thought, and suddenly he remembered the eagle. In a twinkling of an eye the eagle was by his side.

      "What has grieved you so, my master?"

      "Well, you see, I've fallen into such a trouble..."

      And he began to tell him about the King's order.

      "If that's all it is, don't be troubled".

      The eagle took the King's son and hid him high up in the sky, behind nine rows of clouds.

      The King had three daughters who all looked alike, They had similar faces, similar hair, similar dresses, similar shoes. The King came out of his palace with his sword and his eldest daughter, and told her that if she could not find where the prince was hidden, he would strike off her head. The maiden went into the garden, plucked a basketful of marigolds and went out with her father to seek the prince.

      She looked on the earth but did not see him, she looked on the sea and still did not see him. Then she looked up into the sky, and saw him, and said:

      "Come out from behind the clouds, I see you."