The King's daughters all came out, with the same eyes, the same faces, of the same height, and wearing the same dresses. It was quite impossible to tell which was which. But the mosquito flew over some bushes, and then settled on the nose of one of the girls. The girl raised her hand to brush it away, but the prince seized her by hand and said: "This is your youngest daughter, your Highness!"

      The King answered:

      "You are right, she is really the youngest!"

      And that maiden was as fair and beautiful as the rising sun or as the sweet basil when it blossoms.

      The King was quite contented and invited the bridegroom into the palace, placed him at the head of the table, and said:

      "I give you my youngest daughter, and I give you my whole kingdom. From today on you'll live together with us. You will not know what death is, and you'll live forever. Go and travel all over your kingdom, but bear in mind that you must not go out of the gate through which you came in, otherwise it will be the worst for you."

      The prince went out, and saw golden gardens, the trees with their branches laden down to the earth with fruit, palaces of gold and silver, decorated with precious stones, wells built of marble with silver cups, rivers full of milk and honey, groves with various kinds of singing birds, and lawns with flowers and green grass full of dew like pearls, such as he had never met before.

      There were many interesting things to see, but it is impossible to tell about them all, because the wedding feast had begun with much eating and drinking and cries of merriment. How long it lasted I cannot tell since the sun never rises and never sets in that kingdom, but stands at high noon all the time.

      After the wedding party the prince lived as if in paradise. One day he went hunting, and when he took his bow and shot an arrow it flew over the palace gates. He saw where the arrow had flown and went to recover it, forgetting about the old King's advice. He unbolted and opened the gates and did not think what would happen to him. But there he saw the shining thread of his gold ball, and he suddenly remembered his home, his father and his mother. He longed to go and see them. He thought for some time, and at last decided to do so.

      "I'll leave everything behind, go home to see how my parents are living."

      The old King said to him:

      "Don't go, my dear fellow, there is no need. Too much time has passed and nobody is alive, neither your parents nor even their grand-children."

      But the brave youth did not believe him. He got ready to go. He took his arms, bowed to the King, kissed his wife and off he went. The King and his younger daughter were left behind in deep sorrow, The prince set out, following the golden thread. He walked and walked until he came to the vine and found it spread all over the hills, so far that it was impossible to see the end of it, neither one side nor the other. The vine recognized him and said:

      "Stop, brave youth, and take a rest."

      He answered:

      "Your invitation is very kind, but I must hurry to get home!"

      He walked on further still, until he came to an old oak tree. The oak tree recognized him as well.

      " Stop a little, brave youth, and take a rest in my shade. You did me much good when you passed by. I have grown out of the acorn you covered with soil."

      The King's son was surprised and could not believe that so much time has passed. He thanked the oak-tree, and passed on.

      He went further still, and came to the palace where he had received the golden ball of thread, and there he found the Dragon who was so old, that he had almost dried up. He greeted him, the Dragon was very glad, moved his head aside and said:

      "My dear fellow, I was getting ready to eat you, but I haven't done so because you greeted me."

      The prince entered the palace and found the royal owner. So many years had passed since he had seen him, and his beard had grown so much that he used one half of it to cover himself when sleeping, and the other half to lie on. The old man raised his eyelids with his walking stick, looked at the brave youth and said:

      "If you return this way, drop in on me by all means."

      He said farewell to the old man, and set out for home which was now not so far away. When he came to where the hermit's cell had been, he found a thick wood, and was afraid that wolves might steal up on him. As for the hermit and his cell, there were no traces of either to be seen.

      The King's son became so sad that he almost decided to turn back. However, he did not stop, but went on further and finally reached his home. He looked one side then another but he saw nothing. He could only guess where the palace of his parents had been from a pile of ruins. In a hollow he saw a little hut. He went there to ask about everything he had seen. In that hut a three-hundred-year-old man lived. He said that he had heard from his forefathers that a King's court had once stood there, and that the King had a son who had gone into the wide world to find life without death, and youth without old age, and to live for ever in the immortal kingdom. After that there had been a plague and everybody had died, the animals and birds as well.