Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 10, 1899.djvu/537

Rh as far as I can make out), and then, in certain cases, subordinate him to Baiame, Byamee, and similar "Over-gods"? Probably the answer must always be hypothetical.

Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons. He had a garden in which grew an apple-tree that bore three apples every year. But they were always stolen just when they got ripe. One year the eldest son said he would go and watch at night, and see who the thief was. He went, and at midnight he heard a terrible noise, as if all the hills were shaking and the trees being tossed about. This frightened him so that he ran home. Next morning one apple was gone; the second son said: "You are a coward; I will go to-night." He went, and the same thing happened to him.

They had not asked their father's blessing. On the third night the youngest son begged to be allowed to go in his turn to guard the last apple. At first his father would not let him, but he begged so hard that he was allowed to go, and took his father's blessing with him.

At midnight he heard the same terrible noise, as if all the hills were shaking and the trees being tossed about. But he did not run away, but stood ready with his sword in his hand. Next moment he saw a gigantic ogre stretching out his hand to pick the last apple. Just as the hand grasped the apple, the prince cut it off with his sword, and picking up the hand and apple, carried them back to his father. His father was delighted to get the apple, as he had never tasted the fruit of the tree; but when his son told him that he was resolved to go and find the ogre and kill him, he was very sorrowful; but at last he yielded, and the boy started off, taking his two brothers with him.