Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/380

 art always lying raking amongst, dirty black creature that thou art!’ said the brothers.

Next day all the knights and princes were to appear before the King and the Princess—it had been too late for them to do it the night before—in order that he who had the golden apple might produce it. They all went in turn, first princes, and then knights, but none of them had a golden apple.



‘But somebody must have it,’ said the King, ‘for with our own eyes we all saw a man ride up and take it. So he commanded that everyone in the kingdom should come to the palace, and see if he could show the apple. And one after the other they all came, but no one had the golden apple, and after a long, long time Cinderlad’s two brothers came likewise. They were the last of all, so the King inquired of them if there was no one else in the kingdom left to come.