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 She drew something out of the gun barrel and sure enough it was the bird, Pelikan.

She gave Vitazko another gun and told him to go out and shoot an eagle. Then she told him to carry Pelikan home to his mother, but instead of giving him Pelikan she gave him the eagle.

When Sharkan and his mother saw Vitazko coming, they decided that this time they would send him after the Golden Apples. These grew in the garden of the most powerful dragon in the world.

“If Vitazko goes near him,” Sharkan said, “the dragon will tear him to pieces for he knows that it was Vitazko who killed all his brother dragons.”

So the mother again feigned sickness and, when Vitazko rushed in to her and offered her what he supposed was Pelikan, she moaned and groaned and pushed the bird aside.

“Too late! Too late! I’m dying!”

“Don’t say that!” poor Vitazko begged. “Will nothing save you?”

“Yes, the Golden Apples that grow in the garden of Mightiest Dragon could still save me. If you really loved me you’d get them for me.”

“I do love you, mother,” Vitazko cried, “and I’ll get you the Golden Apples wherever they are!”