WhiletheKingwasatabanquet，Iwanichtooksomepursesofgold，andmountingthequickesthorseintheroyalstable，hespedofflikethewindwithoutasinglesoulbeinganythewiser。
Itwasonlyonthenextdaythattheymissedhim；theKingwasverydistressedathisdisappearance，andsentsearch-partiesalloverthekingdomtolookforhim，butinvain；andaftersixmonthstheygavehimupasdead，andinanothersixmonthstheyhadforgottenallabouthim。ButinthemeantimethePrince，withthehelpofhisring，hadhadamostsuccessfuljourney，andnoevilhadbefallenhim。
Attheendofthreemonthshecametotheentranceofahugeforest，whichlookedasifithadneverbeentroddenbyhumanfootbefore，andwhichseemedtostretchoutindefinitely。ThePrincewasabouttoenterthewoodbyalittlepathhehaddiscovered，whenheheardavoiceshoutingtohim:’Hold，youth！
Whitherareyougoing？’
Iwanichturnedround，andsawatall，gaunt-lookingman，cladinmiserablerags，leaningonacrookedstaffandseatedatthefootofanoaktree，whichwassomuchthesamecolourashimselfthatitwaslittlewonderthePrincehadriddenpastthetreewithoutnoticinghim。
’WhereelseshouldIbegoing，’hesaid，’thanthroughthewood？’
’Throughthewood？’saidtheoldmaninamazement。’It’seasilyseenthatyouhaveheardnothingofthisforest，thatyourushsoblindlytomeetyourdoom。Well，listentomebeforeyourideanyfurther；letmetellyouthatthiswoodhidesinitsdepthsacountlessnumberofthefiercesttigers，hyenas，wolves，bears，andsnakes，andallsortsofothermonsters。IfIweretocutyouandyourhorseupintotinymorselsandthrowthemtothebeasts，therewouldn’tbeonebitforeachhundredofthem。Takemyadvice，therefore，andifyouwishtosaveyourlifefollowsomeotherpath。’
ThePrincewasrathertakenabackbytheoldman’swords，andconsideredforaminutewhatheshoulddo；thenlookingathisring，andperceivingthatitsparkledasbrightlyasever，hecalledout:’Ifthiswoodheldevenmoreterriblethingsthanitdoes，Icannothelpmyself，forImustgothroughit。’
Herehespurredhishorseandrodeon；buttheoldbeggarscreamedsoloudlyafterhimthatthePrinceturnedroundandrodebacktotheoaktree。
’Iamreallysorryforyou，’saidthebeggar，’butifyouarequitedeterminedtobravethedangersoftheforest，letmeatleastgiveyouapieceofadvicewhichwillhelpyouagainstthesemonsters。
’Takethisbagfulofbread-crumbsandthislivehare。Iwillmakeyouapresentofthemboth，asIamanxioustosaveyourlife；butyoumustleaveyourhorsebehindyou，foritwouldstumbleoverthefallentreesorgetentangledinthebriersandthorns。Whenyouhavegoneaboutahundredyardsintothewoodthewildbeastswillsurroundyou。Thenyoumustinstantlyseizeyourbag，andscatterthebread-crumbsamongthem。Theywillrushtoeatthemupgreedily，andwhenyouhavescatteredthelastcrumbyoumustlosenotimeinthrowingtheharetothem；assoonastheharefeelsitselfonthegrounditwillrunawayasquicklyaspossible，andthewildbeastswillturntopursueit。
Inthiswayyouwillbeabletogetthroughthewoodunhurt。’
Iwanichthankedtheoldmanforhiscounsel，dismountedfromhishorse，and，takingthebagandthehareinhisarms，heenteredtheforest。Hehadhardlylostsightofhisgauntgreyfriendwhenheheardgrowlsandsnarlsinthethicketclosetohim，andbeforehehadtimetothinkhefoundhimselfsurroundedbythemostdreadful-lookingcreatures。Ononesidehesawtheglitteringeyeofacrueltiger，ontheotherthegleamingteethofagreatshe-wolf；hereahugebeargrowledfiercely，andthereahorriblesnakecoileditselfinthegrassathisfeet。
ButIwanichdidnotforgettheoldman’sadvice，andquicklyputhishandintothebagandtookoutasmanybread-crumbsashecouldholdinhishandatatime。Hethrewthemtothebeasts，butsoonthebaggrewlighterandlighter，andthePrincebegantofeelalittlefrightened。Andnowthelastcrumbwasgone，andthehungrybeaststhrongedroundhim，greedyforfreshprey。
Thenheseizedthehareandthrewittothem。
Nosoonerdidthelittlecreaturefeelitselfonthegroundthanitlaybackitsearsandflewthroughthewoodlikeanarrowfromabow，closelypursuedbythewildbeasts，andthePrincewasleftalone。Helookedathisring，andwhenhesawthatitsparkledasbrightlyaseverhewentstraightonthroughtheforest。
Hehadn’tgoneveryfarwhenhesawamostextraordinarylookingmancomingtowardshim。Hewasnotmorethanthreefeethigh，hislegswerequitecrooked，andallhisbodywascoveredwithprickleslikeahedgehog。Twolionswalkedwithhim，fastenedtohissidebythetwoendsofhislongbeard。
HestoppedthePrinceandaskedhiminaharshvoice:’Areyouthemanwhohasjustfedmybody-guard？’
Iwanichwassostartledthathecouldhardlyreply，butthelittlemancontinued:’Iammostgratefultoyouforyourkindness；whatcanIgiveyouasareward？’
’AllIask，’repliedIwanich，’is，thatIshouldbeallowedtogothroughthiswoodinsafety。’
’Mostcertainly，’answeredthelittleman；’andforgreatersecurityIwillgiveyouoneofmylionsasaprotector。Butwhenyouleavethiswoodandcomenearapalacewhichdoesnotbelongtomydomain，lettheliongo，inorderthathemaynotfallintothehandsofanenemyandbekilled。’
Withthesewordsheloosenedthelionfromhisbeardandbadethebeastguardtheyouthcarefully。
WiththisnewprotectorIwanichwanderedonthroughtheforest，andthoughhecameuponagreatmanymorewolves，hyenas，leopards，andotherwildbeasts，theyalwayskeptatarespectfuldistancewhentheysawwhatsortofanescortthePrincehadwithhim。
Iwanichhurriedthroughthewoodasquicklyashislegswouldcarryhim，but，nevertheless，hourafterhourwentbyandnotatraceofagreenfieldorahumanhabitationmethiseyes。Atlength，towardsevening，themassoftreesgrewmoretransparent，andthroughtheinterlacedbranchesawideplainwasvisible。
Attheexitofthewoodthelionstoodstill，andthePrincetookleaveofhim，havingfirstthankedhimwarmlyforhiskindprotection。Ithadbecomequitedark，andIwanichwasforcedtowaitfordaylightbeforecontinuinghisjourney。
Hemadehimselfabedofgrassandleaves，litafireofdrybranches，andsleptsoundlytillthenextmorning。
Thenhegotupandwalkedtowardsabeautifulwhitepalacewhichhesawgleaminginthedistance。Inaboutanhourhereachedthebuilding，andopeningthedoorhewalkedin。
Afterwanderingthroughmanymarblehalls，hecametoahugestaircasemadeofporphyry，leadingdowntoalovelygarden。
ThePrinceburstintoashoutofjoywhenhesuddenlyperceivedMilitzainthecentreofagroupofgirlswhowereweavingwreathsofflowerswithwhichtodecktheirmistress。
AssoonasMilitzasawthePrincesheranuptohimandembracedhimtenderly；andafterhehadtoldherallhisadventures，theywentintothepalace，whereasumptuousmealawaitedthem。ThenthePrincesscalledhercourttogether，andintroducedIwanichtothemasherfuturehusband。
Preparationswereatoncemadeforthewedding，whichwasheldsoonafterwithgreatpompandmagnificence。
Threemonthsofgreathappinessfollowed，whenMilitzareceivedonedayaninvitationtovisithermother’ssister。
AlthoughthePrincesswasveryunhappyatleavingherhusband，shedidnotliketorefusetheinvitation，and，promisingtoreturninsevendaysatthelatest，shetookatenderfarewellofthePrince，andsaid:’BeforeIgoIwillhandyouoverallthekeysofthecastle。Goeverywhereanddoanythingyoulike；onlyonethingIbegandbeseechyou，donotopenthelittleirondoorinthenorthtower，whichisclosedwithsevenlocksandsevenbolts；forifyoudo，weshallbothsufferforit。’
Iwanichpromisedwhatsheasked，andMilitzadeparted，repeatingherpromisetoreturninsevendays。
WhenthePrincefoundhimselfalonehebegantobetormentedbypangsofcuriosityastowhattheroominthetowercontained。
Fortwodaysheresistedthetemptationtogoandlook，butonthethirdhecouldstanditnolonger，andtakingatorchinhishandhehurriedtothetower，andunfastenedonelockaftertheotherofthelittleirondooruntilitburstopen。
Whatanunexpectedsightmethisgaze！ThePrinceperceivedasmallroomblackwithsmoke，litupfeeblybyafirefromwhichissuedlongblueflames。Overthefirehungahugecauldronfullofboilingpitch，andfastenedintothecauldronbyironchainsstoodawretchedmanscreamingwithagony。
Iwanichwasmuchhorrifiedatthesightbeforehim，andaskedthemanwhatterriblecrimehehadcommittedtobepunishedinthisdreadfulfashion。
’Iwilltellyoueverything，’saidthemaninthecauldron；’butfirstrelievemytormentsalittle，Iimploreyou。’
’AndhowcanIdothat？’askedthePrince。
’Withalittlewater，’repliedtheman；’onlysprinkleafewdropsovermeandIshallfeelbetter。’
ThePrince，movedbypity，withoutthinkingwhathewasdoing，rantothecourtyardofthecastle，andfilledajugwithwater，whichhepouredoverthemaninthecauldron。
Inamomentamostfearfulcrashwasheard，asifallthepillarsofthepalaceweregivingway，andthepalaceitself，withtowersanddoors，windowsandthecauldron，whirledroundthebewilderedPrince’shead。Thiscontinuedforafewminutes，andtheneverythingvanishedintothinair，andIwanichfoundhimselfsuddenlyaloneuponadesolateheathcoveredwithrocksandstones。
ThePrince，whonowrealisedwhathisheedlessnesshaddone，cursedtoolatehisspiritofcuriosity。Inhisdespairhewanderedonovertheheath，neverlookingwhereheputhisfeet，andfullofsorrowfulthoughts。Atlasthesawalightinthedistance，whichcamefromamiserable-lookinglittlehut。
