So he thought: "It is surely there that my brother is."

He ordered his horse to be saddled and, without saying a word to

anybody, he rode off to the castle. As soon as he entered the castle

he saw his brother and his dog turned to stone. He saw, too, all the

petrified knights and their horses, and the hag sitting and keeping

up the fire.

He said: "You old hag, unless you bring my brother to life again I'll

hew you in pieces with this sword of mine."

The hag knew that the sword had magical virtues, and so she said:

"Pray, sir, do not be angry with me. Take that box there and rub the

ointment beneath his nose and he will come to life again."

"Curse you, you evil old hag; do it yourself, and instantly."

And he went and caught hold of her wand and struck her with it,

and at once she was turned into stone. He had not meant to do that,

for he did not know that the wand had such power. He took the box

and rubbed the ointment beneath his brother's nose, and the brother

came to life again. Then he anointed all the others who had been

turned to stone, and they all came to life again. As for the hag,

he left her there just as she was.

Then the brothers rode off to the princess. When she saw them, she did

not know which of them was her husband, they were so like one another.

Czech Folk Tales · 第 44 / 64 题