THE PRINCE WITH THE GOLDEN HAND 229

“The very thing. This is the fifth: ‘I existed before the
creation of Adam. I am always changing in succession the
two colours of my dress. Thousands of years have gone by,
but I have remained unaltered both in colour and form.’”

“It must be time, including day and night.”

“You have succeeded in guessing the five most difficult,
the last is the easiest of all. ‘By day a ring, by night a
serpent ; he who guesses this shall be my bridegroom.’ ”

“Tt is a girdle.”

“Now they are all guessed,” said she, and gave her hand
to the young prince.

They knelt before the king and queen to receive their
blessing. The three weddings were celebrated that same
evening, and a messenger mounted the winged horse to carry
the good news to the parents of the young princes and to
bring them back as guests. Meanwhile a magnificent feast
was prepared, and invitations were sent to all their friends and
acquaintances. And from that evening until the next morning
they ceased not to feast and drink and dance. I too was
a guest, and feasted with the rest; but though I ate and
drank, the wine only ran down my beard, and my throat
remained dry.