OHNIVAK 273

roads, and they believed that he whose branch should take root
and grow into a big tree would be successful in the quest.

When each one had planted his branch at the chosen
road they started off. The eldest rode on, and never stopped
until he reached the top of a high mountain; there he dis-
mounted, and let his horse graze while he ate his breakfast.
Suddenly a red fox came up, and speaking in the language
of men, said: “Pray, my handsome prince, give me a little
of what you are eating ; 1 am very hungry.”

For answer the prince let fly an arrow from his crossbow,
but it is impossible to say whether he hit the fox for it vanished
and did not appear again.

The second brother, without meeting with any adventure,
reached a wide-stretching moor, where he stopped for his
meal, The red fox appeared to him and begged for food;
but he also refused food to the famished fox, and shot at him.
The creature disappeared as before.

The youngest travelled on till he came to the banks of
ariver. Feeling tired and hungry, he got down from his horse
and began his breakfast; while he was eating, up came the
red fox.

‘Please, young sir,” said the fox, “give me a morsel to
satisfy my hunger.”

The prince threw him a piece of meat, and spoke kindly
to him.

“Come near, do not be afraid, my red fox; I see you are
more hungry than I, but there is enough for us both.”

And he divided all his provisions into two equal parts,
one for himself, and one for the poor red fox.

When the latter had eaten to his heart’s content, he said:
s