and he never heard when the Bird of Light flew up and again plucked off many apples.
In the morning Tsar Výslav Andrónovich called his son Dmítri to him, and he asked him: "Well, my beloved son, did you see the Bird of Light, or did you not?" And he answered: "Father, gracious lord, this night it did not come."
So the next night Vasíli Tsarévich went to keep watch in the garden. He sat under the same apple-tree, and sat there one hour and went to sleep so soundly that he never heard the coming of the Bird of Light, which flew on to the tree, perched on it, and plucked many apples.
In the morning the Tsar called his second son and questioned him, and he answered: "Gracious lord, my father, this night the Bird of Light did not come."
And on the third night Iván Tsarévich went into the garden to watch, and sat under the same apple-tree; and he waited one hour, a second hour, and a third hour; and then the whole garden lit up as though it shone with many fires, and the Bird of Light flew in and sat on the apple-tree and began to pluck the apples. Iván Tsarévich stole under it so warily, and seized it by its tail, only he could not keep hold of it; and had only one feather out of its tail.
In the morning, when Tsar Výslav awoke from his sleep, Iván Tsarévich went to him, and gave him the feather of the Bird of Light. Tsar Výslav was very glad that his youngest son had succeeded, although he had only a single feather; and this feather was so marvellous and bright that you had only to take it into some dark attic and it shone as bright as the red sun. Tsar Výslav put the feather into his cabinet as an article which he must keep for ever; and from that time forward the Bird of Light never flew into the garden.
Tsar Výslav once again called his children unto him and said, "My beloved sons, do ye journey forth: I will
