The Three Princes and their Beasts - Part Four

The Prince was very tired, and he did not know what to do. He was lost and it was getting dark. 

Because it was getting darker outside at a very fast rate he decided to spend the night in the hut of the witch.

"I do not have any problems with you spending the night here." The witch told the eldest Prince. "However I am afraid of your animals. If I touch these animals with my rod, then I shall not be afraid of them any more. Can I do that?"

As the Prince was not aware that the woman was a witch he agreed to this.

No sooner had the woman touched the animals with her rod, they all changed into stone. 

After this the woman touched the eldest prince with her rod and she turned the eldest prince also into stone.

Sometime after this the second prince came towards the three birch trees which the three brothers had marked with their arrows. 

The second brother was shocked when he saw blood oozing out of the mark made by the eldest prince on the birch tree. 

He decided to follow the trail made by his brother.

The second prince also reached the hut of the witch. 

He also did not know that the woman was a witch and allowed the woman to hit his beasts with the rod.

The second prince and his beasts also turned into stone.

After this the third brother came to the very same spot where the birch trees have been planted and the third brother saw blood oozing from the cuts made by both his elder brothers. Realizing that something was wrong, he and his beasts followed the trail in the forests, and they also reached the hut of the witch.

"I am afraid of your beasts. Can I hit them with my rod? I shall not be afraid of them after that." The witch told the third brother the same story that she had told the two elder brothers.

However, on this day, the youngest prince was very wary. He resolutely shook his head. "I am the master of my beasts and I am the only one who is allowed to hit them. Give me the rod and I shall decide after that."

He grabbed the rod from the hands of the witch and touched his old fox with it. 

The youngest prince was shocked when the fox turned into stone. 

Realizing what has happened the prince immediately pointed his rod at the witch. "My brothers have come here. I know that. I am also certain that you have done something to them. Turn them back to normal or you will need the same fate."

Realizing that her secret had been found out, the witch was terrified. 

She burnt a young oak tree nearby and she sprinkled the white ashes of the burnt oak tree on all the stone statues hidden inside her house.

Soon the three princes and their beasts were all reunited.

They all went to the kingdom of the first prince where they lived happily ever after.

Adapted from Lithuanian Fairy Tales