The old man also gave the prince instructions on how to handle the troubles that came when he went to the castle and Desire paid rapt attention. Finally, the old man had some very important instructions for Desire. “When you get to the orange grove, take three oranges and get back to the iron gate and leave the forest by the opposite side.” The old man suddenly looked grave. “Whatever happens do not open the orange till you reach the bank of a river or a fountain.”
Soon armed with certain things that the old man had given the prince set off towards the castle.
Desire saw the iron gate and using the oil in the bottle that the old man had given him, the prince oiled the hinges of the iron gate.
The prince was stunned when the gate opened by itself and there was an old castle inside.
A huge and fierce dog came rushing towards him and Desire then threw the oatcake that the old man had given to him, towards the dog.
The charging dog looked at the oatcake happily and did not charge at the prince anymore.
After that an old fierce looking woman leaned over an oven. Desire gave the woman a brush and once the woman took the brush, she looked happy and did nothing to Desire.
After that Desire went to a well in the courtyard of the castle and he drew up a nearly rotten cord and stretched the cord in the sun, following the instructions of the old man.
Finally, Desire found himself in the orange grove easily and plucked three of the most beautiful oranges that he could find.
Desire collected three oranges from the grove and suddenly the sun went dark and the very earth trembled.
Adapted from Andrew Lang’s Red Fairy Book
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