The youth took the letter and read it through . ` Yes , I can help you , ' replied he ; ` but first you must bring me three troughs , all exactly alike . Into one you must put oats , into another wheat , and into the third barley . The foal which eats the oats is that which was foaled in the morning ; the foal which eats the wheat is that which was foaled at noon ; and the foal which eats the barley is that which was foaled at night . ' The king followed the youth 's directions , and , marking the foals , sent them back to Turkey , and there was no war that year . Now the Sultan was very angry that both his plots to get possession of Hungary had been such total failures , and he sent for his aunt , who was a witch , to consult her as to what he should do next . ` It is not the king who has answered your questions , ' observed the aunt , when he had told his story . ` He is far too stupid ever to have done that ! The person who has found out the puzzle is the son of a poor woman , who , if he lives , will become King of Hungary . Therefore , if you want the crown yourself , you must get him here and kill him . ' After this conversation another letter was written to the Court of Hungary , saying that if the youth , now in the palace , was not sent to Turkey within three days , a large army would cross the border . The king 's heart was sorrowful as he read , for he was grateful to the lad for what he had done to help him ; but the boy only laughed , and bade the king fear nothing , but to search the town instantly for two youths just like each other , and he would paint himself a mask that was just like them . And the sword at his side clanked loudly . After a long search twin brothers were found , so exactly resembling each other that even their own mother could not tell the difference . The youth painted a mask that was the precise copy of them , and when he had put it on , no one would have known one boy from the other . They set out at once for the Sultan 's palace , and when they reached it , they were taken straight into his presence . He made a sign for them to come near ; they all bowed low in greeting . He asked them about their journey ; they answered his questions all together , and in the same words . If one sat down to supper , the others sat down at the same instant . When one got up , the others got up too , as if there had been only one body between them .
The XXXXX could not detect any difference between them , and he told his aunt that he would not be so cruel as to kill all three .
Hungary Sultan Turkey days first morning night noon third war