The Queen consented with many tears , and the King at once bade his son set forth in search of the Tree of the Sun , from which he was to pluck a golden apple . The Prince was delighted at the prospect , and set out on his travels that very day . For a long time he wandered all through the world , and it was not till the ninety-ninth day after he started that he found an old man who was able to tell him where the Tree of the Sun grew . He followed his directions , and rode on his way , and after another ninety-nine days he arrived at a golden castle , which stood in the middle of a vast wilderness . He knocked at the door , which was opened noiselessly and by invisible hands . Finding no one about , the Prince rode on , and came to a great meadow , where the Sun-Tree grew . When he reached the tree he put out his hand to pick a golden apple ; but all of a sudden the tree grew higher , so that he could not reach its fruit . Then he heard some one behind him laughing . Turning round , he saw the girl in red walking towards him , who addressed him in these words : ` Do you really imagine , brave son of the earth , that you can pluck an apple so easily from the Tree of the Sun ? Before you can do that , you have a difficult task before you . You must guard the tree for nine days and nine nights from the ravages of two wild black wolves , who will try to harm it . Do you think you can undertake this ? ' ` Yes , ' answered the Sun-Hero , ' I will guard the Tree of the Sun nine days and nine nights . ' Then the girl continued : ` Remember , though , if you do not succeed the Sun will kill you . Now begin your watch . ' With these words the Red Girl went back into the golden castle . She had hardly left him when the two black wolves appeared : but the Sun-Hero beat them off with his sword , and they retired , only , however , to reappear in a very short time . The Sun-Hero chased them away once more , but he had hardly sat down to rest when the two black wolves were on the scene again . This went on for seven days and nights , when the white horse , who had never done such a thing before , turned to the Sun-Hero and said in a human voice : ` Listen to what I am going to say . A Fairy gave me to your mother in order that I might be of service to you ; so let me tell you , that if you go to sleep and let the wolves harm the tree , the Sun will surely kill you .
The Fairy , foreseeing this , put everyone XXXXX the world under a spell , which prevents their obeying the Sun 's command to take your life .
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