When it was quite ripe the fruit would become a golden yellow . ` Every day I gazed on the lovely fruit , which became gradually more and more tempting-looking , and it was all I could do not to break the magician 's commands . ` One night I dreamt that the fruit was perfectly ripe ; I ate some of it , and it was more delicious than anything I had ever tasted in real life . As soon as I awoke I sent for the gardener and asked him if the fruit on the three trees had not ripened in the night to perfection . ` But instead of replying , the gardener threw himself at my feet and swore that he was innocent . He said that he had watched by the trees all night , but in spite of it , and as if by magic , the beautiful trees had been robbed of all their fruit . ` Grieved as I was over the theft , I did not punish the gardener , of whose fidelity I was well assured , but I determined to pluck off all the fruit in the following year before it was ripe , as I had not much belief in the magician 's warning . ' I carried out my intention , and had all the fruit picked off the tree , but when I tasted one of the apples it was bitter and unpleasant , and the next morning the rest of the fruit had all rotted away . ` After this I had the beautiful fruit of these trees carefully guarded by my most faithful servants ; but every year , on this very night , the fruit was plucked and stolen by an invisible hand , and next morning not a single apple remained on the trees . For some time past I have given up even having the trees watched . ' When the King had finished his story , Szabo , his eldest son , said to him : ` Forgive me , father , if I say I think you are mistaken . I am sure there are many men in your kingdom who could protect these trees from the cunning arts of a thieving magician ; I myself , who as your eldest son claim the first right to do so , will mount guard over the fruit this very night . ' The King consented , and as soon as evening drew on Szabo climbed up on to one of the trees , determined to protect the fruit even if it cost him his life . So he kept watch half the night ; but a little after midnight he was overcome by an irresistible drowsiness , and fell fast asleep . He did not awake till it was bright daylight , and all the fruit on the trees had vanished . The following year Warza , the second brother , tried his luck , but with the same result . Then it came to the turn of the third and youngest son . Iwanich was not the least discouraged by the failure of his elder brothers , though they were both much older and stronger than he was , and when night came climbed up the tree as they had done , The moon had risen , and with her soft light lit up the whole neighbourhood , so that the observant Prince could distinguish the smallest object distinctly . At midnight a gentle west wind shook the tree , and at the same moment a snow-white swan-like bird sank down gently on his breast . The Prince hastily seized the bird 's wings in his hands , when , lo !
XXXXX his astonishment he found he was holding in his arms not a bird but the most beautiful girl he had ever seen .
So at for if in over that though to up