Preparations were at once made for the wedding , which was held soon after with great pomp and magnificence . Three months of great happiness followed , when Militza received one day an invitation to visit her mother 's sister . Although the Princess was very unhappy at leaving her husband , she did not like to refuse the invitation , and , promising to return in seven days at the latest , she took a tender farewell of the Prince , and said : ` Before I go I will hand you over all the keys of the castle . Go everywhere and do anything you like ; only one thing I beg and beseech you , do not open the little iron door in the north tower , which is closed with seven locks and seven bolts ; for if you do , we shall both suffer for it . ' Iwanich promised what she asked , and Militza departed , repeating her promise to return in seven days . When the Prince found himself alone he began to be tormented by pangs of curiosity as to what the room in the tower contained . For two days he resisted the temptation to go and look , but on the third he could stand it no longer , and taking a torch in his hand he hurried to the tower , and unfastened one lock after the other of the little iron door until it burst open . What an unexpected sight met his gaze ! The Prince perceived a small room black with smoke , lit up feebly by a fire from which issued long blue flames . Over the fire hung a huge cauldron full of boiling pitch , and fastened into the cauldron by iron chains stood a wretched man screaming with agony . Iwanich was much horrified at the sight before him , and asked the man what terrible crime he had committed to be punished in this dreadful fashion . ' I will tell you everything , ' said the man in the cauldron ; ` but first relieve my torments a little , I implore you . ' ` And how can I do that ? ' asked the Prince . ` With a little water , ' replied the man ; ` only sprinkle a few drops over me and I shall feel better . ' The Prince , moved by pity , without thinking what he was doing , ran to the courtyard of the castle , and filled a jug with water , which he poured over the man in the cauldron . In a moment a most fearful crash was heard , as if all the pillars of the palace were giving way , and the palace itself , with towers and doors , windows and the cauldron , whirled round the bewildered Prince 's head . This continued for a few minutes , and then everything vanished into thin air , and Iwanich found himself suddenly alone upon a desolate heath covered with rocks and stones . The Prince , who now realised what his heedlessness had done , cursed too late his spirit of curiosity . In his despair he wandered on over the heath , never looking where he put his feet , and full of sorrowful thoughts .
At last he saw a light in the distance , which came XXXXX a miserable-looking little hut .
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