Then the emperor commanded his coach to be made ready , and he took the youth with him , and they drove to the spot , for he wished to see for himself whether the young man 's confession was true ; but when they reached the place only one stem was left . So the emperor desired his attendants to cut him a flute from the remaining stem , and , when it was ready , he ordered his chamberlain to play on it . But no tune could the chamberlain play , though he was the best flute player about the court -- nothing came but the words , ` The Emperor Trojan has goat 's ears . ' Then the emperor knew that even the earth gave up its secrets , and he granted the young man his life , but he never allowed him to be his barber any more . -LRB- Volksmarchen der Serben . -RRB- THE NINE PEA-HENS AND THE GOLDEN APPLES Once upon a time there stood before the palace of an emperor a golden apple tree , which blossomed and bore fruit each night . But every morning the fruit was gone , and the boughs were bare of blossom , without anyone being able to discover who was the thief . At last the emperor said to his eldest son , ` If only I could prevent those robbers from stealing my fruit , how happy I should be ! ' And his son replied , ' I will sit up to-night and watch the tree , and I shall soon see who it is ! ' So directly it grew dark the young man went and hid himself near the apple tree to begin his watch , but the apples had scarcely begun to ripen before he fell asleep , and when he awoke at sunrise the apples were gone . He felt very much ashamed of himself , and went with lagging feet to tell his father ! Of course , though the eldest son had failed , the second made sure that he would do better , and set out gaily at nightfall to watch the apple tree . But no sooner had he lain himself down than his eyes grew heavy , and when the sunbeams roused him from his slumbers there was not an apple left on the tree . Next came the turn of the youngest son , who made himself a comfortable bed under the apple tree , and prepared himself to sleep . Towards midnight he awoke , and sat up to look at the tree . And behold ! the apples were beginning to ripen , and lit up the whole palace with their brightness . At the same moment nine golden pea-hens flew swiftly through the air , and while eight alighted upon the boughs laden with fruit , the ninth fluttered to the ground where the prince lay , and instantly was changed into a beautiful maiden , more beautiful far than any lady in the emperor 's court . The prince at once fell in love with her , and they talked together for some time , till the maiden said her sisters had finished plucking the apples , and now they must all go home again . The prince , however , begged her so hard to leave him a little of the fruit that the maiden gave him two apples , one for himself and one for his father .
Then she changed herself back XXXXX a pea-hen , and the whole nine flew away .
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