and thought, "i must see what these three are about," and went thither and asked why they were beating each other so furiously. one of them said that he found a stick, and that when he struck a door with it, that door would spring open. the next said that he had found a mantle, and that whenever he put it on, he was invisible, but the third said he had found a horse on which a man could ride everywhere, even up the glass-mountain. and now they did not know whether they ought to have these things in common, or whether they ought to divide them. then the man said, "i will give you something in exchange for these three things. money indeed have i not, but i have other things of more value; but first i must try yours to see if you have told the truth." then they put him on the horse, threw the mantle round him, and gave him the stick in his hand, and when he had all these things they were no longer able to see him. so he gave them some vigorous blows and cried, "now, vagabonds, you have got what you deserve, are you satisfied?" and he rode up the glass-mountain, but when he came in front of the castle at the top, it was shut. then he struck the door with his stick, and it sprang open immediately. he went in and ascended the stairs until he came to the hall where the maiden was sitting with a golden cup full of wine before her. she, however, could not see him because he had the mantle on. and when he came up to her, he drew from his finger the ring which she had given him, and threw it into the cup so that it rang.