one-eye climbed up, but when she was about to get hold of one of the golden apples, the branch escaped from her hands, and that happened each time, so that she could not pluck a single apple, let her do what she might. then said the mother, "three-eyes, do you climb up; you with your three eyes can look about you better than one-eye." one-eye slipped down, and three-eyes climbed up. three-eyes was not more skilful, and might search as she liked, but the golden apples always escaped her. at length the mother grew impatient, and climbed up herself, but could get hold of the fruit no better than one-eye and three-eyes, for she always clutched empty air. then said two-eyes, "i will just go up, perhaps i may succeed better." the sisters cried, "you indeed, with your two eyes, what can you do?" but two-eyes climbed up, and the golden apples did get out of her way, but came into her hand of their own accord, so that she could pluck them one after the other, and brought a whole apronful down with her. the mother took them away from her, and instead of treating poor two-eyes any better for this, she and one-eye and three-eyes were only envious, because two-eyes alone had been able to get the fruit, and they treated her still more cruelly.