there was once upon a time a princess, who, high under the battlements in her castle, had an apartment with twelve windows, which looked out in every possible direction, and when she climbed up to it and looked around her, she could inspect her whole kingdom. when she looked out of the first, her sight was more keen than that of any other human being; from the second she could see still better, from the third more distinctly still, and so it went on, until the twelfth, from which she saw everything above the earth and under the earth, and nothing at all could be kept secret from her. moreover, as she was haughty, and would be subject to no one, but wished to keep the dominion for herself alone, she caused it to be proclaimed that no one should ever be her husband who could not conceal himself from her so effectually, that it should be quite impossible for her to find him. he who tried this, however, and was discovered by her, was to have his head struck off, and stuck on a post. ninety-seven posts with the heads of dead men were already standing before the castle, and no one had come forward for a long time. the princess was delighted, and thought to herself, "now i shall be free as long as i live." then three brothers appeared before her, and announced to her that they were desirous of trying their luck.