The two journeyed on until they came to the village where the two inns stood, and there the Prince stopped at the larger inn to water his horse, and who should come out to fetch water for the horse but the Prince’s second brother, and he was all in rags.
“Oh, my dear brother,” cried the Prince, “what has happened to you? Why are you all in rags?”
“It is because I am in debt to the landlord,” answered the second Prince. “I spent all my own money and more beside in feasting and drinking, and now he keeps me as a servant and will not let me go.”
“And our eldest brother—is he here also?”
Yes, he was there also. He too was in debt to the landlord, and was obliged to work about in the kitchen.
When the youngest brother heard this the tears ran down his cheeks. He called the landlord to him and paid him all that the two brothers owed, and bought them free. He also bought for each of them proper clothes and fine horses to ride upon.
Then they all started home together. But the elder brothers were not grateful to him. They envied and hated him because he had won the Princess and the Golden Horse and the bird, and because he would have their father’s kingdom, too. So they plotted together as to how they could get rid of him.
They journeyed on for some hours until it was midday and the sun was hot. Then they came to a place where there was a well with trees around it.
“Let us sit here and rest awhile,” said the elder brothers, and the youngest was willing.
They all lighted down from their horses, and then the two elder brothers seized the younger one and threw him into the well.