“Where is he—where is he? Bring him out, let me see him!” cried the lion; and when the King’s son appeared, the lion did not know what to do with himself for joy. Then they began to talk, and the lion asked him why he had come there, and whither he was going. The youth told him what had happened, and said he was going to seek the Wind-Demon.
“I know but the rumour of him,” said the lion; “but take my word for it, thou hadst better have nothing to do with him, for there is none that can cope with the Wind-Demon.” But the King’s son would not listen to reason, remained there that night, and next morning mounted his horse again. The lion accompanied him to show him the right way, and then they parted, one going to the right and the other to the left.
Again he went on and on, till he saw another palace, and this was the palace of his middling sister. The damsel saw from the window that a man was on the road, and no sooner did she recognize him than she rushed out to meet him, and led him into the palace. Full of joy, they conversed together till the evening, and then the damsel said to the youth: “In a short time my tiger-husband will be here, I’ll hide thee from him, lest a mischief befall thee,” and she took her brother and hid him.
In the evening the tiger came home, and while they talked together his wife asked him what he would do if any of her brothers should chance to look in upon them.
“If the elder were to come,” said the tiger, “I would strike them dead, but if the youngest came, I would go down on my knees before him.” Whereupon the damsel called to her youngest brother, the King’s son, to come forth. The tiger was overjoyed to see him, welcomed him as a brother, and asked him whence he came and whither he was going. Then the King’s son told the tiger of all his trouble, and asked him whether he knew the Wind-Demon. “Only by hearsay,” replied the tiger; and then he tried to persuade the King’s son not to go, for the danger was great. But the red dawn had no sooner appeared than the King’s son was ready to set out again. The tiger showed him the way, and the one went back and the other went forward.
He pursued his way, and it was endlessly long, but time passes quickly in a fairy tale, and at last a dark object stood out against him. “What can it be?” thought he, but when he drew nearer he saw that it was a palace. It was the abode of his youngest sister. The damsel was just then looking out of the window. “Alas! my brother!” cried she, and very nearly fell out of the window for pure joy. Then she led him into the house. The youth rejoiced that he had found all his sisters so well, but the lack of his wife was still a weight upon his heart.
Now when evening was drawing nigh the girl said to her brother: “My bird-husband will be here anon; conceal thyself from him, for if he see thee he will tear thy heart out,” and with that she took her brother and hid him.
And now there was a great clapping of wings, and the Anka had scarce rested a while when his wife asked him what he would do if any of her brothers came to see them.
“As to the two elder,” said the bird, “I would take them in my mouth, fly up to the sky with them, and cast them down from thence; but if the youngest were to come, I would let him sit down on my wings and go to sleep there if he liked.” Then the girl called forth her youngest brother.
“Alas! my dear little child,” cried the bird, “how didst thou find thy way hither? Wert thou not afraid of the long journey?”