A fisherman once caught a large fish, and heard a voice saying, "Rip me open, gather the blood in three bottles and keep them safely for thou wilt marry, thy wife will bear three sons at once and whenever any trouble is about to befall one of them the blood in the bottle will change colour." He did as he was told. After a time his wife gave birth to three sons who looked so much alike that they could not be distinguished. The eldest son went away, and came to a town desolated by a lion, who ate up all the girls. The king promised his daughter to him who would slay the lion. The young man, not knowing of the promise, killed the lion and went his way. An old man brought the head to the king and demanded the hand of his daughter. The king consented and this became known. The young man heard of the proclamation, came back, proved the old man a liar and married the princess. One day, looking out of a window, he saw a place at a distance and was told it was the home of a sorceress. No one who went there ever came out. He went there and found an old woman sitting by a big fire, crying that she was cold. She asked the young man to get her some of the hair of the dog near her, in order to throw it into the fire. As soon as he touched the hair, she got hold of him, tied him up and another wizard came who locked him into a chamber. The father saw the blood in the first bottle change and sent the second brother in search of him. The princess believed him to be her husband

and told him what had happened before. He also went to the sorceress's palace and fared like his elder brother. The father saw it and sent the third brother. The princess again mistook him for her husband and he went in search of his two brothers. He had brought a dog and a horse with and he tied them outside the gate. The witch asked him to get her some hair of the horse. He, however, took some hair from his own dog and thus broke the spell. Then he killed her, entered the chamber and found his brothers together with others whom he set free and they all came back to the princess. The eldest recognised her as his wife. The father noticed that the blood had returned to its original colour, so he knew they were safe. He went after them and found them and they all lived happily ever after.

E. — CODEX GASTER 1810. (Orient. Spanish XVIII th

century).