Searching for the magic brocade the eldest sons gets some advice form and old lady and has some second thoughts.

The boy asked the old woman, “How can I recover the brocade that the fairies of the Sun Mountain have carried off?”

“That will be very difficult,” said the old woman. “First, you have to knock out two of your front teeth and put them into the mouth of my stone horse. Then he will be able to move and eat the red fruit hanging from this tree. When he has eaten ten pieces, then you can mount him. He will take you directly to the Sun Mountain. But first you will have to pass through the Flame Mountain which burns with a continuous fierceness.”

Here the old woman offered a warning. “You must not utter a word of complaint, for if you do you will instantly be burned to ashes. When you have arrived at the other side, you must then cross an icy sea.” With a grave nod she whispered, “And if you give the slightest shudder, you will immediately sink to the bottom.”

After hearing all this, the eldest son felt his jaw and thought anxiously of the burning fire ans lashing sea waves. He went white as a ghost.

The old woman looked at him and laughed.

“You won’t be able to stand it, I can see,” she said. Don’t go. I’ll give you a small iron box full of gold. Take it and live comfortably.”

She fetched the box of gold from the stone house and gave it to the boy. He took it happily and went away. On his way home he began thinking about all the money he now had. “This gold will enable me to live very well. If I take it home, I will have to share it. Spending it all on myself will be much more fun than spending it no four people.”

He decided right then and there not to go home and turned instead to the path which led to a big city.

—

Next time: “The Woman’s Second Son”