moment to look at it he noticed a little fish lying on the bank,
beating its tail convulsively, in a vain effort to get back into
the water.

'Oh, for pity's sake, my brother,' shrieked the little creature,
'help me, and put me back into the river, and I will repay you
some day. Take one of my scales, and when you are in danger
twist it in your fingers, and I will come!'

The prince picked up the fish and threw it into the water; then
he took off one of its scales, as he had been told, and put it in
his pocket, carefully wrapped in a cloth. Then he went on his
way till, some miles further down the road, he found a fox caught
in a trap.

'Oh! be a brother to me!' called the fox, 'and free me from this
trap, and I will help you when you are in need. Pull out one of
my hairs, and when you are in danger twist it in your fingers,
and I will come.'

So the prince unfastened the trap, pulled out one of the fox's
hairs, and continued his journey. And as he was going over the
mountain he passed a wolf entangled in a snare, who begged to be
set at liberty.

'Only deliver me from death,' he said, 'and you will never be
sorry for it. Take a lock of my fur, and when you need me twist
it in your fingers.' And the prince undid the snare and let the
wolf go.