Nevertheless, the next night she laid stronger spells upon the
Princess Aubergine, saying--?
'Princess Aubergine! tell me true--
In what thing does your life lie?'
And the sleeping Princess answered--'In the life of your second son.
Kill him, and I too will die.'
So the wicked Queen killed her second son with her own hands, but when
she sent the slave-girl to see whether Aubergine was dead also, the
girl returned again saying the Princess was alive and well.
Then the sorceress-queen cried with rage and spite, for she had killed
her second son for naught. Nevertheless, she would not give up her
wicked project, and the next night laid still stronger spells on the
sleeping Princess, asking her--?
'Princess Aubergine! tell me true--
In what thing does your life lie?'
And the Princess replied--'In the life of your third son. Kill him,
and I must die also!'
But the same thing happened. Though the young Prince was killed by
his wicked mother, Aubergine remained alive and well; and so it went
on day after day, until all the seven young Princes were slain, and
their cruel mother still wept tears of rage and spite, at having
killed her seven sons for naught.
Then the sorceress-queen summoned up all her art, and laid such strong
spells on the Princess Aubergine that she could no longer resist them,
and was obliged to answer truly; so when the wicked Queen asked--?
'Princess Aubergine! tell me true--
In what thing does your life lie?'
the poor Princess was obliged to answer--'In a river far away there
lives a red and green fish.
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