They proceeded further.  When they approached the rocks, they met a man who had his eyes bandaged with a handkerchief.  “Sir, this is our third comrade,” said Long, “you ought to take him also into your service.  I’m sure he won’t eat his victuals for naught.”

“Who are you?” the prince asked him, “and why are your eyes bandaged?  You don’t see your way!” “No, sir, quite the contrary!  It is just because I see too well that I am obliged to bandage my eyes; I see with bandaged eyes just as well as others with unbandaged eyes; and if I unbandage them I look everything through and through, and when I gaze sharply at anything it catches fire and bursts into flame, and what can’t burn splits into pieces.  For this reason my name is Sharpsight.”  He then turned to a rock opposite, removed the bandage, and fixed his flaming eyes upon it; the rock began to crackle, pieces flew on every side, and in a very short time nothing of it remained but a heap of sand, on which something glittered like fire.  Sharpsight went to fetch it, and brought it to the prince.  It was pure gold.

“Heigho! you’re a fellow that money can’t purchase!” said the prince.  “He is a fool who wouldn’t make use of your services, and if you have such good sight, look and tell me whether it is far to the iron castle, and what is now going on there?” “If you rode by yourself, sir,” answered Sharpsight, “maybe you wouldn’t get there within a year; but with us you’ll arrive to-day—­they’re just getting supper ready for us.”  “And what is my bride doing?”

    “An iron lattice is before her,
       In a tower that’s high
       She doth sit and sigh,
     A wizard watch and ward keeps o’er her.”

The prince cried, “Whoever is well disposed, help me to set her free!” They all promised to help him.  They guided him among the gray rocks through the breach that Sharpsight had made in them with his eyes, and farther and farther on through rocks, through high mountains and deep forests, and wherever there was any obstacle in the road, forthwith it was removed by the three comrades.  And when the sun was declining toward the west, the mountains began to become lower, the forests less dense, and the rocks concealed themselves amongst the heath; and when it was almost on the point of setting, the prince saw not far before him an iron castle; and when it was actually setting, he rode by an iron bridge to the gate, and as soon as it had set, up rose the iron bridge of itself, the gate closed with a single movement, and the prince and his companions were captives in the iron castle.

When they had looked round the court, the prince put his horse up in the stable, where everything was ready for it, and then they went into the castle.  In the court, in the stable, in the castle hall, and in the rooms, they saw in the twilight many richly-dressed people, gentlemen and servants, but not one of them stirred—­they were all turned to stone.  They went through several rooms, and came into the supper-room.  This was brilliantly lighted up, and in the midst was a table, and on it plenty of good meats and drinks, and covers were laid for four persons.  They waited and waited, thinking that some one would come:  but when nobody came for a long time, they sat down and ate and drank what the palate fancied.