When the eagles heard Sucna Murga’s words they dipped their wings into the water and moistened Sucna Murga’s tongue。Thus refreshed， his strength came back to him， and with a supreme effort he drove the Zmeu into the ground as far as his neck； then with one stroke he cut off the three heads。He then gave the body to the eagles， and told them that they would find the bodies of the other two Zmei under the silver bridge and under the copper bridge。Saying this， he returned to the palace， and there was merriment and joy which seemed as though it would never end。
After spending a few days thus， Sucna Murga and the three Princesses started on their journey， and going along for some time they came at last to the hinges of the heavens on which the chain was fastened。
When they reached that place Sucna Murga dangled the chain。His two brothers， who were waiting on the earth， saw the chain moving。They knew that their brother was coming back， and that he had brought the Princesses with him。They held the chain fast， and the eldest Princess came down。When she reached the ground she fell into the arms of the eldest Prince。After a while the second Princess came down， and she fell into the arms of the second Prince。Then the third Princess came down， but meanwhile a gipsy had found his way thither， and he was waiting there for the third Princess， and she fell into his arms， to her great bewilderment and astonishment； but she could not say anything， for meanwhile they had pulled off the chain， and Sucna Murga was left up in the sky。
The three maidens then returned home to their parents， and， out of fear lest the two brothers should be shown up as cowards， they were prevailed upon to say that they had been saved by the two Princes and the gipsy from the Zmei。This gipsy， indeed， was a wily man with a sharp tongue， and could tell tales。
Sucna Murga， finding himself left alone in the sky， for he saw that the chain had disappeared， wandered about to find out whether there was any other way by which he could reach the earth below again。He had kept the Princesses’ three crowns which they had left with him to bring down。At last， walking along， feeling very bitter about the ingratitude of his brothers and overcome by fatigue， he laid himself down in the shade of a nut tree near a well and fell asleep。
He did not know how long he slept until he was suddenly awakened by a terrific noise。Looking in the direction from which the noise came， he saw something coming towards him like a dark cloud full of fire and lightning。When the cloud drew near he perceived it was an old hag with two heads spitting fire out of her mouths， with black faces and her hair dishevelled like a perfect fury。He did not move and pretended to be asleep， but kept his hand on the hilt of his sword。When the old monster saw him lying there on the ground she drew near， and looking at him said：“What a pity you are dead， for I had come to kill you to avenge the death of my three sons。I am now left alone。”
After a while she bethought herself and said，“Perhaps he is not dead，”so she bent over him and put her ear over his mouth to hear whether he was breathing。This was just what Sucna Murga was waiting for。In the twinkling of an eye he had drawn his sword and cut off one of her two heads； then getting hold of her second head， he began hacking at it with his sword。
When she found herself in his power she began begging him to spare her life at least。“Have you not destroyed all my family and cut off one of my heads？”
He answered：“Show me how I can reach my own world below。”
She said to him：“Go into that valley yonder， and there you will find a horse’s head。Strike it with a whip， and a beautiful horse will stand before you and will carry you to your world。”
When he had heard all that she had to tell him， fearing lest she should have other Zmeu children， he cut off her second head and left her there dead。He then went to the valley to which she had pointed， and found the head of a horse and struck it with a whip。There immediately stood before him a wonderful horse， which said to him：
“Master， I am ready to do your bidding。But first of all put your hand into my right ear， and there you will find royal robes fit for a king。Then put your hand into my left ear， there you will find a bridle and saddle。Put them on me and then mount。”
“But，”said Sucna Murga，“how are we to get back to my world？”
“That you must leave to me，”said the horse，“and when you are mounted shut your eyes。”
This he did； then the horse told him，“Open your eyes，”and to his surprise he found himself in his father’s kingdom。But he disguised himself and put on a poor man’s clothes and took up his abode in a poor quarter， where he gave himself out to be a goldsmith。
The old Emperor decided that the wedding of the three men and the three Princesses should now take place。They made all the necessary preparations。The two elder Princesses felt happy， but the youngest was always sad。She thought of Sucna Murga and what had happened to him， and she loathed the gipsy who tried to take the place of Sucna Murga， boasting everywhere that he had saved the three Princesses and that he had killed the Zmei。
The day for the wedding approached， and the Princesses had everything they wanted except the crowns they had left with Sucna Murga。
The King issued a proclamation offering very high pay to anyone who could make suitable crowns for the Princesses。
When Sucna Murga heard of that he sent word to the Emperor that he was able to make such crowns。The eldest Prince， hearing of the offer of Sucna Murga， went to him and brought a large amount of gold， which he offered to him if he would make proper crowns for the Princesses。Sucna Murga was dressed in dirty clothes， and had blackened his face and hands and had so disguised himself that his brother could not recognize him。
When he was asked whether he could make such crowns， he replied：“Come to-morrow and you will find one ready。”On the morrow the eldest Prince came， and there the crown was ready on the table。It was the very crown which the eldest Princess had left with Sucna Murga。Overjoyed， the Prince took it home， and when the eldest Princess took it and put it on her head it fitted her admirably。She seemed to recognize it， but was not sure。
The next day the second Prince came。He also did not recognize Sucna Murga， and he received on the morrow the second crown。
Then came the turn of the gipsy。He dressed himself in golden robes covered with pearls， and coming to Sucna Murga he held forth， telling him what a great hero he was， and how he had killed the Zmei and had saved the Princesses。Sucna Murga gave him the third crown。
When the day of the wedding approached， Sucna Murga sent word to the Court that an Emperor from distant parts was coming to the wedding。On receiving that message the old Emperor gathered his counsellors and nobles and went to the gate of the town to meet the other Emperor， his guest。There was Sucna Murga dressed in royal robes riding his charger， looking like a king。But no one recognized him， so wonderfully was he dressed。He refused， however， to enter the town unless he was promised a seat at the head of the table between the youngest bride and bridegroom。This the old Emperor willingly promised， as there would be no one higher in rank at his table than this Emperor。
When they had sat down， each one according to his station and Sucna Murga between the gipsy and his bride， the gipsy began again his boastful talk。Sucna Murga listened quietly to this talk whilst the three Princesses looked at Sucna Murga in astonishment。They seemed to recognize him， and yet they were not quite sure， because they could not make out how he could have come back from the dwelling of the Zmei now that the chain had been pulled down。When the gipsy had talked long enough， Sucna Murga turned to him and said：“If you are such a brave and valiant man and so powerful as you tell us， stretch out your arm and take me on the palm of your hand， and see whether you can carry me。”
The gipsy， confounded at the idea of such a test， tried to wriggle out， and he said：“There is no such man in the world who can carry another in the palm of his hand。”
“Is there no such man in the world？”replied Sucna Murga。“Here I stretch out my hand-step up on to my palm， and see whether I can carry you。”
