Fattane persuaded the prince to stay with her from day to day:  but on the fortieth day he declared that he could wait no longer, and that it was absolutely necessary for him to find out where Morhagian dwelt.  The princess acknowledged that he was her father, and told him that his strength was so great [that nobody could overcome him].  She added that she could not inform him where to find him, but that her second sister would tell him.  She sent one of her women to guide him to her sister’s palace through a door of communication, and to introduce him.  He was well received by the fairy, for whom he had a letter, and he found her younger and more beautiful than Fattane.  He begged her to inform him where he could find the genius, but she changed the subject of conversation, entertained him magnificently, and kept him with her for forty days.  On the fortieth day she permitted him to depart, gave him a letter, and sent him to her youngest sister, who was a still more beautiful fairy.  He was received and welcomed with joy.  She promised to show him Morhagian’s dwelling, and she also entertained him for forty days.  On the fortieth day she tried to dissuade him from his enterprise, but he insisted.  She told him that Morhagian would grasp his head in one hand, and his feet in the other, and would tear him asunder in the middle.  But this did not move him, and she then told him that he would find Morhagian in a dwelling, long, high and wide in proportion to his bulk.  The prince sought him out, and the moment he caught sight of him, he rushed at him, sword in hand.  Morhagian stretched out his hand, seized his head in one hand and his feet in the other, rent him in two with very little effort, and threw him out of a window which overlooked a garden.

Two women sent by the youngest princess each took a piece of the body of the prince, and brought it to their mistress, who put them together, reunited them, and restored life to the prince by applying water [of life ?] to the wounds.  She then asked the prince where he came from, and it seemed to him that he had just awakened from sleep; and she then recalled everything to his recollection.  But this did not weaken his firm resolve to kill the genius.  The fairy begged him to eat, but he refused; and she then urged that Morhagian was her father, and that he could only be killed by his own sword, which the prince could not obtain.[FN#434] “You may say what you please,” answered the prince; “but there is no help for it, and he must die by my hand [to atone for the wrongs which my brothers and I have suffered from him].”

Then the princess made him swear solemnly to take her as his bride, and taught him how he might succeed in killing the genius.  “You cannot hope to kill him while he wakes,” said she, “but when he sleeps it is not quite impossible.  If he sleeps, you will hear him snore, but he will sleep with his eyes open, which is a sign that he has fallen into a very profound slumber.  As he fills the whole room, step upon him and seize his sword which hangs above his head, and then strike him on the neck.  The blow will not kill him, but as he wakes, he will tell you to strike him a second time.  But beware of doing this [for if you strike him again, the wound will heal of itself, and he will spring up and kill you, and me after you].”