1 The apple thief

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Chapter 1 The apple thief Long ago and far away, there lived a rich and powerful king. He had a magnificent palace, surrounded by beautiful gardens, but his greatest treasure was a magical orchard.

The trees in this orchard had gold and silver trunks and emerald leaves, and they blossomed with diamonds and rubies. When the sun shone, they sparkled and flashed like fireworks and, when the wind blew, they jingled like tiny bells.

Right in the middle was the most precious tree of all. Every year, its branches were weighed down with a crop of solid golden apples. The orchard was surrounded by a high wall with a locked gate, and guarded day and night.

So the king was astonished to see, one September morning, that one golden apple was missing. He sent for the guards at once, but they had seen nothing. He doubled the guard, but the next day another apple had been taken, and the day after, yet another.

The king had three brave sons, and they were determined to catch the thief. The eldest, Prince Dimitri, went out with the guards the very next night, and took up his post under the apple tree.