the third night it was the turn of the youngest son , and he was more clever than the others , for , when the evening came , he stuffed his ears full of wax , so that he was as deaf as a post . about midnight , when the music came , he heard nothing of it , and so he stayed wide awake . after the music had ended he took the wax out of his ears , so that he might listen for the coming of the thief . presently there was a loud clapping and rattling , and a white swan flew overhead and lit in the pear - tree above him . it began picking at one of the pears , and then the prince raised his gun to shoot at it . but when he looked along the barrel it was not a swan that he saw up in the pear - tree , but the prettiest girl that he had ever looked upon . " do n't shoot me , king 's son ! do n't shoot me ! " cried she . but the prince had no thought of shooting her , for he had never seen such a beautiful maiden in all of his days . " very well , " said he , " i will not shoot , but , if i spare your life , will you promise to be my sweetheart and to marry me ? "
the prettiest girl .
who was picking at one of the pears ?
who was picking at one of the pears ?