So grieved was the Tsar that he lost sleep and would not eat or drink.  He called his sons to his side and said to them:  "Do as I ask, my sons, and keep watch over my garden.  He who catches the thief will get half my tsardom!"
   
The sons promised to do their best, and Tsarevich Pyotr was the first to go into the garden and keep watch.  He walked about for a long time but saw no one.  At last, feeling tired, he sat down on the grass beneath the apple tree that bore the golden apples and dozed away.  while he slept another apple was stolen.  In the morning the Tsar said to him:   "Well, my son, did you at least catch sight of the thief?"   "No, my Tsar, no, Father.  I did not close my eyes all night but I saw no one."
    
On the following night Tsarevich Vassily went out to keep watch.  He sat down under the apple tree and gazed at the bushes around him, hoping to catch sight of the thief.  But his eyes soon closed and he dozed away, only to find on waking that a golden apple was missing.  Said the Tsar to him:   "Well, my son, did you at least catch sight of the thief?'  "No, my Tsar, no, Father.  I never closed my eyes but I saw and heard nothing."
  
On the third night Tsarevich Ivan went out to keep watch.  He walked about near the tree, afraid too sit down lest he fall asleep.  An hour passed, and another hour, and a third,   but whenever Tsarevich Ivan felt himself getting sleepy, he would wash his eyes with dew.