27-the witch and her servants-第4部分

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When　the　Prince　awoke　and　found　the　horses　gone　he　determined　to

appeal　to　the　fox；　so；　lighting　a　fire；　he　threw　the　two　hairs

into　it；　and　in　a　few　moments　the　fox　stood　beside　him　and　asked：

'In　what　way　can　I　serve　you？'



'I　wish　to　know；'　replied　Iwanich；　'where　the　King's　hen…house

is。'



'Hardly　an　hour's　walk　from　here；'　answered　the　fox；　and　offered

to　show　the　Prince　the　way　to　it。



While　they　were　walking　along　the　fox　asked　him　what　he　wanted　to

do　at　the　royal　hen…house。　　The　Prince　told　him　of　the　misfortune

that　had　befallen　him；　and　of　the　necessity　of　recovering　the

mare　and　foal。



'That　is　no　easy　matter；'　replied　the　fox。　　'But　wait　a　moment。　

I　have　an　idea。　　Stand　at　the　door　of　the　hen…house；　and　wait

there　for　your　horses。　　In　the　meantime　I　will　slip　in　among　the

hens　through　a　hole　in　the　wall　and　give　them　a　good　chase；　so

that　the　noise　they　make　will　arouse　the　royal　henwives；　and　they

will　come　to　see　what　is　the　matter。　　When　they　see　the　horses

they　will　at　once　imagine　them　to　be　the　cause　of　the

disturbance；　and　will　drive　them　out。　　Then　you　must　lay　hands　on

the　mare　and　foal　and　catch　them。



All　turned　out　exactly　as　the　sly　fox　had　foreseen。　　The　Prince

swung　himself　on　the　mare；　seized　the　foal　by　its　bridle；　and

hurried　home。



While　he　was　riding　over　the　heath　in　the　highest　of　spirits　the

mare　suddenly　said　to　her　rider：　'You　are　the　first　person　who

has　ever　succeeded　in　outwitting　the　old　witch　Corva；　and　now　you

may　ask　what　reward　you　like　for　your　service。　　If　you　promise

never　to　betray　me　I　will　give　you　a　piece　of　advice　which　you

will　do　well　to　follow。'



The　Prince　promised　never　to　betray　her　confidence；　and　the　mare

continued：　'Ask　nothing　else　as　a　reward　than　my　foal；　for　it　has

not　its　like　in　the　world；　and　is　not　to　be　bought　for　love　or

money；　for　it　can　go　from　one　end　of　the　earth　to　another　in　a

few　minutes。　　Of　course　the　cunning　Corva　will　do　her　best　to

dissuade　you　from　taking　the　foal；　and　will　tell　you　that　it　is

both　idle　and　sickly；　but　do　not　believe　her；　and　stick　to　your

point。'



Iwanich　longed　to　possess　such　an　animal；　and　promised　the　mare

to　follow　her　advice。　



This　time　Corva　received　him　in　the　most　friendly　manner；　and　set

a　sumptuous　repast　before　him。　　As　soon　as　he　had　finished　she

asked　him　what　reward　he　demanded　for　his　year's　service。



'Nothing　more　nor　less；'　replied　the　Prince；　'than　the　foal　of

your　mare。'



The　witch　pretended　to　be　much　astonished　at　his　request；　and

said　that　he　deserved　something　much　better　than　the　foal；　for

the　beast　was　lazy　and　nervous；　blind　in　one　eye；　and；　in　short；

was　quite　worthless。



But　the　Prince　knew　what　he　wanted；　and　when　the　old　witch　saw

that　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　have　the　foal；　she　said；　'I　am

obliged　to　keep　my　promise　and　to　hand　you　over　the　foal；　and　as

I　know　who　you　are　and　what　you　want；　I　will　tell　you　in　what　way

the　animal　will　be　useful　to　you。　　The　man　in　the　cauldron　of

boiling　pitch；　whom　you　set　free；　is　a　mighty　magician；　through

your　curiosity　and　thoughtlessness　Militza　came　into　his　power；

and　he　has　transported　her　and　her　castle　and　belongings　into　a

distant　country。



'You　are　the　only　person　who　can　kill　him；　and　in　consequence　he

fears　you　to　such　an　extent　that　he　has　set　spies　to　watch　you；

and　they　report　your　movements　to　him　daily。



'When　you　have　reached　him；　beware　of　speaking　a　single　word　to

him；　or　you　will　fall　into　the　power　of　his　friends。　　Seize　him

at　once　by　the　beard　and　dash　him　to　the　ground。'



Iwanich　thanked　the　old　witch；　mounted　his　foal；　put　spurs　to　its

sides；　and　they　flew　like　lightning　through　the　air。



Already　it　was　growing　dark；　when　Iwanich　perceived　some　figures

in　the　distance；　they　soon　came　up　to　them；　and　then　the　Prince

saw　that　it　was　the　magician　and　his　friends　who　were　driving

through　the　air　in　a　carriage　drawn　by　owls。



When　the　magician　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Iwanich；

without　hope　of　escape；　he　turned　to　him　with　false　friendliness

and　said：　'Thrice　my　kind　benefactor！'



But　the　Prince；　without　saying　a　word；　seized　him　at　once　by　his

beard　and　dashed　him　to　the　ground。　　At　the　same　moment　the　foal

sprang　on　the　top　of　the　magician　and　kicked　and　stamped　on　him

with　his　hoofs　till　he　died。



Then　Iwanich　found　himself　once　more　in　the　palace　of　his　bride；

and　Militza　herself　flew　into　his　arms。



From　this　time　forward　they　lived　in　undisturbed　peace　and

happiness　till　the　end　of　their　lives。