Chapter II. MYTHOLOGICAL, part 4 · page 21 2101Towards evening he was returning home, when his good steed stumbled beneath him.checked by a teacher102"Why stumblest thou, sorry jade? scentest thou some ill?"103The steed replied:104"Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna."105"Is it possible to catch them?"106"It is possible to sow wheat, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to grind it to flour, to make five pies of it, to eat those pies, and then to start in pursuit--and even then to be in time."107Koshchei galloped off and caught up Prince Ivan.108"Now," says he, "this time I will forgive you, in return for your kindness in giving me water to drink.109And a second time I will forgive you; but the third time beware!110I will cut you to bits."111Then he took Marya Morevna from him, and carried her off.112But Prince Ivan sat down on a stone and burst into tears.113He wept and wept--and then returned back again to Marya Morevna.114Now Koshchei the Deathless happened not to be at home.115"Let us fly, Marya Morevna!"116"Ah, Prince Ivan! he will catch us."117"Suppose he does catch us.118At all events we shall have spent an hour or two together."119So they got ready and fled.120As Koshchei the Deathless was returning home, his good steed stumbled beneath him.121"Why stumblest thou, sorry jade? scentest thou some ill?"122"Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna."123"Is it possible to catch them?"124"It is possible to sow barley, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to brew beer, to drink ourselves drunk on it, to sleep our fill, and then to set off in pursuit--and yet to be in time."125Koshchei galloped off, caught up Prince Ivan:126"Didn't I tell you that you should not see Marya Morevna any more than your own ears?"127And he took her away and carried her off home with him.128Prince Ivan was left there alone.129He wept and wept; then he went back again after Marya Morevna.130Koshchei happened to be away from home at that moment.131"Let us fly, Marya Morevna."132"Ah, Prince Ivan!133He is sure to catch us and hew you in pieces."134"Let him hew away!135I cannot live without you."136So they got ready and fled.137Koshchei the Deathless was returning home when his good steed stumbled beneath him.138"Why stumblest thou? scentest thou any ill?"139"Prince Ivan has come and has carried off Marya Morevna."140Koshchei galloped off, caught Prince Ivan, chopped him into little pieces, put them in a barrel, smeared it with pitch and bound it with iron hoops, and flung it into the blue sea.141But Marya Morevna he carried off home.142At that very time, the silver turned black which Prince Ivan had left with his brothers-in-law.143"Ah!" said they, "the evil is accomplished sure enough!"144Then the Eagle hurried to the blue sea, caught hold of the barrel, and dragged it ashore; the Falcon flew away for the Water of Life, and the Raven for the Water of Death.145Afterwards they all three met, broke open the barrel, took out the remains of Prince Ivan, washed them, and put them together in fitting order.146The Raven sprinkled them with the Water of Death--the pieces joined together, the body became whole.147The Falcon sprinkled it with the Water of Life--Prince Ivan shuddered, stood up, and said:148"Ah! what a time I've been sleeping!"149"You'd have gone on sleeping a good deal longer, if it hadn't been for us," replied his brothers-in-law. "150Now come and pay us a visit."151"Not so, brothers; I shall go and look for Marya Morevna."152And when he had found her, he said to her:153"Find out from Koshchei the Deathless whence he got so good a steed."154So Marya Morevna chose a favorable moment, and began asking Koshchei about it.155Koshchei replied:156"Beyond thrice nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, on the other side of the fiery river, there lives a Baba Yaga.157She has so good a mare that she flies right round the world on it every day.158And she has many other splendid mares.159I watched her herds for three days without losing a single mare, and in return for that the Baba Yaga gave me a foal."160"But how did you get across the fiery river?"161"Why, I've a handkerchief of this kind--when I wave it thrice on the right hand, there springs up a very lofty bridge and the fire cannot reach it."162Marya Morevna listened to all this, and repeated it to Prince Ivan, and she carried off the handkerchief and gave it to him.163So he managed to get across the fiery river, and then went on to the Baba Yaga's.164Long went he on without getting anything either to eat or to drink.165At last he came across an outlandish[103] bird and its young ones.166Says Prince Ivan:167"I'll eat one of these chickens."168"Don't eat it, Prince Ivan!" begs the outlandish bird; "some time or other I'll do you a good turn."169He went on farther and saw a hive of bees in the forest.170"I'll get a bit of honeycomb," says he.171"Don't disturb my honey, Prince Ivan!" exclaims the queen bee; "some time or other I'll do you a good turn."172So he didn't disturb it, but went on.173Presently there met him a lioness with her cub.174"Anyhow I'll eat this lion cub," says he; "I'm so hungry, I feel quite unwell!"175"Please let us alone, Prince Ivan," begs the lioness; "some time or other I'll do you a good turn."176"Very well; have it your own way," says he.177Hungry and faint he wandered on, walked farther and farther and at last came to where stood the house of the Baba Yaga.178Round the house were set twelve poles in a circle, and on each of eleven of these poles was stuck a human head, the twelfth alone remained unoccupied.179"Hail, granny!"180"Hail, Prince Ivan! wherefore have you come?181Is it of your own accord, or on compulsion?"182"I have come to earn from you a heroic steed."183"So be it, Prince, you won't have to serve a year with me, but just three days.184If you take good care of my mares, I'll give you a heroic steed.185But if you don't--why then you mustn't be annoyed at finding your head stuck on top of the last pole up there."186Prince Ivan agreed to these terms.187The Baba Yaga gave him food and drink, and bid him set about his business.188But the moment he had driven the mares afield, they cocked up their tails, and away they tore across the meadows in all directions.189Before the Prince had time to look round, they were all out of sight.190Thereupon he began to weep and to disquiet himself, and then he sat down upon a stone and went to sleep.191But when the sun was near its setting, the outlandish bird came flying up to him, and awakened him saying:--1 2← previousChapter II. 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