The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-03-23

7
But the cloud grew dark with sad
ness and said:
"Alas, know him not; but ask the
wind.u
And to the wind she said:
You come from afar. Know you my
champion prince of the golden armor
and the fiery steed, aud invisible club
Will he hasten TO rescue me?v
And the wind said:
II come and go afar, but know not.
Ask the stars.r
So the princess waited till night, and
then asked the stars and the moon, but
they only blinked with tears of sorrow
in their eyes, and told her TO ask the
sun. And in the morning she did; and
the sun comforted her, saying:
Rejoice, princess, and dry your tears,
for the prince is Fastening to you.
Three times has he seen you in his
dreams, and night and day he strives
to come TO you. lie has found the
magic ring of the sea, which has given
him great army TO vanquish the gi-
ant But it is of no avail, for Kosh-
chel can slay the largest host with his
breath. ] will hasten 10 your prince,
however, and advise him; so be of good
cheer"
And thes went onward in his Jour
ney, and when he had come to the land
Of the prince, he said:
Hear what 1 say, and obey me if
you would succeed in your quest. Your
army is Of 10 avail, for it can not over
come Koshchel with the poisonous
breath. Your only success can come
by the death of the giant; to kill him
you must learn the secret of his life
from the Yaga. Go towards the east
till you come to a vast plain where stand
three oaks. Near them you will find
an iron door in the ground, and within
you will discover a horse, which will
bear you TO the Yaga. Do'as she says,
and all viii be well with you"
The prince thought long on these
words, which came to him on the rays
Of the sun, aud feeling their wisdom,
he Obeyed. He threw into the sea the
magic ring, and Immediately the vast
army vanished. Then be journeyed to
the east, and after many days he found
the plain with the three oaks and the
iron door.
On entering the subterranean vault,
he found it to be great palace. Door
after door opened, till he reached the
twelfth, where he discovered the fiery
! steed, bound by twelve chains.
In a moment the horse was freed,
having been thus confined for ages by
a magician till such brave prince as
this should rescue him.
"MOunt my back, dear prince, " said
the horse, ''and grasp the invisible club
that hangs by my saddle. Tell me
where you wish to go, and will obey
you, and at your command tie club
will do your bidding without your even
dismounting.r
With this fine equipment the prince
soon reached the dark forests where
dwelt the Yaga. There he saw a hut
supported by fowls legs, which kept
turning round and round.
Hut, hut, stand STILL" said the
prince; and Immediately it did stand
still, and the prince entered. There he
saw the Yaga, who said to him:
"Prince, why come you here where
no one before has ventured?"
And when the prince told her his err
rand, and of his magic club, she dared
not defy him, but told him the secret
of the giants life.
"In the middle of the sea is the island
Of immortal life" said she. 'In the
middle of the island is great oak, and
at its root is an iron box. In this box
is a hare, and under the hare, duck,
and in the claws of the duck is an egg.
This egg holds the life of the giant.
When it is broken, the giant will die.
But no one can get the egg"
She would say no more; 50, mount
ing his steed, tine prince soon reached
the seashore and looked far out to
where the island was. As he sat pen
sive, he saw a huge fish caught in a
net, which spoke to him, saying:
Kind prince, sst me free, and shall
not forget you"
The prince was good-hearted and
kind, and he freed the fish, which in
mediately SWAN away.
Then the horse spoke:
mount my back, my master, and
hold fast, and I'll carry you to yonder
island"
In a moment they were plunging
through the sea, but they soon reached
the Immortal Island. There the prince
found the tree, which he grasped with
all his might and tore up by the roots.
All then happened as the Yaga had
said. He found the iron box, the hare,
the duck, and the egg.
But he found the egg only to lose IT.
No sooner was the box opened, than
the hare ran away, and the duck flew
over the sea, carrying the egg in her
claws. In a moment the prince sent
an arrow after the bird, which fell, dy-
ing, into the sea, but the egg fell into
the water to. Then the prince sat on
the bank in despair, but suddenly he
heard a vsice:
Here is the egg, prince; / have not
forgotten your
And before he coald express his
thanks, the 1sh swan away.
All was now easy. The fiery steed
carried the prince TO the kingdom of
the Princess Marvel. He saw the iron
wall and the guarding dragon, and
commanded the invisible club to slay
the monster, six of whose heads slept
while six were on guard.
How the creature tossed and foamed
at the awful strokes, and at last, seeing
no enemy, it turned upon itself and
soon lay dead, torn to pieces by its own
fury.
The prince then entered the gate and
found the princess. While he talked
to her he commanded the club 10 lay on
the giant. Then there was such a COM
Is.rs.-- .,