Page:Czech Folk Tales.pdf/47

Rh "Well, how did things go?"

"I don't know whether they went well or ill, but I did what you commanded," answered Víťazko, handing down the gun to Holy Sunday.

"All right. You did quite right. Here he is!" she said. And then she took out the Pelican bird. Then she gave Víťazko another gun to shoot an eagle with. He went out into the forest, and returned before long with an eagle. She gave him this eagle for his mother, in place of the Pelican bird.

The griffin and the mother were making merry again, hoping that Víťazko would never come back, but he was already near. They were terrified, and began to consider what new task they were to set him.

"You must pretend to be sick still, and tell him nothing can do you any good but the golden apples from the garden of the Griffin. If he goes there the Griffin will tear him in pieces, for he is enraged because Víťazko has killed his brothers."

Joyfully Víťazko gave the bird to his mother, but she still kept on groaning; nothing was any good only the golden