Page:Czech Folk Tales.pdf/92

72 The lad was very hungry, so he took service with the other.

His master said to him: "You must serve me for a year at least."

So he served him for a year. He was treated very well, and he was a faithful servant to his master. The master was a sorcerer, but he didn't do any harm to the lad. He had a big pond, and three doves used to come there to bathe. Each of them had three golden feathers. These three doves were three enchanted princesses.

When the year's service was ended, the sorcerer said: "What wages shall I give you?"

The lad said he left it to him.

"You're a good lad," said the sorcerer. "Come with me to my cellar and take as much money as you like, gold or silver, just as you wish."

So the lad took as much as he could carry, and the sorcerer gave him one of the three doves too, saying:

"When you get home, if you haven't got a house of your own, have one built, and then pluck those three feathers out of the dove, and hide them away so carefully that no human