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156 "Hail, soldier!"

"Give us something to eat and drink."

"I have eaten it all up myself, and there is not anything to be had."

"You are lying, old devil!" said the soldier, and began rummaging about in the stove and on the shelves. And he found plenty in the old woman's hut: wine and food, and all ready. So they sat down at the table, feasted to their fill, and went to lie down in the attic.

Then the soldier said to the Tsar, "God guards him who guards himself; let one of us rest and the other stand guard." So they cast lots, and the Tsar had to take the first watch. Then the soldier gave him his sharp cutlass, put him at the door, bade him not go to sleep, and arouse him if anything should happen. Then he himself lay down to sleep. But he thought, "Will my comrade be able to stand sentry-go? Possibly he is unaccustomed to it; I will take watch over him." Then the Tsar stood there and stood, and soon began to nod.

"What are you nodding for?" asked the soldier: "are you going to sleep?"

"No!" said the Tsar.

"Well, then, keep a good look-out!"

So the Tsar stood a quarter of an hour, and again dozed off.

"Ho, friend, you are not dozing?"

"No, I don't think so." And he again dozed off.

"Ho, friend, you are not dozing?"

"I don't think so: if you go to sleep do not blame me."

Then the Tsar stood a quarter of an hour longer, and his legs bowed in, he fell on the ground and went to sleep.

The soldier jumped up, took the cutlass and went to recall him and to have a talk: "Why do you keep