Page:RussianFolkTales Afanasev 368pgs.djvu/41

Rh Then the Swan-bird, the fair maiden, came up and woke Danílo the Unfortunate: "Arise, my dear friend, the shúba is ready, and the church-bells are ringing in the city of Kíev: it is time for you to arise and to prepare for matins."

Danílo arose, put on the shúba, and went: she looked out of the window, stayed, gave him a silver staff, and bade him, "When you leave matins, stand on the right side of the choir as the choir leave, raise your hands and strike the sable shúba, and the birds will sing joyously and the lions roar fearsomely. Then take the shúba from your shoulders and array Prince Vladímir at that instant, lest he forget us. He will then summon you as a guest, and will give you a glass of wine. Do not drink the glass to the bottom: if you drink it to the bottom no good will befall you; and do not boast of me: do not boast that we built a house together in a single night."

Danílo took the silver staff and hied away, and she again stayed him on his course, and she gave him three little eggs, two of silver, one of gold, and said, "With the silver eggs give the Easter greeting to the Prince and the Princess, but the golden one keep and live your life along with it."

Danílo the Unfortunate bade farewell to her and went to matins. All the people wondered. "Look what a fine man Danílo the Unfortunate has become: he has made the shúba and he has brought it with him for the feast."

After the Mass, he went up to the Prince and Princess, and he gave them the Easter greeting, but carelessly took out the golden egg. Alyósha Popóvich saw this, the Mocker of Women. As they went out of the church, Danílo the Unfortunate struck himself on the breast with the silver staff, and the birds sang and the lions roared; and all the folk were amazed and gazed at