Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/59

Rh silver dish and a golden egg—and she said to her: "Now go to my oldest sister, and God be with you; she will give you some good advice. And here is my gift to you—a silver dish and a golden egg. When you reach the thrice-ninth empire, the thirtieth kingdom, on the shores of the blue sea you will find the Bright-Hawk's bride walking on the beach, and you must remember to roll the egg on the plate. She will want to buy my gift of you, but, my pretty maid, don't you accept anything; only ask to look at the Bright-Hawk-of-the-gaudy-feathers."

The girl thanked the old dame, sighed, and again started after the little ball; and again she walked through the dim forest, on and on, and the forest grew ever darker and denser, and the tree-tops leaned against the sky. A long, long time she walked, and her third pair of iron shoes began to wear out and her third staff was broken, and her last iron wafer devoured. But at last the little ball rolled up to a small hut which, like the others, stood on hens' legs and kept on turning and turning.

The girl said to the hut: "Little hut, little hut, turn your back to the forest and your front to me! I want to go in and get something to eat."