Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/60

38 The hut obeyed, and turned its back to the forest and its front to the beautiful girl.

In the hut was the Baba Yaga again, and she was the very oldest of the three.

"Fu! fu! fu!" she cried. "Hitherto no eye ever saw or ear ever heard of Russian spirit, but to-day Russian spirit is marching through the free world, and strikes you in the eye and throws itself into your face! Where are you going, my pretty maid? Do you arrive from a doughty deed, or do you strive for a doughty deed?" The beautiful girl replied: "Grannie, the Bright-Hawk used to be with me, but my sisters did me an injury. He flew from me beyond the distant seas, beyond the lofty mountains, into the thrice-ninth empire, into the thirtieth kingdom; and now I am in search of him."

"Alas! my girl, my dear little girl! He is already married to the Tsar's daughter!" exclaimed Baba Yaga; and she gave her food and drink and put her to bed. In the morning, before the stars in the sky had put out their candles, she woke her up, gave her a costly gift—a gold embroidery-frame and needle—and said to her:

"Well, now go, my dear girl, and God with you and do not dally. Here is my gift to you—a gold