Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/77



Prince Ivan read this inscription and went up to the monument by the right side, having this in his mind: that though his horse would be killed, still he himself would be left alive.

At first nothing happened, and he rode on one day, two days, three days, when suddenly there came running up to meet him an enormous Gray Wolf, who said: "Oho, young man, Prince Ivan, didn't you read what was inscribed on the monument?—that your horse would be killed? Why then did you come this way?"

The Gray Wolf uttered these words, then he tore Prince Ivan's horse in two and went off to one side.

Prince Ivan wept bitterly for his horse, but he pushed ahead on foot. He walked a whole day and was unspeakably weary, and was just thinking about sitting down to rest, when suddenly the Gray Wolf overtook him and said to him:

"I am sorry for you, Prince Ivan, because you are so tired walking. Good! Get on my back, on