Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/87

 When the Gray Wolf had uttered this speech he knocked against the damp earth and was changed into the beautiful Queen Helena. Prince Ivan took the Gray Wolf and went to Tsar Afron's court, and he bade the beautiful Queen Helena herself to wait for him behind the city. When Prince Ivan came to Tsar Afron with the pretended Helena, the Tsar was perfectly delighted in his heart because he had come into possession of the treasure that he had been desiring so long, and he handed over to Prince Ivan the horse of the golden mane.

Prince Ivan mounted this horse and rode off outside the city. There he took Helena the Beautiful on with him and rode away, keeping to the road that led to the realm of Tsar Dolmat. The Gray Wolf lived with Tsar Afron one day, a second day, and then a third day, in the place of the beautiful Queen Helena; but on the fourth day she went to Tsar Afron and asked permission to go to walk in the open field in order to drive away the terrible homesickness that tormented her.

How loud did Tsar Afron swear: "Ah! my beautiful Queen Helena, I will do everything for you!" And immediately he commanded the