Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/122

88 into the garden a bird that shone like the moon, whose feathers were gold and its eyes like crystal, which perched on the apple-tree, plucked a golden apple and flew away.

Tzar Wyslaff was greatly angered, and calling to him his two eldest sons, said: "My dear children, I have for many days sought to decide which of you should inherit my Tzardom and reign after me. Now, therefore, to the one of you who will catch the Glowing Bird, which is the thief of my golden apples, and will bring it to me alive, I will during my life give the half of the Tzardom, and he shall rule after me when I am dead."

The two sons, hearing, rejoiced, and shouted with one voice: "Gracious Sir! We shall not fail to bring you the Glowing Bird alive!"

Tzarevich Dimitry and Tzarevich Wassily cast lots to see who should have the first trial, and the lot fell to the eldest, Tzarevich Dimitry, who at evening went into the garden to watch. He sat down under the apple-tree and watched till midnight, but when midnight was passed he fell asleep.

In the morning the Tzar summoned him and said: "Well, my son, didst thou see the Glowing Bird who steals my golden apples?" Being ashamed to confess that he had fallen asleep, however, Tzarevich