Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/187

Rh He came at length, in a thick dark wood that seemed untrodden and asleep, to a green lawn, and in the middle of it a fire had been kindled, and in the fire, bound with twelve cords, sat a maiden of such beauty that it could neither be guessed nor dreamed of, but only told in a tale.

When the maiden saw him, she cried: "Good youth, if thou wouldst get good luck for thyself, haste and quench this flame!"

"To be sure," thought Martin, "it is better to help a being in distress than to drag about such a weight of useless sand, of which more can be found anywhere," and untying the mouth of the bag, he poured the sand on the flames and extinguished them, and cut the twelve cords, and set the maiden free.

"Who art thou, fair damsel?" he asked.

"Thanks, good youth," said she. "I am daughter to Tzar Zmey, the ruler of the Snake-Tzardom, who is at war with Kastchey the Wizard. He it was who prepared this hateful death from which thou hast rescued me. But tell me, how camest thou to bear on thy back the bag of sand?"

"It was my wage," he answered, "for three years' service, and I chose it rather than silver and gold."