Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/190

152 "Ye blockheads!" scolded the old woman. "I enter here on a fair errand! Who are ye, when I come to arrange a marriage for my son with the beautiful Tzarevna, to seize the skirt of my gown?" And she fell to shrieking and upbraiding them till the place had never known such a din and even the Tzar heard it and came to the Palace window.

Seeing the sentries dragging away an old woman, he bade them let her in. They took their hands from her, therefore, and she entered the room where the Tzar sat with his sages and wise counselors, and first saying a prayer before the holy pictures on the wall, saluted him.

"Well, old woman," he asked, "what wouldst thou with me?"

"O Tzar's Majesty!" she said, "I pray thee be not angered, but I have a merchant and thou hast merchandise. The merchant is my little son, Martin, who is the most clever lad in the world, and the merchandise is thy daughter, the beautiful Tzarevna. If thou wilt give her to him for wife, what a brave pair that will be!"

"Art thou mad, old woman?" shouted the Tzar.

"No, O Tzar," said she, "and if it please thee, give me thine answer."

The Tzar, thinking she had lost her wits, said: