Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/286

242 across the sea-ocean to his own Tzardom, and there on the shore he perceived the square tower which the Tzar had built, surrounded by its ships and soldiers. "Leave me here, Schmat-Razum," he said, "and go and see who is guarded in that tower."

He felt himself set gently on the sea beach, and presently Schmat-Razum returned and said: "Master, some beauteous princess sits in the tower's upper chamber, bemoaning the absence of her husband whom the Tzar has sent across three times nine lands, because he desires to possess her himself."

"It is doubtless my own lovely wife!" the archer exclaimed, and sent his servant to her with a message bidding her be of good cheer. Then he ordered Schmat-Razum to take him to the Tzar's Palace, and at once was set down under the royal windows. There he lifted his voice and cried: "O thou wicked Tzar! Thou stealer of thy subjects' wives! Come thou out to me that I, thy archer, may tell thee to thy face what thou art!"

The captain of the Palace Guard, hearing, thought him mad and sent a soldier to seize him, but the soldier Schmat-Razum overthrew in an instant. The captain sent a squad and them also he stretched on the ground like sheaves of barley,