Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/336

288 sea-ocean, across which lay stranded a huge whale-fish. A thick forest was growing on its tail and on its back was a village whose peasants plowed up and down its sides with their iron plows and drove sharpened stakes into its flesh. Boys had made a playground between its eyes and on its mustache girls picked mushrooms. Wassily rode across on the whale-fish, his horse's hoofs pounding on its ribs, and when he reached the other side the monster opened its wide mouth, sighing bitterly.

"A good journey to thee, my friend," it said. "Whither goest thou?"

"To Tzar Zmey," answered Wassily, "to get money he owes my little father-in-law."

"Well," said the whale-fish, "thou art a clever lad if thou dost not fail! Wilt thou serve me a service with Tzar Zmey?"

"Cheerfully," Wassily replied.

"When thou seest him, then," said the whale-fish, "if thou hast opportunity, say to him that I have been lying here in this torture for three years, where wayfarers, on horse and afoot, wear my body to my ribs. Beg him to show me mercy and ask whether my disgrace and punishment is to last three years more, or if not, when I shall be free to swim where I will. Wilt thou say this?"