Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/341

Rh horse and leaped from the tail of the whale-fish to the shore.

He had need to hasten, for when it heard, the monster began to move as if a hill were turning over. It thrashed the water into foam and vomited forth, one after the other, the twelve ships. The sailors rejoiced to see the white world again: they shouted and blew on trumpets, put up their sails and showed a flag at each masthead. On each ship a priest was chanting the Te Deum, and altogether there was such a roar of gladness that it waked the whole sea-ocean.

As soon as the ships appeared the whale-fish found itself free and with a mighty splash it plunged into deep water. Then from the waves it opened its huge mouth and cried to Wassily: "What service shall I serve thee, my friend, and how shall I repay thee? Wilt thou have great pearls, or the bright-colored stones that ships carry?"

"If thou wilt," answered Wassily, "I will have as thy gift some of the bright-colored stones."

The whale dropped to the bottom of the sea-ocean like a key, and came back with an enameled chest in its mouth, and in the chest were jewels whose value and brightness cannot be told in words, finer