Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/360

310 He fell with a crash into the water, and the Tzarevich, pulling the boat high up on the shore, rode on to the second river.

There the like happened. When the gigantic ferryman bade him stretch forth his left foot, the Tzarevich, drawing sword, sprang upon him before his blade had left its scabbard and smote him with a blow that cleaved through the silver plates of his armor and killed him. Then the Tzarevich secured the boat and rode on to the third river. And on its bank stood a wild man, as tall as a giant and as thick as a haystack, with a shield, helmet and breastplate all of gold, and with an oak club in his hand.

Tzarevich Petr, however, was not daunted nor did his horse show fear. He rode aboard and bade the giant ferry him over, and when they were come to the other side he asked: "What is there to pay?"

"Stretch out thy neck," said the ferryman, "that I may strike off thy head."

But even as he lifted his huge oak club, the Tzarevich sprang in under his shield and dealt him such a blow with his tested sword that the point shivered the gold breastplate and killed him. Tzarevich Petr fastened the boat and rode on, and presently he came to a mountain so high that its top was propped against the sky and he could