Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/366

316 "No fear of that," he said. "My life I carry not in my body but in another place."

"Where is that place?" she asked.

"It is in the broom that stands beside the door," he answered; "but now I am tired and I would sleep."

He laid his head on the Tzaritza's knees and slept, while the Tzarevich lay hidden, and when he woke he bade her farewell till the morrow and departed in a whirlwind from the Palace.

Then the Tzaritza went and fetched the broom, and bringing a quantity of precious stones, bade Tzarevich Petr sew them all about it. This he did, when she returned it to its place and they spent the afternoon in conversation.

Next day, as they sat together, there came again the sound of the howling wind and a second time she concealed the Tzarevich beneath her mantle, when the Wizard entered and began to fondle her as before. Presently he saw the broom and asked: "Why, thou dearest of women, hast thou sewn a common broom with jewels?"

"Because," she replied, "thou didst tell me that in it was contained thy life and thy life is more precious to me than many jewels!"

Then he embraced her more tenderly and said