Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/367

Rh he: "I did but tell thee that to try thee. My life is not in the broom but is in the hedge that rings the garden." Then, when he had slept and refreshed himself, he bade her farewell till the morrow and departed in his whirlwind.

The Tzaritza at once fetched a quantity of gold and said to the Tzarevich: "Go thou and cover the garden hedge with this, every twig and leaf." He did so and they spent the afternoon in conversation as before.

Next day there came again the sound of the shrieking wind, the Tzarevich concealed himself for a third time, and Kastchey entered and began to fondle the Tzaritza. "Love of my heart," he said, "as I came hither I saw that thou hadst covered the garden hedge with gold. Why hast thou done so?"

"For the reason," she answered, "that thou didst tell me thy life was contained within it and thy life is more dear to me than much gold!"

The Wizard caressed her in the most tender fashion. "I did but tell thee that," he said, "to try thee still further. Now, however, I am assured that thou dost truly love me. Know that my life is in neither the broom nor the hedge, but is in an egg. The egg is in a duck, and the duck is in a hare, and the hare nests in a great hollow log that