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318 floats in a pond in a forest of the island Bouyan." Having thus spoken, Kastchey put his head on the Tzaritza's knees and slept, and soon, awaking, bade her farewell and departed.

Then Tzarevich Petr came from his concealment and his mother said: "This time, my dear son, Kastchey has told truly wherein his wicked life lies. Only when thou hast found the egg canst thou overcome him. Go, therefore, with God, for here thy life is in danger each moment."

So he embraced her, and burning in the garden some of the herb which the maiden of the golden Palace had given him, climbed over the serpent and went his way. He passed the gold, the silver, and the copper Palaces without stopping, found his iron claws and began to climb down the mountain. At the end of a month he reached its foot, left the iron claws in the cave, found his horse grazing on the open steppe, and set out for the island Bouyan.

He rode a long way and he rode a short way, and at length he came to the sea-ocean. On the sand, gasping out its life, lay a stranded pike-fish, and pitying its plight, the Tzarevich dismounted, picked it up and threw it into the water. Then remounting his good horse, he spurred it into the water and it began to swim to the island Bouyan.