Page:Russian Wonder Tales.djvu/371

Rh his enemy with his sword, but Tzarevich Petr threw the egg on the floor. It broke, and instantly Kastchey fell down dead and the serpent that coiled about the garden vanished.

The Tzarevich made a great pyre, burned the body of the Wizard to ashes and scattered the ashes to the winds. Then with his mother he set out on their return. The lovely damsel of the gold Palace met them with joy, and her the Tzarevich kissed on the sugar-sweet mouth and they plighted their troth that moment. Taking her with them, they visited the Palaces of silver and copper, and the maidens imprisoned there welcomed them with gladness and accompanied them.

When they came to the brink of the steep descent, Tzarevich Petr found his iron claws once more, donned them, and tearing into strips the outer robes of the three maidens, twisted a rope by means of which, as he climbed, he lowered them, with his mother, down the mountain. When they reached the level ground, he caught his good steed, set his mother upon it and they and the three Tzarevnas set out for the Tzardom of his father.

In the forest which skirted the desert of hot sand, they came upon the little old man and woman sitting upon two stones. "So thou hast slain