Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/114

98 "I am looking for my wife, the Princess Vera the Wise."

"I am very sorry for you, my prince," replied the good old dame, shaking her aged head, and looking as grave as her merry old face would let her. "Methinks that Princess Vera has forgotten you, for when last I saw her she talked of marrying; but I may be mistaken. She is now staying with my eldest sister, so make haste and go there, lose not a moment's time. You will find my sister spinning gold thread, and winding it on a golden spindle. This spindle is your wife. Don't laugh, but listen. Take the spindle, break it into three parts, and throw the two ends behind you and the middle in front of you, and—well, you will see for yourself what will happen. And now go."

Prince Akem left her, much amused at the idea of his wife being a spindle. On he went after the ball, until they again stopped in front of another chicken-legged hut that turned round and round like the two former.

"Stand still, little hut, with your front to me and your back to the forest!" said the prince.

The hut did so, and the prince walked in. Here he found an old, old woman—in fact, she was so very, very old that there was nothing left of her but bones! She sat spinning away at some gold thread, and then began winding it on a golden spindle. She did not notice the prince, nor did she make any sign when he took hold of the spindle and broke it into three parts, throwing the two ends behind him; but he had hardly thrown the middle part down when who should