Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/122

106 "I think," said Varia, "that you had better get on to the tray yourself, little mother, and show the countess how to do it; for she is very stupid, and will never be able to get into the stove unless you show her the way."

The witch jumped up into the stove and lay down in the middle of the tray. No sooner had she done this than Varia shut the stove-door, while Tania poked the fire up. After that they ran out of the hut, taking with them a red silk handkerchief, which belonged to the witch.

They ran on and on, for a very long time, when Tania, suddenly looking back, beheld the dreadful old witch coming after them. When Varia heard this, she threw down the handkerchief, and in another moment there appeared a sea of fire.

This was too much for the old witch. She tried hard two or three times to fly over, but in vain; the flames caught her, and she fell into the sea and died.

As to the girls, they went on and on, until they came to a garden, where they sat down to rest. There was a very pretty house in it, which seemed rather familiar to Tania, but she was much too tired to look at it properly. The servants of the house, on seeing them, ran to their master, saying,—

"There are two very beautiful girls in your garden, sir, and we think that one of them must be your sister, the Countess Tania; but which is she it is impossible to say, as they are so exactly alike."

Count Daniel Nathaniel—for it was he—ordered them to be brought before him. When they came,