Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/138

122 When the robbers had left, she stood laughing to herself until her parents came home, and asked her what it was that amused her so.

Alyonushka told them the whole story, and how she had killed the robber herself, and how she had managed to cheat his companions. Many were the praises she received from all sides.

The whole village soon got to know of her brave deed, and thought her a wonderfully clever girl.

But to return to the robbers. When they got home that night, delighted with what they thought were bags of gold, they laughed, drank, sang and danced right merrily. At last one of them proposed to open the bags and count the gold; but what was their dismay and sorrow when they beheld their dead brother robber? A shrill cry of anger, as well as of grief, arose from the once merry lips, and filled the gloomy caves with howls, like those of wolves in want of prey.

"Ah!" cried one of them, "it must be that wicked girl, the peasant's daughter, who has done this vile deed, for she did not go to the wedding with her parents, but stayed at home to take care of the house."

"The wretch!" cried all the robbers together, "we will pay her out for this; come, let some of us go to-morrow morning, dress up like young princes, and ask the peasant for his daughter in marriage."

This was agreed to, with great applause.

When morning came, two or three of the robbers dressed themselves up in rich princely clothes, and rode off to the peasant, and asked him to give them