Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/143

Rh sake, as some robbers are chasing me, and I want to get away from them; please hide me."

The man, full of pity for so charming a girl, threw off his boats, and putting her under the very last one, threw the boats on again.

He had hardly finished when up rode the robbers, who asked him,—

"Have you seen any richly-dressed maiden come this way?"

"No, gentlemen, I have not."

"You lie! Throw off your boats at once, and let us see; she may be hidden under them."

The peasant threw them off one by one, as slowly as he could, till he came to the two or three last ones, then he said,—

"You see, gentlemen, there is nothing here!"

Off went the robbers, while Alyonushka asked the old peasant to let her out.

She ran and ran until she heard the robbers galloping at some distance behind her; just at that moment she saw another old peasant with a cart full of leather.

"Hide me, little father," she said, "under the last bit of leather in your cart, for there are some robbers coming after me, and I don't want them to find me."

The peasant hid her, and up came the robbers, who asked as before,—

"Have you seen a richly-dressed maiden come this way?"

"No, I have not."

"You lie! Throw off your leather, she may be hidden in your cart."