Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/144

128 The peasant threw off all the leather with the exception of the two last pieces.

"You see there is nothing here," said he.

Away rode the robbers, while Alyonushka, as soon as she got out of the cart, ran on again until, to her great delight, she beheld her home. As it was midnight by the time she reached the hut, she naturally found it in darkness, so she climbed into the back yard, and lay down and hid herself in some hay, and soon fell fast asleep.

Alyonushka did not wake from her peaceful slumbers until she felt a very uncomfortable grab with a hay-rake. She caught hold of it lightly, as she did not wish to get hurt, nor would she get out of the hay until she heard the voice of the raker.

"Whoever is in this hay?" she at last heard her father exclaim. "Get out, whoever it is!"

Up sprang Alyonushka and embraced her much astonished parent.

"Upon my word!" cried the old man, "how on earth did you get here?"

Alyonushka told her father the whole story in a few words, and said that she thought the robbers would be coming to the hut presently.

The peasant at once called in some policemen, and made several other small preparations to welcome the robbers in case they arrived, while Alyonushka took care to hide herself.

They had not to wait long before the robbers made their appearance. They rode up to the hut, and walked in; the peasant received them with great kindness, and asked them how his daughter was getting on.