Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/149

Rh Alenka obeyed, and when the stove was heated she turned to Ivashko, and said,—

"Get on to this stove, so that I may push you in!"

"Alas!" answered the cunning boy, "I was born stupid, and know nothing, not even how to get into a stove; but if you will but show me, I daresay I shall be able to manage it then."

"All right!" replied the girl, as she jumped on to the stove.

Ivashko quickly pushed her in, and closed the stove door, letting the unfortunate girl bake in his stead! He then ran out, locking the door behind him, and climbed up an old tree that spread its leafy branches over the little hut.

Very soon Ivashko saw the witch march up to her little dwelling, accompanied by her friends, but, finding the door locked, the hag grumbled, and climbed in at the window, saying,—

"That bad girl has gone out for a walk and locked the door; but no matter, as long as she has cooked the boy I don't care, for I am hungry."

She then opened the door, and asked her guests to walk in. They all sat down and began eating away like so many hungry wolves, who had not had any food for ages!

When they had eaten everything up, so that nothing but the bones remained, they took these and threw them about under the old tree—where Ivashko sat—and began rolling about on them, as was the custom with the witches in those good old days, and then they sang,—