Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/191

Rh he had left the grey-wolf, half afraid that his friend had gone. But no, the good creature was still waiting for him.

"Oh, prince!" said the wolf, "if I did not love you I should not have been here; but never mind, we have not a moment to lose, sit on my back and let us fly to King Cassimir."

As soon as they arrived at their destination the grey wolf turned to the prince, and said,—

"Alight, my prince; not far from here is the king's garden, I shall go myself this time while you wait for me under this green tree."

The wolf went his way, and climbing over the garden wall, hid himself among the bushes.

Princess Helen was walking in the garden, surrounded by her maidens and nurses, and by her side walked the queen, her mother. The grey wolf noticed everything and kept his eye on her all the time. Suddenly, just as the fair princess was passing the bushes where he lay, he sprang up from behind them, and seizing the princess, threw her on to his back, and was off like the wind. A dreadful cry arose from the maidens and the nurses and the queen; in another moment the whole court came running in great alarm; ministers, grand chamberlains of the court, generals, and a great many more, who looked frightfully scared, wondering what had happened. When King Cassimir heard how a wolf had carried off his beloved daughter, he called his hunters together and let all his dogs loose; but in vain, for the grey wolf was far away with the prince and princess. The