Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/194

178 "How well King Dalmat rides!" cried all the huntsmen with admiration.

But all at once the shaggy wolf gave a violent bounce and was off, leaving King Dalmat with his legs up in the air and his shoulders fixed in the ground, which seemed opening to receive him.

He struggled with all his force, but in vain, to free himself by putting his hands against the ground and kicking his feet up into the air. His men ran at once to set him free, after which they began to cry out after the wolf,—

"Seize him! seize him! Catch him! catch him!"

But there was nothing to seize and nothing to catch, for, as before, Prince John was comfortably seated on the wolf's back, and the princess on the golden horse, who arched its neck in pride beneath her and danced along with her. They did not hurry, but rode slowly along the high road until at last they came to the place where the prince had first met the grey wolf. There still lay the bones of Prince John's horse. The grey wolf stopped suddenly, and after breathing a little, said,—

"Now, my dear prince, the time has come for us to part; I honour you and believe in you. You have treated me with all possible kindness, which, as long as I live, I shall always remember. And now, dear prince, I want to give you some good advice. Be careful, there are many bad people in this world, and whatever happens do not believe or trust your brothers. I will pray fervently that you may get home safely, and cheer me with good news