Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/198

182 and ride off; he will know his way, you need tell him nothing. Now good-bye, my prince; if ever we meet again, it won't be until your wedding-day!"

And the grey wolf was off.

Following the wolf's advice for once, Prince John went eastward, and in three days came to the subterranean vault. He stopped before the twelfth door and immediately there was a sound like thunder, and a tremendous horse ran out. The prince mounted his back and patted him fondly on his neck, while the handsome animal snorted and neighed with pleasure, stood on his hind-legs for a moment and then bounded away till the earth beneath him shook and trembled. He sprang higher than the highest trees, over the broad valleys, and covered the narrow ones with his tail, and overcame every obstacle with his breast. He flew like an arrow without bending the smallest blade of grass with his feet and without raising the least dust from the ground. But after galloping like this all day he at last grew tired, which after all was perfectly natural. The perspiration poured down from him in streams, and he was surrounded as though by smoke, and with clouds of hot steam, so that Prince John was obliged to slacken his pace. Evening was already setting in as the prince rode through a very wide field, musing on the beautiful sunset. Suddenly he heard a savage cry, and on looking to see whence it came, he beheld two wer-wolves fighting on the road, biting, tearing, and rending each other with their claws.

Prince John rode up to them, and asked,—

"What are you two brothers fighting about?"