Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/204

188 kept on beating the dead body, just as it had done when the serpent was alive, until Prince John told it to stop.

The prince left his good horse at the gates, where the tired animal could lie down and drink the refreshing water from the brook beside him or eat the fresh green grass that grew all round him, while the prince himself went in his invisible cloak and cap, with the club and the egg in his hands, to the immortal skeleton's castle. It was a very difficult climb to get up that rock; but after a great deal of trouble the prince at last reached the castle, and entered the garden. Suddenly he heard the sound of delightful dulcimers; and as he approached the spot from whence the sound came, he saw an old tree, on which hung a number of dulcimers playing of themselves; but under the tree sat his beloved Princess Helen, looking thoughtful and sad, but beautiful as ever. Prince John approached her, and taking off the invisible cloak and cap, he made her a sign to keep quiet; for she was about to utter a shout of joy and throw herself into his arms.

"I have brought the deceased she-skeleton," he whispered. "Wait for me here while I go in search of the immortal skeleton. When I have killed the wretch I shall come back to you, and we can ride off to my father's kingdom."

So saying, Prince John became once more invisible, and was about to go in search of the immortal skeleton in his enchanted castle, when the skeleton himself appeared on the scene, and walking up to the princess, he exclaimed,—