Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/205

Rh "How often must I tell you that you must not grieve and look so sad? Your Prince John will never come to look for you here; it would be impossible for him to do so. You are mine. I mean to be your husband, and nobody will dare to take you away! I—"

At this moment the club nudged the prince a little.

"All right," said the prince; "begin!"

The club flew at the immortal skeleton, and beat him about with such violence that the creature howled, and turned any amount of somersaults in the air, while the prince, who was still invisible, kept crying out,—

"Beat harder, little club! beat harder! I want him to have a thorough good thrashing!"

"Who are you? and where are you?" cried the skeleton.

"Look, and you will see," the prince replied, taking off his cloak and cap, at the same time throwing the egg on the ground, which broke in halves, making the immortal skeleton turn another of his somersaults; but this time it was fatal, for he gave a tremendous howl, and died.

The prince and princess then took the delightful dulcimers, the golden horse, and the cassowary, mounted their chargers, and rode homewards. As they looked back, they saw the rock behind them tremble and fall, while a dark cloud hovered over the spot.

On arriving at King Dymion's kingdom, they found it locked in profound slumber; even the oxen