Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/218

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, many years ago, there lived in a certain unknown kingdom a young king, called Vladimir, with his three beautiful sisters, Princess Natalia, Princess Olga, and Princess Anna, of whom he was very fond, doing everything in his power to amuse them and make them happy, for when the parents died they left the three princesses in young Vladimir's charge, telling him to be both father and mother to them.

"And on no account let your sisters refuse the first offers of marriage that they have," were the last words of the young king's parents.

One fine day King Vladimir and his three sisters, who had grown to be tall and beautiful girls, went out for a stroll in the magnificent grounds of the palace. Suddenly the clear blue sky became overcast with an angry black cloud, heralding the approach of thunder.

"Let us return to the palace," said the young king, "before the storm comes."

They had hardly time to get back when the thunder roared and the lightning flashed, and the ceiling of the apartment in which they were, opened and in flew a tremendous big black falcon; but the moment the bird touched the ground it changed into a handsome youth!