Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/229

Rh "King Vladimir has again carried off Marie-Marevna, the beautiful queen."

The skeleton at once galloped off, and as soon as he reached King Vladimir, he seized him, cut him into several small pieces, which he carefully put into a little black box, fastened it with iron hoops, and threw it into the blue sea, and then rode away with Marie-Marevna, who was weeping bitterly.

Just at that time the silver spoon, fork, and snuff-box, which King Vladimir had given to his brothers-in-law as a remembrance of him, suddenly became black.

"Something very dreadful must have happened to our dear brother," said the falcon, the eagle, and the crow. "Let us all three go and see what it is."

So saying, they flew away together, and as they went the eagle noticed the little black box floating on the sea. He at once flew down and brought the box to the shore, where, with the help of the falcon and the crow, it was opened, and the remains of their brother-in-law, King Vladimir, were seen. The falcon at once went off in search of the water of life, while the crow went to fetch the water of death, leaving the eagle to keep watch. They soon, however, returned, and taking the pieces out of the box, they put them all properly together, and sprinkled the water of death over them. The pieces immediately became joined, and King Vladimir's body became whole again; then the birds sprinkled it over with the water of life, and up jumped King Vladimir, alive and well again!

"How long I have slept!" he cried, rubbing his eyes.