Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/235

Rh The old fairy then went back to her hut and fell fast asleep. At midnight King Vladimir saddled the sick pony and rode away on it, until he reached the fiery river; he waved the magic handkerchief three times to the right, and immediately a very, very high bridge appeared; he crossed over, and then waving his handkerchief twice to the left, the bridge became very thin, and almost invisible.

In the morning when the fairy awoke, and found that both the king and the mangy pony were missing, she flew into a rage and gave chase.

"What a splendid bridge!" she cried, when she arrived at the fiery river; "just the very thing I want."

She commenced crossing over, but just as she got half way down went the bridge, broken right in two, and the old fairy fell head over heels into the fiery river.

Meanwhile King Vladimir led his pony into the green meadows, and made it drink some water from the silvery brooks, until it became quite well and strong again, seeming to be a wonderfully handsome and powerful horse.

In a very short time King Vladimir arrived at the skeleton's castle, and Marie-Marevna came running out to meet him.

"What have you been doing all this time?" she asked.

King Vladimir explained, and told her all that he had gone through.

"But now," he continued, "I have come to fetch you away."

"I am afraid to go, the skeleton may overtake us again."