Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/243

Rh "But you are not tall enough, young man! How can you become a soldier?"

"Though I am not so tall as I should like to be, Your Majesty, I will serve you as well as the tallest of your court, if you will but try me."

The king at last agreed, and took him as a soldier, and told him always to be near him.

After some time of peace and quiet a king of a neighbouring kingdom declared war against Simeon's master, who began to equip himself for the campaign and get his forces ready. Simeon begged the king to let him join the army and accompany him to the war. At first the king was reluctant, but Simeon begged so very hard that he at last consented.

The whole army assembled and started on the march; they passed through many lands, and went on and on until they were very near to the enemy's camp. Suddenly the king found that both his sharp-edged sword and mace were missing. What could he have done with them? Had he left them at the palace? If so, what was he to do? How was he to get them? The palace was many, many thousand miles away; he had nothing to defend himself with, and nothing with which he could beat down the enemy. He called to his army to halt, and asked his men whether any of them would undertake to go with all possible speed to the palace and bring him his sword and mace; whoever would do this service for him, to him he would give his daughter, the lovely Princess Nastasia, for a bride, and half of his kingdom besides.

Some of the men said they could do it in a year,