Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/244

228 some in six months, some in three months. At last Simeon-the-Youthful came up to the king, saying,—

"I can go to the palace, your Majesty, and bring you your sword and mace in three days."

The king was delighted, and taking Simeon by the hand he embraced him, and wrote a note for him to give to Princess Nastasia, in which he told her to give the bearer his sword and mace, which he had forgotten. Simeon took the note and went on his journey.

As soon as he was out of sight, and was sure that no one saw him, he quickly changed himself into a swift-footed stag, and bounded away over stock and stone, up hill and down dale, until he grew tired; he then changed himself into a hare, and away he went until his little feet became so tired that he changed himself into a pretty little bird with a golden head. He flew and flew, and at about noon the next day he reached the palace. He changed himself into his proper shape again, and entering the palace, gave the princess the note.

Princess Nastasia broke open the seal, and after reading the note, turned to Simeon, and said,—

"How did you manage to get over so much ground in so short a time?"

Simeon explained how he had changed himself first into a stag, then into a hare, and lastly into a little bird with a golden head; and so that she might believe him, he changed himself into a stag and ran about in the princess's chamber, and then came up to her and rested his pretty head on her lap. The princess took her little silver knife and cut off