Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/26

10 "I hope your light will not go out, too!" cried the step-mother, as she set down the skull on a little table in a corner.

"I hardly think that likely," replied Vaselesa.

Meanwhile the fiery eyes pierced the step-mother and step-sisters with the hot flames that now and then darted out from them. The three women were terribly frightened, and tried to hide themselves in corners so as to save themselves from being burnt, but all in vain; they became so fearfully scorched by dreadful flames from the eyes, that towards morning they were nothing but a heap of ashes. All this time the flaming eyes never once so much as looked at Vaselesa, who stood there unable to help her step-mother and sisters.

After burying the skull in the earth she locked up the house, gave the servants a holiday, and went to live with an old woman in town, who was formerly her nurse, where she could wait for her father's return.

One day Vaselesa said to the old woman,—

"I find it very dull, Ivanna, sitting here like a grand lady, without having any work to do; I wish you would let me help you sometimes in the house-work."

"But why, dear angel, should you want to spoil your pretty hands with work?"

"Well, Ivanna, I don't want to live idle. If you won't let me help you, I wish you would buy me some of the very best flax you can get, and I will spin."

The old nurse sighed, but had to obey.

Vaselesa set to work and began to spin. Her