Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/311

Rh "On our right are green fields, on our left stands a house."

"In that house lives my second sister; let us fly down and visit her."

Down they flew into the yard where the second sister came forward to greet her brother, and took him into her little house to give him some food, leaving the king out in the yard with her dogs, as her youngest sister had done. The eagle, however, was very angry, and springing from the table, caught up the king and flew away with him.

They flew and flew, farther and farther. At last the eagle said as before, "Look behind you, O king! and see what is there?"

The king turned round.

"I see another red house."

"That is the house of my second sister. I set it on fire as a punishment to her for not taking you in. Now let us fly to the house of my mother and my eldest sister."

On they went until they reached the house, and the eagle's mother and eldest sister rushed out to meet them; here the king found a warm and hearty welcome.

"Now, O king!" said the eagle, "you must stay with us for a while and rest, and when you are rested I shall give you a ship to take you home in; thus will I repay you for your kindness to me while I was at your palace."

So when the king was about to leave, the eagle gave him a beautiful ship, and two little boxes: one red and the other green.