Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/320

304 was ready, and the bath was so hot that the walls in the bath-room cracked, and the iron became red from the great heat, the prince was told to go and bathe himself.

"Very well, little father," he answered; "but may I ask an old friend whom I brought with me to the palace to join me?"

"Certainly!" laughed the king; "let him join you by all means, though I don't suppose he will like it!"

The prince then told Chill-All to come with him. The moment this hero came into the bath-room, he blew on to the coals till there was no heat left in them; he blew on to the boiling water, and it became cool; he blew about till icicles hung about the room, and then the young prince got into the water, and had a pleasant bath. When he returned to his wife, Melania the Clever, she went up to him and said,—

"Let us leave the king, my father, for he is very angry with you, and hates you more than ever. Let us fly, my prince, before anything dreadful happens."

"Very well, let us go; I have no objection!" the prince replied.

So they harnessed their ponies, and rode off into the green fields. On they went for a long, long time; at last Melania the Clever said,—

"Get off from your pony, my prince, and put your ear to the ground, and listen whether any one is chasing us or not?"

The prince obeyed.

"I can hear nothing, Melania!" he answered.

But Melania the Clever was not satisfied, so she got off her horse, and put her ear to the ground.