Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/42

26 unfortunate little demon received the same kind of treatment from the soldier and his younger brother, they at last struck work, and would go near the palace no more.

"Well, nephews," said the head-demon, "as none of you seem to care about visiting this soldier, I shall go myself."

And with a very haughty air he entered the palace. He soon got on very friendly terms with the soldier, and after a while they both began a game at cards, in which, of course, the soldier managed to win. The soldier then took the head-demon and presented him to his younger brother. The iron man, after having his springs touched, caught the demon very affectionately in his iron hands, and held him firmly, while the soldier seized the iron rod, and began beating the unfortunate demon most unmercifully, saying,—

"This will cure you of tormenting the princess!"

At last the rod broke in halves over the demon's back.

"Oh, nephews, that soldier has very nearly beaten me to death!" exclaimed the demon, when he had at length joined his band.

"Well, uncle; at any rate you saw for yourself what an ingenious man that soldier is," said one.

"It is a fortnight since I had the pleasure of going to the palace and making his acquaintance, and my head still aches from the warm welcome I received. I only thank my stars that he did not beat me himself, but made his younger brother do it."

The demons then held a meeting, and began discussing how they could best get the soldier out of the