Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/49

Rh went to the place where she had first met the stranger. The time approached, and with it the sorcerer.

"Ah, little mother! I see you have not forgotten to fetch your boy."

He gave two loud whistles, and in another moment twelve bees came buzzing round the old woman, who was terribly frightened, and began waving her hands about to keep them off.

"Don't be afraid, little mother," said the sorcerer, laughing, "for your son is among them. I have taught him all kinds of clever things, and if you really want him back you must try and find him."

"Find him, indeed! why, I gave you a boy; and these are only a lot of horrid bees! Why, good man, do you want to make such a fool of me? Don't you think I know the difference between a boy and a bee?"

"These are not bees really, but twelve young men, who, like your son, wished to have the same easy kind of apprenticeship. They fell into my hands, and have been taught all kinds of cunning and wonderful things; one of the things being, that they can change themselves into whatever they wish, whenever they please. Eleven of these are staying with me for ever, because their parents did not succeed in recognizing them, and—"

"I should think not," exclaimed the old woman. "This is the greatest fraud I ever came across, and you ought to be punished for cheating a poor old woman like me."

"Hush! don't speak like that, little mother. I D