s coffer, and
under her sits a grey duck whose body contains an egg. Within this egg
is Kostey's life--if it be broken he dies. Good-bye, Prince Junak,
start without loss of time. Your horse will carry you to the island."

Junak mounted his horse, spoke a few words to him, and the brave
creature fled through space with the swiftness of an arrow. Leaving
the forest and its enormous trees behind, they soon reached the shores
of the ocean. Fishermen's nets lay on the beach, and in one of them
was a large sea fish who, struggling to free itself, spoke to the
prince in a human voice.

"Prince Junak," he said sadly, "free me from my prison; I assure you
you will lose nothing by doing me this service."

Junak did what was required of him, and threw the fish back into the
water. It plunged and disappeared, but he paid little attention to it,
so occupied was he with his own thoughts. In the far distance could be
seen the rocks of the Island of Eternal Life, but there seemed no way
of reaching it. Leaning on his club he thought and thought, and ever
as he thought he grew sadder and sadder.

"What is the matter, Prince Junak? Has anything vexed you?" asked his
horse.

"How can I help grieving when, while in sight of the island, I can go
no further? How can we cross the sea?"

[Illustration]

"Get on my back, prince, I will be your bridge; only take care to hold
on tight."

The prince held firmly to its mane, and the horse leapt into the sea.
At first they were plunged right beneath the waves, but rising again
to the surface swam easily across. The sun was about to set when the
prince dismounted on the Island of Eternal Life. He first took off his
horse's harness, and leaving him to browse on the green grass, hurried
to the top of a distant hill, whence he could see a large oak. Without
losing a moment he hastened towards it, seized the tree with both
hands, pulled at it with all his might, and after the most violent
efforts tore it up by the roots from the place it had filled for
centuries. The tree groaned and fell, and the hole in which it had
been planted appeared like an immense case. Right at the bottom of
this case was a coffer bound with iron. The prince took it up, broke
the lock by striking it with a stone, opened it and seized the hare
that was trying to make its escape. The grey duck that had lain
underneath flew off towards the sea: the prince fired, struck the
bird, the latter dropped its egg into the sea,