light,
Haste to Princess Sudolisu's abode."

Then the horse looked up as if there were something he wanted in the
clouds, and with a spring flew through the air, swift as an arrow; and
so by the second day they had passed over ten kingdoms, and finding
themselves beyond the ocean, halted on the shore. Here the horse said
to Niezguinek, "Do you see that silver ship with golden masts that
rides on the waves yonder? That beautiful vessel is the home of
Princess Sudolisu, youngest daughter of old Yaga. For after the witch
had lost the guzla and magic sword she feared to lose her daughter
too: so she shut her up in that vessel, and having thrown the key
thereof into the ocean, sat herself in her oaken trough, where with
the help of the iron crutches she rows round and round the silver
ship, warding off tempests, and keeping at a distance all other ships
that would approach it.

"The first thing to be done is to get the diamond key that opens the
ship. In order to procure this you must kill me, and then throw into
the water one end of my entrails, by which bait you will trap the King
of the Lobsters. Do not set him free until he has promised to get you
the key, for it is this key that draws the vessel to you of its own
accord."

"Ah, my beloved steed," cried Niezguinek, "how can I kill you when I
love you as my own brother, and when my fate depends upon you
entirely?"

"Do as I tell you; you can bring me to life again, as you did before."

Niezguinek caressed his horse, kissed him and wept over him; then,
raising his mighty club, struck him full on the forehead. The poor
creature staggered and fell down dead. Niezguinek cut him open, and
putting an end of his entrails in the water, he kept hold of it and
hid himself in the water-rushes. Soon there came a crowd of crawfish,
and amongst them a gigantic lobster as large as a year-old calf.
Niezguinek seized him and threw him on the beach. The lobster said, "I
am king of all the crawfish tribe. Let me go, and I will give you
great riches for my ransom."

"I do not want your riches," answered Niezguinek, "but in exchange for
your freedom give me the diamond key which belongs to the silver ship
with the golden masts, for in that vessel dwells Princess Sudolisu."

The King of the Crawfish whistled, upon which myriads of his subjects
appeared. He spoke to them in their own language, and dismissed one,
who soon returned with the magic diamond key in his claws.

Niezguin