him," said the disguised prince, "some pea-straw; I bet you
anything he will eat that."

"But do you really think so? Why, our rough draught horses would
refuse such coarse food."

The prince's only answer was to fetch a bundle of pea-straw, which he
put into Zlato-Nrivak's marble trough: then, passing his hand gently
over his neck and mane, he said to him, "Grieve no more, my horse with
the golden mane."

The beautiful creature recognised his master's voice, and neighing
with joy, greedily devoured the pea-straw.

The news was noised about from one end of the palace to the other, and
the sick king summoned the boy to his presence.

"I hear you have made Zlato-Nrivak eat," said his majesty; "do you
think you could make my fire-bird sing? Go and examine him closely: he
is very sad, he droops his wings, and will neither eat nor drink. Ah
me! if he dies I shall certainly die too."

"Your majesty may rest assured, the bird will not die. Let him have
some husks of barley to eat, then he will soon be all right and begin
to sing."

The king ordered them to be brought, and the disguised prince put a
handful into Ohnivak's cage, saying, "Cheer up, my fire-bird."

[Illustration]

As soon as Ohnivak heard his master's voice he shook himself, and made
his feathers shine with more than their usual brightness. Then he
began to dance about his cage, and pecking up the husks, sang so
exquisitely that the king immediately felt better, and it was as if a
great weight had been lifted off his heart. The fire-bird again burst
into song, and this so affected the king that he sat up quite well,
and embraced the disguised prince out of very gratitude.

"Now," said he, "teach me how to restore to health this beautiful
maiden with the golden hair whom my sons brought back with them; for
she will not speak a word, her beautiful hair remains uncared for, and
her tears fall night and day."

"If your majesty will allow me to speak a few words to her, it may be
the means of making her bright and happy."

The king himself led the way to her apartments, and the disguised
prince, taking her hand, said: "Look up a moment, sweetheart; why
these tears? And why grieve thus, dear bride?"

The maiden knew him at once, and with a cry of joy threw herself into
his arms. This astonished the king mightily, and he could not for the
life of him think how a stable-boy dare address such a princess as his
"dear bride."

The prince then addressed the