prefer it, we could take it in turns to
read the prayers over our father's grave. Let it be the duty of one of
us each day to fulfil the duty, morning and evening.'

The elder brothers agreed readily to this, but, when Ivan asked whose
turn it should be on the morrow, they both began to make excuses.

[Illustration: IVAN AND THE CHESTNUT HORSE

The chestnut horse seemed to linger in the air at the top of its leap
while that kiss endured.

_See page 69_]

'As for me,' said the eldest, 'I must go and order the work of the farm
my father left me, and that will take seven days.'

'And for me,' said the younger, 'I must see to the estate which is my
part of the inheritance, and that also will take seven days.'

'Then,' replied Ivan, 'if I perform the duty for seven days, you will
each do your share afterwards?'

His brothers agreed still more readily than before. Then they went their
ways, Ivan full of thoughts of his father, and the other two to train
their jumping horses, the one on his farm and the other on his estate.
And both laughed to themselves, for neither knew the purpose of the
other.

How they curled their hair and cleaned their teeth, and practised
'prunes and prisms' with their mouths close to the looking-glass!--so
that when, at one bound of their magnificent steeds, they reached the
level of the Princess's lips, to aim the kiss that was to win the prize,
they would make a brave show, and a conquering one. As for their little
brother, they each thought he could go on praying over their father's
grave as long as he liked,--it would be the best thing he could do, and
it would not interfere with their secret plans, so carefully concealed
from each other and from him.

So, for seven days, in their separate districts, they raced about on
their horses by day and dreamed of the greatest leaping feats by night.
And at the end of the seven days the youngest brother summoned them to
keep their agreement, and asked which of them would read the prayers,
morning and evening, for the second seven days.

'I have done my part,' he said; 'now it is for you to arrange between
you which one shall continue the sacred duty.'

The two elder brothers looked at each other and then at Ivan.

'As for me,' said one, 'I care little who does it, so long as I am free
to get on with my business, which is more important.'

'And as for me,' said the other, 'I am in no mind to watch each blade
of grass growing on the grave. I