he
skulls are all those of different servants I have had who have failed
to do what I demanded.'

Iwanich, who thought he could not be much worse off than he was
already, agreed to the witch's proposal.

At daybreak next morning he drove his horses to the field, and brought
them back in the evening without their ever having attempted to break
away from him. The witch stood at her door and received him kindly,
and set a good meal before him.

So it continued for some time, and all went well with the Prince.
Early every morning he led the horses out to the fields, and brought
them home safe and sound in the evening.

One day, while he was watching the horses, he came to the banks of a
river, and saw a big fish, which through some mischance had been cast
on the land, struggling hard to get back into the water.

Iwanich, who felt sorry for the poor creature, seized it in his arms
and flung it into the stream. But no sooner did the fish find itself
in the water again, than, to the Prince's amazement, it swam up to the
bank and said:

'My kind benefactor, how can I reward you for your goodness?'

'I desire nothing,' answered the Prince. 'I am quite content to have
been able to be of some service to you.'

'You must do me the favour,' replied the fish, 'to take a scale from
my body, and keep it carefully. If you should ever need my help, throw
it into the river, and I will come to your aid at once.'

Iwanich bowed, loosened a scale from the body of the grateful beast,
put it carefully away, and returned home.

A short time after this, when he was going early one morning to the
usual grazing place with his horses, he noticed a flock of birds
assembled together making a great noise and flying wildly backwards
and forwards.

Full of curiosity, Iwanich hurried up to the spot, and saw that a
large number of ravens had attacked an eagle, and although the eagle
was big and powerful and was making a brave fight, it was overpowered
at last by numbers, and had to give in.

But the Prince, who was sorry for the poor bird, seized the branch of
a tree and hit out at the ravens with it; terrified at this unexpected
onslaught they flew away, leaving many of their number dead or wounded
on the battlefield.

As soon as the eagle saw itself free from its tormentors it plucked a
feather from its wing, and, handing it to the Prince, said: 'Here, my
kind benefactor, take this feather as a proof of my gratitude; should
you ever be