his shoulder and mounted Tatosh. Tatosh rose on the wind
and in a twinkling had carried him back to St. Nedyelka.

"Well, son, how did things go?" the old woman asked as usual.

"I don't know," Vitazko said. "I did as you told me. Here is the gun."

"Let me see," Nedyelka said, squinting into the gun barrel. "Ah, son,
things went very well indeed! Here is Pelikan inside the barrel."

She drew something out of the gun barrel and sure enough it was the
bird, Pelikan.

She gave Vitazko another gun and told him to go out and shoot an eagle.
Then she told him to carry Pelikan home to his mother, but instead of
giving him Pelikan she gave him the eagle.

When Sharkan and his mother saw Vitazko coming, they decided that this
time they would send him after the Golden Apples. These grew in the
garden of the most powerful dragon in the world.

"If Vitazko goes near him," Sharkan said, "the dragon will tear him to
pieces for he knows that it was Vitazko who killed all his brother
dragons."

So the mother again feigned sickness and, when Vitazko rushed in to
her and offered her what he supposed was Pelikan, she moaned and
groaned and pushed the bird aside.

"Too late! Too late! I'm dying!"

"Don't say that!" poor Vitazko begged. "Will nothing save you?"

"Yes, the Golden Apples that grow in the garden of Mightiest Dragon
could still save me. If you really loved me you'd get them for me."

"I do love you, mother," Vitazko cried, "and I'll get you the Golden
Apples wherever they are!"

So without a moment's rest he hurried back to St. Nedyelka.

"Well, son, what is it now?" the old woman asked.

Vitazko wept.

"It's my poor mother. She's still sick. Pelikan hasn't cured her.
She says now that only the Golden Apples from the garden of
Mightiest Dragon can cure her. Dear, kind Nedyelka, tell me, what
shall I do?"

"The Golden Apples from the garden of Mightiest Dragon! Ah, my son,
that will be a task for you! For this you will need every ounce of
your strength and more! But never fear! I will again befriend you.
Here is a ring. Put it on a finger of your right hand and when you
are sore pressed twist the ring around your finger and think of me.
Instantly you will have the strength of a hundred fighting men. Now
take this sword, mount the faithful Tatosh, and good luck go with
you."

Vitazko thanked the dear old woman, mounted Tatosh, and was soon
carried far away to the garden of the dragon. A high wall surround