power, and who eventually obtains the hand of one of
his daughters, and escapes with her to the upper world, though not
without considerable difficulty. Such are, for instance, the leading
incidents in the following skazka, many features of which closely
resemble those of various well-known West-European folk-tales.

THE WATER KING AND VASILISSA THE WISE.[143]

Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen, and the King
was very fond of hunting and shooting. Well one day he went
out hunting, and he saw an Eaglet sitting on an oak. But just
as he was going to shoot at it the Eaglet began to entreat him,
crying:--

"Don't shoot me, my lord King! better take me home with
you; some time or other I shall be of service to you."

The King reflected awhile and said, "How can you be of use
to me?" and again he was going to shoot.

Then the Eaglet said to him a second time:--

"Don't shoot me, my lord King! better take me home with
you; some time or other I shall be of use to you."

The King thought and thought, but couldn't imagine a bit the
more what use the Eaglet could be to him, and so he determined
to shoot it. Then a third time the Eaglet exclaimed:--

"Don't shoot me, my lord King! better take me home with
you and feed me for three years. Some time or other I shall be
of service to you!"

The King relented, took the Eaglet home with him, and fed
it for a year, for two years. But it ate so much that it devoured
all his cattle. The King had neither a cow nor a sheep left. At
length the Eagle said:--

"Now let me go free!"

The King set it at liberty; the Eagle began trying its wings.
But no, it could not fly yet! So it said:--

"Well, my lord King! you have fed me two years; now,
whether you like it or no, feed me for one year more. Even if
you have to borrow, at all events feed me; you won't lose by it!"

Well, this is what the King did. He borrowed cattle from
everywhere round about, and he fed the Eagle for the space of a
whole year, and afterwards he set it at liberty. The Eagle rose
ever so high, flew and flew, then dropt down again to the earth
and said:--

"Now then, my lord King! Take a seat on my back! we'll
have a fly together?"

The King got on the Eagle's back. Away they went flying.
Before very long they reached the blue sea. Then the Eagle
shook off the King, who fell into the sea, and sank up to his
knees.