g my dress, the third time you will see a fly
above my head."

And so the Prince guessed which was Vasilissa the Wise
three times running. And he and she were married, and a wedding
feast was got ready.

Now the Water King had prepared much food of all sorts
more than a hundred men could get through. And he ordered
his son-in-law to see that everything was eaten. "If anything
remains over, the worse for you!" says he.

"My Father," begs the Prince, "there's an old fellow of
mine here; please let him take a snack with us."

"Let him come!"

Immediately appeared Obedalo--ate up everything, and
wasn't content then! The Water King next set out two score
tubs of all kinds of strong drinks, and ordered his son-in-law to
see that they were all drained dry.

"My Father!" begs the Prince again, "there's another old
man of mine here, let him, too, drink your health."

"Let him come!"

Opivalo appeared, emptied all the forty tubs in a twinkling,
and then asked for a drop more by way of stirrup-cup.[145]

The Water King saw that there was nothing to be gained that
way, so he gave orders to prepare a bath-room for the young
couple--an iron bath-room--and to heat it as hot as possible.
So the iron bath-room was made hot. Twelve loads of firewood
were set alight, and the stove and the walls were made
red-hot--impossible to come within five versts of it.

"My Father!" says the Prince; "let an old fellow of ours
have a scrub first, just to try the bath-room."

"Let him do so!"

Moroz Treskum went into the bath room, blew into one corner,
blew in another--in a moment icicles were hanging there.
After him the young couple also went into the bath-room, were
lathered and scrubbed,[146] and then went home.

After a time Vasilissa said to the Prince, "Let us get out of
my father's power. He's tremendously angry with you; perhaps
he'll be doing you some hurt."

"Let us go," says the Prince.

Straightway they saddled their horses and galloped off into
the open plain. They rode and rode; many an hour went by.

"Jump down from your horse, Prince, and lay your ear close
to the earth," said Vasilissa. "Cannot you hear a sound as of
pursuers?"

The prince bent his ear to the ground, but he could hear nothing.
Then Vasilissa herself lighted down from her good
steed, laid herself flat on the earth, and said: "Ah Prince! I hear
a great