will quickly see and recover her.
When she wants to be a golden fish in the water he sings to her of the
silken net; when she wants to be a wild fowl on the lake he appears
before her as a hunter. At last the poor maiden, seeing she is unable
to hide herself from him on the earth, sings:

"I shall become a star in heaven,
Light to earth by will be given.
My love to thee I shall not render,
Nor my sweet will to thee surrender."

But the undaunted youth answers:

"Then shall I pray to the saint's grace
That the star may fall from its heavenly place.
Thy love to me thou then wilt render,
And thy sweet will to me surrender."

The maiden, seeing there is no refuge either in heaven or on earth for
her, accepts the view of Providence and sings:

"I see, I see, fate's decree doth bind me;
Where'er I hide, thou sure wilt find me.
My love to thee I must now render,
And my sweet will to thee surrender."

John, turning to Kasya, said:

"Do you understand?"

"What, John?"

He began to sing:

"Thy love to me thou must now render,
And thy sweet will to me surrender."

Kasya was troubled, and laughed loudly to cover her confusion; and
wishing to speak, she said:

"I have gathered a large lot of plants; it would be well to dip them
in water, for in this heat they will wither."

Verily the heat was great; the wind had entirely ceased. In the woods,
though in the shade, the air vibrated with moist heat, the pines
exuding a strong, resinous odor. The delicate, golden-tinted face of
Kasya was touched with perspiration, and her blue eyes showed traces
of weariness. She removed the kerchief from her head, and began to fan
herself. John, taking the basket from her, said:

"Here, Kasya, stand two aspen trees, and between them a spring. Come,
let us drink."

Both went. After a short interval they noticed that the ground of the
forest began to slope here. Among the trees, instead of bushes, ferns
and dry mosses, there was a green, damp turf, then one aspen tree,
then another, and after them whole rows. They entered into this dark,
humid retreat, where the rays of the sun, passing through the leaves,
took on their color and reflected on the human face a pale green
light. John and Kasya descended lower and lower into the shadows and
dampness; a chilliness breathed upon them, refreshing after the heat
of the woods; and in a moment, between the rows of the aspen trees,
they espied in the black turf