kingdom." So Lyubim
Tsarevich thanked him for his service and counsel and bade him
farewell.

The Wolf thereupon vanished; and when Lyubim Tsarevich saw the
beautiful Princess coming toward him, he rejoiced, and, going to meet
her, he took her by her white hands, kissing her honey-sweet mouth,
pressed her to his stormy heart, and said: "Did I not love you, my
dearest fair Tsarevna, I should not have remained here; but you have
seen that my love was stronger than your armies." Then the fair
Tsarevna replied: "Ah! thou valiant knight. Thou hast overcome all my
powers, and my strong and famous knights, on whom my hopes relied; and
my city is now desolate. I will leave it and go with you; henceforth
you shall be my protector."

"Joyfully do I take you for my wife," replied Lyubim Tsarevich, "and I
will guard and protect you and your kingdom faithfully." Conversing
thus they entered the tent, and sat down to rest and feast.

Early the next morning they mounted their horses and set out on their
journey to the kingdom of Elidar; and on the way Lyubim Tsarevich
said: "Ah! thou fair Princess, I had two elder brothers, who left our
home before I did, in hopes of winning your hand; in these wilds they
have been murdered, and where their remains lie I do not know; but I
have brought with me the waters of life and death, and will seek and
restore them to life; they cannot be far distant from our road; do you
therefore ride on to the pillar with the inscriptions, and wait for
me. I shall soon rejoin you."

So saying, Lyubim Tsarevich parted from his fair Princess, and went
forth to seek his brothers' remains. He found them at last among some
trees; and after sprinkling them with the water of death, they grew
together; then he sprinkled them with the water of life, and his two
brothers became alive, and stood up on their feet. Then Aksof and Hut
Tsarevich exclaimed: "Ah! brother! how long have we been sleeping
here?" And Lyubim Tsarevich said: "Ay, indeed, and you might have
still slept on for ever, had it not been for me." Then he related to
them all his adventures--how he had conquered the Wolf, and won the
beautiful Princess, and had brought them the waters of life and death.
Thereupon they repaired to the tent, where the fair Tsarevna was
waiting for them; and they all rejoiced and feasted together.

When they had retired to rest, Aksof Tsarevich said to his brother Hut
Tsarevich: "How shall we go to our father Elidar and o