led, and the whole
day was spent in merrymaking.

The following night Ivashka gave Sila Tsarevich the same caution as
before, not to speak a word to his wife, and he placed himself on
watch at the door. Then it fell out as before, and when Sila Tsarevich
began to beat the Queen, on a sudden the dragon came flying in, and
was going to devour Sila Tsarevich. But Ivashka rushed from behind the
door, sword in hand, and fought with the dragon and struck off two
more of his heads. Then the dragon flew away, and Sila Tsarevich lay
down to sleep. Early in the morning the King commanded Sila to be
invited, and they spent this day in the same pleasures as before. The
third night the same happened again, and Ivashka cut off the last two
heads of the dragon, and he burnt all the heads and strewed the ashes
in the fields.

Thus time passed on, and Sila Tsarevich lived with his father-in-law a
whole year, without speaking to his wife or gaining her love. Then
Ivashka told him one day to go to King Salom and ask permission to
return to his native country. So Sila went to the King, who dismissed
him, and gave him two squadrons of his army to accompany him as an
escort. Then Sila took leave of his father-in-law, and set out with
his wife on their journey to his own country.

When they had gone half-way, Ivashka told Sila Tsarevich to halt and
pitch his tent. So Sila obeyed, and ordered the tent to be put up. The
next day Ivashka laid pieces of wood in front of Sila's tent and set
fire to them. Then he led Queen Truda out of the tent, unsheathed his
sword, and cut her in twain. Sila Tsarevich shuddered with terror and
began to weep; but Ivashka said: "Weep not, she will come to life
again." And presently all sorts of evil things came forth from the
body, and Ivashka threw them all into the fire. Then he said to Sila
Tsarevich: "See you not the evil spirits which troubled your wife? She
is now relieved from them." And, so saying, he laid the parts of
Truda's body together, sprinkled them with the water of life, and the
Queen was instantly sound and whole as before. Then said Ivashka:
"Now, farewell, Sila Tsarevich, you will find that your wife loves you
truly, but you will never see me more." And so saying he vanished.

Sila Tsarevich ordered the tent to be struck, and journeyed on to his
native country. And when he came to the place where his ship was
waiting for him, he went on board with the fair Queen Truda, dismissed
the escort