ace, crept again through the window, drew
the bladder over his head, and lay down to sleep.

The Tsar gave a public feast for this great victory, and it lasted
several days; until the knight Polkan once more invaded the country
with a fresh army, and again demanded with threats the youngest
Princess for his wife. The Tsar instantly assembled his armies again,
and sent them against Polkan; but the knight defeated them forthwith.
Then Lotao went to her husband, and everything happened exactly as
before; and Ivan again drove Polkan and his army out of the empire.
Thereupon the Tsar invited him to his palace; but without heeding him,
Ivan turned off his horse in the fields, went back to the palace, and
lay down to sleep. So the Tsar gave another feast, in honour of the
victory over Polkan; but he marvelled what hero it could be who had so
bravely defended his realm.

After a while, Polkan a third time invaded the empire, and all fell
out as before: Ivan jumped out of the window, ran into the fields,
mounted his steed, and rode forth against the enemy. Then the horse
said in a human voice: "Listen, Ivan Peasantson! we have now a hard
task to perform; defend yourself as stoutly as possible, and stand
firm against Polkan--otherwise you and the whole Chinese army will be
destroyed." Then Ivan spurred his steed, rode against Polkan's host,
and began to slay them right and left. When Polkan saw that his army
was defeated, he flew into a rage, and fell upon Ivan the peasant's
son like a furious lion, and a fight began between the two horses, at
the sight of which the whole army stood aghast. They fought for a long
time, and Polkan wounded Ivan in the left hand. Thereupon Ivan the
peasant's son, in a fierce rage, aimed his javelin at Polkan, and
pierced him through the heart: then he struck off his head, and drove
the whole army out of China.

Ivan now went to the Chinese Tsar, who bowed to the ground, and
invited him to his palace. The Princess Lotao, seeing blood upon
Ivan's left hand, bound it up with her handkerchief, and invited him
to remain in the palace; but, without heeding her, Ivan mounted his
steed and trotted off. Then he turned his horse into the fields, and
went himself to sleep.

The Tsar again ordered a great banquet to be prepared; and the
Princess Lotao went to her husband and tried to awaken him, but all in
vain. On a sudden she beheld with surprise golden hair upon his head,
from which the bladder had fall