into the cool sea."

The Tsarevitch did so, and walked along the shore. The ball, rolling
all the time, brought Ivan to a hut, a queer, tiny hut standing on
tiny hen's feet.

"Izboushka! Izboushka!"--for so in Russia do they name small
huts--"Izboushka, I want thee to turn thy front to me," cried Ivan,
and lo! the tiny hut turned its front at once. Ivan stepped in and saw
a witch, one of the ugliest witches he could imagine.

"Ho! Ivan Tsarevitch! What brings thee here?" was his greeting from
the witch.

"O, thou old mischief!" shouted Ivan with anger. "Is it the way in
holy Russia to ask questions before the tired guest gets something to
eat, something to drink, and some hot water to wash the dust off?"

Baba Yaga, the witch, gave the Tsarevitch plenty to eat and drink,
besides hot water to wash the dust off. Tsarevitch Ivan felt
refreshed. Soon he became talkative, and related the wonderful story
of his marriage. He told how he had lost his dear wife, and that his
only desire was to find her.

"I know all about it," answered the witch. "She is now at the palace
of Kostshei the Deathless, and thou must understand that Kostshei is
terrible. He watches her day and night and no one can ever conquer
him. His death depends on a magic needle. That needle is within a
hare; that hare is within a large trunk; that trunk is hidden in the
branches of an old oak tree; and that oak tree is watched by Kostshei
as closely as Vassilissa herself, which means closer than any treasure
he has."

Then the witch told Ivan Tsarevitch how and where to find the oak
tree. Ivan hastily went to the place. But when he perceived the oak
tree he was much discouraged, not knowing what to do or how to begin
the work. Lo and behold! that old acquaintance of his, the Russian
bear, came running along, approached the tree, uprooted it, and the
trunk fell and broke. A hare jumped out of the trunk and began to run
fast; but another hare, Ivan's friend, came running after, caught it
and tore it to pieces. Out of the hare there flew a duck, a gray one
which flew very high and was almost invisible, but the beautiful white
duck followed the bird and struck its gray enemy, which lost an egg.
That egg fell into the deep sea. Ivan meanwhile was anxiously watching
his faithful friends helping him. But when the egg disappeared in the
blue waters he could not help weeping. All of a sudden a big fish came
swimming up, the same fish he had saved, and brought