be too high, a toe from each right foot."

The brothers thought the matter over and finally decided to give the
desired price. Ivanoushka cut the toes off, gave them the apple tree,
and the happy brothers brought it to the Tsar and there was no end to
their bragging.

"Here, all-powerful Tsar," they said. "We went far, and had many a
trouble on our way, but thy wish is fulfilled."

The Tsar Pea seemed pleased, ordered a feast, commanded tunes to be
played and drums beaten, rewarded the two brothers of Ivanoushka the
Simpleton, each one with a town, and praised them.

The boyars and warriors became furious.

"Why," they said to the Tsar, "there is nothing wonderful in such an
apple tree with golden apples and silver leaves. The brothers of thy
son-in-law are bragging around that they will get thee a pig with
golden bristles and silver tusks, and not alone the pig, but also her
twelve little ones!"

The Tsar called the brothers before him and ordered them to bring
the very pig with her golden bristles and silver tusks and her twelve
little ones. The brothers' excuses were not listened to and so they
went. Once more the brothers were traveling on a difficult errand,
looking for a golden-bristled pig with silver tusks and twelve little
pigs.

At that time Ivanoushka the Simpleton made up his mind to take a trip
somewhere. He put a saddle on a cow, jumped up on her back facing the
tail, and left the town. He came to a field, grasped the cow by the
horns, threw her far on the prairie and shouted:

"Come, come, you gray wolves and red foxes! there is a dinner for
you!"

Then he ordered his faithful horse, crawled into one ear, and jumped
out of the other. Master and courser went on an errand, this time
toward the south. One, two, three, and they were in dark woods. In
these woods the wished-for pig was walking around, a golden-bristled
pig with silver tusks. She was eating roots, and after her followed
twelve little pigs.

Ivanoushka the Simpleton threw over the pig a silk rope with a running
noose, gathered the little pigs into a basket and went home, but
before he reached the town of the Tsar Pea he pitched a tent with a
golden top and lay down for a rest. On the same road the brothers came
along with gloomy faces, not knowing what to say to the Tsar. They
saw the tent, and near by the very pig they were searching for, with
golden bristles and silver tusks, was fastened with a silk rope; and
in a basket were th