rselves drunk on it, to sleep our
fill, and then to set off in pursuit--and yet to be in time.'

Koshchei galloped off, caught up Prince Ivan:

'Didn't I tell you that you should not see Marya Morevna any more than
your own ears?'

And he took her away and carried her off home with him.

Prince Ivan was left there alone. He wept and wept; then he went back
again after Marya Morevna. Koshchei happened to be away from home at
that moment.

'Let us fly, Marya Morevna!'

'Ah, Prince Ivan! he is sure to catch us and hew you in pieces.'

'Let him hew away! I cannot live without you.

So they got ready and fled.

Koshchei the Deathless was returning home when his good steed stumbled
beneath him.

'Why stumblest thou? Scentest thou any ill?'

'Prince Ivan has come and has carried off Marya Morevna.'

Koshchei galloped off, caught Prince Ivan, chopped him into little
pieces, put them into a barrel, smeared it with pitch and bound it with
iron hoops, and flung it into the blue sea. But Marya Morevna he carried
off home.

At that very time the silver articles turned black which Prince Ivan had
left with his brothers-in-law.

'Ah!' said they, 'the evil is accomplished sure enough!'

Then the Eagle hurried to the blue sea, caught hold of the barrel, and
dragged it ashore; the Falcon flew away for the Water of Life, and the
Raven for the Water of Death.

Afterwards they all three met, broke open the barrel, took out the
remains of Prince Ivan, washed them, and put them together in fitting
order. The Raven sprinkled them with the Water of Death--the pieces
joined together, the body became whole. The Falcon sprinkled it with the
Water of Life--Prince Ivan shuddered, stood up, and said:

'Ah! what a time I've been sleeping!'

'You'd have gone on sleeping a good deal longer if it hadn't been for
us,' replied his brothers-in-law. 'Now come and pay us a visit.'

'Not so, brothers; I shall go and look for Marya Morevna.'

And when he had found her, he said to her:

'Find out from Koshchei the Deathless whence he got so good a steed.'

So Marya Morevna chose a favourable moment, and began asking Koshchei
about it. Koshchei replied:

'Beyond thrice nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, on the other side
of the fiery river, there lives a Baba Yaga. She has so good a mare that
she flies right round the world on it every day. And she has many other
splendid mares. I watched her herds for three days without losing a