Page:Russian Fairy Book (N. H. Dole).djvu/94

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64
IVAN AND THE GRAY WOLF

"Listen, Helena! You are now in our hands; we are going to take you to our sire, Tsar Vuislaf, and see to it that you tell him that it was we who got you and the Magic Bird and the gold-maned horse. If you fail to tell him this, we shall instantly put you to death!"

Helena, frightened out of her wits, agreed to this, and promised that she would say what they bade her say.

Then Prince Dimitri and Prince Vasili began to draw lots for the beautiful Queen Helena and the gold-maned horse. And according to the lot the queen fell to Prince Vasili, and the gold-maned horse to Prince Dimitri; and away they went to the city.

Prince Ivan lay dead in that place for thirty days, and at the end of that time the Gray Wolf came running up to him and recognised by the scent that it was Prince Ivan. He wanted to bring him to life again, but he did not know how to do it. Just then the Gray Wolf saw an old raven and two young ones flying over the body, and they were about to alight and devour Prince Ivan's flesh.

The Gray Wolf sprang behind a bush, and as soon as the young ravens had alighted on the