Page:The Russian Garland of Fairy Tales.djvu/33

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LYUBIM AND THE WINGED WOLF

Then Tsar Elidar and Tsarina Militissa arose and went to meet their sons in the way, and unarmed them, and embraced them tenderly. And when they returned to the palace a great banquet was made, and they feasted seven days and seven nights. At the end of this time they began to think of the wedding, and to make preparations, and invite the guests, boyars, and brave warriors and knights.

Now, the Winged Wolf, who knew that they had slain their brother, Lyubim Tsarevich, ran and fetched the waters of life and death, collected all the remains of Lyubim, and sprinkled them with the water of death; thereupon the bones grew together, and no sooner had he sprinkled them with the water of life than the brave youth stood up, as if nothing had happened, to him, and said: "Ah, what a time I have slept!" Then the Wolf answered: "Ay, you would have slept on for ever had I not come to awaken you"; and he related to Lyubim all that his brothers had done; and, changing himself into a horse, he said: "Hasten after them—you will be sure to overtake them; to-morrow your brother Aksof Tsarevich is to marry the Princess."

So Lyubim instantly set out, and the Wolf-steed galloped over hill and dale, until they arrived

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