her that I, Knight Gol Voyansky, am come to marry her." Having said this he went to sleep again.

He

Churila mounted his horse, fought for a long time, and finally succeeded in slaying his opponents. spared one man only, and sent him to the Princess with Gol's message. But instead of a verbal answer, the Princess sent out six knights and three companies of soldiers.

The knights again awakened Gol.

"That's nothing!" cried our hero. "At one blow I could kill them all. Here, Prince Bova, go you and make an end of them; spare one, and send him to the Princess."

Prince Bova killed the knights and routed the little army. Hereupon the Princess sent out twelve knights and six companies of soldiers. They advanced amid the clash of arms and the sound of trumpets.

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"O-ho!" cried Gol, getting up; "how many are there of them? Twelve gadflies and a great many gnats. Here, Eruslan, go and fight them; if you can't beat them, I'll come and help you."

Eruslan mounted his steed, and drew his trusty sword. How he hewed about him-right and left! He slew all the knights; the soldiers, terrified, fled from the field. The Princess saw it was a hopeless case. As a last resource, however, she sent out Zilant the Dragon.

Zilant roared tremendously as he came out of his iron nest. It was suspended in the air by twelve iron chains, tied to twelve oak trees. He flew out like an arrow, and called upon the intruders to prepare for the fight.

"It's my turn now," said Gol to his knights-companions. "Alas!" he thought within himself, "I must go-to die! It's all over with me, but I shall at least fall like a hero."

Having devoutly crossed himself, he mounted his mare, waved his axe, and, shutting his eyes, rode to meet the dragon.

Zilant roared more furiously than ever at the sight of Gol, thinking the moujik was sent out to mock him. Meanwhile, poor Gol, whispering to himself, "Oh, my father and brothers! remember my name-think of me when I am gone!" awaited the approach of death. Zilant stared at the peasant. Surely," he thought, "there is some trickery here. A moujik-and on such a beast-sent out to fight me! Why, with a click of a little finger he could be tossed half a dozen yards."

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In his fear of treachery he stooped, and began to examine Gol's saddle. In an instant Gol rose up, and gave the dragon such a tremendous blow on the head with his axe that he fell down stunned, and rolled over on the sand. Then Gol cut and chopped at him until he had hewn him into pieces like so much wood. Having killed

the dragon, Gol took his helmet, and returned with it to his companions. Hereupon the Princess ordered the gates of her palace to be opened, and invited the knights to an entertaiment. When she saw Gol she greatly wondered wherein his strength lay. She put her hand upon his shoulder, and pressed him down so heavily that Gol could with difficulty stand under it.

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Welcome, valiant knight!" cried the Princess. "I have always admired courage.'

Then she squeezed his hand so hard that the poor fellow ground his teeth together to prevent his screaming out with pain.

"Defend our kingdom," continued the Princess, "and be our guardian.".

Gol said to himself, "Would that I could be sure to keep a whole bone in my skin."

The Princess ordered some strong, old mead to be brought, in order to try her visitors; but Gol would not touch a drop of it, saying that when his work was done he only drank of the water of heroes.*

"We have some of the water of heroes preserved," said the Princess.

“How much have you?" asked Gol.

"A bottleful," answered the Princess.

* A water the virtue of which is to inspire heroism and knightly qualities.

"Is it of the same size as ours?" asked Gol.

bottles contain barely a glassful."

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"Our

Try it," said the Princess. She ordered the bottle to be brought in, together with a golden cup.

Gol filled the cup, and drank the water; his strength greatly increased. The Princess wished to know how he liked it.

"I've hardly tasted it," said Gol. He then drank three cups of the water, one after another.

"You have drunk enough," cried the Princess; "there will be none left for me."

"Glorious Water of Heroes!" exclaimed Gol, walking about and spreading out his arms. "Now let me try

my strength."

He ordered a thick rope, like a ship's cable, and twisted it into an open noose. Then he mounted a splendid charger from the Princess's stable, galloped about for a time, and jumped headlong into the middle of the The cable burst asunder into fragments.

noose.

From that day Gol became a valiant knight. He assumed the manners suitable to his high position, and married the Princess. They had two daughters, whose names were “Daring," and "Success." Gol felt very proud whenever he looked at them; and there was no one living who ever doubted that he had killed thirtythree knights at a blow.

1

LIDUSHKA AND THE WATER DEMON'S

WIFE.

(FROM THE BOHEMIAN.)

In a certain place lived a young housewife, whose name was Lidushka. One day, as she was washing linen in a rivulet, a large, swollen frog swam towards her, looking so ugly that Lidushka, alarmed at the sight of it, jumped back a pace or two. The ugly looking frog approached nearly to the spot where Lidushka had just been washing, spread its legs out on the top of the water, and opening its mouth as if it wished to say something, stood perfectly still.

"You great, fat frog," said Lidushka to herself; "what do you want here, and why do you open your mouth at me so?"

She then threw a piece of linen that she happened to have in her hand at the frog, wishing to drive it away that she might go on with her washing. The frog dived, and before Lidushka had time to look about her, it reappeared at the other side of the water, and began