Theownerofitwasnoneotherthanthekind-heartedgauntgreybeggarwhohadgiventhePrincethebagofbread-crumbsandthehare。WithoutrecognisingIwanich，heopenedthedoorwhenheknockedandgavehimshelterforthenight。
OnthefollowingmorningthePrinceaskedhishostifhecouldgethimanyworktodo，ashewasquiteunknownintheneighbourhood，andhadnotenoughmoneytotakehimhome。
’Myson，’repliedtheoldman，’allthiscountryroundhereisuninhabited；Imyselfhavetowandertodistantvillagesformyliving，andeventhenIdonotveryoftenfindenoughtosatisfymyhunger。ButifyouwouldliketotakeservicewiththeoldwitchCorva，gostraightupthelittlestreamwhichflowsbelowmyhutforaboutthreehours，andyouwillcometoasand-hillontheleft-handside；thatiswhereshelives。’
Iwanichthankedthegauntgreybeggarforhisinformation，andwentonhisway。
AfterwalkingforaboutthreehoursthePrincecameuponadreary-lookinggreystonewall；thiswasthebackofthebuildinganddidnotattracthim；butwhenhecameuponthefrontofthehousehefounditevenlessinviting，fortheoldwitchhadsurroundedherdwellingwithafenceofspikes，oneveryoneofwhichaman’sskullwasstuck。Inthishorribleenclosurestoodasmallblackhouse，whichhadonlytwogratedwindows，allcoveredwithcobwebs，andabatteredirondoor。
ThePrinceknocked，andaraspingwoman’svoicetoldhimtoenter。
Iwanichopenedthedoor，andfoundhimselfinasmoke-begrimedkitchen，inthepresenceofahideousoldwomanwhowaswarmingherskinnyhandsatafire。ThePrinceofferedtobecomeherservant，andtheoldhagtoldhimshewasbadlyinwantofone，andheseemedtobejustthepersontosuither。
WhenIwanichaskedwhathiswork，andhowmuchhiswageswouldbe，thewitchbadehimfollowher，andledthewaythroughanarrowdamppassageintoavault，whichservedasastable。Hereheperceivedtwopitch-blackhorsesinastall。
’Youseebeforeyou，’saidtheoldwoman，’amareandherfoal；
youhavenothingtodobuttoleadthemouttothefieldseveryday，andtoseethatneitherofthemrunsawayfromyou。IfyoulookafterthembothforawholeyearIwillgiveyouanythingyouliketoask；butif，ontheotherhand，youleteitheroftheanimalsescapeyou，yourlasthouriscome，andyourheadshallbestuckonthelastspikeofmyfence。Theotherspikes，asyousee，arealreadyadorned，andtheskullsareallthoseofdifferentservantsIhavehadwhohavefailedtodowhatI
demanded。’
Iwanich，whothoughthecouldnotbemuchworseoffthanhewasalready，agreedtothewitch’sproposal。
Atdaybreaknestmorninghedrovehishorsestothefield，andbroughtthembackintheeveningwithouttheireverhavingattemptedtobreakawayfromhim。Thewitchstoodatherdoorandreceivedhimkindly，andsetagoodmealbeforehim。
Soitcontinuedforsometime，andallwentwellwiththePrince。
Earlyeverymorningheledthehorsesouttothefields，andbroughtthemhomesafeandsoundintheevening。
Oneday，whilehewaswatchingthehorses，hecametothebanksofariver，andsawabigfish，whichthroughsomemischancehadbeencastontheland，strugglinghardtogetbackintothewater。
Iwanich，whofeltsorryforthepoorcreature，seizeditinhisarmsandflungitintothestream。Butnosoonerdidthefishfinditselfinthewateragain，than，tothePrince’samazement，itswamuptothebankandsaid:
’Mykindbenefactor，howcanIrewardyouforyourgoodness？’
’Idesirenothing，’answeredthePrince。’Iamquitecontenttohavebeenabletobeofsomeservicetoyou。’
’Youmustdomethefavour，’repliedthefish，’totakeascalefrommybody，andkeepitcarefully。Ifyoushouldeverneedmyhelp，throwitintotheriver，andIwillcometoyouraidatonce。’
Iwanichbowed，loosenedascalefromthebodyofthegratefulbeast，putitcarefullyaway，andreturnedhome。
Ashorttimeafterthis，whenhewasgoingearlyonemorningtotheusualgrazingplacewithhishorses，henoticedaflockofbirdsassembledtogethermakingagreatnoiseandflyingwildlybackwardsandforwards。
Fullofcuriosity，Iwanichhurrieduptothespot，andsawthatalargenumberofravenshadattackedaneagle，andalthoughtheeaglewasbigandpowerfulandwasmakingabravefight，itwasoverpoweredatlastbynumbers，andhadtogivein。
ButthePrince，whowassorryforthepoorbird，seizedthebranchofatreeandhitoutattheravenswithit；terrifiedatthisunexpectedonslaughttheyflewaway，leavingmanyoftheirnumberdeadorwoundedonthebattlefield。
Assoonastheeaglesawitselffreefromitstormentorsitpluckedafeatherfromitswing，and，handingittothePrince，said:’Here，mykindbenefactor，takethisfeatherasaproofofmygratitude；shouldyoueverbeinneedofmyhelpblowthisfeatherintotheair，andIwillhelpyouasmuchasisinmypower。’
Iwanichthankedthebird，andplacingthefeatherbesidethescalehedrovethehorseshome。
Anotherdayhehadwanderedfartherthanusual，andcameclosetoafarmyard；theplacepleasedthePrince，andastherewasplentyofgoodgrassforthehorseshedeterminedtospendthedaythere。Justashewassittingdownunderatreeheheardacryclosetohim，andsawafoxwhichhadbeencaughtinatrapplacedtherebythefarmer。
Invaindidthepoorbeasttrytofreeitself；thenthegood-naturedPrincecameoncemoretotherescue，andletthefoxoutofthetrap。
Thefoxthankedhimheartily，toretwohairsoutofhisbushytail，andsaid:’Shouldyoueverstandinneedofmyhelpthrowthesetwohairsintothefire，andinamomentIshallbeatyoursidereadytoobeyyou。’
Iwanichputthefox’shairswiththescaleandthefeather，andasitwasgettingdarkhehastenedhomewithhishorses。
Inthemeantimehisservicewasdrawingneartoanend，andinthreemoredaystheyearwasup，andhewouldbeabletogethisrewardandleavethewitch。
Onthefirsteveningoftheselastthreedays，whenhecamehomeandwaseatinghissupper，henoticedtheoldwomanstealingintothestables。
ThePrincefollowedhersecretlytoseewhatshewasgoingtodo。
HecroucheddowninthedoorwayandheardthewickedwitchtellingthehorsestowaitnextmorningtillIwanichwasasleep，andthentogoandhidethemselvesintheriver，andtostaytheretillshetoldthemtoreturn；andiftheydidn’tdoasshetoldthemtheoldwomanthreatenedtobeatthemtilltheybled。
WhenIwanichheardallthishewentbacktohisroom，determinedthatnothingshouldinducehimtofallasleepnextday。Onthefollowingmorningheledthemareandfoaltothefieldsasusual，butboundacordroundthembothwhichhekeptinhishand。
Butafterafewhours，bythemagicartsoftheoldwitch，hewasoverpoweredbysleep，andthemareandfoalescapedanddidastheyhadbeentoldtodo。ThePrincedidnotawaketilllateintheevening；andwhenhedid，hefound，tohishorror，thatthehorseshaddisappeared。Filledwithdespair，hecursedthemomentwhenhehadenteredtheserviceofthecruelwitch，andalreadyhesawhisheadstickinguponthesharpspikebesidetheothers。
Thenhesuddenlyrememberedthefish’sscale，which，withtheeagle’sfeatherandthefox’shairs，healwayscarriedaboutwithhim。Hedrewthescalefromhispocket，andhurryingtotheriverhethrewitin。InaminutethegratefulfishswamtowardsthebankonwhichIwanichwasstanding，andsaid:’Whatdoyoucommand，myfriendandbenefactor？’
ThePrincereplied:’Ihadtolookafteramareandfoal，andtheyhaverunawayfrommeandhavehiddenthemselvesintheriver；ifyouwishtosavemylifedrivethembacktotheland。’
’Waitamoment，’answeredthefish，’andIandmyfriendswillsoondrivethemoutofthewater。’Withthesewordsthecreaturedisappearedintothedepthsofthestream。
Almostimmediatelyarushinghissingsoundwasheardinthewaters，thewavesdashedagainstthebanks，thefoamwastossedintotheair，andthetwohorsesleaptsuddenlyontothedryland，tremblingandshakingwithfear。
Iwanichsprangatonceontothemare’sback，seizedthefoalbyitsbridle，andhastenedhomeinthehighestspirits。
WhenthewitchsawthePrincebringingthehorseshomeshecouldhardlyconcealherwrath，andassoonasshehadplacedIwanich’ssupperbeforehimshestoleawayagaintothestables。ThePrincefollowedher，andheardherscoldingthebeastsharshlyfornothavinghiddenthemselvesbetter。ShebadethemwaitnextmorningtillIwanichwasasleepandthentohidethemselvesintheclouds，andtoremaintheretillshecalled。Iftheydidnotdoasshetoldthemshewouldbeatthemtilltheybled。
Thenextmorning，afterIwanichhadledhishorsestothefields，hefelloncemoreintoamagicsleep。Thehorsesatonceranawayandhidthemselvesintheclouds，whichhungdownfromthemountainsinsoftbillowymasses。
WhenthePrinceawokeandfoundthatboththemareandthefoalhaddisappeared，hebethoughthimatonceoftheeagle，andtakingthefeatheroutofhispocketheblewitintotheair。
Inamomentthebirdswoopeddownbesidehimandasked:’Whatdoyouwishmetodo？’
’Mymareandfoal，’repliedthePrince，’haverunawayfromme，andhavehiddenthemselvesintheclouds；ifyouwishtosavemylife，restorebothanimalstome。’
’Waitaminute，’answeredtheeagle；’withthehelpofmyfriendsIwillsoondrivethembacktoyou。’
