Withthesewordsthebirdflewupintotheairanddisappearedamongtheclouds。
AlmostdirectlyIwanichsawhistwohorsesbeingdriventowardshimbyahostofeaglesofallsizes。Hecaughtthemareandfoal，andhavingthankedtheeaglehedrovethemcheerfullyhomeagain。
Theoldwitchwasmoredisgustedthaneverwhenshesawhimappearing，andhavingsethissupperbeforehimshestoleintothestables，andIwanichheardherabusingthehorsesfornothavinghiddenthemselvesbetterintheclouds。Thenshebadethemhidethemselvesnextmorning，assoonasIwanichwasasleep，intheKing’shen-house，whichstoodonalonelypartoftheheath，andtoremaintheretillshecalled。Iftheyfailedtodoasshetoldthemshewouldcertainlybeatthemthistimetilltheybled。
OnthefollowingmorningthePrincedrovehishorsesasusualtothefields。Afterhehadbeenoverpoweredbysleep，asontheformerdays，themareandfoalranawayandhidthemselvesintheroyalhenhouse。
WhenthePrinceawokeandfoundthehorsesgonehedeterminedtoappealtothefox；so，lightingafire，hethrewthetwohairsintoit，andinafewmomentsthefoxstoodbesidehimandasked:
’InwhatwaycanIserveyou？’
’Iwishtoknow，’repliedIwanich，’wheretheKing’shen-houseis。’
’Hardlyanhour’swalkfromhere，’answeredthefox，andofferedtoshowthePrincethewaytoit。
Whiletheywerewalkingalongthefoxaskedhimwhathewantedtodoattheroyalhen-house。ThePrincetoldhimofthemisfortunethathadbefallenhim，andofthenecessityofrecoveringthemareandfoal。
’Thatisnoeasymatter，’repliedthefox。’Butwaitamoment。
Ihaveanidea。Standatthedoorofthehen-house，andwaitthereforyourhorses。InthemeantimeIwillslipinamongthehensthroughaholeinthewallandgivethemagoodchase，sothatthenoisetheymakewillarousetheroyalhenwives，andtheywillcometoseewhatisthematter。Whentheyseethehorsestheywillatonceimaginethemtobethecauseofthedisturbance，andwilldrivethemout。Thenyoumustlayhandsonthemareandfoalandcatchthem。
Allturnedoutexactlyastheslyfoxhadforeseen。ThePrinceswunghimselfonthemare，seizedthefoalbyitsbridle，andhurriedhome。
Whilehewasridingovertheheathinthehighestofspiritsthemaresuddenlysaidtoherrider:’YouarethefirstpersonwhohaseversucceededinoutwittingtheoldwitchCorva，andnowyoumayaskwhatrewardyoulikeforyourservice。IfyoupromisenevertobetraymeIwillgiveyouapieceofadvicewhichyouwilldowelltofollow。’
ThePrincepromisednevertobetrayherconfidence，andthemarecontinued:’Asknothingelseasarewardthanmyfoal，forithasnotitslikeintheworld，andisnottobeboughtforloveormoney；foritcangofromoneendoftheearthtoanotherinafewminutes。OfcoursethecunningCorvawilldoherbesttodissuadeyoufromtakingthefoal，andwilltellyouthatitisbothidleandsickly；butdonotbelieveher，andsticktoyourpoint。’
Iwanichlongedtopossesssuchananimal，andpromisedthemaretofollowheradvice。
ThistimeCorvareceivedhiminthemostfriendlymanner，andsetasumptuousrepastbeforehim。Assoonashehadfinishedsheaskedhimwhatrewardhedemandedforhisyear’sservice。
’Nothingmorenorless，’repliedthePrince，’thanthefoalofyourmare。’
Thewitchpretendedtobemuchastonishedathisrequest，andsaidthathedeservedsomethingmuchbetterthanthefoal，forthebeastwaslazyandnervous，blindinoneeye，and，inshort，wasquiteworthless。
ButthePrinceknewwhathewanted，andwhentheoldwitchsawthathehadmadeuphismindtohavethefoal，shesaid，’Iamobligedtokeepmypromiseandtohandyouoverthefoal；andasIknowwhoyouareandwhatyouwant，Iwilltellyouinwhatwaytheanimalwillbeusefultoyou。Themaninthecauldronofboilingpitch，whomyousetfree，isamightymagician；throughyourcuriosityandthoughtlessnessMilitzacameintohispower，andhehastransportedherandhercastleandbelongingsintoadistantcountry。
’Youaretheonlypersonwhocankillhim；andinconsequencehefearsyoutosuchanextentthathehassetspiestowatchyou，andtheyreportyourmovementstohimdaily。
’Whenyouhavereachedhim，bewareofspeakingasinglewordtohim，oryouwillfallintothepowerofhisfriends。Seizehimatoncebythebeardanddashhimtotheground。’
Iwanichthankedtheoldwitch，mountedhisfoal，putspurstoitssides，andtheyflewlikelightningthroughtheair。
Alreadyitwasgrowingdark，whenIwanichperceivedsomefiguresinthedistance；theysooncameuptothem，andthenthePrincesawthatitwasthemagicianandhisfriendswhoweredrivingthroughtheairinacarriagedrawnbyowls。
WhenthemagicianfoundhimselffacetofacewithIwanich，withouthopeofescape，heturnedtohimwithfalsefriendlinessandsaid:’Thricemykindbenefactor！’
ButthePrince，withoutsayingaword，seizedhimatoncebyhisbeardanddashedhimtotheground。Atthesamemomentthefoalsprangonthetopofthemagicianandkickedandstampedonhimwithhishoofstillhedied。
ThenIwanichfoundhimselfoncemoreinthepalaceofhisbride，andMilitzaherselfflewintohisarms。
Fromthistimeforwardtheylivedinundisturbedpeaceandhappinesstilltheendoftheirlives。
OnceuponatimetherelivedanoldcouplewhohadonesoncalledMartin。Nowwhentheoldman’stimehadcome，hestretchedhimselfoutonhisbedanddied。Thoughallhislifelonghehadtoiledandmoiled，heonlylefthiswidowandsontwohundredflorins。Theoldwomandeterminedtoputbythemoneyforarainyday；butalas！therainydaywascloseathand，fortheirmealwasallconsumed，andwhoispreparedtofacestarvationwithtwohundredflorinsattheirdisposal？Sotheoldwomancountedoutahundredofherflorins，andgivingthemtoMartin，toldhimtogointothetownandlayinastoreofmealforayear。
SoMartinstartedoffforthetown。Whenhereachedthemeat-markethefoundthewholeplaceinturmoil，andagreatnoiseofangryvoicesandbarkingofdogs。Mixinginthecrowd，henoticedastag-houndwhichthebutchershadcaughtandtiedtoapost，andwhichwasbeingfloggedinamercilessmanner。
Overcomewithpity，Martinspoketothebutchers，saying:
’Friends，whyareyoubeatingthepoordogsocruelly？’
’Wehaveeveryrighttobeathim，’theyreplied；’hehasjustdevouredanewly-killedpig。’
’Leaveoffbeatinghim，’saidMartin，’andsellhimtomeinstead。’
’Ifyouchoosetobuyhim，’answeredthebutchersderisively；
’butforsuchatreasurewewon’ttakeapennylessthanahundredflorins。’
’Ahundred！’exclaimedMartin。’Well，sobeit，ifyouwillnottakeless；’and，takingthemoneyoutofhispocket，hehandeditoverinexchangeforthedog，whosenamewasSchurka。
WhenMartingothome，hismothermethimwiththequestion:
’Well，whathaveyoubought？’
’Schurka，thedog，’repliedMartin，pointingtohisnewpossession。Whereuponhismotherbecameveryangry，andabusedhimroundly。Heoughttobeashamedofhimself，whentherewasscarcelyahandfulofmealinthehouse，tohavespentthemoneyonauselessbrutelikethat。Onthefollowingdayshesenthimbacktothetown，saying，’Here，takeourlasthundredflorins，andbuyprovisionswiththem。Ihavejustemptiedthelastgrainsofmealoutofthechest，andbakedabannock；butitwon’tlastoverto-morrow。’
JustasMartinwasenteringthetownhemetarough-lookingpeasantwhowasdraggingacatafterhimbyastringwhichwasfastenedroundthepoorbeast’sneck。
’Stop，’criedMartin；’whereareyoudraggingthatpoorcat？’
’Imeantodrownhim，’wastheanswer。
’Whatharmhasthepoorbeastdone？’saidMartin。
’Ithasjustkilledagoose，’repliedthepeasant。
’Don’tdrownhim，sellhimtomeinstead，’beggedMartin。
’Notforahundredflorins，’wastheanswer。
’Surelyforahundredflorinsyou’llsellit？’saidMartin。
’See！hereisthemoney；’and，sosaying，hehandedhimthehundredflorins，whichthepeasantpocketed，andMartintookpossessionofthecat，whichwascalledWaska。
Whenhereachedhishomehismothergreetedhimwiththequestion:
’Well，whathaveyoubroughtback？’
’Ihavebroughtthiscat，Waska，’answeredMartin。
’Andwhatbesides？’
’Ihadnomoneyovertobuyanythingelsewith，’repliedMartin。
