THE STORY OF LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY. 69

began to climb it; he did not miss a single branch,
and stopped a little at each one to gain time, and
so he climbed up to the very top, and then he took
out his flute and began to play upon it. But the
starling flew up to him and said: “Not so fast,
httle Tsar Novishny, for lo! thy dogs are running to
thee with all their might.” But his sister ran out
and said: “What art thou playing up there for?
Thou dost forget perhaps that we are waiting for
thee down here!” Then he began to descend the
tree, but he stopped at every branch on his way
down, while his sister kept on calling to him to
come down quicker. At last he came to the last
branch, and as he stood upon it and leaped down to
the ground, he thought to himself: “ Now I perish !”
At that same instant his dogs and his beasts,
growling loudly, came running up, and stood in a
circle around him. Then he crossed himself and
said: “Glory to Thee, O Lord! I have still, per-
chance, a little time to live in Thy fair world!”
Then he called aloud to the serpent and said: “ And
now, dear brother-in-law, come out, for I am ready
for thee!” Out came the serpent to eat him, but
he said to his dogs and his beasts: “ Vovchok!
Medvedik! Protius! Nedviga! Seize him!” Then
the dogs and the beasts rushed upon him and tore
him to bits.