74 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

strong, so strong, and he waved his sabre again and
again so that not even a mouse could make its way
up to that well. What was to be done? Then the
little hare had resort to subtilty, and made herself
crooked, and limped towards the spring as if she
were lame. When the Muscovite saw her he said:
“What sort of a little beast is this? I never saw
the like of it before!” So the hare passed him by,
and went further and further on till she came right
up to the well. The Muscovite stood there and
opened his eyes wide, but the hare had now got up
to the spring and took a little flask of the water and
nipped off a little apple, and was off in a trice.

She ran back to the little Tsar Novishny, and
Nedviga immediately took the water and sprinkled
therewith the fragments of the little Tsar, and the
fragments came together again. Then he poured
some of the living water into his mouth and he
became alive, and gave him a bite of the apple of
youth, and he instantly grew young again and
stronger than ever. Then the little Tsar rose upon
his feet, stretched himself, and yawned. “What a
long time I’ve been asleep!” cried he.—“’Tis a good
thing for thee that we got the living and healing
water!” said Protius.—“ But what shall we do
next?” said they all. Then they all took council
together, and agreed that the little Tsar should