108 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

When they reached the forest she stopped and coiled
herself round and round beneath a hazel-nut bush.
Then she said to the man: “Now kiss me once, but
see to 1t that I do not bite thee!”—Then he kissed
her once, and she wound herself round a branch of a
tree and asked him: “What dost thou feel within
thee ?”—He answered: “At the moment when [
kissed thee it seemed to me as if I knew everything
that was going on in the world!”—Then she said to
him again: “ Kiss me a second time!”—* And what
dost thou feel now?” she asked when he had kissed
her again.—‘‘ Now,” said he, “I understand all
languages which are spoken amongst men.”—Then
she said to him: *‘ And now kiss me a third time, but
this will be for the last time.” Then he kissed the
Serpent for the last time, and she said to him:
“What dost thou feel now ?”——‘‘ Now,” said he, ‘I
know all that is going on under the earth.”—*«<Go
now,” said she, “to the Tsar, and he will give thee
his daughter for the knowledge thou hast. But pray
to God for poor me, for now I must be and remain a
serpent again.” And with that the Serpent uncoiled
herself and disappeared among the bushes, but the
man went away and wedded the Tsar’s daughter.