120 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

horse, but the maiden did as she was told, and took
the drop of blood and buried it in the garden. And
from this drop of blood there sprung up a cherry-
tree; and its first leaf was golden, and its second leaf
was of richer colour still, and its third leaf was yet
another colour, and every leaf upon it was different to
the others. One day the Tsar went out walking in
his garden, and when he saw this cherry-tree he fell in
love with it, and praised it to his daughter. “ Look!”
said he, ‘what a beauteous cherry-tree we have in
our garden! Who can tell from whence it sprung ?”
—But the moment the Tsarivna saw it, she cried:
“That tree will be my ruin! thou must cut it down.”
—“‘Nay!” said he, ‘how can I cut down the fairest
ornament of my garden?”—‘ Down it must come,
and down it shall come!” replied the Tsarivna. Then
they sent for an axe and made ready to cut it down,
but the damsel came running up, and said: “Oh,
darling little cherry-tree, darling little cherry-tree,
so fair thou art! From a horse hast thou sprung,
and now they will fell thee down before thou hast
lived a day !”— Never mind,” said the cherry-tree ;
“take the first chip that falls from me, and throw it
into the water.’—Then they cut down the cherry-
tree; but the girl did as she was bidden, and threw
the first chip from the cherry-tree into the water,
and out of it swam a drake so beautiful that it was