168 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

and wept, and wrung his hands: “Oh, woe is me!
woe is me!” At last he lay down on his bed, but
sleep he could not. Only towards dawn did he doze
off, then he saw in a dream an angel standing at his
head. ‘Fear nothing!” said the angel. “God hath
sent me down on earth to protect thee!” So early
in the morning the priest rose up full of joy and
prayed gratefully to God.

The Tsar also awoke early in the morning, and
bawled to his huntsmen to gather together and go
a-hunting with him in the forest.

So away they went hunting in the forest, and it
was not long before a stag leaped out of the thicket
beneath the very eyes of the Tsar. Off after it went
the Tsar; every moment the stag seemed to be falter-
ing, and yet the Tsar could never quite come up
with it. Hot with excitement, the Tsar spurred his
horse on yet faster. “Gee up! gee up!” he cried;
“now we've got him!” But here a stream crossed
the road, and the stag plunged into the water. The
Tsar was a good: swimmer. “I’ve got him now, at
any rate,” thought he. ‘A little longer, and I shall
hold him by the horns.” So the Tsar took off his
clothes, and into the water he plunged after the stag.
But the stag swam across to the opposite bank, and
the Tsar was extending his hand to seize him by the
horns—when there was no longer any stag to be