174 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

begging his bread, and could scarce beg enough to
keep body and soul together. He lay at night at the
first place that came to hand, sometimes in the tall
grass of the steppes, sometimes beneath a fence.
“That it should ever have come to this!” he
sighed.

But the angel who had made himself Tsar went
home with the huntsmen. And no man knew that
he was not a Tsar, but an angel. The same evening
that priest came to him and said: ‘Do thy will, O
Tsar, and strike off my head, for I cannot blot out
one word of Holy Scripture.”—And the Tsar said to
him: “Glory be to God, for now I know that there
is at least one priest in my tsardom who stands firm
for God’s Word. Tl make thee the highest bishop in
this realm.” The priest thanked him, bowed down
to the earth, and departed marvelling. “What is
this wonder?” thought he, “that the haughty Tsar
should have become so just and gentle.’—But all
men marvelled at the change that had come over the
Tsar. He was now so mild and gracious, nor did he
spend all his days in the forest, but went about
inquiring of his people if any were wronged or
injured by their neighbours, and if justice were done.
He took count of all, and rebuked the unjust judges,
and saw that every man had his rights. And the
people now rejoiced as much as they had grieved