IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS. 275

to shame by touching a bow that one of my servants
can draw ?”

After that Ivan Golik returned to his fellow
servants, and put the pieces of the broken bow behind
his shin bone; but the prince returned with the
serpents into the guest-chamber, and they all rejoiced
because he had done his appointed task. But the
serpent whispered something in the ear of his
youngest daughter, and she went out, and he after
her. They remained outside a long time, and then
the serpent came in again, and said to the prince :
“There is no time for anything more to-day, but we'll
begin again early to-morrow morning. I havea horse
behind twelve doors; if thou canst mount it, thou
shalt have my daughter.”

Then they made merry again till evening and lay
down to sleep, but the prince went and told Golil.
Golik listened to the prince, and said: “Now thou
knowest, I suppose, why I took up those pieces of the
broken bow, for I could see what was coming. When
they lead forth this horse, look at it and say: I will
not mount that horse lest I put myself to shame. "Tig
with the horse as with the bow, any one of my
servants can mount it! But that horse is no horse at
all, but the serpent’s youngest daughter! Thou must
not sit upon her back, but I will trounce her finely.”

Early in the morning they all arose, and the prince