278 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

was in vain, she fell to piteously beseeching him, and
erled: ‘‘Ivan Golik! Ivan Golik! beat me not, and
Pll do all thy behests !”

- “JT have nothing to do with thee at all,” said he,
‘but when thou dost come up to the prince, fall
down before him, and stretch out thy legs towards
him !”

At this she bethought her for along time. ‘“ Well,”
erled she at last, “it must be so, there is no doing
anything with thee!” So she carried him all over the
courtyard, fell down before the prince, and stretched
out her legs towards him.

Then said the prince: “ Thou seest what a sorry
jade it is! And ye would have had me mount such
a mare!”

At this the serpent was full of shame, but there
was nothing to be said or done. So they went into the
garden and sat them down to dinner. The youngest
daughter met them there, and they greeted her. The
prince could not refrain from looking at her, so fair
was she, and now she seemed fairer than ever. Then
they sat down and ate, and when the meal was over
the serpent said: ‘“ Well, prince, after dinner I'll
bring all my daughters into the courtyard, and if
you can find out the youngest, you may be happy
together.”

So after dinner the serpent bade his daughters go