IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS. 281

and made him the first of his counsellors. Whatever
Ivan Golik said was performed throughout the realm,
while the Tsar had only to sit on his throne and do
nothing.

So the young prince dwelt with his wife for a year

   

   

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or two, and in the third year a son was added to
them, and the heart of the prince was glad. Now
one day he took his little son in his arms, and said:
“Is there anything in the wide world that I like
better than this child?” When the princess saw that
the heart of her spouse was tender, she fell a-kissing