16 SLAV TALES

recognise her among two hundred other women all exactly
alike?”

“No,” said they, “but perhaps our King can.”

Then arose from the midst of the flames an old man with
bald head and long white beard, who, on hearing his request,
replied: “‘ Though all these women be exactly alike, thy wife
will have a black thread in the shoe of her right foot.”

So saying he vanished, and the traveller, thanking the
twelve, descended the mountain.

Sure it is that without the black thread he would never
have recognised her. And though the Magician tried to
hide her, the spell was broken ; and the two returned rejoicing
to their home, where they lived happily ever after.