76 SLAV TALES

One day an old woman came to the palace and said, ‘I
wish to speak to his majesty, for I have something of great
importance to tell him.” When admitted to his presence she
presented him with a curious fish, saying, ‘“‘ Have it cooked for
yourself, and when you have eaten it you will understand all
that is said by the birds of the air, the animals that walk the
earth, and the fishes that live under the waters.”

The king was delighted to know that which every one else
was ignorant of, so he rewarded the old woman generously, and
told a servant to cook the fish very carefully.

“But take care,” said the monarch, “that you do not
taste it yourself, for if you do you will be killed.”

George, the servant, was astonished at such a threat, and
wondered why his master was so anxious that no one else
should eat any of the fish. Then examining it curiously he
said, “Never in all my life have I seen such an odd-looking
fish ; it seems more like a reptile. Now where would be the
harm if I did take some? Every cook tastes of the dishes he
prepares.”

When it was fried he tasted a small piece, and while taking
some of the sauce heard a buzzing in the air and a voice
speaking in his ear.

“Let us taste a crumb: let us taste a little,” it said.

He looked round to see where the words came from,
but there were only a few flies buzzing about in the
kitchen. At the same moment some one out in the yard
said in a harsh jerky voice, ‘Where are we going to settle?
Where 2?”

And another answered, ‘‘In the miller’s barley-field; ho!
for the miller’s field of barley.”