86 SLAV TALES

“ Krak, krak, we know very well where to find some.
Wait a moment.”

Off they went immediately, but soon returned, each with
a small gourd in his beak. One gourd contained the Water
of Life, the other the Water of Death.

George was delighted with his success, and went back on
his way to the palace. When nearly out of the forest, he saw
a spider’s web hanging between two fir trees, while in the
centre was a large spider devouring a fly he had just killed.
George sprinkled a few drops of the Water of Death on the
spider ; it immediately left the fly, which rolled to the ground
like a ripe cherry, but on being touched with the Water of
Life she began to move, and stretching out first one limb and
then another, gradually freed herself from the spider’s web.
Then she spread her wings and took flight, having first buzzed
these words in the ears of her deliverer: ‘George, you have
assured your own happiness by restoring mine, for without
my help you would never have succeeded in recognising the
Princess with the Golden Hair when you choose her to-morrow
from among her twelve sisters.”

And the fly was right, for though the king, on finding that
George had accomplished the third task, agreed to give him
his daughter Zlato Vlaska, he yet added that he would have to
find her himself.

He then led him te a large room and bade him choose
from among the twelve charming girls who sat at a round
table. Each wore a kind of linen head-dress that com-
pletely hid the upper part of the head, and in such a way
that the keenest eye could not discover the colour of the
hair.