88 SLAV TALES

to George, “ You robbed me of the secret of animal language.
For this I intended to have your head cut off and your body
thrown to birds of prey. But as you have served me so faith-
fully and won the princess for my bride I will Jessen the
punishment—that is, although you will be executed, yet you
shall be buried with all the honours worthy of a superior
officer.”

So the sentence was carried out, cruelly and unjustly.
After the execution the Princess with the Golden Hair begged
the king to make her a present of George’s body, and the
monarch was so much in love that he could not refuse his
intended bride anything.

Zlato Vlaska with her own hands replaced the head on
the body, and sprinkled it with the Water of Death. Im-
mediately the separated parts became one again. Upon this
she poured the Water of Life, and George returned to life,
fresh as a young roebuck, his face radiant with health and
youth.

“Ah me! How well I have slept,” said he, rubbing his
eyes.

“Yes; no one could have slept better,” answered the
princess, smiling, “but without me you would have slept
through eternity.”

When the old king saw George restored to life, and look-
ing younger, handsomer, and more vigorous than ever, he
too wanted to be made young again. He therefore ordered
his servants to cut off his head and sprinkle it with the Life-
Giving Water. They cut it off, but he did not come to life
again, although they sprinkled his body with all the water
that was left. Perhaps they made some mistake in using