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THE SPIRIT OF THE STEPPES

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N ancient days there lived a king

and queen; the former was old but
the latter young. Although they loved
one another dearly they were very un-
happy, for God had not given them
any children. They fretted and grieved
about this so deeply that the queen
became ill with melancholy. The
doctors advised her to travel. The
king was obliged to remain at home,

BN

so she went without him, accompanied
by twelve maids of honour, all beautiful
and fresh as flowers in May. When
they had travelled for some days, they
reached a vast uninhabited plain which
stretched so far away it seemed to
touch the sky. After driving hither
and thither for some time the driver was

quite bewildered, and stopped before a
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