224 SLAV TALES

Water from the Heroic Well, for this is drunk by the
hurricane.”

The princess drew a bucketful of water, which the young
man emptied at one draught and then asked for another.
This astonished her somewhat, but she gave it him, and
when he had drunk it he said, ‘“‘ Allow me, princess, to sit
down for a moment to take breath.”

She gave him an iron chair, but directly he sat down
it broke into a thousand pieces. She then brought him
the chair used by Vikher himself, but although it was
made of the strongest steel, it bent and creaked beneath the
prince's weight.

‘Now you see,” said he, “that I have grown heavier
than your unconquerable hurricane: so take courage, with
God’s help and your good wishes I shall overcome him. In
the meantime tell me how you pass your time here,”

“Alas! in bitter tears and sad reflections. My only
consolation is that I have been able to keep my persecutor
at a distance, for he vainly implores me to marry him.
Two years have now passed away, and yet none of his efforts
to win my consent have been successful. Last time he went
away he told me that if on his return he had not guessed the
riddles I set him (the correct explanation of these being the
condition I have made for his marrying me), he would set
them aside, and marry me in spite of my objections.”

“Ah, then I am just in time. I will be the priest on
that occasion, and give him Death for a bride.”

At that moment a horrible whistling was heard.

‘Be on your guard, prince,” cried she, “here comes the
hurricane.”