258 SLAV TALES

himself in the water-rushes. Soon there came a crowd of
crawfish, and amongst them a gigantic lobster as large as
a year-old calf. Niezguinek seized him and threw him on
the beach. The lobster said, ‘I am king of all the craw-
fish tribe. Let me go, and I will give you great riches for
my ransom.”

“J do not want your riches,” answered Niezguinek,
“but in exchange for your freedom give me the diamond
key which belongs to the silver ship with the golden masts,
for in that vessel dwells Princess Sudolisu.”’

The King of the Crawfish whistled, upon which myriads of
his subjects appeared. He spoke to them in their own lan-
guage, and dismissed one, who soon returned with the magic
diamond key in his claws.

Niezguinek loosed the King of the Crawfish ; and hiding
himself inside his horse’s body as he had been instructed, lay
in wait. At that moment an old raven, followed by all his
nestlings, happened to pass, and attracted by the horse’s
carcase, he called to his young ones. to come and feast with
him, Niezguinek seized the smallest of the birds and held it
firmly.

“Let my birdling go,” said the old raven, “TI will give you
in return anything you like to ask.”

“Fetch me then three kinds of water, the Life-giving, the
Curing, and the Strengthening.”

The old raven started off, and while awaiting his return
Niezguinek, who still held the ravenling, questioned him as
to where he had come from and what he had seen on his
travels, and in this way heard news of his brothers.

When the father bird returned, carrying with him the