262 SLAV TALES

Princess Sudolisu. He made her unconscious with the herb
Sleep, and lifting her before him on his horse, said :

“ Marvel of strength and of beauty so white,
Horse of my heart, while I sing,
Swift as an arrow through space take thy flight
Straight to the court of my king.”

Then the horse, as if he saw some strange thing in the
clouds, lifted himself in the air and began to fly through
space so rapidly that in about two hours he had crossed
rivers, mountains, and forests, and had reached his journey’s
end.

Although Niezguinek had fallen violently in love with the
princess himself, he took her straight to the royal palace and
introduced her to the king.

Now she was so exquisitely beautiful that the monarch
was quite dazzled by looking at her, and being thus carried
away by his admiration, he put his arm round her as if to
caress her: but she rebuked him severely.

“What have I done to offend you, princess? Why do
you treat me so harshly?”

“Because in spite of your rank you are ill-bred. You
neither ask my name nor that of my parents, and you
think to take possession of me as if I were but a dog or a
falcon. You must understand that he who would be my
husband must have triple youth, that of heart, soul, and
body.”

“Charming princess, if I could become young again we
would be married directly.”

She replied, ‘‘But I have the means of making you so,