OHNIVAK 283

with the king of the silver palace: the nearer he came to it,
the more wretched he grew. The red fox, who noticed this,
said: “It appears to me that you do not want to exchange
the lovely Zlato-Vlaska for the Horse with the Golden Mane:
is it not so? Well, I have helped you so far, I will see what
I can do for you now.”

And having thus spoken he turned a somersault over the
stump of a fallen tree which lay in the forest: while, to the
prince’s amazement, he was immediately transformed into a
young girl exactly resembling the Princess with the Golden
Hair.

“Now, leave your real bride in the forest,” said the
transformed fox, “and take me with you to offer to the
king of the silver palace in exchange for his horse Zlato-
Nrivak. Mount the horse, return here, and escape with the
maid you love ; I will manage the rest.”

The king of the silver castle received the maiden without
the least suspicion, and handed over in exchange the Horse
with the Golden Mane, over whose back lay the bejewelled
bridle. The prince left at once.

At the palace all were busy preparing the wedding feast,
for the marriage was to take place immediately, and every-
thing was to be of the most costly description. Invitations
had been out to all the grandees of the land.

Towards the end of the feast, when every one had drunk
his fill of wine and pleasure, the king asked his guests their
opinions on the charms of his bride.

‘She is most beautiful,” said one, “in fact, it would be
impossible for her to be more lovely; only, it seems to me
that her eyes are somewhat like those of a fox.”