288 SLAV TALES

“What a pity it is,” said they, “that this splendid steed
should starve to death; he droops his head and will take
nothing.”

“‘Give him,” said the disguised prince, “some pea-straw ;
I bet you anything he will eat that.”

“But do you really think so? Why, our rough draught
horses would refuse such coarse food.”

The prince’s only answer was to fetch a bundle of pea-
straw, which he put into Zlato-Nrivak’s marble trough : then,
passing his hand gently over his neck and mane, he said to
him, “Grieve no more, my horse with the golden mane.”

The beautiful creature recognised his master’s voice, and
neighing with joy, greedily devoured the pea-straw.

The news. was noised about from one end of the palace
to the other, and the sick king summoned the boy to his
presence.

“J hear you have made Zlato-Nrivak eat,” said his
majesty ; “do you think you could make my fire-bird sing?
Go and examine him closely: he is very sad, he droops his
wings, and will neither eat nor drink. Ah me! if he dies
I shall certainly die too.”

“Your majesty may rest assured, the bird will not die.
Let him have some husks of barley to eat, then he will soon
be all right and begin to sing.”

The king ordered them to be brought, and the disguised
prince put a handful into Ohnivak’s cage, saying, “Cheer
up, my fire-bird.”

As soon as Ohnivak heard his master’s voice he shook
himself, and made his feathers shine with more than their
usual brightness, Then he began to dance about his cage,