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and pecking up the husks, sang so exquisitely that the
king immediately felt better, and it was as if a great weight
had been lifted off his heart. The fire-bird again burst into
song, and this so affected the king that he sat up quite well,
and embraced the disguised prince out of very gratitude.

“Now,” said he, ‘teach me how to restore to health
this beautiful maiden with the golden hair whom my sons
brought back with them ; for she will not speak a word, her
beautiful hair remains uncared for, and her tears fall night
and day.”

“Tf your majesty will allow me to speak a few words
to her, it may be the means of making her bright and
happy.”

The king himself led the way to her apartments, and
the disguised prince, taking her hand, said: “Look up a
moment, sweetheart; why these tears? And why grieve
thus, dear bride?”

The maiden knew him at once, and with a cry of joy
threw herself into his arms. This astonished the king
mightily, and he could not for the life of him think how
a stable-boy dare address such a princess as his “dear
bride.”

The prince then addressed the king thus: “And are
you indeed the only one who does not know me? How
is it, my father and sovereign, that you have not recognised
your youngest son? I alone have succeeded in obtaining
the Fire-Bird, the Horse with the Golden Mane, and the
Maid with the Golden Hair.”

Thereupon he related all his adventures, and Zlato-Vlaska
in her turn told how the wicked brothers had threatened