348 SLAV TALES

to the king and told him about the wand, and how badly
he had been beaten. When the king heard that the fool
possessed a wand that struck of itself, he wanted it so much
that for a time he forgot all about the tablecloth, and
sent some of his soldiers with orders to bring him back
the wand.

When they entered the cottage, the fool, as usual, was
lying on the stove.

“Deliver up the wand to us instantly,” said they; “the
king is willing to pay any price you ask, but if you refuse he
will take it from you by force.”

Instead of replying the fool unwound the waistband, saying
to it as he did so:

“O marvellous, wonderful, lake-forming Band,
For my safety, and not for my fun,
Bear me in a boat on thy waves far from land,
So that I from my foes need not run.”

There was a shimmering in the air, while at the same
moment everything around them disappeared, and a beautiful
lake, long, wide, and deep, was seen, surrounded by green
fields. Fish with golden scales and eyes of pearls played in
the clear water. In the centre, in a small silver skiff, rowed
a man, whom the soldiers recognised as the fool.

They remained some time looking at this miracle, and
then ran off to tell the king. Now when the king heard
thereof he was so anxious to possess the lake, or rather the
waistband that produced the lake, that he sent a whole
battalion of soldiers to take the fool prisoner.

This time they managed to get hold of him while he was