Theownerofitwasnoneotherthanthekind-heartedgauntgreybeggarwhohadgiventhePrincethebagofbread-crumbsandthehare。WithoutrecognisingIwanich，heopenedthedoorwhenheknockedandgavehimshelterforthenight。
　　OnthefollowingmorningthePrinceaskedhishostifhecouldgethimanyworktodo，ashewasquiteunknownintheneighbourhood，andhadnotenoughmoneytotakehimhome。
　　’Myson，’repliedtheoldman，’allthiscountryroundhereisuninhabited；Imyselfhavetowandertodistantvillagesformyliving，andeventhenIdonotveryoftenfindenoughtosatisfymyhunger。ButifyouwouldliketotakeservicewiththeoldwitchCorva，gostraightupthelittlestreamwhichflowsbelowmyhutforaboutthreehours，andyouwillcometoasand-hillontheleft-handside；thatiswhereshelives。’
　　Iwanichthankedthegauntgreybeggarforhisinformation，andwentonhisway。
　　AfterwalkingforaboutthreehoursthePrincecameuponadreary-lookinggreystonewall；thiswasthebackofthebuildinganddidnotattracthim；butwhenhecameuponthefrontofthehousehefounditevenlessinviting，fortheoldwitchhadsurroundedherdwellingwithafenceofspikes，oneveryoneofwhichaman’sskullwasstuck。Inthishorribleenclosurestoodasmallblackhouse，whichhadonlytwogratedwindows，allcoveredwithcobwebs，andabatteredirondoor。
　　ThePrinceknocked，andaraspingwoman’svoicetoldhimtoenter。
　　Iwanichopenedthedoor，andfoundhimselfinasmoke-begrimedkitchen，inthepresenceofahideousoldwomanwhowaswarmingherskinnyhandsatafire。ThePrinceofferedtobecomeherservant，andtheoldhagtoldhimshewasbadlyinwantofone，andheseemedtobejustthepersontosuither。
　　WhenIwanichaskedwhathiswork，andhowmuchhiswageswouldbe，thewitchbadehimfollowher，andledthewaythroughanarrowdamppassageintoavault，whichservedasastable。Hereheperceivedtwopitch-blackhorsesinastall。
　　’Youseebeforeyou，’saidtheoldwoman，’amareandherfoal；
　　youhavenothingtodobuttoleadthemouttothefieldseveryday，andtoseethatneitherofthemrunsawayfromyou。IfyoulookafterthembothforawholeyearIwillgiveyouanythingyouliketoask；butif，ontheotherhand，youleteitheroftheanimalsescapeyou，yourlasthouriscome，andyourheadshallbestuckonthelastspikeofmyfence。Theotherspikes，asyousee，arealreadyadorned，andtheskullsareallthoseofdifferentservantsIhavehadwhohavefailedtodowhatI
　　demanded。’
　　Iwanich，whothoughthecouldnotbemuchworseoffthanhewasalready，agreedtothewitch’sproposal。
　　Atdaybreaknestmorninghedrovehishorsestothefield，andbroughtthembackintheeveningwithouttheireverhavingattemptedtobreakawayfromhim。Thewitchstoodatherdoorandreceivedhimkindly，andsetagoodmealbeforehim。
　　Soitcontinuedforsometime，andallwentwellwiththePrince。
　　Earlyeverymorningheledthehorsesouttothefields，andbroughtthemhomesafeandsoundintheevening。
　　Oneday，whilehewaswatchingthehorses，hecametothebanksofariver，andsawabigfish，whichthroughsomemischancehadbeencastontheland，strugglinghardtogetbackintothewater。
　　Iwanich，whofeltsorryforthepoorcreature，seizeditinhisarmsandflungitintothestream。Butnosoonerdidthefishfinditselfinthewateragain，than，tothePrince’samazement，itswamuptothebankandsaid:
　　’Mykindbenefactor，howcanIrewardyouforyourgoodness？’
　　’Idesirenothing，’answeredthePrince。’Iamquitecontenttohavebeenabletobeofsomeservicetoyou。’
　　’Youmustdomethefavour，’repliedthefish，’totakeascalefrommybody，andkeepitcarefully。Ifyoushouldeverneedmyhelp，throwitintotheriver，andIwillcometoyouraidatonce。’
　　Iwanichbowed，loosenedascalefromthebodyofthegratefulbeast，putitcarefullyaway，andreturnedhome。
　　Ashorttimeafterthis，whenhewasgoingearlyonemorningtotheusualgrazingplacewithhishorses，henoticedaflockofbirdsassembledtogethermakingagreatnoiseandflyingwildlybackwardsandforwards。
　　Fullofcuriosity，Iwanichhurrieduptothespot，andsawthatalargenumberofravenshadattackedaneagle，andalthoughtheeaglewasbigandpowerfulandwasmakingabravefight，itwasoverpoweredatlastbynumbers，andhadtogivein。
　　ButthePrince，whowassorryforthepoorbird，seizedthebranchofatreeandhitoutattheravenswithit；terrifiedatthisunexpectedonslaughttheyflewaway，leavingmanyoftheirnumberdeadorwoundedonthebattlefield。
　　Assoonastheeaglesawitselffreefromitstormentorsitpluckedafeatherfromitswing，and，handingittothePrince，said:’Here，mykindbenefactor，takethisfeatherasaproofofmygratitude；shouldyoueverbeinneedofmyhelpblowthisfeatherintotheair，andIwillhelpyouasmuchasisinmypower。’
　　Iwanichthankedthebird，andplacingthefeatherbesidethescalehedrovethehorseshome。
　　Anotherdayhehadwanderedfartherthanusual，andcameclosetoafarmyard；theplacepleasedthePrince，andastherewasplentyofgoodgrassforthehorseshedeterminedtospendthedaythere。Justashewassittingdownunderatreeheheardacryclosetohim，andsawafoxwhichhadbeencaughtinatrapplacedtherebythefarmer。
　　Invaindidthepoorbeasttrytofreeitself；thenthegood-naturedPrincecameoncemoretotherescue，andletthefoxoutofthetrap。
　　Thefoxthankedhimheartily，toretwohairsoutofhisbushytail，andsaid:’Shouldyoueverstandinneedofmyhelpthrowthesetwohairsintothefire，andinamomentIshallbeatyoursidereadytoobeyyou。’
　　Iwanichputthefox’shairswiththescaleandthefeather，andasitwasgettingdarkhehastenedhomewithhishorses。
　　Inthemeantimehisservicewasdrawingneartoanend，andinthreemoredaystheyearwasup，andhewouldbeabletogethisrewardandleavethewitch。
　　Onthefirsteveningoftheselastthreedays，whenhecamehomeandwaseatinghissupper，henoticedtheoldwomanstealingintothestables。
　　ThePrincefollowedhersecretlytoseewhatshewasgoingtodo。
　　HecroucheddowninthedoorwayandheardthewickedwitchtellingthehorsestowaitnextmorningtillIwanichwasasleep，andthentogoandhidethemselvesintheriver，andtostaytheretillshetoldthemtoreturn；andiftheydidn’tdoasshetoldthemtheoldwomanthreatenedtobeatthemtilltheybled。
　　WhenIwanichheardallthishewentbacktohisroom，determinedthatnothingshouldinducehimtofallasleepnextday。Onthefollowingmorningheledthemareandfoaltothefieldsasusual，butboundacordroundthembothwhichhekeptinhishand。
　　Butafterafewhours，bythemagicartsoftheoldwitch，hewasoverpoweredbysleep，andthemareandfoalescapedanddidastheyhadbeentoldtodo。ThePrincedidnotawaketilllateintheevening；andwhenhedid，hefound，tohishorror，thatthehorseshaddisappeared。Filledwithdespair，hecursedthemomentwhenhehadenteredtheserviceofthecruelwitch，andalreadyhesawhisheadstickinguponthesharpspikebesidetheothers。
　　Thenhesuddenlyrememberedthefish’sscale，which，withtheeagle’sfeatherandthefox’shairs，healwayscarriedaboutwithhim。Hedrewthescalefromhispocket，andhurryingtotheriverhethrewitin。InaminutethegratefulfishswamtowardsthebankonwhichIwanichwasstanding，andsaid:’Whatdoyoucommand，myfriendandbenefactor？’
　　ThePrincereplied:’Ihadtolookafteramareandfoal，andtheyhaverunawayfrommeandhavehiddenthemselvesintheriver；ifyouwishtosavemylifedrivethembacktotheland。’
　　’Waitamoment，’answeredthefish，’andIandmyfriendswillsoondrivethemoutofthewater。’Withthesewordsthecreaturedisappearedintothedepthsofthestream。
　　Almostimmediatelyarushinghissingsoundwasheardinthewaters，thewavesdashedagainstthebanks，thefoamwastossedintotheair，andthetwohorsesleaptsuddenlyontothedryland，tremblingandshakingwithfear。
　　Iwanichsprangatonceontothemare’sback，seizedthefoalbyitsbridle，andhastenedhomeinthehighestspirits。
　　WhenthewitchsawthePrincebringingthehorseshomeshecouldhardlyconcealherwrath，andassoonasshehadplacedIwanich’ssupperbeforehimshestoleawayagaintothestables。ThePrincefollowedher，andheardherscoldingthebeastsharshlyfornothavinghiddenthemselvesbetter。ShebadethemwaitnextmorningtillIwanichwasasleepandthentohidethemselvesintheclouds，andtoremaintheretillshecalled。Iftheydidnotdoasshetoldthemshewouldbeatthemtilltheybled。
　　Thenextmorning，afterIwanichhadledhishorsestothefields，hefelloncemoreintoamagicsleep。Thehorsesatonceranawayandhidthemselvesintheclouds，whichhungdownfromthemountainsinsoftbillowymasses。
　　WhenthePrinceawokeandfoundthatboththemareandthefoalhaddisappeared，hebethoughthimatonceoftheeagle，andtakingthefeatheroutofhispocketheblewitintotheair。
　　Inamomentthebirdswoopeddownbesidehimandasked:’Whatdoyouwishmetodo？’
　　’Mymareandfoal，’repliedthePrince，’haverunawayfromme，andhavehiddenthemselvesintheclouds；ifyouwishtosavemylife，restorebothanimalstome。’
　　’Waitaminute，’answeredtheeagle；’withthehelpofmyfriendsIwillsoondrivethembacktoyou。’