Withthesewordsthebirdflewupintotheairanddisappearedamongtheclouds。
　　AlmostdirectlyIwanichsawhistwohorsesbeingdriventowardshimbyahostofeaglesofallsizes。Hecaughtthemareandfoal，andhavingthankedtheeaglehedrovethemcheerfullyhomeagain。
　　Theoldwitchwasmoredisgustedthaneverwhenshesawhimappearing，andhavingsethissupperbeforehimshestoleintothestables，andIwanichheardherabusingthehorsesfornothavinghiddenthemselvesbetterintheclouds。Thenshebadethemhidethemselvesnextmorning，assoonasIwanichwasasleep，intheKing’shen-house，whichstoodonalonelypartoftheheath，andtoremaintheretillshecalled。Iftheyfailedtodoasshetoldthemshewouldcertainlybeatthemthistimetilltheybled。
　　OnthefollowingmorningthePrincedrovehishorsesasusualtothefields。Afterhehadbeenoverpoweredbysleep，asontheformerdays，themareandfoalranawayandhidthemselvesintheroyalhenhouse。
　　WhenthePrinceawokeandfoundthehorsesgonehedeterminedtoappealtothefox；so，lightingafire，hethrewthetwohairsintoit，andinafewmomentsthefoxstoodbesidehimandasked:
　　’InwhatwaycanIserveyou？’
　　’Iwishtoknow，’repliedIwanich，’wheretheKing’shen-houseis。’
　　’Hardlyanhour’swalkfromhere，’answeredthefox，andofferedtoshowthePrincethewaytoit。
　　Whiletheywerewalkingalongthefoxaskedhimwhathewantedtodoattheroyalhen-house。ThePrincetoldhimofthemisfortunethathadbefallenhim，andofthenecessityofrecoveringthemareandfoal。
　　’Thatisnoeasymatter，’repliedthefox。’Butwaitamoment。
　　Ihaveanidea。Standatthedoorofthehen-house，andwaitthereforyourhorses。InthemeantimeIwillslipinamongthehensthroughaholeinthewallandgivethemagoodchase，sothatthenoisetheymakewillarousetheroyalhenwives，andtheywillcometoseewhatisthematter。Whentheyseethehorsestheywillatonceimaginethemtobethecauseofthedisturbance，andwilldrivethemout。Thenyoumustlayhandsonthemareandfoalandcatchthem。
　　Allturnedoutexactlyastheslyfoxhadforeseen。ThePrinceswunghimselfonthemare，seizedthefoalbyitsbridle，andhurriedhome。
　　Whilehewasridingovertheheathinthehighestofspiritsthemaresuddenlysaidtoherrider:’YouarethefirstpersonwhohaseversucceededinoutwittingtheoldwitchCorva，andnowyoumayaskwhatrewardyoulikeforyourservice。IfyoupromisenevertobetraymeIwillgiveyouapieceofadvicewhichyouwilldowelltofollow。’
　　ThePrincepromisednevertobetrayherconfidence，andthemarecontinued:’Asknothingelseasarewardthanmyfoal，forithasnotitslikeintheworld，andisnottobeboughtforloveormoney；foritcangofromoneendoftheearthtoanotherinafewminutes。OfcoursethecunningCorvawilldoherbesttodissuadeyoufromtakingthefoal，andwilltellyouthatitisbothidleandsickly；butdonotbelieveher，andsticktoyourpoint。’
　　Iwanichlongedtopossesssuchananimal，andpromisedthemaretofollowheradvice。
　　ThistimeCorvareceivedhiminthemostfriendlymanner，andsetasumptuousrepastbeforehim。Assoonashehadfinishedsheaskedhimwhatrewardhedemandedforhisyear’sservice。
　　’Nothingmorenorless，’repliedthePrince，’thanthefoalofyourmare。’
　　Thewitchpretendedtobemuchastonishedathisrequest，andsaidthathedeservedsomethingmuchbetterthanthefoal，forthebeastwaslazyandnervous，blindinoneeye，and，inshort，wasquiteworthless。
　　ButthePrinceknewwhathewanted，andwhentheoldwitchsawthathehadmadeuphismindtohavethefoal，shesaid，’Iamobligedtokeepmypromiseandtohandyouoverthefoal；andasIknowwhoyouareandwhatyouwant，Iwilltellyouinwhatwaytheanimalwillbeusefultoyou。Themaninthecauldronofboilingpitch，whomyousetfree，isamightymagician；throughyourcuriosityandthoughtlessnessMilitzacameintohispower，andhehastransportedherandhercastleandbelongingsintoadistantcountry。
　　’Youaretheonlypersonwhocankillhim；andinconsequencehefearsyoutosuchanextentthathehassetspiestowatchyou，andtheyreportyourmovementstohimdaily。
　　’Whenyouhavereachedhim，bewareofspeakingasinglewordtohim，oryouwillfallintothepowerofhisfriends。Seizehimatoncebythebeardanddashhimtotheground。’
　　Iwanichthankedtheoldwitch，mountedhisfoal，putspurstoitssides，andtheyflewlikelightningthroughtheair。
　　Alreadyitwasgrowingdark，whenIwanichperceivedsomefiguresinthedistance；theysooncameuptothem，andthenthePrincesawthatitwasthemagicianandhisfriendswhoweredrivingthroughtheairinacarriagedrawnbyowls。
　　WhenthemagicianfoundhimselffacetofacewithIwanich，withouthopeofescape，heturnedtohimwithfalsefriendlinessandsaid:’Thricemykindbenefactor！’
　　ButthePrince，withoutsayingaword，seizedhimatoncebyhisbeardanddashedhimtotheground。Atthesamemomentthefoalsprangonthetopofthemagicianandkickedandstampedonhimwithhishoofstillhedied。
　　ThenIwanichfoundhimselfoncemoreinthepalaceofhisbride，andMilitzaherselfflewintohisarms。
　　Fromthistimeforwardtheylivedinundisturbedpeaceandhappinesstilltheendoftheirlives。
　　OnceuponatimetherelivedanoldcouplewhohadonesoncalledMartin。Nowwhentheoldman’stimehadcome，hestretchedhimselfoutonhisbedanddied。Thoughallhislifelonghehadtoiledandmoiled，heonlylefthiswidowandsontwohundredflorins。Theoldwomandeterminedtoputbythemoneyforarainyday；butalas！therainydaywascloseathand，fortheirmealwasallconsumed，andwhoispreparedtofacestarvationwithtwohundredflorinsattheirdisposal？Sotheoldwomancountedoutahundredofherflorins，andgivingthemtoMartin，toldhimtogointothetownandlayinastoreofmealforayear。
　　SoMartinstartedoffforthetown。Whenhereachedthemeat-markethefoundthewholeplaceinturmoil，andagreatnoiseofangryvoicesandbarkingofdogs。Mixinginthecrowd，henoticedastag-houndwhichthebutchershadcaughtandtiedtoapost，andwhichwasbeingfloggedinamercilessmanner。
　　Overcomewithpity，Martinspoketothebutchers，saying:
　　’Friends，whyareyoubeatingthepoordogsocruelly？’
　　’Wehaveeveryrighttobeathim，’theyreplied；’hehasjustdevouredanewly-killedpig。’
　　’Leaveoffbeatinghim，’saidMartin，’andsellhimtomeinstead。’
　　’Ifyouchoosetobuyhim，’answeredthebutchersderisively；
　　’butforsuchatreasurewewon’ttakeapennylessthanahundredflorins。’
　　’Ahundred！’exclaimedMartin。’Well，sobeit，ifyouwillnottakeless；’and，takingthemoneyoutofhispocket，hehandeditoverinexchangeforthedog，whosenamewasSchurka。
　　WhenMartingothome，hismothermethimwiththequestion:
　　’Well，whathaveyoubought？’
　　’Schurka，thedog，’repliedMartin，pointingtohisnewpossession。Whereuponhismotherbecameveryangry，andabusedhimroundly。Heoughttobeashamedofhimself，whentherewasscarcelyahandfulofmealinthehouse，tohavespentthemoneyonauselessbrutelikethat。Onthefollowingdayshesenthimbacktothetown，saying，’Here，takeourlasthundredflorins，andbuyprovisionswiththem。Ihavejustemptiedthelastgrainsofmealoutofthechest，andbakedabannock；butitwon’tlastoverto-morrow。’
　　JustasMartinwasenteringthetownhemetarough-lookingpeasantwhowasdraggingacatafterhimbyastringwhichwasfastenedroundthepoorbeast’sneck。
　　’Stop，’criedMartin；’whereareyoudraggingthatpoorcat？’
　　’Imeantodrownhim，’wastheanswer。
　　’Whatharmhasthepoorbeastdone？’saidMartin。
　　’Ithasjustkilledagoose，’repliedthepeasant。
　　’Don’tdrownhim，sellhimtomeinstead，’beggedMartin。
　　’Notforahundredflorins，’wastheanswer。
　　’Surelyforahundredflorinsyou’llsellit？’saidMartin。
　　’See！hereisthemoney；’and，sosaying，hehandedhimthehundredflorins，whichthepeasantpocketed，andMartintookpossessionofthecat，whichwascalledWaska。
　　Whenhereachedhishomehismothergreetedhimwiththequestion:
　　’Well，whathaveyoubroughtback？’
　　’Ihavebroughtthiscat，Waska，’answeredMartin。
　　’Andwhatbesides？’
　　’Ihadnomoneyovertobuyanythingelsewith，’repliedMartin。