No sooner did Prince Ivan touch the bridle than a hue and cry was raised within the castle. Trumpets trumpeted, drums drummed, the guards woke up, seized Prince Ivan and marched him off to King Kusman.
"Who are you and whence have you come?"
"I am Prince Ivan."
"Fancy stealing a horse! What a foolish thing to do! A common peasant would not stoop to it. But I shall forgive you, Prince Ivan, if you do me a favor. King Dalmat has a daughter named Yelena the Fair. Steal her and bring her to me, and I shall make you a present of my Horse with the Golden Mane and its bridle besides."
Prince Ivan was more put out than ever and he went back to Grey Wolf.
"I told you not to touch the bridle, Prince Ivan!" said the Wolf. "Why did you not heed my warning?"
"I am sorry, Grey Wolf, please forgive me."
"Being sorry won't do much good. But there, get on my back again."
And off went Grey Wolf with Prince Ivan. By and by they came to the kingdom of King Dalmat. Yelena the Fair was strolling about the castle garden with her maids and attendants.
"This time I shall go," said Grey Wolf. "You go back the way we came and I will catch you up soon."
So Prince Ivan went back the way he had come, and Grey Wolf jumped over the wall into the garden. He crouched behind a bush and peeped out. There was Yelena the Fair with all her maids and attendants. As they strolled about the garden, Yelena fell behind her maids and attendants, and Grey Wolf instantly seized her, tossed her across his back, jumped over the wall and was gone in a trice.
Prince Ivan was walking back the way he had come, when all of a sudden he saw Grey Wolf with Yelena the Fair on his back. Was he glad! "You get on my back too, and be quick about it, or they may catch us," said Grey Wolf. Grey Wolf sped down the path with Prince Ivan and Yelena the Fair on his back. Green forests swept by, blue lakes and rivers skimmed past. How long the Wolf ran it is hard to say, but by and by they came to King Kusman's kingdom. |
