s, and at the same time his memory was
darkened and he forgot about Princess Mary.

She was seized with grief, "You left me, and I do not want to live any
longer." In a moment she turned into a sky-blue flower. "Here by the road I
will remain, perhaps somebody passing by will tread me down into the
earth," said she, and tears like dew-drops glittered upon the blue petals.

An old man passed that place. He saw the blue flower. Delighted with its
delicate beauty, he dug it carefully out with the roots, carried it into
his hut, planted it in a flowerpot, watered it and cared for it tenderly.
What happened? From that time everything was changed in the poor man's hut.
Something wonderful was going on there. When the old man awoke, he found
the hut all cleaned and in perfect order. There was nowhere a grain of dust
to be found. At noon when he came home, the dinner was cooked and the table
neatly set; he had only to sit down and eat. He wondered but could not
explain matters. At last he was frightened and went to an old fairy to ask
for advice.

"I will tell you what to do," answered the fairy, "get up very early at
dawn, before the cocks' sing, and look about the hut. Whatever begins to
move first, cover it with this kerchief. What happens, you will see."

The whole night the old man lay sleepless in his bed. The sun began to
rise, and there was light in the hut. Suddenly he saw that the blue flower
moved, flew off its thin stalk and began to fly about the room. Everything
went right away to its place, everything was dusted and cleaned, and a
bright fire began to burn in the stove. Quickly jumped the old man off his
bed and covered the flower with the fairy's kerchief and before him there
appeared the beautiful Princess Mary.

"What have you done?" said she. "Why did you bring me to life again? My
bridegroom, Prince Ivan, left me and I am forgotten by him."

"Your Prince Ivan is getting married to-day. The wedding-feast is all ready
and all the guests have arrived."

Princess Mary cried bitterly. Then she wiped her tears. Putting on a
"sarafan" (Russian national dress for women) she went into the city as a
country girl. She came into the king's kitchen. The cooks were running here
and there in their white caps and aprons. There was plenty of noise,
bustle, and clatter. She went up to the chief cook, and with an imploring
face and a voice as sweet as a flute said, "Cook dear, allow me to bake the
wedding cake for the pr