tongue
sticking out between them. The monster was laughing at the king. With its
paws it was firmly holding the king's beard.

At last a hoarse voice said from under the water, "It is no use trying,
King. I shall not let you go. But if you want to be free, give me that
which you possess, but which you do not know about."

The king thought, "What could that be that I have and do not know about? It
seems to me that I know everything," so he answered the monster, "All
right, I agree."

"Very well," the hoarse voice was heard to answer once more, "but look out,
keep your word, that no harm may happen to you." With the last word the
claws disappeared, with the monster.

Having freed his beard, the king mounted his horse, and continued his
journey. As he entered his capital, all the people came out to meet him,
cannons were playing, and all the bells were ringing from the city towers.
The king approached his gilded palace. The queen was standing upon the
balcony, near her the prime minister; in his arms he held a brocaded pillow
upon which there was lying a baby, fair and beautiful like the moon.

Then the king guessed and groaned, "There is what I did not know about! O,
you monster, you will be the death of mine!" So thought the king and cried
bitterly.

All wondered, but no one said a word. Taking the baby into his arms, King
Longbeard admired it long, carried it into the palace, put it into the
cradle, and hiding his sorrow, he began to rule over his country as
formerly. Nobody knew the king's secret. But everybody saw the king was
sad--he was always expecting somebody to come for his son. During the day
he found no rest, at night he could not sleep. The time was passing
meanwhile, and nobody came. The young prince grew very rapidly and
developed into a beautiful youth. The king himself forgot all that happened
at the well--but not everybody was so forgetful.

Once the prince, while hunting, came into a very thick forest. He looked
around: a wild glade was before him. Upon it stood a hollow lime tree. A
rustling came from the hollow, and a very queer looking old man came out
with a green beard and green eyes.

"Hello! Prince Ivan," said he, "we were looking for you. It is time to
think of us."

"Who are you?" asked Ivan.

"I will tell you later about it. Now do this for me: give my regards to
your father, King Longbeard, and ask him whether it is not time for him to
pay his debt? The term has passed long ago.