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apple-tree growing by the wayside, and on it were apples so beautiful
that words cannot describe them. The nobleman felt that he must taste
of these apples or die; but the wakeful huntsman rushed up and cut
down the apple-tree, whereupon apples and apple-tree turned to ashes.
But the huntsman galloped on before and hid himself.

They went on a little farther till they came to a spring, and the
water of that spring was so pure and clear that words cannot describe
it. Then the nobleman felt that he must drink of that water or die;
but the huntsman rushed up and splashed in the spring with his sword,
and immediately the water turned to blood. The nobleman was wrath, and
cried, "Cut me down that son of a dog!" But the huntsman rode on in
front and hid himself.

They went on still farther till they came upon a golden bed in the
highway, full of white feathers so soft and cosy that words cannot
describe it. The nobleman felt that he must rest in that bed or die.
Then the huntsman rushed up and struck the bed with his sword, and it
turned to coal. But the nobleman was very wrath, and cried, "Shoot me
down that son of a dog!" But the huntsman rode on before and hid
himself.

When they got home the nobleman commanded them to bring the huntsman
before him. "What hast thou done, thou son of Satan?" he cried. "I
must needs slay thee!" But the huntsman said, "My master, bid them
bring hither into the courtyard an old mare fit for naught but the
knacker." They brought the mare, and he mounted it and said, "My
master, last midnight something came beneath the window and said, 'Oh,
son of a dog! thou saidst, "If only we had a warm hut, and a white
bed, and soft bread, and sour kvas, we should grieve no more, but tell
tales and feign fables till dawn," and now thou hast forgotten thy
promise. Wherefore this shall befall thee on thy way home: thou shalt
come upon an apple-tree covered with apples by the wayside, and
straightway thou shalt long to eat of them, and the moment thou
tastest thereof thou shalt burst. And if any of thy huntsmen hears
this thing, and tells thee of it, he shall become stone up to the
knee.'" When the huntsman had spoken so far, the horse on which he sat
became stone up to the knee. Then he went on, "About the second
cockcrow something else came to the window and said the selfsame
thing, and prophesied, 'He shall come upon a spring by the roadside, a
spring of pure water, and he shall long to drink thereof,