ll
out on the marshy ground till he had dug out the children. Now, as
they had been growing all along, they were children no more, but a
stately youth and a fair damsel; and the serpent took them up and
carried them off. But they were big and heavy, so he soon got tired
and lay down to rest, and presently fell asleep. Then the Tsarivna sat
down on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside her, till a horse
came running up. The horse ran right up to them and said, "Hail!
little Tsar Novishny; art thou here by thy leave or against thy
leave?"--And the little Tsar Novishny replied, "Nay, little nag! we
are here against our leave, not by our leave."--"Then sit on my back!"
said the horse, "and I'll carry you off!" So they got on his back, for
the serpent was asleep all the time. Then the horse galloped off with
them; and he galloped far, far away. Presently the serpent awoke,
looked all round him, and could see nothing till he had got up out of
the reeds in which he lay, when he saw them in the far distance, and
gave chase. He soon caught them up; and little Tsar Novishny said to
the horse, "Oh! little nag, how hot it is. It is all up with thee and
us!" And, in truth, the horse's tail was already singed to a coal, for
the serpent was hard behind them, blazing like fire. The horse
perceived that he could do no more, so he gave one last wriggle and
died; but they, poor things, were left alive. "Whom have you been
listening to?" said the serpent as he flew up to them. "Don't you know
that I only am your father and tsar, and have the right to carry you
away?"--"Oh, dear daddy! we'll never listen to anybody else
again!"--"Well, I'll forgive you this time," said the serpent; "but
mind you never do it again."

Again the serpent took them up and carried them off. Presently he
grew tired and again lay down to rest, and nodded off. Then the
Tsarivna sat down on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside her,
till a humble-bee came flying up. "Hail, little Tsar Novishny!" cried
the humble-bee.--"Hail, little humble-bee!" said the little
Tsar.--"Say, friends, are you here by your leave or against your
leave?"--"Alas! little humble-bumble-bee, 'tis not with my leave I
have been brought hither, but against my leave, as thou mayst see for
thyself."--"Then sit on my back," said the bee, "and I'll carry you
away."--"But, dear little humble-bumble-bee, if a horse couldn't save
us, how will you?"--"I cannot tell till I try," said the humble