in need of my help blow this feather into the air, and I
will help you as much as is in my power.'

Iwanich thanked the bird, and placing the feather beside the scale he
drove the horses home.

Another day he had wandered farther than usual, and came close to a
farmyard; the place pleased the Prince, and as there was plenty of
good grass for the horses he determined to spend the day there. Just
as he was sitting down under a tree he heard a cry close to him, and
saw a fox which had been caught in a trap placed there by the farmer.

[Illustration: Ianich Casts the Fish into the Water]

In vain did the poor beast try to free itself; then the good-natured
Prince came once more to the rescue, and let the fox out of the trap.

The fox thanked him heartily, tore two hairs out of his bushy tail,
and said: 'Should you ever stand in need of my help throw these two
hairs into the fire, and in a moment I shall be at your side ready to
obey you.'

Iwanich put the fox's hairs with the scale and the feather, and as it
was getting dark he hastened home with his horses.

In the meantime his service was drawing near to an end, and in three
more days the year was up, and he would be able to get his reward and
leave the witch.

On the first evening of these last three days, when he came home and
was eating his supper, he noticed the old woman stealing into the
stables.

The Prince followed her secretly to see what she was going to do. He
crouched down in the doorway and heard the wicked witch telling the
horses to wait next morning till Iwanich was asleep, and then to go
and hide themselves in the river, and to stay there till she told them
to return; and if they didn't do as she told them the old woman
threatened to beat them till they bled.

When Iwanich heard all this he went back to his room, determined that
nothing should induce him to fall asleep next day. On the following
morning he led the mare and foal to the fields as usual, but bound a
cord round them both which he kept in his hand.

But after a few hours, by the magic arts of the old witch, he was
overpowered by sleep, and the mare and foal escaped and did as they
had been told to do. The Prince did not awake till late in the
evening; and when he did, he found, to his horror, that the horses had
disappeared. Filled with despair, he cursed the moment when he had
entered the service of the cruel witch, and already he saw his head
sticking up on the sharp spike bes