her his last root. On hearing this his parents were much
distressed, as they now believed him to be without the means of curing
the Czar's daughter, and began to scold him.

"You had pity for a beggar and gave no thought to the Czar's daughter,"
they said.

"I have pity for the Czar's daughter also," replied Ivan, after which
he harnessed his horse to his wagon and took his seat ready for his
departure; whereupon his parents said: "Where are you going, you
fool--to cure the Czar's daughter, and without anything to do it with?"

"Very well," replied Ivan, as he drove away.

In due time he arrived at the palace, and the moment he appeared on
the balcony the Czar's daughter was cured. The Czar was overjoyed and
ordered Ivan to be brought into his presence. He dressed him in the
richest robes and addressed him as his son-in-law. Ivan was married to
the Czarevna, and, the Czar dying soon after, Ivan became ruler. Thus
the three brothers became rulers in different kingdoms.

CHAPTER IX.

The brothers lived and reigned. Simeon, the eldest brother, with his
straw soldiers took captive the genuine soldiers and trained all alike.
He was feared by every one.

Tarras-Briukhan, the other brother, did not squander the gold he
obtained from Ivan, but instead greatly increased his wealth, and at
the same time lived well. He kept his money in large trunks, and, while
having more than he knew what to do with, still continued to collect
money from his subjects. The people had to work for the money to pay the
taxes which Tarras levied on them, and life was made burdensome to them.

Ivan the Fool did not enjoy his wealth and power to the same extent
as did his brothers. As soon as his father-in-law, the late Czar, was
buried, he discarded the Imperial robes which had fallen to him and told
his wife to put them away, as he had no further use for them. Having
cast aside the insignia of his rank, he once more donned his peasant
garb and started to work as of old.

"I felt lonesome," he said, "and began to grow enormously stout, and yet
I had no appetite, and neither could I sleep."

Ivan sent for his father, mother, and dumb sister, and brought them to
live with him, and they worked with him at whatever he chose to do.

The people soon learned that Ivan was a fool. His wife one day said to
him, "The people say you are a fool, Ivan."

"Well, let them think so if they wish," he replied.

His wife pondered this reply for some ti