r and farther
and at last came to where stood the house of the Baba Yaga.
Round the house were set twelve poles in a circle, and on each
of eleven of these poles was stuck a human head, the twelfth
alone remained unoccupied.

"Hail, granny!"

"Hail, Prince Ivan! wherefore have you come? Is it of your
own accord, or on compulsion?"

"I have come to earn from you a heroic steed."

"So be it, Prince, you won't have to serve a year with me, but
just three days. If you take good care of my mares, I'll give you
a heroic steed. But if you don't--why then you mustn't be
annoyed at finding your head stuck on top of the last pole up
there."

Prince Ivan agreed to these terms. The Baba Yaga gave
him food and drink, and bid him set about his business. But the
moment he had driven the mares afield, they cocked up their
tails, and away they tore across the meadows in all directions.
Before the Prince had time to look round, they were all out of
sight. Thereupon he began to weep and to disquiet himself, and
then he sat down upon a stone and went to sleep. But when the
sun was near its setting, the outlandish bird came flying up to him,
and awakened him saying:--

"Arise, Prince Ivan! the mares are at home now."

The Prince arose and returned home. There the Baba Yaga
was storming and raging at her mares, and shrieking:--

"Whatever did ye come home for?"

"How could we help coming home?" said they. "There
came flying birds from every part of the world, and all but pecked
our eyes out."

"Well, well! to-morrow don't go galloping over the meadows,
but disperse amid the thick forests."

Prince Ivan slept all night. In the morning the Baba Yaga
says to him:--

"Mind, Prince! if you don't take good care of the mares, if
you lose merely one of them--your bold head will be stuck on
that pole!"

He drove the mares afield. Immediately they cocked up their
tails and dispersed among the thick forests. Again did the
Prince sit down on the stone, weep and weep, and then go to
sleep. The sun went down behind the forest. Up came running
the lioness.

"Arise, Prince Ivan! The mares are all collected."

Prince Ivan arose and went home. More than ever did the
Baba Yaga storm at her mares and shriek:--

"Whatever did ye come back home for?"

"How could we help coming back? Beasts of prey came
running at us from all parts of the world,