e.

In another skazka[374] a sportsman finds in a forest "a golden feather
of the _Zhar-Ptitsa_; like fire does the feather shine!" Against the
advice of his "heroic steed," he picks up the feather and takes it to
the king, who sends him in search of the bird itself. Then he has
wheat scattered on the ground, and at dawn he hides behind a tree near
it. "Presently the forest begins to roar, the sea rises in waves, and
the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ flies up, lights upon the ground and begins to peck
the wheat." Then the "heroic steed" gallops up, sets its hoof upon the
bird's wing, and presses it to the ground, so that the shooter is able
to bind it with cords, and take it to the king. In a variant of the
story the bird is captured by means of a trap--a cage in which "pearls
large and small" have been strewed.

* * * * *

I had intended to say something about the various golden haired or
golden-horned animals which figure in the Skazkas, but it will be
sufficient for the present to refer to the notices of them which occur
in Prof. de Gubernatis's "Zoological Mythology." And now I will bring
this chapter to a close with the following weird story of

THE WARLOCK.[375]

There was once a Moujik, and he had three married sons.
He lived a long while, and was looked upon by the village as a
_Koldun_ [or wizard]. When he was about to die, he gave orders
that his sons' wives should keep watch over him [after his death]
for three nights, taking one night apiece; that his body should
be placed in the outer chamber,[376] and that his sons' wives
should spin wool to make him a caftan. He ordered, moreover,
that no cross should be placed upon him, and that none should
be worn by his daughters-in-law.

Well, that same night the eldest daughter-in-law took her
seat beside him with some grey wool, and began spinning.
Midnight arrives. Says the father-in-law from his coffin:

"Daughter-in-law, art thou there?"

She was terribly frightened, but answered, "I am." "Art
thou sitting?" "I sit." "Dost thou spin?" "I spin." "Grey
wool?" "Grey." "For a caftan?" "For a caftan."

He made a movement towards her. Then a second time he
asked again--

"Daughter-in-law, art thou there?"

"I am." "Art thou sitting?" "I sit." "Dost thou spin?"
"I spin." "Grey wool?" "Grey." "For a caftan?" "For a
caftan."

She shrank into the corner. He moved again, came a couple
of ya