d a half old, whose head was
battered and smashed in a good many places, thus showing what a severe
struggle it had cost to bring it down.

"Where did you find that monster? Who gave it to you?" cried Leonidas,
holding his hand before him as if he believed that the hideous
monster, even when dead, could clutch hold of his thin drumsticks of
legs.

"Where did I find it? Who gave it me?" cried the youth, proudly, and
with that he pointed to his sister, and, as if ashamed to speak of his
heroic deed himself, he said, "Tell him, Milieva!"

The old Circassian looked attentively at the two children. Neither of
them perceived that their father was angry.

"We were in the forest," began the girl--her voice was like a silvery
bell. "Thomar was carving a fife, and I was twining a garland for his
head, because he pipes so prettily, when all at once a little kid with
its mother came running towards us, and the little kid hid itself
close to me--it trembled so, poor little thing! but its mother only
bleated and kept running round and round, just as if it wanted to
speak. Thomar looked all about, and not far from us perceived two
young bears running off, and one of them had another little white kid
on its back, which was certainly the young one of the little she-goat
that was trying to talk to us. 'Thomar,' said I, 'if I were a boy, I
would go after that young bear and take away the poor little kid from
it.' 'And dost thou think I will not do it?' replied Thomar, and with
that he caught up his club and went after the two young bears. One of
them perceived him and quickly ran up a tree, but the other would not
give up his prey, but turned to face Thomar. Ah! you should have seen
how Thomar banged the wild beast on the head with his club till the
blood ran down its shoulders, and suddenly it let go the white kid,
which ran bleating after its mother."

The child clapped her little hands for joy, while her father softly
stroked her long hair.

"But now the young bear, gnashing its teeth, rushed upon Thomar and
seized the club in Thomar's hands with its teeth and claws. 'Thomar,
don't let him have it!' cried I. But, indeed, he had no fear of the
wild beast, for he drew his knife from his girdle and thrust it with
all his might into the head of the furiously charging wild beast."

"Oho!" interrupted Thomar, "don't forget that you also rushed upon it,
and gave me time to draw out my knife by seizing the ears of the bear
in both han