but they were all to be ready without fail the next morning. The poor
shoemaker in vain assured them that this was impossible; they only
threatened that, unless he obeyed their will his head should be struck
off, as they saw clearly that there was some magic in the affair.

The shoemaker left the castle in despair, and went into the city to
buy leather. Late in the evening he returned home, threw the leather
on the floor, and said to Ivan: "Hark ye, fellow, what a piece of work
you have made with your devilish tricks!" Then he told Ivan what the
Princesses had ordered him to do, and how they had threatened him
unless he fulfilled their commands. "Do not trouble yourself," said
Ivan Tsarevich, "go to bed and sleep--an hour in the morning is worth
two at night." The shoemaker thanked him for his advice, threw himself
on the bench, and soon began to snore aloud. Then Ivan Tsarevich
summoned the Spirit, ordered him to have the work done and in
readiness by the morning, and then lay down to sleep.

Early the next morning, when the shoemaker awoke, he called to mind
that he was to lose his head that day; so he went in despair to Ivan
to bid him farewell, and asked him to come and have a drink so that he
could bear up. But Ivan said: "Fear nothing, man; go into the workshop
and take the work which was ordered." The shoemaker went distrustfully
into the shop; but when he beheld all the shoes ready made, he capered
about, not knowing what to do for joy, and embraced his companion.
Then he took all the shoes, and hastened to the castle.

When the Princesses saw all this they were more than ever convinced
that Ivan Tsarevich must be in the city; and they said to the
shoemaker; "You have well and truly fulfilled our orders; but there is
another service which you must render us; to-night a golden castle
must be built opposite to ours, with a porcelain bridge from one to
the other, covered with velvet." The shoemaker stood aghast on hearing
this demand, and replied: "I am indeed only a poor shoemaker, and how
can I possibly do such a thing?" "Well," replied the Princesses,
"unless you fulfil our wish your head shall assuredly be struck off."

The poor fellow left the castle overwhelmed with grief, and wept
bitterly. On his return home, he told Ivan Tsarevich what a feat he
had been ordered to accomplish. "Go quietly to bed," replied Ivan;
"the morning sun shall see it done." So the shoemaker lay down on the
bench and fell fast as