University of Virginia Library

CROATIAN STORIES.

THE Croats are believed to take their name from their
former abode in the ancient Chrobatia, north of the
Carpathian Mountains, whose name retains the same root,
CRB(orP)T. Among them we meet with a wonderful hero,
`Marko' (No. 52), the account of whose buzdovan, or mace,
the southern representative of Thor's hammer, may be compared
with `Little Rolling-pea's bulava (No. 22), and that
of Ivan Popyalof' (Ralston, p. 66). Marko appears to have
been a very unprincipled hero, with very slight ideas of
honesty and fair-play. He is represented as gaining his
vast strength from a superhuman source—a Vila, of whom
more anon. In No. 53, we are carried into cloudland, and
meet with representatives of the Clashing Rocks' (Symplegades),
through which the good ship Argo had to pass
before she could make her way into the Black Sea, and
which, till their reappearance in this story, seem to have
dropped altogether out of folklore. From this story, and
also from several incidents in No. 52, we perceive that the
Vilas of the South Slavonians are not denizens of the earth,
the waters, or the woods, but of the clouds, and thus a
journey has to be made into cloudland to find the daughter
of their king.[6] No. 54 will remind us of Aladdin and his

wonderful ring and lamp, although animals play a part in it
unknown to the Oriental tale. No. 55 introduces us to the
singular relations supposed to exist between human beings
and wolves, and No. 56 exhibits a curious mixture of destiny
and ingenuity.

LII.—KRALJEVITCH MARKO.

There was once upon a time a mother who gave birth to
Kraljevitch Marko. She reared him, and placed him in a
position to become a hero. When Marko was growing up
he was obliged to feed swine, but he was then weakly, and
so dwarfish a lad that his comrades were able to beat him,
and wanted him to be a sort of servant for them and tend
their swine. But he was not willing to do this, so they
beat him and lugged him by the hair, so that he was obliged
to run away from them. He got away, and went into the
fields, and there roamed about, thinking: `They would be
beating me all day, now one, now another of them; but as
it is, when I go to them in the evening, they will only beat
me once.' As he roamed about, he came up to a baby.
He saw that it was a handsome one, and that it was lying
in the sun. He made it a cool shade with branches, and
went a little way off and sat down. As he thus sat, up came
a Vila, and said to herself: `Gracious God! who has done
this? Let him ask me for anything in the world; I will
give it him.' He heard this, approached, and said: `Sister,
I have done this for you.' `You have done it, little brother?
Come! what do you ask of me in return, that I may reward
you for being so good as to make a cool shade for my baby?'
`Ah, dear sister! what I should ask you, you could not
give me.' `Well, what is such a mighty matter? only tell
me.' He was thinking of this, that his comrades might not
beat him at the pasture; therefore he said that he should

wish that they should not beat him. She replied: `Well,
if that is what you wish for, come and suck my breast.'
He obeyed her, went and sucked. When he had finished
sucking, the Vila said to him: `Well, go now and heave
you stone, and try whether you can heave it up.' The
stone was twelve hundredweight. He went to heave it, but
could not stir it from its place. Then the Vila said to him:
`Come and suck again; when you have done sucking, go
and heave it. He went to suck, and when he had finished,
went to heave it, but only lifted it a little. Then he went
again to suck, with such effect that he could already cast it
a little way. He went to suck once more. Then he was
already able to cast it to a great height and over hills, so
that it was no more to be found. Once more she bade him
come to suck. He sucked his fill, and then she said to
him: `Go now whithersoever you will; no one will beat you
any more—no, not your comrades.' He went merrily to the
herdsmen, and they called to him: `Where have you been
that we are obliged to tend your swine?' and rushed upon
him to beat him. He only waited for them. When they
came up to him, he seized one, knocked them down, and
the one who was in his hands was quite squashed, with
such force had he taken hold of him. The other shepherds,
who saw what he did, ran to the home of those whom he
had knocked down, saying: `Marko has knocked down
your son, and so-and-so's, and so-and-so's.' They all went to
his mother: `What manner of son is this that you have
reared up?—a brigand, who kills our children!' She was
terrified out of her wits, thinking what her son had done.
She began to revile him: `Sonny, never did my eye see that
you did anything; wherefore do you thus to me, that other
people come to revile me because of your doings? Go! I
shall be glad if my eye never sees you more. Why do you
put me to shame?' `Well, then, good! if so you say, I will
go into the world.' `Only go that I may never see you.'
`Well, then, good! go I will.'

He went. Now, he thought to himself: `What shall I
do? I am a hero, but I have not what a hero requires.'
Then he went to a smith, at whose smithy were five-andtwenty
smiths. `God help you, smith!' `God help you,
Kraljevitch Marko! why have you come to me?' `I have
come to you that you may forge me a sword weighing twelve
hundredweight; then you shall also forge me a mace, if you
make the sword well; but you must know that it must be
stronger than your anvil. If it cuts it through, you shall
receive payment; otherwise, not. Have you understood
me?' `Yes.' `Well, then make it now.' All five-andtwenty
smiths went immediately and forged the sword.
When it was ready, Marko came. `Well, smith, have you
got it ready?' `Yes, Marko.' `Now come, let me see.'
Marko struck, but the sword broke into two pieces, and not
the anvil. `Ah! friend smith, you've not done it well;
you get no pay.' He went on to another smith. `God
help you, smith!' `God help you, Kraljevitch Marko!
What work do you want done?' `I have come to you to
make me a sword weighing twelve hundredweight, and to
make it stronger than your anvil, because, if it cuts through
your anvil, you will receive payment; if not, you will get
nothing. Have you understood me?' `Yes.' `Then make
it.' Then up came the thirty smiths, worked at the sword,
and worked until they had finished forging it. Marko came:
`Well, smith, is the sword ready?' `It is, Marko.' `Show
it me that I may see it.' Marko took it, struck, cut through
the anvil, and cut right into the block. `Well, smith, you've
made it well. Now that you've made me a sword, make me
also a sheath for the sword, and also a club, that is, a mace,
weighing twelve hundredweight, then I will pay you all at
once. But when I throw the mace, it must not break; if it

breaks, then you get no payment.' He made him a mace
also, but did not make it well. When Marko threw it, he
let it fall upon himself, and the mace broke. Then said
Marko: `You have made me the sword well, but not the
mace. Reach out your hand that I may pay you for the
sword.' The smith reached out his hand, and Marko cut it
off with the sword, saying: `There's your payment, smith,
for the sword, that you may no more make such swords for
any hero.' Then he went to a third smith, with whom
thirty-eight smiths were at work, and said: `God help you,
smith!' `God requite you, Marko! why have you come to
me?' `I have come to you to make me a club, that is, a
mace, weighing twelve hundredweight; I tell you the truth,
if I throw it up on high, and it breaks when it falls, you get
no payment.' All thirty-eight smiths worked till they forged
it. Marko came: `Well, is the mace ready?' `It is, Marko.'
`Show it, that I may see it.' When he gave it him, he threw
it so high into the air that it was three days and three nights
in the sky. When it came down, Marko presented his back;
it fell upon him, and cast him to the ground, and blood
flowed from his nose and teeth, but the mace remained
sound. But Marko sprang up quickly, and said to the
smith: `Ah! dear smith! you've made it well for me;
reach out your hand that I may pay you.' He reached out
his hand to him, and he cut his hand off with his sword.
`Let this be your payment, smith, that you may no more
make such staves for any hero.'

Then he went off to his mother and said to her: `Mother,
you see in me a hero; if you revile me, I shall go about the
world.' Then his mother began to scold him: `Why are
you like this? Why don't you live like other people? You
have oxen; go, then, on to the green hill and plough the
fallows and pastures, and thereby support your old mother.'
Marko obeyed her, took the oxen, and went. But he didn't

go on to the green hill, to plough the fallows and pastures,
but he went and ploughed the emperor's highroads. When
the Turks saw this, they went to Marko—three hundred
Turks, all chosen warriors—and said to him: `Why, Marko,
do you plough the emperor's highroads? you have the
fallows and pastures!' Then at him, to cut him down.
When Marko saw this, he hadn't with him either his sword
or his mace, so seized his plough and felled all three
hundred Turks. Then said he: `Ah! gracious God! a
wondrous hero!' Then he took the Turks' gold from them,
left his plough, unyoked the oxen, and turned them loose on
the green hill: `Go, little oxen, on to the green hill, and
feed and graze from pine to pine, like the cuckoo; Marko
has not managed to plough with you, and now never will he
more.' And home he went singing: `Here, mother, you
have gold enough, live upon it, and I will go into the
world, that your eye may see me no more.'

He took his mace and sword, went and came to an inn,
where some Turks were drinking red wine and conversing.
`We should be glad to make the acquaintance of Kraljevitch
Marko and see him. We have heard that he is a celebrated
hero. His brother Andro is in Stambol here. He is a
hero, but they say that he is a still greater hero.' `In whose
service is Andro Kraljevitch?' `In that of a pasha; he
will soon come riding past here.' `Good; I will wait for
him.' Up came Andro Kraljevitch, riding with the pasha.
Marko called out to him: `Eh, adopted brother, Kraljevitch
Andro!' `Thanks, unknown hero, perhaps you are Kraljevitch
Marko?' `Quite true, I am Kraljevitch Marko.'
`Good; let us go into the inn to drink a cup of wine, that
love and the fortune of heroes may thus unite us. Now we
are not afraid of going into combat against any empire.'
So they went on the way to an inn. Kraljevitch Marko
said: `Prithee, sing me a song, Andro.' `Dear brother, I

dare not. The Vila of the cloud would shoot me.' `Don't
be afraid; I am here.' Andro obeyed, and sang so that all
the branches began to fall. All at once a spear flew against
Andro and struck him down. Marko looked about to see
whence it came, and espied a Vila in the cloud; he seized
his mace and threw it at the Vila, so that it at once struck
her to the ground. The Vila began to shriek: `Let me go,
Marko! I will bring Andro back to life, and will give you
a wondrous horse, so that you will be able to fly in the
air.' Marko agreed, and she took certain grasses, and
brought Andro back to life. Marko obtained the wondrous
horse, and both rode off to an inn and drank red wine.
But in the inn there was a wicked harlot. She became
enamoured of Andro, but he would not even look at her.
She therefore put sweet honey into his wine, that he might
drink the wine. Marko went out for a short time, and the
wicked woman murdered Andro. But when Marko came in
he seized the wicked woman, and spitted her on his sword:
`Take that, wretch, for murdering my brother Andro.'

He went on into the world. He roamed hither and
thither, and when he met with any hero, he tried the fortune
of combat with him, as in his encounter with black Arapin.
Arapin built a tower beside the level sea. When he had
built it handsomely and raised it high, he said thus to it:
`Handsomely, my tower, handsomely have I built thee, and
high have I raised thee, for I have no father nor mother, no
brother nor sister, nor even my beloved, to walk about in
thee. But I have a love, the daughter of the emperor
Soliman. I will write him the leaf of a white book, and
send up to him by a black Tatar; for if he will not give her
to me, let him meet me in single combat.' He wrote the
leaf of a white book and sent it by a black Tatar. When
Soliman read over the leaf of the white book, he shed tears
abundantly, and his empress Solimanitza came to him and

questioned him: `Why do you weep, emperor Soliman?
Ofttimes have letters come for you, and you have not shed
abundant tears; what distress is tormenting you?' He told
her this, that black Arapin had written to him, that, if he
did not give him his daughter, he must meet him in single
combat; and how could he meet him in single combat?
She advised him to write the leaf of a white book to Kraljevitch
Marko to come, promising to give him three loads of
money. He wrote the leaf of a white book and sent it by a
black Tatar. When Kraljevitch Marko read over the leaf
of the book, he began to laugh greatly: `Yes, i' faith,
emperor Soliman! what will your money do for me, if
black Arapin severs my head from my shoulders?' And he
said not whether he would go or not go. The emperor
Soliman was anxiously expecting the Tatar, who brought to
him the words, that Marko neither said that he would come,
nor that he would not come. Thereupon the emperor was
sorrowful, for he had no such man who would deliver his
daughter. There arrived a second letter from black Arapin,
that he must give him his daughter; if he did not give her,
he must meet him in single combat. As he read it, he
shed abundant tears. Thereupon his only daughter came
to him and asked him: `Why do you weep, emperor
Soliman? Letters have ofttimes arrived for you, and you
have not shed abundant tears.' He replied to her: `Dear
daughter! You see that black Arapin writes to me, that,
if I do not give you to him, I must meet him in single
combat; and how shall I, poor man that I am, meet him?'
`You know, dear father, that there is one hero, Kraljevitch
Marko. Write to him, that you will give him nine loads of
money, if he will come and meet him in single combat.'
The emperor Soliman wrote to Kraljevitch Marko the leaf of
a white book, and sent it to him by a black Tatar. When
he read over the leaf of the white book he laughed greatly:
`I' faith, emperor Soliman! what will your money be to
me, if black Arapin severs my head from my shoulders?'
Thereupon he did not say whether he would come or not
come. Sorrowful thereat, the emperor did not know what
to do. Then came a third letter from black Arapin, that
he was coming, and that he must prepare, would he, nould
he, to give him his daughter, and that all inns and shops
must be shut for fear of him. Thereupon the emperor
Soliman shed abundant tears as he read it. His daughter
came to him: `Why do you weep, emperor Soliman?
Letters have ofttimes arrived for you, and you have not
shed abundant tears. What distress is assailing you?' `You
see, dear daughter, that black Arapin writes to me, that if
I don't give you to him, I must meet him in single combat!
But how shall I, poor man, meet him?' `Write, dear
father, to Kraljevitch Marko to come, and offer him twelve
loads of money, and a shirt which is neither spun nor
woven nor bleached, but made of nothing but pure gold,
and a serpent that holds a tray in its mouth, and on the
tray a golden casket, and in the casket a precious stone, by
aid of which you can sup at midnight just as well as at
mid-day.' He wrote the leaf of a white book and sent it to
Kraljevitch Marko by a black Tatar, and offered him all
that his daughter told him. When Marko read the leaf of
the white book, he laughed greatly, and said: `I' faith,
emperor Soliman! what will your money do for me, if
black Arapin severs my head from my shoulders?' And
then, too, he did not say that he would come or not come.
Thereupon came the leaf of a white book from black
Arapin, that Arapin had now got ready three hundred
heroes, all in silver armour, and all chosen warriors. Then
said Kraljevitch Marko to his piebald horse: `Eh! piebald
horse, my pearl! you know well that you must be faithful
to me, for, if not, I shall cut off your feet at the knees, and
that you must bear yourself valiantly.' And the piebald
horse replied that he must saddle and mount with speed to
go soon, and that black Arapin was already near. Marko
saddled and mounted him, and went to the city where the
emperor Soliman reigned.

Now, when he had ascertained by which road Arapin's
men were coming, he presented himself to a young innkeeper,
and said, knocking at the door: `Open, and bring
some wine.' But he excused himself, saying that he dared
not draw any, for all inns and shops were obliged to be shut
for fear of black Arapin. But the hero said to him: `You
must bring some for me, or I shall cleave your head to the
shoulders.' The innkeeper saw that it could not be otherwise,
and was obliged to bring him a cup of wine. Marko
drank half, and gave half to his piebald horse. Then he
brought two cups, one for Marko, and one for the horse.
Meanwhile, Marko went into the garden to look about him.
When he got there, he saw by the side of a brook a damsel
in sorrow, and wondered what ailed her that she wept so
piteously, saying: `Ah! my rivulet! I would rather abide
in you, than lie behind black Arapin's back.' When Marko
saw that it was Soliman's daughter, he said: `What ails you,
damsel, that you weep so piteously?' She replied to him:
`Go hence, unknown hero! As to what you ask me, you
cannot aid me.' `Now, only tell me; maybe I shall aid
you.' `Black Arapin will come, and will take me away
from my father and mother; but I had a man, who could
have set me free, but he will not. I offered him twelve
loads of money, and a shirt, which is neither spun nor
bleached, but is made of pure gold; and a serpent, that
holds in its mouth a tray, and on the tray a golden casket,
and in the casket a precious stone, by aid of which he could
sup at midnight, as well as at mid-day; but he won't. The
sun has not seen him, neither has the moon thrown its light

upon him, nor has he seen his mother more, nor has a bird
sung to him.' Marko answered her: `Don't chatter, don't
chatter; but go and say that I have arrived. I am Marko;
and let him dress and furnish you handsomely, and give you
all that is requisite for Arapin, and all that he shall desire.'
Then she ran to her father, and told him all that Marko
said. Meanwhile, while Marko was conversing with the
damsel, Arapin arrived, saw an inn open, and a horse in
front of it standing tethered at the entrance. He said:
`Who is this, that is not afraid of my terror?' And thereupon
he said that he would soon teach him to be afraid of
him. After this, he shouted an order to the bedelija; the
bedelija (such is the [Turkish] name for a horse) would not
stir. `Well, I'll go thither; I won't make quarrels; maybe
I shall obtain possession of the damsel without any disturbance.'
And, in fact, thither he went, obtained possession of
the damsel, and all that he needed was given him. Then
he went again to the inn, and saw the horse again standing
there. Again he was about to go to the innkeeper to slay
him; but he shouted to the horse, the horse wouldn't stir.
Said Arapin: `Well, I won't make quarrels, now that I have
obtained the damsel without any quarrel.' When Arapin
proceeded on his way, Marko came out of the garden, and
his piebald horse said to him: `Where have you been so
long, that Arapin might easily have killed me?' `Now
don't fear, my piebald; we shall soon kill him, please God,
not he you.' Then he called for one more cup of wine for
himself, and one for his piebald. When they had finished
drinking, they started on their way, and in pursuit of Arapin.
Arapin had already told his chief officer to look round to
see whether any dark fog came out behind them. He looked
round, but saw nothing. But when he afterwards looked
round a second time, he espied a dark fog, and said to
Arapin: `Yes, my lord, a dark foul fog is coming behind
us.' Scarcely had he said this, when Marko attacked, and
began to slaughter, his rearguard. Arapin said to him:
`Don't be silly, Marko; why are you playing the fool with
us? I don't know whether you are jesting, or playing the
fool.' `I am neither jesting nor playing the fool, but am in
earnest.' `Do, then, what you can; throw what you have.'
`I won't; but throw you your mace.' Marko's piebald
threw himself down, and Arapin's mace went over Marko's
head. Then Marko threw his mace, and felled Arapin to
the ground, and the piebald leapt to Arapin, and said to
Marko: `Come, see that you cut off Arapin's head.' When
the piebald leapt, Marko, too, struck with his sword, and
cut off Arapin's head, and the piebald quickly leapt backwards
thirty paces. Then he left Arapin's carcase on the
ground, gave the head to the damsel, and said: `Kiss him,
now that he is dead, though you wouldn't when he was
living.' They went home, and the emperor caused a great
entertainment to be prepared, and all Marko's friends, and
his father and mother, to be invited, and Marko obtained his
promised reward.

So, too, he tried the fortune of combat with Musa
Urbanusa.[7] He had three hearts. Marko fought with him
for three nights and three white days without cessation, so
that red foam already issued from Marko, while not even
white foam came from Musa Urbanusa. Then Kraljevitch
Marko shouted: `Eh! sister Vila!' The Vila replied: `I
cannot help you, because the baby has fallen asleep in my
arms; but don't you know your secret weapon?' Then
said Kraljevitch Marko: `Look, Musa Urbanusa, whether
the sun is now rising or setting.' Musa looked at the sun,
and Marko drew his knife, and ripped Musa up. Musa
seized hold of him so powerfully that he barely dug his way
out from under Musa, whom he had ripped up. There he

lay, and Marko pushed himself sideways, and when he had
extricated himself, went to look what there was in this man
that was so strong. He saw that Musa had three hearts,
one was beating, the second was beginning to beat a little,
and the third did not yet know aught about it. On the
third he saw a snake lying, and the snake said to Marko:
`Thank God that I didn't know of it; you wouldn't have
done what you have done. But open your mouth, Marko,
that I may enter into you, that you, too, may be as strong as
he was.' Marko became angry, and cut the snake to pieces,
saying: `I don't need such a foul creature as you are.'

Then he proceeded on his way, and went about till firearms
were invented. He went up to a shepherd, who was
shooting birds. Then Marko asked him: `What's this that
you are doing?' `Eh! you see, I'm shooting birds; and I
could shoot you, also.' `And how would you kill me with
this thing? Heroes have not killed me; could you do so?'
Then he reached his hand to him, and said: `Shoot into
my hand here.' He shot, and shot through his hand. Then
said Marko: `It is not worth my while to live any longer
in the world; now any cuckoo could slay me; I had rather
quit it.' He went into a cavern, and lives there still at the
present day. Into this cavern a man was compelled to go,
who was let down by a rope in a chest. When he arrived
within, the Vila immediately stepped up to him, and said:
`Christian soul, why come you here?' He told her why
and how. But Marko heard that somebody was conversing,
and immediately asked the Vila who it was that had come
in. She told him that a soul from that world had come to
see what was in the cavern. Marko immediately said that
he must come to him, that he might see how strong people
in the world still were, and he must give him his hand.
But she gave him a red-hot iron, and Marko took it, and
squeezed it in his hands so that water spirted out of it, and

said: `Ah, ah! I could still live in the world if no one
would talk about me for three days.' He also commissioned
him to tell the lords that he should come there. He gave
him a letter, too, and sealed it with his own hand, and
allowed him to go up. He shook the rope, and got into
the chest. Then they pulled him up, and he gave the letter
to the lords; but, for fear of Marko's coming, the lords did
not make the letter public for people to know how Marko
had gone into the cavern. The footprints of his horse are
still recognised.

LIII.—THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF THE VILAS.

There was a mother, who was expecting. As she once
upon a time came out of church from mass, her pains fell
upon her. Whither should she go? She concealed herself
under a bridge, and became the happy mother of a son.
The three Royenitzes also came thither. They are hags,
who determine by what death every child is to pass from
this world. One said: `Let us kill him at once.' The
second said: `Not so; but when he grows up, then let us
kill him, that his mother's sorrow for him may be greater.'
But the third said: `Let us not do so; but if he does not
take the daughter of the king of the Vilas to wife, then let
us kill him.' And so it was settled.

When he had grown up, he said to his mother: `Mamma,
I should like to marry.' `Ah, my son, you say that you
would like to marry; but there is no one to be married to
you.' He asked her: `Why not?' She told him: `Yes;
the Suyenitzes have pronounced your fate, that if you do not
take the daughter of the king of the Vilas to wife, they will
put you to death.' He then said: `Well, I'll go in search
of her; but first I'll go to ask a certain old smith; maybe
he'll be able to tell me where she is.' The smith said:

`My son, it will be difficult for you to find out; but go to
the mother of the moon; if she can't tell you, I don't know
who will be better able to tell you than she.' He also gave
him three pairs of iron shoes, and sent him off to the mother
of the moon. `Only, when you come to her, take her by
the arm, then she will ask you at once what you want, and
tell her without delay.' He went off, and just as he was on
the point of wearing out the shoes, he came to the moon's
mother, and took her by the arm. She asked him immediately
what he wanted. He said: `I want to find the
daughter of the king of the Vilas.' She said: `Well, my
son, I don't know; but maybe my son knows. Wait till
he comes home, and then you can ask him. But he mustn't
find you; he would tear you to pieces at once. When he
comes home, he will notice that you are here. I will conceal
you, and when he asks for the third time where the
Christian soul is, then say to him: "Here I am!" and he
won't be able to do anything to you.' The old woman hid
him under a trough. The moon came home, and asked:
`Mamma, you have a Christian soul here.' And when he
asked for the third time where the Christian soul was, he
announced himself: `Here I am.' And then he could
do nothing to him, otherwise he would have crushed him
to powder. He asked him what he wanted. He said: `I
want to find the daughter of the king of the Vilas.' The
moon: `I don't know, but if the sun's mother doesn't
know, I don't know who else does.' And he showed him
the way by which he must go.

He put on the second pair of shoes, and when he was just on
the point of wearing them out, he came to the sun's mother,
and took her by the arm. She said to him at once: `What
do you want?' He said to her that, if she knew where the
Vilas' castles were, he wanted to obtain the daughter of the
king of the Vilas. She then said to him: `Ah, my son, I

don't know; but if my son doesn't know, I don't know who
else does. Wait a little till he comes home.' She, too,
concealed him under a trough, and he announced himself
the third time that the sun asked: `Mother, you have a
Christian soul here:' saying, `Here I am.' Neither could
the sun do anything to him, but asked him what he wanted.
He replied that he was in search of the Vilas' castles, and
the daughter of the king of the Vilas. Then the sun said
to him: `Ah, I don't know; but if the storm-mare (that is,
the storm or wind) doesn't know, then I don't know who
will know.' Then he showed him the road, and said: `When
you come to a meadow where the grass is up to your knees,
there the storm-mare is. If you don't find her there, wait
for her; she will come to feed. Don't go directly to her,
but hide behind a tree or in a hole, and when she comes,
take her at once by the bridle, otherwise it will not be good
for you.'

He went off, and put on the third pair of shoes, then
went and went, and arrived at the meadow. When he got
there, the storm-mare was not there till dawn. He hid himself
under a bridge, and when she came to the bridge to
drink water, he seized her by the bridle, and she asked him
what he wanted. He replied that he wanted to find the
daughter of the king of the Vilas. She answered him:
`Mount on my back.' He mounted, and she then said to
him: `But you mustn't fall off.' She reared; he almost
fell off, but kept himself on with his foot. She reared a
second time, and then, too, he almost fell off. A third
time she reared, and then, too, he almost fell off, only he
kept himself on with his knee. Then she said to him:
`This will be harmful to me.' She went off with him like a
bird, and sped and sped up to two steps. When she came
near them, the steps split in twain from the gust, but speedily
closed again, and tore off a piece of the mare's tail. Then

the mare said to him: `You see how you harmed me when
you almost fell off.' Then they went on till they arrived at
the Vilas' castles. Then she said: `Don't get drunk or
forget, so as not to come to me.' He said that he would
come, and went off upwards. They received and entertained
him, and he asked them at once to give him the
king's daughter. They promised that they would give her
to him. Then they feasted, and ate and drank till darkness
came on. And when evening arrived, he said that he must
go out on his own account, and would return directly. He
went off to the storm-mare. They had brought her a
hundred quintals of hay. He concealed himself in the
mare's tail. They sought him, and couldn't find him; but
nevertheless they almost found him at dawn; but a cock
began to crow, and then they could do nothing to him.
Afterwards he went indoors, and they gave him again to eat
and drink, and asked him where he had been. He replied:
`I slept under a hedge; I fell down, and soon fell asleep on
the spot.' They gave the mare a hundred quintals of hay
and several measures of oats. They enjoyed themselves the
whole day till evening. He went out again and hid himself
in the mare's mane. They sought him all night long, but
couldn't find him; but at dawn an old witch told them that
he was in the mane. They would almost have found him
there, but the cocks began to crow, and they couldn't kill
him now. But afterwards they killed all the cocks in the
whole village. He went again into the castle. They gave
him what he wanted to eat and drink, and the mare, as
usual, a hundred quintals of hay and several measures of
oats, and said to him: `You must not go out anywhere in
the evening; we will prepare everything for you that you
require.' When evening came, they were on friendly terms
with him, but nevertheless dispersed. He went out, and
went to the mare. Where did she bestow him? She hid
him under her foot in her shoe, for she had a large foot.
They went to seek him again. But during the day he took
two eggs, and the mare hatched them by evening in her
throat, and they had almost grown up by evening. When
they sought him again, they couldn't find him. At dawn
they consulted the old witch. She told them that he was
under the mare's hoof. They wanted now to take him out,
but the cockerels which the mare had hatched in her throat
began to crow. They could do nothing to him, but they
wrung the two cockerels' necks. Now he said that they
must give him the king's daughter, that he might depart.
But the king said that he wouldn't give her to him, because
he had not slept where he had prepared a bed for him.
He declared that he had been drunk and had gone out, had
fallen down, and gone to sleep on the spot. But the king
would not believe him. Now he begged him to bring his
daughter to him, that he might at any rate give her a kiss.
But beforehand the mare instructed him that, when she
came to kiss him, he was to seize her and pull her on to her
(the mare), and they would escape with her. And he was
also to take a brush with which horses are cleaned, a comb
with which horses are combed, and a glass of water, and
make good preparations for himself. But when the king
granted his request that his daughter should come for him
to kiss her, she stood on his foot in the stirrup, and as she
stood to give the kiss, off started the mare, and made her
way through the gate, and on and on she went. The king
saw this, called for his horse, and after them. They were
already far on their way. All of a sudden the mare said:
`Look round to see whether anyone is coming behind us.'
He looked round and said: `There is; he is all but catching
you by the tail.' The mare said: `Throw the brush!'
He threw the brush, and a forest placed itself behind them,
so that he could scarcely make his way through; the poor
king could scarcely get through for thorn bushes. And they
had meanwhile got a long way forward. The king, however,
forced his way through, and again after them with speed,
till he was again on the point of catching them. Then the
mare said: `Look round to see whether anyone is coming
behind us.' He looked round and saw that he was already
near, and the mare was all but caught by the tail, and said:
`He is near, and you are all but caught by the tail.' The
mare said: `Throw the comb.' He threw it, and a great
chain of mountains, one after the other, placed itself there;
and on they went further, so that they had already gone a
great space, and the king with difficulty made his way over
the mountains, and again after them, so that he was again
on the point of overtaking them. The mare told him to
look round to see whether anyone was coming behind them.
He said that there was, and that she was all but caught by
the tail. The mare said: `Throw the glass with water.'
He threw it, and a great flood of water arose, so that the
king could with difficulty get across. And they had already
got a long way on. No sooner had the king got out of the
water, when on he went with speed, with speed, again after
them, and was already on the point of overtaking them,
when the mare was already near the steps, and the steps
opened from the gust of wind, and the mare sped through,
and they closed again, and the king couldn't proceed further
through the steps, and shouted loudly: `Son-in-law, don't
go any further; I cannot do so. Let not my daughter complain
that I have given her nothing.' Then he somehow
threw his girdle over the steps, for he had nought else to
give her save that girdle. And the girdle was such that
whatsoever its owner wanted, he obtained. Then the king
returned, and they remained happy. He thanked the storm-mare
courteously, and went home with speed, for he bade
the girdle place them at his house. They prepared a grand
banquet, for they had plenty, and I was at the banquet and
feasted.

LIV.—THE WONDER-WORKING LOCK.

There was once upon a time a woman who had one son.
This son maintained himself and his mother; he fed their
one cow, and brought wood and carried it to the town for
sale, and with the money bought bread to support his
mother and himself. On one occasion he carried sticks to
market, and bought bread and went homewards. As he
went homewards with the bread, he went through a wood,
came up to some shepherds, and saw that they were going
to kill a puppy, and said to them: `Don't kill it; the poor
animal has done you no wrong; give it rather to me.' The
shepherds said to him: `What will you give us? Give us
that loaf.' He gave them the loaf, took the dog, and carried
it home. When he got home, his mother asked him:
`Have you brought any bread?' `No, but I have bought a
puppy with the bread.' She then said: `Wherewith shall
we support it, when we've nothing to eat ourselves?' `Well,
I'll go gather sticks, sell them, and buy bread.' He went a
second time to gather sticks, took them and sold them, then
bought bread, went through the wood, and saw where the
shepherds were killing a kitten, and said to them: `Don't
kill the animal; it has done you no harm; rather give it
to me?' They said to him: `What will you give us?' He
said: `What should I give you, when I've got nothing?'
The shepherds said: `That loaf of bread.' He gave it
them and carried the kitten home. The old woman was
again anxiously expecting bread. When he got home his
mother said to him: `Do you bring me any bread?' `No,
but I've bought a kitten with the bread.' The old woman
then said: `You've nothing to eat yourself, much less the
cat.' He then said: `It, too, will be serviceable. I'll go
gather sticks, sell them, and buy bread.' He went a third
time, gathered and sold sticks, bought bread, and went

homewards. Going through the wood, he saw the shepherds
killing a snake, and said: `Don't kill the snake, it has done
you no harm; why should you kill it?' He begged for it,
too, because he compassionated it; it was beautifully marked,
and he fancied it. Then said the shepherds: `What will
you give us not to kill it?' He said: `This little loaf of
bread.' He gave it them, and they gave him the snake. He
went home with the snake, and the snake said to him: `Now
feed me; when I grow up you shall carry me home.' When
he got home his mother said to him: `Why haven't you
brought some bread? Why have you brought this?' He
said: `It, too, will be of service.' Then he went a fourth
time to gather sticks, took them to market, sold them,
bought four loaves of bread, and brought them home.
Then they all ate their fill—the dog, the cat, the snake, his
mother, and himself. He maintained the whole set of
animals. The snake grew big; he now carried it home.
It said to him: `Do you hear? my mother will offer you
gold and silver, but don't take any, but let her give you the
lock which hangs behind the door. Whenever you want
anything whatever, only knock on the lock; twelve young
men will come, who will ask you: "What are your commands?"
Only say what you wish for, and you will have
it immediately.' When he carried it home, its parents
asked him what he wanted for bringing their daughter home.
He said according to his instructions: `Nothing but that
lock, which hangs behind the door.' They said to him:
`We can't give you that; and what good would you do
yourself with the lock? Let us rather give you a quantity
of money, as much as you can carry.' He then said: `I
don't wish for your money; only give me the lock.' When
they long refused to give it him, he was about to depart.
But they saw that he ought not to go away without payment,
so gave him the lock. Now, when he had obtained
the lock, and had gone a little distance from the house, he
knocked on the lock, and immediately out came twelve
young men, who asked him: `What are your commands?'
`Only that you place me at home at once.' He immediately
stood in front of his cottage, and when his mother saw him,
she rejoiced: `Oh, my son! you have come home; how
miserable I have been because you were not at home!'
`Well, mamma, don't talk! we shall now live better than
we have done hitherto; I have brought you such a thing,
that we shall live with ease.' Then he gently knocked on
the lock, and up darted the twelve young men: `What are
your commands?' `Food and drink for me, my mother,
the dog and the cat.' And so it was. This pleased the
old woman, and she loved her son still more.

Now it came into his head that he should like to get
married, and he said to his mother: `Mamma, go you to
our king, and ask him to give me his daughter to wife.' His
mother jeered him: `What is this nonsense that you are
talking?' `Well, go you to the king and tell him!' The
old woman did not venture to go at once; but at last go
she did, and told the king that her son wished to marry his
daughter. The king said to her: `Good! provided he performs
for me what I shall command him; if he breaks up
these hills by to-morrow morning, as far as my eyes can see,
so that the best wheat shall grow, and I shall eat a cake
from it to-morrow, then it is good; if that shall not be done,
he will lose his head.' She went home weeping: `My son,
you have done an evil thing; the king has said to you, you
must break up all these hills by to-morrow morning, as far
as the king's eyes can see, so that the best wheat shall grow
there, and the king shall eat a cake from it to-morrow; and
if that be not done, you will lose your head.' `Well,
mamma, if that's all he said, then she will be mine.' `Ah!
my sonny! how can this be? You cannot do it.' `Don't

talk, mamma, but let us go to sleep; you will see whether
all will be ready to-morrow or no.' They took their supper,
and his mother went off to sleep. Then he knocked on the
lock, and out sprang the twelve young men. `What are
your commands?' `I ask that these hills be broken up, as far
as the king's eyes can see, and the best wheat must grow
there.' It was done. In the morning the old woman went
to the king with the cake. The king rose up and saw that
it was really accomplished, and the old woman was waiting
with the cake. The king came out, and she said to him:
`Good-morning; I have brought it.' Then the king said:
`Good! he has done this; now tell him that by to-morrow
he must clear all the woods, as far as he can see, and the
best vineyards must be there, and he' (the king) `must eat
grapes and drink new wine to-morrow; and if he does not
do this, he will lose his head.' She went again weeping
home, and told her son all that the king had said to her.
But he only smiled and said: `Well, well, only go to sleep,
you will see whether all will be ready to-morrow or no.'
When they had supped, the old woman went off to sleep,
and he knocked on the lock, and the twelve young men
sprang out: `What are your commands?' `I command
that these woods be all cleared, and that they produce the
best grapes.' This, too, was done. In the morning the
king rose up and saw that the change was really effected.
The old woman, too, was really waiting for him with grapes
and new wine. The king said to her: `Well, good! tell
your son that he must accomplish one thing more, and then
he will win my daughter. If he shall have as much cattle,
and such a castle as I have, he will win my daughter; if
not, he will lose his head.' The old woman went home
again, and told him what the king said. Then he knocked
on the lock, and immediately out sprang the twelve young
men: `What are your commands?' He ordered that by
the morrow a better castle must be built than the king had
ever seen, and that he must have more cattle than the king,
and there must be a covered way from his castle to the
king's, and that a better garden must be formed, and in it
all kinds of trees, and all sorts of birds to sing in it. This,
too, came to pass. On the morrow he caused his six best
horses to be harnessed, and went to fetch the king's daughter,
to go to the wedding. Then the king said that there should
be wedding festivities for five years. They were married,
and the wedding festivities took place. Entrance was free
to everyone. The festivities had already lasted three years,
when the king's resources were exhausted. Then said
the young man: `Now I will entertain for three years.'
The king of the sea came, too, to the festivities, and fancied
the king's daughter, whom the other had married. Once
upon a time he saw how he knocked upon the lock, and
that which he wanted immediately presented itself. When
they went to sleep, the king of the sea stole the lock, and
knocked upon it; up sprang the twelve young men: `What
are your commands?' `That this castle and this lady be
placed on the black sea.' It was done. In the morning
the young man and his mother were terrified out of their
wits, because they were lying in a simple cottage. But he
knew at once that he had lost the lock. Then he went to
the king and prayed him to take charge of his mother, that
he might go to look for his castle. Well, he went to look
for it, with his dog and cat. He approached that sea, saw
his castle, and said: `Cat and dog, do you see our castle?
But how shall we get into it?' They went to the sea and
sat down. He was weary, and fell asleep as he sat. Then
said the dog and the cat: `Let us go for the lock.' The
dog said: `You can't swim; sit on my back; I will carry
you.' They went and came up to the wall. Then said the
dog: `I can't climb up a wall.' The cat said to him:
`You hang on somehow behind me.' And thus they arrived
at the corridor. Now said the cat: `You, dog, stay outside;
I'll go in by myself.' The king of the sea had just such a
cat. The cat went to the door and mewed: `Miau.' Then
said the king of the sea: `Let the cat in.' Then the cat
went in and took the lock so neatly that the king of the sea
didn't see it; he then went to the door and mewed: `Miau.'
Then said the king of the sea: `Let the cat out.' The cat
went out, and the dog asked it: `Have you got it?' `I
have; only go.' They went over the wall and into the sea;
and when they were already not far from their master, the
dog wanted to have hold of the lock, to carry it up to his
master, and said to the cat: `Give me the lock; if you
don't, I will throw you into the sea.' Then they squabbled,
and the lock fell into the sea, and a fish swallowed it; but
the cat seized the fish, and said: `If you don't give up the
lock I will kill you.' The fish said: `Don't kill me; I'll
give you the lock,' and immediately brought the lock up.
They went to their master, and carried up the lock. When
their master awoke and rose up, he said: `In what condition
have you come?' They said: `Our master, we have
brought the lock.' `Where is it?' `Here.' Then he took
it and knocked upon it, and out sprang the twelve young
men: `What are your commands?' `I command that my
castle be placed where it was, as well as that king and my
wife.' It was done. Then he went into the castle, and
she immediately ran to him and they kissed each other.
But he caused the king of the sea to be impaled on a spit
in the midst of the sea. Thus he obtained his castle back
again, and lived happily with his wife, but the king of the
sea was destroyed.

LV.—THE SHE-WOLF.

There was an enchanted mill, so that no one could stay there,
because a she-wolf always haunted it. A soldier went once
into the mill to sleep. He made a fire in the parlour, went
up into the garret above, bored a hole with an auger in the
floor, and peeped down into the parlour. A she-wolf came in
and looked about the mill to see whether she could find anything
to eat. She found nothing, and then went to the fire,
and said: `Skin down! skin down! skin down!' She raised
herself upon her hind-legs, and her skin fell down. She
took the skin, and hung it on a peg, and out of the wolf
came a damsel. The damsel went to the fire, and fell
asleep there. He came down from the garret, took the
skin, nailed it fast to the mill-wheel, then came into the mill,
shouted over her, and said: `Good-morning, damsel! how
do you do?' She began to scream: `Skin on me! skin on
me! skin on me!' But the skin could not come down, for
it was fast nailed. The pair married, and had two children.
As soon as the elder son got to know that his mother was a
wolf, he said to her: `Mamma! mamma! I have heard
that you are a wolf.' His mother replied: `What nonsense
you are talking! How can you say that I am a wolf?'
The father of the two children went one day into the field
to plough, and his son said: `Papa, let me, too, go with
you.' His father said: `Come.' When they had come to
the field, the son asked his father: `Papa, is it true that our
mother is a wolf?' His father said: `It is.' The son inquired:
`And where is her skin?' His father said: `There
it is, on the mill-wheel.' No sooner had the son got home,
than he said at once to his mother: `Mamma! mamma! you
are a wolf! I know where your skin is.' His mother
asked him: `Where is my skin?' He said: `There, on

the mill-wheel.' His mother said to him: `Thank you,
sonny, for rescuing me.' Then she went away, and was
never heard of more.

LVI.—MILUTIN.

A certain man had two children—one a boy, and the other
a girl. This man required his children to relate to him
every morning what they had dreamed. Indeed, the girl
related her dream, whatever she had dreamed, every morning,
but the boy did not, for he dreamed every night what
eventually happened to him; he dreamed that he killed a
king, took to wife a count's daughter, and became king in
the kingdom in which he killed the king. Exasperated at
this, his father thought the reason why he did not tell his
dream was because he was afraid, and drove him out along
a road, and beat him so that he cried piteously. A count
was driving past, and heard the child crying. He ordered
his servant to go to the man, and tell him not to beat the
child, but say how much he should give him to take it away
himself. The man said, in reply, that he need only take it
away from before his eyes. He immediately took it, and
delivered it to the count, and the count took it away home.
The count had one daughter, who took a great affection
for the boy. It was also a custom with the count that the
children were obliged to relate what they dreamed. But he
would not reveal his dream to the count, and say what he had
dreamed; and he had dreamed the very same dream that
he had dreamed at his father's. Then the count became
very angry, and caused a vault to be built in his garden,
inside which he was to be thrown, and it was to be constructed
of such masonry that nobody should be able to give
him anything to eat, and that no light should by possibility
enter it. But the count's daughter, who was very sorry

for the boy, went out to the masons, and promised them a
purse of money, only to construct it in such a manner that
she would be able to give him food at night. This the
masons did, in return for the good money. He was seven
years inside, and unable to sit or lie.

Now came a time when king sent a staff to the count,
and said he would attack him with an army, if he did
not tell him on which side the staff opened. Now the
damsel came at night, and brought the lad food, saying:
`Now, I have brought you food for the last time, because a
king has sent us a staff, and my father must open it; if he
does not open it, he will attack us with an army. We must
perish under the open sky, but you in this vault.' He
replied that she was not to frighten herself, `but go, lie down,
and soon jump up and say to your father: "My dear papa,
I have dreamt of good luck for us." He will say: "What?"
Reply to him: "I dreamt that I should tell you that, if you
will open the staff, you need only fill a tub with water, and
put the staff in it; the staff will turn with that side up on
which it opens." ' Even so it came to pass. Her father did
so, sealed up the staff on that side, and sent it to the king.
The king wrote back to him: `You have certainly done it,
but not with your own stupid head. But you have one
hard by your house, of whom you know not; he has done
this for you.' Then he wrote a letter again to the count,
and said: `I shall send you three horses all alike, and you
must tell me how many years old each is.' And all alike
they were. One was one year old, the second two, and the
third three years old. Then the damsel took him food, and
said to him: `Now I am bringing you food for the last
time; you will have to die here, and we in the open air, for
the king has sent us three horses exactly alike, and we must
tell him how old each is.' He replied that she must go and
lie down, and say that she had dreamt thus: that he must

prepare three heaps of oats of three different years, and let
the horses go to the oats, and they would go of themselves
each to his own heap; the one which was one year old
would go to the one-year-old oats, the second to the second,
and the third to the third heap. She told him this. And
it came to pass just as she told him. Then he wrote in
reply to the king, and the king to him: `Certainly, you have
done this, but not with your own stupid head; but you have
another who does it for you, of whom you are not aware.
But I shall send you one thing more. I shall send you, on
a given day, at the hour when you will be at dinner, a war-mace,
weighing three hundredweight; it will strike the
spoon out of your mouth. You must throw it back to me
just as I threw it to you.' Indeed, this, too, came to pass.
The mace flew in, knocked his spoon out of his hands, and
flew off with speed into the cellar, inside which it stuck so
fast that a score of soldiers couldn't move, much less throw,
it. Now the count assembled, and invited all people, but
no one was able to do it. She took him food again, and
said to him: `You have set us free twice, but certainly the
third time you will not be able to do so, and now you will
die here, and all of us in the open air.' He then asked her
what sort of work it was that had to be done. She told
him, and he answered: `Go home and lie down, then get
up and say that you have dreamt that no one else but I can
do it, so I tell you; but the count will not believe you, yet
will think, since you have twice dreamed with success, that
possibly now, too, it may be true.' And so it came to pass.
The count caused him to be dug out. He saw how weak
he was, and said: `I am stronger than he, but I can't throw
it; how, then, can he throw it?' He then said: `Go to a
certain king; he has nine hundred cows, and has them all
registered when each was calved. Buy for me one cow,
which is neither more nor less than nine years old, and
whatever he says you are to pay for it, pay. If you pay one
kreutzer less, I shall be two hundredweight lighter.' Well,
he went thither, and inquired whether he had such a cow.
The king answered that he had. Then he asked the price.
The king replied: `Nine thousand pieces of silver.' He
paid them, drove it home, and had it slaughtered immediately.
The young man then said that he must be three
months by himself in a house, without anybody being
allowed to go in to him. Now he took at once two pounds
of beef, but did not eat the flesh, but only the soup. This
lasted for three months. Well, the cook told the count that
he would not eat the flesh, in order to serve his own interests.
Then the count went himself to him, and asked him
why he would not eat the flesh. He replied that something
must be brought him to eat. Now he took a piece, threw it
upon the wall, and said to the count: `You see the flesh
has fallen down, and the soup has stuck to the wall; and so
it is with me: the soup abides with me, and the flesh goes
down from me.' Then he went out to look at the mace.
He was already able to move it. Then he went in for three
months to eat. Then he was able, with his left hand, to
throw it two hundred fathoms high into the air. He went
in once more to eat for three months. Now he was exceedingly
strong, and told the count to write freely to the king,
that on such and such a day, at such and such an hour, the
mace would arrive, and knock the spoon out of his mouth
at dinner. In fact, so it was. He threw it a hundred and
twenty-five hours walk into the other kingdom. Now the
king saw that he had done this also. Then he wrote to
him: `Certainly you have done all that I told you, but not
with your own stupid head, but he has done it for you, whom
you caused to be walled up in a vault. But you must send
him here to me, that I may see him.' But he wanted to
slay him. Now, the count was unwilling to let him go, but,
nevertheless, he was obliged to do so. `But do you know
what, count? Cause all your people to be summoned
hither, and we will select as many as ever we can that resemble
me.' There were only nine such, and he was
himself the tenth. Now he told him to have exactly similar
uniforms made for them all, so that, at any rate, no one
would know one to be different from another, and to provide
similar horses for all, and then he would go thither.
Even so it came to pass. Then the ten went. But before
they arrived at the town, he said to them: `Indeed, you
don't know why we are going thither; we are going to be
put to death; but I tell you not to be in any wise afraid.
This king will give you the word of command when we
enter: "Milutin (such was the boy's name), dismount!"
Then you must all dismount so that no one is behindhand,
but all alike, and at once. Then he will say: "Milutin, go
into the house!"—all go into the house. "Milutin, shut the
door!"—all off to shut it. "Milutin, take your seat at table!"
—all do it at once. "Milutin, go to bed!"—all off to bed at
once.' Even so it was. Thus the king could in no wise
recognise him, and did not venture to slaughter them, but
ordered his servant to conceal himself under a bed, and
listen which spoke most wisely, and put a mark upon him.
Now they all lay down, and began to converse as to what
would come out of this. Milutin then said: `Doubtless,
till now he has not recognised me, and will ride after me,
and will overtake us; but never mind that, only kneel down
and pray to God. Then notice well: if I first emit fire out
of my mouth, kill yourselves; but if he emits it first, have
no fear whatever; this signifies to you that human flesh will
seethe in human blood.' The man under the bed heard
this speech, and cut off a piece from the heel of his boot.
Morning arrived, and Milutin told them that each must look
well at his clothes: maybe there would be some mark on
someone's uniform. But all at once he observed that just
his boot-heel had been cut off, and said: `All give me your
boots, that I may cut off each of the heels just as I have
mine cut off.' Now the king came to summon them:
`Milutin, come to breakfast!' and they all went at once.
And the king saw that they all had a similar mark, and,
therefore, did not know which to put to death. Then he
reprimanded the servant. Now said the king: `Milutin, go
home!' and they all went homeward at once. But erelong
the king recognised Milutin by his horse—for he had
the horse from the count—and overtook him. They immediately
knelt down, as he had previously bidden them,
and he began first to fight on horseback, but nothing came
of it. Then they both dismounted from their horses, and
fought thus, each leaping against the other so that the earth
quaked under them. Thus they fought terribly for some
time. But all at once they observed that the king emitted
fire out of his mouth, and then Milutin afterwards. Then
the king spat pure fire out of his mouth at Milutin, and
Milutin also spat fire. The two fought on in this frightful
manner; but suddenly Milutin overcame the king, threw
him down, cut off his head, and carried it home to the
count. Now all was merriment, and Milutin married the
count's daughter, took possession of the realm of the king
whom he had slain, and there was a grand festival. That's
the end.