THE MAIDEN WHO WAS SWIFTER

THAN THE HORSE.

(FROM THE SERVIAN.)

THERE was once a maiden who had neither father nor mother, for the Vilas had formed her out of snow, brought at midsummer, on St. Elias's day, from a bottomless cleft in the rock. The wind had fanned her into life, the dew had nourished her, the forest had clothed her with its leaves, and the meadows adorned her with their flowers. She was whiter than the snow, rosier than the rose, brighter than the sun, and more beautiful than any maiden who had ever been upon the earth, or ever will be again.

This virgin let it be known throughout the wide world that on a certain day, in a certain place, a race would be run; and that whatever youth, riding on horseback, should overtake her, would win her. This news spread in a few days throughout the whole world,

and thousands of suitors came together, all mounted on such splendid steeds that you would not know how to say which one was handsomer or better than the other. Even the son of the czar came to the race. The suitors drew themselves up in a line, all on horseback, side by side, but the virgin took her place on foot in the middle of them. Then she spoke,

"There, at the winning-post, I have set up a golden apple. If any one among you can reach it before me and take it, I will be his; but should I be first at the goal and take the apple, know ye that all who run against me will sink dead on the earth. Think well, therefore, what ye do."

But the riders were as if enchanted; each one hoped to win the maiden, and they said one to the other,

"It is clear at the outset that this maiden, on foot, will never be able to outrun any of us, but that that one among us whom God and good fortune shall bless, will bear her home."

Then, as the maiden clapped her hands together, they all sprang forward on the course. By the time they had run half the distance the maiden had already outstripped them by a long way, for she had unfolded small wings from below her shoulders. Then the riders shouted to each other, and spurred and whipped their horses until they overtook her.

The Maiden who was Swifter than the Horse. 189

When the maiden saw this she plucked a hair out of her head and threw it from her. In an instant a dense wood arose, in which the riders lost themselves for a time, not knowing which way to turn. At last they came again upon her track and rushed after her at full speed. Meanwhile the maiden had greatly gained upon them; but they whipped and spurred their horses, and overtook her once more. And when the maiden saw that she was so closely pressed, a tear fell from her eye which soon became a rapid stream, in which the riders were nearly drowned. Of them all the son of the czar alone, by swimming his horse across the flood, was able to follow her footsteps.

Then

As he saw that the maiden was far on before him, he invoked her three times, in the name of God, to stop, and she stood still on the place where she was. he seized her, and drew her on to the saddle behind, and swimming back on dry land, turned his horse through the mountain-pass towards home. But when he reached the highest point, and turned round to look at her, lo! the maiden had vanished!

THE BOOK OF MAGIC.

(FROM THE RUSSIAN.)

A SOLDIER was quartered in a certain town. He had taken to study the Black Art, and had got possession of books which dealt therewith. One day, during his absence from his quarters, one of his comrades came to see him. Not finding him at home, the visitor took up one of the soldier's books, and for want of other occupation began to read it. It was in the evening, and he read by the light of a lamp. The book was full of names and nothing else. He had read about half of the names when he raised his head, and looking around him, saw that the room was full of diabolical looking beings. The soldier was struck with terror, and not knowing what to do, began again to read the book. After reading for some little time, he again looked round him; the number of spirts had increased. Again he read, and having finished the book, looked again around him. By this time the number of demons had so much

increased that there was barely space for them in the room. They sat upon each other's shoulders, and pressed continually forward round the reader. The soldier saw that the situation was serious; he shut the book, closed his eyes, and anxiously awaited his comrade. The spirits pressed closer and closer upon him, crying,—

"Give us work to do-quick!"

The soldier reflected awhile, and then said,

"Fill up the cisterns of all the baths in the town with water brought thither in a sieve."

The demons flew away. In two minutes they returned and said,

"It is done! Give us some more work to do-quick!" "Pull the Voivode's* house down, brick by brick-but take care you do not touch or disturb the inmates; then build it up again as it was before."

The goblins disappeared, but in two minutes returned. "It is done!" they cried. "Give us more workquick!"

"Go," said the soldier, "and count the grains of sand that lie at the bottom of the Volga, the number of drops of water that are in the river, and of the fish that swim in it, from its source to its mouth."

* Governor.