will tell you what to do," answered the fairy, "get up very early at dawn before the cocks sing and look about the hut. Whatever begins to move first, cover it with this kerchief. What happens, you will see."

The whole night the old man lay sleepless in his bed. The sun began to rise, and there was light in the hut. Suddenly, he saw that the blue flower moved, flew off its thin stalk, and began to fly about the room. Everything went right away to its place, everything was dusted and cleaned, and a bright fire began to burn in the stove. Quickly jumped the old man off his bed and covered the flower with the fairy's kerchief, and before him, there appeared the beautiful Princess Mary.

"What have you done?" said she. "Why did you bring me to life again? My bridegroom, Prince Ivan, left me, and I am forgotten by him."

"Your Prince Ivan is getting married today. The wedding-feast is all ready, and all the guests have arrived."

Princess Mary cried bitterly. Then she wiped her tears. Putting on a "sarafan" (Russian national dress for women), she went into the city as a country girl. She came into the king's kitchen. The cooks were running here and there in their white caps and aprons. There was plenty of noise, bustle, and clatter. She went up to the chief cook, and with an imploring face and a voice as sweet as a flute said, "Cook dear, allow me to bake the wedding cake for the prince."

The cook, disturbed in his work, wanted to refuse her, but no angry word could escape his lips when he looked at her, and he answered very kindly, "Very well, fair maiden, do what you please; I myself will serve your cake to Prince Ivan."

At the feast when all the guests were sitting around the table, the chief cook put before Ivan a large cake upon a beautiful silver plate. All the guests were surprised at the skill of the baker. But as soon as Ivan cut off the top of it, a new wonder! A pair of pigeons flew out of it. The gray male pigeon was walking upon the table, and the white female after him cooing. "Pigeon, my pigeon, stop, do not run away; you will forget me just as Prince Ivan has forgotten Princess Mary."

Ivan groaned when he heard this. He jumped up like mad and ran to the door behind which Mary was waiting. Before the palace, the black steed all saddled and bridled, was impatiently stamping the ground. They did not tarry. Ivan and his princess rode away. After a long journey, they arrived in King Longbeard's kingdom, where 

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