Presently the hag found her way into the presence of her manor-lord and accused him, shrieking, of the murder of her son.
"To the wolves you threw him," she cried, "deny it if you can!"
Maximof laughed; he rang the bell and bade his servants take her to the flog room and see that she had her full twenty strokes.
"They that throw to the wolves shall to the wolves be thrown!" shrieked the woman as she was removed; but Maximof laughed and bade the servants add five strokes. Presently he rang again in order to ask whether his orders had been obeyed.
"To the letter, Barin," said the trembling serf; "twenty-five strokes; after her punishment, being unable to walk, she was carried away to the village."
"Good," said Maximof; "if any serf repeats the words she has spoken this night, he shall receive a double punishment."
As a matter of fact the hag had been allowed to go unknouted. "It is enough to have lost your son," her pitying fellow serfs had told her; "go quickly and remain lying and groaning to-morrow, in case the steward calls to make sure."
"Those that throw to the wolves shall themselves feel the teeth of the wolves," murmured the old hag as she took her departure, and the saying was repeated broadcast among the villagers next day, in spite of the manor-lord's threats, for this old hag had some reputation as a znaharka, or wise woman, and her curses and blessings were matters of considerable interest to the peasantry around.