“’Till now ne’er a Russian wight
I’ve heard with ear, or seen with sight,
Now full clear I see and hear.”
Then turning to Quercillo she inquired, “Wherefore did you come hither, Quercillo?” Thereupon she began to beat him, and continued beating him until he was half dead, after which she devoured all the food which had been got ready, and then rode off.
Upon the return of Quercillo’s comrades from the chase they asked him for their dinner, and he, not informing them that Baba Yaga had been there, said that he had fallen into a swoon, and had got nothing ready.
In the very same manner did Baba Yaga treat Montano and Moustacho. At last, it coming to the turn of Jack with the Bear’s Ear to sit at home, he remained whilst his comrades went forth in quest of game. Jack cooked and roasted everything, and having found in Baba Yaga’s cabin a pot of honey he placed a post by the perch, and having split it at the top he thrust in a wedge and emptied the honey upon the post. He himself sat on the perch, concealing behind him the post whilst he prepared three iron rods. After the lapse of a little time arrived Baba Yaga and screamed forth:
“’Till now ne’er a Russian true
I’ve heard with ear, or seen with view,
Now I do both hear and view.”
“Wherefore have you come hither, Jack with the Bear’s Ear, and why dost thou thus waste my property?” Whereupon she began to lick with
her tongue about the post, and no sooner did her tongue arrive at the fissure than Jack snatched the wedge from out of the post, and having entrapped her tongue he leaped up from the perch, and scourged her with the iron rods until she begged that he would let her go, promising that he should be in peace from her and that she would never more come to him.
Jack consented to her prayer, and having set her tongue at liberty he placed Baba Yaga in a corner whilst he himself sat by the window awaiting his companions, who soon returned and imagined that Baba Yaga had acted with him in the same manner as with themselves. But perceiving that he had the food all ready prepared they were much astonished thereat. After dinner he related how he had dealt with Baba Yaga, and laughed at them that they were unable to manage her. At last, wishing to
show them the drubbed and beaten Baba Yaga he led them to the corner, but there she was no longer. So they resolved to go in pursuit of her, and having arrived at a stone they lifted it up and perceived a deep abyss, down which they thought of descending. But as none of his companions had courage enough to do this, Jack with the Bear’s Ear consented to go. So they began to construct a cable, and having made a canoe for him to sit in they let him down into the gulf.
Meanwhile Jack commanded them to wait for him a whole week, and provided during this time they received no intelligence of him to await no longer. “If I be alive and pull the rope draw up the canoe provided it be light; but if it be heavy cut the rope in order that you may not draw up Baba Yaga instead of me.” Then having bid them farewell he descended into the deep subterranean abyss.