“Drop down to the damp earth,” said Vassilissa the Cunning to her husband; “perhaps thou wilt hear something.”
He dropped to the earth, listened, and answered: “I hear the neighing of horses.”
Vassilissa turned him into a garden, and herself into a head of cabbage. The pursuers returned to the Tsar empty-handed. “Your Majesty, there is nothing to be seen in the open country; we saw only a garden, and in the garden a head of cabbage.”
“Go on, bring me that head of cabbage; that is their tricks.”
Again the pursuers galloped on; again Ivan dropped down to the damp earth. “I hear,” said he, “the neighing of horses.” Vassilissa the Cunning made herself a well, and turned Ivan into a bright falcon; the falcon was sitting on the brink, drinking water. The pursuers came to the well; there was no road beyond, and they turned back.
“Your Majesty, there is nothing to be seen in the open country; we saw only a well, and a bright falcon was drinking water out of that well.”
The Tsar himself galloped a long time to overtake them.
“Drop down to the damp earth; perhaps thou wilt hear something,” said Vassilissa the Cunning to her husband.
“There is a hammering and thundering greater than before.”
“That is my father chasing us. I know not, I cannot think what to do.”