But Balna was very sad, she could do nothing but weep and weep. Then the prince too was grieved for her sadness, and asked her why it was. She told him how she had lived in the jungle all alone with her sister, and how the sister had been carried away and she knew not where she was. “It was in search of her,” she said, “that I came to your city and I will never be happy until I find her.”
The prince said, “I myself can tell you nothing of her, but my older brother married a princess who also lived in the jungle. Let us go to her, and ask her if she can tell us anything of your sister.”
He took Balna to the apartments where his brother’s wife lived, to introduce her. But the moment the two princesses saw each other they cried out with joy and ran into each other’s arms. Great was the surprise of everyone, and their surprise was greater still when they found these two were sisters who had lost each other.
After this they sent into the jungle and brought all the rakshas’ treasure to the palace, and the two brothers and their wives lived together ever after in the greatest happiness.
THE FEATHER OF THE ZHAR BIRD
(From the Cossack)
THERE were once a man and his wife who had one son named Tremsin, and they were all poor together, as poor as could be.
One day the man said to Tremsin, “Listen, my son. We have but enough meal left in the house for thy mother and myself, and we can shelter thee here no longer. Take the gray steed that stands in the stall and ride out into the world to seek thy fortune, and my blessing shall go with thee.”