The Prince answered, “The old hag’s mare has escaped me, and I do not know where to find her.”
The Fox: “She is among us; she has changed herself into a fox and the foal into a fox-cub. Just strike upon the ground with the halter and say, ‘The old hag’s mare still lives!’”
So the Prince struck upon the earth with the halter, saying, “The old hag’s mare still lives!” and the mare again returned to her former shape and stood before him with her colt, as if she had just arisen from the earth. So he put the halter upon her, mounted, and rode back to the house, the foal running quietly at her side.
Arrived at home, the old woman placed food before him; but she led the mare into the stable and fell upon her with the oven-fork, saying, “Go among the foxes, you wretch!”
The mare answered, “Indeed, I did go among the foxes, but they are in league with him and betrayed me.” She answered, “Then go among the wolves!”
When evening came the imperial Prince mounted the mare and rode out to the field, with the foal running alongside. He sat continually upon her back, but about midnight he fell asleep, and when he awoke he perceived that he was astride a block of wood, with the halter in his hand. When he saw this he sprang to his feet and began to search for the mare; but in a moment he remembered what the old woman had said, and without delay he drew forth the Wolf’s hair from his kerchief and rubbed it between his fingers.
There was the Wolf upon the spot. “What is the matter, brother soul?”
The Prince answered, “The old hag’s mare has escaped, and I do not know where she is.”
The Wolf: “She is here among us; she has changed herself into a wolf and her foal into a wolf-cub. But strike upon the earth with the halter and say, ‘The old hag’s mare still lives!’”
So he struck upon the earth with the halter, saying, “The old hag’s mare still lives!” and, as before, she suddenly appeared, with the foal at her side. Then the imperial Prince put the halter upon her, mounted, and rode home, the foal running quietly by her side.