“Not a soul has passed while I’ve been reaping, but I do remember that while I was planting this field two such people did pass.”
The old man shook his head, mounted his steed, and flew home again on the black cloud.
“Well, old wiseacre,” said Yezibaba, “what brings you back so soon?”
“No use my going on,” the old man said. “The only person I saw was a reaper in a field of rye.”
“You booby!” cried Yezibaba, “not to know that Raduz was the reaper and Ludmila the rye! How they fooled you! And didn’t you bring me back just one stalk of rye? Go after them again and this time don’t let them fool you!”
In the meantime Raduz and Ludmila were hurrying on. Suddenly Ludmila said:
“I wonder why my left cheek burns? Look back, dear Raduz, and see if there is any one following us.”
Raduz turned and looked. “There’s nothing following us but a gray cloud in the sky.”
“A gray cloud? That’s the old man on the gray horse that rides on the clouds. But don’t be afraid. Only have ready a cunning answer.”
Ludmila struck her hat with the wand and changed it into a chapel. Herself she changed into a fly that attracted a host of other flies. She changed Raduz into a hermit. All the flies flew into the chapel and Raduz began preaching to them.