The hut turned to him and stood still, and the prince, going in, found the old Yaga there. When she saw him, she cried out—
“Why are you come here, Prince Junak, where no one has ever before been?”
“You are a foolish witch to ask questions of me,” said the prince, “and not to welcome me.” Then the Yaga rose and got ready everything that the prince needed. When he had eaten and drunk and rested himself, he told her why he had come.
“You have undertaken a difficult thing, Prince Junak,” said the Yaga, “and you will want all your courage to succeed. I will show you how to overcome Koshchei. In the middle of the ocean is the island of eternal life. In the centre of the island grows an oak, and under it is an iron coffer. In the coffer is a hare, under the hare is a grey duck, and under the duck is an egg in which is contained the life of Koshchei. If the egg is broken, Koshchei dies.”
The Prince at once set off to seek the egg. He rode on his wonderful horse until he came to the seashore. There he found a large fish struggling in a net.
“Prince Junak,” said the fish, “let me loose, and I promise you your kindness shall not be forgotten.”
The prince took the fish out of the net and set it free. Then he stood upon the shore, and thought how he should reach the island of eternal life, whose rocks he saw afar off. As he stood silent and sad, his horse said to him—
“Prince, what is it you are thinking of, and why do you look so sad?”
“How can I be otherwise,” answered the prince, “when I find my journey here all in vain? How can I reach the far-off island?”
“Mount upon my back,” said the horse, “and I will carry you to it. Only hold on well.”