Swiftly the chase was coming by the fresh tracks, but when they came to the river, they stopped perplexed. Up to the bridge they could follow the track, but beyond it the track was lost. Nothing could be done. They had to go back.
King Koshchey was terribly angry when he heard about their failure. "You fools!" cried he. "The river and the bridge must have been they. Couldn't you guess it, you idiots! Go again, and do not fail to bring them with you."
The pursuit started anew.
"I hear the tramping of horses," said Princess Mary to Prince Ivan.
He dismounted again, put his ear against the ground and said, "Yes, they are tramping, and pretty near us."
In a second Princess Mary, together with Prince Ivan and the steed, turned into a wild dark forest. In that forest there were numberless paths, and a horse with two riders seemed to gallop through it. Now the chase came by the fresh track to the forest. They saw the riders and ran after them. The forest reached as far as King Koshchey's underground kingdom. The chase was flying and the horse with the two riders was always before them. Now they almost reached them, now they only had to grasp them,—but no, the steed was again far behind them. And see! There they were again before the entrance to King Koshchey's kingdom at the same place where they started their chase; and everything disappeared,—no more horse, no more forest.
With empty hands the pursuers appeared before King Koshchey. Like one mad the king tossed about. "Wait until I catch that wretch! I will go myself now. Let us see how they are going to escape me!"
Again Princess Mary whispered to Prince Ivan, "I hear tramping."
Again he answered her, "Yes, they are approaching us."
"Woe to us! This is my father himself; but his power reaches only to the first church. Give me the cross you wear upon your neck."