clap, and the roof fell in and the ceiling was cleft in two, and an Eagle flew in, struck the ground and turned himself into a doughty youth, and said, "Hail, Iván Tsarévich! formerly I came to you as a guest, now I come to you as a suitor." And he asked for the hand of Ólga.
And Iván Tsarévich answered, "If Ólga Tsarévna pleases you, she may go to you—I will not withstand your will."
Ólga Tsarévna was willing, and married the Eagle: the Eagle laid hold of her and took her to his own kingdom.
One year further went by, and Iván Tsarévich said to his youngest sister, "Let us go and have a walk in the green garden," and they went for a little walk. And a cloud came over the sky with thunder and lightning. "Let us turn back, sister, home!"
So they turned back home, and they had hardly sat down when the thunder clapped and the ceiling was divided into two, and a Crow flew in. And the Crow struck the ground and turned himself into a doughty youth. The former suitors were fair enough in themselves, but he was fairer still. "Formerly I came to you as a guest, but now I come to you as a suitor: give me your sister Ánna."
"I will not withstand my sister's will; if you are in love with her she may have you."
And Ánna Tsarévna went with the Crow, and he took her to his own kingdom.
So Iván Tsarévich was there alone, and for one whole year he lived there without any sisters, and began to feel melancholy. "I will go," he said, "and seek my sisters." So he started out on the road. He went on and on and on. And there lay on the field an army of a great host conquered. And Iván asked them: "If there be any man alive here, let him call! Who slew this mighty host?"
