The Prince knocked , and a rasping woman 's voice told him to enter . Iwanich opened the door , and found himself in a smoke-begrimed kitchen , in the presence of a hideous old woman who was warming her skinny hands at a fire . The Prince offered to become her servant , and the old hag told him she was badly in want of one , and he seemed to be just the person to suit her . When Iwanich asked what his work , and how much his wages would be , the witch bade him follow her , and led the way through a narrow damp passage into a vault , which served as a stable . Here he perceived two pitch-black horses in a stall . ` You see before you , ' said the old woman , ' a mare and her foal ; you have nothing to do but to lead them out to the fields every day , and to see that neither of them runs away from you . If you look after them both for a whole year I will give you anything you like to ask ; but if , on the other hand , you let either of the animals escape you , your last hour is come , and your head shall be stuck on the last spike of my fence . The other spikes , as you see , are already adorned , and the skulls are all those of different servants I have had who have failed to do what I demanded . ' Iwanich , who thought he could not be much worse off than he was already , agreed to the witch 's proposal . At daybreak nest morning he drove his horses to the field , and brought them back in the evening without their ever having attempted to break away from him . The witch stood at her door and received him kindly , and set a good meal before him . So it continued for some time , and all went well with the Prince . Early every morning he led the horses out to the fields , and brought them home safe and sound in the evening . One day , while he was watching the horses , he came to the banks of a river , and saw a big fish , which through some mischance had been cast on the land , struggling hard to get back into the water . Iwanich , who felt sorry for the poor creature , seized it in his arms and flung it into the stream . But no sooner did the fish find itself in the water again , than , to the Prince 's amazement , it swam up to the bank and said : ` My kind benefactor , how can I reward you for your goodness ? ' ' I desire nothing , ' answered the Prince . ' I am quite content to have been able to be of some service to you . ' ` You must do me the favour , ' replied the fish , ` to take a scale from my body , and keep it carefully . If you should ever need my help , throw it into the river , and I will come to your aid at once . '
Iwanich bowed , loosened a scale XXXXX the body of the grateful beast , put it carefully away , and returned home .
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