Then you must lay hands on the mare and foal and catch them . All turned out exactly as the sly fox had foreseen . The Prince swung himself on the mare , seized the foal by its bridle , and hurried home . While he was riding over the heath in the highest of spirits the mare suddenly said to her rider : ` You are the first person who has ever succeeded in outwitting the old witch Corva , and now you may ask what reward you like for your service . If you promise never to betray me I will give you a piece of advice which you will do well to follow . ' The Prince promised never to betray her confidence , and the mare continued : ` Ask nothing else as a reward than my foal , for it has not its like in the world , and is not to be bought for love or money ; for it can go from one end of the earth to another in a few minutes . Of course the cunning Corva will do her best to dissuade you from taking the foal , and will tell you that it is both idle and sickly ; but do not believe her , and stick to your point . ' Iwanich longed to possess such an animal , and promised the mare to follow her advice . This time Corva received him in the most friendly manner , and set a sumptuous repast before him . As soon as he had finished she asked him what reward he demanded for his year 's service . ` Nothing more nor less , ' replied the Prince , ` than the foal of your mare . ' The witch pretended to be much astonished at his request , and said that he deserved something much better than the foal , for the beast was lazy and nervous , blind in one eye , and , in short , was quite worthless . But the Prince knew what he wanted , and when the old witch saw that he had made up his mind to have the foal , she said , ' I am obliged to keep my promise and to hand you over the foal ; and as I know who you are and what you want , I will tell you in what way the animal will be useful to you . The man in the cauldron of boiling pitch , whom you set free , is a mighty magician ; through your curiosity and thoughtlessness Militza came into his power , and he has transported her and her castle and belongings into a distant country . ` You are the only person who can kill him ; and in consequence he fears you to such an extent that he has set spies to watch you , and they report your movements to him daily . ` When you have reached him , beware of speaking a single word to him , or you will fall into the power of his friends . Seize him at once by the beard and dash him to the ground . ' Iwanich thanked the old witch , mounted his foal , put spurs to its sides , and they flew like lightning through the air . Already it was growing dark , when Iwanich perceived some figures in the distance ; they soon came up to them , and then the Prince saw that it was the magician and his friends who were driving through the air in a carriage drawn by owls . When the magician found himself face to face with Iwanich , without hope of escape , he turned to him with false friendliness and said : ` Thrice my kind benefactor ! '
But the Prince , without saying a word , seized him at once XXXXX his beard and dashed him to the ground .
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