` Please let us alone , Prince Ivan ! ' begs the lioness ; ` some time or other I 'll do you a good turn . ' ` Very well ; have it your own way , ' says he . Hungry and faint he wandered on , walked farther and farther , and at last came to where stood the house of the Baba Yaga . Round the house were set twelve poles in a circle , and on each of eleven of these poles was stuck a human head ; the twelfth alone remained unoccupied . ` Hail , granny ! ' ` Hail , Prince Ivan ! wherefore have you come ? Is it of your own accord , or on compulsion ? ' ' I have come to earn from you an heroic steed . ' ` So be it , Prince ! You wo n't have to serve a year with me , but just three days . If you take good care of my mares , I 'll give you an heroic steed . But if you do n't -- why , then you must n't be annoyed at finding your head stuck on top of the last pole up there . ' Prince Ivan agreed to these terms . The Baba Yaga gave him food and drink , and bade him set about his business . But the moment he had driven the mares afield , they cocked up their tails , and away they tore across the meadows in all directions . Before the Prince had time to look round they were all out of sight . Thereupon he began to weep and to disquiet himself , and then he sat down upon a stone and went to sleep . But when the sun was near its setting the outlandish bird came flying up to him , and awakened him , saying : ` Arise , Prince Ivan !
The mares are XXXXX home now . '
Before If about across at in near of on to