"i know all about it," answered the witch. "she is now at the palace of kostshei the deathless, and thou must understand that kostshei is terrible. he watches her day and night and no one can ever conquer him. his death depends on a magic needle. that needle is within a hare; that hare is within a large trunk; that trunk is hidden in the branches of an old oak tree; and that oak tree is watched by kostshei as closely as vassilissa herself, which means closer than any treasure he has."