--- title: The Witch and Her Servants(22), part 1 — The Yellow Fairy Book · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Witch and Her Servants(22), part 1, «The Yellow Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: (22) From the Russian. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/30/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Yellow Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/) / The Witch and Her Servants(22), part 1 # The Witch and Her Servants(22), part 1 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/30/) **2** As soon as the head-gardener saw the Prince going towards the palace he ran to the trees, and when he saw them laden with ripe fruit he hastened to tell the King the joyful news.[47](../../47/ "tree and pragmatics") The King was beside himself for joy, and hurried at once to the garden and made the gardener pick him some of the fruit.[48](../../48/ "tree and pragmatics") He tasted it, and found the apple quite as luscious as it had been in his dream.[49](../../49/ "tree and pragmatics") He went at once to his son Iwanich, and after embracing him tenderly and heaping praises on him, he asked him how he had succeeded in protecting the costly fruit from the power of the magician.[50](../../50/ "tree and pragmatics") This question placed Iwanich in a dilemma.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") But as he did not want the real story to be known, he said that about midnight a huge wasp had flown through the branches, and buzzed incessantly round him.[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") He had warded it off with his sword, and at dawn, when he was becoming quite worn out, the wasp had vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") The King, who never doubted the truth of this tale, bade his son go to rest at once and recover from the fatigues of the night; but he himself went and ordered many feasts to be held in honour of the preservation of the wonderful fruit.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") The whole capital was in a stir, and everyone shared in the King’s joy; the Prince alone took no part in the festivities.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") While the King was at a banquet, Iwanich took some purses of gold, and mounting the quickest horse in the royal stable, he sped off like the wind without a single soul being any the wiser.[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") It was only on the next day that they missed him; the King was very distressed at his disappearance, and sent search-parties all over the kingdom to look for him, but in vain; and after six months they gave him up as dead, and in another six months they had forgotten all about him.[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") But in the meantime the Prince, with the help of his ring, had had a most successful journey, and no evil had befallen him.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") At the end of three months he came to the entrance of a huge forest, which looked as if it had never been trodden by human foot before, and which seemed to stretch out indefinitely.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince was about to enter the wood by a little path he had discovered, when he heard a voice shouting to him: ‘Hold, youth\![60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") Whither are you going?’[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") Iwanich turned round, and saw a tall, gaunt-looking man, clad in miserable rags, leaning on a crooked staff and seated at the foot of an oak tree, which was so much the same colour as himself that it was little wonder the Prince had ridden past the tree without noticing him.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘Where else should I be going,’ he said, ‘than through the wood?’[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘Through the wood?’ said the old man in amazement.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘It’s easily seen that you have heard nothing of this forest, that you rush so blindly to meet your doom.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") Well, listen to me before you ride any further; let me tell you that this wood hides in its depths a countless number of the fiercest tigers, hyenas, wolves, bears, and snakes, and all sorts of other monsters.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") If I were to cut you and your horse up into tiny morsels and throw them to the beasts, there wouldn’t be one bit for each hundred of them.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Take my advice, therefore, and if you wish to save your life follow some other path.’[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince was rather taken aback by the old man’s words, and considered for a minute what he should do; then looking at his ring, and perceiving that it sparkled as brightly as ever, he called out: ‘If this wood held even more terrible things than it does, I cannot help myself, for I must go through it.’[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") Here he spurred his horse and rode on; but the old beggar screamed so loudly after him that the Prince turned round and rode back to the oak tree.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘I am really sorry for you,’ said the beggar, ‘but if you are quite determined to brave the dangers of the forest, let me at least give you a piece of advice which will help you against these monsters.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘Take this bagful of bread-crumbs and this live hare.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") I will make you a present of them both, as I am anxious to save your life; but you must leave your horse behind you, for it would stumble over the fallen trees or get entangled in the briers and thorns.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") When you have gone about a hundred yards into the wood the wild beasts will surround you.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Then you must instantly seize your bag, and scatter the bread-crumbs among them.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") They will rush to eat them up greedily, and when you have scattered the last crumb you must lose no time in throwing the hare to them; as soon as the hare feels itself on the ground it will run away as quickly as possible, and the wild beasts will turn to pursue it.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") In this way you will be able to get through the wood unhurt.’[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") Iwanich thanked the old man for his counsel, dismounted from his horse, and, taking the bag and the hare in his arms, he entered the forest.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") He had hardly lost sight of his gaunt grey friend when he heard growls and snarls in the thicket close to him, and before he had time to think he found himself surrounded by the most dreadful-looking creatures.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") On one side he saw the glittering eye of a cruel tiger, on the other the gleaming teeth of a great she-wolf; here a huge bear growled fiercely, and there a horrible snake coiled itself in the grass at his feet.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") But Iwanich did not forget the old man’s advice, and quickly put his hand into the bag and took out as many bread-crumbs as he could hold in his hand at a time.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") He threw them to the beasts, but soon the bag grew lighter and lighter, and the Prince began to feel a little frightened.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And now the last crumb was gone, and the hungry beasts thronged round him, greedy for fresh prey.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he seized the hare and threw it to them.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") No sooner did the little creature feel itself on the ground than it lay back its ears and flew through the wood like an arrow from a bow, closely pursued by the wild beasts, and the Prince was left alone.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked at his ring, and when he saw that it sparkled as brightly as ever he went straight on through the forest.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") He hadn’t gone very far when he saw a most extraordinary looking man coming towards him.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") He was not more than three feet high, his legs were quite crooked, and all his body was covered with prickles like a hedgehog.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Two lions walked with him, fastened to his side by the two ends of his long beard.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") He stopped the Prince and asked him in a harsh voice: ‘Are you the man who has just fed my body-guard?’[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Iwanich was so startled that he could hardly reply, but the little man continued: ‘I am most grateful to you for your kindness; what can I give you as a reward?’[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘All I ask,’ replied Iwanich, ‘is, that I should be allowed to go through this wood in safety.’[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/30/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/30/) - next →: [The Witch and Her Servants(22), part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/31/) - ↑ back to [The Yellow Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/)