After killing the Snake, Ivan Popyalof and his brothers set off on their way home. But he had forgotten to take away his gloves, so he went back to fetch them, telling his brothers to wait for him meanwhile. Now when he had reached the hut and was going to take away his gloves, he heard the voices of the Snake's wife and daughters, who were talking with each other. So he turned himself into a cat, and began to mew outside the door. They let him in, and he listened to everything they said. Then he got his gloves and hastened away. As soon as he came to where his brothers were, he mounted his horse, and they all started afresh. They rode and rode; presently they saw before them a green meadow, and on that meadow lay silken cushions. Then the elder brothers said, "Let's turn out our horses to graze here, while we rest ourselves a little." But Ivan said, "Wait a minute, brothers!" and he seized his mace, and struck the cushions with it. And out of those cushions there streamed blood. So they all went on further. They rode and rode; presently there stood before them an apple-tree, and upon it were gold and silver apples. Then the elder brothers said, "Let's eat an apple apiece." But Ivan said, "Wait a minute, brothers; I'll try them first," and he took his mace, and struck the apple-tree with it. And out of the tree streamed blood. So they went on further. They rode and rode, and by and by they saw a spring in front of them. And the elder brothers cried, "Let's have a drink of water." But Ivan Popyalof cried: "Stop, brothers!" and he raised his mace and struck the spring, and its waters became blood. For the meadow, the silken cushions, the apple-tree, and the spring, were all of them daughters of the Snake. After killing the Snake's daughters, Ivan and his brothers went on homewards. Presently came the Snake's Wife flying after them, and she opened her jaws from the sky to the earth, and tried to swallow up Ivan. But Ivan and his brothers threw three poods of salt into her mouth. She swallowed the salt, thinking it was Ivan Popyalof, but afterwards--when she had tasted the salt, and found out it was not Ivan--she flew after him again. Then he perceived that danger was at hand, and so he let his horse go free, and hid himself behind twelve doors in the forge of Kuzma and Demian. The Snake's Wife came flying up, and said to Kuzma and Demian, "Give me up Ivan Popyalof." But they replied: