In a certain country there once lived a king, and he had three sons, all of them grown up. All of a sudden Koshchei the Deathless carried off their mother. Then the eldest son craved his father's blessing, that he might go and look for his mother. His father gave him his blessing, and he went off and disappeared, leaving no trace behind. The second son waited and waited, then he too obtained his father's blessing--and he also disappeared. Then the youngest son, Prince Ivan, said to his father, "Father, give me your blessing, and let me go and look for my mother." But his father would not let him go, saying, "Your brothers are no more; if you likewise go away, I shall die of grief." "Not so, father. But if you bless me I shall go; and if you do not bless me I shall go." So his father gave him his blessing. Prince Ivan went to choose a steed, but every one that he laid his hand upon gave way under it. He could not find a steed to suit him, so he wandered with drooping brow along the road and about the town. Suddenly there appeared an old woman, who asked: "Why hangs your brow so low, Prince Ivan?" "Be off, old crone," he replied. "If I put you on one of my hands, and give it a slap with the other, there'll be a little wet left, that's all."[113] The old woman ran down a by-street, came to meet him a second time, and said: "Good day, Prince Ivan! why hangs your brow so low?" Then he thought: "Why does this old woman ask me? Mightn't she be of use to me?"--and he replied: "Well, mother! because I cannot get myself a good steed." "Silly fellow!" she cried, "to suffer, and not to ask the old woman's help! Come along with me." She took him to a hill, showed him a certain spot, and said: "Dig up that piece of ground." Prince Ivan dug it up and saw an iron plate with twelve padlocks on it. He immediately broke off the padlocks, tore open a door, and followed a path leading underground. There, fastened with twelve chains, stood a heroic steed which evidently heard the approaching steps of a rider worthy to mount it, and so began to neigh and to struggle, until it broke all twelve of its chains. Then Prince Ivan put on armor fit for a hero, and bridled the horse, and saddled it with a Circassian saddle. And he gave the old woman money, and said to her: "Forgive me, mother, and bless me!" then he mounted his steed and rode away.