the little fox ran to the meadows which lay beneath this very wood and began rolling about in these meadows. A wolf came running up and said: "I see, gossip, that you've had a good feed somewhere or you would not roll about like that."--"I wish I wasn't so full; I've been at a banquet with the Tsar and the Tsaritsa. Do you mean to say that you've not been invited there, gossip? Impossible! Why, all the wild beasts were there, and as for the sables and ermines there was no end to them! The bears were still sitting there when I left, and eating like anything!" The wolf began to beg the fox humbly: "Little fox, can't you take me to the Tsar's banquet!"--"Why not! Hearken! Go you and collect by to-morrow forty forties of your brethren, the gray wolves, and I'll lead the whole lot of you thither." On the following day the wolves assembled and the fox led them to the Tsar's white stone palace, placed them all in rows, and announced to the Tsar: "Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya, thy destined son-in-law has sent thee gifts; lo! a whole herd of gray wolves does obeisance to you, and the number of them is forty forties." The Tsar bade them drive all the wolves into the enclosure, and said to the fox: "If my destined son-in-law is able to send me wolves as a present, let him now also send me just as many bears." The little fox ran to little Kuz'ma and bade him roast another fowl, ate her fill of it, and ran off again to the fenced meadows of the Tsar. Thither she went and fell a-rolling about under the selfsame wood. And out of the wood came running a shaggy bear and looked at the fox. "Well, gossip fox," said he, "you have plainly had your fill, or what has come over you to make you roll about in the grass so merrily?"--"Had my fill! I should think so. Why I've been to the Tsar's banquet; there was a whole lot of us beasts there, and of sables and ermines no end. The wolves are eating there now, and a nice dinner they are making of it." Bruin straightway began to beg the fox to let him go: "Little fox, won't you lead me also to the Tsar's banquet?"--"Very well; hearken. Bring together by to-morrow forty forties of black bears, and I'll lead you thither with pleasure, for of course the Tsar's cooks would not make ready for you alone." Old bandy-legs wandered all about the woods, proclaimed the news to all the bears, and got together as many bears as the fox had commanded, and she led them to the Tsar's white stone palace, arranged them in rows, and announced: "Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon, and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya, your destined son-in-law salutes you with a present of forty forties of black bears." The Tsar bade them drive the bears also into the enclosure, and said to the fox: "If my destined son-in-law can send me so many bears and wolves as a gift, let him now send us also just as many martens and sables." The fox again hastened off to Kuz'ma, bade him roast the last hen, together with the cock,