ball. In whatever direction this ball rolls, follow without fear."

Ivan Tsarevitch thanked the good old man, and followed his new guide,
the ball. Long, very long, was his road. One day in a wide, flowery
field he met a bear, a big Russian bear. Ivan Tsarevitch took his bow
and was ready to shoot the bear.

"Do not kill me, kind Tsarevitch," said the bear. "Who knows but that
I may be useful to thee?" And Ivan did not shoot the bear.

Above in the sunny air there flew a duck, a lovely white duck. Again
the Tsarevitch drew his bow to shoot it. But the duck said to him:

"Do not kill me, good Tsarevitch. I certainly shall be useful to thee
some day."

And this time he obeyed the command of the duck and passed by.
Continuing his way he saw a blinking hare. The Tsarevitch prepared an
arrow to shoot it, but the gray, blinking hare said:

"Do not kill me, brave Tsarevitch. I shall prove myself grateful to
thee in a very short time."

The Tsarevitch did not shoot the hare, but passed by. He walked
farther and farther after the rolling ball, and came to the deep blue
sea. On the sand there lay a fish. I do not remember the name of the
fish, but it was a big fish, almost dying on the dry sand.

"O Tsarevitch Ivan!" prayed the fish, "have mercy upon me and push me
back into the cool sea."