passage; it lasts not long."

The Tsar Archidei became thoughtful.

"Well," he said to the merchant guests, "you have my thanks, guests of
passage, respectable men of trade. Go in God's name, transact business
in my tsarstvo without any taxes whatever. What to do about the
beautiful Princess Helena I will try to think out by myself."

The merchants bowed low and left the Tsar's rich palace.

The Tsar Archidei sat still, wrapped in thought, but he could find
neither beginning nor end to the problem. "Let me ride into the wide
fields," he said; "let me forget my sorrow amid the excitement of the
noble hunt, hoping that the future may bring advice."

The falconers appeared, cheerful notes from the golden trumpets
resounded, and falcons and hawks were soon slumbering under their
velvet caps as they sat quietly on the fingers of the hunters.

The Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch came with his men to a wide, wide field.
All of his men were watching the moment to loose their falcons in
order to let the birds pursue a long-legged heron or a white-breasted
swan.

Now, you, my listeners, must understand that the fairy tale is quick,
but life is not. The Tsar Archidei was on horseback for a long while,
and finally came to a green valley. Looking around he saw a well
cultivated field where the golden ears of the grain were already ripe,
and oh, how beautiful! The Tsar stopped in admiration.