Atondido Stories
In dismay Yirik looked from sister to sister. There was noth-
ing to show him which was Zlatovlaska, the Golden-Haired.
How was he to find out?
Suddenly he heard a buzzing in his ear and a little voice
whispered:
"Courage, Yirik, courage! I'll help you!"
He turned his head quickly and there was the fly he had res-
cued from the spider.
"Walk slowly by each princess," the fly said, "and I'll tell you
when you come to Zlatovlaska, the Golden-Haired."
Yirik did as the fly ordered. He stopped a moment before the
first princess until the fly buzzed:
"Not that one! Not that one!"
He went on to the next princess and again the fly buzzed:
"Not that one! Not that one!"
So he went on from princess to princess until at last the fly
buzzed out:
"Yes, that one! That one!"
So Yirik remained standing where he was and said to the
king:
"This, I think, is Zlatovlaska, the Golden-Haired."
"You have guessed right," the king said.
At that Zlatovlaska removed the white veil from her head
and her lovely hair tumbled down to her feet like a golden cas-
cade. It shimmered and glowed like the sun in the early morning
when he peeps over the mountain top. Yirik stared until the
brightness dimmed his sight.
The king immediately prepared Zlatovlaska, the Golden-
Haired, for her journey. He gave her the two precious flasks of
water; he arranged a fitting escort; and then with his blessing he
sent her forth under Yirik's care.
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