Agoloso Presents - Atondido Stories Agoloso Presents - Atondido Stories 2 | Page 342

Atondido Stories "The Waters of Life and of Death are difficult to get," Nedyelka said. "However, dear boy, I will help you. Take these two pitchers and again mount the faithful Tatosh. He will carry you to the two shores under which flow the springs of the Water of Life and the Water of Death. The right shore opens for a mo- ment on the instant of noon and under it the Water of Life bub- bles up. The left shore opens for a moment at midnight and un- der it lies the still pool of the Water of Death. Wait at each shore until the moment it opens. Then reach in and scoop up a pitcher of water. Be swift or the shores will close upon you and kill you." Vitazko took the two pitchers and mounted Tatosh. The horse rose on the wind and carried Vitazko far, far away beyond the Red Sea to the two shores of which old Nedyelka had told him. At the moment of noon the right shore opened for an instant and Vitazko scooped up a pitcher of the Water of Life. He had scarce- ly time to draw back before the opening closed with a crash. He waited at the left shore until midnight. At the moment of midnight the left shore opened for an instant. Vitazko scooped up a pitcher of water from the still pool of the Water of Death and pulled swiftly back as the opening closed. With the two pitchers safe in his hands, Vitazko mounted Tatosh and the magic steed rising on the wind carried him home to St. Nedyelka. "And how did things go?" the old woman asked. "Very well," Vitazko said. "See, here are the Waters." St. Nedyelka took the two pitchers and when Vitazko wasn't looking changed them for two pitchers of ordinary water which she told him to carry at once to his mother. At the castle the mother and Sharkan were again making merry when from afar they saw Vitazko with two pitchers in his hands. The mother fell into a great fright and wept and tore 338