Atondido Stories
wilderness where Pelikan lives. When you get there, note care-
fully from what direction the wind blows. Shoot in that direc-
tion. Then quickly push the ramrod into the barrel of the gun
and leave it there and come back to me as fast as you can."
Vitazko took the gun and mounted Tatosh. The magic steed rose
on the wind and carried him far off to the distant wilderness
which was the home of the bird, Pelikan. There Tatosh sank to
earth and Vitazko dismounted. Immediately he felt a strong
wind against his right cheek. He took aim in that direction and
pulled the trigger. The hammer fell and instantly Vitazko
pushed the ramrod into the gun barrel. He threw the gun over
his shoulder and mounted Tatosh. Tatosh rose on the wind and
in a twinkling had carried him back to St. Nedyelka.
"Well, son, how did things go?" the old woman asked as usu-
al.
"I don't know," Vitazko said. "I did as you told me. Here is
the gun."
"Let me see," Nedyelka said, squinting into the gun barrel.
"Ah, son, things went very well indeed! Here is Pelikan inside
the barrel."
She drew something out of the gun barrel and sure enough it
was the bird, Pelikan.
She gave Vitazko another gun and told him to go out and
shoot an eagle. Then she told him to carry Pelikan home to his
mother, but instead of giving him Pelikan she gave him the ea-
gle.
When Sharkan and his mother saw Vitazko coming, they de-
cided that this time they would send him after the Golden Ap-
ples. These grew in the garden of the most powerful dragon in
the world.
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