The Tsar came and immediately the witch began to urge him: "Give your command, yes, give your command to kill the little Kid. He is a nuisance to me, he is entirely detestable to me!"
The Tsar felt sorry for the poor little Kid, but there was no help for it, she was so insistent, she was so urgent, that the Tsar at last consented for him to be killed.
The Kid saw how they were beginning to sharpen the steel knives for him; he lamented. He ran to the Tsar and besought him: "Tsar, let me go down to the lake and get a drink of water and bathe myself!"
The Tsar let him go. As soon as the poor little Kid reached the lake he stood on the shore and cried out piteously:
"Dear Aliona, sister mine!
Come forth, come forth upon the shore!
The flaming fire is burning bright,
The boiling pot is bubbling o'er,
They're sharpening the steely knife,
They're going to take away my life."
She replied to him:
"Oh, Ivan, little brother, dear!
A heavy stone keeps me down here,
A cruel snake gnaws at my heart."
