after the little ball. He went along an open field and met with a bear.
"Hold on!" said he. "I will kill the beast."
But the Bear said to him: "Do not kill me, Prince Ivan; I may be useful to you some time."
So he went farther, and lo! a wild drake flew up. The prince aimed his arrow at him and was going to shoot the bird, when suddenly he said in a human voice:
"Do not kill me, Prince Ivan! Even I may be of use to you."
He heeded his request and went on his way. A squint-eyed hare ran out. The prince was again about to shoot his bow at him, but the Hare said in a human voice:
"Do not kill me, Prince Ivan. Even I may be useful to you."
Prince Ivan heeded his request and went on his way, till at last he came to the blue sea, and there he saw a sturgeon gasping on the beach.
"Ah! Prince Ivan," besought the Sturgeon, "have pity on me and put me back into the sea."
He threw her into the sea and then proceeded along the shore. As he went and went, the little ball rolled up to a small hut which stood on a hen's legs and turned round and round.
