than are to be found in the treasuries of all the Tzars together.
Wassily the Unlucky called to him the captains of the ships, and asked: "Whose ships are ye and whither go ye?"
They answered: "These are ships of Marko the Rich, to whom, when we were swallowed by the whale-fish, we were sailing with our cargoes."
"I am his son-in-law," he said. "Carry ye to him these jewels also."
They would have taken him aboard with them but he bade them await him at the mouth of the wide river that was the border of Tzar Zmey's Tzardom, and rode on to where the old ferryman plied in his boat.
"Well, friend," asked the ferryman, "didst thou serve me the service with Tzar Zmey?"
"Yes," replied Wassily.
"And what said he?" asked the ferryman.
"When I am over," he replied, "I will tell thee." So he crossed and as the boat came to the other side, he rode to its prow and said: "O ferryman, when the next one comes to cross, take him into thy boat and immediately push it out into the stream; then will he be compelled to ferry here in thy place forever."
