"Very good," whispered Ivanushka softly to himself. "As soon as father comes home I will tell him all about this."
The merchant's wife had a favourite housekeeper, who knew how to get at other people's secrets. Having overheard what Ivanushka had said, she told her mistress of it.
In the merchant's stable was a stray foal, and Ivanushka attended to it: he used to feed it, lead it to water, and clean it. The foal grew up, and became in time a fine, strong horse; he could neigh in various voices, speak like a man, and understood what was said to him. One day, Ivanushka, returning home from school, and passing by the stable, observed that the horse, full of trouble, stood with his head hanging down and his ears drooping.
"Why are you so sad?" asked Ivanushka. "Is there mischief brewing for you or for me?"
"I am sorry on your account—not my own," answered the horse. "Your stepmother means to poison you with some wine. Take care you don't drink it, but pour it away."
Ivanushka went in. His stepmother asked him to take a glass of wine, but he declined; she then began to press him so strongly that he could not possibly refuse her. He took up the glass, approached a win-
