When the maiden saw this she plucked a hair out of her head and threw it from her. In an instant a dense wood arose, in which the riders lost themselves for a time, not knowing which way to turn. At last they came again upon her track and rushed after her at full speed. Meanwhile the maiden had greatly gained upon them; but they whipped and spurred their horses, and overtook her once more. And when the maiden saw that she was so closely pressed, a tear fell from her eye which soon became a rapid stream, in which the riders were nearly drowned. Of them all the son of the czar alone, by swimming his horse across the flood, was able to follow her footsteps.
As he saw that the maiden was far on before him, he invoked her three times, in the name of God, to stop, and she stood still on the place where she was. Then he seized her, and drew her on to the saddle behind, and swimming back on dry land, turned his horse through the mountain-pass towards home. But when he reached the highest point, and turned round to look at her, lo! the maiden had vanished!
