To her he now extends his hand-

''Divine Nahina, our alliance.

We'll easily the Finn withstand;

I fear him not at all, for mine is

The greater strength; he ill compares

With me, I vow. This beard I wear,

Grey though it is, has special powers,

And no bold knight, no foe of ours,

However brave, no mortal can,

Unless by hostile force 'tis severed.

Vpset mv least design or plan;

Ludmila will be mine forever.

As for Ruslan, to die he's doomed!"

"To die! To die!" the witch repeated

With catty spite. "To die!" she boomed.

And then. her mission thus completed.

She hissed three times, thrice stamped the ground,

And flew. a dragon's shape regaining,

Off and awav, with vengeance flaming..

In fine brocade most richly gowned

And bv the old witch cheered and heartened,

The wizard to the maid's apartment

Anew decided to repair

And take his silken whiskers there

And lovelorn heart. We see him going

From room to room, he passes through

A row of them, vexation growing.

Wbere is his fair young captive? To

The park he hastes at first, then makes for

The grove, the waterfall, the lake shore,

The arbours, but, dear reader mine,

Finds of the princess not a sign.

By this he's driven nearly frantic,