Atondido Stories
“You must escape while you can,” she said, “for if you are
here tomorrow you will surely be thrown into the boiling caul-
dron.”
But Raduz had fallen too deeply in love with Ludmila to
leave her and now he declared that he would never go unless
she went with him.
“Very well,” Ludmila said, “I will go with you if you swear
you will never forget me.”
“Forget you? How could I forget you,” Raduz said, “when I
wouldn’t give you up for the whole world!”
So Raduz took a solemn oath and they made ready to flee.
Ludmila threw down her kerchief in one corner of the house and
Raduz’ cap in another. Then she took Yezibaba’s wand and off
they started.
The next morning when the old man awoke, he called out:
“Hi, there, boy! Are you still asleep?”
“No, I’m not asleep,” answered Raduz’ cap. “I’m just stretch-
ing.”
Presently the old man called out again: “Here, boy, hand me
my clothes.”
“In a minute,” the cap answered. “Just wait till I put on my
slippers.”
Then old Yezibaba awoke. “Ludmila!” she cried. “Get up,
you lazy girl, and hand me my skirt and bodice.”
“In a minute! In a minute!” the kerchief answered.
“What’s the matter?” Yezibaba scolded. “Why are you so
long dressing?”
“Just one more minute!” the kerchief said.
But Yezibaba, who was an impatient old witch, sat up in bed
and then she could see that Ludmila’s bed was empty. That
threw her into a fine rage and she called out to her husband:
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