Atondido Stories
her hair, but the dragon again reassured her.
"He's come back this time," he said, "but we'll send him off
again and he'll never return. Refuse the Waters and tell him
you're so sick that nothing will help you now but a sight of the
bird, Pelikan. Tell him if he loves you he will go after the bird,
Pelikan, and once he goes we need never fear him again."
Vitazko when he reached the castle hurried into his mother's
chamber and offered her the Waters.
"Here, dear mother, is a pitcher of the Water of Life and a
pitcher of the Water of Death. Now you will get well!"
But his mother pushed both pitchers away and, moaning and
groaning as if she were in great pain, she said:
"Nay, you are too late with your Water of Life and your Wa-
ter of Death! I am so far gone that nothing will cure me now but
a sight of the bird, Pelikan. If you really loved me you would get
it for me."
Vitazko, still trusting his mother, cried out:
"Of course I love you! Of course I'll get you the bird, Pelikan,
if that is what will cure you!"
So once more he snatched up his beech-tree and hurried off
to St. Nedyelka.
"What is it now?" the old woman asked him.
"It's my poor mother," Vitazko said. "She's too far gone for
the Water of Life and the Water of Death. Nothing will help her
now but a sight of the bird, Pelikan. Tell me, kind Nedyelka,
how can I get the bird, Pelikan?"
"The bird, Pelikan, my son? Ah, that is a task to capture Pe-
likan! However, I will help you. Pelikan is a giant bird with a
long, long neck. When he shakes his wings he raises such a wind
that he blows down the forest trees. Here is a gun. Take it and
mount my faithful Tatosh. He will carry you far away to the vast
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