But the Prince , who was sorry for the poor bird , seized the branch of a tree and hit out at the ravens with it ; terrified at this unexpected onslaught they flew away , leaving many of their number dead or wounded on the battlefield . As soon as the eagle saw itself free from its tormentors it plucked a feather from its wing , and , handing it to the Prince , said : ` Here , my kind benefactor , take this feather as a proof of my gratitude ; should you ever be in need of my help blow this feather into the air , and I will help you as much as is in my power . ' Iwanich thanked the bird , and placing the feather beside the scale he drove the horses home . Another day he had wandered farther than usual , and came close to a farmyard ; the place pleased the Prince , and as there was plenty of good grass for the horses he determined to spend the day there . Just as he was sitting down under a tree he heard a cry close to him , and saw a fox which had been caught in a trap placed there by the farmer . In vain did the poor beast try to free itself ; then the good-natured Prince came once more to the rescue , and let the fox out of the trap . The fox thanked him heartily , tore two hairs out of his bushy tail , and said : ` Should you ever stand in need of my help throw these two hairs into the fire , and in a moment I shall be at your side ready to obey you . ' Iwanich put the fox 's hairs with the scale and the feather , and as it was getting dark he hastened home with his horses . In the meantime his service was drawing near to an end , and in three more days the year was up , and he would be able to get his reward and leave the witch . On the first evening of these last three days , when he came home and was eating his supper , he noticed the old woman stealing into the stables . The Prince followed her secretly to see what she was going to do . He crouched down in the doorway and heard the wicked witch telling the horses to wait next morning till Iwanich was asleep , and then to go and hide themselves in the river , and to stay there till she told them to return ; and if they did n't do as she told them the old woman threatened to beat them till they bled . When Iwanich heard all this he went back to his room , determined that nothing should induce him to fall asleep next day . On the following morning he led the mare and foal to the fields as usual , but bound a cord round them both which he kept in his hand . But after a few hours , by the magic arts of the old witch , he was overpowered by sleep , and the mare and foal escaped and did as they had been told to do . The Prince did not awake till late in the evening ; and when he did , he found , to his horror , that the horses had disappeared . Filled with despair , he cursed the moment when he had entered the service of the cruel witch , and already he saw his head sticking up on the sharp spike beside the others . Then he suddenly remembered the fish 's scale , which , with the eagle 's feather and the fox 's hairs , he always carried about with him . He drew the scale from his pocket , and hurrying to the river he threw it in . In a minute the grateful fish swam towards the bank on which Iwanich was standing , and said : ` What do you command , my friend and benefactor ? '
The XXXXX replied : ' I had to look after a mare and foal , and they have run away from me and have hidden themselves in the river ; if you wish to save my life drive them back to the land . '
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