Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 12, 2025
"You need not fear," replied the bay, to encourage him. "Take the bridle from my neck and try to catch the Welwa with it." The horse had just time to say this and Petru had not even a chance to unfasten the bridle properly, when the Welwa stood before him, a monster so frightful, so terrible, that he could not look at it.
"Sweet be your fortune, for you have delivered me from enchantment!" said the Welwa, and they pursued their journey along the road by which they had come. "Stop, stand still, go on at a walk, and let me gaze at what I have never seen before," cried Petru for the third time; then he covered his eyes with his hand lest he should be blinded by the rays streaming from the Gold Forest.
The sun rose and the water vanished, one could not tell how or when. "Get your breath!" said the bay, "get your breath, for you haven't much time to lose. The Welwa will come back directly." Petru made no answer; the poor fellow was so tired that he did not know what to do.
"Don't stop!" cried the bay quickly, and Petru set to work again with all his might. The Welwa now neighed once like a horse, then howled like a wolf, and again rushed upon Petru. The battle went on for another day and night, and was even more terrible than before. Petru grew so weary that he could scarcely move. "Stop now! I see I am dealing with a person who understands fighting.
The words were hardly spoken, and Petru had no time even to unbuckle the bridle, when the Welwa herself stood before him; and Petru could not bear to look at her, so horrible was she. She had not exactly a head, yet neither was she without one. She did not fly through the air, but neither did she walk upon the earth.
It has no head, yet it is not headless, it does not fly through the air, yet neither does it walk on the earth. It has a mane like the horse, horns like the stag, a face like the bear, eyes like the polecat, and a body that resembles every thing except a living being! Such was the Welwa which rushed upon Petru.
"You see!" said the bay angrily, "why couldn't you keep quiet?" Petru saw that he saw nothing more, began to feel that he felt nothing more, and understood that he could understand nothing more, so he made no reply, but girded his sword tighter and prepared to fight. "Now the Welwa can come," he cried, "I will die or throw the bridle over its head."
And the sun came out and the water disappeared, without his knowing how or when. 'Take breath, said the horse, 'for you have no time to lose. The Welwa will return in a moment. Petru made no reply, only wondered how, exhausted as he was, he should ever be able to carry on the fight. But he settled himself in his saddle, grasped his sword, and waited.
'Sweet be your life, for you have delivered me from my enchantment, said he, and began to rub his nose against his brother's. And he told Petru all his story, and how he had been bewitched for many years. So Petru tied the Welwa to his own horse and rode on. Where did he ride? That I cannot tell you, but he rode on fast till he got out of the copper wood.
And Petru grew so exhausted he could scarcely move his arm. 'Let us wait a little and rest, cried the Welwa for the second time, 'for I see you are as weary as I am. 'You must not stop an instant, said the horse. And Petru went on fighting, though he barely had strength to move his arm.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking