5 The end of Koshchey

Chapter 5 The end of Koshchey A gust of wind billowed under Prince Ivan's cloak. The Firebird's feather fluttered out, brushing his stony feet.

Warmth and feeling came back to his legs. He spotted the tree stump and raced over to it, while Silver Wolf leaped at Koshchey's face. Taken by surprise, the sorcerer struggled to defend himself. His creatures whirled helplessly around the fighting pair, like dead leaves in a December storm.

Meanwhile, Ivan reached inside the tree stump and found something hard-edged and heavy. He pulled out an iron-bound box, and opened it to find a gleaming golden egg.

Koshchey suddenly saw what the Prince had unearthed. His shriek of horror filled the sky. Ivan squeezed the egg, and Koshchey doubled up in pain. Then Ivan tossed the egg from one hand to the other. Koshchey was flung right across the garden, and Silver Wolf fell to the ground.

"Don't destroy it!" Koshchey screamed. "Take whatever you want!" But Ivan raised the egg high, and threw it to the ground where it smashed into pieces. A wisp of smoke rose from the fragments, and the sorcerer was gone.

For a moment, there was silence. Then Ivan and the princess heard a sound like ice cracking, and the murmuring of strange voices. All around the garden, the statues were coming back to life. They exclaimed in amazement, carefully stretching their stiff limbs.