6 Home at last

Chapter 6 Home at last By evening, they could see the lights of King Afron's palace. The king was overjoyed to see his daughter, and even happier to give his blessing for her marriage to Prince Ivan.

They celebrated the wedding with a great feast, until even Silver Wolf thought he could never be hungry again.

King Afron rode the Horse of Power, and Ivan and the princess rode Silver Wolf, through the skies to King Dalmat's palace. There the two kings settled their quarrel to wish Ivan and the princess well, and sent them on their way with the Firebird.

Ivan's father had given up all hope of his son's return. Imagine his joy to see Ivan, not only alive and well, but happily married to a beautiful wife.

And the Firebird? "I was wrong," said the king. "No one should try to own a bird like that. I shall set her free. She may come to the orchard and eat my apples whenever she likes."

And so she did. Every time the Firebird visited the orchard, she took an apple and scattered the seeds somewhere else. In time, another apple tree would grow. The new trees never did produce golden fruit, but still the apples were the sweetest you ever tasted.