So the Tsar sat on the eagle and they flew on and on. Maybe much time went by, maybe little, but they at last flew to the border of the blue sea. Then the eagle shook the Tsar off himself, and he fell into the sea, and he was wetted up to his knees, only the eagle did not let him drown, but supported him on his wing, and asked, “Why, Tsar my lord, why are you frightened?”

“I was frightened,” said the Tsar, “lest I should be drowned.”

And so once more they flew on, until they came to another sea. And the eagle shook the Tsar off into the middle of the sea, and the Tsar was wetted up to his waist, but the eagle supported him by his wing and asked him, “Why, Tsar my master, why are you frightened?”

“I was frightened,” said the Tsar, “and I was thinking, it may be you are never going to drag me out.”