Before he had the chance to take the princess away, Koshchei the Deathless appeared. He said that Baba Yaga, a terrible witch, had stolen the Firebird. Koshchei the Deathless told Ivan that if he got the Firebird back from Baba Yaga, he would give Ivan the opportunity to choose between the princess and the Firebird. The wizard told Ivan how to find Baba Yaga, and how the Firebird was tied with a golden cord to Baba Yaga's crow, Vanka.