r
^
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
RUSSIAN
TALES
FAIRY
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED FROM
THE SKAZKI OF POLEVOI
BY
R.
NISBE...
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r
^
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
RUSSIAN
TALES
FAIRY
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED FROM
THE SKAZKI OF POLEVOI
BY
R.
NISBET BAIN
ILLUSTRATED BY
0.
M.
GERE
Bonbon
LAWRENCE AND BULLEN 16
HENRIETTA 1892.
ST.,
W.C.
PI
In
compliance with current copyright law,
U. C. Library Bindery produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39. 48-1 984 to replace
the irreparably deteriorated original
1997
PBEFACE. THE existence of the Russian Skazld or Mdrchen was first made generally known to the British Public some twenty years ago by Mr. W. R. S. Ralston in his Russian Folk Tales. That excellent and most volume was, primarily, a treatise on engrossing Slavonic Folk- Lore, illustrated with admirable skill and judgment, by stories, mainly selected from the vast collection of Afanasiev,
who did
for the Russian
what Asbjornsen has done for the Norwegian FolkA year after the appearance of Mr. Ralston s Tale. book, the eminent Russian historian and archaeologist, Peter Nikolaevich Polevoi (well known, too, as an and ardent Shaksperian scholar), selected from
able
the
inexhaustible
stores
of
Afanasiev some three
dozen of the Skazki most suitable for children, and worked them up into a fairy tale book which was published at St. Petersburg in 1874, under the title of Narodnuiya Russkiya Skazld (Popular Russian
To manipulate these quaintly vigorous Marchen). old-world stories for nursery purposes was, as may, well be imagined, no easy task, but, on the whole, M. Polevoi did
his
work excellently
well,
and while
PREFACE.
vi
softening the crudities and smoothing out the occa sional roughness of these charming stories, neither injured their simple texture nor overlaid the original
pattern. It is from the first Russian edition of M. Polevoi s book that the following selection has been made.
With the which
of
"
Morozko" a variant single exception of will be familiar to those who know Mr.
volume, none of these tales has seen the for though both light in an English dress before Ralston arid Polevoi drew, for the most part, from Ralston
s
;
same
the
different
copious stock, their purposes were that their selections naturally proved
be different
so to
also.
As to
to the merits of these Skazki, they must be left It is a significant fact, speak for themselves.
however,
that
all
those
familiar with the Russian
scholars
who
are
Skazki and the
equally
German
Marchen, unhesitatingly give the palm, both for fun and fancy, to the former. R. N. B.
CONTENTS. PAGE
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN
...
MOROZKO THE FLYING SHIP
...
...
1
...
...
...
...
...
...
8
...
...
...
...
13
THE MUZHICHEK - AS - B1G-AS - YODR - THUMB- WITH-MOUSTACHES...
22
THE TSAREVICH IVAN, AND OF THE HARP ... THAT HARPED WITHOUT A HARPER
34
SEVEN-VERSTS-LONG.
THE STORY
...
...
GO
...
OF
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE I
...
KNOW NOT WHITHER
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY
...
FETCH ...
...
I
...
...
KNOW NOT WHAT ...
...
56
...
64
85
...
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE
...
...
...
94
VERLIOKA
...
...
...
...
...
...
Ill
...
...
...
...
...
...
118
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER
...
...
...
127
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER
...
THE FROG-TSAREVNA
THOMAS BERENNIKOY
THE WHITE DUCK
..
....
...
...
...
...
...
...
143
...
...
...
...
...
150
...
...
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN
159
165
CONTEXTS.
viii
PAGE
THE LITTLE FEATHER OF FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN
...
THE ENCHANTED RING
THE BRAVE LABOURER
...
188
...
...
200 201
...
...
...
...
220
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
222
THE PROPHETIC DREAM
...
...
...
...
...
229
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK
...
...
...
...
...
245
THE SAGE DAMSEL
...
THE STORY OF MARKO THE RICH AND VASILY THE LUCKLESS
252
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN
...
...
MOROSKO
...
...
, .
.
...
...
...
Frontispiece.
To face page
9
...
,,
103
THE PRINCESS AND THE CUNNING WITCH...
,,
160
,,
198
TSAREVNA LOVELINESS INEXHAUSTIBLE
THE DAMSEL WENT ON FURTHER, AND THE
ROAD GREW LIGHTER AND LIGHTER
THE SAGE DAMSEL
.
...
224
RUSSIAN FAIEY TALES.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. THERE was once upon a time a merchant s son who To such a pass squandered and wasted all his goods. So did he come at last that he had nothing to eat. lie
seized a spade,
went out
began waiting to see
And
labourer.
;
all
and
any one would hire him as a who was one in
behold, the merchant 1
came along that way in his gilded the day-labourers saw him, and the whole
seven hundred coach
if
into the market-place,
them immediately scattered in every direction The merchant s son and hid themselves in corners.
lot of
them
alone of "
place.
merchant who 1
/. e.
any one
all
remained standing in the market
work, young man was one in seven hundred
Do you want
the merchant else.
"
said the
? "
;
who was seven hundred times
then take richer than
RUSSIAN FAIEY TALES.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. THERE was once upon a time a merchant s son who To such a pass all his goods. squandered and wasted did he lie
come
at last that he
seized a spade,
went out
began waiting to see
And
labourer.
;
all
to eat.
into the market-place,
So
and
any one would hire him as a who was one in
behold, the merchant 1
came along that way in his gilded the day-labourers saw him, and the whole
seven hundred coach
if
had nothing
them immediately scattered in every direction The merchant s son and hid themselves in corners. alone of them all remained standing in the market
lot of
"
place.
merchant who 1
/. a.
any one
work, young man was one in seven hundred
Do you want
the merchant
"
? "
;
who was seven hundred times
said the
then take richer than
else.
B
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
2
hire
from
me."
"Eight
willingly
;
twas for no other "
reason that
I
came
to the market-place.
wage do you require?" hundred roubles a day, 1
somewhat dear
you lay me down one
"
a
tis
"That
bargain."
"
Well, agreed O
is
If
cheaper article here just now, you came, and ;
what
you think it clear, go and seek a but this I know, crowds of people were
"
!
"If
"And
away they all bolted. come to-morrow to the haven." The
!
"-
next day, early in the morning, our merchant s son came to the haven the merchant who was one in ;
seven hundred had already been awaiting him some time. They went on board ship and went to sea.
They
sailed
and
sailed.
In
the midst of the sea an
on this island stood high mountains, and on the sea-shore something or other was burning
island appeared
"
like fire.
merchant castle."
ashore
;
s
;
Can
that which
son.
"Nay,
I
see be
that
is
"
fire
my
little
They drew near to the island his wife and daughter came forth
merchant who was one
in
?
;
said the
golden
they went to meet the
seven hundred, and the
daughter was beautiful with a beauty that no man can imagine or devise, and no tale can tell. As soon as they had greeted one another they went on to the
and took the new labourer along with them they sat them clown at table, they began to eat, drink, and be merry. A fig for to-day," said the host
castle,
;
"
;
1
1
rouble
= about
3s. 4d.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. c<
to-day
we ll
feast,
to-morrow we
ll work."
3
Aiid the
merchant s youth, strong and stately, of a ruddy countenance like milk and blood, and he She went out fell in love with the lovely damsel. she called him secretly, and gave into the next room son was a
fair
;
him a
flint
and
"
steel.
Take
them,"
said she,
"
and
you should be in any need, use them." Next day the merchant who was one in seven hundred set out with his servant for the high golden mountain. They
if
climbed and climbed, but they climbed not up to the they crawled and crawled, but they crawled not top
;
to the top.
up have a drink
"Well,"
first
of
said
the merchant,
And
the merchant handed
all."
"let
him a sleeping poison. The labourer drank and The merchant drew out his knife, killed asleep.
s
fell
his
wretched nag which he had brought with him, took out its entrails, put the young man into the horse s stomach, put the spade in too, sewed up the wound, Sud and went and hid himself among the bushes.
denly there flew down a whole host of black ironbeaked ravens. They took up the carcase, carried it
up into the mountain, and
fell
they a-pecking it and soon the horse, pierced right began eating up down to the merchant s son. Then he awoke, beat off
;
the black crows, looked hither and thither, and
asked himself,
"Where
am
I?"
The merchant who
was one in seven hundred bawled up at him,
"
On
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
4
the golden mountain come, take your spade and dig So he digged and digged, throwing it all gold." down below, and the merchant put it on wagons. By ;
That ll evening he had filled nine wagons. in hundred seven who was one the merchant "
for
Adieu
your labour.
"
"
!
do," "
;
cried
thanks
But how about me
"
?
Ninety-nine of get on as best you can. your sort have perished on that mountain you will Thus spake the merchant just make up the hundred
may
"You
"
!
What s to be done now ? thought and departed. to get down from this mountain the merchant s son "
"
"
;
quite impossible. I shall certainly starve to death." So there he stood on the mountain, and above him
is
wheeled the black iron-beaked crows, they plainly
He began
scented their prey. all this
how him "
* c
And it."
steel,
fair
to pass,
and then
it
him how
occurred to
him
the lovely damsel had taken him aside and given the flint and steel, and said to him herself
Take
try
had come
to bethink
it,
and
if
you
are in
need make use of
it."
look now, she did not say it in vain. Let us The merchant s son took out the flint and
struck
young you want ?
it
once, and immediately out
What do you want ? What do Take me from this mountain to the
heroes. "
"
jumped two
sea-shore." He had no sooner spoken than they took him under the arms and bore him carefully down
from the mountain.
The merchant
s
son walked about
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN.
5
and lo, a ship was sailing by the island. by the shore, take me with you!" Nay, "Hi, good ship-folk, a would such lose cannot we stoppage stop, brother, "
us one
hundred
The mariners passed by
knots."
the island, contrary winds began to blow, a frightful Alas he is plainly no simple man hurricane arose. "
!
of our sort,
we had
better turn back
and take him on
So they returned to the island, stopped took up the merchant s son, and con by the shore, A long time and a his native town. veyed him to the merchant s son and then little time passed by, board
ship."
took his spade and again went out into the market wait for some one to hire him. Again the place to
merchant who was one in his gilded carriage
m
seven hundred passed by
the day-labourers
;
and hid them
scattered in every direction,
The merchant
s
son was
saw him and
the sole
in corners.
solitary little
one
said the mer Will you take hire from me ? left chant who was one in seven hundred. Willingly "
"
"
put down two hundred "
work."
roubles a day,
Rather dear, eh
and
set
"
"
?
you find it dear, go You saw how many people If
and seek cheaper labour. were here, and the moment you appeared they Well, then, done come to-morrow away." "
;
haven."
The next morning they met
went on board the
;
me my
ship,
and
sailed
There they ate and drank their
fill
all
ran
to the
at the haven, to
the island.
one whole day,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
6
and the next day they got up and went towards the the merchant golden mountain. They arrived there,
who was one
in seven
Come now,
"
o-lass. o
Stop,
ought to drink the
own
drink."
And
us have a drink
let
mine host
"
he.
hundred pulled out his drinking-
You who
!
first, let
me
the merchant
are
said
first,"
the
chief
you with mine who had betimes
treat
s son,
provided himself with sleeping poison, poured out a
Mass of it and oo\ave it to the merchant who was o He drank it off and fell into one in seven hundred. full
a
sound
The merchant s son slaughtered the
sleep.
disembowelled
sorriest horse,
it,
laid his host in
the
put the spade there too, sewed up the and went and hid himself among the bushes. wound, Instantly the black iron-beaked crows flew down, took up the carcase, carried it to the mountain, and horse
s
belly,
a-pecking at it. The merchant who was one in seven hundred awoke and looked hither and thither. fell
"
Where am
"
I
he asked.
?
bawled the merchant s son. if
"
On
the
mountain,"
Take your spade and will show you how to
"
you dig much, I get off the mountain." The merchant who was one in seven hundred took his spade and dug and dug, he dug dig gold;
up twenty wagon said the merchant "
good-bye."
get off as best
loads.
"Stop,
that
s
enough
now,"
thanks for your labour, and But what about me ? You ? why, s
son
"
;
"
"
you
can.
Ninety-nine of your sort
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN.
7
have perished on that mountain, you can make up the So the merchant s son took all the twenty hundred." wagons, went to the golden castle, married the lovely damsel, the daughter of the merchant who was one in seven hundred, took possession of all her riches, and came to live in the capital with his whole family.
But the merchant who was one in seven hundred remained there on the mountain, and the black ironbeaked crows picked his bones.
MOEOZKO.
1
stepmother who, besides her "Whatever stepdaughter, had a daughter of her own. her own daughter might do, she looked kindly at her
THERE was once
a
"
but as for the step Sensible darling daughter, whatever she might do to please, it was Everything she did was wrong, always taken amiss.
and
"
said,
and not as
!
it
should
be.
Yet, sooth to say, the
stepdaughter was as good as gold
;
in
little
good hands she
would have
swum
blows, does
not blow for ever, but a scolding old not so easy to avoid. She will take any
and butter, but, living with her stepmother, she bathed herself every day in What was she to do ? The blast, though it tears.
woman
it is
in cheese
thing into her head, even to combing one s teeth. And the stepmother took it into her head to drive her stepdaughter from the house. 1
"
"Take
her, take
Caressing diminutive of Russian moroz (frost). Frost" is the nearest English equivalent.
Jack
Perhaps
MOROZKO. man, whithersoever you
her away, nay old
mine eyes may not see hear of her in the
but don
;
9
t
warm room, but
to the bitter, biting
her, that
take her to
like,
that
my ears may not my own daughter
take her into the bare fields
frost."
The
man began
old
to
lament and weep, but for all that he put his daughter he would have liked to cover her with in the sledge ;
the horse-cloth,
but even that he dared not do.
he took the homeless one into the bare
fields,
So
threw
her on a heap of snow, crossed himself, and hastened home as fast as possible, that his eyes might not see
daughter s death. There the poor little thing remained on the fringe of the forest, sat down under a fir-tree, shivered, and his
her prayers.
softly said
All at once she heard
Morozko was crackling and he leaped from fir to
thing. off,
And
fingers.
look
!
now
"he
some
in a fir-tree not far arid
fir
snapped his
has come to that
fir
and he snapped and and his fingers, down, and looked at leaped up tis I Morozthe pretty girl. "Maiden, maiden, God must have Welcome, Moroz ruby-nose
beneath which the girl was sitting
;
"
"
!
!
sent thee to maiden?"
ushko 1 still
my
poor
"Warm,
sinful
"
soul."
warm, dear
Art thou warm,
little
father Moroz-
Moroz began to descend lower, and crackle more, and snap his fingers more than ever, and "
!
1
/.
e.
darling Moroz.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
10
again he began speaking
"
the
to
girl.
Art thou
The girl warm, maiden ? Art thou warm, beauty ? was scarce able to draw her breath, and yet she "
kept on saying, "
little
father
!
warm, Morozko crackled more than ever, fingers harder and yet harder, and he Yes, warm,
and snapped his said to the maiden
maiden?
Morozushko
"
for the last time,
Art thou warm, beauty
sweet clover
The
"
?
girl
was
"
?
all
;
Art thou warm, Art thou warm,
benumbed, and
it
was only in a voice scarcely audible that she could "
Oh, yes
say,
warm, darling little pigeon mine, Morozko .quite loved her for her
!
Morozushko!"
He had compassion on the girl he pretty speeches. her in furs, warmed her with warm coverings, wrapped and brought her a coffer, hi^h and heavv, full of O J O ;
bridal garments,
with gold and
and gave her a robe
She put beautiful and stately she looked
and began
silver.
And
to sing songs.
it !
all
garnished
and
on,
And
oh,
she sat
how down
the stepmother was
Be preparing her funeral feast and frying pancakes. she cried. off, husband, and bury your daughter "
"
!
And
off the old
the table said,
"
man went. Bow-wow
But the
little
the old
man
dog under s
daughter going about in silver and gold, but the old woman s Silence, you daughter no wooers will look !
is
"
at."-
a pancake for you, and now say, The wooers will take the old woman s daughter, but there s fool
!
There
s
MOROZKO. nothing
The
left"
little
of the old
dog
11
man s daughter
but her bones.
pancake, but again he
ate the
man
"
said,
Bow-wow daughter goes about in silver and gold, but the old woman s daughter no "
!
the old
s
The old woman kept beating the dog and giving him pancakes, but the little dog The old man s would have his way, and said, wooers will look
at."
"
daughter goes about in silver and gold, but the old woman s daughter no wooers will look at."
open wide, and they brought the high and heavy coffer, and behind walked the stepdaughter, in gold and silver, glitter floors creaked, the doors flew
The in it
The stepmother looked at her, and ing like the sun. arms. "Old threw up her man, old man! put to of horses,
a pair
and take
my
daughter at once.
her in the selfsame field, in the selfsame
place."
Put
And
man
took the daughter to the selfsame place. And Moroz-ruby-nose came and looked at his guest,
the old
3
Art thou warm, maiden ? and began to ask her, Be off with you replied the old woman s daughter, "
"
"
!
"
you blind not to see that my arms and legs are benumbed with cold ? Morozko began skipping
or are
"
quite
and jumping, that
quarter.
words were not to be expected from And he was angry with the step
fair
daughter, and froze her to death. "
Put
to
my
man
go and fetch my daughter. swift horses, and don t overturn the sledge
Old man, old
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
12
and upset the table said,
"
But the
coffer."
Bow-wow
!
little
the wooers
dog under the
will
wed
the old
man s daughter, but they ll bring home nothing of the "Don t old woman s daughter but a sack of bones." lie
!
There
s
about the old
a cake.
woman s
Take
it
and
They ll carry daughter in gold and silver say,
!
And the doors flew open, the nasty old woman ran out to meet her daughter, and instead of her she She began to howl and cry she knew then that she had lost her wicked and embraced a cold
corpse.
envious daughter. o
;
THE FLYING
SHIP.
THERE was once upon a time an old man and an old woman, and they had three sons two were clever, ;
but the third was a two,
first
fool.
The
old
woman
and quite spoiled them, but the
loved the latter
was
heard that a writing-
They always hardly treated. which the Tsar from come had said, him will I The elder
a ship that can fly, to
the Tsarevna to to
go and
blessing
wife."
seek
of their
"
Whoever
builds
give my daughter brothers resolved
fortune, and
their
parents.
they begged a The mother got ready
their things for the journey, and gave them something And the fool to eat on the way, and a flask of wine.
beg them to send him off too. His mother told him he should not go. Whither would you go, fool?" said she; "why, the wolves would devour
began
to
"
But the
"
you
!
fool
was always singing the same will go His mother saw "
refrain
"
:
I
will go,
I
!
that she could do nothing with him, so she gave
him
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
14
a piece of dry bread and a flask of water, shoved him out of the house.
The man.
They greeted each
the fool,
at last he
went and went, and
fool
"
said the fool,
met an
old
The old man asked
other.
Whither are you going
"
and quickly
"
?
"-
Look now
"
!
the Tsar has promised to give his
daughter to him who shall make a flying ship "And can you then make such a ship?" "No, "
!
but they ll make it for me And where is that somewhere ?
somewhere."
cannot,
"
"
"
knows."
and eat a
Well, in that case,
bit. "
knapsack."
to
show
What God eaten."
God
down here
"Nonsense
people."
has given
The
"
only rest
;
Take out what you have got in your Nay, it is such stuff that I am ashamed
to
it
sit
I
is
scarcely believe his eyes
Take
out
it
!
enough to be knapsack, and could
quite good
undid
fool
!
his
there, instead of the
dry and divers savoury to the old man. So they
crust of bread, lay white rolls
meats, and he gave of it ate together, and the old into the wood, right self thrice, fall
and
up
man
said to the fool,
to the first tree, cross
strike the tree with
Then you
quite ready
;
sit
in
it
and
will see fly
before
Go
your
axe, then
your with your face to the ground and wait
are aroused.
"
till
you
you a ship
wherever you like, and meet on your road."
gather up everything you So our fool blessed the old man, took leave of him,
THE FLYING
SHIP.
15
and went into the wood. He went up to the first tree and did exactly as he had been commanded; lie crossed himself three times, struck the tree with with his face to the ground, and went In a little while some one or other awoke
his axe, fell to sleep.
The
him.
fool
rose
up,
and saw the ship quite
without thinking long about ready, and in
it,
flew,
his ear to the lying with uncle!" "
I
he sat
it,
and the ship flew up into the air.. It flew and and look! there on .the road below, a man was
am
"Take
"Good-day."
listening to
damp
"What
what
is
"
earth.
are
Good-day,
you doing
going on in the
a seat in the ship beside
?"-
world."-
The man did
me."
not like to refuse, so he sat in the ship, and they flew on further. They flew and flew, and look! a man
was coming along hopping on one to his ear. leg tied tightly are
"
leg,
with the other
Good-day, uncle
you hopping on one leg for
?"
;
if I
"Why,-
what were
to untie the other I should stride half round the 7
world at a single
The man
sat
"
stride."
Come and
down, and they flew
and look!
on.
sit
with
They
flew
us."
and
man was
standing with a gun and taking aim, but at what they could not see.
flew,
a
1
Good-day, uncle; at what are you aiming ? Not even a bird is to be seen." What I am shooting at short range. I could hit bird or beast at a distance "
!
of one
hundred leagues. That s what
"
I call
shooting
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
16 "
down with
Sit
This
us."
man
with
sat
also
them, and they flew on further. They flew and flew, a man was carrying on his back a whole and look !
Good-day, uncle; whither are am going," he said, to get some But you ve got a whole sack-
sack-load of bread. "
"
<(
you going
I
?
"
bread for
dinner."
"
That load on your back already Why I should think nothing of eating all that at a single mouth The Gobbler sat "Come and sit with ful." "
!
!
us."
in the ship, and they went flying on further. They and look a man was walkingflew and they flew, !
round a
lake. "
looking
no
"
for
Good-day, uncle
want
;
what
are
you
drink, but I can find But there s a whole lake before you, That you drink of it ? Why that "
?
I
to
"
water."
why
don
"
"
t
!
water would not be more than a mouthful "
Then come and
sit
with
He
us."
to-ine!"
down, and and look
sat
again they flew on. They flew and flew, a man was walking in the forest, and on h{s shoulders was a bundle of wood. "Good-day, uncle; why are. !
you dragging about wood "
common
not
is
in the forest "
wood."
What
It is of such a sort that if
army
He
will
"
spring
up."
Sit
"
"
?
sort is it
you
scatter
But
then it,
down with us
this "
?
a whole then."
down with them, and they flew on further. a man was carrying a They flew and flew, and look sat
!
sack of straw.
"
Good-day, uncle; whither are you
THE FLYING
SHIP.
17
the village." Is there carrying that the but this little straw in village then?" "Nay, a kind that if such of scatter it on the is straw you "
straw?"
summer
hottest
day,
with suow and
"To
cold will
frost."
"Won
immediately set in t you sit with us,
you, I will." Soon they flew into the Tsar "Thank
then?"
The courtyard. then he saw the flying Tsar was and much sent out his servant was surprised, ship, The servant to ask who was flying on that ship. sitting at table just
went
s ;
and looked, and brought back word
to the ship
twas but a single, miserable little was flying the ship. The Tsar fell
to the Tsar that
muzhik
1
who
He
not relish the idea of giving his daughter to a simple muzhik, and began to con sider how he -could rid him of this wretched sona-thinking.
did
in-law for a whole year.
give him
And
so
he thought, I ll So he immedi "
grievous tasks to do." ately sent out to the fool with the command to get him, by the time the imperial meal was over, living
many
and singing water. Now, at the very time when the Tsar was giving this command to his servant, the
first
comrade
whom
the fool had
met
(that is
one who was listening to what was going on in the world) heard what the Tsar said, and told it to the fool. What shall I do now ? said the to say, the
;
"
1
A peasant.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
18 "
too, I shall
life
fool,
ear,
command.
s
and ran
his
said
water."
whole
Don
be
t
"
him,
I ll
manage
it
off,
"
I
must make
and he
he,
I ll
"Say
fetch
it,"
replied
the
comrade untied his other leg from his and in a twinkling he drew from the
end of the world some water.
my
"
The servant came and made known the
you."
Tsar
never find such
said Swift-of-foot to
afraid,"
for
search for a year, and for
if I
Why,
fool.
sat
the living and singing haste and return presently," of
down under
The Tsar
a water-mill
and
dinner was drawing to a sleep. close, and still he did not turn up though they were
went to
s
waiting, so that those on board the ship grew The first comrade bent down to the earth uneasy.
all
and
"
listened.
Oh ho "
the
are
mill,
you
?
so you are asleep beneath Then the marksman seized
!
his gun, shot into the mil],
and awoke Swift-of-foot
with his shooting. Swift-of-foot set off. running, and in a moment he had brought the wafer. The Tsar
had not yet
risen from the table,
and his command
could not therefore have been more exactly fulfilled. But it was all to no purpose, another task had to
The Tsar bade them say to the fool, "Come now, as you are so smart, show what you re made of You and your comrades must eat at one
be imposed.
!
meal twenty roast oxen and twenty large measures of baked bread." The first comrade heard and told
THE FLYING this to the "
can
I
Why,
"Don t
t
fool
and
terrified,
said,
eat even one whole loaf at one meal
be afraid/ said Gobbler,
"that
"
!
will be very
me."
"
"
s
have
was
19
The servant came and delivered the command. Good said the fool, let us
little for
Tsar
The
fool.
SHIP.
"
!
it
roasted
and we
eat
ll
And
they brought twenty twenty measures of baked Gobbler alone ate it all up. he said, Ugh it."
and
bullocks,
"
bread.
"
!
little! they might have given us a little The Tsar bade them say to the fool that
"precious more."
he must now drink forty barrels of wine, each barrel The first comrade of the holding forty buckets. heard these words, and told them to him before hand. The fool was horrified. Why, I could not
fool
"
drink
a
single
frightened,"
it
bucketful,"
the
said
will be little
said
enough
for
I ll
me."
Don t
drink for
"
Drinker,
"
he.
be all
;
They poured out
the Drinker came and the forty barrels of wine drank the whole lot at one draught he drank it ;
;
right to the dregs, and said, too I should have liked as !
that, the Tsar
his
"
Ugh much
!
little
enough, After again."
commanded
wedding, and
the fool to get ready for go- to the bath-room to have a
good wash. Now this bath-room was of cast-iron, and the Tsar commanded that it should be heated hotter than hot, that the fool might be suffocated So they heated the therein in a single instant.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
20
The
bath red-hot.
fool
went
to
wash
and
himself,
behind him came the muzhik with the straw.
must straw the straw, and
became
I
They locked them the muzhik scattered the
said he.
floor,"
both in the bath-room it
"
;
so cold that the fool
was scarce
wash himself properly, the water in the bath He crept up on the stove and there froze so hard. able to
In the morning they he passed the whole night. opened the bath, and they found the fool alive and
They lying on the stove and singing songs. was Tsar sore to Tsar. The word thereof the brought well,
know how
he did not
troubled,
to
rid
himself of
He
thought and thought, and commanded him to produce a whole army of his own devising. the
fool.
army?"
to
do
a
will
"How
simple muzhik
thought he;
"he
As soon
that."
was much alarmed.
be able to form
an
will certainly not be able,
as the fool heard of this "Now
I
am
quite
lost,"
he
said
he; "you have delivered me from my straits more than once, my friends, but it is plain that nothing can be done now." "
You re
a pretty
bundle of wood
haven
"
t
the Tsar to
wife,
you
?
fellow,"
said the
man
with the
"
why, you ve clean forgotten me, The servant came and told the fool
;
command
If you will have the Tsarevna must you put on foot a whole army by
s
morning."
"
:
THE FLYING "Agreed.
refuse,
I
But
will
the Tsarevna
if
SHIP.
21
the Tsar, even after this, should
conquer his whole Tsardom and take
by
force."
At night
the fool
s
com
panion went out into the fields, took his bundle of wood, and began scattering the faggots in different
and immediately a countless army ap In the morning the peared, both horse and foot. Tsar saw it, and was terrified in his turn, and in directions
haste he sent to the fool precious ornaments and raiment, and bade them lead him to court and all
marry him
The
to the Tsarevna.
fool attired himself
ornaments, and they made him look handsomer than words can tell. He appeared before in these costly
wedded the Tsarevna, received a large wedding-gift, and became quite clever and witty. The Tsar and the Tsaritsa grew very fond of him, and the Tsarevna lived with him all her life, and loved him as the apple of her eye. the
Tsar,
l
1
The consort
of the Tsar.
THE MUZHICHEKi-AS-BIG-AS-YOUR-THTJMBWITH-MOUSTACHES-SEVEN-VERSTS -LONG. 2
IN a certain kingdom, in a certain empire, there once lived a Tsar. At his royal court there was a
Now it fell out that this harness of golden rings. Tsar once dreamed that in this harness was fastened a strange horse, not woolly white, but silvery bright, and on its brow a glistening moon. On awaking in
the morning the Tsar commanded the public crier to cry abroad that whoever would interpret this dream,
and discover
this horse, should
exchange, and half his
At
have
his
daughter in
tsardom into the bargain.
this royal proclamation
a multitude of princes,
3
boyards, and great lords came together, and thought and thought, but not one of them could interpret the
dream, not one of them could discover the horse. last
they hunted up a 1
Lit. little
2
A
verst
peasant
= 3500
little
;
withered old grey-beard
but here, gnome or goblin.
English
At
feet.
3
Magnates.
THE MUZHICHEK.
23
1 Muzhichek, and lie said to the Tsar, Thy dream was not a dream, but real. On just such a horse as thou "
didst see in thy dream, there
came
to thee in the night
theMuzhichek-as-big-as-your-thumb-with-moustachesseven-versts-long, and he wants to steal away your lovely little daughter out of the strong fortress." thank thee, good man, for thy interpretation
"
I
and
;
now
thou not
wilt
tell
me who
"
horse
"
will tell thee,
I
?
three sons,
my
Lord
mighty men of valour. them in a single night
three of
all
can get Tsar.
My ;
me I
and
so
we
Polunochka. 4
called
have
wife bore
me
the eldest in the
evening, the second at midnight, the third at of day,
this
dawn
them Zor ka, Vechorka, 3 and
They have not
2
their
equals
in
this
Look now, my little send them forth that they lord, Let them may seek this strange horse for thee."
realm for strength or valour. father
and sovereign
"
go, dear old friend.
my my
Let them take as much from
treasury as they need, nor will I go back from
whichever of them brings me this horse, to him will I give the Tsarevna and half my royal word
;
tsardom."
The next day, early in the morning, the three 1
Little peasant.
2
Diminutive Diminutive
3 4
of
Zorya, the
of Vecher,
Red Dawn.
Evening. Diminutive of Polunoch, Midnight.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
24
Zor ka, Vechorka, and Polunochka, arrived at the Tsar s court the first had the fairest brother-heroes,
;
the second the broadest shoulders, the third the
face,
They went in to the Tsar, prayed before the sacred ikons, and bowed low on every side of them, but to the Tsar they bowed lowest of all. stateliest figure.
"
our Sovereign Lord and Tsar live long in the We have come to thee, not to feast with the
May
land
!
festive,
but to do a deed right hard and
we
sore, for
have come to fetch thee this strange horse from far away that selfsame horse that appeared to thee in "
thy
dreams."
What "
We
Success attend you, ye good youths
provision do ye require for your journey
want nothing,
Gosudar
l !
!
"
?
Only do not
Provide for neglect our good father and mother. If that be in their old age and need." I will all, depart in God s name on your journey.
them
"
bring your old parents to my court, and they shall be my guests I will give them to eat and drink from ;
my own royal table, they shall be clothed and from my own royal wardrobe, and they shall be full
with
shod filled
all
good things." So the good youths departed on their long journey. They travelled that day, and the next, and the third
with nothing but the sky above their heads, and the broad steppe on every side of them. At last also,
1
Emperor.
THE MUZHICHEK.
25
the steppe and entered a dense forest, and On the very skirts of the forest rejoiced greatly. stood a little hut, and beside the little hut a tiny left
they
sheepfold full of sheep.
we rest
from our
"Look,"
some place
find
shall
journey."
there was no answer
;
said they,
"there
to lay our heads in,
They knocked
and
at the hut
they peeped into
it
it
was
The brothers entered in, made ready for the night, prayed to God, and laid them down to sleep. In the morning Zor ka and Polunochka went into the wood to hunt, and said to Vechorka, quite empty.
"
Stay at home and get dinner ready for
eldest brother agreed,
hut,
and then went
ram, cut
just sat
when
to the sheepfold, chose the fattest it,
and roasted
it
for dinner.
sooner laid the table, however, and had
window to await his brothers, once there came a rumbling and a
down by
all
The
put everything to rights in the
up, cleansed
it
He had no
us."
at
the
thundering from the forest, the door was nearly torn off its hinges, and the Muzhichek-only-as-big-as-yourthumb-but-with-moustaches-seven-versts-long entered the hut, with his moustaches floating far down his
On
entering the hut he looked at Vechorka from beneath his beetling brows, and shrieked with
back.
a terrible voice,
you were cut up my ram as if
"
How
its lord "
?
dare you come into
and master
?
How
But Vechorka looked
at
my
hut
dare you
him and
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
26
smiled.
ought to grow a
"You
you shriek
like
that,"
bigger before
little "
said he.
Be
off,
and don
t
let ine see you here again, or I ll take a spoonful of cabbage soup, and a little crumb of bread, and glue
up your eyes
for
The Muzhichek-no-bigger-
you."
than your- thumb but with-moustaches - seven -versts-
-
"
long replied, small, I
am
I see
-
that
you don
brave withal
"
;
t
know
that,
though
then, tearing the hero
from the bench, he dragged him from corner to corner, bumped his head well against the walls, and then threw him, more dead than
He
alive,
beneath the bench.
ram from the table, ate it, bones and all, and vanished. The brothers returned and asked, What s the matter ? "Why have you himself took the roast
"
bandaged your head
"
?
But Vechorka was ashamed
to say that such a miserable little wretch
him
so soundly,
and he
had trounced
said to his brothers,
"
I
got a headache from looking to the fire without you, so that I could neither roast nor boil."
The next day Zor ka and Vechorka went out to hunt, and Polunochka stayed behind to get the dinner
No
sooner had he finished cooking the dinner, than there was again a rushing sound in the wood, ready.
and
came the Muzhichek-no-bigger-thanthumb but with-moustaches - seven - versts - long, your knocked Polunochka about, maimed him, pitched him under the bench, ate up the whole dinner, and into the hut -
-
THE MUZHICHEK. Again the brothers returned and
vanished. "
What s
looking "
Polunochka, splitting,
to
the
so that
"
fire,
my
and therefore
dinner for
"
?
I
I
?
my
poor
asked,
Why do you tie have got a headache
the matter, brotherkin
up your head with rags from
27
brothers,"
little
replied
head was quite
could not get ready your
you."
On
the third day the elder brothers went to hunt, and Zor ka remained in the hut alone, and thought
There s something not quite right here. not for nothing that my brothers have com plained of the heat of the fire two days running."
to himself, It
"
is
So he began to look all about, and to listen, in case any one should be coming to fall upon him unawares. He chose a ram, killed and cut it up, cleansed it,
and placed it on the table, and immediately there was a racket and a thundering in the wood, and
roasted
it,
door rushed the Muzhichek-no-bigger-thany our- thumb-but- with -moustaches -seven-versts -long, in at the
with a rick of hay on his head, and in his hand a bucket of water. He put the bucket of water in the midst of the courtyard, strewed the straw all over the courtyard, and set about counting his sheep. He
saw that there was yet another ram missing, fiew into a violent rage, stamped on the ground with his little feet, dashed into the hut, and flung himself violently
upon Zor
ka.
But
this
Zor ka was not
like
his
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
28
He
Muzhichek by his moustaches, and began to drag him about the hut and well towzle him, and cried at the same time
brothers.
seized the
"
you don
If
Don
t
know
the ford
t step overboard."
l
The Muzhichek-no-bigger-than-your-thumb wriggled about from side to
side, tore
himself out of Zor ka
s
though he left the ends of his moustaches fists, and ran away from him as hard as he He but whither, pray ? could, Zor ka after him flew up into the air like fluff, vanished from before iron paws, in his
and was gone.
his eyes,
and
down by
sat
brothers.
The
window
the
brothers
astonished to find ready.
Zor ka returned to the hut,
him
to await his beloved
and
arrived,
were quite
hale and whole, and the dinner
But Zor ka drew out from
of the long moustaches
his girdle the ends
which he had torn from the
monster, and said to his brothers, with a smile,
my
"
Look,
brothers, I have twisted your headache that
caught from the
fire
2
round
my
girdle
I
!
see
you
now
that neither in strength nor stout-heartedness are ye fit comrades for me, so I will go on alone to discover
the wondrous steed, but
you go back
to the village
and plough land." Then he took leave of and went on his way. 1
2
/. e.
caution
Ugar,
lit.
s
his brothers,
the best policy.
the suffocating fire-smoke.
THE MUZHICHEK.
29
Just as he was leaving the wood, Zor ka came upon a crazy little hut, and in this crazy little hut he heard
some one crying dolorously, Whoever will give me to eat and to drink, him will I serve." The good "
youth went into the hut, and saw that on the stove lay an armless, legless one, piteously groaning, and Zor ka gave him to eat begging for meat and drink. and drink, and asked him who he was. A hero was "
I,
no whit worse than thou, but of
ranis
the
and he made
lo
I
!
ate one of the
Muzhichek-no-bigger-than-your-thumb,
me
a cripple for the rest of
my
life.
But because you have had compassion upon me, and given me both to eat and to drink, I will show you how to get the wondrous horse." Show me, I pray, "
Go, then, to the river hard by, take a
"
man."
good
ferry-boat on
round, take will
it,
ferry people across
money from
it
none, and
the whole year
you
ll
see
what
happen."
Zor ka went to the
river, took
a ferry-boat, and a
whole year round he ferried everybody across gratis. it befell him once that he had to ferry over three
And
The
men
got out on the bank, and began to undo their travelling purses, and the first pulled out a whole handful of gold, the second a old pilgrims.
whole
roll
of pure
precious stones.
good
youth,"
"
old
pearls,
and the third the most
There, that
said the old men.
for
is "
I
thy ferrying, can take nothing
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
30
from
you,"
said Zor ka,
"
because I
am
here, according
to promise, to ferry every one across without taking
money "
I
for
Then
"
it."
seek the
for
wondrous horse which
white, but silvery bright, so that is
what dost thou do
why good
and
I
?
not woolly
is
can find
"
it
it
people have advised
nowhere
me
;
to hire
and they said, you shall see what Well for thee, good youth, that thou
a ferry-boat here, will
"
happen."
hast been true to thy
word
;
we can equip thee
for
thy journey. Here is a little ring for thy little finger, do but transfer it from finger to finger, and all thy wishes will be And the old men gratified."
went on
way, but Zor ka immediately put the Let me be at ring on the other hand and said once in those places where the Muzhichek-no-biggertheir
"
lives
than-your-thumb
and pastures
his horse
"
!
And
immediately the tempest took him, and before he could wink once he found himself in front of a deep
chasm amongst the gloomy this side of the
and he saw that
in
chasm, but on the very edge of
it,
rocks,
was
sitting the Muzhichek-no-bigger-than-your-thumbbu t -with -moustaches- seven -versts- long, and around
him was pacing the wondrous horse that was not woolly white, but silvery bright on its brow shone a moon, and many stars were in its mane. Wel ;
"
"
come, good youth "what
!
brings you
screeched the monster to Zor ka hither?"
"I
am
;
going to take
THE MUZHICHEK.
31
your horse away from you." "Nay, tis not for you nor for any one else to take him from me. If I but
him by the mane and lead him to the edge of this abyss, nobody in the world can take him away from hence, though they strive for ever and seize
ever."
"
Well, then, let us
"
I
Willingly.
exchange."
don
t
mind exchanging with you. You bring me hither the daughter of your Tsar, and I will give you my horse, and you may lead him from field to Good," and he Zor said ka, immediately began considering "
field."
how he might
He
get the better of the monster.
to finger, transferred his rinsr and said, O from finger O O
Let the lovely Tsarevna immediately appear here And in the twinkling of an eye the before me." "
Tsarevna appeared before him, all pale and trembling, and fell down on her knees before him, and begged
and prayed him conjured me tender youth
"
:
Good youth, wherefore
away from "
!
my
?
But Zor ka whispered
to get the better of that
believe to exchange
monster
you for the
with the monster as his wife
and when you want
;
to return
Oh, spare "
her,
there.
horse,
I I ll
my
want
make
and leave you
but you take this ring,
home you have
only to
one finger and put it on the other, and say, want to turn into a little needle to stick it into
take I
father
hast thou
it off
Zor ka behind his collar/ and you ll see what will And as Zor ka had said to the Tsarevna, happen."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
32
He
gave the Tsarevna to the monster in exchange for the wondrous horse, put his martial harness on the horse, mounted, and went on his way so it fell out.
;
but the Muzhichek-no-bigger-than-your- thumb laughed
and shouted
after him,
"
Tis
well,
good youth
;
thou
Zor ka hast exchanged a lovely damsel for a horse." had not gone two or three versts when he felt some thing pricking
hand
there,
him behind
and
lo
!
the collar.
there was a needle.
He put his He pitched
on the ground, and before him stood a lovely damsel, who wept and begged him to take her back
it
to her dear father s
house.
Zor ka
set
her on the
horse beside him, and galloped off as only heroes can He arrived at the Tsar s court, and found gallop.
the Tsar in an evil mood. rejoice
not at
nor do
good youth,
I "
"
I
thy faithful service,
the steed thou hast gotten for me, reward thee with aught according to thy And wherefore, pray, dear father Tsar ? "
"
Because, good youth,
without
in
said to him,
I require
nor will merits."
all,
The Tsar
my
my
daughter went away
"
leave."
Nay, but,
Sovereign Lord trifle with me so
my
and Tsar, it beseems thee not to the Tsarevna was only this instant greeting me from out of her stronghold." Then the Tsar rushed into the
:
stronghold, where he
still found his daughter, embraced and out to her the good youth. Here is her, brought and reward And the Tsar the took my delight." thy "
THE MUZHICHEK.
33
and gave his daughter to Zor ka to wife, and half his tsardom along with her into the bargain. And Zor ka still lives with his wife, and cannot love horse,
her enough, and he rejoices in his good fortune with out over-much boasting.
THE STORY OF THE TSAREVICH IVAN, AND OF THE HARP THAT HARPED WITHOUT A HARPER. behind the blue
far
FAK,
sea,
behind the
fiery
abyss, in the void places, in the midst of the pleasant
meadows, stood a lofty city, and in this city ruled Tsar Umnaya Golova with his Tsaritsa. There they 1
lived a long time,
and
to their great delight a daughter a was born to them, most lovely Tsarevna whom they 2 called Neotsyenaya, and the next year there was
born to them another daughter just as lovely, and 3 In his her they named the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya. joy Tsar his
Umnaya Golova made merry and
heart,
and feasted and
heart s content.
He
his
gave and three buckets of mead
them
regale 1
3
his
ate
voevods
to toast
4
to
his
three hundred
him
in,
whole realm with beer
Wise Head. Without price.
gladdened
and drank
2
Not
4
Generals and high
and bade for
three
to be priced. officials.
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH Whoever
days.
IVAN.
35
might drink, and good measure him. Now, when all the feastings
liked
was meted out to
and junketings were
over,
Tsar
Umnaya Golova thought how to feed
began to be troubled with the and nourish and train up his beloved daughters, and 1 Great were bring them under the golden crown. the cares of the Tsar concerning his daughters. They were only fed with gold spoons, they were laid to sleep
on eider-down beds, they were covered with
sable coverlets,
drive
down
away the to
sleep.
and three nurses took flies
when
Tsar
it
in turn to
the Tsarevnas laid
Umnaya
them
Golova bade them
watch over his daughters, and take care that the lovely sun never looked into their room with his bright rays, that the cold dew never fell on them, and that the truant wind never dared to blow upon
And
and protection of his the Tsar them seventy-seven beside daughters, placed a certain wise nurses, and seventy-seven guardians them.
man
for the defence
advised him to do
so.
Thus Tsar Umnaya Golova with his Tsaritsa and his two daughters lived and thrived together. I
know not how many
years passed by, and the Tsarevnas began to grow up, fill out, and become beautiful. AVooers already began to make their
appearance at the Tsar 1
s
but Tsar
court,
Crowns are put on the heads
of
Greek
Umnaya
brides.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
36
Golova was in no
haste
marry off his reflected that a destined wooer cangreat
to
He daughters. o even on a swift horse, while a wooer avoided not be not destined cannot be held fast by triple iron chains, and while he was thus thinking and
that
is
casting the matter over in his mind, he suddenly There was a heard a great noise and commotion.
scampering up and down and to and fro in his court The outdoor nurses were crying, the indoor yard. nurses were howling, and the guardians were bawl Tsar Uninaya Golova ing with all their might.
What is the immediately rushed out and asked, Then the male matter ? attendants, seventy-seven and the seventy-seven female attendants all fell down "
"
on their knees before him. cried;
"look
now!
"We
are
guilty," they the Tsarevnas Neotsyenaya and
Beztsyenaya have been carried
"
by a whirlwind The Tsarevnas had
off
A
!
strange thing had happened. gone out to walk in the Tsar s garden to pluck a few sweet-peas and wrench off a red poppy or two,
Suddenly a black cloud rose up above them (whence it came nobody knew), blew right into the eyes of the nurses and
and
feast
upon a few
ripe pippins.
had guardians, and by the time they selves and begun to rub their eyes,
come all
to
them
trace of the
Tsarevnas had vanished, there was nothing for the Tsar Umnaya Golova eye to see or the ear to hear.
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN. "
regularly flared up with rage.
will deliver
I
"
over to an evil death
all
"
said he.
!
I will
perish miserably in dungeons you with peas in the gates. ;
You
you shall
bid them shoot
What
at
37
seven-and-
!
seventy of you nurses, and seven-and- seventy of you guardians, could not look after two Tsarevnas "
!
And now and
Tsar
affliction
;
he neither
was
everything
Umnaya Golova was a
grief
ate,
and
in sore trouble
nor drank, nor slept a
burden
to
him
;
;
were none, and the banquets sound of the fiddle and the shawm was heard there at
no more.
his
court
Only sad
there
grief sat beside
him and sang
her mournful dirge like the croaking of a crow of evil
omen.
But time passes and sorrow with
man
is
like
it.
The
life
of
a variegated tapestry, interwoven with
dark flowers and bright. Time moved onwards, and then another child was born to the Tsar, but this
was not a Tsarevna, but a Tsarevich. Tsar Umnaya Golova rejoiced greatly he called his son
time
it
;
Ivan, and placed beside him old-men nurses, fathers, wise teachers, and valiant voevods,
foster-
And
the Tsarevich Ivan began to grow and grow just as
wheaten meal swells and swells when good yeast is put to it. He grew not by the day but by the
what wondrous beauty, what a stately was his One thing only weighed upon the
hour, and figure
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
38
good and beauteous was the Tsarevicli Ivan, but there was nothing in
heart of Tsar
him
Golova
Umnaya
:
He
of heroic valour or of knightly skill.
did
not tear off the heads of his comrades, nor break
arms and legs
he neither loved to play with lances of damask steel, nor with swords of tempered their
;
he did not muster his strong battalions, nor Good and beauteous hold converse with his voevods. metal
;
was the Tsarevicli Ivan
he amazed
;
all
men with
his
wit and wisdom, and his sole delight was to play on And the Tsarevicli the harp that needed no harper.
Ivan played so that
men
all
forgot
all
else as
they
The moment he placed his fingers on the they sang and played with such a wondrous
listened.
strings
voice that the very
dumb wept
the very legless danced
for
sympathy, and Beautiful
for
joy. songs but did not the Tsar s they they were, replenish treasure, nor defend the realm, nor smite the evil foe.
And
day Tsar Umnaya Golova bade them bring the Tsarevicli Ivan before him, and thus he one
spake to him
"
:
My
and beauteous, and
One thing only
beloved I
am
grieves me.
son,
good
art
thou
well
content with thee.
I
do not see in thee
the valour of a warrior, or the skill of a champion. Thou dost not love the clash of steel lances and the
tempered blade has no charm for thee. I am growing old, and we have savage
Look now foes.
!
They
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN.
39
make our realm the spoil of death our boyars and voevocls, and
will
come
put
to
to
us,
me and my
captive
defend
The
us."
words of Tsar answer:
Tsaritsa,
Tsarevicli
war, lead
thou canst not
for
Ivan listened to the
Golova, and thus he made Tsar-Gosudar and father! Not
Umnaya
"Dear
by strength but by
are cities taken, not by cudgels but by cunning will I prevail against the Make trial of my martial strength, make trial foe.
my
of
craft
youthful valour.
Look now
!
tell
They
me
that I had two sisters, Tsarevnas, and that the truant
whirlwind carried them away, and that the rumour of them vanished as if it were covered with snow. Call together
now
of finding out
my
all
thy princes, thy heroes, thy stalwart voevods, and bid them do thee the service sisters,
Let them
the Tsarevnas.
bring their damask blades,
their iron
lances, their
and if glowing darts, and their countless soldiery any one of them shall do thee this service, give to him my tsardom and bid me be unto him as a ;
scullion, to lick his pots,
But
sport.
then
I
and
as a fool to
make him
they cannot render thee this service, will render it thee, and then thou shalt see if
wisdom and my wit is sharper than a damask blade, and stronger than a lance of
that
my
steel."
And
He
the words of the Tsarevicli pleased the Tsar.
called together his boyars, his voevods, his strong
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
40
and mighty champions, and he said
any one
there
of
my
you,
them
to
"
:
Is
boyars, voevods, strong seek my
and mighty champions, hero enough to go daughters of
my
him
If so, to
?
will I give to choose
which
he will to be his love, and with
daughters
her he shall have half
my
The
tsardom."
boyars,
the voevods, and the champions looked one upon another, and hid one behind the other, but not one
them dared to speak. Then the Tsarevich Ivan Dear Fatherbowed low before his father and said if none will take it upon him to render Gosudar of
"
!
thee this paltry little service, give me thy blessing on my journey. I will go, I will seek my sisters, nor
have to 4
I
do
need of any royal "Good!"
it."
my
go
blessing
treasures, silver if
thou requirest
horse
and
a
gift
from thee to enable
replied Tsar
with
Umnaya Golova
Take
thee.
me
also
of
;
my
and gold and precious stones, and soldiers, take a hundred thousand
hundred thousand foot
also."
And
the
I need neither silver nor Tsarevich Ivan replied, gold, neither horse nor foot, neither the horse of the "
champion nor
his
sword and
me my sweet-sounding accord,
and nothing
Tsar, await
again
in
successor."
me the
lance.
harp that
else.
And
I will
take with
plays of its
thou,
my
own
Sovereign
these three years, and if I come not fourth year, then choose thee my
Then the Tsarevich Ivan received
his
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN.
41
both in writing and by word of mouth, commended himself to God, took his harp under his arm, and went straight on his way whither father
his
s
blessing
led
eyes
his sisters
He went and went
?
The
and low.
Whither was he
him.
to go to find
near and
high going is soon told, but the not soon done. The Tsarevich far,
tale of his
deed that he did
is
Ivan went straight onwards, he went on and on, and as he went he played songs upon his harp whenever the morning broke he arose again and
;
wended
his
way
along
him down on the
;
when night
silky grass
he
fell
laid
beneath the vast roof
And at last bright with stars. he came to a dense forest. The Tsarevich Ivan heard of the heavenly
dome
a great cracking in this dense forest as if
some one
were smashing it, such a rumbling and a thundering was there in this forest. What is this ? thought the Tsarevich Ivan a man must die once though "
"
"
;
no
man
can
terror, for
die
twice."
he saw two
And
his eyes
wood demons
filled
fighting.
with
One
was belabouring the other with an uprooted oak, and the other was pitching into his comrade with a pine tree five fathoms long, and the pair of
them
were fighting with all their devilish strength. The Tsarevich Ivan approached them with his harp and
The demons stopped short, began dance some devilish dance, and kicked up their
struck up a dance. to
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
42 1
with such vigour that the very welkin rang. They danced and they danced, they danced them
heels
ground, and Come the Tsarevich Ivan began to talk to them. selves off their legs
and
on
rolled
to the
"
now
what
!
are
you quarrelling
for?"
said he.
"Ye,
iny children, are regular wood demons, and yet ye make fools of yourselves as if ye were common
Then one
people." "
him,
and judge betwixt us and we found something. !
said,
Tis
was
it
boots,
"
?
:
a
we
mine
not divide
found
wood demons
of the
Wherefore should we
I
to
;
and we could
what then was
asked the Tsarevich Ivan. little
said
Hearken
?
were going on our way but he said, Tis mine
tried to divide it
"And
it."
We
not fight
it
that
This
"
is
you what
bread-and-salt table-cloth, self-moving
and an
invisible little cap.
Dost thou want
Then spread out the little table cloth, and twelve youths and twelve maids will bring thee mead to drink and sweetmeats as much as thou wilt And if any one come that way, thou to eat
and drink
?
!
hast only to slip on the self- walking boots and thou canst go seven versts at one stride nay, thou ;
canst go even quicker than fourteen versts stride, so
that no bird can fly level with thee and no
wind can overtake thee. 1
Lit.
at one
But
gave themselves up to a trepak.
wild popular dance.
if
A
some unavoidable trepak
is
a peculiarly
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH
IVAN.
43
calamity threaten thee thou hast but to put on thy little invisible cap, and thou vanishest so completely that the very dogs cannot scent out thy where a thing
"What
abouts."
agree to
what
I
ye found
?
Ivan
said,
path,
and whichever
the
now
"
The wood
"
the
sense
the
cried
!
Do
!
thou
quarrel
Will
about!
divide what ye have say demons agreed, and the Tsarevich
Look now!
table-cloth,
to.
if
I
Hun towards
that
little
you reaches it, he shall have boots, and the cap." "Ah,
of
wood demons, hold
the
c;
that
treasures
is
common
and we
will
do the
So away they went at full tilt, running." till nothing but their heels were visible and they disappeared in the forest. But the Tsarevich Ivan did not wait for them, he put the boots on his feet, the cap on his head, the little table-cloth under
arm, and made himself scarce as they call it. The wood demons came running back, but could not
his
find the place
where the Tsarevich had stood
;
but
Ivan the Tsarevich, striding with great strides, got out of the wood and saw the wood demons running
round him and beyond him, and trying to scent him out, but they could find nothing, and fell to wringing their hands.
Ivan the Tsarevich went on his way he went on and on, he strode and strode, and he came to the ;
open
plains.
Three roads lay before him, and in
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
44
a wretched
the cross-way stood
round and round on
hen
Tsarevich
"Izbushka!
said
to
it,
s
hut turning And Ivan the
little
legs.
1
izbushka!
me
your back to the wood and your front to
Then Ivan the Tsarevich stepped into the 2 there in the hut was sitting Baba-Yaga "
said
turn "
!
and
hut,
bony-leg.
to
this day Baba-Yaga, up a Russian soul has been a sight unknown to my "Fie!
fie!
fie!"
unknown
eyes and a sound
my ears, and now a For my very eyes
to
Russian soul appears before
!
what hast thou come, good youth ? Oh, thou said the Tsarevich Ivan to her, senseless Granny thou shouldst feed me well first, and only after that "
"
"
!
"
shouldst thou
begin to ask questions." Baba-Yaga leaped up in the twinkling of an eye, heated her little stove, fed Ivan the Tsarevich, and then began to ask "
him,
Whither dost
whither the
does
good
go, "
lie
thy way to
seek
I
?
my
go,"
sisters,
and
youth,
"
"
Tsarevich,
thou
said
Ivan
Tsarevna
the
Neotsyenaya and the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya. But now, dear little Granny, tell me, if thou knowest, what way must I go, and where shall I find them ? I know "
"
"
where the Tsarevna Neotsyenaya lives said Babathou must take the middle road to get to Yaga !
"
;
her,
but
she 1
2
lives
Wretched The witch
in
the
little
white
stone
palace
hut.
of witches in
Russian fairy
tales.
of
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN. her
husband the
old
thither
there will
is
hard, far
must thou go
boot thee
twill
devour thee/
it will
A
and God
and
road
thou gettest for the Forest Monster
little,
;
little
"Well,
choke him.
The
Monster.
Forest
45
Russian
man
if
Granny, perhaps a
is
bony morsel,
not give him over to be eaten by a swine like that Farewell and thank you for will
!
!
And so the Tsarevich Ivan your bread and salt strode away from her, and look! there, right across "
!
the plain, shone white and dazzling the stony palace Ivan went up to it and of the Forest Monster.
saw the
who
gate, "
said,
and on the gate
No
admittance
replied Ivan the Tsarevich,
vodka
"
l
The
!
"
sat a sort of little devil "
!
"and
my
Open, I
ll
friend
!"
give thee some
little devil took the vodka, but he
open the gate for all that. Then Ivan the Tsarevich went round about the palace and resolved didn
t
He
climbed up and along and never observed the trap into which he was
to climb over the wall.
falling, for all
on the top of the walls wires were spread
about, and the moment the Tsarevich Ivan touched
one of these wires with his foot
all
the bells
fell
Ivan the Tsarevich looked, and out upon the balcony rushed his sister the Tsarevna Neotsyenaya it thou then that hast come, my and said, a-ringing.
"Is
beloved
brother,
Ivan the Tsarevich ]
Russian brandy.
"
?
And
the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
46
brother and the sister embraced and kissed each other. "
Where
shall I hide thee
"
Forest
?
said the Tsarevna Neotsyenaya,
he will be here at
am
no
from the Monster of the
"
once."
Where
"for
all
the
"
I
Tsarevich
put on
invisible.
Where then
wall?"
his
And
little
the
is
thy guest have no guest
trembled,
palace
and the Monster of the Forest appeared became
for
indeed,
The brother and sister were still needle." when suddenly there was the dull roar of
talking a tempest and whirlwind,-
the
believe
I
;
but Ivan cap and
invisible
Monster
Forest
said.
who climbed over the here
at
replied but perhaps the sparrows the Tsarevna Neotsyenaya, have been flying over it and stuck to it with their "I
all,"
"
"Sparrows
wings!"
smell
of
a
Russian
Methinks
indeed! here
soul
" <(
!
I
smell the
AVhat are
you
dreaming about ? You run about the wide world and do nothing but harass souls, and now you would vex other souls also
"
"
!
Don t
be angry, Tsarevna
Neotsyenaya, I do no harm to thy happiness, only I have now a desire to eat, and I should like to eat
up
this unknown," said
the Forest Monster.
Ivan the Tsarevich, however, took cap,
bowed
to the Forest Monster,
do you want to eat lean and bony morsel
me ? I
am
off his invisible
and
Don t you !
Rather
"
said,
see
let
Why
what a
me
regale
you with a breakfast such as you have never eaten
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH
IVAN.
47
only take care that you Then Ivan don t swallow your tongue and all the Tsarevich spread out his little bread-and-salt since the
day of your
birth,
"
!
table-cloth, the twelve youths
appeared, and
with as
much
as
regale the Forest Monster
to
began
and the twelve damsels
he could
ever
Monster ate and ate and
eat.
The Forest
then he drank, and
ate,
then he ate again, till he was unable to stir from he fell asleep in the very place where the spot ;
he said
"
sat.
And now
farewell,
the Tsarevich Ivan;
my
"yet
beloved
tell
sister!"
me, dost thou
know
the place where our sister the Tsarevna I know replied the Beztsyenaya dwells ? not
"
"
it,"
thou must go to her along there she dwells in the very sea Ocean, great whirlpool of the ocean with her old husband the
Tsarevna Neotsyenaya
"
;
the
Sea Monster
but the way thither is hard. Far, very far must thou swim, and if thou gettest there it will boot thee little, for he will devour thee ;
"
!
"
Well,"
perhaps, but
he will find "
swallow.
may chew me me a hard morsel to And Ivan the Tsarevich
said the Tsarevich Ivan,
Farewell, sister
!
"
he
began to stride onwards, and he came to the great sea Ocean. By the shore stood a boat such as the Russian people use when they go a-fishing the shrouds and gear were of linden bast, the sails of fine hair mats, and the boat itself was not welded ;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
48
sown
with nails, but
fast
On
with birch-bark.
this
were getting ready to go to sea, "Won t to the Rock-Salt Island. you take
ship the mariners to sail
me
with you
"
that
so
journey
is."
I will
pay
niy
you The ship-folk
agreed,
and they
away upon the great sea Ocean, they Eock-Salt Island
"
;
passage, but I will tell you will never notice how long the
for
you nothing tales
said the Tsarevich Ivan
?
;
sailed past the
them
the Tsarevich Ivan told
and they sailed and
sailed
tales,
Suddenly, whence they knew not, a tempest came flying up, the thunder began to growl, and the ship began to quake. shrieked the ship s folk, "to our own Alas sailed.
"
"
!
have we listened to
destruction
never shall we see our dear
this
fair
homes
little
we
again,
descend into the whirlpools of Ocean
shall
speaker,
!
There
no help for it, we must pay tribute to the Monster of the Sea let us cast lots, it will fall upon the
is
;
"
guilty
!
They
Tsarevich Ivan. said
cast "
It
lots,
can
time to come
; "
!
it
be helped,
t
fell
upon,
the "
my
brothers
!
I thank you for your nor think amiss of me in farewell, Then he took with him his self-
the Tsarevich Ivan.
bread and salt
and
walking boots, his
little
"
bread-and-salt
and
his harp that
table-cloth,
harped of its own accord, and they raised the good youth and swung him right out into the whirlpools of Ocean.
his little
invisible cap,
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH
IVAN.
49
The sea became calm, tbe boat sped on, and the Tsarevich Ivan went like a key to the bottom, and stood upright on his legs in the halls of the Monster wondrous flower-grown halls of ocean The Sea Monster was sitting on his throne with the of the Sea, the
!
Tsarevna Beztsyenaya by his side, and the Sea Monster Tis a long time since I have eaten fresh flesh, said, "
and
lo
it
!
cornes
Welcome, friend
right
Come
!
into
and
here,
my let
hands
very
me
see at
!
which
Then the Tsarevich Ivan begin began to say that he was the brother of the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya, and that amongst good people one be end of you
"
I
may
!
haved not so badly as to eat another up. shrieked the Sea Monster too much "
!
to force his
;
own
rules "
of
other
people
!
things were going that played of its
playing a plaintive pull
wry
"
"
faces,
That
is
he comes
and regulations upon the homes Ivan the Tsarevich saw that
badly, so he took out his harp
own
accord,
air,
then
and when he began
the Sea Monster
fell
began to
to sighing like a black
bellows, and wept and moaned just as if he had swallowed a needle and then, when the
smith
s
;
Let the merry Tsarevich Ivan struck up the air, l churochki go round the little table why then "
"
!
indeed the very halls put their arms akimbo and Sea Monster could not fell a-dancirig, while the 1
-Small glass or bowl for drinking spirits.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
50
up and down enough, but stamped with his feet, snapped with his fingers, rolled his eyes about, and skip
pulled
such faces that
to see,
and nearly died
round
the fishes flocked
all
The Monster
for laughter.
Sea thoroughly enjoyed himself. "Well!" twould be a sin to eat such a youth. said he, of the
"
Stop here, stay with
won
t
?
Here
down and be our
guest,
are lots of herrings, pike, bream,
you and perch Come, and be merry, my !
us, sit
sit
down
dear
at
table, "
guest
eat,
So
!
drink,
Ivan
the
Tsarevich and the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya and the Sea
Monster sat down, and ate and drank and made merry. A whale danced a German dance in front of them, the herrings sang glees, the carps performed
on
various
instruments.
Monster went to
sleep,
dinner
After
the
Sea
and the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya
beloved brother, I am glad to see thee, dear guest so far well, but twill not last for ever. When he awakes the Sea Monster will eat thee "
said,
My
;
if
the evil
sister,"
humour
takes
said the Tsarevich
him."
"Tell "
Ivan,
how
me, darling I
may
save
Neotsyenaya from the Forest Monster, and If you like thee from the Monster of the Sea ? you may try your luck, but you ll find it, I think, a our
sister
"
"
Behind the great sea Ocean here lies a large tsardom, and there reigns there not a If thou Tsar, but a Tsaritsa called the Tsar-Maiden. ticklish business.
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH
IVAN.
51
makest thy way thither, and gettest into her fenced garden, then the Tsar-Maiden will become thy consort,
and she only can free us and restore us to our father and mother. But the mischief of it is this she has guard which will allow no one to cross the shore, a guard all bristling with guns and lances, and fastened to each lance is a head, and all these poor a strict
heads are the heads of the youths who came to woo the Tsar-Maiden. There were tsars, tsareviches,
little
kings sons, mightily strong warriors, and they came with hosts, and they sailed with ships, and were able to do nothing .all of them were stuck kings,
;
Look now
"
upon
lances."
Ivan,
"what
threats of Tell
there
is
to
"
fear
Heaven and manifold
me but how "
Tsar-Maiden."
thy way thither beloved sturgeon
?
may
I
But
said
!
?
is
the
Terrible
Tsarevich are
the
the mercy of God.
get to the tsardom of the
is
it
a wise
Nevertheless
111
thing to
make
give thee
my
upon him and go thy way, and my swift runner the long-nosed sterlet shall swim before thee to show the way." The brother and sister then said farewell, the Tsarevich Ivan sat him on the sturgeon and sped away, and the sterlet went on before to show the way. They fell in with some ;
sit
and they saluted the Tsarevich Ivan with their moustaches, and beat the drums with their clippers, crabs,
and drove the
little fishes
out of the way.
But the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
52
not the same thing as the dry land. There was neither hemp nor bramble to hold on by, the sea
is
way was
as
slippery,
slippery
as
Then he put
Tsarevich Ivan slipped and slipped.
on
his little
invisible cap
The
grease.
and saw that the guards
Tsar-Maiden were opening wide their eyes and gazing afar off, and saw nothing that was going on beneath their noses, and they were still whetting of the
swords and sharpening their spears. And the Tsarevich Ivan came to the shore, the sturgeon set their
him
safely
jumped
on
the
quay,
made an
into the water again
;
obeisance, and
but the Tsarevich Ivan
went past the guard without bending his knee, and entered the fenced garden as if he were the master there
;
he walked
about,
walked
he
all
over
it,
he diverted himself, and ate of the luscious and transparent apples there. And lo the Tsarevich lingered and lingered there. And he saw twenty white doves flying towards a !
pond.
They lighted
on the
ground
twenty maidens lovely as the as goodly as blood and milk.
stars of
and
became
heaven and
Amongst them
the
Tsar-Maiden was walking like a peacock, and said, My beloved friends, tis hot ye see how the sun burns like an oven. Let us bathe No evil eye "
;
!
So strong a guard stands on the that not even a fly could pass by them." "A shore
can see us here.
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN. fly
fly
Look now what a big cannot pass them, eh has passed them," said the Tsarevich Ivan, and !
he took to
53
the
his
off
and bowed low
invisible cap
little
The
Tsar-Maiden.
Tsar-Maiden
and
her
maidens are wont to do, shrieked and moaned, thought of running away and didn t, made as though they wouldn t look and looked all the comrades, as
same,
and winked
and
and
ye,
"
blinked
with
their
eyes.
lovely damsels," said the Tsarevich Ivan, I am wherefore do ye fear me ? not a bear, I shall not bite you, I will take no one s
Tsar-Maiden,
"
heart against her will but if rny destined bride be Then here, then am I her destined bridegroom." ;
the Tsar-Maiden turned as scarlet as the red poppyflower, gave her white hand to the Tsarevich Ivan,
Whether thou Welcome, good youth be tsar or tsarevich, king or king s son, I know not but if thou hast come hither as a gentle guest, thy Many reception shall be as beseemeth a dear friend.
and
"
said,
!
;
brutal wooers
taken
have come to
virginal heart
my
was never heard
Come
into
chambers
my
by
me who would force,
have
such a thing as
of since the beginning of the world.
white stone halls and into
my
crystal
"
!
The whole nation heard that their Tsarevna, the Tsar- Maiden, had got her a bridegroom after her own heart, and they came in swarms both of young and
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
5-t
and shouted and rejoiced with all their might. And the Tsar-Maiden commanded that the royal old,
should be opened for them, and that they should be allowed to beat drums and guitars and cellar
and the next day they played at the merry banquet and the wedding feast. And there were banquets for three days and rejoicings for
play fiddles
three
;
weeks.
And
after
that
the
Ivan
Tsarevich
spoke to his consort about releasing his sisters, one from the Monster of the Forest and the other from the Monster of the Sea.
Ivan the
consort,
would
my let
I
not
do
Tsarevich,"
she
thee
Send
for
!
"My
replied,
and
beloved "what
fetch
me
hedgehog-lawyer and my sparrow-scribe, and them send ukases to the Monster of the Forest
and the Monster of the Sea, bidding them give up the sisters of Ivan the Tsarevich, or I will take them
and give them over to a cruel death." So the hedgehog-lawyer and the sparrow-scribe wrote out ukases and sent them off. And the
into custody
Monster of the Forest and the Monster of the Sea do nothing, so they set free the Tsarevna Neotsyenaya and the Tsarevna Beztsyenaya. And the could
Tsarevich Ivan wrote this letter to his father, the Tsar Umnaya Golova "Thou seest, Sovereign :
not with strength and valour only but with craft and wit also can one prevail over all. Tsar, that
THE STORY OF TSAREVICH IVAN.
55
And
the self-playing harp is sometimes of as good service as the Damascus blade, although of course
one must not lash to
it
with a whip.
me, dear father, and be
with thee with
banquet many."
is
my
And now come
my guest, and I and my sisters. A
wife
will be
goodly wish thee long years and so Ivan the Tsarevich lived a joyous
ready, and
And
I
and prosperous. And he lived long and reigned gloriously, and feasted me right life,
and waxed
royally, so I
rich
made up
this
merry
tale about him.
THE STORY OF GOKE-GOKINSKOE. THERE once
whom was
lived in a village
1
two brothers, one
and the other poor. With the rich man everything went swimmingly, in everything he laid his hand to he found luck and bliss but as of
rich,
;
poor man, slave and toil as he might, fortune The rich man, in a few years, flew away from him.
for the
grew out of bounds that he went to town, and built him the biggest house
live in the
so
there,
and
but the poor man got into such straits that sometimes he had not even a settled
down
merchant
as a
;
crust of bread in the house to feed a whole armful
of children, small together,
And
smaller
and begged
the poor
for
smallest,
something
man began
who
to eat
all
cried
and drink.
to repine at his fate, he
began to lose heart, and his dishevelled head began to sink deeper between his shoulders. And he went to his rich brother in the 1
/. e.
town and
Woeful Woe.
"
said,
Help me
!
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE. am
57
worn out/ Why should I not replied the rich man. We can well afford it, only you must come and work it out with me all this week." I
"
quite
?"
"
"
Willingly,"
said the poor
man
;
so he set to work,
swept out the yard, curried the horses, and split up firewood. At the end of the week the rich brother l gave him a grisenka in money and a large lump of bread. Thanks even for that," said the poor man, and was about to turn away homewards, when his "
conscience evidently pricked him, and he Why dost thou slip off like that ? To-morrow
brother "
said, is
s
And the stay and feast with But, stayed to his brother s banquet.
my name man
poor
day
us."
;
unfortunately for him, a great many rich guests as sembled at his brother s men of renown and these ;
guests
his
down low
brother
served most zealously,
bowing them as a and them, imploring good as to eat and drink their fill.
before
favour to be so
But he forgot altogether about
his poor brother,
could only look on from afar, and see
all
who
the good
people eating and drinking, and enjoying themselves, and making merry. At last the banquet was over,
the guests arose, they began to thank the host and hostess, and the poor man also bowed to his very girdle.
they
all
The guests
went home, and very merry were; they laughed, and joked, and sang 1
also
Worth about
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
58
as
And
the way.
all
songs
hungry as
the poor
and he thought
ever,
man went home "
to himself,
Come,
sing a song too, so that people may think that I too was not overlooked or passed over on my brother s name day, but ate to surfeit, and drank
now,
I will
And so the myself drunk with the best of them." peasant began singing a song, but suddenly his voice
He heard quite plainly that some one died away. behind his back was imitating his song in a thin He
stopped short, and the voice stopped short he went on singing, and again the voice imitated him. Who is that singing ? come voice.
piping
;
"
"
forth
shrieked the poor man, and he saw before all shrivelled up and yellow, with
!
him a monster,
huddled up in rags, and girded about with the same vile rags, and its feet wound
any
scarcely
life in it,
round with linden petrified
with horror, and he said to the monster, ? am Gore-Gorinskoe I have
art thou
"Who
The peasant was quite
bast.
"
"I
compassion on thee "
;
;
will
I
help thee to
sing."
us go together through the wide l in arm I see that I shall find no other
Well, Grore, let
world arm
and
friends
master shall
;
;
we
I
kinsmen
Let us go, then, will never desert thee." And on what there.""
"
"
go, then
going upon, but
"
?
I 1
I
know not what you
will
go upon
Lit.
white world.
you,"
and
flop
are !
in
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE.
59
an instant he was on the peasant s shoulders. The peasant had not strength enpugh to shake him off.
And so the peasant went on his way, carrying Woeful Woe on his shoulders, though he was scarce able to drag one leg after the other, and the monster was singing all the time, and beating time to it, and driving him master,
along with his little stick. wouldst thou like me to teach
favourite song
"
I
thee
say,
my
?
I am Woe, the woefully woeful Girt about with linden bast rags, !
Shod with beggars buskins, bark stript. Live with me, then live with Woe, And sorrow never know. If you say you have no money, You can always raise it, honey ; Yet provide a hard-won penny Gainst the day thou lt not have any. ;
And
added Woe, "thou already hast this penny against an evil day, besides a crust of bread let us, then, go on our way, and drink and be merry." besides,"
;
So they went on and on, and drank and drank, and There sat the wife and all the so they got home. without food, weeping, but Woe set the On. the following day Woe began peasant a-dancing. to sigh, and said, My head aches from drinking children,
"
"
!
and again he called upon the master to drink a have no money," said the peasant. thimbleful. "I
BUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
60
didn
"But
honey ? cart, and
thee thou canst always raise
it,
Pawn let
at
to-day,
t I tell
thy harrow and plough, sledge and us drink; we ll have a rare time of it
any
What
rate."
could he
do
The
?
peasant could not rid himself of Woe, so painfully tight did he sit upon him by this time, so he let himself be dragged about by Woe, and drank and idled away the whole day. And on the next day
Woe
groaned
more, and even began howling, and us saunter about let us drink away
still
"
Come, let everything and pawn
said,
and
so get
that ruin
;
Sell
it.
to drink
money
thyself into slavery,
with."
The peasant saw
was approaching him, so he had resort to and he said to Woeful Woe, I have heard "
subtlety,
men say that a treasure was buried about here a long time ago, but it was buried beneath such heavy stones that my single strength would be quite our old
unable to raise treasure,
it
;
now,
little
darling
if
only
we
could raise this
Woe, what a
fine
time of
and drinking we should have together Come, then, and let us raise it Woe has strength "
loafing "
!
;
So they went all about the enough place, and they came to a very large and heavy stone five peasants together could not have moved it from for everything."
;
the spot, but our friend and Woe lifted it up at the And lo beneath the stone there was indeed first go. !
a coffer dark and heavy, and at the very bottom of
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE. this coffer
said to
something was sparkling.
Woe,
"
You
out the gold, and
So
stone."
and cried lable
Woe "
out,
Twenty
!
And
61
the peasant
just creep into the coffer and get I ll
stand here and hold up the
crept into the coffer with great glee, Hie, master, here are riches incalcu jars choke-full of gold, all
standing
and he handed up to the The peasant took the jar peasant one of the jars. into his lap, and, as at the same time he let the stone one beside the other
fall
back into
"
!
old place, he shut
its
in the coffer with all the gold.
"
up Woeful
Woe
Perish thou and thy
"
no good thought the peasant luck goes along with thee." And he went home to his own, and with the money he got from the jar he
riches with thee
"
!
;
bought wood, repaired his cottage, added live-stock to his possessions, and worked harder than ever, and he began to engage in trade, and it went well with In a single year he grew so much richer, that him. in place of his hut he built him a large wooden house.
And
then he went to town to invite his brother and
his wife to the
are
you think
said his rich brother, with a scornful smile.
little
while ago you were naked, and had nothing
ing of
A
What
?
"
(<
"
house-warming.
and now you are giving house-warmings, arid Well, at one time, certainly, laying out banquets I had nothing to eat, but now, thank God, I am no
to eat,
"
"
!
worse
off
than
}^ou.
Come and
see."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
62
The next day the
rich brother
went out into the
country to his poor brother, and there on the pebbly plain he saw wooden buildings, all new and lofty,
And such as not every town merchant can boast of. the poor brother who dwelt on the pebbles fed the rich brother till he could eat no more, and made him drink his
fill
;
and
after that,
when the
strings of his
tongue .were loosened, he made a clean breast of it, and told his brother how he had grown so rich. Envy
He thought
overcame the rich brother. "
This brother of mine
is
to himself,
Out of twenty kegs
a fool.
he only took one. With that money Woe itself is not terrible. I ll go there myself, I ll take away the stone, take the money, and let Woe out from beneath all
the stone. likes."
Let him hound
No
my
brother to death
sooner said than done.
The
rich
if
he
man
took leave of his brother, but, instead of going home, he went to the stone. He pulled and tugged at it,
and managed
at last to
push
it
a
little to
one
side, so
as to be able to peep into the coffer, but before he
head back again, Woe had already Our rich skipped out, and was sitting on his neck. man felt the grievous burden on his shoulders, looked could pull his
round, and saw the frightful monster bestriding him. And Woe shrieked in his ear, A pretty fellow you "
are
you
!
?
You wanted to starve me You shall not shake me
to death in there, did off
again in a hurry,
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE. I
warrant you.
Woe
senseless
not
I
who
I ll "
!
never leave you
cried the rich
"
again." "
man,
placed you beneath that stone, and tis man, you should cleave to go hence,
and torment
my
;
deceived
And
him, and
all
me
But Woeful
brother."
not listen to him.
time."
Oh,
indeed twas
not me, the rich
You
63
"No,"
once, but
so the rich his wealth
it
screeched,
you shan
man
carried
t
do
Woe would "you
it
lie!
a second
Woe home
with
turned to dust and ashes.
But the poor brother now and sings jesting ditties of
lives in
Woe
peace and plenty,
the outwitted.
GO
I
BY
KNOW NOT WHITHER FETCH KNOW NOT WHAT.
the blue
sea,
I
in a certain empire, there dwelt
once upon a time a king who was a bachelor, and he had a whole company of archers, and the archers used
go a-hunting with him and shoot the birds that flew about, and provided meat for their master s table. to
In this company served a youthful archer named Fedot, a clever marksman was he, never missing his aim, wherefore the King loved him better than all his comrades. One day he chanced to go a-hunting very early,
even at break of
clay.
He went
into a dense,
drear forest, and there he saw a dove sitting on a tree. Fedot stretched his bow, took aim, fired and broke
one of the dove the tree
it
picked it "
down
wings, and the bird fell from upon the damp earth. The marksman s little
up, and was about to twist its neck and put
when the dove thus spoke to him Alas young marksman do not twist my poor little in his pouch, !
:
!
KNOW NOT
GO I silly
neck
;
drive
better to take
me
me
WHITHER.
65
Twere
not out of the white world.
carry me home, put me in the moment that slumber
alive,
window, and
lo
thy little comes over me, at that very moment, I say, stroke me the wrong side down with thy right hand, and great !
good fortune shall be thine much amazed. Why, what
The marksman was
"
!
"
"
this
is
?
thought
he.
tell me tis a bird, and naught else, yet it with a human voice Such a thing has never speaks happened to me- before." So he took the bird home, placed it in the window-sill, and waited and waited.
"
Mine eyes
!
Twas
not very long before the bird laid its head beneath its wing and began to doze. Then the
marksman
raised his right
wrong
side
it,
quite
down.
can only be told in neither to be imagined nor guessed at.
beautiful that the like of
but
arid stroked
The dove instantly fell the ground and became a maiden-soul, and so
lightly, the
to
hand
is
it
tales,
And
she spoke to the good youth who was the royal archer, Thou hast had wit enough to win me, and said have also wit enough to live with me. Thou art my "
:
predestined husband,
I
am thy
pre-ordained
wife."
They were immediately of one mind. Fedot married, lived at home, and rejoiced in his young wife, yet Every morning, before forgot not his service either. break of day, he took his weapon, went into the forest,
shot various
kinds of wild beasts, and took
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
G6
them
But
to the royal kitchen.
much tormented by
wife was
and one day she said
tions,
friend
am
I
!
was plain that
it
his
these hunting expedi to
fearful for thee
!
thou dost cast thyself into the
him
"
:
Every
Listen,
blessed
my day
forest, dost wander
and returnest home wet
through fen and morass,
through and through, and we are none the better for Look it. "What sort of a trade dost thou call this !
now, it.
I
have a plan whereby thou also shalt profit by
Get
manage
me now
Then Fedot hastened
the rest/
all
and
a hundred or two of rubles,
I ll
to his
comrades, and borrowed a ruble from one, and two rubles from another
hundred "
Xow,"
till
These then he brought to
rubles.
said she,
"
buy me
The
"
all
this
money
!
She took them and said lay thee
his wife.
various kinds of silk with
went and bought with the two hundred rubles.
various kinds of silk
God and
he had collected about two
down
archer
"
:
Be not sorrowful
to sleep, the
morning
Pray
!
is
wiser
"
than the evening So the husband fell asleep, and the wife went out upon the balcony, opened her book of !
and immediately two invisible youths appeared What art thou pleased to before her and said spells,
"
:
command
"
?
"
Take
this silk,
and
in a single
hour
weave me a carpet more wondrous than anything to be found in the wide world, and let the whole kino-o dorn be embroidered on this carpet, with all its cities
GO and
villages
KNOW NOT
I
and
rivers
and
WHITHER.
lakes."
67
Then they
set to
work and wove the carpet, and it was wondrous to In the morning behold, wondrous above everything. the wife handed the carpet to her husband. There/ "
said she,
"
take
the merchants
;
and
to the market-place
it
but look
now
!
to
sell it
haggle not about the
but take whatever
they offer thee for it round, turned Fedot took the carpet, hung it over A merchant his arm, and went to the market-place. price,
it."
saw him, ran up to him at once, and said to him Hearken to me, honoured sir, wilt thou not sell me :
"
1
that carpet
"
?"
"
the price
"Willingly!" "
?
Thou
And what
fell
a- thinking
price the carpet
is
art a frequenter of the marts, "
therefore will I leave the price to thee
chant
then
and
!
he could not
a- thinking,
he was at his wits
The mer Another
end.
merchant came running up, and after him a third and a fourth till a great crowd of them collected they ;
looked at the carpet, marvelled at it, and could not At that moment the royal steward fix the price. passed by that way, saw the crowd, and wanted to
know what
the merchants were talking about. So What is the matter ? he went up to them and said, all
"
"
We
cannot price this carpet," said they. The steward looked at the carpet, and he also was amazed. "
"
"
Hearken, archer
!
said he,
"
tell
me
where didst thou get this lordly carpet
the real truth
;
"
"
?
My
wife
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
68 "
wrought "
I
me
it
"
!
How much
dost thou want for
"
it ?
myself know not the value of it my wife bade not to haggle over it, but to take whatever was ;
Then what dost thou say to 10,000 The archer took the money and gave up the "
offered." "
rubles
?
Now
steward was always by the King, So he went to dine and ate and drank at his table. carpet.
this
with the King "Would it
now
also,
and took the carpet with him.
please your Majesty to look at the carpet I 1
The King looked, and saw there have bought to-day his whole realm just as if it were on the palm of his ?"
hand, and he heaved a great sigh. Why, what a is this In all my life I have never seen such carpet "
!
Say now, what wilt thou take for this And the King drew out 25,000 rubles and carpet ? gave them into the hand of the steward, but the That is a mere carpet they hung up in the palace. craft.
cunning
"
"
thought the steward, thing out of the second
"
nothing,"
better
immediately went his
ll
make
chance."
a
much So
he
in search of the archer, sought out
entered the dwelling-room, and the he saw the archer s wife, at that very instant
little
moment
I
hut,
he forgot all about himself and the errand on which he had come. Nevertheless the steward manned himself with a great effort and turned sullenly home From henceforth he bungled over everything wards.
he took in hand, and whether asleep or awake, he
GO
I
KNOW NOT WHITHER.
69
thought only of one thing, the wonderfully lovely little
archeress.
The King observed the change in him, and asked What ails thee ? Has any great grief be him, fallen thee ? Alas my king and father, I have "
"
<(
!
seen
the
wife
world knows
of
not
the
such
archer
nor
of
has
a
ever
beauty the
seen
"
!
The
King himself was seized with a desire to fall in love with her, and he also went to the abode of the archer. He entered the living-room, and sees before him a lady of a loveliness unspeakable. chilblain oppressed his
heart."
a bachelor
?
"
"
any longer
Why
thought he
marry
this beauty, she s too
From
her birth she was
Love
"
s
should "
lo
burning remain
I
now, I ll good for a mere archer.
evidently
;
!
meant
to
be a
"
Queen The King returned to his palace and said to the Hearken thou hast had wit enough to steward, show me the archer s wife, that unspeakable beauty !
"
!
;
thou must now have wit enough to remove the hus band out of the way. I want to marry her myself. And if thou dost not remove him, look to thyself; although thou art
my
faithful servant,
thou shalt be
Then the steward went hanged upon a gallows about much more afflicted than before, and think as "
!
he would, he could not devise a method of getting rid of the archer. He wandered about the broad market-
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
70
and the narrow
places
lanes,
and there met him one "
Stay, thou King s servant day a miserable old hag. I can see all thy thoughts, thou wantest cried she. Ah, help me, help against thy unavoidable woe." thou wilt what I ll thee dear little granny pay "
!
"
"
"
!
!
Thou hast received the royal command to get rid Fedot the archer. The thing is not so very easy.
"
of
He
indeed
is
simple, but his wife
frightfully artful.
is
Well now, well hit upon an errand which will not be Go to the King and say accomplished so speedily.
must command the archer
that he f
whither,
that he
and fetch I know
to
not ivhat.
go
I
knoiv not
Such a task
as
never accomplish, though he live for ever and ever either he will vanish out of knowledge ll
;
altogether, or if he does
arms or
come back,
it
King sent and commanded the archer warrior,
me
without
legs."
with gold, before
will be
The steward rewarded the old hag and hastened back to the King, and the
him.
Fedot
"
Well,
and the
first
then this service
fetch me I ~know bring it me not
in :
back,
my
tis
thou art
my
corps of archers.
Go I
not what
!
to be brought
!
I,
young Bender
and And mark me, if thou the King, who say it to
knoiv not whither, _
thee, thy head shall be severed from thy shoulders." The archer turned to the left, quitted the palace, and came home very sad and thoughtful. And his wife
asked him
:
"Why
art
thou so sorrowful, darling
;
has
GO
I
KNOW NOT
WHITHER.
71
The King has sent me I know not whither to fetch I know not what. Tis through thy beauty that this ruin has come upon any misfortune befallen thee
"
us
Yes, indeed
"
!
It takes
!
this
"
"
?
service
is
no light one
!
nine years to get there, and nine years to get
back again, eighteen years in all, and God only knows What s to be if it can be managed even then "
"
!
done then, and what will become of me ? Pray God and lie down to sleep, the morning is wiser than The To-morrow thou wilt know the evening. "
"
all."
down
archer lay
to sleep,
and
his wife sat
watching
midnight, opened her book of spells, and the two "What youths immediately -appeared before her. till
Do ye thy pleasure, and what thy command ? know how one can manage to go I know not whither, and fetch I know not what ? No, we do not "
is
li
"
"
know/
She closed the book, and the youths dis appeared from before her eyes. In the morning the
archeress said she,
awoke her husband. "
and ask
for gold
"
Go
to the
King,"
from the treasury for thy
Thou hast a pilgrimage of eighteen years journey. before thee. When thou hast the money, come back to
me
to say
farewell."
The archer went
to the King,
received a whole purseful of money, and returned to She gave him a pocketsay good-bye to his wife.
handkerchief and a
ball,
and
said
"
:
When
thou goest
out of the town, throw this ball in front of thee, and
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
72
whithersoever
it
rolls,
follow
Here too
it.
pocket-handkerchief; when thou
is
my
dost wash thyself,
wherever thou mayst be, always dry thy face with The archer took leave of his wife this handkerchief."
and of his comrades, bowed low on all four sides of He him, and went beyond the barriers of the city. threw the
and he followed hard
rolled,
A
him
ball in front of
month
the ball rolled and
;
after
it.
and then the King The archer has him
or so passed away,
called the steward
and said to
"
:
departed to wander about the wide world for eighteen years, and it is plain that he will not return alive.
Now
eighteen years are not two weeks, and no little disaster may have befallen him by the way go then ;
and bring me his wife to the So the steward went to the archer s house,
to the archer s house "
palace
!
entered the room, and said to the beautiful archeress "
Hail, thou wise
woman
The King commands thee
!
"
to present thyself at court
:
!
So to the court she went.
The King received her with joy and led her into his golden halls, and said to her: "Wilt thou be a Queen
?
I will
make
"
thee
my spouse
!
"
Where was
such a thing ever seen, where was such a thing ever heard of, to take a wife away from her living husband ?
Though he be nothing but all
that
my
lawful
a simple archer, he "
husband." "
willingly, I
ll
take thee by force
!
If
is
for
thou come not
But the beauty
GO
I
KNOW NOT WHITHER.
73
laughed, stamped upon the floor, turned into a dove, and flew out of the window.
The archer passed through many countries and kingdoms, and the
kept rolling ever onwards. a river the ball expanded into a bridge, and whenever the archer wished to rest, the ball widened into a downy bed. Whether the ball
Whenever they came
to
time be long or whether it be short the tale is quickly told, though the deed be not quickly done suffice it to ;
say that at last the archer came to a vast and wealthy the ball rolled right up against the door and palace ;
vanished.
The archer
fell
go straight on/ thought
"I
a-thinkirig.
he, so
had better
he went up the
stair
and there met him there three lovely Whence and wherefore hast thou come
case into a room, "
damsels. hither,
good
man?"
said
"
they.
Alas
lovely
!
damsels, ye ask me not to rest from my long journey, but ye begin to torment me with questionings. First
ye should give me to eat and drink and let me then only should ye ask me of my tidings
rest,
They
!
immediately laid the
and made him
away
lie
table,
down
his weariness, rose
lovely damsels brought
embroidered towel.
gave him to eat and drink, to rest.
The archer
slept
from his soft bed, and the
him
a washing-basin
He washed
and an
himself in the clear
spring- water, but the towel he would not take.
have
my
and
"
handkerchief wherewith to wipe
my
"
I
face,"
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
74
said he,
and he drew out the handkerchief and began
And the lovely damsels fell a-queswhence hast thou him. Tell us, good man tioning wife gave it to me." "My got that handkerchief? to dry himself.
"
!
"
"
Then thou must have married one
Then they
women."
of our kins
called their old mother,
and she
looked at the handkerchief, recognizing it the same This is indeed my daughter s instant, and cried "
:
Then
she began to put all manner of He told her how he had questions to the archer. married her daughter, and how the King had sent
handkerchief
"
!
fetch I knoiv not ivhat. dear son-in-law, not even I have heard of
him / knoiv not 11
Alas
!
my
But come now, perchance
this marvel.
may know book of ately
of
pleasure,
Then the
it."
spells,
there
ivliither, to
old
my
woman
servants
fetched her
turned over the leaves, and immedi
appeared two giants.
and what
is
thy
command
"
What
" (<
?
is
thy
Look now,
me
together with my sonin-law to the wide sea Ocean, and place us in the very
my
faithful servants, carry
in the
Immediately the giants caught up the archer and the old woman, and bore them, as by a hurricane, to the wide sea Ocean, and placed them in the centre of it in the very abyss centre of
it
very
abyss."
;
there they stood like two vast columns, and held the
archer and the old old
woman
woman
in their arms.
cried with a loud voice,
Then the
and there came
KNOW NOT
GO I swimming up of the sea, so
WHITHER.
75
and creeping things that the blue sea was no longer to be
to her all the fish
seen for the multitude of them.
"
Hark ye fishes Ye who swim !
and creeping things of the sea. everywhere, have ye perchance heard how to go / n
And know not whither, to fetch I know not what f all the fishes and creeping things exclaimed with one voice, No, we have never heard of Suddenly "
it."
a
lame old croaking frog forced
and
"
said,
to
be
to
know/
Kwa, kwa "
;
its way to the front know where this marvel is
I
Well, dear, that
found."
is
what
just
want
I
frog
woman, and she took up the and bade the giants carry her and her son-in-law In an instant they found themselves in their
home.
own
said the old
son-in-law place
is
"
How And
"
go
old woman began to ques and by what road can my
Then the
courtyard. the frog.
tion
?
"
the
frog
answered,
end of the world
at the
far,
far away.
would gladly lead him thither myself, but frightfully old, I can scarcely
move my
not get there in
The
a big jar, filled
and said
fifty
it
years."
old
This
legs.
woman
I
am
I I
so
could
sent for
with fresh milk, put the frog inside,
to her son-in-law,
hand and the frog
will
"
Hold
this
show thee the
jar in way."
thy
The
archer took the jar with the frog, took leave of his mother-in-law and his sisters-in-law, and set out on his
way.
On he
went, and the frog showed him the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
76
way. Whether suffice it
not;
be far or near, long or short, matters that he came to the fiery river beyond it
;
was a high mountain, and on this mountain a door was to be seen. Kwa, kwa," said the frog,
this river
"
"
let
me
out of the
The archer took "
Now,
ground.
Don
firmly.
it
t
be
jar,
we must
cross over this
out of the jar and placed
my
good youth,
afraid.
Thou
sit
river."
on the
it
More
on me.
wilt not
smash
me."
The youth sat on the frog and pressed it to the very earth. The frog began to swell it swelled and swelled ;
was as large as a haystack. All that the archer now thought of was the risk of falling off. If I fall till it
"
off it
frog,
when
The thought he. had done swelling, took a leap and leaped
be the death of
will
it
me,"
with one big bound right across the fiery stream, and
made
itself quite little.
"
Now, good youth, go that door and I ll wait for thee here thou through wilt come into a cavern, and take care to hide thyself In a short time two old men will come well. listen again
;
;
to what they are saying, and see what they do, and when they are gone, say and do as they/ The archer went into the mountain, opened the door, and in the cavern it was dark enough to put one s eyes out. He fumbled his way along and felt all about him with
an empty chest, into which he And now, after he had waited got and hid himself. some time, two old men entered and said Hi his
arms
till
he
felt
"
:
!
KNOW NOT
GO I Shmat-Eazum there
instant
l
WHITHER.
come and feed
!
no
s
telling
At
us."
how
77
that very
lightning-flashes
lit
thundered plates and dishes, and various The old wines and meats appeared upon the table.
candelabras,
men "
it
and drank, and then they commanded Shmat-Razum take it all away." And immedi ate
!
ately there was nothing, neither table, nor wine, nor The archer meats, and the candelabras all went out.
men going
heard the two old
and
chest,
Hi
"
cried
:
is
your
pleasure?"
appeared.
"
Hi
The
it.
with me, let stand eating
answered
God
sent
him
"
What
lighted, the table
the meats and drinks appeared archer sat down at the table and said, all
Come, brother, and us eat and drink together.
Shmat-Razum.
!
"
!
Again everything
me."
The candelabras were
was covered, and
upon
Shmat-Razum
!
Feed
"
out, crept out of the
all
alone." ec
:
thee
Alas
!
And good
an
sit
I
invisible
down can
t
voice
man, whence hath
thirty years since I have the two old men here, and
Tis
?
served
right trustily that time they have never once asked me during The archer looked about to sit down with them." all
him and was amazed.
He saw
disappeared from
dishes
the
nobody, yet the meats as if some one was
sweeping them away, and the wine
bottles
lifted
themselves up, poured themselves into the glasses, 1
Rogue-Reason,
is
perhaps the nearest equivalent.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
78
Then the trice the glasses were empty. went on eating and drinking, but he said Wilt thou be my servant ? Hearken, Shmat-Razum
and in a archer "
:
!
Thou
should here,
good time of it with me." Why I have long been growing weary
shalt have a I
not
?
and thou,
"
I see, art
"
a good
Well, get
man."
The archer everything ready and come with me." came out of the cave, looked around him, and there "
I was nothing. Shmat-Razum, art thou there ? am here. Fear not. I ll never desert thee." "Right," "
"
replied the archer,
frog swelled out
he placed journey. his
new
it
and he
sat
him on the
The
frog.
and leaped across the fiery stream and set off on his return ;
in the jar,
He came
to
his
servant regale
mother-in-law and made the
old
woman and
Shmat-Razum
daughters right royally.
feasted
her
them
woman
very nearly danced for joy, and ordered the frog three jars of fresh milk every nine days for its faithful services. The archer so bountifully that the old
then took leave of his mother-in-law and wended his
He went on and on
way homewards.
till
utterly exhausted, his swift feet trembled,
him, and
his
white arms sank Ci
"
"
Alas
!
said
he,
didst thou not tell to the place alive
and
how weary
I
beneath his
side.
Shmat-Razum, dost thou not
am? My it me long
see
down by
he was
well."
legs fail
ago
?
And
"
me."
I will
Why
bring thee
immediately the
GO
I
KNOW NOT
WHITHER.
79
archer was seized by a whirlwind and carried through the air so quickly that his hat fell from his head. "
Hi
Shmat-Kazum
!
has fallen from canst not get
my
Towns and
thee."
"
head."
Thy
it.
a
Stop
!
cap
is
minute.
Too
now 5000 and
villages, rivers
Thou
master.
late,
hat
My
miles behind
forests,
melted
away beneath the feet of the archer. And now the archer was flying over the deep sea, An thou wilt let and Shmat-Razum said to him me, I would make a golden bower on this sea, and thou "
:
and be happy Do so then," said the archer, and straightway they began descend Then, for a moment, the waves ing towards the sea. splashed high, and then an islet appeared, and on the "
wilt be able to rest
islet
"
!
Shmat-Razum
was a golden pleasure-house.
said to the
archer
"
:
Sit in this pleasure-house
and
and look out upon the sea three merchant vessels Thou must invite will sail by and stop at the islet.
rest
;
the merchants hither, hospitably entertain them, and exchange me for three wondrous things which the In due time I will merchants will bring with them.
The merchant kept watch, from the west three ships came sailing up,
return to thee
and
lo
!
again."
and the merchantmen saw the "
pleasure-house.
many was
islet
Tis a marvel
and the golden
"
!
said they;
"how
times have we not sailed hither, and nothing a seen but the sea and now, behold
to be
!
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
80
Come, friends, let us golden pleasure-house is here. So imme put to shore and feast our eyes upon it diately they lowered the sails and cast the anchor, "
!
three of the merchants sat
them "
shore.
Hail,
"
Hail,
marts
!
and
in a light skiff,
good man men of many "
they came to the
!
ye wayfaring merchants, ye be so good as to turn in to me,
stroll
about
your ease, make merry and repose this pleasurehouse was built expressly for guests that come by at
;
The merchants entered the bower and sat Hi Shmat-Razum them down on footstools. The cried the archer give us to eat and drink." table appeared, and on the table was wine and "
sea
!
"
"
!
!
"
;
savoury meats whatever the soul desired was there with the wishing. The merchants sighed for envy. said they, "let us make an exchange. "Come," ;
Thou give us thy marvels thou likest
ye then
"
?
"
and take from us what
servant,
But what marvels have
"
best."
Look and
And
"
see
!
one of the mer
chants drew out of his pocket a little casket, and he had no sooner opened it than a lovely garden spread out all over the island with fragrant flowers and pleasant paths
;
but when he shut the casket the
The second mer garden immediately disappeared. chant drew from beneath the folds of his garment an axe,
and began to tap with "
a
"
ship.
Rap- tap
!
out
"
"
it
Rap- tap came another :
!
out came ship.
A
GO
KNOW NOT
I
WHITHER.
81
hundred times he rapped, and made a hundred ships with sails and guns and crews complete the ships ;
by the guns and took The merchant gloried in
sailed, the sailors stood
from the merchant.
orders it
for
a while, but then he concealed his axe and the ships vanished out of sight just as if they had never been.
The end
third merchant produced a horn, blew into one
and immediately an army appeared, both horse and foot, with cannons and banners, and through all the ranks went the roll of martial music, and the of
it,
armour of the warriors flashed like
The merchant
rejoiced in
it all,
fire
in the sunlight.
then he took his horn
and blew into the other end of
it,
and there was
nothing to be seen, the whole of that martial might was no more.
Your
marvels
well
enough, but
they are of no use to me," said the archer your hosts and your fleets would do honour to a Tsar, but I am only "
are
"
;
you would change with me, then must you give me all your three wonders in exchange But won t that be for my one invisible servant." a simple archer.
If
"
too
much
exchange."
?
Know
ye that I ll make no other The merchants considered amongst them
"
"
What s
the use of this garden, these ships, Twill be better to make the and these hosts to us ? selves
"
:
exchange
;
at
and drink our
any fill
rate
we
shall
always be able to eat
without the least
trouble."
So they
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
82
Well, gave the archer their wonders, and said with wilt thou serve ll take thee us we Shmat-Razum, "
:
;
"
us well and loyally ? you ? Tis all one with
"
Why
me
with
should
whom
not serve
I I
merchants returned to their ships and regaled "
crews right royally.
And
"
thyself
!
Hi
their
all
Shmat-Eazum
!
The
live."
bestir
!
every one on board ate and drank
But the and lay down and slept heavily. archer sat in his golden bower and grew pensive, and his
fill
said:
"Alas!
servant, "
I it
my
heart
Shmat-Razum.
am
here, master
I "
!
The archer was
not time for us to hasten
home
"
?
sooner spoken than a whirlwind as and bore him into the air.
The merchants awoke from to drink
away
my
yearns after
wonder where he
it
now
"
!
"
Is
glad.
And he had no were seized him
and wanted
their sleep
the effects of their
faithful
is
carouse
"
:
Hi
!
Shmat-Razum, give us some more drink by way of a But no one answered, no one rendered pick-me-up them that service. Order and shout as they might, "
!
il Well, they were. The devil gentlemen this sharper has befooled us take him, and may the island vanish and the golden
things remained
precisely as
!
bower
!
perish."
Thus the merchants lamented and
lamented, then they spread their sails and departed whither their business called them.
The archer
fle\v
back to his country, and descended
GO I
KNOW NOT
WHITHER.
83
a waste place by the blue sea. Hi, Shmata little castle us here ? can we not build Eazum, "
in
"
"
Why
not
?
It shall
be ready
And
immediately."
immediately the castle sprang up, more beautiful than words can tell, twas twice as good as a royal palace.
The archer opened his casket and a garden imme diately appeared round the castle with pleasant country paths and marvellous flowers.
There sat the
archer at the open window, and quite fell in love with his garden. Suddenly a dove flew in at the
window, plumped down upon the ground, and turned into his lovely young wife. They embraced and greeted each other. "
And
the wife said to the archer,
Ever since thou didst leave the house
I
have been
among the woods and groves. now live together for evermore
flying as a blue dove
How happily we will
"
!
Early the next morning the King came out on his balcony and looked towards the blue sea, and behold !
on the very shore stood a new castle
was a green garden.
"
castle,
Who
and round the
then
is
this pre
sumptuous stranger who builds on my land without questions,
Then his couriers ran and came back and told him
was
by the
"
my
leave
built
castle
and
?
archer,
thither,
asked
that this castle
and he himself dwelt in
this
The King was more and he bade them assemble a host
his wife with him.
angry than ever, and go to the shores of the
sea, root
up the garden,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
84
smash the
and bring the archer The archer saw the King s army
castle into little bits,
and his wife to him.
was very strong then he seized his axe quickly and rapped with it, Kapone hundred He a Out came rapped ship. tap coming against him, and
it
;
"
"
!
times,
and made one hundred
ships.
Then he
seized
his horn and blew once, and a host of footmen rolled out. He blew in the other end, and a host of horse
rolled
The commanders
out.
of
all
the corps came
rushing up to him, and asked him for orders. The The music struck archer bade them begin the battle.
drums rolled, the regiments moved forwards the royal host. The infantry, like a solid wall, against broke down their centre, the horse cut them off at the up, the
wings and took them captive, and the guns from the The King saw that all fleet played upon the capital.
how
?
rushed forward to stop them but could not do it, and in a moment he was
was
his host
He
flying,
swept from his horse in the midst of the fierce fight and trampled underfoot. When the fight was over the people assembled together and begged the archer to accept the whole realm from their hands. To this
he gave his consent, and ruled that kingdom peaceably all the days of his life.
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY. THERE was once
a
peasant
and
1
and
his wife,
they had one son, and he, though good, was a block head, and no good at all for working in the fields. there is not Husband mine," said the mother, "
"
much
wit
in
our son, and he will eat us
house and home
and
himself,
;
send him away,
make
his
own way
let
him
in
the
out live
of
by
world."
So they sent away their son they gave him a most wretched little nag, a tumble-down hut in the wood, ;
and a cock with
five hens.
And
little
Kuz ma
lived
alone, all alone in the dark wood.
The
little
she-fox scented out the fowls that were
right under her very nose in the wood, and determined to pay a visit to Kuz ma s hut. One day little Kuz ma
went out
to hunt,
and no sooner had he
left
than the
little fox,
who. was on the watch
all
ran up, killed one of the hens, roasted 1
Quick-rich.
it,
the hut
the time,
and ate
it
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
86
Little
up.
Kuz ma
returned,
And
hens was gone.
and behold
he thought:
one of the
!
suppose the
"I
The must have pounced down on it next day he again went out hunting. He happened "
vulture
to
fall
away,
!
in with the fox, little
Kuz ma
and she asked him "
I
?
"
"
"
fox
his hens,
him
it.
What On the
:
!
!
Whither
going a-hunting,
little
And
And
and another was missing. "
"
hens
off
"
:
immediately she to his hut, killed another hen, cooked Little Kuz ma came home and counted
Well, good-bye
!
scampered it, and ate
to
am
"
the
if
third
little
it
occurred
fox has tasted of
my
day he nailed up the door and
window
of his hut strongly, so strongly, and went about his business as usual. And the fox turned up
from somewhither and said to him little
Kuz ma?"
Whither away, little
go a-hunting, Off she ran to
"I
"
"
"
:
Well, good-bye and he followed her track back !
fox!"
Kuz ma s
hut,
The fox ran
too.
all
round the hut, and saw that the door and window were nailed up strongly, oh so strongly how was she ;
So up she climbed and disap peared down the chimney then up came Kuz ma and Ah-ha cried he look what a caught the fox.
to get into the hut
?
;
"
"
"
!
thief
pays
me
visits
shall not get
you
little
fox
me
I
!
ll
!
out of
;
Wait a
my
bit,
hands
my
little
alive."
u
lady
Then
;
the
Don t kill implore Kuz ma: Only get thee betrothed to a rich bride. began
to
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY. me
please roast
one more fowl, the
Kuz ma
"
of nice
oil
Little
!
fell
87
fattest,
with
and then
a-thinking,
he killed one more fowl for the
little
fox
lots
"
There,
:
The and much good may it do thee Behind this up, licked her chaps, and said the tsardom of the great and terrible Tsar "
eat, little fox,
"
fox ate
wood
!
it
is
:
1
Ogon, his wife
2 the Tsaritsa Molnya, and they have
is
I ll marry a daughter, a most beauteous Tsarevna thee to her." Who would take a poor fellow like ;
"
me
"
"
?
little
Silence
that
!
fox set off to Tsar
She ran
made
the
all
way
s
not thy
business."
And
the
Ogon and the Tsaritsa Molnya. to them, entered their palace,
low obeisance, and said Hail, mighty, Tsaritsa and terrible Tsar Molnya Ogon, potent "
a
:
"
!
Hail to thee, fox
"
!
What
news hast thou brought us
nice little piece of good "
"
?
Well, I have come
you as a match-maker. You have the bride and have the young bridegroom, Kuz ma Skorobogaty." to
"
Where
is
he buried that he does not come himself
I
"
?
He rules over cannot quit his principality. the wild beasts, and takes his pleasure with them." "
"
He
the sort of bridegroom you present us Well, go back to him and say that he must
So that
with
I
s
send us forty
forties of
gray wolves, and then we
ll
Then the little fox accept him as the bridegroom." ran to the meadows which lay beneath this very wood 1
Fire.
2
Lightning.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
88
A
and began rolling about in these meadows.
wolf
I see, gossip, that you ve came running up and said had a good feed somewhere or you would not roll "
:
about like
"
that."
I
wish
wasn
I
so
t
full
I
;
ve
been at a banquet with the Tsar and the Tsaritsa. Do you mean to say that you ve not been invited
Why, all the wild beasts Impossible were there, and as for the sables and ermines there was no end to them The bears were still sitting there ?
there, gossip
!
!
when
I
left,
and eating
The wolf
"
like
anything
!
"
Little began to beg the fox humbly take me to the Tsar s banquet!" :
Hearken forties
Go you and
fox,
can
"Why
t
you not!
by to-morrow forty of your brethren, the gray wolves, and I ll lead !
the whole lot of
collect
On
the following day the wolves assembled and the fox led them to the
you
thither."
white stone palace, placed them all in rows, and announced to the Tsar Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya, thy destined Tsar
s
"
:
son-in-law has sent thee gifts lo a whole herd of gray wolves does obeisance to you, and the number of !
;
The Tsar bade them drive all forty forties." the wolves into the enclosure, and said to the fox
them
is
:
"
If
my
destined son-in-law
as a present, let bears."
The
him now
little
him roast another
is
also
fox ran to
able to send
send little
fowl, ate her
fill
me
wolves
me just as many Kuz ma and bade of
it,
and ran
off
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY.
89
Thither again to the fenced meadows of the Tsar. selfsame the under about she went and fell a-rolling
And
out of the wood came running a shaggy bear and looked at the fox. Well, gossip fox," said
wood.
"
he,
"you
have plainly had your
come over you
to
make you
about in the grass so should think so. Why
"_"
!
lot of us beasts there,
The wolves
end.
and of
began to beg the fox to t
;
there was a whole
and ermines no
sables
now, and a nice Bruin straightway
are eating there
dinner they are making of
won
what has
roll
Had my fill I merrily I ve been to the Tsar s banquet ?
or
fill,
you lead me
it."
let
him go
"
:
Little fox, "
also to the Tsar s
banquet ? Very well hearken. Bring together by to-morrow forty forties of black bears, and I ll lead you thither "
;
with pleasure, for of course the Tsar s cooks would not make ready for you alone." Old bandy-legs
wandered
all
about the woods, proclaimed the news
the bears, and got together as many bears as the fox had commanded, and she led them to the to
all
white stone palace, arranged them in rows, and announced Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon, and
Tsar
s
"
:
terrible
salutes bears."
Tsaritsa
Molnya, your destined son-in-law
you with a present of forty forties of black The Tsar bade them drive the bears also into
the enclosure, and said to the fox son-in-law can send
me
so
many
"
:
bears
If
my
destined
and wolves
as a
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
90 gift, let
him now send us
also just as
many martens
and sables." The fox again hastened off to Kuz ma, bade him roast the last hen, together with the cock, and when she had eaten them in
bis
honour she went
again to the fenced meadows of the Tsar, and began A sable and a marten rolling about in the grass.
Where have you been feeding What ye Foxy ? they asked. wood and yet don t know that I am held
came running
"
by.
"
"
so fatly, sly Mrs. live in the
!
This day I have con ducted the wolves and the bears to his banquet by
in great
honour by the Tsar
?
;
this time they will be unable to tear themselves away from the Tsar s tit-bits never have they had such a Then the sable feed from the day of their birth." ;
Dear began wheedling the fox. dovey gossip wilt not thou lead us to the We will only look on afar off while the others
and the marten little
Tsar
"
also
!
?
"
sables
If ye will bring together forty forties of your and martens a dinner shall be got ready for the
whole
lot
eat."
of you.
But a couple
would not even be admitted
of
you
into the
all
alone
courtyard."
The next day the sables and the martens came together, and the fox led them to Tsar Ogon, made obeisance to
him on behalf of
his future son-in-law,
and presented him with the forty
The
martens. "
Thanks
!
Tell
Tsar accepted
my
forties of sables
the
gift,
and
and
said
:
destined son-in-law to come to
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY. we want
rne himself; is
time he saw his
91
have a look at him, and
to
it
bride."
The next day the little fox again came running to court. The Tsar asked her Where, then, is our He The little fox replied: destined son-in-law?" "
:
"
bade
me bow low
before you and say that to-day he
How so ? cannot manage to come anyhow Well, he is frightfully busy he is getting together all his things to come to you, and just now he is "
"
"
!
"
;
So now he begs you to counting up his treasures. lend him a corn-measure, he must measure his silver
money The
;
his
corn-measures are
Tsar, without
more
choke-full of
all
gold."
ado, gave the fox the corn-
Well done, fox measure, but he said to himself has fallen to like a son-in-law that This is something o "
!
:
He
actually measures his gold and silver The next day the fox again with corn-measures
our
lot.
"
!
came running
to
court and returned the Tsar his
corn-measure (but she had stuck little silver pieces Your destined all about the corners of it), and said "
:
son-in-law,
Kuz ma Skorobogaty, bade me bow low
you and say that to-day he ll be with you with all The Tsar was delighted, and bade them his riches." to
have
everything
precious guest.
ready for
But the
little
the
reception
fox set
off for
of
the
Kuz ma s
hut, and there, for the last two days, Kuz ma had been lying on the stove hungry, oh so hungry, and !
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
92
The
waiting.
down
celebrate the
lie
"
wedding
How
art
!
dost thou
I
?
thou out of thy wits ? haven t even clothes to cover
fox
Why
"
:
have got thee a bride from Tsar Let us come to the Tsaritsa Molnya.
like that
Ogon and them as guests and I
him
fox said to
and don
me
!"
can "
?"
I
Why, go when
Go
saddle
!
bother thy head about thy nag, say that Kuz ma brought out his sorry jade from beneath the shed, covered it with a mat, put on the I
!
t
"
!
reins,
jumped on
palace,
buttresses
Kuz
of
this
a-sawing with
buttresses of the
with a
bridge."
and the
said
"
What s
Tsar.
!
bridge
strip
and then cried
off
to.
for
me
That
"
!
s
she ran to the Tsar
them from
Such an accident
the matter, dear
"Why,
the
thyself naked, throw thy clothes into the water, and
Now,
and
Tsaritsa,
clear little father
;
!
and sawed through the
thy horse and all roll about in the sand, and wait
what the fox
thy
Down came
bridge. "
crash.
bridge horse
and saw through the So little Kuz ma fell
"
ma,
his might,
all
little
to
"
off
Jump
path.
to
a
across
"
their
fox
the
said
when they came
in
directly
back, and set off after the fox
They were already drawing near
at a light trot.
the
its
little
afar
"
:
Hi, "
Help, help asked the foxy?" !
!
this;, the bridges in
not strong enough. corning to you with
your tsarclom are Your destined son-in-law was
all
his riches,
and
this precious
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY.
93
bridge broke down beneath the weight of them, and all his wealth and all his people have fallen in, and lying on the bridge more dead than The Tsar made a great to-do, and shrieked
he himself "
alive
!
is
at his servants,
and
cried
"
:
Haste ye, haste ye
quickly as ye can, and take of
my
!
as
royal robes for
Kuz ma Skorobogaty, and save him from And the envoys of the Tsar ran as harm
mortal
"
!
fast as
they could to the bridge, and there they saw little Kuz ma rolling about in the sand. They picked him up,
washed and dried him
all over,
royal robes, curled his hair, to the palace.
The
arrayed him in the
and led him respectfully
Tsar, full of joy that his destined
son-in-law had been delivered from such peril, bade
them ring all the bells, fire all the guns, and celebrate So they crowned Kuz ma as the wedding at once. the groom of the Tsarevna, and he dwelt with his and the fox father-in-law, and sang songs all day ;
was held
in high
honour at court
till
life
at court
ceased to bore her, and she had no longer any desire to return to the woods.
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESSINEXHAUSTIBLE.
A
from our days, in a certain a certain Empire lived a famous Tsar
LONG time ago,
tsardom in
far
Afron Afronovich, and he had three youthful sons the eldest the Tsarevich Dimitry, the second the :
and the youngest the Tsarevich The sons of Afron were all grown up the
Tsarevich Ivan.
Vasily,
;
youngest had reached his seventeenth year, while Tsar Afron himself had left sixty years behind him. And once, as Tsar Afron fell a-thinking sons, his heart "
life is
in
a
God s
grew sad
:
and looked at
Look now
thing to these youths,
good
world
fair
"
;
his
"
!
thought he,
and they
rejoice
but, as for me, I feel old age
drawing nigh, and divers diseases begin to afflict me, and the wide world has now but little delight for me.
How
will it
be with "
escape old age so
he
fell
?
asleep.
Somewhere
me
henceforth
?
How
shall
I
Thus he thought and thought, and
And
or other
a vision appeared to the Tsar.
beyond
lands
thrice-nine,
in
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE. the
95
of Thrice-ten, dwelt the Tsarevna Loveli
Empire
ness-Inexhaustible, the daughter of three mothers, the
granddaughter of three grandmothers, the sister of nine brothers and under the pillow of this Tsarevna ;
was preserved a flask of living-water, and whoever drank of this water instantly became thirty years
No
younger. his sleep,
wise
men
sooner did the Tsar Afron awake from
than he called together his children and the of his realm, and said to them Interpret "
:
me this dream, ye my sages and cunning counsellors. What shall I do, and how can I discover this Tsarevna
"
The sages were
?
counsellors
stroked
their
silent.
The cunning
long gray beards, looked
up and down, scratched their heads, and thus they answered the Tsar Afron Oh, Sovereign Tsar "
:
though we have not seen yet our ears have heard of Inexhaustible
;
!
this thing with our eyes,
Tsarevna Loveliness-
this
but how to find her, and which way
we know
to get at her, that
not."
the three Tsarevichs hear this,
No
sooner did
when with one
voice
Dear they thus implored their father the Tsar father Tsar give us thy blessing, and send us to "
:
!
the four corners of the earth, that
we may
see people
and show ourselves and discover the Tsarevna Love
The father agreed, gave them journey, took leave of them
liness-Inexhaustible."
provision
for
the
tenderly, and sent them
off
to the four corners of
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
96
When
the earth. the
city gates
the two elder brothers got beyond they turned to the right, but the
youngest brother, the Tsarevich Ivan, turned to the The elder brothers had got only a hundred left.
when they met an
miles and no more from home, old
Whither are ye But the Is your journey far ? Take yourself off, old rogue
man, and he asked them
going, young men ? Tsareviches replied
What
"
:
"
"
!
:
The old man
"
business
is
of yours
it
?
said
nothing but went on his way. The Tsarevichs went on and on, all that day and the next and a whole week, and they came to such a wilderness that they could see neither earth nor sky, nor any living being, nor any habitation
;
and
in the deepest depth of this
they met another old man, even older said he to the than the first. Hail, good youths wilderness
"
"
!
Tsareviches. "
quest
"
?
"Are
ye truants and
Why, we
We
rest, or are
ye in
are in quest of something, of
going in search of the Tsarevna Loveliness-Inexhaustible, with her flask of livingcourse.
water
are
"
"
Nay,
!
"
stranger, "
thither."
my
"
good youths
twere better
And why,
rivers
are
did
said the aged
not try to
get
"
"
pray
rivers cross this road
these
ye
!
three
?
I
ll tell
rivers large ferries.
At
you.
Three
and broad. the
On
first
ferry cut off at the second arm,, they your right your left, but at the third they ll cut off your head ll
!
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE. The brother Tsareviches were sore
hung down below
97
distressed, their
their sturdy shoulders,
giddy pates and they thought to themselves
Ought we not to head and our own "
:
have some regard for our father s Twill be much better to return home heads also ?
and
alive
well,
and wait
weather by the
for fine
And
sea."
and when they were a they turned back twenty-four hours journey from home, they resolved to rest in the fields and they spread their tents, with ;
;
the golden tent-poles, let their horses out to graze, and said
"
:
while
Here we
away
ll
stop and await our brother, and
the time in
idleness."
But with the Tsarevich Ivan
it
fared far otherwise
on his journey. There met him the same old who had encountered his brothers, and this old asked him thou
the
young man
.the
question
:
Whither
art "
Is
thy journey far ? What is Tsarevich Ivan answered him
going,
And
"
self-same
man man
?
"
:
want
have nothing to say to But afterwards, when he had gone on a thee little further, he bethought him of what he had done. that to thee
?
I
to
"
!
"
Why
did
I
answer the old
man
so rudely
Old
?
perchance he might have people are full of ideas So he turned his horse, overtook advised me well." !
the old man, and said
"
:
Stay,
my
not quite hear what thou saidst to thee whether thy journey was far
father
I
!
"
I
me." "
?
did
asked
"
Well,
my
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
98
father,
the
fact
is,
am
I
in
search
of
the
Tsar-
evna Loveliness-Inexhaustible, the daughter of three mothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers, I want to get from her the sister of nine brothers. the living- water for my dad the Tsar." tis well for thee, good the old man,
"Well,"
said
youth, that thou hast answered courteously, and therefore I will But thou wilt never get put thee in the right way. "
there on an ordinary horse/
-
"
Then whence
me
shall I
ll tell thee. an extraordinary horse?" get Return home, and bid your grooms drive all thy "I
father s horses
horse breaks into the sea
down
to the blue sea,
and whichever
away from the others and goes right up to his neck, and begins to drink till
the blue sea begins to rise and dash from shore to I thank thee for him seize and mount." shore "
thy good words, my father." The Tsarevich did as He chose the most valiant the old man bade him. charger from among his father s horses, watched all through the night, and when on the following morning
he went out and mounted into the saddle, the horse
spoke to him, with a
dismount
!
man s
voice
"
:
Tsarevich Ivan,
thee thrice, to O t/ive thee the He buffeted once, he buffeted
I will buffet
muscles of a
hero."
twice, but the third time he buffeted not at see,"
cried he,
time, the
"
that
if
I
"
all.
I
were to buffet thee a third
whole land would not be able
to hold
us
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE. both."
Then the Tsarevich Ivan
sat
99
on the horse,
put on knightly armour, took out of the armoury of his father s palace an old heroic, trusty blade, and set
He went
out upon his quest. night, for a
month, and
for
day and for a two months, and three for a
;
and so he came to a place where his horse was in water up to the knees, and in grass up to the breast,
And in while he, poor youth, had nothing to eat. the midst of this wilderness the Tsarevich Ivan found a miserable
hut
this
;
hut stood upon fowl
s legs,
and
was the Baba-Yaga the bony-legged witch was lying down, and her legs stretched from corner to corner. The Tsarevich went into the hut and cried in it
;
:
"
"
"
Granny hast come to rest, Hail,
!
Hail to thee, Tsarevich Ivan
or art thou in quest
"
"
am
I
?
;
in
I am off beyond lands quest of something, Granny. thriee-nine, to the Empire of Thrice- ten, I seek the
Tsarevna Loveliness-Inexhaustible. from her the living- water The Baba-Yaga answered
for
with
my
eyes, I
Though
have heard of
thou wilt never get
"
there."
I
with
it
want
dad, the
my
"
:
it
I
;
Tsar."
have not seen
my
Wherefore
cause there, there are three ferries
to get
ears
;
but
? ""Be
at the first they
cut off thy right hand, at the second thy
left,
ll
and
the third thy head." Well, Granny, one single I ll go and God s head is not such a great matter. "
at
will
be done
"
"
!
Alas,
Tsarevich Ivan
!
twere
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
100
much
better to turn back
tender,
;
thou art
thou hast never been in
thou hast never run great
still
young and
dangerous places, "
Nay, Granny
terrors."
m
He who
!
1
"
broke tugs at the rope must not cry, I So he took leave of the Baba-Yaga and went on further,
and he came
at
last to
the
!
first ferry,
and
he saw the ferrymen on the other side, lying down The Tsarevich Ivan stood on the bank and asleep. "
thought to himself:
and
them
for ever,
shall
upset the
them, I shall deafen whistle with all my might, I
If I call to
if I
So he whistled a half
ferry-boat."
whistle, and immediately the ferrymen started from their slumber and rowed him across the stream. "
What do ye want
"
for
my
your labours,
asked the Tsarevich Ivan.
(l
Well, what
s
friends
?
the use of
"
cried the ferry haggling ? Give us your right arm with one voice. I want my arm men, Nay, nay for myself! cried the Tsarevich Ivan and drawing !
"
;
"
;
forth his stout blade, he struck to the right
the
left,
and beat
all
the ferrymen
till
dead, and then went on further.
he crossed the other two fords
also.
and
to
they were half
And At
in this last
way
he came
Empire of Thrice-ten, and on the borders of it stood a wild man, in stature like a tree of the forest, as thick-set as a haystack there he stood, and in his to the
;
hand he held a club of 1
He who
oak.
And
has said A, must say
the Giant said to
B
also.
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE.
Whither art thou going, oh am going to the realm of the Tsarevna
the Tsarevich Ivan
worm
"
"
I
?
101
"
:
Loveliness-Inexhaustible, to get the living-water for I ve What, thou pigmy my father, the Tsar." "
!
been guarding her realm here these hundred years. I have had my fill of heroes not like thee were the youths who came hither, yet they all fell beneath my But as for hand, and their bones all lie over there. thee,
thou art a mere
worm
The Tsarevich saw
!"
that he could not overcome the giant, so he turned his horse aside.
He went on and on
till
he came to
the very depths of the forest, till he came upon a hut, and in this hut sat a very old, old woman. The
moment
she saw the good youth she cried
Tsarevich Ivan,
The Tsarevich
why hath God
"
:
Hail
sent thee hither
told her all his secrets.
!
"
?
The old woman
had pity on him, and drew from her stove a magic Go into the open poisonous weed and a little ball. "
plain,"
said
"
she,
rake
up a
fire,
and throw
this
But mark me now magic poisonous weed into it. stand thou at the back of the blast, lest the smoke from the fire blow upon thee. This blast will cause ;
the giant to be overcome by a deep sleep ; then do thou cut off his head, but roll the ball before thee and follow whithersoever
it rolls.
The
ball will lead thee
where reigns the Tsarevna Loveli ness-Inexhaustible. The Tsarevna walks about there to those very places
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
102
nine days, and on the tenth day after that she will refresh herself with the sleep of heroes in her for
own
place.
But look
to
it
that thou dost not enter
but leap right over the wall with all thy might, and do not stick in the strings at the top of the wall, lest thou arouse the whole empire, when in
by the
gate,
thou wilt not escape alive. But the moment thou hast leaped over the wall, go straight into the palace
back-chamber
open the door very, very and draw out the flask of living-water from
into the softly,
;
beneath the pillow of the Tsarevna. But when thou hast got the flask, hasten back as quickly as thou earnest, nor look for an instant upon the beauty of the Tsarevna, lest "
youth
!
The
it
be too
much
Ivan
Tsarevich
for
thee,
thanked
the
good old
woman, and did everything she bade him. As soon as he had lit the fire, he threw the weed into it so smoke spread in the direction where the wild man was standing on guard the eyes of the that the
;
giant grew dim, he began to yawn and stretch, he laid him on the damp earth and began to sleep The Tsarevich Ivan cut off soundly very soundly. his
head, rolled the
further.
little
He went on and
on,
and
far
and went on
away the golden
gleam amidst the green column of dust came out
to
palace began All at once a
ball along,
of the forest.
of the palace
and along the road, and the gleam of lances and
THE TSAREVNA LO VELINESS-INEXHA USTIBLE. was
cuirasses
visible
1
03
through the dust, and there was
a sound as of the trampling of many warlike chargers. The little ball rolled out of the road a little on one
the Tsarevich Ivan, following after it, also turned from the path, went among the bushes, and let his side
;
And from
horse out to grass.
his place in the bushes
he saw approaching the Tsarevna Loveliness-Inex haustible, and she diverted herself with her warriors in
the
Tsare vna
s
And
meadows.
green
array
consisted
whole of the
the
of maidens
alone,
each
than her neighbour. But the most lovely of them all was the inexhaustibly lovely She pitched her tent in the meadows, and Tsarevna.
one more beautiful
for nine
days she and her maidens diverted themselves
with divers pastimes. But the Tsarevich, like a hungry wolf, looked out from his hiding-place at the Tsarevna, he could riot take his eyes from her, and look as he
might he could not look tenth day,
his
when every one
fill.
At
last,
on the
in the Tsarevna s golden
courts was asleep, he, spurring his horse with all his might, leaped right over the wall into the gardencourt of the ladies, fastened his horse to a wooden post,
and stealthily as a thief made
his
way
into the
the very cabinet where, extended bed, with her fair locks scattered all
palace, right into
on her downy about,
lay
the
Tsarevna
Loveliness- Inexhaustible,
sleeping an unwakable heroic
sleep.
The Tsarevich
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
104
drew from under her pillow the flask with the livingwater, and was about to run off as quickly as he could, but
it
was too much
for his youthful heart,
and leaning
over the Tsarevna, he kissed her thrice on her
lips,
which were sweeter than sugar. And by the time he had got out of the chamber, mounted his horse, and leaped across the wall, she awoke from his kisses. Loveliness-Inexhaustible leaped on her swift-flying The mare, and hastened after the Tsarevich Ivan.
Tsarevich urged on his good steed, pulled at the silken And the reins, and lashed its sides with his whip. horse spoke to him with a man s voice dost thou beat me, Tsarevich Ivan?
"
:
Wherefore
Neither the
fowls of the air nor the beasts of the forest can escape or hide
from that mare.
She runs so that the earth
trembles, she leaps across swift rivers from shore to "
and dales vanish away beneath her feet had only time to speak these words when the
shore, hills
And
it
!
Tsarevna overtook the good youth, struck him with her swinging blade, and pierced him full in the breast. Down fell the Tsarevich Ivan from his horse on the
moist ground his bright eyes closed, his red blood flowed. Loveliness-Inexhaustible gazed into his eyes, ;
and a great sorrow overcame her a lovely
as that
was not
;
she saw that such
to be found in the
youth wide world. And she placed her white hand on the wound, washed it with living-water out of her flask,
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE.
105
and immediately the wound healed up, and the Tsarevich Ivan arose well and unharmed. Wilt "
thou take "
me
"
to wife
Then return
to
That
"
?
I will,
thy kingdom, and
years thou hast not forgotten me, and thou shalt be my husband."
Tsarevna
after three
if
I will
And
"
!
be thy wife, the destined
bridegroom took leave of his bride, and they parted in different directions. The Tsarevich Ivan went on and on for a long time, and saw
many
things,
he came upon a tent on a mountain, with a golden tent-pole, and round the tent two
and
at
last
good horses were feeding on white summer- wheat and drinking mead, and in the tent were lying his two elder brothers, eating and drinking and diverting
And
themselves with manifold diversions. brothers began to ask the younger one got the living-water for our father?" "
it
!
"
:
the elder
Hast thou
have got replied the Tsarevich Ivan simply, for he always "I
The elder spoke out his secrets, happen what might. brothers invited him to feast with them, made him drunk, drew the flask of living- water out of his bosom, and threw him down a precipice. The Tsarevich Ivan flew
down and down, and
Realm-beneath-the-Earth. "
irretrievable ruin has
find the
at "
last
And
he
now,"
come upon me
ways that lead from hence
!
"
!
about in the Realm-beneath-the-Earth.
fell
into the
thought he, can never
I
So he went
He went
on
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
103
and
and saw that the day grew shorter and shorter was like night and at last he came to a place
on,
till it
;
that was not a desert, and
by the sea stood a hut that was a mansion.
castle
The barn, and
that was a town, and a
Tsarevich went up a flight of steps into a from the barn he went into the hut, prayed to God,
good night s rest. But in the hut an old, a very old woman she sat an old woman Good youth," cried was all wrinkled and gray.
and begged
for a
;
"
say
!
how
and welcome;
mayest sleep there
"thou
she,
"
didst thou get hither
"
?
Thou
person, granny, but thy Thou shouldst first give
me
me
after that ask
my
lie
down to
sleep,
The
tidings."
and drink,
eat
and
old
of asking
lie
is
an old
not wise.
and drink, and
to eat
woman gave
him
let
way
art
down
but
let
me concerning
the Tsarevich to
to sleep, and. then
And the Tsarevich Ivan said to asked him again. her have been in the Kingdom of Thrice-ten, as :
"I
guest of the Tsarevna Loveliness-Inexhaustible, and now I am returning home to my father the Tsar the
Afron, but
I
have wandered from
thou not show it
me
the
myself, Tsarevich.
tenths of
my life
on
of the Tsar Afron.
to-morrow
I will
way home
!
bring together
haps one of them
I
may
I
and
Come now
know."
path.
"
?
Here have this earth,
my
"
I
Canst
do not know
been living ninehave never heard
sleep in peace,
my
and
messengers, per
The next day the
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE.
107
Tsarevich got up very early, washed himself quite white, and went out with the old woman on the balcony, and the old woman cried with a piercing voice Hi, hi ye swimming fish of the sea, and ye "
!
:
creeping reptiles of the earth, my faithful servants, And assemble here to the very last one of you "
!
immediately the blue sea was disturbed and fishes assembled, both small and great, and reptiles
assembled
;
they
the
all
the
to the shore under
came
all
all
Does anyone know where in all the world dwells the Tsar Afron, and by what way one And all the can get to his kingdom from here ? the water.
"
and
fishes
reptiles
ears."
it
Hi ye wandering beasts of and ye fowls that fly in the air, ray trusty assemble hither, and fly and run hither all
and screeched
side
"We
:
with our eyes, nor heard it with Then the old woman turned to the other
have neither seen our
answered with one voice
"
:
!
the forest, servants, of you,
down
to the
very
last
one
"
!
And
the beasts
came running in bands and bands, and the fowls of the air came flying in flocks and flocks, of the forest
and the old woman began to ask them about Tsar Afron and they all with one voice exclaimed to the ;
old
woman
eyes, nor
there
s
"
:
heard
nobody
They were
We it
have neither seen
with our
else to
it
with
our
"
ears."
ask now,
we
Well, Tsarevich, ve asked
them
just about to go into the hut again,
all."
when
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
108
and a roaring sound in the air, and the bird Mogol came flying along he hid the light of day with his wings, and lighted on the ground there was a whistling
;
"
close to the hut.
Where
thou come so late
art
hast thou been, and
"
screeched the old
?
why
woman.
have been flying a long way off, in the realm of Tsar Afron, at the uttermost end of the wide world." "
I
Well, thou art just the one I want render me no\v true and loyal service carry thither the Tsarevich "
;
:
Ivan."
"I
shall
be glad
to
carry him, but I shall it takes three years to
want heaps and heaps of food Take as much fly thither." ;
"
And
the old
as
thou dost
want."
woman made
of the Tsarevich
Ivan.
provision for the journey She placed upon the bird a
hogshead of water, and on the top of it a wicker basket full of meat, and put into his hands an iron pole. said she,
"There,"
"when
thou
fliest
Mogol and she turns round and looks
at thee,
diately plunge thy pole into the basket
a piece of
beef."
to the old
The Tsarevich Ivan sat on.
on the bird
said
imme
and give her "thank
you"
the bird, and immediately
woman, him and bore him up
she rose with
in the air like a
.She flew and flew, she flew for a long, long time, and whenever she looked round at the And Tsarevich he fed her with beef off the pole.
whirlwind.
at
last
the Tsarevich
Ivan
saw that
the
basket
was getting empty, so he said to the bird Mogol
:
THE TSAR.EVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE. "
Look now, thou bird Mogol food
little
left
light
;
!
tliou
upon the moist
get thee another basketful of divers
hast
109
now but
earth,
and
I ll
But the
meats."
Art thou mad, Mogol answered and said ? Beneath us now is a forest dark "
bird
:
Tsarevich Ivan
and
there,
as
muddy and boggy
drear,
thou and
the world
1
;
we
if
lighted
would never get out again
lasts."
And now
down
so long
the Tsarevich had
dispensed all the meat from the basket, and sent the basket and the hogshead flying off the bird but the ;
bird
Mogol
for food.
Ivan cut
still
What
kept on flying and turning its head was to be done now ? The Tsarevich
the calves of his legs, put them on the pole, and gave them to the bird Mogol. She swallowed off
them
up, and descended with the Tsarevich Ivan into a green meadow, upon silky grass with azure flowers.
As the Tsarevich Ivan leaped off her on to the ground, the bird Mogol coughed up his calves again, fastened them on to his legs, moistened them with her spittle, and the Tsarevich went on
He came
his
way
well and strong.
to the capital of Tsar Afron, his
own
father,
and saw that something amiss was going on in the town. Crowds of people were wandering about the streets from end to end, the Tsar s cunning counsellors were
strolling aimlessly
about the
city,
asking some
thing from every one they met, and shaking their And gray heads as if they were out of their wits.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
110
the people he met the meaning of all this commotion in the And the good people answered him: "The city ? Tsarevna Loveliness-Inexhaustible is sailing against the "
asked one
Tsarevich
of
:
What s "
bringing a countless host with her in forty ships, and she demands that the Tsar should surrender to her the Tsarevich Ivan who dis our
kingdom
;
she
is
turbed her sleep three years ago by kissing her on her than sugar and if we do not lips, which are sweeter surrender him she will destroy our kingdom utterly ;
with
fire
and
"
come just in time. as she wants
much
want
I me."
on board the Tsarevna
and fondled
it
Well,
sword."
s
this
And ship.
seems to
me
I
have
Tsarevna just as
he immediately went Here they embraced
each other, and received their
bridal
crowns in the church of God, and after that they went to the Tsar Afron and told him all. The Tsar
Afron drove his elder sons from Court, deprived them of their inheritance, and lived with his younger son,
and lived happily and increased in
all riches.
VERLIOKA. THERE was once upon a time an old man and an old woman, and they had two orphan grandchildren and good, that the old
so lovely, gentle,
old
woman
man
could not love
once took
man and
them enough.
the
The old
into his head to go out into the
it
with his grandchildren to look at the peas, and
fields
they saw that their peas were growing splendidly. The old man rejoiced at the sight with his grand children, and said
kisel
out of
Well, now, you
whole world
like that in the l
"
:
!
and bake us
it,
won
t
find peas
By and by we ll make some pea-cakes." And
next morning the grandfather sent the eldest grand Go and drive away the sparrows child, and said "
:
from the peas The grandchild sat down beside the peas, shook a dry branch, and kept on saying, Whish whish sparrows, ye have pecked at grand "
!
"
!
!
"
father s peas
till
you 1
re quite full
A sourish
!
meat-pottage.
And
all at
once
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
112
heard a rumbling and a roaring in the wood, and Verlioka came, huge of stature, with one eye, a hooked nose, ragged stubbly hair, moustaches half an she
ell
leg,
long, swine s bristles on his head, hobbling on ooe
wooden teeth, and
in a
boot, leaning on a crutch, grinding
He
went up to the pretty little grandchild, seized her and dragged her away with him behind the lake. The grandfather waited all his
smiling.
and waited, but there was no grandchild, and he sent his young grandson after her. Verlioka walked off
him
with
and
The grandfather waited and
also.
very late our I suppose they are running about grandchildren are there and idling their time away, or catchiug starlings waited,
to his wife:
said
"How
!
with some lads or other, and meanwhile the sparrows are looting our peas Go along, old woman, and teach !
them sense took her
The old woman
"
!
from the
stick
rose from the stove,
corner,
gave the pasties
another turn, went away and never came back. As soon as Verlioka saw her in the field, he cried :
"
What
dost thou want here, old hag
come hither stand
here
Then he
to
shell
among
set to
?
Then
peas the peas for
I
ever
Hast thou
?
make
ll
thee
and ever
work belabouring her with
"
!
his crutch,
her very soul oozed out of her, and she lay upon the field more dead than alive. The grandfather waited in vain for his grandtill
little
by
little
VERLIOKA.
113
and began to scold at said Where on earth have they got to
children and
his
old wife,
"
them
"
!
:
good
a true saying that a man must expect no Then the old man himself from his ribs."
made
his
he
"
tis
;
way
to the peas,
and saw the old woman
lying on the ground in such a battered condition that he scarcely knew her, and of his grandchildren there
The grandfather cried aloud, picked up the old woman, dragged her home by degrees, gradually brought her to with a little cold water, and was no
trace.
she opened her eyes at last and told the grandfather who it was that had beaten her so, and dragged her
The grandfather grandchildren away from the field. This is was very wroth with Verlioka, and said "
:
too
much
Wait a Look our own
of a joke
have arms of
!
1
bit, friend,
to
we
also
thyself, Verlioka,
thy moustaches for Thou hast done this thing with thy hand,
and take care that thee
!
I
don
t twist
And as the with thy head old grandmother did not hold him back, the grand
thou shalt pay
"
for it
!
father seized his iron crutch
and went
off to
seek
Verlioka.
He went
on and on
till
he came to a
little
pond,
pond was swimming a bob-tailed drake. l He saw the grandfather and cried Tak, tak, tak I have been Live for a hundred years, old grandad
and
in the
"
!
:
!
1
So, so, so.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
114
waiting here for also, "
drake
Well
children,
I
this
"
!
"
Why
!
know
and
with him
"
a long time Hail to thee hast thou been awaiting me ? that thou art in quest of thy grand
tliee
going to Verlioka to settle accounts And how dost thou come to know of
art
"
"
!
"
monster
"
Tak,
?
tak,
tak
"
!
screeched
the
have good cause to know him, twas he Then canst thou show me who docked my tail
drake,
"I
"
"
!
his
dwelling?"
drake
"
;
here
am
"Tak,
I
but a
screeched
tak,
tak!"
little
tiny bird, but
I ll
the
have
worth out of him, I know!" "Wilt thou go on before and show me the way ? I see thou hast a good noddle of thy own, though thou art bobThen the drake came out of the water tailed
my
tail s
"
!
and climbed up on the bank, waddling from side to
side.
They went on and bit of cord lying in
and they came upon a the road, and it said, Hail, on,
little
"
"
little
Where Hail, little cord grandad wise-pate dost thou dwell, and whither dost thou wander ? "
"
"
!
!
"
"
I
off
such and such a place I am going to pay Yerlioka he has beaten my old woman and
live in
;
;
two grandchildren, and such splendid Take me that I may help grandchildren too The grandfather thought may as well take it, carried off niy
"
"
"
!
!
:
it will
the
do
little
"I
hang Verlioka with." Then he said to cord Come along with us, if thou dost to
"
:
VERLIOKA.
know them
the
And
way."
just as
if it
the
were a
little
little
115
cord wriggled after
tapering snake.
They went on and road a
on, and they saw lying in the water-mill, and it said to them Hail, "
little
:
"
"
"
"
Hail, little water-mill grandad wise-pate Where dost thou dwell, and whither dost thou
little
!
wander
"
!
such and such a place, and I am Just going to settle accounts with Verlioka. he has beaten old woman and carried fancy my off my grandchildren, and such splendid grand "
live
I
?
in
!
"
children too
"
!
Take me with thee that
And
"
help
!
mill
may
I
may
the grandfather thought The waterbe of use too." Then the water-mill raised "
:
up, pressed against the ground with its handle, and went along after the grandfather. Again they went on and on, and in the road lay an itself
and
acorn,
it
said to
them
in a little "
"
:
;
Hail, oakey acorn grandad long-nose Whither art thou striding away like that ? I am Hail,
"
squeaky voice
"
!
!
"
going to beat Verlioka dost know him think I did take me with thee to help ;
;
canst thou help wilt have
to
"
?
drink
"
Don
t
:
then
!
leaped to
I "
"
!
up the water thyself "I
"
!
"
?
should
But how
spit in the well or
grandfather thought to himself him go So he said to the acorn "
"
"
may "
:
"
!
thou
The
as well let
Roll on behind
But that was a strange rolling, for the acorn its feet and frisked along in front of them all.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
116
And
they came into a thick
a forest most
forest,
drear and dreadful, and in the forest stood a lonely little
oh
hut
!
so lonely. There
was no
fire
burning in
the stove, and there stood there a furmenty -pottage
The
for six.
who knew what he was about,
acorn,
immediately leaped into the pottage, the little cord stretched itself out on the threshold, the grandfather
placed the little water-mill on the bench, the drake sat upon the stove, and the grandfather himself stood in the corner. Suddenly he heard a crashing and a
trembling in the wood, and Verlioka came along on one leg, in a wooden boot, leaning on his crutch and Yerlioka came up to the hut, some fire -wood on the fioor, and began to
smiling from ear to
threw down
ear.
But the acorn who was
light the fire in the stove.
sitting in the pottage fell a-singing "
Pee, pee, pee
!
To beat Verlioka come we
"
!
Verlioka flew into a rage and seized the pot by the handle, but the handle broke, and all the pottage was scattered over the floor,
and the acorn leaped out of
the pot and flipped Verlioka in his one eye so that Verlioka fell a-shrieking, it was put out entirely.
fought about the made for the door not see his legs
it
!
Then
and he
air ;
but where was the door
the
fell
with his arms, and would have
little
cord
wound
?
he could
itself
on the threshold, and the
about little
VERLIOKA.
117
water-mill on the top of him off the bench. Then the grandfather rushed out of the corner and pitched into
him with
his iron crutch,
and the drake on the top of
the stove screeched with
"
its
all
Tak, tak, might Neither tak Pitch into him pitch into him was of liis wrath nor his any good to Verstrength :
"
!
!
!
The grandfather beat him to death with crutch, and after that, destroyed his hut and
lioka.
iron
bare the
dungeon beneath
it,
and out
of the
he drew his grandchildren, and dragged riches
home
to his old
prospered with his old
all
his
laid
dungeon
Verlioka
s
And so he lived and woman and his grandchildren,
woman.
and plucked and ate his peas in peace and quietness. and I deserve a cake So there s a skazka 1 for you or two also. 1
Fairy-tale.
THE FROG-TSAREVNA. IN a certain kingdom, in a certain Empire, there lived a Tsar with his Tsaritsa, and he had three sons, all of like of
them young,
whom
is
valiant,
and un wedded, the
not to be told in tales nor written
by pens, and the youngest of them was Tsarevich Ivan.
them
"
:
My
And
called the
the Tsar spoke these words to take unto you your darts,
clear children,
gird on your well-spanned bows, and go hence in different directions, and in whatsoever courts your
arrows
fall,
there choose ye your brides
"
!
The elder
brother discharged his arrow and it fell into a boyar s l 2 of the maidens. court, right in front of the terem
The second brother discharged his arrow, and it flew into the court of a merchant and remained sticking in a beautiful balcony, and on this balcony was standing a lovely young maiden soul, the merchant s daughter.
The youngest brother discharged 1
Nobleman.
2
his arrow,
The women
s
and the
apartments.
THE FROG-TSAREVNA. arrow
muddy swamp, and
in a
fell
seized hold of
119
a quacking-frog
it.
How can I A quacker is not my
The Tsarevich Ivan
said to his father
"
:
ever take this quacker to wife ? Take her tis thy equal replied his father, fate to have her So the Tsareviches all got mar ried the eldest to the boyar s daughter, the second "
"
"
"
!
!
"
!
merchant
to the
quacking-frog.
and bake
said
"
:
me
daughter, and the youngest to the And the Tsar called them to him
s
Let your wives, white bread."
to-morrow
morning,
The Tsarevich Ivan
soft
returned home, and he was not happy, and his impe tuous head hung down lower than his shoulders.
Qua, qua Ivan the Tsarevich wherefore art thou so sad ? asked the Frog. Or hast thou heard unpleasant words from thy* father the Tsar?" "
!
!
"
"
"
Why
should
lord hath
I
commanded thee "
to-morrow."
lie
not be sad
down and
Do
not
my
?
to
afflict
father and sovereign
bake
soft
white bread Tsarevich
thyself,
!
the morning is wiser than the She made the Tsarevich lie down and rest,
evening."
rest,
cast her frog-skin,
and turned into - a maiden 1
Vasilisa
Premudraya, balcony, and cried with a piercing voice assemble, set to
"
:
1
Nurseys
work and make me
nurseys white bread such as I myself used to eat at !
soul,
went out upon her beautiful
Super-sapient cross-gentian.
my
soft
dear
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
120 "
In the morning the Tsarevich Ivan awoke, the frog had got the bread ready long ago, and it was so splendid that the like of it is neither to be imagined father
s
!
nor guessed at, but is only to be told of in tales. The loaves were adorned with various cunning devices, royal cities were modelled on the sides thereof, with moats and ditches. The Tsar praised the Tsarevich
Ivan greatly because of
his bread,
and gave
this
com
Let your wives weave me a carpet in a single night." The Tsarevich Ivan was returned home, and he sad, and his impetuous head hung lower than his shoulders. Qua qua
mand
to his three sons
"
:
"
!
Tsarevich Ivan
!
wherefore art thou so sad
(
!
Or hast
thou heard cruel, unfriendly words from thy father the Tsar ? Have I not cause to grieve ? My father "
"
and sovereign lord commands thee "
silk carpet in a single
night
"
!
to
weave him a
Fret not, Tsarevich
!
come, lay thee down and sleep, the morning is wiser than the evening Then she made him lie down to sleep, threw off her frog-skin, and turned into the "
!
lovely maiden soul, Vasilisa Premudraya, went forth upon her beautiful balcony, and cried with a pierc Nurseys nurseys assemble, set to work ing voice "
:
!
and weave
upon 4.
at
me
mv /
In the
a silk carpet such as
dear father
"
s
!
No
I
was wont
to sit
sooner said than
morning the Tsarevich Ivan awoke, and the frog had had the carpet ready long ago, and done.
THE FROG-TSAREVNA. it
was such a wondrous carpet that the
only be told of in nor guessed at.
but
tales,
The and
may
carpet
121 like of it
can
neither be imagined
was adorned with
bright embroiThe Tsar greatly praised the Tsarevich derings. Ivan for his carpet, and there and then gave the new command that all three Tsarevich es were to
and
gold
silver
with
divers
appear before him on the morrow to be inspected Again the Tsarevich Ivan together with their wives.
home and he was not happy, and his impe tuous head hung lower than his shoulders. Qua returned
"
!
wherefore art tliou grieved ? Tsarevich Ivan qua Or hast thou heard words unkind from thy father the !
!
Tsar
"
?
"
Have
I
not cause to be sad
?
My
father
and sovereign lord has commanded me to appealHow can I show before him with thee to-morrow !
Fret not, Tsarevich Go alone to thee to people ? the Tsar and pay thy visit, and I will come after thee. The moment you hear a rumbling and a knocking, "
"
!
Hither comes my dear little Froggy in her little say And behold the elder brothers appeared, to basket :
!
be inspected with their richly-attired and splendidlyadorned consorts. There they stood and laughed at the Tsarevich Ivan and said Why, brother why "
:
!
thou come hither without thy wife Why thou mightest have brought her with thee in a And where didst thou pick up such kitchen clout.
hast
?
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
122
a beauty
suppose thou didst search through
I
?
"
the
Suddenly there
all
was a great
swamps fairly rumbling and knocking, the whole palace shook. The guests were all terribly frightened and rushed from their places, and knew not what to do with them ?
selves,
gentlemen little
Tsarevich Ivan
but the
basket
"
:
only
"
!
my
little
six horses flew
up to the steps of the Tsar
and out of
stepped Vasilisa
it
Fear not,
Froggy coming in her And then a golden coach drawn by
tis
!
said
s
Premudraya
balcony, ;
such a
beauty as is only to be told of in tales, but can neither be imagined nor guessed at. The Tsarevich Ivan took her by the hand and led her behind the oaken table, behind the
The guests
embroidered table-cloth.
and drink and make merry. Yasilisa Premudraya drank wine, but the dregs of her cup she she ate also of the poured behind her left sleeve began
to eat
;
roast swan, but the bones thereof she concealed behind
her right sleeve. The wives of the elder brothers watched these devices, and took care to do the same.
Afterwards
when
Vasilisa
Premudraya began dancing left hand and
with the Tsarevich Ivan, she waved her a lake appeared
;
she
waved her
right
hand and white
swans were swimming in the water the Tsar and his And now the elder brides guests were astonished. ;
began dancing. They waved their left hands and all the guests were squirted with water; they waved their
THE FROG-TSAREVNA.
123
and the bones flew right into the Tsar s The Tsar was wroth, and drove them from
right hands eyes.
court with dishonour.
Now
one day the Tsarevich Ivan waited his oppor tunity, ran off home, found the frog-skin, and threw into
it
a
Vasilisa
fire.
great
Premudraya
was
arrived, missed her frog-skin,
duly
sore troubled, fell
Alas weeping, and said to the Tsarevich Tsarevich Ivan what hast thou done ? If thou hadst "
a-
:
!
!
but waited for a ever more, but
lands the
now
thrice -nine, in
house
of
should have been thine for
little, I
farewell
the
!
Seek
Empire
for
me beyond
of Thrice-ten, l
Koshchei
Then she
Bezsmertny."
turned into a white swan and
Hew
at
out of the window.
The Tsarevich Ivan wept bitterly, turned to all and prayed to God, and
four points of the compass
went straight before his eyes. He went on and on, whether it was near or far, or long or short, matters Hail, not, when there met him an old, old man. "
"
good youth
!
whither art thou going all
his
"
said he,
misfortune.
"
"
?
what dost thou The Tsarevich
Alas
!
Tsarevich
seek,
and
told
him
Ivan,
why
Thou didst not burn that frog-skin ? make, nor shouldst thou therefore have done away with it. Vasilisa Premudraya was born wiser and didst thou
more cunning than 1
The
her father
;
he was therefore
deathless skeleton.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
124
angry with her, and bade her be a frog for three Here is a little ball for thee, follow it whither years. soever
it
Ivan the Tsarevich thanked the old
rolls."
man, and followed after the ball. He went along the open plain, and there. met him a bear. Come "
now
"
!
thought the Tsarevich Ivan,
But the bear implored him
beast/
Tsarevich Ivan,
I
He
somehow."
<(
I will slay
this
me
not,
"
Slay
:
perchance be of service to thee behind went on further, and lo
may
!
them came waddling a duck. The Tsarevich bent his bow he would have shot the bird, when suddenly she greeted him with a human voice Slay me not, ;
"
:
"
Ivan Tsarevich
!
I
had compassion on
also her,
may
befriend
and went on
thee
!
further,
He
and a
hare darted across their path. The Tsarevich again laid an arrow on his bow and took aim, but the hare
me
greeted him with a human voice Slay Tsarevich Ivan I also will befriend thee "
:
"
!
the Tsarevich had pity further to the blue sea,
!
not,
Ivan
upon him, and went on and behold on the beach !
"
Alas Tsarevich Ivan Jay gasping a pike. sighed the pike, have pity on me and cast me into the And he cast it into the sea, and went on along sea." the shore. The ball rolled a short way, and it rolled "
!
!
"
a long way, and at last it came to a miserable hut the hut was standing on hen s legs and turning round
;
and round.
The Tsarevich Ivan
said to
"
it
:
Little
THE FROG-TSAREVNA.
125
thy mother with front to and me, placed thee, thy thy back to And the little hut turned round with the sea hut
hut, little
!
stand
the old
way
as
"
!
front
its
to
and
him,
its
back to the
sea.
The
and saw the bony-legged BabaYaoD a lyinogrinding J O on the stove, on nine bricks, and O O Tsarevich entered
in,
-
good youth, why dost thou visit me ? asked the Baba-Yaga. Fie, thou old hag thou call st me a good youth, but thou shouldst "
her teeth.
Hillo
!
"
"
!
feed and give me to drink, and prepare me a bath, then only shouldst thou ask me questions."
first
The Baba-Yaga fed him and gave him to drink, and made ready a bath for him, and the Tsarevich told her
he was seeking
his wife,
Yasilisa Premuclraya.
she is now with Baba-Yaga, Tis hard to get thither, and Koshchei Bezsmertny. His it is not easy to settle accounts with Koshchei. "
I
know,"
said
"
the
death depends upon the point of a needle, that needle is in a hare, that hare is in a coffer, that coffer is on the top of a high oak, and Koshchei guards that tree as The Baba-Yaga then showed the apple of his eye."
him
what place that oak grew the Tsarevich Ivan went thither, but did not know what to do to get in
;
at the coffer.
rushed
coffer fell
out,
Suddenly,
and
how who can
tell,
the bear
up by the roots, the and was smashed to pieces, the hare leaped
at the tree
tore it
and with one bound had taken
cover.
But look
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
126
bounded
the other hare
down and a
tore
duck and
duck dashed
him
off in pursuit,
to bits
;
hunted him
out of the
hare flew
rose high, high in the air, but the other
and struck her down, whereupon an egg, and the egg fell into the sea.
after her,
the duck laid
The Tsarevich Ivan, seeing the irreparable egg, burst into tears,
loss of the
when suddenly the pike came
swimming ashore holding the egg between its teeth. He took the egg, broke it, drew out the needle and broke
off its little point.
Then he attacked Koshchei,
who
struggled hard, but wriggle about as he might he had to die at last. Then the Tsarevich Ivan went into the house of Koshchei, took
mudraya, and returned home.
out Vasilisa Pre-
After that they lived
together for a long, long time, and were very, very
happy.
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER. THERE once dwelt in a certain kingdom a peasant. The time came when they enlisted him as a soldier; he had to quit his wife, and as he bade her good-bye, he said to her, Hearken, wife live honestly flout not good people do not let our little hut fall to "
!
;
;
pieces, but keep house wisely, and await my return. If God permit it, I will come back and leave the
Here are
service.
fifty
rubles
whether a
!
son
little
daughter be born to thee matters not keep the money till the child grows up. If it be a daughter, or a little
;
wed her to the bridegroom whom God may provide but if God give thee a son, and he arrive at years ;
of discretion, this him."
the
will be of
Then he took leave
wars
passed,
money
whither he
them
little
of his wife,
was bidden.
and the wife gave birth
she called
no
help to
and went
Three months
to twin
sons,
the sons of Ivan the soldier.
youngsters grew up
betimes
;
like
to
and The
wheaten dough
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
128
mixed with yeast they shot up broad and high. When they reached their tenth year their mother gave
them
and they quickly learned their and the children of the boyara and the
instruction,
letters,
not hold a candle
children of the merchants could
them
no one could read aloud, or write, or answer The two sons of Ivan the questions so well as they. soldier thus grew up, and they asked their mother,
to
"
;
Mother, dear
money
?
!
did
leave us some
not our father
have
If there be any, let us
it,
and we
ll
and buy us a good horse apiece." Their mother gave them the fifty rubles, twenty-five to each brother, and said to them, Hearken, children, take
it
to the fair
"
bow
as ye go to the town, give a
come
across."-
Good, dear
to the horse-market.
you
mother."
So the brothers hied them
went
to every one
the town, and There were many horses off
to
but they chose none of them, for they were not good enough mounts for the good brothers. So
there,
one of the brothers said to the other the other end of the square are
all
look
;
running together there.
"
:
Let us go to
how
There
is
the people
something
Thither they went and joined strange going and there stood two mares tied to stout the crowd on."
;
oaken posts with iron clamps one with six clamps, and the other with twelve clamps. The horses were ;
tugging at
their
chains,
gnawing their
bits,
and
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER. digging up
was able to ?
Don t
are
ground with their hoofs. No one What is the price of thy go near them. the
"
"
mares "
asked Ivan, the soldier s son, of the owner. thrust thy nose in here, friend such mares !
"
"
!
How
know what
dost thou
buy them, but I must The horse-dealer smiled
"
:
One
"
s all
!
I
am
?
look at their
first
I ll
that
Ask no more about
not for the like of thee.
them
129
Look out
for
of the brothers then
Maybe teeth."
your heads, drew near to
the mare that was fastened other brother to
They
by six clamps, and the the mare that was fastened by twelve.
tried to look at the horses teeth,
but how was
The mares rose on their hind legs and pawed the air. Then the brothers struck them it
to be
done
in the breast
?
with their knees
;
the chains which held
and the mares flew up into the air fathoms high, and fell down with their legs
the horses burst, five
Well uppermost. not much to boast
"
"
cried
!
of.
We
the
"
brothers,
that
s
would not take such
and was The crowd cried Oh strong and stalwart heroes are "
horses at a
amazed. "
these
?
"
!
gift."
"What
The horse-dealer was almost
in tears.
The
mares galloped all over the town, and made off over the wide steppe nobody dared approach them, and ;
nobody knew how
to catch them.
the soldier were
sorry for
went out
the
The sons of Ivan horse-dealer.
They
into the open steppe, cried with a piercing
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
130
and whistled
voice
and
lustily,
mares came
the
running back and they had been nailed there.
stood in their proper place as
if
Then the good youths put the iron chains upon them again, and tied them to the oaken posts, and bound them, tightly. This As they they did, and then they went homewards. were going along there met them an old graybeard. They forgot what their mother had told them, and passed him by without greeting him. Suddenly one of them recollected himself and cried Oh, brother "
:
what have we done a
bow
let
;
We
?
us run after
never gave that old
him and bow
ran after the old man, took off their to the
and
!
to
him
man
"
!
little caps,
They bowed
"
Forgive us, dear little Our father, for passing tliee by without a greeting. mother straitly charged us to pay honour to every very
girdle,
one we met in the whither
is
God
the town fair
;
said,
"
way."
Thanks, good youths! We have been to
3
"
leading you we wanted to ?
buy us
a good horse
but there are none there which please Why, how s that ? Suppose no\v that I were to
us."
apiece, "
"
give you a
little
nag apiece
?
"
Ah
!
little father,
we would then always pray to God for thee The old man led them Well, come with me."
"
!
tl
a huge mountain,
opened two cast-iron
to
doors, and
Here, brought out t\vo horses of heroic breed. take your horses and depart in God s name, good "
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE youths, and
may
SOLDIER.
with them
ye prosper
131
"
They
!
thanked him, mounted and galloped home reached the courtyard, bound their horses to a post, and ;
Their mother then began, and asked my dear children, have you bought
entered the hut.
them:
"Well,
yourselves
a
little
nag
have not
"We
apiece?"
bought them with money, but got them have you left beside the hut/ Alas "Where
"
!
one has taken them
them?"
as a
children, look
my
"
away."
into
tears.
never those
out, looked "
my
Well,
whom
have
I
at the
dear
if
any
Nay, dear mother, No one could lead
such horses are not taken away. them, and there s no getting near them
mother went
gift."
put them
"We
The
and burst
horses,
sons,
"
!
ye are surely
nourished."
The next day the sons begged their mother to let them go into the town to buy them a sword apiece. Then they got them ready, Go, my children "
"
!
went
to the smith
said
"Make
I
:
s,
entered the master
us a couple of swords
make them when
they are
!"
house, and
s
"Why
ready made
?
should
Take
whichever you like best." "No, friend, we want l What are swords which weigh ten puds each/ "
you thinking of? Who would be able to wield a machine like that ? You ll find such swords nowhere." So there was nothing 1
for the
good youths
Four hundred pounds.
to do but
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
132
homewards with hanging heads. As they their way the same old man met them
return
were on again.
"Hail, "
father
"
!
"Hail,
Whence do you come
from the smith
We
s.
wanted
to
"
"
?
dear
From
How
stupid
sword apiece
Suppose now
!
"
"
?
Ah, dear
I
little
town,
bay two Damascus
and there were none that suited our
blades, "
men!"
young
hands."
were to give you a
little
father,
that
in
we would pray to God for thee for evermore." The old man led them to the huge mountain, opened case
the cast-iron door,
and drew out two heroic swords.
The brothers took them, thanked the old man, and hearts were merry and joyful. They came
their
home, arid their mother asked them Well, my have a sword achildren, you bought yourselves "
:
We
have not bought them for money, but got them as a And what have you with ? done them We have placed them beside "
"
piece
?
"
gift."
"
"
them away." Nay, dear mother, nobody will take them away, for it is impossible to even carry them." The mother went out into the courtyard and looked the the
"
hut."
Take care
lest
some one take
"
;
two heavy, heroic swords were leaning against the wall, the hut was scarce able to bear the weight of them. "
Well,
whom
I
woman
The
old
my
dear sons,
have
burst into tears and said
:
ye are surely never those
nourished."
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE The next morning the sons
SOLDIER.
133
of Ivan the soldier sad
dled their good horses, took their heroic blades, went into the hut, prayed to God, and took leave of the
mother who bore them. for a long journey
is
"
Bless us, dear
before
"
us."
little
My
mother,
irremovable,
Go, in God s name. motherly blessing be upon you. Show yourselves, and see the world. Offend none
without cause, and follow not evil ways." When our motto is, afraid, dear mother ;
don
t
and when
whistle,
bite
I
I
Then the good youths mounted rode
the tale
is
t
soon told, but the
eat I
I
let
go."
horses
their
Whither they went, near or
off.
short,
don
Be not
"
and
long or deed is not far,
anyhow, they came to a cross- way where On one pillar was written, Who stood two pillars. soon done
;
"
goes to the right will become a Tsar," and on the Who goes to the left other pillar was written, "
will
become a
the inscriptions, and shall
we go
The brothers stood
corpse."
?
If
"
fell
a-thinking.
we both go
still,
read
Whichever way there
to the right,
not be honour and glory enough for the heroic but strength and youthful prowess of us both
will
;
nobody wants
to
go
one brother said to
am
to
the
the
and
left
other
"
:
die."
And
Look now, dear
me
go a little on the left to see how death can get hold of me. But thou go to the right, and perchance God will
brother, I
stronger than thou
;
let
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
134
make
Tsar." Then they took leave of each and each gave to the other a little piece of and they made this compact each was to go
thee a
other, cloth,
own way and
place posts along the road, and write on these posts everything concerning himself his
as a
mark and guide
was
to
wipe
;
his face
every morning each of them with his brother s cloth, and
blood appeared on the cloth it would mean that death had befallen his brother, and in such a calamity So the he was to hasten back to seek his dead.
if
good youths parted in
different directions.
He who
turned his horse to the right came to a splendid In this kingdom dwelt a Tsar and his kingdom.
and they had a daughter called the thricebeautiful Tsarevna Nastasia. The Tsar beheld the Tsaritsa,
son of the soldier Ivan, loved him for his knightly valour, and without beating about the bush, gave
him
his
daughter
as
a
Tsarevich Ivan, and bade
kingdom.
consort,
him
The Tsarevich Ivan
called
him the
rule over the
whole
lived right merrily,
loved his wife dearly, gave good laws to his kingdom, and diverted himself with the pleasures of the chase.
Ivan the soldier s son, who had taken the road to the left, went on day and night
But
his brother,
A
month, and a second month, and a third passed by, and he found himself in an un known empire, in the midst of the capital. In this without
rest.
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER.
135
empire there was great mourning, the houses were covered with black cloth, and the people crept about w ere dreaming. He hired him a lodging as if they O O J O r
woman s, and began to ask her, Tell mother, why are all the people in this empire "
at a poor old
me, old
of thine so full of woe,
with black cloth
and
the houses covered
all
"
"
youth
Alas, good
?
!
a great grief
weighs upon us every day there comes out of the blue sea, from beyond the gray rock, a twelve-headed ;
serpent and eats up a man every time, and now it He has come to the turn of the Tsar s own house.
has three most lovely Tsarevnas at this very time they are escorting the youngest of them to the sea ;
shore to be devoured soldier s son
mounted
by the
and rode
his horse
blue sea, to the gray rock thrice- lovely Tsarevna,
monster."
;
off to the
on the shore stood the an iron chain.
tied to
saw the hero and said to him,
The twelve-headed
Ivan the
She
"
Depart hence, good serpent will soon be
youth. here I shall perish, nor wilt thou escape death ; the "Fear cruel serpent will devour thee also." not, ;
Perhaps it may be overcome." And Ivan the soldier s son went up to her, burst the chain
lovely maiden.
with his heroic hand, and broke
it
into little bits as
were rotten rope then he lit a large fire all round the rock and nourished it with the trunks of uprooted oaks and pines, piled them up into a huge pyre, and if it
;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
136
then went back to the lovely maiden, laid his head I must rest, but thou on her knee, and said to her, "
look seawards,
and
and the
as soon as a cloud arises,
wind begins to blow, and the sea to leap and roar, So he spake, and fell maiden."
awaken me, young
and the lovely maiden watched over him, and sat and looked out upon the sea. Suddenly a cloud rose above the horizon, and the
into a deep
sleep,
wind began to blow, and the sea to leap and roar the serpent was coming forth from the blue sea, and The Tsarevna tried raised itself mountains high.
;
to
awake Ivan the
shook him
;
soldier s son
was of no
it
use,
;
she shook
him and
he heard her not
then
;
and her burning tear-drops fell At this the hero awoke, ran
she burst into tears,
upon
his cheeks.
"to
his horse, and the good horse had already ploughed The up half a fathom of earth with his hoofs.
twelve-headed serpent rushed straight at him, belch it looked upon the hero and cried, ing forth fire ;
Goodly art thou and comely, fair youth, but thy last hour has come. Say farewell to the wide world, "
and gallop "Thou
they
fell
down my liest,
throat as quickly as thou cursed serpent; surrender!"
to mortal combat.
canst."
Ivan the soldier
Then s
son
struck so deftly and sturdily with his sword that it grew red-hot, there was no holding it in his hand.
Then he cried
to the
Tsarevna
"
:
Save me, lovely
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER, maiden blue
!
sea,
137
Take out thy fair kerchief, dip it in the and wrap it round my sword." The
Tsarevna immediately moistened her kerchief in the He wrapped sea, and gave it to the good youth. it
round
his
sword
arid
again
fell
on the
fiercely
but he found that he could not despatch the serpent with his sword. Then he snatched a serpent,
burning pine-brand from the pyre and burnt out the serpent s eye, and then he hewed off all its twelve heads, placed them beneath the rock, cast the body into the sea, and then trotted home, ate and drank,
and
him down
laid
to sleep for thrice four-and-twenty
hours.
And
in the
and
carrier
meantime the Tsar
collect the bones
The
them."
and
lo
him
said to
of the
water-carrier
"
:
Go
called his water-
Tsarevna,
went down
the Tsarevna was in no
and
to the sea-shore
way
if
haply ye find
to the sea-shore,
hurt.
He
placed her on the cart and drove her into the drear forest !
drew
far into the forest he drove her
his girdle,
I
mean
to slay thee.
"
"
it.
I
am
his knife
What
art
from thou
sharpening
my
Tell thy father that I
have mercy on thee." He the lovely maiden, and she took an oath to
slew the serpent, and terrified
to sharpen
asked the Tsarevna.
doing?"
knife.
and began
I
ll
Now this daughter speak according to his words. was the Tsar s favourite, and when the Tsar saw that
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
138
she was
and
no way hurt, he wished to reward the water-carrier, and gave him his youngest alive,
daughter to wife the whole realm. that a marriage
;
in
and the rumour of Ivan the soldier
it
went through
son heard also
s
was being celebrated
at the Tsar
s,
and straight to court he went. There a great banquet was proceeding the guests were eating and drinking, and diverting themselves with divers pastimes. The ;
youngest Tsarevna looked at Ivan the soldier s son, and saw his sword wrapped round with her costly kerchief, whereupon she leaped from her chair, seized his hand, lord,
lo
!
dear father and sovereign he who saved us from the cruel
and cried here
is
serpent and from
"
:
My
The water-carrier
violent death.
can only sharpen his knife and say
my
knife.
wroth,
I
mean
to kill
I
thee."
and he bade them hang the
am
sharpening
The Tsar was water-carrier,
and gave the Tsarevna to Ivan the soldier his consort, and there was great rejoicing. couple lived together,
young and prosperous.
and
their life
s
son
And
ens
the
was happy
Not a very long time passed away, and then
this
thing befell the Tsarevich Ivan, the other son of Ivan the soldier.
One day he was going a-hunting, and he started a swift-footed stag. The Tsarevich Ivan put spurs to his horse and pursued the On and on he sped, stag.
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER. and he came
a vast
to
meadow.
139
Here the stag
vanished from before his eyes. Ivan looked about him and considered Whither does my way lie "
now
And, lo, in that meadow a little stream was flowing, and on the water two gray ducks were swimming. He took aim at them, fired, and slew "
?
the ducks, dragged them out of the water, put them into his knapsack, and went on further. He went on
and on from
till
he saw a palace of white stone, dismounted
his horse, fastened it to a post,
They were
the rooms.
was
to be seen, only in
and went into
all empty, not a living soul one room was there a lighted
pan for a meal of six stood there, and the table was already laid there were plates and glasses stove, a
;
and knives. from
his
The Tsarevich Ivan pulled the ducks pocket and drew them, put them in the pan,
cooked them, placed them on the table, and began carving and eating them. Suddenly, whence I know
damsel appeared to him, so lovely that of her cannot be told of in tales or written
not, a lovely
the like
with pens, and she said to him Bread and salt, Ivan the Tsarevich." I cry thy pardon, lovely sit down and eat with me." I would sit damsel, "
:
"
"
down with enchanted
am
I
am
afraid.
Thou hast an
Nay, lovely damsel, thou art have left my magic horse at home, "
horse."
ill-informed.
and
but
thee,
I
riding on a
common
one."
No
sooner did the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
140
lovely damsel hear this than she began to swell out and swell out till she became a frightful lioness, opened
wide her jaws, and swallowed up the Tsarevich Ivan whole. She was not an ordinary damsel, but the very sister of the serpent Ivan the soldier s son.
And
it fell
who had been
slain
by
about this time that the other Tsarevich
Ivan bethought him of his brother, drew his kerchief out of his pocket, dried his face with it, and saw that the whole kerchief was covered with blood.
Sorely
What s the matter ? he cried. grieved was he. He took leave of his wife and father-in-law, and went "
"
forth
on his heroic horse
to
seek his brother.
He
and long and short, and at last he the same realm where his brother had lived.
went near and came
to
far,
He asked
about everything, and learnt that the Tsar evich had indeed gone hunting arid disappeared not
him could be found. Ivan went a-hunting the selfsame way, and there met him a swift-footed he came out into the stag. The hero pursued after it a trace of
;
vast eyes.
meadow, and the stag vanished from before In the
meadow he saw
his
a little stream flowing,
and two gray ducks were swimming on the water. Ivan the soldier s son shot the ducks, came to the white stone palace, and went into the rooms. They were all empty, only in one room was a stove lighted
and a pan
for a
meal
for six
was upon
it.
He
roasted
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER.
HI
the ducks, went out into the courtyard, sat on the
and began carving them up and eating. Sud Bread denly a lovely damsel appeared before him. and salt, good youth, why dost thou eat in the court steps,
"
"
yard
Ivan the soldier
?
rooms
it
is
not
to
be more pleasant. "
I
would "
horse."
ordinary
sit
my Sit
down
No
mind
;
"
:
In the
in the courtyard
down with me,
gladly, but
I
fair
damsel
fear thy
twill "
!
enchanted
am
riding on an Like a fool she believed him, and
need,
nag."
son answered
s
damsel.
I
and swelled into a frightful lioness, began and would have swallowed up the good youth, when his magic horse ran up and seized her round the to swell out,
Ivan the soldier s son body with its heroic feet. drew his sharp sword and cried with a piercing voice
:
"
Stand, accursed one.
Hast thou not swallowed
brother, the Tsarevich Ivan
or
I
ll
cut
thee
into
?
little
my
Give him back to me, bits."
The red
lioness
turned back again into a most lovely damsel, and Spare me, good youth. began to beg and pray Take the two phials from that bench full of healing and living water, follow me into the underground "
:
chamber, and revive thy brother." The Tsarevich Ivan followed the lovely damsel into the underground chamber, and saw his brother lyinoO J O there torn to bits. He sprinkled his brother with the healing water, the flesh and fat grew together again.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
142
He
sprinkled him with the living water, and his Ah how long have brother stood up and spoke I slept ? Ivan the Tsarevich said, Thou wouldst "
:
!
"
have slept
"
for ever but for
returned to court,
And
the brothers
made
took leave of each
remained with his
me."
a three days feast, and then Ivan the soldier s son other.
wife,
and lived with her
and harmony and enduring returned to his realm, and
bliss.
I
in love
But the Tsarevich
met him on
his
way
;
three days he drank and diverted himself with me,
and twas he who
told
me
all
this tale.
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER. THERE was once upon a time an old man and an old woman. The old woman was not a bad old there was this one bad thing about her Whatever she did not know how to hold her tongue.
woman, but
she might hear from her husband, or whatever might happen at home, she was sure to spread it over the whole village she even doubled everything in the ;
so things were told which never happened Xot unfrequently the old man had to chastise the old woman, and her back paid for the faults of
telling,
at
and
all.
her tongue.
One day the
old
man went
into the forest for wood.
He had
just got to the border of the forest,
foot, in
treacling
the ground.
man.
"
when
his
on a certain place, sank right into
Why, what s
"
Come, now,
I
ll
"
this
dig a
?
bit
thought the old here
;
maybe
I
be lucky enough to dig out something." He dug several times, and saw, buried in the ground, a shall
8USSIAN FAIRY TALES.
144
cauldron quite full of silver and gold. Look, But what am now, what good luck has befallen me "
little
!
I
to
do with it?
cannot hide
I
it
from that good
wife of mine at home, and she will be sure to blab to all the
world about
my
lucky
and thou wilt
find,
repent the day thou didst ever see For a long time the old man sat brooding over his treasure, and at last he made up his mind what to do. it."
He
buried the treasure, threw a lot of
wood over
it,
and went to town.
There he bought at the bazaar a live pike and a live hare, returned to the wood, and hung the pike upon a tree, at the very top of it, and carried the hare to the stream, where he had a fish-
and he put the hare into
basket,
in a shallow
it
place.
Then he went
home, whipped up his little nag for pure lightness of heart, and so entered his hut. he cried, "such a piece of luck has "Wife, wife/
me
befallen it,
what
tell
blab
me it
is
that I cannot describe it,
"
"
?
all
to
off
hubby darling
What s
about I
when thou I
swear
I ll
it.
it
if
"
all
right.
word,
What
is
dost thou not
Why
?
On my
"
Well, well,
"
!
the good,
"
?
anybody. from the wall and kiss me."
"
it
wilt only
ll
say nothing take the holy image thou dost not believe Listen, old
woman
"
!
and he bent down towards her ear and whispered, I have found in the wood a cauldron full of silver "
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER. and
Then why
"
gold."
didst
145
not
tliou
bring
it
Because we had both better go together, and so bring it home." And the old man went with "
hither
"
?
his old
woman
to the
forest."
They went along the his wife, From what "
what people
told
that fish are
now
me to be
and the peasant said to hear, old woman, and from
road, I
the other day,
found growing on
the beasts of the forest live in the
what
art tliou thinking about,
nowadays
are
tliou call it
much given
to
Then come and
?
would seem
it
little
trees,
while
"
Why,
water."
hubby "
lying."
see for
?
People
Lying, dost
And
thyself."
he pointed to the tree where the pike was hanging. Why, what marvel is this ? screamed the old "
"
woman.
"
However did that pike get
there
?
Or
have the people been speaking the truth to thee after
But the peasant stood arms about, and shrugged his "
all
his
?
there,
and moved
his
shoulders, and shook
he could not believe his own eyes. said the old dost tliou keep standing there ?
head, as
if
"
"
Why
woman. twill
Go up
do for
the tree, rather, and take the pike So the peasant took the pike, supper."
;
and then they went on further. They passed by the But his stream, and the peasant stopped his horse.
What art wife began screeching at him, and said, gaping at now ? let us make haste and go on." "
"
Nay, but look
!
I see
something struggling about
all
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
146
go and see what it So he ran, looked into the fish-basket, and called to
round
my
fish-basket.
"
his wife.
I ll
is."
woman
Just come and look here, old
!
"
has got into our fishing-basket "Why, Then people must have told thee the truth after all. Fetch it out quickly it will do for dinner on the a hare
!
"
;
The
feast-day."
went
old
man
took up the hare, c^nd then
He
straight towards the treasure.
pitched
away
the wood, digged wide and deep, dragged the cauldron out of the earth, and they took it home.
The old man and the old woman grew rich, they lived right merrily, and the old woman did not she went to invite guests every day, and gave such banquets that she nearly drove her husband The old man tried to correct her. out of the house.
improve
;
What s come to listen to me V "
-
"
thee "
he cried
?
Don t
me
order
Canst thou not
"
about,"
said she.
found the treasure as well as thou, and have as much right to make merry with The old man "
I
it."
put up with
it
but
I
m
fell
screeched
winds."
foul of him.
she
for thyself.
"
straight out,
Do
"
;
But the "
I see
old
I ll
the crows will pick thy bones.
he
money
woman immedi
what thou
thou wouldst keep
No, thou rogue,
last
as best thou
not going to give thee any more
to cast to the
ately
very long time, but at
woman
said to the old canst,
for a
all
art
the
up
to,"
money
drive thee whither
Thou
wilt have
no
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER.
147
good from thy money." The old man would have chastised her, but the old woman thrust him aside,
and went straight to the magistrate to lay a complaint have come to throw myself against her husband. "I
on thy honour
s
petition against
my
compassion,
and
to
present
found that treasure there
my Ever
good-for-nothing husband.
no living with him. Work he won t, and he spends all his time in Take away all his gold drinking and gadding about.
since he
from him, father. ruins a old
man
woman,
"
What
is
a vile thing
is
gold
when
it
The magistrate was
sorry for the and he sent his eldest clerk to him, and so
!
bade him judge between the husband and wife. The clerk assembled all the village elders, and went to the
The magistrate has sent peasant and said to him, me to thee, and bids thee deliver up all thy treasure "
into
my
shoulders.
hands." "
What
The peasant only shrugged treasure?"
said
he.
his
know
"I
Not know ? nothing whatever about any treasure." Why, thy old woman has just been to complain to the magistrate, and I tell thee what, friend, if thou "
deniest
it,
twill be
worse
for thee.
If thou dost not
up the whole treasure to the magistrate, thou must give an account of thyself for daring to search for treasures, and not revealing them to the authori give
what cry your pardon, honoured sirs this treasure you are talking of? My wife must
ties."
is
"But
I
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
148
have seen this treasure in her sleep
she has told you
;
a pack of nonsense, and you listen to burst forth the old woman sense
"
her."
"
!
is
"it
;
Non
not non "
gold and silver Thou art out of thy senses, dear wife. Honoured Cross-examine her thoroughly sirs, I cry your pardon.
but a whole cauldron
sense,
full of
!
"
about the
and
if
answer for
will
I
me,
affair,
she proves this thing against
it
with
all
my
dost thou think that I cannot prove
Thou
rascal, I will
went, Mr.
"
;
"
Nay, I
am
I
if
"A
pike
am
?"
roared the clerk at the
thou want to make a fool of
not making a fool of thee, Mr.
speaking the simple
sirs,"
believe her
;
or dost
"
Clerk;
the
said
old
I
truth." "
man,
"There,
how can you
she goes on talking such rubbish
am
not talking rubbish, yokel the truth or hast thou forgotten "
is
"
woman
honoured
This
I remember began the old woman We went to the forest, and we saw a
every bit. pike on a tree."
me ?
it.
against thee ? how the matter
it
Clerk,"
it,
old
prove
"And
goods."
!
I
am
"
?
speaking
how we found
a
"
thy fishing basket in the stream ? even the elders rolled about for laughter hare
-
in
;
clerk
beard.
smiled, and began The peasant again
thyself, old
woman
;
to
stroke
down
said to his wife,
his "
All
the long-
Recollect
dost thou not see that every one
laughing at thee? But ye, honoured gentlemen, can now see for yourselves how far you can believe
is
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER.
my
149
Yes/ cried all the elders, with one voice, as we have lived in the world, we have never "
wife."
"long
heard of hares living in rivers, and fish hanging on the trees of the forest/ The clerk himself saw that
was a matter he could not get to the bottom of, so he dismissed the assembly with a wave of his hand, this
and went
town
off to
to the magistrate. o
And everybody laughed that she
was forced
to bite
much at the old woman her own tongue and listen
so
and the husband bought wares with to her husband his treasure, went to live in the town, and began to ;
trade there, exchanged his wares for
money, grew
rich
and prosperous, and was as happy as the day was lone.
THOMAS BERENNIKOV. ONCE upon
a
time there
lived
a
in
village
a
miserably poor peasant called Tommy Berennikov. Thomas s tongue could wag right well, and in motherwit he was no worse than his neighbours, but he was anything but handsome to look at, and for
working o in the fields he was not worth a button. One day he went into the field to plough. The work
was heavy and his nag was a wretched hack, quite starved and scarce able to drag along the plough, so at
a
last
Tom
little
blow-flies
quite gave
way
to woe, sat
and immediately whole swarms
stone,
and
gad-flies
fell
upon
from the off
him
all
spot,
his
and the
in swarms.
many he had
might
;
of
poor knacker
his
from every quarter and stuck fast. a bundle of dry twigs and thwacked the back with
down on
Thomas
seized
his horse
about
the horse never stirred
blow-flies
and
Thomas began
killed, eight gad-flies,
to
gad-flies fell
count
how
and there was no
THOMAS BERENNIKOV. numbering the
we ve
he,
That s something like And there eight at a blow
killed
"
"
!
!
counting the smaller fry
what
a hero
And Thomas
slain of the other flies.
Berennikov smiled. "
151
I
won
!
What
a warrior
plough any more, turn hero, and so seek my fortune !
t
"
I ll
!
said s
I
I ll
no am,
fight.
And
he
took his crooked sickle from his shoulders, hung up his bast-basket by his girdle, placed in this basket his blunt scythe,
and then he mounted
his
hack and
wandered forth into the wide world.
He went
on and on
he came to a post on which passing heroes had inscribed their names, and he wrote with chalk on this post, The hero Thomas till
"
Berennikov has passed by this way, who slew eight at one blow, and of the smaller fry without number." This he wrote and went on further.
He had
only when two stalwart a this mile from young post got heroes came galloping up to it, read the inscription, What unheard-of hero is and asked one another, "
Whither has he gone ? I never heard of his gallant steed, and there is no trace of his knightly deed They followed hard upon Thomas, overtook What him, and were amazed at the sight of him.
this
?
"
!
"
sort of a horse "
why,
tis
a
is
the fellow riding on
mere hack
!
Then
cannot be in the horse, but
And
they both rode up to
in
all
"
cried they
?
this
the hero
Thomas and
;
prowess himself."
said to
him
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
152
humbly and mildly, "Peace be with thee, good Thomas looked at them over his shoulder, man." quite
Who moving his head, said, Muromets and Alesha Popovich
and without "
you ? would
"
"
Ilia
fain be thy
Follow behind
do.
are
we
;
"
comrades."
me
Well,
maybe you
ll
pray."
They came to the realm of the neighbouring Tsar and went straight into his preserves here they let ;
their horses out to graze,
and
laid themselves
down
The neighbouring Tsar to rest beneath their tent. sent out against them a hundred horsemen of his guard, and bade his preserves.
said to
thou send us soil
my
Ilia
Thomas, "
?
away the strangers from Muromets and Alesha Popovich
them "
drive
Wilt thou go against them, or wilt What, forsooth do you think I d
"
!
hands by going against such
muck
No
!
;
go
Muromets, and show thy prowess." So Ilia Muromets sat him on his heroic steed, charged the
thou, Ilia
horsemen, swooped down upon them like a bright falcon on a flock of doves, smote them, and Tsar
cut
s
them
all
down
to the very last one.
more wroth, collected that was in the town, both horse and Tsar was
his
still
captains
drive the wandering
all
At
this the
of his host
foot,
and bade
strangers out
of
The Tsar s army preserves without ceremony. advanced on the preserves, blew with their trumpets, arid columns of dust arose in their path. Ilia
his
THOMAS BERENNIKOV. Muromets and Alesha Popovich came
153
to
Thomas and
Wilt thou go thyself against the foe, or But Thomas, who was wilt thou send one of us ? lying on his side, did not so much as turn him round, "
said to him,
"
but said to the heroes, blows with this rabble
!
The idea of
"
the idea of
my coming to my soiling my
No them Alesha Popovich, and show them our style heroic hands with the like of
and
I
ll
sort."
Tsar his
look on and see
if
Alesha rushed
like
mace from
afar,
Go
!
thou,
of fighting,
thy valour be of the right a whirlwind upon the
armour rattled
s host, his
!
he waved
like thunder,
and shouted with a voice more
piercing than the clang of clarions, smash all of you without mercy
"
!
"
I will
He
slay
flew
and
upon
The captains saw the host and began crushing it. his before heels that every one took to him, and there was no way of stopping them, so they blew a retreat with the trumpets, retired towards the town, arid
came themselves with an apology
to Alesha,
and said
:
now, strong and potent hero, by what name we must call thee, and tell us thy father s name that "
Tell us
What
must we give thee that thou mayst trouble us no more, and leave our Tis not to me you must give realm in peace?"
we may honour
it.
tribute
"
"
tribute
!
answered Alesha
am
"
;
I
am
but a subordinate.
bidden by my elder brother, the famous hero Thomas Berennikov. You must reckon
I
do what
I
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
154
He
with him.
will spare
you
if
he pleases, but
if
he
does not please, he will level your whole kingdom with the ground." The Tsar heard these words, and
and an honourable embassy of We beg distinguished persons, and bade them say the famous hero Thomas Berennikov to come and visit sent
Tommy
rich gifts
"
:
dwell in our royal court, and help us to war hero, thou dost If, against the Khan of China. us, to
succeed in smiting utterly the countless Chinese host, I will give thee my own daughter, and after
then
the whole
my death thou shalt have Tommy put on a long face Well,
well,
I
said,
s
"What
But that
?
I mind suppose I may as that." Then he mounted his hack,
don
well consent to
commanded
and
realm." "
his
t
!
heroic
younger
brethren
to
ride
behind him, and went as a guest to the neighbouring Tsar.
had
thoroughly succeeded in testing the quality of the Tsar s kitchen, he had not yet thoroughly rested from his labours, when there
Tommy
not
yet
came a threatening embassy from the Khan of China, demanding that the whole kingdom should acknow ledge send
him
him
as its liege lord, his
and that the Tsar should "
only daughter.
replied the Tsar,
"
that
have a firm support, a
Tell
your
Khan,"
him no longer 1 now sure defence, the famous hero I fear
Thomas Berennikov, who can
;
slay eight at one
blow
THOMAS BERENNIKOV. of his sword, If
life is
and of the
lesser fry
not pleasant to your
come
cause
remember Thomas
to
my
without number.
Khan and your
Chinese
empire, and you shall have In two Berennikov."
brethren, to
155
days a countless Chinese host surrounded the city of I have the Tsar, and the Chinese Khan sent to say, "
here an unconquerable hero, the like of whom the world knows not send out against him thy Thomas. If thy champion prevails I ll submit and pay thee a ;
tribute from
whole Khanate
my
;
but
if
mine
prevails,
daughter, and pay me a tribute from thy whole kingdom." So now it was the turn of Thomas Berennikov to show his prowess
thou must give
me thy
!
And
his heroic
younger brothers,
Ilia
Muromets and
Alesha Popovich, said to him Mighty and potent wilt thou fight against our elder how brother, hero, "
:
this
Chinaman without armour
armour,
choose
the
best
of
?
our
Take our martial "
heroic
horses
!
Thomas Berennikov answered thus How then Must I hide myself in armour from this shaven pate ? Why, I could finish off this Chinaman with one hand quite easily Why, you yourselves when you first saw me said, Tis plain that we must not look at the But Thomas thought horse, but at the warrior to himself: m in a pretty pickle now! Well, let the Chinaman kill me if he likes I ll not be put to shame over the business anyhow Then they
?
:
!
"
!
"I
"
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
156
brought him his hack he mounted it in peasant style, struck it with his bunch of twigs, and went into :
the open plain at a gentle amble.
The Chinese Khan had armed a fortress
(480
;
Ibs.)
he clothed him in in weight,
his
champion like armour twelve puds
taught him the use of every
weapon, put in his hands a battle-axe eighty pounds in weight, and said to him just before he set out,
me, and recollect hero cannot prevail by "Mark
cunning, so lest
my
words
!
When
a Russian
he will overcome by tliou should get the worst of it, take force,
and do everything the Eussian hero does." So the champions went out against each other into the care
open
field,
and Thomas saw the Chinese hero advanc
ing against him, as big as a mountain, with his head like a beer-cask, and covered with armour like a tortoise in its shell, so that
So
Tommy
had recourse
horse and sat his scythe.
he was scarcely able to move.
down on
He
to artifice.
got off his
a stone and began to sharpen
The Chinese hero when he saw
that, got
horse immediately, fastened it to a tree, and began to whet his axe against a stone also. When Thomas had finished sharpening his scythe, he off his
marched up to the Chinaman and said to him, We two are mighty and potent heroes, we have come out "
against each other in mortal combat pitch into each other
we ought
to
;
but before we
show each other
THOMAS BEREXNIKOV. proper
respect,
custom of the
man
one another
salute
country."
And
bow
yet
"here
s
lower."
"Oh,
oh
"
thought
!
some
piece of trickery, I know.
And
he bowed himself to the
But before he could
very ground.
the
after
he saluted the China
with a low, a very low bow.
the Chinaman, I ll
and
157
raise himself
up
again in his heavy armour, Thomas rushed at him, tickled him once or twice in the neck, and so cut his throat through for him. Then he leaped upon the heroic horse of the Chinaman, scrambled on the top of it somehow, flourished his birch of twigs, tried to
grasp the reins, and quite forgot that the horse was But the good horse, as soon as he tied to a tree. felt
a rider on his back, tugged and pulled
till
he tore
the tree up by the roots, and off he set at full gallop towards the Chinese host, dragging after him the big tree as if it
had been
a
mere
Thomas Beren-
feather.
nikov was terribly frightened, and began bawling, But the Chinese host feared him Help, help "
"
!
more than a snowstorm, and it seemed he were crying to them, Eun, run
to
them
as if
"
"
so
they took
to their heels without once looking back.
But the
!
heroic
horse
plunged
trampled them beneath trunk scattered them in
plunged
it left
into its
the feet,
midst
of
them,
and the huge treeWherever it
all directions.
a wide road behind
it.
The Chinese swore that they would never
fight
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
158
with Thomas again, and this resolution was lucky He returned to the town on his own for Thomas.
and they were valour, and success.
hack,
me
amazed
at
his
strength, dost thou require of one half of my the Tsar to Thomas,
"
?
all
"
What
"
said
golden treasures and my daughter into the bargain, or one half of my glorious kingdom?" "Well, I ll take half your kingdom if you like, but I wouldn t turn up my nose either at your daughter with half
And look now, your golden treasure for a dowry. when I get married, don t forget to invite to the wedding
my
younger brothers,
Alesha Popovich
And Thomas
Ilia
Muromets and
"
!
married the thrice-lovely Tsarevna,
and they celebrated the wedding so gloriously that the heads of all the guests ached for more than two weeks afterwards.
mead and is
told.
ale
I
too was
and got
rich
there,
gifts,
and
and
so
I
drank
my
tale
THE WHITE DUCK.
A
POWERFUL and mighty Prince married
a thrice-
and he had not yet had time to look he had not yet had time to speak to her,
lovely Princess,
upon her, lie had not yet had time to listen was obliged to depart from her on a
to her,
when he
far journey,
and
young wife in the hands of strangers. The Princess wept much, and the consolations of the
leave his
Prince were also many, and he advised her not to 1 leave her lofty terem, not to have anything to do
with bad people, not to listen to evil tongues, and All this the not to consort with strange women. Princess promised to do. The Prince departed, and she shut herself up in her own room. There she sat,
and never went
Whether
it
out.
was
after a long
time or
after a short
time matters not, but one day she was sitting by her window, bathed in tears, when a woman passed by the window. In appearance she was simple and
little
1
The women
s
apartments.
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
160
kindly, and she leaned her elbows on her crutch, rested her chin on her hands, and said to the Princess in a wheedling, caressing voice
"
:
How s
this, darling-
Princess, thou art for ever fretting ? Prythee come now out of thy terem and have a peep at God s
little
come down
fair world, or
into thy little garden
among
the sweet green things and drive away thy woe For a long time the Princess refused, she did not "
!
even care to listen to the
woman s
"There can be no she thought, O the garden, crossing the brook But she did not know that this
and had come bliss.
harm is
last,
in going O O into
another
woman was
matter."
a witch,
to ruin her because she envied her her
So the Princess went with her into the garden,
and listened
to her cunning, wheedling words.
in the garden
And
from beneath the mountain trickled a
stream of crystalline water. now,"
words, but, at
said the
woman,
"
"
What
the day
is
dost thou say
very hot, the sun
burning with all its might, but this darling little stream is so cold, so refreshing, and hark how it babbles why should we not have a bath here ? is
"
"
Ah, no, no
thought to
harm
!
I
won
herself,
"But
sarafan,
said the Princess
why
not
?
;
but she
There can be no
"
So she slipped off her little and bounded into the water, and no sooner
in having a bath 1
t,"
!
had she bathed than the witch struck her on the 1
A
long, sleeveless upper garment.
and the cunning wucl? T.
160.
r.
ICQ.
THE WHITE DUCK. shoulder and
duck in
"
said,
161
Swim about now
as
a white
"
But the witch immediately dressed herself the Princess s robes, tired and painted herself, and !
sat in place of the Princess in the
Prince.
And
as soon as the little
and the
little
bell fell a-tinkling,
meet him, threw and fondled him. he was the
first
herself
dog began to bark she rushed out to
his
The Prince was
to stretch out his
and never noticed that evil
upon
terem to await the
it
and kissed
neck,
so overjoyed that
arms towards
was not
his wife,
her,
but an
witch who stood before him.
Meanwhile the poor duck, dwelling in the bright two were stream, laid eggs and hatched its young ;
fair,*
crew still-born, and her babies O children. She brought them up, and
but the third was
up into
little
they began to walk along the stream, and catch gold fish, and collect bits of rags, and sew them coats,
and run up the banks, and look at the meadows. Oh don t go there, my But the mother said :
children.
!
There dwells the
evil witch.
She ruined
But the children didn t me, and she will ruin you listen to their mother, and one day they played in the grass, and the next day they ran after ants, and "
!
went further and
further,
and
so got into the Prince s
The witch knew them by instinct, and courtyard. ground her teeth for rage but she made herself so nice, called the little children into the out-house, ;
gave them a good
feed,
and a good drink, and made M
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
162
them
down
lie
to sleep,
and bade her people
light a
courtyard, and put a kettle on it, and The two brothers went to sharpen their knives. sleep, but the still-born one whom the mother had in the
fire
bade the others carry in their bosom that he might not catch cold, the still-born one did not sleep at In the night but listened and saw everything. the witch came to their door and said: "Are you all,
Then the
"
asleep, little children, or not
?
answered instead of his brothers
"
:
We
still-born
one
do not dream
but think in our thoughts that you want the pyres of mapleto cut up the whole lot of us branches are blazing, the kettles are seething, and the in dreams,
!
They are not asleep/ said the witch, and she went away from the door, walked about and walked about, and then went
knives
steel
of
are
to the door again
"
:
"
sharpening."
Are you asleep, children, or are
And the still-born again screeched from you not ? beneath the pillow instead of his brethren "We do "
:
not dream in dreams, but think in our thoughts that you want to cut up the whole lot of us the pyres ;
of
maple
seething, "
How
is
-
branches
are
blazing,
and the knives of it
that
it
is
steel
always
the are
one
kettles
are
sharpening."
and the same
ll just have a peep." thought the witch She opened the door very, very softly, looked in, and Then she saw both the brothers sleeping soundly.
voice
?"
killed the pair of
;
them.
"I
THE WHITE DUCK.
163
In the morning the white duck began seeking and calling her children, but her darling children did not
come
Her heart had a foreboding of She shuddered and flew off to the Prince s her calling.
to
evil.
In the Prince
courtyard, as white as white kerchiefs, as cold as little cold split fish,
courtyard. little
lay the brothers herself
in a row.
all
upon them, voice
s
"
She flew down, threw
fluttered her little
round and round her
mother
s
little
and
ones,
wings, flew cried with a
:
my my
Kra, kra, Kra, kra,
darling loveys little
doveys
!
!
I brought you up in woe and fears, I nourished you with grief and tears,
Dark night
No
And
it
brought no sleep to me,
food was sweet because of
ye."
the Prince heard the lament, called the witch
and said
Wife, hast thou heard this thing, "Thou dost only fancy this thing unheard of?" drive me this duck out Hi my serving-men, it to him,
!
"
:
!
"
They began driving her out, round and round, and again said to her
of the courtyard
but she flew children
!
:
"
Kra, kra, Kra, kra,
my darling loveys my little doveys
!
!
The old, old witch your bane hath been, The old, old witch, that cruel snake, That cruel snake that lurks unseen ;
Your
father from
you she did take,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
164
Your
my husband true ; running stream she threw. She changed us into ducks so white, And prospers as if wrong were right Us
The Prince here,
father dear,
in the
and he
"
!
that there was something wrong cried Bring me that white duck
felt
"
:
"
They all hastened to fulfil his command, but the white duck flew round in a circle, and none At last the Prince himself went out could catch her. on the balcony, and she flew upon his hands, and fell The Prince took her carefully by her at his feet. White birch-tree stand behind little wing, and said hither
!
"
:
Then the me, and fair damsel stand before me white duck turned into her former shape of thrice"
!
lovely
Princess, taught
them
ho\v
to
get
a
little
bladder of living and speaking water in a magpie s nest, sprinkled her children with the living water, and
they shuddered
;
then she sprinkled them with the
And speaking water, and they began to speak. the Prince suddenly saw himself surrounded by his family
all
alive
and
well,
and they
all
lived together,
and lived happily, and chose good and avoided evil. But the witch, by the Prince s command, was fastened to the tail of a horse and dragged away over
The fowls of the air picked her the open steppe. flesh, and the wild winds of heaven scattered her bones,
and there remained not a
of her behind.
trace or a
memorial
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL
IVAN.
FAR, far away, in a certain kingdom, in a certain Empire, stood a city, and in this city reigned Tsar 1 2 Gorokh, and the Tsaritsa Morkovya. They had wise rich and Princes, strong many Boyars, mighty run of and of the common warriors 100,000 at heroes,
All
least.
manner
of people dwelt in this city,
shipful, well-bearded merchants,
German
sharpers,
drunken Russians
mechanics,
and
;
ground
away
it
into meal, took
their
cunning open-handed Swedish beauties,
the suburbs
tilled the earth,
beyond the sowed corn,
to the bazaar,
and drank
in
town dwelt peasants who
wor
it
hard earnings.
In one of these suburbs stood an old hut, and in this
hut dwelt an old
man
with his three sons,
Pakhom, Thomas, and Ivan. The old man was not only sage, he was cunning, and whenever he chanced to
come across the i
Devil, he
Pea.
would have a chat with 2
Carrot.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
166
make him drunk, and worm many and great secrets out of him, and then would go away and do such wonders that his neighbours called him a wizard and a magician, while others honoured him as a shrewd fellow who knew a thing or two. The old him,
man
any one were being consumed by the flames of hopeless love, he had only to pay his respects to the wizard and the old certainly did great wonders.
If
man would
give him some sort of little root which If anything would draw the fickle fair one at once.
were lost he would manage to get thief,
however
it
might be hidden, by means of
charmed water and a
But wise his sons to
as the old
walk
back from the
it
fishing-net.
man
was, he could not persuade
in his footsteps.
Two
of them were
great gad-abroads, not because they were wise, but because they were thorough feather-brains they ;
never knew when to run forward or when to hold
And
The they married and had children. third son was not married, but the old man did not back.
trouble about him, because his third son was a fool, quite
a
natural in fact,
who couldn t
count up to
but could only eat and drink and sleep and lie on the stove. What was the good of bothering about
three,
a fellow like that
own accord much besides,
?
he can manage to jog along of his
better than a
man
of sense.
And
Ivan was so mild and gentle that butter
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL would not melt his girdle, he
took
would give you he would beg you
him dear
;
therefore they
little
167
you asked him
his gloves,
away called
If
his kaftan
cap into the bargain
and
mouth.
in his
IVAN.
1
also
;
for
you
to accept his
Ivan
liked
all
Ivan, or dear
if
little
fool
in
;
short he was a fool from his birth, but very lovable for all that.
the
man lived and lived with his sons hour came when he was to die. Then the
man
called to
So our old
"
you must
me
his three sons
dear children,
My
into
thou
him
my
third, dear
:
mortal hour has come, and
my
my
;
;
Thomas little
;
then thou, Pakhoni
fool
;
The two
Ivan."
sensible people, promised to fool
them
said to
wish each of you must come with tomb and there pass a night with me
fulfil
first,
and
till
old
and thou elders, like
obey his words, but the
promised nothing, but only scratched his head.
The old man died. They buried him. They ate pancakes and honey-cakes, they drank well, and on night it was for his eldest son Thomas to go into his tomb. Whether it was laziness or fear I
the
first
know I
not, but he said to little fool Ivan
have to get up early to grind corn
of
me
swered
went
into our father little
to the
"
s
tomb."
who took
fool Ivan,
Coat.
To-morrow
go thou instead an All right
;
"
!
a crust of bread,
tomb, lay down, and began 1
"
:
to snore.
So
it
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
168
struck midnight, the tomb began to move, the wind blew, the midnight owl hooted, the tombstone rolled off,
and the old man came out
"Who s "
Good
there?" "
!
"I,"
tomb and
of his
answered
answered the old man
little "
;
my
fool
said
:
Ivan.-
dear son,
I ll
reward thee for obeying me Scarcely had he said these words when the cocks crew and the old man "
!
fell
Little fool Ivan
back into the tomb.
and threw himself on the top asked him
brother
"
"
Nothing
at all
through, only to
I
!
what
Well,
said he
am
of the stove,
"
:
"I
;
went home and
his "
happened
?
slept the whole night
very hungry, and want something
eat."
The next night it was the turn of Pakhoni, the second son, to go to the tomb of his father. He fell a-thinking and a-thiuking, and at last he said to little fool
Ivan
:
"I
must get up very
early
to-morrow morn
ing to go to market go thou instead of me to my father s All right tomb." replied little fool Ivan, who took ;
"
"
!
a cake and some cabbage-soup, went to the tomb, and lay down to sleep. Midnight approached the tomb
began to shake, the tempest began to howl, a flock of ravens flew round and round it, the stone fell from the grave, the old man got out of the asked Who s there ? answered
tomb and
"
"
"
:
man,
I,"
"
Ivan.
Good, "
I
ll
my
beloved
not forget
thee
little
fool
"
replied the old because thou hast not
son
!
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN.
169
Scarcely had he uttered these words disobeyed me when the cocks began to crow, and the old man fell back in his tomb. Little fool Ivan awoke, made him "
!
snug on
self
his
and
stove,
what happened
"
Well,
answered
little
On
Ivan.
said to little fool Ivan
our father
s
"
By
all
A
tomb.
means
"
!
"
:
him
his brother asked "
?
at
Nothing
all
!
the third night the brothers
Now
father s
thy turn to go to wish must be fulfilled."
answered
tis
little fool
Ivan,
who took
put on his blouse, and went to the tomb.
a fritter,
:
"
"
And
at midnight the gravestone was torn from the tomb, Who s and the old man came out and asked "
:
there?""!,"
said
"
thy faithful service monstrous voice and !
"
piping voice
kaurka
l
my
:
And
!
Hi
!
it
And
then he shouted with
sang with a nightingale s thou sivka-burka, vyeshchy !
Stand before
!
"
grass
"Good,
not in vain answered the old man, obeyed my will thou shalt have a reward
son,"
hast tliou
a
Ivan. "
obedient
for
fool
little
seemed
me
like the leaf before the
to little fool
Ivan
as if a
horse were running, the earth trembled beneath it, its eyes burned like fire, clouds of smoke poured out of its ears
;
it
taken root in voice
got
"
:
into 1
What one
ran up, stood still as though the ground, and said with a dost thou require of
its
ears,
"
?
cooled
Grizzled, dark-brown, red-brown,
it
had
human The old man
himself,
knowing
washed
steed.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
170
and came out of the handsome that there s no other ear so young and guessing or imagining it, for no pen can write nor himself, dressed himself finely,
tale
can "
he,
my
tell
the like of
thou hast
my
"
There,
it.
valiant steed
;
dear
my
son,"
and thou,
horse
good steed, serve him as thou hast served
me
when
He had
said !
"
!
scarcely uttered these words of the village flapped their wings and cocks crowing sang their morning song, the magician sank back into his grave,
and the grass grew over
Ivan went
home
by
step
step
;
it.
"
What
"
is
it
?
Little fool
he got home, stretched
himself in his old corner, and snored
trembled.
the
till
the walls
asked his brothers, but
he never answered a word, but only waved his hand. And so they went on living together, the elder brothers like wise men, the younger like a fool. Thus they lived on and on, day by day, and just as a
woman till it
rolls
came
thread into a
ball, so their
to their turn to be rolled.
days rolled on And one day
they heard that the captains of the host were going all about the realm with trumpets and clarions and
drums and cymbals, and they blew their trumpets arid beat their drums, and proclaimed in the bazaars and public places the Tsar
s will,
and the
will of the Tsar
Tsar Gorokh and Tsaritsa Morkovya had an only daughter, the Tsarevna Baktriana, the heir to the throne, and so lovely that when she looked at the
was
this.
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN.
171
was ashamed, and when she regarded the moon, the moon was abashed. And the Tsar and the Tsaritsa thought to themselves To whom shall we sun, the sun
:
give our daughter in marriage that he may govern our realm, defend it in war, sit as judge in the royal council, help the Tsar in his old age, at the end of his days ? The Tsar
and succeed him
and the Tsaritsa
who was to be a valiant young a handsome hero, who was to love the Tsarevna,
sought for a bridegroom warrior,
and make the Tsarevna love him.
was not
of the business
But the love part was this great
so easy, for there
the Tsarevna loved nobody. If her father the Tsar began talking to her of any bridegroom, she difficulty
:
don t love always gave one and the same answer him If her mother the Tsaritsa began talking to :
"I
"
!
her about any one, she always answered nice At last Tsar Gorokh and Tsaritsa
"
:
He
is
not
"
!
said to her
"
:
Dear daughter and darling
Morkovya child, more
than thrice lovely Tsarevna Baktriana, it is now time for thee to choose a bridegroom. Look now, pray !
the wooers, the royal and imperial ambassadors, are all here at our court they have eaten all the cakes and ;
drained our cellars dry, and still thou wilt not choose thee the beloved of thy heart Then the Tsarevna "
!
said to
them
mamma,
I
"
:
am
feign obey your
My
sovereign papa and
sorry will,
for
but
my
your sorrow,
let fate
decide
sovereign
and would
who
is
to
be
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
172
my
intended.
high with a
me
1
a terem thirty-two storeys bow- window at the top of it. I,
Build little
terem just beneath Let all the window, and you make a proclamation.
the
Tsarevna, will
in this
sit
people come hither
Tsars, Kings, Tsareviches, Princes,
mighty champions, and valiant youths leaps
up
my
as high as
little
;
and whoever
window on
his fiery
steed and exchanges rings with me, he shall be
my
The Tsar bridegroom, and your son and successor." and the Tsaritsa followed out the words of their sage said they. Good They commanded daughter. to be built a costly terem of two-and-thirty layers of "
"
!
oak beams
;
they built
curious carvings,
it
and hung
up and adorned it all
it
about with Venetian
brocade, with pearly tapestries and cloth of gold,
made proclamations and
with
and
sent forth carrier-pigeons, and
despatched ambassadors to all kingdoms, summoning all men to assemble together in the empire of Tsar
Gorokh and Tsaritsa Morkovya, and whoever leaped on his proud steed as high as the two-and-thirty oaken beams and exchanged rings with the Tsarevna Baktriana, he was to be her bridegroom and inherit the kingdom with her, whether he were a Tsar or a King, or a Tsarevich or a Prince, or even nothing but a free, bold-handed Cossack with neither
birth
ancestry. 1
The women
s
apartments in old Russian houses.
nor
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN.
173
The day was fixed. The people crowded into the meadows where the Tsarevna s terem was built as if sewn with stars, and the Tsarevna herself sat beneath the window arrayed in pearls and brocade, and lace, and the most precious of precious stones. The mob of people surged
and roared
The Tsar and the Tsaritsa
like the great sea
Ocean.
on their throne, and
sat
around them stood their grandees, their Boyars, their And the wooers of the captains, and their heroes. Tsarevna Baktriana came and pranced and galloped, but when they saw the terem their hearts died away within them.
The youths
tried their best
they bounded, they leaped, and
ground again
they ran, back on the
fell
like sheaves of barley, to the
;
amusement
of the crowd.
In those days when the valiant wooers of the Tsarevna Baktriana were trying their best to win her, the brothers of little fool Ivan took it into their heads
go thither and see the fun. ready, and little fool Ivan said
So they got them
to
Take me with you
"
:
too!"
at
"What,
home and
answered his brother;
fool!"
look after the fowls
!
What
"
sit
hast thou
You re right said he, and got to do with it he went to the fowl-house and lay down there. But when his brethren had departed, little fool Ivan went "
!
into the
warrior
s
open
plain,
voice,
"
"
!
on to the wide steppe, cried with a
and whistled with a heroic whistle:
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
174 11
Hi
sivka-burka, vyeshchy kaurka like the leaf before the grass
thou
!
me
before
I
"
!
!
Stand
And
lo
!
charger came running up, the earth trembled, flames shot out of his eyes, and clouds of the
valiant
smoke from
How can
and
his ears,
said with a
it
human
voice
:
"
Ivan crept into one ear, washed and combed himself, and crept out of the other ear so young and handsome, that books "
I serve
cannot describe of
And
it.
it,
he sat
thee
Little fool
?
man
nor the eye of
him on
his
bear the sight good horse, and struck
sturdy ribs with a whip of Samarcand silk, and his horse chafed and fumed, and rose from the earth its
higher than the standing woods, but lower than the moving clouds, and when it came to the large streams it
swam them, and when
came
it
to the little streams
brushed them away with its tail, and opened wide its legs for the mountains to pass between them. And little fool Ivan leaped up to the terem of the it
Tsarevna Baktriana, rose like a bright falcon, leaped over thirty of the two-and- thirty beams of oak, and dashed along roared up,
"
:
the
like a
Hold him, stop him
Tsaritsa
The people
passing tempest.
cried
"
Oh
"
!
The Tsar leaped
"
the
!
people
were
astonished.
The brothers of said to each other
little fool "
:
he only missed two
Ivan returned home and
That was something "
storeys."
Why,
like a hero
that was
;
I,
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL "
brothers
said
1
Hold thy tongue,
fool,
and
"
Ivan.
fool
little
IVAN.
175
Thou indeed
!
on the stove and eat
lie
"
cinder cakes
!
The next day the brothers of
Ivan again assembled at the Tsar s sports, and little fool Ivan said to them Take me with you Take thee, little fool
"
"
:
home and keep
"
fool
said the brothers
!
"
I
;
sit
"just
at
the sparrows from the peas instead of a scarecrow
What
"
hast thou to do with
it
went among the peas, away the sparrows. But when said he,
Ivan shuffled
"
!
That
true
s
!
"
!
down, and scared his brothers had gone, sat
off into the
open plain, into the wide steppe, and roared with a martial voice, and whistled shrilly with a heroic whistle Hi thou little
fool
"
!
:
sivka-burka,
vyeshchy kaurka
!
me
Stand before
!
And lo his valiant the grass steed came running, the earth trembled, sparks flew from beneath his prancing hoofs, a lire burned in his "
like the leaf before
eyes,
!
and smoke rolled
human
!
in clouds
from
He
his ears.
What
"
dost thou require ? of into one the horse s ears, and fool Ivan Little crept crept out of the other so young and comely that the like said with a
of it
voice
"
:
was never heard of in
and he
sat
on
his
tales or seen in reality,
brave horse and beat
with a Circassian whip.
And
its
iron ribs
and
his horse chafed
fumed, and rose from the earth, higher than the at standing woods, lower than the moving clouds ;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
176
went a league of the ancient measure the second bound it whizzed across the broad river
one bound at
and
it
at the third
bound
reached the terem.
it
;
;
It rose
into the air like an eagle into the sky, leaped as high
two-and- thirty oaken beams, and
as thirty-one of the
The people
flew past like a passing whirlwind. "Hold
him, stop
him!"
seat, the Tsaritsa cried
"
cried
:
The Tsar leaped from his The Princes and the Oh "
!
Boyars stood there with gaping mouths. The brothers of little fool Ivan returned home and that young warrior of to-day was even better than the warrior of yesterday there was only one oak beam he could not get as said little Why, brothers, that was I high as Thou indeed Lie fool Ivan. Hold thy tongue other
said to each
"
Why,
:
;
"
"
"
!
!
"
!
on the stove, and don
On
t
!
talk bosh
"
!
the third day the brothers of
Ivan
little fool
again made them ready to go to the great spectacle, but little fool Ivan said Take me with you A "
"
"
:
fool
like thee
home and mix
What
art
!
"
!
stay at the slush in the trough for the pigs. replied his brethren;
thou thinking of
"
"
!
As you
"just
"
please
!
said
and went into the backyard, and began to feed the swine, and grunt along with them. But when he,
his brothers
had gone,
to the
plain, to the
open
little
fool
Ivan shambled
off
wide steppe, and howled
with a martial voice, and whistled
as
only heroes
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN. "
can whistle
kaurka
:
Hi
thou
!
Stand before
!
me
177
sivka-burka, vyeshchy like the leaf before the
!
And lo the valiant charger came running, grass the earth trembled where it touched the ground "
!
!
;
gushed forth, and where it struck the ground with its hoof lakes appeared, and flames came from its eyes, and clouds of smoke welled with
foot
its
from
springs
It cried
its ears.
with a
human
voice
"
:
What
"
Little fool Ivan crept into one dost thou require ? of his horse s ears, and crept out of the other a youth ful warrior, so handsome that no lovely maiden ever
him
dreams, and a hundred sages meditating for a hundred years could not have He struck his horse on the backbone, imagined it.
dreamed the
drew
away
like of
in her
tight the rein, sat in the saddle,
swiftly that the fleeting
so
overtake him, and the dear
not vie with him. his
silver
locks
s
house-swallow would
flew like a cloud of the sky,
and gleamed, his yellow the wind he flew towards the
harness hissed
floated
Tsarevna
He
little
and rushed
wind could not
in
;
terem, struck his horse about the ribs, and
his horse leaped like a cruel serpent, as the two-and-thirty
oaken beams.
and leaped
as high
Little fool Ivan
caught the Tsarevna Baktriana in his heroic hands, kissed her sugary lips, exchanged rings with her, and
was borne turning
all
as
by a whirlwind into the meadow, over met him or stood in his way. The
that
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
178
Tsarevna only just succeeded in fastening a diamond star on his forehead and the mighty warrior had Tsar Gorokh leaped to his feet, the Tsaritsa Oh The Tsar s councillors wrung Morkovya said their hands one after another, but spake never a word.
vanished.
"
"
!
The brothers
home and
of little fool Ivan returned
began to talk about and discuss the matter: the hero of to-day was the best of all he is bridegroom of our Tsarevna. But who is he ? ;
"Well,
now
the
"
brothers,
was
it
said little fool Ivan.
I,"
Thou indeed
Go and
eat
"
Why,
"Hold
thy
cinder cakes
tongue and toad-stools, but keep thy tongue well between But Tsar Gorokh commanded them to thy teeth !
!
"
!
surround the city with a strong watch, and let in every one, but let out no one, and proclaim that all people, under pain of death,
from the eldest
to the
youngest, were to come into the Tsar s courts and do homage, that it might appear on whose forehead was the
diamond
which the Tsarevna had fastened
star
to her bridegroom.
From very
the people
came crowding
everybody
s
morning
looked at
They together. forehead, but there was no star, and no
was now dinner-time, yet not a table in the halls of the Tsar was yet laid for
trace of a star. single
early in the
dinner. thither to
It
The brothers
show
of little fool
Ivan also came
their foreheads at the Tsar s
and Ivan said to them
"
:
Take me with you
command, "
!
"
Take
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL thee
179
"
the
said
!
catch
flies
brothers
;
rags, or hast
when you went
thy corner and
in
"sit
But why hast thou
!
round with day,
IVAN.
tied
thou damaged
thy forehead "
"
it ?
Yester
was gaping about,
out, as I
I
struck
my forehead against the door, the door took no hurt, but a big lump sprang out on my forehead "
!
As soon passed
as
his brothers
below the
right
had gone, little
on thy forehead
star
them
let
look,
?
Show
"
:
it
Why
Little fool
hast thou
Is there
!
"
?
Ivan
fool
window where the heart. The soldiers
Tsarevna was sitting troubled at of the Tsar saw him, and asked
bound up thy forehead
little
not a
Ivan would not
and withstood them.
The
soldiers
began to make a to-do, the Tsarevna heard it, and bade them bring little fool Ivan to her, took the clouts from
She took
little fool
Gorokh, and said is
and behold
forehead
his
!
there
was the
star.
Ivan by the hand, led him to Tsar
Look, dear sovereign papa this intended bridegroom, and thy son-in-law and
my
"
:
!
There was nothing more to be said. The Tsar commanded the banquet to be made ready "
successor
!
;
they married
little fool
Ivan and the Tsarevna Bak-
days they ate and drank and made merry, and amused themselves with all manner of amusements. The Tsar made the brothers of little
triana
;
for three
Ivan captains of his host, and gave them a village and a large house apiece.
fool
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
180
The
tale of it is
The brethren
not soon done. wise, all
soon told, but the deed thereof
when
of little fool Ivan were
and when they grew rich
men gave them
is
it
out for wise
not strange that
is
men
at once.
And
Ivan became great people, they began to be proud and haughty, would not suffer men of low degree to come into their court the brethren of
yards at
all,
little
fool
and made even the
old voevods
and
Boyars, when they came to see them, take off their caps on the stairs. So the Boyars came to Tsar Gorokh and "Sovereign Tsar! the brethren of thy son-inlaw boast that they know where the apple tree grows that hath silver leaves and golden apples, and they
said:
The Tsar apple tree for thee sent for the brethren of little fool Ivan, and told
want
to get this
them
that they might fetch for
"
!
him
this apple tree
with the silver leaves and the golden apples and as they had nothing to say they were obliged to go. The ;
Tsar bade them take horses from the royal stables for their journey, and they set out on their journey to find the apple tree with the silver leaves and the
And in those days little fool Ivan golden apples. arose, took his old hack of a horse, sat on it with his face to the tail,
and rode out of the
into the open plain, seized his jade it
into the open field,
and
and
said
city.
by the tail, threw Come, ye crows Then he you
"
:
"
kites,
here
s
a breakfast for
He went
!
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL
IVAN.
181
good horse, crept in at one ear and out at the other, and his horse carried him to the East called
liis
where grew the apple golden apples, on the
tree
with silver leaves and
by the golden sands, and he pulled it up by the roots, went back, and before he got to the town of Tsar G-orokh, he pitched his tent with
down
its silver
Now
to rest.
silver waters,
his brethren
by
this road, their noses
not
know what
to
tent-pole and laid
say to
him
were going along
hung down, and they did the Tsar by way of excuse,
and they saw the tent and the apple tree beside it, and they awoke little fool Ivan, and they began to bargain with him for it, and offered him three cart
The apple tree is mine, gentlemen was not sold and purchased, but bequeathed by said little fool Ivan to them. Yet a will is "
loads of silver. it
;
"
will,"
no great matter of each one of
:
cut
off a
toe from the right foot
The you, and I ll say done brothers laid their heads together, but there was So little fool Ivan cut off nothing for it but to agree. "
!
one of their toes apiece and gave them the apple tree, and they brought it to the Tsar and boasted mightily. "Behold,
far,
we have
Tsar!"
said
suffered
they,
many
"we
have travelled
hardships, but
we have
Tsar Gorokh was overjoyed. He made a great feast, bade them beat the drums, and play on the trumpets and pipes, and he rewarded
performed thy
will."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
182
the brothers of
little fool
Ivan, and gave
them
and praised their faithful service. Then the other voevods and Boyars said
a city
apiece,
"
to
him
:
not a very great service to bring the apple The with silver leaves and golden apples.
It is
tree
brothers of thy son-in-law boast that they would go to the Caucasus and fetch thee the swine with
golden
and
bristles,
little fool
Ivan, and told
with the golden
bristles,
twenty sucklings for
;
and
them
their
way
for
the
to bring
brothers of
him the swine and the
and the
silver teeth,
as they
had nothing
themselves, they dared
went on
and twenty suck
teeth,
Gorokh sent
Tsar
ing-pigs."
silver
not disobey.
to say
So they
to find for the Tsar s pleasure the
pig with the golden bristles, and the silver And at that very teeth, and the twenty sucklings. time little fool Ivan arose and saddled his cow, and little
sat
upon
the city.
it
with his face to the
He went
into the
cow by the horn, threw her "
Gallop foxes
!
along,
Here
tail,
open
and went out of plain, seized
into the field,
and
his
cried
:
ye gray wolves and pretty little a dinner for you Then he called "
s
!
good horse, and crept in at one ear and out at the other, and his horse bore him to lands of the his
South, and bore
him
into a dreary
wood where
the
swine with the golden bristles was rooting up roots with its silver tusks, and twenty sucking-pigs
little
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL were running after lasso
over the
Little fool Ivan
her.
little
swine, strapped
to his saddle, turned back, far
IVAN.
183
threw a
the
silk
sucklings
and when he was not very
from the city of Gorokh, pitched his tent with
the golden tent-pole, and lay down to rest. Now his brothers were coming along that same way, and were
thinking what they could say to the Tsar. Suddenly they saw the tent, and close by it tied by the silken lasso the
little
swine with the golden
the silver tusks, and
awoke
Ivan, and began
and
bristles,
the twenty sucklings.
They
bargain with him for the swine. We ll give thee three sacks of The little swine is precious stones," they cried. is mine, gentlemen," said little Ivan the fool; fool
little
to
"
"
"it
not sold or purchased, but bequeathed by will but a will is no great matter let each of you cut me off ;
;
a finger from his hand, and I ll cry done The brothers laid their heads together and talked the "
!
matter over:
can live without brains,
"People
why
"
not without fingers also ? So they thought they. let little fool Ivan cut off a finger from each of them, and he gave them the swine, which they took to the
and they praised themselves more than Tsar said they, we have been beyond
Tsar, "
"
"
!
distant sea,
the
beyond the impenetrable woods, beyond we have suffered cold and hunger,
the shifting sands
but we have
ever.
;
thy commands." The Tsar was overjoyed to have such faithful servants, gave a great fulfilled
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
184
banquet to fool
little
the world, rewarded the brethren of
call
made them
Ivan,
great Boyars, and could
not praise their services sufficiently. Then the other voevods and Boyars came to him Tis not such a very great service, Tsar to bring thee the little swine with the golden bristles, and the silver tusks, and the twenty suck
and said
"
:
!
lings.
A
swine
s
a swine
the world over, though But the brethren of thy sonall
has got golden tusks in-law boast that they can do a yet greater service they say they can get thee from the stables of the it
!
;
1 Serpent Goruinich, the golden-maned horse with the diamond hoofs." Tsar Gorokh sent for the brethren
of little fool Ivan,
and bade them fetch him from the
Goruinich, the golden-maned mare with the diamond hoofs. Then the brothers stables of the Serpent
Ivan began protesting that they had such words. But the Tsar would not
of little fool
never said listen to a
out tale or as
you
mare.
her not,
word
count,"
will.
Ye I
of
"
it.
said he,
Bring
are the
Take of
me
first in
will again
"
and
hither
my
my treasures with of my host as much the
golden-maned
realm, but
if
you bring
into
degrade you ragamuffins." So these good warriors, these useful heroes, departed, scarce able to drag one foot after another, and not
knowing whither they were going. And in the self same time little fool Ivan arose, sat astride his little 1
Dweller in the mountains.
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN. went out into the open
stick,
plain, into
185
the wide
steppe, called his good horse, crept into one ear and
out at the other, and his horse took him into the west country, towards the great island where the Serpent Goruinich guarded in his iron stable, behind seven
behind seven doors, the golden-maned mare with the diamond hoofs. The horse went on and on, bolts,
near and arrived at
the island, fought
he killed
till
Serpent
high and low, and
far,
the
Jocks
it,
and
little
fool
three days with
Ivan the
spent three days more in breaking the doors, took
bursting out the golden-maned mare by the mane, went back, and had not gone many miles when he stopped, his
pitched laid
tent with
him down
the
diamond
And
to rest.
tent-pole, and
behold his brethren
were coming along by the same way, and knew not what they should say to Tsar Gorokh. All at once they
twas the neighing of They looked about them,
the ground tremble
felt
the golden-maned mare and there was a little light like a candle burning in the dark distance twas the golden mane which !
burned
They stopped, awoke little fool Ivan, and began to bargain with him for the mare; they said they would each give him a sack of precious stones.
like fire.
"
The mare
purchase or little
fool
sale,
Ivan.
great matter
;
let
is
mine, gentlemen,
tis
not for
but was bequeathed by will," said However, a will is not such a "
each of you cut him an ear
off,
and
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
186 I ll
cry done
"
!
The brothers did not say him nay,
but they let little fool Ivan cut off an ear from each one of them, and he gave them the mare with the golden mane and the diamond hoofs, and they puffed
themselves out and talked big, and lied boastingly it made "We your ears ache to hear them.
till
went,"
said they to the Tsar,
"
beyond lands
thrice-
beyond the great sea Ocean, we strove with the he bit off our ears, Serpent Goruinich, and look
ten,
!
but for thy sake we reck not of
life
or goods, but
would swim sacrifice
through rivers of blood, and would limb and substance in thy service." In his
joy Tsar Gorokh measured them out riches without
number, made them the ready such a feast
and got that the royal kitchens were not though they cooked and roasted first
of his Boyars,
big enough for it, there three days, while the royal wine-cellars ran dry, and at the banquet Tsar Gorokh placed one of the
brethren of
little fool
other at his
left.
Ivan at his right hand, and the And the feast proceeded right
merrily, and the guests had eaten themselves half
and were humming hive, when they saw
and drank themselves half
full,
and buzzing
a
like
bees
in
full,
entering the palace a gallant warrior, little fool Ivan, in just the same guise as when he had leaped as high And when his as the two-and-thirty oaken beams. brothers saw him, one of
them nearly choked himself
with a drop of wine from his beaker, and the other
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN.
187
nearly suffocated himself with a bit of roast swan,
and they wrung
their hands, rolled
could not utter a word.
Little fool
to his father-in-law, the Tsar,
got
the
golden
their eyes, and
Ivan bowed low
and told how he had
apple tree with the silver leaves and the apples, and after that the swine with the
golden bristles and the silver tusks and the twenty sucklings, and after that the golden-raaned mare with the
diamond hoofs
;
and he drew out the
fingers,
and
the toes, and the ears for which he had sold them to his brethren.
Then Tsar Gorokh was very wroth, and stamped with his feet, and bade them drive out the brothers of little fool
Ivan with broomsticks, and one of them he
sent to tend his swine in the cattle-yard,
and the other
he sent to look after the turkeys in the poultry -yard. But little fool Ivan he set beside himself, and
made him
the chief over the Boyars, and the captain of the captains. And long did they feast together
in gladness of heart,
till
everything was eaten and
And little fool Ivan began everything was drunk up. to rule the realm, and his rule was wise and terrible, and on the death of
his father-in-law
he took
his
His children were many, and his subjects loved him, and his neighbours feared him, but the Tsarina Baktriana was just as beautiful in her old age place.
as
when
she was young.
THE LITTLE FEATHER OF FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON. ONCE upon
a time there
was an old widower who The elder and the
lived with his three daughters.
middle one were fond of show and finery, but the youngest only troubled herself about household affairs although she was of a loveliness which no pen can describe and no tale can tell. One day the old man got ready to go to market in the town, and said Now, my dear daughters, say what shall I buy for :
"
!
"
you
at the fair
The
?
eldest daughter said
me, dear dad, a new dress said
"
:
"
:
Buy
The middle daughter But the Buy me, dear dad, a silk kerchief "
!
youngest daughter said scarlet flower
"
!
!"
"
:
The. old
Buy me, dear mao went to
dad, a
little
the fair; he
bought for his eldest daughter a new dress, for his middle daughter a silk kerchief, but though he searched the whole town through he could not find a little scarlet flower.
He was
already on his
way back
FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON. when
there
met him
and this
not,
a
old
little
"
asked the stranger thou dear little old :
mine by but
I
ll
My
man was
little
me
Sell
:
him
old man,
whom
he knew
carrying a
little
Our old man was delighted, and he
scarlet flower.
"
little
189
man
little scarlet flower,
thy
The old man answered
"
!
scarlet flower is not
for sale,
tis
has no price and cannot be priced, let thee have it as a gift if thou wilt marry will, it
thy youngest daughter to is thy son, dear old man ?
son
my "
"
"
"
!
My
son
And who
is
then
the good and
valiant warrior-youth Fenist the bright falcon.
By
day he dwells in the sky beneath the high clouds, at night he descends to the earth as a lovely youth."
man
a-thinking if he did not take the little scarlet flower he would grieve his daughter, and if he did take it there was no knowing what sort of
Our
old
fell
;
He thought and match he would be making. thought, and at last he took the little scarlet flower, for a
it
occurred to
who was thus
him to
that
if this
be wedded
Fenist the bright falcon,
to his daughter, did not
would be possible to break the match please him, But no sooner had the strange old man given off. it
him
the little scarlet flower than
before his eyes just as
The
man
if
he vanished from
he had never met him at
scratched his head and began I don t like the look of more earnestly old
"
still
:
"
all
!
he
said,
all.
to ponder
and when he got home he gave
it
at
his elder
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
190
daughters their things, and bis youngest daughter her little scarlet flower,
little scarlet "
at all
"
!
quoth
she.
her ear
"
:
and said to her
:
"I
flower a bit,
my daughter Wherefore so vexed at it,
;
don I
like
t
don
t
thy
like it "
clear father
?
Then he stooped down and whispered in The little scarlet flower of thine is willed
has no price, and money could not buy it me away; I have married thee beforehand for it to the son of it
strange old man whom I met in the way, to And he told her every Fenist the bright falcon." the
thing that the old man had told him of his son. said the daughter "judge Grieve not, dear father "
"
!
;
my intended by the sight of thine eyes, for though he come a- fly ing, we shall love him all the And the lovely daughter shut herself up in same." not of
her
gabled chamber, put her little scarlet flower in water, opened her window, and looked forth into little
the blue distance.
Scarcely had the sun settled
down
behind the forest when, whence he came who knows, Fenist the bright falcon darted up in front of her little
He had
window.
upon the flopped
feathers like flowers, he
balustrade, fluttered into the little
down upon
lit
window,
the floor, and turned into a goodly
The damsel was
terrified, she very but the good youth took her ten derly by the hand, looked tenderly into her eyes, and
young
warrior.
nearly screamed
said:
"Fear
;
me
not,
my
destined
bride!
Every
FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON.
our marriage I will come flying to whenever thou placest in the window the little until
evening thee
;
191
appear before thee. And here is a little feather out of my little wing, and whatever thou mayest desire, go but out on the balcony and scarlet flower I
wave
this
and
feather
little
immediately
it
will
Then Fenist the bright falcon bride and fluttered out of the window
appear before kissed his
ll
thee."
And he found
great favour in her eyes, and from henceforth she placed the little scarlet flower in again.
window every evening, and so it was that when ever she placed it there the goodly warrior-youth, Fenist the bright falcon, came down to her.
the
Thus
a whole
week passed by, and Sunday came
The elder sisters decked themselves out to go church, and attired themselves in their new things,
round. to
and began O
laugh J O O at their younger said they art thou going to wear ? to
"
sister.
"
new
things at
all."
And
so I
;
she answered
stay at home." time, went out on the balcony,
nothing,
"
ll
feather in the right direction,
"
:
What
thou hast no
No,
I
have
But she bided her
waved her flowery and, whence I know not,
there appeared before her a crystal carriage and stud horses and servants in gold galloon, and they brought
her a splendid dress embroidered with precious The lovely damsel sat in the carriage, and stones. for
went
to
church.
When
she
entered the
church,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
192
7 every one looked at her, and marvelled at her beaut} Some Tsarevna or and her priceless splendour. "
come
"
our church, depend upon it the good people whispered among themselves. When the service was over, our beauty got into her carriage
has
other
to
!
and rolled home; got into the balcony, waved her flowery feather over her left shoulder, and in an instant the carriage and the servants and the rich
garments had disappeared. The sisters came home and saw her sitting beneath the little window as thou hast no idea cried they, before Oh, sister "
"
"
:
!
what a lovely lady was thinoO
marvellous to
by pen
or told in
mass
morning twas a behold, but not to be described at
this
;
tales."
Two more weeks
passed by, and two more Sundays,
and the lovely damsel threw dust people as before, and took in her
in the eyes of the sisters,
her father,
But on the last the other orthodox people. occasion, when she was taking off her finery, she for The got to take out of her hair her diamond pin. and
all
elder sisters
came from church, and began
to tell her
about the lovely Tsarevna, and as their eyes fell upon Ah little sister, her hair they cried with one voice "
:
what
is
cried
also,
thou hast got ? and ran off into her
that
the gables.
And from
!
The lovely damsel
"
little
room beneath
that time forth the sisters
began to watch the damsel, and to
listen of a
night at
FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON. her
193
room, and discovered and perceived how at Fenist the bright falcon fluttered out of her
little
dawn little
window and disappeared behind the dark woods.
And And
the sisters thought evil of their younger sister. they strewed pieces of broken glass on the win
dow-sill
dormer chamber, and
of their sister s little
stuck sharp knives and needles there, that Fenist the bright falcon when he lit down upon the window
might wound himself on the knives.
And
at night beat vainly with his wings, and beat again, but could not get through the little window, but only wounded himself
Fenist the bright falcon flew
down and
on the knives and cut and tore
his wings.
And
the
bright falcon lamented and fluttered upwards, and cried to the fair damsel Farewell, lovely damsel Thou shalt see me no more betrothed farewell, my "
:
!
!
in
thy
little
dormer chamber
of Thrice-nine,
way
thither
iron, thou
thou must find me,
is
in
Seek
me
in the land
empire of Thrice-ten. The thou must wear out slippers of
the
far,
must break fret
!
away
good maiden
to pieces a staff of cast-iron,
reins of stone, before thou canst "
!
And
at the self-same
hour
a heavy sleep fell upon the damsel, and through her sleep she heard these words yet could not awaken.
In the morning she awoke, and lo knives and needles were planted on the window-sill, and blood was trick !
ling from them.
All pale
and distraught, she wrung
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
194
her hands and cried
"
:
Lo
!
my
have de
distresses
And the same hour stroyed my darling beloved she packed up and started from the house and went "
!
to
seek her
bright-white love,
Fenist
the
shining
falcon.
The damsel went on and on through many gloomy forests, she went through many dreary morasses, she went through many barren wildernesses, and at last she came to a certain wretched little hut. She tapped at the window and cried Host and hostess, shelter "
:
An old me, a poor damse], from the dark night We crave thy woman came out upon the threshold pardon, lovely damsel Whither art thou going, lovey"
!
"
:
!
"
dovey
"
?
Alas
!
the bright falcon. find
him
middle lest
ball
"
my tell
beloved Fenist
me where
know
not,
but pray go to
she will show
tliee
the right
"
?
sister,
granny, I seek Wilt thou not I
Nay,
whithersoever
it rolls,
my
way; and
thou shouldst stray from the path, take ;
to
this little
thither will be thy
"
way
!
The lovely damsel passed the night with the old woman, and on the morrow, when she was departing, the old
woman gave
her a
little
"
gift.
Here,"
said
a silver spinning-board and a golden spindle ; thou wilt spin a spindle full of flax and draw out "
she,
is
threads of gold.
The time
will be of service to
tliee."
and followed the rolling
come when
my
gift
The damsel thanked
her,
will
ball.
Whether twere a long
FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON.
195
time or a short matters not, but the ball rolled all the way to another little hut. The damsel opened the door and the second old
woman hast
woman opened
asked her questions and said to
still
a long
way
and
to go, damsel,
light matter to find thy betrothed.
when thou comest
to
my
"
:
it
will
be no
But look now
!
elder sister she will be able
But take
to tell thee better than I can.
me for thy
The old her Thou
it.
this gift
from
a silver saucer and a golden apple. when they will be of use to thee."
journey
The time will come The damsel passed the night in the hut, and then went on further after the rolling ball she went the woods further and further, and at every through ;
step
the woods
grew blacker
arid
denser,
and the
The ball tops of the trees reached to the very sky. rolled right up to the last hut an old woman came ;
out upon the threshold and invited the lovely damsel to take shelter from the dark night. The damsel told the old
woman "
sought. the old
whither she was going and what she Thine is a bad business, my child said "
!
woman
betrothed to
thy Fenist the bright falcon is the Tsarevna over-sea, and will shortly "
;
be married to her.
When
thou gettest out of the blue sea, sit on a
wood on to the shores of the little
stone, take out thy silver spinning-board
thy golden spindle and
sit
down and
bride of Fenist the bright falcon will
spin,
and
and the
come out
to thee
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
195
and
will
take no
buy thy spindle from
thee, but tliou
must
it, only ask to see the flowery the bright falcon The damsel went on further, and the road grew lighter and lighter, and behold there was the blue sea free and bound
for
money
"
feathers of Fenist
!
!
;
less it lay before her,
the
surface
"
halls.
the
of
gleamed the
and
there, far,
sea,
bright
golden summits
Surely that
is
far
away above
a burning
as
fire,
marble palace the realm of my betrothed of the
thought the lovely dam sel, and she sat upon the little stone, took out her silver spinning-board and her golden spindle, and
which
is
visible
And
all
the sea-shore,
"
!
and drawing golden thread out of saw coming to her along a certain Tsarevna, with her nurses and
began spinning it.
from afar
flax
at once, she
her guards and her faithful servants, and she came up to her and watched her working, and began to bargain with her for her silver spinning-board and
her golden spindle.
"
I
will give
nothing, Tsarevna, only let
me
them
to
thee for
look on Fernst the
For a long time the Tsarevna bright falcon would not consent, but at last she said Very well, come and look at him. when he is lying down to rest "
!
"
:
after dinner,
and drive the
flies
away from him
"
!
And
she took from the damsel the silver spinningboard and the golden spindle and went to her terem,
made Fenist
the
bright falcon
drunk
after
dinner
FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON.
197
with a drink of ma^ic venom, and then admitted the o damsel when an unwakable slumber had overpowered *
The damsel sat behind flowed over him in streams. him.
the
"
falcon
his pillow,
and her
"
Awake,
Fenist
arise,
said she to her love
tears
"
I, thy have come to from afar I thee have lovely damsel, worn out slippers of iron, I have ground down a staff
bright
!
;
;
of steel, I have fretted
where and
all
times have
away
reins of stone; every
been seeking thee,
I
my
love."
But Fenist the bright falcon slept on, nor knew nor felt that the lovely damsel was weeping and mourn
Then the Tsarevna also came ing over him. bade them lead out the lovely damsel, and Fenist the bright falcon. said
he
to his bride,
"
I
"and
yet
have it
slept for
in,
and
awoke long,"
seemed to me as
if
some one has been here and wept and lamented over me." Surely thou hast dreamt it in thy dreams ? "
"
myself was sitting here all the time, and suffered not the flies to light on thee."
said the Tsarevna
"I
;
The next day the damsel again
sat
by the
sea,
held in her hands the silver saucer and rolled the
golden apple about on
it.
walking again, went up to "
Sell
me
and
little
The Tsarevna came out her, looked on and said,
"
"
thy toy
but an inheritance
!
;
let
My
toy
me but
is
not merchandise,
look once more on
Fenist the bright falcon, and thou shalt have it as a gift." come again in the evening, and "Very well,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
198
drive the
"
away from
flies
my
bridegroom
!
And
again she gave Fenist the bright falcon a drink of magic sleeping venom and admitted the lovely
damsel to his pillow. And the lovely damsel began to weep over her love, and at last one of the burning tears
from
fell
Fenist
the
bright
slumbers and cried,
me
"
"
?
damsel, afar.
down stone,
I
upon his cheeks. Then falcon awoke from his heavy Alas who was it who burned
her eyes "
!
"
Oh, darling of
"I,
my
desires
come
thy maiden, have
have worn out shoes of
staves of steel, I have
said the lovely
!
iron,
to
thee from
I
have worn
gnawed away wafers
and have sought thee everywhere,
of
beloved
my
!
This is the second day that I, thy damsel, have sorrowed over thee, and thou wokest not from thy slumber, nor
made answer
to
my
words
"
!
Then
only did Fenist the bright falcon know his beloved again, and was so overjoyed that words cannot tell of
it.
And
the damsel told
how her wicked
sisters
wandered from land to had bartered him
him
all
that had happened,
her, how she had and how the Tsarevna
had envied land,
for toys.
Fenist
fell
in love with
her more than ever, kissed her on her sugary mouth, and bade them set the bells a-ringing without delay,
and assemble the Boyars and the Princes and the men of every degree in the market-place. And he began to ask them,
"
Tell me,
good people, and answer
me
on the
fu filler,
ro&d orevl-iohter anc
dnd bel^ofcL!
tV>ereVa&
tt)e
and
lighter,
blue Sea P.
198.
Went on
fuvtlper,
and
e road, or ev/ lighter an& lighter, and behofd! tfyere va& tl^e blue
FEN1ST THE BRIGHT FALCON.
199
according to good sense, which bride ought I to take her who to wife and shorten the sorrow of life :
And who bought me back again ? Her who bought people declared with one voice, "
sold me, or her
the
"
And Fenist the bright falcon back again did so. They crowned him at the altar the same day thee
"
!
wedlock with the lovely damsel. The wedding was joyous and boisterous and magnificent. I also
in
and drank wine and mead, and the bumpers overflowed, and every one had his fill, and the beard was wet when the mouth was dry. was
at this wedding,
THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN. WHETHER it is a long time ago or a short time ago cannot say, but I know that once upon a time, in a certain village, dwelt a peasant who was headstrong I
and hot-tempered, and his name was Demyan. He was austere and hard and stern, always seeking an occasion to quarrel, and dealing hardly with whom soever he
out.
fell
Whatever any one said or did
He him, he was always ready with his fists. would invite a neighbour to be his guest, for instance, to
and force him
the neighbour hung back a bit for bashfulness or courtesy, our peasant would pitch into
to eat,
him
and
at once
if
and
"
cry,
In a strange house
"
obey thy host
!
what happened one day. A smart, sturdy young fellow came to little Demyan as a guest, and our peasant regaled him finely, and filled
Now
this
is
the table with
meat and drink.
pulled everything towards
The young
fellow
himself, dish after dish,
THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN.
201
munched away in silence with both cheeks crammed full. Our peasant stared and stared, and and
he took
at last
off his cloak
"
himself,
He
is
"
said,
Take
off
thy
But he thought to and then I ll show him "
and put on
blouse,
and
cloak
my
sure to refuse,
!
But the youth put on the cloak, tied something it round with his Well, girdle, bowed low and said, I dare not I thank thee for thy gift. little father "
!
"
!
refuse, for in
house one must obey the
a strange
host."
The host was furious he wanted to pick a quarrel with him now at any price, so he ran into the stable, ;
got
out his
best
horse,
and
said
the
to
youth,
Here, mount my Nothing is too good for thee as take it thine own But he and horse, away "
!
"
!
He ll be sure to refuse, and then I ll teach thought, In a him a lesson." But the youth again said, Only strange house we must always obey the host "
"
"
!
when he was the peasant
fairly
mounted did he turn round
Demyan and
"
cry,
Farewell,
to
mine host
!
Nobody pushed thee, but thou didst fall into the ditch of thine own self and he trotted out of the "
!
courtyard right away. But the host looked after him, shook his head, and "
said,
The scythe has struck upon a stone 1
/.
e.
I
ve met
my match
at last.
"
!
l
THE ENCHANTED RING. IN a certain kingdom in a certain empire, there lived, once upon a time, an old man and an old
woman, and they had a son called little Martin. Time went on, the old man fell ill and died, and though he had worked hard all his days, the only inheritance he left behind him was two hundred rubles.
1
The
old
woman
did not want to waste this
money, but what was to be done? There was nothing to eat, so she had to have recourse to the pot con
The old woman counted out taining the patrimony. a hundred rubles, and sent her son to town to buy So Martin the provision of bread for a whole year. widow s son went to town. He went past the meat market, and saw crowds of people gathered together, and his ears were deafened by the din and noise and racket.
Little Martin
throng o and
went into the midst of the
a saw that the butchers had caught o 1
Twenty pounds.
THE ENCHANTED and had fastened
terrier,
RING. a
to
it
203
and were
post,
Little Martin
was sorry
for beating unmercifully. the poor dog, and said to the butchers, "My brothers! why do you beat the poor dog so unmercifully ? it
"
should we not beat him, when he has spoiled a whole quarter of beef?" "Yet, beat him not, my "
Why
brothers
him "
!
you
if
T were better like then
"
!
to sell
him
to
me
"
"
Buy
!
said the butchers, mockingly,
but for such a treasure as that we could not take
less
than a hundred
"
rubles."
Well, one hundred "
rubles little
only one hundred rubles after all replied Martin, and he drew out the money and gave is
!
1 But the dog o s name was Jurka. Martin then went home, and his mother asked him,
it
the
for
"What
do^. o
hast thou
bought Jurka
"
bought
"
!
replied
"
?
her
son.
a-scolding him, and reproached
thou not ashamed
Soon we
?
Why
His
him
I
look,
have
mother "
bitterly
shall not
have
:
fell
Art
a morsel
and thou hast gone and thrown away so much The next day the old money on a pagan dog." woman sent her son into the town again, and said to
to eat,
"
him,
Now
there
is
our last
one hundred rubles,
buy with
it To-day I will collect provision of bread. and bake us meal-tub of the the together scrapings fritters, but to-morrow there will not even be that "
!
Little
Martin got to town 1
and walked along the
Growler.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
204
and looked about him, and he saw a boy who had fastened a cord round a cat s neck and was streets
drown
to
off
it
dragging
"
"
it.
Stop
shrieked
!
thou dragging Vaska ? 1 to be drowned Why, what "
Martin,
art
"whither
am
dragging him has he done ?
off
"
stolen a whole sell
him
to
"
!
"
oh
after all
Vaska
took
he
my Why the
"
;
son?"
cat
here
from
?
the
boy. asked his mother
Vaska
"
"
take the
!
Well, perhaps there
s
"
"
!
And
some money
and then we can buy something else."- "Oh, what a fool thou art screeched the old
still left,
oh,
far better
"
!
when he got home. what besides
has
Til take nothing less than one Well, one hundred rubles is
hast thou bought,
"What
He
rascal.
drown him,
"Don t
goose."
And
"
a great
is
hundred rubles
only one
"
!
He
me!"-
hundred rubles
money
"I
"
"
!
!
woman.
"
Go out
of the house this instant
and beg
"
thy bread from the stranger Martin dared not gainsay his mother, so he took Jurka and Vaska with him and went into the neigho !
bouring village to seek work. rich farmer. "
I ic
want
Come
And
there
Whither art thou o going o
"
met him
a
"
?
said he.
myself out as a day-labourer."then. I take labourers without any
to hire
to
me
contract, but
if
shalt not lose
by
thou serve it."
me
well for a year thou
Martin agreed, and 1
Pussy.
for a
whole
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
205
The he worked for this farmer without ceasing time of; payment came round. The farmer led Martin into the barn, "Take
showed him two
which thou That
"
some trickery
s
sacks, and said,
Martin looked; in one of in the other sand, and he thought
wilt."
the sacks was riches, to himself,
full
not done without a reason
here.
I
no
doubt."
ll
take the sand
;
there
s
something So Martin put the sack of sand on his: back, and went to seek another place. He went on and on, and strayed into a dark and will
come. of
it
In the midst of the
dreary wood.
and on the
;
wood was
a
field,
was burning, and in the fire a and it was such a lovely maiden
field a fire
maiden was
sitting
;
was a delight to look at her. And the Beauty Martin the widow s son, if thou wishest said to him, that
it
"
to find happiness,
save me.
Extinguish this flame
with the sand which thou hast gotten for thy faithful "
Well,
really," thought Martin, "why on go dragging this load about on my shoulders ? Far better to help a body with So
service."
should
I
it."
he undid his sack and emptied
The
the sand on the
all
immediately went out, but the lovely damsel turned into a serpent, bounded on to the
fire.
fire
good youth, wound itself round his Fear me not, Martin the widow s neck, and said,
bosom
of the
"
son.
Go
boldly into
the land
the underground realm where
of
my
Th rice-ten,
into
dear father rules.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
206
Only mark this he will offer thee lots of gold and silver and precious stones thou, however, must take none of them, but beg him for the little ring off his That ring is no common ring if thou little finger. ;
;
;
move
from one hand
it
to the other twelve
young
heroes will immediately appear, and whatever thou dost bid them do they will do it in a single night." Then the young man set out on his long, long journey, whether twere a long time or a short I know not, but at last he drew nigh to the kingdom of Thriceten, and came to a place where a huge stone lay
Here the snake leaped from his on the damp ground, and turned into the
across the way.
neck,
lit
former lovely damsel. Martin, and showed
"Follow
him
a
me,"
said
she to
hole beneath the
little
For a long time they went through this stone. underground way, and came into a wide plain beneath and in this plain a castle was built the open sky ;
entirely of porphyry, with a roof of golden fish-scales,
with sharp- pointed golden pinnacles. That s where my father lives, the Tsar of this underground region," "
said the lovely damsel to Martin.
The wanderers entered the castle, and the Tsar met them kindly and made them welcome. My dear "
daughter,"
expect
to
said he to the lovely damsel, see thee
knocking about
here.
Where "
all
these years
"
?
"
I
did not
hast
thou
Dear
father,
been
and
THE ENCHANTED RING. light of
eyes, I should
my
have been
207
lost altogether
but for this good youth, who saved me from an unavoidable death The Tsar turned, looked with a "
!
friendly eye at Martin,
and said
to
"
him,
I
thank
am
ready to reward thee for thy Take of my good deeds with whatever thou desirest. I
good youth.
thee,
gold and silver and precious stones as soul longs
"
I
for."
much
as
thank thee, Sovereign Tsar,
thy for
But I want no precious stones, thy good words. nor silver, nor gold but if thou of thy royal grace and favour would indeed reward me, then give me, T ;
pray, the ring from the little finger of thy royal hand.
Whenever but
if
I will
look upon that ring I ll think of thee ever I meet with a bride after mine own heart
give
I
it
;
to
the ring, gave
The Tsar immediately took off Martin, and said, By all means,
her."
it
"
to
good youth, take the ring, and may it be to thy But mark this one thing tell no one that health :
!
this ring of thine is
no common
thy hurt and harm Martin the widow
ring, or it will be to
"
!
s
son thanked the
Tsar and
took the ring, and returned by the same way through which he had reached the underground realm. He
sought out his old widowed mother, and lived and dwelt with her with Yet for all the good life he out either want or care.
returned to
led,
his
native
place,
Martin seemed sorrowful
;
and why should he
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
208
not
?
Martin wanted
for
choice
was not
to
many, and
his like in birth, for she
So he consulted
daughter.
the bride of his
his mother,
away as his matchmaker, and said to the King himself, and woo for me the Alas
"
Princess." "
!
my
dear
son,"
twould be far better for thee
thine
1
own wood.
How can for thee
But what
was a king
s
and sent her
Go
"
her,
to
thrice-lovely
said his old mother,
wert to chop thou thinking of ?
if tliou
art
the Kino; o and ask him for his daughter o Twould be as much as thy head and my
I o sjo to ?
head were
"
worth."
Fear not, dear mother
!
If I
And mind thou send thee, thou mayest go boldly. not come dost back from the Kino; o without an answer."
woman
So the old
the royal She went into the royal courtyard, and with palace. out boing announced she went right up to the very staircase of the
King.
dragged herself
to
The guards shook
their
arms
nobody was allowed to go there, trouble her head about that one bit,
at her as a sign that
but she didn
t
but kept on creeping up. Then all the royal lacqueys came running up, and took the old woman under the
arms and would have quite gently led her down again; but the old woman made such a to-do and loudly that it pierced through everything, and the King himself in his lofty carved
fell
a-shrieking
1
so
/. e.
go about thine own errand.
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
209
palace heard the noise, and looked out of his little window into the courtyard, and saw his servants dragging an old woman down the staircase, and pre
venting her from entering the royal apartments, while the old woman was resisting and shrieking with all I won t I have come to the her might. go out "
!
The King commanded King on a good errand them to admit the old woman. The old woman "
!
entered the carved palace, and saw sitting in the front corner, on the high carved throne, on cushions of
purple velvet, the King in state, holding a council in The the midst of his grandees and his councillors. 1 old woman invoked the aid of the holy ikons, and
bowed very low
words
I
maker!"
cried the "
frown.
angry wares chaser of
woman ?
What
"
hast thou
asked the King. Now, lo I have come to your Majesty be not wroth at my
to say, old I
"
before the King.
"
!
have come to your Majesty as a match "Art thou in thy senses, old woman?" King, and his brow was wrinkled with a pray do not be Nay, father-king !
;
pray give
me an
a little daughter, a beauty
a
young man,
You have
answer. ;
I
the
have the pur
so wise, so cunning, a master
every trade, so that you could not find a better
me, therefore, straight out, won t The King you give your daughter to my son ? son-in-law.
Tell
"
1
Pictures of the Saints.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
210
listened
and listened
the old woman, and at
to.
first
frown was blacker than night, but he thought to Does it become me, a king, to be wroth himself,
his
"
woman
And
"
the royal councillors were amazed, for they saw the wrinkles on the King s forehead smoothing out, and the King looked at the
with a
old
silly
old
woman with
?
"
a smile.
If
and a master of every trade,
thy son
let
is
so cunning,
him build me within
twenty-four hours a palace more gorgeous than
my
own, and let him hang a crystal bridge between this palace and my palace, and let luxuriant apple trees
grow up all along this bridge, and let them bear silver and golden pippins, and let birds of paradise sing within these apple
And on
trees.
of this crystal bridge let
him
the right-hand side build a cathedral five
storeys high, with golden pinnacles, where he receive
the
wedding crown with
my
may
daughter, and
where the marriage may be celebrated. But if thy son fulfil not all this, then for thy and his pre sumption I will have -you both smeared with tar and rolled in feathers and down, and hanged up in cages in the market-place as a laughing-stock to
And
the
good
people."
still
more pleasantly,
councillors
held
their
King condescended to smile and his grandees and his
sides,
and
rolled
about the
and they began with one voice to wisdom and thought amongst themselves.
floor for laughter,
praise his
all
THE ENCHANTED "
What
fun
RING.
be to see the old
it will
211
woman and
her
son hung up in cages Tis as plain as daylight a beard will sooner grow out of the palm of his hand !
;
than he be able to accomplish so shrewd a task." The poor old woman was near to swooning. What "
"
!
said
she to the King,
word
?
Is this
what
thus must thou say
I
"is
this
must say
thy to
final
son
my
sovereign "
"
Yes,
?
he accomplish this task, I will give him my daughter if he does not accomplish it, I will put you both into cages." :
if
;
The poor
old
woman went home more
She staggered from
dead.
floods of scalding tears.
began screeching thee,
my
son, to
side
When
alive
to side,
than
and shed
she saw Martin, she
him from afar. Did not I tell go and chop thine own wood ? Now at
"
thou seest that our poor little heads are lost." And she told her son all about it, Cheer up, mother," "
"
said
little
Martin,
pray to
God and
down
lie
to
morning is always wiser than the evening." himself went out of the hut, took his little
sleep, the
But
lie t
and put
on the other, and the twelve youths immediately appeared before him and He told them of What dost thou require ? said,
ring from one hand
"
"
the
royal
it
task,
and the twelve youths answered,
To-niorrow, everything will be ready." The King awoke next morning, and lo right in front of his palace towered another palace, and a "
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
212
crystal bridge led
from one to the other.
Along the sides of the bridge stood luxuriant apple trees, and upon them hung golden pippins, and birds of paradise and on the right hand of were singing in the trees ;
bridge, blazing like fire in the sun, stood the cathedral with its golden pinnacles and the bells
the
;
of the
were ringing and pealing in The King had to keep his word.
cathedral
directions.
him a
raised his son-in-law high in rank, gave
inheritance with
his
all
He rich
daughter, and he took her to
Great was the wedding-feast. The wine flowed wife. in streams, and they drank of mead and beer till they could drink no more.
So Martin lived in his palace, and he ate of the best and drank of the best, and his life went as
smoothly as cheese with butter. But the Princess did not love him at heart, and when she reflected that they had not married her to the son of a tsar, or the son of a king, or even to a prince from across
the sea, but to simple Martin the
wrath waxed hot within her.
And
widow s she
what means she might best rid husband she hated. So she took care
fell
flatter
a-thinking of a
herself
.by
and
son, her
to caress him,
him, and waited upon him
herself,
and
made him comfortable, and when they were quite alone she would ask him what it was that made him And it happened one day that so wise and clever.
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
213
when he had been the King s guest, and had drunk and made merry with all his lords one after another, and had returned home and laid him down to rest, that the Princess came to him and caressed him, and coaxed him with wheedling words, and made him drunk with strong mead, and in that way found out what she wanted to know, for Martin told her all about his enchanted ring, and showed her how to
And no
sooner was
Martin asleep and snoring, than the Princess took off the enchanted ring from his little finger, went forth into the broad turn
it.
courtyard,
moved
the
little
ring from one finger to the
and the twelve youths immediately appeared What is thy pleasure, and what is thy
other,
"
before her.
That to-morrow morning there may be neither palace, nor bridge, nor cathedral on this spot, "
desire
"
?
but only a wretched this
drunkard into
into the
Empire
of
hut as heretofore, and cast but remove me far from him
little
it,
"
Thrice-ten."
It shall
be
done,"
replied the twelve youths with one voice. In the morning, when the King awoke, he
felt
go and pay a visit to his son-in-law and his daughter, so he went out upon the balcony,
inclined
to
and
there
lo
!
cathedral, nor
wretched old
was neither
palace, nor
bridge, nor
In place of them stood a garden. hut, leaning on one side, and scarce
able to stand at
all.
The King sent
for his son-in-law,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
214
and began asking him what it all meant but little Martin could only stare blankly at him without ;
And
King bade them sit in son-in-law for deceiving him by
uttering a word.
judgment on his magic, and destroying
the
his daughter, the thrice-lovely
and they condemned Martin to be put on the top of a lofty stone column with nothing to eat there he was to be left to die of hunger. or drink Princess,
;
Then it was that Jurka and Vaska remembered how little Martin had saved them from an evil death, and they came and laid their heads together about it. Jurka growled and snarled, and was ready to tear every one to
master
bits, for his
s
sake
;
but Vaska
purred and hummed and scratched himself behind the ear with his velvet paw, and began to think the
And
matter over. said to Jurka,
and as soon head,
as
you run between
his head,
and
seize the rolls,
said
the artful cat hit upon a plan, and Let us go for a walk about the town, we meet a roll-baker with a tin on his
"
his legs
and knock the
tin off
be close behind and immediately and take them to master." Xo sooner I ll
than done.
Jurka and the cat took a run into
the town, and they
met
a roll-baker.
He was
carrying
him on all Hot rolls, hot
a tin on his head, and he looked about
and
rolls,
with a loud voice, Jurka ran between his fresh from the oven
legs,
the baker stumbled, the tin
sides
"
cried
"
!
fell,
and
all
the rolls
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
215
But while the angry baker was Vaska hid all the rolls in the chasing Jurka, hedges. Then the cat and Jurka ran to the tower where were scattered about.
Martin was placed, dragged with them the stores of bread, and Vaska scrambled up to the top, looked in at the
eh
little "
window, called to Scarcely alive
?
am
his master,
"
"
!
and
"
said,
replied little Martin
quite exhausted from want of food, and
be long before I die of a bit, and
we
ll
feed
"
hunger."
you,"
Alive,
Don
t
"
I
;
it will
grieve
;
not
wait
and he began to rolls and cakes, and
said Vaska,
drag the food up from below all kinds of bread, till he had dragged up for his Then he said, master a large store. Master, Jurka "
go to the kingdom of Thrice-ten, and Take care to get you back your enchanted ring. make the bread last till we return." Then they both took leave of their master, and departed on their long
and
I
will
journey.
They ran on and on, and they smelt out the scent everywhere and followed it paid great attention to what people told them carefully made friends with ;
;
all
the other dogs and cats they
Princess,
and found out
met
;
asked about the
at last that they were not
from the kingdom of Thrice-ten, whither she had told the twelve youths to carry her. They ran far
kingdom, went to the palace, and made friends with all the dogs and cats there, asked them
into the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
216
ways, and turned the con but versation to the subject of the enchanted ring no one could give them certain information about it. all
about the Princess
s
;
But one day in the
it
royal
happened that Vaska went a-hunting There he waylaid a big
cellars.
mouse, threw himself upon into
and was going
it,
the big
don
mouse spoke
hurt me, don
t
service to you. kill
I
cruel
claws
to begin with its head,
when
do
me.
all I
his
dug
it,
him
to
t kill
ll
"
:
Dear
little
Perhaps
I
you
;
but this
palace dwells
master
may But
can for you.
be of
if
you
all
"
pieces/
Vaska,
my mousey tsardom will I ll spare Very well," said Vaska the service you must do me. In this
me, the Mouse-Tsar,
fall to
fat
"
;
is
the Princess, the wicked wife of our
she has stolen from
him
his
wonder-working I will not let you me that have you got ring, ring out of my claws under any pretence whatever." ;
;
till
"
Agreed,"
piped
said the Mouse-Tsar,
and whistled
all
his
countless multitude of mice
"I
ll
people
try";
and he
together.
A
assembled, both small
great, and they sat all round the cat Vaska, and waited to hear what the Mouse-Tsar would say to them from beneath Vaska s claws. And the Mouse-
and
Tsar said to them
Whichever of you shall get the wonder-working ring from the Princess, he will save me from a cruel death, and I will raise him to "
:
the highest place about
my
person."
Then
a little
THE ENCHANTED mouse
up and said
rose
Princess
:
217
have often been
"I
bed-chamber, and
s
RING.
I
ve noticed
in the
that
the
eye rests more often on a certain little ring than on anything else. In the daytime she wears it
Princess
on her
s
little
finger,
mouth behind her you that Princess
s
ring."
but at night she
stuffs it into her
you wait a bit, I ll get And the little mouse ran into the cheeks.
If
bed-chamber and waited
till
night, and as
soon as ever the Princess was asleep, it wriggled into her bed, picked the down out of her swan-feathered
and strewed
bolster, fine
it all
down went up the
The
about under her nose.
Princess
s
nose and into her
mouth, she sprang up and began to sneeze and cough, and spat out the enchanted ring on to the counter pane.
The
and ran
off
little
mouse immediately snatched
with
it
to
save the
life
of the
it
up,
Mouse-
Tsar.
Vaska and Jurka
bring their master Whether they took a long the wonder-working ring. time or a short time matters not, but they arrived at set
off
to
tower in which Martin was put to die from starvation. The cat immediately climbed up
last,
and ran
to the alive,
to the
window, and called to Martin the widow s son
"
its "
?
master, "
I
am
Art thou
scarce able
This is the third keep body and soul together. without here bread." I been Well, day have sitting
to
"
thy woes are over now.
There
will
be a feast in
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
218
your
now
street
l ;
we have brought you your
ring."
Martin was overjoyed, and began to stroke the cat, and the cat rubbed itself against him, and began
own
but songs through its nose at the bottom of the tower Jurka was leaping and its
purring
little
;
whining and barking for joy, and leaping high in the air. Martin took the ring and turned it from one
hand
to the other.
What
"
appeared
:
command
The twelve youths immediately thy pleasure, and what thy
is
1
"Give
?"
me
to eat
and drink
till
I
can
and drink no more, and let cunning music be played on the top of this tower to me all day." eat
When
music
the
hastened to
began to play, the good folks the King, and told him that little Martin
He ought was up to no good in the tower there. to have ceased to be among the living long ago," they said, and yet he is having such a merry time of "
"
They are stamping with their feet, and knocking their plates, and clashing their glasses, and such splendid music is playing, that The King sent an you can t help listening to it
on the top of the tower.
it."
express messenger to the tower, and there he stood and listened to the music the King sent his highest ;
officer, and there they opened wide their ears.
remained standing, and The King himself went to
all
the tower, arid the music seemed to turn him into a 1
7.
e.
It will be
your turn
to
triumph now.
THE ENCHANTED RING. Bat
219
Martin again called his twelve Restore my old palace, youths, and said to them, as it was before throw a crystal bridge across from statue.
little
"
;
the former five-storeyed cathedral stand by the side of the palace and let my And faithless wife also be found in the palace." it
to the royal
palace
;
let
;
was yet expressing the wish, the whole And he went out of the tower, thing was done. took his father-in-law the King by the hand, led him while he
into the palace, led
him up to the sleeping- chamber, in fear and trembling, awaited an
where the Princess, evil death, and said
to
the King,
"
My
dear
little
and anguish has with befallen me from living thy daughter what shall we sentence her to ? My dear son-in-law, let father-in-law, a great deal of trouble
;
"
"
exhort her with good words, and live with her as heretofore." And Martin
mercy
prevail over justice
;
listened to his father-in-law, upbraided his wife for
her treachery, and to the end of his life he never and parted with the ring, nor with Jurka and Vaska,
saw no more misery.
THE BRAVE LABOURER. A YOUNG The
fellow entered the service of
him
a miller.
throw grain on the scoop, but the labourer, not knowing how to set about it, went and strewed the wheat on the mill-stone. The sent
miller
to
mill-wheel went round, and about.
The
the grain was scattered master miller, when he came to the mill,
workman about The workman went home and thought
and saw the scattered his business.
to himself, at the
all
"
Well,
I
grain, sent the
haven
t
been very long working
So he went on
way thinking to himself, and so he missed the way to his own village. He strayed among the bushes, and w andered and mill."
his
r
wandered about stream
stood
till
he came to a stream, and on the
an empty
mill,
and in
this
mill he
resolved to pass the night.
The dumb midnight hour approached could not
sleep
in
the
empty
mill
every rustling sound, and suddenly
;
it
;
the labourer
he listened
to
was as though
THE BRAVE LABOURER.
221
he heard some one approaching the mill. The poor more dead than alive, and hid up
labourer started
himself in the scoop.
Three
men
entered the mill.
Judging from their appearance they were no good people, but robbers. They lit a fire in the mill, and began to divide amongst themselves a rich booty. And one of the robbers said to the others, cc I will lay
my "
portion underneath the
111 shove
mill."
mine underneath the
The second
said,
But the
third
wheel."
But our goods in the scoop." labourer was lying in the scoop, and he thought, No man can die twice, but every man must die once. I "
I ll
said,
my
conceal
"
wonder now
can frighten them..* he roared at the top of his voice
And
Let us
if I
come down there
;
try."
"
Denis, you and you, Phocas, look on that one, look there, and I ll be here. :
and you, little Stop them, don t let them go, and beat them without The robbers were terrified, threw down mercy."
side
;
their booty, took to their heels straightway,
labourer took their booty and returned
than
rich.
and the
home
richer
THE SAGE DAMSEL. AN
man and an
old
old
woman
and
died,
left
behind them a son young in years, who was rich neither in wits nor goods. His uncle took him home,
gave him to eat and drink, and when he grew up sent him to watch the sheep. And one day he sent for his kinsman and resolved to test his wits so he said ;
him Here thou hast a flock them to market and make profit out "
to
of sheep,
:
of
them
drive
in such
that both thou and the sheep shall get fat upon it, and the sheep be all brought back whole, and
a
way
yet "
all,
to the very last one, be sold for
How
is
that
to
orphan, who drove
by
the roadside, and
be
ready
money."
"
managed
?
thought
the sheep into the open fell
a-thinking. that way, and she said to
passed by art thou thinking, good youth ? Why should I not be thinking
A
field,
the sat
lovely damsel
him
"
:
Of what
"
"
My grandfather has taken a spite at last against me, a poor orphan he has given me a task to do, and cudgel my brains ?
;
as I
may
I
cannot see
how
it is
to be
done."
THE SAGE DAMSEL. "
"
What
223
"
task has he given thee ? he says, Go to market, drive Well, look here ;
make
those sheep thither and but so that thou and
the
a profit out of them,
sheep
shall
grow
fat
upon it, and the sheep be brought back whole, all down to the last one, and yet be sold for ready );
money/ "Well,
damsel.
and
s no very tricky task," replied the Shear the sheep, take the fleeces to market them, then thou wilt make a profit out of
that
"
sell
them, and the sheep will remain whole, and thou wilt be able to feed thyself on the profits."
The youth thanked the damsel and did
He
as she said.
sheared the sheep, sold their fleeces at the market, home the flock, arid gave the money he had
drove
made out
of
them
to his
uncle.
"Good,"
said the
uncle to the nephew but I am sure thou didst not work this out with thine own wits, eh ? Didn t "
;
some one
The youth con it by Well, my own but a damsel came and wits, lovely by taught thou must take this Well, then, sage young damsel
fessed
or other teach
"
I
:
it
thee
"
?
certainly did not do
me."
"
Twill be a very good thing for thee, for here art thou an orphan with neither stick nor stone
to wife.
of thy own, "
either
!
nephew render
"
to
me
and nothing much in the way of wits I don t mind if I do marry her," said the his uncle. All right, but thou must "
this
one service.
Take corn
to
town
to the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
224
According as thou dost
bazaar.
wed
I ll
again,
thee to this
sell
and return
it
damsel."
So the nephew went to town to sell the uncle s corn, and on the way he met a rich miller. Why "
art thou off to
town
"
?
to the bazaar to sell
go to town
said the miller.
uncle
my
together."
s
corn."
and the orphan in his
gray mare.
I
am
going
we ll
"Then
So they went along the road
together, the miller in his gig with his horse,
"
They encamped
little
side
plump brown
cart with his thin
by
side in the
to pass the night there, took out the horses,
field
themselves lay
down
to sleep.
And
it
open and
happened that
The self-same night the gray mare dropped a foal. rich miller woke earlier than the orphan, saw the foal, his gig. When the orphan awoke a hot dispute arose between them. The orphan is my foal, because my mare dropped said The covetous miller said No, tis mine, because thy
and drove him beneath
:
"It
it."
"
:
mare dropped it beneath my and wrangled till they resolved
They wrangled go to law about it, and when they arrived in town they went to the And the judge court to fight the matter out there. said to
them
"
:
gig."
to
In our town we have introduced this
custom into the tribunals, that whoever wants to go to law must first of all guess four riddles. So tell
me now
what
:
what
is
what
is
the strongest and swiftest thing o o in
the fattest thing in the world the softest, and what the sweetest of
the world
;
is
;
and "
all ?
THE SAGE DAMSEL. The judge gave them three days
225
to guess,
and said
:
you guess my riddles, I will judge betwixt you according to law but if not, don t be angry if I drive "
If
;
you away." The rich miller went
to his
and
wife
her
told
the matter stood, and what riddles the judge All thy riddles are but had given him to guess.
how
"
if they ask simple ones/ replied the miller s wife thee what is the strongest and swiftest thing in the world, tell them that my father has a dark-brown "
;
horse so strong and nimble that it can run down a And if they ask thee what is the fattest thing hare. in the world, dost thou not know that in our stall we are fattening
up
a two-year-old boar,
very legs won the third riddle, what as for
so fat that his
And
in the world,
why
it s
;
that.
And
if
:
getting
him up
?
the softest thing quite plain that that s a down
they ask thee what
in the world, say
s
is
thou canst not imagine anything
pillow
man
and he
t be able to hold
Why, what
have than the wife of his
softer
than
the sweetest thing sweeter thing can a is
bosom
?
But the orphan went out of the town into the fields and sat by the roadside and racked his brain. He sat and thought of his misery and along the road, close to ;
him, passed the self-same lovely damsel. thou so racking thy brains again, good
"
Why
art
youth?"
look here, the judge has given me four such "Why, riddles to guess that I shall never be able to guess
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
226
them
my
all
days,"
and
told the damsel all about
lie
The damsel laughed, and
it.
the judge and say swiftest
to
thing in the
said to
him
"
:
Go
to
him, that the strongest and world is the wind that the ;
fattest of all is the earth, for she feeds everything that
and grows upon her the softest of all is the palm of the hand, for however soft a man may lie he always puts his hand beneath his head and there s lives
;
;
nothing sweeter in the whole world than poor orphan bowed damsel, and said to her
sleep."
The
to the very girdle to the
little
thank
"
I
:
of maidens, for thou hast snatched
thee,
me
thou sagest
from very
ruin."
When
the three days had passed, the miller and the orphan appeared in court, and told the court the
answers to the riddles.
Now
the Tsar chanced to be
on the bench at that time, and the answers of the
orphan so pleased him that he ordered that the cause between them should be given in his favour, and that the
miller
be driven with shame from the
should
After that the Tsar said to the orphan Didst thou hit upon these answers thyself, or did some one else tell thee ? To tell the truth, they are not my own the lovely damsel taught me these court.
:
"
"
"-
;
answers."
"She
has
indeed must she be.
name that
if
appear before horseback,
taught thee well too, sage Go to her and tell her in my
she be so wise and sensible she must
me to-morrow
:
neither on foot nor on
neither naked nor clothed,
and with a
THE SAGE DAMSEL. present in her band that this
plish
will
I
no
is
227 If she
gift.
reward her as
accom
becomes a Tsar,
and make her higher than the highest." Again the orphan went out of the town, and again he fell a-fretting, and he said to himself: Why, I don t even "
know how and have no damsel
;
idea where to find this lovely sort of a task is this that I am bidden
what
to give her
No
"
?
sooner had he thought this than
the sage and lovely damsel again passed by that way. The orphan told her how his guesses had pleased the Tsar,
and how he wanted
to see the damsel
himself
and have proof of her wisdom, and how he had The damsel thought a bit, promised to reward her. and then said to the orphan Fetch me a long"
:
bearded billy-goat, and a big net for catching
and catch ing we
ll
me
a pair of sparrows.
meet
here,
and
if
I
fish,
To-morrow morn
get a reward from the
equally with thee." The orphan carried out the orders of the damsel, and waited for her next morning at the roadside.
Tsar, I
ll
share
it
The damsel appeared, stripped
wound
off her sarafan, 1
and
herself in the long fishing-net from head to
then she sat on the goat, took a sparrow in each hand, and bade the orphan lead the way to town. foot
;
The young man brought her to the Tsar she bowed low to the Tsar and said
at court,
:
sovereign Tsar 1
!
I
come
A long
to thee neither
dress without sleeves.
and
"
Behold,
on foot nor
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
228
on horseback, neither naked nor clothed, and I have brought a present in my hand which is no gift." "
Where
"
it ?
is
asked the Tsar.
Here
"
"
!
and she
gave the Tsar- the live sparrows, and he was about to take them from her hands when the sparrows wriggled out and flew away. the Tsar, I see Well," said thou canst vie even with me in wit.- Stay at my court, and look after my children, and I ll give thee a "
rich recompense." I
"
"
Nay,
my sovereign lord and
Tsar,
cannot accept thy gracious favour I have promised good youth to share my reward with him for his ;
this
Look now
thou art witty and wise but in this matter thy head is turned, and thou dost not judge according to reason. I offer thee a high "
services."
!
;
and honourable place with a great recompense why then canst thou not share this reward with this ;
But how can youth ? thou sage damsel ? Why "
"
I
share
if this
it
then
"
?
How,
good youth be dear
marry him for honour and recompense, and labour and sorrow and bright-faced joy are shared by to thee,
;
husband and wife half and wise, I
no
see,
longer,"
(C half."
and
sovereign Tsar, said the lovely damsel.
Thou
too art
gainsay thee So she took the
I ll
orphan for her husband, and though the orphan had no very great mind, his heart was simple and good,
and
he
lived
with
his
sage
contentment and happiness.
wife
all
his
life
in
THE PBOPHETIC DREAM. THERE was once upon had two
a time a merchant,
Dmitry and Ivan.
sons,
bade his sons good -night, sent said
to
them
"
to
your dreams, and whichever of you hides tell
good thing will dear father, that
"
;
"Well,
thetti off to bed,
me
you
and
see in
to-iiiorrow morning,
dream from me, no
his
In the morning the
him."
to his father
and said:
dreamed,
"I
brother Ivan flew high into the said the Very good eagles."
my
sky on twenty father
all
befall
came
eldest son
it
lie
Once the father
children, whatever
Now,
:
and
"
"
!
and what didst thou dream, Yania
such rubbish, father, that
What
it
is
"
J
?
impossible to
mean ? No, Speak I ll not "No, Speak, sir, when I bid thee!" The father was very angry I won t speak, I won with his youngest son, and resolved to punish him tell
it.""
dost thou
"
"
!
"
!"
t."
for his disobedience, so 1
The
he sent
for his overseers
short of Ivan, like Jack from John.
and
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
230
bade them strip Ivan naked and
tie
him
to a post at
the crossways as tightly as possible. No sooner said than done. The overseers seized hold of him, dragged
him
far, far
away from home
where
to the crossways,
seven roads crossed, tied him by the hands and feet to the post, and left him alone to his fate. The poor youth fared very badly. The sun scorched him, the gnats and flies sucked his blood, hunger and thirst tortured him. Fortunately for -Ivan, a young Tsarevich happened to be going along one of these seven roads
he saw the merchant
;
on him, and bade his post, dressed
him
son,
own clothes, and saved him The Tsarevich took Ivan to his
in his
from a cruel death.
gave him to eat and drink, and asked him who
court,
had
had compassion attendants untie him from the s
tied
him
angry with
to the post.
"
"And
My
own
who was
father,
wherefore,
Surely pray? "Well, in fact, I would thy fault was not small?" not obey him I would not tell him what I saw in And for such a trifle as that he my dreams."me."
;
"
condemned thee
to
so
cruel
a
punishment villain But surely he has outgrown his wits what then didst thou see in thy dream ? !
/
The But
!
!
<^/
"
saw
"
what
I
"What!
evich
?
cannot even
Not
What
I
unto thee,
"
Tsarevich
!
tell me? me, the Tsar saved thee from a cruel death, and
tell? !
tell
I
thou wilt not do this
Not
trifle for
me
in return
?
Speak
THE PROPHETIC DREAM. or
immediately, "
Nay, Tsarevicli
told
my
father,
will not be well with thee
it
and
I
ll
not
word.
my
stick to
I
!
231
tell
I
"
!
haven
t
The Tsar-
thee."
evich boiled over with unspeakable rage, and shrieked to his servants and attendants, Hi my faithful "
!
servants, take this good-for-nothing boor, put heavy irons on his hands, weld grievous fetters to his legs,
and
him
The servants deep dungeon did not think twice about their master s commands cast
into
"
my
!
;
Ivan the
seized
they hands and feet with
merchant
fetters,
slave in the stone sack.
A
s
loaded
sou,
his
and put him as God s little and a long time
passed by, and the Tsarevich thought of marrying the thrice- wise Helena, the first maiden in the whole earth for beauty and wisdom, so he
went into the strange country thrice-wise Helena. after
Now
he had
gone, his the garden
far
made ready and
away
to
marry
this
happened that the day sister the Tsarevna went it
by the very same dungeon in which Ivan the merchant s son had been He saw the Tsarevna through the little grated put. in
walking
hard
window, and cried to her with a lamentable voice Dear mother Tsarevna, thy brother will never be :
"
without
married
my
answered the Tsarevna.
added
"
help."
Who
art
thou
"
?
Ivan named his name and
Tsarevna, of suppose thou hast heard, the trickeries and the cunning wiles of the thrice"
:
I
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
232
wise Helena
I
?
have heard not once nor twice that
she has expedited many wooers into another world believe me that thy brother also will not be able to ;
marry her without me
"Able
?
And
thou art able to help and willing, but the falcon s "
"
the Tsarevich
wings
"
!
bound, and no way for him is found." Tsarevna bade them release Ivan from his
are
The
dungeon, and gave him full liberty to do what was in his mind so long as he only helped the Tsarevich to
And
marry.
then Ivan the merchant
s
son chose him
one by one, and added youth to youth, and they were all as like to each other as if they had been born brothers. He dressed them
comrades
first
of
all,
sewn
in mantles of one kind,
fashion
and
;
like
in
one and the same
he mounted them on horses of one colour,
mounted Twelve was the number of the
each other to a hair, and they
and rode away. young comrades of Ivan the merchant
all
son.
s
They
rode for one day, they rode for another day, and on the third day they entered a gloomy forest, and
Ivan said to his comrades is
here,
on the verge
"
Stay,
:
my
brothers, there
of the precipice,
a hollow, branchless tree
;
I
an old tree
must look into
its
trunk and find
;
hollow
my fortune there." So he went to the had described and plunged his hand into the hollow trunk, and drew out of it an invisible cap, hid tree he
it in his
bosom, and returned to
his comrades.
THE PROPHETIC DREAM. And
233
they came to the realm of the thrice- wise
Helena, went straight into the capital, sought out the Tsarevich, and begged him Take us into thy will Tsarevich we serve thee with a service, "
:
;
single
The Tsarevich thought the matter
heart."
over and said
How
"
:
can
youths into my service ? they may be of service to
help taking such gallant perhaps in a strange laud I
And
me."
to each of
them
he assigned his post he made one his equerry, another his cook, but Ivan he bade never to depart ;
from his
side.
The next day the Tsarevich attired himself in festal raiment, and went forth to woo the thrice- wise Helena. She received him courteously, regaled him with
all
manner
and drinks, and then don t at all mind being
of rich meats
she said to the Tsarevich
"
I
:
thy wife, but first of all thou must accomplish these If thou do them I will be thy faithful wife, tasks. but if not, thy haughty head shall wag no more on
Why be afraid before thy stalwart shoulders." the time ? tell me thy tasks, thrice-wise Helena "
"
!
"
This then
is
my
first
task for thee
:
I
shall
have
ready by to-morrow what I will not tell thee, and show thy wit, then, for what purpose I do not know and bring me the fellow of it, of thine own devising." ;
The Tsarevich went home from the court by no means happy his haughty head hung lower than his ;
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
234
And Ivan met him
stalwart shoulders. "
Halve thy grief with me,
be
better
"
Tsarevich, single wise
Ivan
all
"
for
Helena has
man
about
"
it.
;
ll
on
his invisible cap,
my
said
the
not a
tis
not such lie
down
is
merchant
son put
s
went as swiftly as possible to ran through all the chambers, and made
bedchamber of the
right into the
And
shoemaker, and
feet as soon as
"
:
let
possible."
her might, and
work
thrice- wise
then he heard her giving these orders
to her favourite servant to
will
and he told
"
God and
to
to sleep, but Ivan the
the palace,
Helena.
Pray
!
it
that
"
:
wiser than the evening consider the matter." The Tsarevich
down
way
now,"
a task
said Ivan,
Well,"
lay
his
me
set
world could do
in the
a great matter after all to sleep the morning
to-morrow we
Tsarevich, and
Well, look
thee."
said
arid
Take
this cloth-of-gold
him make nie shoes for my The servant ran with all
behind her ran Ivan.
The cobbler
the work seemed to burn his fingers, so quickly did he do it he beat the stuff with his
set to
;
;
little
hammer and
stitched
it
with his needle
;
a little
shoe was quickly ready, and he put it on the window-sill. Ivan the merchant s son took the shoe and hid
it
in his bosom.
little little
The shoemaker was
what was the meaning of it ? His work had vanished from before his eyes. He
in great consternation
searched
:
and searched.
He rummaged
in
every
THE PROPHETIC DREAM. but
corner,
"
is
this
?
it
was
thought he
"
;
playing his tricks with it.
He
set to
in
all
vain.
"
235
What marvel l
be
There was no help
for
can the unclean spirit
me
"
?
work again with his awl, finished the and sent it by the servant-maid to
other slipper, the thrice-wise
But Ivan was after her
Helena.
shadow
the palace in his invisible cap, stood behind the shoulders of the thricewise Helena, and saw that .she sat behind her little again, crept
like a
into
and
began to cover the slipper with gold, embroider it with large pearls, and set it thickly
table
with precious stones. Ivan the merchant s son drew his own slipper out of his bosom and began to do the like
with
it;
whenever she took up a
gem, he
little
chose out just such another; wherever she threaded a pearl, he
took
another and sewed that on
The thrice-wise Helena the
slipper,
smiled,
finished her work, looked at
and couldn
and thought
too.
admire
t
to herself:
it
"We
enough.
She
will see
what
Tsarevich will present himself with to-morrow But Ivan the merchant s son awoke the morning." the
Tsarevich very early next morning, took the slipper from his bosom, and gave it to him. Go to thy "
lady and show her this thou hast her first task
slipper," "
!
said
he
"
;
there
The Tsarevich washed
and dressed himself, hastened to his lady, and found 1
/. e.
the devil.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
236
her apcartments full of Boyars and Grandees, and her Councillors were all assembled there down to the
very
There was a noise of melody, there
one.
last
came a crash of
of the inner
lively music, the doors
chambers were thrown open, and out came the thricewise Helena, sailing along like a white swan. She
bowed on
but particularly to the Tsarevich then she drew out of her pocket the shoe, set with large
all sides,
:
and adorned with precious
pearls
stones,
and
she looked at the Tsarevich with a mocking smile, and all the Boyars, the Grandees, and the Councillors
who were
in the palace looked intently at the Tsare
And
vich.
Helena
the
Tsarevich said
"
Thy
:
at all unless it
slipper
is
very
have a fellow.
to
the
thrice-wise
no good Well, here it is, and
fine,
but
tis
And give thee the other, which is exactly like drew out of his pocket the slipper, and placed it I
it."
he-
by The whole palace heaved a The Boyars, Grandees, and Councillors
the side of the other one. "
great
Oh
"
!
exclaimed with one voice Tsarevich, to
Helena. "
let
shall
"
"
:
"
:
Thou
art indeed worthy,
wed our Tsarevna, the
thrice- wise
Not so quick, please," cried the Tsarevna what he ll make of the second task. I
;
us see
await thee to-morrow in
Tsarevich, and
this
is
my
this
self-same
task for thee
:
place,
I shall
have
an unexplainable somewhat disguised in feathers and in stones bring thou also just such another unknown, ;
THE PROPHETIC DREAM.
237
somewhat disguised in just such feathers and stones/ The Tsarevich bowed and went out, looking much blacker than the evening before.
now indeed my shoulders he, head very much longer." And "
chant smile
s
"
Well," thought not support my
will
again Ivan the mer son met him and consoled him with a friendly Come, Tsarevich, wherefore grieve ? Pray to "
:
God and than the
lie
down
evening."
to sleep, the
morning
is
wiser
Ivan made the Tsarevich
lie
down, then he quickly took his invisible cap, darted into the palace, and arrived just in time to hear the Tsarevna give this command to her favourite servant
:
Go into the fowl-yard and bring me hither a duck." Off went the servant to the fowl-yard and Ivan after her she put a duck under her arm, but Ivan hid a "
;
drake in his bosom, and they came back the same
way.
The thrice-wise Helena again
sat
down
at her
took the duck, adorned its wings with ribands and its little tail with amethysts, and fastened
little
table,
a necklace of pearls round its neck and Ivan saw all, and did just the same to his drake. ;
it
The next day the Tsarevich again went up to the palace, and again all the Boyars and Grandees were assembled there
;
again there was a crash of music,
and the doors of the inner chambers opened, and the thrice-wise Helena came forth strutting along like a pea-hen.
Behind her came the maids of honour
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
238
bearing a golden dish, and they all saw that upon this dish beneath the white cloth some living thing was moving about. Softly, very softly, the Tsarevna
from the
raised the cloth
the Tsarevich
to
said
(i
the Tsarevich,
such
task
a
hand
into
there
and
Well, didst thou guess
my
:
could
"How
riddle?"
dish, took out the duck, "
I
help guessing
it?"
nothing so very
s
replied
knowing
in
and forthwith he put his cap and drew out his dressed-up
as
that,"
his
drake.
All the Boyars
and Grandees
Thou
!
thrice-wise to
art
Oh
"
!
and with
"
:
But Helena the
wife."
her brows and
"
Well done, young hero Tsare indeed worthy to take Helena the
one voice exclaimed vich
cried
said
"
:
thrice- wise knit
Let him first Stop a bit he be such a hero, let him !
fulfil
my
third task.
fetch
me
three hairs from the head, and three hairs
If
from the beard, of my grandfather, the Sea-king, and then I am ready to be his wife." The Tsarevich returned
home gloomier than an autumn
night
:
he
Don t would look at nothing and speak to nobody. fret, Tsarevich whispered Ivan the merchant s son "
"
!
in his ear, in
the
and he seized
palace
in
his invisible cap,
a trice, and
saw the
and was
thrice -wise
Helena sitting in her state-coach and preparing to drive to the blue sea.
And
our Ivan, in his invisible
cap, took his seat in the very carriage,
and the
fiery
THE PROPHETIC DREAM. horses of the Tsar carried
them
239
in hot haste to the
blue sea,
So the thrice-wise Helena arrived at the blue sat
sea,
under a rock by the shore on a large stone,
turned her face to the blue
and began to call The blue sea boiled
sea,
her dear grandad the Sea-king. as in a storm, and despite a great calm, the depths a crest of of the sea were disturbed by a huge wave ;
silvery
foam worked
shore as
if
its
caressing
it,
way up, rolled along the broke up gradually on the
golden beach, scattering crystal jets and pearly shells on the shore, and there rose out of the water, up to On his head the waist, the old, old grandfather.
heaps and in
the
heaps of gray locks sparkled
like silver
and great tufts of hair but his face was covered with
sun, dripping wet,
hung over
his
brows
;
moss
he rode up to the breast in a broad big wave which sw ept over his The ocean shoulders and hid his body to the waist.
a thick, thick golden beard like
;
r
grandfather leaned against a stone with his gooselike paws, looked with his green eyes into the eyes of the thrice- wise Helena, and cried Hail, grand "
:
daughter of my have seen thee
desires. ;
tis
a
Tis a long
time
long time since
since I
thou hast
And now, please, comb my little head And he leaned his unkempt head against
visited me. for
me."
the knee of his granddaughter, and dozed off into
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
240
a sweet
sleep.
But the
Helena began
thrice- wise
smoothing her grandfather s hair and winding his gray locks round her fingers to curl them, and whispering soft
words
and lulling him to soon as she saw that
in her grandfather s ear,
sleep with gentle songs
;
and
as
her grandfather was asleep she tugged three silver But Ivan the merchant s son, hairs out of his head.
hand below
slipping his
The
handful.
hers,
wrenched out
granddaughter, and said sleepily It hurts
me
"
horribly
!"
looked
awoke,
grandfather
"
:
"
but
time since I did thy hair, that
it
it s is
whole
at
Art thou
Pardon, dear
said the thrice- wise Helena,
a
his
mad ?
grandfather,"
such a long
quite
tangled."
But the grandfather did not hear her to the end he was already snoring, and shortly afterwards the ;
Tsarevna pulled three golden hairs out of his beard. I must have some Ivan the merchant s son thought, "
the grandfather by the beard, and tore out a good piece of it. The sea-grandfather of that
too,"
seized
roared aloud, awoke from his sleep, and dived into the depths like a bucket only bubbles remained behind.
Next day the Tsarevna entered the palace and thought: clutches
"The now."
Tsarevich
And
really will
my
she showed the Tsarevich the
three golden hairs and the three silver ones
Tsarevich, hast
into
fall
managed
to pick
"
:
Well,
up such wonderful
THE PROPHETIC DREAM.
241
"
"
Well, Tsarevna, that s a lot to things as these ? boast of, I must say Why, I ll give thee whole handfuls of such rubbish if thou wilt." And the !
whole palace resounded with cries of amazement when the Tsarevich drew from his breast the grandfather s
The
Helena was very wroth she rushed off to her bedroom, looked into her magic books, and saw that it was not the Tsarevich who was so knowing, but his favourite servant, Ivan the mer hairs.
chant soft
my
s
thrice- wise
;
She returned to her guests and said in
son.
and wheedling tones Thou hast not guessed riddles and done my tasks of thine own self alone, "
:
Tsarevich, but thy favourite servant Ivan has helped I should like to look at the good youth. thec. Bring
him
me
to
twelve servants,
whose name "
Then
I
is
let
Then bring him hither They are all called Ivan." "
Tsarevna."
Ivan
!""
them
all "
thought to herself:
know/
have not one servant but
"
quickly."
I
come,"
said
she,
but
she
pick out the guilty party, I for his servants, and the
ll
The Tsarevich sent
twelve youths appeared at court. They were one face and one stature their voices were all ;
and there was not a hair
s
difference
all
of
alike,
between them.
And they all the biggest ? cried with a loud voice I am the biggest, I am the "
Which among you
"
is
"
:
"
biggest
you
!
this
"
Well,"
way, but
I ll
thought Helena,
manage
"I
can
it somehow."
t
catch
And
she
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
242
bade them bring eleven common drinking-cups, but she filled the drinking-cups with good wine, and gave them to the good But not one of them would look at youths to drink. the twelfth of pure gold
;
full
the
common
cups,
and
all
stretched out their hands
towards the golden cup, so in struggling for it they only made a great clamour, and all the wine was spilled.
The Tsarevna perceived
that her artifice
had
failed, so she invited all the servants of the Tsarevich
to pass the
night at the palace.
All the evening she as they could eat and drink, and
gave them as much then she gave them
And when
soft
downy beds
to
lie
upon.
the good youths were sound asleep, then the thrice-wise Helena came to them in their all
bedroom, looked into her magic book, and immediately discovered which of them was Ivan the merchant s son.
Then she drew out her penknife and cut
off the
lock of hair over his left temple, and she thought to herself: "By that mark I shall know you in the
morning and have you punished." But in the morn ing, Ivan the merchant s son awoke before them all, clapped his hand to his head, and saw that he was He immediately rose from his bed shorn of his lock.
and awoke
all his
comrades
"
:
Quick,
my
brothers
!
take your knives and shear off your locks." In an hour s time they were summoned to the presence of the thrice-wise Helena.
The Tsarevna looked and
THE PROPHETIC DREAM. saw that
all
them had
of
243
their locks shorn
Full
off.
magic book, pitched it into the I ll called the Tsarevich to her, and said to him
of rage, she seized her
"
fire,
:
And be thy wife, make ready for the wedding the Tsarevich sent for his good youths, and said to Ivan Go to my sister and bid her make ready "
!
"
:
Ivan went to the everything for the wedding." Tsarevna, told her of her brother, and gave her his
command.
"
I
thank thee, thou good youth and
faithful servant, for sister to
thee
Ivan,
?""
How
my
old
services,"
say now,
"but
shalt thou
Ivan the merchant again in
thy
son
s
said the Tsarevich
how
reward "
;
dungeon."
shall
me?"
s
reward
I
answered
why, bid them put me And do what the Tsar
evna would to persuade him, he insisted upon it. The Tsarevich and his bride arrived, and
the
Boyars, the Grandees, and the festal guests came out to meet them, wished them health and happiness, and presented them with bread and
many
and there were
so
people pressed together that you could have "
walked on their heads. servant Ivan
"
?
Thou
is "
;
my
how
faithful
is it I
do
The Tsarevna answered him
"
?
thyself hadst
of a certain
But where
asked the Tsarevich
not see him here "
salt,
him put "
dream."
into a
What
!
:
dungeon because
surely this
is
never
I only let It s the very same the same person him out for a time to go and help thce." The Tsare"
"
!
;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
244
vich bade
them bring Ivan
to him,
threw himself on
and begged him not to But dost thou know, Tsare-
his neck, burst into tears,
think evil of him. vich,"
of
said Ivan,
mine because
"
I
"
that I did not
tell
saw beforehand
in
thee this dream
my
slumbers
all
that has
now happened
and
me, wouldst thou not have thought me half I had told thee all ? And the Tsarevich
mad
tell
to thee.
Judge now
thyself
"
if
rewarded
Ivan, and
made him
the greatest in the realm after himself; but Ivan wrote to his father and
and they all lived together and had no good things, and lived happily ever after.
his brother,
end of
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK. THERE
was
man whose wife was The old man had no rest
once an old
exceedingly quarrelsome.
from her
him
clay or night
at every little
;
trifle,
she nagged and nagged at but if the old man ventured
to gainsay her in anything, she
up
immediately caught and chased him
a broomstick, or something else,
The
out of the kitchen. solation
;
old
he would leave his
man had only one old woman and go
con into
the fields to set snares and bird-traps, hang them up on the branches of all the trees, and entice into his
God
snares every bird that
bring
home
and give his old woman a whole day, or even two, and
a great booty,
to last her for
enough
has made, and so he would
then he would for once enjoy a day in peace. One day he went out into the fields and set his snares,
of luck
and caught "
!
in
them a
my
old
"
What
a stroke
man when I take home woman and we kill and roast it,
thought the old
this crane to
crane. "
;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
246
she
won
row me
t
a long
for
But the crane
time."
guessed his thoughts, and said to him with a human Don t take me home and kill me, but let me
voice
"
:
go and to
me
live at liberty as before
my own
than
a son to
thee."
words and
father,
The
and
man
old
;
thou shalt be dearer
be as good as was amazed at these I will
let the crane go.
But when he returned home with empty hands, the old woman nagged at him so frightfully that he dared not go into the house, but passed the night in the courtyard beneath the staircase. Very early in the
morning he went out
just about to lay his snares
beak a
said the crane.
"
when he saw the crane
coming towards him, holding
of the evening before in its long
and was
into the fields,
sort of knapsack.
thou didst
me
set
"
Yesterday,"
free,
and to-day
Say thanks for it. Just bring thee a little gift. look at it It placed the knapsack on the ground and cried Two out of the knapsack And I
"
!
"
"
:
whence
I
!
know
not, but out of the
two youths, brought oaken dishes, arid on them was description. delicacies
as
his life even
The it
flesh
man
old
ate
had never been
from afar
;
"
Two
and fowl of every his
fill
his luck
of
such
to see
all
he ate and drank without
stopping, and would only
the crane cried:
knapsack leaped them with covered tables,
rise
from the table when
into the knapsack
"
!
And
the
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK. with
tables
"and
the flesh arid fowl were as
all
never been.
"
Take
give
knapsack,"
thy old
to
it
this
seized
desire
him
"
:
has blessed thee
what was on the to.
me
Give
"
!
a
little
godmother, inquired and her three daughters,
The godmother put
But the godson turned up
the godmother as good as that :
treat to
thee."
Thine
when "Very
I
God
supper, according as
stove, curtseyed,
"
at once the
all
to his
after the healths of herself
and said
The old man
brag about his booty to his
to
So he went
godmother.
But
they had
said the crane,
woman."
thanked him and went home.
if
247
and bade him
and
his nose
Why
is
sorry fare
m
on the road.
well,
do
him
before
!
fall
said to
have
I
I ll
stand
The old man
so."
immediately brought out his knapsack, placed it on "Two out of the ground, and the moment he cried :
"
the
knapsack
!
two youths, whence they came
I
know not, leaped out of the knapsack, placed the oaken tables, covered them with carved dishes, and placed upon them all sorts of flesh and fowl, such as the godmother had never seen from the day of her
The godmother and her daughters ate and drank their fill, and her thoughts were not good she meant to deprive her godson of his knapsack by And she began flattering her godson, and subtlety.
birth.
;
tired
him
dovey godson, thou art ? to-day, wilt thou not stop and have a bath
said to
"
:
My
dear
little
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
248
We
have everything handy to warm the bath-room for thee." The godson did not say no to a bath,
hung up
his
and went into the
in the hut,
knapsack
But the godmother immediately bade her daughters sew together in hot haste just such another knapsack as the old man s, and when bath-room to bathe.
they had finished it, she foisted her knapsack on the old man, and took his knapsack for herself. The old
man ful
;
noticed nothing, and went home cheerily-cheer he sang songs and whistled all the way, and no
he get home than he cried to his old
sooner did
woman
me upon the gift "Wife, wife, congratulate have got from the son of the crane The old woman looked at him and thought You ve been which
"
:
"
I
!
"
:
drinking somewhere to-day,
The
know
I
;
I ll
you
give
a
man when
he got into the hut immediately placed his knapsack in the middle of the floor and cried: "Two out of the knapsack!" lesson!"
But out
of
old
the
knapsack came nobody
second time he cried:
"Two
out of the
at
all.
A
knapsack!"
And
The old woman when again there was nobody. she saw this let loose the full flood of her abuse upon him, flew at him like a whirlwind, caught up a wet
mop
on her way, and
to escape
it
was as much
as he could
do
from her and dash out of the hut.
The poor fellow
fell
a-weeping, and went to the
self-same spot in the fields, thinking
:
"Perhaps
I
may
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK.
249
meet the crane and get another such knapsack from him And indeed the crane was there, and was "
!
man
with just such another Here is just such another knapsack, and knapsack. it will be of as good service as the former one." The waiting for the
old
"
man bowed
old
to the very girdle
and ran
off
home
But on the way a doubt occurred to now this knapsack be not quite the same
at full speed.
him
"
:
If
mess again with
as the other one, I shall get into a
my
old
to hide
Come
woman
my
and
time
this
shall not
I
be able
head from her even under the ground.
along then
:
Two
!
out
of the
knapsack
!
Immediately two young men leaped out of the knapsack with long sticks in their hands and began to belabour him, crying:
"
Don t go
to
thy godmother;
be fooled by honeyed words And they kept on beating the old man till he bethought himself to
don
"
t
!
"
say
:
men
Two
hid
thought
themselves the
knapsack to not be a fool if
"
into the knapsack
she would
old
my if I
Then the young
the
in
man,
!
"
knapsack. cracked up the
"
I
godmother
like a fool,
but
crack up this to her also.
like
to filch
this
She d thank me on the other
one from side of
her
I
Well,"
other I
shall
wonder
me
also
?
mouth."
So he went quite cheerily to his godmother, hung up the knapsack on the wall, and said: "Pray, heat
me
a bath, godmother."
"With
pleasure,
godson."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
250
The
man
old
the
got into
bath and
had a good
The godmother wash, staying as long as he could. called her daughters, placed them behind the table, and said
"
:
Two
out of the
And
knapsack."
out of
young men with the
the knapsack leaped the
long-
sticks and began beating the godmother and crying Give the old man back his knapsack." The god
:
"
mother sent her said
"
:
man and
eldest daughter to the old
bath
Call our godson out of the
;
say that
But the godson these two are beating me to death." out of the I bath have not finished bathingreplied "
:
"
yet
!
The godmother sent her youngest daughter,
but the godson replied out of the bath I have not washed my head yet But the two youths kept beating the godmother all the time and saying "
:
"
!
:
man s knapsack The god was and she bade patience quite tired out, her daughters bring the stolen knapsack, and throw "
Give back the old
mother
it
"
!
s
man
to the old
Then the
in the bath-room.
man
old
Two into the got out of his bath and cried And the young men with the long sticks knapsack were no more.
:
"
!
Then the
old
He
went home.
"
man
took both the knapsacks and
approached the house and again Congratulate me, wife, on the gifts
began crying I have got from the son of the crane :
woman
flared
up
at once
"
!
The
old
and got her broom ready.
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK. But the old man when he came
251
cried:
in,
"Two
out of the knapsack and immediately the tables appeared before the old woman, and the two young men placed on the tables flesh and fowl in abundance. "
!
The
woman
old
and drank her
ate
quite mild and tender. I ll
thwack thee no
"
fill,
Well, dear
and became little
hubby,
But the old man
more."
after
dinner took this knapsack and put it away, and unexpectedly got out the other, and placed it on the
bench
how
herself
and
set to work, so
:
!
to
"Don
man
"
"
fell
time: old
man s knapsack
the old
see fur
Two out of the knapsack Immediately men with the sticks two young popped out, ]ong
she cried the
The old woman wanted to
in the hut.
beating the old t beat thy old
The
"
!
old
woman, crying all the man! Don t curse thy
woman
screeched with
all
her
The might, and called to her old man to help her. old man took pity on her, came into the hut, and said
"
:
Two
"
into
the
knapsack
!
and
the
disappeared into the knapsack. From henceforth the old man and the old lived together in such peace old
man
skies,
is
and
woman
and quietness that the
always praising his old so this story ends.
two
woman
to
the
THE STORY OF MARKO THE EICH AND VASILY THE LUCKLESS. NOT
in our time, but a long time ago, in a certain
Marko by name, Cruel and hard was he by
realm, lived a very rich merchant,
and surnamed the Rich. nature, greedy of lucre
and unmerciful
to the poor.
Whenever the lowly and the needy came begging beneath his window he sent
his. servants
drive
to
them away, and let loose his dogs upon them. There was only one thing in the world he loved, and that was
his daughter, the thrice-fair Anastasia.
To her
only he was not hard, and though she was only five years old, he never gainsaid her one of her wishes,
gave her all her heart s desire. And once on a cold frosty day, three gray-haired men came under the window and asked an alms. arid
Marko saw them, and ordered the dogs The thrice-fair Anastasia heard loose. implored her father and said
"
:
My
own
to
of
be it,
let
and
dear father,
THE STORY OF MARKO THE RICH.
my
for
sake don
t
253
them away, but let them cattle-stall." The father con
drive
pass the night in the
sented, and bade them let the poor old beggar-men As soon as every into the cattle-stall for the night.
one was asleep Anastasia rose up, made her way on tiptoe to the stall, climbed up into the loft, and
The
looked at the beggars.
beggar-men were
old
crouching together in the middle of the stall, leaning on their crutch-staves with their wrinkled hands, and over their hands flowed their gray beards, and they were talking softly among themselves. One of the old men, the oldest of
and
said
"
:
second one
them
What news from
all,
looked at the others
the wide world
"
?
The
In the village immediately replied in the house of Ivan the Luckless, a "
:
1
Pogoryeloe, seventh son
is
born
;
we call him, and we bless him ? And the
what
with what inheritance shall
shall
"
third old man, after meditating a little, said We ll call him Yasily, and we ll enrich him with the riches "
:
Marko the Eich, under whose roof we are now passing the night." When they had thus said they
of
.
prepared to depart, bowed low to the holy ikons, and with soft footsteps prepared to depart from the stall. Anastasia heard all this, went straight to her father,
and
told
Marko
him the words the
Rich
of the old
men.
thought deeply over 1
Burnt down.
it.
He
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
254
thought and thought, and he went to the village find out for
thought he, whether such a babe really has been born there." He went straight to the priest and told him all about Pogoryeloe.
"I
ll
certain,"
"
"
it.
Yes,"
a babe born
yesterday we had our poorest serf; I
replied the priest,
"
the son of
here,
christened him. Vasily, and luckless he certainly is he is the seventh son in the family, and the eldest ;
son of the family
is
only seven years old
wee
;
the sons
things there and such is next to nothing to eat and drink there want is in the house that there s none and hunger of this poor peasant are wee,
little
;
;
in the village
who
will even stand
news the heart of Marko the Rich began
Marko thought
of the
At
sponsor."
this
to ache.
unhappy youngster, declared
he would be godfather, asked the priest s wife to be godmother, and bade them make ready a rich table and they brought the little fellow, christened him, ;
and
sat
down and
feasted.
At the banquet Marko words "
to
Ivan
the
the
Luckless,
Rich spoke friendly
and said
to
him
:
Gossip, thou art a poor man, and cannot afford to
I will bring him give him to me bring up thy son up among well-to-do people, and I will give into thy hand at once for thine own maintenance one thousand ;
;
The poor man thought the matter over, and then shook hands upon it. Marko gave gifts to his
rubles."
THE STORY OF MARKO THE
RICH.
255
took the child, wrapped him in fox furs, put him in his carriage, and drove homewards. They had got some ten versts from the village when
fellow-sponsor,
Marko stopped the
horses, took
up the
child,
went to
the brink of a great precipice, whirled the child over his head, and pitched it clown the precipice, exclaim
There you go, and now take possession of you can
"
ing
:
my
"
goods
if
!
Shortly after that some merchants from beyond the sea chanced to be travelling by the self-same road; these merchants brought with them twelve thousand rubles which they owed to Marko the Rich. They
passed along by the side of the precipice, and they heard within the precipice the crying of a child.
They stopped
their horses, went to the precipice, and
looked amongst the snowdrifts of the green meadows,
and on a meadow a
little child
was
sitting
and play
The merchants took up the child, wrapped him round with furs, and went on their way. They came to the house of Marko the Rich, and told
ing with flowers.
Marko immediately of their strange discovery. guessed that the matter concerned his own little serf
him
boy, and he said to the merchants
much him
me
should very
look at your foundling if you will give out and out I ll forgive you your debt to
like to
to
"I
:
;
The merchants agreed, gave the child to Marko, But Marko that same night took the and departed.
me."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
256 child,
put
threw
it
in a little cask, tarred it all over,
it
and
into the sea.
The cask
sailed
and
sailed along,
and
at last it
came
The monks happened to be on the monastery. shore just then they were spreading out their fishingnets to dry, and all at once they heard the crying of a to a
;
child.
They guessed that the crying came from the
and they immediately seized the cask, broke it They took the child open, and there was the child. to the abbot, and as soon as the abbot heard that
cask,
the child had been cast upon the shore in a cask, he decided that the youngster s name should be Vasily,
and that he should be surnamed the Luckless.
And
henceforth Vasily lived in the monastery till he was sixteen years old, and he grew up fair of face, soft
The abbot loved him of heart, and strong in mind. because he learned his letters so quickly that he was able to read and sing in the church better than all the others, and because he was deft and skilful in affairs.
And
And it
made him sacristan. happened that once Marko the Eicli was the abbot
travelling on business,
and came to
this very
The monks treated him with honour The abbot commanded the the church
;
Marko the
sacristan to run
the sacristan ran at once,
and remained
in the choir,
Eicli
monastery.
as a rich
lit
the candles,
And young man
and read and sang.
asked the abbot
if
the
guest.
and open
THE STORY OF MARKO THE had dwelt there long, and the abbot about it. Marko began to think, and
RICH.
him
told it
257
struck
all
him
that this could be no other than his serf-boy. And he said to the abbot Would that I could lay my "
:
hands upon such a smart young fellow as your sacristan, I would place all my treasures beneath his care
;
I
would make him the
chief overseer of all
my
goods, and you know yourselves what goods are mine." The abbot began to make excuses, but Marko
promised the monastery a donation of ten thousand rubles. The abbot wavered he began to consult the ;
brothers,
and the brothers
we stand
in Vasily s
him and make him
way
his
him Marko
said to let
?
overseer."
Why should
"
:
the Rich take
So they deliberated,
and agreed to send away Vasily the Luckless with
Marko the Rich. But Marko sent Vasily home his wife this letter
"
:
When
in a ship,
and wrote
to
the bearer of this letter
reaches thee, go with him at once to our soap-works, and when thou dost pass the great boiling cauldron,
shove him
in.
If
thou dost not do this
I will
punish thee severely, for this youth is my prime enemy and evil-doer." Vasily duly arrived in port and went on his way, and there met him in the road three poor old men, and they asked going, Vasily the Luckless of
Marko
him "
?
"
:
Whither
"
Why,
to
art thou
the house
the Rich, I have a letter for his
wife."
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
258 "
Show us
the
letter,"
said the old
men.
Vasily took
letter and gave it them. The old men breathed on the letter and said Go now, and give the letter to the wife of Marko the Rich. God will
out the
"
:
not forsake
thee."
Vasily came to the house of Marko the Rich and gave the letter to his wife. The wife read Marko s letter,
and
believe her
her daughter, for she could not eyes, but in the letter was written as
called
own
plain as plain could be
thou dost receive this
"
:
marry my daughter, If Anastasia, to the bearer, and do so without delay. thou doest
it
my
Wife, the next day after
letter,
me
not thou shalt answer to
for
it."
Anastasia looked at Vasily, and Vasily stared at her. And they dressed Vasily in rich attire, and the next
day they wedded him to Anastasia. Marko the Rich came home from the
sea,
and
his
wife with his daughter and son-in-law met him on Marko looked at Vasily, fell into a furious the quay.
passion with his wife, and said to her thou wed our daughter away without
But the wife
command
"
replied
:
I
"
:
my
How
darest
consent
dared not disobey thy
"
?
strict
"
and she gave the threatening letter to Marko read the letter, and saw that her husband. !
handwriting was his own if the intention was not, and he thought to himself: "Good! thrice hast thou escaped ruin at my hands, but now I will
the
THE STORY OF MARKO THE
RICH.
259
send thee where not even the ravens shall pick thy bones."
Marko lived for a month with his son-in-law and treated him and his daughter most kindly from his ;
nobody could have thought that he nourished One day thoughts against him in his heart. Marko called Yasily to him and said to him Go
face evil
"
:
to the land of Thrice- nine, in the ten, to Tsar
on
my
of
Th rice-
twelve years ago he built a palace Thou therefore take rent from him for
Zmy
land.
Empire
l
;
the twelve years, and get news from him concern ing my twelve ships, which have been wrecked about
all
his
kingdom
trace behind
for the last three years,
and have
no
left
Vasily dared not gainsay his father-in-law, but prepared for his journey, took leave them."
young wife, took a sack of sweetmeats provision by the way, and set out. He went on and on, and whether it was long of his
short, far or near, matters not, but
he heard a voice which said
"
:
at
anyhow
as
or
last
Vasily the Luckless, "
whither art thou going ? is thy journey far ? -Vasily Who answered looked around him on all sides and "
:
me
Tis I, the old leafless oak, and speak I ask thee whither art thou going, and is thy journey I am going to Tsar Zmy to collect arrears far ? called
"
"
?
"
!
"
of rent for the last twelve 1
years."
Serpent.
And
again the oak
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
2GO
ask
thou arrives t in time, think of me and here the old leafless oak has been standing all
him
said to
him
:
these three
"
:
If
hundred
and
years,
is
withered and rotten
very root how much longer must he be tor mented in this wide world ? Vasily listened atten He came to a river and tively, and then went further. to the
"
but the old ferryman looked at
sat in the ferry-boat,
him and
"
said Is thy journey before thee a long one, the Luckless ? Well," Vasily "Vasily told him. said the ferryman, if thou art in time, remember me, :
"
"
him I have been ferrying here years how much longer, I should like
and say thirty shall
to
;
I
have to go backwards and
"Good!"
said Vasily,
He went on
will say
"I
all
these
to
know,
forwards
?"
so."
to the straits of the sea,
and across
the straits a whale-fish was lying stretched out, and
marked out by posts went across its back, and people passed to and fro there. When Vasily
a road
stepped on to the whale, the whale-fish spoke to him with a man s voice and said Whither art thou going, "
:
Vasily the Luckless, and is thy journey far ? Vasily told it everything, and the whale-fish said again "If "
:
thou art in time, remember
me
the poor whale-fish has been lying across this sea these three years, and a road marked out by posts goes across its back, and horse and foot trample into
no rest night or day
;
its
;
very
how much
ribs,
and
it
has
longer, pray, is
it
THE STORY OF MARKO THE to lie here
"
Good
"
?
and went on
RICH.
261
"
said Vasily,
!
"
I will
say
so,"
further.
went on and on, and he carne to a broad In the meadow stood a gigantic green meadow. the white marble walls glistened, the roof palace Vasily
;
shone like a rainbow, and was covered with motherof-pearl, and the crystal windows burned like fire in the sun.
room
Yasily entered the palace
to room,
and marvelled
He went
wealth of them.
and saw a lovely damsel she saw Vasily, she cried
he went from
;
the indescribable
at
into the last
room
sitting on a bed.
of
all,
When
Vasily the Luck less that has fallen into this accursed place ? Vasily told her everything, and why he had come, and "
:
Is it
"
what had
befallen
said to Vasily here,
"
:
but as food
him
Not
And
in the way.
for the serpent,
the damsel
wast thou sent
to take tribute
and
to thine
own
Scarcely had she spoken these words than the whole palace trembled, and there was clang The damsel ing and a banging in the courtyard. shoved Vasily into a coffer beneath the floor, locked destruction."
Listen to what I say to and whispered And with that she went to meet Tsar the Serpent."
him
"
in,
:
Serpent.
A
monstrous serpent rolled into the room, and I have straightway got on to the bed and said "
:
been flying over the Russian land
;
I
m
frightfully
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
262
and
tired,
flattered thee,
I
want
for
Ask
lovely damsel
me
"
?
the Tsar
will stand
and then
"
:
have dreamed
I
:
wilt thou interpret
"
Well, out with
was going along
I
The
sleep."
said Everything is known to and without thee I cannot Tsar, interpret a
very hard dream it
to go to
him and
till
it
and an oak
a road,
how long
"
quick
it,
am
I
I
"
to stand here
and
dreamt
tree cried to me,
some one comes and kicks
will be rooted out
"
!
fall,
it
"
!
with his
It
foot,
and beneath
it
a great quantity of gold and silver: Marko the Rich himself has not got as much." But then I dreamed is
"
that I came to a river, and the ferryman on the ferry boat said to me Shall I ferry here long ? Tis "
"
:
his
own
fault.
Let him put the
first
who comes
to
him on the
ferry-boat, and push him with the ferry boat away from the shore, and he will change places with him, and ferry for evermore." And after that "
I
came
in
my
a whale-fish, I
am
dreams to the
and
it
to be here
said to "
"
sea,
and crossed over
it
on
me Ask the Tsar how He must lie there till he c
:
long has cast up the twelve ships of Marko the Rich, then he may go into the water, and his body will grow !
again."
All this the serpent said,
and then turned over
its other side and fell a-snoring so loudly that the crystal windows in the palace rattled. Then the damsel let Vasily out of the coffer, opened
on
all
THE STORY OF MARKO THE
RICH.
263
the garden-gate for him, and showed him the way. Vasily thanked her, and began his return journey.
He came fish lay,
to the straits of the sea
and the whale-fish asked:
thing about
and
I ll
tell
me ?
"
Take
"
thee."
When
me
where the whale"
Did he say any
over to the other side,
he had crossed over, he
Thou must bring up again the twelve ships of Marko the Rich, which thou The whale-fish cleared swallowed three years its throat and brought up again all the ships quite whole and not a bit hurt, and in its joy leaped about so in the water that Vasily the Luckless, who was said to the whale-fish
"
:
ago."
standing on the bank, suddenly found himself up to He went on further and came his knees in the sea.
Hast thou spoken about me to Tsar have; ferry me Serpent?" asked the ferryman. over first, and I ll tell thee." And as soon as he had
to the ferry.
"
"I
crossed
over, he said
to the
"
ferryman
:
Whoever
me, seat him in the ferry-boat and shove him from the bank, and he will have to ferry in
comes to thee
thy place
after
for ever
and
ever,
but thou wilt be as free
After that, Vasily came to the old leaf less oak, kicked it with his foot, and the oak rolled as the
air."
over and the roots sprang out of the ground, and beneath the roots and beneath the stump there was gold and silver and precious stones without number. Vasily looked about him, and lo up to the very place !
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
264
were sailing the twelve ships of Marko the Rich, the selfsame which the whale-fish had brought up and in ;
the foremost ship, in the very stern, stood the self same old men who had met Vasily when he had the letter
to
Marko
And
destruction. "
Dost thou not
blessed thee their
way.
the the see,
Rich,
And they got off And the sailors put "
?
and
saved
him from
men said to Vasily Yasily, how the Lord has old
:
the ship and went all
the gold and
and went home by sea. Marko the Rich was more furious than ever. He bade them saddle his horse, and hastened off to Tsar silver in the ships,
Serpent to the land of Thrice-ten he wanted to arrange matters with Tsar Serpent himself. When he came to the river, he got on to the ferry-boat, but the ;
ferryman pushed him away from the shore, and there Marko remained as ferryman ever after, and there he
But Vasily the Luckless lived with ferrying still. his wife and mother-in-law, and was happy and pros perous and kind to the poor, and gave them meat and is
drink and clothed them, and disposed of Marko the Rich.
all
of
THE END.
Richard Clay # Sons, Limited, London # Bungay.
the wealth
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>>
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