{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_12851/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_12851","id":"gutenberg_12851","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12851","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Russian Literature","Folklore -- Russia","Tales -- Russia"],"text":"[Illustration: \"_She gave him a touchstone and flint_\"]\n\n\n\nFOLK TALES\n\n\n\nFROM THE RUSSIAN\n\n\n\nRETOLD BY\n\nVERRA XENOPHONTOVNA KALAMATIANO DE BLUMENTHAL\n\n\n\n\nFOREWORD\n\n\nIn Russia, as elsewhere in the world, folklore is rapidly scattering\nbefore the practical spirit of modern progress. The traveling peasant\nbard or story teller, and the devoted \"nyanya\", the beloved nurse of\nmany a generation, are rapidly dying out, and with them the tales and\nlegends, the last echoes of the nation's early joys and sufferings,\nhopes and fears, are passing away. The student of folk-lore knows that\nthe time has come when haste is needed to catch these vanishing songs\nof the nation's youth and to preserve them for the delight of future\ngenerations. In sending forth the stories in the present volume, all\nof which are here set down in print for the first time, it is my hope\nthat they may enable American children to share with the children of\nRussia the pleasure of glancing into the magic world of the old Slavic\nnation.\n\n\nTHE AUTHOR.\n\n\n\n\nTHE TABLE OF CONTENTS\n\n_Foreword_\n\n_A List of Illustrations_\n\n_Dedication_\n\n_Notes_\n\n\n\nFOLK TALES\n\nThe Tsarevna Frog\n\nSeven Simeons\n\nThe Language of the Birds\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton\n\nWoe Bogotir\n\nBaba Yaga\n\nDimian the Peasant\n\nThe Golden Mountain\n\nFather Frost\n\n\n\nA LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\"She gave him a touchstone and flint\".\n\nThe Tsarevna Frog\n\n\"Hunters, grooms, and servants rushed in all directions\"\n\nIvan learns the language of the birds\n\n\"The old man went begging from town to town\"\n\n\"One brother was sent to watch the turkeys\"\n\nThe rich brother\n\n\"The children ran away as fast as their little feet could possibly\ncarry them\"\n\n\"Well, I struck a snag\"\n\n\"Old Frost gave the gentle girl many beautiful, beautiful things\"\n\n\n\n_TO MY LITTLE FRIEND_\n\nEDITH EVANS\n\n_AND ALL AMERICAN CHILDREN_\n\n[Illustration: _The Tsarevna Frog_]\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE TSAREVNA FROG\n\n\n[Illustration] In an old, old Russian tsarstvo, I do not know when,\nthere lived a sovereign prince with the princess his wife. They had\nthree sons, all of them young, and such brave fellows that no pen\ncould describe them. The youngest had the name of Ivan Tsarevitch. One\nday their father said to his sons:\n\n\"My dear boys, take each of you an arrow, draw your strong bow and let\nyour arrow fly; in whatever court it falls, in that court there will\nbe a wife for you.\"\n\nThe arrow of the oldest Tsarevitch fell on a boyar-house just in front\nof the terem where women live; the arrow of the second Tsarevitch flew\nto the red porch of a rich merchant, and on the porch there stood\na sweet girl, the merchant's daughter. The youngest, the brave\nTsarevitch Ivan, had the ill luck to send his arrow into the midst of\na swamp, where it was caught by a croaking frog.\n\nIvan Tsarevitch came to his father: \"How can I marry the frog?\"\ncomplained the son. \"Is she my equal? Certainly she is not.\"\n\n\"Never mind,\" replied his father, \"you have to marry the frog, for\nsuch is evidently your destiny.\"\n\nThus the brothers were married: the oldest to a young boyarishnia, a\nnobleman's child; the second to the merchant's beautiful daughter, and\nthe youngest, Tsarevitch Ivan, to a croaking frog.\n\nAfter a while the sovereign prince called his three sons and said to\nthem:\n\n\"Have each of your wives bake a loaf of bread by to-morrow morning.\"\n\nIvan returned home. There was no smile on his face, and his brow was\nclouded.\n\n\"C-R-O-A-K! C-R-O-A-K! Dear husband of mine, Tsarevitch Ivan, why so\nsad?\" gently asked the frog. \"Was there anything disagreeable in the\npalace?\"\n\n\"Disagreeable indeed,\" answered Ivan Tsarevitch; \"the Tsar, my father,\nwants you to bake a loaf of white bread by to-morrow.\"\n\n\"Do not worry, Tsarevitch. Go to bed; the morning hour is a better\nadviser than the dark evening.\"\n\nThe Tsarevitch, taking his wife's advice, went to sleep. Then the\nfrog threw off her frogskin and turned into a beautiful, sweet girl,\nVassilissa by name. She now stepped out on the porch and called aloud:\n\n\"Nurses and waitresses, come to me at once and prepare a loaf of white\nbread for to-morrow morning, a loaf exactly like those I used to eat\nin my royal father's palace.\"\n\nIn the morning Tsarevitch Ivan awoke with the crowing cocks, and you\nknow the cocks and chickens are never late. Yet the loaf was already\nmade, and so fine it was that nobody could even describe it, for only\nin fairyland one finds such marvelous loaves. It was adorned all\nabout with pretty figures, with towns and fortresses on each side, and\nwithin it was white as snow and light as a feather.\n\nThe Tsar father was pleased and the Tsarevitch received his special\nthanks.\n\n\"Now there is another task,\" said the Tsar smilingly. \"Have each of\nyour wives weave a rug by to-morrow.\"\n\nTsarevitch Ivan came back to his home. There was no smile on his face\nand his brow was clouded.\n\n\"C-R-O-A-K! C-R-O-A-K! Dear Tsarevitch Ivan, my husband and master,\nwhy so troubled again? Was not father pleased?\"\n\n\"How can I be otherwise? The Tsar, my father, has ordered a rug by\nto-morrow.\"\n\n\"Do not worry, Tsarevitch. Go to bed; go to sleep. The morning hour\nwill bring help.\"\n\nAgain the frog turned into Vassilissa, the wise maiden, and again she\ncalled aloud:\n\n\"Dear nurses and faithful waitresses, come to me for new work. Weave a\nsilk rug like the one I used to sit upon in the palace of the king, my\nfather.\"\n\nOnce said, quickly done. When the cocks began their early\n\"cock-a-doodle-doo,\" Tsarevitch Ivan awoke, and lo! there lay the\nmost beautiful silk rug before him, a rug that no one could begin\nto describe. Threads of silver and gold were interwoven among\nbright-colored silken ones, and the rug was too beautiful for anything\nbut to admire.\n\nThe Tsar father was pleased, thanked his son Ivan, and issued a new\norder. He now wished to see the three wives of his handsome sons, and\nthey were to present their brides on the next day.\n\nThe Tsarevitch Ivan returned home. Cloudy was his brow, more cloudy\nthan before.\n\n\"C-R-O-A-K! C-R-O-A-K! Tsarevitch, my dear husband and master, why so\nsad? Hast thou heard anything unpleasant at the palace?\"\n\n\"Unpleasant enough, indeed! My father, the Tsar, ordered all of us to\npresent our wives to him. Now tell me, how could I dare go with thee?\"\n\n\"It is not so bad after all, and might be much worse,\" answered the\nfrog, gently croaking. \"Thou shalt go alone and I will follow thee.\nWhen thou hearest a noise, a great noise, do not be afraid; simply\nsay: 'There is my miserable froggy coming in her miserable box.'\"\n\nThe two elder brothers arrived first with their wives, beautiful,\nbright, and cheerful, and dressed in rich garments. Both the happy\nbridegrooms made fun of the Tsarevitch Ivan.\n\n\"Why alone, brother?\" they laughingly said to him. \"Why didst thou not\nbring thy wife along with thee? Was there no rag to cover her? Where\ncouldst thou have gotten such a beauty? We are ready to wager that in\nall the swamps in the dominion of our father it would be hard to find\nanother one like her.\" And they laughed and laughed.\n\nLo! what a noise! The palace trembled, the guests were all frightened.\nTsarevitch Ivan alone remained quiet and said:\n\n\"No danger; it is my froggy coming in her box.\"\n\nTo the red porch came flying a golden carriage drawn by six splendid\nwhite horses, and Vassilissa, beautiful beyond all description, gently\nreached her hand to her husband. He led her with him to the heavy oak\ntables, which were covered with snow-white linen and loaded with\nmany wonderful dishes such as are known and eaten only in the land of\nfairies and never anywhere else. The guests were eating and chatting\ngayly.\n\nVassilissa drank some wine, and what was left in the tumbler she\npoured into her left sleeve. She ate some of the fried swan, and the\nbones she threw into her right sleeve. The wives of the two elder\nbrothers watched her and did exactly the same.\n\nWhen the long, hearty dinner was over, the guests began dancing and\nsinging. The beautiful Vassilissa came forward, as bright as a star,\nbowed to her sovereign, bowed to the honorable guests and danced with\nher husband, the happy Tsarevitch Ivan.\n\nWhile dancing, Vassilissa waved her left sleeve and a pretty lake\nappeared in the midst of the hall and cooled the air. She waved her\nright sleeve and white swans swam on the water. The Tsar, the guests,\nthe servants, even the gray cat sitting in the corner, all were amazed\nand wondered at the beautiful Vassilissa. Her two sisters-in-law alone\nenvied her. When their turn came to dance, they also waved their left\nsleeves as Vassilissa had done, and, oh, wonder! they sprinkled wine\nall around. They waved their right sleeves, and instead of swans the\nbones flew in the face of the Tsar father. The Tsar grew very angry\nand bade them leave the palace. In the meantime Ivan Tsarevitch\nwatched a moment to slip away unseen. He ran home, found the frogskin,\nand burned it in the fire.\n\nVassilissa, when she came back, searched for the skin, and when she\ncould not find it her beautiful face grew sad and her bright eyes\nfilled with tears. She said to Tsarevitch Ivan, her husband:\n\n\"Oh, dear Tsarevitch, what hast thou done? There was but a short time\nleft for me to wear the ugly frogskin. The moment was near when we\ncould have been happy together forever. Now I must bid thee good-by.\nLook for me in a far-away country to which no one knows the roads, at\nthe palace of Kostshei the Deathless;\" and Vassilissa turned into a\nwhite swan and flew away through the window.\n\nTsarevitch Ivan wept bitterly. Then he prayed to the almighty God,\nand making the sign of the cross northward, southward, eastward, and\nwestward, he went on a mysterious journey.\n\nNo one knows how long his journey was, but one day he met an old, old\nman. He bowed to the old man, who said:\n\n\"Good-day, brave fellow. What art thou searching for, and whither art\nthou going?\"\n\nTsarevitch Ivan answered sincerely, telling all about his misfortune\nwithout hiding anything.\n\n\"And why didst thou burn the frogskin? It was wrong to do so. Listen\nnow to me. Vassilissa was born wiser than her own father, and as he\nenvied his daughter's wisdom he condemned her to be a frog for three\nlong years. But I pity thee and want to help thee. Here is a magic\nball. In whatever direction this ball rolls, follow without fear.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevitch thanked the good old man, and followed his new guide,\nthe ball. Long, very long, was his road. One day in a wide, flowery\nfield he met a bear, a big Russian bear. Ivan Tsarevitch took his bow\nand was ready to shoot the bear.\n\n\"Do not kill me, kind Tsarevitch,\" said the bear. \"Who knows but that\nI may be useful to thee?\" And Ivan did not shoot the bear.\n\nAbove in the sunny air there flew a duck, a lovely white duck. Again\nthe Tsarevitch drew his bow to shoot it. But the duck said to him:\n\n\"Do not kill me, good Tsarevitch. I certainly shall be useful to thee\nsome day.\"\n\nAnd this time he obeyed the command of the duck and passed by.\nContinuing his way he saw a blinking hare. The Tsarevitch prepared an\narrow to shoot it, but the gray, blinking hare said:\n\n\"Do not kill me, brave Tsarevitch. I shall prove myself grateful to\nthee in a very short time.\"\n\nThe Tsarevitch did not shoot the hare, but passed by. He walked\nfarther and farther after the rolling ball, and came to the deep blue\nsea. On the sand there lay a fish. I do not remember the name of the\nfish, but it was a big fish, almost dying on the dry sand.\n\n\"O Tsarevitch Ivan!\" prayed the fish, \"have mercy upon me and push me\nback into the cool sea.\"\n\nThe Tsarevitch did so, and walked along the shore. The ball, rolling\nall the time, brought Ivan to a hut, a queer, tiny hut standing on\ntiny hen's feet.\n\n\"Izboushka! Izboushka!\"--for so in Russia do they name small\nhuts--\"Izboushka, I want thee to turn thy front to me,\" cried Ivan,\nand lo! the tiny hut turned its front at once. Ivan stepped in and saw\na witch, one of the ugliest witches he could imagine.\n\n\"Ho! Ivan Tsarevitch! What brings thee here?\" was his greeting from\nthe witch.\n\n\"O, thou old mischief!\" shouted Ivan with anger. \"Is it the way in\nholy Russia to ask questions before the tired guest gets something to\neat, something to drink, and some hot water to wash the dust off?\"\n\nBaba Yaga, the witch, gave the Tsarevitch plenty to eat and drink,\nbesides hot water to wash the dust off. Tsarevitch Ivan felt\nrefreshed. Soon he became talkative, and related the wonderful story\nof his marriage. He told how he had lost his dear wife, and that his\nonly desire was to find her.\n\n\"I know all about it,\" answered the witch. \"She is now at the palace\nof Kostshei the Deathless, and thou must understand that Kostshei is\nterrible. He watches her day and night and no one can ever conquer\nhim. His death depends on a magic needle. That needle is within a\nhare; that hare is within a large trunk; that trunk is hidden in the\nbranches of an old oak tree; and that oak tree is watched by Kostshei\nas closely as Vassilissa herself, which means closer than any treasure\nhe has.\"\n\nThen the witch told Ivan Tsarevitch how and where to find the oak\ntree. Ivan hastily went to the place. But when he perceived the oak\ntree he was much discouraged, not knowing what to do or how to begin\nthe work. Lo and behold! that old acquaintance of his, the Russian\nbear, came running along, approached the tree, uprooted it, and the\ntrunk fell and broke. A hare jumped out of the trunk and began to run\nfast; but another hare, Ivan's friend, came running after, caught it\nand tore it to pieces. Out of the hare there flew a duck, a gray one\nwhich flew very high and was almost invisible, but the beautiful white\nduck followed the bird and struck its gray enemy, which lost an egg.\nThat egg fell into the deep sea. Ivan meanwhile was anxiously watching\nhis faithful friends helping him. But when the egg disappeared in the\nblue waters he could not help weeping. All of a sudden a big fish came\nswimming up, the same fish he had saved, and brought the egg in his\nmouth. How happy Ivan was when he took it! He broke it and found the\nneedle inside, the magic needle upon which everything depended.\n\nAt the same moment Kostshei lost his strength and power forever.\nIvan Tsarevitch entered his vast dominions, killed him with the\nmagic needle, and in one of the palaces found his own dear wife, his\nbeautiful Vassilissa. He took her home and they were very happy ever\nafter.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nSEVEN SIMEONS\n\n\n[Illustration] In an empire, in a country beyond many seas and\nislands, beyond high mountains, beyond large rivers, upon a level\nexpanse, as if spread upon a table, there stood a large town, and\nin that town there lived a Tsar called Archidei, the son of Aggei;\ntherefore he was called Aggeivitch.\n\nA famous Tsar he was, and a clever one. His wealth could not be\ncounted; his warriors were innumerable. There were forty times forty\ntowns in his kingdom, and in each one of these towns there were ten\npalaces with silver doors and golden ceilings and magnificent crystal\nwindows.\n\nFor his council twelve wise men were selected, each one of them having\na beard half a yard long and a head full of wisdom. These advisers\noffered nothing but truth to their father sovereign; none ever dared\nadvance a lie.\n\nHow could such a Tsar be anything but happy? But it is true, indeed,\nthat neither wealth nor wisdom give happiness when the heart is not at\nease, and even in golden palaces the poor heart often aches.\n\nSo it was with the Tsar Archidei; he was rich and clever, besides\nbeing a handsome fellow; but he could not find a bride to his taste, a\nbride with wit and beauty equal to his own. And this was the cause of\nthe Tsar Archidei's sorrow and distress.\n\nOne day he was sitting in his golden armchair looking out of the\nwindow lost in thought. He had gazed for quite a while before he\nnoticed foreign sailors landing opposite the imperial palace. The\nsailors ran their ship up to the wharf, reefed their white sails,\nthrew the heavy anchor into the sea and prepared the plank ready to\ngo ashore. Before them all walked an old merchant; white was his beard\nand he had about him the air of a wise man. An idea suddenly occurred\nto the Tsar: \"Sea merchants generally are well informed on many\nsubjects. If I ask them, perchance I shall find that they have met\nsomewhere a princess, beautiful and clever, suitable for me, the Tsar\nArchidei.\"\n\nWithout delay the order was given to call the sea merchants into the\nhalls of the palace.\n\nThe merchant guests appeared, prayed to the holy icons hanging in\nthe corner, bowed to the Tsar, bowed to the wise advisers. The Tsar\nordered his servants to serve them with tumblers of strong green wine.\nThe guests drank the strong green wine and wiped their beards with\nembroidered towels. Then the Tsar Archidei addressed them:\n\n\"We are aware that you gallant sea merchants cross all the big\nwaters and see many wonderful things. My desire is to ask you about\nsomething, and you must give a straightforward answer without any\ndeceit or evasion.\"\n\n\"So be it, mighty Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch,\" answered the merchant\nguests, bowing.\n\n\"Well, then, can you tell me if somewhere in an empire or kingdom,\nor among great princes, there is a maiden as beautiful and wise as\nI myself, Tsar Archidei; an illustrious maiden who would be a proper\nwife for me, a suitable Tsaritza for my country?\"\n\nThe merchant guests seemed to be puzzled, and after a long silence the\neldest among them thus replied:\n\n\"Indeed, I once heard that yonder beyond the great sea, on an island\ncalled Buzan, there is a great country; and the sovereign of that land\nhas a daughter named Helena, a princess very beautiful, not less so,\nI dare say, than thyself. And wise she is, too; a wise man once tried\nfor three years to guess a riddle that she gave, and did not succeed.\"\n\n\"How far is that island, pray tell, and where are the roads that lead\nto it?\"\n\n\"The island is not near,\" answered the old merchant. \"If one chooses\nthe wide sea he must journey ten years. Besides, the way to it is not\nknown to us. Moreover, even suppose we did know the way, it seems that\nthe Princess Helena is not a bride for thee.\"\n\nThe Tsar Archidei shouted with anger:\n\n\"How dost thou dare to speak such words, thou, a long-bearded buck?\"\n\n\"Thy will be done, but think for thyself. Suppose thou shouldst send\nan envoy to the island of Buzan. He would require ten long years to go\nthere, ten years equally long to come back, and so his journey would\nrequire fully twenty years. By that time a most beautiful princess\nwould grow old--a girl's beauty is like the swallow, a bird of\npassage; it lasts not long.\"\n\nThe Tsar Archidei became thoughtful.\n\n\"Well,\" he said to the merchant guests, \"you have my thanks, guests of\npassage, respectable men of trade. Go in God's name, transact business\nin my tsarstvo without any taxes whatever. What to do about the\nbeautiful Princess Helena I will try to think out by myself.\"\n\nThe merchants bowed low and left the Tsar's rich palace.\n\nThe Tsar Archidei sat still, wrapped in thought, but he could find\nneither beginning nor end to the problem. \"Let me ride into the wide\nfields,\" he said; \"let me forget my sorrow amid the excitement of the\nnoble hunt, hoping that the future may bring advice.\"\n\nThe falconers appeared, cheerful notes from the golden trumpets\nresounded, and falcons and hawks were soon slumbering under their\nvelvet caps as they sat quietly on the fingers of the hunters.\n\nThe Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch came with his men to a wide, wide field.\nAll of his men were watching the moment to loose their falcons in\norder to let the birds pursue a long-legged heron or a white-breasted\nswan.\n\nNow, you, my listeners, must understand that the fairy tale is quick,\nbut life is not. The Tsar Archidei was on horseback for a long while,\nand finally came to a green valley. Looking around he saw a well\ncultivated field where the golden ears of the grain were already ripe,\nand oh, how beautiful! The Tsar stopped in admiration.\n\n\"I presume,\" he exclaimed, \"that good workers are owners of this\nplace, honest plowmen and diligent sowers. If only all fields in\nmy tsarstvo were equally cultivated, my people need never know what\nhunger means, and there would even be plenty to send beyond the sea to\nbe exchanged for silver and gold.\"\n\nThen the Tsar Archidei gave orders to inquire who the owners of the\nfield were, and what were their names. Hunters, grooms, and servants\nrushed in all directions, and discovered seven brave fellows, all of\nthem fair, red-cheeked, and very handsome. They were dining according\nto the peasant fashion, which means that they were eating rye bread\nwith onions, and drinking clear water. Their blouses were red, with a\ngolden galloon around the neck, and they were so much alike that one\ncould hardly be recognized from another.\n\nThe royal messengers approached.\n\n\"Whose field is this?\" they asked; \"this field with golden wheat?\"\n\nThe seven brave peasants answered cheerfully:\n\n\"This is our field; we plowed it, and we also have sown the golden\nwheat.\"\n\n\"And what kind of people are you?\"\n\n\"We are the Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch's peasants, farmers, and we are\nbrothers, sons of one father and mother. The name for all of us is\nSimeon, so you understand we are seven Simeons.\"\n\n[Illustration: \"_Hunters, grooms, and servants rushed in all\ndirections_\"]\n\nThis answer was faithfully delivered to the Tsar Archidei by the\nenvoys, and the Tsar at once desired to see the brave peasants, and\nordered them to be called before him. The seven Simeons presently\nappeared and bowed. The Tsar looked at them with his bright eyes and\nasked them:\n\n\"What kind of people are you whose field is so well cultivated?\"\n\nOne of the seven brothers, the eldest of them, answered:\n\n\"We are all thy peasants, simpletons, without any wisdom, born of\npeasant parents, all of us children of the same father and the same\nmother, and all having the same name, Simeon. Our old father taught us\nto pray to God, to obey thee, to pay taxes faithfully, and besides to\nwork and toil without rest. He also taught to each of us a trade,\nfor the old saying is, 'A trade is no burden, but a profit.' The old\nfather wished us to keep our trades for a cloudy day, but never to\nforsake our own fields, and always to be contented, and plow and\nharrow diligently.\n\n\"He also used to say, 'If one does not neglect the mother earth, but\nthoroughly harrows and sows in due season, then she, our mother, will\nreward generously, and will give plenty of bread, besides preparing\na soft place for the everlasting rest when one is old and tired of\nlife.'\"\n\nThe Tsar Archidei liked the simple answer of the peasant, and said:\n\n\"Take my praise, brave good fellows, my peasants, tillers of the soil,\nsowers of wheat, gatherers of gold. And now tell me, what trades did\nyour father teach you, and what do you know?\"\n\nThe first Simeon answered:\n\n\"My trade is not a very wise one. If thou wouldst let me have\nmaterials and working men, then I could build a post, a white stone\ncolumn, reaching beyond the clouds, almost to the sky.\"\n\n\"Good enough!\" exclaimed the Tsar Archidei. \"And thou, the second\nSimeon, what is thy trade?\"\n\nThe second Simeon was quick to give answer:\n\n\"My trade is a simple one. If my brother will build a white stone\ncolumn, I can climb upon that column high up in the sky, and I shall\nsee from above all the empires and all the kingdoms under the sun, and\neverything which is going on in those foreign countries.\"\n\n\"Thy trade is not so bad either,\" and the Tsar smiled and looked at\nthe third brother. \"And thou, third Simeon, what trade is thine?\"\n\nThe third Simeon also had his answer ready:\n\n\"My trade is simple, too; that is to say, a peasant's trade. If thou\nart in need of ships, thy learned men of foreign birth build them for\nthee as well as their wisdom teaches them. But if thou wilt order, I\nwill build them simply--one, two! and the ship is ready. My ships will\nbe the result of the quick headwork of a peasant simpleton. But where\na foreign ship sails a year, mine will sail an hour, and where others\ntake ten years, mine will take not longer than a week.\"\n\n\"Well, well!\" laughed the Tsar. \"And thy trade, the fourth Simeon?\" he\nasked.\n\nThe fourth brother bowed.\n\n\"My trade needs no wisdom either. If my brother will build thee a\nship, I then will sail that ship; and if an enemy gives chase or a\ntempest rises, I'll seize the ship by the black prow and plunge her\ninto the deep waters where there is eternal quiet; and after the storm\nis over or the enemy far, I'll again guide her to the surface of the\nwide sea.\"\n\n\"Good!\" approved the Tsar. \"And thou, fifth Simeon, what dost thou\nknow? Hast thou also a trade?\"\n\n\"My trade, Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, is not a fair one, for I am a\nblacksmith. If thou wouldst order a shop built for me, I at once would\nforge a self-shooting gun, and no eagle far above in the sky or wild\nbeast in the wood would be safe from that gun.\"\n\n\"Not bad either,\" answered the Tsar Archidei, well pleased. \"Thy turn\nnow, sixth Simeon.\"\n\n\"My trade is no trade,\" answered the sixth Simeon, rather humbly. \"If\nmy brother shoots a bird or a beast, never mind what or where, I can\ncatch it before it falls down, catch it even better than a hunting\ndog. If the prey should fall into the blue sea, I'll find it at the\nsea's bottom; should it fall into the depth of the dark woods, I'll\nfind it there in the midst of night; should it get caught in a cloud,\nI'll find it even there.\"\n\nThe Tsar Archidei evidently liked the trade of the sixth Simeon very\nwell also. These were all simple trades, you see, without any wisdom\nwhatever, but rather entertaining. The Tsar also liked the peasants'\nspeech, and he said to them:\n\n\"Thanks, my peasants, tillers of the soil, my faithful workers. Your\nfather's words are true ones: 'A trade is not a burden, but a profit.'\nNow come to my capital for a trial; people like you are welcome. And\nwhen the season for harvest arrives, the time to reap, to bind in\nbundles the golden grain, to thresh and carry the wheat to the market,\nI will let you go home with my royal grace.\"\n\nThen all the seven Simeons bowed very low. \"Thine is the will,\" said\nthey, \"and we are thy obedient subjects.\"\n\nHere the Tsar Archidei looked at the youngest Simeon and remembered\nthat he had not asked him about his trade. So he said:\n\n\"And thou, seventh Simeon, what is thy trade?\"\n\n\"I have none, Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch. I learned many, but not a\nsingle one did me any good, and though I know something very well, I\nam not sure your majesty would like it.\"\n\n\"Let us know thy secret,\" ordered the Tsar Archidei.\n\n\"No, Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch! Give me, first of all, thy royal word\nnot to kill me for my inborn talent, but to have mercy upon me. Then\nonly will I be willing to disclose my secret.\"\n\n\"Thy wish is granted. I give thee my royal word, true and not to be\nbroken, that whatever thou shalt disclose to me, I will have mercy\nupon thee.\"\n\nHearing these kind words, the seventh Simeon smiled, looked around,\nshook his curls and began:\n\n\"My trade is one for which there is no mercy in thy tsarstvo, and it\nis the one thing I am able to do. My trade is to steal and to hide the\ntrace of how and when. There is no treasure, no fortunate possession,\nnot even a bewitched one, nor a secret place that could be forbidden\nme if it be my wish to steal.\"\n\nAs soon as these bold words of the seventh Simeon reached the Tsar's\nears he became very angry.\n\n\"No!\" he exclaimed, \"I certainly shall not pardon thee, thief and\nburglar! I will give orders for thy cruel death! I will have thee\nchained and thrown into my subterranean prison with nothing but bread\nand water for food until thou forget thy trade!\"\n\n\"Great and merciful Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, postpone thy orders.\nListen to my peasant talk,\" prayed the seventh Simeon. \"Our old\nRussian saying is: 'He is no thief who is not caught, and neither is\nhe who steals, but the one who instigates the theft.' If my wish had\nbeen to steal, I should have done it long ago. I should have stolen\nthy treasures and thy judges would not have objected to take a small\nshare of them, and I could have built a white-walled stone palace and\nhave been rich. But, mark this: I am a stupid peasant of low origin. I\nknow well enough how to steal, but will not. If thy wish were to learn\nmy trade, how could I keep it from thee? And if thou, for this sincere\nacknowledgment, wilt have me put to death, then what is the value of\nthy royal word?\"\n\nThe Tsar thought a moment. \"For this time,\" he said, \"I will not let\nthee die, for it pleases me to grant thee my grace. But from this very\nday, this very hour, thou never shalt see God's light nor the bright\nsunshine nor the silvery moon. Thou shalt never walk at liberty\nthrough the wide fields, but thou, my dear guest, shalt dwell in a\npalace where no sunny ray ever penetrates. You, my servants, take him,\nchain his hands and his feet and lead him to my chief jailor. And you\nsix Simeons follow me. You have my grace and reward. To-morrow every\none of you will begin to work for me according to his gifts and\ncapacities.\"\n\nThe six Simeons followed the Tsar Archidei, and the seventh brother,\nthe youngest, the beloved one, was fallen upon by the servants, taken\naway to the dark prison and heavily chained.\n\nThe Tsar Archidei ordered carpenters to be sent to the first Simeon,\nas well as masons and blacksmiths and all sorts of workingmen. He also\nordered a supply of bricks, stones, iron, clay, and cement. Without\nany delay, Simeon, the first brother, began to build a column, and\naccording to his simple peasant's habits his work progressed rapidly,\nand not a moment was wasted in clever combinations. In a short time\nthe white column was ready, and lo, how high it went! as high as the\ngreat planets. The smaller stars were beneath it, and from above the\npeople seemed to be like bugs.\n\nThe second Simeon climbed the column, looked around, listened to\nall sounds, and came down. The Tsar Archidei, anxious to know about\neverything under the sun, ordered him to report, and Simeon did so. He\ntold the Tsar Archidei all the wonderful doings all over the world. He\ntold how one king was fighting another, where there was war and\nwhere there was peace, and with other things the second Simeon even\nmentioned deep secrets, quite surprising secrets, which made the Tsar\nArchidei smile; and the courtiers, encouraged by the royal smile,\nroared with laughter.\n\nMeantime the third Simeon was accomplishing something in his line.\nAfter crossing himself three times the fellow rolled up his sleeves\nto the elbow, took a hatchet and--one, two--without any haste built\na vessel. What a curious vessel it was! The Tsar Archidei watched\nthe wonderful structure from the shore and as soon as the orders were\ngiven for sailing, the new vessel sailed away like a white-winged\nhawk. The cannon were shooting and upon the masts, instead of rigging,\nwere drawn strings upon which musicians were playing the national\ntunes.\n\nAs soon as the wonderful vessel sailed into deep water, the fourth\nSimeon snatched the prow and no trace of it remained on the surface;\nthe whole vessel went to the depths like a heavy stone. In an hour or\nso Simeon, with his left hand, led the ship to the blue surface of\nthe sea again, and with his right he presented to the Tsar a most\nmagnificent sturgeon for his \"kulibiaka,\" the famous Russian fish pie.\n\nWhile the Tsar Archidei enjoyed himself with looking at the marvelous\nvessel, the fifth Simeon built a blacksmith shop in the court back of\nthe palace. There he blew the bellows and heated the iron. The noise\nfrom his hammers was great and the result of his peasant work was\na self-shooting gun. The Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch went to the wild\nfields and perceived high above him, very high under the sky, an eagle\nflying.\n\n\"Now!\" exclaimed the Tsar, \"there is an eagle forgetting himself with\nwatching the sun; shoot it. Perchance thou shalt have the good luck to\nhit it. Then I will honor thee.\"\n\nSimeon shook his locks, smiled, put into his gun a silver bullet,\naimed, shot, and the eagle fell swiftly to the earth. The sixth Simeon\ndid not even allow the eagle to fall to the ground, but, quick as a\nflash, he ran under it with a plate, caught it on that big plate and\npresented his prey to the Tsar Archidei.\n\n\"Thanks, thanks, my brave fellows, faithful peasants, tillers of the\nsoil!\" exclaimed the Tsar Archidei gayly. \"I see now plainly that all\nof you are men of trade and I wish to reward you. But now go to your\ndinner and rest awhile.\" The six Simeons bowed to the Tsar very low,\nprayed to the holy icons and went. They were already seated, had time\nto swallow each one a tumbler of the strong, green wine, took up\nthe round wooden spoons in order to attack the \"stchi,\" the Russian\ncabbage soup, when lo! the Tsar's fool came running and shaking his\nstriped cap with the round bells and shouted:\n\n\"You ignorant simpletons, unlearned peasants, moujiks! Is it a\nsuitable moment for dinner when the Tsar wants you? Go in haste!\"\n\nAll the six started running toward the palace, thinking within\nthemselves: \"What can have happened?\" In front of the palace stood the\nguards with their iron staves; in the halls all the wise and learned\npeople were gathered together, and the Tsar himself was sitting on his\nhigh throne looking very grim and thoughtful.\n\n\"Listen to me,\" he said when the peasants approached, \"you, my brave\nfellows, my clever brothers Simeon. I like your trades and I think, as\ndo my wise advisers, that if thou, the second Simeon, art able to\nsee everything going on under the sun, thou shouldst climb quickly\non yonder column and glance around to see if there is, as they say,\nbeyond the great sea an island, Buzan by name. And see if on that\nisland, as men assert, there is a mighty kingdom, and in that kingdom\na mighty king, and if that king, as the story goes, has a daughter,\nthe most beautiful princess Helena.\"\n\nThe second Simeon bowed and ran quickly, even forgetting to put on his\ncap. He went straight to the column, climbed it, looked around, came\ndown, and this was his report:\n\n\"Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, I have accomplished thy sovereign wish. I\nlooked far beyond the sea and have seen the island Buzan. Mighty is\nthe king there, and he is proud and merciless. He sits within his\npalace and his speech is always the same:\n\n'I am a great king and I have a most beautiful daughter, the princess\nHelena. There is no one in the universe more beautiful and more wise\nthan she; there is no bridegroom worthy of her in any place under the\nbright sun, no tsar, no king, no tsarevitch, no korolevitch. To no one\nwill I ever give my daughter, the princess Helena, and whoever\nshall dare to court her, on such an one will I declare war, ruin his\ncountry, and capture himself.'\"\n\n\"And how great is the army of that king?\" asked the Tsar Archidei;\n\"and also how far is his kingdom from my tsarstvo?\"\n\n\"Well, according to the measure of my eyes,\" answered Simeon, \"I fancy\nit would take a ship ten years less two days; or, if it happened to be\nstormy, I am afraid even a little longer than ten years. And that\nking has not a small army. I have seen altogether a hundred thousand\nspearmen, a hundred thousand armed men, and a hundred thousand or more\ncould be gathered from the Tsar's court, from his servants and all\nkinds of underlings. Besides, there is no small armament of guards\nheld in reserve for a special occasion, fed and petted by the king.\"\n\nThe Tsar Archidei remained for a long time in thoughtful silence and\nfinally addressed his court people:\n\n\"My warriors and advisers: I have but one wish; I want the princess\nHelena for my wife. But tell me, how can I reach her?\"\n\nThe wise advisers remained silent, hiding themselves behind each\nother. The third Simeon looked around, bowed to the Tsar, and said:\n\n\"Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, forgive my simple words. How to reach the\nisland of Buzan there is no need to worry about. Sit down on my ship;\nshe is simply built, and equipped without any wise tricks. Where\nothers require a year she takes but a day, and where other ships\ntake ten years mine will take, let us say, a week. Only order thine\nadvisers to decide whether we ought to fight for or peacefully court\nthe beautiful princess.\"\n\n\"Now, my warriors brave, my advisers sage,\" spoke the Tsar Archidei to\nhis men, \"How will you decide upon this matter? Who among you will go\nto fight for the princess, or who will be shrewd enough to bring her\npeacefully here? I will pour gold and silver over that one. I will\ngive to him the first rank among the very first.\"\n\nAnd again the brave warriors and the sage advisers remained silent.\nThe Tsar grew angry; he seemed to be ready for a terrible word. Then,\nas if somebody had asked the fool, out he jumped from behind the wise\npeople with his foolish talk, shook his striped fool's cap, rang his\nmany bells, and shouted:\n\n\"Why so silent, wise men? why so deep in thought? You have big heads\nand long beards; it would seem that there is plenty of wisdom, so why\nnot show it? To go to the island of Buzan to obtain the bride does\nnot mean to lose gold or army. Have you already forgotten the seventh\nSimeon? Why, it will be simple enough for him to steal the princess\nHelena. Afterwards let the king of Buzan come here to fight us, and we\nwill welcome him as an honored guest. But do not forget that he must\ntake ten years' time to reach us, and in ten years--ah me! I have\nheard that some wise man somewhere undertook to teach a horse to talk\nin ten years!\"\n\n\"Good! Good!\" exclaimed the Tsar Archidei, forgetting even his anger.\n\"I thank thee, striped fool. I certainly shall reward thee. Thou must\nhave a new cap with noisy bells, and each one of thy children a\nginger pancake. You, faithful servants, run quickly and bring here the\nseventh Simeon.\"\n\nAccording to the Tsar's bidding the heavy iron gates of the dark\nprison were thrown open, the heavy chains were taken off and the\nseventh Simeon appeared before the eager eyes of the Tsar Archidei,\nwho thus addressed him:\n\n\"Listen to me attentively, thou seventh Simeon, for I had almost\ndecided to grant thee a high honor; to keep thee thy life long in my\nprison. But if thou shouldst prove useful to me, then will I give thee\nfreedom; and besides, thou shalt have a share out of my treasures. Art\nthou able to steal the beautiful princess Helena from her father, the\nmighty king of the island of Buzan?\"\n\n\"And why not?\" cheerfully laughed the seventh Simeon. \"There is\nnothing difficult about it. She is not a pearl, and I presume she is\nnot under too many locks. Only order the ship which my brother had\nbuilt for thee to be loaded with velvets and brocades, with Persian\nrugs, beautiful pearls and precious stones, and bid my four brothers\ncome along with me. But the two eldest keep thou as hostages.\"\n\nOnce said, quickly done. The Tsar Archidei gave orders while all were\nrunning hither and thither, and everything was finished so promptly\nthat a short-haired girl would scarcely have had time to plait her\nhair. The ship, laden with velvets, brocades, with Persian rugs and\npearls, and costly precious stones, was ready; the five brothers, the\nbrave Simeons, were ready; they bowed to the Tsar, spread sail, and\ndisappeared.\n\nThe ship floated swiftly over the blue waters; she flew like a hawk\nin comparison with the slow merchant vessels, and in a week after the\nfive Simeons had left their native land they sighted the island of\nBuzan.\n\nThe island appeared to be surrounded with cannon as thick as peas;\nthe gigantic guards walked up and down the shores tugging fiercely at\ntheir big mustaches. As soon as the ship became visible from a tower\nsomebody shouted through a Dutch trumpet:\n\n\"Stop! Answer! What kind of people are ye? Why come ye here?\"\n\nThe seventh Simeon answered from the ship: \"We are a peaceful people,\nnot enemies but friends, merchants everywhere welcomed as guests. We\nbring foreign merchandise. We want to sell, to buy, and to exchange.\nWe also have gifts for your king and for the korolevna.\"\n\nThe five brothers, our brave Simeons, lowered the boat, loaded it with\nchoice Venetian velvets, brocades, pearls, and precious stones, and\ncovered all with Persian rugs. They rowed to the wharf, and landing\nnear the king's palace, at once carried their gifts to the king.\n\nThe beautiful korolevna Helena was sitting in her terem. She was a\nfair maiden with eyes like stars and eyebrows like precious sable.\nWhen she looked at one it was like receiving a gift, and when she\nwalked it was like the graceful swimming of a swan. The korolevna was\nquick to notice the brave, handsome brothers and at once called her\nnurses and maidens.\n\n\"Hasten, my dear nurses, and you, swift maidens, find out what kind of\nstrangers are these coming to our royal palace.\"\n\nAll of the nurses, all of the maidens, ran out with questions ready.\nThe seventh Simeon answered them thus:\n\n\"We are merchant guests, peaceful people. Our native land is the\ncountry of the Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, a great Tsar indeed. We came\nto sell, to buy, to exchange; moreover, we have gifts for the king and\nhis princess. We do hope the king will favor us and will accept these\ntrifles; if not for himself, at least for the adornment of his court's\nlovely maidens.\"\n\nWhen Helena heard these words she at once let the merchants in. And\nthe merchants appeared, bowed low to the beautiful korolevna, unfolded\nthe showy velvets and golden brocades, strewed around the pearls and\nprecious stones, such stones and pearls as had never been seen before\nin Buzan. The nurses and the maidens opened their mouths in amazement,\nand the korolevna herself seemed to be greatly pleased. The seventh\nSimeon, quick to understand, smiled and said:\n\n\"We all know thee to be as wise as beautiful, but now thou art\nevidently joking about us or mocking us. These simple wares are\naltogether too plain for thine own use. Accept them for thy nurses and\nmaidens for their everyday attire, and these stones send away to the\nkitchen boys to play with. But if thou wilt listen to me, let me say\nthat on our ship we have very different velvets and brocades; we have\nalso precious stones, far more precious than any one has ever seen;\nyet we dared not bring them at once lest we might not suit thy temper\nand thy hearty wish. If thou shouldst decide to come in person and\nchoose anything from among our possessions, they all are thine and we\nbow to thee gratefully for the bright glance of thy beautiful eyes.\"\n\nThe royal maid liked well enough these polite words of the handsome\nSimeon, and to her father she went:\n\n\"Father and king, there have come to visit us some foreign merchants\nand they have brought some goods never before seen in Buzan. Give\nme thy permission to go on board their wonderful ship to choose what\nthings I like. They also have rich gifts for thee.\"\n\nThe king hesitated before answering her, frowning and scratching\nbehind his ear.\n\n\"Well,\" he said at last, \"be it according to thy wish, my daughter, my\nbeautiful korolevna. And you, my counselors, order my royal vessel\nto be ready, the cannons loaded, and a hundred of my bravest warriors\ndetailed to escort the vessel. Send besides a thousand heavy armed\nwarriors to guard the korolevna on her way to the merchants' vessel.\"\n\nThen the king's vessel started from the island of Buzan. Numbers\nof cannon and warriors protected the princess, and the royal father\nremained quiet at home.\n\nWhen they reached the merchants' ship the korolevna Helena came down,\nand at once the crystal bridge was placed and the korolevna with all\nher nurses and maidens went on board the foreign ship, such a ship\nas they had never seen before, never even dreamed of. Meanwhile the\nguards kept watch.\n\nThe seventh Simeon showed the lovely guests everywhere. He was talking\nsmoothly while leisurely unfolding his precious goods. The korolevna\nlistened attentively, looked around curiously, and seemed well\npleased.\n\nAt the same moment the fourth Simeon, watching the proper moment,\nsnapped the prow and down to mysterious depths went the ship where no\none could see her. The people on the king's vessel screamed in terror,\nthe warriors looked like drunken fools, and the guards only opened\ntheir eyes wider than before. What should they do? They directed the\nvessel back to the island and appeared before the king with their\nterrible tale.\n\n\"Oh, my daughter, my darling princess Helena! It is God who punishes\nme for my pride. I never wanted thee to marry. No king, no prince,\nwould I consider worthy of thee; and now--oh! now I know that thou art\nwedded to the deep sea! As for me, I am left alone for the rest of my\nsorrowful days.\"\n\nThen all at once he looked around and shouted to his men:\n\n\"You fools! what were you thinking about? You shall all lose your\nheads! Guards, throw them into dungeons! The most cruel death shall\nbe theirs, such a death that the children of their great-grandchildren\nshall shiver to hear the tale!\"\n\nNow, while the king of Buzan raved and grieved, the ship of the\nbrothers Simeon, like a golden fish, swam under the blue waters, and\nwhen the island was lost from sight the fourth Simeon brought her to\nthe surface and she rose upon the waters like a white-winged gull. By\nthis time the princess was becoming anxious about the long time they\nwere away from home, and she exclaimed:\n\n\"Nurses and maidens, we are leisurely looking around, but I fancy my\nfather the king finds the time sadly long.\" She hastily walked to the\ndeck of the ship, and behold!--only the wide sea was around her like a\nmirror! Where was her native island, where the royal vessel? There was\nnothing visible but the blue sea. The princess screamed, struck her\nwhite bosom with both hands, transformed herself into a white swan and\nflew high into the sky. But the fifth Simeon, watching closely,\nlost no time, snapped his lucky gun and the white swan was shot. His\nbrother, the sixth Simeon, caught the white swan, but lo! instead of\nthe white swan there was a silvery fish, which slipped away from him.\nSimeon caught the fish, but the pretty, silvery fish turned into a\nsmall mouse running around the ship. Simeon did not let it reach\na hole, but swifter than a cat caught the mouse,--and the princess\nHelena, as beautiful and natural as before, appeared before them,\nfair-faced, bright-eyed.\n\nOn a lovely morning a week later the Tsar Archidei was sitting by the\nwindow of his palace lost in thought. His eyes were turned toward the\nsea, the wide, blue sea. He was sad at heart and could not eat; feasts\nhad no interest for him, the costly dishes had no taste, the honey\ndrink seemed weak. All his thoughts and longings were for the princess\nHelena, the beautiful one, the only one.\n\nWhat is that far away upon the waters? Is it a white gull? Or are\nthose white wings not wings, but sails? No, it is not a gull, but the\nship of the brothers Simeon, and she approaches as rapidly as the wind\nwhich blows her sails. The cannon boom, native melodies are played on\nthe cords of the masts. Soon the ship is anchored, the crystal bridge\nprepared, and the korolevna Helena, the beautiful princess, appears\nlike a never-setting sun, her eyes like bright stars, and oh! how\nhappy is the Tsar Archidei!\n\n\"Run quick, my faithful servants, you brave officers of state, and\nyou, too, my bodyguard, and all you useful and ornamental fellows of\nmy palace, run and prepare, shoot off rockets and ring the bells in\norder to give a joyful welcome to korolevna Helena, the beautiful.\"\n\nAll hastened to their tasks, to shoot, to ring the bells, to open the\ngates, to honorably receive the korolevna. The Tsar himself came out\nto meet the beautiful princess, took her white hands and helped her\ninto the palace.\n\n\"Welcome! welcome!\" said the Tsar Archidei. \"Thy fame, korolevna\nHelena, reached me, but never could I imagine such beauty as is thine.\nYet, though I admire thee, I do not want to separate thee from thy\nfather. Say the word and my faithful servants will take thee back\nto him. If thou choosest, however, to remain in my tzarstvo, be the\ntsaritza over my country and rule over me, the Tsar Archidei, also.\"\n\nAt these words of the Tsar the korolevna Helena threw such a glance at\nthe Tsar that it seemed to him the sun was laughing, the moon singing,\nand the stars dancing all around.\n\nWell, what more is there to be said? You certainly can imagine the\nrest. The courtship was not long and the wedding feast was soon\nready, for you know kings always have everything at their command. The\nbrothers Simeon were at once dispatched to the king of Buzan with a\nmessage from the korolevna, his daughter, and this is what she wrote:\n\n\"Dear father, mighty king and sovereign: I have found a husband\naccording to my heart's wish and I am asking thy fatherly blessing.\nMy bridegroom, the Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, sends his counselors to\nthee, begging thee to come to our wedding.\"\n\nAt the very moment when the merchant ship was to land at the island of\nBuzan, crowds of people had gathered to witness the execution of the\nunfortunate guards and brave warriors whose ill-luck it was to have\nallowed the princess to disappear.\n\n\"Stop!\" Simeon the seventh shouted aloud from the deck. \"We bring a\nmissive from the korolevna Helena. Holla!\"\n\nVery glad indeed was the king of the island of Buzan, and glad\nwere all his subjects. The missive was read and the condemned were\npardoned.\n\n\"Evidently,\" the king said, \"it is fated that the handsome and witty\nTsar Archidei and my beautiful daughter are to become husband and\nwife.\"\n\nThen the king treated the envoys and the brothers Simeon very well and\nsent his blessings with them, as he himself did not wish to go, being\nvery old. The ship soon returned and the Tsar Archidei rejoiced over\nit with his beautiful bride, and at once summoned the seven Simeons,\nthe seven brave peasants.\n\nHe said to them: \"Thanks! thanks! my peasants, my brave tillers of\nthe soil. Take as much gold as you wish. Take silver also and ask for\nwhatever is your heart's desire. Everything shall be given you with\nmy mighty hand. Would you like to become boyars, you shall be the\ngreatest among the very great. Do you choose to become governors, each\none shall have a town.\"\n\nThe first Simeon bowed to the Tsar and cheerfully answered:\n\n\"Thanks also to thee, Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch. We are but simple\npeople and simple are our ways. It would not do for us to become\nboyars or governors. We do not care for thy treasures either. We have\nour own father's field, which shall always give us bread for hunger\nand money for need. Let us go home, taking with us thy gracious word\nas our reward. If thou choosest to be so kind, give us thine order\nwhich shall save us from the judges and tax-gatherers; and if we\nshould be guilty of some offense, let thyself alone be our judge. And\ndo, we pray thee, pardon the seventh Simeon, our youngest brother. His\ntrade is surely bad, but he is not the first and not the last one to\nhave such a gift.\"\n\n\"Let it be as you wish,\" said the Tsar; and every desire was granted\nto the seven Simeons, and each one of them received a big tumbler of\nstrong green wine out of the hands of the Tsar himself. Soon after\nthis the wedding was celebrated.\n\nNow, honorable dames and gentlemen, do not judge this story of mine\ntoo severely. If you like it, praise it; if not, let it be forgotten.\nThe story is told and a word is like a sparrow--once out it is out for\ngood.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS\n\n\n[Illustration] Somewhere in a town in holy Russia, there lived a rich\nmerchant with his wife. He had an only son, a dear, bright, and brave\nboy called Ivan. One lovely day Ivan sat at the dinner table with\nhis parents. Near the window in the same room hung a cage, and a\nnightingale, a sweet-voiced, gray bird, was imprisoned within. The\nsweet nightingale began to sing its wonderful song with trills and\nhigh silvery tones. The merchant listened and listened to the song and\nsaid:\n\n\"How I wish I could understand the meaning of the different songs of\nall the birds! I would give half my wealth to the man, if only there\nwere such a man, who could make plain to me all the different songs of\nthe different birds.\"\n\nIvan took notice of these words and no matter where he went, no matter\nwhere he was, no matter what he did, he always thought of how he could\nlearn the language of the birds.\n\n[Illustration: _Ivan learns the language of the birds_]\n\nSome time after this the merchant's son happened to be hunting in a\nforest. The winds rose, the sky became clouded, the lightning flashed,\nthe thunder roared loudly, and the rain fell in torrents. Ivan soon\ncame near a large tree and saw a big nest in the branches. Four small\nbirds were in the nest; they were quite alone, and neither father nor\nmother was there to protect them from the cold and wet. The good Ivan\npitied them, climbed the tree and covered the little ones with his\n\"kaftan,\" a long-skirted coat which the Russian peasants and merchants\nusually wear. The thunderstorm passed by and a big bird came flying\nand sat down on a branch near the nest and spoke very kindly to Ivan.\n\n\"Ivan, I thank thee; thou hast protected my little children from the\ncold and rain and I wish to do something for thee. Tell me what thou\ndost wish.\"\n\nIvan answered; \"I am not in need; I have everything for my comfort.\nBut teach me the birds' language.\"\n\n\"Stay with me three days and thou shalt know all about it.\"\n\nIvan remained in the forest three days. He understood well the\nteaching of the big bird and returned home more clever than before.\nOne beautiful day soon after this Ivan sat with his parents when the\nnightingale was singing in his cage. His song was so sad, however, so\nvery sad, that the merchant and his wife also became sad, and their\nson, their good Ivan, who listened very attentively, was even more\naffected, and the tears came running down his cheeks.\n\n\"What is the matter?\" asked his parents; \"what art thou weeping about,\ndear son?\"\n\n\"Dear parents,\" answered the son, \"it is because I understand the\nmeaning of the nightingale's song, and because this meaning is so sad\nfor all of us.\"\n\n\"What then is the meaning? Tell us the whole truth; do not hide it\nfrom us,\" said the father and mother.\n\n\"Oh, how sad it sounds!\" replied the son. \"How much better would it be\nnever to have been born!\"\n\n\"Do not frighten us,\" said the parents, alarmed. \"If thou dost really\nunderstand the meaning of the song, tell us at once.\"\n\n\"Do you not hear for yourselves? The nightingale says: 'The time will\ncome when Ivan, the merchant's son, shall become Ivan, the king's son,\nand his own father shall serve him as a simple servant.'\"\n\nThe merchant and his wife felt troubled and began to distrust their\nson, their good Ivan. So one night they gave him a drowsy drink, and\nwhen he had fallen asleep they took him to a boat on the wide sea,\nspread the white sails, and pushed the boat from the shore.\n\nFor a long time the boat danced on the waves and finally it came near\na large merchant vessel, which struck against it with such a shock\nthat Ivan awoke. The crew on the large vessel saw Ivan and pitied him.\nSo they decided to take him along with them and did so. High, very\nhigh, above in the sky they perceived cranes. Ivan said to the\nsailors:\n\n\"Be careful; I hear the birds predicting a storm. Let us enter a\nharbor or we shall suffer great danger and damage. All the sails will\nbe torn and all the masts will be broken.\"\n\nBut no one paid any attention and they went farther on. In a short\ntime the storm arose, the wind tore the vessel almost to pieces, and\nthey had a very hard time to repair all the damage. When they were\nthrough with their work they heard many wild swans flying above them\nand talking very loud among themselves.\n\n\"What are they talking about?\" inquired the men, this time with\ninterest.\n\n\"Be careful,\" advised Ivan. \"I hear and distinctly understand them to\nsay that the pirates, the terrible sea robbers, are near. If we do not\nenter a harbor at once they will imprison and kill us.\"\n\nThe crew quickly obeyed this advice and as soon as the vessel entered\nthe harbor the pirate boats passed by and the merchants saw them\ncapture several unprepared vessels. When the danger was over, the\nsailors with Ivan went farther, still farther. Finally the vessel\nanchored near a town, large and unknown to the merchants. A king ruled\nin that town who was very much annoyed by three black crows. These\nthree crows were all the time perching near the window of the king's\nchamber. No one knew how to get rid of them and no one could kill\nthem. The king ordered notices to be placed at all crossings and on\nall prominent buildings, saying that whoever was able to relieve the\nking from the noisy birds would be rewarded by obtaining the youngest\nkorolevna, the king's daughter, for a wife; but the one who should\nhave the daring to undertake but not succeed in delivering the palace\nfrom the crows would have his head cut off. Ivan attentively read the\nannouncement, once, twice, and once more. Finally he made the sign of\nthe cross and went to the palace. He said to the servants:\n\n\"Open the window and let me listen to the birds.\"\n\nThe servants obeyed and Ivan listened for a while. Then he said:\n\n\"Show me to your sovereign king.\"\n\nWhen he reached the room where the king sat on a high, rich chair, he\nbowed and said:\n\n\"There are three crows, a father crow, a mother crow, and a son crow.\nThe trouble is that they desire to obtain thy royal decision as to\nwhether the son crow must follow his father crow or his mother crow.\"\n\nThe king answered: \"The son crow must follow the father crow.\"\n\nAs soon as the king announced his royal decision the crow father with\nthe crow son went one way and the crow mother disappeared the other\nway, and no one has heard the noisy birds since. The king gave\none-half of his kingdom and his youngest korolevna to Ivan, and a\nhappy life began for him.\n\nIn the meantime his father, the rich merchant, lost his wife and by\nand by his fortune also. There was no one left to take care of him,\nand the old man went begging under the windows of charitable people.\nHe went from one window to another, from one village to another, from\none town to another, and one bright day he came to the palace where\nIvan lived, begging humbly for charity. Ivan saw him and recognized\nhim, ordered him to come inside, and gave him food to eat and also\nsupplied him with good clothes, asking questions:\n\n[Illustration: \"_The old man went begging from town to town_\"]\n\n\"Dear old man, what can I do for thee?\" he said.\n\n\"If thou art so very good,\" answered the poor father, without knowing\nthat he was speaking to his own son, \"let me remain here and serve\nthee among thy faithful servants.\"\n\n\"Dear, dear father!\" exclaimed Ivan, \"thou didst doubt the true song\nof the nightingale, and now thou seest that our fate was to meet\naccording to the predictions of long ago.\"\n\nThe old man was frightened and knelt before his son, but his Ivan\nremained the same good son as before, took his father lovingly into\nhis arms, and together they wept over their sorrow.\n\nSeveral days passed by and the old father felt courage to ask his son,\nthe korolevitch:\n\n\"Tell me, my son, how was it that thou didst not perish in the boat?\"\n\nIvan Korolevitch laughed gayly.\n\n\"I presume,\" he answered, \"that it was not my fate to perish at the\nbottom of the wide sea, but my fate was to marry the korolevna, my\nbeautiful wife, and to sweeten the old age of my dear father.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nIVANOUSHKA THE SIMPLETON\n\n\n[Illustration] In a kingdom far away from our country, there was a\ntown over which ruled the Tsar Pea with his Tsaritza Carrot. He had\nmany wise statesmen, wealthy princes, strong, powerful warriors, and\nalso simple soldiers, a hundred thousand, less one man. In that\ntown lived all kinds of people: honest, bearded merchants, keen\nand open-handed rascals, German tradesmen, lovely maidens, Russian\ndrunkards; and in the suburbs all around, the peasants tilled the\nsoil, sowed the wheat, ground the flour, traded in the markets, and\nspent the money in drink.\n\nIn one of the suburbs there was a poor hut where an old man lived with\nhis three sons, Thomas, Pakhom, and Ivan. The old man was not only\nclever, he was wise. He had happened once to have a chat with the\ndevil. They talked together while the old man treated him to a tumbler\nof wine and got out of the devil many great secrets. Soon after this\nthe peasant began to perform such marvelous acts that the neighbors\ncalled him a sorcerer, a magician, and even supposed that the devil\nwas his kin.\n\nYes, it is true that the old man performed great marvels. Were you\nlonging for love, go to him, bow to the old man, and he would give you\nsome strange root, and the sweetheart would be yours. If there is\na theft, again to him with the tale. The old man conjures over some\nwater, takes an officer along straight to the thief, and your lost is\nfound; only take care that the officer steals it not.\n\nIndeed the old man was very wise; but his children were not his\nequals. Two of them were almost as clever. They were married and had\nchildren, but Ivan, the youngest, was single. No one cared much for\nhim because he was rather a fool, could not count one, two, three,\nand only drank, or ate, or slept, or lay around. Why care for such a\nperson? Every one knows life for some is brighter than for others.\nBut Ivan was good-hearted and quiet. Ask of him a belt, he will give\na kaftan also; take his mittens, he certainly would want to have you\ntake his cap with them. And that is why all liked Ivan, and usually\ncalled him Ivanoushka the Simpleton; though the name means fool, at\nthe same time it carries the idea of a kind heart.\n\nOur old man lived on with his sons until finally his hour came to die.\nHe called his three sons and said to them:\n\n\"Dear children of mine, my dying hour is at hand and ye must fulfill\nmy will. Every one of you come to my grave and spend one night with\nme; thou, Tom, the first night; thou, Pakhom, the second night; and\nthou, Ivanoushka the Simpleton, the third.\"\n\nTwo of the brothers, as clever people, promised their father to do\naccording to his bidding, but the Simpleton did not even promise; he\nonly scratched his head.\n\nThe old man died and was buried. During the celebration the family and\nguests had plenty of pancakes to eat and plenty of whisky to wash them\ndown.\n\nNow you remember that on the first night Thomas was to go to the\ngrave; but he was too lazy, or possibly afraid, so he said to the\nSimpleton:\n\n\"I must be up very early to-morrow morning; I have to thresh; go thou\nfor me to our father's grave.\"\n\n\"All right,\" answered Ivanoushka the Simpleton. He took a slice of\nblack rye bread, went to the grave, stretched himself out, and soon\nbegan to snore.\n\nThe church clock struck midnight; the wind roared, the owl cried in\nthe trees, the grave opened and the old man came out and asked:\n\n\"Who is there?\"\n\n\"I,\" answered Ivanoushka.\n\n\"Well, my dear son, I will reward thee for thine obedience,\" said the\nfather.\n\nLo! the cocks crowed and the old man dropped into the grave. The\nSimpleton arrived home and went to the warm stove.\n\n\"What happened?\" asked the brothers.\n\n\"Nothing,\" he answered. \"I slept the whole night and am hungry now.\"\n\nThe second night it was Pakhom's turn to go to his father's grave. He\nthought it over and said to the Simpleton:\n\n\"To-morrow is a busy day with me. Go in my place to our father's\ngrave.\"\n\n\"All right,\" answered Ivanoushka. He took along with him a piece of\nfish pie, went to the grave and slept. Midnight approached, the wind\nroared, crows came flying, the grave opened and the old man came out.\n\n\"Who is there?\" he asked.\n\n\"I,\" answered his son the Simpleton.\n\n\"Well, my beloved son, I will not forget thine obedience,\" said the\nold man.\n\nThe cocks crowed and the old man dropped into his grave. Ivanoushka\nthe Simpleton came home, went to sleep on the warm stove, and in the\nmorning his brothers asked:\n\n\"What happened?\"\n\n\"Nothing,\" answered Ivanoushka.\n\nOn the third night the brothers said to Ivan the Simpleton:\n\n\"It is thy turn to go to the grave of our father. The father's will\nshould be done.\"\n\n\"All right,\" answered Ivanoushka. He took some cookies, put on his\nsheepskin, and arrived at the grave.\n\nAt midnight his father came out.\n\n\"Who is there?\" he asked.\n\n\"I,\" answered Ivanoushka.\n\n\"Well,\" said the old father, \"my obedient son, thou shalt be\nrewarded;\" and the old man shouted with a mighty voice:\n\n  \"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed,\n  Appear before me in my need;\n  Stand up as in the storm the weed!\"\n\nAnd lo!--Ivanoushka the Simpleton beheld a horse running, the earth\ntrembling under his hoofs, his eyes like stars, and out of his mouth\nand ears smoke coming in a cloud. The horse approached and stood\nbefore the old man.\n\n\"What is thy wish?\" he asked with a man's voice.\n\nThe old man crawled into his left ear, washed and adorned himself,\nand jumped out of his right ear as a young, brave fellow never seen\nbefore.\n\n\"Now listen attentively,\" he said. \"To thee, my son, I give this\nhorse. And thou, my faithful horse and friend, serve my son as thou\nhast served me.\"\n\nHardly had the old man pronounced these words when the first cock crew\nand the sorcerer dropped into his grave. Our Simpleton went quietly\nback home, stretched himself under the icons, and his snoring was\nheard far around.\n\n\"What happened?\" the brothers again asked.\n\nBut the Simpleton did not even answer; he only waved his hand. The\nthree brothers continued to live their usual life, the two with\ncleverness and the younger with foolishness. They lived a day in and\nan equal day out. But one morning there came quite a different day\nfrom all others. They learned that big men were going all over the\ncountry with trumpets and players; that those men announced everywhere\nthe will of the Tsar, and the Tsar's will was this: The Tsar Pea and\nthe Tsaritza Carrot had an only daughter, the Tsarevna Baktriana,\nheiress to the throne. She was such a beautiful maiden that the sun\nblushed when she looked at it, and the moon, altogether too bashful,\ncovered itself from her eyes. Tsar and Tsaritza had a hard time to\ndecide to whom they should give their daughter for a wife. It must be\na man who could be a proper ruler over the country, a brave warrior on\nthe battlefield, a wise judge in the council, an adviser to the Tsar,\nand a suitable heir after his death. They also wanted a bridegroom who\nwas young, brave, and handsome, and they wanted him to be in love with\ntheir Tsarevna. That would have been easy enough, but the trouble was\nthat the beautiful Tsarevna loved no one. Sometimes the Tsar mentioned\nto her this or that one. Always the same answer, \"I do not love him.\"\nThe Tsaritza tried, too, with no better result; \"I do not like him.\"\n\nA day came when the Tsar Pea and his Tsaritza Carrot seriously\naddressed their daughter on the subject of marriage and said:\n\n\"Our beloved child, our very beautiful Tsarevna Baktriana, it is time\nfor thee to choose a bridegroom. Envoys of all descriptions, from\nkings and tzars and princes, have worn our threshold, drunk dry all\nthe cellars, and thou hast not yet found any one according to thy\nheart's wish.\"\n\nThe Tsarevna answered: \"Sovereign, and thou, Tsaritza, my dear mother,\nI feel sorry for you, and my wish is to obey your desire. So let fate\ndecide who is destined to become my husband. I ask you to build a\nhall, a high hall with thirty-two circles, and above those circles\na window. I will sit at that window and do you order all kinds of\npeople, tsars, kings, tsarovitchi, korolevitchi, brave warriors,\nand handsome fellows, to come. The one who will jump through the\nthirty-two circles, reach my window and exchange with me golden rings,\nhe it will be who is destined to become my husband, son and heir to\nyou.\"\n\nThe Tsar and Tsaritza listened attentively to the words of their\nbright Tsarevna, and finally they said: \"According to thy wish shall\nit be done.\"\n\nIn no time the hall was ready, a very high hall adorned with Venetian\nvelvets, with pearls for tassels, with golden designs, and thirty-two\ncircles on both sides of the window high above. Envoys went to the\ndifferent kings and sovereigns, pigeons flew with orders to the\nsubjects to gather the proud and the humble into the town of the Tsar\nPea and his Tsaritza Carrot. It was announced everywhere that the\none who could jump through the circles, reach the window and exchange\ngolden rings with the Tsarevna Baktriana, that man would be the lucky\none, notwithstanding his rank--tsar or free kosack, king or warrior,\ntsarevitch, korolevitch, or fellow without any kinfolk or country.\n\nThe great day arrived. Crowds pressed to the field where stood the\nnewly built hall, brilliant as a star. Up high at the window the\ntsarevna was sitting, adorned with precious stones, clad in velvet and\npearls. The people below were roaring like an ocean. The Tzar with his\nTzaritza was sitting upon a throne. Around them were boyars, warriors,\nand counselors.\n\nThe suitors on horseback, proud, handsome, and brave, whistle and ride\nround about, but looking at the high window their hearts drop. There\nwere already several fellows who had tried. Each would take a long\nstart, balance himself, spring, and fall back like a stone, a laughing\nstock for the witnesses.\n\nThe brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton were preparing themselves to\ngo to the field also.\n\nThe Simpleton said to them: \"Take me along with you.\"\n\n\"Thou fool,\" laughed the brothers; \"stay at home and watch the\nchickens.\"\n\n\"All right,\" he answered, went to the chicken yard and lay down. But\nas soon as the brothers were away, our Ivanoushka the Simpleton walked\nto the wide fields and shouted with a mighty voice:\n\n  \"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed,\n  Appear before me in my need;\n  Stand up as in the storm the weed!\"\n\nThe glorious horse came running. Flames shone out of his eyes; out\nof his nostrils smoke came in clouds, and the horse asked with a man's\nvoice:\n\n\"What is thy wish?\"\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton crawled into the horse's left ear,\ntransformed himself and reappeared at the right ear, such a handsome\nfellow that in no book is there written any description of him; no one\nhas ever seen such a fellow. He jumped onto the horse and touched\nhis iron sides with a silk whip. The horse became impatient, lifted\nhimself above the ground, higher and higher above the dark woods below\nthe traveling clouds. He swam over the large rivers, jumped over\nthe small ones, as well as over hills and mountains. Ivanoushka the\nSimpleton arrived at the hall of the Tsarevna Baktriana, flew up like\na hawk, passed through thirty circles, could not reach the last two,\nand went away like a whirlwind.\n\nThe people were shouting: \"Take hold of him! take hold of him!\" The\nTsar jumped to his feet, the Tsaritza screamed. Every one was roaring\nin amazement.\n\nThe brothers of Ivanoushka came home and there was but one subject of\nconversation--what a splendid fellow they had seen! What a wonderful\nstart to pass through the thirty circles!\n\n\"Brothers, that fellow was I,\" said Ivanoushka the Simpleton, who had\nlong since arrived.\n\n\"Keep still and do not fool us,\" answered the brothers.\n\nThe next day the two brothers were going again to the tsarski show and\nIvanoushka the Simpleton said again: \"Take me along with you.\"\n\n\"For thee, fool, this is thy place. Be quiet at home and scare\nsparrows from the pea field instead of the scarecrow.\"\n\n\"All right,\" answered the Simpleton, and he went to the field and\nbegan to scare the sparrows. But as soon as the brothers left home,\nIvanoushka started to the wide field and shouted out loud with a\nmighty voice:\n\n  \"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed,\n  Appear before me in my need;\n  Stand up as in the storm the weed!\"\n\n--and here came the horse, the earth trembling under his hoofs, the\nsparks flying around, his eyes like flames, and out of his nostrils\nsmoke curling up.\n\n\"For what dost thou wish me?\"\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton crawled into the left ear of the horse, and\nwhen he appeared out of the right ear, oh, my! what a fellow he was!\nEven in fairy tales there are never such handsome fellows, to say\nnothing of everyday life.\n\nIvanoushka lifted himself on the iron back of his horse and touched\nhim with a strong whip. The noble horse grew angry, made a jump, and\nwent higher than the dark woods, a little below the traveling clouds.\nOne jump, one mile is behind; a second jump, a river is behind; and a\nthird jump and they were at the hall. Then the horse, with Ivanoushka\non his back, flew like an eagle, high up into the air, passed the\nthirty-first circle, failed to reach the last one, and swept away like\nthe wind.\n\nThe people shouted: \"Take hold of him! take hold of him!\" The Tsar\njumped to his feet, the Tsaritza screamed, the princes and boyars\nopened their mouths.\n\nThe brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton came home. They were\nwondering at the fellow. Yes, an amazing fellow indeed! one circle\nonly was unreached.\n\n\"Brothers, that fellow over there was I,\" said Ivanoushka to them.\n\n\"Keep still in thy own place, thou fool,\" was their sneering answer.\n\nThe third day the brothers were going again to the strange\nentertainment of the Tsar, and again Ivanoushka the Simpleton said to\nthem: \"Take me along with you.\"\n\n\"Fool,\" they laughed, \"there is food to be given to the hogs; better\ngo to them.\"\n\n\"All right,\" the younger brother answered, and quietly went to the\nback yard and gave food to the hogs. But as soon as his brothers had\nleft home our Ivanoushka the Simpleton hurried to the wide field and\nshouted out loud:\n\n  \"Arise, bay horse--them wind-swift steed,\n  Appear before me in my need;\n  Stand up as in the storm the weed!\"\n\nAt once the horse came running, the earth trembled; where he stepped\nthere appeared ponds, where his hoofs touched there were lakes, out of\nhis eyes shone flames, out of his ears smoke came like a cloud.\n\n\"For what dost thou wish me?\" the horse asked with a man's voice.\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton crawled into his right ear and jumped out\nof his left one, and a handsome fellow he was. A young girl could not\neven imagine such a one.\n\nIvanoushka struck his horse, pulled the bridle tight, and lo! he flew\nhigh up in the air. The wind was left behind and even the swallow, the\nsweet, winged passenger, must not aspire to do the same. Our hero flew\nlike a cloud high up into the sky, his silver-chained mail rattling,\nhis fair curls floating in the wind. He arrived at the Tsarevna's high\nhall, struck his horse once more, and oh! how the wild horse did jump!\n\nLook there! the fellow reaches all the circles; he is near the window;\nhe presses the beautiful Tsarevna with his strong arms, kisses her\non the sugar lips, exchanges golden rings, and like a storm sweeps\nthrough the fields. There, there, he is crushing every one on his\nway! And the Tsarevna? Well, she did not object. She even adorned his\nforehead with a diamond star.\n\nThe people roared: \"Take hold of him!\" But the fellow had already\ndisappeared and no traces were left behind.\n\nThe Tsar Pea lost his royal dignity. The Tsaritza Carrot screamed\nlouder than ever and the wise counselors only shook their wise heads\nand remained silent.\n\nThe brothers came home talking and discussing the wonderful matter.\n\n\"Indeed,\" they shook their heads; \"only think of it! The fellow\nsucceeded and our Tsarevna has a bridegroom. But who is he? Where is\nhe?\"\n\n\"Brothers, the fellow is I,\" said Ivanoushka the Simpleton, smiling.\n\n\"Keep still, I and I--,\" and the brothers almost slapped him.\n\nThe matter proved to be quite serious this time, and the Tsar and\nTsaritza issued an order to surround the town with armed men whose\nduty it was to let every one enter, but not a soul go out. Every one\nhad to appear at the royal palace and show his forehead. From early in\nthe morning the crowds were gathering around the palace. Each\nforehead was inspected, but there was no star on any. Dinner time was\napproaching and in the palace they even forgot to cover the oak tables\nwith white spreads. The brothers of Ivanoushka had also to show their\nforeheads and the Simpleton said to them:\n\n\"Take me along with you.\"\n\n\"Thy place is right here,\" they answered, jokingly. \"But say, what is\nthe matter with thy head that thou hast covered it with cloths? Did\nsomebody strike thee?\"\n\n\"No, nobody struck me. I, myself, struck the door with my forehead.\nThe door remained all right, but on my forehead there is a knob.\"\n\nThe brothers laughed and went. Soon after them Ivanoushka left home\nand went straight to the window of the Tsarevna, where she sat leaning\non the window sill and looking for her betrothed.\n\n\"There is our man,\" shouted the guards, when the Simpleton appeared\namong them. \"Show thy forehead. Hast thou the star?\" and they laughed.\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton gave no heed to their bidding, but refused.\nThe guards were shouting at him and the Tsarevna heard the noise and\nordered the fellow to her presence. There was nothing to be done but\nto take off the cloths.\n\nBehold! the star was shining in the middle of his forehead. The\nTsarevna took Ivanoushka by the hand, brought him before Tsar Pea, and\nsaid:\n\n\"He it is, my Tsar and father, who is destined to become my groom, thy\nson-in-law and heir.\"\n\nIt was too late to object. The Tsar ordered preparations for the\nbridal festivities, and our Ivanoushka the Simpleton was wedded to the\nTsarevna Baktriana. The Tsar, the Tsaritza, the young bride and\ngroom, and their guests, feasted three days. There was fine eating\nand generous drinking. There were all kinds of amusements also. The\nbrothers of Ivanoushka were created governors and each one received a\nvillage and a house.\n\nThe story is told in no time, but to live a life requires time and\npatience. The brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton were clever men, we\nknow, and as soon as they became rich every one understood it at once,\nand they themselves became quite sure about it and began to pride\nthemselves, to boast, and to brag. The humble ones did not dare look\ntoward their homes, and even the boyars had to take off their fur caps\non their porches.\n\nOnce several boyars came to Tsar Pea and said: \"Great Tsar, the\nbrothers of thy son-in-law are bragging around that they know the\nplace where grows an apple tree with silver leaves and golden apples,\nand they want to bring this apple tree to thee.\"\n\nThe Tsar immediately called the brothers before him and bade them\nbring at once the wonderful tree, the apple tree with silver leaves\nand golden apples. The brothers had ever so many excuses, but the\nTsar would have his way. They were given fine horses out of the\nroyal stables and went on their errand. Our friend, Ivanoushka the\nSimpleton, found somewhere a lame old horse, jumped on his back facing\nthe tail, and also went. He went to the wide field, grasped the lame\nhorse by the tail, threw him off roughly, and shouted:\n\n\"You crows and magpies, come, come! There is lunch prepared for you.\"\n\nThis done he ordered his horse, his spirited courser, to appear, and\nas usual he crawled into one ear, jumped out the other ear and they\nwent--where? Toward the east where grew the wonderful apple tree\nwith silver leaves and golden apples. It grew near silver waters upon\ngolden sand. When Ivanoushka reached the place he uprooted the tree\nand turned toward home. His ride was long and he felt tired. Before\nhe arrived at his town Ivanoushka pitched his tent and lay down for\na rest. Along the same road came his brothers. The two were proud no\nmore, but rather depressed, not knowing what answer to give the Tsar.\nThey perceived the tent with silver top and near by the wonderful\napple tree. They came nearer and--\"There is our Simpleton!\" exclaimed\nthe brothers. Then they awakened Ivanoushka and wanted to buy the\napple tree. They were rich and offered three carts filled with silver.\n\n\"Well, brothers, this tree, this wonderful apple tree, is not for\nsale,\" answered Ivanoushka, \"but if you wish to obtain it you may. The\nprice will not be too high, a toe from each right foot.\"\n\nThe brothers thought the matter over and finally decided to give the\ndesired price. Ivanoushka cut the toes off, gave them the apple tree,\nand the happy brothers brought it to the Tsar and there was no end to\ntheir bragging.\n\n\"Here, all-powerful Tsar,\" they said. \"We went far, and had many a\ntrouble on our way, but thy wish is fulfilled.\"\n\nThe Tsar Pea seemed pleased, ordered a feast, commanded tunes to be\nplayed and drums beaten, rewarded the two brothers of Ivanoushka the\nSimpleton, each one with a town, and praised them.\n\nThe boyars and warriors became furious.\n\n\"Why,\" they said to the Tsar, \"there is nothing wonderful in such an\napple tree with golden apples and silver leaves. The brothers of thy\nson-in-law are bragging around that they will get thee a pig with\ngolden bristles and silver tusks, and not alone the pig, but also her\ntwelve little ones!\"\n\nThe Tsar called the brothers before him and ordered them to bring\nthe very pig with her golden bristles and silver tusks and her twelve\nlittle ones. The brothers' excuses were not listened to and so they\nwent. Once more the brothers were traveling on a difficult errand,\nlooking for a golden-bristled pig with silver tusks and twelve little\npigs.\n\nAt that time Ivanoushka the Simpleton made up his mind to take a trip\nsomewhere. He put a saddle on a cow, jumped up on her back facing the\ntail, and left the town. He came to a field, grasped the cow by the\nhorns, threw her far on the prairie and shouted:\n\n\"Come, come, you gray wolves and red foxes! there is a dinner for\nyou!\"\n\nThen he ordered his faithful horse, crawled into one ear, and jumped\nout of the other. Master and courser went on an errand, this time\ntoward the south. One, two, three, and they were in dark woods. In\nthese woods the wished-for pig was walking around, a golden-bristled\npig with silver tusks. She was eating roots, and after her followed\ntwelve little pigs.\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton threw over the pig a silk rope with a running\nnoose, gathered the little pigs into a basket and went home, but\nbefore he reached the town of the Tsar Pea he pitched a tent with a\ngolden top and lay down for a rest. On the same road the brothers came\nalong with gloomy faces, not knowing what to say to the Tsar. They\nsaw the tent, and near by the very pig they were searching for, with\ngolden bristles and silver tusks, was fastened with a silk rope; and\nin a basket were the twelve little pigs. The brothers looked into the\ntent. Ivanoushka again! They awakened him and wanted to trade for\nthe pig; they were ready to give in exchange three carts loaded with\nprecious stones.\n\n\"Brothers, my pig is not for trade,\" said Ivanoushka, \"but if you want\nher so much, well, one finger from each right hand will pay for her.\"\n\nThe brothers thought over the case for a long while; they reasoned\nthus: \"People live happily without brains, why not without fingers?\"\n\nSo they allowed Ivanoushka to cut off their fingers, then took the pig\nto the Tsar, and their bragging had no end.\n\n\"Tsar Sovereign,\" they said, \"we went everywhere, beyond the blue\nsea, beyond the dark woods; we passed through deep sands, we suffered\nhunger and thirst; but thy wish is accomplished.\"\n\nThe Tsar was glad to have such faithful servants. He gave a feast\ngreat among feasts, rewarded the brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton,\ncreated them big boyars and praised them.\n\nThe other boyars and different court people said to the Tsar:\n\n\"There is nothing wonderful in such a pig. Golden bristles, silver\ntusks,--yes, it is fine. But a pig remains a pig forever. The brothers\nof thy son-in-law are bragging now that they will steal for thee out\nof the stables of the fiery dragon a mare with golden mane and diamond\nhoofs.\"\n\nThe Tsar at once called the brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton, and\nordered the golden-maned mare with the diamond hoofs. The brothers\nswore that they never said such words, but the Tsar did not listen to\ntheir protests.\n\n\"Take as much gold as you want, take warriors as many as you wish, but\nbring me the beautiful mare with golden mane and diamond hoofs. If you\ndo it my reward will be great; if not, your fate is to become peasants\nas before.\"\n\nThe brothers went, two sad heroes. Their march was slow; where to\ngo they did not know. Ivanoushka also jumped upon a stick and went\nleaping toward the field. Once in the wide, open field, he ordered his\nhorse, crawled into one ear, came out of the other, and both started\nfor a far-away country, for an island, a big island. On that island in\nan iron stable the fiery dragon was watchfully guarding his glory--the\ngolden-maned mare with diamond hoofs, which was locked under seven\nlocks behind seven heavy doors.\n\nOur Ivanoushka journeyed and journeyed, how long we do not know,\nuntil at last he arrived at that island, struggled three days with the\ndragon and killed him on the fourth day. Then he began to tear down\nthe locks. That took three days more. When he had done this he brought\nout the wonderful mare by the golden mane and turned homeward.\n\nThe road was long, and before he reached his town Ivanoushka,\naccording to his habit, pitched his tent with a diamond top, and laid\nhim down for rest. The brothers came along--gloomy they were, fearing\nthe Tsar's anger. Lo! they heard neighing; the earth trembled--it was\nthe golden-maned mare! Though in the dusk of evening the brothers saw\nher golden mane shining like fire. They stopped, awakened Ivanoushka\nthe Simpleton, and wanted to trade for the wonderful mare. They were\nwilling to give him a bushel of precious stones each and promised even\nmore.\n\nIvanoushka said: \"Though my mare is not for trade, yet if you want her\nI'll give her to you. And you, do you each give me your right ears.\"\n\nThe brothers did not even argue, but let Ivanoushka cut off their\nears, took hold of the bridle and went directly to the Tsar. They\npresented to him the golden-maned mare with diamond hoofs, and there\nwas no end of bragging.\n\n\"We went beyond seas, beyond mountains,\" the brothers said to the\nTsar; \"we fought the fiery dragon who bit off our ears and fingers;\nwe had no fear, but one desire to serve thee faithfully; we shed our\nblood and lost our wealth.\"\n\nThe Tsar Pea poured gold over them, created them the very highest\nmen after himself, and planned such a feast that the royal cooks were\ntired out with cooking to feed all the people, and the cellars were\nfairly emptied.\n\nThe Tsar Pea was sitting on his throne, one brother on his right hand,\nthe other brother on his left hand. The feast was going on; all seemed\njolly, all were drinking, all were noisy as bees in a beehive. In the\nmidst of it a young, brave fellow, Ivanoushka the Simpleton, entered\nthe hall--the very fellow who had passed the thirty-two circles and\nreached the window of the beautiful Tsarevna Baktriana.\n\nWhen the brothers noticed him, one almost choked himself with wine,\nthe other was suffocating over a piece of swan. They looked at him,\nopened wide their eyes, and remained silent.\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton bowed to his father-in-law and told the story\nas the story was. He told about the apple tree, the wonderful apple\ntree with silver leaves and golden apples; he told about the pig, the\ngolden-bristled pig with silver tusks and her twelve little ones;\nand finally he told about the marvelous mare with a golden mane and\ndiamond hoofs. He finished and laid out ears, fingers, and toes.\n\n[Illustration: \"_One brother was sent to watch the turkeys_\"]\n\n\"It is the exchange I got,\" said Ivanoushka.\n\nTsar Pea became furious, stamped his feet, ordered the two brothers to\nbe driven away with brooms. One was sent to feed the pigs, another to\nwatch the turkeys. The Tsar seated Ivanoushka beside himself, creating\nhim the highest among the very high.\n\nThe feast lasted a very long time until all were tired of feasting.\n\nIvanoushka took control of the tsarstvo, ruling wisely and severely.\nAfter his father-in-law's death he occupied his place. His subjects\nliked him; he had many children, and his beautiful Tsaritza Baktriana\nremained beautiful forever.\n\n\n\n\n\nWOE BOGOTIR\n\n\n[Illustration] In a small village--do not ask me where; in Russia,\nanyway--there lived two brothers; one of them was rich, the other\npoor. The rich brother had good luck in everything he undertook,\nwas always successful, and had profit out of every venture. The\npoor brother, in spite of all his trouble and all his work, had none\nwhatever.\n\nThe rich brother became still richer, moved into a large town, bought\na big house, and was a merchant among merchants. The poor brother\nbecame very poor, so poor that very often there was no crust even in\nthe \"izba,\" the peasant's log cabin, and the children--all forlorn,\nmiserable little things--cried for food.\n\nThe poor man lost patience and complained bitterly of his ill luck.\nHe had no more courage and his head dropped heavily on his breast. One\nday he decided to call upon his wealthy brother for aid. He went and\nsaid to him:\n\n\"Be good, help me, for I am almost without strength.\"\n\n\"Why not?\" answered the rich man. \"We can do such things as that.\nThere is wealth enough; but look here, there is also plenty of work to\nbe done. Stay around the house for a while and work for me.\"\n\n\"All right,\" consented the poor fellow, and at once began to work. Now\nhe was cleaning the big yard, now grooming horses, now bringing water\nfrom the well or splitting wood. One week passed, two weeks passed.\nThe rich brother gave him twenty and five copecks, which means only\nthirteen cents. He also gave him a loaf of black rye bread.\n\n\"Many thanks,\" said the poor brother, humbly, and was ready to leave\nfor his miserable home. Evidently the conscience of the rich brother\nsmote him, so he called his brother back.\n\n\"Why so prompt?\" he said; \"to-morrow is my birthday; stay to the\nbanquet with us.\"\n\n[Illustration: _The rich brother_]\n\nThe poor fellow remained. But even on such a pleasant occasion the\nunlucky one had no luck. His rich brother was too busy receiving his\nnumerous friends and admirers, all of whom came to tell him how they\nloved him and what a good man he was. The rich merchant thanked his\nguests for their love, and bowing low begged his dear guests to eat,\ndrink, and enjoy themselves. There was no time left for the poor\nbrother, and he was overlooked entirely while he sat timidly in a\ncorner, quite forgotten and unnoticed. He had nothing to eat, nothing\nto drink. But when the crowd was ready to say good-by, before going\naway, the bright, light-hearted guests bowed to their host and told\nhim many lovely things, and the poor brother did exactly like them.\nHe bowed even lower than they did and expressed more thanks than they.\nThe guests went home singing in their new \"telegi,\" the peasants'\ncarts. The poor brother, hungry and very sad, walked along in silence,\nand the idea came to his mind:\n\n\"What if I also tried to sing a cheerful song? The people would\nbelieve that I, too, have had a pleasant time at my brother's house\nand that I am going home happy like them.\"\n\nThe good fellow began his song, began--and almost fainted away, for he\nheard quite distinctly some one behind his back, keeping tune with him\nin a shrill voice. He stopped. The voice stopped, too. He sang, and\nthe voice continued again.\n\n\"Who is there? Come out at once!\" shouted the poor man, beside\nhimself. Ha! the monster appeared, lank and yellow, almost a skeleton,\ncovered with rags. The poor fellow was afraid, but had the courage to\nmake the sign of the cross and ask: \"Who art thou?\"\n\n\"I? I am Bitter Woe. I am one of the Russian heroes, Woe Bogotir. I\npity all weak people. I pity thee, too, and want to help thee along.\"\n\n\"All right, Bitter Woe; let us walk together arm in arm. I presume\nthere are no other friends for me in this world.\"\n\n\"Let us ride, good man,\" laughed the monster. \"I will be thy faithful\ncompanion.\"\n\n\"Thanks, but on what shall we ride?\"\n\n\"I do not know on what thou shalt ride, but I, I shall ride on thee,\"\nand Woe jumped on the shoulders of the unlucky man. The poor fellow\nhad no strength to throw him off, so he crawled along his way, the\nlong, hard way, with Woe on his shoulders. He could hardly walk, yet\nWoe was singing, whistling, and switching him all the time.\n\n\"Why so sad, master?\" Woe would ask, when the poor man sighed. \"Listen\nto me, I want to teach thee a song, my beloved little song:\n\n  \"I am Woe, the brave,\n  I am Woe, the bold;\n  He who lives with me\n  Has his griefs controlled,\n  And when money is lacking\n  I'll find him gold.\n\nAttention, master, thou hast twenty-five copecks; let us go and buy\nsome wine; let us have a jolly good time.\"\n\nThe poor man obeyed. They went and spent all in drink. After this the\nunlucky fellow, with the faithful Woe on his shoulders, came home. His\nwife was sad, his little children were hungry and in tears, but he,\nunder the influence of Woe and wine, danced and sang.\n\nOn the next day Woe began to sigh and said:\n\n\"I have a drunken headache. Let us drink more.\"\n\n\"I have no money,\" answered the poor man.\n\n\"Hast thou forgotten my little song? Let us trade the harrow, the\nplow, the sledge, the telega for money, and let us have a good time.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\nThe poor, weak man had no courage to refuse, and Woe Bogotir became\nhis master and ruler. They went to a kabak and spent everything;\ndrank, sang, and had a good time.\n\nOn the next day Woe sighed again and said to the peasant:\n\n\"Let us drink; let us have a jolly time; let us sell or trade\neverything left, even ourselves.\"\n\nThen the fellow understood that his ruin was near and decided to\ndeceive the sorrowful Woe, so he said:\n\n\"I once heard the old people say that behind the village, near the\ndark forest, there is buried a treasure, yes, a great treasure, but it\nis buried under a large, heavy stone, too heavy a stone for one man\nto move. If we could only remove that stone, thou and I, Woe Bogotir,\ncould have a good time and plenty to drink.\"\n\n\"Let us hasten!\" screamed Woe; \"the Bitter Woe is strong enough to do\nharder things than to move stones.\"\n\nThey went a roundabout way behind the village and saw the great big\nstone, such a heavy stone that five or six strong peasants could never\nbegin to move it. But our poor fellow with his faithful Woe Bogotir\nremoved it at once. They looked inside. Under the stone there was\na pit, a dark, deep pit. At the bottom of that pit something was\ntwinkling. The peasant said to Woe:\n\n\"Thou bold Woe, jump in, throw the gold out to me and I will hold the\nstone.\"\n\nWoe jumped in and laughed out loud.\n\n\"I declare, master,\" he screamed, \"there is no end of gold! There are\ntwenty and more pots filled with it,\" and Woe handed one pot to the\npoor man, who took the pot, hastily hid it under his blouse, and\nslipped the heavy stone into its place. So Bitter Woe remained in the\ndeep pit and the peasant thought to himself, \"Now there is the right\nplace for my comrade, for with such a friend, even gold would taste\nbitter.\"\n\nThe crafty fellow made the sign of the cross and hurried home. He\nbecame quite a new man, courageous, sober, and industrious; bought a\ngrove and some cattle; remodeled the izba, and even started a trade.\nAnd very successful he was, too. Within a year he earned much money,\nand in place of the old hut built a fine, new log cabin.\n\nOne bright day he went into town to ask his rich brother, with his\nwife and children, to do him the favor of coming to a feast which was\nto be given in the new home.\n\n\"That's a joke!\" exclaimed the rich brother. \"Without a ruble in\nthy pockets, stupid fellow! Thou evidently desirest to imitate rich\npeople,\" and then the rich brother laughed and laughed at him. But\nat the same time he got very anxious to know how it was with his poor\nbrother, so he went without delay to the new place. When he arrived\nthere he could not believe his eyes. His poor brother seemed to be\nquite rich, perhaps richer than himself. Everything bespoke wealth\nand care. The host treated his brother and the brother's family most\nkindly and was very hospitable. They had good things to eat and plenty\nof honey to drink, and all became talkative. The brother who had been\npoor related everything about Woe, how he decided to deceive him and\nhow, free from such a burden, he was getting to be a very happy man.\n\nThe rich man grew eager and thought:\n\n\"Is he a fool? Out of so many pots, to take only one! Fool and nothing\nbut fool! If one has money, even the Bitter Woe is not too bad.\"\n\nSo at once he decided to go in search of the stone, to remove it, to\ntake the treasure, the whole treasure, and to send Woe Bogotir back to\nhis brother.\n\nNo sooner thought than done. The rich brother said good-by and went\naway, but did not go to his wealthy home. No, he hurried to the stone.\nHe had to toil hard with the heavy stone, but finally moved it just\na little, and had not time to look inside when the hidden Bogotir had\njumped out and onto his shoulders.\n\nThe rich man felt a burden, oh, what a heavy burden! looked around and\nperceived the hideous monster. He heard this monster whisper in his\near:\n\n\"Thou art bright! Thou didst want to let me perish in that pit?\nNow, dearest, thou wilt not get rid of me; now we shall always be\ntogether.\"\n\n\"Stupid Woe,\" began the rich man; \"it was not I who hid thee under the\nstone; it was my brother; go to him.\"\n\nBut no, Woe would not go. The monster laughed and laughed.\n\n\"All the same, all the same,\" he answered to the rich man. \"Let us\nremain dear companions.\"\n\nThe rich man went home under the heavy burden of the misery-giving\nWoe. His wealth was soon lost, but his brother, who knew how to get\nrid of Woe, was prosperous and is prosperous to this day.\n\n\n\n\n\nBABA YAGA\n\n\n[Illustration] Somewhere, I cannot tell you exactly where, but\ncertainly in vast Russia, there lived a peasant with his wife and they\nhad twins--son and daughter. One day the wife died and the husband\nmourned over her very sincerely for a long time. One year passed, and\ntwo years, and even longer. But there is no order in a house without a\nwoman, and a day came when the man thought, \"If I marry again possibly\nit would turn out all right.\" And so he did, and had children by his\nsecond wife.\n\nThe stepmother was envious of the stepson and daughter and began to\nuse them hardly. She scolded them without any reason, sent them away\nfrom home as often as she wished, and gave them scarcely enough to\neat. Finally she wanted to get rid of them altogether. Do you know\nwhat it means to allow a wicked thought to enter one's heart?\n\nThe wicked thought grows all the time like a poisonous plant and\nslowly kills the good thoughts. A wicked feeling was growing in the\nstepmother's heart, and she determined to send the children to the\nwitch, thinking sure enough that they would never return.\n\n\"Dear children,\" she said to the orphans, \"go to my grandmother who\nlives in the forest in a hut on hen's feet. You will do everything she\nwants you to, and she will give you sweet things to eat and you will\nbe happy.\"\n\nThe orphans started out. But instead of going to the witch, the\nsister, a bright little girl, took her brother by the hand and ran to\ntheir own old, old grandmother and told her all about their going to\nthe forest.\n\n\"Oh, my poor darlings!\" said the good old grandmother, pitying the\nchildren, \"my heart aches for you, but it is not in my power to help\nyou. You have to go not to a loving grandmother, but to a wicked\nwitch. Now listen to me, my darlings,\" she continued; \"I will give you\na hint: Be kind and good to everyone; do not speak ill words to any\none; do not despise helping the weakest, and always hope that for you,\ntoo, there will be the needed help.\"\n\nThe good old grandmother gave the children some delicious fresh milk\nto drink and to each a big slice of ham. She also gave them some\ncookies--there are cookies everywhere--and when the children departed\nshe stood looking after them a long, long time.\n\nThe obedient children arrived at the forest and, oh, wonder! there\nstood a hut, and what a curious one! It stood on tiny hen's feet, and\nat the top was a rooster's head. With their shrill, childish voices\nthey called out loud:\n\n\"Izboushka, Izboushka! turn thy back to the forest and thy front to\nus!\"\n\nThe hut did as they commanded. The two orphans looked inside and saw\nthe witch resting there, her head near the threshold, one foot in one\ncorner, the other foot in another corner, and her knees quite close to\nthe ridge pole.\n\n\"Fou, Fou, Fou!\" exclaimed the witch; \"I feel the Russian spirit.\"\n\nThe children were afraid, and stood close, very close together, but in\nspite of their fear they said very politely:\n\n\"Ho, grandmother, our stepmother sent us to thee to serve thee.\"\n\n\"All right; I am not opposed to keeping you, children. If you satisfy\nall my wishes I shall reward you; if not, I shall eat you up.\"\n\nWithout any delay the witch ordered the girl to spin the thread, and\nthe boy, her brother, to carry water in a sieve to fill a big tub. The\npoor orphan girl wept at her spinning-wheel and wiped away her bitter\ntears. At once all around her appeared small mice squeaking and\nsaying:\n\n\"Sweet girl, do not cry. Give us cookies and we will help thee.\"\n\nThe little girl willingly did so.\n\n\"Now,\" gratefully squeaked the mice, \"go and find the black cat. He is\nvery hungry; give him a slice of ham and he will help thee.\"\n\nThe girl speedily went in search of the cat and saw her brother in\ngreat distress about the tub, so many times he had filled the sieve,\nyet the tub was still dry. The little birds passed, flying near by,\nand chirped to the children:\n\n\"Kind-hearted little children, give us some crumbs and we will advise\nyou.\"\n\nThe orphans gave the birds some crumbs and the grateful birds chirped\nagain:\n\n\"Some clay and water, children dear!\"\n\nThen away they flew through the air.\n\nThe children understood the hint, spat in the sieve, plastered it\nup with clay and filled the tub in a very short time. Then they both\nreturned to the hut and on the threshold met the black cat. They\ngenerously gave him some of the good ham which their good grandmother\nhad given them, petted him and asked:\n\n\"Dear Kitty-cat, black and pretty, tell us what to do in order to get\naway from thy mistress, the witch?\"\n\n\"Well,\" very seriously answered the cat, \"I will give you a towel and\na comb and then you must run away. When you hear the witch running\nafter you, drop the towel behind your back and a large river will\nappear in place of the towel. If you hear her once more, throw down\nthe comb and in place of the comb there will appear a dark wood. This\nwood will protect you from the wicked witch, my mistress.\"\n\nBaba Yaga came home just then.\n\n\"Is it not wonderful?\" she thought; \"everything is exactly right.\"\n\n\"Well,\" she said to the children, \"today you were brave and smart; let\nus see to-morrow. Your work will be more difficult and I hope I shall\neat you up.\"\n\nThe poor orphans went to bed, not to a warm bed prepared by loving\nhands, but on the straw in a cold corner. Nearly scared to death from\nfear, they lay there, afraid to talk, afraid even to breathe. The next\nmorning the witch ordered all the linen to be woven and a large supply\nof firewood to be brought from the forest.\n\nThe children took the towel and comb and ran away as fast as their\nfeet could possibly carry them. The dogs were after them, but\nthey threw them the cookies that were left; the gates did not open\nthemselves, but the children smoothed them with oil; the birch tree\nnear the path almost scratched their eyes out, but the gentle girl\nfastened a pretty ribbon to it. So they went farther and farther and\nran out of the dark forest into the wide, sunny fields.\n\nThe cat sat down by the loom and tore the thread to pieces, doing it\nwith delight. Baba Yaga returned.\n\n\"Where are the children?\" she shouted, and began to beat the cat.\n\"Why hast thou let them go, thou treacherous cat? Why hast thou not\nscratched their faces?\"\n\nThe cat answered: \"Well, it was because I have served thee so many\nyears and thou hast never given me a bite, while the dear children\ngave me some good ham.\"\n\nThe witch scolded the dogs, the gates, and the birch tree near the\npath.\n\n\"Well,\" barked the dogs, \"thou certainly art our mistress, but thou\nhast never done us a favor, and the orphans were kind to us.\"\n\nThe gates replied:\n\n\"We were always ready to obey thee, but thou didst neglect us, and the\ndear children smoothed us with oil.\"\n\n[Illustration: _\"The children ran away as fast as their feet could\npossibly carry them\"_]\n\nThe birch tree lisped with its leaves, \"Thou hast never put a simple\nthread over my branches and the little darlings adorned them with a\npretty ribbon.\"\n\nBaba Yaga understood that there was no help and started to follow the\nchildren herself. In her great hurry she forgot to look for the towel\nand the comb, but jumped astride a broom and was off. The children\nheard her coming and threw the towel behind them. At once a river,\nwide and blue, appeared and watered the field. Baba Yaga hopped along\nthe shore until she finally found a shallow place and crossed it.\n\nAgain the children heard her hurry after them and so they threw down\nthe comb. This time a forest appeared, a dark and dusky forest in\nwhich the roots were interwoven, the branches matted together, and\nthe tree-tops touching each other. The witch tried very hard to pass\nthrough, but in vain, and so, very, very angry, she returned home.\n\nThe orphans rushed to their father, told him all about their great\ndistress, and thus concluded their pitiful story:\n\n\"Ah, father dear, why dost thou love us less than our brothers and\nsisters?\"\n\nThe father was touched and became angry. He sent the wicked stepmother\naway and lived a new life with his good children. From that time he\nwatched over their happiness and never neglected them any more.\n\nHow do I know this story is true? Why, one was there who told me about\nit.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nDIMIAN THE PEASANT\n\n\n[Illustration] Not long ago, or perchance very long ago, I do not know\nfor sure, there lived in a village, some place in Russia, a peasant--a\nmoujik. And this peasant was a stubborn and a quick-tempered fellow,\nand his name was Dimian.\n\nHe was harsh by nature, this Dimian, and wanted everything to go his\nown way. If any one talked or acted against him, Dimian's fists were\nsoon prepared for answer.\n\nSometimes, for instance, he would invite one of his neighbors and\ntreat his guest with fine things to eat and to drink. And the neighbor\nin order to maintain the old custom would pretend to refuse. Dimian\nwould at once begin the dispute:\n\n\"Thou must obey thy host!\"\n\nOnce it happened that a shrewd fellow called on him. Our moujik Dimian\ncovered the table with the very best he had and rejoiced over the good\ntime he foresaw.\n\n[Illustration: \"_Well, I struck a snag_\"]\n\nThe fellow guest speedily ate everything up. Dimian was rather amazed,\nbut brought out his kaftan.\n\n\"Take off thy sheepskin,\" said he to the guest; \"put on my new\nkaftan.\"\n\nIn proposing it he thought within himself:\n\n\"I will bet that this time he will not dare accept; then I will teach\nhim a lesson.\"\n\nBut the fellow quickly put on the new kaftan, tightened it with the\nbelt, shook his curly head and answered:\n\n\"Have my thanks, uncle, for thy gift. How could I dare not take it?\nWhy, one must obey his host's bidding.\"\n\nDimian's temper was rising, and he wanted at any rate to have his own\nway. But what to do? He hastened to the stable, brought out his best\nhorse, and said to his guest:\n\n\"Thou art welcome to all my belongings,\" and within himself he\nthought, \"He certainly will refuse this time, and then my turn will\ncome.\"\n\nBut the fellow did not refuse, and smilingly answered:\n\n\"In thy house thou art the ruler,\" and quickly he jumped on the\nhorse's back and shouted to Dimian, the peasant:\n\n\"Farewell, master! no one pushed thee into the trap but thyself,\" and\nwith these words the fellow was off.\n\nDimian looked after him and shook his head.\n\n\"Well, I struck a snag,\" said he.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN\n\n\n[Illustration] Once upon a time a merchant's son had too much fun\nspending money, and the day came when he saw himself ruined; he had\nnothing to eat, nothing to drink. He took a shovel and went to the\nmarket place to see if perchance somebody would hire him as a worker.\n\nA rich, proud merchant, worth many, many thousands, came along in a\ngilded carriage. All the fellows at the market place, as soon as they\nperceived him, rushed away and hid themselves in the corners. Only one\nremained, and this one was our merchant's son.\n\n\"Dost thou look for work, good fellow? Let me hire thee,\" the very\nrich merchant said to him.\n\n\"So be it; that's what I came here for.\"\n\n\"And thy price?\"\n\n\"A hundred rubles a day will be sufficient for me.\"\n\n\"Why so much?\"\n\n\"If too much, go and look for some one else; plenty of people were\naround and when they saw thee coming, all of them rushed away.\"\n\n\"All right. To-morrow come to the landing place.\"\n\nThe next day, early in the morning, our merchant's son arrived at the\nlanding; the very rich merchant was already there waiting.\n\nThey boarded a ship and went to sea. For quite a long time they\njourneyed, and finally they perceived an island. Upon that island\nthere were high mountains, and near the shore something seemed to be\nin flames.\n\n\"Yonder is something like fire,\" said the merchant's son.\n\n\"No, it is my golden palace.\"\n\nThey landed, came ashore, and--look there! the rich merchant's wife\nis hastening to meet him, and along with her their young daughter, a\nlovely girl, prettier than you could think or even dream of.\n\nThe family met; they greeted one another and went to the palace. And\nalong with them went their new workman. They sat around the oak table\nand ate and drank and were cheerful.\n\n\"One day does not count,\" the rich merchant said; \"let us have a good\ntime and leave work for to-morrow.\"\n\nThe young workman was a fine, brave fellow, handsome and stately, and\nthe merchant's lovely daughter liked him well.\n\nShe left the room and made him a sign to follow her. Then she gave him\na touchstone and a flint.\n\n\"Take it,\" she said; \"when thou art in need, it will be useful.\"\n\nThe next day the very rich merchant with his hired workman went to the\nhigh golden mountain. The young fellow saw at once that there was no\nuse trying to climb or even to crawl up.\n\n\"Well,\" said the merchant, \"let us have a drink for courage.\"\n\nAnd he gave the fellow some drowsy drink. The fellow drank and fell\nasleep.\n\nThe rich merchant took out a sharp knife, killed a wretched horse, cut\nit open, put the fellow inside, pushed in the shovel, and sewed the\nhorse's skin together, and himself sat down in the bushes.\n\nAll at once crows came flying, black crows with iron beaks. They took\nhold of the carcass, lifted it up to the top of the high mountain, and\nbegan to pick at it.\n\nThe crows soon ate up the horse and were about to begin on the\nmerchant's son, when he awoke, pushed away the crows, looked around\nand asked out loud:\n\n\"Where am I?\"\n\nThe rich merchant below answered:\n\n\"On a golden mountain; take the shovel and dig for gold.\"\n\nAnd the young man dug and dug, and all the gold he dug he threw down,\nand the rich merchant loaded it upon the carts.\n\n\"Enough!\" finally shouted the master. \"Thanks for thy help. Farewell!\"\n\n\"And I--how shall I get down?\"\n\n\"As thou pleasest; there have already perished nine and ninety of such\nfellows as thou. With thee the count will be rounded and thou wilt be\nthe hundredth.\"\n\nThe proud, rich merchant was off.\n\n\"What shall I do?\" thought the poor merchant's son. \"Impossible to go\ndown! But to stay here means death, a cruel death from hunger.\"\n\nAnd our fellow stood upon the mountain, while above the black crows\nwere circling, the black crows with iron beaks, as if feeling already\nthe prey.\n\nThe fellow tried to think how it all happened, and he remembered the\nlovely girl and what she said to him in giving him the touchstone and\nthe flint. He remembered how she said:\n\n\"Take it. When thou art in need it will prove useful.\"\n\n\"I fancy she had something in mind; let us try.\"\n\nThe poor merchant's son took out stone and flint, struck it once and\nlo! two brave fellows were standing before him.\n\n\"What is thy wish? What are thy commands?\" said they.\n\n\"Take me from this mountain down to the seashore.\"\n\nAnd at once the two took hold of him and carefully brought him down.\n\nOur hero walks along the shore. See there! a vessel comes sailing near\nthe island.\n\n\"Ahoy! good people! take me along!\"\n\n\"No time to stop!\" And they went sailing by. But the winds arose and\nthe tempest was heavy.\n\n\"It seems as if this fellow over there is not an ordinary man; we had\nbetter go back and take him along,\" decided the sailors.\n\nThey turned the prow toward the island, landed, took the merchant's\nson along with them and brought him to his native town.\n\nIt was a long time, or perhaps only a short time after--who could\ntell?--that one day the merchant's son took again his shovel and went\nto the market place in search of work.\n\nThe same very rich merchant came along in his gilded carriage; and, as\nof old, all the fellows who saw him coming rushed away.\n\nThe merchant's son remained alone.\n\n\"Will you be my workman?\"\n\n\"I will at two hundred rubles a day. If so, let us to work.\"\n\n\"A rather expensive fellow.\"\n\n\"If too expensive go to others; get a cheap man. There were plenty\nof people, but when thou didst appear--thou seest thyself--not one is\nleft.\"\n\n\"Well, all right. Come to-morrow to the landing place.\"\n\nThey met at the landing place, boarded a ship and sailed toward the\nisland.\n\nThe first day they spent rather gayly, and on the second, master and\nworkman went to work.\n\nWhen they reached the golden mountain the rich, proud merchant treated\nhis hired man to a tumbler.\n\n\"Before all, have a drink.\"\n\n\"Wait, master! thou art the head; thou must drink the first. Let me\ntreat thee this time.\"\n\nThe young man had already prepared some of the drowsy stuff and he\nquickly mixed it with the wine and presented it to the master.\n\nThe proud merchant drank and fell sound asleep.\n\nOur merchant's son killed a miserable old horse, cut it open, pushed\nhis master and the shovel inside, sewed it all up and hid himself in\nthe bushes.\n\nAll at once black crows came flying,--black crows with iron beaks;\nthey promptly lifted up the horse with the sleeping merchant inside,\nbore it to the top of the mountain, and began to pick the bones of\ntheir prey.\n\nWhen the merchant awoke he looked here and looked there and looked\neverywhere.\n\n\"Where am I?\"\n\n\"Upon the golden mountain. Now if thou art strong after thy rest, do\nnot lose time; take the shovel and dig. Dig quickly and I'll teach\nthee how to come down.\"\n\nThe proud, rich merchant had to obey and dug and dug. Twelve big carts\nwere loaded.\n\n\"Enough!\" shouted the merchant's son. \"Thank thee, and farewell!\"\n\n\"And I?\"\n\n\"And thou mayst do as thou wishest! There are already ninety and nine\nfellows perished before thee; with thyself there will be a hundred.\"\n\nThe merchant's son took along with him the twelve heavy carts with\ngold, arrived at the golden palace and married the lovely girl; the\nrich merchant's daughter became mistress of all her father's wealth,\nand the merchant's son with his family moved to a large town to live.\n\nAnd the rich merchant, the proud, rich merchant?\n\nHe himself, like his many victims, became the prey of the black crows,\nblack crows with iron beaks.\n\nWell, sometimes it happens just so.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nFATHER FROST\n\n\n[Illustration] In a far-away country, somewhere in Russia, there lived\na stepmother who had a stepdaughter and also a daughter of her own.\nHer own daughter was dear to her, and always whatever she did the\nmother was the first to praise her, to pet her; but there was but\nlittle praise for the stepdaughter; although good and kind, she had\nno other reward than reproach. What on earth could have been done? The\nwind blows, but stops blowing at times; the wicked woman never knows\nhow to stop her wickedness. One bright cold day the stepmother said to\nher husband:\n\n\"Now, old man, I want thee to take thy daughter away from my eyes,\naway from my ears. Thou shalt not take her to thy people into a warm\nizba. Thou shalt take her into the wide, wide fields to the crackling\nfrost.\"\n\nThe old father grew sad, began even to weep, but nevertheless\nhelped the young girl into the sleigh. He wished to cover her with a\nsheepskin in order to protect her from the cold; however, he did not\ndo it. He was afraid; his wife was watching them out of the window.\nAnd so he went with his lovely daughter into the wide, wide fields;\ndrove her nearly to the woods, left her there alone, and speedily\ndrove away--he was a good man and did not care to see his daughter's\ndeath.\n\nAlone, quite alone, remained the sweet girl. Broken-hearted and\nterror-stricken she repeated fervently all the prayers she knew.\n\nFather Frost, the almighty sovereign at that place, clad in furs,\nwith a long, long, white beard and a shining crown on his white head,\napproached nearer and nearer, looked at this beautiful guest of his\nand asked:\n\n\"Dost thou know me?--me, the red-nosed Frost?\"\n\n\"Be welcome, Father Frost,\" answered gently the young girl. \"I hope\nour heavenly Lord sent thee for my sinful soul.\"\n\n\"Art thou comfortable, sweet child?\" again asked the Frost. He was\nexceedingly pleased with her looks and mild manners.\n\n\"Indeed I am,\" answered the girl, almost out of breath from cold.\n\nAnd the Frost, cheerful and bright, kept crackling in the branches\nuntil the air became icy, but the good-natured girl kept repeating:\n\n\"I am very comfortable, dear Father Frost.\"\n\nBut the Frost, however, knew all about the weakness of human beings;\nhe knew very well that few of them are really good and kind; but he\nknew no one of them even could struggle too long against the power of\nFrost, the king of winter. The kindness of the gentle girl charmed old\nFrost so much that he made the decision to treat her differently from\nothers, and gave her a large heavy trunk filled with many beautiful,\nbeautiful things. He gave her a rich \"schouba\" lined with precious\nfurs; he gave her silk quilts--light like feathers and warm as a\nmother's lap. What a rich girl she became and how many magnificent\ngarments she received! And besides all, old Frost gave her a blue\n\"sarafan\" ornamented with silver and pearls.\n\n[Illustration: \"_Old Frost gave the gentle girl many beautiful,\nbeautiful things_\"]\n\nWhen the young girl put it on she became such a beautiful maiden that\neven the sun smiled at her.\n\nThe stepmother was in the kitchen busy baking pancakes for the meal\nwhich it is the custom to give to the priests and friends after the\nusual service for the dead.\n\n\"Now, old man,\" said the wife to the husband, \"go down to the wide\nfields and bring the body of thy daughter; we will bury her.\"\n\nThe old man went off. And the little dog in the corner wagged his tail\nand said:\n\n\"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter is on her way home,\nbeautiful and happy as never before, and the old woman's daughter is\nwicked as ever before.\"\n\n\"Keep still, stupid beast!\" shouted the stepmother, and struck the\nlittle dog.\n\n\"Here, take this pancake, eat it and say, 'The old woman's daughter\nwill be married soon and the old man's daughter shall be buried\nsoon.'\"\n\nThe dog ate the pancake and began anew:\n\n\"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter is coming home wealthy\nand happy as never before, and the old woman's daughter is somewhere\naround as homely and wicked as ever before.\"\n\nThe old woman was furious at the dog, but in spite of pancakes and\nwhipping, the dog repeated the same words over and over again.\n\nSomebody opened the gate, voices were heard laughing and talking\noutside. The old woman looked out and sat down in amazement. The\nstepdaughter was there like a princess, bright and happy in the most\nbeautiful garments, and behind her the old father had hardly strength\nenough to carry the heavy, heavy trunk with the rich outfit.\n\n\"Old man!\" called the stepmother, impatiently; \"hitch our best horses\nto our best sleigh, and drive _my_ daughter to the very same\nplace in the wide, wide fields.\"\n\nThe old man obeyed as usual and took his stepdaughter to the same\nplace and left her alone.\n\nOld Frost was there; he looked at his new guest.\n\n\"Art thou comfortable, fair maiden?\" asked the red-nosed sovereign.\n\n\"Let me alone,\" harshly answered the girl; \"canst thou not see that my\nfeet and my hands are about stiff from the cold?\"\n\nThe Frost kept crackling and asking questions for quite a while, but\nobtaining no polite answer became angry and froze the girl to death.\n\n\"Old man, go for my daughter; take the best horses; be careful; do not\nupset the sleigh; do not lose the trunk.\"\n\nAnd the little dog in the corner said:\n\n\"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter will marry soon; the old\nwoman's daughter shall be buried soon.\"\n\n\"Do not lie. Here is a cake; eat it and say, 'The old woman's daughter\nis clad in silver and gold.'\"\n\nThe gate opened, the old woman ran out and kissed the stiff frozen\nlips of her daughter. She wept and wept, but there was no help, and\nshe understood at last that through her own wickedness and envy her\nchild had perished.\n\n[Illustration: THE END]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n\nNOTES\n\n\nThe Tsarevna Frog\n\nA _tsarstvo_ is the domain of a _tsar_ (czar), which\nis the title of an absolute monarch in Russia. The word _tsar_,\nderived from the Roman name and title, Caesar, may be translated\nemperor, king, or prince. A number of words are formed from it by\nadding different syllables: Tsarevitch, the tsar's son, prince;\nTsarevna, the tsar's daughter, princess; Tsaritza, the tsar's wife,\nqueen or empress.\n\n_Boyar_ was the word formerly used to mean a\nRussian nobleman; so a _boyar-house_ is a lord's house;\n_boyarishnia_, a lord's daughter. The _terem_ was that part\nof the boyar-house in which the women's rooms were situated.\n\nIn Russia there is a fatherly relation existing between the ruler\nand his subjects which is shown in such phrases as \"the tsar\nfather,\" \"their father sovereign,\" etc. The Russian language has many\ndiminutives, or terms of endearment. For instance, the Tzar is often\naffectionately called \"the little father\" by his subjects.\n\n\"_Once said, quickly done_.\" This is the Russian idiom.\nObserve how much more lively it is than our own \"No sooner said than\ndone.\"\n\n\nSeven Simeons\n\n_The holy icons_ are pictures or mosaics of Christ, or the\nVirgin Mary, or of some saint or martyr of the Russian church. In\nevery Russian house there is one or more, hung in a prominent place.\nEvery one who enters the house at once bows and utters a prayer before\nthe icons before he does anything else. This is an old Russian custom\nwhich is still kept up by peasants.\n\n_Strong green wine_. This is the phrase still used by Russian\nstory-tellers to describe the drink which it was an honor to receive\nfrom the royal hand. Its strength was magical in that it was not\nacquired by keeping, but was always the same.\n\n_For a cloudy day_ is the Russian idiom very similar to our\nown.\n\n_It is a peasant's trade_ is a Russian saying which means,\n\"It doesn't amount to much.\"\n\n_Moujik_, a peasant: his duties are those of a farm laborer,\nyet this phrase would not be a fair translation. This word, which is\nrendered \"tiller of the soil,\" has no exact equivalent in English.\n\n_Korolevitch_, from _korol_: king. The endings\n_evitch_ and _evna_ show descent, korolevitch meaning son of\na king; korolevna meaning daughter of a king.\n\n_Dutch trumpet_, i.e., an imported trumpet. Anything foreign\nis \"Dutch\" to the Russian peasant.\n\n_Honey drink_, a drink made by fermenting honey and water. It\nis quite common in Russia, and is about the same as our mead.\n\nRussian and other Slavonic tales often have queer endings, similar\nto the one here given by the story-teller at the end of the story,\nwhich is no part of the tale. To the Russian they give a poetic touch,\na little sense of confusion and mystery which is certainly delightful.\n\n\nThe Language of the Birds\n\n_Holy Russia_. To the Russian his country is sacred;\neverything outside is profane by comparison. The phrase suggests the\n_Holy Roman Empire_ of history, or the _Celestial Kingdom_\nof the Chinese.\n\n\nIvanoushka the Simpleton\n\nIn the peasant's house there is often a large stove of brick or\ntile on which the family sleep in cold weather.\n\n_A day in and an equal day out_, the Russian idiom. Observe\nhow very like our own.\n\n\nWoe Bogotir\n\n_Kabak_, a drinking saloon.\n\nThe _ruble_ is the principal coin of Russia, as the dollar\nis in the United States. It is equal to 100 copecks, and at this time\n(1903) is worth only about 50 cents.\n\n_Honey to drink_, i.e., fermented honey, or mead.\n\n\nBaba Yaga\n\n_Baba_, a peasant woman, or grandmother; granny.\n_Yaga_, witch. _Baba Yaga_, therefore, is the familiar\n\"Grandmother Witch.\"\n\n_Izba_, a hut. _Izboushka_, a tiny hut.\n\n\nFather Frost\n\n_Schouba_, a large fur-lined cloak.\n\n_Sarafan_, the Russian national costume for women.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]","title":"Folk Tales from the Russian","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":22593}