{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_50011/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_50011","id":"gutenberg_50011","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50011","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Fairy tales -- Czech Republic","Fairy tales -- Hungary","Fairy tales -- Russia"],"text":"Transcriber's Note\n\nBold text is indicated with ~tildes~, italic text is indicated with\n_underscores_.\n\n\n\n\n       MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES\n              OF THE\n   RUSSIANS, WESTERN SLAVS, AND\n              MAGYARS\n\n        By JEREMIAH CURTIN\n\n\n              BOSTON\n    LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY\n               1890\n\n\n         _Copyright, 1890_\n        By Jeremiah Curtin\n\n\n         University Press\n  John Wilson and Son, Cambridge\n\n\n\n\nTo FRANCIS JAMES CHILD, PH.D., LL.D.\n\n_Professor of English in Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass._\n\n\nMy dear Professor Child,--\n\nIt is more than a quarter of a century since you began for Harvard\nthat collection of myths, folk-tales, and ballads, in all European\nlanguages, which has grown under your hand to such proportions that it\nis now, perhaps, the most complete of its kind in either hemisphere.\n\nThis work was begun by you through a clear perception of what was\nneeded for laborers in a most important field of inquiry, and achieved\nby tireless and patient care in seeking and finding.\n\nYour labors as a scholar are honored abroad as at home, and your work\non English and Scottish ballads will endure as a monument of skill and\ndevotion.\n\nDuring your career as Professor you have been true to the ideals of\nHarvard scholarship and life, adding to them meanwhile something of\nyour own.\n\nWhoso adds to or freshens the spirit of our revered Alma Mater\ndeserves well of the country; for Harvard, now in the second half of\nthe third century of her existence, is the oldest witness and, so far,\nthe most eloquent that we have to the collective and continuous\nstriving of Americans towards a higher life.\n\nTo you,--the distinguished Professor, the earnest scholar, the\nfaithful friend,--I, one of thousands who have listened to your\ninstruction, dedicate this volume, gathered from a field in which you\ntake so much delight.\n\n                                                Jeremiah Curtin.\n\n    Smithsonian Institution,\n        Bureau of Ethnology.\n            Washington D. C. October 23, 1890.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\n                                                                Page\n    Introduction                                                 vii\n\n\n    RUSSIAN MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n    The Three Kingdoms,--The Copper, the Silver, and\n      the Golden                                                   1\n\n    Ivan Tsarevich, The Fire-Bird, and the Gray Wolf              20\n\n    Ivan the Peasant's Son and the Little Man Himself\n      One-finger Tall, his Mustache Seven Versts in Length        37\n\n    The Feather of Bright Finist the Falcon                       47\n\n    The Pig with Gold Bristles, the Deer with Golden Horns,\n      and the Golden-Maned Steed with Golden Tail                 59\n\n    Water of Youth, Water of Life, and Water of Death             72\n\n    The Footless and Blind Champions                              82\n\n    The Three Kingdoms                                            97\n\n    Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death                                       106\n\n    Vassilissa Golden Tress, Bareheaded Beauty                   124\n\n    The Ring with Twelve Screws                                  137\n\n    The Footless and the Blind                                   149\n\n    Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death                                       165\n\n    Go to the Verge of Destruction and Bring Back\n      Shmat-Razum                                                179\n\n    Marya Morevna                                                203\n\n      Variant of the Rescue of Ivan Tsarevich and the\n        Winning of the Colt                                      217\n\n    Yelena the Wise                                              218\n\n    The Seven Simeons, Full Brothers                             228\n\n    The Enchanted Princess                                       238\n\n    Vassilissa the Cunning, and the Tsar of the Sea              249\n\n\n    CHEKH MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n    Boyislav, Youngest of Twelve                                 273\n\n    The Table, the Pack, and the Bag                             295\n\n    The King of the Toads                                        311\n\n    The Mouse-hole, and the Underground Kingdom                  331\n\n    The Cuirassier and the Horned Princess                       356\n\n    The Treacherous Brothers                                     370\n\n\n    MAGYAR MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n    The Poor Man, and the King of the Crows                      409\n\n    The Useless Wagoner                                          424\n\n    Mirko, the King's Son                                        434\n\n    The Reed Maiden                                              457\n\n    Kiss Miklos, and the Green Daughter of the Green King        477\n\n    The Hedgehog, the Merchant, the King, and the Poor Man       517\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nA few tens of years ago it was all-important to understand and explain\nthe brotherhood and blood-bond of Aryan nations, and their relation to\nthe Semitic race; to discover and set forth the meaning of that which\nin mental work, historic strivings, and spiritual ideals ties the\nhistoric nations to one another. At the present time this work is\ndone, if not completely, at least measurably well, and a new work\nawaits us, to demonstrate that there is a higher and a mightier\nbond,--the relationship of created things with one another, and their\ninseverable connection with That which some men reverence as God, but\nwhich other men call the Unknowable, the Unseen.\n\nThis new work, which is the necessary continuation of the first, and\nwhich alone can give it completeness and significance, will be\nachieved when we have established the science of mythology.\n\nOf course all that may be attempted in a volume like the present is to\nthrow out a few hints, and to mention some of the uses of mythology as\na science.\n\nThere is a large body of myths and folk-tales already published in\nEurope, and still a great number as yet uncollected. Many of these\ntales are of remarkable beauty. They are of deep interest both to\nyoung and old, and nowhere do they enjoy more delicate appreciation\nthan among educated people in America and England. The delight in a\nbeautiful and wonderful story is the very highest mental pleasure for\na child, and great even for a grown man; but the explanation of it (if\nexplanation there be) and the nature of its heroes (if that can be\ndiscovered) are dear to the mind of a mature person of culture. Much\nhas been written touching the heroes of folk-tales, as well as the\ncharacters in Aryan mythology, but it appears to have produced small\neffect; for to most readers it seems unproven, and founded mainly on\nthe views of each writer. This is the reason why the chief, almost the\nonly, value found in folk-tales, as yet, is the story itself, with its\nsimple beauty, incomparable grotesqueness, and marvellous adventures.\n\nThe great majority even of the least modified tales of Europe have\nmainly substituted heroes,--sons of kings, tsars, merchants, poor men,\nsoldiers,--so that in most cases the birth, occupation, or name of the\npresent hero gives no clew to the original hero of the tale; but\nincidents do. The incidents are often an indication of what kind of\nperson the original hero must have been.\n\nA few of the tales in this volume have preserved elemental heroes; and\nthis is a fact of great value, for it points to a similarity with the\nAmerican system of mythology.\n\nWe have in the present volume Raven,--not the common bird, but that\nelemental power which, after having been overcome, turned into the\ncommon raven of to-day, and flew off to the mountains; Whirlwind and\nSouth Wind are both heroes,--one as a leading, the other as an\nimportant secondary, character in two of the Russian stories. We have\ntwo brothers Wind, in \"The Cuirassier and the Horned Princess,\" in\nwhom the personal character of Wind is well maintained. The steed,\nfire-eating and wise, of the Magyars, which appears also in Russian\nand other Slav tales, always mangy and miserable except in action, is\na very significant character, whose real nature one may hope to\ndemonstrate. But we have no tale in which it is clear who all the\ncharacters are; the modifying influences were too great and\nlong-continued to permit that. Though myth-tales are, perhaps, more\ninteresting for the majority of modern readers in their present form,\nthey will not have their full interest for science till it is shown\nwho most of the actors are under their disguises.\n\nThis is the nearest task of mythology.\n\nThere are masterpieces in literature filled with myths, inspired with\nmyth conceptions of many kinds, simply colored by the life of the time\nand the nations among which these masterpieces were written and\nmoulded to shape by artists, made strong from the spirit of great,\nsimple people, as unknown to us as the nameless heroes who perished\nbefore Agamemnon. How much mythology is there in the Iliad and the\nOdyssey, in the \u00c6neid, in the Divine Comedy of Dante, in the works of\nthe other three great Italian poets? How much in Paradise Lost? How\ncould \"King Lear\" and \"Midsummer Night's Dream,\" or the \"Idylls of the\nKing\" have been written without Keltic mythology? Many of these\nliterary masterpieces have not merely myths in their composition as a\nsentence has words, but the earlier ones are enlarged or modified\nmyth-tales of those periods, while the later ones are largely modelled\non and inspired by the earlier.\n\nThe early chronicles of nations are as strikingly associated with\nmythology as are the masterpieces of literature. Omitting others, one\ncase may be noted here,--that of the voluminous Gaelic chronicles and\nthe so-called historical tales of Ireland, which, in the guise of\nhistory, give mythology, and preserve for coming investigators a whole\nburied Pantheon.\n\nThe service of the science of mythology will be great in connection\nwith the myth-tales of nations, with literature, and with early\nhistory; but its weightiest service will be rendered in the domain of\nreligion, for without mythology there can be no thorough understanding\nof any religion on earth, either in its inception or its growth.\n\nBut how is this science from which men may receive such service to be\nfounded?\n\nIn one way alone: by obtaining from races outside of the Aryan and\nSemitic their myths, their beliefs, their view of the world; this\ndone, the rest will follow as a result of intelligent labor. But the\ngreat battle is in the first part of the work, for the inherent\ndifficulty of the task has been increased by Europeans, who have\nexterminated great numbers among the best primitive races, partially\ncivilized or rather degraded others, and rendered the remainder\ndistrustful and not easily approached on the subject of their myths\nand ethnic beliefs.\n\nAs to the collection of these myths and beliefs, the following may be\nstated:--\n\nThere is everywhere a sort of selvage of short tales and anecdotes,\nsmall information about ghosts and snakes, among all these races,\nwhich are easily obtained; and most Europeans seem to think that when\nthey have collected some of these trivial things they have all that\nthe given people possess. But they are greatly mistaken. All these\npeople have something better. There was not a single stock of Indians\nin America which did not possess, in beautiful forms, the elements of\nan extensive literature, with a religion and philosophy which would\nhave thrown light on many beginnings of Aryan and Semitic thought, a\nknowledge of which in so many cases is now lost to us, but which we\nhope to recover in time. The same may be said of other primitive\nraces, still unbroken, unmodified; and though much has been lost,\nstill enough remains to serve our purpose fully, if civilized men\ninstead of slaying \"savages,\" directly and indirectly, will treat them\nas human beings, and not add to the labor of those workers who in the\nnear future will surely endeavor, singly or in small groups, to study\nthe chief primitive races of the earth, and win from them, not short\ninsignificant odds and ends of information, but great masses of\nmaterial; for the educated world may rest assured that these races\npossess in large volume some of the most beautiful productions of the\nhuman mind, and facts that are not merely of great, but of unique,\nvalue.\n\nIn the introduction to my volume, \"Myths and Folk-lore of Ireland,\" I\nendeavored to explain in brief what the myths of America are,\nespecially the Creation-myths, referring only to those which I myself\nhave collected. I stated that, \"All myths have the same origin, and\nthat all run parallel up to a certain point, which may be taken as the\npoint to which the least developed peoples have risen\" (page 27). I do\nnot know any better way of illustrating this than to bring into\nevidence myths of the Morning-star. The Indians have a great many\nmyths in which the Morning-star figures as the Light-bringer,--the\nsame office as that indicated by the Latin word _Lucifer_; and here I\nmay be permitted to present a short chapter of my personal experience\nwith reference to that word and the Morning-star.\n\nI remember well the feelings roused in my mind at mention or sight of\nthe name Lucifer during the earlier years of my life. It stood for me\nas the name of a being stupendous, dreadful in moral deformity, lurid,\nhideous, and mighty. I remember also the surprise with which when I had\ngrown somewhat older and begun to study Latin, I came upon the name in\nVirgil, where it means the Light-bringer, or Morning-star,--the herald\nof the sun. Many years after I had found the name in Virgil, I spent a\nnight at the house of a friend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, right at the\nshore of Lake Michigan. The night was clear but without a moon,--a\nnight of stars, which is the most impressive of all nights, vast,\nbrooding, majestic. At three o'clock in the morning I woke, and being\nnear an uncurtained window, rose and looked out. Rather low in the east\nwas the Morning-star, shining like silver, with a bluish tinge of\nsteel. I looked towards the west; the great infinity was filled with\nthe hosts of heaven, ranged behind this Morning-star. I saw at once the\norigin of the myth which grew to have such tremendous moral meaning,\nbecause the Morning-star was not in this case the usher of the day but\nthe chieftain of night, the Prince of Darkness, the mortal enemy of the\nLord of Light. I returned to bed knowing that the battle in heaven\nwould soon begin. I rose when the sun was high next morning. All the\nworld was bright, shining and active, gladsome and fresh, from the rays\nof the sun; the kingdom of light was established; but the Prince of\nDarkness and all his confederates had vanished, cast down from the sky,\nand to the endless eternity of God their places will know them no more\nin _that_ night again. They are lost beyond hope or redemption, beyond\npenance or prayer.\n\nI have in mind at this moment two Indian stories of the\nMorning-star,--one Modoc, the other Delaware. The Modoc story is very\nlong, and contains much valuable matter; but the group of incidents\nthat I wish to refer to here are the daily adventures and exploits of\na personage who seems to be no other than the sky with the sun in it.\nThis personage is destroyed every evening. He always gets into\ntrouble, and is burned up; but in his back is a golden disk, which\nneither fire nor anything in the world can destroy. From this disk his\nbody is reconstituted every morning; and all that is needed for the\nresurrection is the summons of the Morning-star, who calls out, \"It is\ntime to rise, old man; you have slept long enough.\" Then the old man\nsprings new again from his ashes through virtue of the immortal disk\nand the compelling word of the star.\n\nNow, the Morning-star is the attendant spirit or \"medicine\" of the\npersonage with the disk, and cannot escape the performance of his\noffice; he has to work at it forever. So the old man cannot fail to\nrise every morning. As the golden disk is no other than the sun, the\nMorning-star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the\nLatins.\n\nThe Delaware story, also a long one, has many grotesque and striking\nelements. I will tell it in a closely compressed form. The person who\nis the hero of this tale has a wife, who, while he is absent hunting,\nturns into a man-eater,--becomes a devouring agency with a mania to\nswallow all flesh, but has a special and craving mania to eat up her\nown husband first of all; so she runs to the woods to find him.\nInformed by a wise, talking dog, a species of brother of his, who had\nsprung out to anticipate the woman, the man rushes off southward, runs\nwith all speed till he reaches a deep mighty river, where is an old\nman who makes a bridge by stretching his neck across the water. The\nhunted husband speaks kindly, and implores for means to cross or his\nwife will devour him. The old man lies down with his shoulder on one\nbank, stretches his neck, makes it flat like a horse's neck, to give\nsafe passage; soon his head is on the other bank, and the man walks\nover. The old bridge-maker promises to delay the woman, and then throw\nher into the river, where she will be eaten by monsters,--all save\nher stomach, in which her life resides; that will float down with the\ncurrent, come to life, and the woman will be as well and furious as\never, unless the stomach is dragged out, cut to pieces, and burned.\n\nThe hunted man hastens, runs westward by the bank of the river, runs\ntill he comes to two aunts who are witches. They promise to help him\nand kill the pursuer. Soon after, when the old man has shortened his\nneck and is sitting on his own side of the river, the wife comes up in\nhot pursuit, talks roughly, tries to hurry the old pontifex; but he\nwill not hurry, waits, and then stretches his neck, putting the narrow\nside upward; it is no wider than the woman's feet. She storms, but he\nsays that being old he might break his neck were he to give the broad\nside as a path; she must walk on the narrow side, and carefully too.\nShe begins to cross, but in the middle of the river grows restive and\nangry. The old man jerks his neck to one side; she falls to the water\nand is eaten right away, all save her stomach, which floats with the\ncurrent. But the aunts, the two witches, are watching; they see and\npull out the stomach, cut it up, and burn the life of that man-eater.\n\nThe man travels westward till he sees a young woman gathering branches\nfor fuel. He speaks to her, is pleased; she is mild-eyed,\nkind-looking. He asks her to marry him; she says she is willing if he\ncan live with her grandmother, who is very thick, very ugly, and\nmalicious. He goes home with the young woman; they are married.\n\nSoon after the marriage the old woman took her son-in-law to hunt on\nan island in a lake. They landed. She said, \"Go down there,\" pointing\nto a place; \"I will drive the game.\" He started, and when half way,\nlooked back; the old woman was in the canoe paddling to the other\nshore. He called; she would not listen, and left him alone on the\nisland. There was no escape. When the sun had gone down and darkness\ncame, the water of the lake began to rise, and flooded the place. He\nselected the highest tree, and began to climb,--the water all the time\nrising; he climbed, and continued to climb. About three o'clock in the\nmorning all the trees on the island, except that tree, were covered.\nAround on every side were great hungry savage-eyed creatures, rising\nwith the water, waiting to eat the man. He looked, saw the\nMorning-star, and cried out: \"When I was young the Morning-star\nappeared to me in a dream, and said that if ever I should be in\ndistress he would save me.\"\n\nThe star heard the call, turned to a small boy standing sentry at his\ndoor, and said, \"Who is that shouting on the island?\"\n\n\"That,\" said the boy, \"is the old woman's son-in-law. She put him\nthere. He says you appeared to him in a dream and promised to save\nhim.\"\n\n\"I did, and I will.\" The Morning-star came forth from his house and\ncalled: \"Let daylight come!\"\n\nDawn came that moment; the water began to fall, and at sunrise the\nisland was dry. The man was saved, came down, went to the\nlanding-place, and hid in the bushes. Soon the old woman's canoe\nstruck the shore; the man heard her say: \"Well, I suppose the larger\nbones of my son-in-law are under the tree. I must go and eat the\nmarrow.\" When she had gone far enough, he sprang into the canoe and\npaddled away. The old woman turned, saw the escape of her son-in-law,\nand cried: \"Come back! I'll play no more tricks.\"\n\nThe man paddled to the other shore, and went to his wife. The old\nwoman was alone, not able to escape. When darkness came, the lake\nbegan to rise. She climbed the highest tree, climbed till the water\nwas nearing the top, and the hungry, terrible creatures were waiting\nto eat her. Then she called out towards the east: \"When I was young\nthe Morning-star appeared to me in a dream, and said he would help me\nout of distress.\"\n\nThe Morning-star heard, and asked his boy: \"Is that man on the island\nyet?\"\n\n\"Oh,\" said the boy, \"the man is at home; the old woman herself is on\nthe island now. She says that you appeared to her in a dream, and\npromised to save her from distress.\"\n\n\"I never appeared to that old woman,\" said the star. \"I will not hurry\ndaylight to-day.\"\n\nThe water rose till the old woman was on the highest point of the tree\nthat would bear her. The water raised all the crowd of hungry,\nterrible creatures. They tore her to pieces, devoured her.\n\nSo the Delawares on the Atlantic, who enjoy seniority among the\nAlgonkin,--the most widely-extended Indian stock of America,--agree\nwith the Modocs, near the Pacific, in the theory of the Morning-star,\nwhich for them, as for the Latins, was the Light-bearer. The opposite\nview, to which I refer in the night-scene at Milwaukee, gave birth to\nthe myth of the struggle of the stars with the sun for possession of\nthe sky. Now, a combination of these two myths--the one in which the\nMorning-star is the Light-bearer being the earlier--gives us a third,\nin which the Morning-star is not merely an opponent, but a rebel. This\nthird myth, after it had increased in age, came to be used in\ndescribing, not an event in the sky, looked at variously by primitive\nmen, but an event in the moral world; and the stories of the\nMorning-star and the sun were transferred from the fields of heaven\nto the kingdom of the soul. This done, Milton had at hand the splendid\nmythologic material and accessories which he used with such power in\nParadise Lost.\n\nI know no American myth in which the Morning-star is represented as\nhostile to the sun; the discovery of one would be very interesting and\nvaluable, as showing that the primitive people of this continent might\npossibly have worked out a physical myth like that made in the Eastern\nhemisphere, and afterwards spiritualized till it was given the meaning\nwhich we find in the pages of Milton.\n\nBut whatever the future may bring, the present American Morning-star\nmyth is interesting; for it shows a complete parallelism with Aryan\nmythology as far as it goes,--that is, to the highest point reached by\nthe non-Aryan tribes of America.\n\nIt should be remembered that whatever be the names of the myth-tale\nheroes at present, the original heroes were not human. They were not\nmen and women, though in most cases the present heroes or heroines\nbear the names of men and women, or children; they perform deeds which\nno man could perform, which only one of the forces of Nature could\nperform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. This is the\ngreat cause of wonderful deeds in myth-tales.\n\nThe following Indian myth, in which we know exactly who the actors\nwere, illustrates this fact very well. I give the myth from memory,\nand in a compressed form, making first the statement that in a part of\neastern Oregon and Washington, where I found it, there are two winds,\nas the Indians informed me, which are all, or practically all, that\nblow in that region. One of these is a northeast, the other a\nsouthwest wind. The Indians subdivide each one of them into five. Each\nof these five is a little different from the other,--that is, there\nare five kinds of southwest winds, and five kinds of northeast winds.\nEach has a proper name describing its character; and in telling the\nmyth these names are used, just as the name Ivan the Fool, and Mirko\nthe king's son are used in Russia and Hungary. The Northeast brothers\nhave a sister more harassing and cruel than they,--cold, damp, fitful.\nShe also has a name describing her character. The five Southwest winds\nhave grandparents very old, who live in a hut by themselves. They have\nno sister; but the eldest has a wife, brought by him to Oregon from\nher birthplace in the Southern seas.\n\nOne time the Northeast winds challenged the others to a\nwrestling-match, in which whoever should be thrown would have his head\ncut off. The Southwest brothers were not free to refuse; they had to\naccept. All the details of this match are described precisely as if\nthe opponents were men and not winds. The Southwest brothers were\nthrown, every one, and each had his head cut off; all were killed, and\nnow the Northeast brothers were lords of that region. The old feeble\ngrandparents were all of the family left in Oregon. The young wife\nwent home to her parents and people in the Southern seas. The\nvictorious brothers did as they pleased,--when they wished to knock\nany one down they did so; but the crowning wickedness of the\nvictorious family was the malice of the sister against the aged\ngrandparents. She came every morning to their hut and insulted them in\na manner that will not bear recital. Weeping and helpless, they\nendured the foulest abuse. The evil sister rejoiced, the wicked\nbrothers rejoiced, and all men besides were suffering. Some time after\nthe widow had returned to her home in the Southern seas a son was born\nto the late eldest brother,--a wonderful boy. This posthumous child\ngrew not by years but by days; and when he was three weeks old he had\nattained full growth. He was a hero of awful strength; nothing could\nresist him. He asked about his father; his mother told how his fathers\nhad perished (the brothers of a father are fathers too in the Indian\nsystem) at the hands of the Northeast brothers. \"I will go to avenge\nmy fathers,\" said he, and started.\n\nHe reached the coast near the Columbia River, which he ascended; when\nat the Cascades he began to try his strength. He pulled out the\ngreatest trees with their roots, overturned cliffs, and went on his\nway with delight. At last he arrived at the land where his fathers had\nruled, and went first in the early morning to the hut of his great\ngrandparents. They were very weak and wretched, but still they were\nable to tell of what they had suffered from the sister. \"She will soon\nbe here,\" said they; so he lay in waiting.\n\nShe came, and was preparing to begin her insults when he seized her\nand put her to a painful death. Then he challenged the five wicked\nbrothers to a wrestling-match, threw them all, and cut their heads\noff. The whole country rejoiced. No one felt pain. The young hero\nruled that land to the delight of all. This hero was not a month old,\nand since we know the characters in the story, we know that the story\nis true.\n\nWhen, in Gaelic, we find heroes like the son of Fin MacCumhail,\nFialan, who at the age of three years slew whole armies, with their\nchampion leaders,[1] and the Shee an Gannon, who was born in the\nmorning, named at noon, and went in the evening to ask his daughter of\nthe King of Erin; or in Russian, Ivan Tsarevich,[2] nine days old,\nwho after three sleeps of three days' and nights' duration each, went\nin search of Peerless Beauty, his bride,--we may feel sure that we are\ndealing mediately or immediately with that category of powers to which\nold-time divinities belong, the same race of personages as the Wind\nbrothers of Oregon.\n\n    [1] See in _Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland_, \"Fin MacCumhail and\n    the Fenians of Erin in the Castle of Fear Dubh,\" p. 221, and\n    \"The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire,\" p. 114.\n\n    [2] See Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death, p. 106.\n\nNow we may leave American myths and say a few words of the nations to\nwhom the three groups of myth-tales belong,--the Russians, the Chekhs,\nand the Magyars. It is not easy to describe any one of them in a brief\nspace, for each is remarkable in character and history.\n\nThe Russians are difficult to describe, not only because they are\nmany, but because of their position. The key-note of this position has\nsounded through their whole history, from the time of Olga and\nVladimir, in the Kieff period, to the present day. Listening to this\nnote, Russian leaders have gained political skill, while the people\nhave confirmed their national instinct and endured burdens which they\nwould endure only for the thing which that key-note describes. To tell\nwhat it is we must make a digression.\n\nThe first political work of the world soundly done, as men of this\nage, with minds of modern situation, are able to see, was the work of\nRome. Rome was the first power to assimilate peoples, to destroy\nprovincialism, to make a State, in the great modern sense of the word.\nAfter the fall of Rome as a political power, with its work done and\ndelivered, there followed a still greater,--a new Rome, with a wider\nambition, and with plans further reaching than those of its\npredecessor. This new Rome saw standing before its face, in the East\nof Europe, the youngest brothers of the Aryan race--the Slavs--still\nunconverted. The new Rome was as different from the old as two things\nmay be, save in this, that both had strong will to rule. The\ndifference was that old Rome ruled in the name of man and better\nsocial order, while new Rome ruled in the name of God and morality;\nbut new Rome was as firmly fixed in purpose to rule by all the weapons\nthat strong men may use in the world, as was old Rome.\n\nIt happened in history that the Teutonic branch of the Aryans fell\nheir to the Roman civilization of the West, and acquired the\nadministrative experience and pride of power personal to lords of the\nearth. These Teutons, or Germans, became the agents through whom for a\nlong period the Catholic Church acted most frequently in dealing with\nEastern Europeans; and the Germans were determined to be the exclusive\ndispensers and extenders of Christianity in that quarter, acquiring at\nthe same time temporal lordship and lands for themselves. This\nproduced a conflict along the whole eastern line,--on one side a\ndefensive struggle of Slav against German; on the other, that\nincursive and attacking movement of the Germans, continued age after\nage under various forms and guises, but which is as real to-day and as\nactive as in times of its greatest intensity, though veiled in\nofficial circles with diplomatic tact. On the northern, or left wing\nof their advance, the Germans destroyed ethnologically; that is, they\nconquered and Germanized the Slavs from places not far from Hamburg to\na considerable distance east of Berlin. Next they destroyed Poland;\nfor they gained possession of the original lands of the Commonwealth\non the Baltic, and pushed the Poles eastward to make good their losses\nat the expense of the Russians. The loss to the Slavs of the Polish\nlands on the Baltic was immense; and to make the catastrophe more\nsorrowful for a man of that stock, the Slavs failed on the south, in\nthe kingdom of Great Moravia, which with the present Moravia included\nthe dominions of Hungary, and later on failed from the Danube\neverywhere southward as far as Slavs had a dwelling.\n\nWhen all the Western Slavs had fallen,--not because they were less\nworthy individually, less brave, or less wise as separate persons than\ntheir invaders, but because they were younger and greener in political\ngrowth,--there remained in the East still two Slav nations (Poland and\nRussia); and the opposition of these forms the great tragic story of\nmodern ages. And the most remarkable concomitant of this tragedy is,\nthat the cause of it is misunderstood by most of us. It is thought,\nnot only widely but well-nigh universally, in Western Europe and\nAmerica that the first cause of the downfall of Poland was Russia;\nwhile the real causes were first and mightiest the peculiar make-up of\nPolish society, coupled with the unceasing activity of Germans in\nconquering and subjecting everything east of them by all the weapons\nthat can be used either in peace or in war.\n\nIf Russia and Poland had both received Christianity from the same\nsource, there would have been strong reasons for them to grow into one\npolitical body; and they might have been able to do so. If both had\nreceived Christianity from the East, as Russia did, they might have\nstood shoulder to shoulder in brotherly defence against the Germanic\nWest. If both had received Christianity directly from the West, they\nmight have prevented the Germans from crusading to Christianize the\nEast at the expense of its land and independence.\n\nWhen one thinks of the enthusiastic and kindly labor of the Irish\nmissionaries in the West, and of Cyril and Methodius among the Slavs,\nit seems hard to believe that the Irish and Greeks had the same Master\nin mind as the iron-clad monks on the Baltic. And they had not; for\nthe Germans took the lands and persons of the converts, while the\nIrish and the Slav missionaries had no thought for themselves.\n\nPoland fell, and Russia remains the one Slav State really independent;\nand Russia remains because, as I have just stated, the Russian people\nhave in all centuries listened to and understood the key-note of their\nposition,--which is: No foreign influence shall exist in Russia under\nany form whatever. To maintain this position the Russians have\nsacrificed more than any people in Europe; and in many senses they\nhave accomplished more.\n\nThe corollary to the above sentence, and which with it completes the\nabstract statement of Russia's whole policy, is: The West of Europe\nshall not dominate the East.\n\nTo the Russian people belong the myth-tales in the first division of\nthis volume. I had hoped to include specimens from Little and White\nRussia,--that is, from those parts of Russia that were once under the\ndominion of Poland; but lack of space has confined me to tales from\nGreat Russia,--that portion of the Empire which first formed around\nMoscow.\n\nThe Chekhs of Bohemia are Slavs more nearly related in speech to the\nPoles than to the Russians. Twice have the Chekhs been very prominent\nin history,--once in the wars which followed the death of John Huss;\nand again during the Thirty Years' War, in which they suffered beyond\nany other people. Reduced from three million to eight hundred thousand\nin number, they were supposed to be extinguished as Slavs; but in\nspite of all emigration they have regained more than their old\nnumbers, and are to-day if possible more determined than ever to\npreserve their historical identity. Take them all in all, there is not\na people of more marked character, nor one whose history has greater\nclaims on the student. In fact, the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries\ncannot be studied at all, in any true sense, without faithful\nattention to the Chekhs. To them belong our second group of tales.\n\nThe tales of the third group belong to the Magyars (the ruling race of\nHungary), who exert more influence than any people of four times their\nnumbers in Europe. Though forming not more, or in any case little\nmore, than one third of the population of Hungary,--say five and a\nhalf to six millions,--they rule the other peoples of the kingdom, and\npossess preponderant power in the Empire of Austria-Hungary. They have\ndirected its foreign policy for the last twenty years,--a fact of\ngreat significance. For though foreign affairs have at all times been\nmore important for Austria than perhaps any State in Europe, they have\nnever been more important than at present; and still they are\nintrusted to the Magyars,--a race forming little more than one sixth\nof the people of the Empire. The reason is not far to seek.\n\nThe Magyars, a non-Aryan people from the Ural-Altai regions, arrived\nin the places they now occupy about one thousand years ago, at the\nperiod of a desperate struggle between the Germans and the Slav\nkingdom of Great Moravia,--a struggle as envenomed as that between\nCarthage and Rome, but in which the Slavs seemed to be holding their\nown very well. At this juncture the Magyars struck Great Moravia in\nthe rear with all their force, secured victory for the Germans, and\ninserted themselves as a dividing wedge between the Southern and the\nNorthern Slavs.\n\nThe fall of Great Moravia closed the way to the political independence\nof the Western Slavs; after them, there remained in the whole Slav\nworld but the Poles and the Russians with the possibility of political\npower.\n\nThere are no people so well qualified by their history and hopes to\ncarry out the policy of Austria, and stand against Russia, as the\nMagyars. Politicians by genius and training, lords of the land by\nposition, their whole existence depends on managing and balancing\nvarious forces. Having no personal sympathy for the Germans, looking\ndown on the Slavs, they are a bitter necessity to the first, and they\ndivide, rule, and dominate the second within the kingdom; outside the\nkingdom it is their policy not to permit the Slavs to develop, unless\nas satellites of Austria-Hungary.\n\nI regret my inability to include Polish myth-tales in this collection,\nowing to want of space. Should the present volume meet with favor, it\nwill be followed during the coming year by another, in which a good\ndeal of attention will be given the Poles,--a most interesting and, in\nvery truth, a little known people.\n\n                                                JEREMIAH CURTIN.\n\n    Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of Ethnology.\n        Washington, D. C., _October 29, 1890_.\n\n\n\n\nRUSSIAN MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n\n\n\nTHE THREE KINGDOMS,--THE COPPER, THE SILVER, AND THE GOLDEN.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom in a certain land lived a Tsar,--Bail Bailyanyin.\nHe had a wife, Nastasya, Golden Tress, and three sons,--Pyotr\nTsarevich, Vassili Tsarevich, and Ivan Tsarevich. The Tsaritsa went\nwith her maidens and nurses to walk in the garden. All at once such a\nmighty Whirlwind rose that, God save us! it caught the Tsaritsa and\nbore her it was unknown whither.\n\nThe Tsar was grieved and distressed, and knew not what to do. His sons\ngrew up, and he said to them: \"My dear children, which of you will go\nto seek your mother?\"\n\nThe two elder brothers made ready and went. After they had gone, the\nyoungest begged permission of his father. \"No,\" said the Tsar, \"go\nnot, my dear son; do not leave me an old man in loneliness.\"\n\n\"Let me go, father; I want awfully to wander over the white world and\nfind my mother.\"\n\nThe Tsar dissuaded and dissuaded, but could not convince him. \"Well,\nthere is no help for it, go; God be with thee!\"\n\nIvan saddled his good steed and set out. He rode and rode, whether it\nwas long or short: a tale is soon told, but a deed is not soon done;\nhe came to a forest. In that forest was the richest of castles. Ivan\nTsarevich entered a broad court, saw an old man, and said, \"Many\nyears' health to thee!\"\n\n\"We beg the favor of thy presence. Who art thou, gallant youth?\"\n\n\"I am Ivan Tsarevich, the son of Tsar Bail Bailyanyin and of Tsaritsa\nNastasya, Golden Tress.\"\n\n\"Oh, my own nephew! Whither is God bearing thee?\"\n\n\"For this cause and that,\" said he, \"I am in search of my mother.\nCanst thou not tell me, uncle, where to find her?\"\n\n\"No, nephew, I cannot; with what I am able, with that I do service.\nBut here is a ball; throw it ahead, it will roll on before thee and\nlead thee to steep, rugged mountains. In those mountains is a cave,\nenter it; take there iron claws, put them on thy hands and thy feet,\nand climb up the mountains. Perhaps thou wilt find there thy mother,\nNastasya, Golden Tress.\"\n\nThat was good aid. Ivan Tsarevich took leave of his uncle, and threw\nthe ball before him; the ball rolled and rolled on, he rode behind it.\nWhether it was long or short, he saw his brothers, Pyotr Tsarevich\nand Vassili Tsarevich. They were encamped in the open field with\nthousands of troops. His brothers were surprised, and asked, \"Where\nart thou going, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"Oh!\" said he, \"I grew weary at home, and I thought of going to look\nfor my mother. Send your army home, and let us go on together.\"\n\nThey sent home the army, and the three went on together after the\nball. While yet at a distance they saw the mountains,--such steep and\nlofty mountains that, God save us! they touched the heavens with their\nheads. The ball rolled straight to a cave. Ivan Tsarevich slipped down\nfrom his horse and said to his brothers, \"Here, brothers, is my good\nsteed; I will go up on the mountains to look for my mother, and ye\nremain here. Wait for me just three months. If I am not here in three\nmonths, there will be no use in waiting longer.\"\n\nThe brothers thought, but how could a man climb these mountains? He\nwould break his head there.\n\n\"Well,\" said they, \"go, with God; we will wait for thee here.\"\n\nIvan approached the cave; he saw that the door was of iron. He struck\nit with all his strength. It opened, he entered; iron claws went on to\nhis feet and hands of themselves. He began to climb the\nmountains,--climb, climb; he toiled a whole month, reaching the top\nwith difficulty. \"Well,\" said he, \"glory be to God!\" He rested a\nlittle, and walked along on the mountain; walked and walked, walked\nand walked, saw a copper castle, at the gate terrible serpents\nfastened with copper chains, crowds of them; and right there was a\nwell, and at the well a copper bucket hung by a copper chain. Ivan\nTsarevich drew water and gave the serpents to drink. They became\nquiet, lay down, and he passed into the court.\n\nThe Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom ran out to meet him. \"Who art thou,\ngallant youth?\"\n\n\"I am Ivan Tsarevich.\"\n\n\"Well, hast thou come of thy own will, or against thy will?\"\n\n\"Of my own will; I am in search of my mother, Nastasya, Golden Tress.\nA certain Whirlwind bore her away out of the garden. Dost thou know\nwhere she is?\"\n\n\"No; but not far from here lives my second sister, the Tsaritsa of the\nSilver Kingdom,--maybe she will tell thee.\"\n\nShe gave him a copper ball and a copper ring. \"The ball,\" said she,\n\"will lead thee to my second sister, and in this ring is the whole\nCopper Kingdom. When thou overcomest Whirlwind, who keeps me here and\nflies to me once in three months, forget me not, poor woman, rescue me\nfrom this place, and take me with thee to the free world.\"\n\n\"I will,\" said Ivan Tsarevich. He threw the copper ball before him;\nthe ball rolled ahead, and he followed after. He came to the Silver\nKingdom and saw a castle finer than the first, all silver; at the gate\nwere terrible serpents fastened to silver chains, and at the side of\nthem was a well with a silver bucket. Ivan Tsarevich drew water and\ngave the serpents to drink. They lay down then, and let him enter the\ncastle. The Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom came out.\n\n\"It will soon be three years,\" said she, \"since mighty Whirlwind\nconfined me here, and no Russian have I heard with hearing, or seen\nwith sight; but now a Russian I see. Who art thou, good youth?\"\n\n\"I am Ivan Tsarevich.\"\n\n\"How didst thou happen hither,--with thy own will, or against thy\nwill?\"\n\n\"With my own will; I am in search of my mother. She went in the green\ngarden to walk, Whirlwind came and bore her away, it is unknown\nwhither. Canst thou not tell me where to find her?\"\n\n\"No, I cannot; but not far from here lives my eldest sister, the\nTsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom, Yelena the Beautiful,--maybe she will\ntell thee. Here is a silver ball, roll it ahead and follow; it will\nlead thee to the Golden Kingdom. But see, when thou hast killed\nWhirlwind, forget me not, poor woman; rescue me from this place, and\ntake me to the free world. Whirlwind holds me captive, and flies\nhither once in two months.\" Then she gave him a silver ring, saying,\n\"In this ring is the whole Silver Kingdom.\"\n\nIvan rolled the ball; wherever it went he followed. Whether it was\nlong or short, he saw a golden castle gleaming like fire; at the gate\nwas a crowd of terrible serpents fastened to golden chains, and right\nthere a well, at the well a golden bucket on a golden chain. Ivan\nTsarevich drew water, and gave the serpents to drink; they lay down\nand were soothed. He entered the palace; Yelena the Beautiful met him.\n\n\"Who art thou, gallant youth?\"\n\n\"I am Ivan Tsarevich.\"\n\n\"How hast thou come hither,--of thy own will, or against thy will?\"\n\n\"I came of my own will; I am in search of my mother, Nastasya, Golden\nTress. Knowest thou not where to find her?\"\n\n\"Why shouldn't I know? She lives not far from here, Whirlwind flies to\nher once a week, and to me once a month. Here is a golden ball for\nthee: throw it ahead and follow,--it will lead thee to thy mother. And\ntake besides this golden ring; in this ring is the whole Golden\nKingdom. And be careful when thou hast conquered Whirlwind. Forget me\nnot, poor woman; take me with thee to the free world.\"\n\n\"I will take thee,\" said he.\n\nIvan Tsarevich rolled the ball and followed after; he went and went\ntill he came to such a palace that, Lord save us! it was just blazing\nwith diamonds and precious stones. At the gate six-headed serpents\nwere hissing. Ivan Tsarevich gave them to drink; the serpents were\nsoothed, and let him pass to the castle. He went through the great\nchambers, and in the most distant found his own mother. She was\nsitting on a lofty throne arrayed in Tsaritsa's robes and crowned with\na costly crown. She looked at the stranger and cried: \"Ah! is that\nthou, my dear son? How hast thou come hither?\"\n\n\"So and so,\" said Ivan; \"I have come for thee.\"\n\n\"Well, dear son, 'twill be hard for thee. Here in these mountains\nreigns Whirlwind, the evil and mighty, all spirits obey him; he is the\none that bore me away. Thou wilt have to fight him; come quickly to\nthe cellar.\"\n\nThey went to the cellar; there were two tubs of water, one on the\nright, the other on the left hand. \"Drink,\" said the Tsaritsa, \"from\nthe right-hand tub.\"\n\nIvan drank.\n\n\"Well, what strength is in thee?\"\n\n\"I am so strong that I could turn the whole castle over with one\nhand.\"\n\n\"Then drink more.\"\n\nIvan drank again.\n\n\"What strength is in thee now?\"\n\n\"If I wished, I could turn the whole world over.\"\n\n\"That is very great strength. Move these tubs from one place to the\nother: put that on the right to the left, that on the left take to the\nright.\"\n\nIvan interchanged the tubs.\n\n\"Thou seest, my dear son, in one tub is water of strength, in the\nother water of weakness. Whoso drinks from the first will be a strong,\nmighty hero; whoso drinks from the second will grow weak altogether.\nWhirlwind always drinks the water of strength and puts it on the right\nside; so we must deceive him, or thou canst never overcome him.\"\n\nThey returned to the castle.\n\n\"Soon Whirlwind will fly home,\" said the Tsaritsa to Ivan Tsarevich.\n\"Sit under my purple robe, so that he may not see thee; and when he\ncomes and runs to embrace and kiss me, do thou seize his club. He will\nrise high, high; he will bear thee over seas, over precipices: but see\nto it, let not the club go out of thy hand. Whirlwind will grow tired,\nwill want to drink the water of strength, will come down to the cellar\nand rush to the tub placed on the right hand; but do thou drink from\nthe tub on the left. Then he will grow weak; wrest his sword from him,\nand with one blow hew off his head. When his head is off, that moment\nthere will be voices behind thee crying, 'Strike again, strike again.'\nStrike not, my son, but say in answer, 'A hero's hand strikes not\ntwice, but always once.'\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich had barely hidden under the robe when the court grew\ndark and everything trembled. Whirlwind flew home, struck the earth,\nbecame a brave hero, and entered the castle, in his hands a club.\n\n\"Tfu, tfu, tfu! somehow it smells of Russia here. Was any one\nvisiting?\"\n\n\"I don't know why it seems so to thee,\" said the Tsaritsa.\n\nWhirlwind rushed to embrace her; but Ivan that moment seized the club.\n\n\"I'll eat thee!\" shouted Whirlwind.\n\n\"Well, grandmother spoke double; either thou wilt eat, or thou wilt\nnot.\"\n\nWhirlwind tore out through the window and up to the sky; he bore Ivan\nTsarevich away. Over mountains he said, \"I will smash thee;\" over seas\nhe said, \"I will drown thee.\" But Ivan did not let the club out of his\nhands. Whirlwind flew over the whole world, wearied himself out, and\nbegan to sink. He came down straight into the cellar, rushed to the\ntub on the right hand, and fell to drinking the water of weakness; but\nIvan ran to the left, drank his fill of the water of strength, and\nbecame the first mighty hero in the whole world. He saw that Whirlwind\nhad become utterly weak, wrested the sharp sword from him, and cut off\nhis head with a blow. Voices cried behind, \"Strike again, strike\nagain, or he will come to life!\" \"No,\" said Ivan; \"a hero's hand\nstrikes not twice, but always finishes at a blow.\" Straightway he\nmade a fire, burned the body and the head, scattered the ashes to the\nwind.\n\nThe mother of Ivan Tsarevich was glad. \"Now, my dear son,\" said she,\n\"let us rejoice. We will eat; and then for home with all speed, for it\nis wearisome here,--there are no people.\"\n\n\"But who serves thee?\"\n\n\"Thou wilt see directly.\"\n\nThey had barely thought of eating, when a table set itself, and\nvarious meats and wines appeared on the table of themselves. The\nTsaritsa and the Tsarevich dined. Meanwhile unseen musicians played\nwonderful songs for them. They ate and drank, and when they had\nrested, Ivan said,--\n\n\"Let us go, mother, it is time; for under the mountains my brothers\nare waiting. And on the road I must save three Tsaritsas who are\nliving in Whirlwind's castles.\"\n\nThey took everything needful and set out on the journey. They went\nfirst to the Tsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom, then to her sisters of\nthe Silver and Copper Kingdoms. They took them, and brought linen and\nall kinds of stuffs. In a short time they reached the place where they\nhad to go down the mountain.\n\nIvan Tsarevich let his mother down first on the linen, then Yelena the\nBeautiful and her two sisters. The brothers were standing below\nwaiting, and they thought to themselves, \"Let us leave Ivan Tsarevich\nup there; we will take our mother and the three Tsaritsas to our\nfather, and say that we found them.\" \"I'll take Yelena the Beautiful\nfor myself,\" said Pyotr Tsarevich; \"thou, Vassili, wilt have the\nTsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom; and we will give the Tsaritsa of the\nCopper Kingdom to some general.\"\n\nWhen it was time for Ivan Tsarevich to come down from the mountain,\nhis elder brothers seized the linen, pulled and tore it away. Ivan\nremained on the mountain. What could he do? He wept bitterly; then\nturned back, walked and walked over the Copper Kingdom, over the\nSilver Kingdom and the Golden Kingdom,--not a soul did he see. He came\nto the Diamond Kingdom,--no one there either. What was he to do\nalone,--deathly weariness! He looked around; on the window of the\ncastle a whistle was lying. He took it in his hand. \"Let me play from\nweariness,\" said he. He had barely blown when out sprang Lame and\nCrooked.\n\n\"What is thy pleasure?\"\n\nSaid Ivan Tsarevich, \"I want to eat.\" That moment, from wherever it\ncame, a table was set, and on the table the very best food. Ivan\nTsarevich ate and thought, \"Now it would not be bad to rest.\" He blew\non the whistle. Lame and Crooked appeared.\n\n\"What is thy pleasure, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"That a bed be ready.\" The word wasn't out of his mouth when the bed\nwas ready. He lay down, slept splendidly, then whistled again.\n\n\"What is thy pleasure?\" asked Lame and Crooked.\n\n\"Everything can be done, then?\"\n\n\"Everything is possible, Ivan Tsarevich. Whoever blows that whistle,\nwe will do everything for him. As we served Whirlwind before, so we\nare glad to serve thee now; it is only necessary to keep the whistle\nby thee at all times.\"\n\n\"Well,\" said Ivan, \"let me be in my own kingdom this minute.\"\n\nHe had barely spoken when he appeared in his own kingdom, in the\nmiddle of the market square. He was walking along the square, when a\nshoemaker came toward him,--such a jolly fellow! The Tsarevich asked:\n\"Whither art thou going, good man?\"\n\n\"I am taking shoes to sell; I am a shoemaker.\"\n\n\"Take me into thy service,\" said Ivan.\n\n\"Dost thou know how to make shoes?\"\n\n\"Yes, I can do everything. I can make not only shoes, but clothes.\"\n\n\"Well, come on.\"\n\nThey went to his house. The shoemaker said: \"Go to work; here is\nleather for thee,--the best kind; I'll see what skill thou hast.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich went to his own room, and took out the whistle. Lame\nand Crooked came. \"What is thy pleasure, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"To have shoes ready by to-morrow.\"\n\n\"Oh, that is not work, that is play!\"\n\n\"Here is the leather.\"\n\n\"What sort of leather is that? That's trash, nothing more; that should\ngo out of the window.\"\n\nNext morning Ivan Tsarevich woke up; on the table were beautiful\nshoes, the very best.\n\nThe shoemaker rose. \"Well, young man, hast thou made the shoes?\"\n\n\"They are finished.\"\n\n\"Well, show them.\" He looked at the shoes and was astonished. \"See\nwhat a man I have got for myself,--not a shoemaker, but a wonder!\" He\ntook the shoes and carried them to the market to sell.\n\nAt that same time three weddings were in preparation at the palace.\nPyotr Tsarevich was to marry Yelena the Beautiful, Vassili Tsarevich\nthe Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom, and they were giving the Tsaritsa\nof the Copper Kingdom to a general. They were making dresses for those\nweddings. Yelena the Beautiful wanted shoes. Our shoemaker's shoes\nwere better than all the others brought to the palace.\n\nWhen Yelena looked at them she said, \"What does this mean? They make\nshoes like these only in the mountains.\" She paid the shoemaker a\nlarge price and said, \"Make me without measure another pair\nwonderfully sewed, ornamented with precious stones, and studded with\ndiamonds. They must be ready by to-morrow; if not, to the gallows with\nthee.\"\n\nThe shoemaker took the precious stones and money and went home,--such\na gloomy man! \"Misery,\" said he, \"what am I to do now? How can I make\nshoes by to-morrow, and besides without measure? It is clear that they\nwill hang me to-morrow; let me have at least a last frolic with my\nfriends.\"\n\nHe went to the inn. These friends of his were numerous; they asked,\n\"Why art thou so gloomy, brother?\"\n\n\"Oh, my dear friends,\" answered he, \"they are going to hang me\nto-morrow!\"\n\n\"Why so?\"\n\nThe shoemaker told his trouble. \"How think of work in such a position?\nBetter I'll frolic to-night for the last time.\"\n\nSo they drank and drank, frolicked and frolicked; the shoemaker was\nstaggering already.\n\n\"Well,\" said he, \"I'll take home a keg of spirits, lie down to sleep;\nand to-morrow when they come to hang me, I'll drink a gallon and a\nhalf right away. Let them hang me without my senses.\"\n\nHe came home. \"Well, thou reprobate!\" said he to Ivan Tsarevich, \"see\nwhat thy shoes have done ... so and so.... When they come in the\nmorning for me, wake me up.\"\n\nIn the night Ivan Tsarevich took out the whistle and blew. Lame and\nCrooked appeared. \"What is thy pleasure, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"That shoes of such a kind be ready.\"\n\n\"We obey!\"\n\nIvan lay down to sleep. Next morning he woke up; the shoes were on the\ntable shining like fire. He went to rouse his master.\n\n\"It is time to rise, master.\"\n\n\"What! have they come for me? Bring the keg quickly! Here is a cup,\npour the spirits in; let them hang me drunk.\"\n\n\"But the shoes are made.\"\n\n\"How made? Where are they?\"\n\nThe master ran and saw them. \"But when did we make them?\"\n\n\"In the night. Is it possible that thou dost not remember when we cut\nand sewed?\"\n\n\"Oh, I've slept so long, brother! I barely, barely remember.\"\n\nHe took the shoes, wrapped them up, and ran to the palace.\n\nYelena the Beautiful saw the shoes and knew what had happened.\n\"Surely,\" she thought, \"the spirits made these for Ivan\nTsarevich.--How didst thou make these?\" asked she of the shoemaker.\n\n\"Oh! I know how to do everything.\"\n\n\"If that is the case, make me a wedding robe embroidered with gold,\nornamented with diamonds and precious stones; let it be ready\nto-morrow morning: if not, off with thy head!\"\n\nThe shoemaker went home again gloomy, and his friends were long\nwaiting for him. \"Well, what is it?\"\n\n\"Nothing but cursedness. The destroyer of Christian people has come;\nshe commanded me to make her a robe with gold and precious stones by\nto-morrow morning: and what sort of a tailor am I? They will take my\nhead surely to-morrow.\"\n\n\"Ah! brother, the morning is wiser than the evening; let us go and\nfrolic.\"\n\nThey went to the inn, they drank and frolicked; the shoemaker got\ntipsy again, brought home a whole keg of spirits, and said to Ivan\nTsarevich: \"Now, young fellow, when thou wilt rouse me in the morning\nI'll toss off three gallons; let them cut the head off me drunk. I\ncouldn't make such a robe in a lifetime.\" The shoemaker lay down to\nsleep and snored.\n\nIvan Tsarevich blew on the whistle, and Lame and Crooked appeared.\n\"What is thy pleasure, Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"That a robe be ready by to-morrow morning exactly such as Yelena the\nBeautiful wore in Whirlwind's house.\"\n\n\"We obey; it will be ready.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich woke at daylight; the robe was on the table, shining\nlike fire, so that the whole chamber was lighted up. Then he roused\nhis master, who rubbed his eyes and asked, \"What! have they come to\ncut my head off? Give the spirits here this minute.\"\n\n\"But the robe is ready.\"\n\n\"Is that true? When did we make it?\"\n\n\"In the night, of course; dost thou not remember cutting it thyself?\"\n\n\"Ah, brother, I just remember,--see it as in a dream!\"\n\nThe shoemaker took the robe and ran to the palace.\n\nYelena the Beautiful gave him much money and the command, \"See that\nto-morrow by daylight the Golden Kingdom be on the sea, seven versts\nfrom shore, and from it to our palace let there be a golden bridge\nwith costly velvet spread upon it, and at the railings on both sides\nlet wonderful trees be growing, and let there be wonderful song-birds\nsinging, with various voices. If thou wilt not have it done by\nmorning, I'll give orders to quarter thee.\"\n\nThe shoemaker went from Yelena the Beautiful with drooping head. His\nfriends met him. \"Well, brother?\"\n\n\"What well! I am lost; to-morrow I shall be quartered. She gave me\nsuch a task that no devil could do it.\"\n\n\"Oh, never mind! the morning is wiser than the evening; let us go to\nthe inn.\"\n\n\"Well, let us go; at the last parting we must have a carousal at\nleast.\"\n\nThey drank and drank; and towards evening the shoemaker drank so much\nthey had to lead him home. \"Farewell, young fellow,\" said he to Ivan;\n\"to-morrow they will put me to death.\"\n\n\"But has a new task been given?\"\n\n\"Yes, so and so, so and so.\" He lay down and snored; but Ivan\nTsarevich went straight to his room, and blew on the whistle. Lame and\nCrooked appeared.\n\n\"What is thy pleasure, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"Can ye do me such a work as this?\"\n\n\"Ivan Tsarevich, this is a work indeed. But there is no avoiding it;\ntoward morning all will be ready.\"\n\nWhen daylight began to come, Ivan woke up, looked out of the window.\nFathers! everything was ready as asked for. A golden castle was\ngleaming like fire. He roused his master, who sprang up. \"Well, have\nthey come for me? Give the keg here this minute!\"\n\n\"But the palace is ready.\"\n\n\"What dost thou say?\"\n\nThe shoemaker looked through the window and said, \"Ah!\" in\nastonishment, \"how was that done?\"\n\n\"Dost thou not remember how thou and I fixed it?\"\n\n\"Yes, it is clear that I have slept too soundly; I barely, barely\nremember.\"\n\nThey ran to the golden castle; in it was wealth untold, unseen.\n\nSaid Ivan Tsarevich: \"Here, master, is a wing, go and dust the railing\nof the bridge; and if they come and ask who lives in the palace, say\nthou nothing, but give this letter.\"\n\n\"Very well.\"\n\nThe shoemaker went to dust the railing of the bridge.\n\nIn the morning Yelena the Beautiful woke up; she saw the golden\ncastle, and ran straight to the Tsar. \"See what is done in our place!\nThere is a golden palace on the sea, and from that palace a golden\nbridge seven versts long; and on both sides of the bridge wonderful\ntrees are growing, and song-birds are singing in various voices.\"\n\nThe Tsar sent immediately to ask what that meant? Had not some hero\ncome to his kingdom? The messengers came to the shoemaker, asked him.\n\"I know not, but there is a letter to thy Tsar.\" In that letter Ivan\nTsarevich related everything to his father as it was,--how he had\nliberated his mother, won Yelena the Beautiful, and how his elder\nbrothers had deceived him. With the letter Ivan Tsarevich sent golden\ncarriages, and begged the Tsar and Tsaritsa to come to him. Let Yelena\nthe Beautiful and her sisters and his brothers be brought behind in\nsimple wagons.\n\nAll assembled at once and started. Ivan Tsarevich met them with joy.\nThe Tsar wished to put his elder sons to death for their untruths; but\nIvan Tsarevich implored his father, and they were forgiven. Then began\na mountain of a feast. Ivan Tsarevich married Yelena the Beautiful.\nThey gave the Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom to Pyotr Tsarevich, the\nTsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom to Vassili Tsarevich, and made the\nshoemaker a general.\n\n\n\n\nIVAN TSAREVICH, THE FIRE-BIRD, AND THE GRAY WOLF.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom, in a certain land, lived Tsar Vwislav\nAndronovich; he had three sons,--Dmitri Tsarevich, Vassili Tsarevich,\nand Ivan Tsarevich. Tsar Vwislav had a garden so rich that in no land\nwas there better. In the garden grew many precious trees, with fruit\nand without fruit.\n\nTsar Vwislav had one favorite apple-tree, and on that tree grew apples\nall golden. The Fire-bird used to fly to the garden of Tsar Vwislav.\nShe had wings of gold, and eyes like crystals of the East; and she\nused to fly to that garden every night, sit on the favorite\napple-tree, pluck from it golden apples, and then fly away.\n\nThe Tsar grieved greatly over that apple-tree because the Fire-bird\nplucked from it many apples. Therefore he called his three sons and\nsaid: \"My dear children, whichever one of you can catch the Fire-bird\nin my garden and take her alive, to him will I give during my life one\nhalf of the kingdom, and at my death I will give it all.\"\n\nThen the sons cried out in one voice: \"Gracious sovereign, our father,\nwe will try with great pleasure to take the Fire-bird alive.\"\n\nThe first night Dmitri Tsarevich went to watch in the garden, and sat\nunder the apple-tree from which the Fire-bird had been plucking the\napples. He fell asleep, and did not hear the Fire-bird when she came,\nnor when she plucked many apples.\n\nNext morning Tsar Vwislav called his son Dmitri Tsarevich, and asked,\n\"Well, my dear son, hast thou seen the Fire-bird?\"\n\n\"No, gracious sovereign, my father, she came not last night.\"\n\nThe next night Vassili Tsarevich went to the garden to watch the\nFire-bird. He sat under the same apple-tree, and in a couple of hours\nfell asleep so soundly that he did not hear the Fire-bird when she\ncame nor when she plucked apples.\n\nNext morning Tsar Vwislav called him and asked, \"Well, my dear son,\nhast thou seen the Fire-bird?\"\n\n\"Gracious sovereign, my father, she came not last night.\"\n\nThe third night Ivan Tsarevich went to watch in the garden, and sat\nunder the same apple-tree. He sat an hour, a second, and a third. All\nat once the whole garden was lighted up as if by many fires. The\nFire-bird flew hither, perched on the apple-tree, and began to pluck\napples. Ivan stole up to her so warily that he caught her tail, but\ncould not hold the bird, she tore off, flew away; and there remained\nin the hand of Ivan Tsarevich but one feather of the tail, which he\nheld very firmly.\n\nNext morning, the moment Tsar Vwislav woke from his sleep, Ivan\nTsarevich went to him and gave him the feather of the Fire-bird. The\nTsar was greatly delighted that his youngest son had been able to get\neven one feather of the Fire-bird. This feather was so wonderful and\nbright that when carried into a dark chamber it shone as if a great\nmultitude of tapers were lighted in that place. Tsar Vwislav put the\nfeather in his cabinet as a thing to be guarded forever. From that\ntime forth the Fire-bird flew to the garden no more.\n\nTsar Vwislav again called his sons, and said: \"My dear children, I\ngive you my blessing. Set out, find the Fire-bird, and bring her to me\nalive; and what I promised at first he will surely receive who brings\nme the bird.\"\n\nDmitri and Vassili Tsarevich began to cherish hatred against their\nyoungest brother because he had pulled the feather from the tail of\nthe Fire-bird. They took their father's blessing, and both went to\nfind the Fire-bird. Ivan Tsarevich too began to beg his father's\nblessing. The Tsar said to him: \"My dear son, my darling child, thou\nart still young, unused to such a long and difficult journey: why\nshouldst thou part from me? Thy brothers have gone; now, if thou goest\ntoo, and all three of you fail to return for a long time (I am old,\nand walk under God), and if during your absence the Lord takes my\nlife, who would rule in my place? There might be rebellion too, or\ndisagreement among our people,--there would be no one to stop it; or\nif an enemy should invade our land, there would be no one to command\nour men.\"\n\nBut no matter how the Tsar tried to detain Ivan Tsarevich, he could\nnot avoid letting him go at his urgent prayer. Ivan Tsarevich took a\nblessing of his father, chose a horse, and rode away; he rode on, not\nknowing himself whither.\n\nRiding by the path by the road, whether it was near or far, high or\nlow, a tale is soon told, but a deed's not soon done. At last he came\nto the green meadows. In the open field a pillar stands, and on the\npillar these words are written: \"Whoever goes from the pillar straight\nforward will be hungry and cold; whoever goes to the right hand will\nbe healthy and well, but his horse will be dead; whoever goes to the\nleft hand will be killed himself, but his horse will be living and\nwell.\" Ivan read the inscription, and went to the right hand, holding\nin mind that though his horse might be killed, he would remain alive,\nand might in time get another horse.\n\nHe rode one day, a second, and a third. All at once an enormous gray\nwolf came out against him and said: \"Oh! is that thou, tender youth,\nIvan Tsarevich? Thou hast read on the pillar that thy horse will be\ndead: why hast thou come hither, then?\" The wolf said these words,\ntore Ivan Tsarevich's horse in two, and went to one side.\n\nIvan grieved greatly for his horse. He cried bitterly, and went\nforward on foot. He walked all day, and was unspeakably tired. He was\ngoing to sit down and rest, when all at once the Gray Wolf caught up\nwith him and said: \"I am sorry for thee, Ivan Tsarevich, thou art\ntired from walking; I am sorry that I ate thy good steed. Well, sit on\nme, the old wolf, and tell me whither to bear thee, and why.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich told the Gray Wolf whither he had to go, and the Gray\nWolf shot ahead with him swifter than a horse. After a time, just at\nnightfall, he brought Ivan Tsarevich to a stone wall not very high,\nhalted, and said: \"Now, Ivan Tsarevich, come down from the Gray Wolf,\nclimb over that stone wall; on the other side is a garden, and in the\ngarden the Fire-bird, in a golden cage. Take the Fire-bird, but touch\nnot the cage. If thou takest the cage, thou'lt not escape; they will\nseize thee straightway.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich climbed over the wall into the garden, saw the\nFire-bird in the golden cage, and was greatly tempted by the cage. He\ntook the bird out, and was going back; but changed his mind, and\nthought, \"Why have I taken the bird without the cage? Where can I put\nher?\" He returned; but had barely taken down the cage when there was a\nhammering and thundering throughout the whole garden, for there were\nwires attached to the cage. The watchmen woke up at that moment, ran\nto the garden, caught Ivan Tsarevich with the Fire-bird, and took him\nto the Tsar, who was called Dolmat. Tsar Dolmat was terribly enraged\nat Ivan, and shouted at him in loud, angry tones: \"Is it not a shame\nfor thee, young man, to steal? But who art thou, of what land, of what\nfather a son, and how do they call thee by name?\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich replied: \"I am from Vwislav's kingdom, the son of Tsar\nVwislav Andronovich, and they call me Ivan Tsarevich. Thy Fire-bird\nused to fly to our garden each night and pluck golden apples from my\nfather's favorite apple-tree, and destroyed almost the whole tree.\nTherefore my father has sent me to find the Fire-bird and bring it to\nhim.\"\n\n\"Oh, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich,\" said Tsar Dolmat, \"is it\nfitting to do as thou hast done? Thou shouldst have come to me, and I\nwould have given thee the Fire-bird with honor; but now will it be\nwell for thee when I send to all lands to declare how dishonorably\nthou hast acted in my kingdom? Listen, however, Ivan Tsarevich. If\nthou wilt do me a service,--if thou wilt go beyond the thrice ninth\nland to the thirtieth kingdom and get for me from Tsar Afron the\ngolden-maned steed, I will forgive thy offence and give thee the\nFire-bird with great honor; if not, I will publish in all kingdoms\nthat thou art a dishonorable thief.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich went away from Tsar Dolmat in great grief, promising\nto obtain for him the golden-maned steed.\n\nHe came to the Gray Wolf, and told him all that Tsar Dolmat had said.\n\n\"Oh! is that thou, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich? Why didst thou\ndisobey my words and take the golden cage?\"\n\n\"I have offended in thy sight,\" said Ivan to the Gray Wolf.\n\n\"Well, let that go; sit on me, and I will take thee wherever thou\nwilt.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich sat on the back of the Gray Wolf. The wolf was as swift\nas an arrow, and ran, whether it was long or short, till he came at\nlast to the kingdom of Tsar Afron in the night-time. Coming to the\nwhite-walled stables, the Gray Wolf said: \"Go, Ivan Tsarevich, into\nthese white-walled stables (the grooms on guard are sleeping soundly),\nand take the golden-maned steed. On the wall hangs a golden bridle;\nbut take not the bridle, or it will go ill with thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich entered the white-walled stables, took the steed, and\nwas coming back; but he saw on the walls the golden bridle, and was so\ntempted that he took it from the nail. That moment there went a\nthunder and a noise throughout the stables, because strings were tied\nto the bridle. The grooms on guard woke up that moment, rushed in,\nseized Ivan Tsarevich, and took him to Tsar Afron. Tsar Afron began to\nquestion him. \"Oh, youthful young man, tell me from what land thou\nart, of what father a son, and how do they call thee by name?\"\n\nTo this Ivan Tsarevich replied: \"I am from Vwislav's kingdom, the son\nof Tsar Vwislav, and they call me Ivan Tsarevich.\"\n\n\"Oh, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich!\" said Tsar Afron, \"was that\nwhich thou hast done the deed of an honorable knight? I would have\ngiven thee the golden-maned steed with honor. But now will it be well\nfor thee when I send to all lands a declaration of how dishonorably\nthou hast acted in my kingdom? Hear me, however, Ivan Tsarevich: if\nthou wilt do me a service and go beyond the thrice ninth land to the\nthirtieth kingdom and bring to me Princess Yelena the Beautiful, with\nwhom I am in love heart and soul for a long time, but whom I cannot\nobtain, I will pardon thy offence and give thee the golden-maned steed\nwith honor. And if thou wilt not do me this service, I will declare in\nall lands that thou art a dishonorable thief.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich promised Tsar Afron to bring Yelena the Beautiful, left\nthe palace, and fell to crying bitterly.\n\nHe came to the Gray Wolf and told him all that had happened.\n\n\"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, thou youthful young man,\" said the Gray Wolf,\n\"why didst thou disobey me and take the golden bridle?\"\n\n\"I have offended in thy sight,\" said Ivan Tsarevich.\n\n\"Well, let that go,\" replied the Wolf. \"Sit on me; I will take thee\nwherever need be.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich sat on the back of the Gray Wolf, who ran as swiftly as\nan arrow flies, and he ran in such fashion as to be told in a tale no\nlong time; and at last he came to the kingdom of Yelena the Beautiful.\nComing to the golden fence which surrounded her wonderful garden, the\nWolf said: \"Now, Ivan Tsarevich, come down from me and go back by the\nsame road along which we came and wait in the field, under the green\noak.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich went where he was commanded. But the Gray Wolf sat near\nthe golden fence, and waited till Yelena the Beautiful should walk in\nthe garden.\n\nToward evening, when the sun was sinking low in the west, therefore,\nit was not very warm in the air, Princess Yelena went to walk in the\ngarden with her maidens and court ladies. When she entered the garden\nand approached the place where the Gray Wolf was sitting behind the\nfence, he jumped out suddenly, caught the princess, sprang back again,\nand bore her away with all his power and might. He came to the green\noak in the open field where Ivan Tsarevich was waiting, and said,\n\"Ivan Tsarevich, sit on me quickly.\" Ivan sat on him, and the Gray\nWolf bore them both along swiftly to the kingdom of Tsar Afron.\n\nThe nurses and maidens and all the court ladies who had been walking\nin the garden with the princess Yelena the Beautiful ran straightway\nto the palace and sent pursuers to overtake the Gray Wolf; but no\nmatter how they ran, they could not overtake him, and turned back.\n\nIvan Tsarevich while sitting on the Gray Wolf with princess Yelena the\nBeautiful came to love her with his heart, and she Ivan Tsarevich; and\nwhen the Gray Wolf arrived at the kingdom of Tsar Afron, and Ivan\nTsarevich had to take Yelena the Beautiful to the palace and give her\nto Tsar Afron, he grew very sad, and began to weep tearfully.\n\n\"What art thou weeping for, Ivan Tsarevich?\" asked the Gray Wolf.\n\n\"My friend, why should I, good youth, not weep? I have formed a\nheartfelt love for Yelena the Beautiful, and now I must give her to\nTsar Afron for the golden-maned steed; and if I yield her not, then\nTsar Afron will dishonor me in all lands.\"\n\n\"I have served thee much, Ivan Tsarevich,\" said the Gray Wolf, \"and I\nwill do yet this service. Listen to me. I will turn myself into a\nprincess, Yelena the Beautiful. Do thou give me to Tsar Afron and take\nfrom him the golden-maned steed; he will think me the real princess.\nAnd when thou art sitting on the steed and riding far away, I will beg\nof Tsar Afron permission to walk in the open field. When he lets me go\nwith the maidens and nurses and all the court ladies, and I am with\nthem in the open field, remember me, and I will come to thee.\"\n\nThe Gray Wolf spoke these words, struck the damp earth, and became a\nprincess, Yelena the Beautiful, so that it was not possible in any way\nto know that the wolf was not the princess. Ivan Tsarevich told Yelena\nthe Beautiful to wait outside the town, and took the Gray Wolf to the\npalace of Tsar Afron.\n\nWhen Ivan Tsarevich came with the pretended Yelena the Beautiful, Tsar\nAfron was greatly delighted in his heart that he had received a\ntreasure which he had long desired. He took the false maiden, and gave\nIvan Tsarevich the golden-maned steed.\n\nIvan Tsarevich mounted the steed and rode out of the town, seated\nYelena the Beautiful with him, and rode on, holding his way toward the\nkingdom of Tsar Dolmat.\n\nThe Gray Wolf lived with Tsar Afron a day, a second, and a third,\ninstead of Yelena the Beautiful. On the fourth day he went to Tsar\nAfron, begging to go out in the open field to walk, to drive away\ncruel grief and sorrow. Then Tsar Afron said: \"Oh, my beautiful\nprincess Yelena, I will do everything for thee; I will let thee go to\nthe open field to walk!\" And straightway he commanded the nurses, the\nmaidens, and all the court ladies to go to the open field and walk\nwith the beautiful princess.\n\nIvan Tsarevich was riding along his road and path with Yelena the\nBeautiful, talking with her; and he had forgotten about the Gray\nWolf, but afterward remembered. \"Oh, where is my Gray Wolf?\"\n\nAll at once, from wherever he came, the wolf stood before Ivan, and\nsaid: \"Ivan Tsarevich, sit on me, the Gray Wolf, and let the beautiful\nprincess ride on the golden-maned steed.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich sat on the Gray Wolf, and they went toward the kingdom\nof Tsar Dolmat. Whether they journeyed long or short, when they had\ncome to the kingdom they stopped about three versts from the capital\ntown; and Ivan Tsarevich began to implore: \"Listen to me, Gray Wolf,\nmy dear friend. Thou hast shown me many a service, show me the last\none now; and the last one is this: Couldst thou not turn to a\ngolden-maned steed instead of this one? for I do not like to part with\nthis horse.\"\n\nSuddenly the Gray Wolf struck the damp earth and became a golden-maned\nsteed. Ivan Tsarevich, leaving princess Yelena in the green meadow,\nsat on the Gray Wolf and went to the palace of Tsar Dolmat. The moment\nhe came, Tsar Dolmat saw that Ivan Tsarevich was riding on the\ngolden-maned steed, and he rejoiced greatly. Straightway he went out\nof the palace, met the Tsarevich in the broad court, kissed him, took\nhim by the right hand, and led him into the white stone chambers. Tsar\nDolmat on the occasion of such joy gave orders for a feast, and they\nsat at the oaken table at the spread cloth. They ate, they drank, they\namused themselves, and rejoiced exactly two days; and on the third\nday Tsar Dolmat gave Ivan Tsarevich the Fire-bird together with the\ngolden cage. Ivan took the Fire-bird, went outside the town, sat on\nthe golden-maned steed together with Yelena the Beautiful, and went\ntoward his own native place, toward the kingdom of Tsar Vwislav.\n\nTsar Dolmat the next day thought to take a ride through the open field\non his golden-maned steed. He ordered them to saddle him; he sat on\nthe horse, and rode to the open field. The moment he urged the horse,\nthe horse threw Tsar Dolmat off his back, became the Gray Wolf as\nbefore, ran off, and came up with Ivan Tsarevich. \"Ivan Tsarevich,\"\nsaid he, \"sit on me, the Gray Wolf, and let Yelena the Beautiful ride\non the golden-maned steed.\"\n\nIvan sat on the Gray Wolf, and they went their way. When the Gray Wolf\nhad brought Ivan to the place where he had torn his horse, he stopped\nand said: \"I have served thee sufficiently, with faith and truth. On\nthis spot I tore thy horse in two; to this spot I have brought thee.\nCome down from me, the Gray Wolf: thou hast a golden-maned steed; sit\non him, and go wherever thou hast need. I am no longer thy servant.\"\n\nThe Gray Wolf said these words and ran to one side. Ivan wept bitterly\nfor the Gray Wolf, and went on with the beautiful princess.\n\nWhether he rode long or short with the beautiful princess, when he\nwas within twenty versts of his own kingdom he stopped, dismounted,\nand he and the beautiful princess rested from the heat of the sun\nunder a tree; he tied the golden-maned steed to the same tree, and put\nthe cage of the Fire-bird by his side. Lying on the soft grass, they\ntalked pleasantly, and fell soundly asleep.\n\nAt that time the brothers of Ivan Tsarevich, Dmitri and Vassili\nTsarevich, after travelling through many lands without finding the\nFire-bird, were on their way home with empty hands, and came\nunexpectedly upon their brother with the beautiful princess. Seeing\nthe golden-maned steed and the Fire-bird in the cage, they were\ngreatly tempted, and thought of killing their brother Ivan. Dmitri\ntook his own sword out of the scabbard, stabbed Ivan Tsarevich, and\ncut him to pieces; then he roused the beautiful princess and asked:\n\"Beautiful maiden, of what land art thou, of what father a daughter,\nand how do they call thee by name?\"\n\nThe beautiful princess, seeing Ivan Tsarevich dead, was terribly\nfrightened; she began to shed bitter tears, and in her tears she said:\n\"I am Princess Yelena the Beautiful; Ivan Tsarevich, whom ye have\ngiven to a cruel death, got me. If ye were good knights, ye would have\ngone with him into the open field and conquered him there; but ye\nkilled him when asleep; and what fame will ye receive for yourselves?\nA sleeping man is the same as a dead one.\"\n\nThen Dmitri Tsarevich put his sword to the heart of Yelena the\nBeautiful and said: \"Hear me, Yelena the Beautiful, thou art now in\nour hands; we will take thee to our father, Tsar Vwislav, thou wilt\ntell him that we got thee and the Fire-bird and the golden-maned\nsteed. If not, we will give thee to death this minute.\" The princess,\nafraid of death, promised them, and swore by everything sacred that\nshe would speak as commanded. Then they began to cast lots who should\nhave Yelena the Beautiful, and who the golden-maned steed; and the lot\nfell that the princess should go to Vassili, and the golden-maned\nsteed to Dmitri.\n\nThen Vassili Tsarevich took the princess, and placed her on his horse;\nDmitri sat on the golden-maned steed, and took the Fire-bird to give\nto their father, Tsar Vwislav; and they went their way.\n\nIvan Tsarevich lay dead on that spot exactly thirty days; then the\nGray Wolf ran up, knew Ivan by his odor, wanted to aid him, to bring\nhim to life, but knew not how. Just then the Gray Wolf saw a raven\nwith two young ones who were flying above the body and wanted to eat\nthe flesh of Ivan Tsarevich. The wolf hid behind a bush; and when the\nyoung ravens had come down and were ready to eat the body, he sprang\nout, caught one, and was going to tear it in two. Then the raven came\ndown, sat a little way from the Gray Wolf, and said: \"Oh, Gray Wolf,\ntouch not my young child; it has done nothing to thee!\"\n\n\"Listen to me, raven,\" said the Gray Wolf. \"I will not touch thy\nchild; I will let it go unharmed and well if thou wilt do me a\nservice. Fly beyond the thrice ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom,\nand bring me the water of death and the water of life.\"\n\n\"I will do that, but touch not my son.\" Having said these words, the\nraven flew away and soon disappeared from sight. On the third day the\nraven returned, bringing two vials, in one the water of life, in the\nother the water of death, and gave them both to the Gray Wolf. The\nwolf took the vials, tore the young raven in two, sprinkled it with\nthe water of death; the little raven grew together, he sprinkled it\nwith the water of life, and the raven sprang up and flew away.\n\nThe Gray Wolf sprinkled Ivan Tsarevich with the water of death: the\nbody grew together; he sprinkled it with the water of life: Ivan\nTsarevich stood up and exclaimed, \"Oh, how long I have slept!\"\n\n\"Thou wouldst have slept forever, had it not been for me. Thy brothers\ncut thee to pieces and carried off Princess Yelena with the\ngolden-maned steed and the Fire-bird. Now hurry with all speed to thy\nown country; Vassili Tsarevich will marry thy bride to-day. To reach\nhome quickly, sit on me; I will bear thee.\"\n\nIvan sat on the Gray Wolf; the wolf ran with him to the kingdom of\nTsar Vwislav, and whether it was long or short, he ran to the edge of\nthe town.\n\nIvan sprang from the Gray Wolf, walked into the town, and found that\nhis brother Vassili had married Yelena the Beautiful, had returned\nwith her from the ceremony, and was sitting with her at the feast.\n\nIvan Tsarevich entered the palace; and when Yelena the Beautiful saw\nhim, she sprang up from the table, kissed him, and cried out: \"This is\nmy dear bridegroom, Ivan Tsarevich, and not that scoundrel at the\ntable.\"\n\nThen Tsar Vwislav rose from his place and asked the meaning of these\nwords. Yelena the Beautiful told the whole truth,--told how Ivan\nTsarevich had won her, the golden-maned steed, and the Fire-bird; how\nhis elder brother had killed him while asleep; and how they had\nterrified her into saying that they had won everything.\n\nTsar Vwislav was terribly enraged at Dmitri and Vassili, and cast them\ninto prison; but Ivan Tsarevich married Yelena the Beautiful, and\nlived with her in harmony and love, so that one of them could not\nexist a single minute without the other.\n\n\n\n\nIVAN THE PEASANT'S SON AND THE LITTLE MAN HIMSELF ONE-FINGER TALL,\nHIS MUSTACHE SEVEN VERSTS IN LENGTH.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom in a certain land there lived a Tsar, and in the\ncourt-yard of the Tsar was a pillar, and in the pillar three rings,\none gold, one silver, and the third copper. One night the Tsar dreamed\nthat there was a horse tied to the gold ring, that every hair on him\nwas silver, and the clear moon was on his forehead. In the morning the\nTsar rose up and ordered it to be proclaimed that whoever could\ninterpret the dream and get the horse for him, to that man would he\ngive his daughter, and one half the kingdom in addition.\n\nAt the summons of the Tsar a multitude of princes, boyars, and all\nkinds of lords assembled. No man could explain the dream; no man would\nundertake to get the horse. At last they explained to the Tsar that\nsuch and such a poor man had a son Ivan, who could interpret the dream\nand get the horse.\n\nThe Tsar commanded them to summon Ivan. They summoned him. The Tsar\nasked, \"Canst thou explain my dream and get the horse?\"\n\n\"Tell me first,\" answered Ivan, \"what the dream was, and what horse\nthou dost need.\"\n\nThe Tsar said: \"Last night I dreamed that a horse was tied to the\ngold ring in my court-yard; every hair on him was silver, and on his\nforehead the clear moon.\"\n\n\"That is not a dream, but a reality; for last night the twelve-headed\nserpent came to thee on that horse and wanted to steal thy daughter.\"\n\n\"Is it possible to get that horse?\"\n\n\"It is,\" answered Ivan; \"but only when my fifteenth year is passed.\"\n\nIvan was then but twelve years old. The Tsar took him to his court,\ngave him food and drink till his fifteenth year.\n\nWhen his fifteenth year had passed, Ivan said to the Tsar: \"Now give\nme a horse on which I can ride to the place where the serpent is.\"\n\nThe Tsar led him to his stables and showed him all his horses; but he\ncould not find a single one, by reason of his strength and weight.\nWhen he placed his hero's hand on any horse, that horse fell to the\nground; and he said to the Tsar: \"Let me go to the open country to\nseek a horse of sufficient strength.\"\n\nThe Tsar let him go. Ivan the peasant's son looked for three years;\nnowhere could he find a horse. He was returning to the Tsar in tears,\nwhen an old man happened to meet him, and asked, \"Why dost thou weep,\nyoung man?\"\n\nTo this question Ivan answered rudely; just chased the old man away.\n\nThe old man said: \"Look out, young fellow; do not speak ill.\"\n\nIvan went away a little from the old man, and thought, \"Why have I\noffended the old man? Old people know much.\"\n\nHe returned, caught up with the old man, fell down before him, and\nsaid: \"Grandfather, forgive me! I offended thee through grief. This is\nwhat I am crying about: three years have I travelled through the open\ncountry among many herds; nowhere can I find a horse to suit me.\"\n\nThe old man said: \"Go to such a village; there in the stable of a poor\npeasant is a mare; that mare has a mangy colt; take the colt and feed\nhim,--he will be strong enough for thee.\"\n\nIvan bowed down to the old man, and went to the village; went straight\nto the peasant's stable; saw the mare with the mangy colt, on which he\nput his hands. The colt did not quiver in the least. Ivan took him\nfrom the peasant, fed him some time, came to the Tsar, and said that\nhe had a horse. Then he began to make ready to visit the serpent.\n\nThe Tsar asked: \"How many men dost thou need, Ivan?\"\n\n\"I need no men,\" replied Ivan; \"I can get the horse alone. Thou\nmightest give me perhaps half a dozen to send on messages.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave him six men; they made ready and set out. Whether they\ntravelled long or short it is unknown to any man; only this is\nknown,--that they came to a fiery river. Over the river was a bridge;\nnear the river an enormous forest. In that forest they pitched a tent,\ngot many things to drink, and began to eat and make merry.\n\nIvan the peasant's son said to his comrades: \"Let us stand guard every\nnight in turn, and see if any man passes the river.\"\n\nIt happened that when any of Ivan's comrades went on guard, each one\nof them got drunk in the evening and could see nothing. At last Ivan\nhimself went on guard; and just at midnight he saw that a three-headed\nserpent was crossing the river, and the serpent called, \"I have no\nenemy, no calumniator, unless one enemy and one calumniator, Ivan the\npeasant's son; but the raven hasn't brought his bones in a bladder\nyet.\"\n\nIvan the peasant's son sprang from under the bridge. \"Thou liest; I am\nhere!\"\n\n\"If thou art here, then let us make trial;\" and the serpent on\nhorseback advanced against Ivan. But Ivan went forth on foot, gave a\nblow with his sabre, and cut off the three heads of the serpent, took\nthe horse for himself, and tied him to the tent.\n\nThe next night Ivan the peasant's son killed the six-headed serpent,\nthe third night the nine-headed one, and threw them into the fiery\nriver. When he went on guard the fourth night the twelve-headed\nserpent came, and began to speak wrathfully. \"Who art thou, Ivan the\npeasant's son? Come out this minute to me! Why didst thou kill my\nsons?\"\n\nIvan the peasant's son slipped out and said: \"Let me go first to my\ntent, and then I will fight with thee.\"\n\n\"Well, go on.\"\n\nIvan ran to his comrades. \"Here, boys, is a bowl, look into it; when\nit shall be filled with blood, come to me.\"\n\nHe returned and stood against the serpent; they rushed and struck each\nother. Ivan at the first blow cut four heads off the serpent, but went\nhimself to his knees in the earth; when they met the second time, Ivan\ncut three heads off and sank to his waist in the earth; the third time\nthey met he cut off three more heads, and sank to his breast in the\nearth; at last he cut off one head, and sank to his neck in the earth.\nThen only did his comrades think of him; they looked, and saw that the\nblood was running over the edge of the bowl. They hastened out, cut\noff the last head of the serpent, and pulled Ivan out of the earth.\nIvan took the serpent's horse and led him to the tent.\n\nNight passed, morning came; the good youth began to eat, drink, and be\nmerry. Ivan the peasant's son rose up from the merry-making and said\nto his comrades, \"Do ye wait here.\" He turned into a cat, and went\nalong the bridge over the fiery river, came to the house where the\nserpents used to live, and began to make friends with the cats there.\nIn the house there remained alive only the old mother of the serpents\nand her three daughters-in-law; they were sitting in the chamber\ntalking to one another. \"How could we destroy that scoundrel, that\nIvan the peasant's son?\"\n\nThe youngest daughter-in-law said: \"I'll bring hunger on the road, and\nturn myself into an apple-tree, so that when he eats an apple it will\ntear him to pieces in a moment.\"\n\nThe second daughter-in-law said: \"I will bring thirst on the road, and\nturn myself into a well; let him try to drink.\"\n\nThe eldest said: \"I'll bring sleep and make a bed of myself; let Ivan\ntry to lie down, he'll die in a minute.\"\n\nAt last the old woman said: \"I'll open my mouth from earth to sky and\nswallow them all.\"\n\nIvan heard what they said, went out of the chamber, turned into a man,\nand went back to his comrades. \"Now, boys, make ready for the road.\"\n\nThey made ready, went their way, and to begin with a terrible hunger\nappeared on the road, so that they had nothing to eat. They saw an\napple-tree. Ivan's comrades wanted to pluck the apples, but Ivan would\nnot let them. \"That is not an apple-tree,\" said he; and began to slash\nat it: blood came out. Another time thirst came upon them. Ivan saw a\nwell; he would not let them drink from it; he began to slash at it:\nblood came forth. Then sleep came on them; there was a bed on the\nroad. Ivan cut it to pieces. They came to the jaws stretched from the\nearth to the sky. What was to be done? They thought of jumping through\non a run. No man was able to jump through save Ivan; and he was borne\nout of the trouble by his wonderful steed, every hair of which was\nsilver, and the bright moon on his forehead.\n\nHe came to a river; at the river was a hut; there he was met by a\nlittle man, himself one finger tall, his mustache seven versts in\nlength, who said: \"Give me the horse; and if thou wilt not give him\nquietly, I'll take him by force.\"\n\nIvan answered: \"Leave me, cursed reptile, or I'll crush thee under the\nhorse.\"\n\nThe little man himself, one finger tall, his mustache seven versts in\nlength, knocked him on to the ground, sat on the horse, and rode away.\nIvan went into the hut and grieved greatly for his horse. In the hut\nwas lying on the stove a footless, handless man, and he said to Ivan:\n\"Listen, good hero,--I know not how to call thee by name. Why didst\nthou try to fight with him? I was something more of a hero than thou,\nand still he gnawed my hands and feet off.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"Because I ate bread on his table.\"\n\nIvan began to ask how he could win his horse back. The footless,\nhandless said,--\n\n\"Go to such a river and take the ferry, ferry for three years, take\nmoney from no man: then thou mayest win the horse back.\"\n\nIvan bowed down to him, went to the river, took the ferry, and ferried\nthree whole years for nothing. Once it happened to him to ferry over\nthree old men; they offered him money, he would not take it.\n\n\"Tell me, good hero, why thou takest no money?\"\n\nHe said, \"According to a promise.\"\n\n\"What promise?\"\n\n\"A malicious man took my horse, and good people told me to take the\nferry for three years, and receive money from no man.\"\n\nThe old men said: \"If thou choosest, Ivan, we are ready to help thee\nto get back thy horse.\"\n\n\"Help me, my friends.\"\n\nThe old men were not common people; they were the Freezer, the\nDevourer, and the Wizard. The Wizard went out on the shore, made the\npicture of a boat in the sand and said: \"Well, brothers, you see this\nboat?\"\n\n\"We see it.\"\n\n\"Sit in it.\"\n\nAll four sat in the boat.\n\nThe Wizard said: \"Now, light little boat, do me a service as thou\ndidst do before.\"\n\nStraightway the boat rose in the air, and in a flash, just like an\narrow sent from a bow, it brought them to a great stony mountain. At\nthat mountain stood a house, and in the house lived the little\nman,--himself one finger tall, his mustache seven versts in length.\nThe old men sent Ivan to ask for the horse. Ivan began to ask.\n\nThe little man said: \"Steal the Tsar's daughter and bring her to me;\nthen I'll give thee the horse.\"\n\nIvan told this to his comrades. They left him at once and went to the\nTsar. The Tsar knew what they had come for, and commanded his servants\nto heat the bath red hot. \"Let them suffocate there,\" said he. Then he\nasked his guests to the bath. They thanked him and went. The Wizard\ncommanded the Freezer to go first. The Freezer went into the bath and\nmade it cool. Then they washed and steamed themselves, and came to the\nTsar. He ordered a great dinner to be given, and a multitude of all\nkinds of food was on the table. The Devourer began and ate everything.\nIn the night they came together, stole the Tsar's daughter, and\nbrought her to the little man himself, one finger tall, his mustache\nseven versts in length. They gave him the Tsar's daughter and got the\nhorse.\n\nIvan bowed down to the old men, sat on the horse, and went to the\nTsar. He travelled and travelled, stopped in an open field to rest,\nput up his tent, and lay down. He woke up, threw out his hand, the\nTsar's daughter was by him; he was delighted, and asked, \"How didst\nthou come here?\"\n\n\"I turned into a pin, and stuck myself into thy collar.\"\n\nThat moment she turned into a pin again. Ivan stuck her into his\ncollar and travelled on; came to the Tsar. The Tsar saw the wondrous\nhorse, received the good hero with honor, and told how his daughter\nhad been stolen.\n\nIvan said: \"Do not grieve, I have brought her back.\"\n\nHe went into the next chamber; the Tsarevna turned into a fair maiden.\nIvan took her by the hand and brought her to the Tsar.\n\nThe Tsar was still more rejoiced. He took the horse for himself, and\ngave his daughter to Ivan. Ivan is living yet with his young wife.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FEATHER OF BRIGHT FINIST THE FALCON.\n\n\nThere lived an old man with his old wife. They had three daughters.\nThe youngest was such a beauty that she could neither be told of in a\ntale nor described with a pen. Once the old man was going to town to\nthe fair, and he said: \"My dear daughters, say what ye want; I will\nbuy all ye wish at the fair.\"\n\nThe eldest said, \"Father, buy me a new dress.\" The second said,\n\"Father, buy me a shawl kerchief.\" But the youngest said, \"Buy me a\nred flower.\"\n\nThe old man laughed at his youngest daughter. \"Oh, little dunce! what\ndost thou want of a red flower? Great good in it for thee; better I'll\nbuy thee clothes.\"\n\nNo matter what he said, he could not persuade her. \"Buy me a little\nred flower, nothing but that.\" The old man went to the fair, bought\nthe eldest daughter a dress, the second a shawl kerchief; but in the\nwhole town he could not find a red flower. Only as he was coming home\ndid an unknown old man happen in his way. The old man had a red flower\nin his hand. \"Sell me thy flower, old man.\"\n\n\"It is not for sale, it is reserved. If thy youngest daughter will\nmarry my son, Bright Finist the Falcon, I will give the flower as a\ngift.\"\n\nThe father grew thoughtful. Not to take the flower was to grieve his\ndaughter, and to take it was to give her in marriage, God knows to\nwhom! He thought and thought; still he took the flower. \"What harm?\"\nsaid he to himself; \"they will come with proposals by and by. If he is\nnot the right man, why, we can refuse.\" He came home, gave the eldest\ndaughter her dress, the second her shawl, and to the youngest he gave\nthe flower, saying, \"I like not thy flower, my dear daughter; greatly\nI like it not.\" And then he whispered in her ear: \"The flower was\nreserved, and not for sale. I took it from a strange man for the\npromise to give thee in marriage to his son, Bright Finist the\nFalcon.\"\n\n\"Be not troubled, father, he is so good and kind; he flies as a bright\nfalcon in the sky, and when he strikes the damp earth he is a hero of\nheroes.\"\n\n\"But dost thou know him?\"\n\n\"I know him, father. Last Sunday he was at Mass, and looked at me all\nthe time. I talked to him--he loves me, father.\"\n\nThe old man shook his head, looked at his daughter very sharply, made\nthe sign of the cross on her, and said: \"Go to thy room, my dear\ndaughter, it is time to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening;\nwe will talk this matter over hereafter.\"\n\nThe daughter shut herself up in her room, put the red flower in\nwater, opened the window, and looked into the blue distance. Wherever\nhe came from, Bright Finist the Falcon of Flowery Feathers wheeled\nbefore her, sprang in through the window, struck the floor, and became\na young man. The maiden was frightened; but when he spoke it became\none knows not how joyous and pleasant at her heart. They talked till\ndawn,--I know not indeed of what; I know only that when day began to\nbreak, Bright Finist the Falcon of Flowery Feathers kissed her and\nsaid: \"Every night as soon as the bright little flower is placed on\nthe window I will fly to thee, my dear. But here is a feather from my\nwing. Shouldst thou wish for robes, go out on the balcony and wave it\non the right side; in a moment all that thy soul desires will appear\nbefore thee.\" He kissed her once more, turned into a bright falcon,\nand flew away beyond the dark forest.\n\nThe maiden looked after her fated one, closed the window, and lay down\nto sleep. From that time every night, as soon as she placed the little\nred flower at the window, the good youth, Bright Finist the Falcon,\nflew to her.\n\nWell, Sunday came. The elder sisters began to dress for Mass. \"But\nwhat art thou going to wear? Thou hast nothing new,\" said they to the\nyoungest one.\n\nShe answered, \"Never mind; I can pray even at home.\"\n\nThe elder sisters went to church, and the youngest sat at the window\nin an old dress and looked at the orthodox people going to church. She\nbided her time, went out on the porch, waved her colored feather on\nthe right; and from wherever they came there appeared before her a\ncrystal carriage, blooded horses, servants in gold, robes, and every\nornament of precious stones. In one moment the beautiful maiden was\ndressed, sat in the carriage, and dashed off to church. The people\nlook, admire her beauty. \"It is clear that some Tsar's daughter has\ncome,\" said they among themselves.\n\nAs soon as \"Dostoino\" was sung, she went out of the church, sat in the\ncarriage, and was whirled back home. The orthodox people went out to\nlook at her, to see where she would go; but nothing of the sort,--her\ntrace had grown cold long ago.\n\nOur beauty had barely come to the court when she waved her bright\nfeather on the left side; in a moment the maidens undressed her and\nthe carriage vanished. She was sitting as if nothing had happened,\nlooking out through the window to see how the orthodox people go home\nfrom church.\n\nThe sisters too came home. \"Well, sister,\" said they, \"what a beauty\nwas at church to-day! Just a sight, neither to be told in a tale nor\ndescribed with a pen. It must be that she is some Tsar's daughter from\nanother land, so splendidly dressed, wonderfully!\"\n\nThe second and third Sundays came; the beautiful maiden mystified the\northodox people, and her sisters, her father, and her mother. But the\nlast time when she undressed she forgot to take out of her hair the\ndiamond pin. The elder sisters came from the church and told her of\nthe Tsar's daughter; but when they looked at the youngest sister the\ndiamonds were blazing in her hair.\n\n\"Oh, sister, what is this?\" cried they; \"why just such a pin was in\nthe hair of the Tsar's daughter to-day. Where didst thou get it?\"\n\nThe beautiful maiden was confused, and ran to her chamber. There was\nno end of guesses and whispers, but the youngest sister said nothing\nand laughed in secret. The elder sisters began to watch her and to\nlisten in the night at her chamber; and they overheard one time her\nconversation with Bright Finist the Falcon, and saw with their own\neyes at daybreak how he sprang from the window and flew off beyond the\ndark forest.\n\nThe elder sisters were clearly malicious. They planned to put hidden\nknives for the evening on the window of their sister's room, so that\nBright Finist the Falcon might cut his colored wings. They did this\nstraightway; the youngest sister knew nothing of the matter. She put\nher red flower on the window, lay down on the couch, and fell asleep\nsoundly. Bright Finist the Falcon flew to the window, and as he was\nspringing in cut his left foot; but the beautiful maiden knew nothing\nof this; she was sleeping so sweetly, so calmly. Angrily did Bright\nFinist the Falcon rise to the sky and fly beyond the dark forest.\n\nIn the morning the maiden woke up. She looked on every side; it was\ndaylight already, and the good youth was not there. She looked at the\nwindow, and on the window were two sharp knives across each other, and\nred blood was dripping from them to the flower. Long did the maiden\nshed bitter tears, many sleepless nights did she pass by the window of\nher chamber. She waved the bright feather in vain; Bright Finist the\nFalcon flies no longer himself, and sends not his servants.\n\nAt last she went to her father with tears in her eyes and begged his\nblessing, gave orders to forge three pairs of iron shoes, three iron\nstaves, three iron caps, and three iron Easter cakes; she put a pair\nof shoes on her feet, the cap on her head, took a staff in her hand,\nand went toward that point from which Bright Finist the Falcon had\nflown to her. She goes through slumbering forests, she goes over\nstumps, over logs. One pair of iron shoes are trodden out, one iron\ncap is worn off, one staff is breaking up, one cake is gnawed away,\nand the beautiful maiden walks on, walks all the time, and the forest\ngrows darker, grows denser.\n\nAll at once she sees standing before her an iron hut on hen's legs,\nand it turns without ceasing.\n\n\"Hut, hut!\" said she, \"stand with thy back to the forest, thy front\nto me.\"\n\nThe hut turned its front to her. She entered the hut, and in it was\nlying a Baba-Yaga from corner to corner, her lips on the crosspiece,\nher nose in the loft.\n\n\"Tfu-tfu-tfu! in former days nothing of Russia was seen with sight nor\nheard with hearing; but now the odor of Russia goes through the wide\nworld in visible seeming, runs to one's nose. Where dost thou hold thy\nway, beautiful maiden? Art flying from labor, or seekest labor?\"\n\n\"Oh, grandmother dear, I had Bright Finist the Falcon of Flowery\nFeathers; my sisters did harm him! Now I am seeking for Bright Finist\nthe Falcon.\"\n\n\"Oh, my child, thou hast far to go; thrice nine lands must yet be\npassed! Bright Finist the Falcon of Flowery Feathers lives in the\nfiftieth kingdom in the eightieth land, and is now betrothed to the\ndaughter of a Tsar.\"\n\nThe Baba-Yaga nourished and fed the maiden with what God had sent, and\nput her to bed. Next morning, when the light was just coming, she\nroused her, gave her a present for the road,--a small golden hammer\nand ten little diamond nails,--and said: \"When thou comest to the blue\nsea, the bride of Bright Finist the Falcon will come out on the shore\nto walk; take the golden hammer and drive the diamond nails. She will\ntry to buy them of thee; but, beautiful maiden, take no pay, only ask\nto see Bright Finist the Falcon. Now go, with God, to my second\nsister.\"\n\nAgain the fair maiden goes through the dark forest, goes farther and\nfarther; the forest is darker and deeper, the tree-tops wind up to the\nsky. Now almost the second pair of shoes are trodden out, the second\ncap worn away, the second iron staff breaking, the iron cake gnawed\naway; before the maiden is an iron hut on hen's legs, and it turns\nwithout ceasing.\n\n\"Hut, oh, hut!\" said she, \"stop with thy back to the trees and thy\nfront to me, so that I may creep in and eat.\"\n\nThe hut turned its back to the trees and its front to the maiden. She\nentered. In the hut lay a Baba-Yaga from corner to corner, her lips on\nthe crosspiece, her nose in the loft.\n\n\"Tfu-tfu-tfu! in former days nothing of Russia was seen with sight or\nheard with hearing; but now the odor of Russia goes through the wide\nworld. Whither dost hold thy way, fair maiden?\"\n\n\"Grandmother, dear, I am seeking Bright Finist the Falcon.\"\n\n\"Oh! he is going to marry; they have the maiden's party to-night,\"\nsaid the Baba-Yaga.\n\nShe gave her to eat and drink, and put the maiden to sleep. At\ndaybreak next morning she roused her, gave her a golden plate with a\ndiamond ball, and enjoined on her most firmly, \"When thou comest to\nthe shore of the blue sea, roll the diamond ball on the golden plate.\nThe bride of Bright Finist the Falcon of Flowery Feathers will try to\nbuy the plate and ball; but take nothing for it, only ask to see\nBright Finist the Falcon. Now go, with God, to my eldest sister.\"\n\nAgain the fair maiden goes through the dark forest, goes farther and\nfarther; the forest grows darker and deeper. Now are the third pair of\nshoes almost trodden out, the third cap is wearing off, the third\nstaff is breaking, and the last cake is gnawed away. On hen's legs\nstands an iron hut and turns about.\n\n\"Hut, oh, hut!\" cried she, \"stand with thy back to the trees and thy\nface to me; I must creep in and eat bread.\"\n\nThe hut turned. In the hut lay another Baba-Yaga from corner to\ncorner, her lips on the crosspiece, her nose in the loft.\n\n\"Tfu-tfu-tfu! in former times nothing of Russia was seen with sight\nnor heard with hearing; but now the odor of Russia goes through the\nwide world. Where, beautiful maiden, dost thou hold thy way?\"\n\n\"Grandmother, dear, I am seeking Bright Finist the Falcon.\"\n\n\"Oh, fair maiden, he has married a Tsar's daughter! Here is my swift\nsteed; sit on him, and go, with God.\"\n\nThe maiden sat on the steed and shot away farther. The forest grew\nthinner and thinner.\n\nBehold, the blue sea is before her; broad and roomy is it spread, and\nthere in the distance, like fire, burn the golden summits above the\nlofty, white-walled chambers. That is the kingdom of Bright Finist the\nFalcon. She sat then on the movable sand of the shore, and hammered\nwith hammer the diamond nails. All at once the Tsar's daughter goes\nwith her nurses and maidens and trusty serving-women along the shore;\nshe stops, and wants to buy the diamond nails and the golden hammer.\n\n\"Tsar's daughter, let me but look at Bright Finist the Falcon, I will\ngive them for nothing,\" answered the maiden.\n\n\"Bright Finist the Falcon is sleeping at present, and has ordered that\nnone be admitted; but give me thy beautiful nails and hammer, I will\nshow him to thee.\"\n\nShe took the hammer and nails, ran to the palace, stuck into the\nclothes of Bright Finist the Falcon a magic pin, so that he should\nsleep more soundly and not wake; then she commanded her nurses to\nconduct the beautiful maiden through the palace to her husband, and\nwent herself to walk.\n\nLong did the maiden struggle, long did she weep over her dear one; she\ncould not wake him in any way. When she had walked to her pleasure,\nthe Tsar's daughter came home, drove her away, and pulled out the pin.\n\nBright Finist the Falcon woke. \"Oh, how long I have slept! Some one\nwas here,\" said he, \"and wept over me all the time, talking the while;\nbut I could not open my eyes, I felt so heavy.\"\n\n\"Thou wast only dreaming,\" said the Tsar's daughter; \"no one was\nhere.\"\n\nNext day the beautiful maiden sat again on the shore of the blue sea,\nand was rolling a diamond ball on a golden plate.\n\nThe Tsar's daughter went out to walk; she saw them, and said, \"Sell\nthem to me.\"\n\n\"Let me look at Bright Finist the Falcon, and I will give them for\nnothing.\"\n\nThe Tsar's daughter agreed, and again she pierced the clothes of\nBright Finist the Falcon with a magic pin. Again the fair maiden wept\nbitterly over her dear one, but could not rouse him.\n\nThe third day she sat on the shore of the blue sea, so sad and\nsorrowful, she was feeding her steed with glowing coals. The Tsar's\ndaughter, seeing that the steed was eating fire, wanted to buy him.\n\n\"Let me look on Bright Finist the Falcon, and I'll give the steed for\nnothing.\"\n\nThe Tsar's daughter agreed, ran to the palace, and said to her\nhusband, \"Let me look in thy head.\" She sat down to look in his head,\nand stuck the pin in his hair; straightway he was in a deep sleep.\nThen she sent her nurses for the beautiful maiden.\n\nThe fair maiden came, tried to wake her dear, embraced him and kissed\nhim, crying bitterly, bitterly herself; he wakes not. Then she began\nto look in his head, and out fell the magic pin.\n\nBright Finist the Falcon woke all at once; he saw the fair maiden and\nwas glad. She told him everything as it was,--how her malicious\nsisters had envied her, how she had wandered, and how she had\nexchanged with the Tsar's daughter. He loved her more than before,\nkissed her on the sweet lips, and gave command to call without delay\nboyars, princes, and people of every degree. Then he asked: \"What is\nyour judgment: with which wife should I spend my life,--with her who\nsold me, or her who bought me?\"\n\nAll the boyars, princes, and people of each degree decided in one\nvoice to take the woman who had bought him; but the one who had sold\nhim, to hang on the gate and shoot her. Bright Finist the Falcon of\nFlowery Feathers did this.\n\n\n\n\nTHE PIG WITH GOLD BRISTLES, THE DEER WITH GOLDEN HORNS, AND THE\nGOLDEN-MANED STEED WITH GOLDEN TAIL.\n\n\nThere lived a Tsar, and he had a daughter, Tsarevna, Priceless Beauty,\nnot to be told of in a tale nor described with a pen. The Tsar issued\na call throughout all towns that whoever would kiss the Tsarevna\nthrough twelve windows, no matter of what stock he might be, he would\nget the Tsarevna for wife, and receive half the kingdom.\n\nIn this kingdom lived a merchant, and he had three sons; the two elder\nwere crafty, and the third, the youngest, was a simpleton. Well, the\nelder brothers said, \"Father, we will go to get the Tsarevna.\"\n\n\"Go, with God,\" said the merchant.\n\nThey took the very best horses and began to make ready for the road.\nThe fool also was preparing.\n\n\"Where art thou going, fool? How couldst thou kiss the Tsarevna?\" and\nthey laughed at him in every manner.\n\nThey went away, and the simpleton dragged along after them on a poor\nmangy little horse. He went into the field, and he cried with a shrill\nvoice: \"Oh, blue-brown, cunning bay, stand before me as leaf before\nstem!\"\n\nWherever he came from, a splendid steed rushed up; the ground\ntrembled. The simpleton crept into one ear of the steed and out of the\nother, and became such a beauty as had never been seen nor heard of.\nHe sat on the horse, and rode to the Tsar's palace; and when he rushed\nup he broke six panes of glass.\n\nAll were astonished, and cried, \"Who is that? Seize him, hold him!\"\n\nBut his trace was cold. He rode away into the field, crept into one\near of his steed, out of the other, and became just such a simpleton\nas before; he sat on his wretched horse, rode home, and lay on the\nstove.\n\nHis brothers came back and said: \"Well, father, there was a\nhero,--such a hero! He broke through six glasses at once.\"\n\nThe simpleton from the stove cried out: \"Ah, brothers, was not that\nI?\"\n\n\"Thou dunce! how couldst thou do it; how couldst thou get the\nTsarevna? Thou art not worth her finger nail.\"\n\nNext day the brothers prepared again to go to the Tsar's palace; the\nsimpleton also prepared. \"What art thou going for, thou dunce?\"\nlaughed the brothers; \"thou art needed there, I suppose!\"\n\nThe simpleton went again on his mangy, wretched little horse to the\nfield, and cried in a shrill voice: \"Oh, blue-brown, cunning bay,\nstand before me as leaf before stem!\"\n\nThe steed rushed, the ground trembled, the simpleton crept into one\near of the steed and out of the other, and became such a beauty as had\nnever been seen or heard of before. He rushed through the Tsar's\ncourt, broke all the twelve windows, and kissed the Tsarevna,\nPriceless Beauty. She put a mark straight on his forehead.\n\nAll were astonished, and cried: \"Stop him, hold him! Who is he?\"\n\nBut his trace was cold. He rode out to the field, crept into one ear\nand out of the other, became just such a simpleton as before, came\nhome, tied a rag around his forehead, pretended that his head was\naching, and lay down on the stove.\n\nHis brothers returned and said: \"Oh, father, there was a hero, such a\nhero! At once he broke all twelve windows and kissed the Tsarevna.\"\n\nThe simpleton cried out from the stove: \"Ah, brothers, was it not I?\"\n\n\"Oh, thou dunce, how could it be?\"\n\nMeanwhile the Tsarevna was thinking who her bridegroom could be. She\nwent to the Tsar and said: \"Father, let me bring together all the\nTsars' sons, kings' sons, nobles, merchants, and peasants to a feast,\nto a talk, and find out who kissed me.\" The Tsar permitted her.\n\nWell, the whole Christian world met. The Tsarevna herself went among\nthem all, entertained all with wine, examined to see if she could find\nthe mark on any man's forehead. She went to each; at last she brought\nwine to the simpleton.\n\n\"What hast thou bound up there?\" asked the Tsarevna.\n\n\"So, nothing; my head aches,\" said the simpleton.\n\n\"Well, then, untie it.\" The Tsarevna unbound his head, recognized the\nmark, and grew faint.\n\nThe Tsar said to her, \"It is impossible to change the word now; it has\nto be so,--be his wife.\"\n\nThey married the simpleton and the Tsarevna. She was weeping bitterly;\nher two sisters, who had married Tsars' sons, were laughing at her,\nand said: \"There it is; she has married a fool!\"\n\nOnce the Tsar called all his sons-in-law and said: \"I have heard that\nin such a state, in such a kingdom, there is a wonder,--a pig with\ngold bristles. Is it not possible in some way to get this pig? Try.\"\n\nWell, the two crafty sons-in-law saddled the very best horses, sat on\nthem, and rode away.\n\nThe fool took from the stable the very last miserable horse, and\nfollowed his brothers. He came out into an open field, and cried with\na shrill voice: \"Come, blue-brown, cunning bay, stand before me as\nleaf before stem!\" Wherever he came from, the wondrous horse was\nsnorting and tearing the ground with his hoof. The simpleton crawled\ninto one ear and out of the other.\n\nWherever they came from, there stood before him two youths, and they\nasked, \"What dost thou wish, what is thy pleasure?\"\n\n\"To have a tent here, and in the tent a bed; beside the tent to have\nthe pig with gold bristles walking.\"\n\nAll was done in a moment. The tent was there, in the tent a bed; on\nthe bed lay the simpleton, but such a hero that no one could know him.\nThe pig with gold bristles was walking by the side of the tent in the\nmeadow.\n\nThe other brothers-in-law travelled and travelled; nowhere could they\nsee a pig with gold bristles. On their way home they approached the\ntent and saw the wonder. \"Oh! here is where the pig with gold bristles\nis walking; let us go,\" said they, \"and whatever must be given we will\ngive, we will buy the pig and please our father-in-law.\"\n\nThey went to the tent and saluted the owner. The simpleton asked:\n\"Where are ye travelling? what are ye looking for?\"\n\n\"Wilt thou sell us the pig with gold bristles? we are looking for this\npig a long time.\"\n\n\"No, I want it myself.\"\n\n\"Ask what will please thee, but sell.\"\n\nThey offered him a thousand for the pig, and two and three and more;\nbut the simpleton would not consent. \"I will not take a hundred\nthousand,\" said he.\n\n\"Oh, let us have him, please; take what seems good to thee!\"\n\n\"Well, ye need him so greatly, I will give him, and will not take\nmuch,--the middle toe of each man's foot.\"\n\nThey thought and thought, took off their boots, and each man cut off\nthe middle toe of his foot. The simpleton took the toes, hid them, and\ngave the pig with gold bristles. The brothers-in-law went home, taking\nthe pig with them.\n\nThe Tsar was so glad that he knew not what to call them, where to seat\nthem, or what to give them to eat.\n\n\"Have ye seen the fool?\" asked the Tsar.\n\n\"With seeing we have not seen him, with hearing we have not heard.\"\n\nThe simpleton crept into one ear of his horse, out of the other, and\nbecame just such a fool as before. He killed his horse, took off his\nskin, and put it on; then he caught magpies, crows, jackdaws, and\nsparrows, tied them around himself, and went home. He came into the\npalace and let all his birds loose; they flew around on every side,\nand broke nearly all the windows of the palace.\n\nThe Tsarevna, Priceless Beauty, covered herself with tears, and her\nsisters were screaming with laughter. \"Our husbands,\" said they,\n\"brought home the pig with gold bristles, and thy fool--look, if it\nplease thee, how he has dressed himself as a monster!\"\n\nThe Tsar shouted: \"What a clown! I'll fix him.\"\n\nAgain the Tsar called his sons-in-law. \"My dear sons-in-law, I have\nheard that in such a kingdom, in such a land, there is a wonder,--a\ndeer with golden horns and a golden tail. Can ye not get him in any\nway?\"\n\n\"We can, your Majesty.\"\n\nNow the two crafty sons-in-law saddled the very best horses and set\nout.\n\n\"Well,\" said the Tsar to the simpleton, \"go thou with the others.\"\n\nThe simpleton took from the stable the very last miserable horse and\nfollowed his brothers. He went out in the open field and cried with a\nshrill voice: \"Oh, blue-brown, cunning bay, stand before me as leaf\nbefore stem.\" Wherever he came from, the wonderful horse was there,\nsnorting and tearing the ground with his hoofs. The simpleton crept in\none of his ears and out of the other. Wherever they came from, two\nyoung men stood before him and asked: \"What dost thou want?\"\n\n\"I want a tent here, in the tent a bed, and at the side of the tent a\ndeer with golden horns and a golden tail.\"\n\nThat moment the tent was there, in the tent a bed, on the bed the\nsimpleton stretched himself,--such a beauty that no man could know\nhim; at the side of the tent walked a deer with golden horns and a\ngolden tail.\n\nThe crafty brothers travelled and travelled. Nowhere did they see such\na deer, and they turned to come home. They came near the tent and saw\nthe wonder. \"Oh, this is where the deer with golden horns and a golden\ntail is! Let us go,\" said they; \"whatever must be given we'll give,\nbuy that deer, and please our father-in-law.\"\n\nThey came up and saluted. The simpleton asked: \"Why are ye travelling;\nwhat are ye seeking?\"\n\n\"Wilt thou sell us the deer with golden horns and a golden tail?\"\n\n\"No, it is not for sale; I want it myself.\"\n\n\"Ask what will please thee, but sell.\" They offered one, two, three\nthousand, and more. The simpleton wouldn't listen to the offers, would\nnot take money.\n\n\"But if my deer has pleased you, I'll sell him, if ye like, at a cheap\nprice,--the middle finger of each man's hand.\"\n\nThey thought and thought, and agreed. They took off their gloves and\ncut off the middle finger. The simpleton put the fingers away and gave\nthe deer.\n\nThe sons-in-law came home, and brought the deer with golden horns and\na golden tail. The Tsar from joy knew not what to call them, where to\nseat them, or with what to entertain them.\n\n\"Have ye seen the fool anywhere?\" asked the Tsar.\n\n\"With seeing we have not seen him, with hearing we have not heard.\"\n\nThe simpleton crept into one ear of the horse and out of the other,\nand became just such a simpleton as he had been before. He killed his\nwretched horse, skinned him, and put on the skin; then caught a lot of\njackdaws, crows, magpies, and sparrows, tied them around himself, and\nwent home. He came again to the palace, and let out the birds in\ndifferent directions; his wife was sobbing, and her sisters were\nlaughing. \"Our husbands,\" said they, \"brought home the deer with\ngolden horns and a golden tail, and thy fool--look at him!\"\n\nThe Tsar shouted at the fool: \"What an ignorant lout!\" and he gave\nhalf the kingdom to his crafty sons-in-law.\n\nThe third time the Tsar called his crafty sons-in-law, and said: \"My\ndear sons-in-law, I will give you the whole kingdom if ye will get for\nme the golden-maned steed with golden tail; I have heard that he is in\nsuch a kingdom and such a land.\"\n\nThe crafty sons-in-law saddled the very best horses and went on their\njourney.\n\nThe Tsar sent also the fool. \"Well, go thou too.\"\n\nThe simpleton took the very last wretched horse from the stable and\nfollowed his crafty brothers. He came to the open field and cried with\na shrill voice: \"Oh, blue-brown, cunning bay, stand before me as leaf\nbefore stem!\" Wherever he came from, the marvellous steed was\nsnorting, and tearing the earth with his hoof. Behold, the simpleton\ncrept into one ear and out of the other, and became such a beauty that\nit was not in the power of man to recognize him. Then, wherever they\ncame from, there stood before him two youths, and they asked, \"What\ndost thou wish; what dost thou want?\"\n\n\"I want a tent here, in the tent a bed, and at the side of the tent\nthe golden-maned steed with golden tail.\"\n\nThat minute the tent was made, in the tent a bed. The simpleton\nstretched himself on the bed; at the side of the tent the golden-maned\nsteed with golden tail was walking.\n\nThe crafty sons-in-law travelled and travelled; nowhere did they see\nthat kind of steed, and were on their way home. They drew near the\ntent, and saw the wonder.\n\n\"Oh, here is the place where the golden-maned steed with golden tail\nis walking. Let us go in,\" said they; \"we will give whatever they ask,\nand buy him to please our father-in-law.\"\n\nThe simpleton asked: \"Whither are ye travelling; what are ye seeking?\"\n\n\"Sell us the golden-maned steed with golden tail.\"\n\n\"He is not for sale; I want him myself.\"\n\n\"Ask what may please thee, only sell him;\" and they offered one, two,\nthree thousand and more.\n\n\"I would not take a hundred thousand,\" said the simpleton.\n\n\"Sell him to us; take what will please thee.\"\n\n\"Well, if ye need him greatly, I will give him to you; I will not take\na high price. Let me cut a strap from the back of each one of you.\"\n\nThey thought and thought, struggled and struggled, wanted the horse\nvery badly, were sorry for themselves, but decided at last, undressed,\nand took off their shirts. The simpleton cut from the back of each one\nof them a strap, took the straps, put them away, and delivered the\nsteed.\n\nThe sons-in-law came home bringing the golden-maned steed with golden\ntail. The Tsar from delight knew not what to call them, where to seat\nthem, or how to entertain them, and gave them the remaining half of\nthe kingdom. The simpleton crept into one ear of the steed and out of\nthe other, and became what he had been before. He killed his wretched\nhorse, took off the skin, put it on himself, caught magpies, crows,\njackdaws, and sparrows, tied them around himself, came to the palace,\nand let out the birds; they flew in different directions, and broke\nnearly all the windows. The Tsarevna, his wife, was crying, and her\nsisters were laughing at her. \"Our husbands have brought the\ngolden-maned steed with golden tail; but look at thy fool going around\nsuch a fright!\"\n\nThe Tsar shouted at the fool: \"What an ignorant lout! I'll have thee\nshot.\"\n\nAnd the simpleton asked: \"With what wilt thou reward me?\"\n\n\"What reward shouldst thou have?\" asked the Tsar.\n\n\"If the truth must be told, I got for thee the pig with gold\nbristles, the deer with golden horns and a golden tail, and the\ngolden-maned steed with golden tail.\"\n\n\"How canst thou prove that?\" asked the Tsar.\n\n\"Command thy sons-in-law, Gosud\u00e1r, to take off their boots.\"\n\nThe sons-in-law began to make excuses; they didn't want to take off\ntheir boots.\n\n\"Take off your boots,\" urged the Tsar; \"there is no harm in that.\"\n\nThey took off their boots. The Tsar looks: one toe is missing.\n\n\"Here are their toes,\" said the simpleton. \"Order them now to take off\ntheir gloves.\"\n\nThey removed their gloves, and the Tsar saw there was a finger\nmissing.\n\n\"Here are their fingers,\" said the simpleton. \"Order them now to take\noff their shirts.\"\n\nThe Tsar saw that the affair was coming true, and ordered them to\nundress. They took off their shirts, and the Tsar saw that each one of\nthem had a strap cut from his back the width of two fingers.\n\n\"Here are the straps,\" said the simpleton; and told the whole story as\nit was.\n\nThe Tsar didn't know how to entertain him, nor how to reward him. He\ngave him the whole kingdom, and the other sons-in-law, because they\nhad deceived him, he had shot.\n\nThe simpleton went to the open field and cried with a shrill voice:\n\"Oh, blue-brown, cunning bay, stand before me as leaf before stem!\"\nThe horse ran, the ground trembled, the simpleton crept into one ear\nof the steed and out of the other, and became a hero and a beauty.\n\nHe came home, began to live with his Tsarevna and win wealth.\n\n\n\n\nWATER OF YOUTH, WATER OF LIFE, AND WATER OF DEATH.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom in a certain land there lived a Tsar; that Tsar\nhad three sons,--two crafty, and the third simple. Somehow the Tsar\nhad a dream that beyond the thrice ninth land, in the thirtieth\nkingdom, there was a beautiful maiden, from whose hands and feet water\nwas flowing, that whoever would drink that water would become thirty\nyears younger. The Tsar was very old. He summoned his sons and\ncounsellors, and asked: \"Can any one explain my dream?\"\n\nThe counsellors answered the Tsar: \"We have not seen with sight nor\nheard with hearing of such a beautiful maiden, and how to go to her is\nunknown to us.\"\n\nNow the eldest son, Dmitri Tsarevich, spoke up: \"Father, give me thy\nblessing to go in all four directions, look at people, show myself,\nand make search for the beautiful maiden.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave his parental blessing. \"Take,\" said he, \"treasure as\nmuch as thou wishest, and all kinds of troops as many as are\nnecessary.\"\n\nDmitri Tsarevich took one hundred thousand men and set out on the\nroad, on the journey. He rode a day, he rode a week, he rode a month,\nand two and three months. No matter whom he asked, no one knew of the\nbeautiful maiden, and he came to such desert places that there were\nonly heaven and earth. He urged his horse on, and behold before him is\na lofty mountain; he could not see the top with his eyes. Somehow he\nclimbed the mountain and found there an ancient, a gray old man.\n\n\"Hail, grandfather!\"\n\n\"Hail, brave youth! Art fleeing from labor, or seekest thou labor?\"\n\n\"I am seeking labor.\"\n\n\"What dost thou need?\"\n\n\"I have heard that beyond the thrice ninth land, in the thirtieth\nkingdom, is a beautiful maiden, from whose hands and feet healing\nwater flows, and that whoever gets and drinks this water will grow\nthirty years younger.\"\n\n\"Well, brother, thou canst not go there.\"\n\n\"Why not?\"\n\n\"Because there are three broad rivers on the road, and on these rivers\nthree ferries: at the first ferry they will cut off thy right hand, at\nthe second thy left foot, at the third they will take thy head.\"\n\nDmitri Tsarevich was grieved; he hung his stormy head below his\nshoulders, and thought: \"Must I spare my father's head? Must I spare\nmy own? I'll turn back.\"\n\nHe came down from the mountain, went back to his father, and said:\n\"No, father, I have not been able to find her; there is nothing to be\nheard of that maiden.\"\n\nThe second son, Vassili Tsarevich, began to beg: \"Father, give me thy\nblessing; perhaps I can find her.\"\n\n\"Go, my son.\"\n\nVassili Tsarevich took one hundred thousand men, and set out on his\nroad, on his journey. He rode a day, he rode a week, he rode a month,\nand two, and three, and entered such places that there was nothing but\nforests and swamps. He found there Baba-Yaga, boneleg. \"Hail,\nBaba-Yaga, boneleg!\"\n\n\"Hail, brave youth! Art thou fleeing from labor, or seekest labor?\"\n\n\"I am seeking labor. I have heard that beyond the thrice ninth land,\nin the thirtieth kingdom, is a beautiful maiden, from whose feet and\nhands healing water flows.\"\n\n\"There is, father; only thou canst not go there.\"\n\n\"Why not?\"\n\n\"Because on the road there are three ferries: at the first ferry they\nwill cut off thy right hand, at the second thy left foot, at the third\noff with thy head.\"\n\n\"It is not a question of saving my father's head, but sparing my own.\"\n\nHe returned, and said to his father: \"No, father, I could not find\nher; there is nothing to be heard of that maiden.\"\n\nThe youngest son, Ivan Tsarevich, began to beg: \"Give me thy\nblessing, father; maybe I shall find her.\"\n\nThe father gave him his blessing. \"Go, my dear son; take troops and\ntreasure all that are needed.\"\n\n\"I need nothing, only give me a good steed and the sword Kl\u00e1dyenets.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich mounted his steed, took the sword Kl\u00e1dyenets, and set\nout on his way, on his journey. He rode a day, he rode a week, he rode\na month, and two and three; and rode into such places that his horse\nwas to the knees in water, to the breast in grass, and he, good youth,\nhad nothing to eat. He saw a cabin on hen's feet, and entered: inside\nsat Baba-Yaga, boneleg.\n\n\"Hail, grandmother!\"\n\n\"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Art flying from labor, or seekest labor?\"\n\n\"What labor? I am going to the thirtieth kingdom; there, it is said,\nlives a beautiful maiden, from whose hands and feet healing water\nflows.\"\n\n\"There is, father; though with sight I have not seen her, with hearing\nI have heard of her: but to her it is not for thee to go.\"\n\n\"Why so?\"\n\n\"Because there are three ferries on the way: at the first ferry they\nwill cut off thy right hand, at the second thy left foot, at the third\noff with thy head.\"\n\n\"Well, grandmother, one head is not much; I will go, whatever God\ngives.\"\n\n\"Ah! Ivan Tsarevich, better turn back; thou art still a green youth,\nhast never been in places of danger, hast not seen great terror.\"\n\n\"No,\" said Ivan; \"if thou seizest the rope, don't say thou art not\nstrong.\" He took farewell of Baba-Yaga and went farther.\n\nHe rode a day, a second, and a third, and came to the first ferry: the\nferrymen were sleeping on the opposite bank. \"What is to be done?\"\nthought Ivan. \"If I shout, they'll be deaf for the rest of their\nlives; if I whistle, I shall sink the ferry-boat.\" He whistled a half\nwhistle. The ferrymen sprang up that minute and ferried him across the\nriver.\n\n\"What is the price of your work, brothers?\"\n\n\"Give us thy right hand.\"\n\n\"Oh, I want that for myself!\" Then Ivan Tsarevich struck with his\nsword on the right, and on the left. He cut down all the ferrymen,\nmounted his horse, and galloped ahead. At the two other ferries he got\naway in the same fashion. He was drawing near the thirtieth kingdom.\nOn the boundary stood a wild man, in stature tall as a forest, in\nthickness the equal of a great stack of hay; he held in his hands an\nenormous oak-tree.\n\n\"Oh, worm!\" said the giant to Ivan Tsarevich, \"whither art thou\nriding?\"\n\n\"I am going to the thirtieth kingdom; I want to see the beautiful\nmaiden from whose hands and feet healing water flows.\"\n\n\"How couldst thou, little pigmy, go there? I am a hundred years\nguarding her kingdom, great, mighty heroes came here,--not the like of\nthee,--and they fell from my strong hand. What art thou? Just a little\nworm!\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich saw that he could not manage the giant, and he turned\naside. He travelled and travelled till he came to a sleeping forest;\nin the forest was a cabin, and in the cabin an old, ancient woman was\nsitting. She saw the good youth, and said: \"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Why\nhas God brought thee hither?\"\n\nHe told her all without concealment. The old woman gave him magic\nherbs and a ball.\n\n\"Go out,\" said she, \"into the open field, make a fire, and throw these\nherbs on it; but take care to stand on the windward. From these magic\nherbs the giant will sleep a deep sleep; cut his head off, then let\nthe ball roll, and follow. The ball will take thee to those regions\nwhere the beautiful maiden reigns. She lives in a great golden castle,\nand often rides out with her army to the green meadows to amuse\nherself. Nine days does she stay there; then sleeps a hero's sleep\nnine days and nine nights.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich thanked the old woman and went to the open field, where\nhe made a fire and threw into it the magic herbs. The stormy wind bore\nthe smoke to where the wild man was standing on guard. It grew dim in\nhis eyes; he lay on the damp earth and fell soundly asleep. Ivan\nTsarevich cut off his head, let the ball roll, and rode on. He\ntravelled and travelled till the golden palace was visible; then he\nturned from the road, let his horse out to feed, and crept into a\nthicket himself. He had just hidden, when dust was rising in a column\nfrom the front of the palace: the beautiful maiden rode out with her\narmy to amuse herself in the green meadows. The Tsarevich saw that the\nwhole army was formed of maidens alone. One was beautiful, the next\nsurpassed that one; fairer than all, and beyond admiration was the\nTsarevna herself.\n\nNine days was she sporting in the green meadows, and the Tsarevich did\nnot take his eyes from her, still he could not gaze his fill. On the\ntenth day he went to the golden palace. The beautiful maiden was lying\non a couch of down, sleeping a hero's sleep; from her hands and feet\nhealing water was flowing. At the same time her trusty army was\nsleeping as well.\n\nIvan Tsarevich took a flask of the healing water. His heroic heart\ncould not withstand her maiden beauty. He tarried awhile, then left\nthe palace, mounted his good steed, and rushed toward home.\n\nNine days slept the beautiful maiden, and when she woke her rage was\ndreadful. She stamped, she screamed with a piercing voice: \"What\nwretch has been here?\" she sprang on to her fleet-flying mare, and\nstruck into a chase after Ivan Tsarevich. The mare races, the ground\ntrembles; she caught up with the good hero, struck him with her sword,\nand straight in the breast did she strike. The Tsarevich fell on the\ndamp earth: his bright eyes close, his red blood stiffens. The fair\nmaiden looked at him, and great pity seized her; through the whole\nworld might she search, and not find such a beauty. She placed her\nwhite hand on his wound, moistened it with healing water. All at once\nthe wound closed, and Ivan Tsarevich rose up unharmed.\n\n\"Wilt thou take me as wife?\" asked she.\n\n\"I will, beautiful maiden.\"\n\n\"Well, go home, and wait three years.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich took farewell of his betrothed bride and continued his\njourney. He was drawing near his own kingdom; but his elder brothers\nhad put guards everywhere, so as not to let him come near his father.\nThe guards gave notice at once that Ivan Tsarevich was coming. The\nelder brothers met him on the road, drugged him, took the flask of\nhealing water, and threw him into a deep pit. Ivan Tsarevich came out\nin the underground kingdom.\n\nHe travelled and travelled in the underground kingdom. When he came to\na certain place, a great storm rose up, lightning flashed, thunder\nroared, rain fell. He went to a tree to find shelter; looked up, and\nsaw young birds in that tree all wet. He took off his coat, covered\nthem, and sat himself under the tree.\n\nWhen the old bird flew to the tree, she was so large that she hid the\nlight, and it grew dark as if night were near. When she saw her young\ncovered, she asked: \"Who has protected my little birds?\" Then, seeing\nthe Tsarevich, she said: \"It is thou who didst this; God save thee!\nWhatever thou wishest, ask of me; I will do everything for thee.\"\n\nHe said, \"Bear me out into the upper world.\"\n\n\"Make ready,\" said the bird, \"a double box. Fill one half of it with\nevery kind of game, and in the other half put water, so as to have\nsomething with which to nourish me.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich did all that was asked. The bird took the box on her\nback, and the Tsarevich sat in the middle. She flew up; and whether it\nwas long or short, she bore him to this upper world, took farewell of\nhim, and flew home.\n\nIvan Tsarevich went to his father; but the old Tsar did not like him\nby reason of the lies which his brothers had told, and sent him into\nexile. For three whole years Ivan wandered from place to place. When\nthree years had passed, the beautiful maiden sailed in a ship to the\ncapital town of Ivan Tsarevich's father. She sent a letter to the\nTsar, demanding the man who had stolen the water, and if he refused\nshe would burn and destroy his kingdom utterly.\n\nThe Tsar sent his eldest son; he went to the ship. Two little boys,\ngrandsons of the Tsar, saw him, and asked their mother: \"Is that our\nfather?\"\n\n\"No, that is your uncle.\"\n\n\"How shall we meet him?\"\n\n\"Take each one a whip and flog him back home.\"\n\nThe eldest Tsarevich returned, looking as if he had eaten something\nunsalted.\n\nThe maiden continued her threats, demanded the guilty man. The Tsar\nsent his second son, and the same thing happened to him as to the\neldest. Now the Tsar gave command to find the youngest Tsarevich.\n\nWhen the Tsarevich was found, his father wished him to go on the ship\nto the maiden. But he said: \"I will go when a crystal bridge is built\nto the ship, and on the bridge there shall be many kinds of food and\nwine set out.\"\n\nThere was no help for it; they built the bridge, prepared the food,\nbrought wines and meat.\n\nThe Tsarevich collected his comrades. \"Come with me, attend me,\" said\nhe; \"eat ye and drink, spare nothing.\"\n\nWhile he was walking on the bridge the little boys cried out: \"Mother,\nwho is that?\"\n\n\"That is your father.\"\n\n\"How shall we meet him?\"\n\n\"Take him by the hands and lead him to me.\"\n\nThey did so; there was kissing and embracing. After that they went to\nthe Tsar, told him all just as it had been. The Tsar drove his eldest\nsons from the castle, and lived with Ivan,--lived on and gained\nwealth.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FOOTLESS AND BLIND CHAMPIONS.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there lived a Tsar with his\nTsaritsa. They had a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and Katoma of the Oaken Cap\nwas appointed tutor to care for and guard Ivan.\n\nThe Tsar and Tsaritsa attained to ancient years, fell ill, and had no\nthought to recover. They summoned Ivan Tsarevich and said: \"When we\ndie, do thou obey in all things Katoma of the Oaken Cap and honor him.\nIf thou obeyest him, thou'lt be happy; but if disobedient, thou wilt\nperish like a fly.\"\n\nNext day the Tsar and Tsaritsa died. Ivan buried his parents and lived\naccording to their command: whatever he did, he always held counsel\nwith his tutor. Whether it was long or short, the Tsarevich grew to\nyears of manhood and thought of marrying. He came to Katoma of the\nOaken Cap and said: \"I feel dreary alone; I wish to marry.\"\n\n\"Well, Tsarevich, where is the halt? Thy years are such that it is\ntime to think of a bride. Go to the great chamber,--there the\nportraits of all Tsars' daughters and all kings' daughters are\ncollected. Look at them and choose; if any please thee, propose for\nthat one.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich went to the great chamber, examined the portraits; and\nPrincess Anna the Beautiful suited his mind,--such a beauty that in\nthe whole world there was not her equal. Under her portrait was\nwritten that if any man gave her a riddle and she could not solve it,\nshe would marry the man; and whose riddle she solved, off went his\nhead. Ivan Tsarevich read this inscription, grew very sorrowful, and\nwent to his uncle. \"I have been,\" said he, \"in the great chamber, and\nhave found for myself a bride,--Anna the Beautiful; but I know not how\nto get her.\"\n\n\"Yes, Tsarevich, it is difficult to win her. If thou go alone, thou\nwilt never succeed; but if thou take me and will do what I say,\nperhaps the affair may be settled.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich begged Katoma of the Oaken Cap to go with him, and gave\nhis faithful word to obey him in sorrow and in joy.\n\nThey prepared for the road and the journey, and went to ask Princess\nAnna the Beautiful in marriage. They travelled one year, travelled a\nsecond, then a third, and passed over many lands. Ivan Tsarevich said:\n\"Uncle, we are travelling now so long a time, are nearing the land of\nAnna the Beautiful, and we know not what riddle to give her.\"\n\n\"Oh, we will think of one yet.\"\n\nThey went farther. Uncle Katoma looked on the road, and there was\nlying a purse with gold. He took it up, poured all the money out of it\ninto his own purse, and said: \"Here is the riddle, Ivan Tsarevich.\nWhen thou comest to the princess, give her the riddle in these words:\n'We were travelling along, and we saw good lying on the road. We took\ngood with good and put it in our good.' She'll not solve that riddle\nall her life; and every other one she would know in a moment,--she\nwould just look into her magic book, and as soon as she knew the\nriddle she would have thy head cut off.\"\n\nWell, Ivan Tsarevich with his uncle came at last to the lofty palace\nwhere the beautiful princess was living. At that very time she was on\nthe balcony, saw the travellers, and sent out to know whence they\nwere, and what they had come for.\n\nIvan Tsarevich replied: \"I have come from such and such a kingdom, and\nI wish to ask Anna the Beautiful in marriage.\"\n\nThey reported this to the princess. She gave answer that the Tsarevich\nshould come to the palace and give, in the presence of all her\ncounselling princes and boyars, a riddle. \"With me,\" said she, \"this\norder is established, that if I solve not the riddle of a man, I will\nmarry him; but if I solve any man's riddle, I give him to a cruel\ndeath.\"\n\n\"Hear my riddle, beautiful princess,\" said Ivan. \"We were going along,\nwe saw good lying on the road, we took good with good and put it in\nour good.\"\n\nAnna the Beautiful took her magic book, began to examine it and look\nfor riddles; she went through the whole volume and found nothing.\nThen the counselling princes and boyars decided that the princess must\nmarry Ivan Tsarevich. Though sorry, she had to give way, and began to\nprepare for the wedding; but plotting to win time and get rid of the\nbridegroom, she thought, \"I will trouble him with difficult tasks.\"\nShe called Ivan Tsarevich and said: \"Oh, my dear Ivan Tsarevich, my\nbetrothed husband, we must prepare for the wedding; do me a small\nservice. In my kingdom in such a place stands a great iron pillar;\nbring it to the palace kitchen and cut it into small pieces as fuel\nfor the cook.\"\n\n\"My princess, is it possible that I have come here to cut fuel? Is\nthat my business? I have a servant for that,--Uncle Katoma of the\nOaken Cap.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich called Uncle Katoma straightway, and commanded him to\nbring the iron pillar to the kitchen and cut it into small pieces as\nfuel for the cook.\n\nUncle Katoma went to the place mentioned, took the pillar in his arms,\nbrought it to the palace kitchen, and cut it into small pieces. Four\npieces of iron did he put in his pocket, saying, \"They will be good in\nthe future.\"\n\nNext day the princess said to Ivan: \"My dear Tsarevich, my betrothed\nhusband, to-morrow we must go to the crown: I will go in a carriage,\nand thou on an heroic steed. Meanwhile thou shouldst try the steed.\"\n\n\"Shall I try a horse when I have a servant for that?\" Ivan Tsarevich\ncalled Uncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap.\n\n\"Go,\" said he, \"and order the stable-boys to lead forth the heroic\nsteed; sit on him and ride him around. To-morrow I will go to the\nmarriage on him.\"\n\nUncle Katoma saw through the cunning of the princess, without talking\nlong. He went to the stable and ordered them to lead forth the heroic\nsteed. Twelve men went: they opened twelve locks, opened twelve doors,\nand led out the magic horse by twelve iron chains.\n\nUncle Katoma went to the horse: the moment he sat on him the magic\nsteed left the earth and rose higher than the standing forest, lower\nthan the moving clouds. Katoma sat firmly; with one hand he held the\nmane, with the other he took from his pocket one of the iron bars and\nbegan to pound the horse between the ears with it. He broke one bar,\ntook another, broke that, took a third, broke that. The fourth entered\nservice; and Katoma so hammered the steed that he could not endure,\nbut spoke with the voice of a man: \"Father Katoma, let me even live in\nthe white world; whatever thou wishest, command,--everything shall be\nas thou sayest.\"\n\n\"Listen, dog's meat!\" answered Uncle Katoma. \"To-morrow Ivan Tsarevich\nwill ride thee to the marriage: see to it when they lead thee to the\nbroad court, when the Tsarevich approaches and puts his hand on thee,\nthat thou standest quietly, movest not an ear; and when he sits on thy\nback, sink to thy fetlocks, and walk under him with a heavy tread, as\nif an immeasurable burden were on thee.\"\n\nThe heroic steed heard the command and came down barely alive to the\nearth. Katoma took him by the tail and threw him to the side of the\nstable, saying, \"Oh, coachmen and grooms, take this dog's meat to the\nstable!\"\n\nThe next day rose, the hour of marriage came. They gave a carriage to\nthe princess, and led out the heroic steed for Ivan Tsarevich. The\npeople ran from every side in thousands. The bridegroom and the bride\ncame forth from the white-walled palace. The princess sat in the\ncarriage and waited for what would happen to Ivan Tsarevich. The magic\nsteed, she thought, would scatter his hair to the wind and drag his\nbones over the field.\n\nIvan Tsarevich approached the steed, put his hand on his back, his\nfoot in the stirrup; the horse stood as if fixed to the earth, moved\nnot an ear. Ivan sat on his back; the horse sank in the ground to the\nfetlocks. They removed the twelve chains from him; the horse began to\nwalk with a slow and heavy tread, the sweat rolled from him like rain.\n\n\"Oh, what a champion, what immeasurable strength!\" said the people,\nlooking at the Tsarevich.\n\nThey crowned the bridegroom with the bride. They were coming out of\nthe church, took each other by the hand, and the princess thought of\ntesting once more the strength of Ivan Tsarevich. She pressed his hand\nwith such force that he could not endure; the blood rushed to his\nface, his eyes went up under his forehead.\n\n\"So this is the kind of hero thou art!\" thought the princess. \"Thy\nuncle has deceived me grandly; but this will not go with thee for\nnothing.\"\n\nAnna the Beautiful lived with Ivan Tsarevich as was befitting a wife\nwith a God-given husband, and she in every way flattered him with\nwords, but thought only of one thing,--how to destroy Uncle Katoma of\nthe Oaken Cap. It was not difficult for her to manage the Tsarevich\nwithout the uncle. No matter how much calumny she invented, Ivan did\nnot yield to her speeches; he had pity on his uncle. In a year's time\nhe said to his wife: \"My dear consort, beautiful princess, I should\nlike to go with thee to my own kingdom.\"\n\n\"Very well, let us go; I have long wished to see thy kingdom.\"\n\nThey got ready and went, making Uncle Katoma coachman. They travelled\nand travelled. Ivan Tsarevich fell asleep on the way. All at once Anna\nthe Beautiful began to rouse him and complain: \"Now, Tsarevich, thou\nart sleeping all the time, hearest nothing. But thy uncle will not\nobey me; he drives the horses on purpose over hillocks and into\nholes, just as if trying to kill me. I spoke to him kindly, and he\nlaughed at me. I will not live unless thou punish him.\"\n\nIvan in his drowsiness grew very angry at his uncle, and gave him over\nentirely to the princess. \"Do with him as thou desirest.\" The princess\ngave orders to cut off his feet. Katoma allowed himself to be\nmaltreated by her. \"Let me endure,\" thought he; \"and the Tsarevich\nwill know what it is to suffer sorrow.\" They cut off Katoma's feet.\nThe princess looked around and saw a high stump on one side; she\ncalled the servants and ordered them to seat him on that stump. Ivan\nTsarevich she tied by a rope to the carriage, turned back, and went to\nher own kingdom. Uncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap was sitting on the\nstump, shedding bitter tears. \"Farewell, Ivan Tsarevich,\" said he,\n\"thou wilt remember me;\" and Ivan Tsarevich ran jumping behind the\ncarriage. He knew himself that he had made a mistake, but he could not\nturn back.\n\nAnna the Beautiful came to her own kingdom, and she made Ivan\nTsarevich herd cows. Every morning he went with the herd into the open\nfield, and in the evening he drove them back into the princess' yard;\nand at that time she sat on the balcony and counted the cows, were\nthey all there? She counted them, and ordered the Tsarevich to kiss\nthe last cow on the tail; and the cow was so well trained that when\nshe came to the gate she stopped and raised her tail.\n\nUncle Katoma was sitting on the stump one day, a second, a third,\nwithout food or drink. He could in no way slip down, and it was coming\nto him to die of hunger. Not far away was a thick wood, and in that\nwood lived a blind, mighty hero; and he nourished himself only with\nthis, that when he knew by the smell that a beast was running past,--a\nhare, fox, or bear,--that moment he ran, caught it, and his dinner was\nready. The hero was very swift of foot, and no running beast could\nescape him. Behold, it happened thus: a fox was slipping by; the hero\nheard it and pursued; the fox ran to the tall stump and turned aside.\nThe blind champion hurried, and in the run struck his forehead against\nthe stump so that he drove it out of the ground with its roots.\n\nKatoma was thrown to the earth, and asked, \"Who art thou?\"\n\n\"The blind hero; I live in this forest thirty years, and I nourish\nmyself only in this way. If I seize a beast, I roast it on the fire;\notherwise I should have died of hunger long since.\"\n\n\"Is it possible that thou art blind from birth?\"\n\n\"No, not from birth; Anna the Beautiful put out my eyes.\"\n\n\"Well, brother,\" said Uncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap, \"and I through\nher am footless; she cut off my two feet, the cursed woman.\"\n\nThe two heroes talked to each other, and agreed to live together and\nfind food in common. The blind said to the footless: \"Sit on me and\nshow the way; I will serve thee with my feet, and thou shalt serve me\nwith thy eyes.\"\n\nHe took the footless and carried him. Katoma sat, looked on both\nsides, and cried out: \"To the right; to the left; straight ahead.\"\nThey lived in this way some time in the forest and caught\nfood,--hares, foxes, and bears.\n\nOnce the footless asked: \"Is it possible that we shall live all our\nlives without company? I have heard that in a certain town there is a\nrich merchant with his daughter, and the daughter is very charitable\nto poor people and cripples, and gives alms herself to all. Let us\ncarry her off, brother; let her live with us as a housekeeper.\"\n\nThe blind man took a wagon, put the footless in it, and drew him to\nthe town. They went straight to the house of the rich merchant. The\nmerchant's daughter saw them through the window. Straightway she\nsprang up and went to give them something. She went to the footless:\n\"Take this, poor man, for Christ's sake.\" While taking the gift he\nseized her by the hand and into the wagon with her. He called to the\nblind man, who ran so swiftly that no horseman could come up with him.\n\nThe merchant sent a party in pursuit, but no one could overtake the\ntwo men. The heroes brought the merchant's daughter to their hut in\nthe forest, and said to her: \"Be to us in the place of our own\nsister; live with us, keep the house, for we have no one to cook a\nmeal for us or to wash our shirts. God will not forget thee for doing\nthis.\"\n\nThe maiden remained with them. The heroes respected and loved her, and\nconsidered her as their own sister. The way was, they used to go\nhunting, and she was always at home, took care of the housekeeping,\ncooked for them, washed for them. Now a Baba-Yaga, boneleg, began to\ncome to the hut and suck the blood of the merchant's daughter. The\nmoment the heroes went to hunt, Baba-Yaga was there. Whether it was\nlong or short, the fair maiden's face fell away; she grew thin and\npoor.\n\nThe blind man saw nothing, but Uncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap noticed\nthat something was wrong. He spoke of it to the blind man, and they\nquestioned their adopted sister. They began to urge her to answer. The\nBaba-Yaga had strictly forbidden her to confess. For a long time she\nwas afraid to tell of her trouble; long she resisted. At last they\npersuaded her, and she confessed everything. \"Whenever ye go away to\nhunt, an ancient old woman comes, evil-faced, long-haired, gray; she\nmakes me search in her head, and then sucks my blood.\"\n\n\"Ah!\" said the blind man, \"that is Baba-Yaga. Wait, we must settle\nwith her in our own fashion; to-morrow we will not go to hunt, we will\ntry to come upon her and catch her.\"\n\nNext morning they did not go to hunt.\n\n\"Well, footless uncle,\" said the blind man, \"crawl thou under the\nbench; sit quietly. I will go outside and stay under the window. And\nthou, sister, when Baba-Yaga comes, sit right here in this window,\nsearch in her head, separate her hair gradually, and let it out of the\nwindow. I will catch her by the gray locks.\"\n\nIt was said and done. The blind man caught the Baba-Yaga by the gray\nlocks and cried, \"Ei! Uncle Katoma, crawl from under the bench and\nhold the viperous old hag till I go into the house.\"\n\nBaba-Yaga heard trouble, wanted to jump up, and raised her head. What\ncould she do? She had no chance; she tore and tore,--no use.\n\nThen Katoma crawled from under the bench, threw himself on her like a\nstone mountain, and began to smother Baba-Yaga. She was frightened out\nof her wits.\n\nThe blind man sprang into the house, and said to the footless: \"We\nmust make a big fire now, burn the old outcast, and scatter her ashes\nto the wind.\"\n\nBaba-Yaga implored. \"Father, dove, forgive me; whatever thou wishest\nI'll do.\"\n\n\"Well, old witch,\" said the heroes, \"show us the well of living and\nhealing water.\"\n\n\"Only don't beat me, and I'll show you this moment.\"\n\nUncle Katoma sat on the blind man, the blind man took Baba-Yaga by the\nhair, and she led them to the forest depth, brought them to a well,\nand said: \"Here is the healing and living water.\"\n\n\"See to it, Uncle Katoma,\" said the blind man, \"make no mistake; if\nshe deceives us now, we cannot mend matters while we live.\"\n\nUncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap broke from a tree a green branch and\nthrew it into the well; the branch had not reached the water when it\nburst into a blaze.\n\n\"Ah, thou hast turned to deceit!\"\n\nThey began to choke the old woman, and wanted to throw her into the\nfiery well. She implored more than before, and gave an awful oath that\nnow she would play no tricks. \"'Pon my true word, I will lead you now\nto good water.\"\n\nThey agreed to try once more, and the old woman brought them to\nanother well.\n\nUncle Katoma broke a dry branch from a tree, and threw it into the\nwell; the branch had not reached the water when it gave out buds, grew\ngreen, and blossomed.\n\n\"Oh, this is good water!\" said Uncle Katoma.\n\nThe blind man moistened his eyes with it, and in a moment he saw. He\nlet the footless down into the water, and his feet grew out.\n\nBoth were rejoiced, and said: \"Now we will restore everything; but\nfirst we must settle with Baba-Yaga. If we forgive her now, we shall\nnot see good ourselves; she will plot evil against us all our lives.\"\n\nThey returned to the fiery well and threw Baba-Yaga into it, so that\nshe perished. Then Uncle Katoma married the merchant's daughter, and\nall three went to the kingdom of Anna the Beautiful to liberate Ivan\nTsarevich.\n\nThey were approaching the capital town. They looked, Ivan Tsarevich\nwas driving a herd of cows.\n\n\"Stop, herdsman!\" said Uncle Katoma. \"Whither art thou driving these\ncows?\"\n\n\"I am driving them to the royal castle. The princess always counts\nthem herself, to see if all the cows are there.\"\n\n\"Well, herdsman, here are my clothes; put them on. I'll put on thine,\nand drive the cows.\"\n\n\"No, brother, that is impossible; if the princess should know it, woe\nto me.\"\n\n\"Never fear, nothing will come of it; Uncle Katoma is security for\nthee in that.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich sighed, and said: \"Oh, kind man, if Uncle Katoma were\nliving I should not be herding cows in this field.\"\n\nThen Uncle Katoma confessed to him who he was. Ivan Tsarevich embraced\nhim firmly and shed tears. \"I did not think to see thee.\"\n\nThey changed clothes. Uncle Katoma drove the cows to the princess's\nyard. Anna the Beautiful came out on the balcony, counted to see if\nall the cows were there, and gave command to drive them into the shed.\nAll went in but the last one; she stopped at the gate. Katoma jumped\nup. \"What art thou waiting for, dog's meat?\" caught her by the tail,\nand pulled her skin off.\n\nThe princess saw this and cried: \"What is that scoundrel of a herdsman\ndoing? Seize him; bring him to me!\"\n\nHere the servants caught Katoma and dragged him to the palace. He made\nno excuse, for he was confident in himself. They brought him to the\npalace. She looked at him and asked: \"Who art thou? Whence art thou\nhere?\"\n\n\"I am the man whose feet thou didst cut off, and thou didst seat me on\na stump; they call me Uncle Katoma of the Oaken Cap.\"\n\n\"Well,\" thought the princess, \"if he has brought back his feet, there\nis no use in playing tricks with him;\" and she begged forgiveness of\nhim, was sorry for her sins, and took an oath to love Ivan Tsarevich\nforever and obey him in all things.\n\nIvan Tsarevich forgave her, and began to live with her in peace and\nharmony. The blind hero lived with them, and Uncle Katoma went with\nhis wife to the rich merchant and lived in his house.\n\n\n\n\nTHE THREE KINGDOMS.\n\n\nIn that ancient time when God's world was full of wood-demons,\nwitches, and river-maidens, when rivers of milk were flowing between\nbanks of jelly, when over the fields roast partridges were flying,\nthere lived a Tsar, Goroh by name, with his Tsaritsa, Anastasia the\nBeautiful; and they had three sons. A misfortune not small\nhappened,--an unclean spirit carried away the Tsaritsa.\n\nSaid the eldest son to the Tsar: \"Father, give me thy blessing; I will\ngo in search of my mother.\"\n\nHe went away and vanished; for three years there were neither tidings\nnor report of him.\n\nThe second son began to ask: \"Father, give me thy blessing for the\nroad, for the journey. Perhaps I may have the luck to find my brother\nand my mother.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave his blessing. The Tsarevich rode off and also\ndisappeared as if he had sunk in water.\n\nIvan, the youngest son, came to the Tsar. \"My dear father, give me thy\nblessing for the road, for the journey; perhaps I shall find my\nbrothers and mother.\"\n\n\"Go thy way, my dear son.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich set out for a strange, distant region. He travelled\nand travelled, and reached the blue sea. He stopped on the shore and\nthought: \"Whither can I hold my way now?\" All at once there flew to\nsea three and thirty spoonbills, struck the earth, and became fair\nmaidens,--all beautiful, but one was better than all the rest. They\nundressed and rushed into the water. Whether they were bathing a long\nor short time, Ivan Tsarevich stole up and took the girdle of that\nmaiden who was better than all the rest and hid it in his bosom. When\nthey had finished bathing they came out on shore and began to dress.\nOne girdle was gone.\n\n\"Ah! Ivan Tsarevich,\" said the beauty, \"give me my girdle.\"\n\n\"Tell me first where my mother is.\"\n\n\"Thy mother is at the house of my father, Raven son of Raven (Voron\nVoronovich). Go up along the sea, thou wilt meet a silver bird with a\ngolden crest; wherever it flies do thou follow.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich gave her the girdle and went along the sea; there he\nmet his brothers, exchanged greetings, and took them with him. They\nwent together along the shore, saw the golden-tufted silver bird, and\nran after it. The bird flew and flew till it rushed under an iron\nplate into an opening.\n\n\"Well, brothers,\" said Ivan Tsarevich, \"give me your blessing in the\nplace of father and mother. I will let myself down into this opening\nand discover what a land of strange faith is like,--perhaps our\nmother is there.\"\n\nHis brothers gave him their blessing. He sat on a rope swing, crawled\ninto that deep opening, and went down no short distance. Just three\nyears was he letting himself down, and then went on his road and way.\nHe went and went, went and went. He saw the Copper Kingdom. In the\ncastle were sitting three and thirty spoonbill maidens. They were\nembroidering towels with cunning designs, with towns and suburbs.\n\n\"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich!\" said the Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom.\n\"Whither dost thou hold thy way?\"\n\n\"I am going in search of my mother.\"\n\n\"Thy mother is with my father, Raven son of Raven. He is cunning and\nwise; over mountains and valleys, over caves and clouds, has he flown.\nHe will slay thee, good youth. Here is a ball for thee. Go to my\nsecond sister; hear what she will tell thee. If thou comest back,\nforget me not.\"\n\nIvan rolled the ball and followed; he came to the Silver Kingdom. The\nTsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom said: \"Till now the Russian odor was\nnot to be seen with sight nor heard with hearing; but now the Russian\nodor appears visibly. Well, Ivan Tsarevich, art fleeing from work, or\nseekest work?\"\n\n\"Ah, fair maiden! I am in search of my mother.\"\n\n\"Thy mother is with my father, Raven son of Raven. Cunning is he and\nwise; over mountains, over valleys has he flown, over caves, over\nclouds has he swept. Oh, Tsarevich, he will slay thee! Here is a ball.\nGo to my youngest sister; hear what she will say to thee, whether to\ngo on or come back.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich came to the Golden Kingdom; there three and thirty\nspoonbill maidens were sitting embroidering towels. Taller than all,\nfairer than all, was the Tsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom,--a beauty\nthat could not be told of in a tale or described with a pen.\n\n\"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich!\" said she. \"Whither dost thou hold thy way?\"\n\n\"I am going to seek my mother.\"\n\n\"Thy mother is with my father, Raven son of Raven. Cunning is he and\nwise. Oh, Tsarevich, he will slay thee surely! Here is a ball for\nthee. Go now to the Pearl Kingdom; there thy mother lives. When she\nsees thee she will be rejoiced, and that moment will say, 'Nurses, and\nmaidens, bring my son green wine;' but take it not. Ask her to give\nthee wine three years old that is in the cupboard, and a burnt crust\nfor lunch, and do not forget that my father has in the yard two jars\nof water,--one water of strength, the other of weakness; put each in\nthe place of the other, and drink of the water of strength.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich talked a long time with the Tsaritsa, and they fell in\nlove with each other to such a degree that they hated to part; but\nthere was no help for them. Ivan Tsarevich took farewell of her and\nwent on his journey. He travelled and travelled till he came to the\nPearl Kingdom. His mother saw him, was delighted, and cried out,\n\"Nurses and maidens, bring my son green wine.\"\n\n\"I drink no common wine; give me wine three years old, and for a bite\na burnt crust.\" He drank wine three years old, ate the burnt crust,\nwent out in the broad court, put each jar in the place of the other,\nand fell to drinking the water of strength.\n\nAll at once Raven son of Raven flew home, bright as the clear day; but\nwhen he saw Ivan Tsarevich he grew gloomier than the dark night. He\nstooped down to the jar, and began to drink the water of weakness.\nThen Ivan Tsarevich fell upon his wings, and Raven son of Raven soared\nhigh, high; he bore Ivan over mountains, over valleys, over caves,\nover clouds. \"What dost thou need, Ivan Tsarevich? If thou wishest, I\nwill give thee treasure.\"\n\n\"I want nothing but the feather staff.\"\n\n\"No, Ivan Tsarevich, thou wishest to sit in a very wide sleigh.\" And\nagain Raven son of Raven bore him over mountains, over valleys, over\ncaves, over clouds.\n\nIvan held firmly, bore down with all his weight, and nearly broke the\nwings of Raven son of Raven, who screamed, \"Break not my wings; take\nthe feather staff!\" He gave Ivan the feather staff, became a common\nraven himself, and flew away to the steep mountains.\n\nIvan Tsarevich went back, came to the Pearl Kingdom, took his mother,\nand set out for home. He looked; the Pearl Kingdom had turned into a\nball, and was rolling after him. He came to the Golden Kingdom, then\nto the Silver, and then to the Copper Kingdom. He took and brought\nwith him the three beautiful Tsaritsas, and those kingdoms were wound\ninto balls and rolled after him. He came to the rope swing and sounded\na golden trumpet: \"My own brothers, if ye are alive, do not betray\nme.\"\n\nThe brothers heard the call, and drew out into the white world the\nbeautiful soul maiden, the Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom. They saw\nher, and began to fight among themselves; one would not yield to the\nother.\n\n\"Why fight, good youths?\" said the maiden. \"Down there are better than\nI.\"\n\nThey let down the rope swing and drew up the Tsaritsa of the Silver\nKingdom. Again they began to dispute and fight; one said, \"Let her be\nmine, and come to me;\" the other said, \"I won't let her be thine.\"\n\n\"Do not fight, good youths; down there is a maiden more beautiful than\nI.\"\n\nThey stopped fighting, put down the rope swing, and drew up the\nTsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom. Again they began to fight; but the\nTsaritsa, the beauty, immediately stopped them, saying: \"Your mother\nis waiting for you.\" They drew out their mother, and let down the rope\nswing for Ivan Tsarevich; they raised him half way, and cut the rope.\nIvan Tsarevich fell into the depth and was terribly shocked; he lay\nhalf a year without senses, came to himself, and looked around,\nremembered everything that had happened to him, took out the feather\nstaff, and struck the earth with it. That moment twelve youths\nappeared. \"What is thy command, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"Take me out into the free world.\"\n\nThe youths seized him under the arms and bore him into the free world.\nIvan Tsarevich inquired about his brothers, and heard that they had\nmarried long before. The Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom married the\nsecond brother; the Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom, his eldest\nbrother; but his own bride would not marry any man: his old father\nwanted to marry her. He summoned a council, accused his wife of\nintimacy with evil spirits, and gave command to cut her head off.\nAfter the execution he said to the Tsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom:\n\"Wilt thou marry me?\"\n\n\"I will when thou makest shoes for me without measure.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave command to issue a call and ask all and each, would any\nman make shoes for the Tsaritsa without taking her measure. At this\ntime Ivan Tsarevich had come to his own kingdom, and hired as a\nworkman with a certain old man; and he sent him to the Tsar: \"Go,\ngrandfather, take this affair on thyself, and I will make the shoes\nfor thee; but do not tell about me.\"\n\nThe old man went to the Tsar. \"I,\" said he, \"am ready to undertake the\nwork.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave him leather for a pair of shoes, and asked: \"But canst\nthou do it, old man?\"\n\n\"Never fear, Gosud\u00e1r. I have a son who is a shoemaker.\"\n\nWhen he came home the old man gave the leather to Ivan Tsarevich, who\ncut it into bits and threw it out of the window; then he opened the\nGolden Kingdom and took out shoes already made. \"Here, grandfather,\ntake these and carry them to the Tsar.\"\n\nThe Tsar was delighted, and urged the bride: \"Shall we go to the crown\nsoon?\"\n\nShe answered: \"I will marry thee if thou wilt make for me robes to fit\nwithout measure.\"\n\nThe Tsar again was in trouble; he assembled all the dressmakers, and\noffered them much money if they would only make robes to fit without\nmeasuring the Tsaritsa.\n\nIvan Tsarevich said to the old man: \"Grandfather, go to the Tsar, get\ncloth; I will sew robes for thee, but do not tell of me.\"\n\nThe old man dragged himself off to the palace, took satin and velvet,\ncame home, and gave it to the Tsarevich. Ivan Tsarevich took scissors\nstraightway, and cut all the satin and velvet to pieces and threw them\nout of the window. Then he opened the Golden Kingdom and took out the\nmost beautiful robes and gave them to the old man, saying, \"Take these\nto the palace.\"\n\nThe Tsar was delighted. \"Well, my beloved bride, is it not time for us\nto go to the crown?\"\n\nThe Tsaritsa answered: \"I will marry thee when thou wilt take the son\nof that old man and command that he be boiled in milk.\"\n\nThe Tsar thought awhile, then gave the command; and that day they\ncollected three gallons of milk from each house, filled a great\ncaldron, and boiled it on a hot fire. They brought Ivan Tsarevich. He\ntook farewell of all, bowed to the earth, then threw himself into the\ncaldron, dived once, dived twice, sprang out such a beauty that it\ncould neither be told of in a tale nor described with a pen.\n\nSaid the Tsaritsa: \"Look, Tsar! Whom shall I marry,--thee, old man, or\nthat gallant youth?\"\n\nThe Tsar thought awhile. \"If I bathe in the milk, I shall become just\nsuch a beauty as he.\" He sprang into the caldron, and was cooked in a\nminute. But Ivan Tsarevich went to be crowned with the Tsaritsa of the\nGolden Kingdom; they were crowned, and began to live and live on,\ngaining wealth.\n\n\n\n\nKOSHCH\u00c9I WITHOUT-DEATH.\n\n\nIt happened that once there lived in a certain land a Tsar and a\nTsaritsa. They had a son, Ivan Tsarevich. When an infant the maidens\nrocked him; but do what they might, they could not rock him to sleep.\n\"Tsar, great Gosud\u00e1r, come, rock thy own son.\" The Tsar went to rock\nthe child: \"Sleep, little son, sleep my own dear; thou wilt grow up a\nman. I will get thee Peerless Beauty as bride,--the daughter of three\nmothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers, and the sister of\nnine brothers.\" The Tsarevich went to sleep and slept for three days\nand three nights; woke up, and cried more than before.\n\nThe maidens rock him, but they cannot rock him to sleep; they call his\nfather: \"Tsar, great Gosud\u00e1r, come, rock thy own son.\"\n\nThe Tsar rocked him, saying, \"Sleep, little son, sleep, my own dear;\nthou wilt grow up a man. I will get thee Peerless Beauty as bride, the\ndaughter of three mothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers,\nand the sister of nine brothers.\" The Tsarevich fell asleep, and again\nslept three days and three nights. He woke up and cried more than\never.\n\nThe maidens rock him, they cannot rock him to sleep. \"Come, Tsar,\ngreat Gosud\u00e1r,\" said they, \"rock thy own son.\"\n\nThe Tsar rocked him, saying the while, \"Sleep, little son, sleep, my\nown dear; thou wilt grow up a man. I will get thee Peerless Beauty as\nbride, the daughter of three mothers, the granddaughter of three\ngrandmothers.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich fell asleep and slept again three days and three nights.\nHe woke up and said, \"Give thy blessing, father; I am going to marry.\"\n\n\"What dost thou mean, my dear little child? Whither canst thou go?\nThou art but nine days of age in all.\"\n\n\"If thou wilt give me thy blessing, I'll go; if not, I'll go also.\"\n\n\"Well, the Lord guide thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich arrayed himself, and went to find a horse. He went a\nshort way from the house, and met an old man. \"Where art thou going,\nyoung man,\" asked he,--\"of thy own will, or against thy will?\"\n\n\"I will not talk with thee,\" answered the Tsarevich. He went on a\nlittle, changed his mind. \"Why did I not say something to the old man.\nOld people bring us to sense.\" Straightway he overtook the old man.\n\"Stop, grandfather. Of what didst thou ask me?\"\n\n\"I asked where art thou going, young man,--of thy own will, or against\nthy will?\"\n\n\"I go so much of my own will, and twice that much against my will. I\nwas in early years; my father rocked me in the cradle; he promised to\nget me Peerless Beauty as bride.\"\n\n\"Thou art a good youth, thou art well spoken; but thou canst not go on\nfoot. Peerless Beauty dwells far away.\"\n\n\"How far?\"\n\n\"In the Golden Kingdom, at the end of the white world, where the sun\ncomes up.\"\n\n\"What am I to do? I, young man, have no saddle-horse unridden, and\nsilken whip unused that are fitting for me.\"\n\n\"Why hast thou not? Thy father has thirty horses all alike. Go home,\ntell the grooms to water them at the blue sea; and whichever horse\nshall push ahead, enter the water to its neck, and when it drinks,\nwaves rise on the blue sea and roll from shore to shore, that one\ntake.\"\n\n\"God save thee for the good word, grandfather!\"\n\nAs the old man taught him, so did the Tsarevich do,--he chose for\nhimself an heroic steed, passed the night, rose next morning early,\nopened the gate, and was preparing to go.\n\nThe horse spoke to him in the language of men: \"Ivan Tsarevich, drop\nto the earth; I will push thee three times.\" He pushed him once, he\npushed him twice; but the third time he pushed not. \"If thou wert\npushed a third time, the earth would not bear thee and me.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich took his horse from the chains, saddled him, sat on\nhim. The Tsar barely sees his son. He rides far, far. The day is\ngrowing short, night is coming on. A house stood like a town, each\nroom is a chamber. He came to the house, straight to the porch, tied\nhis horse to the copper ring, went into the first chamber, then into\nthe second, prayed to God, asked to spend the night.\n\n\"Stay the night, good youth,\" said an old woman. \"Whither is God\nbearing thee?\"\n\n\"Old woman, thou dost ask impolitely. First give me to eat and to\ndrink, put me to rest, and then ask me for news.\"\n\nShe gave him food and drink, put him to bed, and then asked for news.\n\n\"I was, grandmother,\" said he, \"in tender years; my father rocked me\nin the cradle, and promised me Peerless Beauty as bride,--the daughter\nof three mothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers, and the\nsister of nine brothers.\"\n\n\"Thou art a good youth, and fair spoken. I am living to the end of the\nseventh ten of years, and of that beauty I have not heard. Farther on\nthe road lives my elder sister; maybe she knows. But sleep now; the\nmorning is wiser than the evening.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich passed the night; next morning he rose early, washed\nhimself white, led forth his steed, saddled him, put his foot in the\nstirrup. The old woman merely saw him. He rode far with distance,\nhigh with height; the day was shortening, coming toward night. There\nstood a house like a town, each room was a chamber. He rode to the\nporch, tied his horse to a silver ring, went to the entrance, and then\nto the chamber, prayed to God, asked a night's lodging. An old woman\nsaid: \"Tfu, tfu! so far a Russian bone was not seen with sight nor\nheard with hearing; but now a Russian bone has come itself to the\nhouse. Where hast thou come from, Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\n\"Oh, thou old hag, how angry thou art! Thou dost not ask with\npoliteness; thou shouldst first give me food and drink, put me to\nrest, then ask for news.\"\n\nShe seated him at the table, gave him food and drink, put him to rest,\nsat at the head of the bed, and inquired: \"Where is God bearing thee?\"\n\n\"I was in tender years, grandmother; my father rocked me in the cradle\nand promised me Peerless Beauty as bride,--the daughter of three\nmothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers, and the sister of\nnine brothers.\"\n\n\"Thou art a good youth, of kind speech. I am living toward the end of\nthe eighth ten of years, and of that beauty I have never heard. Before\nthee on the road lives my elder sister,--mayhap she knows; she has\nanswer-givers. Her first answer-givers are the beasts of the forests,\nthe second are the birds of the air, the third are the fish and\ncreatures of the sea. Whatever is in the white world obeys her. Go to\nher in the morning, but sleep now; the morning is wiser than the\nevening.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich passed the night, rose early, washed himself very\nwhite, sat on his steed, and vanished. He rode far with distance, high\nwith height. The day was growing short, drawing near to the night; and\nthere stood a house like a town, each room was a chamber. He came to\nthe porch, tied his horse to a golden ring, then went to the entrance,\nand next to the chamber, prayed to God, and asked a night's lodging.\nAn old woman screamed at him. \"Oh, thou, this and that kind of man,\nthou art not worthy of an iron ring, and thou hast tied thy horse to a\ngold one!\"\n\n\"Well, grandmother, scold not; the horse may be loosed and tied to\nanother ring.\"\n\n\"Oh, good hero, have I given thee a fright? Be not afraid; sit on the\nbench, and I will ask from what stock, from what town, thou dost\ncome.\"\n\n\"Oh, grandmother, thou shouldst first give me food and drink, then ask\nfor the news! Thou seest I'm a wayfaring man; I've not eaten all day.\"\n\nStraightway the old woman set the table, brought bread and salt,\npoured out a glass of _vodka_, and began to entertain Ivan Tsarevich.\nHe ate and drank plenty, threw himself on the bed. The old woman made\nno inquiry; he told her himself: \"I was in tender years, my father\nrocked me in the cradle, promised me Peerless Beauty as bride,--the\ndaughter of three mothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers,\nand the sister of nine brothers. Do me a kindness, grandmother; tell\nme where Peerless Beauty is living, and how I may reach her.\"\n\n\"But, Ivan Tsarevich, I know not myself; I am ending the ninth ten of\nyears, and I have not heard of that beauty. But sleep now with God; in\nthe morning I will summon my answer-givers,--maybe one of them knows.\"\n\nNext day the old woman rose early, washed herself very white, came out\nwith Ivan Tsarevich on the porch, cried with a champion's voice,\nwhistled with a hero's whistle. She cried to the sea-fish and\ncreatures of the water, \"Come hither.\"\n\nThat instant the blue sea boiled up, the fish, great and small, came\ntogether, all creatures assembled and went toward the shore; they\ncovered the water.\n\nThe old woman asked: \"Where lives Peerless Beauty, the daughter of\nthree mothers, the granddaughter of three grandmothers, the sister of\nnine brothers?\"\n\nAll the fish and all the creatures answered in one voice: \"We have not\nseen her with sight, nor heard of her with hearing.\"\n\nThe old woman shouted over the land: \"Assemble, ye beasts of the\nforest.\"\n\nThe beasts run; they hide the earth. In one voice they answer: \"We\nhave not seen her with sight, nor heard her with hearing.\"\n\nThe old woman cried toward the sky: \"Come hither, ye birds of the\nair!\"\n\nThe birds fly, they hide the light of day. In one voice they answer:\n\"We have not seen her with sight, we have not heard her with hearing.\"\n\n\"There is no one else to ask,\" said the old woman. She took Ivan\nTsarevich by the hand and led him into the room. They had just come in\nwhen the Mogol bird arrived on the wing, fell to the ground. There was\nno light in the window.\n\n\"Oh, thou Mogol bird, where hast thou been flying; why art thou late?\"\n\n\"I was arraying Peerless Beauty for mass.\"\n\n\"Thou hast the news I need. Now do me a service with faith and\ntruth,--carry Ivan Tsarevich to her.\"\n\n\"Gladly would I serve, but much food is needed.\"\n\n\"How much?\"\n\n\"Three forties of beef, and a vessel of water.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich filled the vessel with water, brought oxen with beef.\nHe put the kegs on the bird, ran to the forge, and had a long iron\nlance made for himself; he came back and took farewell of the old\nwoman. \"Good-by,\" said he. \"Feed my good steed enough; I will pay thee\nfor everything.\"\n\nHe sat on the Mogol bird, and that moment it rose up and flew; it flew\nand looked around continually. When it looked, Ivan Tsarevich\nimmediately gave a piece of meat on the end of his lance. Now it was\nflying and flying no short time. The Tsarevich had already given two\nkegs of beef, and had begun on the third; and he said, \"O Mogol bird,\nfall to the damp earth; small nourishment is left.\"\n\n\"What art thou saying, Ivan Tsarevich? Below us are sleeping forests\nand sticky morasses; we could not escape to the end of our lives.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich gave out all the beef and threw down the kegs; but the\nMogol bird flies, looks around. What can be done? Ivan Tsarevich\nthought a while, cut off the calves of his own legs, and gave them to\nthe bird. It swallowed them, and flew out over the green meadow,\nsilken grass, blue flowers, then dropped to the earth. Ivan Tsarevich\nstood on his feet, walked along the meadow, was lame of both legs.\n\n\"What is the matter, Ivan Tsarevich? Art thou lame?\"\n\n\"I am lame, Mogol bird; a little while ago I cut off my calves to\nnourish thee.\"\n\nThe Mogol bird coughed up the calves, put them on the legs of Ivan\nTsarevich, blew and spat; the calves grew to their places, and the\nTsarevich went on in strength and activity. He came to a great town,\nand stopped to rest with a grandmother living in a backyard.\n\n\"Sleep, Ivan Tsarevich; in the morning, when the bell rings, I'll\nrouse thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich lay down and slept that minute; he slept the day,\nslept the night. The bells rang for early prayers, the backyard\ngrandmother ran to him, fell to beating him with whatever she found at\nhand, but could not rouse him. The morning prayers were over, they\nrang for mass; Peerless Beauty went to church. The old grandmother\ncame again, and went to work again at Ivan Tsarevich, beat him with\nwhatever came under her hands; with great effort she woke him. Ivan\nTsarevich sprang up very quickly, washed himself very white, dressed,\nand went to mass. He came to the church, prayed before the images,\nbowed down on every side, and especially to Peerless Beauty. They\nstood side by side and prayed. At the end of mass she went first to\nthe cross, then he went out on a platform, looked at the blue sea;\nships are approaching, six champions came to offer marriage.\n\nThe champions saw Ivan Tsarevich and began to ridicule him: \"Oh, thou\ncountry clown, is such a beauty as this for thee? Thou art not worth\nher middle finger!\"\n\nThey said this once, they said it twice, they said it thrice. Ivan\nTsarevich was offended. He swung his arm, there was a street; he swung\nit a second time, the place was clear and smooth all around. Then he\nwent to the old grandmother.\n\n\"Well, Ivan Tsarevich, hast thou seen Peerless Beauty?\"\n\n\"I have, and I shall not forget her for an age.\"\n\n\"Now lie down to sleep. To-morrow thou wilt go to mass again; I will\nwake thee the minute the bell rings.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich lay down; he slept the day, he slept the night. The bell\nrang for early prayers; the grandmother ran to him, began to rouse\nhim; whatever happened under her hand, with that she beat him; but she\ncouldn't wake him. They rang the bell for mass; again she beat him and\nroused him. Ivan Tsarevich sprang up very quickly, washed very white,\ndressed, and to church. He entered, prayed to the images, bowed on all\nfour sides, especially to Peerless Beauty. She looked at him and\nblushed. They stood side by side, prayed to God. At the end of mass\nshe went to the cross first, he second. The Tsarevich went out on a\nplatform, looked on the blue sea; ships were sailing, twelve champions\ncame. They began to ask Peerless Beauty in marriage, and to make sport\nof Ivan Tsarevich: \"Oh, thou country clown, is such a beauty for thee?\nThou art not worth her middle finger!\"\n\nHe was offended at these speeches. He swung his arm, there was a\nstreet; he swung the other, the place was clear and smooth around.\n\nHe went to the old grandmother. \"Hast thou seen Peerless Beauty?\"\nasked she.\n\n\"I have, and for an age I shall not forget her.\"\n\n\"Well, sleep now; in the morning I will wake thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich slept the day, he slept the night; they rang the bell\nfor morning prayers; the old woman ran in to wake him, beat him with\nwhatever happened under her hand, did not spare, but could not rouse\nhim. They rang the bell for mass, and she was working away all the\ntime at the Tsarevich. At last she roused him. He rose up quickly,\nwashed himself very white, prepared, dressed, and to church. When he\ncame he prayed to the images, bowed on all four sides, and separately\nto Peerless Beauty. She saluted him, put him at her right hand, and\nshe stood at the left. They stand there, pray to God. At the end of\nmass he went first to the cross, she after him. The Tsarevich went out\non the platform, looked on the blue sea; ships are sailing, and\ntwenty-four champions come to offer marriage to Peerless Beauty.\n\nThe champions saw Ivan Tsarevich and straightway began to make sport\nof him: \"Oh, country clown, is such a beauty for thee? Thou art not\nworth her middle finger!\"\n\nThey attacked him on every side to take away his bride. Ivan Tsarevich\ndid not endure this. He swung his arm, there was a street; he swung\nthe other, the place was smooth and clear around. He killed all to the\nlast man. Peerless Beauty took him by the hand, led him to her\nchambers, seated him at the oaken tables, at the spread cloths,\nentertained him, called him her bridegroom. Soon after they prepared\nfor the road and set out for the land of Ivan Tsarevich. They\ntravelled and travelled, halted in the open field to rest. Peerless\nBeauty lay down to sleep, and Ivan Tsarevich guarded her slumber. When\nshe had slept enough, and woke up, the Tsarevich said: \"Peerless\nBeauty, guard my white body; I will lie down to sleep.\"\n\n\"But wilt thou sleep long?\"\n\n\"Nine days and nights; and I shall not turn from one side to the\nother. If thou tryest to wake me, thou wilt not rouse me. When the\ntime comes I shall wake myself.\"\n\n\"It is long, Ivan Tsarevich; I shall be wearied.\"\n\n\"Wearied or not, there is no help for it.\"\n\nHe lay down to sleep, and slept exactly nine days and nights.\nMeanwhile Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death bore away Peerless Beauty to his own\nkingdom. Ivan Tsarevich woke up; there was no Peerless Beauty. He\nbegan to weep, and went along neither by the road nor the way. Whether\nit was long or short, he came to the kingdom of Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death, and begged lodgings of an old woman.\n\n\"Well, Ivan Tsarevich, why art thou so sad looking?\"\n\n\"Thus and thus, grandmother; I had everything, now I have nothing.\"\n\n\"Thy affair is a bad one, Ivan Tsarevich; thou canst not kill\nKoshch\u00e9i.\"\n\n\"Well, I will look on my bride at least.\"\n\n\"Lie down, sleep till morning; to-morrow Koshch\u00e9i will go to war.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich lay down, but sleep did not come to his mind. In the\nmorning Koshch\u00e9i went out of the house, and Ivan Tsarevich went in. He\nstood at the gate and knocked. Peerless Beauty opened it, looked at\nhim, and fell to weeping. They went to the upper chamber, sat at the\ntable, and talked. Ivan Tsarevich instructed her. \"Ask Koshch\u00e9i where\nhis death is.\"\n\n\"I will.\"\n\nHe had just left the house when Koshch\u00e9i came in. \"Oh!\" said he, \"it\nsmells of the Russian bone; it must be that Ivan Tsarevich was with\nthee.\"\n\n\"What art thou thinking of, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death? Where could I see\nIvan Tsarevich? He has remained in slumbering forests and in sticky\nquagmires; wild beasts have destroyed him ere now.\"\n\nThey sat down to sup. At supper Peerless Beauty said: \"Tell me,\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death, where is thy death?\"\n\n\"Why dost thou wish to know, silly woman? My death is tied up in the\nbroom.\"\n\nEarly next morning Koshch\u00e9i went to war. Ivan Tsarevich came to\nPeerless Beauty. She took the broom, gilded it brightly with pure\ngold. The Tsarevich had just departed when Koshch\u00e9i came in. \"Ah!\"\nsaid he, \"it smells of the Russian bone; Ivan Tsarevich has been with\nthee.\"\n\n\"What dost thou mean, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death? Thou hast been flying\nthrough Russia thyself and hast caught up the odor of Russia; it is\nfrom thee. Where should I see Ivan Tsarevich?\"\n\nAt supper Peerless Beauty sat on a small bench and seated Koshch\u00e9i on\na large one. He looked under the threshold; the broom was lying there\ngilded. \"What does this mean?\"\n\n\"Oh, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death, thou seest thyself how I honor thee!\"\n\n\"Oh, simple woman, I was joking! My death is out there, fastened in\nthe oak fence.\"\n\nNext day Koshch\u00e9i went away. Ivan Tsarevich came and gilded the whole\nfence. Towards evening Koshch\u00e9i came home. \"Ah!\" said he, \"it smells\nof the Russian bone. Ivan Tsarevich has been with thee.\"\n\n\"What dost thou mean, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death? It seems I have told\nthee times more than one, where am I to see Ivan Tsarevich? He has\nremained in dark forests, in sticky quagmires; the wild beasts have\ntorn him to pieces ere now.\"\n\nSupper-time came. Peerless Beauty sat on a bench herself, and seated\nhim on a chair. Koshch\u00e9i looked through the window, saw the fence\ngilded, shining like fire. \"What is that?\"\n\n\"Thou seest thyself, Koshch\u00e9i, how I respect thee. If thou art dear\nto me, of importance is thy death.\"\n\nThis speech pleased Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death. \"Oh, simple woman, I was\njoking with thee! My death is in an egg, the egg is in a duck, and the\nduck is in a stump floating on the sea.\"\n\nWhen Koshch\u00e9i went off to war, Peerless Beauty baked cakes for Ivan\nTsarevich and told him where to look for the death of Koshch\u00e9i. Ivan\nTsarevich went neither by road nor by way, came to the ocean sea\nbroad, and knew not where to go farther. The cakes had long since\ngiven out, and he had nothing to eat. All at once a hawk flew up. Ivan\nTsarevich aimed. \"Well, hawk, I'll shoot thee and eat thee raw.\"\n\n\"Do not eat me, Ivan Tsarevich; I will serve thee in time of need.\"\n\nA bear ran along. \"Oh, bear, crooked paw, I'll kill thee and eat thee\nraw!\"\n\n\"Do not eat me, Ivan Tsarevich; I'll serve in time of need.\"\n\nBehold, a pike is struggling on the beach. \"Oh, big-toothed pike, thou\nhast come to it! I'll eat thee raw.\"\n\n\"Eat me not, Ivan Tsarevich; better throw me into the sea. I will\nserve thee in time of need.\"\n\nIvan stood there thinking, \"The time of need will come, it is unknown\nwhen. But now I must go hungry.\" All at once the blue sea boiled up,\nwaves rose, began to cover the shore. Ivan Tsarevich ran up the hill,\nran with all his might, and the water followed at his heels; chasing,\nhe ran to the very highest place and climbed a tree. A little later\nthe water began to fall, the sea grew calm, fell, and a great stump\nwas left on land. The bear ran up, raised the stump, and when he had\nhurled it to the ground the stump opened; out flew a duck and soared\nhigh, high. That minute, from wherever he came, the hawk flew, caught\nthe duck, and in a twinkle tore her in two. An egg fell out; then the\npike caught it, swam to the beach, and gave the egg to Ivan Tsarevich,\nwho put it in his bosom and went to Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death. He came to\nthe house. Peerless Beauty met him, she kissed him on the lips and\nfell on his shoulder. Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death was sitting at the window\ncursing.\n\n\"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, thou wishest to take Peerless Beauty from me; and\nso thou wilt not live.\"\n\n\"Thou didst take her from me thyself,\" answered Ivan Tsarevich, took\nthe egg from his bosom, and showed it to Koshch\u00e9i. \"What is this?\"\n\nThe light grew dim in the eyes of Koshch\u00e9i; then he became mild and\nobedient. Ivan Tsarevich threw the egg from one hand to the other.\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death staggered from corner to corner. This seemed\npleasant to the Tsarevich. He threw the egg more quickly from hand to\nhand, and broke it; then Koshch\u00e9i fell and died.\n\nIvan Tsarevich attached the horses to his golden carriage, took whole\nbags filled with gold and silver, and went to his father. Whether it\nwas long or short, he came to that old woman who had inquired of every\ncreature, fish, bird, and beast. He found his steed. \"Glory be to\nGod,\" said he, \"the raven (black steed) is alive;\" and he poured forth\ngold freely for her care of the steed. Though she were to live\nninety-nine years longer, she would have enough. Then the Tsarevich\nsent a swift courier to the Tsar with a letter, in which he wrote:\n\"Father, meet thy son; I am coming with my bride, Peerless Beauty.\"\n\nHis father got the letter, read it, and had not belief. \"How could\nthat be? Ivan Tsarevich left home when nine days old!\" After the\ncourier came the Tsarevich himself. The Tsar saw that his son had\nwritten the real truth; he ran out to the porch, met him, and gave\ncommand to beat drums and sound music.\n\n\"Father, bless me for the wedding.\"\n\nTsars have not to brew beer nor make wine; they have much of all\nthings. That same day there was a joyous feast and a wedding. They\ncrowned Ivan Tsarevich and Peerless Beauty, and put out on all streets\ngreat jars of various drinks; every one could come and drink what his\nsoul desired. I was there, drank mead and wine; it flowed on my\nmustaches, but was not in my mouth.\n\n\n\n\nVASSILISSA GOLDEN TRESS, BAREHEADED BEAUTY.\n\n\nThere lived a Tsar Svaitozar. This Tsar had two sons and a beauty of a\ndaughter. Twenty years did she live in her bright chamber. The Tsar\nand Tsaritsa admired her, and so did the nurses and maidens; but no\none of the princes and champions had seen her face. And this beauty\nwas called Vassilissa Golden Tress. She went nowhere out of her\nchamber; the Tsarevna did not breathe the free air. She had many\nbright dresses and jewels, but was wearied; it was oppressive for her\nin the chamber. Her robes were a burden, her thick golden silk hair,\ncovered with nothing, bound in a tress, fell to her feet, and people\ncalled her Vassilissa Golden Tress, Bareheaded Beauty. The kingdom was\nfilled with her fame. Many Tsars heard of her and sent envoys to Tsar\nSvaitozar to beat with the forehead and ask the Tsarevna in marriage.\n\nThe Tsar was in no hurry, but when the time came, he sent messengers\nto all lands with tidings that the Tsarevna would choose a bridegroom;\nand inviting Tsars and Tsareviches to assemble and collect at his\npalace to feast, he went himself to the lofty chamber to tell\nVassilissa the Beautiful. It was gladsome in the heart of the\nTsarevna. Looking out of the sloping window from behind the golden\nlattice on the green garden, the flowery meadow, she was eager to\nwalk; she asked him to let her go forth to the garden to play with the\nmaidens. \"My sovereign father,\" said she, \"I have not seen the world\nof God yet, I have not walked on the grass, on the flowers, I have not\nlooked on thy palace; let me go with my nurses and maidens to walk in\nthy garden.\"\n\nThe Tsar permitted, and Vassilissa the Beautiful went down from the\nlofty chamber to the broad court. The plank gate was open, and she\nappeared in the green meadow. In front was a steep mountain; on that\nmountain grew curly trees; on the meadow were beautiful flowers of\nmany kinds. The Tsarevna plucked blue flowers, stepped aside a little\nfrom her nurses; there was no caution in her young mind; her face was\nexposed, her beauty uncovered. Suddenly a mighty whirlwind rose, such\nas had not been seen, heard of, or remembered by old people; the\nwhirlwind turned and twisted--behold, it seized the Tsarevna and\ncarried her through the air.\n\nThe nurses screamed and shrieked: they ran and stumbled, threw\nthemselves on every side; they saw nothing but how the whirlwind shot\naway with her. And Vassilissa Golden Tress was borne over many lands,\nacross deep rivers, through three kingdoms into the fourth, into the\ndominions of the Savage Serpent.\n\nThe nurses hurry to the palace, covering themselves with tears, throw\nthemselves at the feet of the Tsar. \"Sovereign, we are not answerable\nfor the misfortune, we are answerable to thee. Give not command to\nslay us, command us to speak. The whirlwind bore away our sun,\nVassilissa Golden Tress, the Beauty, and it is unknown whither.\"\n\nThe Tsar was sad, he was angry; but in his anger he pardoned the poor\nwomen.\n\nNext morning the princes and kings' sons came to the Tsar's palace,\nand seeing the sadness and seriousness of the Tsar they asked him what\nhad happened.\n\n\"There is a sin to my account,\" said the Tsar. \"My dear daughter,\nVassilissa Golden Tress, has been borne away by the whirlwind, I know\nnot whither;\" and he told everything as it had happened.\n\nTalk rose among the guests, and the princes and kings' sons thought\nand talked among themselves. \"Is not the Tsar refusing us; is he not\nunwilling to let us see his daughter?\" They rushed to the chamber of\nthe Tsarevna; nowhere did they find her.\n\nThe Tsar made them presents, gave to each one from his treasure. They\nmounted their steeds, he conducted them with honor; the bright guests\ntook farewell, and went to their own lands.\n\nThe two young Tsareviches, brave brothers of Vassilissa Golden Tress,\nseeing the tears of their father and mother, begged of their parents:\n\"Let us go, our father,--bless us, our mother,--to find your\ndaughter, our sister.\"\n\n\"My dear sons, my own children,\" said the Tsar, without joy, \"where\nwill ye go?\"\n\n\"We will go, father, everywhere,--where a road lies, where a bird\nflies, where the eyes have vision; mayhap we shall find her.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave his blessing, the Tsaritsa prepared them for the\njourney; they wept, and they parted.\n\nThe two Tsareviches journeyed on. Whether the road was near or far,\nlong in going or short, they did not know. They travelled a year, they\ntravelled two. They passed three kingdoms, lofty mountains were\nvisible and seemed blue; between these mountains were sandy\nplains,--the land of the Savage Serpent. And the Tsareviches inquired\nof those whom they met had they not heard, had they not seen, where\nTsarevna Vassilissa Golden Tress was. And from all the answer was one:\n\"We know not where she is, and we have not heard.\"\n\nThe Tsar's sons approach a great town; a decrepit old man stands on\nthe road; crooked-eyed and lame, with a crutch and a bag, he begs\nalms. The Tsareviches stopped, threw him a silver coin, and asked had\nhe not seen, had he not heard of the Tsarevna Vassilissa Golden Tress,\nBareheaded Beauty?\n\n\"Ah! my friend,\" said the old man, \"it is clear that thou art from a\nstrange land. Our ruler, the Savage Serpent, has forbidden strongly\nand sternly to speak with men from abroad. We are forbidden under\npenalty to tell or relate how a whirlwind bore past the town the\nbeautiful princess.\"\n\nNow the sons of the Tsar understood that their sister was near. They\nurged on their restive steeds and approached the castle of gold which\nstood on a single pillar of silver; over the castle was a curtain of\ndiamonds; the stairways, mother-of-pearl, opened and closed like\nwings.\n\nAt this moment Vassilissa the Beautiful was looking in sadness through\nthe golden lattice, and she screamed out for joy. She knew her\nbrothers from a distance, just as if her heart had told her. And the\nTsarevna sent down in silence to meet them, to bring them to the\ncastle; the Savage Serpent was absent.\n\nVassilissa the Beautiful was wary; she feared the serpent might see\nthem. They had barely entered when the silver pillar groaned, the\nstairways opened, all the roofs glittered; the whole castle began to\nturn and move. The Tsarevna was frightened, and said to her brothers:\n\"The serpent is coming, the serpent is coming; that's why the castle\ngoes round! Hide, brothers!\"\n\nShe had barely said this when the Savage Serpent flew in, cried with a\nthundering voice, and whistled with a hero's whistle: \"What living man\nis here?\"\n\n\"We, Savage Serpent,\" answered the Tsar's sons, without fear; \"from\nour birthplace we've come for our sister.\"\n\n\"Oh, the young men are here!\" shouted the serpent, clapping his wings.\n\"Ye should not die here from me, nor seek your sister to free; her own\nbrothers, champions, are ye, but champions puny I see.\" And the\nserpent caught one of them with his wing, struck him against the\nother, whistled and shouted. The castle guard ran to him, took the\ndead Tsareviches, threw them both down a deep ditch.\n\nThe Tsarevna Vassilissa Golden Tress covered herself with tears, took\nneither food nor drink, would not look on the world. Two days and\nthree passed. It was not right she should die, she did not decide to\ndie; she took pity on her beauty, took counsel of hunger. On the third\nday she ate, and was thinking how to free herself from the serpent,\nand began to gain knowledge by wheedling.\n\n\"Savage Serpent,\" said she, \"great is thy power, mighty thy flight: is\nit possible that thou hast no foe?\"\n\n\"Not yet,\" replied the serpent; \"it was fated at my birth that my foe\nshould be Ivan Goroh [John Pea]; and he will be born from a pea.\"\n\nThe serpent said this in jest; he expected no foe. The strong one\nrelied on his strength; but the jest came true.\n\nThe mother of Vassilissa Golden Tress was grieving because she had no\nnews of her children after the Tsarevna, the Tsareviches, were lost.\n\nShe went one day to walk in the garden with her ladies; the day was\nhot, she was thirsty. In that garden, from a foot-hill, spring water\nran forth in a stream, and above it was a white marble well. They\ndrew, with a golden cup, water pure as a tear. The Tsaritsa was eager\nto drink, and with the water she swallowed a pea. The pea burst, and\nthe Tsaritsa became heavy; the pea increased and grew. In time the\nTsaritsa gave birth to a son; they called him Ivan Goroh, and he grew,\nnot by the year, but by the hour, smooth and plump; he is lively,\nlaughs, jumps, springs on the sand, and his strength is growing in him\nall the time, so that at ten years he was a mighty champion. Then he\nasked the Tsar and Tsaritsa if he had had many brothers and sisters,\nand he heard how it happened that the whirlwind had borne away his\nsister, it was unknown whither, how his two brothers had begged to go\nin search of their sister, and were lost without tidings.\n\n\"Father, mother,\" begged Ivan Goroh, \"let me go too; give me your\nblessing to find my brothers and sister.\"\n\n\"What art thou saying, my child?\" asked the Tsar and Tsaritsa at once.\n\"Thou art still green and young; thy brothers went, they were lost,\nthou wilt go too and be lost.\"\n\n\"Mayhap I shall not be lost,\" said Ivan Goroh. \"I want to find my\nbrothers and sister.\"\n\nThe Tsar and Tsaritsa persuaded and begged their dear son, but he\ncraved, cried, and entreated. They prepared him for the road, let him\ngo with tears.\n\nIvan Goroh was free. He went out into the open field, travelled one\nday, travelled another. Toward night he came to a dark forest; in that\nforest was a cabin on hen's legs; from the wind it was shaking and\nturning. Ivan spoke from the old saying, from his nurse's tale.\n\"Cabin, cabin,\" said he, \"turn thy back to the forest, thy front to\nme;\" and the cabin turned around to Ivan. Out of the window an old\nwoman was looking, and she asked, \"Whom is God bringing?\"\n\nIvan bowed, and hastened to ask: \"Hast thou not seen, grandmother, in\nwhat direction the passing whirlwind carries beautiful maidens?\"\n\n\"Oh, young man,\" said she, coughing, and looking at Ivan, \"that\nwhirlwind has frightened me too, so that I sit in this cabin a hundred\nand twenty years, and I go out nowhere! Maybe he would fly up and\nsweep me away. That's not a whirlwind, but the Savage Serpent.\"\n\n\"How could one go to him?\" asked Ivan.\n\n\"What art thou thinking of, my world? The serpent will swallow thee.\"\n\n\"Maybe he will not swallow me.\"\n\n\"See to it, champion, or thou wilt not save thy head. But shouldst\nthou come back, give me thy word to bring from the serpent's castle\nwater with which, if a man sprinkles himself, he will grow young,\"\nsaid she, moving her teeth beyond measure.\n\n\"I will get it, grandmother, I give thee my word.\"\n\n\"I believe thee, on conscience! Go straight to where the sun sets. In\none year thou wilt reach the bald mountain there; ask for the road to\nthe serpent's kingdom.\"\n\n\"God save thee, grandmother!\"\n\n\"There is no reason for thanks, father.\"\n\nWell, Ivan Goroh went to the land where the sun sets. A story is soon\ntold, but a deed's not soon done. He passed three kingdoms, and went\nto the serpent's land; before the gates of the town he saw a\nbeggar,--a lame, blind old man with a crutch,--and giving him charity,\nhe asked if the young Tsarevna Vassilissa Golden Tress was in that\ntown.\n\n\"She is, but it is forbidden to say so,\" answered the beggar.\n\nIvan knew that his sister was there; the good, bold hero became\ncourageous, and went to the palace. At that time Vassilissa Golden\nTress was looking out of the window to see if the Savage Serpent was\ncoming; and she saw from afar the young champion, wished to know of\nhim, sent quietly to learn from what land he had come, of what stock\nwas he, was he sent by her father or by her own mother.\n\nHearing that Ivan, her youngest brother, had come (and she did not\nknow him by sight), Vassilissa ran to him, wet him with tears. \"Run,\nbrother, quickly!\" cried she. \"The serpent will soon be here; he will\nsee thee, destroy thee.\"\n\n\"My dear sister,\" answered Ivan, \"if another had spoken, I should not\nhave listened. I have no fear of the serpent, no fear of his\nstrength.\"\n\n\"But art thou Goroh,\" asked Vassilissa Golden Tress, \"to manage him?\"\n\n\"Wait, friend sister; first give me to drink. I have travelled under\nheat, I am tired from the road; I want a drink.\"\n\n\"What dost thou drink, brother?\"\n\n\"Three gallons of sweet mead, dear sister.\"\n\nVassilissa gave command to bring a three-gallon measure of sweet mead,\nand Goroh drank it all at one breath. He asked for another; the\nTsarevna gave orders to hurry, looked, and wondered.\n\n\"Well, brother, I did not know thee; but now I believe that thou art\nIvan Goroh!\"\n\n\"Let me sit down a moment to rest from the road.\"\n\nVassilissa gave command to bring a strong chair; but the chair broke\nunder Ivan, flew into bits. They brought another all bound with iron,\nand that one cracked and bent. \"Oh, brother,\" cried Vassilissa, \"that\nis the chair of the Savage Serpent!\"\n\n\"Now it is clear that I am heavier than he,\" said Goroh, laughing.\n\nHe rose and went on the street, went from the castle to the forge;\nthere he ordered the old sage, the serpent's blacksmith, to forge him\nan iron club of nine tons weight. The blacksmith hastened the work.\nThey hammered the iron; night and day the hammers thundered, the\nsparks just flying. In forty hours the work was done. Fifty men were\nbarely able to carry the club; but Ivan Goroh, seizing it in one hand,\nhurled the club to the sky: it flew, roared like a storm, whirled\nabove the clouds, vanished from the eye. All the people ran trembling\nfrom terror, thinking if that club falls on the town, it will break\nthe walls and crush the people; if it falls in the sea, it will raise\nthe sea and flood the town. But Ivan Goroh went quietly to the castle,\nand gave command to tell when the club was coming. The people ran from\nthe square, looked from under the gate, looked out of windows. \"Isn't\nthe club coming?\" They waited an hour, they waited two; the third hour\nthey ran to say that the club was coming. Goroh sprang to the square,\nput forth his hand, caught the club as it came, bent not himself, but\nthe iron bent on the palm of his hand. Ivan took the club, pressed it\nagainst his knee, straightened it, went to the castle.\n\nAll at once a terrible whistling was heard, the Savage Serpent was\nracing; Whirlwind, his steed, flying like an arrow, breathes fire. The\nserpent in shape is a champion, but his head is the head of a serpent.\nWhen he flies, the whole castle quivers; when he is ten versts\ndistant, it begins to whirl and dance. But now the castle moves not:\nit is clear that some one is sitting inside. The serpent grew\nthoughtful, whistled, shouted; the whirlwind steed shook his dark\nmane, opened his broad wings, reared and roared.\n\nThe serpent flew up to the castle, but the castle moves not. \"Ho!\"\nroared the Savage Serpent, \"it is plain there is a foe. Is not Goroh\nat my house?\" Soon came the champion. \"I'll put thee on the palm of\none hand, and slap with the other: they won't find thy bones.\"\n\n\"We shall see,\" said Ivan Goroh.\n\nHe went out with his club, and the serpent cried from his whirlwind:\n\"Take thy place in a hurry.\"\n\n\"Take thy own place, Savage Serpent,\" said Ivan, and raised his club.\n\nThe Savage Serpent flew up to strike Ivan, to pierce him with his\nspear, and missed. Goroh sprang to one side, did not stagger.\n\n\"Now I'll finish thee!\" roared Goroh. Raising his club, he struck the\nserpent a blow that tore him to pieces, scattered him; the club went\nacross the earth, went through two kingdoms into a third.\n\nThe people hurled up their caps and saluted Ivan Tsar. But Ivan seeing\nthe wise blacksmith, as a reward for having made the club quickly, he\ncalled up the old man and said to the people: \"Here is your head; obey\nhim while doing good, as before ye obeyed the Savage Serpent for\nevil.\"\n\nIvan got also the water of life and the water of death, sprinkled his\nbrothers; they rose up, rubbed their eyes and thought, \"We slept\nlong; God knows what has happened.\"\n\n\"Without me you would have slept forever, my dear brothers,\" said Ivan\nGoroh, pressing them to his restive heart.\n\nHe did not forget to take the serpent's water; he made a ship, and on\nthe Swan's river sailed with Vassilissa Golden Tress to his own land\nthrough three kingdoms into the fourth. He did not forget the old\nwoman in the cabin; he let her wash in the serpent's water. She turned\ninto a young woman, began to sing and dance, ran out after Goroh, and\nconducted him to the road.\n\nHis father and mother met him with joy and honor. They sent messengers\nto all lands with tidings that their daughter Vassilissa had returned.\nIn the town there was ringing, and in the ears triple ringing;\ntrumpets sounded, drums were beaten, guns thundered.\n\nA bridegroom came to Vassilissa, and a bride was found for the\nTsarevich; they had four crowns made, and celebrated two weddings. At\nthe rejoicing, at the gladness, there was a feast as a mountain, and\nmead a river.\n\nThe grandfathers of grandfathers were there; they drank mead, and it\ncame to us, flowed on our mustaches, but reached not our mouths. Only\nit became known that Ivan, after the death of his father, received the\ncrown, and ruled the land with renown; and age after age the name of\nGoroh was famous.\n\n\n\n\nTHE RING WITH TWELVE SCREWS.\n\n\nThere lived in a village a son with his mother, and the mother was a\nvery old woman. The son was called Ivan the Fool. They lived in a poor\nlittle cottage with one window, and in great poverty. Such was their\npoverty that besides dry bread they ate almost nothing, and sometimes\nthey had not even the dry bread. The mother would sit and spin, and\nIvan the Fool would lie on the stove, roll in the ashes, and never\nwipe his nose. His mother would say to him time and again: \"Ivanushka,\nthou art sitting there with thy nose unwiped. Why not go somewhere,\neven to the public-house? Some kind man may come along and take thee\nto work. Thou wouldst have even a bit of bread, while at home here we\nhave nothing to keep the life in us.\"\n\n\"Very well, I'll go,\" said Ivan. He rose up and went to the\npublic-house. On the way a man met him.\n\n\"Where art thou going, Ivan?\"\n\n\"I am going to hire out to work.\"\n\n\"Come, work for me; I'll give thee such and such wages, and other\nthings too.\"\n\nIvan agreed. He went to work.\n\nThe man had a dog with whelps; one of the whelps pleased Ivan\ngreatly, and he trained it. A year passed, and the time came to pay\nwages for the work. The man was giving Ivan money, but he answered: \"I\nneed not thy money; give me that whelp of thine that I trained.\"\n\nThe man was glad that he had not to pay money, and gave the whelp.\n\nIvan went home; and when his mother found what he had done, she began\nto cry, saying: \"All people are people, but thou art a fool; we had\nnothing to eat, and now there is another life to support.\"\n\nIvan the Fool said nothing, sat on the stove with unwiped nose,\nrolling in the ashes, and the whelp with him. Some time passed;\nwhether it was short or long, his mother said again: \"Why art thou\nsitting there without sense; why not go to the public-house? Some good\nman may come along and hire thee.\"\n\n\"Very good, I'll go,\" said the Fool.\n\nHe took his dog and started. A man met him on the road.\n\n\"Where art thou going, Ivan?\"\n\n\"To find service,\" said he; \"to hire out.\"\n\n\"Come, work for me.\"\n\n\"Very well,\" said Ivan.\n\nThey agreed, and Ivan went again to work; and that man had a cat with\nkittens. One of the kittens pleased the Fool, and he trained it. The\ntime came for payment.\n\nIvan the Fool said to this man: \"I need not thy money, but give me\nthat kitten.\"\n\n\"If thou wilt have it,\" said the man.\n\nNow the Fool went home, and his mother cried more than before. \"All\npeople are people, but thou wert born a fool. We had nothing to eat,\nand now we must support two useless lives!\"\n\nIt was bitter for Ivan to hear this. He took his dog and cat and went\nout into the field. He saw in the middle of the field a fire burning\nin a great pile of wood,--such an awful pile of wood! When he drew\nnearer he saw that a snake was squirming in it, burning on hot coals.\n\nThe snake screamed to him in a human voice: \"Oh, Ivan the Fool, save\nme! I will give thee a great ransom for my life.\"\n\nIvan took a stick and raised the snake out of the fire.\n\nWhen he had thrown it out, there stood before him, not a snake, but a\nbeautiful maiden; and she said: \"Thanks to thee, Ivanushka. Thou hast\ndone me great service; I will do thee still greater. We will go,\" said\nshe, \"to my mother. She will offer thee copper money: do not take it,\nbecause it is coals, and not money; she will offer thee silver coin:\ndo not take that either, for that will be chips, and not silver; she\nwill bring out to thee gold: take not even that, because instead of\ngold it is potsherds and broken bricks. But ask of her in reward the\nring with twelve screws. It will be hard for her to give it; but be\nfirm, she will give it for my sake.\"\n\nBehold, all took place as she said. Though the old woman grew very\nangry, she gave the ring. Ivan was going along through the field,\nthinking, \"What shall I do with this ring?\"\n\nHe was looking at it, when that same young girl caught up with him and\nsaid: \"Ivan, whatever thou wishest, thou wilt have. Only stand in the\nevening on the threshold, loosen all the twelve screws, and before\nthee twelve thousand men will appear: whatever thou wishest, command;\nall will be done.\"\n\nIvan went home, said nothing to his mother, sat on the stove, lay in\nthe ashes with unwiped nose. Evening came; they lay down to sleep.\n\nIvan waited for the hour, went on the threshold, unscrewed the twelve\nscrews, and twelve thousand men stood before him. \"Thou art our\nmaster, we are thy men: declare thy soul's desire.\"\n\nSaid Ivan to the men: \"Have it made that on this very spot a castle\nshall stand such as there is not in the world, and that I sleep on a\nbedstead of gold, on down of swans, and that my mother sleep in like\nmanner; that coachmen, outriders, servants, and all kinds of powerful\npeople be walking in my court and serving me.\"\n\n\"Lie down for thyself in God's name,\" said the men; \"all will be done\nat thy word.\"\n\nIvan the Fool woke up next morning, and was frightened even himself.\nHe looked around; he was sleeping on a golden bedstead on down of\nswans, and there were lofty chambers and so rich that even the Tsar\nhad not such. In the court-yard were walking coachmen, outriders,\nservants, and all kinds of mighty and important people who were\nserving him. The Fool was amazed, and thought, \"This is good.\" He\nlooked in the mirror, and did not know his own self; he had become a\nbeauty that could not be described with a pen or be told of in a tale.\nAs was fitting, the lord was as fine as his chambers.\n\nWhen the Tsar woke up at the same hour,--and the Tsar lived in that\ntown,--he looked, and behold opposite his palace stood a castle just\ngleaming in gold.\n\nThe Tsar sent to learn whose it was. \"Let the owner come to me,\" said\nhe, \"and show what sort of man he is.\"\n\nThey informed Ivan, and he said: \"Tell him that this is the castle of\nIvan Tsarevich; and if he wants to see me, he is not so great a lord,\nlet him come himself.\"\n\nThere was no help for it. The Tsar had to go to Ivan the Fool's\ncastle. They became acquainted, and after that Ivan the Fool went to\nthe Tsar. The Tsar had a most beautiful young Tsarevna of a daughter,\nand she brought refreshments to Ivan; and right there she pleased him\ngreatly, and straightway he begged the Tsar to give her in marriage\nto him. Now the Tsar in his turn began to put on airs.\n\n\"Give her,--why not give her? But thou, Ivan Tsarevich, perform a\nservice for me. My daughter is not of common stock, and therefore she\nmust marry only the very best among the whole people. Arrange this for\nme, that from thy castle to mine there be a golden road, and that I\nhave a bridge over the river,--not a common one, but such a bridge\nthat one side shall be of gold, and the other of silver; and let all\nkinds of rare birds be swimming on the river,--geese and swans; and on\nthe other side of the river let there be a church,--not a simple one,\nbut one all wax,--and let there grow around it wax apple-trees and\nbear ripe apples. If thou do this, my daughter shall be thine; and if\nnot, blame thyself.\" (\"Well,\" thought the Tsar, \"I have joked enough\nwith Ivan Tsarevich;\" but he kept his own counsel.)\n\n\"Agreed,\" said Ivan. \"Now do thou make ready the wedding to-morrow.\"\nWith that he departed.\n\nIn the evening, when all had lain down to sleep, he stood on the\nthreshold, unscrewed all the screws in the ring: twelve thousand men\nstood before him.\n\n\"Thou art our master, we are thy men: command what thy soul desires.\"\n\n\"Thus and thus,\" said he; \"I want this and that.\"\n\n\"All right,\" said they; \"lie down with God.\"\n\nIn the morning the Tsar woke up, went to the window; but his eyes were\ndazzled. He sprang back six paces. That meant that the bridge was\nthere, one side silver, the other gold, just blazing and shining. On\nthe river were geese and swans and every rare bird. On the opposite\nbank stood a church of white wax, and around the church apple-trees,\nbut without leaves; the naked branches were sticking up.\n\n\"Well,\" thought the Tsar, \"the trick has failed; we must prepare our\ndaughter for the wedding.\"\n\nThey arrayed her and drove to the church. When they were driving from\nthe palace, buds began to come out on the apple-trees; when they were\ncrossing the bridge, the apple-trees were coming into leaf; when they\nwere driving up to the church, white blossoms were bursting forth on\nthe trees; and when the time came to go home from the marriage\nceremony, the servants and all kinds of people met them, gave them\nripe apples on a golden salver. Then they began to celebrate the\nwedding. Feasts and balls were given; they had a feast which lasted\nthree days and three nights.\n\nAfter that, whether it was a short time or a long one, the Tsarevna\nbegan to tease Ivan. \"Tell me, my dear husband, how dost thou do all\nthis? How dost thou build a bridge in one night, and a wax church?\"\n\nIvan the Fool would not tell her for a long time; but as he loved her\nvery much, and she begged very hard, he said: \"I have a ring with\ntwelve screws, and it must be handled in such and such fashion.\"\n\nWell, they lived on. The misery of the matter was this: one of their\nservants pleased the Tsarevna,--he was a fine-looking, shapely, strong\nfellow, and she conspired with him to rob her husband, take away the\nring, and the two would then go to live beyond the sea.\n\nAs soon as evening came she took out the ring quietly, stood on the\nthreshold, and unscrewed the twelve screws: twelve thousand men stood\nbefore her.\n\n\"Thou art our mistress, we are thy men: command what thy soul\ndesires.\"\n\nShe said: \"Take this castle for me and bear it beyond the sea, with\nall that is in it; and on this spot let the old cabin stand, with my\nragged husband, Ivan the Fool, inside.\"\n\n\"Lie down with God,\" said the men; \"all will be done on thy word.\"\n\nNext morning Ivan woke up, looked around. He was lying on a bark mat,\ncovered with a ragged coat, and not a sign of his castle. He began to\ncry bitterly, and went to the Tsar, his father-in-law. He came to the\npalace, asked to announce to the Tsar that his son-in-law had come.\nWhen the Tsar saw him he said: \"Oh, thou this and that kind of\nbreechesless fellow, what son-in-law art thou to me? My sons-in-law\nlive in golden chambers and ride in silver carriages. Take him and\nwall him up in a stone pillar.\"\n\nIt was commanded and done. They took Ivan and walled him up in a\nstone pillar. But the cat and the dog did not leave him, they were\nthere too, and dug out a hole for themselves; through the hole they\ngave food to Ivan. But one time they thought: \"Why do we sit here, dog\nand cat, with folded hands? Let's run beyond the sea and get the\nring.\"\n\nAs they decided to do that, they did it. They swam through the sea,\nfound their castle. The Tsarevna was walking in the garden with the\nservant, laughing at her husband.\n\n\"Well, do thou remain here a while, and I'll go to the chamber and get\nthe ring,\" said the cat; and she went her way, mi-au, mi-au, under the\ndoor. The Tsarevna heard her, and said: \"Ah, here is that scoundrel's\ncat; let her in and feed her.\" They let her in and fed her. The cat\nwalked through the chambers all the time and looked for the ring. She\nsaw on the stove a glass box, and in the box the ring.\n\nThe cat was delighted. \"Glory be to God!\" thought she. \"Now only wait\nfor night; I'll get the ring, and then for home!\"\n\nWhen all had lain down, the cat sprang on to the stove and threw down\nthe glass box; it fell, and was broken. She caught the ring in her\nmouth and hid under the door. All in the house were roused; the\nTsarevna herself got up, and saw that the box was broken.\n\n\"Oh!\" said she, \"it must be the cat of that scoundrel broke it. Drive\nher out; drive her out!\"\n\nThey chased out the cat, and she was glad; she ran to the dog.\n\n\"Well, brother dog,\" said she, \"I have the ring. Now if we could only\nget home quickly!\"\n\nThey swam through the sea, were a long time swimming. When the dog was\ntired, he sat on the cat; when the cat was tired, she sat on the dog;\nand so they worked on and it was not far from land. But the dog was\ngrowing weak. The cat saw this, and said, \"Sit thou on me; thou art\ntired.\" The minute she said this the ring fell out of her mouth into\nthe water. What was to be done? They swam to shore and wept tears.\nMeanwhile they grew hungry. The dog ran through the field and caught\nsparrows for himself, and the cat ran along the shore catching little\nfish thrown up by the waves; that was how she fed herself.\n\nBut all at once the cat cried out: \"Oh, thou dog, come here quickly to\nme; I have found the ring! I caught a fish, began to eat it, and in\nthe fish was the ring.\"\n\nNow they were both powerfully glad; they ran to Ivan and brought him\nthe ring.\n\nIvan waited till evening, unscrewed all the twelve screws, and twelve\nthousand men stood before him.\n\n\"Thou art our master, we are thy men: tell us to do what thy soul\ndesires.\"\n\n\"Break in a minute this stone pillar so that dust from it shall not\nremain; and from beyond the sea bring hither my castle with all who\nare in it, and every one as sleeping now, and put it in the old\nplace.\"\n\nStraightway all this was done. In the morning Ivan went to his\nfather-in-law. The Tsar met him, seated him in the first place, and\nsaid: \"Where hast thou been pleased to pass thy time, my dear\nson-in-law?\"\n\n\"I was beyond the sea,\" said Ivan.\n\n\"That's it,\" said the Tsar, \"beyond the sea. 'Tis clear that thou\nhadst pressing business, for thou didst not come to take farewell of\nthy father-in-law. But while thou wert gone, some sort of bare-legged\nfellow came to me and called himself my son-in-law. I gave command to\nwall him up in a stone pillar; he has perished there, doubtless. Well,\nbeloved son-in-law, where hast thou been pleased to spend thy time;\nwhat sights hast thou seen?\"\n\n\"I have seen,\" said Ivan, \"various sights; and beyond the sea there\nwas an affair of such kind that no man knew how to settle it.\"\n\n\"What was the affair?\"\n\n\"Well, this is the kind of affair it was; and if thou art a wise man,\ndecide it according to thy wisdom of Tsar: A husband had a wife, and\nwhile he was living she found a sweetheart for herself; she robbed her\nhusband, and went away with the sweetheart beyond the sea; and now\nshe is with that man. What, to thy thinking, should be done with that\nwife?\"\n\n\"According to my wisdom of Tsar I will utter the following sentence:\nTie them both to the tails of horses, and let the horses loose in the\nopen field,--let that be their punishment.\"\n\n\"If that is thy judgment, very well,\" said Ivan. \"Come with me as a\nguest; I will show thee other sights and another wonder.\"\n\nThey went to Ivan's castle, and found there the Tsar's daughter and\nthe servant. As Ivan had commanded, they were still asleep.\n\nThere was no help for it; according to the word of the Tsar they tied\nthem both to the tails of horses and urged the horses into the open\nfield,--that was their punishment. But Ivan afterwards married that\nbeautiful, most beautiful maiden whom he had saved from the fire, and\nthey began to live and win wealth.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FOOTLESS AND THE BLIND.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom, in a certain state, lived a terrible Tsar. He\nwas famed through all lands,--a terror to kings and princes. The Tsar\ntook a thought to marry, and published an order in every town and\nvillage that whoever would find him a bride ruddier than the sun,\nfairer than the moon, and whiter than snow, would be rewarded with\ncountless wealth. The report of this went through the whole kingdom;\nand from small to great, all were talking and thinking, but no one\noffered to find such a beauty.\n\nNot far from the king's castle was a large brewery. The working-men\ncame together for some reason, and began to say that a man might get\nmuch money from the Tsar, but where could such a bride be found?\n\n\"Well, brothers,\" said a man, Nikita Koltoma by name, \"no one can find\na bride for the Tsar without my help; but if I undertake it, then he\nwill find her without fail.\"\n\n\"What art thou boasting of, thou fool? How couldst thou do that deed?\nThere are famous and rich people, not the like of us, and they are\nafraid. Thou couldst not do it in a dream, much less in thy senses.\"\n\n\"Well, say what ye please; but I have faith in myself,\" said he, \"and\nI'll get her.\"\n\n\"Ah, Nikita, don't boast; thou knowest our Tsar is terrible, and for\nan empty boast he will put thee to death.\"\n\n\"He won't put me to death; he will reward me with money.\"\n\nThey reported these speeches to the Tsar himself. He was delighted,\nand gave command to bring Nikita before his bright eyes. The soldiers\nran, seized Nikita Koltoma, and hurried him to the palace. His\ncomrades called after him: \"Well, brother, thou hast said it; thou\nthinkest to joke with the Tsar: go now and give answer.\"\n\nThey brought Nikita to the great palace, and the terrible Tsar said to\nhim: \"Thou, Nikita, dost boast that thou art able to find me a bride\nruddier than the sun, fairer than the moon, and whiter than snow.\"\n\n\"I can, your Majesty.\"\n\n\"Very well, brother. If thou wilt do me that service, I will reward\nthee with countless treasure and make thee first minister; but if thou\nhast lied, I have a sword, and thy head leaves thy shoulders.\"\n\n\"I am glad to serve thee, Great Tsar; but command that I have a\nholiday for a whole month.\"\n\nThe Tsar consented, and gave over his own signature an open order to\nNikita, commanding that in all eating-houses and inns they should give\nhim gratis all kinds of food and drink.\n\nNikita went through the capital to enjoy himself. Whatever inn he\nentered, he showed the paper; immediately they brought him everything\nthat his soul desired. He caroused one day, a second, a third; a week,\na second, a third week. And now the term is passed; 'tis time to go to\nthe Tsar.\n\nNikita took farewell of his friends, went to the palace, and asked the\nTsar to collect for him twelve brave youths, the same in stature, in\nhair, and in voice, and to prepare besides thirteen white woven tents\nwith golden embroidery. Everything was soon ready; the young men were\ncollected at once, and the tents made.\n\n\"Now, Great Tsar,\" said Nikita, \"get ready, and we will go for the\nbride.\"\n\nThey saddled their good steeds, packed the tents on the horses. After\nthat they had a prayer in the church, took leave of the people of the\ntown, sat on their steeds, and galloped away; nothing but a pillar of\ndust behind them. They travelled one day, a second, and a third. In\nthe open field was a forge. Said Nikita: \"Go straight ahead with God,\nand I will run into the forge and smoke a pipe.\" He entered the forge;\nfifteen blacksmiths were forging iron inside, striking with their\nhammers.\n\n\"God aid you, brothers!\"\n\n\"God save thee, good man!\"\n\n\"Make me a staff fifteen poods[3] weight.\"\n\n    [3] One pood = 36 pounds.\n\n\"To make it we are not unwilling; but who will turn the iron? Fifteen\npoods are no joke.\"\n\n\"That is nothing, brothers; you beat with the hammers, and I'll turn\nthe iron.\"\n\nThe blacksmiths went to work and forged an iron staff of fifteen\npoods. Nikita took the rod, went out into the field, and threw it up\nninety feet, held out his hand; the iron staff fell on his hand, but\nwas not equal to the strength of the hero, it broke in two. Nikita\nKoltoma paid the blacksmiths for their work, threw the broken rod to\nthem, and rode away. He caught up with his comrades. They travelled\nthree days more; again there was a forge in the open field.\n\n\"Go on, I will enter this forge,\" said Nikita. He went into the forge.\nTwenty-five blacksmiths were working inside, forging iron, pounding\nwith their hammers.\n\n\"God aid thee, boys!\"\n\n\"God save thee, good man!\"\n\n\"Make me a staff twenty-five poods in weight.\"\n\n\"To forge is no trouble; but where is the man with strength to turn so\nmuch iron?\"\n\n\"I will turn it myself.\"\n\nHe took the twenty-five poods weight of iron, heated it red hot, and\nturned it on the anvil while the blacksmiths pounded with their\nhammers. They made a staff twenty-five poods in weight. Nikita took\nthat staff, went out into the open field, threw it up one hundred and\nfifty feet, and held out his hand: the staff struck the hero's hand\nand broke in two.\n\n\"No, this will not do,\" said Nikita. He paid for the work, sat on his\nhorse, and rode away. He overtook his comrades. They travelled a day,\na second, and a third. Again there was a forge in the open field.\n\n\"Go on,\" said Nikita; \"I will smoke a pipe in this forge.\"\n\nHe entered the forge, where fifty blacksmiths were tormenting an old\nman. A gray-haired old man was lying on the anvil; ten men were\nholding him with pincers by the beard, and forty men were pounding him\non the sides with hammers.\n\n\"Have pity on me, brothers!\" cried the old man, with all his strength.\n\"Leave the life in me to do penance!\"\n\n\"God aid you!\" said Nikita.\n\n\"God aid thee, good man!\" said the blacksmiths.\n\n\"Why are ye tormenting the old man?\"\n\n\"Because he owes each one of us a rouble, and he will not pay it. Why\nshouldn't we beat him?\"\n\n\"What an unfortunate man,\" thought Nikita; \"for fifty roubles he\nsuffers such torment!\" And he said to the blacksmiths: \"Listen,\nbrothers: I'll pay you for him; let the old man go.\"\n\n\"Agreed, good man; it is all the same to us from whom we get the\nmoney, so that we have it.\"\n\nNikita took out fifty roubles. The blacksmiths took the money, and\nthe moment they freed the old man out of the iron pincers, he vanished\nfrom the eye. Nikita looked. \"But where is the old man?\"\n\n\"Oh, look for him now; he is a wizard!\"\n\nNikita ordered them to forge an iron staff of fifty poods. He hurled\nit up three hundred feet, and held out his hand: the staff stood the\ntest, did not break. \"This will do,\" said Nikita, and rode off to\novertake his comrades. All at once he heard a voice behind him. Nikita\nKoltoma stopped; he looked around, and saw the same old man running\nafter him.\n\n\"Thanks to thee,\" said the old man, \"for saving me from cruel torture;\nI suffered that misery for thirty years exactly. Here is a present to\nremember me by,--take it; it will be of use to thee;\" and he gave him\na cap of invisibility. \"Just put it on thy head; no man will see\nthee.\"\n\nNikita took the cap, thanked the old man, and galloped on. He overtook\nhis comrades, and all rode together. Whether it was long or short,\nnear or far, they came to a castle; around the castle was a great iron\npaling; there was no way to enter, on foot or on horseback. The\nterrible Tsar said: \"Well, brother Nikita, there is no passage\nfarther.\"\n\nNikita Koltoma answered: \"Why not, Great Tsar? I'll go through the\nwhole world but I'll find thee a bride. This paling is no stop to us.\nNow, boys, break the paling; open the gate to the wide court!\"\n\nThe good youths came down from their horses and went at the paling;\nbut no matter what they did, they could not break it, it stood fast.\n\n\"Oh, brothers,\" said Nikita, \"ye sail in shallow water! No use in my\ndepending on you; I must work myself.\"\n\nNikita sprang from his horse, went to the paling, took it with his\nheroic hand, pulled once,--the whole paling was on the ground. The\nterrible Tsar and the young men rode in on the broad court, and there\non the green meadow they put up their white woven, gold-embroidered\ntents, ate what God sent them, lay down, and from weariness slept a\nsound sleep. Each one had a tent, but there was none for Nikita\nKoltoma; he found three worn bark mats, made himself a little hut, lay\ndown on the bare ground. As to sleeping, he slept not; he waited for\nwhat would be.\n\nAt the morning dawn Yelena the Beautiful woke up in her chamber,\nlooked out through her lattice-window, and saw that thirteen white\nwoven tents were standing on her green meadow, and in front of all a\nsmall hut of bark rugs.\n\n\"What is this?\" thought the Tsarevna; \"whence have these guests come?\nSee, the iron paling is broken!\"\n\nYelena the Beautiful was terribly enraged; she called her powerful,\nmighty hero, and said: \"To horse this minute! Ride to the tents and\ngive all those disobedient scoundrels to a cruel death; throw their\nbodies over the fence, and bring the tents to me.\"\n\nThe powerful, mighty hero saddled his good steed, put on his\nbattle-armor, and went toward the unbidden guests. Nikita Koltoma saw\nhim. \"Who goes?\" asked he.\n\n\"And who art thou, rude fellow, that askest?\"\n\nThese words did not please Nikita. He sprang out of his hut, caught\nthe hero by the foot, dragged him from the horse to the damp earth,\nraised his iron staff of fifty poods, gave him one blow, and said: \"Go\nnow to thy Tsarevna, tell her to stop her pride, not to waste her men,\nbut to marry our terrible Tsar.\"\n\nThe hero galloped back, glad that Nikita had left him alive, came to\nthe castle, and said to the Tsarevna: \"Men of immeasurable strength\nhave come to our place. They ask thee for their terrible Tsar in\nmarriage, and commanded me to tell thee to put an end to thy pride,\nnot to waste thy army in vain, and to marry their Tsar.\"\n\nWhen Yelena the Beautiful heard such bold speeches she was roused. She\nsummoned her great, mighty heroes, and began to command them all: \"My\ntrusty servants, assemble a countless army, take down these white\ntents, kill these unbidden guests, that the dust of them be not here.\"\n\nThe great, mighty heroes did not stop long. They collected a countless\narmy, sat on their heroic steeds, and bore down on the white woven,\ngold-embroidered tents.\n\nAs soon as they came to the bark hut, Nikita Koltoma sprang out before\nthem, took his iron staff of fifty poods, and began to wave it at them\nin different directions. In a little while he had killed the whole\narmy, and of the great, mighty heroes he left but one alive. \"Go,\"\nsaid he, \"to thy Tsarevna, Yelena the Beautiful, and tell her not to\nwaste her army further. She cannot frighten us with armies. Now I have\nfought with you alone; what will happen to your kingdom when my\ncomrades wake? We will not leave a stone upon a stone; we will scatter\neverything over the open field.\"\n\nThe hero returned to the Tsarevna and said: \"Thy whole army is slain;\nagainst such champions no power can avail.\" Yelena the Beautiful sent\nto invite the terrible Tsar to the castle, and then ordered that the\nsharp arrow be ready; went herself to meet the guests with grace, with\nhonor. The Tsarevna moves on to meet them, and behind her fifty men\nare bearing the bow and the arrow. Nikita Koltoma saw that that was a\nhero's bow, and knew at once that it was intended to treat them to the\narrow. He put on the cap of invisibility, drew the bow, and aimed the\narrow at the Tsarevna's chamber. In one moment he knocked off the\nwhole top of her castle.\n\nThere was no help for her now. Yelena the Beautiful took the terrible\nTsar by the hand, led him to the white-walled chambers, seated him and\nhis men at the oaken tables with the spread cloths. They began to\ndrink, to eat and rejoice. In the chambers were wonderful ornaments;\nthe whole world might be searched, and the like wouldst thou find\nnowhere.\n\nAfter dinner Nikita said to the terrible Tsar: \"Does the young woman\nplease thee, or shall we go for another?\"\n\n\"No, Nikita, there is no use in travelling for nothing; there is not a\nbetter than this in the whole world.\"\n\n\"Well, then, marry now she is in our hands. But look out, Great Tsar,\ndon't be caught napping. The first three nights she will try thy\nstrength; she will put her hand on thee and press mightily, mightily:\nthou canst not endure it in any way. At these times hurry out of the\nchamber; I'll take thy place and soon tame her.\"\n\nThey set about the wedding, and Tsars have not to make mead or wine;\nall was on hand. They had the wedding, and the terrible Tsar went to\nthe chamber of Yelena the Beautiful. He reclined on a couch.\n\nYelena put her hand on his breast and asked: \"Is my hand heavy?\"\n\n\"It is as heavy as a feather on water,\" answered the terrible Tsar;\nbut he could barely draw breath, so had she pressed his breast. \"Wait,\nI have forgotten to give an order; I must give it now.\" He left the\nchamber.\n\nNikita was standing at the door outside. \"Well, brother, thou didst\nspeak truly; she came very near putting the breath out of me.\"\n\n\"Never mind, I'll settle the matter; stay here.\"\n\nNikita entered the dark chamber, lay on the couch. Yelena thought the\nTsar had returned. She put her hand on his breast, pressed and\npressed; could do nothing. She put on both hands, and pressed more\nthan before. Nikita Koltoma, like a man in sleep, caught her and\nhurled her to the floor, so that the whole castle shook. The Tsarevna\ngot up, went quietly to her bed, and fell asleep.\n\nNow Nikita slipped out to the Tsar and said: \"Go in boldly; she will\ndo nothing till to-morrow.\"\n\nWith Nikita's aid the Tsar escaped the second and the third time, and\nthen lived as was proper with Yelena the Beautiful. Neither a long nor\na short time passed, but Yelena the Beautiful discovered that the\nterrible Tsar had deceived her, that his strength was not great, that\npeople were laughing at her, that Nikita was the man who had conquered\nher. She was in a terrible rage, and hid in her heart a cruel revenge.\n\nThe Tsar had in mind to go to his own kingdom, and said: \"We have\nstayed here long enough; it is time to go home. Make ready for the\nroad.\"\n\nThey prepared to go by the sea, and had a ship laden with various\nprecious things. They went on board, and sailed out on the sea; sailed\none day, sailed a second, then a third. The Tsar was delighted; he\ncould not rejoice sufficiently that he was taking home a Tsaritsa\nruddier than the sun, fairer than the moon, whiter than snow. But\nYelena the Beautiful was thinking her own thought,--thinking how to\npay for the insult.\n\nAt that time an heroic slumber overcame Nikita, and he slept for\ntwelve whole days and nights. When the Tsaritsa saw Nikita in this\nsleep, she summoned her trusty servants, commanded them to cut off his\nlegs to the knee, put him in a boat, and push him out into the sea.\nBefore her eyes they cut off the legs of the sleeping Nikita, put him\nin a boat, and pushed him out to sea.\n\nOn the thirteenth day poor Nikita woke. He looked around,--water\neverywhere; he was lying without feet, and no trace of the ship.\n\nMeanwhile the ship sailed on, sailed on. At last the harbor was before\nthem. The cannon thundered, the people ran together. The merchants and\nboyars met the Tsar with bread and salt, and congratulated him on his\nmarriage. The Tsar called guests, gave feasts, and forgot to think of\nNikita. Little time had he left to rejoice. Yelena the Beautiful soon\nseized his kingdom, took the management of all to herself, and forced\nhim to herd pigs. The wrath of the Tsaritsa was not allayed with this;\nshe gave command to make search on every side for relatives of Nikita\nKoltoma, and if any were found to bring them to the palace.\n\nMessengers galloped and searched everywhere. They found a brother of\nNikita,--Timof\u00e9i Koltoma; they brought him to the palace. Yelena the\nBeautiful gave command to take out his eyes and drive him from the\ntown.\n\nWhen they had blinded Timof\u00e9i they led him outside the town and left\nhim in the open field. The blind man dragged along, found his way by\nfeeling; he went and went, till he came to the sea-shore, advanced a\nstep or two, and felt water under his feet. He halted, stood on one\nspot, moved neither backward nor forward; he was afraid to go. All at\nonce the boat with Nikita was borne toward the shore. Nikita saw a\nman, was rejoiced, and called to him: \"Ei! good man; help me to land.\"\n\nThe blind man answered: \"Gladly would I help thee, but I cannot. I am\nwithout eyes; I see nothing.\"\n\n\"But whence art thou, and what is thy name?\"\n\n\"I am Timof\u00e9i Koltoma. The new Tsaritsa, Yelena the Beautiful, had my\neyes put out, and drove me from her kingdom.\"\n\n\"Ah! but thou art my own brother; I am Nikita Koltoma. Go thou,\nTimof\u00e9i, to the right side,--there a tall oak is growing; pull out the\noak, bring it here, and throw it from the shore into the water. I will\ncreep out upon it to thee.\"\n\nTimof\u00e9i turned to the right, stepped forward, and found the tall old\noak, seized it with both hands, pulled it out by the roots, drew the\noak, and threw it into the water. The tree lay with one end on land,\nthe other came down near the boat. Nikita crept out on shore somehow,\nkissed his brother, and said: \"How is our terrible Tsar living now?\"\n\n\"Oh, brother,\" answered Timof\u00e9i, \"our terrible Tsar is now in great\nstraits,--he is herding pigs in the field! Every morning he gets a\npound of bread, a jug of water, and three rods on his back.\"\n\nThen they talked about how they were to live and how to support\nthemselves. Said Nikita: \"Hear, brother, my advice: thou wilt carry\nme, because I am footless, and I will sit on thee and tell thee where\nto go.\"\n\n\"Agreed; be it as thou sayest. Though we are both maimed, we shall\nserve for one sound man.\"\n\nSo Nikita sat on his brother's shoulders and showed him the way.\nTimof\u00e9i walked and walked, and came into a slumbering forest. In that\nforest stood the cabin of Baba-Yaga. The brothers entered the cabin;\nthere was not a soul inside.\n\n\"Well, brother,\" said Nikita, \"feel in the oven. Isn't there some\nfood?\"\n\nTimof\u00e9i crawled to the oven, took out every kind of food, put it on\nthe table, and they both began to put the food away; from hunger they\nate everything clean. Then Nikita began to examine the cabin. He saw\non the window a small whistle, placed it to his lips and began to\nwhistle. He looks--what sort of wonder! His blind brother is dancing,\nthe cabin is dancing, the table, the dishes are dancing, everything\ndancing; the pots were broken into bits.\n\n\"Enough, Nikita, stop playing,\" begged the blind man; \"my strength can\nhold out no longer.\"\n\nNikita stopped whistling, and that moment everything was silent. All\nat once the door opened, in walked Baba-Yaga, and she screamed with a\nloud voice: \"Oh, homeless vagrants, to this minute not a bird has\nflown past, nor a beast run by here; and ye have come, devoured my\nfood, broken my pots! Very good; I'll settle with you!\"\n\n\"Silence, old carrion! We shall be able to settle with thee ourselves.\nHere, brother Timof\u00e9i, hold the old witch firmly!\"\n\nTimof\u00e9i caught the Baba-Yaga in his arms, squeezed her hard, hard; but\nNikita seized her that moment by the hair and dragged her through the\ncabin.\n\n\"Oh, fathers,\" begged Baba-Yaga, \"I'll be of use to you myself;\nwhatever ye want I'll get you!\"\n\n\"Well, then, old woman, speak. Canst thou get us healing and living\nwater? If thou gettest it, I'll let thee go alive into the white\nworld; if not, then I'll give thee to a cruel death.\"\n\nBaba-Yaga agreed, and led them to two springs. \"Here are for you the\nhealing and living water.\"\n\nNikita Koltoma took the healing water, poured it on himself, and his\nlegs grew out. They were quite healthy, but wouldn't move. He took\nliving water, moistened his legs, and began to use them. The same\nhappened to Timof\u00e9i Koltoma: he washed the hollows of his eyes with\nhealing water, eyes came in his head just as if they had never been\ninjured, but saw nothing; he washed them with the living water, and\nthey began to see better than ever.\n\nThe brothers thanked the old woman, let her go home, and went to\nliberate the terrible Tsar from suffering and misfortune. They came to\nthe capital town and saw that the Tsar was herding pigs in front of\nthe castle. Nikita Koltoma began to blow on the whistle, and the\nherdsman with the pigs fell to dancing. Yelena the Beautiful saw this\nfrom the window; she was furious, and gave command to take a bunch of\nrods and flog the pigherd and the musicians.\n\nThe guard ran out, seized them, brought them to the castle to treat\nthem to rods. When Nikita Koltoma came to Yelena the Beautiful he made\nno delay, but seized her white hands and said: \"Dost know me, Yelena\nthe Beautiful? I am Nikita Koltoma. Well, terrible Tsar, she is in thy\npower; what thou wishest, that do.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave command to shoot her, and he made Nikita his first\nminister; he honored him always, and obeyed him in all things.\n\n\n\n\nKOSHCH\u00c9I WITHOUT-DEATH.\n\n\nThere was a Tsar who had one son, and when the Tsarevich was an infant\nhis nurses and maids used to sing to him, \"Baiy\u00fa, baiy\u00fa, Ivan\nTsarevich; when thou'lt grow up a man thou'lt find thee a bride in the\nthirtieth kingdom, beyond the thrice ninth land, Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna, and her marrow flows from bone to bone.\"\n\nFifteen years had passed for the Tsarevich, and he went to ask leave\nto search for his bride. \"Where wilt thou go?\" asked his father. \"Thou\nart still too small.\"\n\n\"No, father; when I was small the nurses and maids sang to me, and\ntold where my bride lives; and now I am going to find her.\"\n\nThe Tsar gave his blessing and sent word to all kingdoms that his son,\nIvan Tsarevich, was going for his bride.\n\nWell, the Tsarevich came to a town, gave his horse to be cared for,\nand went himself to walk along the streets. He walked, and saw that on\nthe square they were punishing a man with a whip. \"Why,\" asked he, \"do\nye flog him?\"\n\n\"Because,\" answered they, \"he went in debt ten thousand to an eminent\nmerchant, and did not pay in season. And whoso redeems him, that\nman's wife Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death will bear away.\"\n\nNow the Tsarevich thought and thought, and then went off. As he was\nwalking through the town he came out again on the square, and they\nwere still beating that man. Ivan Tsarevich pitied him and resolved to\nredeem him.\n\n\"I have no wife,\" thought Ivan; \"there is no one to take from me.\" He\npaid the ten thousand and went to his lodgings.\n\nAll at once the man whom he had redeemed ran after him and called:\n\"God save thee, Ivan Tsarevich! If thou hadst not redeemed me, thou\ncouldest not have gained thy bride in a lifetime; but now I will help\nthee. Buy me a horse and saddle straightway.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich bought him a horse and saddle, and asked: \"What is thy\nname?\"\n\n\"They call me Bulat the hero.\"\n\nThey sat on the horses, went their way and road. When they came to the\nthirtieth kingdom, Bulat said: \"Well, Ivan Tsarevich, give orders to\nbuy and roast chickens, ducks, and geese, so that there may be plenty\nof everything, and I will go to get thy bride. And see to it: every\ntime I run to thee, cut the right wing of a bird, and hand it to me on\na plate.\"\n\nBulat the hero went to the lofty tower where Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna\nwas sitting, threw a stone lightly, and broke the summit of the gilded\ntower. He ran to the Tsarevich and said to him: \"What, art thou\nsleeping? Give me a hen.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich cut off the right wing and gave it on a plate. Bulat\ntook the plate, ran to the tower, and cried out: \"Hail, Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna! Ivan Tsarevich gave command to bow to thee, and asked me\nto give thee this hen.\"\n\nVassilissa was frightened, and sat in silence. Bulat gave answer to\nhimself instead of her: \"Hail, Bulat the hero! Is Ivan Tsarevich in\ngood health?\n\n\"Glory be to God, in good health.\n\n\"But why stand there, Bulat the hero? Take the key, open the cupboard,\ndrink a glass of _vodka_, and go with God.\"\n\nBulat the hero ran to Ivan Tsarevich and said: \"Art sitting here? Give\nme a duck.\"\n\nHe cut off the wing, and gave it on a plate.\n\nBulat bore it to the tower and said: \"Hail, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna!\nIvan Tsarevich gave command to bow to thee, and sent thee this duck.\"\n\nShe sat there, said nothing; but he answered instead of her: \"Hail,\nBulat the hero! Is Ivan Tsarevich well?\n\n\"Glory be to God, he is well.\n\n\"But why stand there, Bulat the hero? Take the key, open the cupboard,\ndrink a glass, and go with God.\"\n\nBulat ran again to Ivan Tsarevich. \"Art thou sitting here? Give me a\ngoose.\"\n\nIvan cut off the right wing and gave it on a plate. Bulat the hero\nbore it to the tower. \"Hail, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna! Ivan Tsarevich\ngave command to bow to thee, and sent thee this goose.\"\n\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna took the key quickly, opened the cupboard, and\nreached a glass of _vodka_. Bulat the hero took not the glass, but\nseized the maiden by the right hand, drew her out of the tower, and\nseated her on the Tsarevich's steed. They galloped away, the good hero\nand the beautiful soul-maiden, with all horse-speed.\n\nNext morning Tsar Kirb\u00edt woke and rose. He saw that the top of the\ntower was broken and his daughter stolen; he grew powerfully angry,\nand gave command to pursue over all roads and ways.\n\nWhether our heroes travelled much or little, Bulat took the ring from\nhis hand, hid it, and said: \"Go on, Ivan Tsarevich; but I will turn\nback and look for my ring.\"\n\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna began to implore: \"Do not leave us, Bulat the\nhero; if it please thee, thou shalt have my ring.\"\n\n\"Impossible, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna; my ring was priceless. My own\nmother gave it me, and when giving, she said: 'Wear and lose it not;\nforget not thy mother.'\"\n\nBulat the hero galloped back and met the pursuers on the road. He slew\nthem all straightway, left but one man to take news to the Tsar,\nhurried back, and caught up with the Tsarevich.\n\nWhether they went much or little, Bulat hid his handkerchief and\nsaid: \"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, I have lost my handkerchief! Ride on thy\nroad and way; I will soon come up with thee.\"\n\nHe turned back, went some versts, and met pursuers twice as many; he\nslew them all, and returned to Ivan, who asked: \"Hast found the\nhandkerchief?\"\n\n\"I have found it.\"\n\nDark night overtook them. They pitched a tent; Bulat lay down to\nsleep, left Ivan Tsarevich on guard, and said to him: \"If need be,\nrouse me.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich stood and stood, grew tired; sleep began to bend him;\nhe sat down at the tent and fell asleep.\n\nFrom wherever he came, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death bore away Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna. Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, saw that his bride was\ngone, and began to weep bitterly. Bulat the hero woke up and asked:\n\"Why art thou weeping?\"\n\n\"Why should I not weep? Some one has borne away Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna.\"\n\n\"I told thee to keep watch. That is the work of Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death. Let us set out in search of her.\"\n\nLong and long did they ride, till they saw two shepherds herding a\nflock. \"Whose herd is that?\"\n\nThe herdsmen answered: \"This is the herd of Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death.\"\n\nBulat and Ivan Tsarevich asked the herdsmen if Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death\nlived far from there, how to go to his house, what time they went home\nwith the flock, and how they shut it in. Then they came down from\ntheir horses, wrung the necks of the shepherds, dressed themselves in\ntheir clothes, drove the herd home, and stood at the gate.\n\nIvan Tsarevich had a gold ring on one of his fingers, Vassilissa had\ngiven it to him. Vassilissa had a goat, and she washed herself morning\nand evening with the milk of that goat. The maid ran with a vessel,\nmilked the goat, and was carrying the milk. Bulat took the Tsarevich's\nring and threw it into the vessel.\n\n\"Oh, my dove,\" said the maid, \"thou art getting impudent!\" She came to\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna and complained. \"Now,\" said she, \"the herdsmen\nhave begun to make sport of us,--they threw a ring into the milk.\"\n\n\"Leave the milk; I will strain it myself,\" said Vassilissa. She\nstrained the milk, saw the ring, and gave command to send the herdsmen\nto her. The herdsmen came.\n\n\"Hail, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna!\" said Bulat the hero.\n\n\"Hail, Bulat the hero! Be well, Tsarevich! How did God bring you?\"\n\n\"We came for thee, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna; thou wilt hide from us\nnowhere. We should find thee even on the bottom of the sea.\"\n\nShe seated them at the table, gave them every sort of food and all\nkinds of wine.\n\nSaid Bulat the hero: \"When Koshch\u00e9i comes home from hunting, ask him,\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna, where his death is. And now it would not be\namiss for us to hide.\"\n\nAs soon as the guests had hidden, Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death was flying\nhome from the hunt. \"Tfu-tfu!\" said he; \"of old there wasn't a sign of\nRussia to be heard with hearing or seen with sight; but now Russia\nruns into one's eyes and mouth.\"\n\nSaid Vassilissa: \"Thou hast been flying through Russia thyself, and\nart full of its odor; so to thy thinking dost find it here.\"\n\nKoshch\u00e9i ate his dinner and lay down to rest. Vassilissa came to him,\nthrew herself on his neck, fondled him, and kissed him, saying: \"My\ndear love, hardly was I able to wait for thee. I did not expect to see\nthee alive; I feared that savage beasts had devoured thee.\"\n\nKoshch\u00e9i laughed aloud. \"Simple woman! her hair is long, but her wit\nis short. Could savage beasts eat me?\"\n\n\"But where is thy death, then?\"\n\n\"My death is in the broom which lies around at the threshold.\"\n\nAs soon as Koshch\u00e9i had flown away, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna ran to Ivan\nTsarevich.\n\nBulat asked: \"Well, where is Koshch\u00e9i's death?\"\n\n\"In a broom thrown around at the threshold.\"\n\n\"No, he lies with design; thou must ask him more cunningly.\"\n\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna formed a plan. She took the broom, gilded it,\nadorned it with various ribbons, and placed it on the table. When\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death flew home, he saw the broom on the table, and\nasked why that was done.\n\n\"How was it possible,\" answered Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna, \"that thy\ndeath should roll around at the threshold? Better let it lie on the\ntable.\"\n\n\"Ha, ha, ha! The woman is simple; her hair is long, but her wit is\nshort! Could my death be here?\"\n\n\"Where is it, then?\"\n\n\"My death is hidden in the goat.\"\n\nAs soon as Koshch\u00e9i went off to the hunt, Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna took\nthe goat and adorned it with ribbons and bells, and gilded its horns.\nKoshch\u00e9i saw the goat; again he laughed. \"Oh, the woman is simple; her\nhair is long, but her wit is short!\"\n\n\"My death is far from here. On the sea, on the ocean, is an island; on\nthat island stands an oak; under the oak is buried a chest; in the\nchest is a hare, in the hare a duck, in the duck an egg, and in the\negg my death,\" said he, and flew away.\n\nVassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna told all this to Ivan Tsarevich. They took\nsupplies and went to find Koshch\u00e9i's death. Whether they travelled\nlong or short, they ate all their provisions and began to be hungry.\n\nA dog with her whelps happened in their way. \"I will kill her,\" said\nBulat the hero; \"there is nothing else to eat.\"\n\n\"Do not kill me,\" said the dog, \"do not make my children orphans, and\nI will serve thee myself.\"\n\n\"Well, God be with thee.\"\n\nThey went farther. On an oak was an eagle with eaglets. Said Bulat the\nhero: \"I will kill the eagle.\"\n\n\"Kill me not,\" said the eagle, \"make not my children orphans; I will\nserve thee myself.\"\n\n\"Let it be so; live to thy health.\"\n\nThey came to the ocean sea wide; on the shore a lobster was crawling.\nSaid Bulat the hero: \"I will kill it with a blow.\"\n\n\"Strike me not, good hero; there is not much good in me. Wilt eat me,\nthou'lt not be satisfied. The time will come when I will serve thee\nmyself.\"\n\n\"Well, crawl off with God,\" said Bulat the hero. He looked on the sea,\nsaw a fisherman in a boat, and shouted, \"Come to shore.\" The fisherman\nbrought the boat. Ivan Tsarevich and Bulat the hero sat in it and went\nto the island; they landed, and came to the oak. Bulat the hero caught\nthe oak with his mighty hands and tore it out with the roots. They\ntook the chest from under the oak, opened it; out of the chest sprang\na hare, and ran with all its breath.\n\n\"Ah!\" said Ivan Tsarevich, \"if the dog were here now, she would catch\nthe hare.\"\n\nBehold, the dog is bringing the hare. Bulat the hero tore it open;\nout of the hare flew the duck and rose high in the air.\n\n\"Ah!\" said Ivan Tsarevich, \"if the eagle were here, she would catch\nthe duck.\" And already the eagle was bringing the duck.\n\nBulat the hero tore open the duck; an egg rolled out and fell into the\nsea.\n\n\"Ah!\" said Ivan Tsarevich, \"if the lobster would pull it out.\" The\nlobster was crawling and bringing the egg. They took the egg, went to\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death, struck him with the egg on the forehead; that\nmoment he stretched out and died.\n\nIvan Tsarevich took Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna, and they went their way.\nThey travelled and travelled; dark night overtook them; they pitched\ntheir tent. Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna lay down to rest. Said Bulat the\nhero, \"Lie down too, Tsarevich, and I will stand guard.\"\n\nAt dark midnight twelve doves appeared, struck wing against wing, and\nbecame maidens.\n\n\"Well, Bulat the hero and Ivan Tsarevich, ye killed our brother,\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death, ye carried away our sister-in-law, Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna; but no good will come to you either. When Ivan Tsarevich\ncomes home, he will give command to bring out his favorite dog, the\ndog will break away from the keeper and tear the Tsarevich into small\npieces; but whoso hears this and tells Ivan what we have said will\nbecome stone to the knees.\"\n\nIn the morning Bulat the hero roused the Tsarevich and Vassilissa\nKirb\u00edtyevna; they made ready and went their road and way. A second\nnight overtook them; they pitched their tent in the open field. Again\nBulat said: \"Lie down to sleep, Ivan Tsarevich; I will stand guard.\"\nIn the dark midnight twelve doves came flying, they struck wing\nagainst wing, and became maidens.\n\n\"Well, Bulat and Ivan Tsarevich, ye killed our brother, Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death, ye carried away our sister-in-law; but no good will\ncome to you, for when Ivan Tsarevich comes home he will give command\nto bring out his favorite horse, on which he has ridden since\nchildhood. The horse will tear away from the groom and beat the\nTsarevich to death; and whoso hears this and tells him will become\nstone to the girdle.\"\n\nMorning came, again they travelled on. A third night overtook them.\nThey pitched their tent and stopped in the open field. Bulat said:\n\"Lie down to sleep, Ivan Tsarevich; I will stand watch.\" Again at\nmidnight twelve doves came flying, struck wing against wing, and\nbecame maidens.\n\n\"Well, Bulat and Ivan Tsarevich, ye killed our brother, Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death, and carried away our sister-in-law; but no good will\ncome to you. When Ivan Tsarevich comes home he will give command to\nlead out his favorite cow, on whose milk he has been nourished since\nchildhood. She will tear away from the herder and raise the Tsarevich\non her horns. But whoso sees and hears us, and tells him this, will\nbecome altogether stone.\" They finished the sentence, turned into\ndoves, and flew home.\n\nIn the morning Ivan Tsarevich and Vassilissa set out on the road. The\nTsarevich came home, married Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna; and in a day or\ntwo he said to her, \"I will show thee my favorite dog, with which I\nplayed all the time when I was little.\"\n\nBulat the hero took his sword, ground it sharp, sharp, and stood at\nthe porch. They were bringing the dog. It tore away from the keeper\nand ran straight to the porch; but Bulat drew his sword and cut the\ndog in two. Ivan Tsarevich was angry, but for Bulat's former service\nhe was silent.\n\nThe next day he ordered them to bring out his favorite horse. The\nhorse broke his halter, tore away from the groom, and galloped\nstraight at Ivan Tsarevich. Bulat the hero cut off the horse's head.\n\nIvan Tsarevich was still more in anger, and gave command to seize\nBulat and hang him; but Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna interceded. \"Had it not\nbeen for him,\" said she, \"thou wouldst never have won me.\"\n\nOn the third day the Tsarevich gave command to lead out his favorite\ncow. She tore away from the herder and ran straight at the Tsarevich.\nBulat cut off her head too.\n\nNow Ivan Tsarevich was so enraged that he would listen to no one,\ngave orders to call the headsman to put Bulat to death on the spot.\n\n\"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, if 'tis thy wish to put me to death by the\nexecutioner, better let me die of myself; only let me speak three\nspeeches.\"\n\nBulat told about the first night, how twelve doves flew to them in the\nopen field, and what they said. That moment he was stone to the knees;\nhe told of the second night, and was stone to the girdle. Now Ivan\nTsarevich begged him not to speak to the end. Bulat answered: \"'Tis\nall the same now, I am stone to the girdle; it is not worth while to\nlive.\" He told of the third night, and was all stone.\n\nIvan Tsarevich put him in a chamber apart, went there each day with\nVassilissa, and wept bitterly.\n\nYears passed on. Once Ivan Tsarevich was weeping over the stone hero\nBulat, and heard a voice coming out of the stone: \"Why dost thou weep?\nIt is hard for me even as I am.\"\n\n\"Why should I not weep? How can I help it? Thou knowest I destroyed\nthee.\"\n\n\"If thou wishest, thou canst save me. Thou hast two children,--a son\nand a daughter. Kill them, pour their blood into a vessel, and rub\nthis stone with the blood.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich told this to Vassilissa Kirb\u00edtyevna. They grieved and\nmourned; decided to kill their children. They killed them, gathered\nthe blood, and rubbed the stone.\n\nWhen Bulat the hero came to life he asked the Tsarevich and his wife,\n\"Were ye grieved for the children?\"\n\n\"We were grieved, Bulat.\"\n\n\"Well, let us go to their room.\"\n\nThey went, and behold, the children were alive! The father and mother\nwere delighted, and in their delight gave a feast to all.\n\n\n\n\nGO TO THE VERGE OF DESTRUCTION AND BRING BACK SHMAT-RAZUM.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom there lived a wifeless, unmarried king, who had a\nwhole company of sharpshooters. They went to the forests, shot birds\nof passage, and furnished the king's table with game. Among these\nsharpshooters was one named Fedot, who hit the mark and almost never\nmissed; for this reason the king loved him beyond all his comrades.\n\nOnce while shooting in the early morning, just at dawn, Fedot went\ninto a dark, dense forest, and saw a blue dove sitting on a tree. He\naimed, fired, struck her wing, and she fell to the damp earth. The\nsharpshooter picked her up, was going to twist her neck and put her in\nhis bag, when the blue dove spoke: \"Oh, brave youth, do not tear off\nmy stormy little head, do not send me out of the white world! Better\ntake me alive, carry me home, put me on the window, and watch. As soon\nas sleep comes upon me strike me that moment with the back of thy\nright hand, and thou wilt gain great fortune.\"\n\nFedot marvelled. \"What can it mean?\" thought he; \"in seeming a bird,\nbut she speaks with a human voice. Never has such a thing happened to\nme before.\"\n\nHe brought the bird home, placed her on the window, and stood waiting.\nAfter a short time the bird put her head under her wing and fell\nasleep. The sharpshooter struck her lightly with the back of his right\nhand. The blue dove fell to the floor, and became a soul-maiden so\nbeautiful as not to be imagined nor described, but only told about in\na tale. Such another beauty could not be found in the whole world.\n\nSaid she to the young man, the king's sharpshooter: \"Thou hast known\nhow to get me; now know how to live with me. Thou wilt be my wedded\nhusband, and I thy God-given wife. I am not a blue dove, but a king's\ndaughter.\"\n\nThey agreed. Fedot married her, and they lived together. He is happy\nwith his young wife, but does not forget his service. Every morning at\ndawn he takes his gun, goes out into the forest, and shoots game,\nwhich he carries to the king's kitchen.\n\nHis wife sees that he is wearied from this hunting, and says: \"Listen,\nmy dear. I am sorry for thee. Every God-given day thou dost wander\nthrough forests and swamps, comest home wet and worn, and profit to us\nnot a whit. What sort of a life is this? But I know something so that\nthou wilt not be without gain. Get of roubles two hundred, and we will\ncorrect the whole business.\"\n\nFedot rushed around to his friends, got a rouble from one, and two\nfrom another, till he had just two hundred. \"Now,\" said his wife, \"buy\ndifferent kinds of silk for this money.\"\n\nHe bought the silk; she took it, and said: \"Be not troubled; pray to\nGod and lie down to sleep: the morning is wiser than the evening.\"\n\nHe lay down and fell asleep; his wife went out on the porch, opened\nher magic book, and two unknown youths appeared at once. \"What dost\nthou wish? Command us.\"\n\n\"Take this silk, and in one single hour make a piece of such wonderful\ntapestry as has not been seen in the world; let the whole kingdom be\nembroidered on it, with towns, villages, rivers, and lakes.\"\n\nThey went to work, and not only in an hour, but in ten minutes they\nhad the tapestry finished,--a wonder for all. They gave it to the\nsharpshooter's wife, and vanished in an instant just as if they never\nhad been. In the morning she gave the tapestry to her husband. \"Here,\"\nsaid she, \"take this to the merchants' rows, sell it, but see that\nthou ask no price of thy own; take what they give.\"\n\nFedot went to the merchants' rows; a trader saw him, came up, and\nasked: \"Well, my good man, is this article for sale?\"\n\n\"It is.\"\n\n\"What's the price?\"\n\n\"Thou art a dealer, name the price.\"\n\nThe merchant thought and thought, but could not fix a price. Now a\nsecond, a third, and a fourth came; no one could set a price on the\ntapestry. At this time the mayor of the palace was passing by and saw\nthe crowd; wishing to know what the merchants were talking about, he\njumped out of his carriage, came up to them, and said: \"Good morning,\nmerchants, dealers, guests from beyond the sea; what is the question?\"\n\n\"Here is a piece of tapestry that we cannot value.\"\n\nThe mayor looked at the tapestry and marvelled himself. \"Look here,\nsharpshooter,\" said he, \"tell me in truth and sincerity where didst\nthou get such glorious tapestry?\"\n\n\"My wife made it.\"\n\n\"How much must one give for it?\"\n\n\"I know not myself; my wife told me to set no price on it, but what\npeople would give, that would be ours.\"\n\n\"Well here are ten thousand for thee.\"\n\nFedot took the money and gave up the tapestry. The mayor was always\nnear the person of the king, ate and drank at his table. When he went\nto the king's to dine he took the tapestry. \"Would it not please your\nMajesty to see what a glorious piece of work I have bought to-day?\"\n\nThe king looked; he saw his whole kingdom as if on the palm of his\nhand. He opened his mouth in amazement.\n\n\"This is indeed work; in all my life I have never seen such cunning\nart. Well, mayor, say what thou pleasest, but I shall not give this\nback to thee.\" Straightway the king took twenty-five thousand out of\nhis pocket, placed the money in the mayor's hand, and hung the\ntapestry in the palace.\n\n\"That's nothing,\" thought the mayor; \"I will order another still\nbetter.\" Straightway he galloped to find the sharpshooter, found his\ncottage, went in; and the moment he saw Fedot's wife he forgot\nhimself, his errand, knew not why he had come. Before him was such a\nbeauty that he would not take his eyes off her all his life; he would\nhave looked and looked. He gazes on another man's wife, and in his\nhead thought follows thought: \"Where has it been seen, where heard of,\nthat a simple soldier possessed such a treasure? Though I serve the\nking's person and rank as a general I have never beheld such beauty!\"\n\nThe mayor came to his mind with difficulty, and went home, 'gainst his\nwill. From that hour, from that time, he was not his own. Sleeping or\nwaking, he thought only of the beautiful woman; he could neither eat\nnor drink, she was ever before his eyes. The king noticed the change,\nand asked: \"What has come upon thee,--some grief?\"\n\n\"Oh, your Majesty, I have seen the sharpshooter's wife; there is not\nsuch a beauty in the whole world! I am thinking of her all the time; I\ncan neither eat nor drink, with no herb can I charm away my sorrow.\"\n\nThe desire came to the king to admire the woman himself. He ordered\nhis carriage and drove to the soldier's quarters. He entered the room\nand saw unspeakable beauty. No matter who looked on the woman,--an old\nman, a youth; each was in love, lost his wits, a heart-flame pinched\nhim. \"Why,\" thought the king, \"am I wifeless and single? Let me marry\nthis beauty,--that is the thing. Why is she a sharpshooter's wife? It\nis her fate to be queen.\"\n\nThe king returned to his palace and said to the mayor: \"Listen to me!\nThou hast known how to show me this unimaginable beauty, now find the\nway to get rid of her husband; I want to marry her myself. And if thou\ndost not put him out of the way, blame thyself; for though thou art my\nfaithful servant, thou'lt die on the gallows.\"\n\nThe mayor went his way sadder than before. How was he to \"finish the\nsharpshooter?\" he could not think. As he was going through back lanes\nand waste places, a Baba-Yaga met him.\n\n\"Stop,\" said she, \"servant of the king! I know all thy thoughts. If\nthou wilt, I will aid thee in this unavoidable sorrow.\"\n\n\"Aid me, grandmother, and I'll pay what thou wishest.\"\n\n\"The king has ordered thee to put an end to Fedot the sharpshooter.\nThat would be easy enough, for he is simple, were it not for his wife,\nwho is awfully cunning. Well, we'll give them such a riddle that it\nwill not soon be explained. Go back to the king and say: 'Beyond the\nthrice-ninth land, in the thirtieth kingdom, is an island, on that\nisland a deer with golden horns.' Let the king bring together half a\nhundred sailors,--the most good-for-nothing fellows, all bitter\ndrunkards,--and order that a rotten old ship which has been out of\nservice for thirty years be fitted for the voyage. Let him send Fedot\nthe sharpshooter on that ship to get the deer with golden horns. In\norder to go to the island it is necessary to sail neither more nor\nless than three years, and back from the island three more; six in\nall. Well, the ship will sail out on the sea, serve about a month, and\nsink right there; the sharpshooter and the sailors will go to the\nbottom, every man!\"\n\nThe mayor listened to these words, thanked the Baba-Yaga for her\ncounsel, rewarded her with gold, and went off on a run to the king.\n\"Your Majesty,\" said he, \"Fedot can be finished in such and such\nfashion.\"\n\nThe king consented, and issued an order at once to the navy to prepare\nfor a voyage an old rotten ship, to provision it for six years, and\nman it with fifty sailors, the most dissolute and bitter drunkards.\nMessengers ran to all the dram-shops and drinking-houses, collected\nsuch sailors that it was dear and precious to look at them. One had a\nblack eye, another had his nose driven to one side.\n\nAs soon as it was reported to the king that the ship was ready, he\nsent for the sharpshooter and said: \"Now, Fedot, thou art a hero of\nmine,--the first shot in the company. Do me a service. Go beyond the\nthrice-ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom. In that place is an\nisland, on that island lives the deer with golden horns. Take it\nalive, and bring it to me.\"\n\nFedot became thoughtful, knew not what to answer.\n\n\"Think, think not,\" said the king; \"but if thou do not the work, I\nhave a sword, and thy head leaves thy shoulders!\"\n\nFedot wheeled round to the left and went forth from the palace, came\nhome in the evening powerfully sad, not wishing to utter one word.\n\n\"Why dost thou grieve, my dearest?\" asked his wife. \"Is there some\nmishap?\"\n\nHe told her all.\n\n\"This is why thou art grieved. There is reason, indeed; for it is an\nexploit, not a service. Pray to God and lie down to sleep; the morning\nis wiser than the evening: everything will be done.\"\n\nThe sharpshooter lay down and slept. But his wife opened her\nmagic-book, at once two unknown youths appeared before her and asked:\n\"What dost thou wish? What dost thou need?\"\n\n\"Go beyond the thrice-ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom, to an\nisland; seize there the deer with golden horns, and bring it here.\"\n\n\"We obey; it will be done before dawn.\"\n\nThey rushed like a whirlwind to the island, caught the deer with\ngolden horns, and brought it straight to Fedot's house. An hour before\ndaybreak all was done, and they vanished as if they had never been.\nThe beautiful wife roused her husband at dawn and said: \"Look out; the\ndeer with golden horns is walking in the yard. Take it with thee on\nboard the ship, sail forward five days, on the sixth turn back.\"\n\nThe sharpshooter put the deer in a close, fastened cage, and had it\ncarried on board the ship.\n\n\"What's there?\" asked the sailors.\n\n\"Oh, supplies and medicine! It's a long voyage; we shall need many a\nthing.\"\n\nThe day for sailing came. A great crowd of people went to see the ship\nleave the wharf. The king went himself, made Fedot chief over all the\nsailors, and bade him farewell.\n\nThe vessel sailed five days on the sea; the shores had long vanished.\nFedot ordered a hundred-and-twenty-gallon cask to be rolled on to the\ndeck, and said to the sailors: \"Drink, brothers; spare it not, your\nsouls are your measure!\"\n\nThey were delighted, rushed to the cask, began to drink, and got so\ndrunk that they rolled down on the deck, and fell fast asleep at the\nside of the cask. Fedot took the helm, turned the ship around toward\nthe harbor, and sailed home. So that the sailors should not know\nanything about it, he kept pouring liquor into them from morning till\nnight; when they began to open their eyes after one drunken fit, a new\ncask was ready. On the eleventh day the ship drew up at the wharf; the\nflag was hoisted, and guns fired. The king heard the firing, and ran\ndown to the landing. \"What does all this mean?\" He saw the\nsharpshooter, fell into a towering passion, and rushed at him\nfuriously. \"How hast thou dared to come back before time?\"\n\n\"But where was I to go, your Majesty? Some fool might have spent ten\nyears in sailing over the seas and got nothing; but I, instead of\nspending six years, did the work in ten days. Would you be pleased to\nlook at the golden-horned deer?\"\n\nStraightway they brought the cage from the ship and let out the\ngolden-horned deer. The king saw that the sharpshooter was right; he\ncould not touch him, he let him go home. The sailors had a holiday for\nsix years; no one could ask them to work during that time, for the\nvoyage was counted as six years, and they had served their time.\n\nNext day the king called the mayor into his presence and threatened\nhim: \"What meanest thou; art making sport of me? 'Tis clear thy head\nis not dear to thee. Do what thou pleasest, but find means of putting\nFedot to a cruel death.\"\n\n\"Let me think, your Majesty; we may mend matters.\" The mayor went his\nway, betook himself to back lanes and waste places, met the Baba-Yaga.\n\n\"Stop, servant of the king! I know thy thoughts: dost wish I will\nhelp thee in trouble?\"\n\n\"Oh, help me, grandmother! Fedot has brought the deer with golden\nhorns.\"\n\n\"Oh, I have heard that already. It would be as easy to put Fedot out\nof the way as to take a pinch of snuff, for he is simple; but his wife\nis terribly cunning. Well, we'll give them another riddle that they\nwill not solve so quickly. Tell the king to send the sharpshooter to\nthe verge of destruction and bring back Shmat-Razum,--that's a task he\nwill not accomplish to all eternity; he will either be lost without\ntidings, or come back empty-handed.\"\n\nThe mayor rewarded the old witch with gold and hurried to the king,\nwho heard him and summoned Fedot.\n\n\"Fedot,\" said the king, \"thou art a hero, the best shot I have. Thou\nhast brought me the deer with golden horns, now thou must do me\nanother service; and if thou wilt not do it, I have a sword, and thy\nhead leaves thy shoulders. Thou must go to the verge of destruction\nand bring back Shmat-Razum.\"\n\nFedot turned to the left, walked out of the palace, went home sad and\nthoughtful.\n\n\"My dear,\" asked his wife, \"why art thou sad, has some misfortune\nhappened?\"\n\n\"Ah,\" said he, \"one woe has rolled from my neck and another rolled on!\nThe king sends me to the verge of destruction to bring back\nShmat-Razum. For thy beauty I bear all this trouble and care.\"\n\n\"That,\" said she, \"is no small task,--nine years to go there, and nine\nto come back, eighteen in all. Will good come of it? God knows. But\npray to the Lord and lie down to sleep; the morning is wiser than the\nevening. To-morrow thou'lt know all.\"\n\nAfter Fedot had lain down, his wife opened her magic book and asked\nthe two unknown youths if they knew how to go to the verge of\ndestruction and bring back Shmat-Razum. They answered: \"We know not.\"\nIn the morning she roused her husband and said, \"Go to the king and\nask for the road golden treasure,--thou hast eighteen years to wander;\nwhen thou hast the money come home for the parting.\"\n\nFedot got the money from the king and returned to take farewell of his\nwife. She gave him a towel and a ball, and said: \"When thou goest out\nof the town throw the ball down before thee, and wherever it rolls do\nthou follow. Here is a towel of my own work; no matter where thou art,\nwipe thy face with it after washing.\"\n\nFedot took farewell of his wife and comrades, bowed down on all four\nsides, and went beyond the barrier. He threw down the ball before him;\nit rolled, rolled on, and he followed after.\n\nAbout a month had passed, when the king summoned the mayor and said:\n\"The sharpshooter has gone to wander over the white world for\neighteen years; it is evident that he will not come back alive.\nEighteen years, as thou knowest, are not two weeks; many a thing may\nhappen on the road. He has much money, and robbers will fall upon him\nperhaps, strip him, and give him to a savage death. I think we can\nbegin at his wife now. Take my carriage, drive to the soldier's\nquarters, and bring her to the palace.\"\n\nThe mayor drove to Fedot's house, entered, saluted the sharpshooter's\nwife, and said: \"Hail, witty woman, the king has ordered us to present\nthee at the palace.\"\n\nShe went. The king received her with gladness, led her to a golden\nchamber, and spoke these words: \"Dost thou wish to be queen? I will\ntake thee in marriage.\"\n\n\"Where has it ever been seen or heard of,\" asked she, \"that a wife was\ntaken from her living husband? Though he is a simple soldier he is my\nlawful husband.\"\n\n\"If thou wilt not yield of thy free will, I will take thee by force.\"\n\nThe beautiful woman laughed, struck the floor, became a blue dove, and\nflew out through the window.\n\nFedot journeyed over many lands and kingdoms, the ball rolling ahead\nof him all the time. When he came to a river the ball became a bridge;\nwhenever he wanted rest it became a soft couch. Whether it is long or\nshort, a story is soon told, but a deed is not soon done; the\nsharpshooter arrived at a splendid palace, the ball rolled to the\ngate and disappeared. Fedot went straight up the stairs into a rich\nchamber, where he was met by three maidens of unspeakable loveliness.\n\n\"Whence comest, good man, and for what?\"\n\n\"Oh, beautiful maidens, ye have not let me rest after the long\njourney, but have begun to inquire. First ye should give me to eat and\ndrink, put me to rest, and then make inquiry.\"\n\nStraightway they set the table. When he had eaten and drunk and\nrested, they brought him water, a basin, and an embroidered towel. He\ntook not the towel, but said, \"I have one of my own.\" When they saw it\nthey asked: \"Good man, where didst thou get that towel?\"\n\n\"My wife gave it me.\"\n\n\"Then thy wife is our own sister.\"\n\nThey called their aged mother. The moment she saw the towel she\nrecognized it. \"Why, this is my daughter's work.\" She asked the guest\nall sorts of questions. He told her how he had married her daughter,\nand how the king had sent him to the verge of destruction to bring\nback Shmat-Razum.\n\n\"Oh, my dear son-in-law, of that wonder even I have not heard! Wait a\nmoment; maybe my servants have.\"\n\nShe went out on the balcony and called in a loud voice. Presently all\nkinds of beasts ran up, and all kinds of birds flew to her. \"Hail to\nyou, beasts of the wilderness, birds of the air! Ye beasts run\nthrough all places, ye birds fly everywhere; have ye never heard how\nto go to the verge of destruction, where Shmat-Razum lives?\"\n\nAll the beasts and birds answered in one voice: \"No; we have never\nheard!\"\n\nThen the old woman sent them all to their homes in hidden places,\nforests, and thickets; went to her magic book, opened it, and that\ninstant two giants appeared. \"What is thy pleasure; what dost thou\nwish?\"\n\n\"This, my faithful servants,--bear my son-in-law and me to the ocean\nsea wide, and stop just in the middle above the very abyss.\"\n\nImmediately they seized the sharpshooter and the old woman and bore\nthem on like a stormy whirlwind till they stopped just in the middle\nabove the abyss. They stood up themselves like pillars, holding the\nold woman and the sharpshooter in their arms. The old woman cried out\nwith a loud voice, and all the fishes and living things in the sea\nswam to her in such multitudes that the blue sea could not be seen for\nthem: \"Hail, fish and worms of the sea! Ye swim in all places, ye pass\nby all islands; have ye not heard how to go to the verge of\ndestruction, where lives Shmat-Razum?\"\n\nAll worms and fishes answered in one voice, \"No; we've not heard!\"\n\nAll at once an old limping frog, who had been thirty years out of\nservice, pushed her way to the front and said, \"Kwa-kwa! I know where\nto find such a wonder!\"\n\n\"Well, then, my dear, thou art the person I need,\" said the old woman.\nShe took the frog, and commanded the giants to bear them home. They\nwere at the palace in a flash. The old woman asked the frog how her\nson was to go.\n\n\"Oh!\" said the frog, \"that place is at the rim of the world,--far, far\naway. I would conduct him myself, but I am very old; I can barely move\nmy legs,--I couldn't jump there in fifty years.\"\n\nThe old woman took a bowl with some fresh milk, put the frog in it,\ngave the bowl to Fedot, and said: \"Carry this in thy hand; she will\nshow thee the way.\"\n\nThe sharpshooter took farewell of the old woman and her daughters, and\nwent on his journey, the frog showing him the way. Whether it was near\nor distant, long or short, he came at last to a flaming river, beyond\nwhich was a lofty mountain with a door in the side.\n\n\"Kwa-kwa!\" said the frog. \"Put me down out of the bowl; we must cross\nthe river.\"\n\nHe put her on the ground.\n\n\"Now, good youth, sit thou on my back; do not spare me.\"\n\nHe sat on her back and pressed her to the ground; she began to swell,\nand swelled until she was as big as a stack of hay. The sharpshooter's\none care was to keep from falling. \"If I fall,\" thought he, \"I shall\nbe crushed.\" The frog cleared the flaming river at a jump, became\nsmall as before, and said: \"Now, good youth, I will wait here; but do\nthou enter that door in the mountain. Thou wilt find a cave,--hide\nthyself well. After a time two old men will come in: listen to what\nthey say, and watch what they do; when they are gone, act as they\ndid.\"\n\nThe sharpshooter entered the door of the mountain; it was so dark in\nthe cave that if a man strained his eyes out he could not see a thing.\nFedot felt around and found a cupboard, crept in. After a while two\nold men entered and said, \"Shmat-Razum, feed us!\"\n\nThat moment, however it happened, the lamps were lighted, the dishes\nand plates rattled, and various kinds of food and wine appeared on the\ntable. The old men ate and drank, and then ordered Shmat-Razum to\nremove everything. Everything disappeared in a flash; neither table,\nnor food, nor wine, nor lights remained. The two old men went out.\n\nThe sharpshooter crawled from the cupboard and cried, \"Hei,\nShmat-Razum!\"\n\n\"What dost thou wish?\"\n\n\"Feed me!\"\n\nAgain the lights, the table, the food and drink appeared as before.\nFedot sat at the table and said: \"Hei, Shmat-Razum, sit down brother,\nwith me, we'll eat and drink together; it is irksome for me alone.\"\n\nThe voice of the unseen answered: \"Oh, kind man! whence has God\nbrought thee? It is nearly thirty years that I serve these old men in\nfaith and in truth, and all this time they have never once seated me\nwith themselves.\"\n\nThe sharpshooter looked and wondered. He saw no one, but the food was\nswept from the plates as if with a broom; the bottles raised\nthemselves and poured the wine into glasses,--behold, in a moment\nbottles and glasses are empty!\n\n\"Shmat-Razum, dost thou wish to serve me?\" asked the sharpshooter.\n\"I'll give thee a pleasant life.\"\n\n\"Why not? I am sick of being here; and thou, I see, art a kind man.\"\n\n\"All right; pick up everything and come along.\" The sharpshooter went\nout of the cave, looked around, saw no one, and asked: \"Art thou here,\nShmat-Razum?\"\n\n\"Here; I'll not leave thee, never fear.\"\n\n\"Very well,\" said Fedot, and sat on the frog,--she swelled, jumped\nover the river, and became small. He put her in the bowl, and went on\nthe homeward road, came to his mother-in-law, and made his new servant\nentertain the old woman and her daughters. Shmat-Razum gave them such\na feast that the old woman came very near dancing from joy. She\nordered that three bowls of milk be given to the frog every day in\nreward for her faithfulness. The sharpshooter bade good-by to his\nfriends and set out for home. He travelled and journeyed till he was\nalmost wearied to death. \"Oh, Shmat-Razum,\" said he, \"if thou couldst\nonly know how tired I am, I am just losing my legs.\"\n\n\"Why not tell me long ago?\" asked the other; \"I should have brought\nthee home quickly.\" With that he seized Fedot and bore him like a\nrushing whirlwind, so swiftly that his cap fell off.\n\n\"Hei, Shmat-Razum, wait a minute; my cap is gone.\"\n\n\"Late, my master; thy cap is now three thousand miles behind.\"\n\nTowns and villages, rivers and forests, just flashed before the eye;\nas Fedot was flying over a deep sea Shmat-Razum said: \"If thou\nwishest, I will make a summer-house in the midst of the sea; thou\ncanst rest, and acquire great fortune.\"\n\n\"Well, make it.\"\n\nThey dropped down toward the sea, and behold, where a moment before\nthe waves were rolling, an island rose up, and in the centre a golden\npleasure-house.\n\n\"Now, my master, sit down in this house, rest, and look at the sea.\nPresently three merchant-ships will sail by and cast anchor. Invite\nthe merchants, entertain them well, and exchange me for three\nwonderful things which they have. I'll come to thee again in my own\ntime.\"\n\nFedot looked; three merchant-ships were sailing from the west. The\nmerchants saw the island and wondered.\n\n\"What does this mean?\" asked they. \"How many times have we sailed by\nhere and seen nothing but water, and now an island and a\npleasure-house! Let us stand up to the shore, brothers, let us look\nand admire.\"\n\nThey stopped the ships, cast anchor; the three merchants stepped into\na light boat, went to the island, landed, and saluted Fedot,--\n\n\"Hail, worthy man!\"\n\n\"Good health to you, foreign merchants! We crave kindness. Come in,\nrejoice, have a good time, and rest yourselves. This pleasure-house\nwas made on purpose for passing guests.\" They went in and sat down.\n\n\"Hei, Shmat-Razum, meat and drink!\" A table appeared; on the table\nwines and meats, whatever the soul could desire was at hand in a\nmoment. The merchants opened their mouths in amazement.\n\n\"Let us exchange,\" said they. \"Give us thy servant, and take any one\nof our wonders.\"\n\n\"What wonders have ye?\"\n\n\"Look, and thou wilt see.\"\n\nOne merchant took a small box from his pocket and opened it: that\nminute a glorious garden was spread over the whole island with flowers\nand paths; he closed the box, and the garden was gone. The second\nmerchant took an axe from under his skirts and began to hit, hit\nstrike, a ship came out: hit strike--another ship. He struck a hundred\ntimes--a hundred ships. They moved around the island under full\ncanvas, with sailors and cannon. The sailors run and fire guns. The\ncommanders come to the merchant for orders. He amused himself, hid his\naxe: the ships vanished from the eye, were as if they had never been.\nThe third merchant took a horn, blew into it at one end: that minute\nan army appeared, cavalry and infantry, with muskets and cannons and\nflags; from every regiment come reports to the merchant, and he gives\nthem orders. The army marches, with music sounding and banners waving.\nThe merchant took his horn, blew in at the other end: there is\nnothing. Where has all the power gone to?\n\n\"Your wonders are strange,\" said the sharpshooter; \"but these are all\nplaythings for kings, and I am a simple soldier. If ye will exchange,\nhowever, I agree to give you my unseen servant for all three of your\nwonders.\"\n\n\"Is not that rather too much?\"\n\n\"Well, ye know your own business, I suppose; but I will not exchange\non other conditions.\"\n\nThe merchants thought to themselves, \"What good are these ships and\nsoldiers and garden to us? Let us exchange,--at least we shall have\nenough to eat and drink all our lives without trouble.\"\n\nThey gave the sharpshooter their wonders, and asked: \"Shmat-Razum,\nwilt thou come with us?\"\n\n\"Why not? It's all the same to me where I live.\"\n\nThe merchants returned to their ships and said: \"Now, Shmat-Razum, fly\nabout; give us to eat and drink.\" They invited all the men, and had\nsuch a feast that every one got drunk and slept a sound sleep.\n\nThe sharpshooter was sitting in the golden summer-house; he fell to\nthinking, and said: \"I am sorry; where art thou now, trusty servant?\"\n\n\"Here, my master.\"\n\nFedot rejoiced. \"Isn't it time for us to go home?\" The moment he spoke\nhe was borne through the air as if by a whirlwind.\n\nThe merchants woke up, and wishing to drink off the effects of their\ncarousal, cried out: \"Give us to drink, Shmat-Razum.\" No one answered,\nnothing was brought; no matter how much they screamed and commanded,\nno result. \"Well, gentlemen, this scoundrel has swindled us. Now Satan\nhimself could not find him; the island has vanished, the\npleasure-house is gone.\" The merchants grieved and regretted; then\nhoisted their sails and went to where they had business.\n\nThe sharpshooter soon arrived at his own kingdom, came down by the\nsea-shore. \"Shmat-Razum, canst thou build me a palace here?\"\n\n\"Why not?--it will be ready directly.\"\n\nThe palace appeared so splendid that it could not be described,--twice\nas good as the king's. Now the box was opened, and all around the\npalace was a glorious garden, with rare trees and flowers.\n\nThe sharpshooter sat by the window admiring the garden when all at\nonce a blue dove flew in through the open window, struck the floor,\nand became his young wife. They embraced and kissed each other; then\nmade inquiries and gave answer. Said his wife to Fedot: \"Since the\ntime thou didst leave me I have lived a lone dove in the forests and\nthickets.\"\n\nNext morning the king went out on the balcony, and saw by the shore of\nthe blue sea a new palace, and a green garden around it. \"What\ninsolent fellow has built on my land without leave?\" Couriers\nhastened, discovered, reported, that the palace was built by Fedot,\nwho was living there then, and with him his wife.\n\nThe king's anger increased. He gave orders to collect troops and go to\nthe sea-shore, destroy the garden, break the palace into small pieces,\nand give the sharpshooter and his wife to a cruel death.\n\nFedot saw the strong army approaching. He took his axe quickly, and\nstruck; a ship came forth; he struck a hundred times,--a hundred ships\nwere ready; he blew his horn once, infantry was marching; he blew it a\nsecond time, cavalry was galloping. The commanders rushed to him from\nthe ships, from the army, for orders. He ordered them to give battle.\nThe music sounded at once, the drums rattled, the regiments advanced.\nThe hundred ships open a cannonade on the king's capital. The army\nmoves on at the sound of music and beat of drum. The infantry rout the\nking's soldiers, the cavalry take them prisoners. The king sees that\nhis army is fleeing, hurries forward himself to stop it. But what\ncould he do? Half an hour had not passed before he was killed.\n\nWhen the battle was over, the people came together and begged the\nsharpshooter to take the government of the kingdom into his hands. He\nagreed, became king, and his wife queen.\n\n\n\n\nMARYA MOREVNA.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom in a certain land lived Ivan Tsarevich. He had\nthree sisters. The first was Marya Tsarevna; the second, Olga\nTsarevna; the third, Anna Tsarevna. Their father and mother were dead.\nWhen dying they said to their son: \"Whoever woos first a sister of\nthine, give her to him; keep not thy sisters with thee long.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich buried his parents, and from sorrow went with his\nsisters to walk in the green garden. Suddenly a black cloud rose in\nthe sky; a fearful storm was coming. \"Let us go home, sisters,\" said\nIvan Tsarevich. They had barely entered the castle when thunder\nroared, the ceiling opened, and a bright falcon flew into the chamber.\nThe falcon struck the floor, became a gallant youth, and said: \"Hail,\nIvan Tsarevich! Ere now I came as a guest, but now I'm a suitor. I\nwish to sue for thy sister, Marya Tsarevna.\"\n\n\"If thou art pleasing to my sister, I shall not restrain her. Let her\ngo, with God.\"\n\nMarya Tsarevna agreed, the Falcon married her, and bore her away to\nhis own kingdom.\n\nDays followed days, hours chased hours, a whole year was as if it had\nnot been. Ivan Tsarevich went with his two sisters to walk in the\ngreen garden. Again a cloud rose with whirlwind, with lightning. \"Let\nus go home, my sisters,\" said the Tsarevich. They had barely entered\nthe castle when a thunderclap came, the roof fell apart, the ceiling\nopened, and in flew an eagle. The eagle struck the floor and became a\ngallant youth. \"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Ere now I came as a guest, but\nnow I'm a suitor.\" And he asked for Olga Tsarevna in marriage.\n\nIvan Tsarevich answered: \"If thou art pleasing to Olga Tsarevna, then\nlet her marry thee; I take not her will from her.\" Olga Tsarevna\nconsented, and accepted the Eagle in marriage. The Eagle caught her up\nand bore her to his own kingdom.\n\nAnother year passed. Ivan Tsarevich said to his youngest sister: \"Let\nus go to walk in the green garden.\" They walked a little; again a\ncloud rose with whirlwind, with lightning. \"Come home, my sister,\ncome!\" They returned to the castle, but had not sat down when a\nthunderclap came, the ceiling opened, and in flew a raven. The raven\nstruck the floor and became a gallant youth. The others were beautiful\nin person, but he was still better.\n\n\"Well, Ivan Tsarevich! Ere now I came as a guest, but now I'm a wooer.\nGive me Anna Tsarevna.\"\n\n\"I take not her will from my sister. If thou hast pleased her, take\nher in marriage.\"\n\nAnna Tsarevna married the Raven, and he bore her away to his own\nkingdom.\n\nIvan Tsarevich remained alone. He lived a whole year without sisters,\ngrew wearied. \"I will go,\" said he, \"to seek out my sisters.\"\n\nHe made ready for the road, travelled and travelled, saw an army, a\npower lying slain on the field. Said Ivan Tsarevich: \"If there is a\nliving man here, let him speak. Who killed this great army?\"\n\nA living man answered: \"Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna, killed all\nthis great army.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich went farther; he came to white tents. Marya Morevna,\nthe fair Korolyevna, came forth to meet him. \"Hail, Tsarevich! Where\ndoes God bear thee? Of thy own will, or against thy will?\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich gave answer: \"Good heroes travel not against their\nwill.\"\n\n\"Well, if thy work be not hasty be a guest in my tents.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich was glad; he spent two nights in the tents, pleased\nMarya Morevna, and married her. Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna,\ntook him with her to her own kingdom. They lived together a time, and\nthen the Korolyevna had a thought to make war; she left to her husband\nher household, and said: \"Go everywhere, see after all things, but\nlook not in this closet.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich could not endure this, but when Marya Morevna had gone\nhe rushed to the closet, opened the door, looked, and there Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death was hanging inside, fastened with twelve chains.\nKoshch\u00e9i implored the Tsarevich: \"Take pity on me, give me to drink.\nTwelve years do I sit here in torment; I have not eaten nor drunk; my\nthroat is parched.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich gave him a whole three-gallon tub of water. He drank it,\nand begged, \"With one tub my thirst cannot be quenched.\" The Tsarevich\ngave him another tub. Koshch\u00e9i drank that, and begged for a third; and\nwhen he had drunk the third tub he regained his former strength, shook\nhis chains, and in one moment broke all twelve.\n\n\"God save thee, Ivan Tsarevich!\" said Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death; \"now\nthou wilt never see Marya Morevna any more than thy own ears;\" and he\nwent out a terrific whirlwind, flew through the window, overtook on\nthe road Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna, seized her, and bore her\naway.\n\nBut Ivan Tsarevich cried bitterly, bitterly, made ready, and went on\nhis road, on his way. \"Whatever may happen, I will find Marya\nMorevna.\" He travelled one day, he travelled a second; at the dawn of\nthe third day he saw a wonderful palace, near the palace an oak, on\nthe oak a bright falcon. The falcon flew down from the tree, struck\nthe earth, turned into a gallant youth, and shouted: \"Ah! my dear\nbrother-in-law, how does God favor thee?\"\n\nMarya Tsarevna ran out, met Ivan Tsarevich joyously, asked about his\nhealth, his life, and told about her own life and household.\n\nThe Tsarevich stayed three days with them, and said: \"I cannot stay\nlonger, I am in search of my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair\nKorolyevna.\"\n\n\"It is hard to find her,\" said the Falcon. \"In any case leave thy\nsilver spoon here; we will look at it and think of thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich left his silver spoon and went his way. He travelled a\nday, he travelled a second; at the dawn of the third he saw a castle\nbetter than the first, at the side of the castle an oak, on the oak\nsits an eagle. The eagle flew from the tree, struck the ground, turned\ninto a gallant youth, and shouted: \"Rise up, Olga Tsarevna; our dear\nbrother is coming.\" Olga Tsarevna ran out that moment to meet him; she\nbegan to kiss, to embrace her brother, to ask about his health, and to\ntell of her own life and household.\n\nIvan Tsarevich remained three days with them, and then said: \"I have\nno time to visit longer; I am going to seek my wife, Marya Morevna,\nthe fair Korolyevna.\"\n\nSaid the Eagle: \"It is hard for thee to find her. Leave with us thy\nsilver fork; we will look at it and remember thee.\"\n\nHe left the fork and went his way. He travelled a day, he travelled a\nsecond; and on the dawn of the third day he saw a castle better than\nthe other two. At the side of the castle was an oak, and on the oak a\nraven was perched. The raven flew down, struck the earth, turned into\na gallant youth, and cried: \"Anna Tsarevna, hurry out; our brother is\ncoming.\"\n\nAnna Tsarevna ran out, met him joyously, began to kiss and embrace her\nbrother, to ask about his health, and to tell about her own life and\nhousehold.\n\nIvan Tsarevich stayed with them three short days, and said: \"Farewell,\nI am going to look for my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna.\"\n\nThe Raven said: \"It is hard for thee to find her; but leave thy gold\nring with us, we will look at it and remember thee. If the ring is\nbright, it means that thou art alive and well; if dim, then we shall\nknow that evil has come on thee.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich left his gold ring and went his way. He travelled a\nday, he travelled a second; and on the third he came to Marya Morevna.\nShe saw her dear one, rushed on his neck, covered herself with tears,\nand said: \"Ivan Tsarevich, why didst thou not obey me; why didst thou\nlook in the closet and let out Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death?\"\n\n\"Forgive me, Marya Morevna; remember not the past. Better go with me\nwhile Koshch\u00e9i is not here; mayhap he will not overtake us.\"\n\nThey made ready and went. Koshch\u00e9i was out hunting; toward evening he\nwas coming home, his good steed stumbled under him. \"Why stumble,\nhungry crowbait; or dost feel some misfortune?\"\n\nThe horse answered: \"Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna\naway.\"\n\n\"Can we overtake them?\"\n\n\"Thou mightest sow wheat, wait till it should ripen, reap it, thresh\nit, make flour, bake five ovens of bread, eat that bread, go in\npursuit, and overtake them.\"\n\nKoshch\u00e9i galloped on, overtook Ivan Tsarevich. \"Well,\" said he, \"I\nforgive thee the first time for thy kindness, because thou didst give\nme water to drink; and a second time I'll forgive thee: but for the\nthird have a care; I will hew thee to pieces.\"\n\nHe took Marya Morevna and led her away. Ivan Tsarevich sat on a stone\nand wept; he cried and cried, went back for Marya Morevna. Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death did not happen to be at home.\n\n\"Let us go, Marya Morevna.\"\n\n\"Ah, Ivan Tsarevich, he will overtake us!\"\n\n\"Let him overtake us; anyhow, we shall pass a couple of hours\ntogether.\" They made ready and started away.\n\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death was coming home; his good steed stumbled under\nhim. \"Why dost thou stumble, hungry crowbait; or feelest thou evil?\"\n\n\"Ivan Tsarevich came and carried Marya Morevna away.\"\n\n\"Can they be overtaken?\"\n\n\"Barley might be sown, waited for till ripe, harvested, threshed, and\nbeer made of it; we might drink the beer, sleep after drinking, then\npursue and catch them.\"\n\nKoshch\u00e9i galloped on, rode up, overtook Ivan Tsarevich. \"But I have\nsaid that thou canst no more see Marya Morevna than look at thy own\nears.\" He took her away and led her home.\n\nIvan Tsarevich remained alone; he cried and cried, and went back for\nMarya Morevna. That time Koshch\u00e9i was not at home.\n\n\"Let us go, Marya Morevna.\"\n\n\"Ah! Ivan Tsarevich, he will come up with us, will hew thee to\npieces.\"\n\n\"Let him hew me; I cannot live without thee.\" They made ready and\nstarted.\n\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death was coming home; his good steed stumbled under\nhim. \"Why dost thou stumble, hungry crowbait; or feelest thou evil?\"\n\n\"Ivan Tsarevich came, and took Marya Morevna away.\"\n\nKoshch\u00e9i galloped on, caught up with Ivan Tsarevich, hewed him into\nsmall pieces, put him in a pitched barrel, took that barrel,\nstrengthened it with iron hoops, and cast it into the blue sea. Marya\nMorevna he took home.\n\nNow the silver grew black at the houses of Ivan Tsarevich's\nbrothers-in-law. \"Oh,\" said they, \"it is clear that some evil has\nhappened!\"\n\nThe Eagle rushed off to the blue sea, caught the barrel, and drew it\nto shore; the Falcon flew for the living water, and the Raven for the\ndead water. All flew together to the same place, broke the barrel,\ntook out the pieces of Ivan Tsarevich, washed them, put them together\nin proper order. The Raven sprinkled them with dead water, the body\ngrew together and united; the Falcon sprinkled the body with living\nwater. Ivan Tsarevich trembled, rose up, and said, \"Oh, how long I\nhave been sleeping!\"\n\n\"Thou wouldst have slept still longer without us,\" answered the\nbrothers-in-law. \"Come now to our houses.\"\n\n\"No, brothers, I shall go to seek Marya Morevna.\" He came to her and\nsaid, \"Discover from Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death where he found such a\nsteed.\"\n\nBehold, Marya Morevna seized a favorable moment, inquired of Koshch\u00e9i.\nKoshch\u00e9i said: \"Beyond the thrice-ninth land, in the thirtieth\nkingdom, beyond the fiery river, lives Baba-Yaga; and she has a mare\non which she flies round the world each day; she has many other\nglorious mares. I was her herdsman for three days. I let not one mare\nstray from her, and for that service Baba-Yaga gave me a colt.\"\n\n\"But how didst thou cross the river of fire?\"\n\n\"I have a kerchief of such sort that when I wave it on the right side\nthree times, a bridge is made, lofty and high; the fire cannot reach\nit.\"\n\nMarya Morevna listened, told all to Ivan Tsarevich, carried away the\nkerchief, and gave it to him. Ivan Tsarevich crossed the fiery river,\nand went to Baba-Yaga. Long did he go without eating and drinking; a\nbird from beyond the sea, with her little children, happened in his\nway. \"I'll eat one little chick,\" said Ivan Tsarevich.\n\n\"Eat it not, Ivan Tsarevich,\" begged the bird from beyond the sea; \"in\ntime I will serve thee.\"\n\nHe went farther, saw in the forest a swarm of bees. \"I'll take some\nhoney,\" said he.\n\nThe queen-bee called out, \"Touch not my honey, Ivan Tsarevich; in time\nI will serve thee.\"\n\nHe left the honey and went on. Then a lioness and her whelp met him.\n\"At least I'll eat this little lion; I feel such hunger that I am\nsick.\"\n\n\"Touch him not, Ivan Tsarevich; in time I will serve thee.\"\n\n\"Well, let it be as thou sayest.\"\n\nHe went on hungry; he travelled and travelled. There is the house of\nBaba-Yaga. Around the house stand twelve stakes; on eleven are heads\nof men,--only one stake is unoccupied.\n\n\"Hail to thee, grandmother!\"\n\n\"Hail to thee, Ivan Tsarevich! Hast come of thy own good will, or from\nneed?\"\n\n\"I have come to earn of thee an heroic steed.\"\n\n\"Very well, Tsarevich; no need to serve a year with me, but three days\nin all. If thou wilt herd my mares, I'll give thee an heroic steed;\nbut if not, be not angry, thy head will be on the last stake.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich consented. Baba-Yaga gave him food with drink, and\nordered him to begin the work. As soon as he had driven the mares\na-field, they raised their tails and all ran apart through the\nmeadows. The Tsarevich could not cast his eyes round before they had\nvanished. Then he began to weep and grow sad; he sat on a stone and\nfell asleep. The sun was going down when the bird from beyond the sea\nflew up and roused him.\n\n\"Rise, Ivan Tsarevich; the mares are now home.\"\n\nThe Tsarevich stood up, came home, but Baba-Yaga was screaming and\ncrying at her mares. \"Why did ye come home?\"\n\n\"How could we help it, when birds from the whole world flew together\nand almost picked our eyes out?\"\n\n\"Well, to-morrow don't run in the meadows, but scatter through the\nsleeping forest.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich slept the night; in the morning Baba-Yaga said: \"See to\nit, Tsarevich. If thou dost not herd the mares, if thou losest even\none of them, thy stormy head will be on the stake.\"\n\nHe drove the mares a-field. That moment they raised their tails and\nran through the sleeping forest. Again the Tsarevich sat down on a\nstone, cried and cried, then fell asleep. The sun had gone behind the\nforest when the lioness ran up. \"Rise, Ivan Tsarevich; the mares are\ndriven in.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich stood up and went home. Baba-Yaga was screaming and\ncrying more than before at her mares. \"Why did ye come home?\"\n\n\"How could we help coming? Savage beasts ran at us from the whole\nworld, came near tearing us to pieces.\"\n\n\"Well, run to-morrow into the blue sea.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich slept that night; next morning Baba-Yaga sent him to\nherd the mares. \"If thou dost not guard them, thy stormy head will be\non the stake.\"\n\nHe drove the mares to the field; that moment they raised their tails\nand vanished from the eye, ran into the blue sea, and stood to their\nnecks in the water.\n\nIvan Tsarevich sat on a stone, cried, and fell asleep. The sun had\ngone beyond the forest when a bee flew up and said: \"Ivan Tsarevich,\nthe mares are driven in. But when thou art home, do not show thyself\nbefore the eyes of Baba-Yaga; go to the stable and hide behind the\nmanger. There is a mangy little colt lying on the dung-heap; steal\nhim, and at dark midnight leave the place.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich rose up, made his way to the stable, and lay down\nbehind the manger. Baba-Yaga screamed and cried at her mares: \"Why did\nye come home?\"\n\n\"How could we help coming home when bees, seen and unseen, flew from\nthe whole world and began to sting us on every side till the blood\ncame!\"\n\nBaba-Yaga went to sleep, and just at midnight Ivan Tsarevich stole\nfrom her the mangy colt, saddled him, sat on his back, and galloped to\nthe fiery river; when he came to the river he shook the kerchief three\ntimes on the right side, and suddenly, from wherever it came, a high,\nsplendid bridge was hanging over the river. The Tsarevich crossed on\nthe bridge, waved the kerchief on the left side only twice, and there\nremained above the river a bridge very, very slender.\n\nIn the morning Baba-Yaga woke up; the mangy colt is not to be seen\nwith sight. Baba-Yaga, on an iron mortar, rushed off in pursuit with\nall her breath, urging forward with a pestle, and removing her trail\nwith a broom. She galloped to the fiery river, looked and thought:\n\"The bridge is good.\" She rode out on it, and the moment she reached\nthe middle the bridge broke. Baba-Yaga went headlong into the river;\nthere a savage death came to her.\n\nIvan Tsarevich fed his colt in the green meadows, and it became a\nmarvellous steed. The Tsarevich came to Marya Morevna; she ran out to\nhim, threw herself on his neck.\n\n\"How has God brought thee to life?\"\n\n\"In this way and that way,\" said he; \"come with me.\"\n\n\"I am afraid, Ivan Tsarevich. If Koshch\u00e9i overtakes us again, thou\nwilt be cut to pieces.\"\n\n\"No, he will not overtake us. I have a glorious, heroic steed now; he\ngoes like a bird.\"\n\nThey sat on the horse and rode off. Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death was coming\nhome; under him stumbled his steed.\n\n\"Why stumble, hungry crowbait; or feelest thou evil?\"\n\n\"Ivan Tsarevich came, took away Marya Morevna.\"\n\n\"Can we overtake him?\"\n\n\"God knows! Now Ivan Tsarevich has an heroic steed better than I.\"\n\n\"I cannot stand this,\" said Koshch\u00e9i the Deathless, \"I'll give chase.\"\n\nWhether it was long or short, he caught up with Ivan Tsarevich, sprang\nto the ground, and wanted to cut him with his sharp sword. That moment\nIvan's horse struck, with all the sweep of his hoof, Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death, and smashed his skull. The Tsarevich finished him with\nhis club. Then he raised a pile of wood, made a fire, burned Koshch\u00e9i\nWithout-Death on the fire, and scattered the ashes to the wind.\n\nMarya Morevna mounted Koshch\u00e9i's horse, and Ivan Tsarevich his own.\nThey went to visit the Raven, then the Eagle, and last the Falcon;\nwherever they came they were met with joy.\n\n\"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, we did not think to see thee! It was not for\nnothing thou didst struggle; another such beauty as Marya Morevna\ncould not be found if sought for in the whole world.\"\n\nThey visited and feasted, and set out for their own kingdom; arrived\nthere, gained wealth, and drank mead.\n\n\nVARIANT OF THE RESCUE OF IVAN TSAREVICH AND THE WINNING OF THE COLT.\n\nEagle son of Eagle flew to the sea and brought mighty winds, the sea\nrose, and threw the barrel on shore. Falcon son of Falcon grasped the\nbarrel in his talons, bore it high, high in the air, and dropped it\nthence to the ground. The barrel fell and was broken in pieces; but\nRaven son of Raven carried healing water and living water and\nsprinkled Ivan Tsarevich with them. Then all three of them caught him\nup and bore him to the thrice-ninth land, to the thirtieth kingdom.\nThey brought him to the thirtieth kingdom and said: \"Go now to the\nblue sea, where lives a marvellous mare; in front of her twelve men\nare mowing hay, and twelve rakers are raking what they mow: she\nfollows them and eats the hay. When the mare drinks water, the blue\nsea rises in waves and leaves fall from the trees; when she scratches\nherself on hundred-year oaks, they fall to the ground like bundles of\noats. Every month she has one colt; twelve wolves follow her and\ndevour these colts. Bide thy time; and the moment a colt is born with\na star on its forehead, seize it quickly,--that colt will be an heroic\nsteed for thee. On that colt Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death will not overtake\nthee.\" Ivan Tsarevich did as his brothers-in-law taught him.\n\n\n\n\nYELENA THE WISE.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom, in a certain land, the Tsar had a golden\ncompany; in this company served a soldier, Ivan by name, a hero in\nappearance. The Tsar took him into favor and began to reward him with\nrank; in a short time he made him colonel. The superior officers\nenvied him. \"Why have we served for our rank as we have thirty years,\nand he has got every rank all at once? We must get rid of him, or he\nwill go ahead of us.\"\n\nThe generals and counselling boyars arranged a trip on the sea,\nprepared the ship, invited Ivan the colonel to go with them. They\nsailed out into the open sea, and went around till late in the\nevening. Ivan grew tired, lay on a bed, and fell into a deep sleep.\nThat was all the boyars and generals were waiting for. They seized\nhim, put him in a boat, pushed him out to sea, and returned home\nthemselves.\n\nSoon dark clouds came up and a storm began to roar; the waves rose and\ncarried the boat it is unknown whither; they carried it far, far away,\nand cast it out on an island. Here Ivan woke up, looked, saw a desert\nland, no trace of the ship, and the sea ran terribly high.\n\n\"It is clear,\" thought he, \"that the ship has been wrecked by the\nstorm, and all my comrades are drowned. Glory be to God that I am safe\nmyself!\"\n\nHe went to look at the island, walked and walked. Nowhere did he see a\nspringing beast, a flying bird, or a dwelling of man. Whether it was\nlong or short, Ivan wandered to an underground passage; through this\nhe went down a deep precipice, and came to the underground kingdom,\nwhere the six-headed serpent lived and reigned. He saw a white-walled\ncastle, entered. The first chamber was empty, in the second there was\nno one, in the third the six-headed serpent was sleeping a hero's\nsleep. At his side stood a table, on the table an enormous book was\nlying.\n\nIvan opened the book and read to the page where it was written that a\nTsar had never a son, but always a Tsaritsa had sons. He took and\nscratched out these words with a knife, and in place of them wrote\nthat a Tsaritsa had never a son, but always a Tsar had sons.\n\nIn an hour's time the serpent turned to his other side, woke up,\nopened his eyes, saw Ivan, and asked: \"From what place hast thou come?\nI live so many years in the world and I have not seen one man in my\nkingdom.\"\n\n\"How from what place? But thou knowest I am thy son.\"\n\n\"How can that be?\" asked the serpent. \"I will look in the book and\nsee if a Tsar can have a son.\"\n\nHe opened the book, read in it what Ivan had written, and was\nconvinced. \"Thou art right, my son.\"\n\nHe took Ivan by the hand, led him through all his treasure-chambers,\nshowed him his countless wealth, and they began to live and live on\ntogether.\n\nSome time passed, and the six-headed serpent said: \"My dear son, here\nare the keys of all the chambers; go wherever thy desire may lead\nthee, but do not dare to look into that chamber which is fastened with\ntwo locks, one of gold, the other of silver. I will fly around the\nworld, will look at people, and amuse myself.\"\n\nHe gave the keys, and flew away out of the underground kingdom to\nwander through the white world. Ivan Tsarevich remained all alone. He\nlived a month, a second and a third month, and the year was coming to\nan end, when it became dreary for him, and he thought to examine the\nchambers; he walked and walked till he came straight in front of the\nforbidden chamber. The good youth could not restrain himself; he took\nout the keys, opened both locks, the gold and the silver, opened the\noaken door.\n\nIn that chamber were sitting two maidens riveted in chains: one was\nTsarevna Yelena the Wise, and the other her maid. The Tsarevna had\ngolden wings, and her maid silver wings. Said Yelena the Wise: \"Hail,\ngood hero! Do us a service not great: give us each of a glass of\nspring water to drink.\"\n\nIvan, looking at her unspeakable beauty, forgot all about the serpent,\npitied the poor prisoners, poured out two glasses of spring water, and\ngave them to the beautiful women. They drank, shook themselves; the\niron rings were broken, and the heavy chains fell. The beautiful women\nclapped their wings and flew through the open window; then only did\nIvan come to his mind. He shut the empty chamber, came out on the\nporch, sat on the step, hung his stormy head below his mighty\nshoulders, and grew powerfully, powerfully sad. How was he to give\nanswer? Suddenly the wind began to whistle, a mighty storm rose up,\nthe six-headed serpent flew home.\n\n\"Hail, my dear son!\"\n\nIvan answered not a word.\n\n\"Why art thou silent; or has something happened?\"\n\n\"Evil, father,--I did not obey thy command. I looked into that chamber\nwhere two maidens were sitting riveted in chains, I gave them spring\nwater to drink, they drank, shook themselves, clapped their wings, and\nflew out through the open window.\"\n\nThe serpent was terribly enraged; he began to abuse and curse in every\nfashion. Then he took an iron rod, heated it red hot, and gave Ivan\nthree blows on the back. \"It is thy luck,\" said he, \"that thou art my\nson; if thou wert not, I should eat thee alive.\"\n\nAs soon as Ivan's back had healed he began to beg of the serpent:\n\"Father, let me go out into the world to look for Yelena the Wise.\"\n\n\"What couldst thou do? I was thirty-three years getting her, and\nbarely, barely had I the skill to catch her.\"\n\n\"Let me go, father; let me try my fortune.\"\n\n\"Well, after me if thou pleasest. Here is the carpet that flies of\nitself: wherever thou wishest, there will it bear thee; only I am\nsorry for thee, since Yelena the Wise is terribly cunning. If thou\ncatch her she will still overreach and deceive thee.\"\n\nIvan sat on the carpet that flies of itself, flew out of the\nunderground kingdom, and hadn't time to wink before he found himself\nin a beautiful garden. He went to a pond, sat under a laburnum-bush,\nand began to look and admire the gold and silver fish swimming in the\nclear water. Before five minutes had passed, Yelena the Wise had flown\nto the pond with her maid. They took off their wings at once, put them\nnear the bush, undressed, and ran into the water to bathe.\n\nIvan took the wings quietly, came from under the bush, and cried with\na loud voice: \"But now ye are in my hands!\"\n\nThe beautiful women sprang out of the pond, put on their clothes, came\nto the good youth, and begged him to give back their wings. \"No,\" said\nIvan, \"I will not give them for anything. Yelena the Wise, thou hast\npleased me more than the bright sun; now I will take thee to my\nfather and my mother, I will marry thee, and thou shalt be my wife,\nand I will be thy husband.\"\n\nThe Tsarevna's maid said: \"Hear me, good youth: 'tis thy wish to marry\nYelena the Wise, but why detain me. Better give me my wings; I will\nserve thee in time.\"\n\nIvan thought and thought, and gave her the silver wings. She tied them\non quickly, sprang up, and flew far, far away. After that, Ivan made a\nbox, put the golden wings into it, and closed it firmly with a lock.\nHe sat on the self-flying carpet, placed Yelena the Wise at his side,\nand flew away to his own kingdom. He came to his father, to his\nmother, brought them his bride, and begged them to love and to favor\nher. Then there was rejoicing such as no one had seen.\n\nNext day Ivan gave his mother the key of the box. \"Take care of it for\na time,\" said he, \"give it to no one; and I will go to the Tsar and\ninvite him to the wedding.\"\n\nAs soon as he had gone, Yelena the Wise ran in: \"Mother, give me the\nkey of the box; I must get clothes to dress for the wedding.\" The\nmother, knowing nothing, gave her the key without fear. Yelena the\nWise ran to the box, raised the lid, took her wings, put them on,\nclapped them once and again; that was all they saw of her.\n\nThe bridegroom came home. \"Mother, where is my bride? It is time to\nprepare for the crown.\"\n\n\"Oh, my dear son, she has flown away!\"\n\nDeeply did the good youth sigh; he took farewell of his father and his\nmother, sat on his self-flying carpet, and flew to the underground\nkingdom, to the six-headed serpent, who saw him and said: \"Well,\ndaring head, did I speak in vain when I said that thou couldst not get\nYelena the Wise; and if thou didst get her she would deceive thee?\"\n\n\"Thou art right, father; but no matter what comes, I will try again, I\nwill go to get her.\"\n\n\"Ah! thou irrestrainable fellow, knowest thou she has a rule that\nwhoever wants to marry her must hide three times, and if she finds him\nshe will have his head cut off? Many a hero has gone to her, but all\nto the last man have laid down their stormy heads; and the same is\npreparing for thee. But here is a flint and steel for thee: when\nYelena the Wise makes thee hide, strike the flint with the\nsteel,--strike out a spark, and set fire to the grass of the steppe.\nAt that moment a blue-winged eagle will appear and raise thee above\nthe third range of clouds; if that does not succeed, strike fire\nagain, and let it into the blue sea. A giant pike will swim to land,\nwill take thee and bear thee away to the depth of the sea; and if\nYelena the Wise finds thee, then there is no place in which thou canst\nhide from her.\"\n\nIvan Tsarevich took the flint and steel, thanked the six-headed\nserpent, and flew off on the carpet. Whether it was long or short,\nnear or far, he flew beyond the thrice-ninth land to the thirtieth\nkingdom, where lived Yelena the Wise. Her palace was flashing like\nfire; it was made of pure silver and gold. At her gate, on iron\npoints, were the heads of eleven heroes. Ivan the good youth became\nthoughtful. \"Eleven heads on the points, mine will surely be the\ntwelfth.\" He came down in the broad court, went on the lofty porch,\nand straight to the chamber.\n\nYelena the Wise met him. \"Thou!\" said she, \"why art thou here?\"\n\n\"I want to take thee in marriage.\"\n\n\"Well, all right, try. If thou art able to hide from me, I will marry\nthee; if not, thou wilt pay with thy head.\"\n\nIvan went out in the open field, took his flint and steel, struck\nfire, and put it to the steppe grass. From wherever he came, a\nblue-winged eagle flew to him and said, with the voice of a man, \"Good\nyouth, sit on me quickly; hold firmly, or thou wilt fall.\"\n\nIvan sat on the eagle, grasped firmly with his hands. The eagle\nclapped his wings, and rose high beyond the third range of clouds. He\nis well hidden; it seems no one can find him. But Yelena the Wise had\na mirror: all she had to do was to look in it, and the whole world was\nopen to her. She knew in a moment where and what was going on in the\nwhite world. She stepped up to that mirror, looked in it, and knew\nevery secret.\n\n\"Stop, cunning fellow,\" cried Yelena the Wise, with a loud voice; \"I\nsee thou hast flown above the third range of clouds. The blue-winged\neagle bore thee; it is time to come down to the earth.\"\n\nIvan came to the earth, slipped off the eagle, went to the sea-shore,\nstruck fire, and put it to the blue sea. Suddenly, from wherever he\ncame, a giant pike swam to shore. \"Well, good youth, creep into my\nmouth; I'll hide thee in the bottom of the sea.\" He opened his jaws,\ntook in the young man, sank with him in the abyss of the sea, and\ncovered him with sand.\n\n\"Now,\" thought Ivan, \"perhaps it will be all right.\" But the point was\nnot there.\n\nYelena the Wise barely looked in the mirror, and saw everything at\nonce. \"Stop, cunning fellow, I see thou hast gone into the giant pike,\nand thou art sitting now in the abyss of the sea beneath rolling\nsands; it is time to come to shore.\" The pike swam to shore, threw out\nthe good youth, and vanished in the sea.\n\nIvan returned to the broad court of Yelena the Wise, sat on the porch,\nand grew powerfully thoughtful and sad. At that moment the maid of\nYelena the Wise ran up the stairway. \"Why are thou sad, good youth?\"\n\n\"How can I be glad? If I hide not the third time, I must part with the\nwhite world; so here I am sitting and waiting for death.\"\n\n\"Grieve not; foretell no evil on thy own stormy head. Once I promised\nto serve thee; I spoke no empty word. Come, I will hide thee.\"\n\nShe took Ivan by the hand, led him in, and put him behind the mirror.\nA little later Yelena the Wise ran to the chamber, looked and looked\nin the mirror. She could not see her bridegroom; the appointed time\nhad passed. She grew angry, and with vexation struck the glass; it\nfell into fragments, and before her stood Ivan the brave youth.\n\nThere was no help for it,--she had to yield this time. At the house of\nYelena the Wise there was no need of waiting to make mead or wine;\nthat day they had a noble feast and a wedding. They were crowned, and\nbegan to live,--to live on and win wealth.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SEVEN SIMEONS, FULL BROTHERS.\n\n\nThere lived an old man and his old wife; they lived many years, to a\ngreat age. Then they began to pray to God to give them a child who in\ntheir old age might help them to work. They prayed a year, they prayed\na second, they prayed a third and fourth, they prayed a fifth and a\nsixth, and did not receive a child; but in the seventh year the Lord\ngave them seven sons, and they called them all Simeon. When the old\nman with the old woman died, the Simeons were left orphans all in\ntheir tenth year.\n\nThey ploughed their own land, and were not worse than their neighbors.\nIt happened one time to Tsar Ador, the ruler of all that country, to\npass their village, and he saw the Seven Simeons working in the field.\nHe wondered greatly that such small boys were ploughing and harrowing.\nTherefore he sent his chief boyar to inquire whose children they were.\nWhen the boyar came to the Simeons he asked why they, such small\nchildren, were doing such heavy work?\n\nThe eldest Simeon answered that they were orphans, that there was no\none to work for them, and said at the same time that they were all\ncalled Simeon. The boyar left them and told this to the Tsar, who\nwondered greatly that so many small boys, brothers, should be called\nby one name. Therefore he sent the same boyar to take them to the\npalace. The boyar carried out the command of the Tsar and took all the\nSimeons with him. When the Tsar came to the palace he assembled the\nboyars and men of counsel and asked advice in the following words:\n\n\"My boyars and men of counsel, ye see these seven orphans who have no\nrelatives: I wish to make of them men who may be grateful to me\nhereafter; therefore I ask counsel of you. In what science or art\nshould I have them instructed?\"\n\nTo this all answered as follows: \"Most Gracious Sovereign, as they are\nnow grown somewhat and have reason, dost thou not think it well to ask\neach one of them separately with what science or art he would like to\noccupy himself?\"\n\nThe Tsar accepted this advice gladly, and began by asking the eldest\nSimeon: \"Listen to me, my friend: with whatever science or art thou\nwishest to occupy thyself, in that I will have thee instructed.\"\n\nSimeon answered: \"Your Majesty, I have no wish to occupy myself with\nany science or art; but if you would give command to build a forge in\nthe middle of your court-yard, I would forge a pillar reaching to the\nsky.\"\n\nThe Tsar saw that there was no reason to teach this Simeon, for he\nknew well enough the art of a blacksmith; still, he did not believe\nthat the boy could forge a pillar to the very sky, therefore he gave\ncommand to build in quick time a forge in the middle of his\ncourt-yard. After the first he called the second Simeon. \"And thou, my\nfriend, whatever science or art thou wishest to study, in that will I\ngive thee to be taught.\"\n\nThen that Simeon answered: \"Your Majesty, I do not wish to study any\nscience or art; but if my eldest brother will forge a pillar to the\nsky, then I will climb that pillar to the top, and will look at all\nlands, and tell you what is going on in each one of them.\"\n\nThe Tsar considered that there was no need to teach this Simeon\neither, because he was wise already. Then he asked the third Simeon:\n\"Thou, my friend, what science or art dost thou wish to learn?\"\n\nSimeon answered: \"Your Majesty, I do not wish to learn any science or\nart; but if my eldest brother will make me an axe, with the axe I will\nstrike once, twice; that moment there will be a ship.\"\n\nThen the king answered: \"I need shipwrights, and thou shouldst not be\ntaught anything else.\" Next he asked the fourth: \"Thou, Simeon, what\nscience or art dost thou wish to know?\"\n\n\"Your Majesty,\" answered he, \"I do not wish to know any science; but\nif my third brother should make a ship, and if it should happen to\nthat ship to be at sea, and an enemy should attack it, I would seize\nit by the prow and take the ship to the underground kingdom; and when\nthe enemy had gone away I would bring it back to the surface of the\nsea.\"\n\nThe Tsar was astonished at these great wonders of the fourth Simeon,\nand he said: \"There is no need to teach thee either.\" Then he asked\nthe fifth Simeon: \"And thou, Simeon, what science or art dost thou\nwish to learn?\"\n\n\"I do not wish to learn any,\" said he; \"but if my eldest brother will\nmake me a gun, with that gun, if I see a bird, I will hit it, even one\nhundred versts distant.\"\n\n\"Well, thou wilt be a splendid sharpshooter for me,\" said the Tsar.\nThen he asked the sixth Simeon: \"Thou, Simeon, what science dost thou\nwish to begin?\"\n\n\"Your Majesty,\" said Simeon, \"I have no wish to begin any science or\nart; but if my fifth brother will shoot a bird on the wing, I will not\nlet it reach the earth, but will catch it and bring it to you.\"\n\n\"Thou'rt very cunning,\" said the Tsar; \"thou wilt take the place of a\nretriever for me in the field.\" Then the Tsar asked the last Simeon:\n\"What art or science dost thou wish to learn?\"\n\n\"Your Majesty,\" answered he, \"I do not wish to learn any science or\nart, because I have a most precious craft.\"\n\n\"But what is thy craft? Tell me, if it please thee.\"\n\n\"I know how to steal dexterously,\" said Simeon, \"so that no man can\nsteal in comparison with me.\"\n\nThe Tsar became greatly enraged, hearing of such an evil art, and said\nto his boyars and men of counsel: \"Gentlemen, how do ye advise me to\npunish this thief Simeon? Tell me what death should he die?\"\n\n\"Your Majesty,\" said they all to him, \"why put him to death? He is a\nthief in name, but a thief who may be needed on an occasion.\"\n\n\"For what reason?\" asked the Tsar.\n\n\"For this reason: your Majesty is trying now these ten years to get\nTsarevna Yelena the Beautiful, and you have not been able to get her;\nand besides, have lost great forces and armies, and spent much\ntreasure and other things. Mayhap this Simeon the thief may in some\nway be able to steal Yelena the Beautiful for your Majesty.\"\n\nThe Tsar said in answer: \"My friends, ye tell me the truth.\" Then he\nturned to Simeon the thief and asked: \"Well, Simeon, canst thou go to\nthe thrice-ninth land, to the thirtieth kingdom, and steal for me\nYelena the Beautiful? I am strongly in love with her, and if thou\ncanst steal her for me I'll give thee a great reward.\"\n\n\"Stealing is my art, your Majesty,\" answered the seventh Simeon, \"and\nI will steal her for you; only give the command.\"\n\n\"Not only do I give the command, but I beg thee to do it; and delay\nno longer at my court, but take for thyself troops and money, whatever\nis needed.\"\n\n\"Neither troops nor treasure do I need,\" answered he. \"Let all of us\nbrothers go together, and I will get Tsarevna Yelena the Beautiful.\"\n\nThe Tsar did not like to part with all the Simeons; still, though he\nregretted it, he was obliged to let them all go together. Meanwhile\nthe forge was built in the court, and the eldest Simeon forged an iron\npillar to the very sky; the second Simeon climbed on that pillar to\nthe top, and looked in the direction in which was the kingdom of the\nfather of Yelena the Beautiful. After he had looked he cried from the\ntop of the pillar: \"Your Majesty, I see Yelena the Beautiful sitting\nbeyond the thrice-ninth land in the thirtieth kingdom under a window;\nher marrow flows from bone to bone.\"\n\nNow the Tsar was still more enticed by her beauty, and said to the\nSimeons in a loud voice: \"My friends, start on your journey at once,\nfor I cannot live without Yelena, the beautiful Tsarevna.\"\n\nThe eldest Simeon made an axe for the third, and for the fifth he made\na gun; and after that they took bread for the journey, and Simeon the\nThief took a cat, and they went their way. Simeon the Thief had made\nthe cat so used to him that she ran after him everywhere like a dog;\nand if he stopped on the road, or in any other place, the cat stood on\nher hind legs, rubbed against him, and purred. So the brothers went\ntheir way for some time, and at last came to the sea, which they had\nto cross, and there was nothing to cross upon. They walked along the\nshore and looked for a tree of some kind to make a vessel, and they\nfound a very large oak. The third Simeon took his axe and cut the oak\nat the very root, and then with one stroke and another he made\nstraightway a ship, which was rigged, and in the ship were various\ncostly goods. All the Simeons sat on that ship and sailed on their\njourney.\n\nIn a few months they arrived safely at the place where it was\nnecessary for them to go. When they entered the harbor they cast\nanchor at once. On the following day Simeon the Thief took his cat and\nwent into the town, and coming to the Tsar's palace he stood opposite\nthe window of Yelena the Beautiful. At that moment the cat stood on\nher hind legs and began to rub against him and to purr. It is\nnecessary to say that in that kingdom they knew nothing of cats, and\nhad not heard what kind of beast the cat is.\n\nTsarevna Yelena the Beautiful was sitting at the window; and seeing\nthe cat, sent straightway her nurses and maidens to ask Simeon what\nkind of beast that was, would he not sell it, and what price would he\ntake. The maidens and nurses ran out in the street and asked Simeon\nwhat kind of beast that was, and would he not sell it?\n\nSimeon answered: \"My ladies, be pleased to relate to her Highness,\nYelena the Beautiful, that this little beast is called a cat, that I\nwill not sell it, but if she wishes to have it I will give it to her\nwithout price.\"\n\nThe maidens and nurses ran straight to the palace and told what they\nhad heard from Simeon.\n\nTsarevna Yelena the Beautiful was rejoiced beyond measure, ran out\nherself, and asked Simeon would he not sell the cat.\n\nSimeon said: \"Your Highness, I will not sell the cat; but if you like\nher, then I make you a present of her.\"\n\nThe Tsarevna took the cat in her arms and went to the palace, and\nSimeon she commanded to follow. When she came to the palace the\nTsarevna went to her father, and showed him the cat, explaining that a\ncertain foreigner had given it to her as a present.\n\nThe Tsar, seeing such a wonderful little beast, was greatly delighted,\nand gave orders to call Simeon the Thief; and when he came, the Tsar\nwished to reward him with money for the cat; but as Simeon would not\ntake it, he said: \"My friend, live for the time in my house, and\nmeanwhile, in your presence, the cat will become better used to my\ndaughter.\"\n\nTo this Simeon did not agree, and said to the Tsar: \"Your Majesty, I\ncould live with great delight in your house if I had not the ship on\nwhich I came to your kingdom, and which I cannot commit to any one;\nbut if you command me, I will come every day and teach the cat to know\nyour daughter.\"\n\nThe Tsar commanded Simeon to come every day. Simeon began to visit\nTsarevna Yelena the Beautiful. One day he said to her: \"Gracious lady,\noften have I come here; I see that you are not pleased to walk\nanywhere; you might come to my ship, and I would show you such costly\nbrocades as you have never seen till this day.\"\n\nThe Tsarevna went straightway to her father and began to beg\npermission to go to the ship-wharf. The Tsar permitted her, and told\nher to take nurses and maidens, and go with Simeon.\n\nAs soon as they came to the wharf Simeon invited her to his ship, and\nwhen she entered the ship Simeon and his brothers began to show the\nTsarevna various rich brocades. Then Simeon the Thief said to Yelena\nthe Beautiful: \"Now be pleased to tell your nurses and maidens to\nleave the ship, because I wish to show you things so costly that they\nshould not see them.\"\n\nThe Tsarevna commanded her maidens and nurses to leave the ship. As\nsoon as they had gone, Simeon the Thief ordered his brothers in\nsilence to cut off the anchor and go to sea with all sail; meanwhile\nhe showed the Tsarevna rich goods and made her presents of some. About\ntwo hours had passed while he was showing the stuffs. At last she said\nit was time for her to go home, the Tsar her father would expect her\nto dinner. Then she went out of the cabin and saw that the ship was\nunder sail and land no longer in sight.\n\nShe struck herself on the breast, turned into a swan, and flew off.\nThe fifth Simeon took his gun that minute and wounded the swan; the\nsixth Simeon did not let her fall to the water, but brought her back\nto the ship, where she became a maiden as before.\n\nThe nurses and maidens who were at the wharf, seeing the ship move\naway from the shore with the Tsarevna, ran straight to the Tsar and\ntold him of Simeon's deceit. Then the Tsar sent a whole fleet in\npursuit. When this fleet coming up was very near the ship of the\nSimeons, the fourth Simeon seized the prow and conducted the ship to\nthe underground kingdom. When the ship had become entirely invisible,\nthe commanders of the fleet thought it was lost, with the Tsarevna;\ntherefore they returned, and reported to the Tsar that Simeon's ship\nhad gone to the bottom with Yelena the Beautiful.\n\nThe Simeons arrived at their own kingdom successfully, delivered\nYelena the Beautiful to Tsar Ador, who for such a mighty service of\nthe Simeons gave liberty to them all, and plenty of gold, silver, and\nprecious stones, married Yelena the Beautiful himself, and lived with\nher many years.\n\n\n\n\nTHE ENCHANTED PRINCESS.\n\n\nIn a certain kingdom a soldier served in the mounted guard of the\nking. He served twenty-five years in faithfulness and truth; and for\nhis good conduct the king gave orders to discharge him with honor, and\ngive him as reward the same horse on which he had ridden in the\nregiment, with all the caparison.\n\nThe soldier took farewell of his comrades and set out for his native\nplace. He travelled a day, a second, and a third. Behold, a whole week\nhad gone; a second and third week! The soldier had no money; he had\nnothing to eat himself, nothing to give his horse, and his home was\nfar, far away. He saw that the affair was a very bad one; he wanted\nterribly to eat, began to look in one direction and another, and saw\non one side a great castle. \"Well,\" thought he, \"better go there;\nmaybe they will take me even for a time to serve,--I'll earn\nsomething.\"\n\nHe turned to the castle, rode into the court, put his horse in the\nstable, gave him hay, and entered the castle. In the castle a table\nwas set with food and wine,--with everything that the soul could wish\nfor.\n\nThe soldier ate and drank. \"Now,\" thought he, \"I may sleep.\"\n\nAll at once a bear came in. \"Fear me not, brave hero; thou hast come\nin good time. I am not a savage bear, but a fair maiden, an enchanted\nprincess. If thou canst endure and pass three nights in this place,\nthe enchantment will be broken, I shall be a princess as before, and\nwill marry thee.\"\n\nThe soldier consented. Now, there fell upon him such a sadness that he\ncould not look on the world, and every moment the sadness increased;\nif there had been no wine he could not have held out a single night,\nas it seemed. The second night it went so far that the soldier\nresolved to leave everything and run away; but no matter how he\nstruggled, no matter how he tried, he found no way out of the castle.\nThere was no help for it, he had to stay in spite of himself.\n\nHe passed the third night. In the morning there stood before him a\nprincess of unspeakable beauty. She thanked him for his service, and\ntold him to make ready for the crown (marriage). Straightway they had\nthe wedding, and began to live together without care or trouble. After\na time the soldier remembered his native place; he wanted to spend\nsome time there. The princess tried to dissuade him.\n\n\"Remain, stay here, my friend, go not away. What is lacking to thee?\"\n\nNo, she could not dissuade him. She took farewell of her husband, gave\nhim a sack filled with seeds, and said: \"On whatever road thou mayest\ntravel, throw these seeds on both sides. Wherever they fall, that\nmoment trees will spring up; on the trees precious fruit will be\nhanging in beauty, various birds will sing songs, and tom-cats from\nover the sea will tell tales.\"\n\nThe good hero sat on his horse of service and went his way. Wherever\nhe journeyed he cast seeds on both sides, and after him forests were\nrising, just creeping out of the damp earth. He rode one day, he rode\na second, a third, and saw in the open field a caravan. On the grass\nmerchants were sitting playing cards, near them a great kettle was\nhanging, and, though there was no fire under the kettle, it was\nboiling like a fountain within the pot. \"What a wonder!\" thought the\nsoldier; \"there is no fire to be seen, and in the kettle it is boiling\nlike a fountain,--let me look at it more closely.\" He turned his horse\nto the place and rode up to the merchants.\n\n\"Hail, honorable gentlemen!\" He had no suspicion that these were not\nmerchants, but all unclean. \"That is a good trick of yours,--a kettle\nboiling without fire; but I have a better one.\"\n\nHe took out a seed and threw it on the ground,--that moment a\nfull-grown tree came up; on the tree were precious fruits in their\nbeauty, various birds were singing songs, and tom-cats from over the\nsea were telling tales. From this boast the unclean knew him.\n\n\"Ah,\" said they among themselves, \"this is the man who liberated the\nprincess! Come, brothers, let us drug him with a weed, and let him\nsleep half a year.\"\n\nThey went to entertaining him, and drugged him with the magic weed.\nThe soldier dropped on the grass and fell into deep sleep from which\nhe could not be roused. The merchants, the caravan, and the kettle\nvanished in a twinkle.\n\nSoon after the princess went out in her garden and saw that the tops\nof all the trees had begun to wither. \"This is not for good,\" thought\nshe; \"it is evident that evil has come to my husband.\"\n\nThree months passed. It was time for his return, and there was nothing\nof him, nothing. The princess made ready and went to search for him.\nShe went by that road along which he had travelled,--on both sides\nforests were growing, birds were singing, and tom-cats from over the\nsea were purring their tales. She reached the spot where there were no\nmore trees, the road wound out into the open field; she thought,\n\"Where has he gone to? Of course he has not sunk through the earth.\"\n\nShe looked, aside by itself was one of the wonderful trees, and under\nit her dear husband. She ran to him, pushed, and tried to rouse him.\nNo, he did not wake. She pinched him, stuck pins in his side, pricked\nand pricked him. He did not feel even the pain,--lay like a corpse\nwithout motion. The princess grew angry, and in her anger pronounced\nthe spell: \"Mayest thou be caught by the stormy whirlwind, thou\ngood-for-nothing sleepy head, and be borne to places unknown!\"\n\nShe had barely uttered these words when the wind began to whistle, to\nsound, and in one flash the soldier was caught up by a boisterous\nwhirlwind and borne away from the eyes of the princess. She saw too\nlate that she had spoken an evil speech. She shed bitter tears, went\nhome, lived alone and lonely.\n\nThe poor soldier was borne by the whirlwind far, far away beyond the\nthrice-ninth land, to the thirtieth kingdom, and thrown on a point\nbetween two seas; he fell on the very narrowest little wedge. If the\nsleeping man were to turn to the right, or roll to the left, that\nmoment he would tumble into the sea, and then remember his name.\n\nThe good hero slept out his half year,--moved not a finger; and when\nhe woke he sprang straight to his feet, looked on both sides. The\nwaves are rolling; no end can be seen to the broad sea. He stands in\ndoubt, asking himself, \"By what miracle have I come to this place? Who\ndragged me hither?\" He turned back from the point and came out on an\nisland; on that island was a mountain steep and lofty, touching the\nclouds with its peak, and on the mountain a great stone. He came near\nthis mountain and saw three devils fighting; blood was just flowing\nfrom them, and bits of flesh flying.\n\n\"Stop, ye outcasts! What are ye fighting for?\"\n\n\"But seest thou our father died three days ago and left three\nwonderful things,--a flying carpet, swift-moving boots, and a cap of\ninvisibility; and we cannot divide them.\"\n\n\"Oh, ye cursed fellows, to fight for such trifles! If ye wish I'll\ndivide them between you, and ye shall be satisfied; I'll offend no\none.\"\n\n\"Well then, countryman, divide between us if it please thee.\"\n\n\"Very good. Run quickly through the pine woods and gather one hundred\npoods of pitch, and bring it here.\"\n\nThe devils rushed through the pine woods, collected three hundred\npoods of pitch, and brought it to the soldier.\n\n\"Now bring me from your own kingdom the very largest kettle that is in\nit.\" The devils brought the very largest kettle,--one holding forty\nbarrels,--and put the pitch into it. The soldier made a fire, and when\nthe pitch was boiling he ordered the devils to take it on the mountain\nand pour it out from the top to the bottom. The devils did this in a\nflash. \"Now,\" said the soldier, \"push that stone there; let it roll\nfrom the mountain, and follow it. Whoever comes up with it first may\ntake any of the three things; whoever comes up second will choose from\nthe two remaining ones whichever he likes; and the last wonder will go\nto the third.\" The devils pushed the stone, and it rolled from the\nmountain quickly, quickly. One devil caught up, seized the stone, the\nstone turned, and in a flash put him under it, crushed him into the\npitch. The second devil caught up, and then the third; and with them\nit happened as with the first,--they were driven firmly into the\npitch.\n\nThe soldier took under his arm the swift boots and the cap of\ninvisibility, sat on the flying carpet, and flew off to look for his\nown country. Whether it was long or short, he came to a hut, went in.\nIn the hut was sitting a Baba-Yaga, boneleg, old and toothless.\n\"Greetings to thee, grandmother! Tell how I am to find my fair\nprincess.\"\n\n\"I have not seen her with sight, I have not heard of her with hearing;\nbut pass over so many seas and so many lands, and there lives my\nsecond sister. She knows more than I do; mayhap she can tell thee.\"\n\nThe soldier sat on his carpet and flew away. He had to wander long\nover the white world. Whenever he wanted to eat or drink, he put on\nthe cap of invisibility, let himself down, entered a shop, and took\nwhat his heart desired; then to the carpet and off on his journey. He\ncame to the second hut, entered; inside was sitting Baba-Yaga,\nboneleg, old and toothless. \"Greetings to thee, grandmother! Dost thou\nknow how I can find my fair princess?\"\n\n\"No, my dove, I do not know.\"\n\n\"Ah, thou old hag! how many years art thou living in the world? All\nthy teeth are out, and thou knowest no good.\"\n\nHe sat on the flying carpet and flew toward the eldest sister. Long\ndid he wander, many seas and many lands did he see. At last he flew to\nthe end of the world, where there was a hut and no road\nbeyond,--nothing but outer darkness, nothing to be seen.\n\n\"Well,\" thought he, \"if I can get no account here, there is nowhere\nelse to fly to.\" He went into the hut; there a Baba-Yaga was sitting,\ngray, toothless.\n\n\"Greetings to thee, grandmother! Tell me where must I seek my\nprincess.\"\n\n\"Wait a little; I will call all my winds together and ask them. They\nblow over all the world, so they must know where she is living at\npresent.\"\n\nThe old woman went out on the porch, cried with a loud voice, whistled\nwith a hero's whistle. Straightway the stormy winds rose and blew from\nevery side; the hut just quivered.\n\n\"Quieter, quieter!\" cried Baba-Yaga; and as soon as the winds had\nassembled, she said: \"My stormy winds, ye blow through all the world.\nHave ye seen the beautiful princess anywhere?\"\n\n\"We have not seen her anywhere,\" answered the winds in one voice.\n\n\"But are ye all here?\"\n\n\"All but South Wind.\"\n\nAfter waiting a little, South Wind flew up. The old woman asked:\n\"Where hast thou been lost to this moment? I could hardly wait for\nthee.\"\n\n\"Pardon, grandmother; I went into a new kingdom, where the beautiful\nprincess is living. Her husband has vanished without tidings, so now\nvarious Tsars and Tsars' sons, kings and kings' sons are paying court\nto her.\"\n\n\"And how far is it to the new kingdom?\"\n\n\"For a man on foot thirty-five years, ten years on wings; but if I\nblow I can put a man there in three hours.\"\n\nThe soldier implored South Wind tearfully to take him and bear him to\nthe new kingdom.\n\n\"I will, if it please thee,\" said South Wind, \"provided thou wilt let\nme run around in thy kingdom three days and three nights as I like.\"\n\n\"Frolic three weeks if thou choosest.\"\n\n\"Well, I will rest for two or three days, collect my forces and my\nstrength, and then for the road!\"\n\nSouth Wind rested, collected his strength, and said to the soldier:\n\"Well, brother, make ready, we'll go straightway; but look out, have\nno fear, thou wilt arrive in safety.\"\n\nAll at once a mighty whirlwind whistled and roared, caught the soldier\ninto the air, and bore him over mountains and seas up to the very\nclouds; and in three hours exactly he was in the new kingdom, where\nhis beautiful princess was living. South Wind said,--\n\n\"Farewell, good hero; out of compassion for thee I will not frolic in\nthy kingdom.\"\n\n\"Why is that?\"\n\n\"Because if I frolic, not one house will be standing in the town, not\none tree in the gardens; I should put everything bottom upward.\"\n\n\"Farewell then; God save thee!\" said the soldier, who put on his cap\nof invisibility and went to the white-walled castle. Behold, while he\nwas absent from the kingdom all the trees in the garden had stood with\nwithered tops, and the moment he appeared they came to life and began\nto bloom. He entered the great hall; there were sitting at the table\nvarious Tsars and Tsars' sons, kings and kings' sons who had come to\npay court to the beautiful princess. They were sitting and\nentertaining themselves with sweet wines. Whoever filled a glass and\nraised it to his lips, the soldier that moment struck it with his fist\nand knocked it from his hand. All the guests wondered at this; but the\nbeautiful princess understood in a moment the reason.\n\n\"Surely,\" thought she, \"my friend is here.\" She looked through the\nwindow; all the tree-tops in the garden had come to life, and she gave\na riddle to the guests. \"I had a home-made casket with a golden key; I\nlost this key, and did not think to find it: but now this key has\nfound itself. Who guesses the riddle, him will I marry.\"\n\nThe Tsars and Tsars' sons, the kings and kings' sons were long\nbreaking their wise heads over this riddle, and could not solve it in\nany way.\n\nThe princess said: \"Show thyself, dear friend.\"\n\nThe soldier removed his cap of invisibility, took her by the white\nhand, and began to kiss her on the sweet mouth.\n\n\"Here is the riddle for you,\" said the fair princess: \"I am the\nhome-made casket, and the golden key is my faithful husband.\"\n\nThe wooers had to turn their wagon-shafts around. They all drove home,\nand the princess began to live with her husband, to live and win\nwealth.\n\n\n\n\nVASSILISSA THE CUNNING AND THE TSAR OF THE SEA.\n\n\nA peasant sowed rye, and the Lord gave him a wonderful harvest. He\ncould barely bring it in from the field. He drew the bundles home,\nthreshed the grain, and poured it into bins; his granary was full to\nthe brim. When he was pouring it in, he thought, \"Now I shall live\nwithout trouble.\"\n\nA mouse and a sparrow used to visit that peasant's barn; every one of\nGod's days they came about five times, ate all they could, and then\nwent out. The mouse would spring into her hole, and the sparrow fly\naway to his nest. They lived together in this way in friendship for\nthree whole years, ate up all the grain; there remained only a mere\ntrifle, about eight bushels, not more.\n\nThe mouse saw that the supply was drawing to an end, and began to\ncontrive how to deceive the sparrow and get possession of all that was\nleft. And the mouse succeeded. She came in the dark night-time, gnawed\na great hole in a plank, and let all the rye down through the floor to\nthe last grain. Next morning the sparrow came to the granary to have\nbreakfast; looked, there was nothing! The poor fellow flew out\nhungry, and thought to himself, \"Oh, the cursed creature, she has\ndeceived me! I will fly now to her sovereign, the lion, and present a\npetition against the mouse; let the lion pass judgment on us in\njustice.\"\n\nSo he started and flew to the lion. \"Lion, Tsar of beasts,\" said the\nsparrow, beating to him with the forehead, \"I lived with one of thy\nbeasts, the strong-toothed mouse. We lived for three years in one barn\nand had no dispute. But when the supply began to come to an end, she\nwent to playing tricks, gnawed a hole through the floor, and let all\nthe grain down to herself,--left me, poor fellow, to be hungry. Judge\nus in truth; if not, I will fly to seek justice and reparation from my\nown Tsar, the eagle.\"\n\n\"Well, fly off, with God!\" said the lion.\n\nThe sparrow rushed with his petition to the eagle, related the whole\noffence, how the mouse had stolen and the lion had upheld her. The\neagle grew fiercely angry, and sent a swift courier to the lion\nstraightway: \"Come to-morrow with thy army of beasts to such and such\na field; I will assemble all the birds and give battle.\"\n\nNothing to be done, the lion made a great call and summoned the beasts\nto battle. There were assembled of them seen and unseen. As soon as\nthey came to the open field, the eagle flew upon them with his winged\nwarriors like a cloud from heaven. A great battle began. They fought\nfor three hours and three minutes, and the eagle Tsar conquered; he\ncovered the whole field with bodies of beasts. Then he sent his birds\nto their homes, and flew himself to a slumbering forest, sat on a\nlofty oak, bruised and wounded, and began to think seriously how to\nregain his former strength.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThis was a long time ago. There lived then a merchant with his wife,\nand they had not a single child. The merchant rose up one morning and\nsaid to his wife: \"I have had a bad dream. I thought that a great bird\nfastened on me,--one that eats a whole ox at a meal and drinks a\npailful; and it was impossible to get rid of the bird, impossible not\nto feed it. I'll go to the forest; mayhap the walk will cheer me.\"\n\nHe took his gun and went to the forest. Whether he wandered long or\nshort in that forest, he wandered till he came to an oak-tree, saw an\neagle, and was going to shoot it.\n\n\"Kill me not, good hero,\" said the eagle, in a human voice. \"If thou\nkill me, small will be thy profit. Better take me home, feed me for\nthree years, three months, and three days. I shall recover at thy\nhouse, shall let my wings grow, regain my strength, and repay thee\nwith good.\"\n\n\"What pay can one expect from an eagle?\" thought the merchant, and\naimed a second time. The eagle spoke as at first. The merchant aimed a\nthird time, and again the eagle begged,--\n\n\"Kill me not, good hero! Feed me three years, three months, and three\ndays; when I have recovered, when my wings have grown, and I have\nregained my strength, I'll repay thee with good.\"\n\nThe merchant took pity on the eagle, carried him home, killed an ox,\nand poured out a pailful of mead. \"This will serve the eagle for a\nlong time,\" thought he; but the eagle ate and drank all at one meal. A\nbad time to the merchant; from the unbidden guest utter ruin.\n\nThe eagle saw the merchant's loss and said: \"Hear me, my host! Go to\nthe open field. Thou wilt find there many beasts killed and wounded.\nTake their rich furs, bear them to the town to sell. Get food for\nthyself and me, and there will be some left for a supply.\"\n\nThe merchant went into the open field and saw many animals lying\nthere, some slain and some wounded. He took the dearest furs, carried\nthem to town to sell, and sold them for much money.\n\nA year passed. The eagle said: \"Bear me to that place where the lofty\noaks are standing.\"\n\nThe merchant got his wagon ready and took him to that place. The eagle\nrose above the clouds, and when he swooped down, he struck a tree with\nhis breast, the oak was split in two. \"Well, merchant, good hero,\"\nsaid the eagle, \"I have not regained my former strength; feed me\nanother round year.\"\n\nAnother year passed. Again the eagle rose beyond the dark clouds,\nshot down from above, struck the tree with his breast, split the oak\ninto small pieces. \"Merchant, good hero, thou must feed me another\nwhole year; I have not regained my former strength!\"\n\nWhen three years, three months, and three days had passed, the eagle\nsaid to the merchant: \"Take me again to the same place,--to the lofty\noaks.\" The merchant carried him to the lofty oaks. The eagle soared\nhigher than before; like a mighty whirlwind he struck from above the\nlargest oak, broke it into small bits from the top to the\nroot,--indeed, the forest was reeling all around. \"God save thee,\nmerchant, good hero!\" said the eagle; \"now all my former strength is\nwith me. Leave thy horse, sit on my wings; I will bear thee to my own\nland, and pay thee for all the good thou hast done.\" The merchant sat\non his wings, the eagle bore him out on the blue sea, and he rose\nhigh, high. \"Look now,\" said he, \"on the blue sea. Is it wide?\"\n\n\"As a cart-wheel,\" answered the merchant.\n\nThe eagle shook his wings and threw the merchant, let him fall, gave\nhim to feel mortal terror, and caught him before he had reached the\nwater,--caught him, and rose still higher. \"Look on the blue sea. Is\nit great?\"\n\n\"As a hen's egg.\"\n\nThe eagle shook his wings, threw the merchant, let him fall, but did\nnot let him reach the water, caught him, and rose up higher than\never. \"Look on the blue sea. Is it great?\"\n\n\"As a poppy seed.\"\n\nA third time the eagle shook his wings and threw the merchant from\nunder the heavens; still he didn't let him reach the water, caught\nhim, and asked: \"Well, merchant, good hero, hast thou felt what mortal\nterror is?\"\n\n\"I have,\" said the merchant; \"and I thought I was lost forever.\"\n\n\"And so did I when thou wert pointing thy gun at me.\"\n\nThe eagle flew with the merchant beyond the sea, straight to the\ncopper kingdom. \"Behold, my eldest sister lives here!\" said the eagle.\n\"When we shall be guests with her, and she brings presents, take\nnothing, but ask for the copper casket.\" The eagle said this, struck\nthe damp earth, turned into a gallant hero.\n\nThey went through the broad court. The sister saw him, and was\ndelighted. \"Oh, my own brother, how has God brought thee? I have not\nseen thee for three years and more; I thought thou wert lost forever.\nHow can I entertain thee? How can I feast thee?\"\n\n\"Entertain not me, my dear sister, I am at home in thy house; but\nentreat and entertain this good hero. He gave me meat and drink for\nthree years,--did not let me die of hunger.\"\n\nShe seated them at the oaken table, at the spread cloth; she feasted\nand entertained them, then led them to her treasure-chambers, showed\ntreasures incalculable, and said to the merchant: \"Good hero, here are\ngold, silver, and precious stones; take what thy soul desires.\"\n\nThe merchant gave answer: \"I need neither gold, silver, nor precious\nstones. Give me the copper casket.\"\n\n\"Thou'lt not get it; that is not the boot for thy foot.\"\n\nThe brother was angry at his sister's words; he turned into an\neagle,--a swift bird,--caught the merchant, and flew away.\n\n\"Oh, my own brother, come back!\" cried the sister. \"I'll not stand for\nthe casket.\"\n\n\"Thou art late, sister!\"\n\nThe eagle flew through the air. \"Look, merchant, good hero, what is\nbehind us and what before?\"\n\n\"Behind, a fire is in sight; before us flowers are blooming.\"\n\n\"That is the copper kingdom in flames, and the flowers are blooming in\nthe silver kingdom of my second sister. When we are her guests, and\nshe offers gifts, take nothing, but ask for the silver casket.\" The\neagle came, struck the damp earth, and become a good hero.\n\n\"Oh, my own brother,\" said his sister, \"whence hast come; where wert\nthou lost; why hast thou been so long without visiting me; with what\ncan I serve thee?\"\n\n\"Entreat me not, entertain me not, my dear sister, I am at home with\nthee; but entreat and entertain this good hero, who gave me meat and\ndrink for three years, and did not let me die of hunger.\"\n\nShe seated them at the oaken tables at spread cloths, entertained and\nfeasted them, then led them to treasure-chambers. \"Here are gold and\nsilver and precious stones; take, merchant, what thy soul desires.\"\n\n\"I want neither gold, silver, nor precious stones. Give me only the\nsilver casket.\"\n\n\"No, good hero, thy desire is not for the right morsel; thou mightest\nchoke thyself.\"\n\nThe eagle brother was angry, caught up the merchant, and flew away.\n\n\"Oh, my own brother, come back! I will not stand for the casket.\"\n\n\"Thou art late, sister!\"\n\nAgain the eagle flew under the heavens. \"See, merchant, good hero,\nwhat is behind us, what is before?\"\n\n\"Behind us a fire is blazing; before us are flowers in bloom.\"\n\n\"That is the silver kingdom in flames; but the flowers are blooming in\nthe golden kingdom of my youngest sister. When we are her guests, and\nshe offers gifts, take nothing; ask only the golden casket.\" The\neagle came to the golden kingdom and turned into a good hero.\n\n\"Oh, my own brother,\" said the sister, \"whence hast thou come? Where\nhast thou vanished so long that thou hast not visited me? With what\nshall I feast thee?\"\n\n\"Entreat me not, feast me not, I am at home; but entreat and feast\nthis merchant, good hero. He gave me meat and drink for three\nyears,--saved me from hunger.\"\n\nShe seated them at the oaken table, at the spread cloth, entertained\nthem, feasted them, led the merchant to her treasure-chambers, offered\nhim gold, silver, and precious stones.\n\n\"I need nothing; give me only the golden casket.\"\n\n\"Take it for thy happiness. Thou didst give meat and drink to my\nbrother for three years, and didst save him from hunger; I regret\nnothing that is spent on my brother.\"\n\nSo the merchant lived and feasted a while in the golden kingdom, till\nthe time came for parting, for taking the road.\n\n\"Farewell,\" said the eagle; \"think not on me with harsh feeling, but\nsee that the casket is not opened till thou art at home.\"\n\nThe merchant journeyed homeward. Whether it was long or short, he grew\ntired and wished to rest. He stopped in a strange meadow on the land\nof the Tsar of the Sea; he looked and looked at the golden casket,\ncouldn't endure, opened it. That moment, wherever it came from, there\nstood before him a great castle all painted, a multitude of servants\nappeared, inquiring: \"What dost thou wish for; what dost thou want?\"\nThe merchant, good hero, ate his fill, drank enough, and lay down to\nsleep. The Tsar of the Sea saw that there was a great castle on his\nland, and he sent messengers: \"Go see what sort of an insolent fellow\nhas come and built a castle on my land without leave; let him go off\nat once in health and safety.\"\n\nWhen such a threatening word came to the merchant he began to think\nand conjecture how to put the castle into the casket as before; he\nthought and thought,--no, he could do nothing. \"I should be glad to go\naway,\" said he, \"but how, I can't think myself.\"\n\nThe messengers returned, and reported all to the Tsar of the Sea. \"Let\nhim give me what he has at home but knows it not; I will put his\npalace in the golden casket.\"\n\nThere was no other way, and so the merchant promised with an oath to\ngive what he had at home but knew it not. The Tsar of the Sea put the\npalace in the golden casket at once. The merchant took the casket and\nwent his way. Whether it was long or short, he came home, his wife met\nhim. \"Oh, be thou hearty, my world. Where wert thou lost?\"\n\n\"Well, where I was I am not now.\"\n\n\"But while thou wert gone the Lord gave us a son.\"\n\n\"Ah! that is what was at home and I knew it not,\" thought the\nmerchant; and he grew very sad and sorrowful.\n\n\"What is the matter? Art thou not glad to be here?\" insisted his wife.\n\n\"Not that,\" said the merchant; and he told her all that had happened\nto him, and they grieved and wept together. But people of course\ncannot cry all their lives. The merchant opened his golden casket, and\nbefore them stood a great castle cunningly adorned, and he began to\nlive with his wife and son and gain wealth.\n\nTen years passed and more; the merchant's son grew up, became wise,\nfine-looking, a splendid fellow. One morning he rose up in sadness and\nsaid to his father: \"My father, I had a bad dream last night. I\ndreamed of the Tsar of the Sea; he commanded me to come to him. 'I am\nwaiting long,' said he; 'it is time to know thy honor.'\"\n\nThe father and mother shed tears, gave him their parental blessing,\nand let him go to a strange land. He went along the road, along the\nbroad road; he walked over clear fields and wide steppes, and came to\na dreamy forest. It was empty all around, not a soul to be seen; but\nthere stood a small cabin by itself, with front to the forest and back\nto Ivan. \"Cabin, cabin,\" said he, \"turn thy back to the forest, thy\nfront to me.\" The cabin obeyed, and turned its back to the forest, its\nfront to Ivan. He entered the cabin, inside was Baba-Yaga, boneleg,\nlying from corner to corner. Baba-Yaga saw him and said: \"Before now,\nnothing of Russia was heard with hearing or seen with sight, but now\nRussia runs to our eyes. Whence dost thou come, good hero, and where\ndost thou bear thy way?\"\n\n\"Oh, thou old hag, thou hast given neither meat nor drink to a\nwayfaring man, and art asking for news!\"\n\nBaba-Yaga put drink on the table and various meats; she fed him, she\ngave him to drink, and put him to rest. Early next morning she roused\nhim, and then she put questions. Ivan the merchant's son told the\nwhole secret, and said: \"Teach me, grandmother, how to go to the Tsar\nof the Sea.\"\n\n\"It is well that thou hast come to me; hadst thou not, thou wouldst\nhave lost thy life, for the Tsar of the Sea is terribly angry because\nthou didst not go to him long ago. Listen to me: go by this path; thou\nwilt come to a lake, hide behind a tree and wait a while. Three\nbeautiful doves, maidens, will fly there,--they are the daughters of\nthe Tsar of the Sea; they will loose their wings, undress, and bathe\nin the lake. One will have many-colored wings: watch the moment, seize\nthe wings, and do not give them up till she consents to marry thee;\nthen all will be right.\"\n\nIvan the merchant's son took farewell of Baba-Yaga and travelled the\npath she had shown, walked and walked, saw the lake, hid himself\nbehind a thick tree. After a time three doves came flying, one with\nmany-colored wings; they struck the earth, turned into beautiful\nmaidens, removed their wings, and took off their dresses. Ivan the\nmerchant's son kept his eyes open; he crept up in silence and took the\nmany-colored wings. He watched to see what would happen. The fair\nmaidens bathed, came out of the water, two of them dressed\nstraightway, put on their wings, turned into doves, and flew away. The\nthird remained to find her wings. She searched, singing the while:\n\"Tell who thou art, thou who hast taken my wings! If an old man, thou\nwilt be a father to me; if of middle years, my uncle dear; if a good\nyouth, I will marry thee.\"\n\nIvan the merchant's son came from behind the tree. \"Here are thy\nwings!\"\n\n\"Now tell me, good youth, betrothed husband, of what stock or race art\nthou, and whither dost thou bear thy way?\"\n\n\"I am Ivan the merchant's son, and I am going to thy own father, to\nthe Tsar of the Sea.\"\n\n\"And my name is Vassilissa the Cunning.\"\n\nNow, Vassilissa was the favorite daughter of the Tsar, and was first\nin mind and beauty. She showed her bridegroom how to go to the Tsar of\nthe Sea, sprang away as a dove, and flew after her sisters.\n\nIvan the merchant's son came to the Tsar of the Sea, who made him\nserve in the kitchen, cut wood, and draw water. Chumichka, the cook,\ndid not like him, and told lies to the Tsar. \"Your Majesty,\" said he,\n\"Ivan the merchant's son boasts that in one night he can cut down a\ngreat dense forest, pile the logs in heaps, dig out the roots, plough\nthe land, sow it with wheat, reap that wheat, thresh it, grind it into\nflour, make cakes of the flour, and give these cakes to your Majesty\nat breakfast next morning.\"\n\n\"Well,\" said the Tsar, \"call him to me.\"\n\nIvan the merchant's son came.\n\n\"Why art thou boasting that in one night thou canst cut down a thick\nforest, plough the land just like a clean field, sow it with wheat,\nreap the wheat, thresh it, and make it into flour, the flour into\ncakes for my breakfast next morning? See that by to-morrow morning\nthis is all done; if not, I have a sword, and thy head leaves thy\nshoulders.\"\n\nNo matter how Ivan protested, it was no use; the order was given, it\nhad to be carried out. He went away from the Tsar, and hung his stormy\nhead from grief. Vassilissa the Cunning, the daughter of the Tsar, saw\nhim, and asked: \"Why art thou grieved?\"\n\n\"What is the use in telling thee? Thou couldst not cure my sorrow!\"\n\n\"How knowest? Maybe I can.\"\n\nIvan the merchant's son told her what task the Tsar had put on him.\n\n\"What task is that! That is a pleasure,--the task is ahead. Go thy\nway; pray to God and lie down to rest; the morning is wiser than the\nevening; toward daylight all will be ready.\"\n\nJust at midnight Vassilissa the Cunning went out on the great porch\nand cried in a piercing voice. In one moment laborers ran together\nfrom every side,--myriads of them; one was felling a tree, another\ndigging out roots, another ploughing the land. In one place they were\nsowing, in another reaping and threshing; a pillar of dust went up to\nthe sky, and at daybreak the grain was ground, the cakes baked. Ivan\ntook the cakes to the breakfast of the Tsar.\n\n\"Splendid fellow!\" said the Tsar; and he gave command to reward him\nfrom his own treasure.\n\nChumichka the cook was angrier than ever at Ivan, began to talk\nagainst him again. \"Your Majesty, Ivan the merchant's son boasts that\nin one night he can make a ship that will fly through the air.\"\n\n\"Well, call him hither.\"\n\nThey called Ivan the merchant's son.\n\n\"Why boast to my servants that in one night thou canst make a\nwonderful ship that will fly through the air, and say nothing to me?\nSee this ship is ready by morning; if not, I have a sword, and thy\nhead leaves thy shoulders.\"\n\nIvan the merchant's son from sorrow hung his stormy head lower than\nhis shoulders, and went from the Tsar beside himself. Vassilissa the\nCunning said to him: \"Of what art thou grieving; why art thou sad?\"\n\n\"Why should I not be sad? The Tsar of the Sea has commanded me to\nbuild in one night a ship that will fly through the air.\"\n\n\"What sort of task is that? That is not a task, but a pleasure; the\ntask is ahead. Go thy way; lie down and rest: the morning is wiser\nthan the evening; at daybreak all will be done.\"\n\nAt midnight Vassilissa the Cunning went out on the great porch, cried\nin a piercing voice. In a moment carpenters ran together from every\nside; they began to pound with their axes, and the work was seething\nquickly. Toward morning all was ready.\n\n\"A hero!\" said the Tsar. \"Come, now we will take a trip.\"\n\nThey sat on the ship together, and took as a third companion Chumichka\nthe cook; and they flew through the air. When they were flying over\nthe place of wild beasts the cook bent over the side to look out. Ivan\nthe merchant's son pushed him from the ship that moment. The savage\nbeasts tore him into little bits. \"Oh,\" cried Ivan the merchant's son,\n\"Chumichka has fallen off!\"\n\n\"The devil be with him,\" said the Tsar of the Sea; \"to a dog, a dog's\ndeath!\" They came back to the palace. \"Thou art skilful, Ivan,\" said\nthe Tsar; \"here is a third task for thee. Break my unridden stallion\nso that he will go under a rider. If thou wilt break him I will give\nthee my daughter in marriage; if not, I have a sword, and thy head\nleaves thy shoulders.\"\n\n\"Now that is an easy task,\" thought Ivan the merchant's son. He went\naway from the Tsar laughing. Vassilissa the Cunning saw him and asked\nabout everything; he told her.\n\n\"Thou art not wise, Ivan,\" said she; \"now a difficult task is given\nthee,--no easy labor. That stallion will be the Tsar himself: he will\ncarry thee through the air above the standing forest, below the\npassing cloud, and scatter thy bones over the open field. Go quickly\nto the blacksmiths, order them to make for thee an iron hammer three\npoods in weight, and when thou art sitting on the stallion hold firmly\nand beat him on the head with the iron hammer.\"\n\nNext day the grooms brought out the unridden stallion. They were\nbarely able to hold him; he snorted, rushed, and reared. The moment\nIvan sat on him he rose above the standing forest, below the passing\ncloud, flew through the air more swiftly than strong wind. The rider\nheld firmly, beating him all the time on the head with the hammer. The\nstallion struggled beyond his power, and dropped to the damp earth.\nIvan the merchant's son gave the stallion to the grooms, drew breath\nhimself, and went to the palace. The Tsar of the Sea met him with\nbound head.\n\n\"I have ridden the horse, your Majesty.\"\n\n\"Well, come to-morrow to choose thy bride; but now my head aches.\"\n\nNext morning Vassilissa the Cunning said to Ivan the merchant's son,\n\"There are three sisters of us with our father; he will turn us into\nmares, and make thee select. Be careful, take notice; on my bridle one\nof the spangles will be dim. Then he will let us out as doves; my\nsisters will pick buckwheat very quietly, but I will not,--I will clap\nmy wings. The third time he will bring us out as three maidens, one\nlike the other in face, in stature, and hair. I will shake my\nhandkerchief; by that thou mayest know me.\"\n\nThe Tsar brought out the three mares, one just like the other, put\nthem in a row. \"Take the one that pleases thee,\" said the Tsar.\n\nIvan the merchant's son examined them carefully. He saw that on one\nbridle a spangle had grown dim; he caught that bridle and said, \"This\nis my bride.\"\n\n\"Thou hast taken a bad one; thou mayest choose a better.\"\n\n\"No use, this will do for me.\"\n\n\"Choose a second time.\"\n\nThe Tsar let out three doves just alike, and scattered buckwheat\nbefore them. Ivan saw that one of them was shaking her wings all the\ntime. He caught her by the wing and said, \"This is my bride.\"\n\n\"Thou hast not taken the right piece; thou wilt choke thyself. Choose\na third time.\"\n\nHe brought out three maidens, one like the other in face, in stature,\nand hair. Ivan the merchant's son saw that one waved her handkerchief;\nhe seized her by the hand, \"This is my bride.\"\n\nThere was nothing to be done. The Tsar could not help himself, gave\nVassilissa the Cunning to Ivan, and they had a joyous wedding.\n\nNot much nor little time had passed when Ivan thought of escaping to\nhis own country with Vassilissa the Cunning. They saddled their horses\nand rode away in the dark night. In the morning the Tsar discovered\ntheir flight and sent a pursuing party.\n\n\"Drop down to the damp earth,\" said Vassilissa the Cunning to her\nhusband; \"perhaps thou wilt hear something.\"\n\nHe dropped to the earth, listened, and answered: \"I hear the neighing\nof horses.\"\n\nVassilissa turned him into a garden, and herself into a head of\ncabbage. The pursuers returned to the Tsar empty-handed. \"Your\nMajesty, there is nothing to be seen in the open country; we saw only\na garden, and in the garden a head of cabbage.\"\n\n\"Go on, bring me that head of cabbage; that is their tricks.\"\n\nAgain the pursuers galloped on; again Ivan dropped down to the damp\nearth. \"I hear,\" said he, \"the neighing of horses.\" Vassilissa the\nCunning made herself a well, and turned Ivan into a bright falcon; the\nfalcon was sitting on the brink, drinking water. The pursuers came to\nthe well; there was no road beyond, and they turned back.\n\n\"Your Majesty, there is nothing to be seen in the open country; we saw\nonly a well, and a bright falcon was drinking water out of that well.\"\n\nThe Tsar himself galloped a long time to overtake them.\n\n\"Drop down to the damp earth; perhaps thou wilt hear something,\" said\nVassilissa the Cunning to her husband.\n\n\"There is a hammering and thundering greater than before.\"\n\n\"That is my father chasing us. I know not, I cannot think what to do.\"\n\nVassilissa the Cunning had three things,--a brush, a comb, and a\ntowel. She remembered them, and said: \"God is yet merciful; I have\nstill defence before the Tsar.\" She threw the brush behind her: it\nbecame a great drowsy forest; a man could not put his hand through,\ncould not ride around it in three years. Behold, the Tsar of the Sea\ngnawed and gnawed the drowsy forest, made a path for himself, burst\nthrough it, and was again in pursuit. He is drawing near them, has\nonly to seize them with his hand. Vassilissa threw her comb behind,\nand it became such a great lofty mountain that a man could neither\npass over it nor go around it.\n\nThe Tsar of the Sea dug and dug in the mountain, made a path, and\nagain chased after them. Then Vassilissa the Cunning threw the towel\nbehind her, and it became a great, great sea. The Tsar galloped up to\nthe sea, saw the road was stopped, and turned homeward.\n\nIvan the merchant's son was near home, and said to Vassilissa the\nCunning: \"I will go ahead, tell my father and mother about thee, and\ndo thou wait here.\"\n\n\"See to it,\" said Vassilissa the Cunning, \"when thou art home, kiss\nall but thy godmother; if thou kiss her thou'lt forget me.\"\n\nIvan came home, kissed all in delight, kissed his godmother, and\nforgot Vassilissa. She stood there, poor thing, on the road, waited\nand waited; Ivan did not come for her. She went to the town and hired\nto do work for an old woman.\n\nIvan thought of marrying; he found a bride, and arranged a feast for\nthe whole world (_m\u00edr_[4]).\n\n    [4] _M\u00edr_ means in Russian the \"world,\" the \"universe;\" and also\n    the \"commune,\" or village society.\n\nVassilissa heard this, dressed herself as a beggar, and came to the\nmerchant's house to beg alms.\n\n\"Wait,\" said the merchant's wife; \"I'll bake thee a small cake instead\nof cutting the big one.\"\n\n\"God save thee for that, mother!\" said Vassilissa.\n\nBut the great cake got burnt, and the small one came out nicely. The\nmerchant's wife gave Vassilissa the burnt cake and put the small one\non the table. They cut that cake, and immediately two pigeons flew\nout.\n\n\"Kiss me,\" said the cock-pigeon to the other.\n\n\"No, thou wilt forget me, as Ivan the merchant's son forgot Vassilissa\nthe Cunning.\"\n\nAnd the second and the third time he asked, \"Kiss me.\"\n\n\"No, thou'lt forget me, as Ivan the merchant's son forgot Vassilissa\nthe Cunning.\"\n\nIvan remembered then; he knew who the beggar was, and said to his\nfather and mother: \"This is my wife.\"\n\n\"Well, if thou hast a wife, then live with her.\"\n\nThey gave rich presents to the new bride, and let her go home; but\nIvan the merchant's son lived with Vassilissa the Cunning, gained\nwealth, and shunned trouble.\n\n\n\n\nCHEKH MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n\n\n\nBOYISLAV, YOUNGEST OF TWELVE.\n\n\nOnce there was a king who groaned many a day; doctors came from far\nand near, but they could not cure him. At last his condition was such\nthat one day all thought he must die. The following night he had a\nmarvellous dream. It seemed to him that he was on Black Island, had\nfreed three princesses, and straightway recovered. When he woke he\nfelt a certain relief, but had almost forgotten the dream. The next\nnight he had the same dream, and again on waking felt easier, but did\nnot ascribe the relief to his dream. The third night he had no dream,\nbut a vision, in which the three princesses appeared to him and said:\n\"Free us, and thou wilt recover; if not, thou wilt die.\" Then they\nvanished, and the terrified king felt such pain that he could barely\nwait till morning. He summoned his twelve sons in haste, and when he\nhad told them of his vision he said in a sad voice: \"But how can I,\npoor man, go on a long journey to Black Island, of which I have never\neven heard?\"\n\n\"I will go instead of thee,\" said Boyislav, the youngest son, with\ndecision.\n\n\"We will all go,\" said the others, looking angrily at Boyislav, whom\nthey hated with all their hearts, because he was his father's\nfavorite.\n\n\"Ye cannot all leave me; and thou, Boyislav, surely not,\" said the\nking, shaking his head. \"Who would there be to reign in my place?\"\n\n\"Let Boyislav stay at home,\" said the eldest; \"besides, he would be\nmerely a hindrance to us on the road.\"\n\n\"I a hindrance!\" said Boyislav, flushing up with anger and pity. \"Let\nme go, father; I will free the princesses alone.\"\n\nHis brothers began to laugh at him and then to dispute as to who\nshould go to Black Island. Since they could not decide, the king said:\n\"I know that ye would all gladly serve me, but since some of you must\nstay at home, I will make six blank lots and six written ones; whoever\ndraws a written one will go, whoever a blank will remain.\"\n\nThe princes were satisfied and drew lots. They were angry when\nBoyislav drew a prize, and the king was sad; but he had given his word\nand could not withdraw it. That very day the princes set out and\nBoyislav with them. While on dry land they were prosperous; it was\nworse when they entered a boat and knew not whither to turn. Boyislav\nsaid that they ought to go north, but his brothers laughed at him.\nWhen they had sailed many weeks in one direction and another without\nfinding Black Island, they were glad to follow his advice; and the\nthird day they arrived at the place, but so terrible was it that no\none dared to land save Boyislav. He took provisions and sprang on\nshore, telling his brothers to await his return. While light lasted he\nran up and down on the island, but saw nothing except black rocks. He\nwas forced to pass the night on a bare stone, but rose early,\ncompletely refreshed by sleep, and examined farther.\n\nOne day passed, and a second; the third day appeared, and still he\nfound nothing. At last, in the evening, he came to a large stone,\nwhich seemed to him hewn out by men's hands. He lifted with all his\nmight, turned it over, and found a great dark opening, from which a\npleasant odor arose. He went down without delay, and soon found\nhimself in a glorious garden, in which were three golden castles at a\ngreat distance. He gazed with astonishment; though there were things\nthere without number such as he had never seen before, still his\nattention was attracted first by three horses, which rushed around him\nthree times in a wild gallop, and then vanished in the twinkle of an\neye. Boyislav looked after them, and heard a voice saying: \"I welcome\nthee, Boyislav, youngest of twelve!\"\n\nHe looked on every side, but could see no one. The voice cried out the\nsecond time: \"I welcome thee, Boyislav, youngest of twelve!\"\n\nNow he knew where the voice came from; but though he went in that\ndirection and examined everything very carefully, he could see no one.\nOnly after the voice had called much louder than the first and second\ntime, \"I welcome thee, Boyislav, youngest of twelve!\" did he see\nbehind a rock a famished little horse, so poor that he could count all\nits ribs.\n\n\"What dost thou want of me?\" asked Boyislav, not a little astonished\nthat the horse knew him.\n\n\"'Tis thy wish to free the three princesses,\" answered the horse;\n\"then listen to what I advise: In the first castle thou wilt find the\nfirst princess, who will greet thee with kindness beyond measure, and\noffer thee food and drink. Eat with relish, but let not the princess\neat with thee or kiss thee. Take what is left of the food when thou\nhast eaten, and go to the second castle; there the second princess\nwill greet thee with still greater kindness, and offer food and drink.\nEat with relish, but for no reason let her eat with thee or kiss thee.\nTake what is left after eating, and go to the third castle, where the\nthird princess will give thee the most kindly reception of all, and\nplace food and drink before thee; eat freely, but let not the princess\neat with thee or kiss thee. Take what is left, and come here to me.\"\n\n\"Is nothing more needed to gain their freedom?\" asked Boyislav.\n\n\"Nothing,\" answered the horse; \"but thou must not speak a word all\nthis time.\"\n\n\"That is very easy,\" thought Boyislav.\n\nBut the horse said with great emphasis: \"Have a care; for to thee 'tis\na question of life or death.\"\n\nBoyislav went with quick step to the first castle, where a princess\nof wonderful beauty ran forth toward him. \"I welcome thee, Boyislav,\nyoungest of twelve!\" cried she, with glad voice. \"How art thou here?\nCome to my chamber; let me give thee good cheer. What is thy father\ndoing? How are thy brothers?\"\n\nThen she took his hand and seated him at the table, to which she\nbrought the most savory food and drink, continually speaking of his\nhome. But he gave no regard; and when she wished to eat with him, he\nthrust her aside without mercy. Then he seized what was left of the\nfood and hurried away. The princess gave him the sweetest of names,\nand stretched her hands toward him, but he acted as if he neither saw\nher nor heard her.\n\nAt the second castle a still more beautiful princess ran toward him,\ngreeted him with still greater gladness, led him into a chamber,\nseated him at a table, and brought the most savory food and drink,\ntalking continually. She moved toward him, wishing to kiss him; but he\nthrust her aside very rudely, so that she fell to the floor. Before\nshe could rise he had taken what was left of the food, and was gone.\n\nHe had barely reached the third castle when a princess ran out to meet\nhim. She was far more beautiful than the other two, and wished to fall\non his neck straightway. He was amazed at her beauty; but keeping in\nmind the words of the horse, he thrust her away. But still she led him\ninto the castle, seated him at a table in the loftiest chamber, and\nentertained him with the best food and drink. Boyislav ate and drank\nheartily, but when the princess wished to eat, he pushed her aside so\nrudely that, after staggering a few steps, she fell to the floor.\nThen, quickly gathering the remnants of food, he ran off, though the\nprincess called him with heart-rending voice.\n\nWhen he came to the horse he spread on the rock the remnants of food,\nwhich the horse devoured eagerly. \"What now?\" asked Boyislav.\n\n\"Go for the three princesses, and bring them to thy brothers in the\nboat; they are free, for they are the horses which thou hast seen\nrunning around thee. A wicked sorceress enchanted them, so that twelve\nhours they were horses and twelve hours princesses. Then come for me,\nor thou wilt suffer.\"\n\nBoyislav did as the horse desired, and brought to his brothers the\nthree princesses, who, with tearful eyes, thanked him for their\nliberation. Then he returned to the horse, which said, with sad voice:\n\"Too bad! too bad!\"\n\n\"What has happened?\" asked Boyislav.\n\n\"Thou art unfortunate,\" answered the horse; \"thy departure from home\nwas unfortunate, for know that thy brothers have gone.\"\n\n\"Then I must perish here!\" cried Boyislav.\n\n\"Now thou wilt not perish; but hadst thou gone on the boat thy death\nwould be sure, for thy brothers had conspired to kill thee.\"\n\n\"Oh, the thankless wretches!\" cried Boyislav. \"What shall I do now?\"\n\n\"If thou wilt obey me,\" said the horse, \"thou wilt gain thy object in\ntime. Go now to the garden of the first castle, and pluck four golden\napples, but only four.\"\n\nBoyislav went, and for the first time noticed the beauty of the whole\ngarden; he went back and forth, and would have soon forgotten the\napples had he not heard the neighing of the horse. Now he saw the tree\nwith golden apples, and plucked four. Since they were so beautiful, he\nwanted more, but the horse neighed so fiercely that the whole castle\ntrembled; his arm, which was stretched to the apples, dropped of\nitself, and he returned to the horse, which said, \"Now sit on me.\"\n\nBoyislav did so, and the horse bore him soon to the shore of the sea,\nand said, \"Throw an apple in the sea.\"\n\n\"But it is a pity to lose it!\" said Boyislav.\n\n\"Throw it in!\" repeated the horse, with stern voice; and Boyislav\nobeyed. That moment a road five hundred miles long rose out of the\nsea. The horse stepped on the road, and hurried along night and day.\nWhen the domes of a great city were seen in the distance, he said to\nBoyislav: \"Now we are going to Red Island, to a king who has a very\nugly daughter; but have no fear in the world of her. When she casts\neyes on thee, say that thou art seeking a bride, but before choosing\nthou must consult thy father. Then the king will offer thee a present;\ntake nothing but a piece of rope for my bridle.\"\n\nBoyislav promised obedience. When they came to Red Island, the road\nsank in the sea, and the horse hurried on. Boyislav left him on the\nmeadow outside the city, and went straight to the king's castle, where\nhe was courteously received. \"Where art thou going, noble prince?\"\nasked the king.\n\n\"In search of a bride,\" answered Boyislav; and the king led him to his\ndaughter. She was so ugly that Boyislav was frightened.\n\n\"Does she not please thee?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Oh, she pleases me,\" said Boyislav,--\"pleases me greatly; but first I\nmust talk with my father.\" The king smiled, and led his guest to the\nsupper-chamber, where he was entertained in king's fashion. Boyislav\nwished to go very soon, but the king took him first to his treasury,\nand offered him much gold and silver.\n\n\"Thanks to thy Grace!\" answered Boyislav. \"My father has great\ntreasures also; but if thou wilt make me some present, give me a piece\nof rope to repair my horse's bridle.\"\n\n\"Oh, I will give thee a splendid bridle and saddle!\" said the king.\n\nBut Boyislav answered: \"I wish no rich outfit on the road; it is an\nenticement to robbers.\"\n\nThe king tried to persuade him, but could not; then he had a rope\nbrought which was very slender, but very long, so that Boyislav was\nhardly able to bear it away. After a kindly farewell to the king and\nthe princess, he hastened outside the town, where the horse called\nfrom a distance: \"Thou hast done well; now wind that rope round my\nbody.\"\n\nBoyislav opened the bundle, and a whole hour passed before he could\nwind the rope around the horse. When he had finished, they hurried to\nthe sea, where the horse said, \"Throw a second apple in the sea.\"\n\n\"But it would be an eternal pity!\" said Boyislav.\n\n\"I tell thee to throw the second apple in the sea!\" repeated the\nhorse, with stern voice. Boyislav obeyed. That moment five hundred\nmiles of road rose from the waves of the sea, along which the horse\nrushed like the wind, night and day. When the domes of a great city\nwere visible in the distance, he said to Boyislav: \"Now we are coming\nto Green Island, ruled by a king who has a daughter, not beautiful and\nnot ugly; thou wilt say that thou art looking for a bride, but before\nchoosing thou must consult thy father. When thou art taking leave, the\nking will offer all kinds of jewels as a gift; accept nothing, but ask\nfor the cloth of the table from which thou hast eaten.\"\n\nBoyislav promised this. When they had come to Green Island, the road\nsank in the sea, and the horse hurried toward the city. The horse\nremained in a meadow outside the gates. Boyislav went to the palace,\nwhere he was welcomed by the king, and presented to the princess.\n\n\"What brought thee to me?\" asked the king.\n\n\"I am in search of a bride,\" answered Boyislav, looking at the\nprincess, who seemed pleased at his words.\n\n\"And hast thou found one?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Not yet,\" replied Boyislav.\n\n\"Does my daughter not please thee?\" The princess blushed.\n\n\"Oh, she pleases me greatly,\" said Boyislav, \"but first I must talk\nwith my father.\"\n\nThe king frowned at these words, and the princess was flushed with\nanger; but Boyislav changed not, and was so courteous that the king\ngrew ashamed, and conducted him to the supper-chamber, where there was\na small table covered with a poor-looking cloth, but upon which stood\nthe choicest food and drink. Boyislav ate with relish. When he had\nfinished, the king took him to his treasure-chamber, where he offered\nhim the richest presents; but Boyislav said: \"My father has many\ntreasures, and I prefer to travel unburdened.\" When the king insisted\non his taking something as a keepsake, even if of the smallest value,\nBoyislav said: \"Give me the cloth of the table on which I was\nentertained by thee.\"\n\n\"Oh, I should be ashamed to give such a thing,\" said the king. \"I\nwill give thee another very skilfully woven.\"\n\n\"I want no other,\" answered Boyislav, making ready to go.\n\n\"Then take it,\" said the king, giving the cloth with evident\nreluctance.\n\nBoyislav parted with him and the princess, and hastened to the horse,\nwhich called out from afar: \"Thou hast done well; now sit on my back,\nwe'll fare farther.\" Boyislav sprang on the horse, and he raced over\nGreen Island till he came to the sea.\n\n\"Throw the third apple in the sea,\" said the horse.\n\n\"But 'tis a pity forever to lose it,\" said Boyislav.\n\n\"Throw the third apple in the sea, I say,\" commanded the horse,\nsternly; and Boyislav obeyed.\n\nThat moment a road five hundred miles long rose from the waves of the\nsea. The horse ran like a flash, day and night, till they saw in the\ndistance the domes of a great city.\n\n\"Now we are nearing White Island,\" said the horse, \"where a king\nreigns who has the most beautiful daughter under the sun. All the\npeople on the island are asleep; for in the king's palace a taper is\nburning which never burns out, and till some one quenches it they must\nall sleep. Go to the palace, look at the princess as much as may\nplease thee, then take the taper, but be careful that it does not go\nout on a sudden; if it is quenched, run to me with all speed or thou\nwilt have trouble.\"\n\nBoyislav promised to obey faithfully. When they came to White Island\nthe road sank in the sea. Boyislav, leaving his horse before the gates\nof the city, hastened to the palace. The most luxuriant trees were\ngrowing all over the island, and beautiful flowers were in bloom; the\ncity was splendid, the palace of silver and gold, but nowhere was a\nliving creature to be seen. Boyislav moved on carefully through the\nempty streets as if afraid of waking some person. When he entered the\npalace he was amazed at its matchless beauty, but all was as nothing\nin comparison with the beauty of the princess who was sleeping on a\ndark purple couch in the last chamber. She was clothed in a light\ngarment, white as new-fallen snow, her dark hair fell on her white,\nslightly moving bosom, her lips were half open, her teeth shone like\npearls, and her whole figure was so full of charm that Boyislav held\nhis breath. With head inclined, with crossed hands, he looked at her\nlong,--forgot the horse, the taper, and the whole world, not thinking\nwhether he was living; he only felt that the princess was beautiful.\nWhen he had waited a long time he remembered the taper, looked around\nthe room, saw it on the table, and saw on two couches the king and\nqueen. He stepped quickly to the table to quench the taper and rouse\nthe princess, when all at once he heard the horse neigh so fiercely\nthat the palace trembled to its foundation; his hand dropped of\nitself, and he muttered: \"Thanks to thee, oh horse! Had I quenched\nthe taper all would have risen, and who knows what might have come to\nme?\"\n\nHe took the taper quickly and turned away, but when passing through\nthe door he could not refrain from looking at the princess again; she\nseemed still more beautiful. He put the taper on the table, knelt and\nkissed her hand; with that her face became ruddy as a rose, and around\nher mouth appeared a smile. He sprang up; and as dark night had come,\nhe thought of his return, seized the taper quickly, looked at the\nprincess, wrote on the table, \"Boyislav, youngest of twelve,\" and went\nfrom the palace, taking care that the taper should not be quenched. He\nreached the gate of the city, but there the taper was blown out by the\nwind. That moment was heard in the city a shout, which grew louder the\nlonger it lasted; but the trusty steed appeared and bore him in a\nflash to the shore of the sea.\n\n\"Throw in the last apple,\" said the horse.\n\nBoyislav obeyed without a murmur. That moment there rose from the\nwaves a road which reached to firm land, and as dawn was appearing\nthey came to the shore. Then the road sank in the sea.\n\n\"Now come down,\" said the horse; \"let me rest, and do thou rest, too.\"\n\nThe horse went to the green meadow, and Boyislav lay on the grass and\nmused on the princess of White Island. Since he was wearied greatly,\nhe fell asleep, but thought of the princess so that he sighed from\nsorrow when the horse roused him and said, \"Let us go.\"\n\nBoyislav mounted in silence. They travelled till they saw the domes of\na great city. \"What city is this?\" inquired Boyislav.\n\n\"Seest not,\" asked the horse, \"that is thy birthplace?\"\n\n\"Sure enough! Go quickly, dear horse, that I may embrace my father.\"\n\n\"Hurry not,\" said the horse; \"for it would be better for thee not to\ngo.\"\n\n\"Why?\" asked Boyislav with wonder.\n\n\"Because thy father has uttered sentence of death against thee.\"\n\n\"I do not believe that,\" replied Boyislav, shaking his head; and the\nhorse was silent.\n\nBoyislav's heart beat with joy when he entered the gates of his native\nplace, but his joy was short-lived. He had scarcely passed one street\nwhen people began to gather around him, till at last an officer of the\nking's army seized the bridle of his horse, and ordered the people who\nwere standing around to seize his arms. All rushed like hungry birds\nof prey on the terrified Boyislav.\n\n\"What art thou doing!\" cried he, when at length he recovered himself.\n\"Do ye not know that I am your prince?\"\n\n\"Prince or not,\" cried all, \"we know thee well enough to know that\nto-morrow thou wilt dance in the air.\" They took the unfortunate\nBoyislav to the castle, where, by command of the king, he was cast\ninto a dark dungeon, and his horse, which they all laughed at, was\nshut up in a pen. The officer who brought Boyislav to the palace got a\ngreat reward, and went in high glee to the nearest inn to drink with\nhis comrades.\n\nWhy was the king enraged with his favorite son? Because shameless lies\nhad been told by his other sons. When Boyislav brought the three\nprincesses of Black Island to the boat and returned for his horse, his\nbrothers weighed anchor at once and sailed off. On the way they forced\nthe unfortunate princesses to promise on oath to tell the king that\nthey were the liberators, and to say that Boyislav on Black Island had\nattached himself to a worthless woman, and made sport of his old\nfather.\n\nMeanwhile they agreed to cast lots for the princesses. When the\nbrothers declared their wish, the princesses said that they would not\nbreak their oaths, but could never be the wives of such men. The\nbrothers paid small heed to this, for their hearts were hard. They\nwere satisfied with having got rid of Boyislav. They ordered the\noarsmen to press on. As a favorable wind blew without stopping, they\nsoon arrived safely on firm land, where they hired horses and hurried\nto their native place.\n\nThe king, who had recovered as soon as the princesses on Black Island\nwere freed, welcomed his sons and the princesses with tears in his\neyes. But how he flushed up with anger when they told the story to\nwhich they had been forced by oath! He ordered the death of Boyislav\nat once, and offered a great reward for his capture. The wicked\nbrothers rubbed their hands with glee, but the princesses withdrew to\nthe chambers given them by the king, and passed their time in silent\ngrief.\n\nThe king was astonished at this, and wished to know what prince they\nloved; he would give his blessing at once, and the proper income. But\nthe princesses only shook their heads, and the king asked his sons the\nreason of the princesses' sorrow. The young men evaded the question,\nsaying that perhaps the princesses were homesick. At last they led the\nconversation to Boyislav. The king flushed up with anger, which was\nall his sons wanted, so as to avoid speaking of the princesses of\nBlack Island, for they knew nothing about them.\n\nAnd now, when Boyislav was in prison, they continued to excite the\nking to give an order forbidding any one to ask mercy for him under\npain of death. \"Why should I endanger my life?\" thought every one;\n\"the king of course knows why he puts his son to death.\" Many pitied\nthe prince, but only one man shed tears. He was an old warrior who had\nonce commanded the king's armies, and was retained as a friend of the\nking; he did not believe that Boyislav deserved death, and resolved to\nask pardon for him. \"Well,\" thought he, \"I shall not live till\nspring, and it is all the same whether I die a day earlier or later. I\nhave been in danger of death times without number and have never been\neven wounded; perhaps I shall escape now.\"\n\nHe went bravely to the king, who greeted him very kindly, as was his\nwont. \"What dost thou wish?\" asked he of the old man, who was silent.\n\n\"I ask mercy for Boyislav,\" said he.\n\n\"How darest thou slight my order?\" asked the king, angrily. \"Knowest\nnot thou art doomed to death?\"\n\n\"I know,\" answered the old man with dignity; \"but I fear not death. I\nmean to say that thou art disgracing thyself by giving thy own blood\nto the hangman.\"\n\nThe king was struck with these words, and walked up and down the room\nwith bowed head.\n\n\"Who knows whether Boyislav is really guilty or not?\" said the old\nman, \"for the conduct of the princesses from Black Island is strange.\"\n\n\"Thou art right, and I will not give him to the hangman; but still he\nmust die. I shall have him confined with the lions. Let them tear\nhim.\"\n\nThe old man made further effort, but the king would not be persuaded.\nWhen night came Boyislav was taken secretly from prison and shut in\nwith the lions. But the brothers were not satisfied yet; they told the\nking that Boyislav could easily escape, and advised him to wall up\nthe doors. The king consented, and the next day the doors were walled\nup, there remaining only a small opening on the other side. This was\nfortunate, for otherwise Boyislav must have perished for want of air.\nHe looked at the lions without fear; they did not harm him. Then he\ntook out the taper and the tablecloth, which he kept in his bosom,\nlighted the taper, laid the cloth on the ground, and asked for the\nchoicest food; it appeared. He fed the lions first, then ate and drank\nhimself. The lions lay at his feet in thankfulness; he lay on them and\nfell asleep. When awake he played with the lions,--who in a few days\nwere tame,--or thought of the princess on White Island. In this way\nhis days passed quickly, and before he knew it a whole year had gone.\n\nMeanwhile the princess of White Island travelled over the world with\nan army in search of her liberator; she had already visited many\nkings, but in no royal family had she found twelve sons. At last she\ncame to the dominions of the old king and learned that he had twelve\nsons. Her heart jumped for joy, and she marched night and day till she\nappeared before the capital. Straightway she sent messengers to the\nking, asking him to send her that prince who had freed her and her\nwhole kingdom.\n\nThe king called the five princes who went with Boyislav, and asked if\nthey had been on White Island.\n\n\"Of course!\" answered the truthless princes; and the eldest one\nshamelessly added that he had freed its princess.\n\n\"Then hurry to her,\" said the king. He went.\n\n\"Where is the taper?\" asked the princess when he came; but he knew\nnothing of it. Thereupon the princess became so angry that she drew\nher sword and cut off his head with a blow.\n\nAgain she sent the messenger with the announcement that if her\nliberator were not sent, she would turn the city into dust and ashes.\n\n\"I freed her,\" said the second prince to the frightened king.\n\n\"Then go to her.\"\n\nWhen she asked the second prince about the taper, he could give no\nanswer, and lost his life. The messenger returned to the king, and\ntold him what had happened to the two princes; the three remaining\nones were so terrified that they confessed the truth.\n\nThe old man, Boyislav's savior, now said to the king, \"I told thee\nBoyislav was innocent; thou wouldst not believe me. Now see how thou\nhast saved thy city from destruction, for the princess will surely\ncarry out her threat unless Boyislav is delivered up.\"\n\n\"But how can I deliver him up when he is dead?\" asked the king.\n\n\"He is not dead,\" replied the old man, joyfully, \"for there is still a\nlittle opening in the lions' den, and there is light there night and\nday.\"\n\nThe king sprang up joyfully, hastened to the den, and had the\nwalled-up doors opened. Boyislav looked on this carelessly; and when\nthe king implored him with tenderness to come out, that he forgave him\nall, he shook his head saying: \"I will not go, it is good enough for\nme here.\"\n\n\"But the princess will destroy my city,\" said the king.\n\n\"What princess?\" asked Boyislav with curiosity.\n\n\"The princess from White Island.\"\n\nIn silence, but with gladness in his eyes, Boyislav quenched the\ntaper, folded the tablecloth, and taking both with him walked out.\nWhen he went with the messenger to the princess, his heart beat with\nanxiety so that he could not raise his eyes when he stood before her.\n\n\"Thou art the man!\" exclaimed the princess, joyfully. But when\nBoyislav knew not what to answer, she said reproachfully: \"Has the\nardor with which thou didst kiss me grown cold?\"\n\n\"It has not,\" murmured Boyislav, wishing to kiss the golden hem of her\nrobe.\n\nThe princess raised him up, and kissing him, said: \"This is the\nearnest of our betrothal.\"\n\nBoyislav was glad to respond; and now all returned to the castle,\nwhere feasting began, which was to be closed by the wedding of the\nprincess and Boyislav. All were rejoiced except the princesses of\nBlack Island, who were as sad as ever. The three princes who had gone\nto Black Island were in deathly terror. Boyislav in the middle of the\nfeast grew sad, and when asked the reason, he inquired: \"Where is my\ntrusty horse?\"\n\nNo one could answer him, till at last one of the servants remembered\nthat the horse had been shut up in a pen. To the great astonishment of\nall, Boyislav ran out to him, fell upon his neck, and shed tears of\njoy.\n\n\"Thou hast done well to come,\" said the horse, sadly, \"or I should\nhave perished with hunger; for the cord brought from Red Island is\neaten. Every span of it became a bundle of hay. But now thou hast\nattained thy object, and I am needed no longer; cut off my head.\"\n\n\"I cut off thy head!\" exclaimed Boyislav.\n\n\"Then thou dost not wish to free me,\" said the horse, with chiding\nvoice.\n\nBoyislav drew his sword and cut off the horse's head at one blow. The\nhorse disappeared in an instant, but in his stead appeared a beautiful\nprince, who fell on Boyislav's neck and shed tears of joy.\n\n\"What is this?\" asked Boyislav, full of astonishment.\n\n\"Come to supper,\" said the prince; \"I will explain it all.\" Both\nhurried to supper; scarcely were they at the door, when the youngest\nprincess from Black Island fell into his arms, and the other two\npressed his hands. When they had recovered from the first surprise,\nthe prince said: \"I am the only son of a powerful king, whose\ndominions are not far from Black Island. I would not marry the\ndaughter of a queen who was a witch, and she enchanted me; and the\nprincesses of Black Island--the youngest of whom is my bride--were\nturned into horses twelve hours of each day. Boyislav freed the\nprincesses first, and now has freed me. The moment I regained my form,\nthe spell was removed from Black Island.\"\n\nAll were delighted with Boyislav; but the king was thoughtful, and\nseemed to ponder over important things. At last he summoned the three\nprinces who went with Boyislav to Black Island, and gave command to\nthrow them to the lions; the lions tore them to pieces in an instant.\n\nNow came new festivities; and when all was finished, Boyislav went\nwith his wife to White Island; and the liberated prince, with his wife\nand sisters, went to Black Island, where they celebrated at once their\nwedding and their liberation.\n\n\n\n\nTHE TABLE, THE PACK, AND THE BAG.\n\n\nBefore times long past, there lived in a little cottage an old father,\nwith his three sons. The eldest son was called Martin; the second,\nMihal; and the third, Yanek.\n\n\"Martin,\" the father used to say often, as they were sitting in the\nevening at a bowl of skimmed milk, \"I shall not be long alive; I feel\nit in my body. When I die, the cottage will come to thee; but do not\ncheat thy old mother and thy brothers.\"\n\nMartin always promised; but while the others were listening to their\nfather, he looked sharply at the food, and picked out every piece of\nbread from the milk. Mihal saw this with astonishment; but Yanek was\nalways grieved from his father's talk, and did not even think of\neating.\n\nThe father spoke the truth. In no long time he groaned his last; but\nwhen he saw his death-hour, he had all summoned for the parting. He\nreminded Martin again that he was never to let the cottage go out of\nhis possession; and then turning to Yanek, whom he loved most, he\nsaid: \"Yanichek, thou art simple, 'tis true; but what the Lord has\nkept from thee in wit, he has added in heart. Only be ever as kind as\nthou hast been, and obey thy brothers;\" with that he coughed, and was\nno more.\n\nMartin and Mihal gave themselves up to lamentation, but Yanek was\nsilent; he stood by his father's bedside as if without sense. Only\nafter a long time did he go out, sit in the garden under a tree, and\ncry like a little child.\n\nAfter the funeral, Martin and Mihal decided to go out in the world,\nand leave Yanek with his mother. \"The world is wide,\" said they;\n\"there fortune may meet us quickly, while in this little cottage we\nshould never come to anything as long as we lived.\"\n\nIt was all one to Yanek; but his mother who was still in good\nstrength, did not like to have Yanek lose his fortune, and talked with\nhis brothers so long that they took him with them. This was not\nagreeable to Martin and Mihal, but they reverenced their mother, and\nobeyed her.\n\nAll three made ready; Martin and Mihal put food in bags for\nthemselves, and went out into the world. On the road Yanek said to his\nbrothers, \"I shall be glad to see if that fortune meets us soon.\"\n\n\"Thou mayest run to meet it,\" snapped the brothers, \"since thou hast\nnothing to carry.\" They were angry that Yanek had taken nothing, while\nthey must carry heavy bags on their backs.\n\nThey walked on a whole half-day; the sun was burning, and the brothers\nwere tired and hungry. They sat down at the roadside under a tree, in\nthe shade, took out provisions, and began to eat,--that is, Martin and\nMihal; but Yanek sat by himself and began to cry, either because he\nremembered his father's death or was hungry. His brothers ridiculed\nhim and said: \"See now, thou wilt not be so lazy another time, and\nthen thou wilt not be hungry.\"\n\nYanek brushed away his tears with his sleeve, and said: \"Ye might have\na little shame. Ye are going out into the world so as to be able to\nsupport your mother when ye go home; but now ye have taken from her\neverything!\"\n\nSuch an answer the brothers did not expect from simple Yanek. They\nwere silent; and after a while, as if moved from kindness, they asked\nYanek to eat with them; but they did not do it from compassion or\nbrotherly love, but to lessen their fault. When they had eaten, they\nrose and went on their way. In the evening they came to a cottage and\nasked for lodgings. The cottager took them under his roof, and asked\nthem to sup. Martin thanked him with a certain boastfulness, saying\nthat he had provisions enough of his own.\n\nThe man sat down to supper with his wife. Yanek sat with downcast face\nalone in a corner. The woman went to the kitchen, and when returning,\nsaw that Yanek had nothing to eat. \"Oh, little boy, come and eat with\nus!\" said she kindly. Turning to Martin she asked if that was their\nservant.\n\n\"What servant!\" said Martin. \"He is our brother, but such a lazy\nfellow, he would not bring anything for himself.\"\n\nYanek did not wish to go to the table, but consented at last. Martin\nsquinted at the dish; and when he saw soup, he hated Yanek. Soup was\nhis favorite dish, and now he must look on and see how Yanek enjoyed\nit, and must be satisfied with dry bread and a bit of cheese. Full of\nhatred he went to bed in the place which the cottager showed him, with\nhis brothers. For a long time he lay awake, and when he fell asleep he\nsaw in a dream, Yanek eating soup. In the morning the brothers rose\nbefore breakfast, because they wanted Yanek to have nothing to eat.\nMartin went through the nearest forest, hoping that they would find no\nhouse all day, and so Yanek would have no food.\n\nThe whole forenoon they walked through the thick forest, and Martin\nwished to eat his dinner; but the forest began to grow thin and soon\nthey came to an open country. They looked for a road, went on a small\nhill, and then saw in the valley a great castle as high as ten houses\nplaced one on the other. Yanek laughed, but Martin was not pleased:\n\"We have lost the road,\" said he; \"we must go back.\"\n\n\"But, foolish fellow,\" said Mihal, who was tired, \"we are going out in\nthe world, what difference does it make; it is all the same whether we\ngo one way or another.\"\n\nWithout saying a word or looking at his brothers, Yanek went straight\ntoward the castle. That started off Martin, and soon he caught up with\nYanek. \"Walk behind,\" said he, \"I'm the eldest; I must go ahead.\"\n\nThey soon came to the castle, but did not see a living thing; they\nwere greatly afraid. Martin wished to run away; but when he saw Yanek\nopen the door, he followed him. They entered a splendid hall. How\nastonished were they! On the floor was a pile of copper money five\nells high. Martin and Mihal, blinded by the glitter of the money,\nthrew out their remaining provisions, filled their bags, and wanted to\nrun away; but Yanek opened the next door, through which the brothers\nsaw in another hall a still greater pile of money, but silver. They\nemptied their bags of the copper money with all speed, and filled them\nwith silver. They had barely done this when Yanek opened a third door,\nand cried out with wonder,--a thing which he seldom did,--\"Ai!\" The\nbrothers threw their bags on the floor, rushed to the door, but had to\ncover their eyes with their hands, for it was as bright as the sun in\nthe next chamber. They saw this was gold. Still more quickly than\nbefore, they threw the silver out of their bags, and panting for\nbreath, filled them with gold pieces.\n\n\"Now let us go,\" cried Martin; \"some one may come, and then we shall\nsuffer.\" They started from the castle as fast as they could. Yanek\nwent too, and took as he was going only one piece of money from each\nheap, and in the third room the remnants of food which his brothers\nhad thrown out. The brothers escaped with the money successfully,\nmeeting no one. Yanek followed at his leisure, eating the provisions\nwhich his brothers had thrown away. When they came to the forest, the\ntwo brothers crawled into the thicket, threw their bags on the ground,\nand began to rest. Yanek also lay down after he had put the last bit\nof bread in his mouth. Here Martin remembered the provisions, but he\nhad only ducats in his bag.\n\n\"Yanek,\" said he, \"run back to the castle and bring us from the first\nchamber the provisions which we forgot there.\"\n\nBut Yanek answered bluntly, \"I will not go.\"\n\n\"Why not?\" asked Martin in anger.\n\n\"Because they might catch me, and I should have to suffer instead of\nyou; besides, there is no food there, for when you threw it away I\npicked it up and ate it.\"\n\n\"Monster!\" screamed Martin in rage, \"I'll teach thee to obey thy\neldest brother. Mihal, give him here to me.\"\n\nMihal did not wait to be spoken to twice. They took poor Yanek between\nthem and put so many blows on him that he was soon lying as if dead on\nthe ground; then they took their bags on their backs and hurried home\nthrough the woods.\n\n\"That lazy-bones!\" growled Martin, \"let him go wherever he likes; he\nwill not dare to teach us again.\" They got out of the forest quickly,\nand in the evening came to an inn where they refreshed themselves.\nNext morning they set out for home. In the neighboring town, where the\nking dwelt, they bought a house, brought their mother to it, and began\nto live like great lords.\n\nYanek, poor fellow, lay for a long time unconscious in the forest. At\nlast he woke from his trance, rested his head against a tree, and fell\nto thinking of his condition. \"Oh, cruel brothers, ye have left the\nforest! Who knows whether I shall find the way home? I am weak; I\ncannot walk far; I will go back to the castle, no matter what meets\nme; I will take money, too, and live like a lord.\"\n\nMany a one will wonder that Yanek changed all at once; but a beating\nhas brought many a man to new ways. So Yanek made ready and went to\nthe castle. In the castle there was not a living soul. Yanek took off\nhis coat, tied the sleeves at the wrist, and began to rake gold into\nthem. He had almost finished when he heard noises at a distance like\nbursts of thunder. These noises grew louder and louder till at last\nthey were so loud that the castle trembled. All at once a voice as if\na fifteen-year-old bull were bellowing, called, \"Hu! hu! I smell the\nflesh of a man!\" and before Yanek could gather his wits after the\nfright, he saw two giants standing at the door.\n\n\"Oh, worm of the earth, thou art the one who is stealing our\ntreasures!\" howled one of the giants. \"Ha, thou wilt be a nice roast\nfor supper,\" added he, smacking his lips so that Yanek lost his\nsenses. But the second giant whispered something in the ear of the\nfirst, who nodded, and said to Yanek: \"Listen, worm of the earth, I\ngrant thee life, but henceforth thou wilt watch our treasures when we\nare from home.\"\n\nYanek wanted to kiss the giant's hand, but he could barely reach to\nhis knee. \"Only watch well, worm of the earth,\" said the giant,\ngraciously; \"but so that thou shouldst not be hungry, strike on this\nlittle table three times with thy fist and call, 'Food for a king!'\nand thou wilt have food to thy liking.\"\n\nYanek promised everything, and from that time forth he led a very\npleasant life,--he did nothing, no living soul ever came to the\ncastle, the table was always obedient. But at last he grew tired of\nall this. \"Watch your own treasures, lord giants,\" said he one day\nwhen the giants had gone out; \"and thou, my good little table,\ncome!--we will go home.\"\n\nYanek put the table on his back, stole away from the castle, and soon\nfound himself in the forest. He strolled leisurely through the forest,\nand after no long time was in the open field. Here an old grandfather\nmet him, and asked if he had not something to eat. \"'Tis long since I\nhave had a bit in my mouth,\" lamented the grandfather.\n\n\"Then I will help thee,\" said Yanek; \"come with me to that tree over\nthere.\" They sat under the tree; Yanek put his table on the ground,\nand striking on it three times with his fist, said: \"Food for a king!\"\nThe table was covered with the daintiest dishes.\n\nThe grandfather ate his fill, and said: \"Indeed this is a very\nbeautiful thing! But, my lad, if thou wouldst give me this little\ntable, I would give thee something better in place of it. This pack\nhas the virtue that at command an army will spring out of it as\nnumerous as ever thou carest to wish.\"\n\nYanek was greedy, but only from the time that he got a beating from\nhis brothers; he took the pack, gave the grandfather the table, and\nthey parted. But Yanek soon felt hungry; he was in the open field, and\nnowhere a house to be seen. Now he was angry at himself for having\ngiven away the table so frivolously; and besides he wished to know if\nwhat the grandfather said of the pack was true. He opened the pack and\ncommanded \"two hundred hussars to the field.\" He had barely spoken\nwhen horses were neighing, arms rattling, and sooner than he could\nthink, two hundred hussars stood in line before him. The officers\nsaluted Yanek, and asked with respect what he wanted.\n\n\"About five thousand yards from here, under that tree, an old man took\na table from me; ride after him, take the table, and bring it to me.\"\n\nHe had barely finished speaking when the hussars rode off at a wild\ngallop, in no long time they returned, and their leader gave Yanek\nthe table. Yanek opened his pack and said: \"Two hundred hussars in\nhere.\" In a twinkle the hussars were in the pack, from the first man\nand horse to the last. \"That is not a bad thing,\" said Yanek to\nhimself as he sat at the table, struck three times with his fist, and\ncommanded, \"Food for a king.\"\n\nWhen he had eaten to his content he took his table and his pack and\nwent on. It was inclining toward evening, and Yanek had to look for a\nnight's lodging. But this made him small trouble; it was warm enough,\nhe laid himself under a tree, put the pack under his head, held the\ntable in his hand, and so fell asleep. Next morning he ate like a king\nand went on. This time he met a grandfather as he had the day before,\nand he too asked for food. Yanek commanded the table, and the\ngrandfather ate his fill. \"My lad,\" said he, \"here is a bag; give me\nthy table for it.\"\n\n\"Oh, grandfather,\" said Yanek, with a laugh, \"nothing can come of\nthat.\"\n\n\"This is no laughing matter, my lad; the bag is worth getting, for it\nhas this virtue,--that wherever and whenever thou hast the wish, thou\ncanst call out of it as many castles as may please thee.\"\n\nYanek fell to thinking, and then said with a smile, \"Let it be so.\"\n\nThe grandfather took the table, Yanek the bag; then they parted. But\nbarely had the grandfather vanished from sight when Yanek opened the\npack and commanded: \"Three hundred Uhlans to the field!\" Scarce had\nhe spoken when three hundred Uhlans were standing in line before him.\n\"Go now to the right on the road; at the ditch a man took my table:\ntake that table and bring it to me.\"\n\nThe Uhlans flashed away, and a man could scarcely have counted ten\nbefore Yanek had the table. Then he opened the pack and commanded:\n\"Three hundred Uhlans this way!\" and the Uhlans vanished in the pack.\nYanek was beside himself with gladness when he took the table, the\npack, and the bag, and continued his way.\n\nIn the evening he came to the capital town, and there he learned that\nhis brothers had become great lords. He went before the town, tore his\nclothes purposely, then lay in the dust and rolled several times. He\ndid this so that he might seem out and out ragged and poor. Then he\nwent to his brothers and implored them to take pity on him. They would\nnot even recognize him; but his mother fell on his neck and begged for\nhim. The brothers gave way, and granted him lodging, but in the\nstable. Yanek was satisfied; he lay on the bed which was given\nhim,--that is, a bundle of straw,--and waited till all were asleep.\nThen he sprang over the fence to the garden, opened the bag, and\ncommanded: \"One castle out of the bag!\" and that moment there stood in\nthe garden the most beautiful castle. Then he opened the pack and\ncommanded: \"Fifty infantry come out!\" and fifty foot-soldiers stood\nbefore him.\n\n\"Ye,\" said he to them, \"will be all night on guard here in my castle;\nbut when in the morning the cock crows the second time, rouse me.\"\n\nThe warriors saluted and took their places on guard. Yanek took the\ntable which he had secreted, as well as the pack and bag, and went\ninto the castle. There he selected the most beautiful chamber,\ncommanded the table, and supped. After supper he lay down and slept\ntill the guards roused him. He rose, ate, and before any one was awake\nin the house of his brothers he commanded the warriors into the pack,\nthe castle into the bag, then crawled over the fence, and lay on his\nstraw in the stable. This he did night after night. But it was a\nwonder to his brothers how he was alive; for though they had two bags\nof ducats, they never gave him a morsel to eat. Therefore they pressed\nYanek to tell them if he had gathered much coin in the castle; they\nthought he had money, but did not wish to show it before them.\n\n\"Simpleton! I was glad to get out of there alive; for that castle\nbelongs to giants,\" answered Yanek. \"But I have something else, and it\nis better than your gold pieces.\"\n\nThen he brought the table, struck it three times with his fist, and\nsaid: \"Food for a king!\"\n\nMartin and Mihal stood like apparitions, they could not believe their\neyes; but when they began to eat they believed their tongues.\n\nThe story of the wonderful table was spread through the town, and soon\ncame to the king. He was eager for the food of the table, and sent his\nchamberlain to Yanek to borrow the table for three days.\n\n\"Agreed,\" said Yanek; \"here it is. But if it is not returned to me at\nthe end of three days I will declare war against the king.\"\n\nThe chamberlain bowed, took the table, and told the king, with a\nsmile, that Yanek would declare war against him unless the table was\nreturned. The table pleased the king beyond measure, but still more\nthe food; therefore he meditated how to deceive Yanek. He summoned all\nthe joiners, carvers, and turners in the town, and ordered them to\nmake exactly such a table as Yanek's. They went to work, and before\nthe third day had passed there were two tables, and the king himself\ncould not tell which was the right one. Soon he made sure of it, and\nthen he sent the counterfeit table by the chamberlain to Yanek.\n\nYanek struck the table three times with his fist and ordered: \"Food\nfor a king!\" The table trembled, but nothing more. \"Food for a king!\"\nshouted Yanek, full of anger; but he soon discovered that the king had\ndeceived him, and he pounded the table till he pounded it to pieces.\n\n\"Take this and carry it to the king,\" said he to the chamberlain,\n\"and tell him that I'll smash down his castle to-morrow as I have\nbroken this table!\"\n\nThe chamberlain collected the fragments, took them to the king, and\ntold him what Yanek had said. The king only smiled haughtily, and\nthought that he had finished with Yanek. In the night, however, he had\nwonderful dreams, and early next morning he ordered his army to be\nplaced before the castle and be ready for battle.\n\nNow Yanek came with his pack, counted the royal troops, and still once\nmore asked the king to return his table; but the king only laughed.\nThen Yanek opened the pack and commanded: \"A thousand times a thousand\ninfantry out; a thousand times a thousand cavalry out.\" From the pack\nthere was the rush of an avalanche. Soon the whole country in front of\nthe castle was filled with the finest of armies. The king and his\ntroops were as if before a vision; but when Yanek raised his hand as a\nsignal for attack, the king raised a white flag and went to Yanek.\n\n\"Thou seest,\" said the king, almost imploringly, \"I was mistaken; but\nI wish to correct my mistake. I will return the table, and besides I\nwill give thee my daughter in marriage.\"\n\n\"Then peace,\" said Yanek. \"But first bring thy princess; let me see\nher.\"\n\nThe princess soon came with her ladies, raised her veil, and stood\nbefore Yanek.\n\n\"The wedding will be to-day!\" ordered Yanek, and kissed the princess\non the forehead. She was not angry; nay, it may be said she was glad.\nThen Yanek commanded: \"A thousand times a thousand infantry in; a\nthousand times a thousand cavalry in,\" and closed the pack.\n\nThe royal army withdrew to the fortress, and now quick preparations\nwere made for the marriage. At midday Yanek and the princess belonged\nto each other. Then they feasted, and the table gave meat and drink\ntill the evening.\n\nWhen all were in bed Yanek went out to the king's garden with his bag,\nopened it, and commanded: \"Let the most beautiful castle that can be\nin the world come out of this bag!\" And that was such a castle that\nYanek himself was astonished.\n\nThen he went to the old castle to the king, who had already prepared\nchambers to which he wished to conduct him and the princess; but Yanek\nanswered that he had his own household, and the king had such faith in\nhim that he believed. Yanek conducted his bride to the new castle, and\nshe could not admire its splendor sufficiently.\n\nIn the morning people hurried to the king and told him that there was\na new castle in the garden. The sun was just rising, and casting its\nrays on the castle, the castle was blazing with gold, silver, and\nprecious stones. The king now respected Yanek still more, and gave him\nall that he could, even his kingdom.\n\nSo Yanek became king, and a great king who could give battle to the\nwhole world. On the boundaries he put castles everywhere out of the\nbag, and from the pack he garrisoned them with troops. The table gave\nhim the best of food; what more could he want?\n\nHe reigned long, and was a real father to his subjects. As a\npunishment to his brothers he did not let them come near him; but his\nmother he cared for so well that she reached a great age. In the most\nbeautiful chamber of the castle, on a golden throne, were the pack and\nthe bag, and near them the table.\n\nWhen King Yanek died he was mourned by all; he left his children the\nmightiest kingdom on earth. His eldest son succeeded him; but\naccustomed to splendor and luxury, he did not govern the kingdom so\nwell as his father. After his death it was still worse. The succeeding\nkings were ashamed of their peasant stock; and so that no man might\ndiscover the real foundation of their power and turn them into\nridicule, they took the table, the pack, and the bag, and cast them\ninto a dark, damp cellar.\n\nAnd will ye ask what became of such a mighty kingdom? The table\nrotted, the bag rotted, the mice gnawed the pack; and then it was all\nover with that kingdom.\n\nIn after times, when he was in straits, the king ran to the cellar,\nstruck on the table, looked for the pack and the bag. But the table\nfell to pieces at the first blow, of the pack there remained but a few\nlittle straps, and of the bag a few threads.\n\n\n\n\nTHE KING OF THE TOADS.\n\n\nMany and many a year ago there was a cottage by the sea, and in this\ncottage lived a fisherman who caught fish in the sea. By the king's\ncommand he was allowed to take fish, not when he liked, but only once\na week, and that on Mondays. He was anxious, therefore, to catch many\non that day. Fish, of course, are not so crafty as men, but still they\nknow enough to see that there is no fun in being caught. What is to be\ndone with them afterwards they don't know; still, they must suspect\nthat it can hardly be for their amusement. It is no wonder then that\nthey did not crowd into the fisherman's net.\n\nThe fisherman worked every Monday till the sweat streamed down his\nface; and this all the more, since, come what might, he was obliged to\nbring fish to the king's kitchen each Monday. Once he worked the whole\nforenoon without catching even a white fish. \"I will try once more,\"\nthought the tired fisherman; \"I will throw everything into the water,\nand jump around to frighten the fish, they are so stubborn.\"\n\nHe threw the net deeply, and when he pulled it was very heavy. \"Now\nthere will be fish,\" thought he, joyfully; but what was his\nastonishment when, instead of fish, he drew out a great copper kettle.\n\nThe kettle was so well fastened that the fisherman had to work long\nbefore he could take off the cover. But how he was frightened!\nScarcely had he removed the cover when out of the kettle rushed black\nsmoke, which grew thicker and thicker, till at last it changed to a\nfiery man.\n\n\"Thou hast helped me, and I will help thee,\" said he to the terrified\nfisherman; \"but in my own way I will destroy thee.\"\n\nThe fisherman lost his head, but soon recovering said: \"Oh, I don't\ncare, I am already tired of this world; still thou must do something\nfor me, since I freed thee. I can't understand how thou wert able to\nlive in such a small place, and under the water too, and then change\nso quickly.\"\n\n\"I'll show thee in a moment,\" said the fiery man; and he began to turn\ninto black smoke, and in no long time he was packed into the kettle\nagain.\n\n\"Dost see me?\" inquired he of the fisherman.\n\n\"I see thee,\" answered the fisherman, laughing; \"I see thee, but\nthou'lt not see me any more.\"\n\nThe cover was already on the kettle and fastened firmly. The fiery man\nby no means expected to find such cunning among people, and\nconsidering his condition in the kettle, began to beg of the\nfisherman: \"Let me out and I will reward thee.\"\n\n\"Swear that thou wilt never destroy me,\" said the fisherman.\n\nThe spirit answered with a solemn voice, \"I swear.\"\n\nThe fisherman removed the cover, and black smoke rolled out, growing\nthicker and thicker, till at last it turned into a fiery man.\n\n\"Follow me,\" said he to the fisherman; and the latter followed without\nthinking.\n\nIn a short time they came to a high cliff in which steps were cut in\nthe stone. The fiery man bent to the earth, plucked an herb, and\ngiving it to the fisherman said: \"Keep this with thee always. Put thy\nfoot on this step; immediately after thou wilt be on a high mountain,\nfrom which thou wilt see a great lake. In the lake is a wealth of\nfish, and thou hast the right to catch as many of them as may please\nthee, but only once a week, on Mondays. When thou hast the wish to\ncome down, climb to the top, and soon thou wilt be at the bottom.\"\n\nThereupon the fiery man vanished, but the fisherman went on the steps\ncut in the rock; in one moment a mighty wind caught him, and in a\ntwinkle he was on a high mountain, from which he saw an altogether\nunknown country covered with dark forests, in the midst of which was a\nbroad lake; only here and there was a grass-plot to be seen, there\nwere neither hills nor the dwellings of men.\n\nThe fisherman went down from the mountain, and when he had reached the\nlake he found a boat with all the fishing-tackle, as if made ready for\nhim. He went to work willingly, threw in the net, and drew out\nnothing; he threw it in a second time, drew out as much as before.\n\"That fiery man has fooled me,\" thought he, \"but the third throw is\nalways the best.\" He cast his net again and drew out three fish; when\nhe saw them in the net, he said bitterly: \"Well, this is a wealth of\nfish! If it goes on in this way I'll soon leave the place; besides, I\ndon't like travelling by wind.\" But when he looked at the fish more\ncarefully, and took them in his hand, he found that in all his life he\nhad never seen anything like them. \"These are not for me,\" muttered\nhe, \"I must give them to the king; he will soon try them.\" With that\nhe left the boat, went to the mountain, and had barely touched the\nsummit when a mighty wind seized him, and placed him on level land. He\nset out for home, and it was time; for his wife had already cooked the\ndinner and was waiting. As soon as he saw her before the door, he\nhurried his steps; and when she was in the cottage he began to run.\nAnd why did he run, because he feared her? Not at all. He cared\nnothing for her, as he said himself; but he loved domestic peace, and\ndid everything his wife wanted, but always did it in such fashion that\nshe might not know what he was doing; this was to preserve his own\nimportance in her eyes. He went into the house slowly, and said at the\ndoor: \"Well, my dear, I have caught a few fish to-day; but I had much\ntrouble, or I should have been home long ago.\"\n\n\"Time for thee,\" snapped his wife; \"if thou art late again I'll eat\nalone, leave nothing, and thou wilt find out that I am not thy slave\nto wait and suffer hunger.\"\n\n\"Oh well, things are not so bad to-day,\" said the fisherman; \"better\ncome and see these wonderful fish.\"\n\n\"They are just like any other fish,\" cried the woman, \"only they look\na little different, that's all.\"\n\n\"And for that very reason thou wilt take them to the king. He will pay\nus well for them; we should not be able to use them.\"\n\n\"Oh, thou couldst soon do away with them,\" replied his wife, \"but\nthat's why I'll take them to the king; besides, we are up to our ears\nin fish.\"\n\nAfter dinner the fisherman's wife hurried to the king with the fish.\nWhen she came to the palace, she asked the first man she met where the\nking was, but got as answer: \"I don't keep the king!\" She went\nfarther, making confusion everywhere until all the servants came\ntogether, but no one said anything to her. At last she reached the\nguard who stood before the king's chamber; she wanted to go without\nceremony to his Kingly Grace. The guard pushed her back sharply, but\nthe fishwoman did not retreat so easily; she tried once more to break\nthrough the guards, but this time she was repulsed. One of the guards,\nas firm as a rock, and with as much hair on his face as a bear, caught\nher by the hand and pulled her so roughly that she almost fell to the\nfloor. She screamed that they were killing her, and roused the whole\npalace; even the king came. She turned straight to him and cried out\nover the heads of the men: \"Royal Grace, I am bringing fish, and these\nbears won't let me in.\"\n\nThe king, who was in good humor that day, beckoned her to come. \"What\nkind of fish, and how many?\" asked he when she approached.\n\n\"Royal Grace, only three, but so wonderful that I have not seen such\nas long as I live.\" With that she took a fish from the basket and\nhanded it to the king.\n\n\"Wonderful, indeed,\" said the king, \"but give them not to me, give\nthem to my cook; and here is to thee for the road,\" giving her a\nhandful of goldpieces.\n\nThe fishwoman, when she saw so much money, fell at the king's feet,\nand came near throwing him down; but he didn't mind. Then she took the\nfish to the kitchen, and ran headlong home.\n\nAfter she had gone the king went to the kitchen, looked at one of the\nfish, and said to the cook: \"Thou must dress these fish in a special\nmanner, and answer with thy head for the cooking.\"\n\n\"Royal Grace, in what manner?\" asked the cook, trembling with terror\nwhen he heard of his head; for though he was a great hero at cutting\noff heads, he trembled like an aspen when his own head was in\nquestion.\n\n\"That's thy affair,\" replied the king; \"I will send my chamberlain to\nthee to look after the fish.\"\n\nThe king went away, and presently the chamberlain appeared. The cook\ndid not know how to prepare the fish, and lost his wits,--but that was\nhis luck, for he did everything without knowing it, and altogether\ndifferent from his wont. At last when they had the fish on the pan,\nand began to butter them, the whole palace trembled. Then followed a\nterrible shock; and before the cook or the chamberlain could think\nwhat it meant, they received each such a slap on the face from an\ninvisible hand that they fell senseless to the floor. And while they\nwere lying in such concord on the floor, they knew not that one of the\nfish stood on his tail in the pan, and said to the other two: \"Will ye\nserve me or be food for the king?\"\n\n\"Serve thee,\" said both in one voice. With that all three of them\nvanished, and to this day no man knows whither they went.\n\nThe cook woke up from his involuntary slumber sooner than the\nchamberlain; he did not rise, however, but waited for the other. Then\nhe rose, groaned heavily, complained, and both hurried to the fish;\nbut they were gone. \"The devil take the fish!\" said the cook; \"but\nwhat will the king say?\"\n\nIt was no great joy for the chamberlain that the fish were gone; still\nhe went to the king and told him of all that had happened in the\nkitchen.\n\n\"I cannot believe it,\" said the king; \"but if thou canst get more\nfish like these, thou wilt be forgiven this time. Now go to the\nfisherman and tell him to get other fish like these.\"\n\nThe chamberlain hurried away with light heart, rejoiced at his easy\nescape. The fisherman said that he could catch fish only on Mondays.\nThe chamberlain told this to the king; the king was very angry. But\nwhat could he gain by that?\n\nThere was joy in the fisherman's cottage by reason of so much money,\nand the fisherman's wife could hardly wait till Monday. She roused her\nhusband early Monday morning, got him a holiday breakfast, and almost\npushed him out of the house, so as to bring those strange fish with\nall speed. The fisherman obeyed, not his wife, however, but the king,\nand hastened to the cliff with the wonderful herb in his bosom. He had\nbarely stood on the step, when he was carried to the mountain; and\nfrom there he rushed to the lake, where he found a boat waiting for\nhim as before. The first and second time he caught nothing; but the\nthird time he drew out three fish. \"Now my wife will be glad,\" thought\nhe, and hurried up the mountain; from there he was taken to the valley\nin an instant, and ran home. His wife pulled the fish out of his\nhands, threw them into a basket, and ran to the king's palace. The\nguard was ordered to let her pass; and she went straight to the king,\nwho came out to meet her, and looking at the fish, to see if they\nwere the same, gave her another handful of gold for her trouble. The\nfishwoman thanked him, took the fish to the kitchen, and went home\nleisurely, for she counted the money to see if there was the same as\nbefore; there was still more. Now there was joy in the cottage; and\nthe fisherman was thankful in his heart to the fiery man, by whose\naction he had gained such peace in his household.\n\nNew orders were issued by the king to the cook, who was trembling with\nterror, thinking what would come of the fish. But the king, who did\nnot believe even the chamberlain, sent his eldest son to watch both\nthe chamberlain and the cook, lest they should eat the fish\nthemselves. They all stood in great expectation around the pan in\nwhich the butter was melting under the fish; but as soon as they began\nto butter the fish, the castle was shaken more violently than before,\na still louder shock followed, and the cook, chamberlain, and even the\nprince himself, received such slaps from an unseen hand that all three\nfell senseless to the floor. And while they were lying there, they did\nnot know that one of the fish stood on its tail in the pan, and said\nto the other two: \"Will ye be food for the king, or serve me?\"\n\n\"Serve thee,\" answered the two in one voice; then all three vanished\nin an instant, and to this day no man knows whither.\n\nThe cook came to his senses first; but seeing the chamberlain and the\nprince still on the floor, he stayed where he was. The chamberlain\nfollowed his example; at last the prince jumped up and roused both.\nFor a while they acted as if they had lost their wits, then rose to\ntheir feet slowly, and complained. When they looked in the pan they\nfound it empty. The prince told all carefully to his father. The king\nwas raging, and threatened them all with death. At last he was\npacified, and sent the prince to the fisherman. The prince gave the\nking's order, but the fisherman said that he could catch those fish\nonly on Mondays. When the king heard this he fell into a towering\npassion, though he knew himself that the fish could be caught only on\nMondays. At last he grew calm, but resolved to be present next time\nthey cooked these most wonderful fish.\n\nOn Monday the fisherman's wife pushed her husband out of the house at\nthe dawn of day. The fisherman came to the top of the mountain as\nbefore, then hastened to the lake, where on the third cast of the net\nhe drew out three fish. He hurried to the top of the mountain; next\nmoment he was in the valley, and ran home as fast as his breath would\nlet him. His wife shortened the journey for him: she ran to meet him,\nand pulling the fish out of his hands, rushed off to the palace like a\ncrazy woman. The king was waiting; and ran out the moment he saw her.\nWhen he looked at the fish he gave her two handfuls of gold. She took\nthe fish to the kitchen, and hurried away. When she came to the field\nshe sat down and counted the money ten times.\n\nIn the king's kitchen the king, the prince, and the chamberlain\nwatched the cook while he was preparing the fish. Because the king was\npresent, great attention was paid to everything. This was done partly\nto make the king tired of being there; but he gave them to understand\nthat he would wait till the fish were ready. After long preparation\nthey got them on the pan; but as soon as the cook began to butter them\nthe palace shook as in a tempest. Then came a shock as from a\nlightning-stroke, and in an instant all present received such slaps on\nthe face that they fell senseless to the floor. While lying there\nwithout distinction of persons none of them knew, not even the king,\nthat one of the fish stood on its tail in the pan and said to the\nother two: \"Will ye serve me or be food for the king?\"\n\n\"Serve thee!\" answered both in one voice; and all three vanished.\n\nAfter a long time the cook woke from his trance, and seeing the king\nprostrate, remained as he was. In like manner acted the chamberlain\nand the prince when they recovered. At last the king rose, walked\naround the pan quickly, saw no fish, wondered greatly, and went to his\nchambers in silence. When the king had gone, the prince, the\nchamberlain, and the cook sprang from the floor and shook themselves.\n\nThe king pondered long over these fish, weighed everything duly, and\nthen sent for the fisherman. The fisherman came straightway; but how\nhe wondered when he heard what had happened at the buttering of the\nfish! The king said: \"Take me to that lake; I will examine everything\ncarefully myself.\" The fisherman of course consented. The king took\nhis body-guard, and all moved toward the cliff, with the fisherman at\nthe head. When they arrived there the fisherman gave the king some of\nthe herb which he had received from the fiery man, took him by the\nhand, and stood on the stone step. In an instant a mighty wind seized\nthem; the king and the fisherman flew through the air, but the\nbody-guard stood, as if fallen from heaven. They waited long; but when\nnothing came of it, they returned to the palace, and told the\nterrified people what they had seen.\n\nIn due time the king with the fisherman appeared on the summit of the\nmountain, from whence he saw the whole country. Although there was no\npalace, nor even a cottage, still it pleased him greatly at first\nsight.\n\n\"There,\" said the fisherman to the king, \"is the lake where I catch\nthe wonderful fish; I haven't gone farther yet in any direction.\"\n\n\"Very well,\" said the king, \"let us go down.\"\n\nOn reaching the lake the king told the fisherman to catch the fish;\nbut he went on himself to examine the place. The farther he went the\nthicker the grass, till at last he had hard work to get through;\nstill he advanced till he came to a beautiful green meadow, having on\none side the forest, and on the other the lake. Near the shore in a\nboat sat an old grandfather, whose head was as white as an apple-tree\nin blossom.\n\n\"Wilt thou row me over, grandfather?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Why should I not, since that is what I am here for?\"\n\nThe king took a seat in the boat. The old man rowed without hurrying;\nbut the boat moved lightly over the smooth water, like a fly through\nthe blue sky. When they reached the middle of the lake the old man\nturned to one side. Then the king saw a grand castle half hidden in\nthe dark forest.\n\n\"Oh, what a beautiful castle! Who reigns there?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Thou wilt learn if thou enter,\" replied the old man. When they\ntouched the shore he gave the king a green twig, and said: \"Take this\ntwig; it will be of use to thee. Good-by, for thou wilt not see me\nagain.\"\n\n\"But who will take me back?\"\n\n\"No one. Thou wilt go back on dry land;\" and turning aside, he\ndisappeared.\n\nThe king went straight to the palace; and if he wondered at the words\nof the old man, he was still more astonished when he entered the\nprincipal gate and saw no living soul. Thoughtfully he ascended the\nbroad steps, went through one chamber, then another, a third, and a\nfourth; but nowhere did he find a living creature. \"This is some\nenchanted castle,\" thought the king to himself. \"Who knows how I shall\nescape? But I will see all, and then find the way home.\" He examined\nthe chambers further till he came to the last, and there in the middle\nof the room sat an old man, bent to the floor. \"I said this was an\nenchanted castle,\" thought the king; \"here sits one man!\"\n\nThe old man raised his head, and seeing the king, said: \"Welcome; at\nlast I see a human face!\"\n\nThe king approached him and asked: \"Who art thou, and what does this\nempty palace mean?\"\n\n\"I am a king, but without subjects or power; another rules in my\nplace,\" answered the old man, bitterly.\n\n\"What is the cause of this?\"\n\n\"The treason of my own wife.\"\n\n\"And is there no rescue?\"\n\n\"Well, the same as none; therefore be off at once, otherwise my wife\nwill kill thee when she returns from the King of the Toads.\"\n\n\"I am not afraid of a woman,\" said the king. \"I want to stand before\nher; we shall see if there is no escape.\"\n\n\"If there were escape I should not be sitting here confined by the\nKing of the Toads!\"\n\n\"Who is this King of the Toads?\"\n\n\"Listen; I will tell thee my whole sad story. The sun is yet high, and\nuntil it sets my wife will not return: Once I ruled over a powerful\nnation; around my palace was a great city, and near it a beautiful\ngarden. All is changed into a dark forest and a lake. The fish in the\nlake are my former subjects. I was once happy, and the more so because\nI obtained as wife a beautiful and kind princess; but the King of the\nToads got into the place where the lake now is, and he turned my\nwife's heart from me. I remonstrated, begged, threatened my wife with\ndeath, but in vain. Every day she went to meet the King of the Toads,\nand listened to his wheedling speech. Once I came upon them in the\nsummer-house, and heard with my own ears their whispering and kissing.\nAt last the King of the Toads said: 'I will find the nest of the magic\nbird, will take its eggs, and give them thee to eat; thou wilt become\nimmortal and ever young; then we shall be altogether happy.'\n'Deceitful serpent!' I cried, springing from my hiding-place; and with\na sharp sword I cut the King of the Toads in two. My wife fell upon\nhim, weeping, and he grew together again. Looking at me with venomous\neye he muttered words I could not understand, and that moment I felt\nmy blood grow cold, and my veins stiffened so that I could not think\nof further struggle. I came home in misery and sat down on this chair\nto rest; but the King of the Toads froze me to my seat, and laid a\nspell upon the land. From that time I sit here, I know not how many\nyears. My wife spends every day with her lover, and catches frogs for\nhim out of the lake; in return, he promises her immortality and\neternal youth. Now, thou canst see there is no aid for me; but escape\nthou before my wife kills thee.\"\n\n\"I will not flee,\" said the king, and drew his sword. \"I'll cut off\nher head,--the traitorous soul!\"\n\n\"Foolish man,\" said the old king; \"the King of the Toads saves her,\nand will not let her be hurt.\"\n\n\"Let him guard her; I must avenge thee,\" answered the king, and sat on\na chair waiting for the deceitful queen, paying no attention to the\nold man, who begged him by everything in the world to escape.\n\nAs the sun was going down the queen came, and was not a little\nastonished when she saw the stately knight with her husband. The king\ndrew his sword and ran towards her, but the moment the sword touched\nher clothing it broke in two. It would have been bad for the king now,\nif he had not remembered the twig which the boatman gave him. He\npulled it out quickly, and struck the queen three times. The third\ntime he struck she dropped on a seat, and was unable to move an eye.\n\n\"Sit there, like thy husband,\" said the king, mockingly, and\ncounselled with the old man what to do further.\n\n\"It would be better,\" said the old man, who gained courage when he\nsaw his wife frozen to the chair, \"to persuade the King of the Toads\nto free the kingdom and me from enchantment.\"\n\n\"I will try,\" answered the king; and going to the adjoining chamber,\nwhere the queen's wardrobe was, he dressed in her garments and came\nback to the old man. \"Now I will go to the King of the Toads and\npretend to be his love, thy virtuous wife. Then I will beg him; and if\nhe does not do what I want, I'll freeze him with this twig, and stroke\nhim with my sword till his heart softens.\"\n\n\"But beg of him first,\" said the old man.\n\nThe king made his way in silence to the King of the Toads; but as it\nwas night he could not find him, and was obliged to call out. He\nchanged his voice, which deceived the King of the Toads, who came\nquickly and wished to embrace him, thinking that he was the queen.\n\n\"No, my dear,\" said the king; \"first thou must do something to please\nme. What good is it for us to live together if my former husband is\ntroubling me? Either kill him altogether or give him back his former\ncondition, so that he may die; if thou wilt take the spell from him,\nhe will fall to dust and ashes.\"\n\n\"Let it be as thou wishest,\" said he, drawing nearer.\n\nBut she moved away, and said: \"I have one more favor to ask, but this\nconcerns us alone. As soon as my former husband dies thou wilt take\nhis place and we shall reign together, but what sort of a reign would\nit be if the whole country were enchanted; therefore give back its\nformer shape to the kingdom, and I will marry thee before the world.\"\n\n\"So let it be,\" replied the King of the Toads, and embraced his\nsupposed love, who refused no longer. Scarcely had he touched her when\nhe was struck three times with the twig, in the dark night, and the\nKing of the Toads was frozen to the earth.\n\n\"Serpent of hell!\" cried the king with his powerful voice, \"now I'll\nenchant thee for the eternal ages;\" and with that he drew out his\nsword and cut him into countless pieces, which he threw into the\nwater. Frogs rushed from every side with a terrible croaking, and\ngreedily swallowed the bits of the body of their destroyer.\n\nThey had barely devoured him when the water began to run out of the\nlake; and the king saw by the light of the moon which had risen over\nthe mountain summit, how the tree-tops were rising quickly from the\nwater, higher and higher till the water disappeared altogether, and in\nthe place of the lake was a splendid park, in which were multitudes of\npeople who, praising the king, hurried to the castle. The king joined\nthem, but before reaching the castle he had to pass through a large\ncity; and only after travelling many streets did he arrive there. All\nthe chambers were lighted up, and full of people, so that with\ndifficulty did he find the old man, who was standing in the last\nchamber, and preventing the people from hewing the queen to pieces;\nbut the king drew his sword and cut off her head. \"She deserved it,\"\nsaid he to the old man, who dropped a few tears for his former wife.\n\nNow universal rejoicings began, but the liberated king took no part in\nthem. He called his deliverer and said: \"My hours are numbered, I give\nthe whole kingdom to thee; rule in my place.\"\n\nThe new king thanked the old one kindly, and when he rose in the\nmorning, he heard that the old king was dead.\n\nOur king mounted a fiery steed, rode to the city, and announced to the\npeople the death and last will of their former ruler. They grieved for\na moment, then with shouts of gladness greeted the new king.\n\nAfter the burial of the old monarch, his successor examined the\nkingdom; and as everything pleased him greatly, he decided to stay\nthere. Therefore he went to his former palace, but the road was far\nlonger than when he had travelled it with the fisherman. He was\nobliged to ride several weeks before arriving there. No one knew him,\nfor several years had passed while he was in the enchanted kingdom. At\nlast an old grandfather came, who said: \"I am one of the body-guard\nwho went with thee to the cliff where thou didst leave us. Take me, I\nbeg, into thy service again, for all my comrades are dead; I am\nalone.\"\n\nThe people believed quickly the grandfather's words, gathered around\nthe king and kissed the hem of his garment. The king sold his castle,\nput everything he could into wagons, and made ready for the road. Now\nhe remembered the fisherman, asked how he was getting on, and when he\nhad returned home.\n\n\"Only yesterday,\" was the reply.\n\n\"Send for him,\" commanded the king; and straightway the fisherman was\nthere.\n\nWhen the king asked about his adventures, the fisherman answered:\n\"Royal Grace, I have no fish, and God alone knows what happened in\nthat place. All at once the water disappeared under my boat and I was\non dry land. I left everything and ran away; but trees began to grow\nunder me, and so quickly that every second branches struck my face.\nSince it was in the night I might have lost my senses. In the morning\nI wondered when I saw instead of a forest an enormous city, with a\ngreat palace. I hurried from that magic country, thinking to see my\ncottage soon; but I travelled one day, I travelled two, a week, a\nmonth, and then a year--no sign of my cottage. I gave up for a time,\nand only yesterday I came home safely. My wife was dead; I am all\nalone now in this wide world.\"\n\n\"Do not cry,\" said the king; \"thou hast me yet. Thou wilt stay with\nme.\"\n\nThe fisherman answered with tears, and all started off on their\njourney. They arrived safely at the new kingdom; and all lived happily\ntill they died.\n\n\n\n\nTHE MOUSE-HOLE, AND THE UNDERGROUND KINGDOM.\n\n\nBefore times long past there reigned a king somewhere, and he had\nthree sons. When they had grown up, and were trained as befits\nprinces, they came one day to their father and said: \"Our kingly\nfather, permit us to visit strange lands, since we know our own\ncountry well.\"\n\n\"Yes, it is proper,\" answered the king, wisely, \"for royal princes to\nknow more than any of my subjects; and I permit what ye ask, but on\none condition. Ye are all of an age in which almost every man seeks\nthe partner of his life; and as far as I know, ye also will do the\nsame. I have no wish to tell you what princesses to fall in love with,\nbut I ask this: Return before a year and a day, and bring me some\ngift--not costly, but valued--from your chosen ones.\"\n\nThe princes were astonished that their father had guessed their\nthoughts so well, and agreed without thinking. Then they took their\ncrossbows and went to the open field. The eldest son let the\nbow-string go, and the arrow flew to the east. The second let the\nstring go, and the arrow flew to the west.\n\n\"And where am I to aim?\" cried the youngest, whose name was Yarmil.\nThat moment a mouse ran near him to its hole; he let the string go,\nand the arrow flew after the mouse.\n\n\"Oh, thoughtless fellow!\" said the eldest prince in rebuke; \"now thou\nmust go to the mouse-hole.\"\n\n\"It is settled,\" answered Yarmil, and shrugged his shoulders.\n\nThey went home, prepared for the road, and next day started; the\neldest to the east, the second to the west, and Yarmil to the\nmouse-hole. Up to that moment he had held it merely a jest; but how\nwas he astonished when on nearing the place the earth opened so that\nhe rode in conveniently, and sooner than he could think was in an open\ncountry, in the middle of which stood a white marble castle. Nowhere\ndid he see a living soul; and he felt sure then that he would find no\none in the castle; but scarcely had he entered the gate when a lady\ncame forth to meet him who had not only garments, but face, hair,\neyes, in short everything, white as newly fallen snow. She held by the\nbridle a mettlesome white steed, and without saying a word, indicated\nto Yarmil to descend from his own horse and sit on the white one; but\nhe had barely mounted the white steed when it rose with him through\nthe air, and without heeding the bit, went on till it brought him to\nthe earth before a splendid castle. Yarmil marvelled, for the castle\nwas so brilliant that he could not look at it, such was the glitter of\ngold and precious stones. Around about, wherever the eye could see,\nwas a beautiful garden, in which the most luxuriant trees were\ngrowing, the most beautiful flowers were in bloom, and birds of every\ncolor were singing.\n\nWhen he had recovered from the first surprise, Yarmil dismounted and\nwished to lead the steed to the castle; but it tore away, rose through\nthe air, and vanished like a white dove in the clouds.\n\nFull of expectation Yarmil entered the castle. He struck on the gate;\nno answer, but it opened of itself. He went in on broad marble steps\nto the door of the first chamber. Again he knocked; no answer, but the\ndoor opened. He entered, but how did he wonder again! There was such\nsplendor that he exclaimed, \"My father is by far the richest king, but\nthis chamber alone is worth more than his kingdom.\"\n\nBut if the first chamber was rich, the second was richer; and that\nsplendor increased till he came to the eleventh, where there was a\ngreat crystal tub with golden hoops, into which, through a golden\npipe, water still clearer than crystal was flowing. In the twelfth\nchamber were only four naked walls, an ordinary ceiling, and a common\nfloor, but in the middle of the floor a diamond pan. When Yarmil\nexamined more carefully, he saw written on it: \"Whoever wishes to\nliberate me must carry me next to his body, and bathe me each day.\"\n\nUrged by curiosity Yarmil removed a diamond, then a golden, and\nfinally, with great effort, a silver, cover. But how was he\nfrightened when under it appeared a great ugly toad! He wished to\nescape, but at that moment such terror seized him that in spite of\nhimself he took the toad out of the pan and put it in his bosom. The\ntoad chilled him, but in a moment he was as happy as if he had\nliberated some one from death. Straightway he went to the eleventh\nchamber, took the toad from his bosom, and washed it carefully; but to\nhis great affliction he saw that it was a toad, and the more he washed\nthe uglier it grew. When he had grown tired he put it in his bosom\nagain and went to the garden to cheer himself.\n\nA sight of the trees and the flowers hitherto unnoticed, the odor of\nthem, and the singing of the birds entertained him so that midday came\nbefore he knew it. He went back to the castle, and there, to his great\nsurprise, saw in the first chamber a table covered with the most\ndelicate dishes. He sat down with appetite, and when he had eaten to\nhis content, and drunk of the wine which an unseen hand had placed\nbefore him in a golden goblet, he confessed that he had never tasted\nat his father's table, or at the greatest festivals, such delicate\ndishes and such good wine.\n\nNow he looked the room through with more care; the splendor did not\ncharm him so much as at first, but the many musical instruments,\nwriting implements, and beautiful books pleased him beyond measure,\nfor he was skilled in every good art.\n\nAfter the supper, which was as good as the dinner, he lay on a soft\nbed and slept soundly till morning; then he ate a good meal, which was\non the table, and spent the time as he had the day before. He was\nannoyed at his lonely life, but he soon drove away trouble. He was\ngrieved because the more the toad was washed the uglier it grew; still\nhe washed it with care, and carried it in his bosom.\n\nNow the year was nearing its end, when he had to return to his father\nwith a gift from his bride. He walked like one deprived of reason\nthrough the castle and the garden; nothing could comfort him, but\nstill he did not forget to bathe the toad each day, and with greater\ncare. When the last day of the year had come, he knew not what to\nbegin; but while walking through the room he saw on his writing-table\na sheet of paper not there before. He seized it quickly; and on it was\nwritten in black letters:\n\n    Dear Yarmil,--I love thee unspeakably; but be thou patient, as I\n    am patient. A gift for thy father thou hast in the pan; give it\n    to him, but tarry not long at home. Put me back in the pan.\n\nYarmil hastened with joy to the twelfth chamber, took from the pan a\nrich casket set with diamonds, and put the toad in the pan; then he\nran out quickly, mounted the white steed which was waiting, and which\nrose in the air and flew regardless of bit, till it stopped before the\nwhite castle; there the white lady gave Yarmil his horse, took the\nwhite steed, and led it away.\n\nIn a short time Yarmil came to the great gate, and when he had ridden\nthrough and looked, there was nothing behind but a mouse-hole. Putting\nspurs to his horse he rushed on at a gallop and came to the gate of\nhis father's castle almost at the same moment as his brothers, so that\nall three were able to appear together before their father, and say:\n\"Here we are, according to thy command.\"\n\n\"But have ye brought gifts from your princesses?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Of course,\" cried the elder brothers, proudly. Yarmil answered, as it\nwere, timidly, with a nod; for he knew not what was in that casket\ntaken from the pan.\n\nThe king had invited a great number of guests to look at the gifts.\nAll were in the banqueting-hall. The king led his sons thither, and\nwhen the feast was ended, he said to the eldest: \"Now give me the gift\nfrom thy princess.\"\n\n\"My love is the daughter of a great king,\" said the prince, proudly;\nand he gave his father a casket containing a small mirror.\n\nThe king looked, and wondered not a little that he saw his whole\nperson. Then he said: \"Well, men's hands can do everything.\"\n\nThe second son gave him a still smaller mirror, but the king saw in it\nhis whole person; still he only said: \"Men's hands can do everything.\nBut what has thy princess sent me?\" asked he of Yarmil. In silence,\nand timidly, Yarmil gave him the casket. The king barely looked in it\nwhen he cried in amazement, \"That princess of thine has wealth in\nabundance; these diamonds alone have more value than my kingdom.\" But\nhe wondered when he took from the casket another such mirror, but\nsmaller; and he was really frightened when in a twinkle a puppet\nsprang out and held the glass for him as soon as he looked at it, and\nthe moment he stopped looking the puppet was gone.\n\n\"Oh,\" cried the king, \"no hand of man could frame that;\" and embracing\nYarmil, he added with tenderness: \"Thou hast brought me true joy, my\nson.\"\n\nYarmil called to mind the ugly toad, and had no regret now that he had\nspent a whole year with it; but his brothers and his mother, who was a\nwitch and hated Yarmil, were enraged though they dissembled.\n\nWhen the feast was over and the princes were parting with their\nfather, he said: \"Go now with rejoicing, but return in a year and a\nday, and bring me portraits of your princesses.\"\n\nThe elder brothers promised with joy, but Yarmil barely nodded, for he\nfeared what his father would say should he bring the toad's portrait;\nstill he went with his brothers beyond the town, where he parted with\nthem, and galloped on to the mouse-hole. He was just drawing near\nwhen the ground opened to give a good entrance. At the white castle\nthe white lady took his horse and gave him the white steed, which rose\nthrough the air, and regardless of bit, flew on till it reached the\ngolden castle. Yarmil hurried to the twelfth chamber; the steed\ndisappeared like a dove in the clouds.\n\nIn the castle nothing was changed, and the diamond pan was standing in\nthe twelfth chamber. Yarmil removed the three covers, took out the\ntoad and placed it in his bosom. Now he bathed it twice each day, but\nto his grief it grew uglier. How could he take the portrait of his\nprincess to his father! He might paint the most beautiful lady,\nbecause he was very well skilled in painting, but he would not deceive\nhis father. Only the hope that the toad would help him as before gave\nhim strength to endure the dreary life.\n\nAt last the day was near in which he must return to his father. He\nlooked continually on his writing-table till he saw to his great joy a\nsheet of paper on which was written in silver letters,--\n\n    Dear Yarmil,--I love thee unspeakably; be patient, as I am\n    patient. Thou hast my portrait in the pan; give it to thy\n    father, but tarry not long. Put me back in the pan.\n\nYarmil hastened to the twelfth chamber, found in the pan a casket\nstill richer than the first. He took it quickly, and put the toad in\nits place. Then he hurried forth, sat on the white steed, which\nbrought him to the white castle, where the white lady gave him his own\nhorse. When he had ridden through the gate and looked back, he saw\nnothing behind but a mouse-hole. He put spurs to his horse, and rode\nto the gate of his father's castle at the same time with his brothers.\nThey stood before their father and said: \"Here we are, as thou hast\ncommanded.\"\n\n\"Do ye bring me portraits of your princesses?\" asked the king.\n\n\"Of course!\" exclaimed the two elder brothers, full of pride. But\nYarmil only answered with a nod, for he knew not what portrait the\ncasket contained.\n\nThe king led them to the banqueting-hall, where the guests were\nassembled. When the banquet was over, he said to the eldest: \"Now show\nme the portrait of thy princess.\"\n\nThe eldest brother gave a rich casket to his father. He opened it,\ntook out a portrait, and looking at it from every side, said at last:\n\"That is a beautiful lady; she pleases me. Still there are fairer than\nshe in the world, but any man might love her.\" Then he gave the\nportrait to the guests, and said to his second son: \"And the portrait\nof thy princess?\"\n\nThe second son gave him promptly a richer casket, and smiled with\nhappiness. He thought doubtless that his father must be astonished at\nthe beauty of his princess; but he looked on her with indifference and\nsaid: \"A beautiful lady too, but there are more beautiful in the\nworld; still any man might fall in love with her.\"\n\nThen he nodded to Yarmil, who gave with trembling hand his diamond\ncasket. Scarcely had the king looked at it when he exclaimed: \"Thy\nprincess must be rich beyond measure; thy casket is at any time worth\ntwice my whole kingdom.\" But how was he astonished when he took out\nthe portrait! He looked fixedly at it for a while, unable to utter a\nword. Then he said with the greatest enthusiasm, \"No; such a lady\ncannot be found in the world.\"\n\nAll the guests crowded around the portrait, and in one voice agreed\nwith the king. At last Yarmil drew near to look at his princess,\nunknown till that moment. Now he regretted no whit that he had spent\ntwo years in lone life and nursing a toad; but his brothers and his\nmother were raging, and envied him his princess.\n\nNext day the princes were taking farewell, and the king said to them:\n\"After this time I will not let you go again. In a year and a day I\nwish to see your princesses; then we will celebrate the weddings.\"\n\nThe two elder brothers were shouting with joy, but Yarmil answered no\nword. They took leave of their father and went together to the edge of\nthe town, where they separated; the eldest went to the east, the\nsecond to the west, but Yarmil to the mouse-hole, which opened quickly\nto give him a convenient passage. At the white castle the white lady\ngave him the white steed, which flew to the golden castle regardless\nof bit. There Yarmil descended, and the steed vanished like a dove in\nthe clouds.\n\nFull of hope Yarmil hastened to the twelfth chamber, for he trusted to\nfind there his wondrous fair princess whose portrait he had taken to\nhis father; but he found in the pan the ugly toad, which he put in his\nbosom, and now washed three times each day. In vain was all his labor,\nfor the more he bathed the uglier grew the toad. Had it not been for\nthe portrait he would have fled from the castle, and who knows what he\nmight have done? Every day his strength decreased, and when the last\nday of the year drew near it is a wonder that he did not despair; for\nthe toad had become now not only ugly beyond measure, but all mangy,\nso that he shivered when he looked at it. And now he must bring this\nto his father as his chosen one.\n\n\"My father will kill me!\" cried he with grief, and threw himself on\nthe couch. He thought what to do, but could come to no resolve. At\nlast he reached to his bosom to look once more at the toad, hoping\nthat at sight of it a happy thought might come; but a new\nsurprise,--the toad was gone. Now he began to lament. He ran through\nthe whole castle, searched every room, in the garden every tree and\nbush, but no trace of the toad.\n\nAt last he remembered the dish in the twelfth chamber, ran thither,\nbut stopped on the threshold as if thunderstruck; for that poor\nchamber had become a real paradise, and in the middle of it stood a\nlady as beautiful, if not still more beautiful, than the portrait\nwhich he had carried to his father. In speechless amazement he looked\nat her, and who knows how long he might have stood there had she not\nturned to him and said: \"My dear, thou hast suffered much; but I am\nnot yet entirely free, and my people are not. Hurry now to the cellar;\nhere is the key, and do to a hair what I command, or it will go ill\nwith us. When the door is opened, thou wilt hear a terrible wailing;\nbut listen to nothing, and speak not a word. Go down on the steps;\nbelow thou wilt find on a table twelve burning tapers, and before each\ntaper one shirt. Roll up the shirts, quench the tapers, bring them all\nwith thee.\"\n\nYarmil took the key. When he opened the door of the cellar he heard\nsuch wailing that it is a wonder his heart did not break; but mindful\nof what had been said by his bride, he went boldly, descended the\nsteps, rolled up the twelve shirts, quenching at each one, one taper;\nthen he took the shirts and the tapers and hurried back. But how did\nhe wonder when he saw a man nailed to the door by his tongue! The man\nbegged Yarmil by all things to set him free, so that there was a\nstrange feeling in Yarmil's heart; but after short hesitation he\nmastered this feeling, and shut the door.\n\nWhen he came to his bride and gave her the shirts, with the tapers,\nshe said: \"These twelve shirts are my twelve skins, in which I was a\ntoad; and these twelve tapers burned me continually. Now I am\nliberated, it is true; but it will be three years before I shall be\ncompletely free. Know that I am the daughter of a mighty king, whom\nthat foul monster, who is nailed to the cellar door by the tongue,\nchanged into a toad because I refused him my hand. He is a wizard; but\nthere is a witch more powerful than he. To punish him, she nailed him\nto that door; I, too, am still in her power. Now promise that for\nthree years thou wilt tell no living person into what creature I was\nenchanted; but especially tell not how many skins I had.\"\n\n\"Not even to my own mother!\" exclaimed Yarmil, with excitement.\n\n\"It is just from thy own mother that thou must hide it most, for she\nis a witch, and hates thee; she knows long since that thou art three\nyears with me, and most carefully will she try to learn from thee just\nwhat I have forbidden thee to tell.\"\n\nYarmil was greatly grieved, but the princess soon cheered him,\nespecially when she said: \"It is now high time to go, so as to come to\nthy father's at the right moment.\" Then she took him by the hand, and\nled him down the stairs. In front of the castle a carriage with four\nwhite horses was waiting; when they entered, the horses rushed off\nwith such speed that soon they passed the white castle. Yarmil was\ngoing to ask who the white lady was, when the princess said: \"That is\nmy mother, who has aided in my liberation.\"\n\nSoon they were at the great gate; and when they had passed it, and\nlooked back, there was nothing but a mouse-hole. They arrived at the\nking's castle just in the same moment with the two elder brothers and\ntheir princesses. But no one looked at them, for the eyes of all were\nturned to Yarmil's bride.\n\nThe king was rejoiced most of all. He conducted the bride to the\nbanqueting-hall, where there was a multitude of guests, and with tears\nof delight he exalted the happiness of his favorite son; but the elder\nprinces and the queen were enraged, though they would not let it be\nknown.\n\nOn the following day came the weddings of the three princes; though\nYarmil and his bride were the last, still glory came only to them. At\nthe banquet the guests drank continually to the health of his bride,\nso that the other princesses were purple from shame.\n\nWhen Yarmil was almost reeling with delight, the queen drew near him,\nand praised with great flattery the beauty of his bride; but all at\nonce she spoke of her origin, and in every way tried to discover\nwhence she had come.\n\nYarmil at first evaded her questions; but when she urged him\nvehemently to tell from what land came his bride, he said: \"Dear\nmother, I will do everything according to thy wish, but of this one\nthing ask me not.\"\n\n\"I know well whence she comes,\" smiled the queen; \"I know, too, that\nthou didst not see her first in her present form.\"\n\n\"Of course not; but I am proud that I liberated her.\"\n\n\"Oh, my dear son!\" exclaimed the queen, compassionately. \"I pity thee\ngreatly for letting thyself be so duped; but dost thou know that that\nbeauty of hers is pure deceit?\"\n\n\"Why?\" asked Yarmil in fright.\n\n\"Because she is a witch,\" whispered the queen in his ear, with an\nanxious look. \"There is still time,\" continued she, when she saw that\nYarmil as it were believed, \"to extricate thyself from her snares; and\nI wish to aid thee in every way. But thou must tell me what form she\nhad before.\"\n\nYarmil said that he would not tell, but the queen did not abandon her\nplan. When she could not discover from him directly, she began to name\nevery kind of beast, looking with exceeding quickness at his face.\nYarmil shook his head unceasingly, but was confused when she said\n\"toad.\"\n\n\"Then she was a toad before,\" cried in horror the queen. \"Ah! dear\nson, it is ill, very ill with thee; but it may be well yet if only I\nknow in how many skins she was living.\"\n\nAgain Yarmil answered decidedly that he would not tell, but the queen\ntried so long that at last she discovered. Now she knew what she\nwanted, and went from Yarmil. It is a wonder that he was not\nsuspicious, but he said nothing to the princess.\n\nNext morning a number of guests went with the king and his sons to the\nchase, and stayed in the forest till evening; thus the queen could act\nfreely.\n\nWhile the three princesses and the remaining guests were walking in\nthe garden, she stole into the chamber of Yarmil's bride, found the\ntwelve shirts and the tapers, hid them in her own apartments, and in\nthe evening, when the king had returned from the chase and all were\nsitting in the banqueting-hall at table, she went to the garden, where\nshe burned the shirts and the tapers. At that moment Yarmil's bride\nfelt great faintness, so that she went for fresh air in the garden.\n\nYarmil hurried after her, but he had scarcely gone through the door,\nwhen she cried: \"Woe is me, Yarmil! Thou hast told what I forbade thee\nto tell. Forget me; I must now to the glass mountain, from which there\nis no liberation.\" Straightway she vanished in the darkness of night.\n\nYarmil remained a moment as if paralyzed; then he ran through the\ngarden as if he had lost his wits, and called his bride by the most\nendearing names, but in vain. The guests ran out at the sound of his\nlamentation, and were greatly terrified when Yarmil told his\nmisfortune. The queen also came quickly, and listened as if with\nterrified wonder to what had happened.\n\n\"That was a witch,\" said she; \"and 'tis well that other mishaps have\nnot come.\"\n\nBut the king was grieved more than all, and put an end to the\nrejoicing. Next day the two elder brothers went away with their\nbrides, and poor Yarmil stayed home alone. In vain did his father try\nto comfort him; in vain did he promise that he would go himself to\nseek another bride for him. Yarmil was not to be consoled; and when\nthe first onrush of sorrow had passed, he resolved to go to the glass\nmountain for his bride.\n\n\"In what direction wilt thou go?\" objected his father. \"While I live\nno one has heard of a glass mountain.\"\n\n\"Still I will go,\" said Yarmil, firmly. \"It will come to the same\nwhether I perish on the road or at home; in any event I shall die of\ndisappointment.\"\n\nThe king tried in all ways to dissuade him from going, but Yarmil\nwould not let him talk. He mounted his horse, dropped the reins, and\nlet him go whithersoever he would. He travelled long in this\nobjectless way, hither and thither; but at last he saw that he must\nact differently if he meant to reach the glass mountain. But now came\nhis real trouble; for wherever he asked about the glass mountain,\npeople stared at him, and said that there was no such mountain in the\nworld. Yarmil did not let himself be frightened; and now he galloped\nthe more eagerly on his horse, and asked the more carefully\neverywhere. He had passed through towns without number, but still no\none knew of a glass mountain. At last he heard the name.\n\nIn a certain town there was a juggler,--a showman with every kind of\nwonder. Yarmil was just going past him at the moment when he cried\nout: \"The witch with her twelve daughters on the glass mountain!\"\n\nYarmil called the juggler aside and said: \"Here are ten goldpieces,\ntell me where the glass mountain is.\"\n\n\"I am a poor man,\" said the juggler, honestly, \"and need these\ngoldpieces greatly; but I know nothing of the glass mountain.\"\n\n\"Nor in what country it is?\" asked Yarmil, impatiently.\n\n\"I know that,\" answered the man. \"It is in the east, but they say it\nis very far off; and besides, they say that no one can go within\ntwenty miles of it.\"\n\nYarmil threw the ten goldpieces into the juggler's cap, and putting\nspurs to his horse galloped off to the east. Many a time did the sun\nrise and set before he reached the glass mountain. But what good did\nit do him to go there? Around the mountain flowed an immensely great\nriver, and on the bridge which was across it stood on guard three very\nfierce giants.\n\nYarmil's courage fell. That moment the white lady from the white\ncastle appeared suddenly before him and said: \"Bind thy horse's hoofs\nwith thy coat, and go very carefully over the bridge. The giant who\nstands on watch will see thee only when thou art in front of him, and\nwill start after thee; but throw behind this dust and nothing will\nharm thee. Do the same for the second and third giant.\" She gave him\nthree packages of dust, and said: \"Beyond the river is a mill in which\nthey give a witch to grind. Ask the miller for a night's lodging; he\nwill give it thee, and invite thee to supper. Towards the end of the\nsupper the cook will bring him a roast cock, and to that he will not\ninvite thee; he eats it all himself. The bones of it he leaves on the\nplate and the cook must throw them under the wheel; but tell her to\nhide them for thee. And when it will be midnight, go to the glass\nmountain and put the bones before thee; but be careful to save one\ntill thou art on the summit, then throw that last one back over thy\nhead.\"\n\nThe moment the lady had finished, she disappeared. Yarmil sprang from\nhis horse, tore his coat into four pieces, and with them muffled the\nfeet of his horse; then he mounted and rode cautiously to the bridge.\nThe first giant was sitting with his back to him and dozing. Yarmil\npassed him safely; but that moment the giant woke, and howled with a\nterrible voice to him to come back. Here Yarmil threw the dust behind,\nand that moment there was such darkness that it hid the giant\ncompletely. The same happened with the second and third giant, and\nYarmil crossed the river safely. Not far off was the mill, and the\nmiller stood just on the threshold.\n\n\"What dost thou wish here?\" growled he at Yarmil.\n\n\"Oh, grant me a night's lodging,\" said Yarmil; \"I am a traveller from\ndistant lands.\"\n\n\"I'll give thee nothing,\" answered the miller, roughly, \"for if I did\nI should lose my place.\"\n\nYarmil begged again, and begged so long that the miller asked: \"Whence\nart thou?\" Yarmil told him; and the miller, meditating awhile, said:\n\"Well, if thou art the son of so powerful a king, I will give thee a\nnight's lodging; for we are from the same country, and I knew thy\nfather very well.\"\n\nThen he led him to a sitting-room; and since it was just dark, he\nasked him to supper. Yarmil watched continually to see if the cock\nwould soon come to the table, and he had not long to wait. The miller\ngrew sullen, and without speaking a word ate the cock. Yarmil went\nout, and pressing a few goldpieces into the hands of the cook, begged\nher to hide the bones of the cock for him. The moment the cook saw the\ngoldpieces she was glad to agree.\n\nWhen the miller had picked the cock he called the cook and ordered her\nstrictly to throw the bones under the wheel. The cook took the plate\nand motioning as if she had thrown them into the water, put them very\nadroitly into her apron; when all were asleep she gave them to Yarmil.\nHe waited quietly till the approach of midnight, then he went out\ncautiously and made for the glass mountain with his horse. Full of\nexpectation he took out the first bone and put it on the mountain; and\nbehold! in a moment a step was made so that he could walk comfortably\non it, and so it happened with every bone. Yarmil was already at the\nsummit and only one bone remained to him; this he threw with all his\npower over his head, and in a twinkle there was a pleasant highway\nalong which his horse ran after him with ease.\n\nAll wearied, Yarmil fell down at the castle, in which lived the\nsorceress with the twelve princesses her daughters, and he soon fell\nasleep. When he woke the sun was high in the heavens; and before he\ncould think what further to do, his own princess came to him.\n\n\"I told thee,\" said she, reproachfully, \"to forget me; but thou didst\nnot obey.\"\n\n\"Hide me somewhere quickly from the sorceress; in the night we will\nflee.\"\n\n\"Simple man!\" said the princess smiling. \"She knows long ago that thou\nart here; rather go to her, but be polite beyond measure. At dinner,\nrise after each dish and walk through the room, otherwise thou wilt\nstay here for the ages.\"\n\nYarmil had to obey. When he came to the sorceress he bowed low before\nher, and said: \"Great mighty lady, I have come for my bride.\"\n\n\"I will give her to thee,\" smiled the sorceress, \"but first thou must\nserve me three years.\"\n\n\"I am glad to do everything thou mayest desire,\" said Yarmil bowing;\nand the sorceress answered graciously, inviting him at once to the\ntable, to which just then one of the princesses brought the first\ndish. Yarmil ate with a relish; but when he had finished, he said to\nthe sorceress: \"Permit me, great mighty lady, to walk a little. I have\ntravelled so much that I fear my legs will lose their power.\"\n\n\"Oh, walk if it please thee,\" answered the sorceress, but her eyes\nglittered with anger. And Yarmil did the same after each dish, and the\nsorceress was ready to split from rage. Next day she gave him a wooden\naxe and saw, and said: \"Thou must clear all that forest over there, or\nbe the son of Death.\"\n\nYarmil took the axe and the saw, and went on. In the forest he threw\nhimself on the ground and thought of death; for such a stretch of\nforest no man could clear alone, still less with such tools. At midday\nhis princess brought him dinner.\n\n\"Ah!\" scolded she, \"thou art not working diligently.\"\n\n\"Why trouble myself for nothing?\" sighed Yarmil.\n\n\"Only be of good courage,\" said the princess, comforting him. \"It is\nnot so bad to-day; it will be worse to-morrow.\"\n\nThen she gave him dinner; and when Yarmil had eaten, he put his head\non her lap and fell asleep soundly. Then the princess took out of her\nbosom some kind of powder, and muttering mysterious words she threw\nit in the air. And wonder of wonders! in the twinkle of an eye\ninvisible hands began to fell the aged trees, cut, split, and pile, so\nthat in a short time the whole forest was felled.\n\nNow Yarmil woke up, and hurried with the princess to the castle. The\nsorceress praised him; she suppressed her rage with difficulty, and\nsaid: \"Thou hast worked out thy first year in order.\"\n\nNext day the sorceress gave him a spade and a wheelbarrow, and said:\n\"Thou must carry away that mountain out there, or be the son of\nDeath.\"\n\nYarmil went with his tools to the hill, but when there he threw\nhimself on the ground, for a thousand men would not have been able to\ncarry off the hill in ten years. At midday his princess brought him\ndinner, and said: \"Oh, thou art working as diligently as yesterday!\"\n\n\"I am,\" sighed Yarmil.\n\n\"Only be of good cheer,\" said the princess, comforting him. \"To-day it\nis not so bad; it will be worse to-morrow.\"\n\nWhen Yarmil had eaten, he put his head on her lap and fell asleep. The\nprincess again threw into the air a powder of some kind, muttering\nmysterious words; and straightway unseen hands began to work so\nvigorously that in a short time the hill was carried away.\n\nThen Yarmil woke up, and hurried to the sorceress to tell her he had\ndone what she had commanded. She flamed up in anger, but nevertheless\nsaid: \"Thou hast worked the second year of thy service in order.\"\n\nNext day she gave him a tailor's thimble, and said: \"Thou must bail\nout that fish-pond, or be the son of Death.\"\n\nYarmil took the thimble and went. At the fish-pond, however, he threw\nhimself on the ground and waited for the princess. She came sooner\nthan usual; and when Yarmil, strengthened with food, had fallen asleep\nwith his head on her lap, she threw powder in the air, muttering\nmysterious words. Soon the water began to disappear from the\nfish-pond. Now she roused Yarmil, and said to him: \"Draw thy sword,\nand give good care. When all the water is gone from the pond the\nsorceress will take the shape of a rain-storm, and try to destroy us;\nbut look well at the darkness, and where it is blackest strike there\nwith thy sword.\"\n\nYarmil promised to do so, and had barely drawn his sword when a black\ndarkness rushed from the castle,--but almost on the ground, so that\nYarmil could strike the blackest spot with ease. At that moment the\ndarkness turned into the sorceress, and Yarmil's sword stuck in her\nheart. With fearful cursing, she fell to the earth and died. Yarmil\nhurried to the castle with the princess, mounted his horse, and rushed\noff at a swift gallop.\n\nHe had to travel far before he came to his father's castle; but to\nmake up, there was joy unspeakable at the happy meeting. The queen was\nterrified when she saw them, and she had reason; for when Yarmil told\nall to his father the king gave her to be burned without mercy.\n\nWhen the feasting was over Yarmil set out with his wife on the journey\nto their kingdom. When they came to the mouse-hole it was no longer a\nmouse-hole, but a magnificent gate leading to a great city, in the\nmiddle of which stood a golden castle on a hill; and in that city\nthere were multitudes of people everywhere, and in the castle throngs\nof courtiers and servants, who greeted with mighty applause their\nmaster and mistress, thanking Yarmil at the same time for their\nliberation.\n\nNow followed feasting, which lasted for eight whole days; and when the\nfeasting was over they all lived happily beyond measure, because the\nroyal pair were goodness itself.\n\n\n\n\nTHE CUIRASSIER AND THE HORNED PRINCESS.\n\n\nIn a certain town were encamped a regiment of cuirassiers, and they\nhad a very unpleasant life. Twelve men of them agreed to\ndesert,--three sergeants and nine from the ranks. They carried out\ntheir plan; and when they had gone a good distance, one said to the\nrest: \"Let us look, brothers, and see if we are not pursued.\" Another\ndismounted, and climbed a high tree,--\"Oh! they are searching; but\nthey will not overtake us, for we are far in advance of them.\" Then he\ncame down, mounted his horse, and all rode rapidly on,--rode till\ndusk. Then the chief man said: \"Where shall we go for the night,\nbrothers? Around here we see nothing but mountains and forests.\"\n\nOne of them climbed a tree again to look for a light. He saw one, and\ncalled to his comrades, \"Look out! We will ride in the direction in\nwhich I throw this sword, for I see a light there.\"\n\nAll rode toward the light, and came to a very large building in the\nwild mountains. At the first glance they saw it was an enormous\ncastle, which was open. They entered the court, led their horses to\nthe stable,--where oats were ready for twelve horses,--and then went\nthemselves into a hall where a table was laid for twelve persons, so\nthat all might sit down and eat; but there was not a living soul to be\nseen.\n\n\"Brothers,\" said one of them, \"may we touch this food and drink?\"\n\n\"Why not?\" said the chief. \"What if we have to pay a few ducats for\nthe entertainment?\"\n\nThey sat down, and ate with good relish. After they had eaten and\ndrunk, an old sorceress slipped in and saluted them, saying: \"Good\nevening, gentlemen. I greet you in this our famous castle. Did the\nsupper taste well?\"\n\n\"We ate with pleasure,\" answered one in the name of all, \"only we were\na little afraid how it would end.\"\n\n\"Fear not, fear not, I am glad ye are strengthened after the long\nride,\" said the sorceress; and then she said further: \"Now of course\nye will need good beds, so as to refresh yourselves with grateful\nsleep. In the next chamber are twelve beds and twelve caskets. Lie on\nthe beds prepared for you, but let no man dare, on pain of great\npunishment, to look at the caskets, which are unlocked.\"\n\nAll went to the next chamber; the sorceress gave them good-night and\nwent out through the opposite door. In the morning when they rose\neverything was well prepared for them,--basins with water and towels,\nand food for each man. After breakfast they spoke of the good cheer\nwhich they had not expected to find in the castle. They spoke of\nvarious subjects till they came to the caskets, and the splendid\nthings that must be therein. Some expressed great curiosity; some were\nheard to say that they could not refrain till evening from looking in\nthe caskets; others warned their comrades not to do that which they\nmight regret.\n\nThey had a pleasant time all day at the castle, an excellent dinner, a\ngood lunch, a splendid supper. After supper they went to bed. The sun\nwas shining brightly through the windows next morning, but no man was\nstirring.\n\nThe chief rose and called the others, saying, \"It is time to be up.\"\nOnly two gave answer; the rest did not move. These three went to the\nbeds and found their comrades lifeless. All were terrified, and went\nto the stable to look at their horses. In the stable they found the\nnine dead horses, of the nine dead men.\n\n\"What shall we do?\" asked one of them. \"We must leave this place where\nour comrades have perished; nothing can comfort us again.\"\n\nThey returned to the hall where breakfast was ready for only three.\nThey sat down and ate. After eating, the sorceress came again, and\nsaid: \"Ye see, my friends, that sinful curiosity has cost those nine\nmen their lives. They could withstand it no longer, rose at midnight,\nopened the caskets, and looked at the contents; scarcely had they lain\ndown again when sudden death overtook them. Had they followed my\nadvice, as ye have, all might have had a pleasant time, and lived\njoyously here a whole year. Now I see by your faces that nothing can\ncomfort you here, and that ye would gladly go away.\"\n\n\"Yes,\" answered one, \"we fear to remain longer in this place, where\nour comrades died a sudden death.\"\n\n\"There is nothing to fear,\" said the sorceress; \"but since it is\nunpleasant for you, I will not keep you. Go where ye like, but before\ngoing each may look without fear or danger in his casket, and take the\nthings inside to remember me by; they may be useful.\"\n\nThe men were afraid at first to open the caskets, having before their\neyes the sad example of their comrades; but when the sorceress assured\nthem again and again that they might open them without fear and take\nout the contents, they grew bold and opened them. The first took from\nhis casket a cap, which the sorceress said had such power that whoever\nput it on his head no man could see him. The second drew from his\ncasket a mantle, and whoever put it on, the sorceress said, could fly\nthrough the air as high as he wished. The third took a purse which had\nthe power that whenever it was shaken ten ducats were in it.\n\nThe sorceress bade them good-by. They thanked her for the hospitality\nand useful presents, and saddling their horses, rode away from that\ncastle with the Lord God.\n\nThey travelled long, and on the road kept telling what a good time\nthey would have with their gifts. At last they came to a large town,\ntook up their lodging at an inn, and asked what there was strange in\nthe place. The innkeeper answered: \"Nothing, unless it be that we have\na princess immeasurably fond of playing cards, and who says that no\none is able to play with her. She vanquishes every comer, and then has\nhim flogged out of the castle.\"\n\nThe man who had the purse thought, \"Wait a while, I'll settle thy\nplay.\" He made ready straightway, and went to the castle. He had\nhimself announced, and declared that he wished to play with the\nprincess. Meanwhile the other two ate and drank well in the inn.\n\nThe princess was glad to find some one again with whom to play cards\nand whom she might overcome. She had him brought in without delay. The\ngame began. The man lost; but he didn't mind that, for whenever he\nlost he shook the purse and had ten ducats again. So he kept losing\nand shaking the purse till the princess was astonished, and thought to\nherself: \"Where dost thou get all these ducats, good man? Thou hast\nnot a treasury at thy side, and still thou hast plenty of money. How\ndost thou get it?\"\n\nShe watched him and saw that he shook the purse on his knee, from\nwhich he took the ducats. She had already won a great bag of ducats,\nbut still was not able to win all he had. She kept thinking how to get\nthat magic purse. \"Now let us rest a little,\" said she, and went to\nthe next room, from which she brought two goblets of wine. One she\ngave him and drank the other herself, for they were tired and needed\nrefreshment. Her wine was pure, but in his she put a sleeping-powder.\nShe drank to his health, and he emptied his goblet at a draught. After\na while he was so very drowsy that he slipped from the seat, dropped\nunder the table, and fell soundly asleep. That was his misfortune. The\nprincess took the magic purse and gave him one like it containing ten\nducats.\n\nWhen he woke up the princess said to him: \"Now let us play again.\"\nThey played while he had ducats. When the ducats were gone he shook\nand shook the purse, but in vain. The princess said: \"Well, my dear\nman, since thou hast no money, go. But that disgrace which I have put\non others I will not put on thee. I will not have thee flogged out of\nthe castle because I have won much money from thee; go in peace.\"\n\nHe went to his friends in great trouble. They greeted him from afar,\nand called out: \"Well, how didst thou prosper?\"\n\n\"Oh, badly, very badly, brothers; I no longer have the purse; I lost\nthat.\"\n\n\"Oh, comrade, that is bad; how shall we live now? We are in debt for\nfood and drink, and have nothing to pay with.\"\n\nThe one who had the magic mantle said: \"Do ye know what, brothers?\nI'll take a good vengeance on that wicked woman!\"\n\n\"But how?\" was the question.\n\nHe answered, \"This is how I'll do it. Let me have thy cap so that no\none may see me, and I'll take my mantle. When the princess is going to\nchurch I'll seize her, fly with her through the air to desert regions,\nso far away that she will never be able to come home again.\"\n\n\"Yes, that will be a just punishment for her,\" said the two others.\nThe third one immediately took the cap, wrapped the mantle around him,\nand waited for the princess. As she was going along the street he\nseized her, flew far away with her to wild mountains, and let her down\nthere on the ground near a pear-tree. On that tree were beautiful\npears.\n\nThe princess begged the man to climb the tree and shake it, so that\nshe might have some of the fruit to eat. \"I'll gratify thee just\nonce,\" said he. But he was so cunning that he did not leave the cap or\nmagic mantle on the ground, but took them up on the tree, hung them\nboth on a limb, and shook the tree with all his might. The cap and the\nmantle fell to the ground before the pears. The princess put the cap\non her head at once, wrapped the mantle around her, and was off in an\ninstant,--sooner than the man on the tree had recovered from his\nfright.\n\nHe was now alone in the wild mountains. What was he to do? He stood\nmotionless as the tree at his side, as if senseless from a\nthunderbolt; he had no longer magic cap or magic mantle. \"Oh, where\nshall I go?\" groaned he, and walked around on the mountains. In his\ntrouble and fright he picked up some pears and ate them. Then other\nterrible miseries came upon him, for he had barely eaten the pears\nwhen unheard of gigantic horns grew out of his head, so that he could\nnot walk through the woods nor turn around; the horns stopped him\neverywhere; he could barely crawl forward.\n\nWith great care and much struggling, he dragged himself over a bit of\nroad and came to a deep ravine, in which a hermit lived whose name was\nWind.\n\n\"Oh, friend,\" said the man, \"help me from the mountain, and take me\nhome.\"\n\nSaid Wind, \"I am not strong enough to bear thee to thy home, but go to\nmy brother; he is the strongest of us. He will take thee home\nquickly.\"\n\n\"I should like to go to him, but I cannot move.\"\n\n\"He is not far from here,--there, on that side; but go as well as thou\nart able. He will rid thee of those horns.\"\n\nThe man pushed through as best he could, and came, covered with sweat,\nto another cave, in which the eldest Wind brother was living. He fell\non his knees before Wind, and cried imploringly: \"Be so kind as to\nbear me home!\"\n\n\"I should like to help thee, my friend; but it is not so easy as may\nseem to thee. I must go to the Lord to ask with what force Wind may\nblow. If Wind may blow so trees will be torn out with their roots,\nthou canst reach home; if Wind blows but weakly, thou wilt not go\nthere, for 'tis far. Wait a while; I'll come back soon.\"\n\nWind went to ask the Lord how hard he might blow, and the Lord\ncommanded him to blow mightily.\n\nWhen he returned, the man asked: \"How is it?\"\n\n\"Well,\" said Wind, \"I must blow mightily; thou wilt reach home. But\nknowest thou there is an apple-tree over there? Climb it, pluck an\napple, cut it into four parts, and eat; thy great horns will fall\noff.\"\n\nThe man was glad, climbed the apple-tree quickly, but the horns\nhindered him much. He plucked an apple and ate it; how soon was he\nfree of the horns! He came down from the tree like a squirrel, and\nthought: \"Oh, brother, thou'lt get back thy things!\" As he was coming\ndown he took more apples and put them in his pocket; then went to the\npear-tree and took pears. Soon Wind caught him up, bore him off\nswiftly, and in a short time put him down in front of the inn where\nhis friends were waiting impatiently. They were all very glad.\n\n\"Where wert thou?\" asked they.\n\n\"Oh, I was where ye will not be to your dying day, brothers!\"\n\n\"How didst thou prosper?\"\n\n\"Badly, badly.\"\n\n\"Where hast thou the cap and the mantle?\"\n\n\"Oh, that woman took them from me!\"\n\n\"Woe to us,--woe, passing woe! Now we have neither the purse, the cap,\nnor the mantle. We are beggared beyond reckoning.\"\n\nThe innkeeper would not let them go because of their debt.\n\n\"What will become of us?\" asked they in one voice.\n\nThe man whom Wind bore home said: \"I have here noble and wonderful\nfruit which I brought from the wild mountains. One of you will take\nthese pears to the street and sell them; but do not dare to sell them\nto any one save the princess when she is going home from church. For\nthe people thou must put such a price that they will not buy; for the\nprincess reduce the price so that she may buy.\"\n\nOne of the men put the pears in a clean basket, covered them with a\nneat cloth, and went to the square through which the princess was wont\nto go to church and return. Soon she was coming out of the church, her\nservant following some steps behind. She saw the uncommonly beautiful\npears from a distance, came up herself, and asked: \"How many dost thou\ngive for a copper?\"\n\n\"Oh, these pears are not sold for copper coin! They are so splendid,\nand have such a flavor, that I can give only three for a ducat.\"\n\nThe princess bought all, and gave them to her servant to carry; she\nhad barely reached home, and sat near the table, when she took a\ngolden knife, pared and ate with great relish a number of pears. She\nate with such pleasure that she saw not how horns began to grow on her\nhead after the first pear; and in a little while they had grown so\nmuch that she could not remain in the room. She went to the great\nsupper-hall, but even there was forced to lie down on the floor, so\nbroad and so lofty were her horns. She gave herself up to fearful\nlamentation and tears, so that all the servants and the king, her\nfather, with the queen, her mother, ran in. All were horrified and\nwrung their hands, seeing the princess disfigured.\n\nThe king sent quickly for the doctors, who came in all haste from each\ncorner and town. The servants ran to every place; each one in his\nexcitement brought whomsoever he knew. The doctors met and shook their\nheads one after another; each said that in his life he had never seen\nnor had experience of such a case. They held a consultation, and at\nlast decided to saw off the horns. They went to work, but in vain;\nthey had barely sawed a piece, when it grew on again quickly, so that\nfright seized every one. The princess was so horrified and ashamed\nthat she would have preferred to be out of the world; no man could\nhelp her. Then the king made proclamation that whoso would free the\nprincess from the horns, would get her in marriage, and with her the\nwhole kingdom.\n\nWho was so glad now as the man with the apples? \"Wait,\" thought he;\n\"my little bird, thou'lt sing as I whistle,--no man can help thee but\nme.\"\n\nHe had fine clothes brought, and dressed as a doctor had himself\nannounced at the palace. He was soon admitted, and began to speak to\nthe princess, saying: \"You must have angered God greatly, must have\ncommitted grievous sins, for which you are punished in this way. I\nexpect to give you real help; but first of all you must tell me\nsincerely what you have done,--my aid has to be rendered in view of\nthat.\"\n\nShe confessed with weeping that she had been fond of playing cards;\nhad outplayed all men, then had them flogged from the castle. The last\ntime she had played with a stranger, from whom she had stolen a magic\npurse; and afterward she had stolen from another man a magic cap and\nmantle. No doubt the Lord had now punished her for that.\n\n\"Before we can think of a cure,\" said the unknown physician, \"you must\nreturn the stolen property.\"\n\nThe princess had all the above-mentioned articles brought at once, and\ngave them gladly to the doctor, who promised to deliver them to the\nowners. \"I will carry them away,\" said he, \"and bring my medicine,\nthrough which you will be freed from the horns.\"\n\nHalf an hour later he returned, took her by the hand, looked at her\ntongue, and said: \"Charming woman, you have eaten something, I\nsuppose, from which these horns grew.\"\n\nThe princess answered: \"I don't know that I have eaten anything\nharmful; I ate a few beautiful pears; with that exception I have never\neaten any common food.\"\n\n\"You must have eaten something,\" said the doctor. \"I have good\nmedicine that will not fail; but I can only help you on condition that\nI receive the whole kingdom, with you in marriage, as our lord the\nking has proclaimed.\"\n\nThe king and princess promised then that the proclamation would be\ncarried out if he would free her from the horns. After these words he\nset about the cure. He took from his pocket an apple, and cut it into\nfour parts; he told her to lie down, and gave her the first fourth of\nthe apple. She was not able however to lie with comfort by reason of\nthe horns. When she had eaten all the four quarters of the apple, the\nhorns fell off at a blow. Then there was mighty gladness throughout\nthe whole castle; every one rejoiced that the princess, the only\ndaughter of the king, was free of her horns.\n\nThe king had the marriage contract drawn up, and soon after they\ncelebrated the wedding, at which the two friends of the young king\nwere present; and he promised that while they lived they should remain\nat his court as the very first lords.\n\nThere was eating and drinking at the wedding; and among other things\nthey ate bread made from rye. But, Mark tell thou no lie.\n\n\n\n\nTHE TREACHEROUS BROTHERS.\n\n\nThere was a king, and he had seven sons,--young men strong and healthy\nas deer, except the seventh, the youngest, whose name was Jalmir. He\nwas in his twentieth year, and still a nurse had to care for him as\nfor a little child. It was pitiful to look at Jalmir; he was as\nshapely as a maiden, and beautiful as a spring day, still could not\nwalk from weakness. How much the king had paid to doctors, quacks, and\nevery kind of old woman, to cure him, but in vain! At last the\nafflicted father lost all hope that his dearest son would ever grow\nstrong.\n\nFor this reason there reigned in the king's palace deep distress,\nwhich was in no way to the taste of Jalmir's brothers, especially\nsince they could not hunt in the neighborhood. \"What shall we do in\nfuture?\" asked the eldest one day when they were resting in the forest\nafter a hunt. \"Let us go into the world.\"\n\n\"Yes, yes!\" answered all the others. They went home and laid their\nwishes before their father.\n\n\"What am I to do?\" objected the king. \"Jalmir is sickly; I shall be\nwithout aid in my old age.\"\n\nThe sons agreed with him in this, but wheedled him so slyly that at\nlast they received his consent to go out in the world. They rushed\nwith rejoicing to the stable, chose the best horses, took what money\nthey could, and that same day rode away from their father's house at a\ngallop, without even saying good-by to their brother Jalmir. How\nstrange was the feeling at the heart of the poor fellow when his nurse\ntold him of this! He turned from her in silence; but under the pillow\nwith which he covered his face he shed many tears. When it was growing\ndark the nurse hurried out of his chamber to chat with the servants.\nShe began with the cook, and they talked till midnight was near before\nshe knew it.\n\nMeanwhile Jalmir was lying on his bed sadder than ever. This time he\nwas not thinking of his bodily pain, but of his brothers who had left\nhim without saying farewell; this troubled him most. He thought,\n\"Shall I ever be well?\" and some internal voice said that he would.\nFilled with hope he fell into a doze, and saw himself hunting on\nhorseback, and hurling a spear at wild beasts as his brothers had\ndone. All at once, and near midnight, a venerable man, with snow-white\nbeard reaching to his waist, stood before the bed, and said: \"Jalmir\nart thou sleeping?\"\n\nJalmir started, opened his eyes, but saw no one. \"That was a dream,\"\nthought he. He meditated a while, and again closed his eyes. After a\nshort time the old man stood before him again, and asked: \"Jalmir art\nthou sleeping?\" Jalmir opened his eyes quickly, but saw no one. \"That\nwas only a dream then,\" said he to himself, and again closed his eyes.\nBut soon the old man stood before him and inquired a third time:\n\"Jalmir art thou sleeping?\"\n\n\"I am not,\" said Jalmir, and rubbing his eyes, saw the old man at his\nbed.\n\n\"Rise in the morning,\" said the old man, \"provide thyself with\neverything for the road, and go through the southern gate. Outside the\ntown thou wilt find under an old pear-tree a white horse; mount that\nhorse and ride after thy brothers.\" Then the old man vanished in a\ntwinkle.\n\nJalmir rubbed his eyes again, and looked around his chamber, but there\nwas no old man anywhere. \"It was only a dream,\" thought he. Again he\nlay down and slept soundly; but when he woke in the morning he felt so\nwell that he sprang from his bed, and jumped around the chamber from\ngladness. His nurse returned at that moment; but when she saw that her\nweakly charge was well, she ran to the king, and before she had\nreached the door, cried: \"Jalmir is well!\"\n\nThe king went out, and asked in a sad voice: \"Hast thou lost thy\nsenses?\"\n\n\"He is really well,\" said the nurse with greater rejoicing; but the\nking shook his head.\n\nMeanwhile Jalmir recollected his supposed dream, and ascribed his\nrecovery to that majestic old man. \"Since he has cured me, I must\nobey him,\" said he to himself. He dressed quickly and went to the\nking. When the king saw him he believed the nurse, and, thoroughly\nhappy, fell on the young man's neck; but he was astonished still more\nwhen Jalmir said: \"Now, father, let me go; I must follow my brothers.\"\n\n\"And thou wilt leave me?\" complained the father.\n\n\"I must,\" answered Jalmir seriously, and he told his dream. The king\nshook his head incredulously, and at first would not even hear of the\ndeparture of his favorite son; but at last he consented with tears.\nJalmir made ready for the journey without delay.\n\nThe king gave him a carriage and four servants, he took money, and\ndeparted straightway. Outside the town he dismissed the servants,\ngiving them the carriage and the horses, and walked on alone to the\npear-tree, where a splendid white steed was waiting, stamping the\nground impatiently. \"Sit on me, quickly,\" said he with the voice of a\nman, \"or we shall be late.\"\n\nJalmir sprang to his back and they went on, not on the ground though,\nbut through the air. In a short time the white steed asked: \"Dost thou\nsee thy brothers?\"\n\n\"I do not see,\" answered Jalmir.\n\n\"But the hill on which they are?\"\n\n\"Neither do I see that.\"\n\n\"Thou wilt soon see it,\" said the steed, and hastened his course.\n\"Dost thou see the hill now?\" asked he after a time.\n\n\"I see,\" answered Jalmir, \"and on it are six ants.\"\n\n\"Those are thy brothers,\" said the white steed. \"But now listen; we\nshall soon come up with them, but do not make thyself known. We shall\npass the night in an inn. Thy brothers will feast, but will not be\nable to pay, for they lost all their money foolishly yesterday. Pay\nfor them; in the morning we shall go farther.\"\n\nJalmir promised to do this, and then the white steed came down to the\nearth. Soon they overtook the brothers, who did not know Jalmir; and\nindeed, how could they in that stately, fiery hero recognize their\nweakly brother. Jalmir bowed to them courteously, and asked permission\nto travel in their company.\n\n\"But where art thou going?\" inquired one of the brothers.\n\n\"To see the world,\" answered Jalmir.\n\n\"We too,\" cried the others; \"so thou must go with us.\"\n\nJalmir bowed to them, and in silence agreed with a nod. But his\nbrothers all gave him their hands, and soon began to tell him how\ndelightfully they had passed the previous day. Jalmir did not,\nhowever, find much that was pleasant in it, and frowned.\n\n\"Art sorry that thou wert not there?\" asked one of the brothers.\n\"Never mind, we can have such days yet without number.\"\n\nWith that they came to an inn. The innkeeper, seeing through the\nwindow so many lords, ran out and took the horses. When he took the\nwhite steed, Jalmir asked: \"Hast thou a stable apart?\"\n\n\"Yes; and such a one!\" boasted the innkeeper.\n\n\"Then put my horse in it alone,\" said Jalmir, \"for he is very\nvicious.\"\n\nThen he followed his brothers to a room where they were already seated\nat a table, and calling with terrible uproar on the innkeeper for\nwine. In a short time the innkeeper brought all that he had, and the\nbrothers drank, sang, shouted, and rioted till the inn trembled; but\nJalmir barely drank for one, because he was sick from the action of\nhis brothers. But how grieved was he when one of the brothers said:\n\"This is a different life from being at home with that grumbling\nfather and that sickly brother.\"\n\nGradually one after the other dropped under the table, overcome by\nwine. When all were asleep Jalmir said to the innkeeper: \"Be careful\nthat no harm comes to them; I will sleep a little too.\"\n\nThen he was going to lie on a bench near the fire. \"Do not,\" said the\ninnkeeper; \"I have a bed ready for thee. Come with me.\"\n\nJalmir, after useless refusals, followed him at last; but before he\nlay down he visited the white steed to see if he had plenty of oats\nand water.\n\nWhen the brothers woke in the morning they looked for Jalmir with a\ngreat outcry: \"It would have been a nice thing if he had run away\nfrom us!\" cried one to another. \"Who would pay?--for I have no money.\"\n\nSoon Jalmir came to the room and told them to travel farther; all was\nsettled.\n\n\"Thou art ours,\" said they. All embraced him,--'tis a wonder they did\nnot suffocate him. Escaping from the brothers, Jalmir went to his\nhorse. The brothers followed his example, and soon the inn was far\nbehind.\n\n\"Listen,\" said the white steed to Jalmir, when the brothers had gone\nahead. \"In the evening we shall come to a castle, in which lives a\nsorceress with her seven daughters; they will take your horses, and\nlead you to a chamber. The sorceress will bring you wine after supper,\nbut drink not. What will take place later, thou wilt see.\"\n\n\"Why loiter so?\" called one of the brothers suddenly to Jalmir.\n\n\"I am coming,\" answered he; and the white steed soon galloped so that\nin a few moments he was ahead of the brothers.\n\n\"Slower or thou wilt leave us!\" cried the brothers; and the white\nsteed waited for them of his own accord. Soon they entered a forest,\nrode and rode, but there was no end to the forest; only in the evening\ndid they come out on a plain. In the middle of the plain was a\nbeautiful castle. \"Oh, now we are in luck,\" said the brothers, and\nthey began to rejoice.\n\nThey galloped into the court of the castle, and were still more\nrejoiced when seven princesses came forth to meet them. They sprang\nfrom their horses in a moment to give a courteous salute; but how did\nthey wonder when the princesses took their horses by the bridles and\nled them to the stable. Jalmir begged the youngest princess, who had\ntaken his steed, to put the horse in a stable apart, for he was very\nvicious.\n\nShe did as he wished; he saw this, and only then did he go to the\nsupper chamber, where his brothers and the six princesses were already\nsitting at a great table, covered with the daintiest dishes. He came\nto them with the youngest princess, but ate very little, though she\nurged him continually; but when the vile old woman who served them\nbrought wine and poured it to each one in a golden goblet, Jalmir\nseized his goblet eagerly, but did not drink the wine. He poured it\nout on one side.\n\nBy degrees the brothers began to doze; at last one after another they\nfell asleep. Jalmir suspected that the old woman had drugged\nthem,--which was true,--and that she had no good thoughts regarding\nthem; therefore he feigned sleep so that in the hour of need he might\naid his brothers. Soon after the old woman came and put away each\nbrother with his partner on a couch, of which there were seven in the\nadjoining chamber; then she went out, but returned straightway with a\ngreat broom, and began to strike the brothers. First she struck the\neldest, but he moved not; when she had finished with the six she came\nto Jalmir, and said to herself: \"If six are asleep, so is the\nseventh.\" She went out, but soon returned with sulphur in her hand,\nand burned it under the nose of each brother. She began with the\neldest, and as not one of them moved, she said when she reached\nJalmir: \"If six are asleep, so is the seventh.\"\n\nShe went out, but came back bringing pitch, which she burned on the\nbreast of each brother. She began with the eldest, and as none of them\nsighed, she said when she reached Jalmir: \"If six are asleep, so is\nthe seventh; now I may cut off their heads without fear.\"\n\nJalmir quivered; and when the old woman went out, he sprang quickly\nfrom the couch, put each of his brothers in the place of a princess\nand did the same with himself. The old woman returned with a sword,\nbut without a light, and cut off the heads of the seven princesses;\nthen she went out. Jalmir sprang up in a moment and tried to rouse his\nbrothers, but in vain. What anguish the poor fellow suffered; only\ntowards morning did the brothers wake and look in terror at the dead\nbodies of the princesses. But Jalmir exclaimed in a voice of despair:\n\"Let us flee!\" and rushed forth; the brothers followed him. In the\nstable they untied their horses, and springing on them hurried in a\nwild chase from the castle and across the broad plain.\n\nThe sorceress soon saw their flight, and pursued; but as they had\ncrossed the boundary of her castle lands she had power over them no\nlonger, and with work undone was forced to go home, where she cursed\nherself above the dead bodies of her daughters. The brothers rode\nwithout stopping, farther and farther, till at last the castle\ndisappeared from their sight; then they made the first halt to rest\nand inquire of Jalmir what had been done to them. When they heard that\nhe had saved them from certain death, they fell upon his neck and\ncried: \"Tell us who thou art, since thou hast done so much for us.\"\n\n\"Who else but your brother Jalmir,\" answered he, almost swimming in\ntears; and he pressed brother after brother to his breast. But how\nastonished was he when he saw that they were much colder to him than\nthey had been when they knew him not! Still, they asked how he had\nrecovered, why he had ridden after them, and what their father was\ndoing. But gradually they grew silent and hung their heads. Beyond\ndoubt it was not to their liking that just the youngest of them was so\nwise.\n\nJalmir also was silent, and his white steed dropped behind of his own\naccord. When the brothers could not hear him, he said to his master:\n\"I told thee not to discover thyself, but thou didst not obey me. The\nresults thou canst lay to thyself. In a few days we shall come to a\nmighty king; thou and thy brothers will enter his service. When in\nneed come to me for advice.\"\n\nJalmir stroked the white steed, and begged his forgiveness. From that\ntime the brothers were no longer joyous as before, and kept noticeably\naside from Jalmir. But since they had no money they wheedled him\ngreatly whenever they saw an inn, since he always paid for them. After\nsome days they came to a great city. Their first road, however, was to\nthe inn, where they ate moderately but drank beyond measure; and now\nthey began to do such senseless things that Jalmir went to his steed\nas quickly as possible to get consolation.\n\nWhen the brothers were alone the eldest said: \"I have had favors\nenough from that sickly brother; to-morrow we will go to the king of\nthis country and serve him. What do ye think?\"\n\n\"We will all go with thee,\" cried the others; but suddenly they were\nconfused, for Jalmir had returned.\n\n\"Where are ye going?\" inquired he. \"I will go with you.\"\n\nThe brothers answered him sullenly, but Jalmir said he would go.\nTowards evening, when the brothers had had a good sleep, they went to\nthe king, who made them men of his court without delay. Now they had a\ngood living, large pay, and almost nothing to do; but as an offset\nthey were still not at rest, for Jalmir was always a thorn in their\neyes, especially since the friendship of the king for him increased\nevery day.\n\nOnce when the brothers, from idleness, were examining the chambers of\nthe king's castle, they came to one in which were all kinds of books,\nsmall and great, piled up to the ceiling. They fell to reading these\nbooks with great eagerness.\n\n\"Brothers,\" cried one of them suddenly, \"I read here that the king has\nnot a bird in his kingdom.\"\n\n\"Is this true?\" exclaimed the others in wonder; \"we have not noticed\nit.\"\n\n\"But know ye,\" asked the eldest, \"to what use we may put this?\" All\nshook their heads. \"Listen,\" said he in a whisper; \"we will tell the\nking that Jalmir knows about birds, and to send him for them.\"\n\n\"And the king will do so at once,\" said the brother who had read of\nthe birds, \"for here is written the great cost of the birds eaten on\nthe king's table in a year.\"\n\nThey stopped reading at once and went straight to the king, to whom\nthey told what they thought. \"But, gracious king,\" said the eldest,\n\"thou must sharply insist, or Jalmir will excuse himself, saying that\nhe knows nothing of birds.\"\n\nThe king nodded graciously and sent for Jalmir. He came quickly, and\nthe king said: \"As thou knowest well I have no birds in my kingdom,\ntherefore I command thee to bring them.\"\n\n\"I, gracious king,\" said Jalmir, in fright, \"know nothing of birds.\"\n\n\"Whether thou knowest or knowest not,\" said the king, in sudden\nanger, \"thou'lt get birds.\" With that he waved his hand, and poor\nJalmir went out with drooping head. Whither can he go? Who can help\nhim in peril? He went straight to the white steed and complained.\n\n\"Grieve not,\" said the steed; \"at dusk we will go for the birds.\"\n\nJalmir thanked the horse, and could hardly wait till evening. The\nmoment the sun had disappeared behind the woods he was ready for the\nroad; and when the first star had appeared in the sky he led out the\nwhite steed, sprang on his back, and flew off like the wind. \"But\nwhere are we going?\" inquired Jalmir of his steed on the way.\n\n\"To that sorceress in whose castle thou didst save thy brothers from\ndeath,\" answered the horse.\n\n\"To that place!\" cried Jalmir in fright.\n\n\"Have no fear,\" said the steed, comforting him; \"only do to a hair\nwhat I tell thee.\"\n\nThe good steed now increased his speed so that he went like an arrow,\nand about an hour later he came to the ground at the castle of the\nsorceress. Jalmir sprang from him, and the steed said: \"When thou art\nin the first chamber thou wilt see silver cages, and in them silver\nbirds; in the second chamber will be golden cages with golden birds;\nin the third chamber diamond cages with diamond birds. Of all these\ntouch nothing, or such a blow will fall that the whole castle will\ntremble, and the sorceress will seize thee to kill thee. But go to the\nfourth chamber; there take a wooden cage in which is a mean-looking\nbird, and hasten to me.\"\n\nJalmir entered the first chamber with courage, but cautiously, and\nlooking at nothing, went to the second chamber; there the glitter of\ngold dazzled him somewhat. When he opened the door to the third\nchamber he stood almost blind on the threshold; but quickly\nrecovering, he shaded his eyes, ran to the fourth chamber, and seizing\nthe cage with the bird in an instant, rushed out swift as an arrow. He\nsprang on the horse, which rose with him through the air in a moment.\nThe sorceress burst out of the castle, and cursing fearfully because\nshe could not stop him, screamed: \"But thou wilt come here again!\"\n\nWhen the white steed was beyond the boundary of the castle land, he\nsaid to Jalmir: \"Open the cage and let the bird fly.\"\n\n\"But shall I not bring it to the king?\"\n\n\"Only do what I ask,\" said the steed, with such a stern voice that\nJalmir obeyed without thinking.\n\nIt was yet night when they reached home. Jalmir tied the horse in the\nstable and went to his room to strengthen himself with sleep, but he\ndid not sleep long. The morning dawn had barely shown itself when in\nthe king's garden was heard such a loud and cheerful singing of birds\nthat all the people were soon on their feet, and earlier than any the\nking. At the first moment he was so astonished that he asked whence\nthese wonderful creatures had come.\n\n\"Royal Grace,\" said one of the brothers, \"thou didst send Jalmir for\nthem.\"\n\n\"True,\" said the king, as he bethought himself; \"but where is Jalmir?\"\n\nA courtier soon brought him, and the king fell on his neck from very\njoy. He was now really dear to the king; but for that reason was held\nin more hatred by his brothers.\n\n\"How can we get rid of him?\" asked the brothers when they were alone.\n\n\"Maybe we can read something else,\" said one of them.\n\n\"Very good,\" answered all, at once; and they hurried to the chamber in\nwhich so many books were collected, and it was not long before one of\nthe brothers cried out: \"The king has no beasts, and they cost him\nmore than the birds, since he uses many more of them in a year.\"\n\n\"Then let Jalmir go for them,\" said the sixth brother, smiling\nmaliciously; and they went straight to the king, to whom they told\ntheir minds. The king nodded graciously; dismissed them, called Jalmir\nand said: \"I have no beasts in my kingdom; and since they cost me much\nin a year, I command thee to get me beasts.\"\n\n\"I, gracious king,\" said Jalmir in wonder, \"know of none.\"\n\n\"Thou knowest well,\" said the king in anger, \"for thy brothers told\nme.\"\n\n\"Did they?\" said Jalmir in astonishment. \"Well, I will try;\" and he\nwent to his white steed, to whom he told everything.\n\n\"Be not down-hearted,\" said the steed, comforting him. \"Come to me in\nthe evening; we will go for the beasts.\"\n\nWhen it was dark the good steed was flying through the air. \"But where\nshall we go?\" asked Jalmir.\n\n\"To the sorceress from whom we got the birds,\" answered the steed.\n\n\"But I am afraid that she will catch me,\" said Jalmir.\n\n\"Fear not,\" said the steed; \"only do to a hair what I tell thee.\" When\nhe came to the ground in front of the castle, he said: \"In the first\nchamber thou wilt see a beast with silver hair, tied with silver\nchains; in the second chamber a beast with golden hair and golden\nchains; in the third, one with pearl hair and pearl chains. Touch not\nany of these, or a blow will fall so that the whole castle will\ntremble, and the sorceress will seize thee to kill thee. But go to the\nfourth chamber; there seize an ugly dog that is tied with a ragged\nrope, and hurry to me.\"\n\nSomewhat timidly, but all the more carefully, did Jalmir pass the\nfirst, second, and third chamber, shading his eyes with his hands so\nthe glitter of the silver, gold, and pearl might not blind him. When\nhe entered the fourth chamber he broke the rope, seized the dog in his\narms, rushed out, and swift as an arrow sprang on the horse, which\nrose in the air. And it was high time; for scarcely had he sat on the\nhorse when the sorceress ran out after him. When she was unable to\nstop him, she cursed fearfully, and screamed: \"But thou wilt come here\nagain!\"\n\nWhen the steed had sprung over the boundary of the castle land, he\nsaid: \"Now let the dog go.\"\n\nJalmir obeyed at once, for he was sure the steed gave good counsel.\nWhen they came home, dawn was already appearing; still Jalmir lay on\nthe bed, for he was greatly wearied. He did not sleep long, however;\nfor barely had the dawn come when there was a noise in the castle, in\nthe town, and outside the town, as if the earth were breaking. The\nking sprang in wonder to the window. But how astonished was he! Right\nin the garden he saw deer, stags, rabbits; on the trees squirrels; on\nthe ground under the trees mice; in short, such myriads of beasts that\nhis eyes danced. In the king's garden it was pleasant for the beasts;\nbut in the town and outside the town the people killed them, chased\nwildly after them, and threw stones at them. This displeased the king;\nand he issued an order that all beasts belonged to him, and that no\nman should dare to injure them. Then he went to Jalmir, thanked him\ncordially, and expressed his friendship with an ardent embrace.\n\nThe whole kingdom was pleased with the beasts, but Jalmir's brothers\nwere not pleased.\n\n\"What shall we do with him?\" asked the eldest of the others. \"Instead\nof getting rid of him we have brought him into still greater favor\nwith the king.\"\n\n\"But let us go and read again.\"\n\n\"Yes, yes,\" said a third; and all hurried off to the well-known room.\nThey had read a long time when at last one cried out: \"The king has no\nwine, and of course wine costs him money.\"\n\n\"Then let Jalmir go for it,\" answered the eldest, quietly; \"and he\nmust get luck from hell if he comes back.\"\n\nThey went straight to the king, and very insinuatingly they told him\nthat Jalmir might easily supply him with wine.\n\n\"Then he will do it;\" and dismissing them graciously he had Jalmir\nsummoned, and told him his wish.\n\n\"Gracious king,\" answered Jalmir, \"I know nothing of wine, but I will\ngo and see.\"\n\nThe king was somewhat angry, thinking surely that Jalmir was\nunwilling, and thereupon said: \"Thou wilt answer to me with thy head.\"\nJalmir, bowing in silence, went out to the steed.\n\n\"Fear not,\" said the steed; \"in the evening we will go for the wine.\"\nThe moment it was dark the kind steed shot away with Jalmir through\nthe air.\n\n\"Where are we going this time?\" asked Jalmir, a little frightened.\n\n\"To the sorceress from whom we got the birds and the beasts. But now\npull a hair from my tail, and one from my mane; from the first make a\nrope three hundred yards long, from the other a net large enough to\ncontain thee.\"\n\nJalmir did in silence according to the steed's words; and to his\nastonishment, before they came to the castle the rope and the net were\nfinished.\n\n\"Now attend to my words,\" said the steed when he had come to the\nground. \"Tie one end of the rope to my foot and the other to the net,\ntake the net with thee and put it on the door of the cellar, to which\nthou must go down on three hundred steps. In the cellar thou wilt see\nvessels with silver and gold and diamond hoops; pay no heed to them,\nor a blow will fall, and it will be ill with thee. Go to the farthest\npart of the cellar. There thou wilt see in a niche a little vessel\nwith wooden hoops, take that quickly and hurry to me; but if thou art\nnot able to come, just spring into the net and I will help thee.\"\n\nJalmir did everything according to the words of the steed. It was as\nclear as white day in the cellar from the silver, gold, and diamond\nhoops, so that he soon saw the little vessel in the niche; but when\nhe caught it, it is a wonder that he did not fall under its weight.\nWith a mighty effort he carried it to the steps; but there he struck\nhis foot against a vessel, and such a blow fell that the castle\ntrembled from its foundation to the highest points of its tower.\nJalmir, however, did not grow weak; he sprang up like an arrow over\nthe three hundred steps and jumped into the net.\n\nMeanwhile, the sorceress flew out of the castle and sprang at the\nsteed; but the steed got her down, and so thrashed her with his feet\nthat he did not leave a sound bone in her body. At the same time he\nwound up the rope so nicely that in a little while he had drawn up the\nnet containing Jalmir. \"Sit quickly on me,\" said he. Jalmir mounted in\na moment, keeping the vessel carefully in his arms. The steed rose in\nthe air and flew like lightning, because the sorceress who had picked\nherself from the ground was chasing him. But soon they had the\nboundary of the castle land behind them, so that they had no further\nneed to strain their powers.\n\nWhen they reached home the steed was drooping wearily to the earth, so\nthat Jalmir had to support him in going to the stable. Jalmir was\nbarely able to go to his own room; but first, according to the command\nof the steed, he left the cask of wine at the door of the king's\nchamber, then he lay on his bed and was soon asleep.\n\nWhen the king opened the door of his chamber in the morning he saw\nthe cask. \"This must be wine,\" said the king, rejoicing; and taking\noff the head, he tried it. \"It's wine; it's wine!\" rejoiced he; and\ncalling the people of the castle, he drank a health with them all.\n\n\"But what is this?\" wondered they; \"we have taken ten kegs of wine out\nalready, and still it comes.\"\n\n\"This must be an enchanted cask,\" said the king, and began to laugh.\nThen he said in serious tones: \"Little cask, I should like to have red\nwine.\" He drew some. And what a wonder! the wine was red. \"I want\nyellow wine,\" said the king; and yellow wine flowed out.\n\n\"In real fact, it is an enchanted cask,\" said the king. \"Oh, Jalmir,\"\ncried he in delight, \"how can I reward thee!\"\n\n\"I have only obeyed thy command, gracious king,\" answered Jalmir, who\nhad just entered the room.\n\n\"Yes, thou hast done all that I commanded, and much more,\" said the\nking; \"therefore I make thee my son, and proclaim thee viceroy.\"\n\nAll present broke out in tumultuous shouting, but Jalmir's brothers\nwere silent; they bit their lips and clinched their fists. The king,\naltogether joyous and full of tenderness, from success and from wine,\narranged to have a seven day's celebration in honor of the new\nviceroy. The people did not wait to have the order repeated, but began\nthat very day, especially since they had plenty of food, and the wine\nwhich the enchanted cask gave them without stint. The new viceroy was\ngreeted everywhere with shouts, and won at once the love of the\npeople.\n\nBut his brothers were enraged all the more. Instead of going to the\nfestivities they went to the room where the books were, and read as\ndiligently as if they wished to become sages at once. This time,\nhowever, they were not able to find anything for a great while; but at\nlast they read what they wanted.\n\n\"Now I have something for our darling viceroy!\" cried one. \"In the sea\nis a golden castle, and in the castle a princess, the most beautiful\nunder the heavens. If our king would take her in marriage, he would\ngrow young and lengthen his life.\"\n\n\"Oh, that is splendid!\" said all, rejoicing. \"The king will surely\nsend him for the princess, and darling Jalmir will either be drowned\nin the sea or run home to his father.\"\n\nWhen the feasting was over the brothers went to the king, who was, as\nit were, ill,--just the thing for them. \"Gracious king,\" said the\neldest, insinuatingly, \"we are always trying to prepare some pleasure\nfor thee.\"\n\n\"Indeed, I have need of it,\" said the king; \"old age and disease are\npressing me more and more every day.\"\n\n\"We have just found a remedy for those two evils,\" said the brothers.\n\n\"But what is it,--tell me!\" broke out the king, delighted. They told\nhim what they had read.\n\n\"Well, Jalmir must take the road this very day,\" cried the king; and\ncalling Jalmir he explained his wish. Jalmir agreed in silence, but\nscarcely controlling his tears, hastened to his steed and fell on his\nneck, weeping.\n\n\"What is the matter now?\" asked the steed. Jalmir told him all.\n\n\"Do not lose courage,\" said the horse. \"Go to the king, and ask him to\ngive thee three hundred loaves of bread, three hundred kegs of wine,\nand three hundred beeves. Have all put into wagons, and then we will\ngo for the princess.\"\n\nJalmir went straightway to the king and asked for these. The king had\nall provided quickly, and promised him mountains and valleys if he\nwould bring the princess. Jalmir took the road that very day, sitting\non his good white steed, which this time did not fly through the air,\nbut walked with slow step behind the wagons on which the loaves, the\nwine, and the beeves were carried. And many times did day and night\nchange places before they came to the sea. Now they went along the\nshore; the white steed, going ahead with Jalmir, showed the road to\nthe wagons.\n\nJalmir saw a great fish on the beach which was trying in vain to get\nback to the water. \"Help it,\" said the steed; and Jalmir, springing to\nthe ground, helped the fish.\n\nThe fish sank under the water, but soon came to the surface and said\nto Jalmir: \"Wait, I must reward thee. Take this whistle, and shouldst\nthou need aught from me, blow.\"\n\nJalmir took the whistle from the fish's lips, gave thanks, and sat\nagain on his steed. After a time they heard as it were distant\nthunder. \"What is that?\" asked he of the horse.\n\n\"We shall soon be at the end of our journey,\" said the steed; \"those\nare giants talking.\"\n\nIn a short time Jalmir saw three giants lying on the beach. When he\ncame up they rose, and now he saw their stature. When he looked in\ntheir faces he had to bend back his head as if looking at the highest\ntower.\n\n\"What is the good word?\" roared one of them, so that Jalmir had to\ncover his ears.\n\n\"I bring three hundred loaves of bread, three hundred kegs of wine,\nand three hundred slaughtered oxen,\" answered he.\n\n\"That is good of thee,\" said the giants, nodding their heads with\nsatisfaction; and they rushed to the wagons in which the things were\nplaced. They built a fire, and stuck the oxen on great spits to roast;\nthen they went to the bread and wine, and soon had half inside\nthemselves. A great eagle settled down near by, and looked wistfully\nat the beeves. Jalmir cut off a quarter and gave it to the eagle.\n\n\"Thank thee!\" said the eagle. \"I will help thee in time;\" and she rose\nin the air with the quarter.\n\nThe giants did not leave the oxen very long over the fire; and when\nthey had finished, they said to Jalmir: \"Now tell us thy wish; well do\nwe know that ye little worms of the earth do nothing for nothing.\"\n\n\"I have no wish for myself,\" said Jalmir; \"but my master has sent me\nto bring the princess from the golden castle which stands out in the\nsea.\"\n\n\"That one over there?\" asked the other giant, pointing with his finger\nto the sea.\n\nJalmir looked around and saw for the first time a magnificent castle,\nwhich gleamed in the waves like the rising sun. \"Yes,\" replied Jalmir.\n\n\"We will take thee to it,\" said the first giant; \"but will the\nprincess go with thee?\"\n\n\"I will ask her,\" said Jalmir; \"but how will ye take me there?\"\n\n\"Thou wilt soon see,\" said the giants; and they took pieces of a cliff\nand hurled them into the sea. They went on breaking the cliff, and\nsooner than Jalmir expected there was a long stretch of dam in the\nsea. But the giants did not stop; they worked till the setting of the\nsun, so that in the evening they had one third of the dam finished,\nand on the third day it was possible to go with dry foot to the golden\ncastle.\n\nJalmir thanked the giants heartily, and the morning of the fourth day\nhe went to the princess. The castle was a wonder to look at; but he\nscarcely noticed it. He entered, and how surprised was he when in the\nfirst chamber he saw the princess. With downcast eyes he said: \"My\nking and master has sent me to beg thee in his name to share his\nthrone and crown.\"\n\n\"I will go,\" answered the princess, with a silvery voice; \"but wilt\nthou remain at his court?\"\n\n\"I must,\" said Jalmir. \"I am the viceroy.\"\n\n\"Let us go, then,\" said the princess.\n\nShe mounted a splendid crow-black horse, Jalmir his white steed, and\nthey galloped along the dam. On the way Jalmir took courage to look at\nthe princess more closely, and thought that the king would grow\nyounger, and lengthen his life, if the princess would marry him. At\nthe same time he felt a certain agreeable straitening of the heart. He\nbent his head, and rode in silence at the side of the princess; and\nthe nearer he came to the castle of the king, the more did trouble\ntake hold of his heart. The more joyous, however, was the princess;\nand her eyes rested on him with a certain special delight. They\narrived soon without great adventure.\n\nThe king went outside the town to meet them, and conducted them in\nsolemn procession to the castle. \"Art thou willing, honored princess,\nto become my spouse?\" asked he of the princess when he had led her to\nthe chambers prepared for her.\n\n\"First I must have my golden castle,\" replied the princess.\n\nThe king was amazed; but he bethought himself soon, and turned to\nJalmir, gazing imploringly.\n\n\"I will go for it,\" said Jalmir, with decision, especially when the\nprincess nodded graciously and smiled at him.\n\n\"Go, my dear Jalmir,\" said the king, with a soft voice. \"I will reward\nthee in kings' fashion.\"\n\nJalmir went to the white steed for advice, and the steed said: \"Tell\nthe king to give thee three hundred loaves of bread, three hundred\nkegs of wine, and three hundred slaughtered oxen; then we will go for\nthe golden castle.\"\n\nJalmir told the king his wishes, and the king gave him all. Everything\nwas ready so soon that Jalmir was able to set out that very day. But\nit was a tedious journey; the wagons went slowly, and after them\nJalmir still more slowly, and with drooping head,--why, he knew best\nhimself. When they came to the giants, Jalmir gave them the loaves,\nthe wine, and the meat, begging them urgently to bring the golden\ncastle to the princess.\n\n\"Ah, little worm of the earth!\" said the giants, laughing, \"dost thou\nthink that the castle is made of wood? but we will try,\" added they\nafter they had looked at the three hundred loaves, at the kegs and the\noxen.\n\nThey began eating, and when they had eaten heartily, they went to a\nneighboring forest, where they pulled up three of the strongest trees;\nand when they had played with them as men play with canes, they went\nalong the dam to the golden castle. After a short time they moved the\ncastle from its foundations, put it on the oak-trees, and then on to\ntheir shoulders; and as if it were nothing they walked after Jalmir\nwithout weariness till night, when they slept, and next morning went\nfarther. They worked in this way till they drew near the king's\ncastle; they did not go to it, however, but waited till night. Then\nthey put the golden castle in the garden, bade farewell to Jalmir, and\nwent home.\n\nWhen the morning sun rose people shouted \"Fire!\" in the castle. All\nran to the garden to put it out; but the princess standing in her\nwindow cried, \"Be quiet! That is my golden castle.\"\n\nSoon after the king hurried in, and opening his arms in delight,\nwished to embrace the princess, calling out, \"Now thou art mine!\"\n\n\"Not yet,\" answered the princess. \"What is my golden castle to me if I\nhave lost the key of it?\"\n\nThe king was frightened; but soon he said, with clear face: \"My dear\nJalmir will bring it to thee.\" He wanted to go for him; but Jalmir\ncame just then to the princess to tell her that he had brought the\ncastle. The king told his wish; and Jalmir, gaining pleasure and\nstrength from a gracious smile of the princess, departed. He took\ncounsel of his steed, who said: \"The key is somewhere in the sea near\nthe dam.\" Jalmir mounted; they flew through the air, and were soon on\nthe island where the castle had been.\n\n\"But how shall I find the key in the sea?\" sighed Jalmir.\n\n\"Thou hast the whistle from the fish helped by thee into the water.\"\n\n\"Yes,\" rejoiced Jalmir; and he blew on the whistle.\n\nThat moment the fish swam to the surface, and asked, \"What dost thou\nwish?\"\n\n\"The princess has lost the key of her golden castle,\" answered Jalmir,\nwho was about to ask the fish to find it; but the fish had already\nvanished to tell all fish to look for the key. Now there was life\nunder water,--such gleaming of fish flying hither and thither, up and\ndown! till at last after long swimming, one little fish brought the\nkey to the chief fish. The chief fish gave it to Jalmir; Jalmir gave\nheartfelt thanks, and was soon flying through the air on his steed, so\nthat he was home before night. When he had given the key to the king\nhe went to his room and shut himself in. Why he did this he knew not\nhimself; but he felt that it would have been better for him had he\nnever seen that princess of the golden castle.\n\nThe king, perfectly happy, went with the key to the princess; he felt\nsure this time that she would make no objection. All the greater was\nhis grief when she said: \"I have the castle and the key to it; but\nwhat would life be in the castle without the water of death, the water\nof life, and the water of youth?\"\n\n\"And where are they to be found?\" asked the king.\n\n\"They are on my island,\" answered the princess so decidedly that the\nking went away in silence to think whom he should send. He had pity on\nJalmir, and therefore he went to the brothers; but they spoke to him\nso convincingly that the king asked Jalmir again to go and do that\nlast service for him. How could Jalmir refuse? Besides, what he had\ndone he had done for her for whom he would have jumped into fire if\nneed be. He went to his steed to ask aid once more, and for the last\ntime. The steed reproached him for lack of courage, and said: \"Sit on\nmy back; we'll go straight for the water.\" Jalmir did so with joy, and\nwas soon going through the air to the island swifter than ever he had\ntravelled before. In a short time the horse came down on the sea-shore\nand said: \"Go to the island for the water of death, the water of life,\nand the water of youth; but hurry, or the waves will wash down the dam\nand thou wilt perish. I will eat grass here a while.\"\n\nJalmir went forward, but very slowly; for the image of the princess\nrose continually before his eyes. Except her, the whole world was as\nnaught to him. He was perhaps half way on the dam when all at once the\nsea rose and bore it away. Jalmir screamed in terror and disappeared\nin the sea. The steed heard his screams, but did not run to help him,\nand hanging his head, went with slow step; he knew well that he could\ngive no aid to Jalmir. Then came a terrible storm on the sea. The\nsteed thought that Jalmir had perished; he rose in the air and shot\naway like a flash.\n\nNot far from the dam--of which there was not a trace after the\nstorm--was an eagle's nest high on the cliff, and in it five little\neagles that stretched out their necks, without ceasing looking down\neagerly, and crying meanwhile. \"What do ye want?\" called the old\neagle, which sat near by on a cliff and looked down. But how quickly\ndid she fly to the beach when she saw a body there! She recognized it\nat once; for though she was only a wild creature she remembered well\nthat Jalmir had done her a kindness by giving her the quarter of beef\nfor her young. She seized him now in her strong talons and bore him to\nthe island where the golden castle had been; she plunged him into a\nspring, then placing him on the ground, sat near his side. Soon Jalmir\nbegan to breathe,--at first with difficulty and slowly, then more\nquickly and evenly, till at last he opened his eyes with a deep sigh.\n\"Why not let me sleep longer?--I slept so lightly! I dreamed so\nsweetly!\" said Jalmir, as if waking from slumber. When he looked\naround more attentively he called out in amazement, \"What has been\ndone to me?\"\n\n\"Dost thou not know me?\" asked the eagle, standing before him.\n\n\"I do not know thee,\" replied Jalmir, shaking his head.\n\n\"But I know thee well,\" cried the eagle. \"Thou didst give me a\nquarter of beef for my children. But what art thou looking for now?\"\n\n\"The princess sent me to this island for the water of death, the water\nof life, and the water of youth,\" answered Jalmir.\n\n\"Then take them,\" said the eagle, and brought him to the three\nsprings. Jalmir took three flasks from his bosom, and filled them with\nthe three waters.\n\n\"But how shall I leave here?\"\n\n\"I would gladly bear thee wherever thou wishest, but I cannot, for I\nhave children; but I will go to my brother. He has no children.\" She\nflew off in a flash, soon returning, and with her her brother.\n\n\"But where has my white steed gone?\" asked Jalmir suddenly.\n\n\"I will soon tell thee,\" answered the eagle, and she rose in the sky\ntill she seemed to the eye of Jalmir as small as the point of a pine\nleaf. She remained motionless a moment, then came down like a bolt and\nsaid: \"I saw thy steed under the old pear-tree which stands before the\nsouthern gate of the great town.\"\n\n\"Bear me to that place then,\" said Jalmir, with a voice of entreaty.\n\nThe eagle's brother caught him in his strong talons, and was soon\nflying with him high in the air; so high that Jalmir saw his native\nplace, but it was as small as an ant-hill. He went farther, it became\ngreater, till at last the eagle came to the earth and put Jalmir down\nnear the old pear-tree; then he parted with him, and soon vanished in\nthe air.\n\nThe white steed was standing behind the pear-tree, with drooping head,\nand so gloomy that he did not notice his master.\n\n\"My very good steed!\" cried Jalmir, and fell on his neck.\n\n\"Thou art alive and well?\" asked the steed in amazement.\n\n\"Yes,\" answered Jalmir, and told him all that had happened.\n\n\"I am happy,\" said the steed; \"but now sit quickly on me, we must go\nto the princess or we shall be late.\"\n\n\"What is the matter?\" asked Jalmir in fright.\n\n\"The king wants the wedding to-day,\" answered the steed.\n\n\"Then let us hurry,\" said Jalmir, and he sprang on the steed, opened\nhis arms toward the town, and cried: \"Oh, my dear father!\"\n\n\"Calm thyself,\" said the steed; \"I know that thou wouldst embrace him;\nbut vain is thy wish, for he died long ago.\" The steed rose in the air\nand flew so swiftly that his native place soon vanished from the\ntearful eyes of Jalmir. On the road the steed said: \"When thou art\nking, judge justly, even if thy heart has to bleed.\"\n\nJalmir did not understand him; but when he came to the town and heard\nhow his brothers were laughing at their puny little Jalmir who had\nperished somewhere, an evil feeling seized him. Mastering himself\nhowever, he went to the princess to give her the three waters; and she\nhastened to the king to whom she said: \"My dear bridegroom, so that\nour marriage be equal, thou must become young and beautiful as I am,\nand therefore I will rub thee with the water of death so that thy old\nage shall perish, then with the water of youth, and last with the\nwater of life.\"\n\nThe king consented with gladness, and the princess rubbed him with the\nwater of death; then he straightened himself on the couch so that the\nprincess herself was terrified. Seizing quickly the water of youth;\nshe rubbed him with it and the fresh color of youth shone on the face\nof the old king. \"But still he is not so beautiful as Jalmir,\" sighed\nthe princess, greatly grieved. With tearful eyes she reached for the\nwater of life, but instead of it took the water of death and rubbed\nthe king. Straightway the pallor of death spread over his face. The\nprincess fell in a faint at his side and remained in it till Jalmir\ncame by chance to the chamber, seized the water of life, and rubbed\nwith it quickly the princess and the king. The princess stood up at\nonce, but the king remained dead.\n\n\"Is there no help for him?\" asked Jalmir with trembling voice.\n\n\"There is not,\" said the princess, shaking her head; \"whoever is\nrubbed twice with the water of death can never live again.\"\n\n\"But what shall I do now?\" muttered Jalmir, closing his eyes.\n\n\"Thou art king,\" answered the princess, \"but I--\"\n\n\"Queen!\" cried Jalmir eagerly, and sank at her feet saying, \"Forgive\nme, but I love thee more than myself.\"\n\nThe princess in place of an answer kissed him; and now they went to\nannounce to the people that the old king was dead.\n\nThe people, who had already assembled in the square for the wedding of\nthe king, were greatly distressed; but when the princess presented\nJalmir as the new king, and herself as his wife, they broke out into\nmighty rejoicing, which had no end. But Jalmir's brothers were silent;\nand when the new king with his bride retired, they reported that these\ntwo had poisoned the old king. The people raised a tumult; but Jalmir\nwent out among them and asked the cause. Some were silent, and others\ntold him what his brothers had said. \"Do ye believe this?\" asked\nJalmir.\n\n\"We do not believe,\" was shouted from every side.\n\n\"Very well,\" answered Jalmir, \"but that ye may believe me I will tell\nhow my brothers tried to kill me;\" and he told them all.\n\n\"The wretches!\" cried the people in a rage; and they caught all the\nsix brothers. Before Jalmir could stop them the people had fired a\nstack of straw, and when it was blazing high they threw the six\nbrothers into the flames.\n\n\"Now ye are all in one pile,\" laughed the people, \"because hitherto ye\nwere always setting fire.\"\n\nJalmir turned to the princess with tears in his eyes, but she soon\nconsoled him. After the funeral of the old king they celebrated their\nbetrothal; but when Jalmir, full of happiness, sat at the feast by the\nside of his bride, all at once he remembered his steed, ran to him,\nand fell on his neck thanking him as author of all his happiness.\n\n\"I have helped thee, do thou help me now,\" said the steed. \"Lead me to\nthe garden.\" Jalmir did as he desired; then the steed said: \"Cut off\nmy head.\"\n\n\"I cut off thy head!\" cried Jalmir in fright.\n\n\"Wilt thou let me suffer one hundred years longer?\" asked the steed in\na sad voice.\n\nIn place of an answer Jalmir drew his sword, and with one blow cut off\nhis friend's head. The head fell on the ground, but out of it flew a\nwhite dove which rose toward the sky. Jalmir turned in sorrow to the\nprincess, but she soon drove the sadness away from his face. They\nlived happily together, and because they had the water of life, they\nlived so long that no one has memory of it.\n\n\n\n\nMAGYAR MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES.\n\n\n\n\nTHE POOR MAN, AND THE KING OF THE CROWS.\n\n\nThere was once a very poor man, and he had two lean cows. The two cows\nwere to the poor man as their mother's breast to children; for not\nonly did they give milk and butter, for which he got a few coppers to\nbuy salt, but he tilled his patch of land with them.\n\nNow, he was ploughing one day at the edge of the woods with the two\ncows, when, from wherever it came, a six-horse coach stood before him,\nand in it sat no other than the King of the Crows, who found this to\nsay to the poor man,--\n\n\"Listen, poor man; I will tell thee one thing, and two will come of\nit. Sell me those lean cows; I'll give thee good money for them. I'll\npay double price. My army hasn't tasted a morsel for three days, and\nthe soldiers will die of hunger and thirst unless thou wilt save\nthem.\"\n\n\"If that's the case,\" said the poor man to the King of the Crows, \"if\nit be that thy Highness's army hasn't eaten anything for three days, I\ndon't mind the difficulty. I'll let thee have the cows, not for money;\nlet thy Highness return a cow for a cow.\"\n\n\"Very good, poor man, let it be as thou sayest. I will give thee a\ncow for a cow; more than that, for two thou wilt get four cows. For\nthat purpose find me in my kingdom, for I am the King of the Crows.\nThou hast but to look in the north for the black castle; thou'lt be\nsure to find it.\"\n\nWith that the King of the Crows vanished as if he had never been\nthere,--as if the earth had swallowed him. The poor man kept on\nploughing with the two lean cows, till, all at once, the army of the\nKing of the Crows appeared like a black cloud approaching through the\nair, with mighty cawing, and seizing the two cows tore them bit from\nbit. When they had finished, the dark legions with tumultuous cawing\nmoved on their way like a cloud. The poor man watched the direction in\nwhich they flew so that he might know the way.\n\nNow he strolled home in great sadness, took leave of his two handsome\nsons and his dear wife, in the midst of bitter tears, and set out into\nthe world to find the black castle. He travelled and journeyed over\nforty-nine kingdoms, beyond the Operentsia Sea and the glass\nmountains, and beyond that, where the little short-tailed pig roots,\nand beyond that, and still farther on, till he came to an ocean-great\nsand-plain.\n\nNowhere for gold was a town, a village, or a cabin to be seen where he\nmight recline his head for a night's rest, or beg a morsel of bread or\na cup of water. Food had long since left his bag, and he might have\nstruck fire in the gourd[5] which hung at his side. What was he to do?\nWhere could he save his life? Here he must perish of hunger and thirst\nin the midst of this ocean-great desert, and then at home let them\nwait for him till the day of Judgment. Here the poor man's power of\nwalking decreased, and he floundered about like a dazed fish, like a\nman struck on the head. While stumbling along he sees on a sudden a\nshepherd's fire.\n\n    [5] A pilgrim bottle made of a dried, long-necked gourd.\n\nHe moves towards the light, creeping on all fours. At last he arrives\nthere with great difficulty, and sees that three or four men are lying\naround the fire, boiling kasha in a pot. He salutes them with, \"God\ngive you a good evening.\"\n\n\"God receive thee, poor man; how is it that thou art journeying in\nthis strange land where even a bird does not go?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the black castle in the north. Have ye heard nothing\nof it in your world-beautiful lives?\"\n\n\"How not? Of course we have. Are we not the shepherds of that king,\nwho rigorously and mercilessly enjoined that, if such and such a man,\nwho sold him the two lean cows for his army, should find us, to treat\nhim well with meat and drink, and then to show him the right road?\nMaybe thou art the man!\"\n\n\"I am indeed.\"\n\n\"Is it possible?\"\n\n\"I am no one else.\"\n\n\"In that case sit here on the sheepskin; eat, drink, and enjoy\nthyself, for the kasha will be ready this minute.\"\n\nAs they said, he did. The poor man sat by the fire, ate, drank, and\nsatisfied himself, then lay down and fell asleep. When he rose in the\nmorning they gave him a round cheese, and drove the air out of his\nbottle; then they let him go his way, showing him the right road.\n\nThe poor man travelled and journeyed along the right road; and now,\nwhen he was hungry and dry, he had his bag, and his bottle too.\nTowards evening he sees again a shepherd's fire. He draws near the\ngreat fire, and sees the shepherds of the King of the Crows sitting\naround it cooking a meat stew. He wishes them, \"God give you a\ngood-day, my lords, the horseherds.\"\n\n\"God guard thee, poor man,\" said the chief herdsman; \"where art thou\ngoing here in this strange land?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the black castle of the King of the Crows. Hast thou\nnever heard of it, brother, in thy world-beautiful life?\"\n\n\"How not heard of it? Of course I have. Are we not the servants of him\nwho commanded rigorously and unflinchingly that if such and such a\npoor man, who sold him two lean cows for his army, should wander\nalong, to receive him kindly? Therefore, this is my word and speech to\nthee. Art thou, perchance, that man?\"\n\n\"Of course I am.\"\n\n\"Is it possible?\"\n\n\"I'm no one else.\"\n\n\"In that case sit down here by the fire, drink, and be filled.\"\n\nThe poor man sat down by the fire, ate, drank, and satisfied himself;\nthen lying on the sheepskin, he fell asleep. When he rose in the\nmorning the horseherds entertained the poor man again, wished him\nhappiness, and showing the right road let him go his way; but they\nleft neither his bag nor his bottle empty. Then he went along the\nright road. But why multiply words?--for there is an end even to a\nhundred words; it is enough to know that towards evening he came to\nthe ground of the swineherds of the King of the Crows. He saluted them\nwith, \"God give you a good evening.\"\n\n\"God guard thee,\" said the reckoning swineherd.[6] \"How is it thou art\njourneying in this strange land, where even a bird does not go?\"\n\n    [6] \"The reckoning swineherd,\"--he who counts the pigs.\n\n\"I am looking for the black castle of the King of the Crows. Has my\nlord elder brother never heard of it in his world-beautiful life?\"\n\n\"Haho, poor man! How not heard of it? Are we not the servants of the\nlord of that castle? But art not thou the poor man who sold his\nHighness the two lean cows?\"\n\n\"Well, what's the use in delay or denial? I am, indeed, he.\"\n\n\"Art thou in truth?\"\n\n\"I am no one else.\"\n\n\"But how wilt thou enter the black castle, since it is covered all\naround with a stone wall, and whirls unceasingly on a golden cock's\nfoot? But make no account of that. Here is a shining axe. Just strike\nthe wall with it so that sparks will fly, and thou wilt come upon the\ndoor, which will spring open. Then jump in. Have a care, though; for\nif thou slip and fall, neither God nor man can save thee. When thou\nart once inside, the King of the Crows will come forward and receive\nthee kindly. He won't put his soul on the palm of his hand at once;\nbut when his Highness inquires what thy wish is, ask for nothing else\nbut the salt-mill which stands in the corner.\"\n\nWell, the talk ended there. In the morning the poor man moves on\ntowards the black castle. When he arrives there, he saw that it\nwhirled of itself on a golden cock's foot, like some infernal spindle;\nand nowhere can he see either window or door upon it,--nothing but the\nnaked wall. He took the swineherd's axe and struck the wall, and\nsparks flew from the axe in such style that it couldn't be better.\nAfter a time he came upon the door; it flew open, and he jumped in. If\nhe had delayed but one flash of an eye the stone wall door would have\ncrushed him; as it was, the edge of his trousers was carried off.\n\nAs soon as the poor man got in, he saw that the castle turned only on\nthe outside. At this moment the King of the Crows was standing by the\nwindow, and saw the poor man coming for the price of the cows. He went\nto meet him, shook his hand, treated him as tenderly as an egg; then\nhe led him into the most beautiful chamber, and seated him at his side\non a golden couch. The poor man saw not a soul anywhere, although it\nwas midday, the time of eating. All at once the table began to spread,\nand was soon bending under its load, so much food was on it. The poor\nman shook his head,--for, as I say, though no one was to be seen\nanywhere, neither cook nor kitchen-boy nor servant, still, wasn't the\ntable spread? It was surely witchcraft, surely some infernal art, but\nnot the work of a good spirit,--maybe the salt-mill had something to\ndo with it. That, however, did not come into the poor man's mind,\nthough the mill stood there in the corner.\n\nHe was there three days, the guest of the King of the Crows, who\nreceived him with every kindness he could offer, so that no man's son\ncould raise a complaint against his Highness. Morning, noon, and night\nthe poor man's food appeared in proper form, but the roast and the\nwine had no taste for him; for it came to his mind that while he was\nfeasting there, most likely his wife and children had not bread\nenough. I say it came to his mind; he began to be restless and uneasy.\nThe King of the Crows noticed this, and said to him: \"Well, poor man,\nI see that thou dost not wish to stay longer with me, because thy\nheart is at home, therefore I ask what dost thou wish for the two lean\ncows?--believe me, brother, thou didst save me from great trouble that\ntime; if thou hadst not taken pity on me I should have lost my whole\narmy from famine.\"\n\n\"I want nothing else,\" said the poor man, \"but that salt-mill standing\nthere in the corner.\"\n\n\"Oh, poor man, hast thou lost thy wits? Tell me, what good couldst\nthou get of the mill?\"\n\n\"Oh, I could grind corn or a little wheat from time to time; if I did\nnot some one else might, so there would be something to take to the\nkitchen.\"\n\n\"Ask for something else; ask for all the cattle which in coming hither\nthou didst see.\"\n\n\"What should I do with such a tremendous lot of cattle? If I should\ndrive them home, people would think evil of me; besides, I have\nneither stable nor pasture.\"\n\n\"But I'll give thee money. How much dost thou wish? Wouldst be content\nwith three bags of it?\"\n\n\"What could I do with such an ocean-great lot of money? My evil fate\nwould use it to kill me; people would think that I stole the coin, or\nmurdered some man for it; besides, I might be stopped with it on the\nroad.\"\n\n\"But I'll give thee a soldier as a guard.\"\n\n\"What good is one of thy Highness's soldiers?\" asked the poor man,\nsmiling; \"a hen, I think, would drive him away.\"\n\n\"What! one of my soldiers?\"\n\nHere the King of the Crows blew a small whistle; straightway a crow\nappeared which shook itself, and became such a gallant young fellow\nthat he was not only so, but just so. \"That's the kind of soldiers I\nhave;\" said the king and commanded the young man out of the room. The\nsoldier shook himself, became a crow, and flew away.\n\n\"It's all the same to me what kind of soldiers thy Highness has. Thy\nHighness promised to give me what I want, and I ask for nothing else\nbut the salt-mill.\"\n\n\"I will not give it. Ask for all my herds, but not for that.\"\n\n\"I need not herds; all I want is the mill.\"\n\n\"Well, poor man, I have refused thee three times, and three times thou\nhast asked for the mill; now, whether I will or not, I must give it.\nBut know that thou art not to grind corn or wheat with the mill; for\nit has this virtue,--that it accomplishes all wishes. Here it is, take\nit, though my heart bleeds after it. Thou didst me a good deed,\ntherefore let it be thine.\"\n\nThe poor man put the mill on his back, took farewell of the King of\nthe Crows, thanking him for his hospitality, and trudged home at his\nleisure. On the way back he entertained the swineherds, the\nhorseherds, and the cowherds. All he did was to say, \"Grind, my dear\nmill,\" and what food was dear to the eye, the mouth, and the taste\nappeared of itself; and if he said, \"Draw up, my dear mill,\" all the\nfood was as if the ground had swallowed it,--it vanished. Then he took\nleave of the good shepherds and continued his way.\n\nAs he travelled and journeyed, he came to a great wild wood; and\nhaving grown hungry, he said: \"Grind, my dear mill.\" Straightway the\ntable was spread, not for one, but for two persons. The mill knew at\nonce that the poor man would have a guest; for that moment, wherever\nhe came from, a great fat man appeared, who without saying a word,\ntook his seat at the table. When they had enjoyed God's blessing, the\ngreat fat man spoke, and said:\n\n\"Listen, poor man. Give me that mill for this knotty club; for if thy\nmill has the power of accomplishing all thy desires [the fat man knew\nthis already], my knotty club has this power, that thou hast need but\nto say, 'Strike, my club,' and the man thou hast in mind is the son of\nDeath.\"\n\nWhat was the poor man to do? Thinking if he did not give it of his\nfree will the fat man would take it by force, he exchanged the mill\nfor the knotty club; but when he had it once in his hand, he said in a\nlow voice, for he was commanding the knotty club, \"Strike, my dear\nclub.\" And it so struck the fat man behind the ears that he gave\nforth not a sound; he didn't move his little finger. Then the poor man\ncontinued his journey homeward at his ease; and when seven years had\npassed he was able to say: \"Here we are!\"\n\nHis wife who was weeping by the hearth, mourning over her dear lost\nlord and the two lean cows, scarcely knew the poor man, but still she\nknew him. His two sons had become large, and had grown out of their\nlong clothes. When the poor man put his foot in his own house he set\nthe mill down in the chimney-corner, loosed his mantle from his neck,\nhung it up on a nail, and only then did they know him.\n\n\"Well, father,\" said his wife, \"thou hast come; God knows 'tis time. I\nnever expected to see thee again; but what didst thou get for Bimbo\nand Csako?\"\n\n\"This mill,\" answered he with many \"see here's\" and \"see there's.\"\n\n\"If that's the case, the palsy strike thy work,\" cried the woman;\n\"better for thee to have stayed at home these seven years, and swung\nthy feet around here, than to have dragged that good-for-nothing mill\nfrom such a distant land, just as if thou hadst eaten the crazy-weed!\"\n\n\"Oh, my sweet wife, something is better than nothing; if we have no\ngrain to grind for ourselves, we can grind for other people, if not in\nstreams at least in drops.\"\n\n\"May a cancer eat thy mill! I haven't a thing to put between my\nteeth, and still--\"\n\n\"Well, my sweet wife, if thou hast nothing to put between thy teeth\nthou'lt soon have. Grind, my dear mill.\"\n\nAt these words, so much meat and drink appeared on the poor man's\ntable that half of it would have been enough. It was only then that\nthe woman regretted her tongue rattling. But a woman is a woman; beat\nher with a stone, only let her talk.\n\nThe poor man, his wife, and two sons sat down at the table, looking at\nthe food like an army of locusts. They ate and drank to their hearts'\ncontent. Whether from wine or some other cause, a desire to dance came\nto the two sons; and they jumped up and danced, so it was pure delight\nto look at them. \"Oh,\" said the elder one, \"if we only had a gypsy!\"\nThat moment a band of gypsies by the chimney struck up their music,\nand played away with such variations that the poor man too wished to\ndance, and so whirled his wife around that better could not be asked\nfor. The neighbors knew not what to think of the affair. How was it\nthat music was sounding in the poor man's house?\n\n\"What is this?\" said they one to another, coming nearer and nearer,\ntill they came up to the door and the windows. Only then did they see\nthat a band of gypsies were fiddling away with might and main, and the\nold man, his wife, and their two sons were dancing, while the table\nwas bending under loads of rich meat and drink.\n\n\"Come in cousin! come in friend! come in brother-in-law, bring thy\nwife! come in brother!\" and there was no end to the invitations of the\npoor man. Guests collected unceasingly, and still the table was\nspread. \"'Pon my soul,\" said the poor man, \"it's a pity my house isn't\nlarger; for all these guests could scarcely find room in a palace.\" At\nthese words, instead of the poor man's cabin such a magnificent palace\nappeared, with chambers, twelve in a row, that the king himself hadn't\nthe like of it.\n\nA multitude of grand people with the king in the midst of them were\nout walking just at that time. \"What's this? what's this?\" asked they\nof one another. \"There has always been a poor man's cabin here, now\nthere's a king's palace, and besides, music is sounding, and gypsies\nare fiddling. Let's go and have a look.\"\n\nThe king went in front, and after him all the grand people,--counts,\ndukes, barons, and so on. The poor man came out and received the king\nwith the great personages very kindly, and conducted them all to the\nhead of the table as their fitting place. They ate, drank, and\ncaroused, so that it was like a small wedding.\n\nWhile they were enjoying themselves at the best, a great sealed letter\ncame to the king. When he had read it, he turned yellow and blue,\nbecause it was written therein that the Turk-Tartar was nearing his\nkingdom with a great army, destroying everything with fire and sword,\nand sparing not the property of innocent, weeping people, whom he puts\nto the point of the sword; that the earth is drinking their blood;\ntheir flesh is devoured by dogs.\n\nFrom great joy there was great sorrow.\n\nThen the poor man stood forth and asked the king: \"If 'tis no offence,\nmay I ask a question?\"\n\n\"What may it be, poor man?\"\n\n\"Would thy Highness tell me the contents of that great letter received\njust now?\"\n\n\"Why ask, poor man? Thou couldst not mend the affair.\"\n\n\"But if I can?\"\n\n\"Well, know then, and let the whole kingdom know, that the Turk-Tartar\nis moving on our country with a great army, with cruel intent; that he\nspares not the property of innocent, weeping people, puts them to the\nsword, so that the earth drinks their blood, and their flesh is\ndevoured by dogs.\"\n\n\"And what will be the reward of him who drives the enemy out of the\ncountry?\" asked the poor man.\n\n\"In truth,\" said the king, \"great reward and honor await him; for if\nhe should have two sons, I would give them my two daughters in\nmarriage, with half the kingdom. After my death they would inherit the\nwhole kingdom.\"\n\n\"Well, I'll drive out the enemy all alone.\"\n\nBut the king did not place much confidence in the poor man's promise;\nhe hurried together all his soldiers, and marched with them against\nthe enemy. The two armies were looking at each other with wolves'\neyes, when the poor man went between the camps and commanded the club:\n\"Strike, my dear club.\" And the club pommelled the Turk-Tartar army so\nthat only one man was left to carry home the tidings.\n\nThe poor man gained half the kingdom and the two beautiful princesses,\nwhom he married to his two stalwart sons. They celebrated a wedding\nwhich spoke to the seven worlds; and they are living now if they are\nnot dead.\n\n\n\n\nTHE USELESS WAGONER.\n\n\nThere was once in the world a king, and he had a Useless Wagoner who\nnever and never did anything but frolic in the tavern. The whole\nstanding day and all the ocean-great night there was nothing for him\nbut singing and dancing, eating and drinking. The king had money of\ncourse.\n\nBut the king began to grow tired of this thing. He called up the\nUseless Wagoner, and gave him a terrible scolding. But 'tis vain to\nseat a dog at table, and when the Devil gets into a man he stays\nthere; so it was labor lost to drive the Useless Wagoner to work, for\nhe went his way, and frolicked as before. At last the king resolved to\ntake his life, and calling him up, said,--\n\n\"Dost hear me, work-shunning Useless Wagoner! I revile thy mother, if\nwithin the turn of four and twenty hours thou dost not make for me a\nthree-hundred-gallon cask; and though one joint or seam is not much,\nif it has that, I'll empale thee on a stake.\"\n\nThe Useless Wagoner said not a word to all this, but put a hamper on\nhis back, took a cutting-axe in his hand, and strolled off to the\nforest to find a tree fit to make a three-hundred-gallon cask.\n\nWhen he came to the forest, being hungry and tired, he sat down under\na large shady tree, opened his hamper, and began to eat lunch. He ate\nand ate, till all at once, from some corner or another, a little fox\nstood before him and begged food to eat.\n\n\"Of course I'll give thee something. The food came here, 'twill stay\nhere;\" and with that he threw a slice of bread and a bit of sausage to\nthe fox.\n\nWhen the fox had finished eating she said: \"Dost hear, Useless\nWagoner? As thou hast taken pity on me, I will take pity on thee; in\nplace of a good deed look for a good deed. Though thou hast not told\nme, still I know why thou hast come to this forest. I know, too, that\nthe king is breaking his head to kill thee; but he'll not be in time,\nfor I will help thee out of thy trouble and make thee the\nthree-hundred-gallon cask. And though one seam or joint is not much,\neven that will not be in it. Now lie down and rest.\"\n\nAnd so it was. The Useless Wagoner lay down and rested. Meanwhile the\nlittle fox got such a three-hundred-gallon cask ready, that although a\njoint or seam is not much, even that was not to be seen in it.\n\nWhen the cask was finished the Useless Wagoner took it home and gave\nit to the king, who, after looking at it, dropped his eyes and his lip\nlike a sheep; for neither his father, his grandfather, nor his\ngreat-grandfather had ever seen such a cunningly made cask, for not a\nseam nor a joint could be seen in it for gold.\n\nWell and good for the moment; but soon the king summoned the Useless\nWagoner to his presence again, and cried out,--\n\n\"Dost thou hear me, work-shunning Useless Wagoner! I revile thy soul\nif within the turn of four and twenty hours thou dost not make for me\na chariot which will go itself, without horses. I'll break thee on a\nwheel!\"\n\nThe Useless Wagoner said nothing, but put his hamper on his back, took\nhis cutting-axe in his hand, and wandered off to the forest to find a\ntree fit to make the chariot.\n\nWhen he came to the forest he was hungry, and tired too; therefore he\nsat down under a large, shady tree, opened his hamper, and began to\neat lunch.\n\nHe ate and ate till all at once, from some corner or another, the\nlittle fox stood before him again, and begged food to eat.\n\n\"Of course, my dear little fox, I'll give thee something. It came\nhere, and 'twill stay here.\"\n\nWith that he threw a piece of bread and a slice of ham to the little\nfox, who after she had eaten, said:\n\n\"Well, Useless Wagoner, in place of a good deed look for a good deed.\nThough thou hast not told me, still I know why thou art here. I know,\ntoo, that the king is breaking his head to kill thee; but he won't,\nfor I shall help thee out of trouble. I'll make for thee the chariot\nwhich will go of itself, without horses; but do thou lie down and\nrest.\"\n\nAnd so it was. The Useless Wagoner reclined his head in rest; and\nmeanwhile the little fox fashioned a chariot beautifully. When all was\nready she roused the Useless Wagoner, and said,--\n\n\"Here is the chariot which runs of itself; thou hast but to step in\nand command it to stop in the king's court-yard. But I would tell thee\nthis: Here is a whistle that will serve thee; shouldst thou fall into\ntrouble, just blow,--it will help thee.\"\n\nThe Useless Wagoner thanked the fox for her kindness, and entered the\nchariot, which stopped not till it reached the king's court-yard.\n\nWhen the king saw the chariot he said nothing, but shook his head,\nturned on the Useless Wagoner in a rage, and cried,--\n\n\"Useless Wagoner, I revile thy mother! In my stable there are a\nhundred hares; and if thou dost not herd them three days, if thou dost\nnot drive them a-field in the morning and bring them back at night so\nthat not one shall be missing from the hundred, I'll strike off thy\nhead.\"\n\nWhat was the poor Useless Wagoner to do? Against his will, and of\nneed, he let the hundred hares out of the stable and drove them\na-field. They had barely touched the edge of the field when they ran\nin as many directions as there were hares. Who could bring them\ntogether again? The poor Useless Wagoner ran first after one and then\nafter another hare; he chased the whole day, but could not bring back\na single hare. It was already growing late, time to go home, but the\nhundred hares were in a hundred places; therefore the Useless Wagoner\nbecame terribly sad, and wished to make an end of his own life,--it\nwas all the same whether he or the king took it; there was no\nsalvation for him anyhow. So he put his hand in his bosom to take out\nhis clasp-knife and strike himself in the heart, but instead of the\nknife he found the whistle which the little fox had given him. That\nwas all he wanted; he drew out the whistle, sounded it, and, behold!\nall the hares ran up to him,--as tame as pet lambs fed from the palm\nof the hand.\n\nWhen all the hares had come together he drove them home.\n\nThe king stood at the gate and let them in singly, counting, \"One,\ntwo, three ... ninety-nine, a hundred.\" Not one was missing.\n\nNext day the Useless Wagoner drove the hares out again, and when they\nhad barely touched the edge of the field they ran off in as many\ndirections as there were hares.\n\nBut this time the Useless Wagoner took no thought of running and\nchasing after them; he thought to himself that he would take his\nwhistle and blow, and they would come. So he lay down in a nice shady\nplace, and slept to his liking.\n\nBut the king did not sleep; he was racking his brain to destroy the\nUseless Wagoner. So he called his only and dearly beloved daughter,\nand said to her, \"My darling daughter, I have a great favor to ask of\nthee.\"\n\n\"What may it be, my father the king?\"\n\n\"Of a truth nothing but this,--that thou dress in peasant's clothes,\nand go out to the field where the Useless Wagoner is herding the\nhundred hares, and beg one of him. If he gives it not for a good word,\nmayhap he will give it for a sweet kiss; but come not home to me\nwithout the hare, even if he asks a piece of thy body for it.\"\n\nThe princess granted her father's request. She gathered her wits about\nher, dressed up in peasant's clothes, and went in the field to the\nUseless Wagoner, who was sleeping at his leisure under a shady tree.\nThe princess pushed him with her foot; he woke, and saw in a moment\nwith whom he had to deal.\n\n\"God give thee a good-day, hareherd!\"\n\n\"God save thee, king's daughter! What good dost thou bring the poor\nhareherd?\"\n\n\"I have brought nothing but this, that I have come because I would\nlike to get one little hare. Wouldst thou not give even one for good\nmoney?\"\n\n\"High princess, I will not give one for money; but if thou wilt give\nme three kisses, I can give them back. Then I don't mind; I'll give\nthee a hare.\"\n\nSo the princess got a hare for three pairs of kisses, and ran home\nvery joyfully; but just as she was touching the latch to open the\ngate, the hareherd sounded his whistle, the hare jumped like lightning\nfrom her bosom, and stopped not till it reached the flock.\n\nThe hareherd drove home his flock; the king was waiting for him at the\ngate, and let them in one by one, counting till he came to a hundred.\n\nNext day the hareherd drove out his hares the third time, and left\nthem to go their way.\n\nThe king now called his wife to the white chamber, and spoke thus to\nher: \"My heart's beautiful love, I have a great favor to ask of thee.\"\n\n\"And what may it be, my dear husband?\"\n\n\"Of a truth, nothing but this,--that thou dress in peasant's clothes,\ngo to the hareherd in the field, and ask a hare of him. If he will not\ngive it for fair words, he may for a sweet kiss; but come not home to\nme without a hare, even if he asks a piece of thy flesh.\"\n\nWell, the queen yielded to her husband's request, put on a peasant's\ndress, and went to the field, where she found the Useless Wagoner\nsleeping in the shade. She roused him with her foot; he knew at once\nwho was in the peasant's dress.\n\n\"God give thee a good-day, hareherd!\"\n\n\"God save thee, kind queen! What good hast thou brought the poor\nhareherd? Why hast thou come, may I ask?\"\n\n\"I have only come to ask if thou wilt give me a hare for good money.\"\n\n\"I will not give a hare for money, my queen; but if thou wilt give me\nthree kisses, I will return them again. Then I don't mind; I'll risk\nmy head, and let thee have a hare.\"\n\nSo the queen got a hare for three pairs of kisses, and took her way\nhome joyously; but just as she was putting her hand on the latch to\nopen the gate, the hareherd sounded the whistle, the hare jumped like\na flash from the queen's bosom, and stopped not till it joined its\ncompanions.\n\nWhen the hares were all together, the hareherd drove them home. The\nking was waiting for him at the gate, let each in singly, counting\ntill he reached a hundred,--not one missing from the round number.\n\nNext morning the hares were driven out as before; but the king now put\non a peasant's dress, and went to the field himself. When he came to\nthe hareherd he said: \"God give thee good-day!\"\n\n\"God save thee, poor man!\" answered the hareherd. \"What art thou\nlooking for?\"\n\n\"Well, what's the use in delay or denial? I have come to buy a little\nhare of thee for good money. Of course thou wilt part with one.\"\n\n\"I will not give one for money; but if I can wear out twelve rods on\nthy back, I don't mind; I'll risk my head on it.\"\n\nWhat was the king to do? He stretched himself out with face and hands\non the grass, and the hareherd flogged him as a corporal does a\nsoldier; but he endured it all, gritting his teeth, and thinking to\nhimself, \"Wait a bit, thief of a Useless Wagoner, thou wilt have a\ndose when I get at thee!\"\n\nBut all to no use, for when the king had reached home, and was just\nputting his hand on the latch to open the gate, the whistle sounded,\nand the hare sprang away from him like a flash, and ran till it joined\nthe flock.\n\nThen the Useless Wagoner drove home the hundred hares a fourth time.\nThe king was standing at the little gate; he counted them one by one,\nbut could find no fault, for they were all there.\n\nThe Useless Wagoner drove out the hares the fifth time to pasture; but\nthe king mounted the chariot which went wherever the owner commanded,\nand drove to the Useless Wagoner, taking three empty bags with him.\n\"Dost hear me, thou!--this-and-that-kind-of-work-shunning? Hareherd, I\nrevile thy soul! If thou wilt not fill these three bags with truth, I\nwill strike off thy head.\"\n\nTo all this the Useless Wagoner answered in words: \"The king's\ndaughter came out; I gave her, and she gave me. The queen came; I gave\nher, and she gave me. The king came; I gave him, and he--\"\n\n\"Stop! stop!\" cried the king, \"the three bags are full; and I'd rather\nbe in hell than hear thy words.\"\n\nAt this speech the chariot started off with the king, and never\nstopped till it took him to the bottom of hell.\n\nThen the Useless Wagoner went home, married the king's daughter,\nbecame king, and reigns yet with his queen, unless he is dead.\n\n\n\n\nMIRKO, THE KING'S SON.\n\n\nOnce there was a king, and he had three sons. The king rejoiced in his\nthree sons, and resolved to have them instructed in a befitting\nmanner, so that he might leave good heirs to the kingdom. Therefore he\nsent his sons to school, where they got on well enough for a time,\ntill at length they turned their backs on the school, went home, all\nthree, and knew their studies no more.\n\nThe king grew fiercely angry at this, forbade his sons to stand before\nhis face, and betook himself to live in the chamber of his palace next\nthe rising sun, where he sat continually at the window and looked\ntowards the east as if waiting for something; and with one eye he wept\nunceasingly, while with the other he laughed.\n\nAfter the three princes had grown up to a good age, they agreed among\nthemselves to inquire of the king why he was always sitting in the\nchamber next the rising sun, and why one of his eyes was always\ncrying, while the other was always laughing. First the eldest son went\nin and put the question, saying, \"My father the king, I have come to\nask why one of thy eyes is always crying and the other always\nlaughing, while thou art looking continually towards the east.\"\n\nThe king measured his son with his eyes from head to foot, said not a\nword, but took a sword which hung at the window and hurled it at him\nwith such force that it sank into the door up to the hilt. The prince\nsprang through the door, thus escaping the blow aimed at him. When he\ncame out his brothers asked what success he had had. He answered: \"Try\nyourselves; then ye will know.\" The second brother tried, with the\nsame result as the first. At last the youngest, who was called Mirko,\nwent in and declared the cause of his coming. The king answered him\nnot, but seized the sword in still greater anger, and hurled it at him\nso that it entered the stone wall up to the hilt. Mirko did not spring\naside, but went to the sword, drew it out of the stone wall, took it\nto the king, his father, and placed it before him on the table.\n\nSeeing this, the king opened his mouth and said to Mirko: \"I see now,\nmy son, that thou knowest somewhat better than thy two brothers what\nhonor is; to thee then will I give answer. My one eye weeps\nunceasingly for sadness at your insignificance, not being fit to rule;\nbut my other eye laughs because in the time of my youth I had a trusty\ncomrade, the Hero of the Plain, who battled by my side, and he\npromised that if he should overpower his enemies he would come to\ndwell with me, that we might pass the days of our old age together.\nFor this reason I sit ever by the window next the rising sun, because\nI await his coming; but every day there rise up against the Hero of\nthe Plain, who dwells in the silken meadow, as many enemies as there\nare grass-blades on the field. Every day he unaided cuts them down;\nand until all his enemies have disappeared, he will not be able to\ncome to me.\"\n\nWith that Mirko left his father's chamber, came out to his brothers,\nand told them the king's speech. They counselled together again, and\nagreed to ask leave of the king to try their fortune. First the eldest\nson went to his father and made known his wish. The king consented,\nand the eldest brother went to the royal stables where he chose a good\nsteed, which he saddled next day, and set out on his journey. After he\nhad been absent a whole year, behold he rides home, bearing on his\nshoulders the top of the copper bridge, which he threw down before the\npalace. He went in then, stood before the face of the king, and told\nhim where he had been and what he had brought back.\n\nThe king heard his son's discourse to the end, and said: \"Oh, my son,\nwhen I was of thy age the road to the copper bridge was a two hours'\nride for me. Thou art a soft hero. Thou wilt never make vitriol. Go\nthy way.\"\n\nWith that, the eldest son left his father's chamber. After him the\nsecond brother went in, and asked leave of the king to try his\nfortune. Having received it, he went also to the stables and chose a\ngood steed, which he saddled, mounted, and went his way. At the end of\na year he came home, bringing the top of the silver bridge, which he\nthrew down in front of the palace; then he stood before the king, his\nfather, and told him where he had been and what he had brought back.\n\n\"Oh,\" said the king, \"when I was of thy age that was only a three\nhours' ride for me. Thou too art a soft hero; nothing at all will come\nof thee.\" With that he dismissed the second son.\n\nAt last Mirko appeared; he also asked to try his fortune. The king\nconsented, and Mirko went to the stables to choose a steed. Finding\nnothing to his mind, he went out to the royal stud and examined it\ncarefully, but could not decide which steed to take. Just then an old\nwitch chanced to be passing that way, and asked what he wanted. Mirko\ntold her. \"Oh, my master,\" said she, \"thou wilt not find a horse to\nthy wish here, but I will tell thee how to find one. Go to the king,\nthy father, and ask him for the horn with which in his youth he called\ntogether his golden-haired steeds. Sound this horn and the steeds will\nappear at once. Choose not among the golden-haired ones; but last of\nall will come a shaggy-coated, crooked-legged old mare,--thou wilt\nknow her by this, that when she strikes the pillars with her tail the\nwhole palace will tremble from the blow. Choose her; try thy fortune\nwith her.\"\n\nMirko took the old witch's advice, went straightway to the king and\nsaid: \"My father, I have come that thou mayest give me the horn with\nwhich in thy youth thou wert wont to call together thy golden-haired\nsteeds.\"\n\nThe king asked: \"Who told thee of this horn?\"\n\n\"No man,\" answered Mirko.\n\n\"Well, my dear son, if no man told thee, thou art wise; but if some\nman told thee, he does not wish thee harm. I will tell thee where to\nfind the horn; the rust has eaten it up, perhaps, by this time. In the\nseventh cellar it is enclosed in the wall; look for it, take it out,\nand make use of it if thou art able.\"\n\nMirko called a mason, went with him to the seventh cellar, found the\nhollow place in the wall, took out the horn, and carried it away. Then\nstanding on the square before the palace, he sounded towards the east,\nthe west, the south, and the north, and having waited a little,\nbehold! he hears the golden horse bells ringing so that the whole city\nis full of the sound. The steeds came in, one more beautiful than the\nother in appearance and in breed. At a distance he saw the\nshaggy-haired, crooked-legged mare; and when she came to the gate, as\ntrue as I live, she struck the pillars with her tail so that the whole\npalace trembled.\n\nWhen the steeds had stopped in the court-yard, Mirko went up to the\nmare, led her away to the stable, and then said that he had taken her\nto try his fortune. The magic mare answered: \"That is well, my lord\nking's son; but first thou must feed me, for without that it will be\nhard to endure the long road.\"\n\n\"What kind of food dost thou wish?--for whatever my father has, I will\ngive thee with a good heart.\"\n\n\"Very well, kind master; but a steed must be fed before starting, not\nwhile on the road.\"\n\n\"I know not what I can do,\" said Mirko, \"except to give what I have\nwith a good heart.\"\n\n\"Bring me straightway a measure of peas, and turn them into the\nmanger.\"\n\nMirko obeyed, and when the peas were eaten, he brought a measure of\nbeans; when these were eaten the mare turned to Mirko and said: \"Now\nbring me half a measure of glowing coals.\"\n\nThe coals were brought; and when she had eaten the glowing coals, she\nbecame such a golden-haired steed as the Star of Dawn, and spoke\nfurther to Mirko. \"Go now, my master, to the king, and ask of him that\nsaddle which he used when he coursed the meadow with me in his youth.\"\n\nMirko went to the old king and asked for the saddle. The king answered\nthat it was useless, for it had been thrown about a long time in the\ncarriage-house, but if he could find it, he might take it. Mirko went\nto the carriage-house and found the saddle all befouled by the hens\nand turkeys. He took it, however, to his steed, which said that it was\nnot proper for a king's son to sit on such a saddle. Mirko was about\nto carry it away and have a fresh cover put on, when she said: \"Place\nit before me.\" He obeyed. Straightway she blew on it, and in an\ninstant it became such a golden saddle that its like could not be\nfound in seven kingdoms.\n\nWith this he saddled the magic mare, and she said: \"Go now, my dear\nmaster, to thy father, and ask him for the weapons and the sword with\nwhich he fought when he journeyed with me.\"\n\nMirko asked his father; the old king said they were on the shelf if he\nwanted them. Mirko took them to the mare, who blew on them, and\ninstantly they became the most beautiful gold-mounted sword and\nweapons. Mirko girded on the sword and took the weapons. Then the\nbridle was brought, and when blown upon became of the most beautiful\ngold.\n\nMirko bridled the mare, led her out of the stable, and wished to sit\nin the saddle, but she said: \"Wait, my dear master; lead me out of the\ncity first, and then sit on me.\" He hearkened to these words, and led\nher out of the city; then she stood still, and he sat in the saddle.\n\nThe magic steed now asked: \"How shall I bear thee, dear master; with\nthe speed of the fleet whirlwind, or of quick thought?\"\n\n\"Carry me as may please thee,\" answered the prince; \"only manage so\nthat I shall endure the swift flight.\"\n\n\"Well, close thy eyes,\" said the steed, \"and hold fast.\"\n\nMirko closed his eyes; the steed shot on like a rushing whirlwind, and\nafter a short time struck the earth with her foot, and said to Mirko:\n\"Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see,\" said he, \"a great river and a copper bridge.\"\n\n\"That, my dear master, is the bridge the top of which thy first\nbrother brought home; but look for the open place.\"\n\n\"I see it,\" said Mirko; \"but where are we going from here?\"\n\n\"Only close thy eyes; I will take thee straight there.\"\n\nWith that she moved as quick as thought, and in a few moments struck\nthe earth, stood still, and said to Mirko: \"Open thy eyes! What dost\nthou see?\"\n\n\"I see a great river, and across it a silver bridge.\"\n\n\"That is the bridge the top of which thy second brother took home;\nlook for the open place.\"\n\n\"I see it,\" said Mirko; \"but where do we go from here?\"\n\n\"Only close thy eyes,\" said the steed; \"I will take thee at once.\"\n\nWith that she moved on like lightning, and in a flash stamped on the\nground, and said to the prince: \"Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see,\" said Mirko, \"an enormously wide and deep river, across it a\ngolden bridge, and at both ends of the bridge, at this side and that,\nare four unmercifully large lions. Must we cross this bridge?\"\n\n\"Never mind,\" said the steed, \"I'll manage; only shut thy eyes.\"\n\nThe mare sped on like a swift falcon, and thus flew across the bridge.\nAfter a short time she struck the ground, and said: \"Open thy eyes!\nWhat dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see,\" replied Mirko, \"a summitless, high glass mountain, as steep\nas the side of a house.\"\n\n\"We must cross that very mountain, my master.\"\n\n\"That, I think, is impossible,\" said Mirko.\n\n\"Fear not,\" said the steed; \"for I have on my feet the shoes which thy\nfather fastened to me with diamond nails, seven hundred years ago.\nOnly shut thy eyes and hold to me firmly.\"\n\nNow the steed sprang up, and in an instant was on the glass mountain.\nShe stamped, and said, \"Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see,\" said Mirko, \"when I look behind, something dark, as large as\na great plate.\"\n\n\"Oh, my master, that is the round of the earth. But what dost thou see\nbefore thee?\"\n\n\"I see a narrow glass road, rising like a half circle. On both sides\nof it is emptiness of bottomless depth.\"\n\n\"My dear master, we must pass over that road; but the passage is so\ndelicate that if one of my feet slip the least bit to one side or the\nother, there is an end to our lives. But trust thyself to me, and\nclose thy eyes. Hold fast, I will manage.\"\n\nWith that she swept on, and in an instant stamped again. \"Open thy\neyes! What dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see behind me,\" said Mirko, \"a faint light, in front of me is\ndarkness so dense that when I hold my finger before my eyes I cannot\nsee it.\"\n\n\"Well, we must go through that also; shut thy eyes and hold firmly.\"\n\nShe sped on anew, and again stamped. \"Open thy eyes! What dost thou\nsee now?\"\n\n\"I see,\" said Mirko, \"the most glorious, light, beautiful,\nsnow-covered mountains, and in the midst of them a silken meadow; in\nthe centre of the silken meadow something dark.\"\n\n\"This silken meadow,\" said the steed, \"belongs to the Hero of the\nPlain; and the dark object in the middle is his tent, woven from black\nsilk. Now close thy eyes or not as may please thee. We shall go there\ndirectly.\" Mirko spurred the steed, and they were at the tent in a\ntwinkle.\n\nMirko sprang from his steed and left her at the tent by the side of\nthat of the Hero of the Plain, and entered himself. Within lay a\nwarrior stretched on the silken grass, sleeping; but a sword above him\nwas cutting around in every direction, so that a fly could not light\non his body. \"Well,\" thought Mirko to himself, \"though he be a good\nwarrior I could slay him in slumber; but it would not be honorable to\nslay a sleeping man. I will wait till he rises.\" Then he went out and\ntied his steed fast to the tent, near the other, stretched himself on\nthe silken grass, and called: \"Sword out of thy sheath!\" and the sword\ncut around above him, as his sword above the Hero of the Plain, so\nthat a fly could not touch his body.\n\nWhen the Hero of the Plain woke up and saw that a horse was tied near\nhis own, he marvelled, and said: \"What does this mean? I am here seven\nhundred years, and I have not seen a strange horse near mine before.\nWhose can this be?\" He rose, went out, and saw Mirko sleeping near the\ntent with the sword cutting above him. \"That,\" said he, \"is an honest\nwarrior; he has not slain me while sleeping. It would not become me to\ntouch him now.\"\n\nThen he pushed the foot of the sleeping hero with his own. Mirko\njumped up straightway, and the Hero of the Plain asked: \"Who art thou,\nand on what journey?\" Mirko told whose son he was, and what his\njourney. \"God has brought thee, dear younger brother,\" said the Hero;\n\"thy father is my old friend, and thou, I see, art as good as thy\nfather. But I have need of thee. This great silken meadow which thou\nseest, is every day filled with enemies, and every day I cut them\ndown; but to-day as thou art with me, we shall not hurry. Come, let us\neat and drink; let them crowd.\" Then the two went in, ate and drank\ntill the enemy had so increased that they reached almost to the tent.\nThe Hero of the Plain sprang then to his feet and said: \"Up, my\ncomrade, we'll soon finish.\" Both leaped into their saddles and rushed\nto the centre of the enemy, crying out, \"Sword from the sheath!\" The\nswords hewed off the heads of the countless multitude, so there was\nscarcely room to move for bodies. Twelve of the opposing warriors now\nflee from the rear, the Hero of the Plain and Mirko pursuing. They\ncome to a glass mountain; the twelve warriors rushing ahead. Mirko\npursues in hot haste. On the top of the mountain there is a nice,\nlevel space; he sees them running upon it. He gallops after them; but\nall at once they are as if the ground had swallowed them. Mirko\nsprings to the place where they disappear, finds a breach and a deep\nopening with winding steps. His steed rushes into the opening and down\nthe stairs; they are soon in the lower world.\n\nMirko looks around the lower world and sees a shining diamond castle,\nwhich serves instead of the sun down there. The twelve fleeing\nwarriors rush towards the castle, he after them, and ordering his\nsword out of the sheath, cuts off their heads in a moment. The next\ninstant Mirko stands before the diamond castle. Within, there is such\na clatter and pounding that the whole interior trembles and shivers.\nHe dismounts and enters. Inside is an old witch weaving, and the\nracket is deafening. The building is full of armed men. The infernal\nold witch weaves them. When she throws her shuttle to the right, two\nhussars spring out on horseback; when she throws it to the left, two\nmen on foot jump out armed.\n\nMeanwhile Sword out of the Sheath cuts down the newly made soldiers,\nbut the old witch weaves more. \"Well,\" thinks Mirko to himself, \"I\nshall never get out of here, at this rate;\" but he commands the sword,\nand it cuts the old witch into small pieces. Then he carries the loom\ninto the yard, where there is a pile. He throws everything on the pile\nand sets fire to it; but when all is burned one of the old witch's\nribs springs out, begins to turn round in the dust, and she rises up\nagain entire. Again Mirko is going to command the sword to cut her to\npieces, but she speaks up, \"Spare my life, Mirko, and await one good\ndeed for another, if thou wilt let me go. Thou dost not know how to\nescape from here; I will give thee four diamond horse-shoe nails. Do\nas I say; thou wilt profit by it.\"\n\nMirko takes the nails and puts them away, but says to himself: \"If I\nleave the old witch alive, she will put up her loom again, and the\nHero of the Plain will never be able to free himself from his\nenemies.\" Again he orders his sword to cut the old witch in pieces; he\nthrows the pieces into the fire, where they are consumed, so that she\ncan never rise again. He mounts his steed and searches the underground\nworld, but nowhere does he find a living soul.\n\nThen he puts spurs to his steed, springs up the circular stairs, and\nissues forth into the upper world. Straightway he comes down from the\nglass mountain, and passing over the silken meadow, returns to the\nHero of the Plain, who thought Mirko had left him. But when he saw his\nfriend returning, he went out to meet him with great joy, and took him\ninto the tent, where they feasted together gloriously. And when the\nprince rose to go, he offered him his silken meadow and all the royal\ndomains; but Mirko answered: \"My dear elder brother, I have finished\nthy enemies; they will never attack thy kingdom again. I have this now\nto ask, that thou come with me to my father the king, who has long\nbeen waiting for thee.\"\n\nThereupon they mounted their steeds, and set out for the realms of the\nold king. They went on easily till they reached the glass mountain,\nwhere the Hero of the Plain stopped, and said: \"My dear younger\nbrother, I cannot go on, for the diamond nails are long since worn\nfrom my horse's shoes, and his feet have no grip.\"\n\nMirko called to mind that the cursed old witch had given him the\ndiamond nails, and said: \"Grieve not, elder brother, I have nails;\nI'll shoe thy horse this minute.\"\n\nSo he took out the nails, and shod the Hero's horse. Then they\ncontinued their journey over the glass mountain with ease and comfort,\nlike two jolly comrades, and sped homeward as swiftly as thought.\n\nAt that time the old king was sitting at the window of his palace\nnext the rising sun, and lo! he beholds two horsemen riding towards\nhim. Straightway he takes his field-glass, and sees that it is his\ntrusty old comrade, the Hero of the Plain, together with his son\nMirko. He runs out, and from the tower commands that a twelve-year old\nox be killed; and when Mirko and the Hero arrive, the great feast is\nready. He receives them with joy, kisses and embraces them; this time\nboth his eyes are laughing. Then they sat down to the feast, ate and\ndrank with gladness. Meanwhile the Hero of the Plain spoke of Mirko's\ndoings, and among other things said to the old king: \"Well, comrade,\nthy son Mirko will be a better hero than we were; he is already a\ngallant youth. Thou hast cause to rejoice in him.\"\n\n\"Indeed, I begin to be satisfied with him,\" said the king, \"especially\nsince he has brought thee. But I do not think he would venture yet to\nmeasure strength with Doghead.\"\n\nMirko heard the conversation, but said nothing. After dinner, however,\nhe spoke to the Hero of the Plain apart, and inquired who Doghead was,\nand in what direction he lived. The Hero of the Plain told him that\nDoghead lived in the north, and was such a hero that his like was not\nunder the sun.\n\nMirko made preparations for his journey, took provisions, and next day\nset out for Doghead's. According to his wont, he sat on his steed,\nheld fast, and closed his eyes. The steed sped on, flying like the\nswift whirlwind. At length she stopped, struck the ground, and said to\nMirko: \"Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?\"\n\n\"I see,\" said the prince, \"a seven-story diamond castle, so bright\nthat I can look on the sun, but not on it.\"\n\n\"Well, Doghead lives there; that is the royal castle.\"\n\nMirko sprang towards it, stopped right under the window, and called\nout in a loud voice: \"Art thou here, Doghead? I have an account to\nsettle with thee.\"\n\nDoghead was not at home, but his daughter was, and such a beautiful\nprincess that her like could not be found on the whole round of the\nearth. As she sat by the window embroidering, and heard the loud,\npiercing voice, she looked out so angrily with her wondrous black,\nbeautiful eyes that Mirko and his horse were turned into stone in an\ninstant from the flash. Then she thought: \"Maybe this young man is a\nking's son.\" She went to look at him, was sorry she had turned him to\nstone so quickly, and approached, taking a golden rod, walked around\nthe stone statue and struck it on all sides with the rod. The stone\nbegan to move, and in a moment Mirko and his horse stood alive before\nher. Then the maiden asked, \"Who art thou, and on what journey?\"\n\nMirko answered that he was a king's son, and had come to see\nDoghead's daughter.\n\nThe maiden was so displeased that she called out to her father very\nangrily; but presently she thought better of it, fell in love with\nMirko, and led him up into the seven-story diamond palace, where she\nsaw him with a good heart. During conversation at the table, Mirko\nconfessed that he had come to try his strength with Doghead.\n\nThe maiden advised him not to do that, since there was no man on the\nround of the earth whom her father could not conquer. Seeing, however,\nthat Mirko would not desist from his purpose, she took compassion on\nhim, and told how her father might, perhaps, be overcome. \"Go down,\"\nsaid she \"into the seventh cellar of the castle. There thou wilt find\nan unsealed cask, in which my father keeps his strength. Here is a\nsilver flask; fill it from the cask. Do not stop the flask, but keep\nit always hanging from thy neck uncorked; and when thy strength begins\nto fail, dip thy little finger in. Every time thou shalt do so, thy\nstrength will be increased with the strength of five thousand men.\nDrink of the wine, for every drop contains the strength of five\nthousand men.\"\n\nMirko listened to her advice attentively, hung the flask upon his\nneck, went into the cellar, and found the wine. He took a good draught\nof it; then thinking that he had enough, and lest Doghead might make\nfurther use of the wine, he poured it all on the ground, to the last\ndrop. There were six measures of wheat-flour in the cellar, which he\nsprinkled around to absorb the moisture. Having done this, he went up\nto Doghead's daughter, and declared that he was ready, and thanking\nher for the counsel, vowed to take her as wife for her kindness, and\nswore eternal fidelity.\n\nThe beautiful princess consented, making one condition,--that if Mirko\nshould overcome her father, he would spare his life.\n\nMirko asked the maiden when her father might be expected to return,\nand from what quarter.\n\nShe answered that he was then in the realms of the setting sun, that\nhe took delight in those regions, but would soon be home, for it was\nthe hour of his coming. But it was easy to know it beforehand, for\nwhen he was forty miles distant, he was in the habit of hurling home a\nforty-hundred-pound club before him; and wherever it fell a fountain\ngushed out of the earth.\n\nMirko and the princess went on the balcony to wait for Doghead; all at\nonce (the Lord save us!) the sky grew dark, and a forty-hundred pound\nclub fell in the court-yard. A stream rushed out of the earth as if\nfrom a force-pump.\n\nMirko ran down straightway to see how much his strength had increased.\nHe picked up the club, whirled it around his head, and let it go so\nthat it came down just in front of Doghead. Doghead's horse stumbled\nover the club, whereupon his master flew into a rage, and cried out:\n\"May the wolves and dogs devour thee! Seven hundred years have I\nridden thee, and to this day thou hast never stumbled. Why begin now?\"\n\n\"Oh, dear master,\" answered the magic steed, \"there is mighty trouble\nat home; for the club which thou hast sent ahead has been hurled back,\nand I stumbled over it.\"\n\n\"Oh, that's nothing!\" said Doghead. \"Seven hundred years ago I saw in\na dream that I should have a struggle with Mirko, the king's son, some\nday. He is now at the castle; but what is he to me? There is more\nstrength in my little finger than in his whole body.\" With that\nDoghead sped homeward and was soon there.\n\nMirko, the king's son, was waiting in the court-yard, and when Doghead\nsaw the prince he made straight towards him and said: \"Mirko, I know\nthat thou art waiting for me. Well, here I am; what dost thou wish,\nthat we should fight with swords or wrestle?\"\n\n\"I care not,\" answered Mirko; \"any way that may please thee.\"\n\n\"Well, let us try it first with swords,\" said Doghead.\n\nHe got off his horse; they stood face to face, and both commanded:\n\"Sword out of the sheath.\"\n\nThe swords sprang out in fighting, and so cut above the heads of the\ntwo that the whole place was rattling with their blows. Sparks flew so\nthickly from their fierce slashing that fire covered the ground, and\nit was impossible to stand long in one place.\n\nThen Doghead said: \"Let us not spoil our swords, but put them up and\ntry wrestling.\"\n\nThey laid aside the swords and began to wrestle. Doghead seized Mirko\nby the body, raised him up in the air, and so planted him on the\nground that he sank in it up to the girdle. Mirko, frightened at this,\nthrust his little finger into the flask, and became so strong that he\nsprang out of the earth in a moment, rushed at Doghead, and so\nstretched him on the ground that he lay there like a flattened frog.\nThen, seizing him by the hair, he dragged him toward the castle, where\na golden bridge was built across a bottomless lake. Having brought him\nto the middle of the bridge, he held his head above the water and\ncommanded the sword to cut. The head fell into the bottomless lake,\nand Mirko threw the body after.\n\nDoghead's daughter saw all this, and was powerfully angry at Mirko,\nthe king's son. When he came before her she turned her face away and\nwould not come to speech with him. But Mirko explained that he could\nnot have done otherwise, for if he had spared Doghead's life, he would\nhave lost his own; but as he had pledged his faith to the princess, he\nheld to his word, and would marry her. The princess approved this,\nand they agreed to make ready and set out for Mirko's kingdom. The\nhorses were brought,--Doghead's magic steed for the princess. They\nmounted the horses, but when ready to start, Mirko became very\nsorrowful.\n\n\"Why art thou sad Mirko?\" inquired the princess.\n\n\"Because,\" said he, \"I wish greatly to go home, but it is hard to\nleave this glorious, seven-story diamond castle here, which was thy\nfather's, for there is none like it in our kingdom.\"\n\n\"Oh, my dear,\" said the princess, \"I will turn it at once into a\ngolden apple. I will sit in the middle of the apple; thou mayst put it\nin thy pocket, and thus carry home the castle and me. There thou canst\nchange it back again whenever the wish comes.\"\n\nThe beautiful princess came down from her horse, gave the reins to\nMirko, and taking out a diamond rod walked around the building and\nstruck it on the sides with the rod. The castle began to shrink\ntogether, and became smaller and smaller until it was the size of a\nwatchman's booth. Then she jumped in and it became a golden apple, but\nthe diamond rod remained on the ground outside. Mirko, the king's son,\npicked up the golden apple and the diamond rod, put them in his\npocket, sat on his steed, and leading Doghead's horse by the bridle,\ntravelled home comfortably.\n\nWhen Mirko had come home and seen his horses in the stable he went to\nthe palace, where he found the old king with the Hero of the Plain,\nsatisfied and amused. He told them that he had conquered Doghead and\nput him to death; but the old king and the Hero of the Plain shook\ntheir heads.\n\nMirko, taking them both by the hands, said: \"Come with me, and I will\nshow you, so that ye may see with your own eyes that I have beaten\nDoghead; for not only have I brought his seven-story diamond castle\nwith me, but his loveliest daughter with the castle, as proof of my\nwork.\"\n\nThe old king and the Hero of the Plain marvelled at Mirko's speech,\nand were in doubt; but they went with him, and he led them to the\nflowery garden of the palace, in the middle of which Mirko took a\nbeautiful spacious place for the diamond castle, where he put down the\ngolden apple. He began to turn and strike it on the sides with the\ndiamond rod. The apple swelled out and began to extend with four\ncorners, and grew greater and greater, till it became a seven-story\ndiamond castle as high as the trees.\n\nThen taking them by the hands he led them up the diamond staircase and\nentered the halls of the castle, where the world-renowned beautiful\nprincess met and received them with a good heart. Then she sent for\nthe old king's other sons and the chief men of his court. In the\ndining-hall was a great horse-shoe table. She commanded it; the table\nopened of itself, and every kind of precious meat and drink appeared\nupon it. Then the assembled guests feasted joyously. The old king was\nsatisfied at last with his son. He gave Mirko his kingdom and all his\npossessions, but he withdrew himself to quiet private life, with the\nHero of the Plain, and many a pleasant day the old comrades had\ntogether; and the old king's two eyes were always laughing. The royal\npair lived happily, and had beautiful children. They are still alive\nif they are not dead.\n\n\n\n\nTHE REED MAIDEN.\n\n\nThere was once a king, and he had two sons. The king sent his eldest\nson to marry. He went, and chose the elder sister of the Reed Maiden.\nWhen he brought home his wife the king was satisfied with the choice.\nAfter that the king sent his younger son to marry, and he answered\nthat he would not take any poor skeleton of a thing, but that his wife\nmust be the most beautiful flower on the whole round of the\nearth,--the most lovely, world-beautiful maiden.\n\nOnce the king's two sons went to hunt; on the way home the younger\nsaid to the elder: \"My dear elder brother, I would beg of thee a\nfavor.\"\n\n\"And what may it be, younger brother?\"\n\n\"In truth, no other than this: When we come home, ask thy wife if\nthere is any one more beautiful than she.\"\n\n\"If that's thy trouble, it is no great matter, for my wife is just\ncoming to meet us.--Well, my heart's gold-enclosed ruby, wilt thou\nanswer one question? Thou art for me the most beautiful, but is there\none still more beautiful in the world?\"\n\nNow the princess all at once acted like one hard of hearing; she\nanswered nothing, but stopped them with a nod, and commanded with her\neye, \"Silence! not a word more.\"\n\nIt stopped there. The younger brother, whatever he did not do, he\nstole into his brother's bed-chamber quietly. In the evening, when the\nelder brother and his wife came in, the husband said: \"Tell me, my\nheart's heart, why didst thou not answer my question a little while\nago?\"\n\n\"I did not answer, dear husband, because thou didst ask me before thy\nbrother. It would not have been well for him to know that I have a\nyounger sister who is the most beautiful maiden on the whole round of\nthe earth, but she is hidden in the middle one of three reeds; for\nthis reason she is known as the world-beautiful Reed Maiden. The other\ntwo reeds are her waiting-maids.\"\n\n\"But thou hast not told me, my dear, in what corner of the world she\nis hidden.\"\n\n\"Oh, my dear husband, it is far from here,--as far as from here there\nand from there back; but as thou hast asked I will tell thee. Hast\nthou heard of the fame of the Black Sea?\"\n\n\"I have not, indeed.\"\n\n\"Well, if thou hast not, then hear now. In the seventy-seventh island\nof the Black Sea, right in the middle, are hidden three reeds, but no\nmortal could go to them unless by some magic power or infernal art;\nbut if by a miracle he should get there, he would not be able to bring\naway anything.--First, because there is such darkness on the islands\nof the Black Sea that a spoon might stand up in it; second, because\nthe world-beautiful Reed Maiden is guarded by a witch whose life will\nend when the reeds are cut down; therefore she guards them as the\nlight of her two eyes, or still more carefully. But if any man could\nbring the maiden away, he would be the happiest person in the wide\nworld; for the islands would be lighted up, and he would gain a wife\nwhom the starry heavens would gaze upon with smiles.\"\n\nWhen the king's younger son had heard all this from root to branch, he\nwent out of the room by the same way he had entered. Then saddling his\nbest and favorite steed, he put provisions in his bag and moved out\ninto the wide world in search of the beautiful Reed Maiden. He\njourneyed and travelled over forty-nine kingdoms and beyond the\nOperentsia Sea till he came to a hut; in the hut an old woman was\nliving: \"God give thee good-day, dear old mother.\"\n\n\"If thou hadst not called me old mother, I should have eaten thee on\nthe spot. But whither art thou journeying in this strange land, where\neven a bird does not go?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-beautiful Reed Maiden, who is blooming in\nthe seventy-seventh island of the Black Sea. Hast thou not heard of\nher, dear old mother?\"\n\n\"What's the use in denying, my son? I have not heard. Why should I\nevade, since it can neither harm nor profit me? But here in the\nneighboring valley, over the mountain, straight ahead, near a round\nforest on the top of a hill, lives my elder sister; if she knows\nnothing about it, then no one in the world knows. Here, Mitsi, come\nout! Conduct the king's son to my elder sister.\"\n\nThe king's son followed Mitsi, who was no other than a large-whiskered\nlittle mouse. When they came to a cross-road Mitsi squeaked once,\nshowed the middle of the road, and ran home. The king's son went along\nthe right road, and arrived at the hut in which the second sister\nlived. She received him in like manner as the first, and sent her\nservant, Pitsi, to show him the road to her eldest sister. Pitsi was\nno other than a dove-white squirrel, with a long bushy tail. When the\nking's son came to the third hut, where the eldest sister lived, he\nsaid: \"God give thee a good-day, dear old mother.\"\n\n\"If thou hadst not called me old mother, I should have eaten thee on\nthe spot. Whither art thou wandering in this strange land, where even\na bird does not go?\"\n\n\"I am in search of the world-beautiful Reed Maiden, who is blooming in\nthe seventy-seventh island of the Black Sea. Hast thou not heard of\nher, dear old mother?\"\n\n\"Oh, king's son, thou wouldst wear off thy horse's legs to the knees,\nand wear out twelve pairs of iron boots on thy own feet, before thou\ncouldst reach that place, for it is only possible to go there on a\nsteed that has sucked dragon's milk, eaten glowing coals, and drunk\nthe fiery flame; but thou hast in thy head three golden hairs, grown\nfrom one root, of which thou hast known nothing to this moment. Come\nhither; let me cut them out.\"\n\nThe king's son bent down his head. The old woman cut out the three\ngolden hairs. \"See, my son, these three hairs have wondrous power. A\nfairy gave them to thy father, with whom, as he was a beautiful man,\nshe fell in love, and thou hast inherited them. Here they are; I give\nthem to thee with this latch-string. Go up on this terribly high\nmountain, which in front of my hut supports the heavens. When thou\nshalt come to the top, strike the three golden hairs with the\nlatch-string three times; at once will stand before thee a magic steed\nthat has grown up on the silken meadow, sucked dragon's milk, eaten\nglowing coals, and drunk fiery flames.\"\n\nThe king's son gave heartfelt thanks for the kindness shown him, then\nwent up on the great unclimbable mountain that supported the heavens.\nWhen he had reached the top he took out the three golden hairs and\nstruck them three times with the old latch-string. Behold, a fiery\ncloud rushed towards him like a shot arrow, with a fearful rumbling\nand cracking, as if a whole stud of horses were before it, and then\nstood still above his head. All at once he heard from the fiery cloud\na triple neighing, at the sound of which, as of a bell, the earth\ntrembled three times. The magic steed rushed out, and like a flood,\nlike a cloud-burst, plunged down by his side, blowing from its\nnostrils varied flames,--red, blue, and green. The latch-string became\nsuch a saddle that for the fur and diamond buttons, and silver and\ngold embroidery, the earth could not be seen.\n\n\"Hip, hop! here am I, dear master! That there be no delay in thy\naffair, wilt thou not sit on my back that I may be off with thee?\nShall I go like the swiftest whirlwind, or like thought, or as a bird\ncan fly?\"\n\n\"Go, my dear steed, in such fashion that there may be no fault in thee\nor me.\"\n\n\"But before we set out on the long road,\" said the magic steed, \"I\nwish to say this: Since such dense darkness reigns in the islands that\na spoon might stand straight in it, we must first go to the bright\nantechamber of the Sun, and take thence one burning ray.\"\n\nWhen the steed had thus ended the speech, he rose in the airy heavens.\nThey journeyed and travelled across forty-nine kingdoms till they came\nto the portals of the earth, where two bearded wolves stood on guard.\nThese wolves stood on the road and demanded toll. The toll was no\nother than two pounds of flesh from the good steed. Now, if two pounds\nof flesh were taken from the steed, it would be but half magic, and\nso would never reach the end of the road. Whatever the king's son did\nnot do, he took his gleaming clasp-knife and cut out two pounds of his\nown flesh; then he threw it to the bearded wolves, and only on this\ncondition did they let him pass.\n\nThe king's son pursued his way till he came to the Sun's bright\nantechamber, where he tied his steed to a diamond pillar; then he\nbathed in the fire-bath, and rubbed with fire-towels; looking at\nhimself from head to foot in the shining wall of the antechamber as in\na mirror, he combed his hair with a golden comb. Here, 'pon my soul,\nwhat came of the affair, or what did not, a subject-spirit in the\nservice of the Sun became enraged in good earnest (for his eyebrows\nstruggled with each other),--no doubt it was at the king's son,--and\nwith a single breath, which the son of the hurricane could not\nwithstand, blew straight ahead, so that the king's son did not feel\nthe ground under his feet for seventy-seven miles. Then he fell into a\nterribly dark opening, and groped along in this cavern, feeling his\nway like a blind man. If he made a step, he trod on a serpent; if he\nfelt with his hand, he grasped a warty toad; if he looked around, he\nsaw only red-eyed worms,--creeping, crawling things. He went on and on\ntill he heard the plash of seething water. The beating of iron hammers\nstruck his ear-drum, and so struck as almost to break it. This is the\nplace where thunderbolts are made. He went on till he came to a great\niron gate, standing open just then; but a tremendous, cursed,\nhundred-headed dragon, who let no one pass, kept guard there. What\ncould the king's son take hold of? What could he do with his life?\nHere, upon my soul! what he did, or what he did not do, he took out a\nsweet-speaking, magic flute, and blew on it so sadly that his tears\nrolled down. Such touching notes did he draw from the flute that the\ngreat powerful beast--the hundred-headed dragon--became as a lamb,\nlowered his bloody crest; his bristling scales dropped smoothly, one\non the other; he stretched on the ground, and cowered, whining like a\ndog when he beholds his master after an absence. Seeing this, the\nking's son grew bold, and going straight to the dragon, stepped upon\nhim, walked on his back, and the terrible wild beast did not mind it;\nhe only licked his foot, wagged his tail, and let the king's son pass\nover.\n\nAfter he had gone through the gate the darkness began to part; and no\nwonder, for a charm-given, lovely maiden, in a purple velvet robe,\nstepped before him. She was no other than Dawn, the dearest and\nbest-beloved daughter of the Sun. Now, the splendid young prince\npleased this flower of the skies. She placed him by her side on her\nwinged steed, and flew across the vault of heaven, and they swept on\ntill they reached the razor bridge. When they touched the bridge,\ntheir horse became as if he were not; and they crossed so that the\nhorse's feet were not injured, and the razor's edge was not dented.\nHaving passed the razor bridge they came to the copper forest, where\nwere working at that moment the woodcutters of the Sun, who on iron\nwagons were taking wood to the kitchen, with a terrible rattling and\npounding. Thence they rode to the silver forest, where silver-white\nbirds cheered every wanderer. Two of the birds came and sang the\nsweetest notes. The silver-trees inclined thrice to the daughter of\nthe Sun. Next they reached the golden forest, where sweet-voiced,\ngolden-yellow birds enlivened the visitors, and threw down golden nuts\nhere and there from the trees. The golden forest bent thrice to the\ndaughter of the Sun.\n\nIn the middle of the golden forest was Dawn's garden; in the garden\nher copper-roofed mansion. When the Beauty of the Skies came home the\npearly flowers shook their bells, and began to sound. On hearing this,\nthe stars swept forth like a swarm, and glittered round about. The\nmaiden nodded but once, and behold! purple clouds swam before her like\nso many sky-sacks, which serve on the extended firmament as boats.\nDawn took her seat, but first she spread her mantle and seated the\nking's son at her side. Lest his part of the boat might be heavier,\nshe drew him nearer to her with an embrace; but he dared not embrace\nin return.\n\nThey sailed and sailed through the airy heavens till they were weary;\nthen they tied their boat to the tree with diamond blossoms, silver\nleaves, and golden apples. They sat on a golden bench under the tree,\nand were there but a moment, when at a nod from the Sun's daughter a\ngolden butterfly appeared more quickly than a spoken word, and brought\nfresh-gathered honey of the skies on a rose-leaf. When they had eaten,\nthirst seized the king's son; then a modest star came bringing a\ngoblet on a silver tray, in the goblet a charm-drink, and when the\nking's son had drunk from the golden goblet his thirst fell away as if\nit had been cut in two.\n\nWhen their hunger and thirst were gone, at the Sun's daughter's nod\nthe modest stars brought a cithara. Dawn then played on its golden\nchords with silver feathers, and sounded such notes that a man hearing\nthem would spring up and whirl in the dance, even if his own father\nwere lying dead on the table. After that came the hour of rest; the\nking's son was led across seventy-seven chambers to the bath-room. In\nthe middle of the room stood a great golden cask filled with dew, and\non a boxwood table lay lathery soap. The king's son bathed in the\ndew-water, washed himself with the lathery soap, and wiped with a\ntowel of gold.\n\nWhen he rose next morning, Dawn gave him a burning ray which she wound\nup like a ribbon, put in a box, and hung with a golden hair on the\nneck of the king's son. After that they parted amidst tear-shedding.\nThe Sun's daughter sped across the vault of heaven on her winged\nsteed, and the king's son continued his journey.\n\nAs I say, he had a ray to light up the island. The king's son\njourneyed and travelled till the steed spoke, saying: \"Listen, dear\nmaster.\"\n\n\"What is thy command, dear horse?\"\n\n\"Gird thyself well, for thou must cut the three reeds at a blow; a\nsecond blow would lose thee thy head. If at one blow thou succeed, the\nisland will be lighted up. The world-beautiful maiden and her two\nattendants will be thine, but only on condition that thou cut not open\nthe reeds before coming to water; for if thou dost, they will die a\nfearful death in a moment.\"\n\nThe king's son promised by heaven and earth that he would act as told.\nOn the seventh day they came to the island of the Black Sea, where\nthere was such darkness that a spoon would have stood up in it; but\nthe king's son drew out the box hanging by the golden hair and removed\nthe cover. All at once the way was lighted, but so strangely that it\ngave light only to him; he could see everything, but not a created\nsoul could see him. When he came to where the three reeds were\ngrowing, they bent before him and bowed to the earth. They continued\nto bow; at the best moment the king's son drew his sword and with a\nblow all three reeds fell upon his breast. But from the three\nreed-stumps black blood sprang forth, and a bitter wail was heard as\nif a naked sword had been thrust into some one's heart. It had been\nthrust into the heart of the witch; for the black blood was hers, and\nthe bitter wail was her death-sigh. She could only live while the\nthree reeds stood. As soon as the old witch had breathed out her soul,\nthe burning ray flew out of the silver box as if it had been shot from\na gun, and the whole island was in light.\n\nThen the king's son sat on his good steed and journeyed over\nforty-nine kingdoms as swiftly as the most fleet-winged bird could go.\nOnce curiosity rose in him to know if there was indeed something in\nthe reeds, and what it could be like. I say, curiosity rose up in him,\nand bored his side as if with an iron auger, so that what he did or\ndid not do, he took out his gleaming knife and split the smallest\nreed, in which was the youngest attendant of the world-beautiful Reed\nMaiden. No sooner had he split the reed than a beauteous, pearl-given,\nlovely girl fell upon his breast; and her first word was: \"Water! Only\nas much water as a little swallow takes in her beak when she gives\ndrink to her young, or I die!\"\n\nBut the king's son had it not. One drop of water is not much, but he\ncould not give that much. The beautiful maiden, like a broken flower,\nbegan to wither, grew paler and paler, till at last the pallor of\ndeath seized her head, and bending to the breast of the king's son,\nshe died.\n\nThe king's son was so sorry for his fault that if it had been\npossible, he would have atoned for it with his blood; but that was\nnot possible. Therefore he came down from his good steed, dug a grave\nwith his sword, and buried the maiden; as a grave-mark he planted the\nsplit reed, and from it a black rose sprang, which as mourning,\nbloomed in black.\n\nA bitter weeping wail, a bitter woe-cry was heard from the two reeds\nthat were not split yet, as if some one were bewailing a brother.\nGreat sadness seized the king's son too, who thought, \"I caused the\ndeath of this maiden. I broke this flower and planted it in the bosom\nof death.\" But if he had wept out his soul, it would have been\nuseless; therefore he mounted his steed and rode farther. He travelled\nand journeyed till curiosity rose in his breast, and bored his side as\nwith an iron auger. \"Is there in the second reed another such maiden;\nand will she go like the first?\"\n\nAt last he could resist the devil's boring no longer; so he took his\ngleaming clasp-knife, and split the second reed also. Behold, the\nelder attendant of the Reed Maiden, came out, saying: \"Water, water,\nor I shall die a fearful death!\" But the king's son had not one drop\nof water; the maiden grew paler and paler, till she dropped her head\non the breast of the king's son, and died. The king's son came to the\nearth, dug a grave with his sword, and buried the maiden. At the head\nof the grave he placed the split reed; from it a beautiful rose-bush\nsprang up, which bloomed in black, as mourning.\n\nA bitter weeping wail, a bitter woe-cry of pain was heard from the\nunsplit reed, in which the world-beautiful maiden herself was hidden;\nand no less grief seized the king's son. He had killed two; with his\nown strength he had broken two beautiful flowers, and put them in the\nbosom of death. Grief covered him with black wing. His good steed went\nas a bird of swiftest flight till curiosity rose up in the breast of\nthe king's son, bored his side as with an iron auger. \"What sort of\nperson is his future bride? who is the world-beautiful Reed Maiden?\"\n\nSince he could not resist this devil's boring, this mighty curiosity,\nhe took out the third and last reed to split it; but the magic steed\nreached back, and taking the reed from the king's son, did not return\nit till they came to the shore of a lake.\n\nAt the water the king's son split the last reed, and there came forth\nsuch a maiden that her like was not born since the world began, nor\nbefore, nor after. Her first word was: \"Water! Only as much water as a\nlittle swallow takes in her beak when she gives drink to her young, or\nI shall die in a moment!\"\n\nThe king's son gave her to drink; she felt better. Then they embraced,\nand kissed, saying, \"I am thine, thou art mine.\"\n\n\"Listen, my beautiful love,\" said the king's son, \"while I ride home\nfor a carriage of glass and gold do thou hide in this willow; but till\nI see thee, though one word is not much, speak not that much to any\none.\"\n\nThe king's son rode for the glass and golden carriage; the maiden\nclimbed the willow where she hid. Now, what came of the affair, and\nwhat did not, while the king's son was gone a crawfish-gathering gypsy\ngirl happened under the willow-tree, and looking in the water she saw\nthe quivering image of the charming maiden. Putting her hand on her\nhip she said: \"What a beautiful shadow I have, quite worthy of a\nprincess.\"\n\n\"It's thine of course! I'll tell whose it is,\" said a golden bird from\nthe tree, in a golden voice.\n\nThe gypsy looked into the tree, where she saw the world-beautiful\nprincess, for the sight of whom the sun would have stood still in\nheaven. The girl said nothing, but in a twinkle she dragged the maiden\nfrom the tree by her white foot, pulled off her purple velvet robe,\nand threw her into the water. The maiden did not sink, but shaking\nherself, turned into a golden-feathered duck and swam on the lake. The\ngypsy then, ill or well, put on the purple velvet robe, which sat on\nher as if it had been put on with a fork and rake; then she sat with\ngreat importance on the tree. But she did not sit long; for seeing the\ngolden duck, she jumped down and began to throw stones at her. She\nthrew and threw so many that her arm grew tired, but she could not\nhit, for the golden duck dived into the water the moment a stone flew\nover her. At last the gypsy was tired, climbed into the willow-tree\nand waited for fortune.\n\nShe had not long to wait, for soon the king's son came with a gold\nand glass carriage to take home the golden bird; but the gypsy had her\nmind, for she would not come down from the tree--at least she said\nso--till he should shoot the golden duck on the lake, so she might\ndrink its red blood, and eat its tender flesh.\n\nThe king's son took his arrow, aimed to kill the golden duck; but the\ngypsy will not drink its red blood, will not eat its tender flesh, for\nthe arrow never went with its point to the duck, but always turned\ntowards her the feathered end. If it had found her, it would not have\nbeen her death. The king's son had shot away all his arrows, and\nbesides it was evening; he had to leave the amusement and turn his\nwagon-tongue homeward.\n\nAt home he had told how beautiful a wife he was bringing; all the\ngreater was the surprise when he led in the bride with raised veil.\nThe king's son had praised the world-beautiful Reed Maiden, and now\nbefore the wedding assembly stands a leather-cheeked gypsy girl. The\nguests know not whether to laugh or to be angry.\n\nNow, the queen--the former gypsy--thought that it could not remain\nthus, without the world-beautiful Reed Maiden visiting her husband in\nthe night; therefore she put a sleeping-powder into his drink every\nGod-given evening, from which the king's son slept like a shepherd's\ncoat.\n\nThe world-beautiful Reed Maiden shook herself, turned into a little\nbird, and at midnight she came to the king's son's window. She knocked\nwith her little beak, the window opened of itself, and she flew in;\nthen the little bird shook herself, turned into a princess such as had\nnot been born before, nor since, nor after that. She went to the\nking's son, spoke to him fondling words, but he did not hear; roused\nhim, but he did not wake; bent over him, and at last cried long, but\nhe did not feel the hot tears which burned his cheek,--he lay there\nmotionless as a block.\n\nThen she said: \"Oh, king's son, youth of my soul, thy dear lips are\ndumb; open them for one, two words, to cheer thy beautiful love, thy\ntender violet. I will come yet twice, then never again.\"\n\nBut the king's son did not wake. When the clock struck one after\nmidnight the maiden shook herself, turned into a bird, and flew out\nthrough the window; the window closed after her of itself.\n\nThe servant of the king's son heard all these words clearly, for he\nwas awake; but in the morning when he woke he thought it was all a\ndream, therefore he did not tell the king's son what he had seen, but\nresolved that he would wait for the coming night, and if the maiden\nwould appear again in the form of a bird, then surely it was not a\ndream, and he would tell the king's son.\n\nThe next evening also his wife gave the king's son a sleeping-powder,\nand he slept like a shepherd's coat. When the clock struck twelve the\nlittle bird rapped with her beak, the window opened before her, and\nclosed behind.\n\nThe little bird shook herself and became the beautiful Reed Maiden.\nShe went to the bed of the sleeping king's son, spoke to him, strove\nto rouse him, and cried as the evening before; but he was motionless\nas a block. When the clock struck one the maiden shook herself, was a\nbird, and flew out through the window, which closed behind her. The\nservant of the king's son heard all this clearly, for he had not\nslept, and was now sure that it was no dream. He said to his master\nnext morning: \"I would say something to thy Highness if I were not\nafraid.\"\n\n\"Oh, good Yanchi, thou wilt have no trouble, only speak.\"\n\n\"Well, the night before last, at midnight, a little bird flew to the\nwindow, struck and beat it with her beak; the window opened before\nher. She flew in, shook herself, and became such a beautiful maiden\nthat I looked on her as an altar image; and I was afraid that she\nwould bewitch me. The beautiful maiden then bent over thy Highness,\nspoke to thee, but thou didst not wake; she cried a long time, but\nthou didst not feel her hot tears. At last she said, with a bird's\ntongue: 'Oh, king's son, youth of my soul, thy dear lips are dumb;\nopen them for one, two words, to cheer thy beautiful love, thy tender\nviolet I will come yet twice, then never again.' This was repeated\nlast night, but thy Highness spoke not a word, and lay there like a\nblock. And thy Highness may believe that she was so beautiful that if\nI had been lying dead on the table, I should have risen.\"\n\n\"Is that true, Yanchi?\"\n\n\"As true as that the bright sun is shining in the sky.\"\n\n\"Well, Yanchi, couldst thou take a slap on the cheek for a hundred\nflorins?\"\n\n\"Not for the money, but gladly for thy Highness,--even a hundred of\nthem.\"\n\n\"If thou wilt, then take it when my wife gives me the sleeping-powder\nagain; for her dog soul gives it so that I should not wake. Knock down\nthe light as though from awkwardness, then I will pour the\nsleeping-draught quietly into the bath; the woman will think that I\nhave drunk it.\"\n\nWhen bath-time came Yanchi took the candle as if he wished to snuff\nit, and put it out. The king's son, meanwhile, poured the\nsleeping-powder and wine into the bath quietly. The gypsy queen\nthought that he had drunk it, but she gave such a cuff to poor Yanchi\nthat his eyes saw stars; but Yanchi, for the sake of his master, took\nthe cuff as if a pretty girl had kissed him.\n\nAs the clock struck twelve, the king's son feigned sleep; but he was\njust as much awake as good myself. I say, the clock struck twelve. The\nlittle bird came to the window, knocked with her beak, the window\nopened before and closed behind her; she shook herself and became such\na maiden as neither before that, nor since, was born, so that the\nstarry heavens would have looked at her with smiles. She bent over the\nking's son; when at last she cried, the king's son put his arm around\nher and drew her to him, that she might not become a little bird\nagain; that she might not fly away any more.\n\nHe assembled, next day, all the dukes and counts in the kingdom, and\nall the doers of good, and taking before them the hand of the\nworld-beautiful Reed Maiden, he asked,--\n\n\"What does that person deserve who tries to separate from each other a\ncouple?\"\n\nBecause the gypsy thought that the question was in favor of her own\nleathery face, she called out in an instant: \"That person, my royal\nhusband, deserves to be put in a cask, with spikes driven inward from\nthe outside all through it, and rolled from the highest mountain in\nthe kingdom.\"\n\n\"Oh, dog-given wretch, thou hast pronounced thy own sentence!\"\n\nAnd they took by the neck the queen, once a gypsy, and put her in a\ncask like that, with spikes driven in, and let the cask roll from the\nhighest mountain in the kingdom.\n\n\n\n\nKISS MIKLOS, AND THE GREEN DAUGHTER OF THE GREEN KING.\n\n\nThere was once a poor man, and he had three sons. When the poor man\nwas on his death-bed, he called his three sons, and this was his word\nand speech to them: \"My dear sons, if I do not tell, still mayhap ye\nknow why our kingdom is in mourning, in unbroken darkness, such that a\nspoon might stand up in it; but if ye know not, then I will tell. My\nsons, this unbroken darkness is here because they have stolen the sun\nand the moon from our bright heavens. But I will tell one thing, and\ntwo will come of it; a wizard foretold that among my three sons was\none (which one I with firm trust cannot say) who would bring back the\nsun and the moon. Therefore, my sons, I leave you this: that after my\ndeath ye will go out to seek the sun and the moon, and not come home\ntill ye bring back the sources of light.\"\n\nWith that the poor man turned to the wall, wandered forth from this\nworld of shadows, and was buried with honor.\n\nBut here, my lord's son, what comes of the affair or what does not, I\nsaw it as I see now; I was in the place where they were talking. The\nreport ran through the whole kingdom of what the poor man had left in\nhis will to his three sons, so that even the king heard it, and he\nsummoned straightway to his presence the three brothers. And when the\nthree brothers appeared before the king, he said: \"My dear young men,\nI hear that your father--may God give him rest--on his death-bed left\nthis to you: that after his death ye would go out into the wide, great\nworld to look for the sun and the moon. Therefore, my sons, this is my\nword and speech to you: that whoso brings back the sun and the moon\nwill be king after my death, and whoso will assist him in everything,\nthis one I will make viceroy. Now go to my stable and to my armory and\nchoose for yourselves horses and swords; I will give in a sealed\nletter to you the order that wherever ye go men shall give you in all\nplaces, hay, oats, food, and drink free of cost.\"\n\nHere the three young men entered the king's stable, and the two elder\nchose the most beautiful golden-haired steeds; but the youngest,\nsomewhere off by the wall in a hidden corner, among cobwebs and dirt,\npicked out for himself a wretched, shaggy haired, plucked colt. The\ntwo elder brothers laughed at the youngest because he intended to go\non that ragged, nasty colt that was hardly able to stand on its feet;\nbut the youngest brother thought nothing of this, and did not give ear\nto the talk of his brothers.\n\nNow they went to the king's armory, where the elder brothers chose for\nthemselves two beautiful gold-mounted swords; but the youngest\nbrother, who had more wit, picked out a rusty steel sword. This rusty\nsword now jumped out of the sheath, now sprang in again,--played\nunceasingly. The two elder brothers laughed at the youngest again, but\nhe put this as well as their former ridicule quietly in his pocket,\nthinking to himself that he laughs truly who laughs last; for the\nnasty colt, as surely as I live and as ye live--I was present where\nthey were talking, I saw as I do now, and I was looking as I am\nnow--was a magic six-legged steed, conceived of the Wind, and eating\nlive coals; and the rusty sword had this kind of virtue that a man had\nonly to say, \"Cut, my dear sword,\" and it cut down whatever he wished.\nBut the two elder brothers knew nothing of all this, for they did not\nunderstand wood-work.\n\nNow the three brothers moved on their way through the kingdom, to look\nfor the sun and the moon. They travelled and journeyed over forty-nine\nkingdoms, beyond the Operentsia Sea, beyond the glass mountains, and\nbeyond that, to where the little short-tailed pig roots, and farther\nthan that, and still farther, till they came to the silver bridge.\nWhen they came to the silver bridge the youngest brother, speaking a\nword, said to his two brothers: \"My dear brothers, let us go under the\nbridge, for soon the steed of the moon will be here, and the\ntwelve-headed dragon, from whose saddle-bow the bright moon is\ndangling.\"\n\nNow, the two brothers had barely hidden when the steed of the moon\nwas on the bridge, and on the steed the twelve-headed dragon, from\nwhose saddle-bow the bright moon was dangling. The milk-white steed of\nthe moon stumbled on the bridge. Then the twelve-headed dragon was\nenraged, and said this to the steed of the moon,--\n\n\"Ah, may the crow eat thy eye, may the dog eat thy flesh, may the\nearth drink thy blood! From forest to forest I have ridden thee, from\nmountain to mountain I have sprung with thee, and thou hast never\nstumbled, but now on the even road thou hast stumbled. Well, in my\nworld-beautiful life I have always heard the fame of Kiss Miklos; if\nhe were here now, I would like to have a struggle with him.\"\n\nAt this word our Kiss Miklos--for let it be said, meanwhile, this was\nthe name of the youngest brother--sprang out from beneath to the\nsilver bridge on his golden-haired magic steed, and closed with the\ntwelve-headed dragon. Long did they struggle, the one with the other,\nbut Kiss Miklos said to the rusty sword: \"Cut, my dear sword!\" and\nwith that it cut three heads off the dragon, and in the same order\ntill all the twelve heads were hewn off, so that the twelve-headed\ndragon drew his shortest breath. Then Kiss Miklos took by the halter\nthe milk-white haired, black-maned steed of the moon, on whose\nsaddle-bow was dangling the bright moon, and gave him to the care of\nhis second brother. Then they passed over the silver bridge, which\nsounded like most beautiful music from the golden shoes of the magic\nsteed.\n\nThey travelled and journeyed then through forty-nine kingdoms, beyond\nthe Operentsia Sea and the glass mountains, beyond that, where the\nlittle short-tailed pig roots, beyond that, and farther, till they\ncame to the golden bridge.\n\nThen Kiss Miklos spoke, and said this to his two brothers, speaking\nspeech: \"My dear brothers, let us hide under the bridge, for soon will\nthe steed of the sun be here, and on him the twenty-four-headed\ndragon, from whose saddle-bow the shining sun is dangling. He will\ncall me out at once to the keen sword, and I will measure with him\nstrength with strength. He will not be able to conquer me, nor I him;\nthen he and I will turn into flames. He will be a red and I a blue\nflame, but even then we shall not be able to conquer one the other,\nfor we shall be of equal strength. But here is a sulphur stone; when\nthe red flame springs highest toward the sky to press down the blue\nflame, that is me, strike the sulphur stone on the red flame.\"\n\nOur Kiss Miklos had barely finished his speech when the steed of the\nsun was on the bridge, bearing the twenty-four-headed dragon and the\nshining sun. The steed of the sun stumbled on the golden bridge. The\ntwenty-four-headed dragon was enraged at him, and said,--\n\n\"Ah, may the crow eat thy eye, may the dog eat thy flesh, may the\nearth drink thy blood! I have ridden from forest to forest on thee, I\nhave leaped thee from mountain to mountain, and never hast thou\nstumbled; but now on the even road thou hast stumbled. In my\nworld-beautiful life I have heard always the fame of Kiss Miklos--may\nthe dog devour him!--and if he were here now I would like to have a\nstruggle with him.\"\n\nAt this word our Kiss Miklos sprang out on to the golden bridge, and\nclosed with the twenty-four-headed dragon. But Kiss Miklos commanded,\nsaying: \"Cut, my dear sword!\" and that instant it cut the twenty-four\nheads off the dragon; but, wonder of the world! when all the\ntwenty-four heads were off, in the twinkle of an eye new ones grew out\nwhich the leaping sword could not cut. In vain Kiss Miklos said: \"Cut,\nmy dear sword!\" for it could not cut these heads. Well, Kiss Miklos\ntook the sword in his hand and whirled it like lightning; but he did\nnothing with it, for the dragon had power of the same kind as he.\n\nWhen the dragon saw that he could not succeed against Kiss Miklos, he\nspoke in this way: \"Listen to me, Kiss Miklos! I wish thou hadst\nperished with thy mother, for I see that I can do nothing with thee,\nnor thou with me. Let us make one trial. Turn thou into a blue flame,\nand I will turn into a red one, and whichever can put the other out,\nhis will be the steed of the sun and the shining sun upon him.\"\n\nThat is what was done. Kiss Miklos turned to a blue flame, and the\ntwenty-four-headed dragon to a red one. The two flames fought the one\nwith the other, but neither was able to put out the other. Happily the\ntwo brothers threw the sulphur stone on the red flame, and then the\nblue flame put out the red one; and when it was quenched altogether,\nthe twenty-four-headed dragon ceased to live.\n\nKiss Miklos gave the steed of the sun to his elder brother, and told\nhis two brothers to go home quietly, for he had work of his own; and\nwith that he took farewell of them. Miklos then shook himself, turned\ninto a little gray cat, ran along the highroad, and all at once sprang\ninto a cabin. In the cabin was the mother of the dragons and their two\nwives.\n\nThe younger dragon's wife saw the little gray cat; she took it on her\nlap, stroked it, and found this to say to the mother of the dragons:\n\"Well, if I knew that that cursed Kiss Miklos had killed my lord, I\nwould turn into such a spring of water that if he and his two brothers\nwere to drink not more than one drop of it, they would die a fearful\ndeath on the spot.\"\n\nWith this the little gray cat sprang from the lap of the younger\ndragon's wife, and rubbed up to the skirt of the wife of the elder\ndragon, who took it on to her lap, stroked it, and found this to say:\n\"Ah! if I knew that that cursed Kiss Miklos had killed my lord, I\nwould change into such a pear-tree that if he and his two brothers\nwere to eat no more than one morsel of a pear of mine, they would die\na fearful death.\"\n\nWith this the little gray cat sprang from the lap of the elder\ndragon's wife, and rubbed on the skirt of the old woman, who took it\non her lap, fondled it, and found this to say to her two\ndaughters-in-law: \"My dear girls, just prop up my two eyes with that\niron bar, which weighs twelve hundred pounds, so that I may look\naround.\"\n\nHer two daughters-in-law then took the twelve-hundred-pound iron bar\nand opened the old woman's eyes; then she spoke thuswise: \"If that\ncursed Kiss Miklos has killed my two sons, I will turn into a mouth,\none jaw of which will be on the earth and the other I will throw to\nthe sky, so as to catch that cursed villain and his two brothers, and\ngrind them as mill-stones grind wheat.\"\n\nWhen the little gray cat had heard all this exactly, it shot away in a\nflash out of the cabin, sprang along, and never stopped till it came to\nthe good magic steed. The old woman threw the twelve-hundred-pound bar\nafter the cat, but she failed in her cast, for that moment her eyelids\nfell; she was not able to keep them open unless they were propped, for\nshe was old. So Kiss Miklos escaped the twelve-hundred-pound\nbar,--certain death. I say that he escaped, for he came to his good\nmagic steed, shook himself, and from a little gray cat became a young\nman as before. Then he sat on the good steed, which sprang once, jumped\ntwice, and straightway Miklos was with his two brothers; then they\nfared homeward in quiet comfort.\n\nThe second brother grew thirsty, and found this to say: \"Oh, but I am\ndry! My throat is burning!\"\n\n\"If that is thy only trouble,\" said Miklos, \"I will soon bring thee\nwater. Out there a spring is bubbling up.\"\n\nWith that Kiss Miklos put spurs to his good magic steed, which sprang\nonce, jumped twice, and was at the spring; but here, instead of\nfilling the gourd that hung at his side, he drew his sharp sword, and\nthrust it three times into the bubbling water. In a moment from the\nspring blood gushed forth, and a word of bitter pain was heard. That\nwas the blood of the younger dragon's wife, and the word of pain was\nher death-groan. The blood made all the water red, and when the two\nbrothers came up they had no wish to drink a drop from the spring.\n\nWell, they travelled and journeyed till the elder brother said: \"Oh,\nbut I am hungry!\"\n\n\"If that is thy trouble,\" said Kiss Miklos, \"we can easily cure it,\nfor there near the dam is a pear-tree, and on it so much ripe fruit\nthat the limbs are breaking. Wait, I will bring thee a pear directly;\nbut lead thou the steed of the sun there.\"\n\nHere Kiss Miklos put spurs to his steed, which sprang once, jumped\ntwice, and stood before the pear-tree. Miklos drew his sharp sword and\nstabbed the pear-tree in the trunk three times; from the trunk blood\ngushed forth, and a bitter word of pain was heard. The red blood was\nthe blood of the elder dragon's wife, and the bitter word of pain was\nher death-groan. With that the pears fell, so that when the two elder\nbrothers reached the tree, not only would they not eat the pears, but\nthe desire of eating had gone from them.\n\nNow they journeyed and travelled through forty-nine kingdoms, till at\nlast Miklos saw from a distance that an unmercifully great mouth, one\njaw of which was on earth and the other thrown up to the heavens, was\nnearing them like the swiftest storm, so that they had barely time\nleft to run into the door of the Lead Friend's house. And a\nthousand-fold was their luck that they got in; for the unmercifully\ngreat mouth stood before the threshold of the Lead Friend, so that\nwhoever should go out would fall into it, and be swallowed that\nminute.\n\n\"Hei! good Lead-Melting Friend,\" said Miklos, \"hast thou much molten\nlead? I will pay thee for it in honest coin.\"\n\n\"Haho! my friend Kiss Miklos, I know thee; in my world-beautiful life\nI have ever heard thy fame. Long have I been waiting for thee. It is\nwell that thou art here,--that thou hast entered my door,--for thou\nwilt never go a step farther from me.\"\n\n\"Oh! for God's sake,\" said Kiss Miklos, \"do not pass thy own\nthreshold, for straightway the mother of the dragons will swallow thee\nwith her great mouth.\"\n\nThe Lead-Melting Friend went out of his chamber, saw the great mouth\nof the mother of the dragons, and went back in terror to his chamber,\nwhere he said this to Kiss Miklos: \"Oh, my good friend Kiss Miklos,\ngive counsel. What are we to do?\"\n\n\"Hast thou much molten lead?\"\n\n\"Not much, only eighteen tons; it is out there in the caldron\nboiling.\"\n\n\"Knowest thou what? I will say one thing and two will come of it. Let\nus take the handles of that great caldron and pour its contents into\nthe great mouth of the mother of the dragons.\"\n\nHere, 'pon my soul! the Lead-Melting Friend put one handle on his\nshoulder, Kiss Miklos the other on his, brought the unmercifully great\ncaldron to the threshold, and poured the eighteen tons of boiling lead\ninto the old witch's mouth. The boiling lead burned up the stomach of\nthe mother of the dragons, and straightway she breathed out her cursed\nsoul.\n\nSo Kiss Miklos was freed from the mother of the dragons; but, poor\nfellow, he was like one that goes from the pail into the barrel, for\nthe Lead-Melting Friend caught his Grace by the neck and took him, as\nhe would a straw, to the chamber, where he found this to say,--\n\n\"Look here, my good friend Kiss Miklos, in my world-beautiful life I\nhave ever heard thy fame; therefore let us struggle now and see who is\nstronger, thou or I.\" With that the Lead Friend put only his little\nfinger on Kiss Miklos; from that he began to sink, and went down\nthrough the lead floor of the chamber the distance of an ell.\n\n\"Kiss Miklos, my friend, dost thou wish to fight with me?\" asked the\nLead Friend. \"Thou sayest nothing, so I see that thou dost not;\ntherefore this is my word and speech: I will keep thee in endless\nslavery unless thou bring me the Green Daughter of the Green King. But\nye,\" and he turned to the two brothers, \"ye may go home in gentle\nquietness, and take with you the steeds of the moon and the sun, on\nwhich are the bright moon and the shining sun, for of them I have no\nneed.\"\n\nHere our Miklos, in the midst of bitter tear-shedding, took farewell\nof his dear brothers. They held on their way homeward, and arrived\nthere in health. Great was the rejoicing in the kingdom that the poor\nman's sons, as their father had bequeathed them on his death-bed,\nbrought home the bright moon and the shining sun. Therefore the king\nassembled all that were in his dominions of dukes, counts, barons,\nlords, lord's sons, chosen gypsies, and broad-brimmed, country-dressed\nSlovaks; of these he sought council and asked, \"What do brothers\ndeserve who have brought home the bright moon and the shining sun?\"\n\nTo this question then they answered, \"Our high lord, the one who has\nbrought back the steed of the sun, and on it the bright shining sun,\ndeserves to be king of the country, and he who has brought home the\nsteed of the bright moon, and on it the fair moon, to be viceroy; and\neach one of them should receive as wife a daughter of thy Highness.\"\n\nSo it was done. The poor man's eldest son became king, and the second\nson viceroy; and each one of them got a maiden princess as wife. Then\nthey let out the steed of the bright moon and the steed of the shining\nsun on the highway of the heavens, but both the moon and the sun shone\nsadly. For this reason they shone sadly: that he was without merited\nreward who had really freed them from the dragons, for Kiss Miklos was\nnow in never-ending slavery to the Lead Friend.\n\nOnce the Lead Friend called Miklos and found this to tell him:\n\"Well, Miklos, if thou wilt bring me the Green Daughter of the Green\nKing, I will let thee go free, and I will strike from thee the\nthree-hundred-pound ring and the twelve-hundred-pound chain.\nTherefore, good friend Miklos, I advise thee to start in the morning\nwith the bright shining sun, and bring to me my heart's desire.\"\n\nNow our Miklos moved on the road again, and a long one too; whether\nthere will be an end to it, only the good God knows. And as he\ntravelled and journeyed across forty-nine kingdoms, and beyond that,\nand still farther, at the foot of a great mountain was a little hill,\nand as a shot arrow, as the swiftest whirlwind, ran towards him a man\nwho was always crying, \"Out of my way! out of my way!\" This was Swift\nRunner, who stood still in a moment, like a pillar, before Miklos, and\nasked, \"Whither, whither, Kiss Miklos? for in my world-beautiful life\nI have ever heard thy fame.\"\n\n\"Haho! Swift Runner, better thou hadst not asked. I am going for the\nGreen Daughter of the Green King. Hast thou ever heard of her?\"\n\n\"I have not heard. I speak not of that, but of this: take me with\nthee, for thou wilt get good of me somewhere.\"\n\n\"Well, come on thy own legs, if it please thee.\"\n\nThey travelled and journeyed after that, two of them, till they came\nto the sea-shore, and saw a man who was drinking the sea to the last\ndrop, just as I would drink a cup of water; and then he cried out\nunceasingly: \"Oh, I'm thirsty! Oh, I'm thirsty!\" This was Great\nDrinker who, when he saw Miklos, went to him and said: \"God's\ngood-day, famous Kiss Miklos; for in my world-beautiful life I have\never heard thy fame.\"\n\n\"God keep thee, Great Drinker!\"\n\n\"On what journey art thou, renowned Kiss Miklos?\"\n\n\"On what journey? Haho! better thou hadst not asked. I am going for\nthe Green Daughter of the Green King. Hast thou heard of her?\"\n\n\"I have not, in truth,\" answered Great Drinker; \"I speak not of that,\nbut of this: take me with thee, for mayhap thou'lt get good of me.\"\n\n\"Well, come on thy own legs, if it please thee.\"\n\nSo there were three of them, and they travelled and journeyed after\nthat till they saw a man running on the plain towards cattle, and he\nthrust the beautiful bullocks one by one into his mouth as I would a\npiece of bread, and swallowed them, hide and horns, one after the\nother; and even when he had swallowed all the standing herd of three\nhundred and sixty-six bullocks, he called out unceasingly: \"Oh, I am\nhungry! Oh, I am hungry!\" This was Great Eater who, when he saw\nMiklos, went to him and said: \"God give thee a good-day, renowned Kiss\nMiklos; for in my world-beautiful life I have ever heard thy fame.\"\n\n\"God keep thee, Great Eater!\"\n\n\"What journey art thou on, renowned Kiss Miklos?\"\n\n\"Better thou hadst not asked. I am going for the Green Daughter of the\nGreen King. Hast thou heard of her?\"\n\n\"I have not heard, in truth,\" answered Great Eater; \"but take me with\nthee, mayhap thou'lt get good of me.\"\n\n\"Well, come on thy own legs, if it please thee.\"\n\nNow there were four of them, and they travelled and journeyed till one\nday they struck upon a man whose bolster was the glowing coals, whose\npillow was the burning fire, and whose blanket was the flaming blaze;\nhe had nine pairs of boots on his feet, nine pairs of drawers and nine\nshirts on his body, nine neckcloths on his neck, nine sheepskin caps\non his head, nine pairs of trousers, nine vests on his body, and nine\nsheepskin overcoats hung from his shoulders, but even then he did\nnothing but cry out unceasingly: \"Oh, I'm freezing! Oh, I'm freezing!\"\nWhen he saw Kiss Miklos, he stood before him and said: \"God give thee\na good-day, renowned Kiss Miklos; for in my world-beautiful life I\nhave ever heard thy fame.\"\n\n\"God guard thee, Great Freezer!\"\n\n\"What journey art thou on, renowned Kiss Miklos?\"\n\n\"Ah, comrade, thou shouldst not have asked. Hast thou heard of the\nfame of the Green Daughter of the Green King?\"\n\n\"I have not heard of it.\"\n\n\"Well, if thou hast not, hear now; for I am going to her as a wooer.\"\n\n\"Take me with thee, mayhap thou wilt get good of me.\"\n\n\"Well, come on thy own legs, if it please thee.\"\n\nThere were five of them now. They journeyed and travelled after that\ntill they came upon a man who was looking around unceasingly. In one\ntwinkle, in the turn of an eye, he saw the round earth, and in\nanother turn of the eye he looked through the deep sea; and he saw\nMiklos and his comrades thirty-five miles off.\n\nThis was Far Seer, who stood before Miklos and said: \"God give thee a\ngood-day, renowned Kiss Miklos.\"\n\n\"God keep thee, Far Seer!\"\n\n\"On what journey art thou, renowned Kiss Miklos?\"\n\n\"Haho! good friend Far Seer, perhaps thou hast heard of the Green\nDaughter of the Green King.\"\n\n\"I have not.\"\n\n\"Well then, hear now, for I am going to woo her.\"\n\n\"Take me with thee, mayhap thou'lt get good of me.\"\n\nNow there were six of them, and they journeyed and travelled after\nthat, across forty-nine kingdoms and farther, till they came upon a\nman who threw a seven-hundred-pound iron club thirty-five miles as\neasily as I could throw a small stone a few yards. This was Far Caster,\nwho, when he saw Kiss Miklos and his comrades, came and said: \"God\ngive thee a good-day, renowned Kiss Miklos; for in my world-beautiful\nlife I have ever heard thy fame.\"\n\n\"God guard thee, Far Caster!\"\n\n\"What journey art thou on?\"\n\n\"Better thou hadst not asked. Hast thou heard of the Green King?\"\n\n\"I have not.\"\n\n\"Well, I am going to woo his daughter.\"\n\n\"Take me with thee, mayhap thou'lt get good of me.\"\n\n\"Come on thy own legs, if it please thee.\"\n\nLike the seven deadly sins, they were seven now. They journeyed and\ntravelled till they came to the castle of the Green King. Kiss Miklos\nstood before the king and said: \"God give a good-day to thy Highness.\"\n\n\"God keep thee, renowned Kiss Miklos; for in my world-beautiful life I\nhave ever heard thy fame. What journey art thou on?\"\n\n\"In my journeys and travels I have heard that thy Highness has a\ncharming, love-pervaded, beautiful flower-stalk. What is the use in\ndelay and denial? I have come for her.\"\n\n\"Haho! my good friend, the Green Daughter of the Green King is not so\neasily taken, for there are three tests before thee; if thou stand\nthese tests, I will give thee my most beloved, my truly one and only\ndaughter. The first test will be this: Thou hast a swift runner and so\nhave I. They are making for my daughter at present a wedding dress at\nPluto's, or perhaps it's ready this moment. If thy swift runner will\nbring that dress here, all right,--I care not: let the Green Daughter\nof the Green King be thine. My swift runner and thine will start\nto-morrow about four o'clock in the morning. But if I have not told\nthee, know now the thick end of the business, I will bring you all to\nthe stake, if thy swift runner comes second.\"\n\nBut the Green King deceived; for that evening after sunset he sent off\nhis swift runner, who was no other than his own old mother, who, let\nit be said meanwhile, was a witch, and a big one at that. Next morning\nat four o'clock, as had been agreed, Miklos started his own swift\nrunner on the road so as to bring the wedding dress.\n\nSwift Runner moved on, and he saw that the old mother of the Green\nKing was a good way ahead, for she was just on the point of going in\nat Pluto's gate. Nothing more was needed. He rushed at her and she saw\ntrouble soon, for he came up just as she had taken hold of the key;\nSwift Runner was not slow. He caught her by the jacket, hurled her\nback, ran in at the gate himself, and did not stop till he stood\nbefore his Highness, Pluto, told why he had come, and asked for the\nwedding dress. The dainty dress was nicely packed already in a box,\nand they gave it to him. Swift Runner hurried homeward, but the old\nmother of the Green King waited for him, and said: \"Hear me, Swift\nRunner! Now thou art the victor, run not so fast; let us go home in\npleasant quiet together.\"\n\nSwift Runner stopped at the old woman's words, and they went on\ntogether,--went on till they came to a nice shady place, where the old\nwoman found this to say: \"Let us sit down in this shady place; let us\nrest. It is all the same. Thou art the winner. I will look in thy\nhead.\"\n\nHere Swift Runner sat down in the shady place; the old woman bent his\nhead to her lap and began to search in it, and she searched and\nsearched till Swift Runner fell asleep and was sunk in slumber. When\nSwift Runner was snoring away at his best, the old woman put a\nhorse-skull under his head,--from that he would not have waked till\nthe day of judgment; then she took the box from him and raced off as\nif she had been shot from a gun.\n\nIt was near four o'clock in the afternoon and Swift Runner had not\ncome yet, though he said he ought to be there at three o'clock. Miklos\ntherefore began to be uneasy,--his nose was itching, it was ringing in\nhis right ear and jumping in his right eye, therefore he found this to\nsay to his Far Seer: \"Just look, canst thou see Swift Runner coming?\"\n\nFar Seer did not let this be repeated; in an instant he ran up on a\nhill, looked around, saw that Swift Runner was in a shady place,\nsleeping like a pumpkin, under a tree, with a horse-skull under his\nhead.\n\n\"Oh, my good friend Kiss Miklos, the dog is in the garden! Swift\nRunner is sleeping in a nice shady place with a horse-skull under his\nhead; the old woman is right here near the garden, and she has the\nwedding dress in a box.\"\n\n\"Here, good friend Far Caster,\" said Kiss Miklos, \"stand forth and\nthrow thy twelve-hundred-pound club at that cursed horse-skull under\nthe head of Swift Runner; for as God is true, all seven of us will see\nshame, and die a fearful death.\"\n\nFar Caster was not slow; in an instant he hurled the\ntwelve-hundred-pound club and struck out luckily the horse-skull from\nunder Swift Runner's head.\n\nThen, 'pon my soul! Swift Runner sprang up, rubbed his eyes, looked\naround, saw that the old woman was running near the garden, and\nbearing the wedding robe. He was not slow. He rushed at her, but in\ntruth it hung from a hair that he did not see disgrace, for the old\nwoman had just taken the key of the Green King's door when Swift\nRunner reached her. He caught her by the jacket, took the box, and\nhurled the old woman back to Pluto's in such fashion that not her\nfoot, nor even her little toe, touched ground on the way. Then he gave\nthe wedding dress to Miklos, who took it that moment to the Green\nKing, and putting it on the boxwood table said: \"High lord, thy desire\nis accomplished; here is the dainty wedding dress.\"\n\n\"Haho! renowned Kiss Miklos, this is but one trial in which thou art\nthe winner, there are two behind. The Green Daughter of the Green King\nwill not be thine till all of you, as many as there are, spend one\nnight in my iron furnace, which I have heated with three hundred and\nsixty-six cords of wood; if ye can endure that terrible heat, all\nright; if not, ye will be roasted alive.\"\n\nHere, 'pon my soul! what came of the affair or what did not, the\nGreen King, as he had said, heated the iron furnace with three hundred\nand sixty-six cords of wood. The whole furnace was nothing but glowing\nfire, so that it was impossible to go near it. Now the question was,\nwho should enter first,--who but Great Freezer? He was delighted with\nthe pleasant amusement; he was shivering terribly because God's cold\nhad then caught him, though he had nine pairs of boots on his feet,\nnine shirts and drawers on his body, nine neckcloths on his neck, nine\nsheepskin caps on his head, nine sheepskin overcoats on his back. I\nsay, Great Freezer went first into the fiery furnace. He walked around\nin it, and straightway it became as cold as an ice-house; therefore he\ncalled out at the entrance: \"Oh, I'm freezing! Oh, I'm freezing!\" Then\nthe others and Kiss Miklos went in, and they felt that the furnace was\nas cold as an ice-house, so that their teeth chattered. Kiss Miklos\ncried out at the entrance, saying, \"Wood this way, or we shall\nfreeze!\"\n\nThe servants of the Green King threw an extra cord of wood into the\nfurnace. With this Miklos and his companions made a fire, and gave\nearth no trouble. Next morning the Green King himself went to see the\nseven roasts, thinking they were burnt into dust. He opened the mouth\nof the furnace. He will fall on his back with horror, perhaps. Nothing\nof the sort; the seven good birds were sitting there alive in the\nfurnace at the side of a fire, and not a dog's trouble had happened to\na man of them.\n\nStraightway the Green King called up Kiss Miklos and said to him:\n\"Well, renowned Kiss Miklos, thou hast stood two trials, but the third\nstill remains. If ye pass that unharmed, then I don't care; my\ndaughter will be thine, for I shall see that thou art not inferior to\nthy fame. The third trial is not other than this: In the yard is a\nherd of cattle not less than three hundred and sixty-six in number,\nand also there are three hundred and sixty-six kegs of wine, and if ye\ndo not eat the three hundred and sixty-six head of cattle and drink\nthe three hundred and sixty-six kegs of wine by to-morrow, then I will\nhave you all at the stake; but if ye eat and drink all, then as I say,\nI care not. Let my one and only most beloved daughter be thine.\"\n\nIn the evening after bedtime Miklos went with his comrades to the\nother yard where were the three hundred and sixty-six head of cattle\nand the three hundred and sixty-six kegs of wine; but now the question\nwas who should eat that ocean-great lot of cattle and drink that\nthundering lot of wine. No one would take more delight in the cattle\nthan Great Eater, and with the thundering lot of wine no one felt\nbetter than Great Drinker; they would take care of them if they were\ntwice as great. Miklos and his comrades, except Great Eater, knocked\none of the bullocks on the head, pulled off his jacket, cut up his\nflesh and roasted it. That was enough for them, but it was not enough\nfor Great Eater; for he would not spoil the taste of his mouth with\nit. He ate that herd of beasts, one after another, as if the earth had\nswallowed them,--ate hair, hide, bones, and horns, so that he didn't\nleave a single thing as a novelty; and even then he cried out nothing\nbut, \"Oh, I'm hungry! Oh, I'm hungry!\" Then he went to his comrades,\nate what they had left of the roast, and pressed it down with the\nox-hide for a dessert. Even then he cried without ceasing, \"Oh, I'm\nhungry! Oh, I'm hungry!\"\n\nThen they began at the wine. Miklos and his comrades, except Great\nDrinker, rolled forth one keg of wine, knocked the bottom out, and\nwent to drinking. That keg was enough for them, but not enough for\nGreat Drinker; for him it was as much as one drop would be for me. He\nwould not spoil the taste of his mouth with it, but fell to drinking\nfrom the rest in such Magyar-Mishka style that when he looked around\nhe saw that the three hundred and sixty-five kegs were empty. Then he\ncried unceasingly, \"Oh, I'm thirsty! Oh, I'm thirsty!\" After that he\ncame to his comrades, and what they had left he drank to the last\ndrop; and cried: \"Oh, I'm thirsty! Oh, I'm thirsty!\"\n\nNext morning the Green King went himself to the yard to see if Kiss\nMiklos and his comrades had endured the third trial,--had they eaten\nthe cattle and drunk the wine. It is a wonder that he didn't turn\ninto a pillar of salt he was so frightened when he saw that there was\nnot a horned beast left, nor a drop of wine. Then he complained: \"They\nhave eaten three hundred and sixty-six bullocks. Plague take it! let\nthem eat the cattle, but they might have left the hides; those could\nat least have been sold to a Jew for good money.--Well, renowned Kiss\nMiklos, thou hast stood the three tests, now my only and most dearly\nbeloved daughter is thine; take her.\" With that the Green King seated\nhis Green Daughter in a coach drawn by six black horses, and they\ndrove towards the dominions of the Lead Friend.\n\nOn the road the Green Daughter of the Green King beckoned Miklos to\nher and asked him: \"Hei! my heart's beautiful love, renowned Kiss\nMiklos, tell me, on thy true soul, art thou taking me for thyself or\nfor another? If thou art not taking me for thyself, I will play tricks\nwith thee.\"\n\n\"I am taking thee for myself; I am taking thee for another,\" answered\nKiss Miklos.\n\nWell, no more was said. Once, when turning and winding, they look in\nthe coach; it is empty. The beautiful girl is gone. In a moment they\nstop, search the coach, but find her nowhere.\n\n\"Here, good friend Far Seer,\" said Kiss Miklos, \"look around! Whither\nhas our beautiful bird flown?\"\n\nFar Seer didn't let that be said twice. In the turn of an eye he\nsurveyed the round earth, but he saw not the beautiful maiden.\n\n\"She is not on the dry earth,\" said Far Seer.\n\n\"Look into the sea,\" said Kiss Miklos.\n\nFar Seer surveyed the deep sea, and saw her hidden in the belly of a\nthree-pound whale, near the opposite shore of the sea.\n\n\"Ah, I see where she is!\"\n\n\"Where?\" asked Miklos.\n\n\"Hidden in the belly of a three-pound whale.\"\n\n\"Here, good friend Great Drinker,\" said Miklos, \"come hither, and\ndrink up the water of this deep sea!\"\n\nGreat Drinker was not slow. He lay face under by the sea, and with\nthree draughts drank up all the water. The three-pound whale was lying\nthen in a bay near the opposite shore.\n\n\"Now, good brother Swift Runner,\" said Kiss Miklos, \"step out and\nbring me that three-pound whale which is lying near the opposite\nshore.\"\n\nSwift Runner rushed in a moment across the bottom of the sea, and\nbrought back the three-pound whale. Miklos opened the whale, took out\nits stomach, cut it carefully, and out fell the Green Daughter of the\nGreen King. Then he seated her in the coach, and they drove on.\n\nThey travelled and journeyed, and once the princess beckoned to\nMiklos, and asked: \"My heart's beautiful love, renowned Kiss Miklos,\ntell me, on thy true soul, art thou taking me for thyself, or for\nanother? If for thyself, very well; if not, I'll play tricks with\nthee.\"\n\n\"I am taking thee for myself; I am taking thee for another,\" answered\nMiklos.\n\nNo more was said. Once while turning and winding, the beautiful maiden\nis gone, the coach is empty. \"Oh, the dog is in the garden!\" They\nstop, search the six-horse coach, but find no beautiful princess.\n\n\"Here, good friend Far Seer,\" said Miklos, \"stand forth, look around!\nWhere is our beautiful bird?\"\n\nFar Seer surveyed the deep sea, but got no sight of the princess. \"She\nis not in the sea.\"\n\n\"If she is not in the sea, look on dry land.\"\n\nFar Seer looked around again, and he saw that the princess was at\nhome, in the very middle of her father's garden, on the highest top of\na blooming apple-tree, hidden in a ripe red apple. \"I have found her!\"\nsaid Far Seer.\n\n\"Where is she?\"\n\n\"At home, in the very centre of the garden, hidden on the highest top\nof an apple-tree, in the middle of a ripe red apple.\"\n\n\"Here, Swift Runner, come forth!\"\n\nSwift Runner came forth, and stood like a pillar before Miklos,\nwaiting for command.\n\n\"Run in a twinkle to the garden of the Green King, in the very middle\nof which is blooming an apple-tree; climb the tree, and bring me the\nripe red apple which is on its highest top.\"\n\nSwift Runner rushed as a whirlwind, at horse-death speed, found the\ntree, climbed it, plucked the red apple, and then, as if shot from a\ncannon, came back to Miklos, and gave him the apple. Miklos cut the\napple in two; the Green Daughter of the Green King fell out. He seated\nher again in the coach, and they fared farther.\n\nThey travelled and journeyed, and again the princess beckoned to\nMiklos, and said: \"My heart's heart, renowned Kiss Miklos, tell me, on\nthy true soul, art thou taking me for thyself, or for another? If for\nthyself, very well; if not, I'll play tricks with thee.\"\n\n\"I am taking thee for myself; I am taking thee for another.\"\n\nWell, they said no more. Once, while turning and winding, they look in\nthe coach the maiden is gone; the coach is empty. \"Oh, the dog is in\nthe garden!\" They stop, search the six-horse coach, but find not the\nmaiden.\n\n\"Friend Far Seer,\" said Miklos, \"look around! Where is our beautiful\nbird?\"\n\nFar Seer was not slow; in the turn of an eye he surveyed the round\nearth, but saw nowhere the Green Daughter of the Green King. \"She is\nnot on the round earth,\" said he.\n\n\"Well, look in the deep sea.\"\n\nFar Seer looked again; in the turn of an eye he surveyed the deep\nsea, but saw not the princess. \"She is not in the deep sea,\" said Far\nSeer.\n\n\"Well, if she is not in the deep sea, look in the cloudy heavens.\"\n\nFar Seer looked around; in the turn of an eye he surveyed the broad\nsky and the cloudy heavens. He saw a cocoon hanging from a thread\nslender as a spider-web, and hidden in that cocoon the Green Daughter\nof the Green King. \"I have found her!\" said Far Seer.\n\n\"Where is she?\" asked Kiss Miklos.\n\n\"Far, far away, near the round forest, from the cloudy heavens is\nhanging a silk thread, slender as a spider-web, and on the end dangles\na cocoon; in that she is hidden.\"\n\n\"Now, Far Caster, come forth!\" said Miklos.\n\nFar Caster stood like a pillar before Kiss Miklos, only waiting for\ncommand; but he had not long to wait, for Miklos said: \"Listen, good\nfriend Far Caster. Seest thou that thin silk thread hanging from the\ncloudy sky near the round forest?\"\n\n\"I see.\"\n\n\"Then cast it down; but only when Swift Runner reaches the place\nbeneath, so that it may not fall on the earth, but into his hand.\nTherefore, Swift Runner, move thy wheels that way; catch the cocoon\nand bring it to us.\"\n\nSwift Runner rushed at horse-death speed to the place; Far Caster\nbrought down the cocoon. Swift Runner caught it safely, and brought it\nto Miklos, who with his bright knife cut it open, and out came the\nprincess. Then he seated her a third time in the coach; but they had\narrived in the domains of the Lead Friend, so the Green Daughter of\nthe Green King, having lost her power, could play no more tricks.\n\nKiss Miklos took farewell of his good friends, thanking them kindly\nfor their aid. When they were alone the Green Daughter of the Green\nKing fell to crying, and said: \"My heart's beautiful love, I know thou\nart taking me to that dog of a Lead Friend, and I would rather be the\nbride of death than of him.\"\n\n\"Oh, my heart's golden bird,\" said Miklos, \"I am taking thee for\nmyself; but thou canst not be mine till I know where the strength of\nthe Lead Friend lies. If we can discover that, it will be easy to\ndestroy him.\"\n\n\"If that is thy grief, my heart's heart,\" said she, \"I will soon help\nthee; leave that to me. Thou must know I am a woman.\"\n\nWith that Miklos and the princess kissed each other, and there was\nholy peace; they said: \"I am thine, thou art mine.\"\n\nThey travelled and journeyed across forty-nine kingdoms, till Kiss\nMiklos could say, \"We are at home,\"--for they were at the Lead\nFriend's mansion,--and could say to the princess, \"Come out of thy\ncoach; it won't cost thee a copper.\" Here the Lead Friend ran panting\nout of his mansion to the beautiful princess, but she turned from him.\nThis pleased not the Lead Friend, and though one word is not much, he\nuttered not that much, but brought her into the lead mansion in\nsilence.\n\nNext day at sunrise the Lead Friend had to go to his furnace, taking\nKiss Miklos with him. The young woman remained all alone. She took a\nlamp and started to search through the lead house. From chamber to\nchamber she went till she came to the cellar, but that was closed\nagainst her with seven iron doors. Now the question was to get into\nthe cellar. Another would not have been able to pass the first door,\nbut every iron door opened of itself before the magic of the Green\nDaughter of the Green King. She passed through the seven doors and\nentered the cellar. She saw there seven leaden vats placed in a row,\nand every one of them filled to the brim with gold and silver. She\ntook off her apron and filled it with gold, went up, summoned the\ngoldsmith, and gilded the lead threshold a hand in thickness. The Lead\nFriend was such a miser that he had not bread enough to eat, and every\nlittle coin he turned seven times between his teeth before he let it\ngo once from his hand.\n\nWell, in the evening the Lead Friend came home from his furnace, saw\nthe housekeeping and what the young woman had done. Then, 'pon my\nsoul! he plucked out his own lead beard and hair, trampled them like\ntow, and roared till the lead house was trembling.\n\n\"Who, in the name of a hundred thousand thunders, did this?\" asked the\nLead Friend.\n\n\"I did it,\" answered quite bravely the princess.\n\n\"How didst thou dare to do it without my knowledge,--without informing\nme?\" With that the Lead Friend went to the Green Daughter of the Green\nKing, and seized in his hand the golden hair which reached her heels.\nTwelve times did he drag her on the lead floor, and he wanted to take\nthe lead flail to her. Kiss Miklos did not permit that, but took the\nmaiden from his grasp and placed her on the silken bed. She was\nneither dead nor alive, but lay as a lifeless block of wood. But the\nGreen Daughter of the Green King had no more pain than good myself;\nbeing a magic woman, seest thou, she had much in her power.\n\nNow, what did she do? When the Lead Friend wound around his hand the\ngolden hair reaching to her heels, she suddenly sprang out of her\nskin, and a devil jumped into it. And if the Lead Friend had struck\nhim with the back of an axe, he would not have felt a dog's trouble;\nfor the more he was beaten the more he would have laughed.\n\nBut the Lead Friend was troubled; ragged, with torn hair, crying and\nweeping he entered the white chamber, where the princess was lying\nwithout life. He went to her; pushed her, but she waked not; talked\nto her, but she heard not; cried, but she listened not. At last he\nfound this to say: \"Wake, my heart's beautiful love; I will do all\nthat may please thee, but stop the gilding.\"\n\nThen the princess spoke up to the Lead Friend, \"I'll stop the gilding,\nbut tell where thy strength lies.\"\n\n\"Oh, my heart's beautiful love, I would rather part with life than\ntell that.\"\n\nWell, things remained thus. Next day at sunrise the Lead Friend went\nto his furnace, taking Kiss Miklos with him, for he lived in the\nsuspicion that Miklos and the Green Daughter of the Green King would\nplot together and strive for his destruction.\n\nThe bride remained alone; she took the lamp and turned straight to the\ncellar. The great iron doors opened before her and closed behind. When\nshe had passed the seven iron doors and entered the cellar, she spread\nher silk apron, and filled it with gold. Three times she returned, and\nthree times she bore away the same amount, so that the apron was\nalmost torn under it. Straightway she called the goldsmith and had the\nlead thresholds of three chambers gilded to the thickness of a hand.\nAnd as I say, the Lead Friend was so stingy that he did not eat bread\nenough, and every little coin he put seven[7] times between his teeth\nbefore he let it out of his hand once.\n\n    [7] It is three in the text, but this is probably a mistake; so\n    seven is put here to agree with p. 507.\n\nThe Lead Friend came home from his furnace towards evening, and saw\nthe housekeeping, and saw also that now not one but three thresholds\nwere gilded a hand's thickness. Here, 'pon my soul! the Lead Friend\nfell into such rage that he tore his own lead beard and hair out, and\ntrampled them as he would tow. Then he roared so terribly that the\nlead house quivered, and turning to the princess he asked: \"In the\nname of a hundred thousand devils, who did this?\"\n\n\"I did it,\" answered the princess quite bravely.\n\n\"How didst thou dare to do this without my knowledge and consent?\"\n\nWith that the Lead Friend seized the golden hair of the princess,\nwhich reached to her heels, and dragged her twelve times up and down\nthe lead floor, twelve times did he hurl her against the floor, then\nhe ran for the lead flail to kill her. Kiss Miklos would not let him\ndo that, but seized the maiden from his hands, and placed her on the\nsilken bed. The Green Daughter of the Green King was neither dead nor\nalive; she lay there still as a soulless block of wood. Still the\nprincess felt no more pain than good myself. She knew witchcraft, and\nwhatever she did or did not do, when the Lead Friend twisted her\ngolden hair in his hand, she jumped out of her skin in a twinkle, and\na devil got into it; if they had beaten him like a two-headed drum, or\neven more, he would have taken it as if they were fondling him.\n\nNow the Lead Friend was terribly sorry; ragged, with torn hair, he\nentered the white chamber weeping; he wept a long time; pushed the\nprincess, who waked not; spoke to her, she heard not; at last he found\nthis to say: \"Wake up, my heart's beautiful love; all thy desires will\nbe accomplished, only stop the gilding.\"\n\n\"I'll stop the gilding, but tell where thy strength lies.\"\n\n\"Oh, my heart's beautiful love, I would rather part with my life than\ntell that.\"\n\nNext day at sunrise the Lead Friend took Kiss Miklos to the furnace,\nlest while he was gone himself Miklos might go in secret and gather\nanother man's hay. The bride was alone again, and wanted nothing\nbetter. Again she took the lamp and went straight to the cellar, where\nshe opened her beautiful silk apron and filled it with gold,--took so\nmuch that the apron almost tore under it. She came seven times, and\neach time carried so much gold that her nose almost cut the earth,\nlike the coulter of a plough. Then she called a goldsmith, and gilded\nto a hand's thickness the thresholds of seven rooms.\n\nWhen the Lead Friend came home in the evening, he saw that not three\nbut seven thresholds had a hand's thickness of gold on them. Then he\nfell into such a rage that he tore his leaden beard and hair, and\ntrampled them as he would tow; but what good did that do him?--for he\nwas trampling his own. Then he roared till the lead house rattled, and\nin his fury he asked: \"A thousand million demons, who did this?\"\n\n\"I did it,\" answered the princess all bravely.\n\n\"How didst thou dare to do this without my knowledge or command?\"\n\nWith that he went in fury to the Green Daughter of the Green King,\nwound round his hand the golden hair which reached to her heels.\nTwelve times did he drag her over the leaden floor, twelve times did\nhe dash her against it, twelve times did he raise her aloft,--and that\nwas not enough; but he took out the lead flail, and began to thrash\nand beat the princess as if she were a bundle of wheat, so that she\nwas swimming in blood. Kiss Miklos took her from his hands and placed\nher on the silken bed, where she lay, neither dead nor alive, still as\na lifeless block.\n\nNow the Lead Friend grew terribly sorry, and making himself squalid\nlooking, he entered the white chamber, rushed to the princess, wept\nwithout ceasing, touched her but she woke not, spoke to her but she\nheard him not. At last he found this to say: \"Wake up, my heart's\nbeautiful love. I will tell where my strength lies. In the silken\nmeadow under the seventh bush is a hare, under the tail of the hare an\negg, in the egg a hornet, and in the hornet is hidden my strength, so\nthat I live as long as the hornet lives; if the hornet dies, I die\ntoo.\"\n\nThe Green Daughter of the Green King heard all these words clearly,\nbut acted as if she were neither dead nor alive,--lay there like a\nsoulless block.\n\nWell, 'pon my soul! what came of the affair or what did not, the\nprincess rose from her silken bed in the night-time, quietly, in one\ngarment; but she threw a great shawl around her neck, slipped out of\nthe gate, found Kiss Miklos, to whom her word and speech was this:\n\"Wake up, my heart's beautiful love, renowned Kiss Miklos, I know now\nwhere the strength of the Lead Friend lies; but listen to my word. In\nthe silken meadow under the seventh bush lies a hare, under the hare's\ntail is an egg, in the egg a hornet, in the hornet is the Lead\nFriend's strength. If thou kill the hornet, the Lead Friend will lose\nhis strength.\"\n\nOur Miklos wanted nought else. He turned himself at once into a hound,\ndrove the hare from the seventh bush of the silken meadow. The hare\nbegan to run, but the hound was not slow; with a long stick he struck\nthe egg from the hare's tail. The egg broke and the hornet flew out,\nbut the hound was not slow; with a great jump he caught the hornet,\nand crushed it to bits in his teeth. Then the hound shook himself and\nturned into Kiss Miklos again.\n\nAt daylight the Lead Friend was sick. He had lost his strength, he\ncould not move his hands or his feet, and lay groaning on his lead\ncouch like a man who had been pressing a straw-bed for seven years;\nand when the sun rose he breathed out his cursed soul.\n\nWho was more delighted at his death than our Kiss Miklos and the\nGreen Daughter of the Green King? Straightway they called a priest and\na hangman and an iron cap. The priest joined them, the hangman\nthrashed around, God's arrow flashed, but no one was struck. There was\nsoup plenty and to spare, lucky was the man who came with a spoon; the\nunhappy were happy; the gypsy fiddled, and the music spoke. When the\nfeasting and the poppy week had passed, Kiss Miklos and his consort\ntook a chariot of glass and gold, drawn by six black-haired steeds,\nand set out for Miklos's birthplace. Now, the shining sun had shone so\nsadly, and the bright moon had beamed so sadly that it could not be\nmore so; but the moment they beheld Miklos and his wife in the chariot\nof glass and gold, the bright sun shone joyously, and so did the clear\nmoon.\n\n\"What's this? what's this?\" said to himself the old king, who still\nrejoiced in good health. He summoned the wise men and the skilled\nscribes of the kingdom to his palace and gave them the following\nquestion: \"Explain to me this. It is seven years since the two sons of\nthe poor man brought back the bright moon and the shining sun; these\ntwo sons are now ruling kings,--may God keep them in health!--but the\nclear moon and the shining sun gave us such sorrowful light, and now\nall at once both are radiant.\"\n\nOne old man skilled in letters, and so old that his white beard almost\ncame to the earth, and he could not stand on his feet alone, but\nthree men supported him, spoke the following words: \"Haho! high lord,\nthere is great reason for this. The clear moon and the shining sun\nwere sad because the man who really freed them from the claws of the\ndragons was pinioned in bondage; and he is no other than the renowned\nKiss Miklos, the poor man's youngest son, who even at this moment is\ndriving to the king's palace with the Green Daughter of the Green\nKing, in a chariot drawn by six horses.\"\n\nThat moment Kiss Miklos and his wife entered the white chamber\ntogether. Here the lords and those great wise men all rose before\nthem, as did even the old king himself, who advancing embraced and\nkissed them, led them to his own purple velvet throne, seated them\nthereon, and turning to the wise men and the skilled scribes, asked\nthem, \"Who really deserves the kingdom, the elder brothers or Kiss\nMiklos?\"\n\nThe council said: \"Kiss Miklos.\"\n\nThen Miklos rose and said to the old king and the council: \"High king\nand worthy council, it is true that I deserve the kingdom, and I would\ntake it were I not the heir of the far-famed Lead Friend, and were it\nnot that the dominions of the Green King, after his death,--which from\nmy heart I wish not,--will come to me. This being the case the worthy\ncouncil can see, and thy Highness can see also, that I may not accept\nthe kingdom. Let it remain as it is,--let my eldest brother be king,\nand my second brother be viceroy; they are, I think, honorable men,\nand worthy.\"\n\nThe lords, sages, and skilled scribes present, as well as the old\nking, rose up and confirmed the wise speech of the youthful Kiss\nMiklos.\n\nThen the two brothers of Kiss Miklos--the king and the\nviceroy--entered; they embraced and kissed one another, and sacred was\nthe peace. After that, Kiss Miklos and his wife returned to the\ndomains of the Lead Friend, and after the death of the Green King,\nKiss Miklos inherited his dominions. And so he ruled two kingdoms very\nhappily; and he and the Green Daughter of the Green King are living\nyet, if they are not dead.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HEDGEHOG, THE MERCHANT, THE KING, AND THE POOR MAN.\n\n\nWhere there was, where there was not, it is enough that there was once\na merchant, there were also a king, and a poor man.\n\nOne day the merchant went out to hunt, and he travelled and journeyed\ntill, oh! my lord's son, he found himself in such a thick forest that\nhe saw neither the sky nor the earth; he just groped around like a\nblindman. Here, 'pon my soul! whether the merchant tried to free\nhimself by turning to the left or the right, he only went into a\nthicker place. When he was there five days, in hunger and thirst,\nstumbling about in the great wild wood without liberation, the\nmerchant called out:--\n\n\"Oh, my God, if any one would take me out of this great wild thicket\nto the right road, I would give him the best of my three daughters,\nand as a wedding gift three sacks of coin.\"\n\n\"I'll lead thee out right away,\" said some one before him.\n\nThe merchant looked to the right, to the left, but not a soul did he\nsee.\n\n\"Don't look around,\" said the certain one again, \"look under thy\nfeet.\"\n\nThe merchant then looked in front and saw that near his feet was a\nlittle hedgehog, and to him he directed then his word and speech.\n\"Well, if thou wilt lead me out, I will give thee my best daughter and\nthree sacks of coin; the first will be gold, the second silver, and\nthe third copper.\"\n\nThe hedgehog went on ahead, the merchant walked after. Soon they came\nout of the great wild wood. Then the hedgehog went back, and the\nmerchant turned his wagon-tongue homeward.\n\nNow the king went to hunt,--went in the same way as the merchant; and\nhe too was lost in the great wild wood. The king went to the right and\nthe left, tried in every way to free himself; all he gained was that\nhe came to a thicker and a darker place. He too stumbled around five\ndays in the thick wood, without food or drink. On the sixth morning\nthe king cried out: \"Oh, my God! if any one would free me from this\ndense wood, even if a worm, I would give him the most beautiful of my\ndaughters, and as a wedding gift three coaches full of coin.\"\n\n\"I'll lead thee out right away,\" said some one near him.\n\nThe king looked to the right, to the left, but saw not a soul.\n\n\"Why stare around? Look at thy feet; here I am.\"\n\nThe king then looked at his feet and saw a little hedgehog stretched\nout, and said to him: \"Well, hedgehog, if thou wilt lead me forth,\nI'll give thee the fairest of my daughters and three coaches full of\ncoin,--the first gold, the second silver, the third copper.\"\n\nThe hedgehog went ahead, the king followed, and in this way they soon\ncame out of the great wild wood. The hedgehog went back to his own\nplace; the king reached home in safety.\n\nVery well, a poor man went out for dry branches. He went like the\nmerchant and king, and he got astray, so that he wandered dry and\nhungry for five days in the great wild wood; and whether he turned to\nthe right or the left he gained only this, that he went deeper into\nthe denseness.\n\n\"My God,\" cried the poor man at last, \"send me a liberator! If he\nwould lead me out of this place, as I have neither gold nor silver, I\nwould take him as a son, and care for him as my own child.\"\n\n\"Well, my lord father, I'll lead thee out; only follow.\"\n\n\"Where art thou, dear son?\"\n\n\"Here, under thy feet; only look this way, my lord father.\"\n\nThe poor man looked near his feet, and saw a little hedgehog stretched\nout.\n\n\"Well, my dear son, lead me out and I'll keep my promise.\"\n\nThe hedgehog went ahead, the poor man followed, and soon they came\nout of the great wild wood. The hedgehog then went back to his own\nplace, and the poor man strolled home.\n\nWell, things remained thus till once after bedtime there was a\nknocking at the poor man's door. \"My lord father, rise up, open the\ndoor.\" The poor man, who was lying on the stove, heard only that some\none was knocking at the door.\n\n\"My lord father, rise up, open the door.\"\n\nThe poor man heard, and heard that some one was knocking and as he\nthought calling out: \"My lord father, rise up, open the door;\" but in\nhis world life he had never had a son. The third time he heard\nclearly, \"My lord father, rise up, open the door.\"\n\nThe poor man did not take this as a joke. He rose up and opened the\ndoor. My lord's son, who came in to him? No one else than the little\nhedgehog.\n\n\"God give a good evening to my lord father and to my mother as well,\"\nsaid the hedgehog.\n\n\"God receive thee, my dear son. Hast thou come then?\"\n\n\"I have indeed, as thou seest, my lord father; but I am very tired,\ntherefore wake up my mother and let her make a bed for me in my\nchamber.\"\n\nWhat was the poor man to do? He woke up his wife; she made a towering\nbed, and the hedgehog lay in it. In the morning the poor man and his\nwife sat down to breakfast. They did not wish to forget their adopted\nson, but gave him food on a wooden plate under a bench by the fire.\nThe hedgehog did not touch it. \"Well, my son,\" asked the poor man,\n\"why not eat?\"\n\n\"I do not eat, my lord father, because it is not proper to treat an\nadopted son like some orphan or another; therefore it beseems me not\nto eat all alone from a wooden plate under a bench at the fire. Seat\nme nicely at the table by thy side, put a tin plate before me, and\nplace my food on it.\"\n\nWhat was the poor man to do? He seated the Hedgehog at his side, put a\ntin plate before him, and measured out food on it; then the Hedgehog\nate with his father and mother. When they had finished breakfast the\nHedgehog spoke thuswise: \"Well, my lord father, hast thou a couple of\nthalers?\"\n\n\"I have.\"\n\n\"I suppose thou art keeping them to buy salt and wood with?\"\n\n\"Yes, my son.\"\n\n\"I speak not of that, I am speaking of this: lend me the money; I will\nreturn it a thousand-fold. Set not thy mind much on salt and wood now;\nbut go, my lord father, to the market. In such and such a place an old\nwoman has a black cock for sale; buy him of her. If she asks a small\nprice, give her double; for that will be my steed. When thou hast\nbought the cock for two prices, in such and such a place is a saddler;\ngo to him. In a corner of his shop is a cast-away, thrown-away,\nragged, torn saddle; buy that for me, but give him two prices also. If\nhe asks little, give him double.\"\n\nThe poor man put on his coat, put the two thalers in his pocket, went\nto the market, bought the black cock and the cast-away, thrown-away\nsaddle for two prices; each one for two small bits of money.\n\nThe Hedgehog then saddled the black cock with the cast-away,\nthrown-away saddle, sat upon him, and went to the court of the rich\nmerchant whom he had led out of the great wild wood; he knocked at the\ndoor and called: \"Hei, father-in-law, open the gate, let me in!\"\n\nThe rich merchant opened the gate in great wonder. Who was coming? No\none other than our Hedgehog, riding on a black cock.\n\n\"Hear me, rich merchant,\" began the Hedgehog; \"knowest thou thy\npromise? When I led thee out of the great wild wood, dost remember thy\npromise to give me the best of thy three daughters and three sacks of\ncoin? Now I have come for the maid and the money.\"\n\nWhat could the rich merchant do? He called his three daughters into\nthe white chamber, and turned to the Hedgehog, saying: \"Well, choose\namong the three the one who pleases thy eye, thy mouth, and thy\nheart.\"\n\nThe Hedgehog chose the second daughter, for she was the most beautiful\nof the three. The merchant then measured out three sacks of coin,--in\nthe first, as he had said, there was gold, in the second silver, in\nthe third copper; then he put his daughter and the three sacks of coin\nin a coach, to which four horses were attached, and he sent on her way\nhis most beautiful daughter, with the Hedgehog. They travelled and\njourneyed till the Hedgehog, who was riding at the side of the coach\non his black cock, came up, looked in through the window, and saw that\nthe bride was in tears.\n\n\"Why dost thou cry, why dost thou weep, my heart's beautiful love?\"\nasked the Hedgehog of the maiden.\n\n\"Why should I not cry, why should I not weep, when God has punished me\nwith such a nasty thing as thee?--for I know not whether thou art a\nman or a beast.\"\n\n\"If this is thy only trouble, my heart's beautiful love, we can easily\ncure it; I'll keep the three sacks of coin for myself, and thee I'll\nsend back to thy father, for I see that of me thou art not worthy.\"\n\nThus was it settled; the Hedgehog kept the three sacks of coin, but\nthe merchant's daughter he sent back to her father. The Hedgehog then\ntook the coin to the poor man, who became so rich that I think another\ncould not be found like him in seven villages.\n\nNow the Hedgehog plucked up courage, saddled his black cock, sat on\nhim, and rode away to the king, stood before him, and spoke in this\nfashion: \"Dost thou remember, king, that when I brought thee out of\nthe great wild wood, thou didst promise that if I would show the right\nroad thou wouldst give me the most beautiful of thy three daughters\nand fill for me three coaches, the first with gold, the second with\nsilver, and the third with copper coin? I am here so that thou mayest\nkeep thy word.\"\n\nThe king called his three daughters to the white chamber and said: \"I\nmade a promise, and this is it: to give one of my three daughters to\nthis Hedgehog as wife; I promised because the Hedgehog led me out of a\ngreat wild wood, in which I wandered for five days without food or\ndrink, and he saved me from certain death. Therefore say, my dear\ndaughters, which of you will agree to marry the Hedgehog.\"\n\nThe eldest daughter turned away, the second turned away also; but the\nyoungest and fairest spoke thus: \"If thou, my father the king, hast\nmade such a promise, I will marry him. Let the will of God be done if\nhe has appointed such a husband for me.\"\n\n\"Thou art my dearest and best daughter,\" said the king; and he kissed\nher again and again. Then the king measured out three coaches of coin,\nseated the princess in a chariot of gold and glass and started her on\nher journey, amid bitter tear-shedding, with the Hedgehog, who rode at\nthe side of the chariot on his black cock. They travelled and\njourneyed across forty-nine kingdoms till the Hedgehog rode up to the\nchariot, opened the window, looked in, and saw that the princess was\nnot weeping, but was in the best cheerful humor.\n\n\"Oh, my heart's beautiful love,\" said the princess, \"why art thou\nriding on that black cock? Better come here and sit at my side on the\nvelvet cushion.\"\n\n\"Thou art not afraid of me?\"\n\n\"I am not afraid.\"\n\n\"Thou art not disgusted with me?\"\n\n\"No; if God has given thee to me, then thou shouldst be mine.\"\n\n\"Thou art my only and most beloved wife!\" said the Hedgehog; and with\nthat he shook himself, and straightway turned into such a pearl-given,\ncharming, twenty-four-years-old king's son that tongue could not\ntell,--golden-haired, golden-mouthed, golden-toothed. And the black\ncock shook himself three times, and became such a golden-haired magic\nsteed that his equal would have to be sought for; the cast-away,\nthrown-away saddle became golden, everything on it was gold to the\nlast buckle.\n\nThe king's son then picked out the most beautiful place in the\nkingdom; standing in the middle of this he thought once, and suddenly\nthat instant there stood before him a copper-roofed marble palace,\nturning on a cock's foot, and in it every kind of the most varied and\nbeautiful golden furniture,--everything and everything was of gold,\nbeginning with the mirror-frame and ending with the cooking-spoon. The\nking's son conducted the beautiful golden bird--the fair\nprincess--into the pearl-given palace, where, like birds in a nest,\nthey lived in quiet harmony. When the merchant's three daughters and\nthe two elder princesses heard of the happiness of the youngest\nprincess,--how well she had married,--in their sorrow one of them\njumped into a well, another drowned herself in a hemp-pond, and a\nthird was drawn dead out of the river Tisza [Theiss]. In this way four\nof the maidens came to an evil end; but the second daughter of the\nmerchant gritted her teeth venomously at the princess, and made a firm\nand merciless resolve that she would imbitter her life's happiness.\nShe went therefore to the palace, and found service in the guise of an\nold woman. She, the devil-given, came at a critical time; for the\nBurkus king[8] had declared war against the king's son, and the\nprincess, while her husband was in the field, was left to the care of\nthe merchant's daughter, disguised as an old woman. Milk might as well\nbe confided to a cat as the princess to that cockroach of the\nunderground kingdom. While the king's son was gone, the Lord gave the\nprincess two beautiful children. The old woman packed them into a\nbasket, put them under a tree in the woods, then ran back to the\nprincess, who, recovering from a faint into which she had fallen,\nasked the old woman to give her the children so that she might embrace\nand kiss them.\n\n    [8] The Prussian king,--King of Prussia.\n\n\"High queen,\" answered the old woman, \"what is the use in delay or\ndenial? They were two untimely, hairy monsters, and to save thee from\nterror at sight of them, I threw both into the river.\"\n\nThe two children slept quietly under the tree till a white deer burst\nwith great noise through the thicket, went straight as if sent, and\ntaking the basket hung it on his antlers; then the white deer\ndisappeared in the forest, went on till he came to the bank of a\nstream, where he called three times. The Forest Maiden appeared as if\nby magic, took the basket with great delight, and ran panting into her\nown palace.\n\nThe two children were seven years with the Forest Maiden, who reared\nthem as carefully as if they had been her own.\n\nHere, 'pon my soul, what came of the affair, or what did not, the\nForest Maiden once sent the little girl with a green jug for water,\nand enjoined on her rigorously to be careful not to break the jug.\n\nThe little girl did not let this be said twice; she was obedient and\nattentive. She took the jug, and was at the well in a moment. When she\ncame, she saw a little golden bird flying around the well. Being a\nchild, she wanted to catch the golden bird, therefore ran around with\nthe jug in her hand till at last she saw that only the handle was\nleft. The little girl, terrified, burst into tears, sat at the edge of\nthe well, and cried there. The Forest Maiden waited and waited; but\nshe could not wait longer, therefore she sent the little brother with\na second jug, and told him sternly to be careful not to break the jug.\nThe little brother went in the same way, for he also, like children of\nthat age, barely saw the golden bird when he wanted to strike it with\nthe jug, which he whirled around till only the handle remained in his\nhand; then he burst into tears, sat by his sister, and there the two\nwere crying at the edge of the well.\n\nHere, 'pon my soul, the golden bird pitied the children, and asked:\n\"Why do ye cry? Why do ye weep, pretty children?\"\n\n\"Oh, pretty bird,\" answered the boy, who had more sense than his\nsister, \"why should we not cry? Why should we not weep? We shall be\nflogged for breaking the green jugs; our dear mother will whip us.\"\n\n\"Oh, my children, she is not your own mother! She is only your\nfoster-mother. Your father and mother live far from here,--beyond\nthose green mountains; so if ye will follow, I'll lead you home.\"\n\nThe two children wanted nothing else. They went back no more to their\nfoster-mother, for they would be flogged; but they followed the golden\nbird, which went always before them. And they travelled and journeyed\ntill once in a forest they came upon a great heap of gold; near the\ngold was a number of dice, as if some one had been playing there. The\nlittle boy and girl each took a handful of gold, and went farther.\nThey travelled and journeyed till they came to an inn; since they\nwere wearied, and it was evening, they went in to ask lodging. In the\ninn three lords were playing dice; the two children at first merely\nnoticed that they were playing. At last the boy took from his pocket\nthe handful of gold, and began to play in such fashion that he won all\nthe money of the three lords; and then one of them spoke thuswise:--\n\n\"Well, my dear son, I see that thou hast good luck. I have in a\ncertain place a charming flower-garden; in the middle of the garden is\na marble palace, and the palace has this peculiarity,--if it is struck\non the side three times with this golden rod, it will turn into a\ngolden apple; and thou mayest put down the marble palace and the\nflower-garden in any part of the world if thou wilt strike the golden\napple with the small end of the golden rod. I will bet now this\nflower-garden and this marble palace; if thou canst win, they'll be\nthine.\"\n\nThe little boy agreed; and he won fortunately the flower-garden and\nthe marble palace. The other then gave him the golden rod, and showed\nhim where the garden and the palace were. Next morning the children\nsought out the garden and the palace, which the boy struck three times\non the side, and it turned to a golden apple; he put the apple in his\npocket, and strolled on homeward. The little golden bird flew always\nahead of them. They travelled and journeyed till one time the golden\nbird stopped and said:--\n\n\"Well, dear children, now we are at home; put down the golden apple\non this spot and strike it three times with the rod, and ye will see\nwhat a beautiful marble palace and flowery garden there will be,\nspeaking to the seven kingdoms. The report of the palace and garden\nwill circulate immediately, and the king himself will come to look at\nthem. Him ye must honor as your father, for thou my little boy art the\nking's son, and thou my little girl the king's daughter. Dear\nchildren, here in a golden frame is a picture which gives your arms\nand name. Hang in the palace this picture, in the best place; but lest\nit be seen, cover it with velvet, and show it to no man save your own\nfather. When he asks what that picture is, draw the velvet from it,\nand the rest will follow.\"\n\nSo it happened; the two children hung up the picture in the best room\nof the marble palace, and covered it with velvet. Now, the report ran\nto distant parts of the kingdom that there was a charming and\nwonderful marble palace in such and such a place, and people hastened\nfrom the seventh province distant to look at it; so that the report\ncame to the ears of the king himself. The king decided straightway to\nlook at the flowery garden and marble palace; but he had hardly\nconceived the idea when the old woman gave him a drug. The king fell\nill, and could not see the flowery garden and marble palace; and then\nthe old woman, without invitation, stood before the king and said:\n\"High king, if thou art so curious to see this flowery garden and\nmarble palace, then I will go and see if they are as beautiful as\nreport says, and tell the story to thy Highness.\"\n\nThe king in one way or another agreed, and the old woman went, not to\nsee the garden, but to bring the two children to evil destruction; the\nwicked creature tried but succeeded not, for her weapons broke. Not to\nconfound one word with another, I will tell the whole tale in order\nand accuracy.\n\nThe old witch had barely reached the famous flower-garden when the two\nchildren hurried before her and showed everything from root to top,\nand the old piece of leather began to talk thus: \"It is true that the\ngarden is beautiful, but it would be seven times more beautiful if ye\nwould bring the world-sounding tree.\"\n\n\"What must be done to get that?\" asked the little boy.\n\n\"Not other than this,\" answered the old skeleton: \"In such and such a\nplace, in an enchanted palace, is the world-sounding tree; but ye must\ngo for it and bring it.\"\n\nWith that the old witch took farewell of the two children, and\nstrolled home; but the boy had no peace from that hour. He wanted to\ngo and bring the world-sounding tree; therefore taking farewell of his\nsister with bitter tear-shedding he set out for the tree. He was going\nand travelling across forty-nine kingdoms till he came to a dark\ncastle; this was the first enchanted castle. A big, lame, hairy devil\nstood there on guard with a fearful whip, so that no man might enter.\nThe hairy devil shouted very angrily at our boy: \"Stop! Who is there?\"\n\n\"I,\" answered the little boy.\n\n\"Who is 'I'?\"\n\n\"I.\"\n\n\"Art thou Yanoshka?\" asked the devil.\n\n\"I am.\"\n\n\"What journey art thou on?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-beautifully sounding tree. Hast thou not\nheard of it, my lord elder brother?\"\n\n\"I have not heard of it; but in such and such a place my brother\nstands guard, and if he has not heard of it, then no one in the world\nhas.\"\n\nYanoshka went forward on the right road in search of the\nworld-sounding tree. He travelled and journeyed till he came to\nanother enchanted dark castle; there a big, lame, hairy devil was\nstanding on guard who shouted to our Yanoshka in great anger. Our\nYanoshka was much braver now, for he knew he had nothing to fear.\n\n\"Who is it?\" called out the devil.\n\n\"I.\"\n\n\"Art thou Yanoshka?\"\n\n\"I am, at the service of my lord elder brother.\"\n\n\"Why art thou journeying here in this strange land, where even a bird\ndoes not go?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-beautifully sounding tree. Hast thou not\nheard of it, my lord elder brother?\"\n\n\"What is the use in delay or denial? I have not heard; but in such and\nsuch a place my eldest brother is on guard, and if he knows nothing of\nit, then no one in the world knows.\"\n\nWith this Yanoshka moved on towards the third enchanted castle; when\nhe came, there was a big, lame, hairy devil on guard, who called out\nin great anger to Yanoshka: \"Who is that?\"\n\n\"I.\"\n\n\"Thou art Yanoshka?\"\n\n\"I am.\"\n\n\"Why art thou journeying here in this strange land, where even a bird\ndoes not go?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-beautifully sounding tree. Hast thou not\nheard of it, my lord elder brother?\"\n\n\"Ho, ho, Yanoshka! of course I have; it is here in the garden of this\nenchanted palace. Thou mayest take it, but only if thou obey my words.\nIf thou dost not value them or dost not observe them, thou wilt never\nsee God's bright sky or the shining day again. I only want to say\nthis: Here is a golden rod; strike the wall of the enchanted castle\nwith it three times. Straightway a door will open before thee. In the\nvery middle of the garden thou wilt find the world-beautifully\nsounding tree. Go around it three times and then hurry like a shot\narrow, with the speed of a dog, or the stone wall will close, and thou\nwilt remain inside; and if thou art once shut in, God have mercy and\npity on thee, for that instant thou wilt be turned to stone. This is\nmy word and speech; if thou cling to it, thou wilt be lucky; if not,\nthou wilt be wretched forever.\"\n\nThe boy took the golden rod and struck the side of the enchanted\ncastle with it. That instant the door opened before him. The king's\nson did not inquire much whether he might enter or not; in a moment he\nran in through the door and straight to the garden. Every kind of\nsinging and dancing maidens came to meet him,--some with citharas and\nharps; some played on cymbals and begged him to play and dance with\nthem; some offered rich food and drink of every kind agreeable to the\ntaste. But the king's son had no mind to eat or drink; he pushed aside\nthe maidens and ran to the very centre of the garden, where the\nworld-beautifully sounding tree was; then he went around it three\ntimes, turning toward the point whence he had come. That done he\nrushed from the garden, and a thousand times lucky was he. It was not\nthe same for him to be a few minutes later, for the door closed and\nbit off the heel of his boot; but he did not care much about the heel\nof his boot. He ran home on the same road over which he had come; and\nwhen he arrived, the world-beautifully sounding tree was in the middle\nof the flowery garden. Hitherto the flowery garden had been in good\nfame, but now the fame was seven times greater, so that people came\nfrom seven worlds to look at the tree; and the report of it reached\nthe king himself, who determined in his mind if he had not seen it yet\nhe would now at least go to see it.\n\nAs soon as the old witch divined his thought she put a powder in his\ncoffee so that he became sick, and was not able to leave the room;\nthen she stood before him without invitation, and said: \"High king, as\nthy Highness is sick, I will go to see if the world-sounding tree is\nas beautiful as reported, and will soon bring back word.\"\n\nThe king in one way or another agreed to the old witch's proposal, and\nlet her go to see the world-beautifully sounding tree. She had barely\nput foot in the flowery garden when the two children ran out to her to\nhear what the old woman would say this time.\n\n\"Beautiful children,\" said she, \"beautiful is the garden of itself,\nbeautiful is the sounding tree, but still seven times more beautiful\nwould it be if the world-sweetly speaking bird were to sing upon it.\"\n\n\"What must I do?\" asked the little boy.\n\n\"Nothing else,\" answered the old witch, \"than this: In such and such a\nplace is an enchanted castle, and thence it would be necessary to\nbring the world-sweetly speaking bird.\"\n\nThen she went back; and from that hour the king's son could not remain\nat home, but planned to go for the world-sweetly speaking bird.\nTherefore, parting with his sister amidst bitter tear-shedding, he\nstarted through the kingdom and the world to bring home the sweetly\nspeaking bird; but he enjoined on his sister that if the third day he\nwere not at home, she should set out to seek him over a certain\nroad,--and with that the king's son went his way.\n\nHe journeyed and travelled across forty-nine kingdoms to the first\nenchanted castle, where there stood on guard a big hairy devil, who\nhad a terribly large whip in his hand, to kill, without pity or mercy,\nevery man going up or down. Now, the hairy devil attacked Yanoshka\nsharply and roughly, thus:--\n\n\"Who art thou?\"\n\n\"I, my lord elder brother.\"\n\n\"Who art thou?\" asked the devil again.\n\n\"I.\"\n\n\"Art thou Yanoshka?\"\n\n\"I am.\"\n\n\"Why art thou here in this strange land, where even a bird does not\ngo?\"\n\n\"I am going for the world-sweetly speaking bird. Hast thou heard of\nit, my lord elder brother?\"\n\n\"What is the use in delay or denial? I have not indeed heard. But over\nthere lives my elder brother; if he knows nothing of it, then no one\nin the world knows.\"\n\nNow the king's son came to the second enchanted castle; the second\ndevil sent him to his eldest brother, the big lame devil.\n\nWhen Yanoshka came to the third castle, the devil asked, \"Why art\nthou here in this strange land, where even a bird does not go?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-sweetly speaking bird. Hast thou not heard\nof it, lord elder brother, in thy world-beautiful life?\"\n\n\"Of course I have; it is here in this enchanted castle. Thou mayest\ntake it away if thou wilt listen to my word; if not, better thou hadst\nnever been born. For if thou wilt not observe my words, thou wilt\nnever see God's bright sun again. I only wish to say: Here is a golden\nrod; take it, and with it strike the wall of the enchanted castle\nthree times. Straightway the door will open before thee; pass in, run\nto the end of the glass corridor and across eight chambers. In the\nninth chamber is the world-sweetly speaking bird in a rusty cage. Thou\nwilt find there every kind of beautiful and more beautiful golden\nbirds, but look not at them, listen not to them, take no one of them,\nbut take the sweetly speaking bird sitting sadly in the rusty cage.\nSnatch the cage in an instant, and rush from the enchanted castle as\nif thou hadst been shot from a cannon.\"\n\nThe king's son took the golden rod and struck the wall of the\nenchanted castle with it three times, and in a twinkle the door opened\nbefore him. The king's son then asked few questions. Whether it was\npermitted or not he ran into the room in an instant. While he was\nrunning to the end of the glass corridor he was called by name, from\nthe right to the left, to stop. It is true that he was frightened, but\nhe paid no heed. He ran straight to the first chamber. Every kind of\nflowers, more and more beautiful, were in golden pots; but the king's\nson did not touch them. He ran to the second chamber. In that were all\nkinds of swords and guns, but he did not choose from them. He entered\nthe third, fourth, fifth, and in this way till he came to the ninth\nchamber. The ninth chamber, as the devil had told him, was full of all\nkinds of golden and silver cages, and in them golden-feathered birds,\nmore and more beautiful, were singing; but the world-sweetly speaking\nbird was drooping there sadly in a rusty cage, and was not singing.\n\nAs the world-sweetly speaking bird was not golden-feathered like the\nothers, it did not please the king's son, and he did not take it, but\nchose from among the many golden-feathered birds the prettiest, and\nwished to take that; but as he reached towards it, suddenly, in the\ntwinkle of an eye, he was turned to stone, and the door of the stone\nwall closed before him.\n\nNow, the little princess every God-given day spread the table for her\ngood brother, but he did not come. Every God-given evening she went\nout before the house and waited till nearly midnight; then she spread\nthe bed for him, but he did not lie in it. So the first day passed,\nand the second, and the third,--day after day, but still the dear\nbrother came not; therefore the princess, crying and weeping, went\nout to look for her brother. She journeyed and travelled upon his\ntrail till she came to the first enchanted castle, and the second, and\nat last the third. The devil there stood on guard, with a great whip\nlike a chain, so as to strike on the head, without pity or mercy,\nevery one going up or down; and he shouted angrily at the little girl,\n\"Who art thou?\"\n\n\"I.\"\n\n\"Thou art Marishka?\" For meanwhile, let it be said, this was the name\nof the king's son's sister.\n\n\"I am.\"\n\n\"Why art thou travelling in this strange land, where not even a bird\ngoes?\"\n\n\"I am looking for my brother. Hast thou not heard of him, lord elder\nbrother?\"\n\n\"Of course I have heard,--of course! He is in this enchanted castle,\nturned into stone; he had to be, for he would not obey me. Thou wilt\ngo that way, too, if thou wilt not hold to my word.\"\n\nNow the little girl took the golden rod from the devil, who told her\nwhat to do with it, and struck the wall of the enchanted castle with\nit three times. The door opened before her in a twinkle, the princess\nran in; but she looked neither to the right nor the left. She ran\nstraight to the ninth chamber; there she took the rusty cage, struck\nher brother three times on the side with the rod, then ran as if shot\nfrom a cannon. And a thousand-fold was her luck that she did not\ndelay an eye-twinkle longer, for the stone-wall door, as it was, cut\nthe edge of her skirt off when it closed.\n\nThe princess had barely come out of the enchanted castle when she\nheard behind her frightful thundering, hammering and blowing, swearing\nand cursing, with threats; they shouted after her: \"Wait,\nthou!--this-and-that-kind-of-wretch, it will soon be bitter for thee!\"\nBut she did not turn to them; she ran like a hunted deer till she\nreached home. Who was waiting for her there? No one else but her dear\nbrother.\n\nThe brother and sister then put up the sweetly speaking bird on the\nworld-beautifully sounding tree, and the sweetly speaking bird spoke,\nsang more sweetly than any cithara, so that whoever heard it became\nten years younger. If the flowery garden had been famous before, it\nnow stood in seven times greater fame, so that from seven kingdoms the\npeople came to look at it; and the king, hearing of the fair fame of\nthe flowery garden, resolved in his mind that, though he had not gone\nyet, he would go to see it now.\n\nThe old witch barely divined this intention of the king when she gave\nhim powders in black coffee, from which the king became so sick that\nthis time, too, his visit to the beautiful garden came to nothing. And\nthen the old woman, without invitation, stood before him, and said:\n\"High king, thou hast such a great desire to see the flowery garden, I\nwill go at once, and bring back word if its beauty is as great as its\nfame.\"\n\nThe king agreed, and the old woman went to see the flowery garden. She\nhad barely put foot in it when the two children ran out to meet her,\nreceived her very cordially, and did not know where to seat her.\n\n\"Beautiful children,\" began the old sinner, \"the marble palace is\nbeautiful, the flowery garden is beautiful, the world-sweetly speaking\nbird is beautiful; but the flowery garden would be still more\nbeautiful if the silver lake were flowing in it, and in the lake\ngolden fish were playing.\"\n\n\"What must I do to get the lake?\" asked the king's son.\n\n\"Only this,\" answered the old skeleton. \"In a certain place, in an\nenchanted castle, is the world-silver lake, and in it the world-golden\nfish; it is only necessary to go for the silver lake, for the golden\nfish will come in it. All that is needed is to bring the lake.\"\n\nThen the old woman took leave of the pair pleasantly, and went home.\nBut the king's son from that day had no rest, so he took leave of his\ndear sister, and went out into the world for the silver lake. He\ntravelled and journeyed across forty-nine kingdoms, and the Operentsia\nSea, till he came to the first enchanted castle. A devil was guarding\nthere, who sent him to his elder brother, and he to his eldest. The\nking's son arrived at the third enchanted palace. A devil stood guard\nthere, with an enormous knotty club, to hit every man going up or\ndown, without mercy or pity.\n\n\"God give thee good evening, my lord elder brother.\"\n\n\"God receive thee, Yanoshka; whither art thou faring in this strange\nland, where not even a bird goes?\"\n\n\"I am looking for the world-silver lake. Hast thou not heard of it,\nlord elder brother?\"\n\n\"Of course I have heard,--of course; it is here in this enchanted\ncastle. But, my younger brother, thou wilt have to tie up thy drawers\nwell if 'tis thy wish to take that away; for if thou dost not obey my\nword, I tell thee, on my true soul, that thou wilt reach Pilate by\nsupper-time. I wish to say this: Here is a golden rod; strike the side\nof the enchanted palace with it, and suddenly the door will open\nbefore thee, run in straight to the garden. Thou wilt hear thy name\ncalled, but listen not. Every kind of beautiful maiden will come\nbefore thee, offering meat and drink; but eat not, neither drink. Thou\nwilt find on the way every kind of rich thing,--gold, silver,\ndiamonds,--but touch nothing. Then every kind of disgusting snake and\ntoad will come out, but be not afraid; run straight to the silver\nlake, which flows in the garden, run around it three times towards\nhome, and then run out as thou didst go in.\"\n\nWell, the king's son took the golden rod, struck the side of the\nenchanted castle three times, and the door opened before him;\nscarcely had he put foot inside when maidens called him by name. \"This\nway, this way, Yanoshka! Eat, drink, with relish, Yanoshka! This way,\nYanoshka, my embracing two arms are open to thee, run no farther!\"\n\nThe king's son, as if deaf, did not listen, but ran farther. Then\nmaidens more and more beautiful came before him,--some sprang at him,\ndangled their golden hair in his face; the king's son did not stop,\nbut struck at them rudely, rushing on. He had barely left the maidens\nwhen he fell on to piles of treasure thrown in his way: beaten gold\nwas piled high, and milk-white silver coin,--here every kind of\ndiamond ring, there swords set in diamonds; but the king's son touched\nnothing, and ran on. Then every kind of crawling, creeping thing\nswarmed around him,--here hissing snakes, there warty toads. Yanoshka\nlooked not under his feet, but ran till he came to the silver lake,\naround which he rushed three times, and went out as he had come. A\nthousand-fold was his fortune, for had he been an instant later the\nstone wall would have closed before him; as it was it took the heel\noff his boot, but he cared nothing for that. He left his boots there\nand ran home barefoot; when he reached home the silver lake was\nalready flowing through the flowery garden, and in it all kinds of\nprecious golden fish were jumping.\n\nHitherto the marble palace and the flowery garden with the sounding\ntree and the sweetly speaking bird had been in fair fame, but now,\nwhen the silver lake was flowing through the garden, and golden fish\nplaying in it, now I say their fame spoke to the seven worlds, and\npeople came to look at them. When this reached the ears of the king he\nresolved that he would neither eat nor drink till he saw the marble\npalace with all its wonders. Though the old witch offered him black\ncoffee repeatedly, the king did not take it; but sitting in the golden\ncarriage with his wife, he drove to see the flowery garden.\n\nScarcely had the king and queen entered the flowery garden when the\nbrother and sister ran out before them, panting, and kissed their\nhands.\n\n\"Oh, father, this little girl is like thee!\" cried the queen; \"she is\nthy carved second!\"\n\n\"And the little boy looks like thee,\" answered the king.\n\nWell, the king and the queen went around the garden in order, and they\ncould not do justice to its beauty; when they saw the sounding tree\nand the sweetly speaking bird, they clapped their hands. The boy went\nup in a moment on the sounding tree, plucked from it a couple of\ngolden apples, gave one to the king and the other to the queen, who\ncould not praise sufficiently his kindness. Then the king and queen\nlooked at the silver lake and the golden fish in it; they visited the\nmarble palace, and went from chamber to chamber till they had gone\nthrough seven in order.\n\nThe king and queen were unable to praise sufficiently the beauty of\nthe rooms; but when they came to the most beautiful of all, the king\nfound this to say, speaking speech: \"Well, my little servant, wilt\nthou not answer a question of mine?\"\n\n\"And what is it?\" asked the prince.\n\n\"I should like to know why that picture is covered with velvet, and\nwhat it depicts.\"\n\nOne word is not much, but the king's little son did not say that much;\nspeechless he drew the velvet covering aside. The king and queen were\namazed, and knew their own children, whom they had never seen before.\nOne embraced one of them, and the other the other; they could not\nspeak, but they wept and laughed, and then the world-sounding tree and\nthe sweetly speaking bird were heard.\n\nGreat was the rejoicing of every kind, but sad grew the old sinner\nwhen the king seized her, made her fast to a tree, and piled up\nbeneath her a fire of sulphur.\n\n\n\n\nNOTES.\n\n\nLetters in the Russian names and titles in this volume have the\nfollowing values:--\n\n    ~a~             as _a_                in  hat\n    ~ai~            as _ai_               in bait\n    ~i~ accented    as _ee_               in beet\n    ~j~ accented    as             the French _J_\n    ~kh~ and ~h~    as _ch_  in the Gaelic _loch_\n    ~o~ accented    as _o_                in bone\n    ~o~ unaccented  as _u_                in full\n    ~u~             as _oo_               in moon\n\nIn this volume Russian names and titles without printed accents are\naccented on the penult. Names and titles accented on syllables other\nthan the penult have the accents indicated in the following list:--\n\n    Ad\u00f3r\n    Afr\u00f3n\n    Andr\u00f3novich\n    Baba-Yag\u00e1\n    Bul\u00e1t\n    Dolm\u00e1t\n    Fed\u00f3t\n    Gor\u00f3h\n    Gosud\u00e1r\n    Iv\u00e1n\n    Iv\u00e1nushka\n    Kirb\u00edt\n    Kirb\u00edtyevna\n    Sime\u00f3n\n    Svaitoz\u00e1r\n    V\u00f3ronovich\n    Y\u00e9lena\n\nThe few titles in the Russian tales are:--\n\n    Tsarevich,   _Tsar's son_.\n    Tsarevna,    _Tsar's daughter_.\n    Tsaritsa,    _Tsar's wife_.\n    Korolyevna,  _King's daughter, princess_.\n\nIn Chekh and Magyar the accent is always on the first syllable.\n\nIn the Magyar consonantal combinations _cs_ = _ch_, _gy_ = _dy_,\n_s_ = _sh_. Examples are Csako, pronounced Chako,--one of the cows\nsold by the poor man to the King of the Crows. This is a name given\nin Hungary to a cow with horns grown outward. Kiss Miklos,\npronounced Kish Miklosh, means in English Nicholas Little. Magyar\nis pronounced Modyor, the unaccented _a_ in Magyar being the\nequivalent, or nearly so, of our _o_.\n\nThe Russian myth-tales in this volume are all taken from\nAfanasyeff's[9] collection. At the end of each title are given, in\nparentheses, the part and page of the tale in the original work.\n\n    [9] The Russian title of Afanasyeff's work is, \"Nar\u00f3dniya\n    R\u00fasskiya Skazki. A. N. Afan\u00e1sieva, Moskv\u00e1.\" There are eight\n    parts, usually bound in three volumes, and dated 1860-61-63.\n\n\nThe Three Kingdoms,--The Copper, the Silver, and the Golden. Page 1.\n(Part vii. p. 97.)\n\nThe first name, that of the Tsar Bail Bailyanyin, is best translated\nas \"White of White Land.\" There is in Russian mythology a lady of\nunspeakable beauty, Nastasya or Anastasya of the sea, who causes the\nsun to blush twice each day; she is perhaps the Nastasya, Golden\nTress, of this story. Bail Bailyanyin, \"White of White Land,\" may well\nbe Bail Bog, the White God of pre-Christian Russians. And here a few\nwords touching the persistence of myth-conceptions may not be out of\nplace. In the tales of the Indians, and in fact of all men who have\nretained firm traces of primitive thought, the people of the\nmyth-tellers are on the side of light and goodness, and their enemies\non that of darkness and harm. This is parallel with the antithesis of\nday and night. The Russian phrases _baili dyen_, _baili svait_, \"white\nday,\" \"white world,\" are good examples of the old-time idea with which\nis connected, in all likelihood, the title Baili Tsar, \"the White\nTsar,\" still existent in Russia.\n\n\nIvan Tsarevich, The Fire-Bird, and the Gray Wolf. Page 20. (Part vii.\np. 121.)\n\nThe variants of this tale among the Russians and other Slavs, as well\nas in Germany, are many, and would fill a volume of good size if\ncollected and published. In some Russian variants Ivan Tsarevich\nretains Yelena the Beautiful, not through the art and friendship of\nthe Wolf, but by his own craft and daring. When he has received the\ngolden-maned steed in exchange for Yelena, and is going, he asks to\ntake leave of the maiden; the request is granted. He raises the beauty\nto the saddle-bow, puts spurs to the steed, rises in the air, shoots\non above the standing forest, below the moving cloud, vanishes, holds\non his way till he comes to the Tsar to whom he had promised to give\nthe steed for the Fire-Bird. When the time comes for parting he asks\nto take a last ride on the steed, if only through the court-yard; the\nTsar agrees. Ivan mounts with the cage in his hand; the steed rises as\nbefore, and he vanishes, comes to the place where he had left Yelena,\nand fares homeward with her till he meets his evil brothers.\n\n\nIvan the Peasant's Son and the Little Man Himself One-finger Tall, his\nMustache Seven Versts in Length. Page 37. (Part viii. p. 109.)\n\n[Written down in the government of Saratoff, by Gusk\u00f3ff.]\n\nIn this tale we have Freezer and Great Eater, with powers exhibited on\na smaller scale than those of the comrades of Kiss Miklos in the\nMagyar myth. The picture of the boat serving for the reality has its\nparallel quite frequently in Indian belief.\n\n\nThe Feather of Bright Finist the Falcon. Page 47. (Part viii. p. 1.)\n\nWritten down in the government of Vologda.\n\n\nThe Pig with Gold Bristles, the Deer with Golden Horns, and the\nGolden-Maned Steed with Golden Tail. Page 59. (Part ii. p. 268.)\n\nWritten down in the government of Voronej.\n\n\nWater of Youth, Water of Life, and Water of Death. Page 72. (Part vii.\np. 66.)\n\nThe sleeping maiden in this tale, with her slumbering host, reminds us\nat once of the Queen of Tubber Tintye in \"The King of Erin and the\nQueen of Lonesome Island.\" See \"Myths and Folk-lore of Ireland.\"\n\n\nThe Footless and Blind Champions. Page 82. (Part v. p. 164.)\n\nThis tale has many variants in Russian, and resembles the Br\u00fcnhilde\nand Gunter story in the \"Niebelungen Lied.\"\n\n\nThe Three Kingdoms. Page 97. (Part viii. p. 91.)\n\nThis story is remarkable for the change or metamorphosis of Raven, the\ngreat power, into a common raven after his defeat by Ivan Tsarevich\nand the surrender of the feather staff.\n\nRaven is a great personage in American mythology, especially in that\nof the Modocs. Whenever he appeared and uttered his spell with an\nominous laugh, everything was turned to stone. There are many rock\ngroups of Eastern Oregon described in the myths as ancient mighty\npersonages turned into stone by Raven. As soon as the body became\nstone, however, the spirit escaped, and took physical form in some\nother place. Over the spirit, Raven had no power.\n\n\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death. Page 106. (Part vii. p. 72.)\n\n[Written down in the government of Archangel.]\n\nThis name has been translated, but incorrectly, Koshch\u00e9i, the\n\"Deathless\" or \"Immortal.\" Koshch\u00e9i was not deathless. His death was\nin the world, but in a place apart from him, which is simply another\nway of saying that the source of his life was at a distance. We may\nfind in this fact one very important clew to the discovery of the\nnature of personages like Koshch\u00e9i. No matter how they are cut up or\nslaughtered, where they act, they are alive and as strong as ever next\ninstant; it is as vain to try to kill them by attacking their bodies\nas it is to destroy winter by making bonfires in the open country, or\ndestroy the summer by artificial cooling. There are two ways by which\nwe may draw conclusions as to who these personages are,--one by\ndiscovering what or where their life or death is, the other by\nexamining their acts. We do not know much at present about Koshch\u00e9i,\nfrom the fact that his death is in a duck's egg; but if we could learn\nwho the women are whom he carries away, that would throw light on his\ncharacter. Let us take an American example. There is a personage,\nWinter, in a certain Indian myth whose heart is hidden away at a\ndistance, and whose song brings frost and snow. The heart is found by\nthe enemy of the Snow-maker; this enemy burns it, and the Snow-maker\ndies. In another Indian myth the hero's enemy is pounded to pieces,\nbut comes to life, is killed repeatedly without result. At last the\nhero learns that his enemy's heart is in the sky, at the western side\nof the sun at midday; straightway he reaches up, gets the heart,\ncrushes it, and his enemy dies. In this case the enemy is surely not a\nsnow-maker.\n\n\nVassilissa Golden Tress, Bareheaded Beauty. Page 124. (Part viii. p.\n367.)\n\n[Written down by Bronnitski.]\n\nThe name of the Tsar Svaitozar means \"light-shining,\" \"resplendent.\"\n\nThe wise blacksmith of the Savage Serpent receives a reward from Ivan\nTsarevich similar to that given by Cuc\u00falin to the Strong Smith in\n\"Myths and Folk-lore of Ireland;\" he is made king.\n\n\nThe Ring with Twelve Screws. Page 137. (Part viii. p. 541.)\n\n\nThe Footless and the Blind. Page 149. (Part viii. p. 191.)\n\nThe struggle to the bitter end between Nikita and Yelena the Beautiful\nis well brought out in this tale.\n\n\nKoshch\u00e9i Without-Death. Page 165. (Part viii. p. 69.)\n\nFor an interesting parallel to this tale, see \"Phakir Chand\" in\n\"Folk-tales of Bengal,\" by the Rev. Lal Behari Day.\n\n\nGo to the Verge of Destruction and Bring Back Shmat-Razum. Page 179.\n(Part vii. p. 38.)\n\nIn the original text the last task given by the king is to go \"I know\nnot where and bring back I know not what.\" Shmat-Razum is a variant.\n\n\nMarya Morevna. Page 203. (Part viii. p. 98.)\n\n_Morevna_ means \"daughter of the sea.\"\n\nThis is a very fine tale, in which the ancient characters are well\npreserved. Koshch\u00e9i Without-Death, however, has his death with him\nthis time.\n\n\nYelena the Wise. Page 218. (Part vii. p. 304.)\n\n\nThe Seven Simeons, Full Brothers. Page 228. (Part i. p. 370.)\n\nThe Simeons remind us at once of the brothers in \"Fin MacCumhail, the\nSeven Brothers, and the King of France.\" See \"Myths and Folk-lore of\nIreland.\"\n\n\nThe Enchanted Princess. Page 238. (Part viii. p. 138.)\n\nThis tale contains a good deal of myth material. Specially interesting\nis the withering of the trees when the soldier is put to sleep, and\ntheir budding forth when South Wind brings him back.\n\n\nVassilissa the Cunning, and the Tsar of the Sea. Page 249. (Part vi.\np. 218.)\n\nVassilissa is written Vasilisa in Russian. I have doubled the _s_ to\nassist the reader, but regret now that I did not preserve the Russian\northography and call attention to the pronunciation.\n\nTsar Unchristened Forehead is in the original text, and Tsar of the\nSea is given as a variant. I have taken the variant, which is\nundoubtedly earlier than the name in the text. The battle between\nbeasts and birds in the beginning of the tale is very curious. In\nIndian mythology struggles between beasts and birds are common; not,\nhowever, beasts and birds of the present kind, but the beings who\nlived before men appeared, and who fell from their former high places,\nbecoming such beasts and birds as those that we see now. The eagle in\nthis story corresponds in character to the mythologic birds before\ntheir fall.\n\nIt is noteworthy that the struggles for superiority in Indian myths\nare not carried on through fighting (the usual method in Aryan myths),\nbut through trials of skill, strength, dexterity,--through playing\nball, dice, foot-races, wrestling, and shooting. The opponents always\nbet their heads, and the head of the losing party is cut off without\ndelay.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe \"Chekh Myths and Folk-Tales,\" except \"The Cuirassier and the\nHorned Princess,\" are taken from a work in two parts called,\n\"Folk-Tales,\" by J. K. z. Radostova.[10] Prague, 1872.\n\n    [10] N\u00e1rodn\u00ed Poh\u00e1dky, od J. K. z. Radostova. V. Praze, 1872.\n\nBoyislav, Youngest of Twelve. (Part ii. p. 241.)\n\nThe Table, the Pack, and the Bag. (Part i. p. 81.)\n\nThe King of the Toads. (Part i. p. 133.)\n\nThe Mouse-hole, and the Underground Kingdom. (In the original,\n\"Mouse-Hole.\" Part ii. p. 361.)\n\nThe Treacherous Brothers. (Part ii. p. 321.)\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\"The Cuirassier and the Horned Princess\" (in the original, \"Concerning\na Cuirassier\") is taken from \"Moravian Folk-Tales, Stories, Customs,\nand Beliefs,\" collected and written down by Benesh Method Kulda.[11]\nPrague, 1874. This work is in two parts.\n\n    [11] Moravsk\u00e9 N\u00e1rodn\u00ed Poh\u00e1dky, Pov\u011bst\u00ed, Oby\u010deje a Pov\u011bry sebral\n    a napsal. Bene\u0161 Method Kulda. V. Praze, 1874.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe \"Magyar Myths and Folk-Tales\" are taken from the following\nsources,--\n\n\nFrom \"Original Folk-Tales of the Sayo Valley,\" collected by L\u00e1szl\u00f3\nMer\u00e9nyi.[12] (2 parts).\n\n    [12] Sajov\u00f6lgyi Eredeti N\u00e9pmes\u00e9k \u00d6sszegy\u00fcjt\u00f6tte. Mer\u00e9nyi L\u00e1szl\u00f3.\n    Pest, 1862.\n\nThe Poor Man, and the King of the Crows. (Part ii. p. 113.)\n\nKiss Miklos, and the Green Daughter of the Green King. (In the\noriginal, \"The Lead Friend.\" Part i. p. 1.)\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nFrom \"Original Folk-Tales,\" collected by L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Mer\u00e9nyi.[13] Pest,\n1861. (2 parts).\n\n    [13] Eredeti N\u00e9pmes\u00e9k \u00d6sszegy\u00fcjt\u00f6tte. Mer\u00e9nyi L\u00e1szl\u00f3. Pest,\n    1861.\n\nThe Reed Maiden. (Part ii. p. 35.)\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nFrom \"Original Folk-Tales of the Danube Border,\" collected by L\u00e1szl\u00f3\nMer\u00e9nyi.[14] (2 parts).\n\n    [14] Dunamell\u00e9ki Eredeti N\u00e9pmes\u00e9k \u00d6sszegy\u00fcjt\u00f6tte. Mer\u00e9nyi\n    L\u00e1szl\u00f3. Pest, 1864.\n\nThe Useless Wagoner. (Part ii. p. 143.)\n\nThe Hedgehog, the Merchant, the King, and the Poor Man. (In the\noriginal, \"The Hedgehog.\" Part ii. p. 5.)\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nFrom \"Wild Roses. A Collection of the Mental Creations of the Sekler\nPeople,\" by Yanosh Kriza.[15] Klausenburg, 1863. (Volume I., all, I\nbelieve, that was published, contains ballads songs, and tales.)\n\n    [15] Vadr\u00f3sz\u00e1k, Sz\u00e9kely N\u00e9pk\u00f6lt\u00e9si Gy\u00fcjtem\u00e9ny. Szerkeszti Kriza\n    J\u00e1nos. Kolozsvartt, 1863.\n\nMirko, the King's Son. (Part i. p. 436.)\n\nThis beautiful tale was printed in the Keresturfiszek variety of\nSekler Magyar, and has not been put into ordinary Magyar, so far as I\nknow.\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note\n\nArchaic and variant spelling is preserved as printed.\n\nMinor punctuation errors have been repaired.\n\nHyphenation has been made consistent.\n\nAssuming typographic errors, the following amendments have been made:\n\n    Page 100--kingdom amended to Kingdom--... was the Tsaritsa of the\n    Golden Kingdom, ...\n\n    Page 169--pursurers amended to pursuers--... went some versts,\n    and met pursuers twice as many; ...\n\n    Page 212--Baga-Yaga amended to Baba-Yaga--... crossed the fiery\n    river, and went to Baba-Yaga.\n\n    Page 221--pited amended to pitied--... pitied the poor\n    prisoners, ...\n\n    Page 232--anwered amended to answered--... answered the seventh\n    Simeon, ...\n\n    Page 244--Greeting amended to Greetings--\"Greetings to thee,\n    grandmother!...\"\n\n    Page 245--Greeting amended to Greetings--\"Greetings to thee,\n    grandmother!...\"\n\n    Page 263--Spendid amended to Splendid--\"Splendid fellow!\" said\n    the Tsar; ...\n\nDitto marks in the notes section at the end of the book have been\nreplaced with the appropriate word(s) in each case.","title":"Myths and Folk-tales of the Russians, Western Slavs, and Magyars","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":139705}