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RUSSIAN AND UKRAINE FOLK TALES YUDIANTO RACHWONO

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Page 1: Russian Folk Tales

RUSSIAN AND UKRAINE FOLK TALES

YUDIANTO RACHWONO

Page 2: Russian Folk Tales

Baba Yaga

Once upon a time there was a man and woman

who had an only daughter. When his wife died,

the man took another. But the wicked stepmother

took a dislike to the girl, beat her hard and

wondered how to be rid of her forever. One day

the father went off somewhere and the stepmother

said to the girl, "Go to your aunt, to my sister, and

ask her for a needle and thread to sew you a

blouse." The aunt was really Baba Yaga, the bony

witch.

Now, the little girl was not stupid and she first

went to her own aunt for advice. "Good morrow.

Auntie," she said. "Mother has sent me to her

sister for a needle and thread to sew me a blouse.

What should I do?" The aunt told her what to do.

"My dear niece," she said. "You will find a birch-

tree there that will lash your face; you must tie it

with a ribbon. You will find gates that will creak

and bang; you must pour oil on the hinges. You

will find dogs that will try to rip you apart; you

must throw them fresh rolls. You will find a cat

that will try to scratch your eyes out; you must

give her some ham." The little girl went off,

walked and walked and finally came to the witch's

abode.

There stood a hut, and inside sat Baba Yaga, the

bony witch, spinning. "Good day. Auntie," said

the little girl. "Good day, dearie," the witch

replied. "Mother sent me for a needle and thread

to sew me a blouse," said the girl. "Very well,"

Baba Yaga said. "Sit down and weave." The girl

sat at the loom. then Baba Yaga went out and told

her serving-maid, "Go and heat up the bath-house

and give my niece a good wash; I want to eat her

for breakfast." The serving-maid did as she was

bid; and the poor little girl sat there half dead with

fright, begging, "Oh, please, dear serving-maid,

don't bum the wood, pour water on instead, and

carry the water in a sieve." And she gave the maid

a kerchief.

Meanwhile Baba Yaga was waiting; she went to

the window and asked, "Are you weaving, dear

niece? Are you weaving, my dear?" "I'm weaving,

Auntie," the girl replied, "I'm weaving, my dear."

When Baba Yaga moved away from the window,

the little girl gave some ham to the cat and asked

her whether there was any escape. At once the cat

replied, "Here is a comb and towel. Take them and

run away. Baba Yaga will chase you; put your ear

to the ground and, when you hear her coming,

throw down the towel—and a wide, wide river

will appear. And if she crosses the river and starts

to catch you up, put your ear to the ground again

and, when you hear her coming close, throw down

your comb — and a dense forest will appear. She

won't be able to get through that."

The little girl took the towel and comb and ran. As

she ran from the house, the dogs tried to tear her

to pieces, but she tossed them the fresh rolls and

they let her pass. The gates tried to bang shut, but

she poured some oil on the hinges, and they let her

through. The birch-tree tried to lash her face, but

she tied it with a ribbon, and it let her pass. In the

meantime, the cat sat down at the loom to

weave—though, truth to tell, she tangled it all up

instead. Now and then Baba Yaga would come to

the window and call, "Are you weaving, dear

niece? Are you weaving, my dear?" And the cat

would answer in a low voice, "I'm weaving.

Auntie. I'm weaving, my dear."

The witch rushed into the hut and saw that the girl

was gone. She gave the cat a good beating and

scolded her for not scratching out the girl's eyes.

But the cat answered her, "I've served you for

years, yet you've never even given me a bone, but

she gave me some ham." Baba Yaga then turned

on the dogs, the gates, the birch-tree and the

serving-maid, and set to thrashing and scolding

them all. But the dogs said to her, "We've served

you for years, yet you've never even thrown us a

burnt crust, but she gave us fresh rolls." And the

gates said, "We've served you for years, yet you've

never even poured water on our hinges, but she

oiled them for us." And the birch-tree said, "I've

served you for years, yet you've never even tied

me up with thread, but she tied me with a ribbon."

And the serving-maid said, "I've served you for

years, yet you've never even given me a rag, but

she gave me a kerchief."

Crimson flower

Once upon a time in a far away land a merchant

was preparing to set out on a long journey. This

merchant had three daughters, and he asked all of

them what they would like as gifts for themselves

when he returned from his voyage. The first

daughter requested a golden crown, and the

second one wanted a crystal mirror. The third

daughter asked only for "the little scarlet flower."

Page 3: Russian Folk Tales

2

The merchant set out on his journey. It did not

take him very long to find a beautiful golden

crown and a fine crystal mirror. He had difficulty

however, finding the third gift, the scarlet flower.

He searched everywhere, and eventually his

search led him into a magical forest. Deep within

these woods there was situated a palace, in whose

courtyard grew a beautiful flower. As the

merchant drew closer to the flower he realized

what it was, the scarlet flower. Cautiously, the

merchant picked the flower that his youngest

daughter wanted so badly. Upon picking the

scarlet flower he was confronted by a hideous

beast, who demanded that in return for picking the

flower the merchant must send one of his

daughters deep into the enchanted forest, to live

with the beast forever.

Upon recieving the scarlet flower, the merchant's

youngest daughter agreed to go to the beast. She

journeyed alone into the forest and found the

castle where she would dwell forever. For a time,

she lived there very happily. The beast had not

revealed himself to her, and showered her daily

with kindness and gifts. She started to grow quite

fond of her invisible keeper, and one day asked

that he show himself. The beast reluctantly gave

into her plea, and just as he had feared, she

recoiled in terror at the site of him.

That night the girl had a haughnting dream about

her father falling deathly ill. She begged the beast

to release her, so that she could find her dying

father. Touched by her concern, the beast released

her on one condition - that she return to him in

three days time. The girl found her father, and

prepared to return to the beast in the alloted time.

However, her sisters altered the time on the

clocks, making her arrive late. There upon her

arrival the girl was horrified at what she

encountered. The beast was dead, lying there

clutching her scarlet flower. Heartbroken, the girl

embraced the dead beast, and declared her love for

him. Having done this, she unknowingly broke the

evil spell, and her beloved beast awoke, turning

into a handsome prince.

They lived happily ever after

Daughter and Stepdaughter

Ukrainian folk tail

A widowed peasant with a daughter married a

widow who also had a daughter:

so they each had a stepchild. The stepmother was

a wicked woman and constantly nagged the old

man, 'Take your daughter off to the forest, to a

hut. She'll spin more yam there." What could he

do? He did as the woman said, carted his daughter

off to the forest hut and gave her steel, flint and

tinder, and a bag of millet, saying, "Here is fire;

keep the fire burning and the porridge boiling, sit

and spin, and let no one in."

Night fell. The maid heated the stove, cooked the

porridge, and suddenly heard a little mouse say,

"Maid, Maid, give me a spoonful of porridge."

"Oh, little mouse," she cried, "stay and talk to me:

I'll give you more than a spoonful of porridge, I'll

feed you to your heart's content." So the mouse ate

his fill and left. In the night a bear broke in,

calling, "Come on, girl, put out the light and let's

play blindman's buff."

The mouse came scampering up to the maid's

shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Don't be

afraid. Say yes, then put out the light and crawl

under the stove, and I'll run about ringing a little

bell." And the game began. The bear started to

chase the mouse, but could not catch him; he soon

began to holler and hurl logs at him; he hurled one

after the other, but kept missing, and he grew

tired. "You are good at playing blindman' s buff,

little girl," he said. "I will send you a drove of

horses and a cartload of good things in the

morning."

Next morning the old man's wife said, "Go and

see how much yam the girl has spun since

yesterday, old man." So off he set, while his wife

sat waiting for him to bring back his daughter's

bones! By and by the dog began to bark. "Bow-

wow- wow! The old man is coming with his

daughter driving a drove of horses and bringing a

cartload of good things." "You're lying, fleabag!"

Page 4: Russian Folk Tales

3

shouted the step- mother. "Those are her bones

rattling and clanking in the cart." The gate

creaked, the horses raced into the yard, and there

were the old man and his daughter sitting in the

cart. With a cartload of good things! The woman's

eyes gleamed with greed. "That's a pittance!" she

cried. "Take my daughter to the forest for the

night: she'll come home driving two droves of

horses with two cartloads of good things."

The peasant drove his wife's daughter Natasha to

the hut and provided her with food and fire. At

nightfall she cooked porridge for herself. Out

came the little mouse asking for a spoonful of

porridge. But Natasha cried. "Be off. you pest!"

And she threw the spoon at him. The mouse ran

away. Natasha gobbled up the porridge all by

herself, put out the light and lay down in a corner.

At midnight the bear broke in. crying. "Hey.

where are you, girl? Let's have a game of

blindman's buff." The maid was silent, only her

teeth chattering from fear. "Ah. there you are."

cried the bear. "Here. take this little bell and run.

I'll try to catch you." Her hand trembling, she took

the little bell and could not stop it ringing. Out of

the darkness came the mouse's voice. 'The wicked

girl will soon be dead!"

Next morning the woman sent her husband to the

forest, saying, "Go and help my daughter drive

back two droves of horses with two cartloads of

good things." The peasant went off, leaving his

wife waiting at the gate. The dog began to bark.

"Bow-wow-wow! The mistress's girl is coming:

her bones are rattling in the bag, the old man's

sitting on the nag!" "You're lying, fleabag," cried

the dame. "My daughter's driving droves and

bringing loads." But when she looked up, there

was the old man at the gate, handing her a bundle.

When she opened it and saw the bones, she began

to rant and rage so much she died next day from

grief and fury. The old man lived out his life in

peace with his daughter; and with a wealthy son-

in-law, too.

Emelya and the Pike

Once upon a time there lived an old man who had

three sons, two of them clever young men and the

third, Emelya, a fool. The two elder brothers were

always at work, while Emelya lay on the stove

ledge all day long with not a care in the world.

One day the two brothers rode away to market,

and their wives said:

“Go and fetch some water, Emelya.”

And Emelya, lying on the stove ledge, replied:

“Not I. I don’t want to.”

“Go, Emelya, or your brothers will bring no

presents for you from the market.”

“Oh, all right then.”

Down climbed Emelya from the stove, put on his

boots and caftan and, taking along two pails and

an axe, went to the river.

He cut a hole in the ice with his axe, scooped up

two pailfuls of water, put down the pails and

himself bent down to look into the ice-hole. He

looked and he looked and what did he see but a

Pike swimming in the water. Out shot his arm, and

there was the Pike in his hands.

“We’H have some fine pike soup for dinner

today!” he exclaimed, delighted.

But the Pike suddenly spoke up in a human voice

and said:

“Let me go,’ Emelya, and I’ll do you a good turn,

too, some day “ Emelya only laughed.

“What good turn could you do me? No, I think I’ll

take you home and tell my sisters-in-law to make

some soup. I do so love pike soup.”

But the Pike fell to begging him again and said:

“Do let me go, Emelya, and I’ll do anything you

wish.”

“All right,” Emelya replied, “only first you must

prove you aren’t trying to fool me.”

Said the Pike: “Tell me what you want, Emelya.”

“I want my pails to go home all by themselves

without spilling a drop of water.”

Page 5: Russian Folk Tales

4

“Very well, Emelya,” the Pike said. “Whenever

you wish something, you have only to say:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like’, and it will all be

done at once.”

And Emelya, nothing loath, said: “By will of the

Pike, do as I like! Off you go home, pails, by

yourselves!”

O nce upon a time there lived an old man who had

three sons, two of them clever young men and the

third, Emelya, a fool. The two elder brothers were

always at work, while Emelya lay on the stove

ledge all day long with not a care in the world.One

day the two brothers rode away to market, and

their wives said:

“Go and fetch some water, Emelya.”

And Emelya, lying on the stove ledge, replied:

“Not 1. I don’t want to.”

“Go, Emelya, or your brothers will bring no

presents for you from the market.”

“Oh, all right then.”

Down climbed Emelya from the stove, put on his

boots and caftan and, taking along two pails and

an axe, went to the river.

He cut a hole in the ice with his axe, scooped up

two pailfuls of water, put down the pails and

himself bent down to look into the ice-hole. He

looked and he looked and what did he see but a

Pike swimming in the water. Out shot his arm, and

there was the Pike in his hands.

“We’H have some fine pike soup for dinner

today!” he exclaimed, delighted.

But the Pike suddenly spoke up in a human voice

and said:

“Let me go,’ Emelya, and I’ll do you a good turn,

too, some day “

Emelya only laughed.

“What good turn could you do me? No, I think I’ll

take you home and tell my sisters-in-law to make

some soup. I do so love pike soup.”

But the Pike fell to begging him again and said:

"Do let me go, Emelya, and I’ll do anything you

wish.”

“All right,” Emelya replied, “only first you must

prove you aren’t trying to fool me.”

Said the Pike: “Tell me what you want, Emelya.”

“I want my pails to go home all by themselves

without spilling adrop of water.”

“Very well, Emelya,” the Pike said. “Whenever

you wish some-thing, you have only to say:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like’, and it will all be

done at once.”

And Emelya, nothing loath, said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Off you go

home, pails, by yourselves!”

And, lo and behold! the pails turned and marched

up the hill. Emelya put the Pike back into the ice-

hole and himself walked after his pails.

On went the pails along the village street, and the

villagers stood round and marvelled while Emelya

followed the pails, chuckling. The pails marched

straight into Emelya’s hut and jumped up on the

bench, and Emelya climbed up on to the stove

ledge again.

A long time passed by and a little time, and his

sisters-in-law said to Emelya:

“Why are you lying there, Emelya? Go and chop

us some wood.”

“Not I.I don’t want to,” Emelya said.

“If you don’t do what we say, your brothers will

bring no presents for you from the market.”

Emelya. was loath to leave the stove ledge. He

remembered the

Page 6: Russian Folk Tales

5

Pike and said under his breath:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Go and chop

some wood, axe, and you, wood, come inside the

house and jump into the stove.”

And lo! the axe leapt out from under the bench

and into the yard and began to chop the wood, and

the logs filed into the hut all by themselves and

jumped into the stove.

A long time passed by and a little time, and his

sister-in-law said to Emelva:

“We have no more wood, Emelva. Go to the forest

and cut some.”

And Emelya, lolling on the stove, replied:

“Andwhatareyou herefor?”

“What do you mean by that, Emelya?” the women

said. “Surelv it’s not out business to go to the

forest for wood.”

“But I don’t much want to do it,” Emelva said.

“Well, then you won’t get any presents,” they told

him.

There was no help for it, so Emelya climbed down

from the stove and put on his boots and caftan. He

took a length of rope and an axe, came out into the

yard and, getting into the sledee; cried:

“Open the gates, women!”

And his sisters-in-law said to him:

“What are you doing in the sledge, fool? You

haven’t harnessed the horse yet.”

“I can do without the horse,” Emelya replied.

His sisters-in-law opened the gate and Emelya

said under his breath:

“By will of the Pike; do as I like! Off you go to

the forest, sledge’” And, lo and behold? the sledge

whizzed out through the gate so quickly that one

could scarcely have caught up with it even on

horseback.

Now the way to the forest lay through a town. and

the sledge knocked down many people. The

townsfolk cried: “Hold him! Catch him’” But

Emelya paid no heed and only urged the sledge on

to go the faster.

He came to the forest, stopped the sledge and said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I hke! Cut some dry

wood, axe, and you. faggots, climb into the sledge

and bind yourselves together.”

And, lo and behold ! the axe began to hack and

split the dry wood, and the faggots dropped into

the sledge one by one and bound themselves

together. Emelya then ordered the axe to cut him a

cudgel, so heavy that one could scarcely lift it. He

got up on top of his load and said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Off you go

home, sledge!”

And the sledge drove off very fast indeed. Emelya

again passed through the town where he had

knocked down so many people, and there they

were all ready and waiting for him. They seized

him, pulled him out of the sledge and began to

curse and to beat him.

Seeing that he was in a bad plight, Emelya said

under his breath:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Come, cudgel,

give them a good thrashing!”

And the cudgel sprang up and laid to, right and

left. The townsfolk took to their heels and Emelya

went home and climbed up on the stove again.

A long time passed by and a little time, and the

Tsar heard of Emelya’s doings and sent one of his

officers to find him and bring him to the palace.

The officer came to Emelya’s village, entered his

hut and asked him:

“Are you Emelya the Fool?”

And Emelya replied from the stove ledge:

“What if I am?”

Page 7: Russian Folk Tales

6

“Dress quickly and I shall take you to the Tsar’s

palace.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want to go,” Emelya said.

The officer flew into a temper and struck Emelya

in the face. And Emelya said under his breath:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Come, cudgel,

give him a good thrashing.”

And out the cudgel jumped and beat the officer so

that it was all he could do to drag himself back to

the palace.

The Tsar was much surprised to learn that his

officer had not been able to get the better

ofEmelya and he sent for the greatest of his

nobles.

“Find Emelya and bring him to my palace or I’ll

have your head chopped off,” he said.

The great noble bought a store of raisins and

prunes and honey cakes, and then he came to the

selfsame village and into the selfsame hut and he

asked Emelya’s sisters-in-law what it was Emelya

liked best.

“Emelya likes to be spoken to kindly,” they said.

“He will do anything you want if only you are

gentle with him and promise him a red caftan for a

present.”

The great noble then gave Emelya the raisins,

prunes and honey cakes he had brought, and said:

“Please, Emelya, why do you lie on the stove

ledge? Come with me to the Tsar’s palace.”

“I’m well enough where I am,” Emelya replied.

“Ah, Emelya, the Tsar will feast you on

sweetmeats and wines. Do let us go to the palace.”

“Not I. I don’t want to,” Emelya replied.

“But, Emelya, the Tsar will give you a fine red

caftan for a present and a pair of boots.”

Emelya thought for a while and then he said:

“Very well, then, I shall come. Only you must go

on alone and I shall by follow by and by.”

The noble rode away and Emelya lay on the stove

a while longer said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Off you go to

the Tsar’s palace, stove!”

And lo! the corners of the hut began to crack, the

roof swayed, a wall crashed down and the stove

whipped off all by itself into the street and down

the road and made straight for the Tsar’s palace.

The Tsar looked out of the window and marvelled.

“What is that?” he asked.

And the great noble replied:

“That is Emelya riding on his stove to your

palace.”

The Tsar stepped out on his porch and said:

“I have had many complaints about you, Emelya.

It seems you have knocked down many people.”

“Why did they get in the way of my sledge ?” said

Emelya.

Now, the Tsar’s daughter Tsarevna Marya was

loolong out of the palace window just then, and

when Emelya saw her, he said under his breath:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Let the Tsar’s

daughter fall in love with me.”

And he added:

“Go home, stove!”

The stove turned and made straight for Emelya’s

village. It whisked into the hut and went back to

its place, and Emelya lay on fhe stove ledge as

before.

Meanwhile, there were tears and wails in the

palace. Tsarevna Marya was crying her eyes out

for Emelya. She told her father she could not live

without him and begged him to let her marry

Emelya. The Tsar was much troubled and grieved

and he said to the great noble:

Page 8: Russian Folk Tales

7

“Go and bring Emelya here, dead or alive. Do not

fail, or I’ll have your head chopped off.”

The great noble bought many kinds of dainties and

sweet wines and set off for Emelya’s village

again. He entered the selfsame hut and he began to

feast Emelya royally.

Emelya had his fill of the good food and the wine,

and his head swimming, lay down and fell asleep.

And the noble put the sleeping Emelya into his

carriage and rode off with him to the Tsar’s

palace.

The Tsar at once ordered a large barrel bound with

iron hoops to be brought in. Emelya and Tsarevna

Marya were placed into it and the barrel was

tarred and cast into the sea.

A long time passed by and a little time, and

Emelya awoke. Finding himself in darkness and

closely confined, he said:

“Where am I?”

And Tsarevna Marya replied:

“Sad and dreary is our lot, Emelya my love! They

have put us in a tarred barrel and cast us into the

blue sea.”

“And who are you?” Emelya asked.

“I am Tsarevna Marya.”

Said Emelya:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Come, o wild

winds, cast the barrel on to the dry shore and let it

rest on the yellow sand!”

And, lo and behold! the wild winds began to blow,

the sea became troubled and the barrel was cast on

to the dry shore and it came to rest on the yellow

sand. Out stepped Emelya and Tsarevna Marya,

and Tsarevna Marya said:

“Where are we going to live, Emelya my love? Do

build us a hut of some kind.”

“Not I. I don’t want to,” Emelya replied.

But she begged and begged and at last he said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Let a palace of

stone with a roof of gold be built!”

And no sooner were the words out of his mouth

than a stone palace with a roof of gold rose up

before them. Round it there spread a green garden,

where flowers bloomed and birds sang. Tsarevna

Marya and Emelya came into the palace and sat

down by the window. Said Tsarevna Marya:

“Oh, Emelya, couldn’t you become a little more

handsome?”

And-Emelya did not think long before he said:

“By will of the Pike, do as I like! Change me into

a tall and handsome man.”

And lo! Emelya turned into a youth as fair as the

sky at dawn, the handsomest youth that ever was

born.

Now about that time the Tsar went hunting and he

saw a palace where one had never been seen

before.

“What dolt has dared to build a palace on my

ground?” he asked, and he sent hig messengers to

learn who the culprit was.

The Tsar’s messengers ran to the palace, stood

under the window and called to Emelya, asking

him to tell them who he was.

“Tell the Tsar to come and visit me, and he shall

hear from my lips who I am,” Emelya replied.

The Tsar did as Emelya bade, and Emelya met

him at the palace gate, led him into the palace,

seated him at his table and feasted him royally.

The Tsar ate and drank and marvelled.

“Who are you, my good fellow?” he asked at last.

“Do you remember Emelya the Fool who came to

visit you on top of a stove?” Emelya said. “Do

you remember how you had him put in a tarred

barrel together with your daughter Tsarevna

Marya and cast into the sea? Well, I am that same

Emelya. If I choose, I can set fire to your whole

tsardom and level it with the ground.”

Page 9: Russian Folk Tales

8

The Tsar was very frightened and he begged

Emelya to forgive him.

“You can have my daughter in marriage and you

can have my tsardom, too, only spare me,

Emelya,” said he.

Then such a grand feast was held as the world had

never seen. Emelya married Tsarevna Marya and

began to rule the realm and they both lived

happily ever after.

And that is my faithful tale’s end, while he who

listened is my own true friend

Father Frost

In a far-away country, somewhere in Russia, there

lived a stepmother who had a stepdaughter and

also a daughter of her own. Her own daughter was

dear to her, and always whatever she did the

mother was the first to praise her, to pet her; but

there was but little praise for the stepdaughter;

although good and kind, she had no other reward

than reproach. What on earth could have been

done? The wind blows, but stops blowing at

times; the wicked woman never knows how to

stop her wickedness. One bright cold day the

stepmother said to her husband:

"Now, old man, I want thee to take thy daughter

away from my eyes, away from my ears. Thou

shalt not take her to thy people into a warm izba.

Thou shalt take her into the wide, wide fields to

the crackling frost."

The old father grew sad, began even to weep, but

nevertheless helped the young girl into the sleigh.

He wished to cover her with a sheepskin in order

to protect her from the cold; however, he did not

do it. He was afraid; his wife was watching them

out of the window. And so he went with his lovely

daughter into the wide, wide fields; drove her

nearly to the woods, left her there alone, and

speedily drove away—he was a good man and did

not care to see his daughter's death.

Alone, quite alone, remained the sweet girl.

Broken-hearted and terror-stricken she repeated

fervently all the prayers she knew.

Father Frost, the almighty sovereign at that place,

clad in furs, with a long, long, white beard and a

shining crown on his white head, approached

nearer and nearer, looked at this beautiful guest of

his and asked:

"Dost thou know me?—me, the red-nosed Frost?"

"Be welcome, Father Frost," answered gently the

young girl. "I hope our heavenly Lord sent thee

for my sinful soul."

"Art thou comfortable, sweet child?" again asked

the Frost. He was exceedingly pleased with her

looks and mild manners.

"Indeed I am," answered the girl, almost out of

breath from cold.

And the Frost, cheerful and bright, kept crackling

in the branches until the air became icy, but the

good-natured girl kept repeating:

"I am very comfortable, dear Father Frost."

But the Frost, however, knew all about the

weakness of human beings; he knew very well

that few of them are really good and kind; but he

knew no one of them even could struggle too long

against the power of Frost, the king of winter. The

kindness of the gentle girl charmed old Frost so

much that he made the decision to treat her

differently from others, and gave her a large heavy

trunk filled with many beautiful, beautiful things.

He gave her a rich "schouba" lined with precious

furs; he gave her silk quilts— light like feathers

and warm as a mother's lap. What a rich girl she

became and how many magnificent garments she

received! And besides all, old Frost gave her a

blue "sarafan" ornamented with silver and pearls.

When the young girl put it on she became such a

beautiful maiden that even the sun smiled at her.

The stepmother was in the kitchen busy baking

pancakes for the meal which it is the custom to

give to the priests and friends after the usual

service for the dead.

"Now, old man," said the wife to the husband, '' go

down to the wide fields and bring the body of thy

daughter; we will bury her."

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The old man went off. And the little dog in the

corner wagged his tail and said:

"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter is

on her way home, beautiful and happy as never

before, and the old woman's daughter is wicked as

ever before."

"Keep still, stupid beast!" shouted the stepmother,

and struck the little dog.

"Here, take this pancake, eat it and say, 'The old

woman's daughter will be married soon and the

old man's daughter shall be buried soon.'" The dog

ate the pancake and began anew:

"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter is

coming home wealthy and happy as never before,

and the old woman's daughter is somewhere

around as homely and wicked as ever before."

The old woman was furious at the dog, but in spite

of pancakes and whipping, the dog repeated the

same words over and over again.

Somebody opened the gate, voices were heard

laughing and talking outside. The old woman

looked out and sat down in amazement. The

stepdaughter was there like a princess, bright and

happy in the most beautiful garments, and behind

her the old father had hardly strength enough to

carry the heavy, heavy trunk with the rich outfit.

"Old man!" called the stepmother, impatiently;

"hitch our best horses to our best sleigh, and drive

my daughter to the very same place in the wide,

wide fields."

The old man obeyed as usual and took his

stepdaughter to the same place and left her alone.

Old Frost was there; he looked at his new guest.

"Art thou comfortable, fair maiden?" asked the

red-nosed sovereign.

"Let me alone," harshly answered the girl; "canst

thou not see that my feet and my hands are about

stiff from the cold?"

The Frost kept crackling and asking questions for

quite a while, but obtaining no polite answer

became angry and froze the girl to death.

"Old man, go for my daughter; take the best

horses; be careful; do not upset the sleigh; do not

lose the trunk."

And the little dog in the corner said:

"Bow-wow! bow-wow! the old man's daughter

will marry soon; the old woman's daughter shall

be buried soon."

"Do not lie. Here is a cake; eat it and say, 'The old

woman's daughter is clad in silver and gold.'"

The gate opened, the old woman ran out and

kissed the stiff frozen lips of her daughter. She

wept and wept, but there was no help, and she

understood at last that through her own

wickedness and envy her child had perished

Fenist the Bright Falcon

Once upon a time there lived a peasant. His wife

died and left him three daughters. The old man

wanted to hire a servant-girl to help about the

house, but his youngest daughter Maryushka said:

"Don't hire a servant, Father, I shall keep house

alone."

And so his daughter Maryushka began keeping

house, and a fine housekeeper she made. There

was nothing she could not do, and all she did she

did splendidly. Her father loved Maryushka dearly

and was glad to have such a clever and hard-

working daughter. And how lovely she was! But

her two sisters were ugly creatures, full of envy

and greed, always paint-ed and powdered and

dressed in their best. They spent all day putting on

new gowns and trying to look better than they

really were. But nothing ever pleased them long --

neither gowns, nor shawls, nor high-heeled

boots.Now, one day the old man set out to market

and he asked his daughters:

"What shall I buy you, dear daughters, what shall I

please you with?"

"Buy us each a kerchief," said the two elder

daughters. "And mind it has big flowers on it done

in gold."

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But his youngest daughter Maryushka stood silent,

so the father asked her:

"And what would you like, Maryushka?"

"Dear Father, buy me a feather of Fenist the

Bright Falcon."

By and by the father came back with the kerchiefs,

but the feather he had not found.

After a while the man went to market again.

"Well, daughters, make your orders," said he.

And the two elder daughters replied eagerly: "Buy

each of us a pair of silver-studded boots."

But Maryushka said again: "Dear Father, buy me a

feather of Fenist the Bright Falcon."

All that day the father walked about the market

and bought the boots, but the feather he could not

find. And so he came back without it. Very well,

then. He set out on his way to the market for the

third time and his elder daughters asked him:

"Buy us each a new gown."

But Maryushka said again:

"Dear Father, buy me a feather of Fenist the

Bright Falcon."

All that day the father walked about the market,

but still no feather. So he drove out of town, and

who should he meet on the way but a little old

man.

"Good day, Grandfather!"

"Good day to you, my dear man. Where are you

bound for?"

"Back to my village, Grandfather. And I don't

know what to do. My youngest daughter asked me

to buy her a feather of Fenist the Bright Falcon,

but I haven't found it."

"I have the feather you need; it is a charmed one,

but I see you are a good man, so you shall have it,

come what may."

The little old man took out the feather and gave it

to the girl's father, but it looked quite ordinary, so

the peasant rode home and he thought:

"What good can it be to my Maryushka?"

In a while the old man came home and gave the

presents to his daughters. And the two elder ones

tried on their new gowns and kept laughing at

Maryushka:

"Silly you were, and silly you are! Stick it in your

hair now -- won't you look fine with it!"

But Maryushka made no answer, she just kept

away from them. And when the whole house was

asleep, she cast the feather on the floor and said

softly:

"Come to me, dear Fenist, Bright Falcon, my

cherished bridegroom!"

And there came to her a youth of wondrous

beauty. Towards morning he struck the floor and

became a falcon. And Maryushka opened the

window and the falcon soared up into the blue

sky.And so for three nights she made him

welcome. By day he flew about in the blue

heavens as a falcon; at nightfall he came back to

Maryushka and turned into a handsome youth.

But on the fourth day the wicked sisters caught

sight of them and went and told their father.

"Dear daughters," said he, "better mind your own

business."

"All right," thought the sisters, "we shall see what

comes next."

And they stuck a row of sharp knives into the

window-sill and hid by watching.

And after a while the Bright Falcon appeared. He

flew up to the window, but could not get into

Maryushka's room. So he fluttered and fluttered

there, beating against the pane, till all his breast

was cut by the blades. But Maryushka slept fast

and heard nothing. So at last the falcon said:

"Who needs me, will find me, but not without

pains. You shall not find me till you wear out

three pairs of iron shoes, and break three iron

staffs, and tear three iron caps."

Maryushka heard this and she sprang from her bed

to the window. But the falcon was gone, and all he

left on the window was a trace of red blood.

Maryushka burst into bitter tears, and the little

tear-drops washed off the trace of red blood and

made her still prettier.And then she went to her

father and said to him:

"Do not chide me, Father, but let me go on my

weary way. If I live to see you, I shall, but if I do

not, then so must it be."

The man was sorry to part with his sweet

daughter, but at last he let her go.So Maryushka

went and ordered three pairs of iron shoes, three

iron staffs, and three iron caps. And off she set on

her long weary way to seek her heart's desire

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11

Fenist the Bright Falcon. She walked through

open fields, she went through dark forests and she

climbed tall mountains. The little birds cheered

her heart with merry songs, the brooks washed her

white face, and the dark woods made her

welcome. And no one could do harm to

Maryushka, for all the wild beasts -- grey wolves,

brown bears and red foxes -- would come running

out towards her. At last one pair of iron shoes

wore out, one iron staff broke and one iron cap

was torn. And Maryushka came to a glade in the

woods and she saw a little hut on hen's feet

spinning round and round.

"Little hut, little hut," said Maryushka, "turn your

back to the trees and your face to me, please. Let

me in to eat bread within."

The little hut turned its back to the trees and its

face to Maryushka, and in she went. And there she

saw Baba-Yaga, the witch with a broom and a

switch, a bony hag with a nose like a snag.Baba-

Yaga caught sight of Maryushka and growled:

"Ugh, ugh, Russian blood, never met by me

before, now I smell it at my door. Who comes

here? Where from? Where to?"

"Granny dear, I am looking for Fenist the Bright

Falcon."

"It's a long way off, pretty maid! You will have to

pass through the Thrice-Nine Lands to the Thrice-

Ten Kingdom to find him. A wicked sorceress, the

queen there, has charmed him with a magic drink

and made him marry her. But I shall help you.

Here, take this silver saucer and golden egg. When

you come to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom get hired as

a servant to the Queen. After the day's work is

done, take the silver saucer and put the golden egg

on it. It will start to roll about all by itself. Should

they want to buy it, do not sell it -- ask them to let

you see Fenist the Bright Falcon."

Maryushka thanked Baba-Yaga and went off. The

woods became darker, and she got too frightened

to move, when all of a sudden there came a Cat. It

jumped up to Maryushka and it purred:

"Have no fear, Maryushka, it will be still worse

farther on, but go on and on and do not look

back."

And the Cat rubbed against her feet and was gone,

while Maryushka went farther. And the deeper she

went into the woods the darker it grew. She

walked and she walked, till her second pair of iron

shoes wore out, her second iron staff broke and

her second iron cap got torn. And soon she came

to a little hut on hen's feet with a strong fence all

round and terrible glowing skulls on the

pales.Maryushka said:

"Little hut, little hut, turn your back to the trees

and your face to me, please. Let me in to eat bread

within."

The little hut turned its back to the trees and its

face to Maryushka, and Maryushka went in. And

there she saw Baba-Yaga, the witch with a broom

and a switch, a bony hag with a nose like a

snag.Baba-Yaga caught sight of Maryushka and

she growled:

"Ugh, ugh, Russian blood, never met by me

before, now I smell it at my door. Who comes

here? Where from? Where to?"

"I want to find Fenist the Bright Falcon."

"And have you been to my sister?"

"Yes, Granny dear, I have."

"All right, then, my beauty, I shall help you. Take

this gold needle and silver frame. The needle

works all by itself and embroiders red velvet with

silver and gold. Should they want to buy it, do not

sell it -- ask them to let you see Fenist the Bright

Falcon."

Maryushka thanked Baba-Yaga and went on her

way. It crashed and it banged and it whistled in

the forest, and a weird light shone from the skull,

hanging round. How terrible it was! But suddenly

up ran a Dog:

"Bow-wow, Maryushka, have no fear, darling, it

will be still worse, but you go on and never look

back."

So it spoke and was gone. Maryushka went on and

on, and the woods got darker, scratching her knees

and catching at her sleeves. But Maryushka

walked and walked and never looked back.How

long she walked is hard to say, but the third pair of

iron shoes wore out, the third iron staff broke and

the third iron cap was torn. And she came to a

glade in the forest and saw a little hut on hen's feet

with a tall paling all round and glowing horse

skulls on the pales.Then said Maryushka:

"Little hut, little hut, turn your back to the trees

and your face to me, please."

The hut turned its back to the trees and its face to

Maryushka, and in she stepped. And there she saw

Baba-Yaga, the witch with a broom and a switch,

a bony hag with a nose like a snag.Baba-Yaga saw

Maryushka and she growled:

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12

"Ugh, ugh, Russian blood, never met by me

before, now I smell it at my door. Who comes

here? Where from? Where to?"

"I'm looking for Fenist the Bright Falcon,

Granny!"

"It is no easy task to find him, my beauty, but I

shall help you. Here, take this silver distaff and

this gold spindle. Hold the spindle in your hands

and it will spin all by itself and the thread will

come out all gold."

"Thank you, Granny."

"All right, save your thanks until afterwards, and

now listen to me. Should they want to buy the

gold spindle, don't sell it, but ask them to let you

see Fenist the Bright Falcon."

Maryushka thanked Baba-Yaga and went on her

way. And it roared and rumbled and whistled in

the forest. The owls wheeled round, the mice

crawled out of their holes and rushed straight to

Maryushka. Then all of a sudden a Grey Wolf ran

up to her and said:

"Have no fear, Maryushka. Get on my back and

never look behind."

So she sat on the Wolf's back and off they flashed

out of sight. They passed wide steppes and velvet

meadows, they crossed honey rivers with custard

banks and they climbed tall mountains that

touched the clouds. On and on raced Maryushka

till she reached a crystal palace with a carved

porch and fancy windows. And there was the

Queen herself looking out of a window.

"Well," said the Wolf, "we've come, Maryushka.

Climb down from my back and get hired as a

servant at the palace."

Maryushka climbed off, took her bundle and

thanked the Wolf. Then she went up to the Queen

and bowed.

"I beg your pardon," she said, "I don't know your

name; aren't you in need of a servant-girl?"

"Yes," said the Queen, "it is long I have looked

for a servant, but the one I need must be able to

spin, weave and embroider."

"All that I can do," said Maryushka.

"Then come in and set to work."

And so Maryushka became a servant-girl. She

worked all the day until night-time, and then she

took out her golden egg and silver saucer and said:

"Roll about, golden egg, on your silver saucer,

show me my Fenist dear."

And the golden egg rolled about till Fenist the

Bright Falcon appeared before her. Maryushka

gazed and gazed at him and her tears ran fast.

"Fenist, my Fenist, why have you left poor me to

shed tears without you?"

And the Queen overheard her and said:

"Maryushka, sell me your silver saucer and golden

egg."

"No," replied Maryushka, "they are not to be sold,

but you may have them free if you let me see

Fenist the Bright Falcon."

The Queen thought for a while and then she said:

"All right, let it be so. To-night, when he falls

asleep, I will let you see him."

So when night came, Maryushka went to his

bedroom and saw Fenist the Bright Falcon. Her

darling lay fast asleep and could not be awakened.

She looked and she looked and she could not look

enough, and she kissed him on his sweet mouth,

and she pressed him to her white bosom, but her

darling slept on and did not awaken. Morning set

in, but still Maryushka could not rouse her

beloved.All that day she worked and in the

evening took her silver frame and gold needle.

And as it sewed, Maryushka kept saying:

"Get embroidered, little towel, get embroidered,

little towel, let my Fenist the Bright Falcon wipe

his face."

The Queen overheard her and asked:

"Maryushka, sell me your silver frame and gold

needle."

"Sell I will not," replied Maryushka, "but you may

have them free if you let me see Fenist the Bright

Falcon."

The Queen thought hard, but at last she said:

"All right, let it be so. Come and see him to-

night."

Night came on, and Maryushka entered the

bedroom and she saw her Fenist the Bright Falcon

lying fast asleep.

"O my Fenist, Bright Falcon, arise, wake up!"

But her Fenist slept on as fast as ever, and

Maryushka could not wake him up, try as she

might.At daybreak Maryushka set to work and

took out her silver distaff and golden spindle. And

the Queen saw her and began asking her to sell

them. But Maryushka replied:

"Sell them I will not, but you may have them for

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13

nothing if only you let me see Fenist the Bright

Falcon."

"All right," said the other and she thought to

herself: "She won't wake him up anyhow."

Night drew on and Maryushka entered the

bedroom, but Fenist lay as fast asleep as ever.

"O my Fenist, Bright Falcon, arise, wake up!"

But Fenist slept on and would not

awaken.Maryushka tried and tried again to wake

him, but she could not. And soon it would be

morning. So Maryushka burst out weeping and

she said:

"Dearest Fenist, arise and open your eyes, look at

your Maryushka, press her close!"

And a hot tear fell from Maryushka's eyes on the

bare shoulder of Fenist and burnt it. Fenist the

Bright Falcon stirred and he opened his eyes and

saw Maryushka. And then he took her in his arms

and kissed her.

"Can it be you, my Maryushka? So you have worn

out three pairs of iron shoes and broken three iron

staffs and torn three iron caps? Cry no more. Let

us go home, now."

And they started getting ready for the homeward

journey. But the Queen noticed it and she bade her

trumpeters spread the news of her husband's

betrayal through all the towns of the land.And the

princes and merchants of her land came together

to hold council and decide how to punish Fenist

the Bright Falcon.

And then Fenist the Bright Falcon stood up and

said:

"Who do you think is the real wife, the one who

loves me truly or the one that sells and betrays

me?"

Everyone had to agree that only Maryushka was

fit to be his wife.

After that they went back to their own land. And

they had a grand feast there, and all the guns fired

and all the trumpets blew at their wedding. And

the feast they had was so grand, it is still

remembered. And they both lived happily ever

afterwards.

Flying Ship

Once upon a time, there lived an old peasant and

his wife. They had three sons. The two eldest were

clever. The old woman loved them. She cooked

them tasty dishes and laundered their clothes. The

youngest, whose name was Ivan, was dirty and

was considered a fool.

One day the Tsar had sent heralds to announce

that he wanted a Flying ship to be built and

whoever would built it would have the hand of his

daughter in marriage, as well as half his Kingdom.

The two eldest brothers decided to try their luck

and build such a ship. Their mother baked them

tarts, roasted chicken and goose to have on their

journey and gave them her blessing.

The brothers went to the forest and began to chop

trees. They chopped many branches and didn't

know what to do afterwards. They started to abuse

each other and suddenly noticed an old man

standing nearby.

- Why are you scolding? - he asked.

- Go away, beggary! - replied the brothers.

Some time later the brothers came back home. A

few days after, Ivan begged his parents for

permission to try his luck too.

- You will never be able to make such a journey

and will probably be eaten by wild animals on the

way, - said the mother.

The youngest insistent on his decision and started

his journey. The mother gave him a thick slice of

stale bread and sent him on his way.

Ivan went to the forest, fall a high pine-tree and

began to build the flying ship. The old man came

to him and asked:

- What are you doing here?

- I'm building the flying ship, - replied Ivan.

- It's difficult to build such a ship.

- Old people are wise, please, give me a piece of

good advice, - asked Ivan.

The old man instructed Ivan how he should build

the flying ship and Ivan built it with great ease.

The old man praised Ivan for a good work and

offered him to have a snack.

- I can offer you only stale bread. It's disgustful, -

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14

said Ivan sadly.

- No matter, give me your bread, - replied the old

man.

Ivan gave him bread and it turned into fresh-bake

wheat bread as soon as the old man touched it.

After the meal they set sail and the old man

instructed Ivan:

- You should take on board every wayfarer whom

you pass!

Ivan thanked the old man profusely. No sooner

did he sit down in the ship than it rose up into the

air, soaring high above the treetops, the rivers and

the wide fields. As he flew along, he spied a man

below, kneeling on the ground, his ear pressed to

the earth. Ivan was very surprised and asked the

man:

- What are you doing with your ear pressed to the

ground?

- I am listening how birds are singing in distant

Southlands. I can hear all that is happening, no

matter where in the world it is, - answered the

man.

- Come and join me in my flying ship! - exclaimed

Ivan.

The man agreed, climbed on board and they flew

into the blue sky. They had not flown far when

they saw a man hopping on one leg with the other

tied to his ear. Ivan demanded him:

- Why are you hopping on one foot with the other

tied to your ear?

- If I don't do it, I will step across the world in no

time at all, - replied the man.

- Then come and join us in my flying ship! -

offered Ivan, bringing the ship down to land.

The man on one foot hopped into the ship and off

and they flew again over forest and meadow until

they noticed a man shooting his gun at nothing at

all in the sky. Ivan brought his ship down and

asked the man why he was aiming his gun at the

sky when there was not a bird in sight.

- I am aiming my gun at the greyhen, which is

sitting on the tree situated at a distance of a

thousand kilometers from here, - answered the

man.

- Come and join as! - said Ivan.

When he was on board, Ivan cast off. On and on

they sailed through the endless sky until they saw

a man below carrying a sackful of loaves on his

back. Ivan steered the ship until it was level with

the man and asked:

- Where are you going with such a load?

- I am going to town to get bread for my dinner, -

answered the man.

Ivan was puzzled and exclaimed:

- But you have a whole sackful of loaves on your

back!

The man replied:

- That's nothing. I could swallow that in one gulp

and still be hungry, - replied the man.

- Come and join us! - called Ivan, landing the ship

beside the Hungry Man, who accepted the offer.

As soon as he climbed aboard they soared off.

They had not gone far when they saw a man

walking round and round a lake. Ivan asked him:

- Why are you walking round the lake?

- I feel thirsty, but I can find no water, - answered

the man.

- But there is a whole lake of water in front of

you! - said Ivan.

- I would swallow this lake in one gulp and still go

thirsty, - replied the man.

Ivan invited him to join his voyage and the Thirsty

Man climbed on board. One they flew until they

saw a man walking into a forest with a bundle of

brushwood on his back.

- Why are you taking brushwood into the forest? -

asked Ivan.

- This is not just ordinary brushwood. I only have

to scatter it over the plain and a whole army will

spring up.

This man also joined the ship and shortly

afterwards they met a man carrying a bale of hay.

But this was no ordinary hay. No matter how hot

the sun, he only had to spread the hay upon the

ground and a cool breeze would spring up and

snow and frost would follow.

He was the last wayfarer to join the band in the

ship. They continued their journey and soon they

reached the royal courtyard. At that time the Tsar

was having his breakfast. Seeing the flying ship

landing not far from the palace, he immediately

ordered his servants to discover who the visitors

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15

were. The servants told him that common peasants

arrived and there wasn't a single one of noble

blood. The Tsar was extremely displeased. How

could he possible allow his daughter to marry a

simple peasant? He asked boyars to help him and

they gave him the following advice:

- You should set impossible tasks for these

peasants and you will be able to get rid of them

without going back on your word.

So the Tsar ordered Ivan to bring him two jugs: a

jug of the Water of Life and a jug of the Water of

Death - and to bring them to him before he

finished eating his breakfast! Ivan was shocked

because he couldn't fulfill this order. Giantsteps

said:

- Don't worry, I will bring the jugs in a minute!

Giantsteps unhitched his leg from his ear, ran to

the remote kingdom and collected the jugs. Then

he thought to himself: "I have plenty of time and it

is possible to have a rest." He sat under a big oak

and dozed off. Back at the palace, the Tsar was

just finishing his breakfast and the men in the

flying ship were becoming uneasy. The first

wayfarer (the one who could hear the slightest

sound near and far) put his ear to the ground and

heard the mighty snores of Giantsteps beneath the

big oak. The Marksman took his gun and fired at

the oak. Acorns fell on the head of Giantsteps and

woke up him. Giantsteps jumped up and brought

the water in several seconds. The Tsar looked at

the jugs of the Water of Life and the Water of

Death and decided to test the magic water.

Servants caught a cock and splashed the Water of

Death on it. The cock died at once. Then servant

splashed the Water of Life on it and the cock

returned to life.

Foiled on the first task, the Tsar set a second. This

time it was even more impossible: to eat a dozen

roast oxen and a dozen freshy baked loaves at a

single sitting. Ivan groaned:

- I could not eat a single ox in a week!

The Hungry man calmed Ivan and said:

- Don't worry, that is only enough to whet my

appetite!

And so the Hungry Man devoured the twelve roast

oxen and twelve freshy baked loaves in one gulp -

and then called for more! The Tsar was furious.

He called for forty pails of beer to be poured into

each of forty barrels and commanded that all this

was to be consumed in a single draught.

Again Ivan was crestfallen. But the Thirsty Man

cheered him up:

- I can drain them all in one draught, and still have

room for more!

And so it was. This time the Tsar was desperate.

He gave orders for an iron bath-house to be heated

until it was white hot. Ivan had to spend the night

steaming himself in it. That would surely put an

end to him, the Tsar thought to himself.

Ivan entered the bath-house in the company of the

Straw Man, who scattered his hay across the iron

floor. This made the temperature drop so slow that

Ivan had barely washed himself before the water

turned to ice. When the Tsar unlocked the bath-

house the next morning, Ivan stepped out, washed

and clean and as fresh as a daisy!

The Tsar was beside himself with rage. He

commanded Ivan to assemble an entire regiment

of troops by the next morning. At last he had

found the best solution to the entire problem, for

where could a simple peasant raise an army? He

would be rid of Ivan once and for all!

Ivan was distressed because he couldn't complete

this order. The Brushwood suddenly exclaimed:

- You have forgotten me! I can raise a whole host

of fighting men in the twinkle of an eye. And if

the Tsar refuses to give up his daughter after that,

our army will conquer his kingdom!

In the morning Ivan and his friend went in the

field and spread brushwood over the grass and in a

twinkling a vast army of cavalry, infantry and

artillery appeared.

When the Tsar awoke the next morning and saw

the army before his palace, with banners and

pennants fluttering in the morning breeze, he took

fright and ordered his generals to withdraw the

royal army. The Tsar's army lost a battle and Ivan

burst into the palace. The Tsar was very

frightened, he groveled at Ivan's feet asking him to

marry his daughter. Ivan said:

- I won't obey you any more!

Ivan turned the Tsar out of the kingdom and

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16

married the princess. No one ever refered to Ivan

as "The Fool" after that. He became a clever ruler

who was fair to common people. Everybody loved

and respected him especially the princess with

whom he lived happily for the rest of his days.

Fox, Hare and Cock

There was once a fox and a hare. The fox had a

house of ice, the hare a house of wood. Fair spring

came and melted the fox's house, while the hare's

stood firm and strong. So the fox asked the hare if

she could come in to warm herself, then drove him

out. The hare went down the road crying, and met

two dogs, who asked, "Wuff, wuff, wuff! Why are

you crying?" "Leave me alone, dogs! Who

wouldn't cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox

had one of ice. She invited herself into mine and

drove me out." "Don't cry, hare," barked the dogs.

"We'll chase her out." "No, you won't." "Oh, yes

we will." Off they went to the hare's house. "Wuff,

wuff, wuff! Come out of there, fox!" "Go away,

before I come and tear you to pieces," she shouted

back from the stove. The dogs took fright and

fled.

Once more the hare went on his way crying. This

time he met a bear who asked, "Why are you

crying?" "Leave me alone, bear," said the hare.

"Who wouldn't cry? I had a wooden house, while

the fox had one of ice. She invited herself into

mine and drove me out." "Don't cry, hare," said

the bear. "I'll chase her out." "No, you won't. The

dogs tried and failed; you'll fare no better." "Oh,

yes I will." Off they went to chase her out. "Come

on out, fox!" roared the bear. But she shouted

from the stove: "Go away, before I come and tear

you to pieces." The bear took fright and fled.

Once more the hare went on his way crying and

met an ox who asked, "Why are you crying?"

"Leave me alone, ox! Who wouldn't cry? I had a

wooden house,

while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself

into mine and drove me out." "Come with me, I'll

chase her out." "No, you won't," said the hare.

"The dogs tried and failed, the bear tried and

failed; you'll fare no better." "Oh, yes I will." Off

they went together to the hare's house. "Come on

out, fox!" But she shouted from the stove: "Go

away, before I come and tear you to pieces." The

ox took fright and fled.

Once more the hare went on his way crying and

met a cock with a scythe. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Why are you crying, hare?" "Leave me alone,

cock! Who wouldn't cry? I had a house of wood,

while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself

into mine and drove me out." "Come along with

me, I'll chase her out." "No, you won't," said the

hare. "The dogs tried and failed; the bear tried and

failed;

the ox tried and failed. You'll fare no better." "Oh,

yes I-will." So they went up to the house. "Cock-

a-doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with my

scythe so sharp and true!" When the fox heard

that, she took fright and called, "I'm getting

dressed." Again the cock crowed: "Cock-a-

doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with my scythe

so sharp and true!" And the fox cried: "I'm putting

on my fur coat." A third time the cock crowed:

"Cock-a-doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with

my scythe so sharp and true!" The fox rushed out

of the door and the cock cut off her head. So the

hare and the cock lived together happily ever after

Golden Fish

Once upon a time, on the island of Buyan, there

stood a small tumble-down cottage; and in that

cottage dwelt an old man and woman. They lived

in great poverty. The old man would cast his net

and try to catch some fish; but all he caught was

barely enough to keep body and soul together each

day. One day the old man cast his net, began to

haul it in and felt something heavy in it; never had

he felt the like before. He could hardly pull it in.

Yet when he looked he saw the net was empty:

except for a little fish. But it was no ordinary

fish—it was golden. And it spoke in a human

voice, "Don't take me, old man! Let me go back to

the deep blue sea and I'll be useful to you: I'll do

whatever you wish." The old man set to thinking,

then said, "I need nothing from you: go back and

swim in the sea."

He threw the golden fish into the sea and turned

for home. The old woman asked him how much

he had caught. "Nothing but a single golden fish,

and that I threw back into the sea," he said. "It

spoke in a human voice: 'Let me go,' it said, 'into

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17

the deep blue sea and I'll do whatever you wish.' I

was sorry for it, asked for naught and set it free."

"Oh, you old devil!" exclaimed his wife. "Good

luck falls from the skies and you haven't the sense

to grab it." She grew angry and cursed the old man

from mom till night, giving him no peace. "You

could have asked for bread at least," she yelled at

him. "We won't have a dry crust to eat soon,

what'll you do then?" In despatir the old man went

down to the seashore to ask the golden fish for

bread; coming to the sea-edge he shouted in a loud

voice: "Fish, oh fish! Stand with your tail on the

sea and your head facing me." The fish came

swimming to the shore. "What do you need, old

man?" it asked. "The old woman is angry with me

and has sent me for bread." "Go home, you'll have

bread aplenty," said the fish. So he went back

home and asked his old woman whether there was

any bread. "Bread aplenty," she replied. "But

here's the rub: my tub has sprung a leak and I can't

do the washing. Go back to your golden fish and

ask it for a new wash-tub."

Back went the old man to the sea. "Fish, oh fish!"

he shouted. "Stand with your tail on the sea and

your head facing me." Up swam the golden fish.

"What do you need, old man?" it asked. "The old

woman sent me, she wants a new wash-tub." "All

right, you'll have a wash-tub too," it said. Back

home went the old man; but before he had crossed

the threshold, the old woman set on him again.

"Go back," she said, "to your golden fish and ask

it to build us a new house. We can't live here any

more, it's falling about our ears." Off went the old

man to the sea, calling, "Fish, oh fish! Stand with

your tail on the sea and your head facing me." Up

swam the fish, stood its tail on the sea and faced

him directly, asking, "What do you need, old

man?" "Build us a new house," he said, "the old

woman is angry and won't give me any peace. She

says she won't live in the old cottage anymore,

because it's falling about her ears." "Cheer up, old

man," said the fish. "Go on home and say your

prayers; all will be done."

So the old man returned and what should he see

but a brand new house, made of oak, with carved

eaves. And there was his old woman rushing at

him, even wilder than before, cursing louder than

ever: "Oh, you old fool! You don't know good

luck when you stare it in the face. You ask for a

house and think that's enough! No, you go back to

that golden fish and tell it this: I don't want to be a

fisherman's wife, I want to be a fine lady, so that

good folk do as I tell them and bow low when

they meet me." Back he went to the sea and said

in a loud voice, "Fish, oh fish! Stand with your tail

on the sea and your head facing me." Up swam the

fish, stood its tail on the sea and faced him

directly. "What do you need, old man?" it asked.

"The old woman gives me no peace," he said.

"She's gone raving mad: she's tired of being a

fisherman's wife, she wants to be a fine lady."

"Very well, cheer up. Go home and say your

prayers; all will be done."

So the old man went home and was surprised to

see a big stone house in place of his hut, rising up

three floors; with servants running about in the

yard, cooks bangmg in the kitchen, and his old

woman sitting on a high chair in a rich brocade

dress, giving orders. "Hello, wife," the old man

said. "What impudence!" the bro- caded lady

cried. "How dare you address me, a fine lady, as

your wife. Servants! Take that silly old dolt to the

stables and give him forty lashes till he's sore."

Right away the servants came running in, seized

the old man by the scruff of the neck and hauled

him off to the stables. There he got such a

thrashing that he could barely stand. After that the

old woman made him her yardman; he was given

a broom to sweep the yard and made to eat and

drink in the kitchen. What a life the old man led:

all day sweeping out the yard, and if he missed a

speck of dust he was hauled off to the stables for a

whipping. "What a witch!" he thought. "I bring

her good fortune, and she sticks her nose in the

air, doesn't even consider me her husband."

By and by the old woman grew tired of being a

fine lady, had the old man brought to her and

ordered him, "Go back to the golden fish, you old

devil, and tell it this: I don't want to be the

Governor's Lady, after all; I want to be the

Queen." So the old man went down to the sea and

called, "Fish, oh fish! Stand with your tail on the

sea, and your head facing me." Up swam the

golden fish, asking, "What do you need, old

man?" "My old woman has gone even further

round the bend; she doesn't want to be a fine lady,

she wants to be the Queen." "Cheer up," said the

fish. "Go home and say your prayers; all will be

done." So the old man returned and instead of his

former home saw a towering palace with a roof of

gold; guardsmen with rifles marched up and

down; behind the palace were elegant gardens,

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18

while in front was a big green meadow on which

troops were parading. The old woman, all dressed

up like a queen, appeared on the balcony with her

generals and governors, and began to inspect her

troops and take the salute. The drums went bang

and the music rang and the soldiers shouted

"Hurrah".

By and by the old woman grew tired of being the

Queen. She ordered a search for the old man so

that she might set eyes on him again. What a fuss

there was! The generals buzzed about, the

governors huffed and puffed. 'What old man could

she mean?' Finally he was found in the back yard

and brought before the Queen. "Lis- ten, you old

devil," the woman said. "Go to the golden fish and

tell it this: I don't want to be the Queen any more,

I want to be the Mistress of the Sea, so that all the

seas and all the fish obey me." The old man tried

to object. But what was the use? If he didn't go

he'd lose his head! So, reluctantly he went down

to the sea and called, "Fish, oh fish! Stand with

your tail on the sea and your head facing me." But

this time no golden fish appeared. The old man

called it once more—and again no fish. He called

it a third time—and suddenly the sea began to

murmur and seethe. Where the waters bad been

clear and blue, they were now black as pitch. Up

swam the fish to the shore, asking, "What do you

need, old man?" "The old woman has gone even

madder," he said. "She's tired of being the Queen

and wants to be the Mistress of the Sea, ruling all

the waters, commanding all the fish."

The golden fish said nothing to the old man, just

turned tail and vanished into the depths. The old

man went back and could scarce believe his eyes:

the palace had gone, and in its place stood a small

tumble-down cottage. And inside the cottage sat

his old woman in a ragged sarafan. They began to

live as before. The old man set ! about his fishing,

but no matter how often he cast his net into the

Golden Mountain

Once upon a time a merchant's son had too much

fun spending money, and the day came when he

saw himself ruined; he had nothing to eat, nothing

to drink. He took a shovel and went to the market

place to see if perchance somebody would hire

him as a worker.

A rich, proud merchant, worth many, many

thousands, came along in a gilded carriage. All the

fellows at the market place, as soon as they

perceived him, rushed away and hid themselves in

the corners. Only one remained, and this one was

our merchant's son.

"Dost thou look for work, good fellow? Let me

hire thee," the very rich merchant said to him.

"So be it; that's what I came here for."

"And thy price?"

"A hundred rubles a day will be sufficient for me."

"Why so much?"

"If too much, go and look for some one else;

plenty of people were around and when they saw

thee coming, all of them rushed away."

"All right. To-morrow come to the landing place."

The next day, early in the morning, our merchant's

son arrived at the landing; the very rich merchant

was already there waiting.

They boarded a ship and went to sea. For quite a

long time they journeyed, and finally they

perceived an island. Upon that island there were

high mountains, and near the shore something

seemed to be in flames.

"Yonder is something like fire," said the

merchant's son.

"No, it is my golden palace."

They landed, came ashore, and--look there! the

rich merchant's wife is hastening to meet him, and

along with her their young daughter, a lovely girl,

prettier than you could think or even dream of.

The family met; they greeted one another and

went to the palace. And along with them went

their new work-man. They sat around the oak

table and ate and drank and were cheerful.

"One day does not count," the rich merchant said;

"let us have a good time and leave work for to-

morrow."

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19

The young workman was a fine, brave fellow,

handsome and stately, and the merchant's lovely

daughter liked him well.

She left the room and made him a sign to follow

her. Then she gave him a touchstone and a flint.

"Take it," she said; "when thou art in need, it will

be useful."

The next day the very rich merchant with his hired

workman went to the high golden mountain. The

young fellow saw at once that there was no use

trying to climb or even to crawl up.

"Well," said the merchant, "let us have a drink for

courage."

And he gave the fellow some drowsy drink. The

fellow drank and fell asleep.

The rich merchant took out a sharp knife, killed a

wretched horse, cut it open, put the fellow inside,

pushed in the shovel, and sewed the horse's skin

together, and himself sat down in the bushes.

All at once crows came flying, black crows with

iron beaks. They took hold of the carcass, lifted it

up to the top of the high mountain, and began to

pick at it.

The crows soon ate up the horse and were about to

begin on the merchant's son, when he awoke,

pushed away the crows, looked around and asked

out loud:

"Where am I?"

The rich merchant below answered:

"On a golden mountain; take the shovel and dig

for gold."

And the young man dug and dug, and all the gold

he dug he threw down, and the rich merchant

loaded it upon the carts.

"Enough!" finally shouted the master. "Thanks for

thy help. Farewell!"

"And I--how shall I get down?"

"As thou pleasest; there have already perished

nine and ninety of such fellows as thou. With thee

the count will be rounded and thou wilt be the

hundredth."

The proud, rich merchant was off.

"What shall I do?" thought the poor merchant's

son. ''Impossible to go down! But to stay here

means death, a cruel death from hunger."

And our fellow stood upon the mountain, while

above the black crows were circling, the black

crows with iron beaks, as if feeling already the

prey.

The fellow tried to think how it all happened, and

he remembered the lovely girl and what she said

to him in giving him the touchstone and the flint.

He remembered how she said:

"Take it. When thou art in need it will prove

useful."

"I fancy she had something in mind; let us try."

The poor merchant's son took out stone and flint,

struck it once and lo! two brave fellows were

standing before him.

"What is thy wish? What are thy commands?" said

they.

"Take me from this mountain down to the

seashore."

And at once the two took hold of him and

carefully brought him down.

Our hero walks along the shore. See

there! a vessel comes sailing near the island.

"Ahoy! good people! take me along!"

"No time to stop!" And they went sailing by. But

the winds arose and the tempest was heavy.

"It seems as if this fellow over there is not an

ordinary man; we had better go back and take him

along," decided the sailors.

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20

They turned the prow toward the island, landed,

took the merchant's son along with them and

brought him to his native town.

It was a long time, or perhaps only a short time

after--who could tell?--that one day the merchant's

son took again his shovel and went to the market

place in search of work.

The same very rich merchant came along in his

gilded carriage; and, as of old, all the fellows who

saw him coming rushed away.

The merchant's son remained alone.

"Will you be my workman?"

"I will at two hundred rubles a day. If so, let us to

work."

"A rather expensive fellow."

"If too expensive go to others; get a cheap man.

There were plenty of people, but when thou didst

appear--thou seest thyself--not one is left."

"Well, all right. Come to-morrow to the landing

place."

They met at the landing place, boarded a ship and

sailed toward the island.

The first day they spent rather gayly, and on the

second, master and workman went to work.

When they reached the golden mountain the rich,

proud merchant treated his hired man to a tumbler.

"Before all, have a drink."

"Wait, master! thou art the head; thou must drink

the first. Let me treat thee this time."

The young man had already prepared some of the

drowsy stuff and he quickly mixed it with the

wine and presented it to the master.

The proud merchant drank and fell sound asleep.

Our merchant's son killed a miserable old horse,

cut it open, pushed his master

and the shovel inside, sewed it all up and hid

himself in the bushes.

All at once black crows came flying, --black

crows with iron beaks; they promptly lifted up the

horse with the sleeping merchant inside, bore it to

the top of the mountain, and began to pick the

bones of their prey.

When the merchant awoke he looked here and

looked there and looked everywhere.

"Where am I?"

"Upon the golden mountain. Now if thou art

strong after thy rest, do not lose time; take the

shovel and dig. Dig quickly and I'll teach thee

how to come down."

The proud, rich merchant had to obey and dug and

dug. Twelve big carts were loaded.

"Enough!" shouted the merchant's son. "Thank

thee, and farewell!"

"And I?"

"And thou mayst do as thou wishest! There are

already ninety and nine fellows perished before

thee; with thyself there will be a hundred."

The merchant's son took along with him the

twelve heavy carts with gold, arrived at the golden

palace and married the lovely girl; the rich

merchant's daughter became mistress of all her

father's wealth, and the merchant's son with his

family moved to a large town to live.

And the rich merchant, the proud, rich merchant?

He himself, like his many victims, became the

prey of the black crows, black crows with iron

beaks.

Well, sometimes it happens just so.

Page 22: Russian Folk Tales

Ilya the Murom

Illya of Murom was born near the town of Murom

into a family of poor peasants. His father and

mother chopped wood in the forest for a living

and farmed a small plot of land and they fed Illya

who had weak legs and could not walk. For thirty

years he lay on the stove without getting up and

did no work.

One day, when he was thirty years of age and

lying on the stove as usual and his father and

mother were away at work, three old men came up

to their house.

"Open the door, Illya!" they called.

"I cannot!" Illya called back. "My legs are weak

and I dare not get up.

"You can do it if you try, Illya. Come, get up!"

Illya tried hard. He pulled and strained, and,

swinging his legs over the side of the stove, leapt

down onto the floor. Then, walking easily across

the room, he opened the door and let in the old

men.

"You have been very ill, Illya, but you are well

now," the old man said. "Rejoice and let your

father and mother rejoice with you, for you will

always be healthy and strong like a true bohatyr

brave warrior! They held out a jug of water to him

and said again:

"Here, drink this water and a change will come

over you. There.. How strong do you feel?"

"Very strong."

"That is good. Drink some more!"

Illya lifted the jug to his lips and took a long

drink.

"Well, do you feel any stronger now?"

"Yes! I feel so strong that if a ring were to be

driven into the earth and I were to take hold of it, I

could turn the earth upside down!"

"Good! Very good! And now listen, Illya. You

must not boast of your strength or tell anyone

about it but do only that which will please your

father and mother. Harm none but do good to all."

Now, this was a time when Rus was overrun by

the Tatars, and Illya of Murom decided to come to

his country's defense. Kazan had been besieged,

with three tsars, bohatyrs all three, leading the

enemy host, and it was thither he hastened. He

approached the town, and, pulling an oak tree up

by the roots, began smiting the Tatars with it, and

he struck down all but a few of them. Of the

whole enemy host only the three tsars were still on

their feet, and Illya came up to them and said:

"Go back whence you came and tell your people

never to cross our borders again. I only left you

alive in order that you might do so. Rus has Illya

of Murom defending her, and he is a great bohatyr

whom none can vanquish."

The Tatar tsars went back to their own land, and

Illya of Murom rode into Kazan. The streets were

empty, for the townsfolk had sought shelter in

their homes and in the churches. Illya entered a

church and found it full of people who were

praying and weeping.

"What are you doing here, good folk?" he asked.

"Cannot you see for yourself!" said they. "The

Tatars are at our gates and there is not a man or a

woman among us who is not in danger of being

slain."

"Speak you of Tatars? But there are none

anywhere near. Go and see for yourselves!"

They went outside, and lo! — the Tatars were

indeed gone and it was as though they had never

been.

After that there was much rejoicing and

merrymaking, and the towns- folk thanked Illya of

Murom and begged him to stay with them.

But Illya said:

"Nay, that I cannot do! I delivered Kazan from the

Tatars, and now I must haste to other towns and

free them too. Fear nothing, for no foe will come

to bother you again. Live as you lived before and

be at peace!"

And Illya of Murom got on his horse and made for

Kiev.

Now, all who went there took a roundabout way

as the regular road was blocked by Solovei the

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22

Whistler-Robber who slew all who came near: not

a bird could fly, not a beast could run, not a

bohatyr could ride past him. But Illya of Murom

took the road that led straight to Kiev

and so had to pass the forest where Solovei lay in

wait. On three oaks he sat and nine branches in a

nest he had built for himself and from which he

could see over the whole of the forest. And the

moment he spied anyone he would whistle like a

bird and roar like a beast, and the leaves would

rain from the trees, the trees crash to the ground,

and all who happened to be passing by drop dead.

Illya of Murom came riding past the forest, and

Solovei the Whistler- Robber saw him and

whistled like a bird, and the leaves rained down

from the trees; he roared like a beast, and Illya's

horse stumbled and fell onto its knees. But Illya of

Murom drove his knee into the horse's flank and

cried:

"A horse of mine to fear Solovei the Whistler-

Robber? Up now or I'll give you to the dogs!"

The horse stood up, and Illya rode on. He was

close now to where Solovei the Whistler-Robber

was waiting, and, seeing him, Solovei leapt down

to the ground and made for him. But Illya of

Murom took aim and sent an arrow straight into

Solovei's right eye. The arrow pierced

Solovei's head and came out from the back of it,

and Solovei fell to the ground. Illya sprang up to

him, and, seizing him, held him in his grip, and

Solovei knew Illya for one stronger than he and

told himself that his end had come.

Illya untied the stirrups from his saddle, and,

binding the Whistler- Robber's arms and legs with

strong leather thongs, tied him to it, sprang on the

horse's back and made for Solovei's house.

Now, Solovei the Whistler-Robber had a daughter

who was as strong as any bohatyr, and when this

daughter saw Illya of Murom come riding up, with

her father hanging from his saddle, she seized an

iron bar weighing all of ninety pods and hurled it

at him. But Illya of Murom

stopped the bar with his shoulder and sent it flying

back and it struck Solovei's daughter and killed

her on the spot. Solovei's wife came out, and,

seeing that her husband's life was in danger, began

to plead with Illya, begging him to spare Solovei

and promising to pay him as large a ransom in

either gold or silver as he wanted. But Illya of

Murom would have none of it.

"Nay, Solovei has lived long enough!" he said.

"Never would I spare one who killed and

orphaned so many! And I want none of your gold.

It is not riches I covet — I seek to defend the

wronged and helpless!-" And turning round his

horse, he headed for Kiev.

Now, it was Prince Volodimir who reigned in

Kiev at the time, and when Illya of Murom arrived

the Prince was holding a feast at which all his

bohatyrs had gathered. Illya told the Prince who

he was, and the Prince asked him by what road he

had traveled.

"By the road that runs straight to Kiev, Prince,"

Illya said.

At this all the bohatyrs sprang up from their seats,

and one who was more famed than any, Alyosha,

Son of a Priest, said:

"He lies, Prince, it cannot be! For who can travel

by the road that runs straight to Kiev, with Solovei

the Whistler-Robber lying in wait there and not a

bird being able to fly nor a beast to run past him!

"Do you then call yourself a true bohatyr, you

who fear Solovei the Whistler-Robber?" said Illya

of Murom. "Let me show you where Solovei is!"

He led the Prince, his wife and the bohatyrs into

the courtyard and pointed at the Whistler-Robber.

"There he is?" he said.

They looked, and, seeing Solovei dangling from

the saddle, knew Illya of Murom to be a true

bohatyr, for who but a true bohatyr could have

vanquished such a one!

Prince Volodimir said not a word to Illya, but

addressed Solovei.

"Come, Solovei, whistle like a bird and roar like a

beast!" he said.

But Solovei the Whistler-Robber only sneered.

"It was not you who took me captive and it is not

for you to tell me what to do!" he said.

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23

The Prince turned to Illya of Murom.

"Bid him do as I said?" said he.

Said Illya of Murom:

"Come, Prince, and you, Princess, stand beside

me, and I will throw my cape over you that your

eardrums might not burst when Solovei whistles."

He threw his cape over them and turned to

Solovei.

"Hark now, Solovei, do as I bid and whistle like a

bird!" he cried.

Solovei whistled like a bird, and lo! — the leaves

rained from the trees, and Prince Volodimir's

bohatyrs fell to the ground and began crawling

across the courtyard on all fours in their fright.

Then Solovei roared like a beast, and they

stumbled and fell and were so dazed that they

knew not where to go. But Prince Volodimir and

his Princess were safe under Illya of Murom's

cape.

"And is this how brave you are, my gallants!" said

Illya of Murom to the Prince's bohatyrs. "Why did

I not fly from Solovei as you do!"

He led Solovei the Whistler-Robber out into the

field and cut off his head. And now that Solovei

was dead, he stayed with the Prince and lived in

his palace.

One day the bohatyrs again came to visit the

Prince. They spent the time in revelry, and they

quarreled with Illya and so set the Prince against

him that he threw him into a dungeon. He had an

earthen wall put up around it, and, thinking to

starve Illya to death, sent him no food for three

years. But the Prince's daughter brought him food

and drink in secret from her father, and though the

Prince thought him dead, Illya was alive and well.

Three years passed, and a Tatar tsar, Kalin by

name, who was famed for his prowess in battle,

sent a messenger to Prince Volodimir with a letter

for him in which he wrote as follows:

"Kalin, Tsar of the Tatars, writes you this. Of my

own lands I have not enough and wish to add your

Kiev lands to them. Should you refuse to

surrender Kiev I shall lead my host against you

and seize it, and you and the Princess shall work

in my kitchens."

Prince Volodimir read the letter and turned white

with fear. He spoke to his wife, but as they could

not think what to do they called their daughter and

asked her counsel.

"Send for Illya of Murom. Perhaps he is still

alive," the daughter said.

"You must be out of your senses, daughter!' said

the Prince. "Illya has been kept in a dungeon

without food for three years. So not only is he

long dead by now but his bones have long turned

to dust.

"Send for him all the same, Father!"

The Prince was vexed by this and said so, but the

daughter said again:

"But, Father, what if he is still alive?"

Seeing her so insistent, the Prince argued no more.

"Very well, I'll send someone there to see."

He sent his men to the dungeon, and they dug a

passage in the earthen wall and made their way

into it. And lo! — there sat Illya of Murom, alive

and well, singing songs to pass the time. The men

came back to the Prince.

"Illya of Murom is alive, Prince, and as well as he

ever was," said they.

"Speak you truly?" the Prince demanded.

"Aye, Prince."

"Then let us go there at once!"

And the Prince hastened to the dungeon.

He unlocked all the doors, let out Illya of Murom

and said to him in pleading tones:

"Be not wroth with me, Illya, for letting my anger

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24

get the better of me, help me out in my trouble."

"Nay, Prince, ask not for my help. You kept me

here in order to starve me to death!" said Illya.

The Prince went away and sent the Princess, his

wife, to talk to Illya, but he would have none of

her and all her pleas availed her nothing. Then the

Prince's daughter offered to speak to him and went

to the dungeon, and when he saw her Illya said:

"You brought me food, maid, and did not let me

die, and I will fight for you and defend Rus.

Lucky are your father and mother to have such a

daughter!"

Out he stepped from the dungeon and went forth

to war against Tsar Kalin. He routed Tsar Kalin's

host, but Tsar Kalin was a strong man and a true

bohatyr and he said that now that his men had

fallen in battle he would himself fight Illya of

Murom. For three long days they fought, and Tsar

Kalin got the better of Illya He threw him to the

ground and held him in an iron grip."

But Tsar Kalin, who had three beautiful daughters,

did not mean to kill Illya of Murom but only to

frighten him. So he pulled out his dagger and

cried: "Beware, for I will cut you to ribbons, Illya

of Murom!- And in the next breath: "Nay, live,

bohatyr! Take one of my daughters to wife and

join forces with me! Leave your princes! Why

should you fight for them when they do nothing

for you?"

Now, Illya of Murom knew, for so the old men

who had cured him of his long illness had told

him, that he drew his strength from his native soil

and that the longer he lay on the bare earth the

stronger

he would become. So when Tsar Kalin threw him

down and held him pinned to the ground, he was

glad, for he felt himself growing stronger. He lay

there and waited, and Tsar Kalin, seeing him so

calm, was enraged and said:

"Refuse to do as I say, and you will die!"

But Illya made no reply, and it was only when he

felt himself to have become strong again, stronger

than ever he was, that he caught Tsar Kalin with

his legs and hurled him high. Up into the air a full

ten meters flew Tsar Kalin and then he fell to the

ground and there was little life left in him. And

Illya of Murom seized him by the legs and began

swinging him round and round, using his body to

smite those men of his who were still alive. And

in this way he slew them all.

After that he came back to Kiev, married Prince

Volodimir's daughter and lived out his life in

peace.

Ivan Tsarevitch and the Grey Wolf

Once upon a time there lived a Tsar who had three

sons. The youngest was called Ivan. The Tsar had

a wonderous garden. In it grew a tree with golden

apples. Someone began coming to the Tsar's

garden to steal the apples. The Tsar became upset

about it. He sent some guards there.

None of the guards were able to track the culprit.

The Tsar stopped eating and drinking, he became

listless. His sons tried to comfort him: "Dear

Father, don't grieve, we ourselves will guard the

garden." The oldest son said: "Today is my turn, I

will go to watch over the garden." The oldest son

set out for the garden.

A little while before evening, there wasn't a trace

of anyone, and he lay down on the soft grass and

fell asleep. In the morning the Tsar asked him:

"Well, enlighten me, did you see the culprit?"

"No, Father, all night I didn't sleep, my eyes never

closed, but I didn't see anything."

On the next night the middle son went to stand

guard and also slept the whole night, but in the

morning said that he hadn't seen the culprit. At

last it was time for the youngest son to stand

watch. Ivan went to guard his father's garden, and

even though he was sitting there afraid, he didn't

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25

lie down. When he started to dream, he took dew

from the grass and wiped the dream from his eyes.

Midnight came, and to him it appeared there was

light in the garden. It got brighter and brighter. All

the garden was lit up. He saw the Firebird sitting

in the apple tree, pecking at the golden apples.

Ivan Tsarevich crawled toward the apple tree and

grabbed the bird by the tail. The Firebird flapped

it's wings and flew away, leaving in Ivan's hand,

one feather.

In the morning Ivan Tsarevich went to his father.

"Well, my dear Vanya, you didn't see the culprit

either?" "Dear Father, I remember but don't

remember, who destroys our garden. Here is a

memento from the culprit for you to take. It is,

Dear Father, the Firebird."

The Tsar took the feather, and from that time

began to eat and to drink, and knew no more

sorrow. It was a beautiful time to him and he

pondered about the Firebird. He called his sons

and said to them: "My dear children, saddle would

you good steeds, go would you about the wide

world, to places unknown, where you might catch

the Firebird.

The children bowed to their father, saddled good

horses and set out on their way. The oldest in one

direction, the middle in another, and Ivan

Tsarevich in the third direction. Ivan went a long

time, or a short time. The day was summery. Ivan

Tsarevich grew tired, got down from his horse,

fettered him, and tumbled down to sleep.

A long time or a short time passed, Ivan Tsarevich

woke up and saw, no horse. He went to look for

him, he walked and walked and hoped to find his

horse nibbling on a bush. Thought Ivan Tsarevich:

where without a horse to go in such remoteness?

"Well, what of it, he thought, set out, nothing else

to do." And he went on foot. He walked and

walked, grew tired to death. Sat on the soft grass

and grew more sad. From out of nowhere ran

toward him the Grey Wolf. "What, Ivan

Tsarevich, sitting there grieving, your head

hanging?" "How can I not grieve, Grey Wolf?" I

am left alone without a good steed." "It is I, Ivan

Tsarevich, who ate your horse...I'm sorry! Tell

me, why are you traveling in this remote place,

where are you going?" "My father sent us to go

about the wide world to find the Firebird." "Pooh,

pooh, you on your own good horse could not in

three years go to the Firebird. I alone know where

he lives.

So, and it will be, I ate your horse, and I will serve

you, it's only right. Sit on me and hold on tight."

Ivan Tsarevich sat on his back and the Grey Wolf

leapt flying through the blue forest faster than the

eye could see, past rivers and lakes. For a long

time, or a short time, they flew to a high fortress.

The Grey Wolf said: "Listen to me, Ivan

Tsarevich, and remember: crawl over the wall,

don't be afraid, it's a lucky hour, all the guards are

asleep. You will see in the terem window, on the

window sill stands a golden cage, and in the cage

sits the Firebird. Take the bird, lay him by your

breast, and look but don't touch the cage!"

Ivan Tsarevich crawled over the wall, saw the

terem, on the window sill sat the golden cage, and

in the cage sat the Firebird. He took the bird, laid

him by his breast, and looked at the cage. His

heart caught fire: "Ah, such golden decoration!

How can I not take it!" And he remembered what

the Grey Wolf had said to him. He only touched

the cage, throughout the fortress sounds: pipes

piped, the guards woke up, grabbed Ivan

Tsarevich and carried him to Tsar Afron.

Tsar Afron was enraged and said: "Who are you,

where are you from?" "I am the son of Tsar

Ferapont. Ivan Tsarevich." "Ah, what a disgrace!

A tsar's son goes out and steals." "But what about

when your bird flew into our garden and destroyed

it?" "But if you had come to me to ask for advice,

I would have given him to you, out of respect for

your father Tsar Ferapont. But now, about all the

city, the most uncomplimentary glory upon you...

Well and all right, render to me a service, I ask

you. In some-such principality Tsar Kusman has a

horse with a golden mane. Bring him to me, then I

will give you the Firebird with the cage. Ivan

Tsarevich grew very excited, went to the Grey

Wolf. But the wolf said to him: "I told you, don't

disturb the cage! Why didn't you listen to my

instructions?" "Well, I beg you, I beg you, Grey

Wolf." "Well, well, I beg....Alright, sit on me.

Take the rope, don't say that it is not strong."

Again set off the Grey Wolf with Ivan Tsarevich.

For a long time, or a short time, they flew to the

other fortress, where stood the horse with the

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golden mane. "Crawl, Ivan Tsarevich, over the

wall, the guards are asleep, go to the stable, take

the horse, and look, but don't touch the bridle."

Ivan Tsarevich crawled into the fortress, all the

guards were asleep.

He went to the stables, took the horse with the

golden mane, and looked at the bridle. It was gold

with precious stones. Ivan Tsarevich touched the

bridle, and a loud noise went all through the

fortress: pipes piped, the guards awoke, grabbed

Ivan and carried him to Tsar Kusman. "Who are

you, where are you from?" "I am Ivan Tsarevich."

"Eeh, such stupidity to undertake, to steal a horse!

On this even a simple peasant would agree."

"Well, all right, I beg you, Ivan Tsarevich, render

me a service.

Tsar Dalmat has a daughter, Elena Prekracnaya.

(the beautiful) Go and get her, bring her to me,

and I will give you the horse with the golden mane

and his bridle." Ivan Tsarevich became more

dejected than ever, he went toward the Grey Wolf.

"I told you, Ivan Tsarevich: Don't touch the

bridle! You didn't listen to my advice." "Well, I

beg you, I beg you, Grey Wolf".

"Well well, you beg...yes, all right, sit on my

back." Again sped off the grey wolf with Ivan

Tsarevich. They rushed to Tsar Dalmat. He had a

garden in his fortress where Elena Prekrasnaya

walked with her mother and her nurse. Grey Wolf

said: "This time I myself will go. You go back the

way we came. I will soon catch up with you." Ivan

Tsarevich went back the way they had come, and

the Grey Wolf jumped over the wall and into the

garden. He sat in hiding behind a bush and

watched.

Elena Prekrasnaya came out with her mother and

nurse. They walked and walked and her mother

and nurse stopped for a bit. Grey Wolf grabbed

Elena Prekrasnaya, leapt over the wall, and took

flight. Ivan Tsarevich was going along the way,

when suddenly the Grey Wolf caught up with him.

On the wolf sat Elena Prekrasnaya. Ivan Tsarevich

rejoiced, but the Grey Wolf said to him: "Sit on

me quickly, for they will not be far behind." The

Grey Wolf sped away with Ivan Tsarevich and

Elena Prekrasnaya the way they had come,

through the blue forest, faster than the eye could

see, past rivers and lakes. For a long time, or for a

short time, they hurried to Tsar Kusman.

The Grey Wolf asked: "Why, Ivan Tsarevich have

you become even more sad?" "But, how can I not

be sad, Grey Wolf? How can I be parted with such

beauty? How can I exchange Elena Prekrasnaya

for a horse?" The Grey Wolf answered: "I won't

part you with such beauty, we will hide her

somewhere, I will turn myself into Elena

Prekrasnaya, and you will bring me to the Tsar."

They hid Elena Prekrasnaya in a forest isba.

The Grey Wolf turned his head and became

exactly like Elena Prekrasnaya. Ivan Tsarevich

took him to Tsar Kusman. The Tsar rejoiced and

began thanking him: "Thankyou, Ivan Tsarevich,

for you have brought to me a bride. Take the horse

with the golden mane and bridle." Ivan Tsarevich

sat on the horse and went for Elena Prekracnaya.

He picked her up and sat her on the horse and they

set out on their way. Tsar Kusman had the

wedding, and feasted all day until evening. Then

he needed to lie down to sleep. But when he and

his young wife went up the stairs, he looked, and

in place of Elena Prekrasnaya was a wolf! The tsar

turned angrily toward him, but the wolf ran off.

The Grey Wolf caught up with Ivan Tsarevich and

asked: "Why are you so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?"

"How can I not be sad? It would be a pity to part

with such a bridle, and to trade the horse with the

golden mane for the Firebird." "Don't grieve, I

will help you." And they traveled to Tsar Afron.

The wolf said: "Hide the horse and Elena

Prekrasnaya. I will turn myself into the horse with

the golden mane, and you will bring me to Tsar

Afron." They hid Elena Prekrasnaya and the horse

with the golden mane in the forest. The Grey Wolf

looked over his back and turned himself into the

horse with the golden mane. Ivan Tsarevich took

him to Tsar Afron.

The tsar was overjoyed and gave him the Firebird

with the golden cage. Ivan Tsarevich returned on

foot to the forest, sat Elena Prekrasnaya on the

horse with the golden mane picked up the golden

cage with the Firebird, and they traveled in the

direction of his homeland. Tsar Afron commanded

his servants to bring his horse to him. He wanted

to sit on him, but the horse turned into the Grey

Wolf.

The tsar was so surprised that he fell down right

where he was standing, and the Grey Wolf took

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flight, quickly catching up with Ivan Tsarevich.

"Now, farewell, I am not allowed to go any

further." Ivan Tsarevich got down from his horse,

and three times bowed down to the ground, with

respect he thanked the Grey Wolf. Then he said:

"You won't be parted with me forever, I again will

call you into service." Ivan Tsarevich thought:

"Aren't you already in my service, all of my

wishes you have fufilled."

He sat on the horse with the golden mane, and

again set out with Elena Prekrasnaya and the

Firebird. They traveled into his region. They had

only a little bread left. They traveled to a little

spring and drank the water, and ate the bread, and

lay down on the grass to rest. Ivan Tsarevich fell

asleep. His brothers suddenly came upon him.

They had traveled to other lands, seeking the

firebird, and returned empty-handed. They came

upon Ivan and saw all that he had acquired.

Then they said: "Let us kill our brother, all that he

has gained will be ours." This decided, they killed

Ivan Tsarevich. They saddled the horse with the

golden mane, picked up the Firebird, sat Elena

Prekrasnaya on the horse, and threatened her: "At

home, don't say anything>" Ivan Tsarevich lay

dead, two crows were already flying over him.

From out of no where ran the Grey Wolf, and

grabbed the crow and his wife. "You fly, crow, for

the water of life and death.

Bring to me the water of life and the water of

death, and then I will let go of your wife. The

crow flew for a long time or a short time, bringing

the water of life and the water of death. The Grey

Wolf sprinkled the water of death on Ivan's

wounds, the wounds healed.

He sprinkled him with the water of life, and Ivan

got up. “Oh, how soundly I slept!” “You would

have slept even sounder”, said the Grey Wolf, “if I

hadn’t sprinkled you with the water of life and the

water of death! Your own brothers killed you and

took all that you have gained. Even now one of

your brothers is to marry Elena Prekrasnaya. Sit

on me quickly!”

They rushed home, where, indeed, Ivan’s brother

was preparing to marry Elena Prekrasnaya. No

sooner had Ivan Tsarevich entered the castle, than

Elena Prekrasnaya jumped up and threw her arms

around him. “This is my true bridegroom, Ivan!”

she cried, “Not the evil brother sitting there!” And

she told the Tsar everything the brothers had done,

and how they had threatened to kill her if she told

anyone what had happened.

The Tsar was very angry and threw the two oldest

brothers into the dungeon. Then Ivan Tsarevich

married Elena Prekrasnaya, and they lived happily

ever after.

Ivanushka the Simpleton

In a kingdom far away from our country, there

was a town over which ruled the Tsar Pea with his

Tsaritza Carrot. He had many wise statesmen,

wealthy princes, strong, powerful warriors, and

also simple soldiers, a hundred thousand, less one

man. In that town lived all kinds of people:

honest, bearded merchants, keen and open-handed

rascals, German tradesmen, lovely maidens,

Russian drunkards; and in the suburbs all around,

the peasants tilled the soil, sowed the wheat,

ground the flour, traded in the markets, and spent

the money in drink. In one of the suburbs there

was a poor hut where an old man lived with his

three sons, Thomas, Pakhom, and Ivan. The old

man was not only clever, he was wise. He had

happened once to have a chat with the devil. They

talked together while the old man treated him to a

tumbler of wine and got out of the devil many

great secrets. Soon after this the peasant began to

perform such marvelous acts that the neighbors

called him a sorcerer, a magician, and even

supposed that the devil was his kin.

Yes, it is true that the old man performed great

marvels. Were you longing for love, go to him,

bow to the old man, and he would give you some

strange root, and the sweetheart would be yours. If

there is a theft, again to him with the tale. The old

man conjures over some water, takes an officer

along straight to the thief, and your lost is found;

only take care that the officer steals it not.

Indeed the old man was very wise; but his

children were not his equals. Two of them were

almost as clever. They were married and had

children, but Ivan, the youngest, was single. No

one cared much for him because he was rather a

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fool, could not count one, two, three, and only

drank, or ate, or slept, or lay around. Why care for

such a person? Every one knows life for some is

brighter than for others. But Ivan was good-

hearted and quiet. Ask of him a belt, he will give a

kaftan also; take his mittens, he certainly would

want to have you take his cap with them. And that

is why all liked Ivan, and usually called him

Ivanoushka the Simpleton; though the name

means fool, at the same time it carries the idea of a

kind heart.

Our old man lived on with his sons until finally

his hour came to die. He called his three sons and

said to them:

"Dear children of mine, my dying hour is at hand

and ye must fulfill my will. Every one of you

come to my grave and spend one night with me;

thou, Tom, the first night; thou, Pakhom, the

second night; and thou, Ivanoushka the Simpleton,

the third."

Two of the brothers, as clever people, promised

their father to do according to his bidding, but the

Simpleton did not even promise; he only scratched

his head.

The old man died and was buried. During the

celebration the family and guests had plenty of

pancakes to eat and plenty of whisky to wash

them down.

Now you remember that on the first night Thomas

was to go to the grave; but he was too lazy, or

possibly afraid, so he said to the Simpleton:

"I must be up very early to-morrow morning; I

have to thresh; go thou for me to our father's

grave."

"All right," answered Ivanoushka the Simpleton.

He took a slice of black rye bread, went to the

grave, stretched himself out, and soon began to

snore.

The church clock struck midnight; the wind

roared, the owl cried in the trees, the grave opened

and the old man came out and asked:

"Who is there?"

"I," answered Ivanoushka.

"Well, my dear son, I will reward thee for thine

obedience," said the father.

Lo! the cocks crowed and the old man dropped

into the grave. The Simpleton arrived home and

went to the warm stove.

"What happened?" asked the brothers.

"Nothing," he answered. "I slept the whole night

and am hungry now."

The second night it was Pakhom's turn to go to his

father's grave. He thought it over and said to the

Simpleton:

"To-morrow is a busy day with me. Go in my

place to our father's grave."

"All right," answered Ivanoushka. He took along

with him a piece of fish pie, went to the grave and

slept. Midnight approached, the wind roared,

crows came flying, the grave opened and the old

man came out.

"Who is there?" he asked.

"I," answered his son the Simpleton.

"Well, my beloved son, I will not forget thine

obedience," said the old man.

The cocks crowed and the old man dropped into

his grave. Ivanoushka the Simpleton came home,

went to sleep on the warm stove, and in the

morning his brothers asked:

"What happened?"

"Nothing," answered Ivanoushka.

On the third night the brothers said to Ivan the

Simpleton:

"It is thy turn to go to the grave of our father. The

father's will should be done."

"All right," answered Ivanoushka. He took some

cookies, put on his sheepskin, and arrived at the

grave.

At midnight his father came out. "Who is there?"

he asked. "I," answered Ivanoushka. "Well," said

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the old father, "my obedient son, thou shalt be

rewarded;" and the old man shouted with a mighty

voice:

"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed, Appear

before me in my need; Stand tip as in the storm

the weed!"

And lo!--Ivanoushka the Simpleton beheld a horse

running, the earth trembling under his hoofs, his

eyes like stars, and out of his mouth and ears

smoke coming in a cloud. The horse approached

and stood before the old man.

"What is thy wish?" he asked with a man's voice.

The old man crawled into his left ear, washed and

adorned himself, and jumped out of his right ear

as a young, brave fellow never seen before.

"Now listen attentively," he said. "To thee, my

son, I give this horse. And thou, my faithful horse

and friend, serve my son as thou hast served me."

Hardly had the old man pronounced these words

when the first cock crew and the sorcerer dropped

into his grave. Our Simpleton went quietly back

home, stretched himself under the icons, and his

snoring was heard far around.

"What happened?" the brothers again asked.

But the Simpleton did not even answer; he only

waved his hand.

The three brothers continued to live their usual

life, the two with cleverness and the younger with

foolishness. They lived a day in and an equal day

out. But one morning there came quite a different

day from all others. They learned that big men

were going all over the country with trumpets and

players; that those men announced everywhere the

will of the Tsar, and the Tsar's will was this: The

Tsar Pea and the Tsaritza Carrot had an only

daughter, the Tsarevna Baktriana, heiress to the

throne. She was such a beautiful maiden that the

sun blushed when she looked at it, and the moon,

altogether too bashful, covered itself from her

eyes. Tsar and Tsaritza had a hard time to decide

to whom they should give their daughter for a

wife. It must be a man who could be a proper ruler

over the country, a brave warrior on the

battlefield, a wise judge in the council, an adviser

to the Tsar, and a suitable heir after his death.

They also wanted a bridegroom who was young,

brave, and handsome, and they wanted him to be

in love with their Tsarevna. That would have been

easy enough, but the trouble was that the beautiful

Tsarevna loved no one. Sometimes the Tsar

mentioned to her this or that one. Always the same

answer, "I do not love him." The Tsaritza tried,

too, with no better result; "I do not like him."

A day came when the Tsar Pea and his Tsaritza

Carrot seriously addressed their daughter on the

subject of marriage and said:

"Our beloved child, our very beautiful Tsarevna

Baktriana, it is time for thee to choose a

bridegroom. Envoys of all descriptions, from

kings and tzars and princes, have worn our

threshold, drunk dry all the cellars, and thou hast

not yet found any one according to thy heart's

wish."

The Tsarevna answered: ''Sovereign, and thou,

Tsaritza, my dear mother, I feel sorry for you, and

my wish is to obey your desire. So let fate decide

who is destined to become my husband. I ask you

to build a hall, a high hall with thirty-two circles,

and above those circles a window. I will sit at that

window and do you order all kinds of people,

tsars, kings, tsarovitchi, korolevitchi, brave

warriors, and handsome fellows, to come. The one

who will jump through the thirty-two circles,

reach my window and exchange with me golden

rings, he it will be who is destined to become my

husband, son and heir to you."

The Tsar and Tsaritza listened attentively to the

words of their bright Tsarevna, and finally they

said: "According to thy wish shall it be done."

In no time the hall was ready, a very high hall

adorned with Venetian velvets, with pearls for

tassels, with golden designs, and thirty-two circles

on both sides of the window high above. Envoys

went to the different kings and sovereigns,

pigeons flew with orders to the subjects to gather

the proud and the humble into the town of the Tsar

Pea and his Tsaritza Carrot. It was announced

everywhere that the one who could jump through

the circles, reach the window and exchange

golden rings with the Tsarevna Baktri-ana, that

man would be the lucky one, notwithstanding his

rank--tsar or free kosack, king or warrior,

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30

tsarevitch, koro-levitch, or fellow without any

kinfolk or country.

The great day arrived. Crowds pressed to the field

where stood the newly built hall, brilliant as a star.

Up high at the window the tsarevna was sitting,

adorned with precious stones, clad in velvet and

pearls. The people below were roaring like an

ocean. The Tzar with his Tzaritza was sitting upon

a throne. Around them were boyars, warriors, and

counselors.

The suitors on horseback, proud, handsome, and

brave, whistle and ride round about, but looking at

the high window their hearts drop. There were

already several fellows who had tried. Each would

take a long start, balance himself, spring, and fall

back like a stone, a laughing stock for the

witnesses.

The brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton were

preparing themselves to go to the field also.

The Simpleton said to them: "Take me along with

you."

"Thou fool," laughed the brothers; "stay at home

and watch the chickens."

"All right," he answered, went to the chicken yard

and lay down. But as soon as the brothers were

away, our Ivanoushka the Simpleton walked to the

wide fields and shouted with a mighty voice:

"Arise, bay horse--them wind-swift steed, Appear

before me in my need; Stand up as in the storm

the weed!"

The glorious horse came running. Flames shone

out of his eyes; out of his nostrils smoke came in

clouds, and the horse asked with a man's voice:

"What is thy wish?"

Ivanoushka the Simpleton crawled into the horse's

left ear, transformed himself and reappeared at the

right ear, such a handsome fellow that in no book

is there written any description of him; no one has

ever seen such a fellow. He jumped onto the horse

and touched his iron sides with a silk whip. The

horse became impatient, lifted himself above the

ground, higher and higher above the dark woods

below the traveling clouds. He swam over the

large rivers, jumped over the small ones, as well

as over hills and mountains. Ivanoushka the

Simpleton arrived at the hall of the Tsarevna

Baktriana, flew up like a hawk, passed through

thirty circles, could not reach the last two, and

went away like a whirlwind.

The people were shouting: "Take hold of him!

take hold of him!" The Tsar jumped to his feet, the

Tsaritza screamed. Every one was roaring in

amazement.

The brothers of Ivanoushka came home and there

was but one subject of conversation--what a

splendid fellow they had seen! What a wonderful

start to pass through the thirty circles!

"Brothers, that fellow was I," said Ivanoushka the

Simpleton, who had long since arrived.

"Keep still and do not fool us," answered the

brothers.

The next day the two brothers were going again to

the tsarski show and Ivanoushka the Simpleton

said again: "Take me along with you."

"For thee, fool, this is thy place. Be quiet at home

and scare sparrows from the pea field instead of

the scarecrow."

"All right," answered the Simpleton, and he went

to the field and began to scare the sparrows. But

as soon as the brothers left home, Ivanoushka

started to the wide field and shouted out loud with

a mighty voice:

"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed, Appear

before me in my need; Stand up as in the storm

the weed!"

--and here came the horse, the earth trembling

under his hoofs, the sparks flying around, his eyes

like flames, and out of his nostrils smoke curling

up. "For what dost thou wish me?" Ivanoushka the

Simpleton crawled into the left ear of the horse,

and when he appeared out of the right ear, oh, my!

what a fellow he was! Even in fairy tales there are

never such handsome fellows, to say nothing of

everyday life.

Ivanoushka lifted himself on the iron back of his

horse and touched him with a strong whip. The

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31

noble horse grew angry, made a jump, and went

higher than the dark woods, a little below the

traveling clouds. One jump, one mile is behind; a

second jump, a river is behind; and a third jump

and they were at the hall. Then the horse, with

Ivanoushka on his back, flew like an eagle, high

up into the air, passed the thirty-first circle, failed

to reach the last one, and swept away like the

wind.

The people shouted: "Take hold of him! take hold

of him!" The Tsar jumped to his feet, the Tsaritza

screamed, the princes and boyars opened their

mouths.

The brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton came

home. They were wondering at the fellow. Yes, an

amazing fellow indeed! one circle only was

unreached.

"Brothers, that fellow over there was I," said

Ivanoushka to them.

"Keep still in thy own place, thou fool," was their

sneering answer.

The third day the brothers were going again to the

strange entertainment of the Tsar, and again

Ivanoushka the Simpleton said to them: "Take me

along with you."

"Fool," they laughed, "there is food to be given to

the hogs; better go to them."

"All right," the younger brother answered, and

quietly went to the back yard and gave food to the

hogs. But as soon as his brothers had left home

our Ivanoushka the Simpleton hurried to the wide

field and shouted out loud:

"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed, Appear

before me in my need; Stand up as in the storm

the weed!"

At once the horse came running, the earth

trembled; where he stepped there appeared ponds,

where his hoofs touched there were lakes, out of

his eyes shone flames, out of his ears smoke came

like a cloud.

"For what dost thou wish me?" the horse asked

with a man's voice.

Ivanoushka the Simpleton crawled into his right

ear and jumped out of his left one, and a

handsome fellow he was. A young girl could not

even imagine such a one.

Ivanoushka struck his horse, pulled the bridle

tight, and lo! he flew high up in the air. The wind

was left behind and even the swallow, the sweet,

winged passenger, must not aspire to do the same.

Our hero flew like a cloud high up into the sky,

his silver-chained mail rattling, his fair carls

floating in the wind. He arrived at the Tsarevna's

high hall, struck his horse once more, and oh! how

the wild horse did jump!

Look there! the fellow reaches all the circles; he is

near the window; he presses the beautiful

Tsarevna with his strong arms, kisses her on the

sugar lips, exchanges golden rings, and like a

storm sweeps through the fields. There, there, he

is crushing every one on his way! And the

Tsarevna? Well, she did not object. She even

adorned his forehead with a diamond star.

The people roared: "Take hold of him!" But the

fellow had already disappeared and no traces were

left behind.

The Tsar Pea lost his royal dignity. The Tsaritza

Carrot screamed louder than ever and the wise

counselors only shook their wise heads and

remained silent.

The brothers came home talking and discussing

the wonderful matter.

"Indeed," they shook their heads; "only think of it!

The fellow succeeded and our Tsarevna has a

bridegroom. But who is he? Where is he?"

"Brothers, the fellow is I," said Ivanoushka the

Simpleton, smiling.

"Keep still, I and I--," and the brothers almost

slapped him.

The matter proved to be quite serious this time,

and the Tsar and Tsaritza issued an order to

surround the town with armed men whose duty it

was to let every one enter, but not a soul go out.

Every one had to appear at the royal palace and

show his forehead. From early in the morning the

crowds were gathering around the palace. Each

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32

forehead was inspected, but there was no star on

any. Dinner time was approaching and in the

palace they even forgot to cover the oak tables

with white spreads. The brothers of Ivanoushka

had also to show their foreheads and the

Simpleton said to them: "Take me along with

you."

"Thy place is right here," they answered, jokingly.

"But say, what is the matter with thy head that

thou hast covered it with cloths? Did somebody

strike thee?"

"No, nobody struck me. I, myself, struck the door

with my forehead. The door remained all right, but

on my forehead there is a knob."

The brothers laughed and went. Soon after them

Ivanoushka left home and went straight to the

window of the Tsarevna, where she sat leaning on

the window sill and looking for her betrothed.

"There is our man," shouted the guards, when the

Simpleton appeared among them. "Show thy

forehead. Hast thou the star?" and they laughed.

Ivanoushka the Simpleton gave no heed to their

bidding, but refused. The guards were shouting at

him and the Tsarevna heard the noise and ordered

the fellow to her presence. There was nothing to

be done but to take off the cloths.

Behold! the star was shining in the middle of his

forehead. The Tsarevna took Ivanoushka by the

hand, brought him before Tsar Pea, and said:

"He it is, my Tsar and father, who is destined to

become my groom, thy son-in-law and heir."

It was too late to object. The Tsar ordered

preparations for the bridal festivities, and our

Ivanoushka the Simpleton was wedded to the

Tsarevna Baktriana. The Tsar, the Tsaritza, the

young bride and groom, and their guests, feasted

three days. There was fine eating and generous

drinking. There were all kinds of amusements

also. The brothers of Ivanoushka were created

governors and each one received a village and a

house.

The story is told in no time, but to live a life

requires time and patience. The brothers of

Ivanoushka the Simpleton were clever men, we

know, and as soon as they became rich every one

understood it at once, and they themselves became

quite sure about it and began to pride themselves,

to boast, and to brag. The humble ones did not

dare look toward their homes, and even the boyars

had to take off their fur caps on their porches.

Once several boyars came to Tsar Pea and said:

"Great Tsar, the brothers of thy son-in-law are

bragging around that they know the place where

grows an apple tree with silver leaves and golden

apples, and they want to bring this apple tree to

thee."

The Tsar immediately called the brothers before

him and bade them bring at once the wonderful

tree, the apple tree with silver leaves and golden

apples. The brothers had ever so many excuses,

but the Tsar would have his way. They were given

fine horses out of the royal stables and went on

their errand. Our friend, Ivanoushka the

Simpleton, found somewhere a lame old horse,

jumped on his back facing the tail, and also went.

He went to the wide field, grasped the lame horse

by the tail, threw him off roughly, and shouted:

"You crows and magpies, come, come! There is

lunch prepared for you."

This done he ordered his horse, his spirited

courser, to appear, and as usual he crawled into

one ear, jumped out the other ear and they went--

where? Toward the east where grew the wonderful

apple tree with silver leaves and golden apples. It

grew near silver waters upon golden sand. When

Ivanoushka reached the place he uprooted the tree

and turned toward home. His ride was long and he

felt tired. Before he arrived at his town

Ivanoushka pitched his tent and lay down for a

rest. Along the same road came his brothers. The

two were proud no more, but rather depressed, not

knowing what answer to give the Tsar. They

perceived the tent with silver top and near by the

wonderful apple tree. They came nearer and--

"There is our Simpleton!" exclaimed the brothers.

Then they awakened Ivanoushka and wanted to

buy the apple tree. They were rich and offered

three carts filled with silver.

"Well, brothers, this tree, this wonderful apple

tree, is not for sale," answered Ivanoushka, "but if

you wish to obtain it you may. The price will not

be too high, a toe from each right foot."

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33

The brothers thought the matter over and finally

decided to give the desired price. Ivanoushka cut

the toes off, gave them the apple tree, and the

happy brothers brought it to the Tsar and there

was no end to their bragging.

"Here, all-powerful Tsar," they said. "We went

far, and had many a trouble on our way, but thy

wish is fulfilled."

The Tsar Pea seemed pleased, ordered a feast,

commanded tunes to be played and drums beaten,

rewarded the two brothers of Ivanoushka the

Simpleton, each one with a town, and praised

them.

The boyars and warriors became furious.

"Why," they said to the Tsar, "there is nothing

wonderful in such an apple tree with golden

apples and silver leaves. The brothers of thy son-

in-law are bragging around that they will get thee

a pig with golden bristles and silver tusks, and not

alone the pig, but also her twelve little ones!"

The Tsar called the brothers before him and

ordered them to bring the very pig with her golden

bristles and silver tusks and her twelve little ones.

The brothers' excuses were not listened to and so

they went. Once more the brothers were traveling

on a difficult errand, looking for a golden-bristled

pig with silver tusks and twelve little pigs.

At that time Ivanoushka the Simpleton made up

his mind to take a trip somewhere. He put a saddle

on a cow, jumped up on her back facing the tail,

and left the town. He came 'to a field, grasped the

cow by the horns, threw her far on the prairie and

shouted:

"Come, come, you gray wolves and red foxes!

there is a dinner for you!"

Then he ordered his faithful horse, crawled into

one ear, and jumped out of the other. Master and

courser went on an errand, this time toward the

south. One, two, three, and they were in dark

woods. In these woods the wished-for pig was

walking around, a golden-bristled pig with silver

tusks. She was eating roots, and after her followed

twelve little pigs.

Ivanoushka the Simpleton threw over the pig a

silk rope with a running noose, gathered the little

pigs into a basket and went home, but before he

reached the town of the Tsar Pea he pitched a tent

with a golden top and lay down for a rest. On the

same road the brothers came along with gloomy

faces, not knowing what to say to the Tsar. They

saw the tent, and near by the very pig they were

searching for, with golden bristles and silver

tusks, was fastened with a silk rope; and in a

basket were the twelve little pigs. The brothers

looked into the tent. Ivanoushka again! They

awakened him and wanted to trade for the pig;

they were ready to give in exchange three carts

loaded with precious stones.

"Brothers, "my pig is not for trade," said

Ivanoushka, ''but if you want her so much, well,

one finger from each right hand will pay for her."

The brothers thought over the case for a long

while; they reasoned thus: "People live happily

without brains, why not without fingers?''

So they allowed Ivanoushka to cut off their

fingers, then took the pig to the Tsar, and their

bragging had no end.

"Tsar Sovereign," they said, "we went

everywhere, beyond the blue sea, beyond the dark

woods; we passed through deep sands, we

suffered hunger and thirst; but thy wish is

accomplished."

The Tsar was glad to have such faithful servants.

He gave a feast great among feasts, rewarded the

brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton, created

them big boyars and praised them.

The other boyars and different court people said to

the Tsar:

"There is nothing wonderful in such a pig. Golden

bristles, silver tusks,--yes, it is fine. But a pig

remains a pig forever. The brothers of thy son-in-

law are bragging now that they will steal for thee

out of the stables of the fiery dragon a mare with

golden mane and diamond hoofs."

The Tsar at once called the brothers of Ivanoushka

the Simpleton, and ordered the golden-maned

mare with the diamond hoofs. The brothers swore

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34

that they never said such words, but the Tsar did

not listen to their protests.

"Take as much gold as you want, take warriors as

many as you wish, but bring me the beautiful mare

with golden mane and diamond hoofs. If you do it

my reward will be great; if not, your fate is to

become peasants as before."

The brothers went, two sad heroes. Their march

was slow; where to go they did not know.

Ivanoushka also jumped upon a stick and went

leaping toward the field. Once in the wide, open

field, he ordered his horse, crawled into one ear,

came out of the other, and both started for a far-

away country, for an island, a big island. On that

island in an iron stable the fiery dragon was

watchfully guarding his glory--the golden-maned

mare with diamond hoofs, which was locked

under seven locks behind seven heavy doors.

Our Ivanoushka journeyed and journeyed, how

long we do not know, until at last he arrived at

that island, struggled three days with the dragon

and killed him on the fourth day. Then he began to

tear down the locks. That took three days more.

When he had done this he brought out the

wonderful mare by the golden mane and turned

homeward.

The road was long, and before he reached his

town Ivanoushka, according to his habit, pitched

his tent with a diamond top, and laid him down for

rest. The brothers came along--gloomy they were,

fearing the Tsar's anger. Lo! they heard neighing;

the earth trembled--it was the golden-maned mare!

Though in the dusk of evening the brothers saw

her golden mane shining like fire. They stopped,

awakened Ivanoushka the Simpleton, and wanted

to trade for the wonderful mare. They were

willing to give him a bushel of precious stones

each and promised even more.

Ivanoushka said: "Though my mare is not for

trade, yet if you want her I'll give her to you. And

you, do you each give me your right ears."

The brothers did not even argue, but let

Ivanoushka cut off their ears, took hold of the

bridle and went directly to the Tsar. They

presented to him the golden-maned mare with

diamond hoofs, and there was no end of bragging.

"We went beyond seas, beyond mountains," the

brothers said to the Tsar; "we fought the fiery

dragon who bit off our ears and fingers; we had no

fear, but one desire to serve thee faithfully; we

shed our blood and lost our wealth."

The Tsar Pea poured gold over them, created them

the very highest men after himself, and planned

such a feast that the royal cooks were tired out

with cooking to feed all the people, and the cellars

were fairly emptied.

The Tsar Pea was sitting on his throne, one

brother on his right hand, the other brother on his

left hand. The feast was going on; all seemed

jolly, all were drinking, all were noisy as bees in a

beehive. In the midst of it a young, brave fellow,

Ivanoushka the Simpleton, entered the hall--the

very fellow who had passed the thirty-two circles

and reached the window of the beautiful Tsarevna

Baktriana.

When the brothers noticed him, one almost

choked himself with wine, the other was

suffocating over a piece of swan. They looked at

him, opened wide their eyes, and remained silent.

Ivanoushka the Simpleton bowed to his father-in-

law and told the story as the story was. He told

about the apple tree, the wonderful apple tree with

silver leaves and golden apples; he told about the

pig, the golden-bristled pig with silver tusks and

her twelve little ones; and finally he told about the

marvelous mare with a golden mane and diamond

hoofs. He finished and laid out ears, fingers, and

toes.

"It is the exchange I got," said Ivanoushka.

Tsar Pea became furious, stamped his feet,

ordered the two brothers to be driven away with

brooms. One was sent to feed the pigs, another to

watch the turkeys. The Tsar seated Ivanoushka

beside himself, creating him the highest among

the very high.

The feast lasted a very long time until all were

tired of feasting.

Ivanoushka took control of the tsarstvo, ruling

wisely and severely. After his father-in-law's

death he occupied his place. His subjects liked

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35

him; he had many children, and his beautiful

Tsaritza Baktriana remained beautiful forever.

Little Snow Girl

Russian folk tale retold by Vladimir Dahl

Once upon a time there was an old man and his

wife, who had no children, no grandchildren at all.

One feast day they went outside and watched

other people's children making snowmen and

throwing snowballs at one another. The old man

picked up a snowball and said to his wife:

"If only you and I had a little daughter as white

and chubby as this, wife!"

The old woman looked at the snowball, shook her

head and said: "Well, we haven't and there's no

getting one now, so there!" But the old man took

the snowball into the cottage, lay it in a pot,

covered it with a piece of cloth and placed it on

the window-sill. When the sun rose, it warmed the

pot and the snow inside began to melt. Suddenly

the old couple heard a lisping sound in the pot

under the piece of cloth. They ran up to take a

look, and there in the pot lay a little girl, as white

and chubby as a snowball.

"I am Little Snow Girl, rolled from the snow of

spring, warmed and browned by the sun of

spring," she said to them.

The man and his wife were beside themselves

with joy. They took her out, and the old woman

began sewing her some pretty clothes, while the

old man wrapped her in a towel, rocked her and

sang this lullaby:

Sleep, Little Snow Girl, sleep,

Our tasty bun so sweet,

Rolled from the snow of spring,

Warmed by the sun of spring.

We'll give you drink a-plenty,

We'll give you food galore,

And make you such a pretty dress

And teach you four times four.

. So Little Snow Girl grew up, a joy to the old

couple. She was good and clever, as little girls are

in fairy tales, but very rarely in real life.

Everything was going well for the old couple and

their livestock. The cattle got through the winter

safely, and in spring they put the chickens back

into the yard. But no sooner had the moved them

from the house to the hen-coop, than the trouble

started. A fox came up to the old man's dog

Zhuchka, pretending to be ill, and begged her in a

whining voice:

"Dear little Zhuchka of the white paws and silky

tail, please let me go and warm up in the hen-

coop!"

Zhuchka had been with the old man in the forest

all day and she didn't know that the old woman

had put the chickens back into the coop. So she

took pity on the fox and let her in. The fox killed

two chickens and dragged them off home. When

the old man found out, he gave Zhuchka a beating

and drove her out of the yard.

"Be off with you," he said. "You're no good to me

as a watchdog!" So Zhuchka left the old couple's

house, whimpering, and only the old woman and

Little Snow Girl felt sorry for her.

Summer came, the berries ripened, and Little

Snow Girl's friends asked her to come berry-

picking in the forest with them. The old man and

his wife would not hear of it. But Little Snow

Girl's friends promised faithfully not to let go of

her hand, and Little Snow Girl herself begged the

old couple to let her go berry-picking and see

what the forest was like. So in the end they gave

her a basket and a piece of pie and let her go.

The girls set off holding Little Snow Girl's hand,

but as soon as they got to the forest and saw all the

berries, they forgot about everything else and ran

off in all directions, picking berries and hallooing

to one another.

They filled their baskets with berries, but lost

Little Snow Girl in the forest.

Little Snow Girl called out, but no one replied.

The poor mite began to cry. She tried to find the

path, but got even more lost than before. So she

climbed a tree and shouted: "Halloo! Halloo!" Up

came Bear, crunching the dry branches and

bending the bushes. "What's the matter, my pretty

one?"

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36

"Halloo! I'm Little Snow Girl, rolled from spring

snow and browned by the spring sun. My

girlfriends asked my grandparents to let me go

with them into the forest, but now they've left me

all alone!" "Come down," said Bear. "I'll take you

home." "No, Bear," Little Snow Girl replied. "I

won't go with you. I'm afraid of you. You'll eat

me!" So Bear went away.

Up ran Grey Wolf.

"Why are you crying, my pretty one?" "Halloo!

I'm Little Snow Girl, rolled from spring snow and

browned by the spring sun. My girlfriends asked

my grandparents to let me go berry-picking with

them in the forest, and now they've left me all

alone!"

"Climb down," said Wolf. "I'll take you home!"

"No, Wolf, I won't go with you. I'm afraid of you.

You'll eat me." So Wolf went away. Then Fox

came up. "Why are you crying, my pretty one?"

"Halloo! I'm Little Snow Girl, rolled from spring

snow and browned by the spring sun. My

girlfriends asked my grandparents to let me go

berry-picking with them in the forest, and now

they've left me all alone!"

"Never mind, my poor little pretty one! Come

down quickly, and I'll take you home!"

"No, Fox of the honeyed words. I'm afraid of you.

You'll lead me to Wolf or give me to Bear. I'm not

going with you!"

Fox began stalking round the tree, looking at

Little Snow Girl and trying to lure her down, but

the little girl would not go.

"Wuff, wuff, wuff!" barked a dog in the forest.

"Halloo there, Zhuchka!" cried Little Snow Girl.

"Halloo, my darling doggy! It's me, Little Snow

Girl, rolled from spring snow and browned by the

spring sun. My girlfriends asked my grandparents

to let me go berry-picking with them in the forest,

and now they've left me all alone. Bear wanted to

carry me off, but I wouldn't go. Wolf wanted to

take me away, but I refused. And Fox tried to lure

me down, but I wouldn't be tricked by her. But I'll

go with you, Zhuchka!"

At the sound of the dog barking, Fox turned tail

and fled for dear life. Little Snow Girl climbed

down the tree. Zhuchka rushed up, licked her face

all over and set off home with her.

Bear was hiding behind a tree-stump, Wolf was

skulking in a glade and Fox was lurking in the

bushes.

Zhuchka barked loudly, and they were so

frightened that they dared not come close.

They arrived home, and the old couple wept for

joy. They fed Little Snow Girl, put her in her nice

cosy bed and sang:

Sleep, Little Snow Girl, sleep,

Our tasty bun so sweet,

Rolled from the snow of spring,

Warmed by the sun of spring.

We'll give you drink a-plenty,

We'll give you food galore,

And make you such a pretty dress

And teach you four times four.

Zhuchka was forgiven. They gave her a nice

saucer of milk and put her back in her old kennel

to guard the house again.

Little Straw Bull

Once upon a time there lived an Old Man and an

Old Woman. The Old Man went out to work and

made tar for a living, and the Old Woman stayed

home spinning tow. But the little they earned all

went on food, and they had nothing at all to their

name.

Now, the Old Woman began to fret and to worry

and she said to the Old Man:

"Do make me a little bull of straw, Old Man, and

smear him with tar."

"What's come over you, you silly Old Woman,

what do you want with a straw bull?"

"I know what I want, just you make me one."

There was nothing to be done, so the Old Man

made a little bull of straw and smeared his back

and sides over with tar. Night came, and in the

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37

morning the Old Woman led the Little Straw Bull

out to pasture and she took her spinning with her.

She sat down on a hillside and she spun her thread

and said:

"Graze, graze, Little Bull, while I spin my thread!

Graze, graze, Little Bull, while I spin my thread!"

And she spun and she spun till at last she dozed

off.

All of a sudden who should come running out of

the great dark forest but a Bear! He lumbered

straight up to the Bull and said:

"Do tell me who you are!"

"I am the Little Straw Bull with the Tarred Back."

"Give me a little tar, Straw Bull, for my side is

torn and perhaps it will heal faster if I put some tar

on it."

But the Straw Bull just stood there and made no

reply.

So then the Bear began clawing at the Straw Bull's

back and side to get some tar off, and there he was

stuck fast. He tugged and he pulled, and before he

knew it he had pulled the Bull from the spot and

out of sight.

The Old Woman woke up, she looked about her,

and there was no sign of the Bull anywhere.

"Dear me, what a terrible thing to have

happened!" she cried. "Where is my Bull? Perhaps

he has gone home."

She lifted her distaff, put it over her shoulder and

went home in great haste. Her way lay through the

forest, and she had only walked a short distance

when lo and behold! — there was the Bull

standing where the Bear had dragged him.

The Old Woman ran home and she cried at the top

of her voice:

"Old Man, Old Man, the Straw Bull has caught a

Bear. Come quickly and kill him!"

The Old Man came running, he pulled the Bear

free and threw him into the cellar.

On the following day, at the first glimpse of dawn,

the Old Woman k the Straw Bull out to pasture

again and she took her spinning with he She sat

down on a hillside and she spun her thread and

said:

"Graze, graze, Little Bull, while I spin my thread'

Graze, graze, Litt Bull, while I spin my thread'"

And she spun and she spun till at last she dozed

off.

All of a sudden who should come running out of

the great dark. fore but a Wolf' He saw the Bull

and said:

'Do tell me who you are'"

'I am the Little Straw Bull with the Tarred Back!"

the Bull replied-

'Well, then, let me have some tar, for the dogs

have torn my side!"

"Take it!"

The Wolf caught at the Straw Bull's side with his

teeth and beg trying to get some of the tar off. He

tried very, very hard, but befc he knew it there he

was stuck fast and unable to get his teeth out! he

pulled and he pulled till he had pulled the Straw

Bull from the spot a out of sight.

The Old Woman woke up, she looked about her,

and there was no) sign of the Little Straw Bull

anywhere!"

"Perhaps he has gone home," said she to herself,

and off she w< home.

But she had not gone very far before she saw the

Bull being drag^ along by the Wolf. So she ran

home and told the Old Man about it. c the Old

Man came and seized the Wolf and threw him into

the cellar.

On the third day the Old Woman took the Little

Bull out to past' again. She sat down on the

hillside and dozed off.

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38

By and by a Fox came running up and she saw the

Straw Bull and asl him who he was.

'I am the Little Straw Bull with the Tarred Back,"

the Little Bull plied.

"Well, then, do be a dear and let me have

some tar to put on my s:

The dogs have nearly taken the hide off me!"

'Take it!"

The Fox tried to take some of the tar and she too

was stuck fasi the Bull's side and, try as she

would, could not get free.

The Old Woman woke, she called the Old Man,

and the Old Man th the Fox into the cellar.

And on the next day they caught a Rabbit in the

same way and th him into the cellar too.

So now there were four of them there, and the Old

Man sat down on the trap door and began

sharpening his knife.

"Why do you sharpen your knife, Old Man?" the

Bear asked.

"Because I mean to skin you and make coats for

myself and my Old Woman."

"Don't do that, Old Man! Let me go free, and I

will bring you lots and lots of honey."

All right, then, see that you do!"

And with that the Old Man let the Bear go free.

Then he seated himself on the trap door again and

began sharpening his knife.

"Why do you sharpen your knife. Old Man?" the

Wolf asked.

'I am going to skin you and make a warm hat for

myself for the winter."

"Don't do that, Old Man. Let me go free, and I

will bring you a whole herd of sheep.'

"Well, then, see that you do!"

And he let the Wolf go free and began sharpening

his knife again.

The Fox heard him and she pushed up the trap

door with her head.

"Please, Old Man, do be a dear and tell me why

you are sharpening your knife," she said. 'I am

going to skin you, Fox,' the Old Man replied. 'For

you have fine fluffy fur that will make a nice

collar and trimming for my Old Woman's coat."

'Please don't kill me, Old Man! Let me go free,

and I will bring you some chickens and geese.

"All right, then, see that you do!"

And with that he let the Fox go free.

So now there was only the Rabbit left in the cellar.

The Old Man began sharpening his knife again,

and when the Rabbit asked him why he was doing

it he said:

"You have soft, warm fur that will go to make a

pair of fine mittens for me and a hat as well."

"Please don't kill me, Old Man! Let me go free,

and I'll bring you beads and earrings and ribbons."

So the Old Man let the Rabbit go free too.

Night came and passed, and just before dawn had

set in or day broken, there came a rap-tap-tap at

the door.

"Someone is knocking at the door, Old Man', she

cried. "Go and see who it is."

The Old Man opened the door, and there stood the

Bear with a whole hive of honey'.

The Old Man took the honey, put it away and had

only }ust gone to sleep when suddenly there came

a rap-tap-tap at the door again,

The Old Man opened the door, and there stood the

Wolf with a whole herd of sheep'. And soon after

that the Fox came. bringing chickens and geese

and other towl, and after her the Rabbit with a bag

full of ribbons and beads and earrings.

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39

The Old Man and the Old Woman were

overjoyed. They sold the -sheep and bought

themselves a team of oxen, and the Old Man took

to carrying other people's wares to market for

them. And they became so -rich and had so much

money that no one could have asked for more,

And as for the Straw Bull, there was no longer any

use for him, and so he stood out in the sun until he

melted away.

Magic Ring

In a certain realm, in a certain land, there once

lived an old man and woman with their only son

Martin. All his life the old man had been a hunter,

catching animals and birds and feeding his family

on his catch. With time the old man took sick and

died, leaving Martin and his mother alone in the

world; they grieved and sorrowed, but there was

nothing for it: tears won't bring back the dead. A

week passed by and they had eaten all the food in

the larder; seeing there was nothing more to eat,

the old woman realised she would have to spend

some money. The old man had left them two

hundred rubles; though she was loath to open the

money- box, they had to eat somehow and keep

the wolf from the door. So she counted off a

hundred rubles and told her son, "Here, Martin,

take these hundred notes and borrow the

neighbour's horse so that you can ride to town and

buy some food. That will see us through the

winter and we will look for work come the

spring."

Martin borrowed his neighbour's horse and cart

and rode off to town; as he was passing butchers'

stalls in the market he saw a noisy crowd gathered

there. What had happened? The butchers had

caught a hound, tied him to a post and were

beating him with sticks, and the dog was

cowering, whining and yapping with pain. Martin

ran over to the butchers and asked, "Why are you

beating the poor dog so mercilessly?" "That devil

deserves all he gets," the butchers said. "He stole a

whole side of beef." "Stop, brothers," Martin

cried. "Don't beat him, sell him to me instead."

"Buy him if you please, but it will cost you a

hundred rubles." said one butcher in jest. Martin

pulled out a hundred rubles, paid the butcher,

untied the hound and took him along. The dog

wagged his tail and licked his new master's hand;

he knew the young fellow had saved his life.

When Martin got back home, his mother asked

him at once, "What have you bought, my boy?"

"My first piece of good fortune," Martin replied.

"What are you blathering about? What good

fortune?" "Here it is, Blackie," he said pointing at

the dog. "Is that all?" "If I'd had any money left I

might have bought more: but the whole hundred

went on the dog." The old woman scolded him:

"We've nothing to eat; I've scraped the last bits of

flour to make a roll for today, but tomorrow

there'll be nothing at all."

Next day his mother took out the last hundred

rubles, gave it to her son and told him: "Go to

town and buy some food. son. but don't fritter the

money away." Martin arrived at the town, began

to walk up and down the streets and take a look

around, and saw a boy dragging a cat along on a

string towards the river. "Stop." called Martin.

"Where are you taking that cat?" "I'm going to

drown him: he stole a pie from our table." "Don't

drown him," Martin said. "Sell him to me

instead." "Buy him if you please, but it will cost

you a hundred rubles." Martin did not think twice:

he pulled out the money and gave it to the boy;

then he put the cat in his bag and turned for home.

"What have you bought, my boy?" asked his

mother. "Stripey the cat." "Is that all?" "If I'd had

any money left, I might have bought more." "Oh.

what a fool you are!" she cried. "Leave this house

at once and go begging food at someone else's

door."

Off went Martin to the next village in search of

work. taking with him Blackie the dog and Stripey

the cat. On the way he met a priest. "Where are

you going, my son?" he asked. "To look for

work," the lad replied. "Come and work for me;

only I take on workmen without fixing a wage:

whoever serves me well for three years gets what

he deserves." Martin agreed and toiled away three

summers and winters for the priest; when the time

came for payment, his master summoned him.

"Well. Martin," he said, "come and get your

reward." He led him into the bam. pointed at two

full sacks and said, 'Take whichever you want."

Martin saw that there was silver in one sack and

sand in the other, and thought: "There's more to

this than meets the eye. Come what may, but I will

take the sand and see what happens." So he said:

"I will take the sack of fine sand. master." "Please

yourself, my son. Take the sand if you prefer it to

silver."

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40

Martin heaved the sack of sand upon his back and

went to look for work again. He walked and

walked, until he found himself in a dark. dense

forest. In the middle of the forest was a glade, and

in the glade a fire burned brightly, and in the fire

sat a maiden more fair than tongue can tell or tale

can spell. The fair maiden called to him, "Martin,

the widow's son. if you wish to win good fortune,

rescue me: put out the flame with the sand for

which you laboured three years." "Aha," thought

Martin, "it would be better to help someone than

drag this load around. Sand is not worth much

anyway, there's plenty of it about." He put down

his sack, untied it and began to pour out the sand;

the fire went out at once, the fair maiden struck

the earth with her foot, turned into a snake, leapt

upon his chest and wound herself about his neck.

Martin took fright. "Do not be afraid," said the

snake. "Go to the Thrice-Ten King- dom beyond

the Thrice-Nine Land; my father is king there.

When you come to his palace he will offer you

gold and silver and precious stones. But do not

take any- thing. Just ask for the ring from his little

finger. It is no ordinary ring: when you put it on

one hand and then on the other twelve strapping

youths will appear to do whatever you order, all in

a single night."

Martin went on his way; by and by he reached the

Thrice-Ten Kingdom and saw a huge rock. The

snake jumped down from his neck, struck the

earth and became a fair maiden once more.

"Follow me," she said, leading the way under the

rock. For a long time they walked along the

underground passage until suddenly a light

appeared; it got brighter and brighter, and they

came out to a wide plain under a clear blue sky;

and on the plain was a magnificent castle where

the fair maiden's father lived—the king of mis

underground realm.

As the travellers entered the white-stone castle

they were greeted warmly by the king. "Welcome,

my dear daughter. Where have you been all these

years?" "Father. noble Sire, I would have perished

had it not been for this man: he saved me from a

cruel death and brought me here to my native

land." "Thank you, young man," said the king,

"your good deed deserves reward; take all the

gold, silver and precious stones that your heart

desires." But Martin, the widow's son, answered,

"Your Maj- esty, I want neither gold, nor silver,

nor precious stones; all I ask is the ring from the

little finger of your royal hand. I am a single

fellow: I shall look at the ring, and think of my

future bride to drive away my loneliness." At once

the king took off the ring and gave it to Martin.

"Here, take it and good luck to you. But tell no

one of the ring or you will find yourself in dire

trouble."

Martin, the widow's son, thanked the king, took

the ring and a small sum of money for the road,

and set off the way he had come. By and by he

returned to his native land, sought out his old

mother, and they began to live happily without a

care in the world. One day Martin thought to take

a wife and sent his mother off as matchmaker.

"Go to the king himself," he said, "and ask for his

lovely daughter." "Oh, my son," the old woman

replied, "don't bite off more than you can chew. If

I go to the king, he will get angry and have us

both put to death." "Do not worry, Mother," said

her son, "since I am sending you, go forth boldly.

And bring back the king's reply whatever it is;

don't come home without it." The old woman set

off sadly for the king's abode: she walked into the

courtyard and made straight for the royal staircase,

without as much as by your leave. But the guards

seized her. "Halt. old hag! Where do you think

you're going! Even generals don't dare come here

without permission..." "Leave me alone!" cried the

old woman. "I've come to do the king a favour; I

want his daughter to marry my son, and you are

trying to stop me!" She caused such a commotion

that you'd have -thought the palace was on fire.

Hearing the shouts, the king looked out of the

window and ordered the woman to be brought to

him. She marched straight into the royal chamber,

crossed herself before the icons and curtseyed to

the king. "What have you to say, old woman?"

asked the king. "Well, you see, I have come to

Your Majesty; now don't get cross: I have a buyer,

you have the wares. The buyer is my son Martin, a

very clever fellow; the wares are your daughter,

the beautiful princess. Will you let her marry my

Martin? They'd make a good pair." "Have you

taken leave of your senses, woman?" cried the

king. "Not at all, Your Majesty. Pray, give me

your reply."

Straightaway the king summoned his ministers

and they took counsel as to what the reply should

be. And it was decided thus: let Martin build the

richest of palaces within a single day and link it to

the king's palace by a crystal bridge with gold and

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41

silver apple-trees growing on either side. And let

him build a church with five domes: so there was

a place where the wedding could be held and the

marriage celebrated. If the old woman's son could

do all that, he would be really clever and would

win the princess's hand. But if he failed, he and

the old woman would lose their heads for their

impudence. Home went the old woman with the

reply, weeping bitter tears as she trudged along.

"Well, my son," she cried. "I told you not to bite

off more than you can chew; but you would have

your way. Now our poor heads are for the chop,

tomorrow we shall die." "Who knows, mother, we

might stay alive. Pray to God and go to bed:

morning is wiser than evening."

On the stroke of midnight, Martin got up from his

bed, went out into the yard, put the ring on his

other hand—and right away twelve strapping

youths appeared, all exactly alike. "What is it that

you require, Martin, the widow's son?" they asked.

"It is this: build me by first light on this very spot

a .splendid palace, with a crystal bridge leading

from my palace to the king's and with gold and

silver apple-trees growing on either side, and birds

of every kind singing in their branches: build me,

too, a church with five domes; so there is a place

where my wedding can be held, and my marriage

celebrated." "All will be ready by the morrow,"

replied the twelve strapping youths. With that they

set to busily, brought workmen and carpenters

from all sides and got down to work. They worked

with a will and soon everything was done. In the

morning Martin woke up to find himself not in his

simple cottage, but in splendid chambers. He

stepped onto the high porch and saw that all was

ready:

the palace, the church, the crystal bridge, and the

trees with gold and silver apples. The king also

walked onto his balcony, looked through his spy-

glass and marvelled to see that all had been done

as he had ordered. He summoned the fair princess

and told her to get ready for the wedding. "Well,"

he said, "I never thought I would hand my

daughter over to a peasant's son, but there's

nothing for it now."

While the princess was dressing herself in her

finery, Martin, the widow's son. came into the

yard, put the magic ring on his other hand, and

saw twelve strapping youths appear as if from out

of the ground. "What is it that you require?" they

asked. "It is this," Martin said, "dress me in a

nobleman's caftan and get ready a golden coach

with six fine horses." "Straightway, master." In

the twinkling of an eye Martin was brought the

caftan; he put it on and it fitted him perfectly.

Then he looked round and saw standing at the

portals a carriage harnessed to six splendid horses

dappled silver and gold. He got into the carriage

and drove to the church; the bells were already

ringing for mass, and people were flocking by the

score! Behind the groom came the bride with her

maids and matrons and the king with his minis-

ters. After mass Martin, the widow's son, took the

fair princess by the hand and, as right and proper,

they were wed. The king gave his daughter a rich

dowry, bestowed high office upon his new son-in-

law and held a wedding feast to which all the

world was invited.

The young couple lived together one month, then

two and three: all the while Martin had new

palaces and gardens built by the day, if not the

hour. But it pained the princess to think that she

had been wed not to a prince, a royal heir. but to a

simple peasant. So she began wondering how to

get rid of him. She pretended to be as sweet and

loving as any husband could desire. She saw to

her husband's every need, served him in every

way she could, trying all the time to wheedle his

secret out of him. But Martin was as firm as a rock

and would not betray it.

One day, however, after drinking with the king, he

came home and lay down to rest; the princess ran

to his side, kissing and caressing him, breathing

sweet words into his ear; and so oily was her

tongue that Martin finally told her about his

wonderful ring. "Good," thought the princess,

"now I'll finish you off." As soon as he fell asleep,

she snatched the ring from his little finger, went

into the courtyard and put it on her other hand. At

once the twelve strapping youths appeared. "What

is it that you require, fair princess?" they asked.

"Listen, lads," she said, "make the palace, the

church and the crystal bridge vanish by dawn; and

bring back the humble cottage as before. Leave

my husband as poor as he always was, and carry

me off to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom beyond the

Thrice-Nine Land, to the Mice's Realm. I am

ashamed to live here." "Straightway, Your

Highness," they said. In a flash she was swept up

by the wind and borne off to the Thrice-Ten

Kingdom, the Mice's Realm.

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42

Next morning the king awoke and went out onto

his balcony to look through his spy-glass—but

there was no palace with a crystal bridge and no

five-domed church. just a humble cottage. "What

does this mean?" he thought. "Where has it all

gone?" And without delay he sent his adjutant to

find out what had happened. The adjutant galloped

off, inspected everything, then returned to report

to the king, "Your Majesty, where the grand

palace once stood there is now the humble cottage

as before:

and inside the cottage lives your son-in-law with

his mother; but there is no sign of the fair princess

and no one knows where she is." The king called a

grand council to pronounce judgement on his son-

in-law: they condemned him for sorcery and the

wrong he had done to the fair princess. Martin was

to be immured in a high stone pillar with neither

food nor drink. Let him starve to death.

Stonemasons came and put up a tall stone pillar in

which Martin was immured, with one small

window for light. And there he sat. poor lad, shut

in without food or drink one day. then a second

and a third, weeping bitterly.

Martin's old friend. Blackie the dog. found out

what had happened and came running to the

cottage. Stripey the cat lay purring on the stove.

"You lazy scoundrel, Stripey," said the dog. "all

you can do is lie and stretch on the stove in the

warm. while our master is shut up in a stone

prison far away. Have you forgotten how he gave

his last hundred rubles to save your miserable

skin? If it hadn't been for him the worms would

have eaten you away long ago. Get up quickly!

We must go and help him." Stripey hopped down

from the stove and. together with the dog. ran off

to search for their master. Coming at last to his

stone prison, the cat scrambled up to the window.

"Hey, master! Are you still alive?" "Only just."

answered Martin. "I'm starving; it must be my fate

to die of hunger." "Don't despair; we will bring

you food and drink." said Stripey. jumping out of

the little window and down to the ground. "Our

master's starving to death, Blackie; what can we

do to help him?" "Oh, Stripey. you're too stupid to

think of anything! I know: let's go to town. and as

soon as we meet a pieman with a tray of pies. I'll

trip him up and make him drop the tray. Then grab

some pies and take them to our master."

So they went to the high street and met a man

carrying a tray on his head. The dog darted under

his feet, making the man stumble and drop his

tray. The pies went flying, and the poor man ran

off in a panic, thinking a mad dog was after him.

Stripey snatched up a pie and ran off to Martin.

He gave him the pie and dashed back for another,

then a third. In the same fashion they frightened

away a man selling cabbage soup, and thus got

many a bowlful for their master. Then Blackie and

Stripey decided to set off for the Thrice-Ten

Kingdom, the Mice's Realm, to bring back the

wonderful ring; the road was long and it would

take them some time. Before setting off they

brought Martin a good store of rusks, rolls, pies

and provi- sions to last a whole year. "Eat and

drink, master, but make sure your supplies last out

until we return." They bade him farewell and set

off on their long journey.

By and by they came to a deep blue sea. "I think I

can swim to the other side. what about you'^" said

the dog. "I'm no good at swimming." Stripey said.

"I'll drown in no time." "Then climb on my back."

So Stripey climbed on the dog's back. dug his

claws into Blackie's thick fur, and they swam off

across the sea. When they reached the other side

they came to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom, the Mice's

Realm. There was not a single human being in that

land; but there were more mice than you could

count—wherever you looked they were

scampering about in their thousands. "Now it's

your turn, Stripey," said the dog. "You break their

necks. while I gather up the bodies and put them

in a pile."

Stripey was used to this sort of hunting; off he

went to deal with the mice in his way; one pounce

and the mouse was finished. The dog could hardly

keep up with him and by the end of a week the

pile was huge. A terrible grief lay over the entire

realm. When the Mouse King found that his

subjects were missing, that many had suffered a

cruel fate, he crawled out of his hole and begged

the dog and the cat: "I bow before you, mighty

warriors. Take pity on my poor people, do not kill

us all;

tell me, instead, what I can do for you. Whatever

you say will be done." The dog told him this:

"You have a palace in your realm, and within that

palace dwells a fair princess; she stole our

master's magic ring. Fetch us that ring, or you will

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43

die and your kingdom will perish—we will lay it

waste!" "Wait," said the Mouse King, "I will

summon my subjects and ask them."

Immediately he gathered all the mice, large and

small, and asked if one of them would creep into

the palace to the fair princess and steal her ring.

One little mouse answered, "I often go to that

palace. By day the princess wears the ring on her

little finger, and by night when she goes to bed

she puts it into her mouth." "Go and try to get it,"

said the Mouse King. "If you succeed I will

reward you handsomely." The little mouse waited

until nightfall, made his way into the palace and

crept on tiptoe into the princess's bed-chamber.

She was sleeping soundly. Climbing onto the bed,

he poked his tail into the princess's nose and

tickled her nostrils. She sneezed, and the ring flew

out of her mouth and dropped onto the carpet. The

little mouse hopped down from the bed, seized the

ring in his teeth and took it to the Mouse King.

The Mouse King handed the ring to the mighty

warriors, Blackie and Stripey, and they in turn

paid him their compliments. Then they held

counsel between themselves: who should look

after the ring? "Give it to me, I'll never lose it, not

for anything," said the cat. "All right," said

Blackie. "But see you guard it with your life." The

cat took the ring in his mouth and they set off on

their return journey.

When they arrived at the deep blue sea, Stripey

climbed onto the dog's back, dug his claws into

Blackie's thick fur as tightly as he could, and into

the water they went, swimming across to the other

side. They swam for an hour or two, then out of

nowhere a black raven swooped down and started

pecking at Stripey's head. The poor cat did not

know how to protect himself from the enemy. If

he used his claws he would slip into the water and

end up at the bottom of the sea; if he used his

teeth, he might lose the ring. What was he to do?'

He endured it as long as he could, until his head

was bloody from the raven's pecking. Then he lost

his temper, opened his mouth to seize the raven

and ... dropped the ring into the deep blue sea. The

black raven flew up and disappeared into a dark

forest. As soon as they reached land, Blackie

demanded to see the ring. Stnpey hung his head in

shame. "Forgive me, Blackie." he said. "I'm sorry.

I dropped it into the sea." The dog let fly at him.

"You stupid oaf! You're lucky I didn't find out

earlier, or I'd have dropped you into the sea, you

dolt. What are we going to tell our master? Crawl

into the sea at once and find that ring, or I'll tear

you to pieces!" "What good will that do?" growled

the cat. "We must put our heads together: just as

we caught mice before, we'll catch crabs now.

Perhaps they will find our ring for us." The dog

agreed. So they began to walk along the seashore

catching crabs and piling them up. The pile grew

and grew. A huge crab crawled out of the sea to

take a walk; in a flash Stripey had him in his

claws. "Don't kill me, mighty warriors, I am the

Crab King. I shall do whatever you order." "We

dropped a ring into the sea," said Stripey, "go and

look for it if you desire our pardon; or we will put

your whole kingdom to waste."

The Crab King called his subjects at once and told

them about the ring. Then up spoke a tiny crab: "I

know where it is. When the ring fell into the deep

blue sea, a sturgeon seized it and swallowed it

before my very eyes." All the crabs ran through

the sea in search of the sturgeon; when they found

it they began pinching and tweaking the poor fish

ceaselessly. The fish twisted and turned this way

and that. and finally leapt onto the shore. The

Crab King again emerged from the water and

addressed the cat and the dog: "Here is the

sturgeon, mighty warriors. Have no mercy on it,

for it has swallowed your ring." The dog pounced

on the sturgeon and started eating it up from the

tail. But the cunning cat guessed where the ring

would be. He gnawed a hole in the sturgeon's

belly, tore out its insides and there was the ring.

Seizing it in his teeth he scampered off as fast as

his legs would carry him, thinking, "I'll run to the

master, give him the ring and say I found it all by

myself; and the master will love me more than

Blackie."

Meanwhile the dog was finishing his meal of fish

and wondering where the cat had gone. He soon

guessed what the cat was up to, that he was trying

to curry favour with their master. "It's no good,

Stripey, you rascal! I'll catch you up and tear you

to pieces." And off ran Blackie after the cat. He

caught Stripey up and threatened him with a

terrible fate. Spying a birch-tree in a field, Stripey

scampered up it and sat there right at the top.

"Very well," said the dog, "you can't sit in a tree

forever; you'll want to come down sometime. And

I shan't budge until you do." For three days

Stripey sat up the tree, and for three days Blackie

stood guard, not letting him out of sight for a

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44

moment. They both got very hungry and agreed to

make it up. then set off together to their master.

When they reached the stone prison, Stripey

sprang up to the little window and asked, "Are

you still alive. Master?" "Hello, dear Stripey! I

thought you would never return. I haven't had a

bite to eat for three days." Thereupon the cat gave

him the magic ring. Martin bided his time till dead

of night, put the ring on his other hand and the

twelve strapping youths appeared.

"What is it that you require?" "Set up my former

palace, lads," said Martin, "and the crystal bridge

and the five-domed church; and bring back my

unfaithful wife; have it ready by morning."

No sooner said than done. The king awoke next

morning, went onto his bal- cony, and looked

through his spy-glass: where the cottage had stood

there was now a lofty palace; from the palace

stretched a crystal bridge, and on either side of the

bridge grew trees with gold and silver apples. The

king ordered his coach to be made ready and rode

off to see whether it had all really come back or

whether he was dreaming. Martin met him at the

gates, took him by his fair hands and led him into

his splendid palace. "Well, this is how it was, Sire,

and all because of the princess", and he told the

king the whole story. The king ordered the

princess to be executed: the unfaithful wife was

tied to the tail of a wild stallion which was set

loose upon the open plain. The stallion flew like

the wind, dashing her snow-white body against

the gullies and steep ravines. But Martin still lives

and prospers to this day.

Magic Wild Geese

An old man lived with his old wife; they had a

daughter and a little son.

"Daughter, Daughter," said the mother, "we are

going to work; we shall bring you back a bun, sew

you a dress and buy you a kerchief. Be very

careful, watch over your little brother, and do not

leave the house".

The parents went away and the daughter forgot

what they had told her; she put her brother on the

grass beneath the window, ran out into the street,

and became absorbed in games.

Some magic swan geese came and seized the little

boy, and carried him off on their wings. The girl

came back and found her brother gone. She

gasped, and rushed to look in every corner, but

could not find him. She called him, wept and

lamented that her father and mother would scold

her severely; still her little brother did not answer.

She ran into the open field; the swan geese flashed

in the distance and vanished into the dark forest.

The swan geese had long had a very bad

reputation; they had done a great deal of damage

and had stolen many little children. The girl had

guessed that they had carried off her little brother,

and so she rushed after them. She ran and ran and

saw a stove.

"Stove, stove, tell me whither have the geese

flown?"

"If you eat my cake of rye I will tell you."

"Oh, in my father's house we do not eat cakes of

wheat!".

The stove did not tell her. She ran farther and saw

an apple tree tree.

"Apple tree, apple tree, whither have the geese

flown?"

"If you eat some of my wild apples, I will tell

you".

" Oh, in my father's house we do not even eat

sweet apples."

She ran farther and farther and saw a river of milk

with shores of pudding.

"River of milk, and shores of pudding, whither

have the geese flown?"

"If you eat my simple pudding with milk, I will

tell you".

"Oh in my father's house we do not even eat

cream."

She would have run in the fields and wandered in

the woods for a long time, if she had not luckily to

meet hedgehog. She wanted to nudge him, but she

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45

was afraid that he would prick her, when she

asked:

"Hedgehog, hedgehog, have you not seen whither

the geese have flown?"

"Thither", he said and showed her. She ran and

saw a little hut that stood on chicken legs and

turned round and round. In the little hut lay Baba

Yaga with veined snout and clay legs, and the

little brother was sitting on a bench, playing with

golden apples. His sister saw him, crept near him

and seized him, and carried him away. But the

geese flew after her: if the robbers overtook her,

where would she hide?

There flowed the river of milk and the shores of

pudding.

"Little mother river, hide me!" she begged.

"If you eat my pudding." There was nothing to be

done; she ate it and the river hid her beneath the

shore, and the geese flew by.

She went out and said:

"Thank you", and ran on carrying her brother; and

the geese turned back and flew toward her. What

could she do in this trouble? There was the apple

tree.

"Apple tree, apple tree, little mother, hide me!"

she begged.

"If you eat my wild apple." She ate it quickly. The

apple tree covered her with branches and leaves;

and the geese flew by. She went out again and ran

on with her brother. The geese saw her and flew

after her. They now came quite close, they began

to strike at her with their wings; at any moment

they would tear her brother from her hands.

Luckily there was the stove on her path.

"Madam stove, hide me", she begged.

"If you eat my cake of rye." The girl quickly stuck

the cake in her mouth, went into the the stove, and

sat there. The geese whirred and whirred, quacked

and quacked, and finally flew away without

recovering their prey. The girl ran home, and it

was a good thing that she came when she did, for

soon afterward her mother and father arrived.

Maria Morevna

A long time ago in a Russian kingdom closer than

you might think lived a Tsar and his Queen, with

their son Ivan and three daughters Maria, Olga,

and Anna.

The years passed and it was time for the old Tsar

to hand over his kingdom to his son on his

deathbed. On his deathbed the Tsar instructed

young Ivan to see that his sisters be properly

married and taken care of while they were still

fresh and young.

As the years passed, the now, Tsar Ivan found

himself walking in a garden on palace grounds

with his three sisters. Out of nowhere a black

cloud appeared covering the entire sky. As this

happened Ivan instructed his sisters to retreat to

the inside of the palace before the storm began. As

soon as they all stepped inside the palace lighting

flashed across the entire sky, thunder rattled the

land, and rain covered the entire kingdom. Next

thing they knew a flacon flew through a window

and as he landed he turned into a handsome

prince. He looked at Maria then Ivan and asked

for her hand in marriage. Ivan accepted the

proposal as did Maria and they were married

shortly thereafter and the falcon carried her back

to his kingdom.

One year to the day Ivan found himself walking

through a palace garden with the remaining two

sisters. Just as did happen the previous year a

black cloud appeared and Ivan and his sisters ran

back to the palace to escape the storm. When they

got back to the palace the storm arrived but this

time an eagle flew in turning into a handsome

young prince. He looked at Olga then Ivan and

asked for her hand in marriage. Ivan approved as

did Olga and they were quickly married after

which the eagle carried Olga back to his kingdom.

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46

One year to the day of the second meeting of a

prince Ivan was once again walking in a palace

garden with his youngest and only remaining

sister Anna. The same turn of events that occurred

in the previous years once again came to pass. As

they got back inside the palace a raven appeared

immediately after the storm started. As the raven

landed he turned into a handsome prince. He

looked at Anna then Ivan and asked for Anna's

hand in marriage. Ivan did not hesitate in giving

them his blessing and Anna did not hesitate in

accepting the proposal. They were married and the

raven carried Anna off to his kingdom.

Tsar Ivan now lived alone in his immense palace

lonely and without a family to look after. He

missed his sisters so much that one day he told his

princes and boyars that he was leaving the

kingdom in their care and that he was leaving the

kingdom for an indefinite period of time.

He mounted his horse and rode off. He rode up to

a field of a slain army of soldiers. This army

happened to be defeated by the army of Marya

Morevna, which happened to be resting in a field

of white tents. There he met Marya and made it

clear to her that he came in peace. She invited him

into her tent for a feast and he ended up staying

with her for three days and nights. Both realized

that they were madly in love and set a date to

marry in Marya's kingdom. For years they lived

happily and in peace.

One day Marya came to Ivan and told him that she

was going to have to leave to battle an army in

another portion of her kingdom. When she

departed she told Ivan that he was in charge of the

kingdom until she got back and not to enter the

chamber at the tallest turret in the castle under any

circumstances.

While she was gone he wandered the castle for

days looking into every room wondering when his

love was going to come back. He remembered that

in the tallest turret there was something inside that

he was not supposed to see. Burning with

curiosity he ran to the uppermost chamber in the

turret and unlocked the door. Inside he found a

giant lying sprawled on the floor with his arms

and legs chained to the floor with seven iron

chains.

The giant pleaded to Ivan that he had food or

drink in ten years. Ivan feeling pity brought the

giant a pale of water, which the giant drank in one

gulp. He asked for two more pails and when he

finished the last one he got up and broke through

the chains like they were paper-thin. This was no

ordinary giant this was the one and only Koschei

the Deathless.

He told Ivan that he would never see his wife

again and like a whirlwind flew out of the

window. Koschei flew across the land and swept

up Marya who was returning home from battle

and carried her off to his kingdom.

Ivan was depressed and he sat in the castle crying

and weeping for his mistake and the loss of his

love. Time passed and wounds healed but he still

missed his wife so he decided to go rescue her.

He rode on his horse for three days and on the

third he saw a beautiful castle in front of him.

Next to him perched on an oak tree was a falcon

that at the sight of Ivan flew done and turned into

his first brother-in-law. They went inside the

castle where his sister Maria was there to meet

him. Ivan stayed with them for three days and told

them that he had to leave. He left his silver spoon

with them so they would know how he was doing

and rode off on his horse.

He rode for three days and on the third day he

came upon another castle that was more beautiful

than the first. Looking at the immense structure he

sat on his horse next to a large oak. In the oak was

perched an eagle who upon seeing Ivan flew down

and turned into the second brother-in-law. They

went inside the castle and met with Ivan's sister

Olga who was delighted to see him. Ivan stayed in

the castle for three days and said that he would

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47

have to depart because he was on a quest to find

his wife Marya Morevna. To see his progress the

two asked Ivan to leave his silver fork. He did as

was asked and rode off.

Riding non-stop for three days he came upon

another castle that was more beautiful than both of

the ones he stayed at before, put together. In a

large oak was perched a falcon who swooped

down to Ivan and turned into the third brother-in-

law. He invited Ivan in and Anna the youngest of

the sisters embraced Ivan since she had not seen

him in so long. Ivan spent three days with them

and rode off leaving them a silver tobacco box so

that they could keep track of his progress.

He traveled for three more days before coming up

to the kingdom of Koschei the Deathless. Ivan

bravely walked into the palace grounds and found

Marya Morevna who warned him that Koschei

was out on a hunt. Ivan took Marya on his horse

and rode off with her hoping to make it home.

Koschei returning from the hunt was informed by

a horse of his that Ivan had taken Marya. Hearing

this news he mounted the magical horse and

caught up to Ivan and Marya in a flash. Koschei

swept up Marya and told him that he would not

kill him since he took pity on him in the past.

Dejected he sat on his horse and thought about his

defeated effort. Driven to have his wife back he

rode back Koschei's palace to once again rescue

Marya.

When he found Marya again she warned him that

Koschei would be back soon. He ignored her

warning and took her and charged off on his

horse.

Koschei came back and was informed by his horse

that Ivan had taken Marya again. Mounting the

magical horse he caught up to the two escapees

just as fast as he did previously, took Marya, and

told Ivan that if he was ever to do that again that

he would be killed.

This time Ivan returned and waited several days

until Koschei left the palace to go in and rescue

Marya. Ivan found Marya and he told her to get on

the horse and ride off with him. She was reluctant

and he told him that he would be killed if Koschei

found them again. Ivan told her that it was better

to be dead than not to be with her and she

responded by getting on his horse and riding off

with him.

Koschei returned and found that Marya was

missing and galloped after them in a fury. He

caught up to them, grabbed Marya, sliced Ivan

into many small pieces, and put the pieces into a

tarred barrel, which he threw into the deep blue

sea.

As this was happening the spoon, fork, and

tobacco box all turned black. The brothers-in-law

all realized that something very terrible had

happened to Ivan. The eagle flew to the sea and

snared the barrel carrying it to shore. The falcon

flew off to obtain the water of the living and the

raven flew to obtain the water of the dead. The

falcon and the raven flew back to the eagle that

was waiting for them. The three of them broke the

barrel and put Ivan's body back together piece by

piece. Next the raven poured the water of the dead

on the severed pieces and they fused back

together. Then the falcon poured the water of the

living on the body and Ivan sprung back to life.

Ivan thanked his brothers-in-law and walked back

to Koschei's palace.

When Koschei left in the morning Ivan snuck

inside and found Marya and told her to find out

where Koschei acquired his magical horses. When

Koschei returned Marya waited for the opportune

time and asked him the question. He answered

that he got the horses from Baba Yaga who lived

on the other side of the River of Fire, which his

magical handkerchief helped him cross.

While Koschei slept Marya took his magic

handkerchief and gave it to Ivan and told him to

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48

go to Baba Yaga's house on the other side of the

River of Fire.

Ivan started off for Baba Yaga's house and soon

enough he was at the River of Fire. He waved the

magic handkerchief and a crystal bridge rose up

from a low and decrepit bridge and he was able to

cross safely.

Ivan walked and walked and was very hungry. He

came upon a mother bird with her young. He

thought of having them to eat but the mother bird

told him not to eat them because he might need

their help later, and Ivan trekked on.

Still famished Ivan came up to a beehive from

which he wanted to take some honey. However

the queen bee flew to him and said not to eat any

honey since he might need her help in the future,

and so he walked on.

Not having eaten for a long time he crossed paths

with a lioness and her cub. Ivan wanted to kill the

cub for a meal but was told not to by the lioness

since he might need their help someday, and he

walked on.

He walked long exhausted from severe hunger and

eventually made it to Baba Yaga's house. He met

with her and told her that he would serve her. She

told him that he would tend her stables and if one

horse escaped she would cut off his head and put

it on a stake next to all of her other heads. She

would reward him though if he could manage to

keep her horses at bay. She made him a hearty

meal, told him to eat, sleep, and that he would be

starting his work in the morning.

In the morning before waking Ivan Baba Yaga

told all of her horses to run away from Ivan once

they got in the meadow.

After Ivan woke he took the horses as instructed

to the meadow. As soon as they arrived all the

horses ran off in different directions. Ivan could

do nothing as he sat in the middle of the meadow.

Then the same birds that Ivan spared swooped out

of the sky forcing all the horses back to their

stables.

Baba Yaga angered at her horses asked them what

happened. They told her they had no choice

because the birds would have plucked their eyes

out. She instructed them next time to scatter into

the deepness of the forest.

Ivan woke up the next day and took the horses out

and they ran into the depths of the forest as soon

as they had the chance. The same lioness her cub

and an army of lions ran into the forest and chased

the horses back to their stables.

Baba Yaga was once again angry at her horses

since they were back in their stables in the

morning. This time she told them to hide in the

blue sea once Ivan took them out.

Ivan woke up and took the horses out and sure

enough they ran off into the blue sea. Then a

swarm of bees flew at the horses that were

standing in the sea and stung them until they

returned home. One of the bees flew to Ivan and

told him to go back to Baba Yaga's house but so

that she does not know that he is there and hides

in the stables. The bee also told him to find a

mangy looking colt and flee at night. Ivan did as

he was told and rode off on the ugly colt towards

the River of Fire.

He reached the River of Fire, waved the

handkerchief, and crossed the crystal bridge that

appeared out of nowhere. The next morning Baba

Yaga found that Ivan had taken one of her colts

and she rode after him. When she came up to the

River of Fire she tried to cross it but fell in and

was never heard from again.

Once Ivan led his colt out into a pasture it

suddenly turned into a strong and beautiful steed.

Ivan mounted him and rode to the palace of

Koschei the Deathless. Once he reached the palace

he found Marya Morevna and put her on his new

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49

magical horse and rode off.

Koschei found out from one of his magic horses

that Ivan had come back and took Marya. Furious,

Koschei mounted the horse and charged after

them.

When Koschei caught up to them Ivan's horse

struck Koschei in the head and killed him with

that blow. Marya mounted Koschei's horse and

she and Ivan rode back to their kingdom stopping

to feast at each of the brothers-in-law castles.

Tsar Ivan and Marya Morevna unified their two

kingdoms, which they helped reign over happily

ever after.

Masha and The Bear

Once upon a time there lived an old man and

woman who had a granddaughter named Masha.

One day some friends of Masha's decided to go to

the forest to gather mushrooms and berries and

they came to Masha's house to ask her to go with

them.

"Please, Grannie and Grampa," said Masha, "do

let me go to the forest"

"You may go but see that you keep close to the

others and do not lose sight of them or you might

get lost", the two old people replied.

Masha and her friends came to the forest and

began to hunt for the mushrooms and berries.

From bush to bush, from tree to tree went Masha.

Before she knew it she had strayed away from her

friends. When at last she saw that she was all

alone she began to halloo and call to them, but her

friends did not hear her and made no answer.

Masha went here and there, she walked all over

the forest, and there before her she saw a little hut.

Masha knocked on the door but there was no

answer, so she gave the door a push and lo! the

door opened. Masha went into the hut and sat

down on a bench by the window.

"I wonder who lives here she thought". Now in

that hut lived a great big bear, only he was out

walking in the forest just then. It was evening by

the time he came home and when he saw Masha

he was very pleased.

"Aha", said he, "now I'll never let you go!. You

will live here in my house as meek as a mouse,

and you will cook my dinner and my breakfast

too, and be my servant, faithful and true."

Masha grieved and sorrowed for a long time, but it

could not be helped, and so she stayed with the

bear and kept house for him. Every day the bear

would go into the forest for the day and before

leaving, he would tell Masha to stay in the hut and

wait for him.

"You must never go out without me, he told her,

for if you do I will catch you and eat you up."

So Masha sat thing of how she could get away

from the bear. All around was the forest and there

was no one to ask which way to go. She thought

and thought until she knew what to do.

That day, when the bear came back from the

forest, Masha said to him:

" Bear, Bear do let me to to my village for a day. I

want to take something good to eat for my

Grandma and Grandpa."

"No that wont do at all" said the bear, "you will

get lost in the forest, but if you give me what it is

you want to give your Grandma and Grandpa, I

will take it myself".

Now that was all that Masha wanted to hear. She

baked some pies, put them on a plate, and getting

out a very large basket, said to the bear:

"I'll put the pies in the basket and you can take

them to my Grandma and Grandpa. But mind you

are not to open the basket on the way and you are

not to eat any of the pies. I am going to climb to

the top of the big oak tree and watch that you do

not open the basket."

"Very well ", said the bear, "Give me the basket".

The bear went out on the porch to make sure that

it was not raining. When he did, Masha crawled

into the basket and covered herself with the pies.

The bear came in, and there was the basket all

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50

ready to go. So he strapped the basket on his back

and started off. Tramp-tramp went the bear amid

the spruce trees. Clumpity-clumphe went amid the

birch trees, up hill and down dale went his long

winding trail, and on and on he walked. At last he

got tired and sat down to rest.

"If I don't rest my bones I think I will die, So I

will sit on a stump And I'll eat a pie", said the

Bear.

But Masha called out from the basket:

"I see you, I see you Don't sit on the stump And

don't eat my pie But take it to Grandma And

Grandpa, say I".

"Dear me what sharp eyes eyes Masha has", said

the bear, "she sees everything".

He picked up the basket and went on. He stopped

again and said:

"If I don't rest my bones, I think I will dies, so I'll

sit on a stump and eat a pie".

But Masha called out again from the basket:

"I see you, I see you! Don't sit on the stump, and

don't eat my pie, but take it to Grandma and

Grandpa, say I".

"What a clever little girls Masha is", said the bear.

"She is sitting high up in a tree and she is far

away, but she sees all I do and she hears all I say".

He got to his feet and walked on and on even

faster than before. He came to the village and

finding the house where Masha's grandfather and

grandmother lived he began to bang away on the

gate with all his might.

" KNOCK, KNOCK, open the gate", he cried, "I

have brought something for you from Masha, he

cried".

But the village dogs scented the bear and rushed

out at him from every yard, yelping and barking.

The bear was frightened, he set down the basket

by the gate and away he ran as fast as he could

without looking back.

The old man and woman came up to the gate and

saw the basket.

"What is in the basket", the old woman asked.

The old man lifted the top, and looked and he

could not believe his eyes. For there in the basket

sat Masha alive and well. The old man and woman

were overjoyed. They kissed and hugged and

embraced. Masha and they said she was as clever

as clever can be, as indeed all our readers will

surely agree.

Morozko

Once there lived an old widower and his daughter.

In due time, the man remarried to an older woman

who had a daughter herself from a previous

marriage. The woman doted on her own daughter,

praising her at every opportunity, but she despised

her stepdaughter

She found fault with everything the girl did and

made her work long and hard all day long.

One day the old woman made up her mind to get

rid of the stepdaughter once and for all. She

ordered her husband:

"Take her somewhere so that my eyes no longer

have to see her, so that my ears no longer have to

hear her. And don't take her to some relative's

house. Take her into the biting cold of the forest

and leave her there."

The old man grieved and wept but he knew that he

could do nothing else; his wife always had her

way. So he took the girl into the forest and left her

there. He turned back quickly so that he wouldn't

have to see his girl freeze.

Oh, the poor thing, sitting there in the snow, with

her body shivering and her teeth chattering! Then

Morozko (the Father Frost), leaping from tree to

tree, came upon her. "Are you warm, my lass?" he

asked.

"Welcome, my dear Morozko. Yes, I am quite

warm," she said, even though she was cold

through and through.

At first, Morozko had wanted to freeze the life out

of her with his icy grip. But he admired the young

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51

girl's stoicism and showed mercy. He gave her a

warm fur coat and downy quilts before he left. In

a short while, Morozko returned to check on the

girl.

"Are you warm, my lass?" he asked.

"Welcome again, my dear Morozko. Yes, I am

very warm," she said.

And indeed she was warmer. So this time

Morozko brought a large box for her to sit on. A

little later, Morozko returned once more to ask

how she was doing. She was doing quite well

now, and this time Morozko gave her silver and

gold jewelry to wear, with enough extra jewels to

fill the box on which she was sitting!

Meanwhile, back at her father's hut, the old

woman told her husband to go back into the forest

to bring back the body of his daughter. He did as

he was ordered. He arrived at the spot where had

left her, and was overjoyed when he saw his

daughter alive, wrapped in a sable coat and

adorned with silver and gold. When he arrived

home with his daughter and the box of jewels, his

wife looked on in amazement.

"Harness the horse, you old goat, and take my

own daughter to that same spot in the forest and

leave her there," she said.

The old man did as he was told. Like the other girl

at first, the old woman's daughter began to shake

and shiver. In a short while, Morozko came by

and asked her how she was doing.

"Are you blind?" she replied. "Can't you see that

my hands and feet are quite numb? Curse you, you

miserable old man!" Dawn had hardly broken the

next day when, back at the old man's hut, the old

woman woke her husband and told him to bring

back her daughter, adding:

"Be careful with the box of jewels." The old man

obeyed and went to fetch the girl. A short while

later, the gate to the yard creaked. The old woman

went outside and saw her husband standing next

to the sleigh. She rushed forward and pulled aside

the sleigh's cover. To her horror, she saw the body

of her daughter, frozen by an angry Morozko. She

began to scream and berate her husband, but it

was all in vein. Later, the old man's daughter

married a neighbor, had children, and lived

happily. Her father would visit his grandchildren

every now and then, and remind them always to

respect Old Man Winter

Pea-Roll Along

There was once a man who had six sons and one

daughter, Olenka by name. One day the sons went

out to plough and they told their sister to bring

them their dinner to the field.

"How will I find you there?" Olenka asked.

"We will make a furrow stretching from our house

to the place where we will be," said they.

And with that they drove away.

Now, in the forest beyond the field there lived a

Dragon, and he came and filled in the furrow the

brothers had made with earth and made a furrow

of his own which led to the door of his house. And

when Olenka went out to take her brothers dinner

to them she followed it and walked straight into

the Dragon's courtyard. And the Dragon seized

her and held her captive.

In the evening the brothers came home and they

said to their mother:

"We were ploughing all day. Why didn't you send

us anything to eat, Mother?"

"But I did!' the mother replied. "I sent Olenka to

the field with your dinner. She must have lost her

way."

"We must go and look for her," the brothers said.

They set out at once, and, seeing the Dragon's

furrow, followed it and came to his house. They

walked in through the gate, and there was their

sister running out to meet them!

"Oh, my brothers, my dear brothers, where will I

hide you?" she cried. "The Dragon is out now but

he will eat you up when he comes back!"

And lo! — there was the Dragon flying toward

them.

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52

"I smell a man, I smell many men!" he cried.

"Well, now, my lads, is it to fight me you have

come or to make peace with me?"

"To fight you!"

"Very well, then, let us go to the iron threshing

floor."

They went to the iron threshing floor, but they did

not fight long. For the Dragon struck them once

and drove them into the floor. Then he pulled

them out, more dead than alive, and threw them

into a deep dungeon.

The mother and father waited for their sons to

return, but they waited in vain.

One day the mother went to the river with her

laundry, and what should she see rolling toward

her along the road but a pea! She picked

"Perhaps I can free you," said Pea-Roll Along.

"My brothers, and there were six of them, tried

and could not do it, so how can you!"

"We shall see what we shall see!" said Pea-Roll

Along.

And he sat down to wait by a window.

By and by the Dragon came flying back. He

stepped into the house, sniffed and said:

"I smell a man!"

"Of course you do, for .here I am!" said Pea-Roll

Along, coming forward.

"And what brings you here, my lad? Do you want

to fight me or to make peace with me?"

"I want to fight you!"

"Well, then, let us go to the iron threshing floor!"

"Let's!"

They came to the threshing floor, and the Dragon

faced Pea-Roll Along.

"You strike first!" he said.

"No, you do!" said Pea-Roll Along.

At this the Dragon pounced on Pea-Roll Along

and struck him such a blow that he sank ankle-

deep into the iron threshing floor. But Pea-Roll

Along was out again in a flash and he gave the

Dragon an answering blow with his mace and

drove him knee-deep into the floor. The Dragon

heaved himself out and he again came at Pea-Roll

Along and drove him as deep into the floor as he

had just been driven himself. But Pea-Roll Along

was not one to be frightened. He struck the

Dragon a blow which drove him waist-deep into

the floor, and then another that killed him on the

spot.

After that he made his way to the dungeon, freed

his brothers, who were more dead than alive, and,

taking them and his sister Olenka with him, and

all the gold and silver the Dragon had in the house

too, set out for home. But he never told them that

he was their brother.

Whether they were long on their way or not

nobody knows, but by and by they sat down for a

rest under an oak tree, and so tired was Pea-Roll

Along after having battled the Dragon that he fell

fast asleep. And his six brothers talked it all over

among themselves and said:

"We will be mocked at when it becomes known

that the six of us could not do away with the

Dragon while this young lad here did it all by

himself. And he will get all the Dragon's riches

besides."

And they decided to tie Pea-Roll Along while he

was asleep and Helpless to the oak tree and leave

him there to be eaten up by a wild beast.

No sooner said than done. They bound Pea-Roll

Along to the tree, left him there and went away.

And Pea-Roll Along slept on and felt nothing. He

slept for a day and he slept for a night, and he

woke to find himself bound to the oak tree. But he

jerked and heaved, and lo! — out came the tree,

roots and all, from the ground, and Pea-Roll

Along threw it over his shoulder and went home.

He came up to his house and he heard his brothers

talking to their mother.

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53

"Did you have any more children, Mother, after

we left home?" they asked.

"Yes, indeed!" the mother replied. "I had a son,

Pea-Roll Along by name, who went to seek you."

"Then it must have been he we bound to the oak

tree. We shall have to go back at once and untie

him!"

But Pea-Roll Along waved the oak tree he was

carrying and it struck the roof of the hut so hard

that the but all but tumbled to the ground.

"Stay where you are since you are what you are

and no better, my brothers!" he cried. "I will go

off by myself and roam the wide world."

And he shouldered his mace and away he went.

He walked and he walked and he saw two

mountains ahead. Between them stood a man who

had his hands and his feet set against them and

was trying to push them apart.

"Good morning, friend!" Pea-Roll Along called

out.

"Good morning to you!" the man replied.

"What are you doing?"

"Moving the mountains apart to make a path for

passers-by."

"Where are you going?"

"To see the world and seek my fortune."

"I am out to do the same. What is your name?"

"Move-Mountain. What's yours?"

"Pea-Roll Along. Let's go together!"

"Let's!"

They went along together, they walked and they

walked, and they saw a man in the forest who was

pulling out oak trees by their roots. And he had

only to give a tree one twist, and out it came!

"Good morning, friend!" called Pea-Roll Along

and Move-Mountain.

"Good morning to you, my lads!" the man called

back.

"What are you doing?"

"Uprooting oak trees to make a path for anyone

who wants to walk here."

"Where are you going?"

"To seek my fortune."

"We are out to do the same. What's your name?"

"Twist-Oak. And yours?"

"Pea-Roll Along and Move-Mountain. Let's go

together!"

"Let's!"

The three of them went on together, they walked

and they walked, and they saw a man sitting on

the bank of a river. The man had the longest of

long whiskers, and he had only to twirl one of

them for the waters to part and roll away, leaving

a path for anyone who wanted to walk over the

river bed.

"Good morning, friend!" they called to him.

"Good morning to you, my lads!"

"What are you doing?"

"Parting the waters in order to cross the river."

"Where are you going?"

"To seek my fortune."

"We are out to do the same. What's your name?"

"Twirl-Whisker. What are yours?"

"Pea-Roll Along, Move-Mountain and Twist-Oak.

Let's go together!"

"Let's!"

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54

They went on together and had an easy time of it,

for Move-Mountain

moved aside every mountain, Twist-Oak uprooted

every forest, and Twirl-Whisker parted the waters

of every river that was in their way.

They walked and they walked, and they came to a

small hut standing in the middle of a large forest.

They stepped inside, and lo! — there was no one

there.

"Here's where we will spend the night!" said Pea-

Roll Along.

They spent the night in the hut, and in the morning

Pea-Roll Along said:

"You stay at home, Move-Mountain, and make

dinner, and we three will go hunting."

They went away, and Move-Mountain cooked a

big dinner and lay down for a sleep.

All of a sudden there came a rap at the door: rap-

tap-tap!

"Open the door!" someone called.

"I'm no servant of yours to open doors!" Move-

Mountain called back.

The door opened, and the same voice called again:

"Carry me over the threshold!"

"You're no lord of mine, so don't wail or whine!"

Move-Mountain called back.

And lo! — there climbed over the threshold the

tiniest old man that ever was, with a beard so long

that it dragged over the floor. The little old man

caught Move-Mountain by the hair and hung him

on a nail on the wall. Then he ate all there was to

eat and drank all there was to drink, and after

cutting a long strip of skin from Move-Mountain's

back, went away.

Move-Mountain twisted and turned on the nail till

he broke loose, and then he set to work making

dinner anew. He was still at it when his friends

returned.

"Why are you so late getting dinner?" they asked.

"I dozed off and forgot about it," said Move-

Mountain.

They ate their fill and went to bed, and on the

following morning Pea-Roll Along said:

"Now you stay at home, Twist-Oak, and the rest

of us will go hunting."

They went away, and Twist-Oak cooked a big

dinner and lay down for a sleep.

All of a sudden there came a rap at the door: rap-

tap-tap!

"Open the door!" a voice called.

"I'm no servant of yours to open doors!" Twist-

Oak called back.

"Carry me over the threshold!" the same voice

called again.

"You're no lord of mine, so don't wail or whine!"

Twist-Oak replied.

And lo! — there climbed over the threshold and

stepped into the hut the tiniest little old man that

ever was, with a beard so long that it trailed over

the floor. The old man grabbed Twist-Oak by the

hair and hung him on a nail, and then ate all there

was to eat and drank all there was to drink, and,

after cutting a long strip of skin from Twist-Oak's

back, went away.

Twist-Oak twisted and turned this way and that

till he succeeded in breaking free, and then he

started to make dinner again. He was still at it

when his friends returned.

"Why are you so late getting dinner?" they asked.

"I dozed off and only woke a little while ago,"

said Twist-Oak.

Move-Mountain, who guessed what had

happened, said nothing.

On the third day Twirl-Whisker was the one to

remain at home, and the same thing happened to

him.

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55

Said Pea-Roll Along:

"You three are very slow getting dinner.

Tomorrow you'll go hunting and I'll stay home."

Morning came, and Pea-Roll Along remained at

home while his three friends went hunting. He

cooked a big dinner, and just as he lay down for a

nap there came a rap at the door: rap-tap-tap!

"Open up!" a voice called.

Pea-Roll Along opened the door, and there before

him was the tiniest little old man that ever lived,

with a beard so long that it trailed over the floor.

"Carry me over the threshold, my lad!" said the

little old man.

Pea-Roll Along picked him up, carried him into

the hut and set him down on the floor, and the

little old man began dancing round and round and

taking little flying jumps at him.

"What do you want?" asked Pea-Roll Along.

"You'll soon see what I want!" said the little old

man. He stretched out his hand and was about to

seize Pea-Roll Along by the hair, but Pea-Roll

Along cried out, "Oh, so that's the sort you are!"

and caught him by the beard instead. Then, taking

an axe, he dragged the little old man outside and

up to an oak tree, split the oak tree in two, and

thrust the little old man's beard deep into the cleft,

pinning it fast.

"You were wicked enough to try to catch me by

the hair, Grandpa," he said, "so now you'll have to

stay here till I return."

Back he went to the hut, and he found his three

friends waiting for him there.

"Is dinner ready?" they asked.

"Yes, it's been ready and waiting a long time,"

Pea-Roll Along replied.

They sat down and began eating, and after they

had finished he

said:

"Come with me and I will show you a most

strange sight." He led them outside, but oddly

enough there was no oak tree there and

no little old man either. For the little old man had

pulled out the oak

tree by the roots and dragged it away with him.

Pea-Roll Along then told his friends of all that had

happened to him,

and they, on their part, confessed that the little old

man had had them

hanging from a nail and had cut strips of skin from

their backs.

"He's a wicked old thing, is the little old man, and

we had better go and find him," said Pea-Roll

Along.

Now, the little old man had been dragging the oak

tree and had thus left a trail which they found easy

to follow. The trail led them to a hole in the

ground so deep that it seemed bottomless.

Pea-Roll Along turned to Move-Mountain.

"Climb down the hole, Move-Mountain!" he said.

"Not I!" answered Move-Mountain.

"How about you, Twist-Oak, or you, Twirl-

Whisker?"

But neither Twist-Oak nor Twirl-Whisker would

risk climbing down the hole.

"All right, then, I'll do it!" said Pea-Roll Along.

"But I'll need a rope. Let's plait one!"

They plaited a rope, and Pea-Roll Along wound

one end of it round his wrist.

"Now let me down!" he said.

They began letting him down, and it took them a

long time, for so deep was the hole that to reach

its bottom was like trying to reach the nether

world itself. But they got him down at last, and

Pea-Roll Along set out to explore the place. On he

walked, and by and by he came across a huge

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56

palace. He went inside, and everything in the

palace sparkled and shone, for it was made of gold

studded with precious stones. He passed from

chamber to chamber, and all of a sudden who

should come running toward him but a princess,

and so beautiful was she that her equal could not

have been found anywhere in the world.

"What brings you here, good youth?" she asked.

"I am looking for a little old man with a beard that

trails over the ground," said Pea-Roll Along.

"He got his beard stuck in the cleft of a tree and is

now trying to pull it out," said the princess. "Don't

go to him or he will kill you as he has killed

others."

"He won't kill me," said Pea-Roll Along. "It was I

who caught him by the beard and stuck it in the

cleft. But who are you?"

"I am a princess, the daughter of a king. The little

old man carried me off and is keeping me captive

here."

"I will free you, never fear! Just take me to him."

The princess led Pea-Roll Along to the little old

man, and lo!—there he sat stroking his beard

which he had pulled out of the cleft. At the sight

of Pea-Roll Along he turned red with anger.

"What brings you here — have you come to fight

me or to make peace with me?" he asked.

"I am here to fight you!" said Pea-Roll Along.

"Do you think I would make peace with the likes

of you?"

They began to fight, and they fought fiercely and

long till at last Pea-Roll Along struck the little old

man with his mace and killed him at once.

After that Pea-Roll Along and the princess took all

the gold and gems they could find in the palace,

and, filling three sacks full of them, made for the

hole down which Pea-Roll Along had climbed

into the underground kingdom.

They came to it soon enough, and Pea-Roll Along

cupped his hands round his mouth and began

calling to his friends.

"Are you still there, my brothers?" he called.

"We are!" came the reply.

Pea-Roll Along tied one of the sacks to the rope.

"Pull it up, brothers! he called again. "The sack is

yours!"

They pulled up the sack and let the rope down

again, and Pea-Roll Along tied the second sack to

it.

"Pull it up! This one is yours too!" he called.

He sent up the third sack as well, and then he tied

the princess to the rope.

"The princess is mine!" he called.

The three friends pulled out the princess, and now

only Pea-Roll Along was left at the bottom of the

hole.

"Let's pull him up and then let go of the rope!"

said they. "He will fall and be killed, and the

princess will be ours."

But Pea-Roll Along guessed what they were up to

and tied a large stone to the rope

"Now pull me up!" he called.

They pulled up the rope nearly to the top and then

let go of it, and down came the stone with a crash!

"A fine lot of friends I have!" said Pea-Roll

Along, and he set out to roam the kingdom at the

bottom of the hole.

On and on he walked, and all of a sudden the sky

became overcast, and it began to rain and to hail.

Pea-Roll Along hid under an oak tree, and as he

stood there he heard the chirping of baby griffins

coming from a nest at the top of the tree. He

climbed the tree, and, taking off his coat, covered

the birds with it.

The rain stopped, and a huge griffin, the nestlings'

father, came flying up.

"Who was it that covered you, my little ones?"

asked he.

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57

"We'll tell you if you promise not to eat him up,"

said the nestlings.

"I won't, never fear!"

"Well, do you see that man sitting under the tree?

It was he who did it."

The griffin flew down from the tree.

"Ask of me whatever you want, and I will do it!"

said he to Pea-Roll Along. "For this is the first

time that none of my children has drowned in such

a downpour, with me away."

"Take me to my own kingdom," said Pea-Roll

Along.

"That is not easy to do, but if we take six barrels

of meat and six of water with us I may be able to

do it," the griffin said. "Every time I turn my head

to the right you will throw a piece of meat into my

mouth, and every time I turn it to the left you will

give me a sip of water. If you don't do it we'll

never get there, for I'll die on the way."

They took six barrels of meat and six of water.

Pea-Roll Along put them on the griffin's back and

climbed on himself, and away they flew! And

whenever the griffin turned his head to the right

Pea-Roll Along put some meat into his mouth, and

whenever he turned it to the left he gave him a sip

of water.

They flew for a long time and had nearly reached

Pea-Roll Along's kingdom when the griffin turned

his head to the right again. Pea-Roll Along looked

into the barrel, the last of the six, and, seeing that

there was not a scrap of meat left there, cut off a

piece of his own leg and gave it to him.

"What was it that I just ate? It was very good," the

griffin asked.

"A piece of my own flesh," replied Pea-Roll

Along pointing to his leg.

The griffin said nothing, but spat out the piece,

and leaving Pea-Roll Along to wait for him, flew

off to fetch some living water. He was back with it

before long, and no sooner had they put the piece

that he had cut off to Pea-Roll Along's leg and

sprinkled it with the living water than it grew fast

to it again.

After that the griffin flew home, and Pea-Roll

Along went to seek his three faithless friends.

Now, the three had made their way to the palace

of the princess's father, the king, and they were

now living there and quarrelling among

themselves, for each of them wanted to marry the

princess and would not give her up to the others.

It was there that Pea-Roll Along found them, and

when they saw him they turned white with fright.

"Traitors deserve no mercy! cried Pea-Roll Along,

and he struck them with his mace and killed them.

Soon after that he married the princess, and they

lived happily ever after.

Princess Frog

Long, long ago, in days of yore, there lived a king

who had three sons, all of them grown to

manhood. One day the king called them to him

and said, "My sons. let each of you make a bow

for himself and shoot an arrow. The maiden who

brings your arrow back will be your bride; and he

whose arrow is not returned will stay unwed." The

eldest son shot an arrow and a prince's daughter

brought it back. The middle son loosed an arrow

and a general's daughter brought it back. But

young Prince Ivan's arrow fell into a marsh and

was brought back by a frog holding it between her

teeth. The first two brothers were joyful and

happy, but Prince Ivan was downcast and cried:

"How can I live with a frog? Marrying is for a

lifetime, it isn't like wading a stream or crossing a

field!" He wept and wept but there was nothing

for it: he had to marry the frog. All three couples

were wed together according to the custom—the

frog being held aloft on a platter.

Some time passed. One day the king wished to see

which bride was the best needle-woman. So he

ordered them to make him a shirt. Poor Prince

Ivan was again downcast and cried: "How can my

frog sew? I'll be a laughing stock." The frog only

jumped across the floor croaking. But no sooner

was Prince Ivan asleep than she went outside, cast

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58

off her skin and turned into a beautiful maiden,

calling. "Maids and matrons, sew me a shirt!" The

maids and matrons straightway brought a finely-

embroidered shirt: she took it, folded it and placed

it alongside Prince Ivan.

There upon she turned back into a frog as if

nothing had happened. In the morning Prince Ivan

awoke and was overjoyed to find the shirt which

he took forthwith to the king. The king gazed at it

and said: "Now there's a shirt for you, fit to wear

on holy days!" Then the middle brother brought a

shirt, at which the king said, "This shirt is fit only

for the bath-house!" And taking the eldest

brother's shirt, he said, "And this one is fit only for

a smoky peasant hut!" The king's sons went their

separate ways, with the two eldest muttering

among themselves, "We were surely wrong to

mock at Prince Ivan's wife; she must be a cunning

sorceress, not a frog."

Presently the king again issued a command: this

time the daughters-in-law were each to bake a loaf

of bread, and bring it to him to judge which bride

was the best cook. The other two brides had made

fun of the frog, but now they sent a chamber-

maid to see how she would bake her loaf. The frog

noticed the woman, so she kneaded some dough,

rolled it out, made a hole in the stove and tipped

the dough straight into the fire. The chambermaid

ran to tell her mistresses, the royal brides, and

they proceeded to do the same. But the crafty frog

had tricked them; as soon as .the woman had

gone, she retrieved the dough, cleaned and

mended the stove as if nothing had happened, then

went out on to the porch, cast off her skin and

called, "Maids and matrons, bake me a loaf of

bread such as my dear father used to eat on

Sundays and holidays." In an instant the maids

and matrons brought the bread. She took it, placed

it beside Prince Ivan, and turned into a frog again.

In the morning Prince Ivan awoke, took the loaf of

bread and gave it to his father. His father was

receiving the loaves brought by the elder brothers:

their wives had dropped the dough into the fire

just as the frog had done, so their bread was black

and lumpy. First the king took the eldest son's

loaf, inspected it and despatched it to the kitchen.

then he took the middle son's loaf and despatched

it thither too. Then came Prince Ivan's turn: he

presented his loaf to his father who looked at it

and said, "Now this is bread fit to grace a holy

day. It is not at all like the burnt offerings of my

elder daughters-in-law!"

After that the king thought to hold a ball to see

which of his sons' wives was the best dancer. AU

the guests and daughters-in-law assembled;

everyone was there except Prince Ivan, who

thought: "How can I go to the ball with a frog?"

And the poor prince began- to weep bitterly. "Do

not cry, Prince Ivan," said the frog. "Go to the

ball. I shall follow in an hour." Prince Ivan was

somewhat cheered at the frog's words, and left for

the ball. Then the frog cast off her skin and turned

into a lovely maid dressed in finery. When she

arrived at the ball, Prince Ivan was overjoyed, and

the guests clapped their hands at the sight of such

beauty. They began to eat and drink. But the frog-

princess would eat and slip the bones into her

sleeve, then drink and pour the dregs into her

other sleeve. The elder brothers' wives saw this

and followed suit, slipping bones into one sleeve

and dregs into the other. When the time came for

dancing, the king called upon his elder sons' wives

but they insisted on the frog-princess dancing first.

And she straightway took Prince Ivan's arm and

came forward to dance. She danced and danced,

whirling round and round, to the delight of all.

When she shook her right sleeve, woods and lakes

appeared; when she shook her left sleeve, all kinds

of birds flew about. The guests were filled with

wonder. When she finished dancing, everything

disappeared. Then the wives of the two elder sons

began to dance. They wished to do as the frog-

princess had done, so they shook their right

sleeves and bones flew out hitting folk about

them; and when they shook their left sleeves,

water splashed all over the onlookers. The king

was most displeased and soon called an end to the

dancing.

The ball was over. Prince Ivan rode off ahead of

his wife, found the frogskin and burnt it. So when

his wife returned and looked for the skin, it was

nowhere to be seen. She lay down to sleep with

Prince Ivan, but just before daybreak she said to

him, "Oh, Prince Ivan, if only you had waited a

little longer I would have been yours. Now God

alone knows when we shall meet again. Farewell.

If you wish to find me you must go beyond the

Thrice-Nine Land to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom."

And the frog-princess vanished.

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59

A year went by, and Prince Ivan still pined for his

wife. As a second year began, he made ready to

leave, seeking first the blessing of his father and

mother. He rode for a long way and eventually

chanced upon a little hut facing the trees, with its

back to him. "Little hut, little hut," he called. 'Turn

your face to me, please, and your back to the

trees." The little hut did as he said and Prince Ivan

entered. There before him sat an old woman, who

cried, "Fie, Foh! There was neither sight nor

sound of Russian bones, yet now they come

marching in of their own free will! Whither go

you, Prince Ivan?" "First give me food and drink

and put me to bed, old woman, then ask your

questions." So the old woman gave food and drink

and put him to bed. Then Prince Ivan said to her,

"Grannie, I have set out to rescue Yelena the

Fair." "Oh, my child," the old woman said,

"you've waited too long! At first she spoke of you

often, but now she no longer remembers you. I

haven't seen her for a long time. Go now to my

middle sister, she knows more than me."

In the morning Prince Ivan set out, came to

another little hut, and cried, "Little hut, little hut,

turn your face to me, please, and your back to the

trees." The little hut did as he said and Prince Ivan

entered. There before him sat an old woman, who

cried, "Fie, Foh! There was neither sight nor

sound of Russian bones, yet now they come

marching in of their own free will! Whither go

you. Prince Ivan?" "I seek Yelena the Fair,

Grannie-," he replied. "Oh, Prince Ivan," the old

woman said, "you've waited too long! She has

begun to forget you and is to marry another. She is

now living with my eldest sister; go there now,

but beware: as you approach they will know it is

you. Yelena will turn into a spindle, her dress will

turn to gold. My sister will wind the gold thread

around the spindle and put it into a box which she

will lock. But you must find the key, open the

box, break the spindle, toss the top over your

shoulder and the bottom before you. Then she will

appear."

Off went Prince Ivan, came to the old woman's

hut, entered and saw her wind- ing gold thread

around a spindle; she then locked it in a box and

hid the key. But Prince Ivan quickly found the

key, opened the box, took out the spindle, broke it

as he had been told, tossed the top over his

shoulder and the bottom before him. All of a

sudden, there was Yelena the Fair standing in

front of him. "Oh, Prince Ivan,'' she sighed, "how

long you were in coming! I almost wed another."

And she told him that the other bridegroom would

soon arrive. But, taking a magic carpet from the

old woman, Yelena the Fair sat upon it and they

soared up and away like birds. The bridegroom set

off quickly in pursuit. He was clever and guessed

that they had fled. He was within ten feet of them

when they flew on the carpet into Rus. Just in

time! He could not follow them there, so he turned

back. But Prince Ivan and Yelena the F

Sadko

Adapted from an English version of the Russian

byliny by K.N. Payne

In the north of Holy Russia lies the mighty and

glorious town of Novgorod, known to all as Lord

Novgorod the Great. And once there lived in great

Novgorod a bard, a musician of some repute, by

name: Sadko. He had little in the way of gold, and

to support himself he made the rounds of the

noble feasts and banquets, entrancing and

delighting everyone, whether prince or boyar,

merchant or peasant, with his marvelous skill on

the gusli and his golden voice and his skill at

weaving words and music into mighty visions of

the exploits of Russian folk. He was always in

demand and he looked forward to a day when he

might have saved enough money to allow him to

sing and play simly for pleasure rather than

sustenance.

Alas! Misfortune strikes us all, and so it struck

Sadko. A day arrived when no one called for his

presence, and he did not sing that day, neither did

he receive any payment for his music. A second

day passed without feast or banquet calling for his

songs, and then a third. His money pouch was

quicky being depleted, and his plans for an easier

life being thwarted.

Sighing with regret, Sadko journeyed down to the

shores of Lake Ilmen and sat upon a rock by the

waters. He began to pluck the strings of his

faithful gusli, and to sing a song of lament. All the

day, from just after the rising of the great, red sun

until late in the afternoon as that same sun sank

toward the western hills, Sadko played and sang.

First a lament, then a mighty ballad of a great

bogatyr, then a love song, then another lament,

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60

and so on through the passing hours. Just as

evening fell, as he finished another song, there

was a disturbance in the waters of the lake.

Suddenly the waves began to swirl and a great

noise of thunder rose from the depths of the

waters. Great clouds of sand darkened the lake

still further. Sadko, quite frightened, tucked his

gusli under his arm and fled back to the town of

Novgorod.

The dark night passed and once again the sun rose

into the heavens, but once again no invitation to

perform came to Sadko. Being forced into idleness

is tremendously wearing, so the bard went once

again to the lovely shores of Lake Ilmen, sat upon

the rocks by the blue waters, and began to sing.

This day he sang new songs, songs he was only

then composing in his mind. He sang to the glory

of Novgorod, and to the prince, and he sang to the

glory of Christ our Lord and to His Mother, the

Theotokos. He sang new tales of Russian bogatyri

and of magical beings who played tricks on

unwary travelers. All the day long he played, and

as it grew on toward dusk, there was a disturbance

in the waters of the lake. Suddenly the waves

began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose

from the depths of the waters. Great clouds of

sand darkened the lake still further. Sadko, once

more afraid, returned swiftly back to Novgorod.

On the third morning the door remained

undarkened by anyone inviting Sadko to play at

feasting, and so for the third time he went again to

the stones on the shore of Lake Ilmen and sat in

the warm sun and played his gusli while he sang

sweet songs. As on the previous two days, at dusk

the waves began to swirl and a great noise of

thunder rose from the depths of the waters. Great

clouds of sand darkened the lake still further. This

time, however, Sadko remained in his place atop a

great boulder and continued to sing and to play.

He played as the night came on, a long while or a

short while, it matters not a bit, for all of a sudden

the waves grew high and crashed at the baseof

Sadko's stone, and the thunderous roar of the

waters grew louder than ever before. Then, before

the terrified bard could move a muscle, the waters

sank back into quietude and parted! Up from the

depths of Lake Ilmen strode the mighty form of

the King of the Blue Seas!

"Many thanks to you, O Sadko the Bard of

Novgorod," cried the King, and his voice was like

the crashing of waves and rushing of waters. "For

three days now you have greatly entertained us,

for I have been holding feastday in my palace

beneath Lake Ilmen. All have been bewitched by

the golden tones of your voice, the dexterity of

your fingers on the gusli, and the wit and wisdom

of your words. Would that we could reward you

adequately, but I know not how I should... But

wait! Go now to your home in Novgorod, O

Sadko, and on the morrow you shall be called to

perform at the banquet of the wealthiest merchant

of the city. Everyone will be present, from the

veche, to the prince, to the merchants. As always

happens with men, when they have eaten and

drunk all they desire, they will begin to boast, and

oh, such boasting as would make a bard's ears

tingle with ideas for rollicking songs! One will

brag of his great wealth, another of his noble

steed, yet another of his great might and prowess

in battle, and even more of his youth. Wisdom

will boast of his elderly father and mother,

foolishness will boast of his sweet young wife.

But you, Sadko the Bard, will make a boast to

shame theirs! Say to them: 'I, Sadko the Bard,

knowthat dwelling in Lake Ilmen are fish with fins

of pure gold!" Those rich (and ignorant)

merchants of Novgorod will delight t ridiculing

your words, and they will contradict you and deny

that such fish are in Lake Ilmen. Thereupon you

must wager with them, setting your turbulent head

against all their shops and precious goods. When

they accept (and they will, for foolish men always

do), take a net of silk and come here, casting the

net into the lake three times. Whenyou do this, I

will send you each time a fishwith fins of pure

gold. And in this way you will win markets full of

shops and become Sadko the richest merchant of

Novgorod, and you will be able to play and sing

solely for pleasure rather than sustenance!"

Sadko returned to Novgorod, sighing over the

tricks of a head left to sit too long in the heat of

the sun. But lo and behold! on the morrow when

he went forth from his bed he was greeted by the

chamberlain of the richest merchant in town, and

invited to grace a great feast with song and story.

And everything happened just as the King of the

Blue Sea had predicted.

When everyone present, the veche, the prince, and

the rich merchants, had eaten and drunk all they

desired, they began to boast and oh! the braggarts

told tales that would make fodder for many fine

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61

witticisms of Sadko the Bard for long years to

come! One boasted of his great riches and endless

treasures, another of his noble steed descended

from the most ancient and worthy bloodlines, yet

another of his knightly bearing on the field of

battle and his prowess a arms, while a wise man

boasted of his elderly and saintly father and

mother, and a fool bragged of his sweet young

wife. All the while, Sadko sat and spoke not a

word. When the feasters had finished their

bragging, the host of the banquet turned to the

silent and smiling Sadko and asked him whether

he had nothing to boast of. Laying aside his gusli,

Sadko arose and said:

"Aie me! O noble merchants of Novgorod, o

mighty prince, o all-powerful veche, what could a

poor man such as I, Sadko the Bard, have to match

against your glorious boasts? I have no goden

treasure, I have no sweet wife. My music is a gift

of God and not mine to boast of. I know of only

one thing whereof I could boast, for I alone know

that in Lake Ilmen swim fish with fins of gold!"

At first there was silence, then a snicker, and

finally the merchants of Novgorod roared with

laughter! Then they began to argue and contend

with the bard, asserting that no such fish existed in

the lake, or even in the wide world.

"Ah, if I were rich, like you," lamented Sadko, "I

would be able to wager much gold on the truth of

my words. But alas! I have nothing but my own

turbulent head to offer as stakes."

"We gladly accept your wager, Sadko!" chuckled

the over-confident merchants. "We say no fish

with fins of gold are in Lake Ilmen, and we shall

wager all of our shops in the Great Market and all

of their fine goods against your turbulent head!"

Then Sadko took a net of silk and went

straightaway to the shores of Lake Ilmen and cast

it into the waters. When he drew it out, there lay

within it a tiny fish with fins of pure gold. The

merchants were amazed, but Sadko did as the

King of the Blue Sea had bidden him and cast the

net into the lake twice more, and each time he

drew forth a tiny fish with fins of pure gold.

Without argument and seeing that the bard had

spoken truth (for the merchants of Novgorod

prided themselves on their honesty), they turned

over to Sadko the shops in the Great market and

all their fine goods. Thus did Sadko the Bard

become one of the richest merchants in the

glorious town of Novgorod, and no more sang for

sustenance, but rather for pleasure.

Silver Hoof

A long time ago, there was an old widowed hunter

named Kokovanya. He was lonely so he adopted

Daryonka, a poor little orphan girl. When he took

Daryonka into his home with him, he also let her

bring her scrawny kitten.

Kokovanya, Daryonka, and the kitten were not

rich but they had a good life. While the old man

hunted, Daryonka would clean the cottage and

cook soup. Her cat kept her company. At night,

Kokovanya told wonderful tales, but the girl’s

favorite was the one about Silver Hoof, the

magical goat. Legend had it that Silver Hoof was a

very special goat. Where most goats have two

horns, Silver Hoof has antlers with five tines. On

his right forefoot he had a silver hoof. When he

stamped his foot, a gem would be left there. If he

stamped it twice there would be two, but if he

pawed the ground there would be a whole pile of

gems.

Kokovanya told Daryonka that he had been trying

for years to find Silver Hoof and that when

Autumn came he would be going into the woods

to find him. Daryonka begged the old man to let

her go with him, since she would be so lonely in

the cottage and because she truly wanted to see

Silver Hoof also.

So the old man, the young girl, and the cat headed

deep into the woods. By now the cat was a very

healthy and hearty cat and could offer them

protection. They stayed in a cabin that the old man

had there. The hunter hunted many goats, but he

never found Silver Hoof. Towards the end of

winter, he told Daryonka that he had so many goat

skins and meat that he would have to go into town

to get a horse to help bring it all home. It would

take him several days.

On the 2nd day that Daryonka was by herself in

the cabin, she heard a pitter patter outside. It was

Silver Hoof! She opened the door and called out

to him, but he ran away. On the 3rd day the cat

went out to play but did not return. Daryonka was

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worried so she went outside to find him. There he

was in the glade with Silver Hoof. Both were

nodding their heads as if they were talking to each

other. Then they began to run about in the snow.

The goat would run and stamp all around the

cabin. Then he jumped upon the roof and stamped

some more. Precious stones flashed out like

sparks -- red, green, light blue, dark blue, and

many other colors.

It was then that Kokovanya returned, but he did

not recognize his hut. It was covered in gems and

sparkled in the moonlight. Suddenly, Silver Hoof

and the cat just disappeared from the roof. They

were gone. The old man gathered some of the

stones in his hat and then he and Daryonka went

in to sleep. They had such wonderful dreams.

When they awoke they ran outside to look at the

wonder, but all the gems were gone. All they had

left were the ones the old man had put in his hat.

But that was enough to let them live happily ever

after. No one ever saw Silver Hoof or the cat

again, but sometimes people still find stones in the

glade where the goat played that night.

Sirko

There was once a man who had a dog named

Sirko. The dog was very, very old, and one day

his master drove him out of the house. Sirko went

roaming the fields, and he felt very sad and

woebegone.

"I served my master for so many years and

watched over his house,"

said he to himself, "and now that I'm old and weak

he grudges me even a crust of bread and has

driven me out of the house."

He wandered on, thinking these thoughts, when all

of a sudden who should come up to him but a

Wolf.

"What are you doing, roaming about like that?"

asked the Wolf.

"There's nothing else I can do, for my master has

driven me out of the house," Sirko replied.

"I can help you if you like," the Wolf said. "If you

do as I say, your master will take you back again."

"Please, please help me, my dear friend!" Sirko

cried. "I will find a way to repay you for your

kindness."

"Well, then, listen to me. Your master and

mistress will soon go out to the fields to reap, and

the mistress will leave her baby beside a stack of

straw to sleep there while she is helping her

husband. Now, you must stay close to the baby so

I'll know where it is. I'll come running up and

carry it off, and you must run after me and try to

take it away. Then I'll pretend I'm frightened and

let it go."

The time to reap the wheat came, and the master

and mistress went to the field. The mistress left

her baby beside a straw stack and herself joined

her husband and set to work. They were not at it

very long when the Wolf ran up. He seized the

baby and ran off with it across the field. Sirko ran

after him, and his master cried:

"Catch him, Sirko!"

Sirko caught up with the Wolf, snatched the baby

away from him, and brought it back to his master.

And his master got out some bread and a piece of

bacon from a sack and said:

"Here, Sirko, eat your fill! This is to thank you for

saving our baby."

Evening came, the master and mistress went

home, and they took Sirko with them. They went

into the house, and the master said:

"Make us an extra dish of dumplings, wife, and

don't spare the fat!"

The dumplings were soon ready, and the master

seated Sirko at the table and sat down beside him.

"Serve the dumplings, wife!" said he. "We're

going to have our supper."

The mistress set the dumplings on the table, and

the master filled a dish full of them and gave the

dish to Sirko. And he blew on them lest Sirko

burn himself while he ate.

"This is all the Wolf's doing," said Sirko to

himself. "I must repa him for his kindness."

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63

Now, Sirko's master, who had waited till it was

the season for eatin meat, prepared to marry off

his eldest daughter.

Sirko went out into the field, found the Wolf there

and said to hin

"Come to our vegetable garden toward evening on

Sunday. I will tak you into the house and repay

you for your kindness."

The Wolf waited till Sunday came round and went

where Sirko ha told him to.

Now, it was on that very day that the wedding was

held. Sirko wei outside, took the Wolf into the

house and hid him under the table. The he seized a

bottle of vodka and a big piece of meat from the

tabi and gave them to the Wolf. The guests wanted

to beat Sirko, but th master stopped them.

"Do not touch Sirko!" he said. "He has done me a

great service, an I will be kind to him always."

And Sirko took some of the best pieces from the

table and gave thei to the Wolf. So well did he

feast him that the Wolf who had had to much to

drink could not stop himself and said:

"I'm going to sing!"

"Please don't or you'll get into trouble," Sirko

begged. "I'll give yo some more vodka if only you

promise to keep quiet."

He gave the Wolf another bottle of vodka, and the

Wolf draine it dry.

"I'm going to sing no matter what you say!" he

cried.

"Don't do it or we'll both pay with our lives for it!"

Sirko said.

"I can't help myself, I'm going to sing and that's

the end of it!" the Wolf cried again, and he let out

a terrific howl from under the table!

The guests jumped up in fright, they rushed hither

and thither, and some of them wanted to beat up

the Wolf. So then Sirko jumped on top of him and

made as though he was about to kill him.

"Don't touch the Wolf or you'll hurt Sirko!" the

master said. "And don't you worry, he'll teach him

a good lesson!"

Sirko took the Wolf to the field and said:

"You did me a kindness once, and now I have paid

you back for it!"

They bade each other goodbye and went their

separate ways.

Sivka-Burka

Once upon a time in a Russian village lived an old

peasant. He had three sons. The two elder sons

were clever, but the youngest was a fool named

Ivanushka. The family had a wheat field. One day

they noticed that at night something had come into

the field and trampled the wheat. The old peasant

sent his sons to guard the field.

On the first night the eldest son went to the field,

but did not try hard enough to stay awake and fell

asleep. On the second night the middle son went

to the field, but he too fell asleep and did not see

anything.

On the third night Ivanushka went there. At

midnight he saw a great chestnut-gray stallion

wearing a gold saddle and a silver bridle. The

stallion started to eat and trampled the wheat.

Ivanushka managed to catch the wonderful horse.

The stallion said, "Let me go free, I will be your

friend. If you need something, go to the field,

whistle and say, "Sivka-Burka, appear here!" I

will come and help you."

Ivanushka agreed and let him go free. It happened

about that time that the tsar, who had no son,

organized a contest to determine who would

succeed him as tsar. He placed his beautiful

daughter on the top floor of a very tall tower and

announced that the man who could reach the

princess jumping on a horse and could take the

ring from her finger would win her hand in

marriage and rule the land. The older brothers

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64

decided to go to the competition, but Ivanushka

stayed home.

When his brothers left, he whistled and called

Sivka-Burka, who rose thundering out of the

ground. Ivanushka climbed in his right ear and

climbed out of the left ear a very handsome, well-

dressed young man. Then he rode to the

competition to try his luck. Sivka jumped trying to

reach the princess. Ivan was very close to her, but

couldn't quite reach the ring. He quickly turned

the horse and galloped home. There he turned

back into his previous self. When his brothers

came from the tsar's courtyard they told Ivanushka

about the handsome man who almost reached the

princess. Ivanushka only laughed at them.

The next day the same thing happened. On the

third day, Ivanushka and Sivka-Burka reached the

princess and took the ring from her finger. Then

they galloped away so quickly that nobody could

even see Ivanushka's face. At home he turned

back into his previous self but he had one hand in

a bandage. His brothers asked him, "What is

wrong with your hand?" He laughed and said,

"Nothing serious, just a scratch."

Three days later, the tsar invited everyone to a

feast. The old peasant came with his three sons.

They sat at the table ate, drank and had fun. At the

end of the feast the tsar's daughter herself served

honey to the guests. When she approached

Ivanushka, she noticed the bandage on his hand

and asked him, "Good young man, why do have a

bandage on your hand? Let me look at it!" And

there everyone saw the ring on his finger. The

princess said, "Dear father, here is my fiance!"

Ivanushka called Sivka-Burka, turned into the

handsome man and married the princess.

Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka

Once there lived an old man and his wife, and

they had a daughter named Alyonushka and a son

named Ivanushka.

The old man and the old woman died, and

Alyonushka and Ivanushka were left all alone in

the world.

"I am dying of thirst, Sister Alyonushka. May I

drink out of the hoof?"

Alyonushka set off to work and took her little

brother with her. They had a long way to go, and a

wide field to cross, and after they had been

walking for a time, Ivanushka began to feel very

thirsty. "Sister Alyonushka, I am thirsty," he said.

"Be patient, little brother, we shall soon come to a

well." They walked and they walked, and the sun

was now high up in the sky, and so hot were the

two that they felt very blue. They came upon a

cow's hoof filled with water, and Ivanushka said:

"May I drink out of the hoof, Sister Alyonushka?"

"No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a

calf." Ivanushka obeyed, and they walked on a bit

farther. The sun was still high up in the sky, and

the heat was so bad that they felt very sad. They

came upon a horse's hoof filled with water, and

Ivanushka said:

"May I drink out of the hoof. Sister Alyonushka?"

"No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a

foal." Ivanushka sighed and they walked on again.

They walked and they walked, but the sun was

still high up in the sky, and the air was so dry that

they felt they could die. They came upon a goat's

hoof filled with water, and Ivanushka said:

"No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a

kid." But Ivanushka did not heed his sister and

drank out of the goat's hoof. And the moment he

did so he turned into a little white goat.

Alyonushka called her brother, and instead of

Ivanushka the goat came running up to her.

Alyonushka burst into tears. She sat sobbing on

the ground by a stack of hay while the little goat

skipped round in play. Just then a Merchant

chanced to be riding by.

"What are you crying for, pretty maid?" asked he.

Alyonushka told him of her trouble. Said the

Merchant:

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65

"Marry me, pretty maid. I will dress you in gold

and silver, and the little goat will live with us."

Alyonushka thought it over and agreed to marry

the Merchant.

They lived together happily, and the little goat

lived with them and ate and drank with

Alyonushka out of the same cup.

One day the Merchant went away from home and

all of a sudden a Witch appeared out of nowhere.

She stood under Alyonushka's window and

begged her ever so sweetly to go and bathe in the

river with her. Alyonushka followed the Witch to

the river, and when they got there the Witch fell

upon Alyonushka and, tying a stone round her

neck, threw her into the water and herself took on

her shape.

Then she put on Alyonushka's clothes and went to

her house, and no one guessed she was not

Alyonushka but a Witch. The Merchant came

home and even he did not guess.

Only the little goat knew what had happened. He

went about with drooping head and did not touch

food or drink. Morning and evening he never left

the river bank and, standing at the water's edge,

called:

"Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!

Swim out, swim out to me".

The Witch learned of this, and she asked her

husband to kill the little goat.

The Merchant was sorry for the little goat, for he

had become very fond of him. But the Witch kept

coaxing and wheedling so that there was nothing

to be done, and he gave in at last.

"All right, you kill him then," he said. The Witch

had big fires kindled, big pots heated and big

knives sharpened.

The little goat found out that he was going to be

killed, so he said to the Merchant:

"Let me go to the river before I die and have a last

little drink." "Go," said the Merchant.

The little goat ran to the river, stood on the bank

and cried piteously:

"Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!

Swim out, swim out to me.

Fires are burning high,

Pots are boiling,

Knives are ringing,

And I am going to die."

And Alyonushka answered from out the river:

"Brother, dear Brother Ivanushka!

A heavy stone lies on my shoulders,

Silken weeds entangle my legs,

fellow sands press hard on my breast."

"Go and find the goat and bring him to me."

The servant went to the river, and what did he see

but the little goat running up and down the bank,

calling piteously:

"Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!

Swim out, swim out to me.

Fires are burning high,

Pots are boiling,

Knives are ringing,

And I am going to die."

And from the river someone's voice called back:

"Brother, dear Brother Ivanushka!

A heavy stone lies on my shoulders,

Silken weeds entangle my legs,

Yellow sands press harden my breast."

The servant ran home and told his master what he

had heard and seen. The Merchant called some

people together, they went down to the river and,

casting a silken net, dragged Alyonushka out on to

the bank. They untied the stone which was round

her neck, dipped her in spring water and dressed

her in bright clothes. And Alyonushka came back

to life and was more beautiful than ever.

The little goat was wild with joy, he turned three

somersaults, and lo and behold! He was changed

into his proper shape again.

And the wicked Witch was tied to a horse's tail

and the horse turned loose in an open field.

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66

Sister Fox and Brother Wolf There was once a Fox who built herself a hut and

lived there as snug as you please. But winter

came, it was cold in the hut, and so off the Fox ran

to the village to fetch a light for her stove. She

came to an Old Woman's house and said:

"Top of the morning, Grandma! Do give me a

light, and I will do as much for you some day."

"Very well, Sister Fox," the Old Woman said. "Sit

down and warm up while I take my baking out of

the oven."

Now, the Old Woman was baking some poppy-

seed cakes. She took them out of the oven and put

them on the table to cool. And the Fox took one

look at them, and, snatching up a cake, made off

with it. She ate up the poppy-seed filling, stuffed

the cake full of straw, covered it with the crust and

set off on her way again at a run.

She ran and she ran till she saw two shepherd boys

driving a herd of cows to water.

"Good morning, my fine lads!" the Fox called.

"Good morning to you, Sister Fox!"

"Let's trade! You give me a young bull and I'll

give you this poppy-seed cake."

"Very well."

"But mind you don't eat the cake till I leave the

village."

So the Fox gave the shepherds the cake in return

for a young bull. She made off with the bull for

the forest, and the shepherds began to eat the cake

and found it stuffed full of straw.

Sister Fox came to her hut and she cut down a tree

and made herself a sledge. She harnessed the bull-

calf to the sledge and went driving along, and by

and by who should come running toward her but

Brother Wolf.

"Good morning, Sister Fox!" called the Wolf.

"Good morning to you, Brother Wolf!"

"Where did you get the sledge and the little bull?"

"I made them."

"Do let me ride with you a little way, Sister Fox!"

"How can I do that? You'll break my sledge."

"No, I won't. I'll just put one of my legs on it."

"Oh, very well."

So the Fox and the Wolf went driving along

together, and by and by the Wolf said:

"I think I'll put my second leg on the sledge, Sister

Fox!"

"Don't, for you'll break the sledge, Brother Wolf."

"No, I won't."

"Well, go ahead, then!"

So the Wolf put another leg on the sledge, and he

and the Fox went driving along again when

suddenly there came a great c-r-rack!

"Hey there, you're breaking my sledge, Brother

Wolf!" the Fox cried.

"No, I'm not, Sister Fox, I was only cracking a

nut."

"Oh, well, if that was all!"

So the two of them went driving along again, and

by and by the Wolf said:

"I think I'll put my third leg on the sledge now,

Sister Fox."

"Don't be silly! You'll break the sledge, and then

what will I have to carry my firewood in?"

"I won't break it. Never you feral"

"Oh, very well, then."

So the Wolf put his third leg on the sledge, and

something went cr-r-ack! — again.

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67

"Dear me! You'd better go away, Brother Wolf, or

you'll break my sledge!" said the Fox.

"No, Sister Fox, I was only cracking a nut,

"Give me one!"

"I haven't any more- That was the last."

They went driving along again, and by and by the

Wolf said:

"I think I'll climb into your sledge now, Sister

Fox."

"You mustn't, Brother Wolf, you'll break the

sledge!" No, I won't. I'll be careful."

"Well, see that you are!"

So the Wolf climbed into the sledge and of course

it broke under him and fell to pieces!

The Fox was furious. She scolded the Wolf and

she scolded him. And -en she said:

"Go and cut down a tree. You bad so-and-so, and

chop it up into logs, enough to keep my house

warm and to make a new sledge too, and then ,:put

the logs here!"

"How will I do that?" said the Wolf. "I don't know

which tree You want."

"You bad so-and-so!" the Fox cried. "You knew

how to break my sledge, but when it comes to

chopping down a tree, You pretend You don't

know how to do it."

She scolded and scolded him and then she said:

"As soon as You come to the forest You must say:

"Fall do crooked and straight! Fall down, tree,

crooked and straight!"

Off the Wolf went, he came to the forest and said:

"Fall down, tree, crooked and crooked! Fall down,

tree, crock crooked!"

The tree fell down, and the logs were so twisted

and knobby even a stick could be made out of

them, let alone sledge runners.

The Wolf took the logs to the Fox, and the Fox

took one look and began scolding the Wolf harder

than ever.

You bad so-and-so," she said, You must have said

the wrong

"Oh no, Sister Fox! What I said was: 'Fall dowa,

tree, crooked and crooked!'"

"I knew it! What a blunderhead You are! Sit here,

and I'll go and chop down a tree myself."

And off the Fox went.

There sat the Wolf, and by and by he began to

grow very hungry. He looked all over the Fox's

hut but found nothing. He thought and he thought

and said to himself:

"I think I'll eat the little bull and run away."

He made a hole in the bull's side, ate up his

insides, stuffed the bull full of sparrows, sealed

the hole with a handful of straw and himself ran

away.

By and by the Fox came back. She made herself a

beautiful new sledge, climbed in and called:

"Giddy-up, little bull!"

But the bull-calf never stirred from the spot.

Then the Fox took up a stick and she gave the bull

such a blow that the handful of straw fell from his

side, and the sparrows flew out with a wh-o-o-sh!

"You wicked, wicked Wolf!" cried the Fox. "You

wait, I'll pay You back for this!"

And off she went.

She stretched herself out on the road and lay there

very quietly.

By and by some chumak carters came driving up

with a wagon caravan loaded with fish. The Fox

lay there without stirring and pretended to be

dead.

The men looked and were much surprised.

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68

"Let's take the Fox and sell it, brothers," said they.

"We ought to be able to get enough money for it

to buy some liquor."

They threw the Fox into the last wagon and drove

on. The Fox saw that they never looked back and

began to throw the fish one after another out onto

the road. Then, leaving the cart only half full, she

climbed down herself.

The men drove on, and the Fox gathered up the

fish, sat down and began to eat.

By and by the Wolf came running up.

"Hello there, Sister Fox!" he called.

"Hello yourself, Brother Wolf!"

"What are You doing, Sister Fox?"

"Eating fish."

"Give me some!"

"Go catch them yourself."

"I can't, I don't know how to do it!"

"Well, that's your business, You won't get as much

as a bone from me.'-

" Won't You at least tell me how to do it"

And the Fox said to herself:

"You wait, Little Brother! You ate my little bull

and now I'll pay You back for it!"

Then she turned to the Wolf and said:

"Go to the river, put your tail into an ice hole,

move it slowly back and forth and say: 'Come and

be caught, fish, big and small!' That way you'll

catch all the fish You want."

"Thank You for telling me," said the Wolf.

He ran to the river, let down his tail into an ice

hole, moved it slowly, back and forth and said:

"Come and be caught, fish, big and small!"

And the Fox looked out at him through the reeds

on the bank and said:

"Freeze, freeze, Wolf's tail!"

Now, there was a bitter frost out, and the Wolf

kept moving his tail back and forth and saying:

"Come and be caught, fish, big and small!"

And the Fox kept repeating:

"Freeze, freeze, Wolf's tail!"

There the Wolf stayed catching fish till his tail

was frozen fast to the ice, and when that happened

the Fox ran to the village and cried:

"Come, good people, and kill the Wolf!"

And the villagers came running with pokers,

prongs and axes. They fell on the poor Wolf and

killed him.

And as for the Fox, she still lives in her hut as

snug as You please

Snowmaiden

Once upon a time there lived a woodcutter and his

old wife. They were poor and had no children.

The old man cut logs in the forest and carried

them into town; in this way he eked out a living.

As they grew older they became sadder and sadder

at being childless.

"We are growing so old. Who will take care of

us?" the wife would ask from time to time.

"Do not worry, old woman. God will not abandon

us. He will come to our aid in time," answered the

old man.

One day, in the dead of winter, he went into the

forest to chop wood and his wife came along to

help him. The cold was intense and they were

nearly frozen.

"We have no child," said the woodcutter to his

wife. "Shall we make a little snow girl to amuse

us?"

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They began to roll snowballs together, and in a

short while they had made a "snegurochka," a

snow maiden, so beautiful that no pen could

describe her. The old man and the old woman

gazed at her and grew even sadder.

"If only the good Lord had sent us a little girl to

share our old age!" said the old woman.

They thought on this so strongly that suddenly a

miracle happened. They looked at their snow

maiden, and were amazed at what they saw. The

eyes of the snow maiden twinkled; a diadem

studded with precious stones sparkled like fire on

her head; a cape of brocade covered her shoulders;

embroidered boots appeared on her feet.

The old couple looked at her and did not believe

their eyes. Then the mist of breath parted the red

lips of Snegurochka; she trembled, looked around,

and took a step forward.

The old couple stood there, stupefied; they

thought they were dreaming. Snegurochka came

toward them and said:

"Good day, kind folk, do not be frightened! I will

be a good daughter to you, the joy of your old age.

I will honor you as father and mother."

"My darling daughter, let it be as you desire,"

answered the old man. "Come home with us, our

longed-for little girl!" They took her by her white

hands and led her from the forest.

As they went, the pine trees swayed goodbye,

saying their farewell to Snegurochka, with their

rustling wishing her safe journey, happy life.

The old couple brought Snegurochka home to

their wooden hut, their 'isba,' and she began her

life with them, helping them to do the chores. She

was always most respectful, she never

contradicted them, and they could not praise her

enough, nor tire of gazing at her, she was so kind

and so beautiful.

Snegurochka, nevertheless, worried her adopted

parents. She was not at all talkative and her little

face was always pale, so pale. She did not seem to

have a drop of blood, yet her eyes shone like little

stars. And her smile! When she smiled she lighted

up the isba like a gift of rubles.

They lived together thus for one month, two

months; time passed. The old couple could not

rejoice enough in their little daughter, gift of God.

One day the old woman said to Snegurochka: "My

darling daughter, why are you so shy? You see no

friends, you always stay with us, old people; that

must be tiresome for you. Why do you not go out

and play with your friends, show yourself and see

people? You should not spend all your time with

us, aged folk."

"I have no wish to go out, dear Mother," answered

Snegurochka. "I am happy here."

Carnival time arrived. The streets were alive with

strollers, with singing from early morning until

late at night. Snegurochka watched the

merrymaking through the little frozen window

panes. She watched ... and finally she could resist

no longer; she gave in to the old woman, put on

her little cape, and went into the street to join the

throng.

In the same village there lived a maiden called

Kupava. She was a true beauty, with hair as black

as a raven's wing, skin like blood and milk, and

arching brows.

One day a rich merchant came through town. His

name was Mizgir, and he was young and tall. He

saw Kupava and she pleased him. Kupava was not

at all shy; she was saucy and never turned down

an invitation to stroll.

Mizgir stopped in the village, called to all the

young girls, gave them nuts and spiced bread, and

danced with Kupava. From that moment he never

left town, and, it must be said, he soon became

Kupava's lover. There was Kupava, the belle of

the town, parading around in velvets and silks,

serving sweet wines to the youths and the maidens

and living the joyful life.

The day Snegurochka first strolled in the street,

she met Kupava, who introduced all her friends.

From then on Snegurochka came out more often

and looked at the yours. A young boy, a shepherd,

pleased her. He was named Lel. Snegurochka

pleased him too, and they became inseparable.

Whenever the young girls came out to stroll and to

sing, Lel would run to Snegurochka's isba, tap on

the window and say: "Snegurochka, dearest, come

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out and join the dancing." Once she appeared, he

never left her side.

One day Mizgir came to the village as the maidens

were dancing in the street. He joined in with

Kupava and made them all laugh. He noticed

Snegurochka and she pleased him; she was so pale

and so pretty! From then on Kupava seemed too

dark and too heavy. Soon he found her unpleasant.

Quarrels and scenes broke out between them and

Mizgir stopped seeing her.

Kupava was desolate, but what could she do? One

cannot please by force nor revive the past! She

noticed that Mizgir often returned to the village

and went to the house of Snegurochka's old

parents. The rumor flew that Mizgir had asked for

Snegurochka's hand in marriage.

When Kupava learned this, her heart trembled.

She ran to Snegurochka's isba, reproached her,

insulted her, called her a viper, a traitor, made

such a scene that they had to force her to leave.

"I will go to the Tsar!" she cried. "I will not suffer

this dishonor. There is no law that allows a man to

compromise a maiden, then throw her aside like a

useless rag!"

So Kupava went to the Tsar to beg for his help

against Snegurochka, who she insisted had stolen

her lover.

Tsar Berendei ruled this kingdon; he was a good

and gracious Tsar who loved truth and watched

over all his subjects. He listened to Kupava and

ordered Snegurochka brought before him.

The Tsar's envoys arrived at the village with a

proclamation ordering Snegurochka to appear

before their master.

"Good subjects of the Tsar! Listen well and tell us

where the maiden Snegurochka lives. The Tsar

summons her! Let her make ready in haste! If she

does not come of her will we will take her by

force!"

The old woodcutters were filled with fear. But the

Tsar's word was law. They helped Snegurochka to

make ready and decided to accompany her, to

present her to the Tsar.

Tsar Berendei lived in a splendid palace with

walls of massive oak and wrought-iron doors; a

large stairway led to great halls where Bukhara

carpets covered the floors and guardsmen stood in

scarlet kaftans with shining axes. All the vast

courtyard was filled with people.

Once inside the sumptuous palace, the old couple

and Snegurochka stood amazed. The ceilings and

arches were covered with paintings, the precious

plate was lined up on shelves, along the walls ran

benches covered with carpets and brocades, and

on these benches were seated the boyars wearing

tall hats of bear fur trimmed with gold. Musicians

played intricate music on their tympanums. At the

far end of the hall, Tsar Berendei himself sat erect

on his gilded and sculptured throne. Around him

stood bodyguards in kaftans white as snow,

holding silver axes.

Tsar Berendei's long white beard fell to his belt.

His fur hat was the tallest; his kaftan of precious

brocade was embroidered all over with jewels and

with gold.

Snegurochka was frightened; she did not dare to

take a step nor to raise her eyes.

Tsar Berendei said to her: "Come here, young

maiden, come closer, gentle Snegurochka. Do not

be afraid, answer my questions. Did you commit

the sin of separating two lovers, after stealing the

heart of Kupava's beloved? Did you flirt with him

and do you intend to marry him? Make sure that

you tell me the truth!"

Snegurochka approached the Tsar, curtsied low,

knelt before him, and spoke the truth; that she was

not at fault, neither in body nor in soul; that it was

true that the merchant Mizgir had asked for her in

marriage, but that he did not please her and she

had refused his hand.

Tsar Benendei took Snegurochka's hands to help

her to rise, looked into her eyes and said: "I see in

your eyes, lovely maiden, that you speak the truth,

that you are nowhere at fault. Go home now in

peace and do not be upset!"

And the Tsar let Snegurochka leave with her

adoptive parents.

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When Kupava learned of the Tsar's decision she

went wild with grief. She ripped her sarafan, tore

her pearl necklace from her white neck, ran from

her isba, and threw herself in the well.

From that day on, Segurochka grew sadder and

sadder. She no longer went out in the street to

stroll, not even when Lel begged her to come.

Meanwhile, spring had returned. The glorious sun

rose higher and higher, the snow melted, the

tender grass sprouted, the bushes turned green, the

birds sang and made their nests. But the more the

sun shone, the paler and sadder Snegurochka

grew.

One beautiful spring morning Lel came to

Snegurochka's little window and pleaded with her

to come out with him, just once, for just a

moment. For a long while Snegurochka refused to

listen, but finally her heart could no longer resist

Lel's pleas, and she went with her beloved to the

edge of the village.

"Lel, oh my Lel, play your flute for me alone!"

she asked. She stood before Lel, barely alive, her

feet tingling, not a drop of blood in her pale face!

Let took out his flute and began to play

Snegurochka's favorite air.

She listened to the song, and tears rolled down

from her eyes. Then her feet melted beneath her;

she fell onto the damp earth and suddenly

vanished.

Lel saw nothing but a light mist rising from where

she had fallen. The vapor rose, rose, and

disappeared slowly in the blue sky ...

Stone Flower

A long time ago in one Urals village there lived a

famous craftsman named Prokopyich. He made

jewelry and other things from malachite and was

renowned as the best gem carver in the Urals. The

rulers ordered him to teach some boys his

profession, but none of them was talented enough.

At the same time an orphan named Danila lived in

the village. He was weak and couldn't work at the

factory. But he was full of dreams and liked to

observe nature. Once he tried to help an old

herdsman, but when he played his flute, the old

shepherd felt asleep and several cattle were eaten

by wolves. Danila and the herdsman were were

severely punished.

A kind old woman took Danila into her house and

healed him using many herbs and flowers. She

taught him the lore of plants, and one day told him

about the Stone Flower from Malachite Mountain.

She told him it was the most beautiful flower in

the world. But she also warned him, "Whoever

finds that flower will never be happy."

After Danila recovered, the manager of the factory

sent him to Prokopyich to study gem carving. He

was surprisingly gifted. Prokopyich was a widow

without children, and he loved the boy as if he

were his own son. Several years passed. Danila

became a strong, handsome young man.

One day the owner of the factory sent him a

commission to make a vase from malachite, along

with a sketch of what he wanted. Danila began the

intricate task, but he was unsatisfied with the idea

on the sketch. Every day he went to the woods

looking for inspiration and observing many

flowers and plants. He worked for a long time and

at last completed a vase like the one in the sketch.

When he showed it to the other craftsmen, they

liked it and praised it. But Danila said, "This vase

is made precisely according to the sketch, but

there is no living beauty in it. When you look at

the simplest flower, joy fills your heart because of

its beauty. Where is there such beauty in the

stone?"

One very old craftsman warned him, "Don't even

think that way. Otherwise you could become a

servant of the Mistress of Copper Mountain. Her

workers live and work in the Mountain and

nobody ever sees them. Once I was lucky enough

to see their work. Magnificent! Our work can't

compare with theirs, because they have seen the

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Stone Flower and understand the beauty of the

stone."

After this conversation Danila went to the woods

more often looking for a block of stone for his

own vase. Prokopyich was worried about him and

urged him to marry the nice girl named Katya to

whom Danila was engaged. But Danila said, "I

want to wait! First I need to make my own vase

and then we will think about marriage.".

One day he was in the woods looking for stone

and suddenly heard a whisper saying, "Danila-

Craftsman, look for stone on Serpent Hill." He

turned around and saw the dim outline of a

woman, which vanished in a second. He thought,

"Perhaps it was the Mistress of Copper

Mountain!" So he went to Serpent Hill and found

a huge block of malachite. He was very glad, took

the stone home and started to carve the vase.

But soon again he was disappointed with the

result and said sadly, "Maybe I am just not able to

understand the power and the beauty of the stone."

So he and Katya announced the date of their

wedding. The day before the wedding he went for

a walk to Serpent Hill again, sat down and thought

about the Stone Flower. "How I desire to see that

Flower!" he mused.

All a sudden the Mistress of Copper Mountain

appeared before his eyes. Danila began to implore

her: "There is no life for me without seeing that

Flower!"

She replied, "I could show it to you, but

afterwards you will regret it. Those who have seen

my Flower have left their family and come to live

in my mountain. Think about Prokopyich and

Katya who love you."

"I know," shouted Danila, "but I must see it." "All

right," she said. "Let's go then to my garden." So

she took him and showed him the wonderful

Stone Flower.

In the evening Danila came to the village. His

fiancee Katya had a party the day before the

wedding. At first he had fun, danced, and sang

songs, but then he became sadder and sadder. To

Katya's questions he replied that he had a

headache. After the party he returned home, broke

his vase and ran away.

The village was full of rumors after he

disappeared, but no one knew where he had gone.

Three years passed. Katya did not marry. After her

parents died she came to live with old Prokopyich

and helped him in his work. But soon Prokopyich

died, too, and Katya lived on her own. She did not

have any money, so she decided to try making

some brooches.

She went to Serpent Hill hoping to find good

pieces of stone. But at the hill she remembered her

beloved Danila and wept. Suddenly she saw a

beautiful piece of malachite. Katya took it home

and tried to carve several brooches. She worked

hard and well and her carving beautifully set off

the natural patterns in the stone. Katya was happy

when she sold her works to a merchant in the

village. She thought, "My brooches are the best in

his store. I was lucky finding that malachite.

Maybe Danila helped me?"

She ran again to Serpent Hill looking for another

good stone. But she thought again of Danila and

burst into tears, sobbing, "Where are you, my

beloved friend? Why did you leave me?" When

Katya looked around it seemed to her she stood in

an unfamiliar woods, and the mountain opened

before her eyes. "Here is the magic mountain," she

thought. "Maybe I could see my Danila."

When Katya looked down, she saw a man who

looked just like Danila. The man raised his hands

toward her. She wanted to jump down to him, but

the vision disappeared. She told her relatives what

she had seen but they did not believe her and

decided that she must be ill.

The next day Katya ran to the hill hoping

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desperately to see Danila. Her sister followed her.

Katya came to the same place and found herself in

the magic woods. She started to call out, "Danila,

where are you? Answer me!" The echo answered:

"He is not here! He is not here!" Then suddenly

the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared and

demanded, "Why did you come to my garden? If

you need the stones, take what you wish and go

away."

Brave Katya replied, "I don't need your dead

stones. Give me my Danila back. You don't have

the right to take another's fiance." The Mistress

laughed. "Do you have any idea whom you are

speaking to?" Katya cried out, "I am not blind, I

know who you are. I am not afraid of you! Not at

all! And I know that Danila wants to come back to

me." The Mistress said, "All right, let him speak

then."

At the same moment Katya saw Danila. The

Mistress said, "You have to choose, Danila-

Craftsman. If you go with her, you will forget

everything you saw and learned in the mountain.

If you want to stay here, you have to forget the

rest of the world."

Danila sighed, "I am sorry. I can't forget the

people I love. I think about Katya every minute of

my life." The Mistress smiled and said, "All right,

Danila. Go back home. And for your honesty and

loyalty I will give you a present. You will not lose

your knowledge that you have learned here. But

do not tell people about the mountain. If

somebody asks you where have you been, just say

that you went away to improve your skill."

Katya and Danila returned home, filled with joy.

Katya's sister could not find her in the woods and

returned home. When she came into the house she

saw Danila and Katya. She cried out, "Danila,

where have you been?" Danila just smiled. "I went

to study my craft with a master who lives far

away. "Katya and Danila lived happily together

for many years. He became known far and wide as

the greatest carver in the Ural Mountains.

Termok (Little Hut)

Once upon a time, a little fly built a tower in the

forest. A flea jumped by, saw the tower and

knocked on the door:

"Who is it that lives in this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly, and who are you?"

"I am the buzzing mosquito. Come live with me!"

And a little field mouse ran by and knocked on the

door, "Who is it that lives in this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito, and who are you?"

"I am the little field mouse."

"Come live with us!" And a croaking frog hopped

by and knocked on the door, "Who is it that lives

in this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito."

"And I, the little field mouse, and who are you?"

"I am a croaking frog."

"Come live with us!" And a nervous rabbit

bounced by and knocked on the door, "Who is it

that lives in this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito."

"I, the little field mouse."

"And I, the croaking frog, and who are you?"

"I am a nervous rabbit."

"Come live with us!" And a sly fox ran by and

knocked on the door, "Who is it that lives in this

nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito."

"I, the little field mouse."

"I, the croaking frog."

"And I, the nervous rabbit, and who are you?"

"I am a sly fox."

"Come live with us!" And a gray wolf came by

and knocked on the door, "Who is it that lives in

this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito."

"I, the little field mouse."

"I, the croaking frog."

"I, the running rabbit."

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"I, the sly fox, and who are you?"

"I am a gray wolf."

"Come live with us!" So they lived happily in the

little tower.

Then a big bear came by and roared, "Who is it

that lives in this nice tall tower?"

"I, the little fly."

"I, the buzzing mosquito."

"I, the little field mouse."

"I, the croaking frog."

"I, the running rabbit."

"I, the sly fox."

"I, the gray wolf, and who are you?"

"I am the big bear."

"Well, come on in!"

The bear tried to climb into the tower, but no

matter how he tried, he just didn't fit.

"I think it would be better if I lived on the roof."

"You will squash us all!"

"No, I won't!" The bear sat down on the roof, and

smashed the little tower. All of the other animals

managed to jump out of the tower, and went back

to the forest to live.

Teryoshka

A Russiam folk story told by Alexei Tolstoy

Translated from the Russian by Olga Shartse

Once upon a time there lived an old man and his

wife who had no children,and were very lonely.

One day, the old man shaped a piece of wood and

the old woman wrapped it up and rocked it like a

baby, singing:

Close your pretty eyes, Teryosha,

Sleep, my darling child!

All the fishes and the thrushes,

All the hares and foxes wild

Have gone bye-bye in the forest,

Sleep, my darling child!

Little by little, the pierce of wood they called

Teryosha began to change into a real child, and

before long he grew into a big and clever boy. The

old man made a boat for him, painting it white,

and a pair of paddles, which he painted red.

Teryosha got into the boat, and said:

My little white boat, do as I wish

And take me to where there's plenty

of fish.

The little white boat obeyed, and took Teryosha

far out into the river. After that, he went fishing

every day, and at midday his mother would bring

him his lunch and, standing on the bank, sing out:

Come and eat your lunch,

Teryosha sonny,

There's milk, and curds, and bread

and honey!

Teryosha, hearing his mother's voice from afar,

would paddle to the bank and come ashore. His

mother would take the fish he had caught, give

him his lunch, change his shirt and belt, and let

him go out in his boat again. The Witch saw and

heard all this. And so, one day she came to the

bank and called in her ugly voice:

Come and eat your lunch, Teryosha sonny,

There's milk, and curds, and bread and honey!

Teryosha knew it was not his mother's voice, and

urged his little white boat to take him as far away

from the bank as it could. The Witch ran to the

blacksmith and told him to re-fashion her throat so

that her voice would sound as sweet as that of

Teryosha's mother. The blacksmith did his best.

And then the Witch came to the bank and called:

Come and eat your lunch,

Teryosha sonny,

There's milk, and curds, and bread

and honey!

Teryosha thought it was his mother calling, for the

voice was exactly like hers, and paddled to the

bank. The Witch grabbed him, stuffed him into

her bag, and carried him to her cottage in the

forest. She told her daughter Alynoka to light the

stove and roast Teryosha for dinner, while she was

away doing more wickedness. Alyonka got the

fire going, and when the oven was very, very hot,

ordered Teryosha to lie flat on the shovel. But he

sat on it, instead of lying down, threw out his arms

and legs and try as she might Alyonka could not

push him into the oven. "I told you to lie flat," she

snapped at him. "I don't know how. You show

me…", Teryosha replied. "Lie down the way cats

sleep and dogs sleep, that's how." "You show me

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75

anyway". Alyonka lay down on the shovel, and

Teryosha quickly pushed her into the oven and

clamped the oven door shut. He ran outside and

climbed to the top of an old oak, because he saw

the Witch returning home. The Witch opened the

oven, gobbled up Alyonka and picked the bone

clean. When she had stuffed herself, she came

outside and started rolling in the grass, chanting:

I'll take a roll, and I'll take a loll,

With Teryosha's meat I'm nice and

full!

Teryosha replied quietly from the top of the oak:

"With Alyonka's meat you're full." The Witch

thought it was simply the oak leaves rustling in

the wind, and went on chanting:

I'll take a roll, and I'll take a loll,

With Teryosha's meat I'm nice and

full!

And again Teryosha said: "With Alyonka's meat

you're full." The Witch looked up and saw him

sitting in the tree. She rushed at the oak and tried

to bite it across. She bit and she bit, broke two of

her front teeth, and ran to the blacksmith: "Make

me two iron teeth, quickly." Yhe blacksmith made

her two iron teth, and she went back to bite the

oak across. She bit and she bit, and broke two of

her lower front teeth. She ran to the blacksmith

again, and told him to make her two more iron

teeth. The blacksmith did as he was told. Now she

went at the oak so hard that chips flew to right and

left. The oak was beginning to creak and sway.

What was Teryosha to do? Suddenly he saw a

flock of geese flying overhead, and he begged

them:

Oh, good friends, oh darling geese,

Take me home to mother, please!

But the geese replied: "Another flock's close

behind, the geese are feebler than we are, they'll

take you'" Now the Witch would take a bite or

two, give Teryosha a glare, smack her lips, and go

on biting at the tree. Another flock came along,

and Teryosha begged:

Oh, good friends, oh darling geese,

Take me home to mother, please!

And the geese replied: "There's a pecked young

goose coming behind us, he'll take you home!"

The Witch had only a little way to go before the

oak toppled. The pecked young goose came, and

Teroysha begged him:

You're the kindest of the geese,

Take me home to mother, please!

The pecked young goose took pity on Teryosha,

came down to let him climb on to his back, and

carried him home to mother. They came to the

cottage and alighted on the grass right under the

window. The old women had made some

pancakes to remember Teryosha by, and handing

one to the old man she said: "here's a pancake for

you, and here's one for me." "What about me?"

Teryosha asked from where he was. The old

woman heard him, and said to the old an: "Go

outside and look who's asking for a pancake." The

old man went outside, saw Teryosha, took him

home to the old woman, and she could not kiss

and hug her darling son enough! They gave the

pecked goose all the food and water he wanted,

and let him run free in the yard until he grew into

a big and strong bird. He leads the flocks now,

flaps his wide wings and often remembers

Teroysha.

The Cat and the Cock

Ukrainian folk tail

Once upon a time there lived a Cat and a Cock

who loved one another dearly. The Cat would play

his fiddle and the Cock would sing, the Cat would

go out to get food for the two of them, and the

Cock would stay at home and look after the house.

Every time the Cat prepared to go out he would

say to the Cock:

"You mustn't let anyone into the house, Cock, or

go out yourself, no matter who calls you."

"I won't, don't you worry," the Cock would reply,

and he would get into the house and stay there till

the Cat came home.

Now, a Fox once saw the Cock and decided to

lure him out and catch him. She crept up to the

window of their house when the Cat was out and

called out:

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76

"Come out, Cock, and join me, and I'll give you

grains of wheat and some water clear and sweet."

But the Cock called out in reply: "Cock-a-doodle-

doo, I'll do without, For I promised Puss I'd not go

out!"

The Fox saw that this was not the way to go about

things, so one night she crept up to the house,

threw some wheat grains under the window for the

Cock to see and herself hid behind a bush.

By and by the Cat went out hunting as usual, and

the Cock opened the window and looked out.

There was no one about, he saw, but there,

scattered on the ground, lay some luscious grains

of wheat. The Cock was eager to eat them and

said to himself:

"I think I'll go out and peck at those grains for a

bit. There is no one about, so no one will see me

or tell Puss on me."

But no sooner did he step over the threshold than

the Fox was upon him. She seized him by the

scruff of his neck and away she ran to her own

house! And the Cock called out to the Cat:

"Save me, Brother Puss, I pray!

Foxy's taking me far away.

For her bushy tail

I can't see the trail.

If you don't come, friend,

I will meet my end."

Now, the Cat was a long way off and he did not

hear the Cock, and by the time he returned home it

was too late for him to go after the Fox. He tried

to overtake her, but could not, so back he went

home and wept and cried. But he got to thinking

after a while, and, taking his fiddle and a bright-

pictured sack, set out for the Fox's house.

Now, the Fox had four daughters and a son, and

before going out hunting that day, she told them to

keep an eye on the Cock and to heat a potfull of

water so that as soon as she was back she could

kill and cook him for dinner.

"And mind you let no one into the house while I'm

away," she said.

Away she went, and the Cat came up to the house,

stood under the window and began to play and to

sing the following song:

"Foxy's house is big and tall,

Her four little daughters are beauties all,

And Pilipko, her only son,

Is very sweet to look upon.

Step outside, young Foxy, do,

And I'll sing some more for you!"

Now, the Fox's eldest daughter felt that she must

go and see who it was playing and she said to the

others:

"Stay here in the house and I'll go and see who it

is that plays so well."

She came out of the house, and the Cat rapped her

smartly on the nose, whisked her into his sack and

began to play and to sing again:

"Foxy's house is big and tall,

Her four little daughters are beauties all,

And Pilipko, her only son,

Is very sweet to look upon.

Step outside, young Foxy, do,

And I'll sing some more for you!"

The Fox's second daughter went out to see who it

was playing, and the Cat rapped her on the nose

and whisked her into his sack. And the very same

thing happened to the Fox's two younger

daughters. There sat their brother Pilipko in the

house and waited for his sisters, but they did not

come back.

"I think I'll go out and get them to come home,"

said he to himself, "or our mother will give me a

good hiding when she gets back."

He stepped outside, and the Cat rapped him on the

nose too and whisked him into the sack! Then he

hanged the sack on a dry willow tree and ran into

the Fox's house. He found the Cock and untied

him, and the two of them ate all of the Fox's food,

overturned the pot of boiling water, broke all the

dishes and ran home. And the Cock did just as the

Cat told him ever after and never, never disobeyed

him

.

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77

The Fire-Bird and Princess Vassilissa

In a certain kingdom, in a thrice-ten realm that lay

far away, beyond the thrice-nine lands, there once

lived a mighty king. The king had an archer who

was as brave as he was strong, and the archer had

a horse that was as strong as it was fleet of foot.

One day the archer got on his horse and rode off

to the forest to hunt.

He rode along a road, and a wide road it was, and

he saw a fire-bird's feather lying there and flaming

like fire.' Said his horse to the archer: "Leave the

feather where it is, for if you don't you will know

a great misfortune." Now, this made the archer

stop and think.

He was sorely tempted to take the feather, for if he

presented it to the king, the king would surely

reward him, and who is there that does not prize

the favor of a king!

In the end, he decided to take it, and, picking it up,

carried it away with him and presented it to the

king. "Many thanks to you, Archer?" said the

king. "But since you were able to fetch its feather,

you must fetch me the fire-bird itself If you don't

it'll be out with my sword and off with your

head?" The archer went back to his horse weeping

bitterly. "Why do you weep. Master?" the horse

asked. "The king has ordered me to fetch him the

fire-bird." "I told you not to take the feather' Still,

you must not fear or give way to despair. You are

in no great trouble

now, there is worse to come! Just go to the king

and ask him for a hundred bags of corn to be

strewn over that field yonder." This the archer did,

and the king had a hundred bags of corn strewn

over the field.

At dawn on the following day the archer rode to

the field. He unbridled his horse, let it roam there

at will and himself hid behind a tree. All of a

sudden the wind swept over the forest and sent it

rustling, the sea rose in waves, and the fire-bird

came flying to the field. Down it dropped and

began pecking the corn, and the archer's horse ran

up and stepped hard on one of its wings, pinning it

to the ground. The archer then rushed out from

behind the tree, and, binding the fire-bird with a

rope, got o the horse with it and rode at a gallop

for the palace. He presented the fire-bird to the

king, who was greatly pleased, thanked the archer

for serving him. so well, promoted him and at

once set him another task. ''You were able to fetch

the fire-bird, so you should be able to fetch me the

maid I wish to marry, Princess Vassilissa. She

lives at the very end of the earth, where the bright

sun rises, and it is her I want and none other. If

you bring her to me, I will shower you with gold

and silver, but if y ou don't, it'll be out with my

sword and off with your head!"

The archer went back to his horse weeping

bitterly. "Why do you weep, Master?" the horse

asked. "The king bids me fetch him Princess

Vassilissa." ''Do not weep or be sad. You are in no

great trouble, there is worse to come! Go to the

king and ask him for a gold-topped tent and for

food and drink for you to take with you on your

journey." The king gave him food and drink and a

tent with a top of gold, and the archer got on his

horse and set off on his way. Beyond thrice-nine

lands he traveled, and whether a short or a long

time passed nobody knows, but he came at last to

the end of the earth, where the bright sun rises

from the blue sea. And there on the sea, in a silver

boat that she pushed with a paddle of gold, was

Princess Vassilissa herself. The archer unbridled

his horse and let it roam at will in the green

meadow and pick at the fresh grass, and then he

set up the gold-topped tent, put foods and drinks

on a table, and sat down to eat and drink while he

waited for Princess Vassilissa.

And Princess Vassilissa saw the gold top

gleaming in the sunlight, paddled to shore, and,

stepping out of the boat, stood there looking

admiringly at the tent. ''Good morrow to you,

Princess Vassilissa!" the archer said. "Pray come

in and share of my board and taste of the wines I

brought from far-off lands." Princess Vassilissa

came into the tent and she and the archer ate and

drank and made merry. A whole glass of wine did

she drink and was so overcome that she fell fast

asleep. The archer called his horse, and when it

came running, folded the tent with the top of gold,

picked up Princess Vassilissa, mounted the horse

with now, there is worse to come! Just go to the

king and ask him for a hundred bags of corn to be

strewn over that field yonder." This the archer did,

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78

and the king had a hundred bags of corn strewn

over the field.

At dawn on the following day the archer rode to

the field. He unbridled his horse, let it roam there

at will and himself hid behind a tree. All of a

sudden the wind swept over the forest and sent it

rustling, the sea rose in waves, and the fire-bird

came flying to the field. Down it dropped and

began pecking the corn, and the archer's horse ran

up and stepped hard on one of its wings, pinning it

to the ground. The archer then rushed out from

behind the tree, and, binding the fire-bird with a

rope, got on the horse with it and rode at a gallop

for the palace. He presented the fire-bird to the

king, who was greatly pleased, thanked the archer

for serving him so well, promoted him and at once

set him another task.

''You were able to fetch the fire-bird, so you

should be able to fetch me the maid I wish to

marry, Princess Vassilissa. She lives at the very

end of the earth, where the bright sun rises, and it

is her I want and none other. If you bring her to

me, I will shower you with gold and silver, but if

you don't, it'll be out with my sword and off with

your head!"

The archer went back to his horse weeping

bitterly. ''Why do you weep, Master?" the horse

asked. "The king bids me fetch him Princess

Vassilissa." ''Do not weep or be sad. You are in no

great trouble, there is worse to come! Go to the

king and ask him for a gold-topped tent and for

food and drink for you to take with you on your

journey." The king gave him food and drink and a

tent with a top of gold, and the archer got on his

horse and set off on his way. Beyond thrice-nine

lands he traveled, and wheth er a short or a long

time passed nobody knows, but he came at last to

the end of the earth, where the bright sun rises

from the blue sea. And there on the sea, in a silver

boat that she pushed with a paddle of gold, was

Princess Vassilissa herself. The archer unbridled

his horse and let it roam at will in the green

meadow and pick at the fresh grass, and then he

set up the gold-topped tent, put foods and drinks

on a table, and sat down to eat and drink while he

waited for Princess Vassilissa.

And Princess Vassilissa saw the gold top

gleaming in the sunlight, paddled to shore, and,

stepping out of the boat, stood there looking

admiringly at the tent. ''Good morrow to you,

Princess Vassilissa!" the archer said. "Pray come

in and share of my board and taste of the wines I

brought from far-off lands." Princess Vassilissa

came into the tent and she and the archer ate and

drank and made merry. A whole glass of wine did

she drink and was so overcome that she fell fast

asleep. The archer called his horse, and when it

came running, folded the tent with the top of gold,

picked up Princess Vassilissa, mounted the horse

with her in his arms, and set off home. As fast as

an arrow he flew and was soon in the palace.

The king was overjoyed at the sight of Princess

Vassilissa. He thanked the archer for having

served him so well and gave him a still higher

rank. But when Princess Vassilissa awoke and

learnt that she was far, far away from the blue sea,

she began sobbing and weeping and her face

turned dark with grief. And though the king

pleaded with her not to be sad, there was nothing

he could do. He begged her to marry him, but she

said: "Let him who brought me here go to my

realm at the end of the earth and fetch my

wedding dress which lies under a large rock in the

middle of the sea. I will not marry without it!" The

king sent for the archer. "Go at once to the end of

the earth where the bright sun rises. In the middle

of the sea you will find a large rock and under it

Princess Vassilissa's wedding dress. Bring the

dress here, for I wish to wed without delay! If you

bring it, I shall reward you richly, more so than

ever before, but if you don't, it'll be out with my

sword and off with your head!" Back went the

archer to his horse weeping bitterly. '1 will not

escape death this time!" said he to himself. "Why

do you weep, Master?" the horse asked. "The king

bids me fetch him Princess Vassilissa's wedding

dress from the bottom of the sea." ''Didn't I tell

you not to take the fire-bird's feather? But never

fear, you are in no great trouble, there is worse to

come! Get on my back and let us go to the blue

sea."

Whether a short or a long time passed nobody

knows, but the archer came to the end of the earth

and stopped on the shore of the blue sea. A huge

lobster came crawling over the sand toward him,

and the horse saw it and stepped on its tail with its

hoof. Said the lobster: "Spare me, Horse, do not

let me die! I will do whatever you ask." And the

horse said in reply: "There is a great rock lying on

the bottom of the sea and hidden under it is

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79

Princess Vassilissa's wedding dress. Fetch the

dress for me!"

The lobster gave a great roar that carried over the

whole of the sea, the sea rose in waves, and

lobsters, big and small, came crawling to the shore

from all sides. And so many were they that there

was no counting them! The lobster who had called

them and who was their elder bade them fetch the

dress, and they plunged into the sea and came

back with it before an hour had passed.

The archer brought the dress to the king, but

Princess Vassilissa was as stubborn as ever and

said that she would not marry him until he had

made the archer take a dip in boiling water. The

king at once ordered an iron cauldron to be filled

with water, the water to be heated, and as soon as

it came to the boil, the archer to be thrown in it.

Everything was soon ready, the water began to

seethe and to boil, sprays of it flying to all sides,

and the archer was led in.

"Poor, unhappy man that I am!" thought he.

"What made me take the fire-bird's feather? Why

didn't I listen to my horse?" And recalling the

horse, he said to the king: "0 great king, my ruler,

allow me to bid my horse goodbye before I die!"

"Very well," said the king. The archer went to see

the horse, and the tears poured from his eyes.

"Why do you weep, Master?" the horse asked.

"The king bids me dip myself in boiling water."

"Fear nothing and do not weep, you will not die!"

said the horse, and he cast a spell over the archer

that he might not get scalded by the boiling water.

The archer left the stall, and the king's servants

seized him and threw him into the cauldron. He

took a dip and another and jumped out of the

cauldron, and lo!—so handsome had he become as

neither pen can write nor tongue tell! Seeing this,

the king took it into his head to take a dip himself.

He jumped into the cauldron and was boiled alive!

And after he was buried the archer was chosen to

rule the realm in his stead. He married Princess

Vassilissa and they lived together for many long

years and were as happy as happy can be.

The Fly's Castle

A fly once built himself a castle. Along came a

creepy-crawly louse and called, "Who, who, who

is in this castle? Who, who, who is in this den?" "I

am: I Spy Fly. And who are you?" "I am Creepy-

Crawly Louse." Along came an itchy-twitchy flea

and called, "Who, who, who is in this castle?

Who, who, who is in this den?" "We are. I Spy Fly

and Creepy-Crawly Louse." Along came a long-

legged midge and called, "Who, who, who is in

this castle? Who, who, who is in this den?" "We

are," came three voices. "I Spy Fly, Creepy-

Crawly Louse and Itchy-Twitchy Flea." Along

came a tittle-tattle mouse and called, "Who, who,

who is in this castle? Who, who, who is in this

den?" "We are," came four voices. "I Spy Fly,

Creepy-Crawly Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea and

Long-Legged Midge."

Along came a busy-lizzie lizard and called, "Who,

who, who is in mis castle? Who, who, who is in

this den?" "We are," came five voices. "I Spy Fly,

Creepy- Crawly Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea, Long-

Legged Midge and Tittle-Tattle Mouse." Along

came Liza the fox and called, "Who, who, who is

in this castle? Who, who, who is in this den?" "We

are," came six voices. "I Spy Fly, Creepy-Crawly

Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea, Long-Legged Midge,

Tittle-Tattle Mouse and Busy-Lizzie Liz- ard."

Along came bob-tabbit rabbit and called, "Who,

who, who is in this castle? Who, who, who is in

this den?" "We are," came seven voices. "I Spy

Fly, Creepy- Crawly Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea,

Long-Legged Midge, Tittle-Tattle Mouse, Busy-

Lizzie Lizard and Liza the Fox."

Along came grey-tailed wolf and called, "Who,

who, who is in this castle? Who, who, who is in

this den?" "We are," came eight voices. "I Spy

Fly, Creepy- Crawly Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea,

Long-Legged Midge, Tittle-Tattle Mouse, Busy-

Lizzie Lizard, Liza the Fox and Bob-Tabbit

Rabbit." Along came stumpy-legs bear and called,

"Who, who, who is in this castle? Who, who, who

is in this den?" "We are," came nine voices. "I Spy

Fly, Creepy-Crawly Louse, Itchy-Twitchy Flea,

Long-Legged Midge, Tittle-Tattle Mouse, Busy-

Lizzie Lizard, Liza the Fox, Bob- Tabbit Rabbit

and Grey-Tailed Wolf. And who are you?" 'T am

Crush-'Em-All- Now," said stumpy-legs bear.

With that he put his paw on the castle and

smashed it to pieces.

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The Golden Hair

This event happened long ago. At that time in the

place we will speak about Russians and even

Bashkirs didnt settle. Bashkirs needed green fields

and wide steppes for their herds but that place was

surrounded with the thick forest. Only brave

hunters dared to visit that place and hunt there.

The most brave and skilful hunter of them was the

Bashkir whose name was Ailyp.

One day Ailyp was galloping through the forest

and suddenly saw a red fox. The fox was an

insignificant prey for such skillful hunter as Ailyp.

Nevertheless the young man was bored and

decided to amuse himself a little and hunt the fox.

He tried to overtake the fox but couldnt do it. He

tried to shoot an arrow at it but wasnt successful.

Soon the hunter reached so dense forest that it was

impossible to move forward by his steed. He

dismounted from his steed and started pursuing

the fox on foot. The fox seemed to tease Ailyp; it

was always so close to him but when he tried to

take aim at it, the fox suddenly disappeared

behind thick bushes.

At last Ailyp found himself in the unfamiliar

place. The fox disappeared somewhere and the

hunter decided to climb the high tree to look

about. From the top of the tree he saw the small

river running merrily along the valley. In some

certain place the river was shinning so brightly

that it was impossible to look at. Ailyp was very

surprised and tried to look at that place more

attentively. Suddenly he saw a beautiful girl

sitting near the river on the big white stone behind

the bush. Her braid was thrown over her shoulder

and the tip of it was dropped into the water. The

braid was gold and very long, its length was about

10 sazhen (=2.134 meters). The gold braid was

reflected in the water and made the river shine like

the sun.

The girl raised her head, noticed Ailyp and said:

" Hello, Ailyp! I know you! My Nanny the Fox

has told me about you long ago. You are the most

handsome, strong and successful hunter all

through the neighborhood. Do you want to marry

me? How much bride-money I will have to pay to

your father?

What are you speaking about? My father is the

owner of the whole worlds gold! He will never

agree to part with me voluntarily. If you want to

marry me we must run!

I want to marry you very much! I will carry you in

my arms! No one will dare to take you away from

me!"

As soon as the hunter exclaimed these words, the

fox yelped, hid its muzzle in the ground, turned

into an old woman and said:

"Dont boast! You even didnt manage to hit and

kill me!

Its the truth answered Ailyp But it is my last

negligence.

It will be very difficult to kidnap my niece the

Golden Hair.

Her father is Poloz, the owner of the whole gold

of the world.

Her hair is of gold. Try to raise her braid! It is

very heavy."

The girl is chained to the ground with her hair.

Ailyp pulled out the gold braid of the rivers sand

and began to wind it round his arm. Then he said:

"Now my dear bride the Golden Hair, we are tied

together with your braid. Nobody can part us!"

The old woman gave the hunter scissors just in

case. Ailyp took the girl in his arms and they

began their journey. Ailyp and his bride were

rambling in the forest the whole day. The Golden

Hair noticed that Ailyp became very tired and

said:

"Ailyp, you are very tired. Let me go by myself

and you will carry my braid. It will be easier for

us and we will go faster. May be we will manage

to go far and get to the place where my fathers

power cant reach us. Otherwise my father will

attract me into the ground."

" How can he do it?" - asked the hunter - "My

father possesses the power of attracting gold. He

can attract all gold of the world. If he wishes he

may attract my golden hair!

Dont be afraid! We will manage to escape!"

The Golden Hair smiled sadly, she knew how

strong and insidious her father was.

So, the girl went down on the ground and went by

herself. Ailyp took her heavy golden braid and

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81

carried it. They went and went and at last got very

tired.

Lets rest! offered Ailyp.

As soon as they sat on the green grass, the

mysterious power started to attract them into the

ground. The Golden Hair had time to take scissors

that her nanny had given them and snip off the

golden braid winded round the hunters arm. Then

the girl suddenly disappeared under the ground

together with her beautiful golden hair. Ailyp was

standing alone in the forest glade.

"My bride is taken away! What a shame! I must

return her thought the hunter and began to dig the

earth at the place where his bride had

disappeared."

Suddenly the fox appeared in the forest glade. It

hid its muzzle in the ground, turned into the old

woman and began to mock at the hunter:

"What are you doing? Are you looking for gold?"

" No", - replied Ailyp -"I am trying to find my

bride, the Golden Hair!"

" What a fool! Your bride is sitting near the river

on the big white stone where you have seen her

for the first time. Her gold braid became longer

and heavier, its length now is about 20 sazhen.

Now you wont be able to raise it."

" But what should I do? Please, give me a piece of

good advice!" -begged Ailyp.

"Go home and wait three years. If you dont forget

your bride I will return in three years and show

you the place where you can find her. If you begin

to look for the Golden Hair by yourself you will

never see her!"

Ailyp wasnt used to wait but there was nothing to

do and he had to humble.

Three years were dragging on monotonously.

Even the spring didnt make the hunter glad. His

relatives worried about his health. Every day

Ailyp thought about his bride. How he wished to

look at her! But he remembered the old womans

words and didnt dare to go to seek her. One day he

was walking along the village street and met a

pretty black haired young girl. He liked that girl

very much and thought:

" Ive lost my bride. If people knew this fact they

would mock at me. All the young men of my age

have been married long ago. May be I shall marry

this pretty black haired young girl?! I will pay

bride-money to her parents and they will be glad

to arrange our wedding."

Then the hunter remembered the Golden Hair and

thought:

" However, I cant humble with the fact that my

bride is taken away from me! I must return her!"

Sooner or later three years passed and Ailyp saw

the red fox. He didnt try to shoot an arrow at the

fox but followed it closely. On the way to the river

he marked the trees and stones they passed by to

remember the road. At last they got to the river

and Ailyp saw his bride sitting on the big white

stone at the place where he had seen her for the

first time. He bowed to her and said:

"Hello, my dear bride the Golden Hair!"

" Hello, Ailyp! Dont grieve! My braid became

much easier because you always thought about

me. Only in the end of the third year my braid

became a little bit heavier. Have you fallen in love

with someone?"

Ailyp was ashamed of confirming the fact that he

really had fallen in love with the pretty black

haired girl but all the same he decided to tell the

truth and honestly told his bride everything about

the incident with the black haired girl.

The Golden Hair listened to him attentively and

then said:

" I am glad that you honestly told me everything.

Now I can trust you. Lets go! May be we will

manage to escape to the place where my fathers

power cant reach us!

Ailyp pulled out the gold braid of the rivers sand,

winded it round his arm, took the scissors from

the old woman and they began their journey. They

were rambling in the forest the whole day long. It

grew dark and the hunter offered to rest:

Lets climb that high tree and sleep on the tree

branches. May be your fathers power wont reach

us there."

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82

They climbed the tree and Ailyp tied the girls

braid to the tree branches to preserve her from

falling. The Golden Hair fell asleep and the hunter

began to guard her. Soon he also began to doze.

The eagle-owl was hovering near the tree and

screaming desperately as if it wanted to alarm the

hunter.

Ailyp slept like a log and dreamt that he and the

Golden Hair were sitting at home and drinking

tea. His bride was so beautiful! Her golden braid

was shinning like the sun!

At midnight the tree caught fire. Ailyp burnt

himself and fell on the ground. He saw how the

big sparkling fiery ring appeared from under the

ground. The Golden Hair turned into the cloud of

fine golden sparkles. The sparkles flew to the fiery

ring and disappeared. Ailyp ran to that place

trying to find his bride but everything was in vain,

he managed to find only the tip of her golden

braid.

The young man gave way to despair and began to

call the fox. It immediately appeared and said:

" If you want to return the Golden Hair you should

wait three years more. I wont come to help you

any more. You will have to go to look for your

bride by yourself. I can advice you only the

following: bow to the old eagle-owl and ask it to

help you."

At first Ailyp didnt understand what eagle-owl the

old woman was speaking about but later he

remembered the eagle-owl hovering near the

burning tree and comprehended everything.

Next morning the hunter went to the place where

he had seen the old eagle-owl. Having reached the

place he began calling it. Soon he heard its voice:

" Fubu, fubu! I am here! What do you want?"

Ailyp told the old eagle-owl all about his

problems and asked it to help him.

"It will be very difficult to return the Golden Hair,

answered the old eagle-owl Her father Poloz is

very strong. He is the owner of the worlds gold.

He can reach any place where gold deposits are

situated with his fiery ring. There is the only place

where his power is ineffective. But remember the

only thing: if you reach that place you will never

come back!"

" Please tell me where is that place!" - begged the

hunter.

" You should find the lake with the big stone in

the middle. There is the entry under that stone that

lead to the underwater kingdom. The power of

Poloz cant reach you there.

I know this lake! cried Ailyp gaily It is the Itkul

Lake! Go the Itkul Lake to make sure that it is

really the lake you need. Remember! If you

manage to get to the underwater kingdom you will

never come back!"

The hunter thanked the old eagle-owl and went

home. Later he found the Lake Itkul with the big

stone in the middle. At the place he realized that it

was impossible to run to the lake during the day

time and at night Poloz can use his power.

" must build a road to the lake to have a chance to

get there by horses!"

So, the hunter began to chop trees and build the

road.

Three years passed very quickly, Ailyp barely had

time to finish building the road. At target date he

came to the well-known river bank to find his

bride. She was sitting on the big white stone at the

place where the hunter had seen her for the first

time. They saddled the steeds and galloped at full

speed. The red fox was running in advance trying

to hurry them. In the evening they got to the lake

Itkul and boarded a canoe. In a flash they reached

the stone situated in the middle of the river, found

the entry and descended to the underwater

kingdom. As soon as the hunter and his bride took

the shelter, Poloz began to encircle the lake with

his fiery rings. Everything was in vain he couldnt

reach his daughter and Ailyp. His power was

ineffective in the underwater kingdom.

Since that time rich gold deposits appeared at the

banks of the Ikul Lake that provoked quarrels

between Bashkirs and Russian factory owners.

Ailyp and his wife the Golden Hair stayed to live

in the underwater kingdom where they possessed

horse and sheep herds pasturing in the wild fields

and meadows.

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83

Sometimes people chanced to see the Golden

Hair. She was sitting in the stone in the middle of

the lake. Her golden braid was shinning brightly

by the light of the moon. She was incomparably

beautiful!

The little round bun (Kolobok)

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an

old woman who were very poor and had nothing

at all to their name. And they kept getting poorer

and poorer till there was nothing left to eat in the

house, not even bread, Said the old man:

"Do bake us a bun, old woman! If you scrape out

the flour-box and sweep out the bin, you'll have

enough flour."

So the old woman scraped out the flour-box and

swept out the bin, she made some dough and she

shaped a little round bun out of it. She then lit the

oven, baked the bun and put it on the window sill

to cool. But the bun jumped out of the window

and onto the bench outside, and from the bench

onto the ground, and away it rolled along the road!

On and on' it rolled, and it met a Rabbit coming

toward it.

"I'm going to eat you up, Little Round Bun!"

called the Rabbit.

"Don't do that, Fleet-Feet, let me sing you a song

instead," said Little Round Bun.

"All right, let's hear it!"

"Here it is!

"I was scraped from the flour-box

And swept from the bin

And baked in the oven

And cooled on the sill.

I ran away from Grandpa,

I ran away from Grandma,

And I'll run away from you, this minute I will!"

And off it rolled and away. By and by it met a

Wolf coming toward it.

"I'm going to eat you up, Little Round Bun!"

called the Wolf.

"Don't do that, Brother Wolf, let me sing you a

song instead."

"All right, let's hear it!"

"I was scraped from the flour-box

And swept from the bin

And baked in the oven

And cooled on the sill.

I ran away from Grandpa,

I ran away from Grandma,

And I'll run away from you, this minute I will!"

And away it rolled.

By and by it met a Bear coming toward it.

"I'm going to eat you up, Little Round Bun!"

called the Bear.

"Don't do that, Brother Bear, I'll sing you a song

instead!"

"All right, let's hear it!"

"I was scraped from the flour-box

And swept from the bin

And baked in the oven

And cooled on the sill.

I ran away from Grandpa,

I ran away from Grandma,

And I'll run away from you, this minute I will!"

And away it rolled and away!

By and by it met a Fox coming toward it.

"I'm going to eat you up, Little Round Bun!"

called the Fox.

"Don't do that, Sister fox, I'll sing you a song

instead."

"All right, let's hear it!"

"I was scraped from the flour-box

And swept from the bin

And baked in the oven

And cooled on the sill.

I ran away from Grandpa,

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84

I ran away from Grandma,

And I'll run away from you, this minute I will!"

"Sing some more, please, don't stop!" the Fox

said. "Hop onto my tongue, I can hear you better."

Little Round Bun jumped onto the Fox's tongue

and began to sing:

"I was scraped from the flour-box

And swept from the bin-"

But before it could go on, the Fox opened her

mouth and - snap! -she gobbled it up.

Turnip

An old man planted a turnip. The turnip grew to

be enormous. The old man started to pull the

turnip out of the ground. He pulled and pulled, but

couldn't pull it out. So he called the old woman

over.

The old woman took hold of the old man, the old

man took hold of the turnip, they pulled and

pulled, but couldn't pull it out. So the old woman

called the granddaughter over.

The granddaughter took hold of the old woman,

the old woman took hold of the old man, the old

man took hold of the turnip, they pulled and

pulled, but couldn't pull it out. So the

granddaughter called the dog over.

The dog took hold of the granddaughter, the

granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the

old woman took hold of the old man, the old man

took hold of the turnip, they pulled and pulled, but

couldn't pull it out. So the dog called the cat over.

The cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of

the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of

the old woman, the old woman took hold of the

old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, they

pulled and pulled, but couldn't pull it out. So the

cat called the mouse over.

The mouse took hold of the cat, the cat took hold

of the dog, the dog took hold of the

granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the

old woman, the old woman took hold of the old

man, the old man took hold of the turnip, they

pulled and pulled--and finally pulled out the

turnip!

--In Russian, the name "Zhuckha" is used in place

of "dog." Also, the translation loses all the the

lyricism of this little tale. In Russian, the similar

words repeated patterns combined to make a

rhythm that is almost a tongue-twister!

Transliterated, the last line of the tale sounds like

this:

Myshka za koshku, koshka za Zhuchku, Zhuchka

za vnuchku, vnuchka za babku, babka za dedku,

dedka za repku, tyanut-potyanut--vytyanuli repku!

Twelve Months

THERE was once a widow who had two

daughters, Helen, her own child by her dead

husband, and Marouckla, his daughter by his first

wife. She loved Helen, but hated the poor orphan

because she was far prettier than her own

daughter.

Marouckla did not think about her good looks, and

could not understand why her stepmother should

be angry at the sight of her. The hardest work fell

to her share. She cleaned out the rooms, cooked,

washed, sewed, spun, wove, brought in the hay,

milked the cow, and all this without any help.

Helen, meanwhile, did nothing but dress herself in

her best clothes and go to one amusement after

another.

But Marouckla never complained. She bore the

scoldings and bad temper of mother and sister

with a smile on her lips, and the patience of a

lamb. But this angelic behavior did not soften

them. They became even more tyrannical and

grumpy, for Marouckla grew daily more beautiful,

while Helen's ugliness increased. So the

stepmother determined to get rid of Marouckla,

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for she knew that while she remained, her own

daughter would have no suitors. Hunger, every

kind of privation, abuse, every means was used to

make the girl's life miserable. But in spite of it all

Marouckla grew ever sweeter and more charming.

One day in the middle of winter Helen wanted

some wood-violets.

"Listen," cried she to Marouckla, "you must go up

the mountain and find me violets. I want some to

put in my gown. They must be fresh and sweet-

scented-do you hear?"

"But, my dear sister, whoever heard of violets

blooming in the snow?" said the poor orphan.

"You wretched creature! Do you dare to disobey

me?" said Helen. "Not another word. Off with

you! If you do not bring me some violets from the

mountain forest I will kill you."

The stepmother also added her threats to those of

Helen, and with vigorous blows they pushed

Marouckla outside and shut the door upon her.

The weeping girl made her way to the mountain.

The snow lay deep, and there was no trace of any

human being. Long she wandered hither and

thither, and lost herself in the wood. She was

hungry, and shivered with cold, and prayed to die.

Suddenly she saw a light in the distance, and

climbed toward it till she reached the top of the

mountain. Upon the highest peak burned a large

fire, surrounded by twelve blocks of stone on

which sat twelve strange beings. Of these the first

three had white hair, three were not quite so old,

three were young and handsome, and the rest still

younger.

There they all sat silently looking at the fire. They

were the Twelve Months of the Year. The great

January was placed higher than the others. His

hair and mustache were white as snow, and in his

hand he held a wand. At first Marouckla was

afraid, but after a while her courage returned, and

drawing near, she said: --

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? I

am chilled by the winter cold."

The great January raised his head and answered:

"What brings thee here, my daughter? What dost

thou seek?"

"I am looking for violets," replied the maiden.

"This is not the season for violets. Dost thou not

see the snow everywhere?" said January.

"I know well, but my sister Helen and my

stepmother have ordered me to bring them violets

from your mountain. If I return without them they

will kill me. I pray you, good shepherds, tell me

where they may be found."

Here the great January arose and went over to the

youngest of the Months, and, placing his wand in

his hand, said: --

"Brother March, do thou take the highest place."

March obeyed, at the same time waving his wand

over the fire. Immediately the flames rose toward

the sky, the snow began to melt and the trees and

shrubs to bud. The grass became green, and from

between its blades peeped the pale primrose. It

was spring, and the meadows were blue with

violets.

"Gather them quickly, Marouckla," said March.

Joyfully she hastened to pick the flowers, and

having soon a large bunch she thanked them and

ran home. Helen and the stepmother were amazed

at the sight of the flowers, the scent of which

filled the house.

"Where did you find them?" asked Helen.

"Under the trees on the mountain-side," said

Marouckla.

Helen kept the flowers for herself and her mother.

She did not even thank her stepsister for the

trouble she had taken. The next day she desired

Marouckla to fetch her strawberries.

"Run," said she, "and fetch me strawberries from

the mountain. They must be very sweet and ripe."

"But whoever heard of strawberries ripening in the

snow?" exclaimed Marouckla.

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"Hold your tongue, worm; don't answer me. If I

don't have my strawberries I will kill you," said

Helen.

Then the stepmother pushed Marouckla into the

yard and bolted the door. The unhappy girl made

her way toward the mountain and to the large fire

round which sat the Twelve Months. The great

January occupied the highest place.

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire?

The winter cold chills me," said she, drawing near.

The great January raised his head and asked:

"Why comest thou here? What dost thou seek?"

"I am looking for strawberries," said she.

"We are in the midst of winter," replied January,

"strawberries do not grow in the snow."

"I know," said the girl sadly, "but my sister and

stepmother have ordered me to bring them

strawberries. If I do not they will kill me. Pray,

good shepherds, tell me where to find them."

The great January arose, crossed over to the

Month opposite him, and putting the wand in his

hand, said: "Brother June, do thou take the highest

place."

June obeyed, and as he waved his wand over the

fire the flames leaped toward the sky. Instantly the

snow melted, the earth was covered with verdure,

trees were clothed with leaves, birds began to

sing, and various flowers blossomed in the forest.

It was summer. Under the bushes masses of star-

shaped flowers changed into ripening

strawberries, and instantly they covered the glade,

making it look like a sea of blood.

"Gather them quickly, Marouckla," said June.

Joyfully she thanked the Months, and having

filled her apron ran happily home.

Helen and her mother wondered at seeing the

strawberries, which filled the house with their

delicious fragrance.

"Wherever did you find them?" asked Helen

crossly.

"Right up among the mountains. Those from

under the beech trees are not bad," answered

Marouckla.

Helen gave a few to her mother and ate the rest

herself. Not one did she offer to her stepsister.

Being tired of strawberries, on the third day she

took a fancy for some fresh, red apples.

"Run, Marouckla," said she, "and fetch me fresh,

red apples from the mountain."

"Apples in winter, sister? Why, the trees have

neither leaves nor fruit!"

"Idle thing, go this minute," said Helen; "unless

you bring back apples we will kill you."

As before, the stepmother seized her roughly and

turned her out of the house. The poor girl went

weeping up the mountain, across the deep snow,

and on toward the fire round which were the

Twelve Months. Motionless they sat there, and on

the highest stone was the great January.

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire?

The winter cold chills me," said she, drawing near.

The great January raised his head. "Why comest

thou here? What does thou seek?" asked he.

"I am come to look for red apples," replied

Marouckla.

"But this is winter, and not the season for red

apples," observed the great January.

"I know," answered the girl, "but my sister and

stepmother sent me to fetch red apples from the

mountain. If I return without them they will kill

me."

Thereupon the great January arose and went over

to one of the elderly Months, to whom he handed

the wand saying: --

"Brother September, do thou take the highest

place."

September moved to the highest stone, and waved

his wand over the fire. There was a flare of red

flames, the snow disappeared, but the fading

leaves which trembled on the trees were sent by a

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cold northeast wind in yellow masses to the glade.

Only a few flowers of autumn were visible. At

first Marouckla looked in vain for red apples.

Then she espied a tree which grew at a great

height, and from the branches of this hung the

bright, red fruit. September ordered her to gather

some quickly. The girl was delighted and shook

the tree. First one apple fell, then another.

"That is enough," said September; "hurry home."

Thanking the Months she returned joyfully. Helen

and the stepmother wondered at seeing the fruit.

"Where did you gather them?" asked the

stepsister.

"There are more on the mountain-top," answered

Marouckla.

"Then, why did you not bring more?" said Helen

angrily. "You must have eaten them on your way

back, you wicked girl."

"No, dear sister, I have not even tasted them," said

Marouckla. "I shook the tree twice. One apple fell

each time. Some shepherds would not allow me to

shake it again, but told me to return home."

"Listen, mother," said Helen. "Give me my cloak.

I will fetch some more apples myself. I shall be

able to find the mountain and the tree. The

shepherds may cry `Stop!' but I will not leave go

till I have shaken down all the apples."

In spite of her mother's advice she wrapped

herself in her pelisse, put on a warm hood, and

took the road to the mountain. Snow covered

everything. Helen lost herself and wandered hither

and thither. After a while she saw a light above

her, and, following in its direction, reached the

mountain-top.

There was the flaming fire, the twelve blocks of

stone, and the Twelve Months. At first she was

frightened and hesitated; then she came nearer and

warmed her hands. She did not ask permission,

nor did she speak one polite word.

"What hath brought thee here? What dost thou

seek?" said the great January severely.

"I am not obliged to tell you, old graybeard. What

business is it of yours?" she replied disdainfully,

turning her back on the fire and going toward the

forest.

The great January frowned, and waved his wand

over his head. Instantly the sky became covered

with clouds, the fire went down, snow fell in large

flakes, an icy wind howled round the mountain.

Amid the fury of the storm Helen stumbled about.

The pelisse failed to warm her benumbed limbs.

The mother kept on waiting for her. She looked

from the window, she watched from the doorstep,

but her daughter came not. The hours passed

slowly, but Helen did not return.

"Can it be that the apples have charmed her from

her home?" thought the mother. Then she clad

herself in hood and pelisse, and went in search of

her daughter. Snow fell in huge masses. It covered

all things. For long she wandered hither and

thither, the icy northeast wind whistled in the

mountain, but no voice answered her cries.

Day after day Marouckla worked, and prayed, and

waited, but neither stepmother nor sister returned.

They had been frozen to death on the mountain.

The inheritance of a small house, a field, and a

cow fell to Marouckla. In course of time an honest

farmer came to share them with her, and their

lives were happy and peaceful.