IN a certain kingdom there once lived a Czar and his wife who had three
fine sons. The eldest was called Vasili, the second Fedor, and the
youngest Ivan. One day the Czar went with his wife to walk in his
garden, and there suddenly came on such a storm that the Czarina was
carried off by it, out of her husband’s sight. The Czar was sore
grieved, and sorrowed for a long time. When the two eldest sons saw
their father’s trouble they came to him, and asked him to let them go
forth to look for their mother. So he gave them his blessing, and they
set out. They travelled for a long time, and at last came to a great
desert. There they pitched their tent, and waited to see if any one
would come to tell them the way. For three years they waited, but they
saw no one.
Meanwhile the youngest brother, Ivan, went to his father to ask him for
his blessing, and took leave of him. He travelled for a long time, until
at last he saw some tents in the distance. He rode on, and on coming to
them he saw that he had found his brothers.
“Why do you stop on the borders of this dreary waste, brothers?” said
he; “let us go on together and seek our mother.”
The others agreed, and they once more set out. When they had gone a long
way they saw in the distance a palace built of crystal, with a wall
around it of the same material. They drew near to it, and Ivan opened
the gate and rode into the courtyard. As he approached the door he saw a
pillar to which there were attached two rings, one of gold and the other
of silver. He put his bridle through the rings and secured his horse,
and then went to the door. There the king of the palace came to meet
him. They talked for some time, and the king, discovering that Ivan was
his nephew, led him into his room, and brought his brothers in also.
When they had been with him a long time, the king gave them a magic
ball, which the brothers threw before them, and following it they came
to a high mountain at the foot of which they stopped to rest. It was so
high and so steep that no one could climb up it. Ivan rode round it to
discover some means of getting to the top, and at last he found a
crevice into which he stepped. Then he saw an iron door with an iron
ring. When he had opened the door he found some iron hooks which he
fastened to his hands and feet. By means of these he contrived to climb
to the top of the mountain. When he reached the top he was very tired,
and sat down to rest, and as soon as ever he took off the hooks they
vanished. Afar off in the mountain he saw a tent of fine cambric, on
which was pictured a copper kingdom, and on its summit was a copper
ball. On going to the tent he found at the entrance two large lions,
which refused to let him pass. Ivan, however, saw two copper basins
standing near, so he went and got some water and gave it to the lions,
who were thirsty, and then they let him go into the tent. When he had
come there he saw a lovely princess on a couch, and at her feet slept a
dreadful dragon, whose head Ivan cut off with one blow. The princess
thanked him, and gave him a copper egg, in which was contained a copper
kingdom. Then the Czarewitch left her and went on.
When he had gone a long way he saw a tent of fine gauze hung from a
cedar-tree by silver cords. These cords had tassels of emeralds, and on
the tent was the picture of a silver kingdom. On the summit of the tent
was a silver ball. At the entrance lay two large tigers. He satisfied
their thirst, as he had done that of the lions, and then they let him
pass. When he came into the tent he saw a lovely princess dressed in
very fine clothes, and very much more beautiful than the former. At her
feet lay a dragon with six heads, and twice as large as the first. With
one blow Ivan cut off its heads, and the princess rewarded his courage
by giving him a silver egg, in which was a silver kingdom. Then Ivan
left her and went on.
At length he came to a third tent of silk, on which was pictured a
golden kingdom, and on its summit was a ball of pure gold. The tent was
hung from a laurel-tree by gold cords, and the tassels of the cords were
composed of diamonds. By the entrance lay two large crocodiles which
breathed out great flames. The Czarewitch gave them some water, and thus
got them to let him enter the tent. Inside he found on a couch a
princess who even surpassed the two former ones in beauty. At her feet
lay a dragon with twelve heads. Ivan cut off all the heads with one blow
of his sword, and the princess, thanking him, gave him a golden egg, in
which was a golden kingdom. With it she also gave him her heart. As they
talked together, Ivan asked the princess if she could tell him where he
should find his mother, and she, showing him where his mother dwelt,
wished he would have good fortune in his adventure.
He went on a long way and came to a palace, and going in he passed
through many rooms, but he found no one in them. At last he came to a
large beautiful hall, and there he saw his mother, dressed in royal
robes, sitting on a chair. When they had tenderly saluted, Ivan told her
how he and his brothers had travelled very far to seek her whom they
loved so much. The Czarina informed Ivan that a spirit would soon come,
and told him to conceal himself under her cloak.
“When the spirit appears,” said she, “seize his magic wand with both
hands. He will then fly upwards with you, but do not be afraid, and be
quiet. After a time he will fall to the earth and be dashed to pieces.
You must gather these up, burn them, and scatter the ashes on the
field.”
His mother had scarcely finished these words, and hidden him under her
cloak, before the spirit appeared. Then Ivan sprang forward as his
mother had told him, and laid hold of the magic wand. The spirit seized
the Czarewitch, flew with him far up, fell to the ground, and was dashed
to pieces. The Czarewitch gathered these together, and burnt them, but
kept the magic stick. Then he took his mother and the three princesses
whom he had rescued, and, coming to an oak-tree, he let each one of them
slide down the mountain-side by means of a linen cloth. When the
brothers, who waited at the foot of the mountain, saw that he alone
remained on the top, they tore the linen cloth out of his hand, led away
their mother and the three princesses to their own kingdom, and made
them take an oath that they would tell their father that they had been
saved by them.
Ivan was thus left alone on the mountain, and did not know how he could
get down. He walked about very sorrowfully, and happening to pass the
magic wand from one hand to the other, a man suddenly appeared before
him, and said—
“What is your will, Ivan Czarewitch?”
Ivan was much astonished to see the man, and asked him who he was, and
how he had come on the mountain.
“I am a spirit,” replied the man, “and was the servant of him whom you
have overcome. As you have now his magic stick, and as you have passed
it from one hand to the other, as you always must when you want me, I
have come to perform what you wish.”
“That is well,” said Ivan to the spirit. “Do me your first service,
then, and carry me into my own country.”
Scarcely had he finished these words before he found himself in his
father’s city.
He wanted to first know what was going on in the palace, so instead of
going straight in he went and began work in a shoemaker’s shop, for he
thought no one would quickly recognise him there. The next morning the
shoemaker went into town to buy some leather, and came home in the
evening very drunk. So tipsy was he that he could not see to the shop,
so he left all to his new man. Ivan knew nothing about the work, so he
called the spirit to assist him, and told him to set to and make some
shoes while he himself went to sleep. When the master awoke early the
next morning he went to see what work his man had done, and when he
found him still fast asleep, he was very angry, and said—
“Ah! you lazy fellow, do you think I took you into my service to sleep?”
“Do not blame me,” replied Ivan, stretching himself, “go first into the
work-room, and see what you find there.”
The shoemaker went off, and how much was he astonished to find there a
number of shoes all finished. He went to them and took up a shoe to look
at the work, but he was more astonished still, and began to disbelieve
his eyes, for there was not a single stitch in the shoes, but they were
all of one piece. He took some of the shoes and set off to sell them,
and every one who saw the wonderful shoes bought them eagerly. His fame
spread, and in a short time the shoemaker became so noted that they sent
for him to the palace. There he saw the princesses, who ordered him to
make them some dozens of shoes, adding that they must all be ready by
the next morning. He told them that it was impossible for him to do what
they asked, but they said that if he did not do what they told him he
should have his head cut off, for they declared they well knew he made
his shoes by some magic means.
The poor shoemaker left the castle, thinking he was as good as a dead
man, went into the city, bought some leather, and went a-drinking to
drive off care. Towards evening he came home, and throwing the leather
down upon the floor, said to his new man—
“Listen, you wretched fellow, to what you have done with your magic
work.”
So he told him all that had happened with the princesses, and how he was
to be put to death if he did not do what they commanded.
“Don’t be put out,” said Ivan; “lie down and go to sleep. The morning
will bring us good luck.”
His master thanked him for what he said, laid himself down on a bench,
and very quickly began to snore. Then Ivan called upon his spirit,
ordered him to make all ready, and went to sleep himself.
Though the shoemaker had been very drunk, when he awoke early in the
morning he remembered that he was to have his head cut off that day. So
he went to his man and said—
“Let us have a bottle together, so that I may be more courageous when I
am under the axe.”
“Do not fear,” answered Ivan; “go into your workshop. You will find that
all is finished, and ready to be taken to the palace.”
The shoemaker walked off to the workshop, not believing what Ivan said;
but when he saw all the shoes ready, he was so delighted that he did not
know what to do. He embraced Ivan and called him his saviour.
He took the shoes and set off to the palace; and when the princesses saw
the shoes, they felt sure that Ivan must be in the town, so they said to
the shoemaker—
“You have well performed what you were ordered, but you must do
something more for us. This night there must be built opposite our
palace a golden castle. There must be a porcelain bridge from the one
palace to the other, and this must be covered with velvet.”