merry little princess and the princess waited for him at the palace
window every afternoon and when she saw him she always spoke to him
politely and said: "Please."
When the day for the second meeting of the princes came, the servants of
the chest arrayed Yan in a suit of red and gave him a sorrel horse with
trappings of gold. Yan again rode to the palace and took his place with
the other princes but behind them so that the princess had to crane her
neck to see him.
Again the suitors rode by the princess one by one, but at each of them
she shook her head impatiently and kept her kerchief and ring until Yan
saluted her.
Instantly the ceremony was over, Yan put spurs to his horse and rode off
and, although the king sent after him to bring him back, Yan was able to
escape.
That evening when he was driving home his sheep the princess ran out to
him and said:
"Yanitchko, it was you! I know it was!"
But again Yan laughed and put her off and asked her how she could think
such a thing of a poor shepherd.
Again the princess was not convinced and she said in another month, when
the princes were to come for the third and last time, she would make
sure.
So for another month Yan tended his sheep and plucked nosegays for the
merry little princess and the princess waited for him at the palace
window every afternoon and, when she saw him, she always said politely:
"Please."
For the third meeting of the princes the servants of the chest arrayed
Yan in a gorgeous suit of black and gave him a black horse with golden
trappings studded in diamonds. He rode to the palace and took his place
behind the other suitors. Things went as before and again the princess
saved her kerchief and ring for him.
This time when he tried to ride off the other suitors surrounded him
and, before he escaped, one of them wounded him on the foot.
He galloped back to the castle in the forest, dressed once again in his
shepherd's clothes, and returned to the meadow where his sheep were
grazing. There he sat down and bound up his wounded foot in the kerchief
which the princess had given him. Then, when he had eaten some bread and
cheese from his magic wallet, he stretched himself out in the sun and
fell asleep.
Meanwhile the princess, who was sorely vexed that her mysterious suitor
had again escaped, slipped out of the palace and ran up the mountain
path to see for herself whether the shepherd were really with his sheep.
She found Yan asleep and, when she saw her kerchief bound about his
foot, she knew that he was the prince.
She woke him up and cried:
"You are he! You know you are!"
Yan looked at her and laughed and he asked:
"How can I be a prince?"
"But I know you are!" the princess said. "Oh, Yanitchko, dear
Yanitchko, I beg you please to tell me!"
So then Yan, because he always did anything the princess asked him when
she said: "Please," told her his true name and his rank.
The princess, overjoyed to hear that her dear shepherd was really a
prince, carried him off to her father, the king.
"This is the man I shall marry," she said, "this and none other."
So Yan and the merry little princess were married and lived very
happily. And the people of the country when they speak of the princess
always say:
"That's a princess for you! Why, even if she is a princess, she always
says 'Please' to her own husband!"
VITAZKO THE VICTORIOUS
THE STORY OF A HERO WHOSE MOTHER LOVED A DRAGON
[Illustration]
VITAZKO THE VICTORIOUS
There was once a mother who had an only son. "He shall be a hero," she
said, "and his name shall be Vitazko, the Victorious."
She suckled him for twice seven years and then, to try his strength, she
led him out to the forest and bade him pull up a fir-tree by the roots.
When the boy was not strong enough to do this, she took him home and
suckled him for another seven years. Then when she had suckled him for
thrice seven years, she led him out to the forest again and ordered him
to pull up a beech-tree by its roots.
The youth laid hold on the tree and with one mighty pull uprooted it.
"Now, my son, you are strong enough," the mother said. "Now you are
worthy of your name Vitazko. Forget not the mother who has suckled you
for thrice seven years but, now that you are grown, take care of her."
"I will, my mother," Vitazko promised. "Only tell me what you want me to
do."
"First," the mother said, "go out into the world and find me a splendid
dwelling where I may live in peace and plenty."
Taking in his hand the uprooted beech-tree as a club and armed only with
it, Vitazko set forth. He followed the wind here and there and the other
place and it led him at last to a fine castle.
This castle was inhabited by dragons. Vitazko pounded on the castle
gates but the dragons refused to admit him. Thereupon the young hero
battered down the gates, pursued the dragons from room to room of the
castle, and slaughtered them all.
When he had thrown the last of them over the wall, he took possession of
the castle. He found nine spacious chambers and a tenth one the door of
which was closed.
Vitazko opened the door and in the room he found a dragon. This dragon
was a prisoner. Three iron hoops were fastened about his body and these
were chained to the wall.
"Oho!" Vitazko cried. "Another dragon! What are you doing here?"
"Me?" the dragon said. "I'm not doing anything but just sitting here. My
brothers imprisoned me. Unchain me, Vitazko! If you do, I will reward
you richly."
"I will not!" Vitazko said. "A fine scamp you must be if your own
brothers had to chain you up! No! You stay where you are!"
With that Vitazko slammed the door in the dragon's face and left him.
Then he went for his mother and brought her to the castle.
"Here, my mother," he said, "is the dwelling I have won for you."
He took her through the nine spacious chambers and showed her
everything. At the tenth door he said:
"This door is not to be opened. All the castle belongs to you except
this room only. See to it that this door is never opened. If it is
opened, an evil fate will overtake you."
Then Vitazko took his beechen club and went out hunting.
He was hardly gone before his mother sat down before the tenth door and
said to herself over and over:
"I wonder what can be in that room that Vitazko doesn't want me to open
the door."
At last when she could restrain her curiosity no longer, she opened the
door.
"Mercy on us!" she said when she saw the dragon. "Who are you? And what
are you doing here?"
"Me?" the dragon said. "I'm only a poor harmless dragon. They call
me Sharkan. My brothers chained me here. They would have freed me
long ago but Vitazko killed them. Unchain me, dear lady, and I will
reward you richly."
He begged her and cajoled her until she was half minded to do as he
asked.
"You are very beautiful," Sharkan said. "If only I were free I would
make you my wife."
"Ah, but what would Vitazko say to that?" the woman asked.
"Vitazko?" repeated Sharkan. "Do you fear your own son? A dutiful
son he is, to give you the castle and then forbid you to enter this
room! If you were to marry me, we should soon get rid of this
Vitazko and then live here together in peace and merriment."
The woman listened to these cajoling words until she was completely won
over.
"But how, dear Sharkan, shall I unchain you?"
He told her to go to the cellar and from a certain cask to draw him
a goblet of wine. Instantly he drank the wine, bang! the first iron
hoop burst asunder. He drank a second goblet, and the second iron
hoop fell from him. He drank a third goblet and, lo! he was free.
Then in dismay at what she had done, the woman cried:
"Ah me, what will Vitazko say when he comes home!"
"I have thought out a plan," Sharkan said. "Listen: when he comes
home pretend you're sick and refuse to eat. When he begs you to eat
something, tell him that nothing can tempt you but a suckling from
the Earth Sow. He will at once go out and hunt the Earth Sow and
when he touches one of her sucklings, the Sow will tear him to
pieces."
Sharkan remained in hiding in the tenth chamber and presently Vitazko
returned from the hunt with a young buck across his shoulders. He found
his mother on the bed, moaning and groaning as if in great pain.
"What is it, dear mother?" he asked. "Are you sick?"
"Aye, my son, I'm sick. Leave me and I'll die alone!"
Vitazko in alarm rubbed her hands and begged her to eat of the venison
he had brought home.
"Nay, my son," she said, "venison tempts me not. Nothing can tempt my
waning appetite but a suckling from the Earth Sow."
"Then, my mother, you shall have a suckling from the Earth Sow!" Vitazko
cried, and instantly he rushed out in quest of the Earth Sow and her
litter.
With his beech-tree in his hand he ranged back and forth through the
forest hunting the Earth Sow. He came at last to a tower in which an
old wise woman lived. Her name was Nedyelka and because she was good
as well as wise people called her St. Nedyelka.
"Where are you going, Vitazko?" she said, when she saw the young hero.
"I'm hunting for the Earth Sow," he told her. "My mother is sick and
nothing will tempt her but a suckling from the Earth Sow's litter."
Nedyelka looked at the young man kindly.
"That, my son, is a difficult task you have set yourself. However, I
will help you provided you do exactly as I say."
Vitazko promised and the old woman gave him a long pointed spit.
[Illustration: _Nedyelka tells Vitazko what to do_]
"Take this," she said. "Now go to my stable. There you will find my
horse, Tatosh. Mount him and he will carry you on the wind to
where the Earth Sow lies half buried in her wallow and surrounded by
her litter. Reach over and prick one of the sucklings with this spit
and then sit very still without moving. The suckling will squeal and
instantly the Sow will spring up and in a fury race madly around the
world and back in a moment of time. Sit perfectly still and she
won't see either you or Tatosh. Then she'll tell the litter that if
one of them squeals again and disturbs her, she will tear it to
pieces. With that she'll settle back in the wallow and go to sleep.
Then do you pick up the same little suckling on your spit and carry
it off. This time it will be afraid to squeal. The Sow will not be
disturbed and Tatosh, my horse, will bear you safely away."
Vitazko did exactly as Nedyelka ordered. He mounted Tatosh and the
magic steed carried him swiftly on the wind to where the Earth Sow
lay sleeping in her wallow.
With his spit, Vitazko pricked one of the sucklings until it squealed in
terror. The Earth Sow jumped up and in fury raced madly around the world
and back in a moment of time. Tatosh stood where he was and Vitazko sat
on his back without moving. The Earth Sow saw neither of them.
"If one of you squeals again and disturbs me," the Earth Sow said to
the litter, "I'll wake up and tear you to pieces!"
With that she settled back in the mud and fell asleep.
Vitazko again reached over and now he picked up the same little suckling
on the end of his spit. This time it made no sound. Instantly Tatosh,
the magic steed, rose on the wind and flew straight home to Nedyelka.
"How did things go?" the old woman asked.
"Just as you said they would," Vitazko told her. "See, here is the
suckling."
"Good, my son. Take it home to your mother."
So Vitazko returned the spit and led Tatosh back to his stall. Then he
threw the suckling over his beech-tree, thanked old St. Nedyelka, bade
her good-day, and with a happy heart went home.
At the castle the mother was making merry with the dragon. Suddenly in
the distance they saw Vitazko coming.
"Here he comes!" the mother cried. "Oh dear, what shall I do?"
"Don't be afraid," Sharkan advised. "We'll send him off on another quest
and this time he'll surely not come back. Pretend you're sick again and
tell him you're so weak that even the suckling of the Earth Sow doesn't
tempt your appetite. Tell him nothing will help you but the Water of
Life and the Water of Death and if he really loves you he must get you
some of both. Then he'll go off hunting the Water of Life and the Water
of Death and that will be the end of him."
Sharkan hid himself in the tenth chamber and Vitazko, when he entered
the castle, found his mother alone.
"It's no use, my son," she moaned. "I can't eat the suckling. Nothing
will help me now but the Water of Life and the Water of Death. Of course
you don't love me well enough to get me some of both."
"I do! I do!" poor Vitazko cried. "There's nothing I won't get for you
to make you well!"
He snatched up his beech-tree again and hurried back to St. Nedyelka.
"What is it now?" the old woman asked.
"Can you tell me, dear St. Nedyelka, where I can find the Water of Life
and the Water of Death? My poor mother is still sick and she says that
nothing else will cure her."
"The Waters of Life and of Death are difficult to get," Nedyelka
said. "However, dear boy, I will help you. Take these two pitchers
and again mount the faithful Tatosh. He will carry you to the two
shores under which flow the springs of the Water of Life and the
Water of Death. The right shore opens for a moment on the instant of
noon and under it the Water of Life bubbles up. The left shore opens
for a moment at midnight and under it lies the still pool of the
Water of Death. Wait at each shore until the moment it opens. Then
reach in and scoop up a pitcher of water. Be swift or the shores
will close upon you and kill you."
Vitazko took the two pitchers and mounted Tatosh. The horse rose on the
wind and carried Vitazko far, far away beyond the Red Sea to the two
shores of which old Nedyelka had told him.
At the moment of noon the right shore opened for an instant and Vitazko
scooped up a pitcher of the Water of Life. He had scarcely time to draw
back before the opening closed with a crash.
He waited at the left shore until midnight. At the moment of midnight
the left shore opened for an instant. Vitazko scooped up a pitcher of
water from the still pool of the Water of Death and pulled swiftly back
as the opening closed.
With the two pitchers safe in his hands, Vitazko mounted Tatosh and the
magic steed rising on the wind carried him home to St. Nedyelka.
"And how did things go?" the old woman asked.
"Very well," Vitazko said. "See, here are the Waters."
St. Nedyelka took the two pitchers and when Vitazko wasn't looking
changed them for two pitchers of ordinary water which she told him to
carry at once to his mother.
At the castle the mother and Sharkan were again making merry when from
afar they saw Vitazko with two pitchers in his hands. The mother fell
into a great fright and wept and tore her hair, but the dragon again
reassured her.
"He's come back this time," he said, "but we'll send him off again and
he'll never return. Refuse the Waters and tell him you're so sick that
nothing will help you now but a sight of the bird, Pelikan. Tell him if
he loves you he will go after the bird, Pelikan, and once he goes we
need never fear him again."
Vitazko when he reached the castle hurried into his mother's chamber and
offered her the Waters.
"Here, dear mother, is a pitcher of the Water of Life and a pitcher of
the Water of Death. Now you will get well!"
But his mother pushed both pitchers away and, moaning and groaning as if
she were in great pain, she said:
"Nay, you are too late with your Water of Life and your Water of Death!
I am so far gone that nothing will cure me now but a sight of the bird,
Pelikan. If you really loved me you would get it for me."
Vitazko, still trusting his mother, cried out:
"Of course I love you! Of course I'll get you the bird, Pelikan, if that
is what will cure you!"
So once more he snatched up his beech-tree and hurried off to St.
Nedyelka.
"What is it now?" the old woman asked him.
"It's my poor mother," Vitazko said. "She's too far gone for the Water
of Life and the Water of Death. Nothing will help her now but a sight of
the bird, Pelikan. Tell me, kind Nedyelka, how can I get the bird,
Pelikan?"
"The bird, Pelikan, my son? Ah, that is a task to capture Pelikan!
However, I will help you. Pelikan is a giant bird with a long, long
neck. When he shakes his wings he raises such a wind that he blows
down the forest trees. Here is a gun. Take it and mount my faithful
Tatosh. He will carry you far away to the vast wilderness where
Pelikan lives. When you get there, note carefully from what
direction the wind blows. Shoot in that direction. Then quickly push
the ramrod into the barrel of the gun and leave it there and come
back to me as fast as you can."
Vitazko took the gun and mounted Tatosh. The magic steed rose on the
wind and carried him far off to the distant wilderness which was the
home of the bird, Pelikan. There Tatosh sank to earth and Vitazko
dismounted. Immediately he felt a strong wind against his right cheek.
He took aim in that direction and pulled the trigger. The hammer fell
and instantly Vitazko pushed the ramrod into the gun barrel. He threw
the gun over his shoulder and mounted Tatosh. Tatosh rose on the wind
and in a twinkling had carried him back to St. Nedyelka.
"Well, son, how did things go?" the old woman asked as usual.
"I don't know," Vitazko said. "I did as you told me. Here is the gun."
"Let me see," Nedyelka said, squinting into the gun barrel. "Ah, son,
things went very well indeed! Here is Pelikan inside the barrel."
She drew something out of the gun barrel and sure enough it was the
bird, Pelikan.
She gave Vitazko another gun and told him to go out and shoot an eagle.
Then she told him to carry Pelikan home to his mother, but instead of
giving him Pelikan she gave him the eagle.
When Sharkan and his mother saw Vitazko coming, they decided that this
time they would send him after the Golden Apples. These grew in the
garden of the most powerful dragon in the world.
"If Vitazko goes near him," Sharkan said, "the dragon will tear him to
pieces for he knows that it was Vitazko who killed all his brother
dragons."
So the mother again feigned sickness and, when Vitazko rushed in to
her and offered her what he supposed was Pelikan, she moaned and
groaned and pushed the bird aside.
"Too late! Too late! I'm dying!"
"Don't say that!" poor Vitazko begged. "Will nothing save you?"
"Yes, the Golden Apples that grow in the garden of Mightiest Dragon
could still save me. If you really loved me you'd get them for me."
"I do love you, mother," Vitazko cried, "and I'll get you the Golden
Apples wherever they are!"
So without a moment's rest he hurried back to St. Nedyelka.
"Well, son, what is it now?" the old woman asked.
Vitazko wept.
"It's my poor mother. She's still sick. Pelikan hasn't cured her.
She says now that only the Golden Apples from the garden of
Mightiest Dragon can cure her. Dear, kind Nedyelka, tell me, what
shall I do?"
"The Golden Apples from the garden of Mightiest Dragon! Ah, my son,
that will be a task for you! For this you will need every ounce of
your strength and more! But never fear! I will again befriend you.
Here is a ring. Put it on a finger of your right hand and when you
are sore pressed twist the ring around your finger and think of me.
Instantly you will have the strength of a hundred fighting men. Now
take this sword, mount the faithful Tatosh, and good luck go with
you."
Vitazko thanked the dear old woman, mounted Tatosh, and was soon
carried far away to the garden of the dragon. A high wall surrounded
the garden, so high that Vitazko could never have scaled it alone.
But it is as easy for a horse like Tatosh to take a high wall as it
is for a bird.
Inside the garden Vitazko dismounted and began to look for the tree
that bore the Golden Apples. Presently he met a beautiful young girl who
asked him what he was doing in the dragon's garden.
"I'm looking for the Golden Apples," he told her. "I want some of them
for my sick mother. Do you know where they are?"
"I do indeed know where they are," the girl said, "for it is my duty
to guard them. If I were to give you one the wicked dragon would
tear me to pieces. I am a royal princess but I am in the dragon's
power and must do as he says. Dear youth, take my advice and escape
while you can. If the dragon sees you he will kill you as he would a
fly."
But Vitazko was not to be dissuaded from his quest.
"Nay, sweet princess, I must get the apples."
"Well, then," she said, "I will help you all I can. Here is a precious
ring. Put it on a finger of your left hand. When you are sore pressed,
think of me and twist the ring and you will have the strength of a
hundred men. To conquer this horrible monster you will need the strength
of more than a hundred."
Vitazko put on the ring, thanked the princess, and marched boldly on. In
the center of the garden he found the tree that bore the Golden Apples.
Under it lay the dragon himself.
On sight of Vitazko he raised his head and bellowed out:
"Ho, you murderer of dragons, what do you want here?"
Nothing daunted, Vitazko replied:
"I am come to shake down some of the Golden Apples."
"Indeed!" the dragon roared. "Then you will have to shake them down over
my dead body!"
"I shall be glad to do that!" Vitazko said, springing at the dragon and
at the same time twisting around the ring on his right hand and thinking
of kind old St. Nedyelka.
The dragon grappled with him and for a moment almost took him off his
feet. Then Vitazko plunged the dragon into the earth up to his ankles.
Just then there was the rustling of wings overhead and a black raven
cawed out:
"Which of you wants my help, you, oh Mightiest Dragon, or you, Vitazko,
the Victorious?"
"Help me!" the dragon roared.
"Then what will you give me?"
"As much gold as you want."
"Nay, raven," Vitazko shouted, "help me and I will give you all the
dragon's horses that are grazing over yonder in the meadow."
"Very well, Vitazko," the raven croaked. "I'll help you. What shall I
do?"
"Cool me when I'm hot," Vitazko said, "when the dragon breathes on me
his fiery breath."
They grappled again and the dragon plunged Vitazko into the ground up to
his ankles. Twisting the ring on his right hand and thinking of St.
Nedyelka, Vitazko gripped the dragon around the waist and plunged him
into the earth up to his knees.
Then they paused for breath and the raven which had dipped its wings in
a fountain sat on Vitazko's head and shook down drops of cool water on
his heated face.
Then Vitazko twisted the ring on his left hand, thought of the beautiful
princess, and closed with the dragon again. This time with a mighty
effort he gripped the dragon as if he were a stake of wood and drove him
into the ground up to his very shoulders. Then quickly drawing
Nedyelka's sword, he cut off the dragon's head.
At once the lovely princess came running and herself plucked two of the
Golden Apples and gave them to Vitazko. She thanked him prettily for
rescuing her and she said to him:
"You have saved me, Vitazko, from this fierce monster and now I am yours
if you want me."
"I do want you, dear princess," Vitazko said, "and, if I could, I'd go
with you at once to your father to ask you in marriage. But I cannot. I
must hurry home to my sick mother. If you love me, wait for me a year
and a day and I'll surely return."
The princess made him this promise and they parted.
Remembering the raven, Vitazko rode over to the meadow and slaughtered
the dragon's horses. Then rising on Tatosh he flew home on the wind to
St. Nedyelka.
"Well, son, how did things go?" the old woman asked.
"Gloriously!" Vitazko answered, showing her the Golden Apples. "But if
the princess hadn't given me a second ring I might have been
vanquished."
"Take home the Golden Apples to your mother," Nedyelka said, "and this
time ride Tatosh to the castle."
So Vitazko mounted Tatosh again and flew to the castle.
Sharkan and his mother were making merry together when they saw him
coming.
"Here he comes again!" the mother cried. "What shall I do? What shall I
do?"
But Sharkan could think of nothing further to suggest. So without a word
he hurried to the tenth chamber where he hid himself and the woman had
to meet Vitazko as best she could.
She laid herself on the bed feigning still to be sick and when Vitazko
appeared she greeted him most affectionately.
"My dear son, back again? And safe and sound? Thank God!"
Then when he gave her the Golden Apples she jumped up from the bed,
pretending that the mere sight of them had cured her.
"Ah, my dear son!" she cried, petting him and caressing him as she used
to when he was a child. "What a hero you are!"
She prepared food and feasted him royally and Vitazko ate and was very
happy that his mother was herself again.
When he could eat no more she took a strong woolen cord and, as if in
play, she said to him: