In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, lived Tsar Vwislav
Andronovich; he had three sons,--Dmitri Tsarevich, Vassili Tsarevich,
and Ivan Tsarevich. Tsar Vwislav had a garden so rich that in no land
was there better. In the garden grew many precious trees, with fruit
and without fruit.
Tsar Vwislav had one favorite apple-tree, and on that tree grew apples
all golden. The Fire-bird used to fly to the garden of Tsar Vwislav.
She had wings of gold, and eyes like crystals of the East; and she
used to fly to that garden every night, sit on the favorite
apple-tree, pluck from it golden apples, and then fly away.
The Tsar grieved greatly over that apple-tree because the Fire-bird
plucked from it many apples. Therefore he called his three sons and
said: "My dear children, whichever one of you can catch the Fire-bird
in my garden and take her alive, to him will I give during my life one
half of the kingdom, and at my death I will give it all."
Then the sons cried out in one voice: "Gracious sovereign, our father,
we will try with great pleasure to take the Fire-bird alive."
The first night Dmitri Tsarevich went to watch in the garden, and sat
under the apple-tree from which the Fire-bird had been plucking the
apples. He fell asleep, and did not hear the Fire-bird when she came,
nor when she plucked many apples.
Next morning Tsar Vwislav called his son Dmitri Tsarevich, and asked,
"Well, my dear son, hast thou seen the Fire-bird?"
"No, gracious sovereign, my father, she came not last night."
The next night Vassili Tsarevich went to the garden to watch the
Fire-bird. He sat under the same apple-tree, and in a couple of hours
fell asleep so soundly that he did not hear the Fire-bird when she
came nor when she plucked apples.
Next morning Tsar Vwislav called him and asked, "Well, my dear son,
hast thou seen the Fire-bird?"
"Gracious sovereign, my father, she came not last night."
The third night Ivan Tsarevich went to watch in the garden, and sat
under the same apple-tree. He sat an hour, a second, and a third. All
at once the whole garden was lighted up as if by many fires. The
Fire-bird flew hither, perched on the apple-tree, and began to pluck
apples. Ivan stole up to her so warily that he caught her tail, but
could not hold the bird, she tore off, flew away; and there remained
in the hand of Ivan Tsarevich but one feather of the tail, which he
held very firmly.
Next morning, the moment Tsar Vwislav woke from his sleep, Ivan
Tsarevich went to him and gave him the feather of the Fire-bird. The
Tsar was greatly delighted that his youngest son had been able to get
even one feather of the Fire-bird. This feather was so wonderful and
bright that when carried into a dark chamber it shone as if a great
multitude of tapers were lighted in that place. Tsar Vwislav put the
feather in his cabinet as a thing to be guarded forever. From that
time forth the Fire-bird flew to the garden no more.
Tsar Vwislav again called his sons, and said: "My dear children, I
give you my blessing. Set out, find the Fire-bird, and bring her to me
alive; and what I promised at first he will surely receive who brings
me the bird."
Dmitri and Vassili Tsarevich began to cherish hatred against their
youngest brother because he had pulled the feather from the tail of
the Fire-bird. They took their father's blessing, and both went to
find the Fire-bird. Ivan Tsarevich too began to beg his father's
blessing. The Tsar said to him: "My dear son, my darling child, thou
art still young, unused to such a long and difficult journey: why
shouldst thou part from me? Thy brothers have gone; now, if thou goest
too, and all three of you fail to return for a long time (I am old,
and walk under God), and if during your absence the Lord takes my
life, who would rule in my place? There might be rebellion too, or
disagreement among our people,--there would be no one to stop it; or
if an enemy should invade our land, there would be no one to command
our men."
But no matter how the Tsar tried to detain Ivan Tsarevich, he could
not avoid letting him go at his urgent prayer. Ivan Tsarevich took a
blessing of his father, chose a horse, and rode away; he rode on, not
knowing himself whither.
Riding by the path by the road, whether it was near or far, high or
low, a tale is soon told, but a deed's not soon done. At last he came
to the green meadows. In the open field a pillar stands, and on the
pillar these words are written: "Whoever goes from the pillar straight
forward will be hungry and cold; whoever goes to the right hand will
be healthy and well, but his horse will be dead; whoever goes to the
left hand will be killed himself, but his horse will be living and
well." Ivan read the inscription, and went to the right hand, holding
in mind that though his horse might be killed, he would remain alive,
and might in time get another horse.
He rode one day, a second, and a third. All at once an enormous gray
wolf came out against him and said: "Oh! is that thou, tender youth,
Ivan Tsarevich? Thou hast read on the pillar that thy horse will be
dead: why hast thou come hither, then?" The wolf said these words,
tore Ivan Tsarevich's horse in two, and went to one side.
Ivan grieved greatly for his horse. He cried bitterly, and went
forward on foot. He walked all day, and was unspeakably tired. He was
going to sit down and rest, when all at once the Gray Wolf caught up
with him and said: "I am sorry for thee, Ivan Tsarevich, thou art
tired from walking; I am sorry that I ate thy good steed. Well, sit on
me, the old wolf, and tell me whither to bear thee, and why."
Ivan Tsarevich told the Gray Wolf whither he had to go, and the Gray
Wolf shot ahead with him swifter than a horse. After a time, just at
nightfall, he brought Ivan Tsarevich to a stone wall not very high,
halted, and said: "Now, Ivan Tsarevich, come down from the Gray Wolf,
climb over that stone wall; on the other side is a garden, and in the
garden the Fire-bird, in a golden cage. Take the Fire-bird, but touch
not the cage. If thou takest the cage, thou'lt not escape; they will
seize thee straightway."
Ivan Tsarevich climbed over the wall into the garden, saw the
Fire-bird in the golden cage, and was greatly tempted by the cage. He
took the bird out, and was going back; but changed his mind, and
thought, "Why have I taken the bird without the cage? Where can I put
her?" He returned; but had barely taken down the cage when there was a
hammering and thundering throughout the whole garden, for there were
wires attached to the cage. The watchmen woke up at that moment, ran
to the garden, caught Ivan Tsarevich with the Fire-bird, and took him
to the Tsar, who was called Dolmat. Tsar Dolmat was terribly enraged
at Ivan, and shouted at him in loud, angry tones: "Is it not a shame
for thee, young man, to steal? But who art thou, of what land, of what
father a son, and how do they call thee by name?"
Ivan Tsarevich replied: "I am from Vwislav's kingdom, the son of Tsar
Vwislav Andronovich, and they call me Ivan Tsarevich. Thy Fire-bird
used to fly to our garden each night and pluck golden apples from my
father's favorite apple-tree, and destroyed almost the whole tree.
Therefore my father has sent me to find the Fire-bird and bring it to
him."
"Oh, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich," said Tsar Dolmat, "is it
fitting to do as thou hast done? Thou shouldst have come to me, and I
would have given thee the Fire-bird with honor; but now will it be
well for thee when I send to all lands to declare how dishonorably
thou hast acted in my kingdom? Listen, however, Ivan Tsarevich. If
thou wilt do me a service,--if thou wilt go beyond the thrice ninth
land to the thirtieth kingdom and get for me from Tsar Afron the
golden-maned steed, I will forgive thy offence and give thee the
Fire-bird with great honor; if not, I will publish in all kingdoms
that thou art a dishonorable thief."
Ivan Tsarevich went away from Tsar Dolmat in great grief, promising
to obtain for him the golden-maned steed.
He came to the Gray Wolf, and told him all that Tsar Dolmat had said.
"Oh! is that thou, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich? Why didst thou
disobey my words and take the golden cage?"
"I have offended in thy sight," said Ivan to the Gray Wolf.
"Well, let that go; sit on me, and I will take thee wherever thou
wilt."
Ivan Tsarevich sat on the back of the Gray Wolf. The wolf was as swift
as an arrow, and ran, whether it was long or short, till he came at
last to the kingdom of Tsar Afron in the night-time. Coming to the
white-walled stables, the Gray Wolf said: "Go, Ivan Tsarevich, into
these white-walled stables (the grooms on guard are sleeping soundly),
and take the golden-maned steed. On the wall hangs a golden bridle;
but take not the bridle, or it will go ill with thee."
Ivan Tsarevich entered the white-walled stables, took the steed, and
was coming back; but he saw on the walls the golden bridle, and was so
tempted that he took it from the nail. That moment there went a
thunder and a noise throughout the stables, because strings were tied
to the bridle. The grooms on guard woke up that moment, rushed in,
seized Ivan Tsarevich, and took him to Tsar Afron. Tsar Afron began to
question him. "Oh, youthful young man, tell me from what land thou
art, of what father a son, and how do they call thee by name?"
To this Ivan Tsarevich replied: "I am from Vwislav's kingdom, the son
of Tsar Vwislav, and they call me Ivan Tsarevich."
"Oh, youthful young man, Ivan Tsarevich!" said Tsar Afron, "was that
which thou hast done the deed of an honorable knight? I would have
given thee the golden-maned steed with honor. But now will it be well
for thee when I send to all lands a declaration of how dishonorably
thou hast acted in my kingdom? Hear me, however, Ivan Tsarevich: if
thou wilt do me a service and go beyond the thrice ninth land to the
thirtieth kingdom and bring to me Princess Yelena the Beautiful, with
whom I am in love heart and soul for a long time, but whom I cannot
obtain, I will pardon thy offence and give thee the golden-maned steed
with honor. And if thou wilt not do me this service, I will declare in
all lands that thou art a dishonorable thief."
Ivan Tsarevich promised Tsar Afron to bring Yelena the Beautiful, left
the palace, and fell to crying bitterly.
He came to the Gray Wolf and told him all that had happened.
"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, thou youthful young man," said the Gray Wolf,
"why didst thou disobey me and take the golden bridle?"
"I have offended in thy sight," said Ivan Tsarevich.
"Well, let that go," replied the Wolf. "Sit on me; I will take thee
wherever need be."
Ivan Tsarevich sat on the back of the Gray Wolf, who ran as swiftly as
an arrow flies, and he ran in such fashion as to be told in a tale no
long time; and at last he came to the kingdom of Yelena the Beautiful.
Coming to the golden fence which surrounded her wonderful garden, the
Wolf said: "Now, Ivan Tsarevich, come down from me and go back by the
same road along which we came and wait in the field, under the green
oak."
Ivan Tsarevich went where he was commanded. But the Gray Wolf sat near
the golden fence, and waited till Yelena the Beautiful should walk in
the garden.
Toward evening, when the sun was sinking low in the west, therefore,
it was not very warm in the air, Princess Yelena went to walk in the
garden with her maidens and court ladies. When she entered the garden
and approached the place where the Gray Wolf was sitting behind the
fence, he jumped out suddenly, caught the princess, sprang back again,
and bore her away with all his power and might. He came to the green
oak in the open field where Ivan Tsarevich was waiting, and said,
"Ivan Tsarevich, sit on me quickly." Ivan sat on him, and the Gray
Wolf bore them both along swiftly to the kingdom of Tsar Afron.
The nurses and maidens and all the court ladies who had been walking
in the garden with the princess Yelena the Beautiful ran straightway
to the palace and sent pursuers to overtake the Gray Wolf; but no
matter how they ran, they could not overtake him, and turned back.
Ivan Tsarevich while sitting on the Gray Wolf with princess Yelena the
Beautiful came to love her with his heart, and she Ivan Tsarevich; and
when the Gray Wolf arrived at the kingdom of Tsar Afron, and Ivan
Tsarevich had to take Yelena the Beautiful to the palace and give her
to Tsar Afron, he grew very sad, and began to weep tearfully.
"What art thou weeping for, Ivan Tsarevich?" asked the Gray Wolf.
"My friend, why should I, good youth, not weep? I have formed a
heartfelt love for Yelena the Beautiful, and now I must give her to
Tsar Afron for the golden-maned steed; and if I yield her not, then
Tsar Afron will dishonor me in all lands."
"I have served thee much, Ivan Tsarevich," said the Gray Wolf, "and I
will do yet this service. Listen to me. I will turn myself into a
princess, Yelena the Beautiful. Do thou give me to Tsar Afron and take
from him the golden-maned steed; he will think me the real princess.
And when thou art sitting on the steed and riding far away, I will beg
of Tsar Afron permission to walk in the open field. When he lets me go
with the maidens and nurses and all the court ladies, and I am with
them in the open field, remember me, and I will come to thee."
The Gray Wolf spoke these words, struck the damp earth, and became a
princess, Yelena the Beautiful, so that it was not possible in any way
to know that the wolf was not the princess. Ivan Tsarevich told Yelena
the Beautiful to wait outside the town, and took the Gray Wolf to the
palace of Tsar Afron.
When Ivan Tsarevich came with the pretended Yelena the Beautiful, Tsar
Afron was greatly delighted in his heart that he had received a
treasure which he had long desired. He took the false maiden, and gave
Ivan Tsarevich the golden-maned steed.
Ivan Tsarevich mounted the steed and rode out of the town, seated
Yelena the Beautiful with him, and rode on, holding his way toward the
kingdom of Tsar Dolmat.
The Gray Wolf lived with Tsar Afron a day, a second, and a third,
instead of Yelena the Beautiful. On the fourth day he went to Tsar
Afron, begging to go out in the open field to walk, to drive away
cruel grief and sorrow. Then Tsar Afron said: "Oh, my beautiful
princess Yelena, I will do everything for thee; I will let thee go to
the open field to walk!" And straightway he commanded the nurses, the
maidens, and all the court ladies to go to the open field and walk
with the beautiful princess.
Ivan Tsarevich was riding along his road and path with Yelena the
Beautiful, talking with her; and he had forgotten about the Gray
Wolf, but afterward remembered. "Oh, where is my Gray Wolf?"
All at once, from wherever he came, the wolf stood before Ivan, and
said: "Ivan Tsarevich, sit on me, the Gray Wolf, and let the beautiful
princess ride on the golden-maned steed."
Ivan Tsarevich sat on the Gray Wolf, and they went toward the kingdom
of Tsar Dolmat. Whether they journeyed long or short, when they had
come to the kingdom they stopped about three versts from the capital
town; and Ivan Tsarevich began to implore: "Listen to me, Gray Wolf,
my dear friend. Thou hast shown me many a service, show me the last
one now; and the last one is this: Couldst thou not turn to a
golden-maned steed instead of this one? for I do not like to part with
this horse."
Suddenly the Gray Wolf struck the damp earth and became a golden-maned
steed. Ivan Tsarevich, leaving princess Yelena in the green meadow,
sat on the Gray Wolf and went to the palace of Tsar Dolmat. The moment
he came, Tsar Dolmat saw that Ivan Tsarevich was riding on the
golden-maned steed, and he rejoiced greatly. Straightway he went out
of the palace, met the Tsarevich in the broad court, kissed him, took
him by the right hand, and led him into the white stone chambers. Tsar
Dolmat on the occasion of such joy gave orders for a feast, and they
sat at the oaken table at the spread cloth. They ate, they drank, they
amused themselves, and rejoiced exactly two days; and on the third
day Tsar Dolmat gave Ivan Tsarevich the Fire-bird together with the
golden cage. Ivan took the Fire-bird, went outside the town, sat on
the golden-maned steed together with Yelena the Beautiful, and went
toward his own native place, toward the kingdom of Tsar Vwislav.
Tsar Dolmat the next day thought to take a ride through the open field
on his golden-maned steed. He ordered them to saddle him; he sat on
the horse, and rode to the open field. The moment he urged the horse,
the horse threw Tsar Dolmat off his back, became the Gray Wolf as
before, ran off, and came up with Ivan Tsarevich. "Ivan Tsarevich,"
said he, "sit on me, the Gray Wolf, and let Yelena the Beautiful ride
on the golden-maned steed."
Ivan sat on the Gray Wolf, and they went their way. When the Gray Wolf
had brought Ivan to the place where he had torn his horse, he stopped
and said: "I have served thee sufficiently, with faith and truth. On
this spot I tore thy horse in two; to this spot I have brought thee.
Come down from me, the Gray Wolf: thou hast a golden-maned steed; sit
on him, and go wherever thou hast need. I am no longer thy servant."
The Gray Wolf said these words and ran to one side. Ivan wept bitterly
for the Gray Wolf, and went on with the beautiful princess.
Whether he rode long or short with the beautiful princess, when he
was within twenty versts of his own kingdom he stopped, dismounted,
and he and the beautiful princess rested from the heat of the sun
under a tree; he tied the golden-maned steed to the same tree, and put
the cage of the Fire-bird by his side. Lying on the soft grass, they
talked pleasantly, and fell soundly asleep.
At that time the brothers of Ivan Tsarevich, Dmitri and Vassili
Tsarevich, after travelling through many lands without finding the
Fire-bird, were on their way home with empty hands, and came
unexpectedly upon their brother with the beautiful princess. Seeing
the golden-maned steed and the Fire-bird in the cage, they were
greatly tempted, and thought of killing their brother Ivan. Dmitri
took his own sword out of the scabbard, stabbed Ivan Tsarevich, and
cut him to pieces; then he roused the beautiful princess and asked:
"Beautiful maiden, of what land art thou, of what father a daughter,
and how do they call thee by name?"
The beautiful princess, seeing Ivan Tsarevich dead, was terribly
frightened; she began to shed bitter tears, and in her tears she said:
"I am Princess Yelena the Beautiful; Ivan Tsarevich, whom ye have
given to a cruel death, got me. If ye were good knights, ye would have
gone with him into the open field and conquered him there; but ye
killed him when asleep; and what fame will ye receive for yourselves?
A sleeping man is the same as a dead one."
Then Dmitri Tsarevich put his sword to the heart of Yelena the
Beautiful and said: "Hear me, Yelena the Beautiful, thou art now in
our hands; we will take thee to our father, Tsar Vwislav, thou wilt
tell him that we got thee and the Fire-bird and the golden-maned
steed. If not, we will give thee to death this minute." The princess,
afraid of death, promised them, and swore by everything sacred that
she would speak as commanded. Then they began to cast lots who should
have Yelena the Beautiful, and who the golden-maned steed; and the lot
fell that the princess should go to Vassili, and the golden-maned
steed to Dmitri.
Then Vassili Tsarevich took the princess, and placed her on his horse;
Dmitri sat on the golden-maned steed, and took the Fire-bird to give
to their father, Tsar Vwislav; and they went their way.
Ivan Tsarevich lay dead on that spot exactly thirty days; then the
Gray Wolf ran up, knew Ivan by his odor, wanted to aid him, to bring
him to life, but knew not how. Just then the Gray Wolf saw a raven
with two young ones who were flying above the body and wanted to eat
the flesh of Ivan Tsarevich. The wolf hid behind a bush; and when the
young ravens had come down and were ready to eat the body, he sprang
out, caught one, and was going to tear it in two. Then the raven came
down, sat a little way from the Gray Wolf, and said: "Oh, Gray Wolf,
touch not my young child; it has done nothing to thee!"
"Listen to me, raven," said the Gray Wolf. "I will not touch thy
child; I will let it go unharmed and well if thou wilt do me a
service. Fly beyond the thrice ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom,
and bring me the water of death and the water of life."
"I will do that, but touch not my son." Having said these words, the
raven flew away and soon disappeared from sight. On the third day the
raven returned, bringing two vials, in one the water of life, in the
other the water of death, and gave them both to the Gray Wolf. The
wolf took the vials, tore the young raven in two, sprinkled it with
the water of death; the little raven grew together, he sprinkled it
with the water of life, and the raven sprang up and flew away.
The Gray Wolf sprinkled Ivan Tsarevich with the water of death: the
body grew together; he sprinkled it with the water of life: Ivan
Tsarevich stood up and exclaimed, "Oh, how long I have slept!"
"Thou wouldst have slept forever, had it not been for me. Thy brothers
cut thee to pieces and carried off Princess Yelena with the
golden-maned steed and the Fire-bird. Now hurry with all speed to thy
own country; Vassili Tsarevich will marry thy bride to-day. To reach
home quickly, sit on me; I will bear thee."
Ivan sat on the Gray Wolf; the wolf ran with him to the kingdom of
Tsar Vwislav, and whether it was long or short, he ran to the edge of
the town.
Ivan sprang from the Gray Wolf, walked into the town, and found that
his brother Vassili had married Yelena the Beautiful, had returned
with her from the ceremony, and was sitting with her at the feast.
Ivan Tsarevich entered the palace; and when Yelena the Beautiful saw
him, she sprang up from the table, kissed him, and cried out: "This is
my dear bridegroom, Ivan Tsarevich, and not that scoundrel at the
table."
Then Tsar Vwislav rose from his place and asked the meaning of these
words. Yelena the Beautiful told the whole truth,--told how Ivan
Tsarevich had won her, the golden-maned steed, and the Fire-bird; how
his elder brother had killed him while asleep; and how they had
terrified her into saying that they had won everything.
Tsar Vwislav was terribly enraged at Dmitri and Vassili, and cast them
into prison; but Ivan Tsarevich married Yelena the Beautiful, and
lived with her in harmony and love, so that one of them could not
exist a single minute without the other.
IVAN THE PEASANT'S SON AND THE LITTLE MAN HIMSELF ONE-FINGER TALL,
HIS MUSTACHE SEVEN VERSTS IN LENGTH.
In a certain kingdom in a certain land there lived a Tsar, and in the
court-yard of the Tsar was a pillar, and in the pillar three rings,
one gold, one silver, and the third copper. One night the Tsar dreamed
that there was a horse tied to the gold ring, that every hair on him
was silver, and the clear moon was on his forehead. In the morning the
Tsar rose up and ordered it to be proclaimed that whoever could
interpret the dream and get the horse for him, to that man would he
give his daughter, and one half the kingdom in addition.
At the summons of the Tsar a multitude of princes, boyars, and all
kinds of lords assembled. No man could explain the dream; no man would
undertake to get the horse. At last they explained to the Tsar that
such and such a poor man had a son Ivan, who could interpret the dream
and get the horse.
The Tsar commanded them to summon Ivan. They summoned him. The Tsar
asked, "Canst thou explain my dream and get the horse?"
"Tell me first," answered Ivan, "what the dream was, and what horse
thou dost need."
The Tsar said: "Last night I dreamed that a horse was tied to the
gold ring in my court-yard; every hair on him was silver, and on his
forehead the clear moon."
"That is not a dream, but a reality; for last night the twelve-headed
serpent came to thee on that horse and wanted to steal thy daughter."
"Is it possible to get that horse?"
"It is," answered Ivan; "but only when my fifteenth year is passed."
Ivan was then but twelve years old. The Tsar took him to his court,
gave him food and drink till his fifteenth year.
When his fifteenth year had passed, Ivan said to the Tsar: "Now give
me a horse on which I can ride to the place where the serpent is."
The Tsar led him to his stables and showed him all his horses; but he
could not find a single one, by reason of his strength and weight.
When he placed his hero's hand on any horse, that horse fell to the
ground; and he said to the Tsar: "Let me go to the open country to
seek a horse of sufficient strength."
The Tsar let him go. Ivan the peasant's son looked for three years;
nowhere could he find a horse. He was returning to the Tsar in tears,
when an old man happened to meet him, and asked, "Why dost thou weep,
young man?"
To this question Ivan answered rudely; just chased the old man away.