"Sell us the golden-maned steed with golden tail."
"He is not for sale; I want him myself."
"Ask what may please thee, only sell him;" and they offered one, two,
three thousand and more.
"I would not take a hundred thousand," said the simpleton.
"Sell him to us; take what will please thee."
"Well, if ye need him greatly, I will give him to you; I will not take
a high price. Let me cut a strap from the back of each one of you."
They thought and thought, struggled and struggled, wanted the horse
very badly, were sorry for themselves, but decided at last, undressed,
and took off their shirts. The simpleton cut from the back of each one
of them a strap, took the straps, put them away, and delivered the
steed.
The sons-in-law came home bringing the golden-maned steed with golden
tail. The Tsar from delight knew not what to call them, where to seat
them, or how to entertain them, and gave them the remaining half of
the kingdom. The simpleton crept into one ear of the steed and out of
the other, and became what he had been before. He killed his wretched
horse, took off the skin, put it on himself, caught magpies, crows,
jackdaws, and sparrows, tied them around himself, came to the palace,
and let out the birds; they flew in different directions, and broke
nearly all the windows. The Tsarevna, his wife, was crying, and her
sisters were laughing at her. "Our husbands have brought the
golden-maned steed with golden tail; but look at thy fool going around
such a fright!"
The Tsar shouted at the fool: "What an ignorant lout! I'll have thee
shot."