In a certain kingdom there lived a wifeless, unmarried king, who had a
whole company of sharpshooters. They went to the forests, shot birds
of passage, and furnished the king's table with game. Among these
sharpshooters was one named Fedot, who hit the mark and almost never
missed; for this reason the king loved him beyond all his comrades.
Once while shooting in the early morning, just at dawn, Fedot went
into a dark, dense forest, and saw a blue dove sitting on a tree. He
aimed, fired, struck her wing, and she fell to the damp earth. The
sharpshooter picked her up, was going to twist her neck and put her in
his bag, when the blue dove spoke: "Oh, brave youth, do not tear off
my stormy little head, do not send me out of the white world! Better
take me alive, carry me home, put me on the window, and watch. As soon
as sleep comes upon me strike me that moment with the back of thy
right hand, and thou wilt gain great fortune."
Fedot marvelled. "What can it mean?" thought he; "in seeming a bird,
but she speaks with a human voice. Never has such a thing happened to
me before."
He brought the bird home, placed her on the window, and stood waiting.
After a short time the bird put her head under her wing and fell
asleep. The sharpshooter struck her lightly with the back of his right
hand. The blue dove fell to the floor, and became a soul-maiden so
beautiful as not to be imagined nor described, but only told about in
a tale. Such another beauty could not be found in the whole world.
Said she to the young man, the king's sharpshooter: "Thou hast known
how to get me; now know how to live with me. Thou wilt be my wedded
husband, and I thy God-given wife. I am not a blue dove, but a king's
daughter."
They agreed. Fedot married her, and they lived together. He is happy
with his young wife, but does not forget his service. Every morning at
dawn he takes his gun, goes out into the forest, and shoots game,
which he carries to the king's kitchen.
His wife sees that he is wearied from this hunting, and says: "Listen,
my dear. I am sorry for thee. Every God-given day thou dost wander
through forests and swamps, comest home wet and worn, and profit to us
not a whit. What sort of a life is this? But I know something so that
thou wilt not be without gain. Get of roubles two hundred, and we will
correct the whole business."
Fedot rushed around to his friends, got a rouble from one, and two
from another, till he had just two hundred. "Now," said his wife, "buy
different kinds of silk for this money."
He bought the silk; she took it, and said: "Be not troubled; pray to
God and lie down to sleep: the morning is wiser than the evening."
He lay down and fell asleep; his wife went out on the porch, opened
her magic book, and two unknown youths appeared at once. "What dost
thou wish? Command us."
"Take this silk, and in one single hour make a piece of such wonderful
tapestry as has not been seen in the world; let the whole kingdom be
embroidered on it, with towns, villages, rivers, and lakes."
They went to work, and not only in an hour, but in ten minutes they
had the tapestry finished,--a wonder for all. They gave it to the
sharpshooter's wife, and vanished in an instant just as if they never
had been. In the morning she gave the tapestry to her husband. "Here,"
said she, "take this to the merchants' rows, sell it, but see that
thou ask no price of thy own; take what they give."
Fedot went to the merchants' rows; a trader saw him, came up, and
asked: "Well, my good man, is this article for sale?"
"It is."
"What's the price?"
"Thou art a dealer, name the price."
The merchant thought and thought, but could not fix a price. Now a
second, a third, and a fourth came; no one could set a price on the
tapestry. At this time the mayor of the palace was passing by and saw
the crowd; wishing to know what the merchants were talking about, he
jumped out of his carriage, came up to them, and said: "Good morning,
merchants, dealers, guests from beyond the sea; what is the question?"
"Here is a piece of tapestry that we cannot value."
The mayor looked at the tapestry and marvelled himself. "Look here,
sharpshooter," said he, "tell me in truth and sincerity where didst
thou get such glorious tapestry?"
"My wife made it."
"How much must one give for it?"
"I know not myself; my wife told me to set no price on it, but what
people would give, that would be ours."
"Well here are ten thousand for thee."
Fedot took the money and gave up the tapestry. The mayor was always
near the person of the king, ate and drank at his table. When he went
to the king's to dine he took the tapestry. "Would it not please your
Majesty to see what a glorious piece of work I have bought to-day?"
The king looked; he saw his whole kingdom as if on the palm of his
hand. He opened his mouth in amazement.
"This is indeed work; in all my life I have never seen such cunning
art. Well, mayor, say what thou pleasest, but I shall not give this
back to thee." Straightway the king took twenty-five thousand out of
his pocket, placed the money in the mayor's hand, and hung the
tapestry in the palace.
"That's nothing," thought the mayor; "I will order another still
better." Straightway he galloped to find the sharpshooter, found his
cottage, went in; and the moment he saw Fedot's wife he forgot
himself, his errand, knew not why he had come. Before him was such a
beauty that he would not take his eyes off her all his life; he would
have looked and looked. He gazes on another man's wife, and in his
head thought follows thought: "Where has it been seen, where heard of,
that a simple soldier possessed such a treasure? Though I serve the
king's person and rank as a general I have never beheld such beauty!"
The mayor came to his mind with difficulty, and went home, 'gainst his
will. From that hour, from that time, he was not his own. Sleeping or
waking, he thought only of the beautiful woman; he could neither eat
nor drink, she was ever before his eyes. The king noticed the change,
and asked: "What has come upon thee,--some grief?"
"Oh, your Majesty, I have seen the sharpshooter's wife; there is not
such a beauty in the whole world! I am thinking of her all the time; I
can neither eat nor drink, with no herb can I charm away my sorrow."
The desire came to the king to admire the woman himself. He ordered
his carriage and drove to the soldier's quarters. He entered the room
and saw unspeakable beauty. No matter who looked on the woman,--an old
man, a youth; each was in love, lost his wits, a heart-flame pinched
him. "Why," thought the king, "am I wifeless and single? Let me marry
this beauty,--that is the thing. Why is she a sharpshooter's wife? It
is her fate to be queen."
The king returned to his palace and said to the mayor: "Listen to me!
Thou hast known how to show me this unimaginable beauty, now find the
way to get rid of her husband; I want to marry her myself. And if thou
dost not put him out of the way, blame thyself; for though thou art my
faithful servant, thou'lt die on the gallows."
The mayor went his way sadder than before. How was he to "finish the
sharpshooter?" he could not think. As he was going through back lanes
and waste places, a Baba-Yaga met him.
"Stop," said she, "servant of the king! I know all thy thoughts. If
thou wilt, I will aid thee in this unavoidable sorrow."
"Aid me, grandmother, and I'll pay what thou wishest."
"The king has ordered thee to put an end to Fedot the sharpshooter.
That would be easy enough, for he is simple, were it not for his wife,
who is awfully cunning. Well, we'll give them such a riddle that it
will not soon be explained. Go back to the king and say: 'Beyond the
thrice-ninth land, in the thirtieth kingdom, is an island, on that
island a deer with golden horns.' Let the king bring together half a
hundred sailors,--the most good-for-nothing fellows, all bitter
drunkards,--and order that a rotten old ship which has been out of
service for thirty years be fitted for the voyage. Let him send Fedot
the sharpshooter on that ship to get the deer with golden horns. In
order to go to the island it is necessary to sail neither more nor
less than three years, and back from the island three more; six in
all. Well, the ship will sail out on the sea, serve about a month, and
sink right there; the sharpshooter and the sailors will go to the
bottom, every man!"
The mayor listened to these words, thanked the Baba-Yaga for her
counsel, rewarded her with gold, and went off on a run to the king.
"Your Majesty," said he, "Fedot can be finished in such and such
fashion."
The king consented, and issued an order at once to the navy to prepare
for a voyage an old rotten ship, to provision it for six years, and
man it with fifty sailors, the most dissolute and bitter drunkards.
Messengers ran to all the dram-shops and drinking-houses, collected
such sailors that it was dear and precious to look at them. One had a
black eye, another had his nose driven to one side.
As soon as it was reported to the king that the ship was ready, he
sent for the sharpshooter and said: "Now, Fedot, thou art a hero of
mine,--the first shot in the company. Do me a service. Go beyond the
thrice-ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom. In that place is an
island, on that island lives the deer with golden horns. Take it
alive, and bring it to me."
Fedot became thoughtful, knew not what to answer.
"Think, think not," said the king; "but if thou do not the work, I
have a sword, and thy head leaves thy shoulders!"
Fedot wheeled round to the left and went forth from the palace, came
home in the evening powerfully sad, not wishing to utter one word.
"Why dost thou grieve, my dearest?" asked his wife. "Is there some
mishap?"
He told her all.
"This is why thou art grieved. There is reason, indeed; for it is an
exploit, not a service. Pray to God and lie down to sleep; the morning
is wiser than the evening: everything will be done."
The sharpshooter lay down and slept. But his wife opened her
magic-book, at once two unknown youths appeared before her and asked:
"What dost thou wish? What dost thou need?"
"Go beyond the thrice-ninth land to the thirtieth kingdom, to an
island; seize there the deer with golden horns, and bring it here."
"We obey; it will be done before dawn."
They rushed like a whirlwind to the island, caught the deer with
golden horns, and brought it straight to Fedot's house. An hour before
daybreak all was done, and they vanished as if they had never been.
The beautiful wife roused her husband at dawn and said: "Look out; the
deer with golden horns is walking in the yard. Take it with thee on
board the ship, sail forward five days, on the sixth turn back."
The sharpshooter put the deer in a close, fastened cage, and had it
carried on board the ship.
"What's there?" asked the sailors.
"Oh, supplies and medicine! It's a long voyage; we shall need many a
thing."
The day for sailing came. A great crowd of people went to see the ship
leave the wharf. The king went himself, made Fedot chief over all the
sailors, and bade him farewell.
The vessel sailed five days on the sea; the shores had long vanished.
Fedot ordered a hundred-and-twenty-gallon cask to be rolled on to the
deck, and said to the sailors: "Drink, brothers; spare it not, your
souls are your measure!"
They were delighted, rushed to the cask, began to drink, and got so
drunk that they rolled down on the deck, and fell fast asleep at the
side of the cask. Fedot took the helm, turned the ship around toward
the harbor, and sailed home. So that the sailors should not know
anything about it, he kept pouring liquor into them from morning till
night; when they began to open their eyes after one drunken fit, a new
cask was ready. On the eleventh day the ship drew up at the wharf; the
flag was hoisted, and guns fired. The king heard the firing, and ran
down to the landing. "What does all this mean?" He saw the
sharpshooter, fell into a towering passion, and rushed at him
furiously. "How hast thou dared to come back before time?"
"But where was I to go, your Majesty? Some fool might have spent ten
years in sailing over the seas and got nothing; but I, instead of
spending six years, did the work in ten days. Would you be pleased to
look at the golden-horned deer?"
Straightway they brought the cage from the ship and let out the
golden-horned deer. The king saw that the sharpshooter was right; he
could not touch him, he let him go home. The sailors had a holiday for
six years; no one could ask them to work during that time, for the
voyage was counted as six years, and they had served their time.
Next day the king called the mayor into his presence and threatened
him: "What meanest thou; art making sport of me? 'Tis clear thy head
is not dear to thee. Do what thou pleasest, but find means of putting
Fedot to a cruel death."
"Let me think, your Majesty; we may mend matters." The mayor went his
way, betook himself to back lanes and waste places, met the Baba-Yaga.
"Stop, servant of the king! I know thy thoughts: dost wish I will
help thee in trouble?"
"Oh, help me, grandmother! Fedot has brought the deer with golden
horns."
"Oh, I have heard that already. It would be as easy to put Fedot out
of the way as to take a pinch of snuff, for he is simple; but his wife
is terribly cunning. Well, we'll give them another riddle that they
will not solve so quickly. Tell the king to send the sharpshooter to
the verge of destruction and bring back Shmat-Razum,--that's a task he
will not accomplish to all eternity; he will either be lost without
tidings, or come back empty-handed."
The mayor rewarded the old witch with gold and hurried to the king,
who heard him and summoned Fedot.
"Fedot," said the king, "thou art a hero, the best shot I have. Thou
hast brought me the deer with golden horns, now thou must do me
another service; and if thou wilt not do it, I have a sword, and thy
head leaves thy shoulders. Thou must go to the verge of destruction
and bring back Shmat-Razum."
Fedot turned to the left, walked out of the palace, went home sad and
thoughtful.
"My dear," asked his wife, "why art thou sad, has some misfortune
happened?"
"Ah," said he, "one woe has rolled from my neck and another rolled on!
The king sends me to the verge of destruction to bring back
Shmat-Razum. For thy beauty I bear all this trouble and care."
"That," said she, "is no small task,--nine years to go there, and nine
to come back, eighteen in all. Will good come of it? God knows. But
pray to the Lord and lie down to sleep; the morning is wiser than the
evening. To-morrow thou'lt know all."
After Fedot had lain down, his wife opened her magic book and asked
the two unknown youths if they knew how to go to the verge of
destruction and bring back Shmat-Razum. They answered: "We know not."
In the morning she roused her husband and said, "Go to the king and
ask for the road golden treasure,--thou hast eighteen years to wander;
when thou hast the money come home for the parting."
Fedot got the money from the king and returned to take farewell of his
wife. She gave him a towel and a ball, and said: "When thou goest out
of the town throw the ball down before thee, and wherever it rolls do
thou follow. Here is a towel of my own work; no matter where thou art,
wipe thy face with it after washing."
Fedot took farewell of his wife and comrades, bowed down on all four
sides, and went beyond the barrier. He threw down the ball before him;
it rolled, rolled on, and he followed after.
About a month had passed, when the king summoned the mayor and said:
"The sharpshooter has gone to wander over the white world for
eighteen years; it is evident that he will not come back alive.
Eighteen years, as thou knowest, are not two weeks; many a thing may
happen on the road. He has much money, and robbers will fall upon him
perhaps, strip him, and give him to a savage death. I think we can
begin at his wife now. Take my carriage, drive to the soldier's
quarters, and bring her to the palace."
The mayor drove to Fedot's house, entered, saluted the sharpshooter's
wife, and said: "Hail, witty woman, the king has ordered us to present
thee at the palace."
She went. The king received her with gladness, led her to a golden
chamber, and spoke these words: "Dost thou wish to be queen? I will
take thee in marriage."
"Where has it ever been seen or heard of," asked she, "that a wife was
taken from her living husband? Though he is a simple soldier he is my
lawful husband."
"If thou wilt not yield of thy free will, I will take thee by force."
The beautiful woman laughed, struck the floor, became a blue dove, and
flew out through the window.
Fedot journeyed over many lands and kingdoms, the ball rolling ahead
of him all the time. When he came to a river the ball became a bridge;
whenever he wanted rest it became a soft couch. Whether it is long or
short, a story is soon told, but a deed is not soon done; the
sharpshooter arrived at a splendid palace, the ball rolled to the
gate and disappeared. Fedot went straight up the stairs into a rich
chamber, where he was met by three maidens of unspeakable loveliness.
"Whence comest, good man, and for what?"
"Oh, beautiful maidens, ye have not let me rest after the long
journey, but have begun to inquire. First ye should give me to eat and
drink, put me to rest, and then make inquiry."
Straightway they set the table. When he had eaten and drunk and
rested, they brought him water, a basin, and an embroidered towel. He
took not the towel, but said, "I have one of my own." When they saw it
they asked: "Good man, where didst thou get that towel?"
"My wife gave it me."
"Then thy wife is our own sister."
They called their aged mother. The moment she saw the towel she
recognized it. "Why, this is my daughter's work." She asked the guest
all sorts of questions. He told her how he had married her daughter,
and how the king had sent him to the verge of destruction to bring
back Shmat-Razum.
"Oh, my dear son-in-law, of that wonder even I have not heard! Wait a
moment; maybe my servants have."
She went out on the balcony and called in a loud voice. Presently all
kinds of beasts ran up, and all kinds of birds flew to her. "Hail to
you, beasts of the wilderness, birds of the air! Ye beasts run
through all places, ye birds fly everywhere; have ye never heard how
to go to the verge of destruction, where Shmat-Razum lives?"
All the beasts and birds answered in one voice: "No; we have never
heard!"
Then the old woman sent them all to their homes in hidden places,
forests, and thickets; went to her magic book, opened it, and that
instant two giants appeared. "What is thy pleasure; what dost thou
wish?"
"This, my faithful servants,--bear my son-in-law and me to the ocean
sea wide, and stop just in the middle above the very abyss."
Immediately they seized the sharpshooter and the old woman and bore
them on like a stormy whirlwind till they stopped just in the middle
above the abyss. They stood up themselves like pillars, holding the
old woman and the sharpshooter in their arms. The old woman cried out
with a loud voice, and all the fishes and living things in the sea
swam to her in such multitudes that the blue sea could not be seen for
them: "Hail, fish and worms of the sea! Ye swim in all places, ye pass
by all islands; have ye not heard how to go to the verge of
destruction, where lives Shmat-Razum?"