In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, the Tsar had a golden
company; in this company served a soldier, Ivan by name, a hero in
appearance. The Tsar took him into favor and began to reward him with
rank; in a short time he made him colonel. The superior officers
envied him. "Why have we served for our rank as we have thirty years,
and he has got every rank all at once? We must get rid of him, or he
will go ahead of us."
The generals and counselling boyars arranged a trip on the sea,
prepared the ship, invited Ivan the colonel to go with them. They
sailed out into the open sea, and went around till late in the
evening. Ivan grew tired, lay on a bed, and fell into a deep sleep.
That was all the boyars and generals were waiting for. They seized
him, put him in a boat, pushed him out to sea, and returned home
themselves.
Soon dark clouds came up and a storm began to roar; the waves rose and
carried the boat it is unknown whither; they carried it far, far away,
and cast it out on an island. Here Ivan woke up, looked, saw a desert
land, no trace of the ship, and the sea ran terribly high.
"It is clear," thought he, "that the ship has been wrecked by the
storm, and all my comrades are drowned. Glory be to God that I am safe
myself!"
He went to look at the island, walked and walked. Nowhere did he see a
springing beast, a flying bird, or a dwelling of man. Whether it was
long or short, Ivan wandered to an underground passage; through this
he went down a deep precipice, and came to the underground kingdom,
where the six-headed serpent lived and reigned. He saw a white-walled
castle, entered. The first chamber was empty, in the second there was
no one, in the third the six-headed serpent was sleeping a hero's
sleep. At his side stood a table, on the table an enormous book was
lying.
Ivan opened the book and read to the page where it was written that a
Tsar had never a son, but always a Tsaritsa had sons. He took and
scratched out these words with a knife, and in place of them wrote
that a Tsaritsa had never a son, but always a Tsar had sons.
In an hour's time the serpent turned to his other side, woke up,
opened his eyes, saw Ivan, and asked: "From what place hast thou come?
I live so many years in the world and I have not seen one man in my
kingdom."
"How from what place? But thou knowest I am thy son."
"How can that be?" asked the serpent. "I will look in the book and
see if a Tsar can have a son."
He opened the book, read in it what Ivan had written, and was
convinced. "Thou art right, my son."
He took Ivan by the hand, led him through all his treasure-chambers,
showed him his countless wealth, and they began to live and live on
together.
Some time passed, and the six-headed serpent said: "My dear son, here
are the keys of all the chambers; go wherever thy desire may lead
thee, but do not dare to look into that chamber which is fastened with
two locks, one of gold, the other of silver. I will fly around the
world, will look at people, and amuse myself."
He gave the keys, and flew away out of the underground kingdom to
wander through the white world. Ivan Tsarevich remained all alone. He
lived a month, a second and a third month, and the year was coming to
an end, when it became dreary for him, and he thought to examine the
chambers; he walked and walked till he came straight in front of the
forbidden chamber. The good youth could not restrain himself; he took
out the keys, opened both locks, the gold and the silver, opened the
oaken door.
In that chamber were sitting two maidens riveted in chains: one was
Tsarevna Yelena the Wise, and the other her maid. The Tsarevna had
golden wings, and her maid silver wings. Said Yelena the Wise: "Hail,
good hero! Do us a service not great: give us each of a glass of
spring water to drink."
Ivan, looking at her unspeakable beauty, forgot all about the serpent,
pitied the poor prisoners, poured out two glasses of spring water, and
gave them to the beautiful women. They drank, shook themselves; the
iron rings were broken, and the heavy chains fell. The beautiful women
clapped their wings and flew through the open window; then only did
Ivan come to his mind. He shut the empty chamber, came out on the
porch, sat on the step, hung his stormy head below his mighty
shoulders, and grew powerfully, powerfully sad. How was he to give
answer? Suddenly the wind began to whistle, a mighty storm rose up,
the six-headed serpent flew home.
"Hail, my dear son!"
Ivan answered not a word.
"Why art thou silent; or has something happened?"
"Evil, father,--I did not obey thy command. I looked into that chamber
where two maidens were sitting riveted in chains, I gave them spring
water to drink, they drank, shook themselves, clapped their wings, and
flew out through the open window."
The serpent was terribly enraged; he began to abuse and curse in every
fashion. Then he took an iron rod, heated it red hot, and gave Ivan
three blows on the back. "It is thy luck," said he, "that thou art my
son; if thou wert not, I should eat thee alive."
As soon as Ivan's back had healed he began to beg of the serpent:
"Father, let me go out into the world to look for Yelena the Wise."
"What couldst thou do? I was thirty-three years getting her, and
barely, barely had I the skill to catch her."
"Let me go, father; let me try my fortune."
"Well, after me if thou pleasest. Here is the carpet that flies of
itself: wherever thou wishest, there will it bear thee; only I am
sorry for thee, since Yelena the Wise is terribly cunning. If thou
catch her she will still overreach and deceive thee."
Ivan sat on the carpet that flies of itself, flew out of the
underground kingdom, and hadn't time to wink before he found himself
in a beautiful garden. He went to a pond, sat under a laburnum-bush,
and began to look and admire the gold and silver fish swimming in the
clear water. Before five minutes had passed, Yelena the Wise had flown
to the pond with her maid. They took off their wings at once, put them
near the bush, undressed, and ran into the water to bathe.
Ivan took the wings quietly, came from under the bush, and cried with
a loud voice: "But now ye are in my hands!"
The beautiful women sprang out of the pond, put on their clothes, came
to the good youth, and begged him to give back their wings. "No," said
Ivan, "I will not give them for anything. Yelena the Wise, thou hast
pleased me more than the bright sun; now I will take thee to my
father and my mother, I will marry thee, and thou shalt be my wife,
and I will be thy husband."
The Tsarevna's maid said: "Hear me, good youth: 'tis thy wish to marry
Yelena the Wise, but why detain me. Better give me my wings; I will
serve thee in time."
Ivan thought and thought, and gave her the silver wings. She tied them
on quickly, sprang up, and flew far, far away. After that, Ivan made a
box, put the golden wings into it, and closed it firmly with a lock.
He sat on the self-flying carpet, placed Yelena the Wise at his side,
and flew away to his own kingdom. He came to his father, to his
mother, brought them his bride, and begged them to love and to favor
her. Then there was rejoicing such as no one had seen.
Next day Ivan gave his mother the key of the box. "Take care of it for
a time," said he, "give it to no one; and I will go to the Tsar and
invite him to the wedding."
As soon as he had gone, Yelena the Wise ran in: "Mother, give me the
key of the box; I must get clothes to dress for the wedding." The
mother, knowing nothing, gave her the key without fear. Yelena the
Wise ran to the box, raised the lid, took her wings, put them on,
clapped them once and again; that was all they saw of her.
The bridegroom came home. "Mother, where is my bride? It is time to
prepare for the crown."
"Oh, my dear son, she has flown away!"
Deeply did the good youth sigh; he took farewell of his father and his
mother, sat on his self-flying carpet, and flew to the underground
kingdom, to the six-headed serpent, who saw him and said: "Well,
daring head, did I speak in vain when I said that thou couldst not get
Yelena the Wise; and if thou didst get her she would deceive thee?"
"Thou art right, father; but no matter what comes, I will try again, I
will go to get her."
"Ah! thou irrestrainable fellow, knowest thou she has a rule that
whoever wants to marry her must hide three times, and if she finds him
she will have his head cut off? Many a hero has gone to her, but all
to the last man have laid down their stormy heads; and the same is
preparing for thee. But here is a flint and steel for thee: when
Yelena the Wise makes thee hide, strike the flint with the
steel,--strike out a spark, and set fire to the grass of the steppe.
At that moment a blue-winged eagle will appear and raise thee above
the third range of clouds; if that does not succeed, strike fire
again, and let it into the blue sea. A giant pike will swim to land,
will take thee and bear thee away to the depth of the sea; and if
Yelena the Wise finds thee, then there is no place in which thou canst
hide from her."
Ivan Tsarevich took the flint and steel, thanked the six-headed
serpent, and flew off on the carpet. Whether it was long or short,
near or far, he flew beyond the thrice-ninth land to the thirtieth
kingdom, where lived Yelena the Wise. Her palace was flashing like
fire; it was made of pure silver and gold. At her gate, on iron
points, were the heads of eleven heroes. Ivan the good youth became
thoughtful. "Eleven heads on the points, mine will surely be the
twelfth." He came down in the broad court, went on the lofty porch,
and straight to the chamber.