There lived a poor old woman. For seven years the unfortunate woman dreamed of eating lentil soup, but she never succeeded. She will get lentils, she has no onions, she will get onions, she has no oil, she will get oil, there is no water: the nearby stream has dried up in the heat. No wonder they say: “A poor man decided to play a wedding, but he couldn’t find musicians anywhere.”
But she stocked up on everything. She poured lentils into a clay pot and went to the stream to wash them. And at that time a young prince rode up to the shore to water his horse. The horse saw the pot of lentils, got scared, neighed and did not drink from the stream. The prince got angry, pushed the pot with his foot, and the lentils spilled into the water. The unfortunate old woman could not stand it and shouted: “You are so unkind!.. So know: just as I dreamed of eating lentil stew for seven years, so you will look for Anfusa with golden hair and long braids for seven years.”
And the prince was just planning to get married, but there was no bride to his liking. He jumped on his horse and rushed to look for Anfusa with golden hair and long braids. Wherever he comes, he asks if the beautiful Anfusa with golden hair and long braids lives here. But everywhere they answer him that they have never heard of it or seen it.
One day the prince came to a remote, remote village that stood at the very edge of the world, and asked: “Isn’t this where Anfusa lives with golden hair and long braids?” And suddenly he hears in response: “This is where she lives.” Here in that house. The prince arrived and looked: the window was high, but there were no doors. How to get into the house? He saw a tall pine tree nearby and climbed up it. Suddenly he sees a witch coming. He approaches the house and shouts angrily: “Anfusa with golden hair, long braids, look out the window.” Where is your beauty, your long braid? A girl of extraordinary beauty appeared in the window, dangled her long golden braid, and the witch climbed up it into the house. She ate, drank and went downstairs again.
As soon as she disappeared, the prince climbed down from the pine tree, went up to the window and began calling: “Anfusa with golden hair, long braids, look out the window.” Where is your beauty, your long braid? I heard Anfus, went to the window, lowered my braid, and the prince climbed up it into the house. He liked the girl, and he decided to call her his wife. And she says: “I don’t mind.” But you need to hide for now. Otherwise my stepmother will come back and eat you. She wrapped Anfus the prince in a blanket and locked him in a large chest. Then she cleaned the house and washed the floor so that there was no human smell.
When it began to get dark, the stepmother returned and let’s sniff. “Something,” he said, “smells like a person!” And the stepdaughter answers her: “You were probably among people, so it seems to you.” The witch left a little before dawn, and Anfusa unlocked the chest and released the prince. They began to think and wonder how they could escape from the witch. In the house there are chairs, a table, spoons, and bowls - everything can be spoken skillfully. And so that no one would betray Anfus and the prince, they tied everyone’s mouths and quickly left.
As soon as they disappeared, the old witch appeared and started shouting: “Anfusa with golden hair, long braids, look out the window.” Where is your beauty, your long braid? Nobody answered her. The witch got tired of waiting, she released her long claws and climbed up the wall into the house. And there was silence in the house: their mouths were gagged. Only Anfusa forgot about the mortar. The mortar opened her mouth and said: “The prince came here yesterday, and today Anfusa ran away with him.” The witch became furious. She rushed to the stable where the bear was standing, saddled her, and went in pursuit. She galloped and galloped, almost catching up with the fugitives.
The prince saw that things were bad, caught a young deer that was grazing nearby, jumped on it, put Anfusa in front of him, and they rushed at full speed. The witch caught up with them, grabbed the deer’s tail, but it remained in her hands, and the deer ran on. Then Anfusa remembered that she had a comb with her, and threw it behind her back. A whole forest of thorny bushes grew behind. The witch on a bear made her way through it for a long time and got scratched all over. But still she got out to the edge of the forest and set off as hard as she could. It’s about to overtake the fugitive with the prince again. Anfus saw that her stepmother was close, threw a towel behind her - the wide sea spilled out. And the witch had to cross it in a boat. A storm suddenly arose, overturned the boat, and the witch drowned along with her bear.
And the prince and Anfusa reached their home safely. They played a cheerful wedding and began to live and live well. And I was at their wedding. They threw me a bone too. I took it and trudged home. I walked across the river, and the frogs under the bridge shouted: “Kwa qua!” I got scared and threw them a bone. And I accidentally hit my neighbor, Argyris, in the foot with it. Since then he has become lame. If you don't believe me, see for yourself.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru