Once upon a time there was a peasant. His wife died, leaving three daughters. The old man wanted to hire a worker to help with the farm. But the youngest daughter, Maryushka, said:
- There is no need, father, to hire a worker, I will manage the farm myself.
OK. My daughter Maryushka began to manage the household. She can do everything, everything goes well for her. Father loved Maryushka: he was glad that such a smart and hard-working daughter was growing up. Maryushka looks like a real beauty. And her sisters are envious and greedy, they are not beautiful, and fashionable women sit all day and bleach, blush, and dress up in new clothes, their dresses are not dresses, boots are not boots, a scarf is not a scarf.
The father went to the market and asked his daughters:
- What should I buy, daughters, to please you?
And the eldest and middle daughters say:
— Buy a half shawl, and one with larger flowers, painted in gold.
And Maryushka stands and is silent. Her father asks:
- What should I buy for you, daughter? - Buy me, father, a feather from Finist - a clear falcon.
The father arrives and brings his daughters shawls, but he couldn’t find a feather.
Father went to the market another time.
“Well,” he says, “daughters, order gifts.”
The eldest and middle daughters were delighted:
— Buy us boots with silver shoes.
And Maryushka orders again;
- Buy me, father, a feather from Finist - a clear falcon.
Father walked all day, bought boots, but couldn’t find a feather. Arrived without a feather.
OK. The old man went to the market for the third time, and the eldest and middle daughters said:
- Buy us a dress.
And Maryushka asks again;
- Father, buy Finist’s feather - the falcon is clear.
Father walked all day, but did not find the feather. I left the city, and an old old man met me:
- Hello, grandpa! - Hello, darling! Where are you heading? - To your place, grandfather, to the village. Yes, this is my grief: my youngest daughter ordered me to buy a feather from Finist, the clear falcon, but I couldn’t find it. “I have such a feather, but it’s treasured, but for a good person, I’ll give it away wherever it’s appropriate.”
Grandfather took out a feather and handed it to him, but it was the most ordinary one. A peasant rides along and thinks: “What good did Maryushka find in him?”
The old man brought gifts for his daughters, the eldest and middle ones dress up and laugh at Maryushka:
- You were a fool, so you are. Put your feather in your hair and show off!
Maryushka remained silent, stepped aside, and when everyone went to bed, Maryushka threw a feather on the floor and said:
- Dear Finist - clear falcon, come to me, my long-awaited groom!
And a young man of indescribable beauty appeared to her. By morning the young man hit the floor and became a falcon. Maryushka opened the window for him, and the falcon flew away to the blue sky.
For three days Maryushka welcomed the young man to her, during the day he flies like a falcon across the blue sky, and by night he flies to Maryushka and becomes a kind young man.
On the fourth day, the evil sisters noticed and told their father about their sister.
“Dear daughters,” says the father, “better take care of yourself!”
“Okay,” the sisters think, “let’s see what happens next.”
They stuck sharp knives into the frame, while they hid and watched. Here is a clear falcon flying. Flew to the window and cannot get into Maryushka’s room. He fought and fought, cut his whole chest, but Maryushka slept and did not hear. And then the falcon said:
“Whoever needs me will find me.” But it won't be easy. Then you will find me when you wear out three iron shoes, break three iron staves, and tear three iron caps.
Maryushka heard this, jumped out of bed, looked out the window, but there was no falcon, and only a bloody trail remained on the window. Maryushka cried bitter tears - she washed away the bloody trail with her tears and became even more beautiful.
She went to her father and said:
“Don’t scold me, father, let me go on a long journey.” If I live, I’ll see you again, if I die, I know it’s written in my family.
It was a pity for the father to let go of his beloved daughter, but he let her go.
Maryushka ordered three iron shoes, three iron staves, three iron caps and set off on a long journey to look for the desired Finist - the clear falcon. She walked through an open field, through a dark forest, through high mountains. The birds gladdened her heart with cheerful songs, the streams washed her white face, the dark forests welcomed her. And no one could touch Maryushka, gray wolves, bears, foxes - all the animals came running to her. She wore out her iron shoes, broke her iron staff, and tore her iron cap.
And then Maryushka comes out into the clearing and sees: a hut standing on chicken legs - spinning. Maryushka says:
- Hut, hut, stand with your back to the forest, and with your front to me! I have to climb into you, there is bread.
The hut turned its back to the forest, and its front to Maryushka. Maryushka went into the hut and saw: Baba Yaga was sitting there - a bone leg, legs from corner to corner, lips on the garden bed, and her nose rooted to the ceiling.
Baba Yaga saw Maryushka and made a noise:
- Ugh, ugh, it smells like Russian spirit! Red girl, are you torturing or are you trying to get away with it? - I’m looking, grandma, for Finista - the clear falcon. - Oh beauty, it’s a long time for you to search! Your clear falcon is far away, in a distant state. The sorceress queen gave him a potion and married him. But I will help you. Here's a silver saucer and a golden egg. When you come to the distant kingdom, hire yourself as a worker for the queen. When you finish your work, take the saucer, put the golden egg, and it will roll around on its own. If they start buying, don’t sell. Ask Finist to see the falcon.
Maryushka thanked Baba Yaga and left. The forest darkened, Maryushka became afraid, she was afraid to take a step, and a cat came towards her. He jumped to Maryushka and purred:
- Don’t be afraid, Maryushka, go forward. It will be even worse, but just keep going and don’t look back.
The cat rubbed its back and was gone, and Maryushka moved on. And the forest became even darker.
Maryushka walked and walked, wore out her iron shoes, broke her staff, tore her cap and came to a hut on chicken legs. There are skulls around, on stakes, and each skull is burning with fire.
Maryushka says:
- Hut, hut, stand with your back to the forest, and with your front to me! I have to climb into you, there is bread.
The hut turned its back to the forest, and its front to Maryushka. Maryushka went into the hut and saw: Baba Yaga was sitting there - a bone leg, legs from corner to corner, lips on the garden bed, and her nose rooted to the ceiling.
Baba Yaga saw Maryushka and made a noise:
- Ugh, ugh, it smells like Russian spirit! Red girl, are you torturing or are you trying to get away with it? - I’m looking, grandma, for Finista - the clear falcon. - Did my sister have one? - Yes, grandma. - Okay, beauty, I’ll help you. Take a silver hoop and a gold needle. The needle itself will embroider in silver and gold on crimson velvet. They will buy - don't sell. Ask Finist to see the falcon.
Maryushka thanked Baba Yaga and left. And in the forest there is knocking, thunder, whistling, skulls illuminate the forest. Maryushka became scared. Look, the dog is running:
- Aw, aw, Maryushka, don’t be afraid, dear, go. It will be even worse, don't look back.
She said it and was like that. Maryushka went, and the forest became even darker. He grabs her by the legs, grabs her by the sleeves... Maryushka goes, goes and doesn’t look back.
Whether it was a long or short walk, she wore out her iron shoes, broke her iron staff, and tore her iron cap. She went out into a clearing, and in the clearing there was a hut on chicken legs, around there were tines, and on stakes there were horse skulls and each skull was burning with fire.
Maryushka says:
- Hut, hut, stand with your back to the forest and your front to me!
The hut turned its back to the forest, and its front to Maryushka. Maryushka went into the hut and saw: Baba Yaga was sitting - a bone leg, legs from corner to corner, lips on the garden bed, and her nose rooted to the ceiling. She herself is black, and one fang sticks out in her mouth.
Baba Yaga saw Maryushka and made a noise:
- Ugh, ugh, it smells like Russian spirit! Red girl, are you torturing the deed or are you torturing the deed? - I’m looking, grandma, for Finista - the falcon is clear. - It’s difficult, beauty, it will be hard for you to find him, but I’ll help. Here is your silver bottom, your golden spindle. Take it in your hands, it will spin on its own, a thread will stretch, not just a simple one, but a golden one. “Thank you, grandmother.” “Okay, you’ll say thank you later, and now listen to what I’m going to tell you: if they buy a golden spindle, don’t sell it, but ask Finist to see the clear falcon.”
Maryushka thanked Baba Yaga and went, and the forest began to rustle and hum: a whistle rose, owls began to circle, mice crawled out of their holes - and everyone was looking at Maryushka. And Maryushka sees a gray wolf running towards him.
“Don’t worry,” he says, “but sit on me and don’t look back.”
Maryushka sat on a gray wolf, and only she was seen. Ahead are wide steppes, velvet meadows, honey rivers, jelly banks, mountains touching the clouds. And Maryushka jumps and jumps. And here in front of Maryushka is a crystal tower. The porch is carved, the windows are patterned, and the queen is looking through the window.
“Well,” says the wolf, “get down, Maryushka, go and get hired as a servant.”
Maryushka got down, took the bundle, thanked the wolf and went to the crystal palace. Maryushka bowed to the queen and said:
- I don’t know what to call you, how to dignify you, but would you need a worker?
The queen answers:
I have been looking for a worker for a long time, but one who could spin, weave, and embroider.
- I can do all this. - Then come in and sit down to work.
And Maryushka became a worker. The day works, and when night comes, Maryushka will take the silver saucer and the golden egg and say:
- Roll, roll, golden egg, on a silver saucer, show me my darling.
The egg will roll on a silver saucer, and Finist, the clear falcon, will appear. Maryushka looks at him and bursts into tears:
“My Finist, Finist is a clear falcon, why did you leave me alone, bitter, to cry for you!”
The queen overheard her words and said:
“Sell me, Maryushka, a silver saucer and a golden egg.” “No,” says Maryushka, “they are not for sale.” I can give them to you if you allow me to look at Finist - a clear falcon.
The queen thought and thought.
“Okay,” he says, “so be it.” At night, when he falls asleep, I will show him to you.
Night has fallen, and Maryushka goes to the bedroom of Finist, the clear falcon. She sees that her dear friend is sleeping soundly. Maryushka looks at her and doesn’t see enough, kisses her sugary lips, presses her to her white chest - her dear friend will not wake up from sleep.
Morning came, but Maryushka did not wake up her dear...
Maryushka worked all day, and in the evening she took a silver hoop and a gold needle. She sits embroidering and says:
- Embroider, embroider, pattern, for Finist - the falcon is clear. It would be something for him to dry himself with in the morning.
The queen overheard and said:
- Sell, Maryushka, a silver hoop, a gold needle.
“I won’t sell it,” says Maryushka, “but I’ll give it away, only allow me to meet with Finist, the clear falcon.”
She thought and thought.
“Okay,” he says, “so be it, come at night.”
Night is coming. Maryushka enters the bedroom of Finist, the clear falcon, and he is sleeping soundly.
“You are my Finist, clear falcon, get up, wake up!”
Finist, the clear falcon, is sleeping soundly. Maryushka woke him up, but she didn’t wake him up.
The day is coming.
Maryushka sits at work, picks up a silver bottom and a golden spindle. And the queen saw: sell and sell!
“I won’t sell it, but I can give it away anyway, if you allow me to stay with Finist, the clear falcon, for at least an hour.”
“Okay,” she says.
And she thinks: “It still won’t wake you up.”
Night has come. Maryushka enters the bedroom of Finist, the clear falcon, and he is sleeping soundly.
“You are my Finist, my clear falcon, stand up, wake up!”
Finist sleeps, does not wake up.
She woke up and woke up, but she couldn’t wake up, but dawn was close.
Maryushka cried:
“My dear Finist, a clear falcon, get up, wake up, look at your Maryushka, hold her to your heart!”
Maryushka's tear fell on Finist's bare shoulder - it was clear to the falcon and burned. Finist, the bright falcon, woke up, looked around and saw Maryushka. He hugged her and kissed her:
- Is it really you, Maryushka! She wore out three shoes, broke three iron staves, wore out three iron caps and found me? Let's go home now.
They began to get ready to go home, and the queen saw and ordered the trumpets to be blown to notify her husband of his betrayal.
The princes and merchants gathered and began to hold council, like Finist - to punish the falcon.
Then Finist the clear falcon says:
- Which, in your opinion, is a real wife: the one who loves deeply, or the one who sells and deceives?
Everyone agreed that Finist’s wife is the clear falcon - Maryushka.
And they began to live and live well and make good money. They went to their state, they gathered a feast, blew the trumpets, fired the cannons, and there was such a feast that they remember it even now.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru