I walked, not knowing where or why, through wide valleys, through high mountains, along rocky paths, and I met an old beggar. The head is like a sieve, the beard is knee-length.
“Where are you going, son?” - the beggar asked me.
- I don’t know, but where are you going?
- Me too.
“Then let’s go together.”
- Maybe you can tell me what?
- I don’t know anything. You are old, experienced, you should know better than me about everything.
- Okay, then listen, I’ll tell you about the Golden Country. Listen, you children, to what I heard from the old beggar.
Once upon a time there lived a king, but no one knows when and in what country. It is enough that he really lived and was rich and strong. The neighboring kings made eternal peace with him, because they did not hope to defeat him.
The king grew up with a handsome son, and the youngest was so handsome and smart that it was simply amazing.
Our king became so proud of his glory and strength that he imagined that there was no equal to him in the world! He became angry and cruel and was at enmity with everyone.
Eventually the hour of reckoning came. The king was attacked by a severe illness; he could not sleep, eat or drink. It cannot live and cannot die. And what’s even worse is that because of the stench, no one wants to go into the house where he lies. So he toiled day and night alone, and even his beloved sons did not come close to him because of this stench. The doctors went crazy looking for all kinds of potions and herbs, but all in vain! Everyone agreed on one thing - there is no such person in the world who could save the king from a terrible disease.
They announced throughout the world that if there was a person who would spend at least one night near the sick king, they would give him as much gold as he himself weighed, and if he cured the king, he would receive half the kingdom for it. |There were many wise men who came from all over the world for gold, but everyone who tried to enter the sick king’s chambers fell unconscious from the terrible stench right on the threshold.
In those days, in a distant land, there lived a learned man who understood all the herbs and roots and knew how to prepare various rubs and ointments. But he was so poor that he lived in poverty all his life with his wife and children. In addition, the king slandered him that he was a sorcerer, and the king forever forbade him to heal in these parts.
One day this smart man goes home, thinking sadly about how he will live now? Suddenly he hears a herald shouting: “There and there such and such a king has become ill; whoever sits next to him for at least one night will be given as much gold as he himself weighs.
“Well, there was no happiness, but misfortune helped! – our acquaintance was delighted and went with his family to a distant land to visit the patient.
They wandered for a long time through swamps and forests and finally came to the gates of the royal palace.
- Who are you? Whose are you? – the guard asks the doctor.
“I am a herbalist,” he answers boldly, “I am coming from distant lands to your king.” And I must sit next to him at least one night.
They took him straight to the king's sons. They gave him cleaner clothes and took him to the sick man. The herbalist prepared a potion, anointed himself with it, and went in to the king. The king was delighted with the doctor.
- Hello, good man! And if he’s not kind, so be it! How many years have I been lying there, but I haven’t seen a living person for a long time! - says the king.
The royal sons smeared themselves with the same medicine and were able to approach their father and talk to him. There was a lot of joy in the palace. They gave the newcomer as much gold as he himself weighed. Poverty is over. But the king’s illness never leaves him. Then they began to persuade the doctor, promising him mountains of gold, so that he would try to cure the king. But he answers:
- Eh, no, my sirs, it’s not that simple. I need to spend another night with the patient, if I can stand it, then I’ll tell you if I can do anything.
The princes agreed, ordered a rich dinner to be prepared, and after dinner the doctor went to the king.
He sleeps next to him and has a dream that there is a well far away, in the Golden Country. If a sick person drinks that water and washes himself, he will immediately become young, like a twenty-year-old youth.
In the morning he hurried to report his dream to the princes and asked for forgiveness that he was not able to heal the old king. If the sons want it, let them try to get that water themselves.
“It’s possible,” said the eldest son. - I won’t hesitate! I'll leave right away. Are you, father, okay with me going to the Golden Country to look for water for you too?
“I don’t mind, I don’t mind,” groaned the old king, “after all, I neither live nor die!” Whoever of you brings healing water will become the heir to my throne after my death.
It was then that all the brothers were inspired to go to the Golden Country, but the right was on the side of the eldest, and the father sent him. He took more money with him, saddled a good horse and rushed off, leaving nothing but a column of dust. And in parting he said:
“If I don’t come back in a year, let the middle brother go look for him.”
How long is it short, but the eldest prince walks around the world, through the mountains, through the valleys, through big cities and small villages and asks everywhere. People willingly answer his questions, but as soon as the conversation about the Golden Country comes up, it’s as if they are taking in water in their mouths. After all, no one had heard anything about that country.
Never before, but the prince finally got to the big and beautiful city. I marveled at its beauty and wealth, but was even more amazed that in the entire city there was not a single living soul - everyone was sleeping or dozing. He wandered and came out to the other end of the city. He sees three large logs, and on the logs three ancient old men are sitting, their beards and mustaches are gray and so long that they cover the logs.
- Good afternoon, old people! - The prince bowed to the elders.
- And the same to you! - the elders answer.
“Good people,” asks the prince, “tell me if I’m on the right path to the Golden Country.” She has traveled almost all over the world, and still no one has heard of her.
“You are on the right path,” the oldest old man answers him. – And our city was also once part of the Golden Country. And we can’t say anything more about her. Today marks exactly five hundred years since we played on these logs as children. Suddenly something happened - and from then on we couldn’t even move. Now we are already old, and our city sleeps and sleeps, and no one in the whole city can wake up. Many good fellows passed in that direction, but not one returned back.
- Well, let's see and see! - the prince exclaimed, spurred his horse and disappeared out of sight.
He drives and sees: ahead is a high road, paved with gold. He immediately realized that in front of him was the Golden Country, because he had never seen another road like this anywhere. Yes, he was ashamed to drive through the gold, and turned onto the path. I drove halfway and saw a house. Big and beautiful. He decided that this was a royal castle. But in fact it was the Devil's tavern. There is an inscription nailed to the gate: “Don’t enter without money.” And wonderful music can be heard from the house.
"I don't have any money! - thought the prince and drove through the gate.
Then servants surrounded him on all sides, helped him off his horse and led him into luxurious chambers. And there the ladies and gentlemen are sitting, waiting for the prince, inviting him to dance, and then inviting him to eat at the table. Our prince has never had so much fun in his life! Finally decided it was time to leave. He wants to pay, but they charged him such a price that even the king-father himself wouldn’t have that kind of money.
- Are you good people, I just came in! - says the prince.
“Have you just entered or have you arrived a long time ago,” they answer him, “what’s the matter?” If you have nothing to pay, you will stay with us forever.
The prince had nowhere to go, so he had to stay.
The unfortunate father is waiting for his eldest son, and the brothers can’t wait. As the year began to draw to a close, they looked out of their windows every day to see if he was coming. A year passed and they began to look out every hour. What's the point! In the end they decided that the prince must have died.
The middle son says here: “If the elder brother is dead, I’ll go!” Maybe I’ll find my brother and find some wonderful water! Maybe I'll get lucky!
- Go! - said the father, but he himself is afraid that the second one will not return. The middle son did not take long to ask, filled a bag with money, took a sharp sword, jumped on a fast horse and along the same road got to the Devil's tavern. He went into a tavern, ate, drank, danced, and was also stuck there forever.
They've been waiting at home for a year, the second year is coming to an end, but the middle son is still missing. They don’t even dare remind a sick father about his missing sons. Only the last, third son remained - his father’s delight. But the illness does not recede, does not give the king peace. Finally, the youngest son could not stand it and began to ask his father to let him go to get his brothers and healing water.
“How can I let you go,” the father answers, “you are the only one left for me!” If I lose you too, who will console me, an old man, please me, who will govern the state?
- Let me go, father! Maybe I’ll be lucky and help you and free my brothers.
Until he asked until his father agreed. Here the prince ordered his portrait to be drawn, and under the portrait to sign who he was, where he was from, and what to call him, if he was lucky enough to get that water, so that he could leave a memory of himself in that land.
Our prince has traveled almost all over the world, but he has never heard of the Golden Country. The prince keeps riding, still rushing on his winged horse. But then he arrived at the gates of the enchanted city.
Everything here is the same as before: wealth and luxury, but people are sleeping and not moving. No matter how much you shake, they don’t wake up. On the outskirts of the city he saw three logs, three gray-haired elders were sitting on them, their beards completely covered the logs and went into the ground.
- Good afternoon to you! - The prince bowed to the elders.
- And the same to you! - the elders answer.
-Can you tell me about the Golden Country? I’ve been trying to get there for almost a year, but I still can’t get there.
“We can, we can tell you, wonderful prince, we’ve been sitting in this place for more than five hundred years.” We were still playing on these logs as little kids, when suddenly everything froze, and from then on we couldn’t take a step. Many good fellows went to that Golden Land, but not a single one returned. So recently two passed away, and they did not return. Get out of here and say hello!
“Whatever happens, it cannot be avoided,” the prince answered them, “those two are my brothers, I must find them.” Farewell.
- Well, good luck to you! - the elders said goodbye to him, and the prince went outside the gates of the enchanted city.
Suddenly an old beggar trudges towards him, leans on a stick, and limps. The prince stopped and said hello.
- Good afternoon, grandfather!
- Good day to you too, son! Where are you heading? - asks the beggar.
– To the Golden Country, where are you going?
- Yes, so, I go around and feed myself around good people.
“Wait, grandfather, I won’t let you go empty-handed,” says the prince, takes a ducat from his pocket and hands it to the beggar.
- Don’t rush, good fellow, I’ll repay you for your kindness with advice: no one in the world knows about the Golden Country more than I do. Listen to what I tell you: when you come out on the golden road, boldly drive along it! In the middle of that road there is a Devil's tavern, it has everything your heart desires, wonderful music sounds there, whoever does not go there himself will be lured or dragged by force. But you walk by as if you don’t see or hear anything. No matter how you are drawn there, no matter how they invite you, don’t go! If you enter, you will remain with your brothers forever. They were lured into that tavern, and they cannot get out.
At the end of the golden road stands a beautiful castle, enter it boldly. You will see things there that you have never seen before. Just don’t linger there! In the first chambers you will find a loaf of bread on the table, take it with you, it will be useful to you. In the second chambers you will see a flask and hide it, it will also be useful to you. In the third chamber there is a girl lying on the bed - in the whole wide world there is no one more beautiful than her! Don't touch her! If you touch her, you’ll have a hard time: you won’t be able to get back on the golden road for three whole years, and you won’t see that girl for another three years.
A golden treasure sword hangs over her bed; it jumps from scabbard to scabbard on its own. Take that sword and put yours in its place. With that sword you will defeat everyone in the world. Just look, take care of it like the apple of your eye, and don’t take it off even in your sleep.
In the fourth chambers there is a well, and in it is the same water that heals all ailments. First, drink that water yourself and wash yourself, so that not a single illness in the world can take you, and then get some water for your father! Your father will get drunk and wash himself - he will immediately become healthy and young.
Once you have completed everything, return to the golden road and boldly go to the tavern! Show the devils a treasure sword, and they will run away in all directions. Then take your brothers and hurry to your father! Just make sure you don’t sleep on the way while your brothers are still awake. Then they will steal your flask of water. After all, the father will give his crown to the one who brings him water. Now go and do everything as I told you.
The old man knew in advance what would happen, and at parting he once again punished the prince to behave well.
The prince was impatient to get to the Golden Country. The country really turned out to be golden. Before the horse could take a step, he found himself on the golden road. The prince rushed straight along it, without turning anywhere, only the golden dust rose in a column! And soon he found himself near the Devil's tavern. The prince remembered about the brothers who were stuck in the tavern. And the music is playing, your feet are dancing on their own.
- Come in, come see us, how good it is here! - they shout to the prince from the tavern.
They're about to persuade you! But no, he remembered the old man’s words and rushed past like an arrow. Our prince was the first to bypass that tavern in a hundred years. He rode through the Golden Country until the evening and finally reached the Golden Fool, to the golden castle.
A wonderful tree grew here, and a green meadow spread around it. The prince knew that he could not enter the castle yet and that there was not a single living soul there. He dismounted, let his horse go into the meadow, and he went to bed and slept sweetly until the morning.
At dawn he got up, saddled his horse, rushed at a trot through the city and stopped near the castle. There truly was such beauty here as the prince had never seen before. But he didn’t begin to admire the beauty, he jumped off his horse, tied it to a golden hitching post, and hurried to the castle. He enters the first chambers - his eyes are blinded by gold. But he doesn’t look at the gold, he sees a loaf of bread lying on the yulot table, he took it and hid it in his bag.
He enters the second chambers, and there it is even more beautiful. The prince again doesn’t look at anything. He takes a flask from the table and goes to the third chambers.
In the third chamber, he caught his eye on a sword-treasure that jumped from scabbard to scabbard on its own. He took it and put his own in its place.
And under the sword lies a beautiful maiden. He bypassed her and continued on his way.
He opened the fourth chamber - he looked, and there was a miraculous well, all lined with gold. The prince drank clean water and became even more beautiful. He saw flasks near the well, filled one with water, plugged it and put it in his hunting bag. He walked around all the chambers, admired the fabulous wealth and turned towards the exit. As he began to pass through the third chambers, he again looked at the beauty maiden and stopped. The sun was still not high, there was plenty of time before noon, but he liked the girl more and more, and the prince thought that he had never seen her more beautiful in the whole world. He approached her bed, kissed her and swore that she would become his wife forever.
But soon it will strike twelve. The prince did not hesitate, put his portrait on the golden table, left the castle, jumped on his horse, and the horse rushed him away from the city. And after the prince, squealing and growling, filthy monsters, giants and dragons set off, but the prince had already left the city and galloped away, not knowing where.
But then suddenly in the Golden City and in the Golden Country all the people woke up from their sleep and rose to their feet. The older ones hurried to the castle to their queen to find out who freed them. After all, that man should become king and her husband.
“Good people,” the queen answered them, “in the old books it is said: the one who frees us must become my husband, and you must become a king.” Only we were all fast asleep and I don’t know who was here and where he went. In the books it says: whoever leaves our city at exactly noon is our liberator. This means that he is not here, but he is not far away. Therefore, mount your horses and go look for him, whoever he is, I will become his wife.
The townspeople rushed off on horseback, but how could you possibly catch up with our prince? And the prince flew and flew and stopped only in a neighboring state in front of a large city. He realized that he was lost.
“Okay, at least the city is not far,” he decided, “I’ll go and visit the local king, maybe he knows where my father’s kingdom is.”
He came to the king, but he had not heard anything about his country. They received him cordially in that city and marveled at his unprecedented beauty. And then a feast was thrown in honor of the prince, the table was laden with dishes, dishes followed dishes - there was no end to them.
But it’s strange for the prince that with such generosity there is not a piece of bread on the table. He decided that here only the poor eat bread, and the gentlemen feast on meat. “Well, no,” he thought, “let me ask for a loaf of bread.
“Dear brother,” the king answered him, “I myself would give everything I have for a crumb of bread.” Let my subjects at least smell the bread. Know: in my country there was always an abundance of bread, but for more than five hundred years bread has not been born in our country. Our queen - I am only the governor here - lives in the Golden Country, she keeps a loaf of bread. The books say that then bread will be born in our country when we eat that loaf. I asked her for a loaf, but received an answer that it had disappeared. Now there is no hope of living to see the bread!
The prince realized what kind of miracle bread was in his bag.
“I remembered,” he said, “that there is a wonderful loaf in my bag.” If you want, I'll give it to you.
Our prince got up from the table and brought that loaf. The king cut off a slice, the nobles cut off a slice, each took a piece for himself, but the bread did not decrease. From that day on, bread began to appear again in the country and there was always plenty of it.
The prince did not linger and set off again.
He wandered around the world for a long time until he finally came to a foreign country. The king invited the traveler to dinner. There was more than enough bread and food on the table, but not a drop of wine.
The prince asks for a drink.
“Dear brother,” the king answers him, “I myself would give everything I have for wine!” But for more than five hundred years no grapes have been born among us. The Queen of the Golden Country, for whom I was viceroy, held a flask for us. If only we could take a sip from it, our grapes would begin to ripen again. But, I heard, that flask was missing! Now we have said goodbye to grapes forever!
“Well, if that’s the case,” said the prince, “I’ll help you!”
The prince took a flask out of his bag, everyone rushed to drink and drank and drank to their heart's content! Since then, grapes have been born in that country.
The prince travels from country to country, but he just can’t get home.
He rode for a long time or a short time, when he suddenly found himself on that very golden road where the Devil’s tavern stands. Much has changed there - after all, three years have passed since then: the old man’s words have come true that if he touches the princess, he will get here only in three years.
Our fellow spurred his horse - and to the tavern.
The prince is standing at the tavern. Cheerful music from the windows sounds the same as three years ago. He hears his name!
- Come here! Come here!
“I’m already on my way to your damn pandemonium.” Beware! – the hero cried and grabbed his treasure sword. When the devils saw him, they dropped everything and ran in different directions.
So the prince freed his brothers and other princes and kings. Everyone thanked him as best they could.
The king's sons rushed straight home. The younger told the older two all about his adventures and where he kept the water.
But they say that for good - don’t expect good - such nonsense happened to the prince. The older brothers began to think about how to drive the younger one out of the world. Finally we agreed!
“Why should we get our hands dirty, let his father deal with him himself.” We'll just change the water!
The younger one remembered the old man’s words and kept trying not to fall asleep before his brothers. But one day they pretended to be asleep, and he fell asleep too. The brothers got up, took a flask out of his bag, poured water into their flasks, and poured rotten swamp water into his. Then they all rushed off together, as if nothing had happened, and soon found themselves not far from their father’s castle.
“Brother,” the elders say to the younger. - You have suffered a lot of grief and you have obtained living water, go first to the castle, heal and cheer your father. And we will come after you.
The younger prince, not expecting a catch, went to his father. There was no end to the joy! But as soon as the father drank that stinking water, he became sicker than before, and couldn’t see the white light from the pain!
Then the two older ones ran into the room, pushed the younger one out, slandered him as best they could, and gave his father the living water they had stolen from his brother to drink. My father got drunk and immediately became healthy, and as soon as he washed himself, he became a fine fellow.
The father believed his eldest sons, but did not even want to listen to the younger son. He condemned him to death and ordered the hunter to take him into the forest.
“Don’t try,” the prince said to the hunter, “to attack me, because I have a treasure sword in my sheath, not a single person in the world will escape from it alive.” Return to your father and tell him that you carried out his orders. But,” he continued, “you can’t stay with my father any longer, in case you let it slip.” Here is a letter for you, go with it to such and such a country, you will remain there until I return. Go, and I will go wherever my eyes lead me.
He walked through the mountains, through the valleys, until he finally came across a mill. The miller took him as his worker, and for his kindness and beauty he loved him like his own. Three years have passed since then.
Let's take a look at the Golden Country and see what's happening there. In that country they spent a long time trying and finding out everywhere who their liberator was and where he had gone. But they just didn’t find out anything.
Everything remained as before: the queen ruled the country.
When the sixth year began to come to an end, the queen was tidying up and rearranging something in those chambers where she had once slept like a dead sleep. Suddenly he sees a portrait of a handsome young man lying there, under it there is an inscription about who he is, where he is from and when he was here in the enchanted castle. Everything came together exactly.
In the Golden Country they were very happy about that portrait, they immediately gathered ambassadors and sent them to the country from where the royal liberator came to them.
The ambassadors reached the king, bowed and said:
- Most Serene King! Six years ago, your son visited the Golden Country and freed us. Let me thank him! Let him return to his wife - our queen.
The old king calls the elder: - Were you in the Golden Country?
- I, my father! - he answers.
– The queen and her subjects are waiting for you! The prince turned pale, but said nothing.
The Queen of the Golden Country, meanwhile, orders the road to be paved with gold and a golden bridge to be thrown across it: a real liberator must travel along the golden road and golden bridge. He orders guards to be placed at the gate and orders everyone who appears to be stopped.
The eldest son of the king safely reached the Golden Country, but did not go along the gold, he went around it, because no one drives on such a road! He approached the guards, but they did not let him go further:
- Wait, who are you?
“I am such and such a prince, I am going to your queen.”
“Now we will find out if you are the one,” the guards answer him and call the queen.
The queen came and asked:
- Were you driving along the road?
- No.
- Why?
“I was afraid, because others don’t drive along it either.”
- So you are no better than others! - the queen cried, looking at the portrait - it looks like it. She also asks a question:
- When you were in my castle, did you take anything?
- Nothing but water.
- Well, brother, that means you are not my husband. Apart from water, I'm missing something else. Will you go against this sword?
She grabbed the sword, which was considered victorious, but the prince chickened out, fell to his knees, and asked forgiveness for his deception:
“You had my brother,” he says.
The old king calls his middle son and asks:
– Have you been to the Golden Country?
- Yes, my father!
- How long have you been sitting here, your wife and subjects are waiting for you!
The prince was surprised and said nothing. I approached the golden road, but was also afraid to drive along it. The Queen immediately realized that he was not real either. She took the portrait and sword and went out to meet him. This brother looked even more like a portrait. The queen asks him:
- When you were in my castle, what did you take from me?
- Nothing but water.
- No, I still have something missing. Tell the truth, where did the one in this portrait go? Judging by the similarities, it looks like he’s blood with you!
“My younger brother was here, but he only fell ill and stayed at home,” the prince began to wriggle out.
- Are you sick? – the queen is surprised. - This can’t happen! No illness can take anyone who has drunk my living water at least once. Swear that I told the truth! - And he snatches the sword from its sheath, and the middle brother falls to his knees and asks for forgiveness.
Then the entire Golden Country rose up and moved towards the old king, demanding his youngest son, otherwise his entire country would be ruined.
Great fear gripped the state, and the old king bitterly regretted that he had treated his youngest son this way.
News of the danger reached distant lands, where the same hunter lived, whom the king once ordered to kill the prince. The hunter decided: “Now nothing will happen to me if I tell the truth.” He went to the old king and opened up about everything. The only thing the hunter didn’t know was where the younger prince had disappeared. The king’s heart was immediately relieved:
“Now,” he said, “we need to think about one thing, how to find my son!”
“It’s as simple as that,” answered the hunter. “After all, there is no more handsome prince in the whole world.” Have it announced everywhere that anyone who knows about the most handsome young man should bring him to you immediately for a big reward! The rumor spread all over the world, reached the miller, and he immediately realized that it was about his adopted son. And he took the good fellow to the old king. That was joy! The miller is richly rewarded, the father hugs his son, and the brothers are on their knees asking for forgiveness.
The young prince realized what was happening and ordered a golden carriage to be prepared and reindeer with golden antlers harnessed into it. And then he adjusted the sword at his side and rushed to the Golden Country. I got to the golden road and galloped straight along it and jumped out onto the golden bridge. Here the guards stop him:
- Wait, who are you?
- I am the king of such and such lands!
“Maybe it is so,” the guards answer, “but you’ll just have to wait until our queen confirms your words.”
Then the queen comes, carrying a portrait and a sword. The king was as handsome and young as in the portrait, but the queen still asks:
-Who will you be?
- The son of such and such a king, the lord of such and such lands.
-Have you been to my castle?
- Was.
- If you were there, tell me what you took?
- A loaf of magic bread.
- Where did he go?
- In such and such a region, I cut it into slices and distributed it. Since then they have had plenty of bread there.
- Okay, what else?
- A flask of wine. I gave the wine to another country. From then on, grapes were born there to glory.
- OK. What next?
“I took your treasure sword, you don’t know about it.” I hung mine in its place.
“Well,” says the queen, “now we’ll check it.” Draw your sword and defend yourself!
And she rushed at him with a sword. But our fellow pulled out a real victorious sword, and the queen immediately let go of hers.
She rushed into the prince's arms. And then they had a rich wedding. The father and his repentant brothers and all the kings from all over the world walked at that wedding.
They lived in peace and quiet.
And now they probably live...
The old beggar didn’t have time to tell me about that, because our paths diverged - how it is, and what’s there - I can’t say - what I don’t know, I don’t know. . .
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru