In which kingdom, in which state did the famous merchant live? But he did not have any trade, but had vast lands for sowing and had many workers. And he sold this excess grain to different states, and because of this he received a large turnover of money. When he sows grain in the spring, he harvests it for the fall, say, in the month of August, and says to his workers:
- When you pick the grain, be careful not to leave one grain of grain in the reaping, be careful to pick it cleanly, so that there is no attempt from animals or birds.
And these servants, workers, of course, did all this. And once they robbed the bread and robbed it so completely that they thought there was nothing left. At this time, they still left in the main strip, maybe several dozen grains and they didn’t even know. But the birds took advantage of that opportunity and began to follow. Firstly, a mouse came running and a little sparrow flew in. And so they ate three grains, and fought on the fourth; and they fought and argued so much. Then the mouse says:
- Well, if this is the case, whoever takes it stronger will be more right. The mouse spoke:
- - How many running animals will there be, then come to help me. And the sparrow said: - How many flying birds are there in the world and let them fly to help me?
Well, this field was about five hundred acres of land, and a full field of animals and birds flew in, and a battle broke out between them, one might say - a war. And after a day, no matter how much they fought, not a single animal was left alive, only one eagle remained, sitting on the wood, wounded.
And it happened that the young prince went hunting in the same city. He was just recently married. He comes to a wide field and sees that the whole field is strewn with animals, and everyone is dead. When he passed this field, at the edge he saw an eagle sitting on a pine tree on the lowest branches; he took aim and wanted to shoot him. The eagle spoke to him:
- Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, don’t shoot me, take me to you.
He lowered the gun and thought: “Well, I won’t be able to carry such a huge beast.”
And he wants to shoot a second time. He had already raised his gun when he spoke again:
- Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, don’t shoot at me.
I was so scared that I almost fell off the branch. He lowered his gun. And again the prince lost his mind: “Why doesn’t he order to shoot, where will I take him?” The eagle spoke again, well, he was so frightened that he closed his eyes.
“Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, don’t shoot, I’ll be useful to you, I’ll take revenge if you take me in.” The prince tells him:
- Listen, eagle, if I take you, then I won’t be able to carry you away.
“I’ll be near you somehow, even on wings, just take me to you, fatten me up, and I’ll be useful to you.” Then the prince agreed and said:
- Well, if you can, then walk or fly after, well, I won’t be able to carry you away, you’re too big.
Then the eagle descended from the branch that was running and that was flying. With great difficulty and with great strength he reached his state; it was too difficult for him. When he came to his state, he said:
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, don’t hesitate to feed me and feed me for nine months, and I’ll pay you everything.” Give me six cows or six oxen every day for food, although it will be difficult for you, I will pay you everything.
And so Ivan Tsarevich began to feed him. And he fed me for three months. Then the eagle says: - Well, Ivan Tsarevich, now let me fly as far as I can go, don’t be afraid, I won’t deceive you for your goodness, I’ll fly back.
And he let him go. He flew for a whole day and flew back. And said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, he could only rise a little over a third. Feed me for another three months.
When he had fed for six months, he no longer had enough livestock of his own, so he began buying on the side and let them go again a second time. When he let go the second time, he flew for six whole days. He flew back and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, feed me for three more months, I’m only about halfway up.
When he fed him for another three months, he made such a huge loss to him that he was already sensitive. And he said to him:
“Well, now let me go for another four days, and then I’ll come back to you and tell you definitively.”
And he let him go. The eagle flew for four days, came down and said:
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, now let’s fly to me, I’ll take revenge on you for all the losses you’ve done, and I’ll reward you for everything, as soon as we fly.” Don’t be afraid of anything, you will easily get back, and I will give you such rarities as you wish.
Then Ivan Tsarevich said goodbye, of course, to his young wife and said:
“Well, wife, don’t worry, I will fly with the eagle to collect my losses, which he promised to compensate me.”
He sat down on it and began to rise. When they rose so high that the eagle began to ask:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, is the sky high, is the earth low, tell me now?
And so he answers him; “Our land is so small that it’s almost the size of a sheepskin, and I don’t know how much space there is to the sky.”
And suddenly the eagle throws him off his wings, Ivan Tsarevich flew down - Ivan Tsarevich flew down and was so frightened: “Well,” he thinks, “death.”
A. the eagle descended, grabbed him on its wings, and began to rise upward. They rose so high again that he began to ask Ivan Tsarevich again:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, is the earth far away, is the sky close?
- The earth is as big as a leaf, and up to the sky - I don’t know.
He again let him down from his wings, Ivan Tsarevich flew down. Ivan Tsarevich fell down and was so frightened that he no longer remembers himself. The eagle grabbed it again, began to rise upward and flew on. He rose even higher and asked:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, do you know better whether the sky is high or the earth is low? He answers:
- The sky - I don’t know, but the earth is a penny or a little about a penny.
He again throws him off his wings and let him pass far. And he himself flew down. Then he flew up to the bottom, picked it up and began to rise up; Well, Ivan Tsarevich did not feel at all himself. When I went up, I remembered:
“Well, tell me now, Ivan Tsarevich, how were you scared the first time?”
“And I was so scared, I thought it was death.”
- How were you scared the second time, tell me?
- And the second time I was so scared, I thought that I would never be alive.
- So, now tell me how you got scared the third time?
“And for the third time I was so frightened, I flew without memory, closed my eyes, and I didn’t even have consciousness.”
“So, so, Ivan Tsarevich, you were scared, but do you think I wasn’t scared when I wanted to shoot me for the first time?” And you lowered the gun, I wasn’t that scared yet. And the second time, when I started asking you, and you said: “Where am I going to go with you,” I was so scared, I closed my eyes that I almost fell off the branch. And when you wanted to shoot me for the third time, I was so scared, I lost consciousness, I just said: “Help me, take me with you.” I thought I was about to die. Well, now let's fly, I took revenge on you because you took revenge on me. Well, it was a matter of love between us, but think bad, Ivan Tsarevich. Now let’s fly, I’ll do the best for you, since you went broke and fed me. Now see if the sky is high or the earth is low. You probably won’t see the ground now, we have risen so high. And he answered him:
- Well, eagle, I don’t even notice the earth, and I don’t know how much space there is to the sky.
- Well, okay, good, now we will soon fly to my country.
And then he sees the golden kingdom from afar. When they flew there, they met this eagle as a king, and he ordered the prince to treat him and appreciate him as the savior of this state. So he lived with him for three days. He watered him, fed him, treated him and said to him on the fourth day:
“Today I’ll take you to my older sister, and that’s what she’ll give you for saving me, well, don’t take anything.” She will give you a lot of different valuables, gold and silver, everything, she will give you a self-shaking wallet, walking boots, an invisible hat, you don’t take anything, but ask her for a multi-colored box; although she will be sorry, she will still give it to you. And then you come to me, and you will have to go to all three sisters.
And when he came to her, she was so happy, she met him and began to treat him with such a treat that he had never seen in his state. She tells him on the fourth day:
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, what do you want for saving my brother, I’ll give you everything you want.” Take walking boots.
- No, I don’t need walking boots, beautiful maiden.
- Well, take the invisibility cap.
- No, I don’t need invisible hats, beautiful maiden.
- So what do you need, take as much gold and silver as you want, don’t be afraid, we will introduce you to your homeland. How will I pay you more for saving my brother?
- Listen, beautiful maiden, give me a multi-colored box.
She thought a little and said:
“Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, it’s a pity for me to give you a multi-colored box, but you’ve already lost a lot of capital, I’ll give you the box, only I don’t have it with a key.”
She brings him a multi-colored box. He said goodbye to her and comes to this eagle prince.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, did you get a multi-colored box?
- Got it.
- Well, okay, put it here, tomorrow go to the middle sister, I’ll take you with you.
He sleeps the night, and the next morning the eagle tells him; - Well, let's go to the middle sister, and you take the self-shaking wallet from her, and at this time I will find out from her where the key to this box is kept.
So he comes to her, she received him, sat him down at the table, and began to treat him. The brother sat for a while and left, and Ivan Tsarevich stayed with her.
She tells him:
- Well, what do you need, Ivan Tsarevich, for my brother, that you saved him, fed him and killed a lot of your capital, I will give you everything, I will pay for my brother.
She brings him walking boots.
- No, I don’t need walking boots, beautiful maiden.
- Well, tell me what do you want? Then she brings him a magic carpet.
- It’s a good thing for you to fly home.
- No, I don’t need that, beautiful maiden.
- What will I give you if you don’t take anything?
- Listen, beautiful maiden, give me the self-shaking wallet. She tells him:
- Well, if that’s the case, I’ll give you the self-shaking wallet, we only have two in the kingdom: one from the elder sister, the other from me. Well, I won’t regret it, I’ll give it to you for my brother.
He received a self-shaking wallet, said goodbye to the beautiful maiden, and came to the king eagle.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, did you get what I told you?
- Got it.
- Well, okay, spend another night with me, and then we’ll go to my younger sister, I’ll tell you.
He spent the night, got up in the morning, they drank tea, the eagle said:
- Well, let's go to the younger sister now. Look, don’t agree to anything, ask her for the key to the multi-colored box, she has it. And I'll prepare everything for you.
And now he took him to his younger sister. Such a beauty, all she thinks is: “I wish she could be my wife.” Well, I already have a wife, what do I need?” She made them so happy and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, take what you want, I will avenge you for my brother, I will pay you for all the losses.
And so the eagle went away, of course, she stayed with him and treated him for three days. She didn’t ask him anything, gave him complete freedom, took him to her rooms. showed wealth and all that. These three days passed, and she began to speak.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, whatever you need, I’ll give you everything, gold, silver, whatever.
- No, listen, beautiful maiden, I don’t need anything, but give me the key to the multi-colored box, I heard that you have it. She tells him:
- Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, what do you need the key to a multi-colored box when you don’t have a box, you don’t need it.
- So listen, beautiful maiden, just give it to me, and I don’t need anything else.
- Well, okay, I'll give it to you.
And he brings a golden key. She brought it, gave it away, he said goodbye to her and comes to the eagle prince.
- Well, Prince Eagle, what you told me to get, I got it all, my sisters gave it to me.
“Well, well done, now stay with me for three days, and then I’ll send you on your way.” And so he says:
- Well, where is your multi-colored box, give me here and the key, and in three days I will prepare everything and tell you about your path, how you need to go.
And he gives him this box and a key, and three days later the eagle brought enormous power into this box. On the fourth day he brings it to him, puts it in his hands and says:
“Here, Ivan Tsarevich, now you will leave me today.” Take this box and this key with you, and the self-shaking wallet in your pocket. If you want to eat, smell the key, if you want to sleep, also smell the key, well, don’t unlock the drawer. And you will be bored on the way about your wife or about your kingdom, also smell the key, and the boredom will pass, and you will have fun, just don’t open the box. Do not open it until you come to your kingdom, and there go into a huge field and open the box, and you will see what will happen. And you will soon reach your state.
Ivan Tsarevich said goodbye to the eagle prince and set off on the road. He walks without any thought, he walks so happily that he literally doesn’t feel his feet under him. And in front of him stands a wide road. And now he wanted to eat. He remembered the key, sniffed it, and the hunger passed. He walked on, and he wanted to drink and sleep, he sniffed the key again, and the sleep and thirst passed away. He goes on, and suddenly he is struck by such sadness, thought, sadness that he does not even see the light. He sniffed the key again, and everything went away. He walked for so long that he thought about his wife: “How come I have a little wife left now, that she’s still young.” I started thinking again. Then again he sniffed the key, everything went away and thought: “Now I’m probably getting close to my state.”
And then I thought about it: “Why didn’t he tell me to open the box, at least to see what was stored in it? I’ll open it, nothing will happen.”
And this magic king confused him more and more:
“Open, open!” Of course, he didn't see him.
- Come on, I’ll open it a little, at least a little.
And he took the key, just wanted to turn it, now the lid opened, it began to rustle, everything flew up, and it remained empty. And so he closed the box and moved on. And hunger came upon him. He remembered the key and began to sniff it, but there was no benefit.
Then sleep and thirst struck him, and the road became worse, worse, more gloomy. He began to sniff the key again, but there was no benefit, and everything became worse and worse, Ivan Tsarevich was tired. He was so tired, he went into such a wilderness, into the thicket, that there was nowhere else to go. Sits and cries:
“I didn’t listen to the eagle prince, now I’m dead, there’s nowhere else to go.”
And suddenly a tall man turned up in front of him and said:
- Why, Ivan Tsarevich, did he cry so much, and what did he think about? He says:
“But how can I not think, since I was on my way home, and now I don’t know where to go, I’m cold, hungry, completely tired.” Previously, I was walking, I had a drawer, when I sniffed the key, everything was fine, and then when I opened it, it did not work. And he got to the point where he became cold, hungry and sleepy.
“So, Ivan Tsarevich, if you want, I’ll give it back to you, just give me what you don’t know at home.” And you will return everything that was in your box, just don’t open it until you get home, as the eagle prince told you, don’t open it. Well, what do you think, will you give it back or not?
He thought: “I have no one, my wife is the only one left, the cattle are known, I fed them a lot and even bought them, the kingdom is known, but there is nothing else like that, and if I am going to die here, wouldn’t it be better to do so?” Well, he then said:
“Well, if only you can return everything,” I agree.
- Well, okay, let’s make a note with you, an agreement, so that you give it to me in three years, but if you give it earlier, I’ll take it.
And this was the magic king himself. And so he completely prepared the note and brought it to him:
- Well, now sign it. And give me the box and the key, I’ll cook it for you, and you sit in this place.
So, of course, he gives him the box and the key and sits down. And he left. A little later he suddenly comes and says to him:
- Well, here, Ivan Tsarevich, the box, and now smell the key, if you are tired, hungry, sad and sleepy. Just smell the key and then you will find out what will happen.
He took the box in his hands and smelled the key, and became well-fed, cheerful, and tireless. And in front of him stands a wide road. He said goodbye to him and went forward.
- Well, look, don’t open it until you come to the large field that you wanted to cut up.
And so the prince went forward. And so he approached a little, familiar meadows and forests began to appear, and he thought: “Well, probably my kingdom is near!”
And just from afar I saw my state. And he comes to this place where he wanted to cut a new crop. He took it, opened this box and looked - so much power came out of this box that this field was filled with people. And they began to uproot, harrow, sow, and the prince went to his kingdom.
When he comes to his kingdom, his wife comes out to meet him and carries the boy, who was already one year old. He just gasped, well, didn’t say anything. She was glad that he returned; she had not seen him for about two years. And they entered the royal chambers. He thinks: “He probably promised no one more than his son.”
But he didn’t say anything to his wife.
So from that time on he began to live at home and began to feel sad that he had the only son and had no other children. His wife began to ask:
- Why, Ivan Tsarevich, you walked and walked and came sad, didn’t the eagle pay you for your losses?
- No, my beautiful wife, the eagle gave me money and strength, and now I have a self-shaking wallet, so this wealth will never be destroyed.
- Well, what are you dissatisfied with, Ivan Tsarevich, my husband, tell me the truth.
“Yes, wife, there’s nothing to do, although it’s a pity, but I have to say it.” When I left the eagle prince, he gave me a box, it was filled with strength. And I walked so cheerfully, well-fed, the road, you know, was wide, but I decided to open it. When I opened it, then I found myself sleepy, hungry, cold, and my path became so difficult, I went into such a wilderness that there was nowhere to go further. And I began to cry, thinking: “Well, my death has come.” Then some man came and said: “Well, Ivan Tsarevich, if you give away what you don’t know at home, I will return it to you,” and I had to give it back to get to my state. When I arrived, I saw you bringing me my son, and that’s why I started thinking.
- Well, what should you do when you were about to die, then you were no longer sane, we are still young, maybe we will have children.
Of course, she cried a lot, but there was nothing she could do.
Well, this boy began to grow by leaps and bounds. I already started playing with the guys and made an arrow and started shooting with a bow or crossbow. When he made this arrow, he fired once and hit one grandmother in the window. She came out and said; “Look, Ivan Tsarevich, you started breaking my windows.” But wait, your father promised you to one magic king, you won’t be breaking windows here for long, there’s only one year left. He will fly here himself and take you.
The guy, of course, thought about it and went to his father and mother with tears. His mother asks:
- Well, son, why are you offended? Who offended you?
- How can I not cry, mother, grandmother said that you won’t have to break windows here for long, your father promised you to a certain magic king, he will soon come for you and take you, how can I not cry?
The father comes and asks:
- Well, why are you, Ivan Tsarevich, crying today, sad?
“How can you not be sad, dad, if you promised me to some magic king?” Tell the truth, did you promise me or not?
- What harm did you do to your grandmother that she spoke out about you like that?
- Well, I didn’t do anything, I shot the arrow and broke the window.
“You don’t need to do that, Vanyusha, she threatened you out of spite, and so she knows.”
He, of course, was convinced and forgot all about it, because he was young and was just beginning his third year. And he forgot all this, after a short time he again shot his grandmother a second time through the window. Grandma goes out onto the porch and says:
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, you’ve been living here for the last six months, since you started breaking my windows so often, the magic king will soon fly in and take you.”
The guy thought deeply: “Granny probably isn’t lying, so there’s something going on.”
And so he comes to his father and says:
- Well, father, now I know for sure that you promised me. Tell the truth, and I will go to my grandmother, obey, pay money for breaking her window. The father says:
- Well, son, if that’s the case, I’ll tell you, I promised you.
“Well, father, if that’s the case, what can I do, I’ll have to go.” Give me money, I’ll go to my grandmother, I’ll pay, that’s right, that’s my fate.
His father, of course, gives him money.
- Go ahead, pay grandma and ask her how it will be more convenient for you to go.
- OK.
So he went to this grandmother. Grandma comes to her and says:
“Well, grandma, forgive me that I may have been guilty of breaking your window.” And tell me the truth, what did Father promise me or not,” he asks her.
That's what grandma says.
- Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, you little one, but you need to go earlier, as the king will come for you. And I’ll teach you how to hit. And it will be difficult for you, but it doesn’t matter, just go earlier until he comes.
And the grandmother brings him water in a cup and says:
- Well, son, drink this cup, and then you will feel what you will be like.
When he drank this water, he became one and a half times bigger than he was. And he became such a handsome, brave guy, as if he were an adult.
“I feel sorry for you, Ivanushko, but there’s nothing to do, you can’t change anything here, you’ll have to go.” But I gave it to you to make you look beautiful and the beautiful maiden, Princess Elena, would like you. And now, when you leave your kingdom from here, the path will lead you. Walk until it leads you to a lake. When you come to the lake, bury yourself in the sand and lie down. Twelve swans will fly in, turn into beautiful girls, take off their dresses and start swimming. When they start swimming, look, whichever one is the smallest, she will be the most beautiful. And now try to take her dress away. And lean so that she doesn't notice you. When the sisters fly away, she will be left alone. And he will ask you for a dress. Don’t open up until she says: “Be my betrothed.” She is more cunning than everyone and knows all the magic, so she will outwit her father, and you will be happy if you get this dress. Now, son, go home, take your mother to bake some plantains while you still have three months to spare. When you arrive first, it won’t immediately eat you, but when it comes after you, it will quickly gobble you up. He comes home and says to his mother and father:
“Well, mom, bake me plantains, but I’ll go anyway, maybe I can find happiness for myself on the way.”
His mother hardly recognized him, that he was so tall, slender, and handsome. They just recognized him by his voice and began to cry a lot, but there was nothing to do. And that same night his mother ordered the maids to bake crackers and prepared everything for him so that everything would be ready by morning. Well, in the morning everything was done. And so he gets up from sleep and says to his father and mother:
- Well, now, if everything is ready, then I’ll go.
His father and mother began to cry and began to prepare him for the journey. He coped, said goodbye to his father and mother, and our Ivanushko left. He left the city and walked along a wide road. He walks along, doesn’t see any need or sadness, and the road was fun for him. And so he soon comes to the lake, the lake is beautiful, there are sands all around. He dug himself a hole, hid, waited a little and looked at twelve swans flying. And he began to watch very vigilantly what they would do. They hit the sand, turned into girls, took off their dresses and started swimming. And Ivan watched very vigilantly for the most beautiful girl. When he spotted this girl, he now crawled to this dress, took it to him, buried it in a hole and lies there, watching what will happen next. So the sisters kept shopping and shopping, ran out onto the mountain, and she jumped out. The sisters got dressed, turned into swans and flew away. And she doesn't have a dress. She went back into the water, stood and cried. Then she finally spoke:
- Listen, whoever took my dress, let him give it back to me. If he’s an old man, then let him be my grandfather, if he’s an old lady, then let him be my grandmother, and if he’s middle-aged, then let him be my brother, just give me the dress. Well, if the young man is a good guy and I like him, then I’ll get married and let him be my betrothed. Then Tsarevich Ivan comes out and says:
“Well, beautiful princess, I stole your dress, if you marry me, I’ll give it back.”
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, if you guessed right, you will be happy. Leave the dress on the sand and go away, I’ll fly to you, don’t be afraid, I won’t deceive you, I know where you’re going.
He laid the dress on the sand, hid himself, she got up, got dressed, came to him and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, you were promised by my father to my father, I know that you are getting to him. Well, I will help you for everything, and you will come to him now before he flies, and he will be glad that you came earlier. And now I will fly home, and you will come three days before the due date, three years. And he gives you three days without work, you will live like this, and then you will see what kind of work it is, and I will fly to you then.
And then they began to say goodbye, of course, they kissed each other, she flew away, and he went on his way forward. And so he walked again, close, far, low, high, he no longer had any bread, he walked for a day, cold, hungry, and the road continued forward. Well, the road is, of course, good. And suddenly he saw a whole kingdom. Such a golden palace is worth it, it’s like a decoration. And he approaches him. When he just approaches the palace, the king himself comes out:
- Well done the king for sending you earlier, son, three days in advance. Thank you very much to your father. Well, okay, Vanyusha, now go and rest for three days. I’m giving you a special apartment, and after three days I’m giving you a small job. And so he rests, drinks, eats for three days and remembers:
“I don’t have the beautiful Elena the Princess, she’s not flying to me.” And so three days passed. On the fourth day the next morning he goes to the king. When he came to him:
- Hello, Royal Majesty.
- Well, well done, Vanyusha, for coming early. Here I am giving you a job so that it will be completed by morning.
- Well, father, what kind of work will it be?
- Yes, here, Ivan Tsarevich, a little work, a little. Here is a palace built just like mine. If you don’t build it by nine o’clock tomorrow morning, then your head is off your shoulders. He says:
- What are you, Your Majesty, where should I build? I’m still young, I didn’t have anything in my hands.
- Well, don’t talk, you know the royal command, otherwise your head will be off your shoulders.
Ivan Tsarevich cried a lot, went to his hut, walked and did not see the road. And so he came and cried all day until the evening, when it became dark. Suddenly a bee flies into the window and turns into Elena the Beautiful.
- What, Ivan Tsarevich, are you crying?
- How can I not cry, beautiful princess? So the priest gave me the job to build a palace like his, that’s the problem. Yes, I’ve never even had an ax in my hands.
- Eh, Ivan Tsarevich, this is not a service, but a service, and the whole service is ahead. Don’t be sad, now eat, and go to bed with me, and the morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan Tsarevich, of course, was overjoyed, drank, ate and fell asleep so soundly that he did not hear what was happening. At midnight she goes out onto the porch and says:
- Come on, uncles, nannies, old maids, just as you served your father, as you served your mother, so you will serve me - Princess Elena. Koporulniks, bainiki, podbainiki, shovel workers - all come to work with me. And build the same palace as the priest’s, and even better, and so that it will be ready by six o’clock in the morning.
And they were swooped down like a black crow, bowed and ran across their bridges. And she went and got into the habit of sleeping with Ivan Tsarevich. She slept until three o'clock and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, get up, you didn’t come to sleep, but to do your father’s work. Get up, wash yourself.
Ivan Tsarevich, of course, jumped out of his sleep. She says:
- Well, go out now, see what’s going on, and spend time until nine o’clock, and then hand in the work.
She went out onto the porch with him and disappeared, and he looked - there was a palace almost ready and as many people as a black crow. And as soon as it began to dawn at six o’clock, no one was left, the palace stood completely ready. Only Ivan was left alone, beating with a hammer whatever he found, but there was nothing to do. And he spent the time like this until nine o’clock in the morning. And he comes to the king.
- Well, Your Royal Majesty, the palace is ready, you can accept it.
He looked out the window.
- Well done, Vanyusha, now go, rest for a day, in a day you will come to me.
And so he came home, ate, and went to bed. He slept until evening, got up, it was already light. He doesn’t want to sleep, he has nowhere to go, and thinks: “Why is Elechka not flying, at least I could talk to her until tomorrow morning, until nine o’clock.”
Suddenly, not long after, a bee flies to the window, crawls through the hole, turns into Elena the Queen and says:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, did the palace work?
- Yes, it worked, Elena the Princess, someone, well, not me.
- Yes, our father has enough work, it won’t work, there’s no other way to escape. Well, I won’t run any time soon.
“I don’t know, Father is giving me what kind of work tomorrow.”
- Tomorrow is a famous job. The ship lets you work - three firebrands that have been lying under his window for thirty years.
- What are you talking about, Elena the Princess, people work from wood. How to make a firebrand work?
- Made of wood! This is where it needs to work. Well, okay, Ivan Tsarevich, now we’ll have dinner, go to bed, and the morning is wiser than the evening.
And so she slept with him until four o’clock and flew away.
“I’ll fly back tomorrow evening,” she just said. So she flew away, and he went to the king at nine o’clock.
- Well, Your Royal Majesty, what will the work be like now?
- Not a big job, Ivan Tsarevich.
- Yes, your work is always small, look at what work you have been assigned.
- Well, just as that one worked quickly, you’ll work this one too. Here, Ivan Tsarevich, what a job: I have a firebrand lying right under the window, so tomorrow you can make a ship for me, so that the sails are silk, the masts are silver, the ship is golden. And to fly through the air and walk on water. If it doesn’t work, head off your shoulders.
- But how, Your Majesty, can a ship work from a brand?
- Well, don’t talk, but you’re ordered to do so.
Ivanushko went home. He comes home and thinks so hard that he’s almost brought to tears, he thinks: “Well, if Elena the Beautiful helps, then it will be good, but if she doesn’t help, then I’ll die.”
And suddenly it was just getting evening, it was getting dark, and a bee flew to the window.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, what kind of service did Father give?
- Yes, it’s your father’s service!
- What, don’t like it? This is not yet a service, but a service, and all the service will be ahead. Okay, don’t be sad, eat, drink, and go to bed, everything will be done.
And then, of course, they drank some tea and went to bed. When she slept until three o'clock, she wakes him up:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, get up, you didn’t come to sleep, to give your father-father some work. Get up.
So she woke him up, he got up from sleep, she gives him a whip:
- Here, Ivan Tsarevich, take the whip, go to the priest under the window, hit the brand three times crosswise with this whip. This firebrand will roll up and fly away into the air. And you wait until six o'clock in the morning. And at six o’clock a golden ship will arrive, and stand on it, beat it with a hammer and spend time until nine o’clock in the morning. And at nine o’clock come to the priest and hand in your work.
And so she immediately disappeared and flew away, and he went to the priest’s windows. He came, hit this firebrand three times crosswise, it rolled up, rose into the air, and he began to wait. As soon as it was six o'clock, he saw a golden ship flying. He flies in, stands up to him, he comes in and starts beating him with a hammer, and he’s already completely ready. And so he spent the time until nine o’clock and went to the king:
- Well, Your Royal Majesty, I don’t know whether it’s good or not, but the ship is ready, take the job.
- Well, well done, Ivanushko, go now, rest for a day, and then I’ll give you a third job. If you complete the third job, then I will marry you to my daughter.
He began to guess that his daughter was helping, but he didn’t know which one.
And so, of course, he came home, spent the day until the evening, and in the evening there was no Princess Elena. “What’s the big deal, if it doesn’t arrive on the second night, then I don’t know what will happen.”
So on the second day in the evening he became sad that he was not flying. Suddenly a bee flies.
- Why, Elena the Princess, have you completely forgotten me?
- No, Ivan Tsarevich, I couldn’t do it yesterday. We need to find out more about what kind of work the priest will have. This morning he will give you a job. Well, this work will be small for him, but it will seem big to you. This is the last job - then he will find out which of us, the sisters, is helping.
So the next morning he went to the king.
- Well, father, I’ve come, what kind of work will there be?
“Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, just do this job, and then I’ll marry you to my daughter.” This night, by nine o’clock in the morning, by tomorrow, cut down the forest, uproot, burn and plow out the bread, and so that this bread will grow, and take it down, and so that by morning you can bake pancakes for me.
Then Ivan Tsarevich did not say anything more to him. So he came and thought: “How can it be possible to cut down a forest here in one day, uproot, burn, sow, harvest, and so that he will have pancakes by morning? Don't know! Elena the princess will come and say what.”
And so at seven or eight o'clock the bee flies.
- Well, has my beautiful Elena the Princess come?
- Yes, I came. Well, what kind of work did Father give you?
“Yes, we know that your father’s job is easy, but it’s hard to do.”
- Well, this is not a service, but a service, all the service will be ahead. “Here,” he thinks, “there’s trouble!” - Okay, have a drink, eat, go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
And they went to bed like that, she got up at midnight and jumped out onto the porch:
- Well, uncles, nannies, faithful maids, just as you served your father, as you served your mother, so you will serve me, Princess Elena. Koporulniki, bainiki, podbainiki, spatniks, everyone come out.
And then it flew in like a black crow, everyone stood up and asked:
“Well, what do you want me to do, Elena the Princess?”
- On this night, so that by nine o’clock in the morning the impenetrable forest will be cut down, uprooted, burned, dug up, sowed and threshed, and by nine o’clock so that the pancakes will be ready for Father’s breakfast.
They bowed and ran.
“It’s difficult, Princess Elena, but we’ll do it.” She lay down, lay there for an hour and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, I didn’t come to sleep, I didn’t come to lie down, I wanted to give my father-father some work. Get up quickly. And she told him where to go:
“Well, go quickly, all you have to do is stand like an arrow and pick up pancakes and carry the priest to nine o’clock.”
And so she disappeared herself, he went to the forests. As soon as he came to the scaffolding, he saw a girl running, like Elechka. Well, he couldn’t find out, she didn’t tell him anything, and he moved on. He comes to the forests, everything is almost ready, everything has been sown, and the ear has grown; as soon as it was a little dawn, they began to remove and thresh, they built a fire and began to bake pancakes. He stands there, just picking it up. By six o'clock all the pancakes are ready, the pancakes are baked, and there is no one left. And so he spent until nine o’clock, walking with a plate.
- Here, your royal majesty, I’m bringing you some fresh pancakes.
- Well done, Ivan Tsarevich, so well done, you have done this service, now go home, come tomorrow, choose the youngest daughter, Elena the Princess, I will give her to you in marriage and marry you.
He went, was delighted, and thought: “Now this is a good thing!” Now he knew for sure that she was helping. Yes, this is how he spends the whole day, so cheerful, and suddenly in the evening Elena the Princess flies in like a bee, turns around and says:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, what did he promise your father? He caresses and kisses her and says:
“Well, my father promised that tomorrow I would choose you, Elena the Princess, so we’ll live.”
- Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, he has a second thought. And you think it’s easy to choose! Father now knows for sure, so he said: now choose Elena the Princess, and then live. But will you choose her?
- Well, Elena the Princess, don’t I recognize you between the sisters?
“That’s it, you won’t recognize me, we won’t stand as girls, but as mares, and just take your pick, we’ll all be the same.” There will be one harness, one height, one hair, one might say, one voice, and we will all be the same. And he gives you five minutes. “Hurry, hurry, otherwise I’ll cut off your head.” And he tells her:
- Well, your father has some ideas!
- That's what it is. But I won’t tell you anything until the morning, otherwise he’ll change his mind.
And so, of course, they drank some tea and fell asleep. At about three o'clock she gets up and wakes up Tsarevich Ivan:
“Get up, Ivan Tsarevich, listen to what I say, I have to go, and you will come at nine o’clock.” And listen. Now he, when you come, he will bring out twelve black mares. And walk no more than twice, and look everyone in the eye, I will most likely stand in the fifth row or in the sixth, seventh. I will have one hair on my face that is a little longer. Look sharper, otherwise you won’t know. And now I don’t have time, but in the morning, don’t oversleep, he’ll start attacking us at five o’clock.
So he spent until eight o'clock, at nine o'clock he left and came.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, now go, choose Elena the princess, then I’ll give her in marriage, and if you choose, your head will be off your shoulders.
He brought out twelve mares and put them all in a row, and gave five minutes time.
“If you guess, it will be yours; if you don’t, I’ll cut off your head right now.”
Once he passed by, didn’t notice anything, hurry, hurry, he goes a second time. The fifth, sixth, seventh mare has a little longer hair on her cheeks, he says:
- Well, Your Royal Majesty, let this one be Elena the Beautiful.
- Well, well done, Ivan Tsarevich, you guessed right, come tomorrow, I’ll show them to you again in a different order.
So Ivan Tsarevich went home. He comes home and spends time until the evening. In the evening she flies to him again.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, you will also have to guess tomorrow. Now let's drink tea, go to bed, and I'll tell you in the morning.
Now she is sitting, figuring out how to make it more convenient for him. And that's how they went to bed. In the morning he gets up and wakes him up:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, get up quickly, father will now prepare us and lead us out, twelve pigs, and we will all stand as one head. And all this is invented by his Crooked Eye, Evil Head Omelko. I will stand fourth from the edge, I will make a mark for you so that you know for sure. We will all be white, but look, one pig will have a slightly red spot in its ear, that will be me. Well, don’t take it the first time, otherwise he’ll understand right away, but only take it the second time.
Then she flew away, of course. Ivan Tsarevich lay in bed until eight, and it’s about nine.
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, he’s come, let’s go, choose Elena the Beautiful for yourself, and only then you can marry her.” And so he brought twelve pigs, all white.
- Well, quickly, quickly, now choose.
He walked by once, noticed it, but it was bad, and he:
“Hurry, hurry,” he hurries.
The second time passed, she was already in the seventh row, and quickly turned over. The second time I went, I noticed a speck. B says:
- Well, your royal majesty, let this seventh be Elena the Princess.
- Well, well done, Ivan Tsarevich, come tomorrow, choose, and then to the crown. Wash in the bain, and at this time I will make church, brew beer, smoke wine and prepare a feast. I'll marry you and live.
He is delighted, of course, and comes home. In the evening, Princess Elena arrives again. She arrived and asked:
- Well, what, Ivan Tsarevich, did your father promise you?
- Yes, Elena the Princess, now he has promised to get married.
- Yes, it lays down softly, but sleeps hard. The bathhouse will be full of tears for both of us.
So she slept again until three o’clock and said:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, get up, I’ll tell you. Now we will all be girls, we will stand the same, we will have the same dress, and you will not recognize us by our faces. This was invented by Crooked Eye, Evil Head Omelko. This is the most cunning wizard he has. I know where I will stand, but look into each person’s face. There will be a little fly flying over my right eye. And look sharply into the eyes, otherwise you won’t recognize.
She flew away, but he stayed. And here he comes again at nine o'clock.
“Well, Ivan Tsarevich, let’s go, now I’ll show you in a real wedding dress.” Choose and go wash in the bathhouse.
Here he brought twelve girls, the same height, the same clothes, all as one, well, you can’t dig him under, and here he is walking around with a sword.
- Hurry, hurry.
I walked by once, didn’t notice anything, couldn’t determine where she was standing. Then he went a second time and saw that some little fly was flying a little, and said:
- Well, Your Royal Majesty, this is Elena the Princess.
- Well, well done, go with her, wash in the bathhouse, and then come to the ball, everything will be ready.
And he took her hand and they went home. So they came, he said:
- Well, Elena the Princess, shall we go to the bathhouse?
- No, Ivan Tsarevich, we need to run before the priest comes.
Now he takes the horse from the yard, opens the door, spits three salivas and says to the saliva:
- Answer for me, and now I’ll go.
And so she sat down with Ivan Tsarevich and drove off. Less than half an hour later, he arrives:
- Well, how soon?
“We’ll just go to the bathhouse,” the saliva answers.
Then he left. He left, ten minutes had not passed again, and he ran again:
- Well, soon, the church is ready, the wine is smoked.
“We undress and start washing,” answers the second saliva. He left and runs again:
- Well, soon, the ball is ready, guests are waiting, go quickly.
“Let’s get dressed, let’s go now,” the saliva answers.
He went. He comes for the last time, he pulled open the doors, and the pillars flew out, no one was there. The Sluts laughed, jumped up and disappeared.
- Oh, the fool, she ran away, well, okay, she won’t leave me!
Now he's setting up a chase. I sent them in pursuit, but they had already traveled far. She tells him:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, look ahead, look behind, what’s above us, what’s below us, what’s ahead, what’s behind?
“Elena the Princess, the earth is below us, the sky is above us, the road is wide ahead, and the cloud is high behind us.”
“It’s from Father that the ambassadors are flying for us.”
She has now turned into a chapel, and him into an old, old old man. Suddenly they swooped in. They swooped in, they probably think they stopped by this chapel. And they ask:
- Well, tell me, grandfather, who was passing this just now?
He answers them:
“There have been no travelers for thirty years, and for forty years I’ve been living on the sidelines and haven’t seen anyone.”
And so the servants looked, looked and turned back to the king. And they say:
- Well, we didn’t see anyone, we only saw the chapel and the old elder.
- Yes, it was them, go and grab them quickly and bring them here.
And they were already far away at that time. Here the servants again chased after them.
Here she says:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, look again, what is above us, what is below us, what is in front, what is behind?
“Elena the Princess, the earth is below us, the sky is above us, the road is wide ahead, the cloud is high behind us.”
- Well, it’s from Father that the ambassadors are flying again.
- Well, where are we going now?
- Wait, now.
She now wrapped the horse in a dung heap, herself in a dove, and him in a dove, and stood on the dung heap. The ambassadors arrived, looked, looked, there was no one to be seen, only a dung heap and a dove with a dove, they looked, looked and went back. And when they arrived, he asks: “Well, who did you see?”
“We didn’t see anyone, we only saw a dung heap and a pigeon with a dove.”
- Yes, that’s what they were! Well, you can’t catch them, I’ll fly myself.
They drove up not far, and Elena the Queen said to Ivan Tsarevich:
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, look what’s above us, what’s below us, what’s behind, what’s in front?
“The earth is below us, the sky is above us, the road is wide ahead, and behind us the cloud is so high and dark that sparks are jumping.”
- This father is flying himself.
- Well, now, Elena the Princess, where to?
- Wait.
They come to the lake, now she wrapped it in a ring, and herself in a ruff, and swallowed it, and she dived into the lake with the ruff. And he flew to this lake, and in a row he also threw his hook into the lake. So I found it and started chasing it:
- Well, you ruff, bristling, sneaky, turn your head.
- No, the pike is a grubber, eat the ruff from the tail.
Well, no matter how hard the pike chased, it could not catch the ruff. She jumped out onto the shore, turned into a king, and started drinking water.
– You’ll fly over me with water anyway, you won’t get anywhere.
He drank and drank, so much he drank that the lake became dry, only one thigh remained, and the ruff was still climbing there. And he went there to grab her. At this time she turned into a duck and flew away.
He did not release the water, flew after it, touched a rock, and burst.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, now we are free, the king has burst.
She wrapped him again in Ivan Tsarevich, and herself in Elena the Beautiful, got on the horse and rode home. When they arrived at this field, which the priest had made, released from this box, stood with wheat, she said to him:
“Well, listen, Ivan Tsarevich, now I’ll stay like a white pebble by this field, and you go to your kingdom.” When you come to the kingdom, your father and mother will be happy, and you will begin to greet your father, mother, then greet your sisters, three sisters were born after you, and greet everyone, do not forget your elder sister. If you don’t say hello to her, you’ll forget me forever and marry someone else. Then be blessed by your father and mother and come for me.
And so he went home. Everyone at home was overjoyed: joy, ringing, gunfire! He came and began to say hello to his father, mother, and sisters, and in his joy he just forgot to say hello to his older sister. He forgot her completely. Father and mother say:
- Well, Ivanushko, now you need to get married, we will hold a feast, choose your bride.
- Well, father, it will be necessary.
And he doesn’t even remember about Elena the Princess. Of course, the father gathers a feast, and they begin to choose a bride for him. Of course, they chose a bride, the daughter of some king, and their wedding took place. And after the wedding, the priest says:
- Take the throne, stand on the throne, and I have become old.
So they went to the crown, began to get married, suddenly a dove flew to the window, first sang, then spoke:
- Ivan Tsarevich, who did you forget in the open field, who took you away from the magic king?
But he doesn’t hear anything, he completely forgot. So the dove spoke three times and flew away. They come from the crown, and there the cooks cook and prepare for the feast. And she also came to help them and prepared a pie. When the young people arrived, this pie was brought to the table and placed opposite the young people. The young man, of course, hides this pie. I opened this pie, a dove with a dove ran out of the pie and ran across the table from behind. The dove runs in front, the dove behind and shouts:
“Wait, wait, Ivan Tsarevich, you don’t remember who you left in the open field, how I took you away from the magic king, and now you’ve begun to forget.”
And as soon as he heard this, he burst into tears and said to his father and mother:
- Well, it’s not my bride who is sitting next to me, but my bride remained in the open field, only I forgot her, I probably didn’t say hello to my older sister.
And so he completely refused this bride, although he was married. And right away he left the table and said:
- Well, father, bless me, I’ll go for the bride.
This bride, of course, was embarrassed and the guests, but there was nothing to do.
So he comes to the open field where she was lying. He says:
- Get up, Princess Elena!
She doesn't tell him anything. He fell to her for the second time:
- Get up, Princess Elena!
She doesn't say anything. He and the third time:
- Get up, Elena the Princess, because I went to the priest, was blessed, the priest ordered me to bring him, everyone agreed. She tells him:
“Yes, Ivan Tsarevich, you forgot me early, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten here.” And now you are blessed, but it’s too late, you got married and now live as you know.
And when he heard what she said, he burst into tears, fell on this pebble and said:
- Rise, Princess Elena, remember no evil.
“Well, he forgot me forever,” he answers, “I still won’t live and you won’t live either.” Then he tells her again; “Listen, Princess Elena, is that why we fled so that we could die?” And you agreed, helped me out so that we wouldn’t have to live! (It's okay, she's holding it!)
“Well, if that’s the case, Ivan Tsarevich began to ask, then go back to your father and mother, bring them here, let them bless you in front of me, and I’ll wait here.” And capture all your sisters.
He jumped up joyfully and ran to his kingdom. He comes to the kingdom, falls at the feet of his father and mother and says:
“Well, father, mother, let’s go after my bride, otherwise she doesn’t want to go, and all the sisters, let’s go after her.” And if you don’t go, you won’t see me here in the kingdom.
Father and mother, of course, were delighted, and they were afraid when he said such a word that you wouldn’t see me in the kingdom. Now he ordered the mother and daughters to get dressed, got on their horses and rode off. As soon as we arrived, my father asked:
- Well, where is your bride?
- And here lies a white pebble.
He immediately jumped off his horse and said:
“Well, get up, Elena the Princess, now the father, mother, and sisters have arrived.”
And suddenly this pebble rolled, such a beauty jumped out, becoming twice as beautiful. I approached him and began to ask my father and mother for forgiveness. The father and mother were delighted, and the sisters blessed them and went to the palace. We went to the palace and made such a feast that no one had ever seen such a feast since the beginning of the world. After this, the prince told everything about how he had been traveling for twenty years and how they were leaving the magic king, and all the guests and his mother listened and cried over his life.
And then Ivan Tsarevich received the throne and began to live with his Queen Helena, spending his life until he was very old.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru