Once upon a time there lived a Tsar Berendey, he had three sons, the youngest was called Ivan. And the king had a magnificent garden; There grew in that garden an apple tree with golden apples.
Someone began to visit the royal garden and steal golden apples. The king felt sorry for his garden. He sends guards there. No guards can track the thief. The king stopped drinking and eating and became sad.
The father’s sons console: “Our dear father, don’t be sad, we ourselves will guard the garden.”
The eldest son says: “Today is my turn, I’ll go guard the garden from the kidnapper.”
The eldest son went. No matter how much he walked in the evening, he didn’t track anyone, he fell down on the soft grass and fell asleep. In the morning the king asks him: -? Well, won't you make me happy: have you seen the kidnapper? -? No, dear father, I didn't sleep all night, I didn't close my eyes, but I didn't see anyone.
The next night the middle son went on guard and also slept all night, and the next morning he said that he had not seen the kidnapper.
The time has come to go and guard my younger brother. Ivan Tsarevich went to guard his fathers’ garden and was afraid to even sit down, let alone lie down. As soon as sleep overcomes him, he will wash the dew from the grass, and the sleep will be taken away from his eyes. Half the night has passed, and it seems to him that there is light in the garden. Lighter and lighter. The whole garden lit up. He sees the Firebird sitting on an apple tree and pecking at golden apples.
Ivan Tsarevich quietly crawled to the apple tree and caught the bird by the tail. The firebird perked up and flew away, leaving only one feather from its tail in his hand.
The next morning, Tsarevich Ivan comes to his father. —? Well, my dear Vanya, have you seen the kidnapper? —? Dear father, I didn’t catch him, but I traced who was ruining our garden. I brought you a memory from the kidnapper. This, father, is the Firebird.
The king took this feather and from that time began to drink, and eat, and not know sadness. So one fine time he thought about this Firebird.
He called his sons and said to them: —? My dear children, if only you could saddle good horses, travel around the world, get to know places, and not attack the Firebird somewhere.
The children bowed to their father, saddled good horses and set off on their journey: the eldest in one direction, the middle one in the other, and Ivan Tsarevich in the third direction.
Ivan Tsarevich rode for a long time or a short time. It was a summer day. Ivan Tsarevich got tired, got off his horse, confused him, and fell to sleep.
How much or how much time has passed, Tsarevich Ivan woke up and saw that the horse was gone. I went to look for him, walked and walked and found my horse - only gnawed bones. Ivan Tsarevich became sad: where to go so far without a horse?
“Well,” he thinks, “he’s got it, there’s nothing to do.” And he went on foot. He walked and walked, tired to death. He sat down on the soft grass and sat sadly. Out of nowhere, a gray wolf runs towards him:
—?What, Ivan Tsarevich, are you sitting there sad, hanging your head?—?How can I not be sad, gray wolf? I was left without a good horse. —? It was I, Ivan Tsarevich, who ate your horse... I feel sorry for you! Tell me why you went into the distance, where are you going?—? My father sent me to travel around the world, to find the Firebird. —? Fu, fu, you won’t get to the Firebird on your good horse in three years. I'm the only one who knows where she lives. So be it - I ate your horse, I will serve you faithfully. Sit on me and hold on tight.
Ivan Tsarevich sat astride him, a gray wolf, and galloped off - letting the blue forests pass his eyes, sweeping the lakes with his tail. How long or short does it take them to reach the high fortress? The gray wolf says: -? Listen to me, Ivan Tsarevich, remember: climb over the wall, don’t be afraid - it’s a good time, all the watchmen are sleeping. You will see a window in the mansion, on the window there is a golden cage, and in the cage sits the Firebird. Take the bird, put it in your bosom, but be careful not to touch the cage!
Ivan Tsarevich climbed over the wall and saw this tower - there was a golden cage on the window, and the Firebird was sitting in the cage. He took the bird, put it in his bosom, and looked at the cage. His heart flared up: “Oh, how golden, precious! How can you not take one like this!” And he forgot that the wolf was punishing him. As soon as he touched the cage, a sound went through the fortress: trumpets blew, drums beat, the guards woke up, grabbed Ivan Tsarevich and led him to Tsar Afron.
Tsar Afron became angry and asked: —? Whose are you, where are you from? —? I am Tsar Berendey’s son, Ivan Tsarevich. —? Oh, what a disgrace! The king's son went to steal. -? What, when your bird was flying, it was ruining our garden? And now I’ll spread a bad reputation about you throughout all the cities... Well, okay, if you do me a service, I’ll forgive you. In such and such a kingdom, King Kusman has a golden-maned horse. Bring him to me, then I’ll give you the Firebird with the cage.
Ivan Tsarevich became sad and went to the gray wolf. And the wolf said to him: “I told you, don’t move the cage!” Why didn’t you listen to my order?—?Well, forgive me, forgive me, gray wolf.—?That’s it, I’m sorry... Okay, sit on me. I picked up the tug, don’t say it’s not strong.
Again the gray wolf galloped with Ivan Tsarevich. How long will it take them to reach the fortress where the golden-maned horse stands? -? Climb, Ivan Tsarevich, over the wall, the guards are sleeping, go to the stable, take the horse, but be careful not to touch the bridle! the bridle - it is decorated with gold and expensive stones; The golden-maned horse can only walk in it.
Ivan Tsarevich touched the bridle, a sound spread throughout the fortress: trumpets sounded, drums beat, the guards woke up, grabbed Ivan Tsarevich and led him to Tsar Kusman. -? Whose are you, where are you from? -? I'm Ivan Tsarevich. A simple man will not agree to this. Well, okay, I’ll forgive you, Ivan Tsarevich, if you do me a service. The king of Dalmatia has a daughter, Elena the Beautiful. Kidnap her, bring her to me, I will give you a golden-maned horse with a bridle.
Ivan Tsarevich became even more sad and went to the gray wolf. “I told you, Ivan Tsarevich, don’t touch the bridle!” You didn’t listen to my order. —? Well, forgive me, forgive me, gray wolf. —? That’s it, I’m sorry... Okay, sit on my back.
Again the gray wolf galloped with Ivan Tsarevich. They reach the king of Dalmatia. In his fortress in the garden, Elena the Beautiful is walking with her mothers and nannies. The gray wolf says: “This time I won’t let you in, I’ll go myself.” And you go back the way, I’ll soon catch up with you. Ivan the prince went back the way, and the gray wolf jumped over the wall and into the garden. He sat down behind a bush and looked: Elena the Beautiful came out with her mothers and nannies. She walked and walked and just fell behind her mothers and nannies, the gray wolf grabbed Elena the Beautiful, threw her over her back, and ran away.
Ivan Tsarevich is walking along the road, suddenly a gray wolf overtakes him, Elena the Beautiful is sitting on him. Ivan Tsarevich was delighted, and the gray wolf said to him: “Sit on me quickly, as if we were not being chased.”
The gray wolf rushed with Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful on the way back - he lets the blue forests pass his eyes, sweeps rivers and lakes with his tail. How long or short does it take them to reach King Kusman?
The gray wolf asks: -? What, Ivan Tsarevich, fell silent, became sad? -? But how can I, gray wolf, not be sad? How can I part with such beauty? How will I exchange Elena the Beautiful for a horse? The gray wolf replies: “I won’t separate you from such beauty - we’ll hide it somewhere, and I’ll turn into Elena the Beautiful, and you lead me to the king.”
Here they hid Elena the Beautiful in a forest hut. The gray wolf turned over his head and became exactly like Elena the Beautiful. Ivan Tsarevich took him to Tsar Kusman. The king was delighted and began to thank him: “Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich, for getting me a bride.” Receive a golden-maned horse with a bridle. Ivan Tsarevich mounted this horse and rode after Elena the Beautiful. He took her, put her on a horse, and they rode on their way.
And Tsar Kusman arranged a wedding, feasted all day until the evening, and when he had to go to bed, he took Elena the Beautiful into the bedroom, but just lay down on the bed with her, and looked - a wolf’s face instead of a young wife! The king fell out of bed in fear, and the wolf ran away.
The gray wolf catches up with Ivan Tsarevich and asks: -? What are you thinking about, Ivan Tsarevich? -? How can I not think? It’s a pity to part with such a treasure - a golden-maned horse, to exchange it for the Firebird. -? Don’t be sad, I’ll help you. Now they get to King Afron. The wolf says: “You hide this horse and Helen the Beautiful, and I will turn into a golden-maned horse, you lead me to King Afron.”
They hid Helen the Beautiful and the golden-maned horse in the forest. The gray wolf threw himself over his back and turned into a golden-maned horse. Ivan Tsarevich took him to Tsar Afron. The king was delighted and gave him the Firebird with the golden cage.
Ivan Tsarevich returned on foot to the forest, put Elena the Beautiful on a golden-maned horse, took the golden cage with the Firebird and rode along the road to his native land. And Tsar Afron ordered the gift horse to be brought to him and just wanted to mount it - the horse turned into a gray wolf. The Tsar, out of fear, fell where he stood, and the gray wolf took off running and soon caught up with Ivan Tsarevich. “Now goodbye, I can’t go any further.” Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse and bowed to the ground three times, respectfully thanking the gray wolf. And he says: “Don’t say goodbye to me forever, I’ll still be useful to you.”
Ivan Tsarevich thinks: “Where else will you be useful? All my wishes are fulfilled." He sat on the golden-maned horse, and again he and Elena the Beautiful, with the Firebird, rode off. He reached his homeland and decided to have some lunch. He had some bread with him. Well, they ate, drank spring water and lay down to rest.
As soon as Ivan Tsarevich fell asleep, his brothers ran into him. They traveled to other lands, looked for the Firebird, and returned empty-handed. They arrived and saw that everything had been obtained from Ivan Tsarevich. So they agreed: “Let’s kill our brother, all the spoils will be ours.” They decided and killed Ivan Tsarevich. They sat on a golden-maned horse, took the Firebird, put Elena the Beautiful on the horse and frightened her: -? Don’t say anything at home!
Ivan Tsarevich lies dead, crows are already flying over him. Out of nowhere, a gray wolf came running and grabbed the raven and the little crow. “You fly, raven, for the living and dead water.” Bring me living and dead water, then I will release your little crow.
The raven, having nothing to do, flew away, and the wolf held his little raven. Whether the raven flew for a long time or for a short time, he brought living and dead water. The gray wolf sprinkled dead water on Tsarevich Ivan's wounds, the wounds healed; sprinkled him with living water - Tsarevich Ivan came to life. -? Oh, I slept soundly!.. -? You slept soundly, - says the gray wolf. “If it weren’t for me, I wouldn’t have woken up at all.” Your brothers killed you and took away all your loot. Get on me quickly! They galloped in pursuit and overtook both brothers. Then the gray wolf tore them to pieces and scattered the pieces across the field. Ivan Tsarevich bowed to the gray wolf and said goodbye to him forever.
Ivan Tsarevich returned home on a golden-maned horse, brought the Firebird to his father, and his bride, Elena the Beautiful, to himself.
Tsar Berendey was delighted and began to ask his son. Ivan Tsarevich began to tell how the gray wolf helped him get his prey, and how his brothers killed him, sleepy, and how the gray wolf tore them to pieces. Tsar Berendey grieved and was soon consoled. And Ivan Tsarevich married Elena the Beautiful, and they began to live and live without sorrow.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru