In no kingdom, no state, a subsistence person lived, had a large amount of land and had a lot of different livestock too. Well, he had two sons, but they were still small, and one fine time he says to his wife:
“Listen, wife, it has become too hard for us to work on the land, although we employ workers, there is too much work.” What did I think, wife? Let’s do this: we sell some of the livestock, and then we’ll buy some goods and start trading. Our sons are already grown up, they will help us.
- Well, master, let's do it this way.
So, of course, he did this: he took the cows, sheep, and bulls and took them to the market and went to the city. And he had to cross the bridge - and he did.
I sold this cattle at the fair, bought some goods, loaded five carts and went home. When he arrived home, he drove back across this bridge, the bridge was, of course, large, the river was fast, and it happened: this bridge collapsed, along with all his goods, and he was carried there. When he was carried along the river, he thought that he would die, but he still got out, went out onto the mountain and hung his head almost to the ground, and said:
- My dear, where did the capital go - into the river!
He felt very sorry. Suddenly a voice was heard from the other side of the river; - What, little man, got lost in thought and hung his head to the ground? Do you want me to help you?
- How can you help me now that it’s gone?
He now jumped on his horse across the river and came to him.
- Well, tell me, which of the fellows are you?
- I am the Jester.
- Well, how can you help me if my capital went into the river and was carried away?
“I’ll give it back to you, just tell me that you have something unknown at home.” If you give it back, I'll return it.
He thought: “What do I have that I don’t know? Two sons, a wife, I have some cattle, and so do my wealth. What I don’t know is that I’ve only been away from home for two months.”
And he didn’t recognize that he had the unknown. I thought, well, after all, he feels sorry for his own, and said:
- Well, okay, if you return it, I’ll give it back. He makes a note with it like this:
“Sign here that I will come to you about this matter in nine months and then I’ll take it.” So, of course, he signed up.
- Well, now go against the current where the bridge stood.
And so he went, and this Fool disappeared.
And he just comes, opposite the bridge, where this bridge stood in the old way, and his carts walked along the bridge. He sat down and went home, but was very surprised: “Think how quickly he returned them to me. What is it that is unknown at home?” When he arrives at his house in the yard, his two sons run out:
- Hello, daddy! Answers:
- Hello, sons! And they spoke:
– Dad, we have a brother, whose name is Ivan. And he is with us. tall and speaks and already knows how to read and write.
“What’s the matter, why didn’t she tell me that she was pregnant? What a disaster! This is what he thought, and so, of course, he put this product in his shops and began trading. His sons helped him. Life became very good for him, only he was very concerned that he was promised a son. He was smaller than everyone else, but taller than everyone else, and smart and quite literate. One day they were sitting, drinking tea, and she asked her husband:
- Why are you so sad, or what have you lost dear? After all, thank God, life has become good for us, our sons are helpers and there is nothing to be sad about.
He said:
- Yes, wife, there was such a case. When I sold the cattle, I went back, but I had to go along a bridge over the river, and this bridge collapsed, it carried me into the river, and I barely made it to the shore and thought deeply that all my capital was now gone. And suddenly a voice was heard from the other side of the river: “What, little man, got lost in thought and hung his head?” I answer: “How can you not think? All my capital was carried away into the river.” Then again he answers: “If you give away what you don’t know at home, then I will return it.” And he jumped across the river on a horse and came to me. I asked him: “Who are you?” - “I am the Jester, and if you give it back, I will return it.” I gave it and walked away, this bridge was the same as before, and carts were coming, I sat down and went home. And it was I who promised Ivan’s youngest son, but you didn’t tell me. And he will come in nine months. This is why I am sad that he is smaller than everyone else in years, but in intelligence and stature he is greater than everyone else.
Then she said:
“Listen, husband, since it had to be like this, there’s nothing to do.” But we have three, and when he comes, let him know. If he doesn’t find out, then we won’t give it to anyone.
And he began to think less, and that’s what they decided on. And, of course, they live for themselves, suddenly one day they are having dinner, and their hut goes dark. And this has already passed nine months.
He looked out the window and said to his wife:
- Well, look, here he is.
There was already such a big horse standing in the yard that it was as tall as their hut. He got off his horse, came into the house and spoke:
- Hello, hello, master and hostess!
- Hello, Jester, sit down.
“It won’t take long to sit down, but remember, master, I came to you for the debt that you promised me.” Then the hostess says:
- Well, okay, if you find out, then you will receive the debt, but if you don’t find out, then they remain our sons. Here she brought all three:
- Well, choose.
Well, of course, he looked and smiled:
“Look, mistress, you’ve decided to deceive the Jester.” The one who is the largest, the one who is the youngest, will be mine.
So he takes it, says goodbye, and off we go. And the owner and hostess were left crying, they were very sorry for their son, big, strong, smart and literate.
He carried it for a whole month. They arrive at a large house, around the house there is an iron fence, very high, so that no horse can run over it. Well, there were no doors anywhere. And he accelerated his horse, jumped over, and now he leads him into the house. When he takes him into the house, he has lived for three days and says:
- Well, Vanya, this is where you will live.
Well, he didn’t have anyone in this residence, he lived alone—no dogs, no cats. And he brings him twelve keys.
“Here, Vanya, go to eleven, but don’t go to twelve, which is in a dark corner, tied with a bast, sealed with manure.” If I come back and find out that I went, I’ll kill you. And I’ll be driving for three years, and then I’ll come. And you have enough of everything here; you will live alone.
And so, of course, just as he told him, he left.
He missed a day or two, then began to walk from room to room. And he walked for a whole month, looking at all the rarities, everything he didn’t have: wine, supplies, goods, harness, gold, and silver, well, but there wasn’t a living person or even a dog or a cat. This was very boring for him. And so, in the second month, he thought: “Why didn’t he tell me to enter this door? However, let me go, two deaths will not happen, one will not be avoided. He went far away, now he won’t even know.”
And the next day he comes, tears the bast, tears off the manure - opens the door. As soon as he opened the door, blood poured out so heavily through the threshold that he could barely stand on his feet. He stands, looks, and this blood is over. He walks through the door and looks - there is a horse tied up. He was delighted that the horse took him, untied him, led him out into the yard, gave him something to drink, brought him some wheat, and the horse began to drink, and he thought: “Now I will spend these three years with him - he will be a good companion for me.”
And the horse was so big that he was no smaller than the Fool, well, although he was a decent height, he couldn’t jump on him, and he was in the hunt. He took it, found the ladder and stood on it. Well, the horse stood looking and eating. And when he climbed up, he began to sit on it and fell asleep.
He slept for a long time, for a short time, the Fool came back and found out that he had brought out the horse. He arrived and hit him with a whip so hard that he flew out of there, almost dead, from his horse. I got to my feet and came to my senses. The jester says to him:
- Well, what did you do, why did you take the horse out? Now I'll kill you. Well, he already knows that he is to blame, he is silent, he only says:
– I became very bored, I wanted to test the horse and took him out.
Now the Jester says to him:
“Well, this time I’ll forgive you, I won’t kill you, and if you take the horse out again—I’ll still be leaving for three years—then I’ll kill you.”
He took the horse, pumped air into it and locked it up. And he got on his horse, jumped over the tyn and rode off. Now he thinks: “Well, I don’t know what to do anymore, I can’t go.”
And he lived for a whole month without walking. Then again he felt severe boredom, he still had to live for three more years, he thought: “I’ll go and open it, death, so death, it will kill anyway. This is my fate, apparently there is nothing to do.”
And so in a row he went to this door, dug up the manure, scattered it, opened it, and again the blood poured out. Then it was destroyed, he takes the horse out, pumped up water, brought wheat, feeds and waters it. The horse eats, drinks and glances at him, and drinks himself. When he fed, the horse stood up, looked at him and said:
- Well, my dear Vanya, hurry up, the Jester is on his way. Run, carry a spade, dig a hole in front of my front legs. Since you took me out a second time, I will help you, I didn’t think that you would dare to take me out another time. And he brought, of course, a spade and opened the hole.
- Well, bend over, what do you see there?
“There, my dear horse, gold is boiling in abundance.”
- Well, lower your hands in front, raise the gold above your elbow.
And so he went down there, gilded his hands and climbed out. The horse says:
- Well, Vanya, bury the hole. The jester doesn't know this yet. Now dig a hole under your hind legs and hurry quickly - The Fool is riding, And he immediately dug under his hindquarters. When I dug under the back:
- Well, bend over; what's there?
- My dear horse, silver is boiling there.
- Well, silver your legs quickly.
He went down, silvered his legs above the knees and climbed back out.
- Well, bury the hole; The jester doesn’t know yet, and let him never find out. Now run quickly into the room, bring me the bridle, it’s hanging on a nail, and quickly, otherwise the Fool will come.
And he ran, he wants to take off the bridle, but he cannot lift it. He came running and said:
“I can’t lift the bridle, it’s heavy.”
- Yes, she’s only a hundred pounds. Oh, Vanya, Vanya, you are still young. Well, run back quickly. You will see - there is a cupboard here, open the cupboard lower, you will see three bottles: one with white, another with red, the third with green. Drink with white and bring me a bridle.
He ran, drank a bottle of white, picked up the bridle, and brought it.
Horse says:
- Well, my dear Vanya, bring the saddle quickly. Well, the saddle is heavier. Drink a second bottle of red, otherwise you won’t be able to lift your saddle. And then run here, hurry up, the Fool is close!
And he came running, drank the second bottle, and brought the saddle. The horse says:
- Well, now jump on me, I’ll make two circles around the yard, if you hold on, then we’ll go, we’ll take some other things with us.
And so, of course, he sits on it, and he had only made the first screw around the yard when Ivan jumped out of the saddle.
- Eh, Vanya, Vanya, you’re still weak, we can’t get away from the Jester! Well, run quickly, bathe in the well with living water and take a bottle of this water with you, and then run and drink the last bottle and grab some soap and a brush. Bring it quickly. The jester is coming!
And he ran. He comes to the well, bathes and grabs a bottle. Then he ran, drank the last bottle and grabbed the soap and brush.
- Well, my dear horse, I brought everything.
- Well, well done, Vanya, now run, run faster, the Fool is very close, so we can get away! And he ran again and said; - Grab a handkerchief from there, there’s one in the same closet, and put everything in your pocket. Then he also said:
- Well, run into the garden, break two bags of golden apples and throw them over me, and sit on me.
And so he ran away, broke two bags, threw them over it and mounted his horse.
- Well, Vanyusha, now hold on as best you can, I’ll make two more screws and jump over the tyn. If you can hold on, then you will leave, but if you can’t, then both will die. And when he jumped on him, the horse said:
“I can ride five hundred miles an hour, but his horse can travel a thousand miles.”
And so he made two screws, and on the third he jumped over the tyn. And as soon as they had driven far away, the Jester began to catch up with them. The horse says:
- Well, Vanya, the Jester began to catch up with us and shoot arrows. Just as an arrow pokes us into something, that place burns.
Well, nothing gets to Ivan, only his dress burns. And then the horse says to him:
- Well, Vanyusha, now put the brush under my tail.
When he lowered the brush, impenetrable forests stood up, and the Fool remained behind the forests. And at this time they are traveling far again.
The jester returned home to cut down the trees for scrapers.
He gnawed it and chased after him again. And so he chased, chased, again began to shoot magic arrows and shouted:
- Oh, you scoundrel, you stole my magic horse, well, you won’t go anywhere anyway! The horse says to him:
- Well, Vanya, put the soap down my tail.
And as soon as he released the soap, mountains formed, and the Jester returned to the scaffolding, took scrapers and again gnawed a hole on his own move. While he was gnawing, they drove far away, and he again chases and begins to shoot fiery arrows. The horse says:
- Well, Ivanushko, go down to the ground and find out how far the Jester is chasing.
And Vanyusha, of course, came down, as soon as he came down, he heard the ground shaking so much that Vanya rolled up like a ball and fell to the ground that he couldn’t stand. The horse says:
- Well, Vanya, is the Fool close?
“I don’t know, the ground is shaking so much, I can’t stand.” I fell and don’t know how to get up!
- Eh, Vanya, Vanya, you are weak. Well, oh well.
The horse knelt down, took Vanyusha in his teeth and threw him on his back.
- Well, now put the handkerchief down my tail. We’ll leave now, and if we don’t leave, the Fool will kill us.
And as soon as he managed to lower the scarf, the fiery sea appeared behind him.
- Well, now, Vanya, we’ll leave.
And the Fool behind, threw himself into the fiery sea, and shouted:
“Well, I’m happy that he took away my handkerchief, but if he hadn’t taken it away, he would have caught up with me and killed you both!”
And so the Fool flew in and burned in the sea.
And so they arrived on the same plain. It was probably not far from the city, the horse knew it.
- Well, now, Vanyusha, get off me and go to bed. You know yourself, we were tired, we haven’t slept for a long time.
“Yes, my dear horse, I wouldn’t sleep long, but you can see for yourself that I don’t have a dress, I’m naked.”
- Well, then, Vanya, he’s naked. You see, the oxen are walking, skin them, wrap yourself in the skin and go to sleep.
And Vanya went, pulled the skin off one ox, wrapped himself in it and fell on the grass, and his horse went off to eat grass. But the horse, of course, did not go to eat grass, but ran into the city and found out that the king’s daughter was getting married and the king was looking for gardeners to plant the garden with golden apples, and the apples arrived in three days. And for this he will give whatever he wants. His daughter is marrying a German king, and this needs to be prepared for the wedding. And then the horse comes running, of course, and wakes up Ivan:
- Well, Ivanushka, stand up, you’ve had enough sleep now?
- My dear horse, did I sleep for a long time?
- Yes, quite well, I rested. Now you go to the city. There will be a town not far from here, maybe five miles away, and the king needs gardeners there. And you stand where the gardeners stand. As you are tall, stand on the right flank. Then the king will call out the gardeners one by one, who can plant his garden with golden apples and grow it. He will offer in three days. And when it’s your turn, then take it. And take it on such a condition that he promises what you want, and he will say that if you don’t do it, then your head is off. When you are in order, let the king prepare the food and the land will be plowed, and we will come to plant. The king will say: “Okay, come.” Go and grab it and come here, and I will be here waiting for you.
Then Vanyusha, of course, got up and went into the city. He comes to the square and stands where the gardeners are standing. And not long later the king comes and calls the gardeners to work, who can plant the garden with golden apples and at what time. And so he sets a deadline for them - in three days. Well, the gardeners began to respond, and no one took it, only for three, four and five months, and less than two and a half months, no gardener decided to do it for him. And, of course, it was Ivan’s turn. He came out, was of decent height and wearing cowhide. And the king asked him:
- Well, well done, what can you say about how you stand in the line of gardeners?
- Your Majesty. Of course, I can do it for you, as you say, in three days, but as soon as you promise, you give it to me?
- Why, I’m giving it away; I’m giving my daughter away in three days to get married, that’s what I need. What if you don't?
“If I don’t do it, then chop off my head.”
- OK.
Of course, he ordered him and ordered:
- That's it, Your Majesty, plow the land for me and show me where.
The king said:
- Okay, this is where you will plant the garden.
And he went to his horse. The horse comes to his horse and asks:
- Well, my dear Vanya, how did the Tsar order to plant a garden?
- Yes, I’m in order, well, I don’t know what will happen.
- Well, how did you dress?
- My dear horse, what did you tell me - the king gives me that, well, I don’t know what he will give. And if we don’t do it, then I don’t know what will happen.
And Ivan thought deeply. Then the horse was silent for a while and said:
- Well, okay, Vanya, don’t worry, we’ll go tomorrow. Do you know where, he said about the plowed land?
- Said.
- Fine.
And so, of course, they slept through the night and survived the whole day. They arrive in the evening, where the land has been plowed. The horse tells him:
- Well, Vanya, take these bags of apples and turn your face to your butt, and I will walk around, and you look at my hind legs and manage to lower the apples into these holes that I will make with my feet. And I already know where to go around.
Ivan turns his head towards the tail; the horse walks, and Ivan begins to lower the apples. And so, he lowered and lowered, and he was gone.
“No more, my dear horse.”
- It’s gone? OK then. Now let's drive away. I’ll leave you now, and you’ll have to look after your garden. And look, three days, and in three days I will come to you.
And so our Ivan began to look after his garden. And on the first day the apple tree blossomed and the apples began to fill, it worked so quickly. And the king was very surprised, well, he doesn’t know what will happen next. On the second day, the apples were all full, and the aroma spread throughout the entire kingdom. On the third day, when all the apples were ripe, Ivan fell asleep, and suddenly the king’s daughters all came and looked at the gardener, as he quickly did. Two were married, and the third is getting married now, the youngest one. And so they walked and walked and saw the gardener sleeping. The eldest looked - he stinks there very much. Well, as in the skin, there are flies and that’s it. She became afraid, came to the sisters and said:
“I don’t know who is there—whether an animal or a man is sleeping.”
The second one went. The second one also looked, she was painfully disgusted, and came back. The smaller one says:
- I don’t know what you, sisters, need to look at: he’s sleeping, he won’t rush at us. You wait, and I'll go.
The smaller one came to watch, came very close to him and began to raise his hand from the ox’s hoof. Well, she wasn't afraid of him. When she turned it back, she looked - his hand was golden, his fingers were golden, but too thick. I looked at the second one - it was also golden. Then I started looking at my feet. She saw silver legs and thought: “No, this is probably not a gardener, but some very famous person.”
She takes off her ring and wants to put it on some finger, but he doesn’t want it. Then she took her name scarf and threaded it through the ring and tied it to his hand. She came and said to the sisters:
“Sisters, you know what, we still need to at least give the gardener some vodka.” He is sleeping, and while we bring it, he will stand and drink.
And the sisters went and brought him two carafes of wine and various desserts on a tray - they left everything nearby, and they themselves left. Well, she didn’t say what else she left there or what she saw. Ivan woke up: “How can this be? The king is starting to give me gifts now, but I fell asleep.” And he remembered his horse. He appeared:
- Well, my dear little pony, the king is already starting to give us gifts now, and the apples are completely ripe.
- OK then.
“Well, then, my dear horse, let’s have a drink, shall we?”
- Come on, let's have a drink. And what else did they give you? - asks the horse (he knows everything).
“Well, my dear horse, I don’t know how the tied ring was formed here, probably of the king’s daughter.”
- Yes, this is the king’s youngest daughter; therefore, she wants to marry you. So, my dear Vanya, you know what? Now pick one apple and go to the store, and the merchant probably won’t refuse you, he’ll give you a full set of clothes for this apple, but throw this one away and wash your face, shave there as you go, and come here - I’ll be here.
So, of course, now he picks one apple and comes to the store.
- Here you go, I brought an apple, how would you rate it? And give me all the clothes.
The clerk could not even say anything and evaluate the golden apple and said:
- Well, well done, we’ll bring you all the clothes, choose and get dressed as soon as you need them.
And so they brought him the biggest clothes, and he picked it all up for himself and got dressed: boots and so on, a coat, a cap and everything, and said:
- Well, goodbye.
And he went.
The clerk, of course, was delighted that she left such an apple without even appreciating it, it was very expensive. Ivan, of course, went into the barber shop along the way, shaved, had his hair cut, and came back to the garden. When he came back to the garden and said:
- Well, my dear horse, I got dressed.
- That’s good, now you’ve started to look like a person. Now you pick three apples, put them on a tray and go to the king - hand in the work. And you remember why you dressed up with him - ask for it.
Well, he still doesn’t know what he was fighting for.
- What, my dear horse, should I take to work now?
- Yes, of course, since he promised that you want, then ask him to marry his daughter, and he promised and must give it.
- What if he doesn’t give it up, my dear horse?
- No, he will give it back. And if he doesn’t give it back, you’ll see if you come here.
And so he picked three apples, put them on a tray and went to the king. And he comes, of course, no longer in the same form as he was as a gardener, but in good order. He came and said:
- Hello, Your Majesty. I brought you some apples to eat and I want to turn in my work.
“I’m very pleased, Ivan, but why did you just take off the gardening clothes that you had?”
“And I have such a ritual, Your Majesty, not to take off those clothes until I finish work.”
- Well done, Ivan!
- And now I brought you three apples, you can eat and accept my work.
“I’m very pleased, Ivan, we’ve been filling up on the aroma for the second day now, you did your job in three days for me, which was very necessary.” Tell me now what you want, what you need?
“Your Majesty, I don’t need anything else.” And since it was promised, you said that you give what I want. Give your daughter to me in marriage.
- Oh, will you marry your daughter? Come on, servants, come here, throw him on the bench and give him twenty-five rods!
Of course, the servants came, ordered him to fall down, he listened, and they gave him twenty-five rods. And it was so easy for him, as if they were beating him with a seninka or a light twig. And he rose to his feet and went back into the garden to his horse.
- Well, my dear Vanya, will you tell me what the king told you?
“Listen, my dear horse, the king granted me this: he ordered me to be thrown onto a bench and gave me twenty-five rods.”
- Not enough, is he thinking of getting away with this? No, that's not what we worked for. Well, now go to him again and tell him this: “Your Majesty, I worked for you in the garden for a reason, and what you promised me, I must give back. I worked for three days and in three hours I will destroy it, and nothing will happen to you.” And besides, she promised to marry me and gave me her ring.
And, of course, he went back to the king again. When he comes to the king, the king asks:
- Well, Vanya, what do you need now?
– Your Majesty, I came to explain myself again.
- Well, tell me, Ivanushko, what do you want?
“So that’s it, Your Majesty: do you think you’ll get away with it because I worked the garden for you for twenty-five rods?” If you don’t give me your daughter in marriage, I’ll destroy everything in three hours, and you won’t see us again. And besides, your daughter was promised to me. I have a ring from her.
The king did not say anything to him and ordered him to call his daughter.
When his daughter arrived, he asked her:
- Well, my beloved daughter, did you promise to marry the gardener?
- Yes, daddy, I promised, and I want to marry him.
She looks at him, how slender he has become, and knows what kind of person he is, and goes over to his side. Then the king says:
- Well, okay, daughter, if you cheated on me, caused embarrassment, shame; Today my son-in-law will arrive, and I have no one to give to me, then leave the kingdom completely with your Ivan, completely out of sight!
And suddenly his mother heard and came to him:
“Listen, husband, you judge very easily and want to completely throw away your daughter and consider her somehow a stranger.” Even if it’s not for your son-in-law, you should have mercy for your daughter. They should give her some kind of permanent residence or some kind of dowry, but still, father, you can’t do this to your daughter. She is our last, and they are endowed, and hers, apparently, is such that to marry this gardener, there is apparently nothing to do.
Then the father said:
- Well, okay, wife. I have a farmstead thirty miles from here, so let her live there with her Ivan and never come to me. Then she said:
- Well, okay, Vanya, let's go.
So they come, of course, to the garden, and the horse spoke:
- Well, Vanya, did you get a beautiful princess?
- Received. So he ordered to go to the farm.
- To the farm? Well, okay, the road is familiar, sit on me and let's go.
The wife, of course, was surprised that the horse could talk, but she didn’t know what kind of horse it was. And so they come to this farm, where they recognized the last daughter of the king, met her, of course, they began to live. And then one day passed, the German king arrived, but the king no longer had a daughter. Then he declared war on him for deceiving him. And so, of course, he declared war and immediately overtook troops in large numbers, so that the king got scared and also set out with his troops. But Ivan lives with his wife and knows nothing. And then the horse came up to him
- Listen, dear Vanya, your father is in big trouble, because the German king will defeat him and take him prisoner. You know, I took my daughter, so I need to help.
“Well, then, my dear horse, let’s go.”
And so, of course, he mounted his horse, took the treasure and rode off. We arrived at the field and this horse charged at the army. Ivan chopped with his sword, and his horse trampled and tore with his teeth. Less than six hours had passed before the entire field was dotted with these troops. And the king had to look, but did not know who this warrior was. When he returned back, the king stopped him:
- Let me ask you, young knight, who are you and why did you help me so much? Come to me, I will treat you and glorify you throughout all the states, and I will give you a large reward. He said:
“Your Majesty, I don’t need anything from you; I was the one who helped you for twenty-five years.
He turned his horse and rode away. The king was very surprised and did not understand:
– What is this “twenty-five”?
Ivan arrived home, released his horse, and went to bed himself. And this German king gathered twice as many troops and marched again against the king in a short time. The horse comes up to him again and says:
- Well, listen, Ivan, we need to go help my father again, it will be difficult for him without us. He said:
- Well, okay.
He got on his horse and rode off. He arrived on the field and rushed to beat this army again. Less than six hours had passed before the entire army was killed, the horse was tearing with its teeth and legs, and even Ivan did not have time to work with his sword. Well, the king again became interested in such a brave warrior. When Ivan returned back, the king stopped him and said:
- Listen, good knight, tell me - why are you helping me and who are you? Come with me, I will glorify you throughout all states.
- Listen, Your Majesty, I don’t need anything, I’ll help you with everything for twenty-five.
He turned his horse and rode back.
– What is “over twenty-five”? “I don’t understand anything,” says the king. - And he doesn’t need anything.
Well, this German king gathered even more troops and took twelve heroes and went out to fight the final battle himself. That's when I arrived; the horse says to him again:
- Well, listen, Ivan, I’ll have to help my father again. Well, I don’t know what will happen; look for a bottle of living water taken from the Jester. Give me a drink, drink yourself, and oil your sword.
He found a bottle, they both drank, lubricated his sword, he mounted his horse, the horse said:
“Well, Ivan, ten heroes are easy for you with him, but two heroes are almost against you, and two horses are almost against me, and I am afraid that I will offend you.” But what about the army, even if it’s five times larger, we’re not afraid. Well, never mind, let's go.
And so they went. When we arrived at the field, he started chopping as before, hitting so terribly that before they had time to send in troops, everything was destroyed. The entire field was sown with troops, and the king stood and marveled at such a strong warrior. When this army fell, three heroes immediately appeared opposite Ivan, one after another. Well, Ivan dealt with him very easily. Then five spoke. And the same fate happened with five. Then two came out, and he dealt with these two very easily.
The eleventh hero leaves alone. When they came together, he hit Ivan so hard with his sword that he fell out of the saddle and was wounded. But in the heat of the moment the hero rushed past. The horse, of course, was not taken aback, he knelt down and threw him over his back with his teeth, took him to the camp, and ran out to fight this hero. And when the hero saw that one horse was running towards him, he turned his horse and wanted to hit him with his sword. And at once Ivanov’s horse, as soon as it approached him, lowered its head down, and that hero wanted to hit it, but he hit his horse and killed it, and this Ivanov’s horse jumped up and split his head in half. Then the twelfth hero leaves. Well, the king stood and marveled at this horse without an owner, how it worked. And when the hero saw some kind of horse running towards him, he turned the horse and they rushed at each other. And so they came together, reared high, so that the hero fell out of the saddle, Ivan’s horse grabbed the throat of this horse and chewed it off, then rushed at the hero. And she broke his head.
And so he returned to his master, but he was also seriously wounded in the leg, he came running and said:
- Well, my dear Vanya, is he alive now?
“He’s alive, my horse, but it’s very hard.”
- Well, it’s hard - it’s not scary, let’s go.
He knelt down, threw it on his back and drove off. Then the royal retinue runs up and says:
“Where are you going, good knight, wounded and your horse wounded?” We will take you to the kingdom, cure you and glorify you throughout the world.
- No, Your Majesty, I will go. I’ve been helping you for twenty-five years, and now I’ll go.
And it was a pity to let him go, but there was nothing to do - he went. He arrives at his farm, his wife got scared and began to treat him. She called the doctors, she was a merciful sister herself, she took all measures and began to treat him. And when this king arrived home, he held a feast, called all his guests, sons-in-law, and so on, and this king became famous as a great warrior, the winner of such a large kingdom. And when all the guests gathered and began to talk and sit, his wife said to him:
- Listen, husband, I’ll tell you again: anyway, we have three daughters, two are now sitting at the feast. Why shouldn't the third daughter sit? I think we have it just like the others. Why not invite your son-in-law, maybe he’ll come. I think you should do this. Then he said:
- Well, okay; servant, go to the farm and call my daughter and son-in-law.
And then a servant arrives, enters their palace, and his daughter meets him. And he bowed to her and began to ask for a feast, together with his husband, that the priest ordered to come. She answered like this:
“Listen, servant, tell my father this: that I won’t go anywhere from my husband.” He's sick and I'm not going anywhere. He is badly injured.
Then the servant immediately understood from her words that it was his son-in-law who was helping, and he rode away to the king. He arrived there, called the king separately and said:
“Tell you what, Your Majesty, I visited your daughter, and she refused.” Why? Because her husband is sick, he is seriously injured.
And the king immediately guessed that it was his son-in-law who was on horseback.
- And he told me that, father, I worked “for twenty-five” - that’s for twenty-five rods. He came to his wife and said:
“Get ready, we’ll go to the farm to pick up our daughter and son-in-law, and you, guests, wait.”
So they come to the farm, and he comes to his daughter in a row. He greeted her and began asking her to go to the ball and asking:
- Well, how is your son-in-law, in what situation?
- Yes, daddy, I don’t know anything without my husband. You can go to him and ask whether he will go to the ball or whether he will allow me to go, but I will not go without his permission, especially since he is ill. And you probably know it yourself.
“Daughter, I only now found out when the courier arrived, and before he didn’t tell me anything about how he helped me.” Then, daughter, allow me to see him.
- Please.
She took him to the bedroom where he lay ill. He approached him and said:
“Well, son-in-law, forgive me that I didn’t give you my daughter and that you didn’t tell me, because I asked you.” Now let's go to the ball, and our guests would love to look at you. And we will glorify you and reward you, and give you half a kingdom.
“Listen, father, I won’t go with you, because your carriage won’t take me, but let your wife go with you, I allow it.” And if the horse can carry me, I’ll ask him, then I’ll come too.
– Okay, well, okay, we’ll wait, come on horseback.
The wife got dressed and went with her father and mother to the ball. And he got dressed and went to his horse, and said:
- Well, my dear horse, as the king asks us to go to the ball, so: will we go or not, tell me the truth now? The horse thought a little and said:
- My dear Vanya, I will go if you do what I tell you. When we arrive at the king’s ball, there is a wide courtyard where visiting princes and kings park their horses, and there are maybe a hundred of them standing there, and a place will be prepared for me; and when you come there, put me in that stable, but just don’t tie me up. And I’ll eat a little and run out of this stable, and I’ll run over all the horses, and I’ll rush around the yard like mad. And all the grooms and servants will be afraid and will come to the king and ask you to catch me. And when, of course, the tsar says, all these guests will begin to say on the contrary, well, the tsar will not allow me to reproach or beat me, he will only say: “Go, Ivan, calm your horse.” And you go with a sword and say: “Mad cattle are never kept,” and go and cut off my head. If you do this, then I’ll go, and then you’ll see what happens. Ivan thought a little and said:
“So, my dear horse, wouldn’t I be sorry to kill you, as you did me a lot of good, married the king’s daughter, and I achieved great honor and glory.” What are you saying?
Then he thought a little and said to him:
- Well, okay, my dear horse, if you say so, then I will do it.
- Will you do it?
- I'll do it.
- Well, sit on me and let's go. Now there is only one case for me.
And so we arrived at the yard. As the horse told him, so he did, put it down and went to the ball. Of course, they greeted him with joy, seated him at the table and began to treat him, and all the guests rejoiced and appreciated him, such a strong knight. Less than half an hour has passed when the groom and coachman run in fear and say the following word to their masters:
“We don’t know what’s going on with Ivanova’s horse, it chewed up all the horses and is running around the yard, we should ask Ivan to remove it or what to do.” Then the king says:
- Well, son-in-law, listen: go and remove your horse. You guests, don’t worry, I will pay the damages, she did a lot of good for us. Just take it away, and we will keep it as long as the son-in-law wishes. Then Ivan rises to his feet:
- Well, they never keep wild animals; I'll go and cut off her head!
The king jumped up and said:
“Listen, Ivan, don’t, I’ll pay all the losses, just don’t do anything to her!”
- No, you need to cut off the head.
And he went into the yard. Everyone present runs after him and asks. He walked into the yard, the horse saw him, stretched out its head and stood. And he comes up next to her and hit her with a sword and cut off her head. At the same moment a man of the same height jumped out and said:
- Well, hello, son-in-law, I’m your brother-in-law. Now let’s go to the ball, and I’ll tell you who I am.
And when Ivan went home, he began to say to him on the way:
“Here I am, the son of one king, Ivan Tsarevich.” Do you remember, you and I were at the Jester’s, and I stayed there for twenty years, and he would have turned you into a horse, but you managed to take me a second time, and I was convinced that you were a fighting guy, and I helped you. Now keep quiet for now and let’s go to the ball, and I’ll find out who I am there.
When they came to the ball, they didn’t know, of course, who the stranger was, well, he was the same height as son-in-law Ivan. They sat them down next to each other and began to treat them. Then, when he got a little tipsy, he stood up and began to say:
- Listen, Your Majesty, I will explain to you who I am, maybe you will recognize me, although this was a long time ago. Have you ever had a son?
“Yes, good knight, I have had a son, but only this one is already twenty years old.”
- Well, can you explain to me which way it didn’t go?
- Here's how. One day I was out hunting, and I got stuck in a swamp so bad that I couldn't get home. And then a voice was heard: “Here, Your Majesty, if you give up what you don’t know, you have at home, I will save you, but if you don’t give up, you will die in the swamp.” And so I had to give it, and when I come home, I have a son, well, I didn’t know that. And my son was tall, I remember he was big, well, I had to give him away anyway. Nine months later the Fool arrives, and I had to give him my son. And today it’s been twenty years since I gave my son away.
- Yes, Your Majesty, that’s right; twenty years ago I was your son, and I was with the Jester for twenty years. And your son-in-law, who is sitting here with you, he took me out from the Jester twice, and now he brought me out.
The king was very pleased and said:
- Well, son, now you get married and take the throne, and I will give the throne, because I have become old, and we will give our son-in-law half the kingdom.
Then, of course, they found a bride for him, and the prince got married, and the guests were very amazed: two such glorious heroes, and how they hid from the Jester and could deceive him.
And this is him, of course, with a cheerful feast and for the wedding. The prince got married, and both Ivan Tsarevich and his son-in-law began to live their lives into old age.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru