Once upon a time, or maybe not, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had nothing except one mare. In the morning the mare went to graze in the forest, and in the evening she brought the foal with her. The old man sold the foal and bought bread and cheese. This is how the old people fed.
The mare was offended that her foals were being taken away from her. One day she went into the forest and did not return to the old people.
A mare lives in the forest. She grazes there with her foals - she now has a whole herd.
It is difficult for the mare to look after them, and one day she said:
- Oh, if only I could have a human son and herd foals!
As soon as she said it, a boy appeared. Not a boy, but a clear sun.
He grew up to be a wonderful young man. I began to herd the foals, but I wanted to see the world, to look for my share. The mare dissuades her son, begs him not to leave her, but the young man stands his ground.
- Okay, son, if so, choose a horse, get on and ride.
The young man chose a horse from the herd, and he grumbled:
- Where has this been seen - the younger brother sits astride the older one!
The young man did not understand these words and passed them on to the mare.
“Choose someone else,” she says. And the second horse grumbles and says the same words as the first. And the third was not given to the young man.
The young man went on foot; he did not want to offend the horses.
He walks and thinks: “What if people ask me whose son I am, what my name is, what will I answer?” He turned back and asked the mare his name.
“If they ask who you are, answer like this: “I am the son of Voronoi, I was born in the forest,” she says.
Voronoi's son goes wherever his eyes look, wherever his heart wants.
The path led him to the road, and the road led to the village.
The day was already approaching evening. It's time to look for a place to stay for the night. The young man sees an old woman hobbling along the road, carrying water from a spring. He caught up with the old woman and asked for a drink.
He drank cold water and asked if she would let him spend the night.
- Why, son, is everyone happy to have a guest? She brought him to a house on the edge of the forest. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked where she was going and why.
“I want to see the world, to look for my share.”
- Don't go further. The king's servants will catch you and send you for a handful of untrodden land for the king.
- What does the king need a handful of untrodden land?
“Our king has grown old. The sages say that he will become younger and his lifespan will double if they bring him a handful of untrodden land. Many brave men, hungry for gold, went for the untrodden land, but no one found it. Now the king sends by force to look for the untrodden land. It’s better to remain a herdsman with me. I can't control my horses.
Voronoi's son laughed: he left the horses and came to the horses. Still, he agreed to work for a month. And for his efforts the old woman promised him a horse.
As soon as it was light, Voronoi’s son drove the herd away to graze on the mountain slopes, and in the midday heat he hid it in the forest.
The month has come to an end. All that remains is to turn the horses out to pasture for the last time.
The old woman called him and said:
- I'm happy with you, son. If you bring all the horses tomorrow and don’t lose a single one, then choose any one for yourself.
The old woman says, but thinks to herself: “Well, you’ll take my horse!”
Voronoi's son went to bed, and the old woman went to the stable and ordered the horses:
- Scatter all over the world tomorrow! And you, my white horse, get lost behind nine mountains, rise into the sky, descend into the water, just so that the guy doesn’t find you!
In the morning, Voronoi’s son, as always, drove sixty horses to pasture. He let them graze, and he lay down in the shade under a tree. The horses nibble the grass and look when the herder dozes off.
I put Voronoi's son to sleep.
Whether he slept much or not, the bees woke up the young man. They hum and buzz angrily very close by. The young man opened his eyes and saw: bees were quarreling on a rosehip flower - pushing each other off.
- Well, they are unreasonable! - the young man laughs. - There are so many branches with flowers, and you’re crowding around on one!
He planted the bees on different branches.
- Thank you, man, you taught us wisdom.
Do you need our help? We will help you in any way we can, just tell us! - the bees buzzed.
Voronoi's son looked at the sky - the sun had set, it was time to drive the horses home. I looked around - not a single horse was visible! A young man is running, looking for horses, but cannot find them. Then he called the bees to help.
- My bees, bees, help me! My horses ran away, there were sixty of them, not a single one remained! Fly in all directions, find them and bring them here.
“This is a simple matter, we will collect them quickly,” the bees buzz.
The bees scattered across the world. They see the horse and sting it, driving it to Voronoi’s son. Behind the nine mountains they found a white horse.
The herd of bees drives to the old woman's house, and the young man runs ahead and shouts:
- Open the stable, mother, accept the horses! The old woman counted them - they were all there! The old woman was amazed that the young man had outwitted her. “Not a person, but a damn hoof,” she thinks. The old woman took the young man into the house, sat him down to have dinner, and she herself went to the stable.
“Didn’t I tell you to hide behind the nine mountains?” Why did you disobey me? - she charged at the white horse.
The old woman took a whip and started whipping her - she cut everything.
Then she brought the young man to the stable and said:
- Choose anyone you want. The old woman is sure that the young man will not take the white horse - there is no living place on it.
Voronoi's son chooses, examines one horse after another, but does not choose. He approached the white horse, and he suddenly whispered to him in human language:
- Take me, save me from the evil old woman. Voronoi's son felt sorry for the poor horse. He loved horses, because he grew up with them.
- Give me a white horse! - he says to the old woman.
- What do you need him for, he’s frail and sick! Look how many fat, smooth ones!
- No, I don’t want anything else! There is nothing to be done, the old woman had to agree. The black son led the white horse by the bridle. I didn’t bother to saddle him until the wounds healed.
“Let me rest for three days, the old woman whipped me,” the horse said to the young man. “I will serve you faithfully, I will repay you for good with good.”
For three days a white horse grazed on the mountainside. And on the fourth day all his wounds healed.
A young man jumped up on him and said:
- Take me around the world!
They rode through dense forests, through deserted places and met shepherds. The shepherds sat the traveler down by the fire and fed him bread and sheep's cheese.
From the mountain where they were sitting, the young man noticed a light in the distance. “Probably housing,” he thinks, “I’ll go and ask for an overnight stay.” He said goodbye to the shepherds and rushed off his horse. He drove up and saw: a feather glowing on the grass, shining, sparkling with moonlight.
A feather flew up and said:
“If you take me, you will repent; if you don’t take me, you will repent.”
“Don’t take it,” says the horse, “it won’t be a hassle.”
The young man did not listen to the horse, grabbed the feather and hid it in his pocket.
Voronoi's son traveled far and wide and met the Tsar's servants. They grabbed the young man and took him to the palace.
They brought the young man to the palace and left him under the terrace to wait while the king had dinner. The royal table is laden with food - the king will not have dinner soon! The young man took a feather out of his pocket to see what it was like, and such light spread from it - the lights in the palace dimmed!
- What happened, what is shining there? - the king shouts.
The servants went down under the terrace and saw: the feather was glowing! They brought the young man to the king. The king was breathless with delight. He snatched the feather from the young man’s hands and said:
“Only a king should own such a treasure!”
- Well, take it! If I want, I can get the bird from which this feather came,” the young man boasted.
“If you get it, I’ll make you my heir, but if you don’t, I’ll take your head off for bragging,” says the king. “I’ll give you three days.”
It's easy to promise, hard to do. Voronoi's son went to his white horse for advice.
“I told you, don’t take the feather!” Okay, I’ll help, but next time be careful and don’t throw around words. Go tell the king to slaughter the buffalo and give you the tripe.
So the young man did so. He got ready for the journey and took buffalo tripe with him.
The white horse rushed the young man to the seashore.
- Do you see an island in the sea? - says the horse. “I’ll take you there.” I will hide in the sea, and you lie down on the shore and cover yourself with tripe. A huge bird will fly from above, you grab it by the wings and hold it tight. Now whip me.
The young man whipped the horse with all his might. The horse stretched out like an arrow and carried the young man to the island.
Voronoi's son lay down on the shore, covered himself with tripe, and the horse disappeared into the waves. As soon as the horse disappeared, a noise was heard and the wind rose. A huge bird swooped down from above, all sparkling and shimmering. She grabbed the tripe, and the young man grabbed the bird’s wings and held it, not letting go. The bird soared into the sky. It was difficult for her to lift the young man; she sank to the ground, took a rest, then took off again, and sank again. So she rose and fell until she was exhausted.
A white horse jumped out of the sea and carried Voronoi’s son with the spoils to the king.
“You deceived me,” the king shouts, “you caught the wrong bird, its feathers do not glow!”
“And they won’t glow in captivity!” the young man answers. “If you release the bird, you will see its feathers burning with fire!”
“Let me go, sir, let me go, but with an agreement: let him bring you the girl who owned this bird,” the chief vizier whispers in the king’s ear.
- Bring me the girl who owned this bird. If you don’t bring it, I’ll kill the bird, what do I need that for? - the king threatens.
Voronoi's son feels sorry for the bird. Doesn't know what to do. He went for advice to his smart horse.
“I told you, don’t take the feather.” Go ahead and listen to me! So be it, I’ll help you out this time too. Sit down, let's go get the girl.
The horse rushed him to the seashore and said:
“I’ll be transported to that island again.” A girl is sleeping on an island in the garden. Sneak up behind her quietly - even though she is sleeping, she can see with her eyes closed. The beauty has twelve braids. Grab it by the middle two and hold it tight. The girl will scream, beg, don’t let her out until she swears that she will go with you.
Voronoi's son crept into the garden at dawn. He sees a girl sleeping facing the rising sun. In one leap the young man found himself behind her and grabbed her by the two middle braids. The girl woke up, screaming, asking to let her go.
“Swear that you will come with me, then I will let you go,” says the young man.
The beautiful girl swore. Then a white horse jumped out of the sea and carried them to the palace of the old king.
The king saw the beauty and wanted to make her his wife.
And the girl became stubborn:
“I won’t become your wife, you’re very old.”
“I’m not old at all,” the king was offended. “But when they bring me a handful of untrodden land, I’ll be completely younger.”
And he ordered the young man to go beyond the untrodden land.
But the girl does not want to marry the king, neither the old nor the young, - she fell in love with the brave young man.
“Wait, sir, don’t rush,” she says to the king. “Prove that you are not old.” Dance on a narrow board over a cauldron of boiling water, then I’ll go for you.
They brought a huge cauldron of boiling water and laid a narrow board on top. But the king was afraid to climb onto the board, and he resorted to a trick.
“Let the young man dance first, let’s see how the young people dance,” he says to the girl.
Voronoi's son easily jumped onto the board and began to dance.
The king took it and quietly lifted the board on one side - the young man fell into the cauldron! The servants pulled him out and threw him behind the palace, lifeless.
The faithful white horse sensed trouble, broke free from its leash and rushed to his friend. He licked the young man from head to toe and revived him.
Voronoi's son returned to the palace. The king died - where did he come from alive!
- Why aren’t you dancing, king, have you forgotten about the condition? - says the girl.
Groaning, the king climbed onto the board. He trembled, he shook, he couldn’t lift his legs - where could he dance? His eyes darkened from fear, and he fell into the boiling water.
“Let’s leave here,” the girl said to Voronoi’s son. “Why do you need a kingdom?”
They released the strange bird, mounted a white horse and set off to wander the world.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru