There was once a sad country, dark as night, where the sun never shone. And it would have been filled with owls and bats, if the king had not had a horse with the sun in its forehead. . . Bright rays scattered from him in all directions, as if from the real Sun. They drove this horse all over the country and wherever he appeared, it became as light as day. But as soon as the horse disappeared into the forest, such darkness immediately set in that it would be enough to poke out your eyes.
And suddenly the sun horse disappeared! The black night engulfed the entire country. People cannot take a step, let alone go out into the fields or do any other work. Unheard of poverty befell the unfortunate residents. And the king himself was afraid: something will happen to his country? It’s impossible to live like that. The king gathered his army and went in search of the sun horse.
They walked for a long time. With difficulty we reached the borders of our state. It had already become lighter there: from the neighboring kingdom a weak light was breaking through the dense forests, which had no end or edge.
They walked further and finally reached a lonely, tumbledown house. In the house, a man sits at a table, reading a large book. The king greeted him. And the man stood up and said:
- Yeah, so you arrived in time. And I’m just reading about you in my book. You are going to look for the sun horse. But you're trying in vain. You can't get it back yourself. Leave it to me, for I am a prophet. I'll find it for you and return it back. Just give me one of your servants to help me. Which one I will choose myself. Agree? And go home yourself. It’s not right to leave your country in trouble.
“If you save me and my subjects,” cried the king, “I will reward you richly!” - And he walked home at the head of his army.
And with the prophet there remained a servant whom he himself chose. The old man sat the servant in a corner, sat down at the table and began to read his book. So I read until the night.
And at dawn they were already on their way. They walked for a long, long time. Six countries passed. At the seventh we stopped, near the royal castle itself. That country was ruled by three brothers, witches' sons. And the witch-mother married them to three sisters.
The prophet ordered the servant to hide behind a rocky cliff, and he himself turned into a green bird and flew up to the window to his eldest daughter-in-law. He kept hammering at the glass with his beak until she opened the window for him. The young woman was delighted with the bird, stroked it and said:
- Oh, you cutie bird! If only my husband were at home and he would be happy with you. Yes, he will only return in the evening. I went to check my third of the kingdom.
And that’s all the prophet needs!
Suddenly the doors are wide open and an old witch flies into the room. He wants to strangle a bird!
“Don’t let this creature bleed you!” - she says to her daughter-in-law, - and she herself strives to grab the poor thing with her rake paws. But the bird instantly turned into a man and, before they had time to come to their senses, it walked through the door and - the trace disappeared!
The prophet again turned into a green bird and soared to the window of the middle daughter-in-law. Knock-knock - until she opened it. And this one was delighted with the bird, stroked it and said:
- Oh, you cutie bird! If only my husband were at home, he would be happy to see you. Yes, he won’t be back until tomorrow evening. I went to see my two-thirds of the kingdom.
And that’s all the prophet needs! Suddenly the doors are wide open, an old witch flies in and wants to strangle the bird.
“Don’t let this creature bleed you!” - she says to the bride. And with her rake paws she tries to grab the poor thing.
But the bird instantly turned into a man and before they had time to come to their senses, he walked through the door - and he was gone!
Once again the prophet turned into a green bird and flew up to the window of his youngest daughter-in-law. Knock-knock with her beak, she opened it. I was delighted! He strokes the bird and says:
- Oh, you cutie bird! If only my husband were at home and he would be happy with you. Yes, he will return only two evenings later on the third. I went to check my kingdom.
And the prophet doesn’t need anything else. Now he knew everything he wanted. But then something almost happened to him! The old witch rushed over as if she had broken free and almost grabbed the bird. But in the blink of an eye the soothsayer became a man, walking through the door - only they saw him!
He runs to the servant and tells him to go to the city and buy food for three days. And he ran into the forest. He knows if he falls into the hands of a witch, she won’t joke. The servant caught up with him, barely able to catch his breath:
“The whole city,” he says, “is looking for some fugitive.” It's a good thing they didn't catch me.
They moved on. This is the bridge through which the witch's sons must return home. The soothsayer threw a log across the bridge, and he and his servant hid under the bridge. Waiting for the evening.
In the evening you can hear a horse galloping from afar. This is the elder king returning. On the bridge, the horse tripped over a log.
- Hey, what scoundrel threw a log? - cried the angry king.
- I quit! And who are you that you dare call me a slut! – the soothsayer jumped out from under the bridge.
“Now I’ll skin you, then you’ll find out!” – the king snatches the sword from its sheath and towards the soothsayer.
Then the prophet grabbed his sword and they began to fight. The king was struck down by the soothsayer. He threw him over the saddle and whipped the horse so that he could take the owner home. He and his servant again hid under the bridge. Waiting for tomorrow evening.
Evening approaches, the second king returns. His horse tripped over a log, and he cried out in anger:
- Hey, what scoundrel threw a log in my path?
- I threw the log! Who are you that you dare call me a naughty boy! – the soothsayer jumped out from under the bridge.
- And such that you will pay me for both my insolence and the shed blood! - He drew his sword and went towards the soothsayer.
And the sorcerer drew his sword. They began to chop. The king was struck down by the soothsayer. He put the dead man on a horse, whipped the horse so that he could take his owner home. He hid himself under the bridge. They sit with the servant until the third evening.
On the third evening, the youngest king rides along on the Sun Horse. The Sun Horse did not stumble, but the spilled blood of the brothers blurred the king’s eyes.
- Hey! - cried the king, - what robber shed blood on my way?!
“It was I who shed the blood of your brothers!” – the soothsayer rushed towards him, drawing his sword.
They fight and fight, but they can’t defeat each other, but in vain they broke their swords. Here the prophet says:
- These swords are of no use! Let's better turn into wheels and rush one at another from those slopes.
“Okay,” the king replies, “I’ll turn into a cart wheel, and you’ll turn into a lighter one.”
- Well, no! You will be light, and I will be a cart! The king agreed.
They climbed the slopes and rushed and rolled down right on top of each other. The cart wheel collided with the lung, and it crumbled into pieces.
And a soothsayer jumped out of the cart and shouted: “Your affairs are bad!” My top!
- Don't rush! - the king shouted and stood in front of the prophet. “You only hurt my fingers.” Let's turn into flames and start burning each other! I'll be red and you'll be blue.
Eh, no,” the prophet answers, “you will be blue, and I will be red!” And the king agreed to this.
Right there, near the bridge, they turned into flames and began to mercilessly burn each other. Tourniquet-harnesse, no one can win. Here, out of nowhere, is a poor old man.
“Grandfather,” the blue flame asks, “bring some water and fill the red flame, and I’ll give you a penny!”
The old man trudged along and brought water. And the red flame suddenly shouts:
- Grandpa, I’ll give you two! Just splash this water on the blue flame! Grandfather did just that, apparently, the old man understood that two pennies was more than one. Here the end came for the king. The red flame turned into a prophet. He grabbed the Sunny horse by the bridle, his foot in the stirrup and flew up onto his back. He thanked the old beggar, called the servant and went on his way.
They go on their way. And the old witch doesn’t waste any time either. She buried the dead, did not notice that her daughters-in-law were weeping bitterly, her eyes sparkled, she stamped her foot, sat down on the poker, picked up three young women - and soared into the sky.
And our travelers go further and further, through dense forests, bare steppes, without food, without water. All supplies have long since run out. Hunger torments them, especially the servant. And suddenly, out of nowhere, where there wasn’t even a wild apple tree before, there stands an apple tree, all covered with juicy fruits. The servant rushed to the tree, wanting to pick apples for the road.
- Don't touch, don't touch! - the soothsayer shouts to him. - Wait, it’s easier for me to get it from my horse.
He jumps up to the apple tree and cuts it with his sword. The apple tree collapsed to the ground, scarlet blood gushing out of it.
“You see,” says the soothsayer, “and you would lie like that if you took even a bite of an apple.” It was the witch who placed our elder queen on the road to poison us with apples. But now we are no longer afraid of it, we can confidently move forward.
They walked away a little and saw a fontanel springing up. The water is clean and crystal.
“Eh,” says the servant, “even if I drink some water, I’ll deceive hunger.”
“Wait,” the soothsayer answers, “I’ll scoop up the water myself.”
And he stuck the sword into the spring up to the hilt. And then the water boiled with scarlet blood.
“And the same thing would happen to you.” After all, it was the witch who placed the middle queen on the road to poison us with water. Now that we are done with it, we can confidently move forward.
As soon as they move away, they see a lovely rose bush. The servant decided to at least enjoy the scent of beautiful roses, since he could neither eat nor drink. But the soothsayer got ahead of him in one leap and knocked down all the roses with his sword. Scarlet blood sprayed out in all directions.
“It was the younger queen,” said the soothsayer. “It was supposed to suffocate us with its scent.” But she’s finished too. Now the witch will burst with anger and will not come to us again.
“Oh, how much fear we have suffered,” says the servant, “it was not easy for us to get the Sunny Horse!”
“It’s easy, it’s not easy,” says the soothsayer, “but the horse is not ours yet!”
- How so, not ours!? - says the servant.
- Wait a minute, don’t rush! - the prophet answers.
I didn’t have time to finish, suddenly out of nowhere - a boy - not a boy, but just some kind of runt. He dashed past the horse and rattled the bridle. At that same moment, the soothsayer fell to the ground, and the runt jumped onto his horse and was gone.
– I told you, it’s too early to rejoice! – the soothsayer rose from the ground.
“That’s right,” agreed the saddened servant. - Just what kind of quick boy is this? Well, if you fall into my hands... - he shook his fist after him.
- Well, run, catch up, if you want! - says the prophet. - It’s just a wasteful idea. You won't be able to catch him anyway. Go and get yourself home, and there you will eat your fill and drink to your heart’s content. And I will catch up with you as soon as the Sunny horse becomes mine again.
That's where we parted. The soothsayer turned back, following the little sorcerer. He caught up and followed slowly, pretending to be a traveler. Suddenly the sorcerer turns around and shouts:
– Where are you coming from, good man?
“From distant lands,” the soothsayer answers him.
- How far are you going?
- Yes, I’m looking for some kind of service.
- Do you know a lot about horses?
“How could I not know, since I myself had a horse.”
The sorcerer was delighted and took the soothsayer as a groom. They arrived at the sorcerer's castle. The Prophet took the Sunny Horse to the stable and began to groom him. Just like he cares about his horse. And the sorcerer thinks about only one thought: how to get a beautiful overseas princess as well. After all, he already has a Sunny Horse. Apparently, he was very overcome by this thought if, with all his sorcery, he did not figure out who he hired as a servant. And besides, he revealed all his secrets to him: both about the horse and about the princess.
One day he calls his servant and says:
- You, servant, are a good guy. But if you don’t bring me the overseas princess who lives in a castle in the middle of the sea, you have yourself to blame. You won't be alive!
This castle, I tell you, was piled on a high poplar, and the poplar was as high as the sky. You can't get to it from any direction. But the owner doesn’t care what it’s like, so long as the servant quickly fulfills his order and brings the bride.
The prophet got hold of a ship, loaded it with red goods, ribbons, scarves and outfits, each more beautiful than the other. He hung the most expensive ones all over the ship and landed at the castle, which stood on a high poplar tree in the middle of the sea. The princess saw him and immediately sent a maid to find out if the merchant was selling goods.
- But of course! “I’m selling, let the princess deign to choose,” the soothsayer answers. “I ask the princess to come down and see what her darling wants, I’ll give it to her cheaply.”
The princess went down to the ship, sorting through elegant ribbons and scarves. She was completely buried and didn’t notice that the rowers were rowing as hard as they could, and the ship was already approaching the shore. Only then did I come to my senses when I started getting ready to go home...
The overseas princess became sad:
“I know who you’re taking me to,” she says to the prophet. “But if your heart is good, don’t leave me with him.” Better take him to the king who owns the Sun Horse.
– I think so myself! That king suits you much better. It’s your way, if you find out from this sorcerer what his strength is.
That's what they decided on. And they happily landed on the shore. And the runt sorcerer is already waiting. With joy he was not himself that he got the princess. He jumps and claps his hands. And the princess swirls and swirls around him, finding out what and how. He opened up to her:
“There,” he says, “in a deep forest, under a castle, there stands a tall tree, under that tree a deer grazes, in that deer there is a duck, in that duck there is a golden egg.” And that testicle, my dear, is all my strength. Just don’t say a word about it to anyone – that’s where my heart is. You and I will live a glorious life and ride together on the Sunny Horse!
But even the Sunny Horse doesn’t make her happy. Why does she need this little guy? As soon as the sorcerer fell asleep, she went to the prophet and told him everything. Without hesitation, he went into the dark forest, shot a deer under a tall tree, took out a duck from it, and an egg from the duck. He cracked the egg and drank it - then the evil power of the sorcerer came to an end. He became weak, like a child, and all his strength went to the prophet. The Soothsayer put the princess on the Sunny Horse and took her to the king.
They reached the border of the dark kingdom, where they found a servant. He is reluctant to climb from the light into the darkness, and he is afraid to appear before the royal eyes empty-handed. He was delighted with the princess.
And then bright rays splashed from the Sun Horse in all directions of the dark state! People rushed towards them. The king himself rushed in as if on wings. He doesn’t know who to look at first: either the Sunny Horse or the beautiful princess. Everything went well. The prophet brought a golden horse to illuminate the dark region and a stately bride for the young king.
That was joy! They carried our prophet in their arms, showered him with praise, and did not know how to thank him.
The king was about to refuse him half the kingdom, but the prophet did not accept it.
“I would like,” he said, “just my hut and my book.” Everything that I read about you in it, I gave to you. Own it and be happy!
He packed up and left.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru