Once upon a time there lived a king, and his name was Yannakis. His mother says to him: “Yannaki, get married.” “No, I don’t want to.” “Get married, son, a king is no good without a queen.” “They haven’t found a bride for me yet.”
One day Giannakis went hunting, shot a bird, and its blood dripped onto the snow. He came home and said to his mother: “I’ll only take the one as my wife who is white as snow and blush like blood.” “Where can I find one, child, who is white as snow and blush like blood?” Such people are found only in the Lower World! “Tell me who she is, I’ll go and bring you your daughter-in-law.” “Go,” he says, “to the Lower World and find Mario, the daughter of the witch Lamia, she is your betrothed.”
Yannakis immediately set off on his journey, reached the Lower World, and found Mario, Lamia’s daughter. When I saw her, I almost went blind from her beauty. The girl said: “What are you looking for here, Yannaki?” Go away, otherwise my mother will eat you. - But if you hide me, she won’t eat you. - Where can I hide you? People don't come here. How did you get here? - Yes, I came for you, Mario, you are my betrothed!
Then she grabbed it and hid it. And as soon as she had time to hide it, the witch returned: “Somewhere here, somewhere there it smells like a man.” “What are you saying, mother, where can a man be here?” Better sit down and eat well! Lamia sat down at the table, ate, drank, and was full. And when she had eaten enough, her daughter said: “Well, mother, if I could find a person now, I would eat it.” him? “Now,” he says, “I can’t, I’m already full.” “Hey, Yannaki, come out and show yourself to my mother!”
A short time later, Lamia got up and went hunting. She left her old husband to guard the house. As soon as her mother was at the door, Mario put her father to sleep, grabbed Yannakis by the hand, and they started running. Lamia has returned, Mario is nowhere to be found. Looking there, looking here, she pushed the old man aside: “Where is Mario?” “How should I know?” I was sleeping and didn't see anything. The witch became furious and rushed in pursuit. Mario and Yannakis are running and see a black cloud in the distance. Mario says: “Do you see that cloud, Yannaki?” It's our mother who's chasing us. Become a church, and I become a bell. Giannakis became a church, and Mario became a bell. A cloud overtook them, a witch jumped to the ground, pushed the church, pushed the bell, but failed to kill the fugitives. Then she got up and flew away with nothing.
- Hey, Yannaki, let's run, the path is not close yet! They ran further and saw that there was a black cloud behind them again. “Mother is overtaking us again!” Now you become a spring, and I become a water. Giannakis became a spring, Mario became a water and flowed. The witch jumped off the cloud again, ran up to the spring, splashed the water, stirred it up, but failed to kill the fugitives. Then she got up and flew away with nothing.
And Yannakis and Mario hit the road again. And they see that the cloud is catching up with them again. Then Mario says: “Now you, Yannakis, become the sea, and I will be a duck.” Here Yannakis became the sea, Mario turned into a duck, the duck ran to the sea, threw itself into the waves and, well, swim! So the cloud approached, Lamia descended, ran up to the sea, and began to call: “My Mario, my little eyes, my little light, let’s go home!” When Yannaki returns to his mother, she will wash him, comb him, and he will forget you!
Mario says to Yannakis: - Do you hear, Yannakis, what my mother is talking about? - Let him chat, my Mario! You are my betrothed, how can I forget you?! The witch waited and waited, did not wait and set off on the way back. Then Yannakis says: “Now, Mario, let’s go to my mother.” They walked and walked and came to the palace itself. He gave the girl a ring and an amulet to Yannakis and said: “Mario, my little light, my betrothed, stay here for a short time.” I'll go get the dress ready and bring it to you. You change clothes and let's go together to my mother.
He said so, but as soon as he entered the house, he forgot Mario. After a while, his mother got engaged to someone else. And Mario waited, waited for the groom, and saw that he did not return. An old woman walked past to buy vegetables. So Mario says to her: “Won’t you take me, auntie, with you, and let me live with you?” “Well,” he answers, “live.”
The old lady brought Mario to her house. But it must be said that the old woman’s house was right next to the palace where Yannakis lived with his mother. Once Mario heard that the king had decided to get married, she realized that Yannakis had completely forgotten her. Then she took some flour, kneaded the dough and sculpted three birds. She gave the birds to the old woman and punished her: “Go to the king, where he scratches his curls!” In the morning the king went out into his room to comb his curls, and there on the mirror were three birds sitting in a row. The first bird flew off, sat on the king’s shoulder and said: “My Mario, my little eyes, my little light, let’s go home!” When Yannaki returns to his mother, she will wash him, comb him, and he will forget you! The middle bird flew off: “Do you hear, Yannaki, what my mother is talking about?” Then the third bird said: “Let him chat, my Mario!” You are my betrothed, should I forget you?! Then Yiannakis gasped: “Woe to me, unfortunate one!” What have I done?! I forgot my bride!
Giannakis is sad, doesn’t drink, doesn’t eat. Where to go? Where to look for Mario?..The heralds began to shout: “Our king is sick, our king is wasting away from an unknown illness!” Every resident is free to come to him with food: maybe the king will taste it and get better! People flocked to him every day - they bring new dishes, but nothing helps. Then Mario says to the old woman: “Come on, old woman, and we’ll cook something for the king.” Mario cooked some stew, poured it into a bowl, threw a ring in it and said to the old woman: “Bring this stew to the king, auntie.” As soon as he tastes it, he will begin to get better!
The old woman took a bowl and went to the palace. - Good afternoon, children! - Hello, old woman, what do you need? - So I brought the king a treat! - Go away, old woman! Is it ever seen before for the Tsar to slurp your brew?! Then the Tsar heard it and shouted from the window: “Let her rise, she is free!”
The old woman went upstairs and gave the king some stew. The king took a bowl, ate the brew, and lo and behold, there was a ring lying there. As Giannakis acknowledged the ring, he immediately felt better. So he calls the servants: “Give this woman silver, gold, as much as she wants, and let her bring something else in the morning!” They loaded the old woman with gold, she returned home cheerful. “They ordered me, Mario, to cook up something else by the morning!” “Well, this is a simple matter!”
The next day, the old woman sent Mario to buy vegetables and baked a vegetable pie, and baked an amulet inside. She gave the pie to the old woman and asked: “Go, auntie, take this pie to the king.” As soon as she eats it, she will instantly recover! The old woman took the bundle of pie, brought it to the palace, and gave it to the king. Giannakis is cutting a pie, and lo and behold, there it is! amulet. - Where are you taking the girl? - asks Yannakis. - What are you, baby, I don’t even have a girlfriend! So I took her into my house.
Then the king called the servants and ordered them to give the old woman as much money as she wanted. The old woman took a whole bunch of money, put it in a bundle and drags it home, and the king hurries after her, in a carriage, with a dress and jewelry. He entered the house, took Mario with him and immediately married her. And I wasn’t there, and you won’t believe me either!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru