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^
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
RUSSIAN
TALES
FAIRY
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED FROM
THE SKAZKI OF POLEVOI
BY
R.
NISBE...
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r
^
EUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
RUSSIAN
TALES
FAIRY
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED FROM
THE SKAZKI OF POLEVOI
BY
R.
NISBET BAIN
ILLUSTRATED BY
0.
M.
GERE
Bonbon
LAWRENCE AND BULLEN 16
HENRIETTA 1892.
ST.,
W.C.
PI
In
compliance with current copyright law,
U. C. Library Bindery produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39. 48-1 984 to replace
the irreparably deteriorated original
1997
PBEFACE. THE existence of the Russian Skazld or Mdrchen was first made generally known to the British Public some twenty years ago by Mr. W. R. S. Ralston in his Russian Folk Tales. That excellent and most volume was, primarily, a treatise on engrossing Slavonic Folk- Lore, illustrated with admirable skill and judgment, by stories, mainly selected from the vast collection of Afanasiev,
who did
for the Russian
what Asbjornsen has done for the Norwegian FolkA year after the appearance of Mr. Ralston s Tale. book, the eminent Russian historian and archaeologist, Peter Nikolaevich Polevoi (well known, too, as an and ardent Shaksperian scholar), selected from
able
the
inexhaustible
stores
of
Afanasiev some three
dozen of the Skazki most suitable for children, and worked them up into a fairy tale book which was published at St. Petersburg in 1874, under the title of Narodnuiya Russkiya Skazld (Popular Russian
To manipulate these quaintly vigorous Marchen). old-world stories for nursery purposes was, as may, well be imagined, no easy task, but, on the whole, M. Polevoi did
his
work excellently
well,
and while
PREFACE.
vi
softening the crudities and smoothing out the occa sional roughness of these charming stories, neither injured their simple texture nor overlaid the original
pattern. It is from the first Russian edition of M. Polevoi s book that the following selection has been made.
With the which
of
"
Morozko" a variant single exception of will be familiar to those who know Mr.
volume, none of these tales has seen the for though both light in an English dress before Ralston arid Polevoi drew, for the most part, from Ralston
s
;
same
the
different
copious stock, their purposes were that their selections naturally proved
be different
so to
also.
As to
to the merits of these Skazki, they must be left It is a significant fact, speak for themselves.
however,
that
all
those
familiar with the Russian
scholars
who
are
Skazki and the
equally
German
Marchen, unhesitatingly give the palm, both for fun and fancy, to the former. R. N. B.
CONTENTS. PAGE
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN
...
MOROZKO THE FLYING SHIP
...
...
1
...
...
...
...
...
...
8
...
...
...
...
13
THE MUZHICHEK - AS - B1G-AS - YODR - THUMB- WITH-MOUSTACHES...
22
THE TSAREVICH IVAN, AND OF THE HARP ... THAT HARPED WITHOUT A HARPER
34
SEVEN-VERSTS-LONG.
THE STORY
...
...
GO
...
OF
THE STORY OF GORE-GORINSKOE I
...
KNOW NOT WHITHER
KUZ MA SKOROBOGATY
...
FETCH ...
...
I
...
...
KNOW NOT WHAT ...
...
56
...
64
85
...
THE TSAREVNA LOVELINESS-INEXHAUSTIBLE
...
...
...
94
VERLIOKA
...
...
...
...
...
...
Ill
...
...
...
...
...
...
118
THE TWO SONS OF IVAN THE SOLDIER
...
...
...
127
THE WOMAN-ACCUSER
...
THE FROG-TSAREVNA
THOMAS BERENNIKOY
THE WHITE DUCK
..
....
...
...
...
...
...
...
143
...
...
...
...
...
150
...
...
THE TALE OF LITTLE FOOL IVAN
159
165
CONTEXTS.
viii
PAGE
THE LITTLE FEATHER OF FENIST THE BRIGHT FALCON THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN
...
THE ENCHANTED RING
THE BRAVE LABOURER
...
188
...
...
200 201
...
...
...
...
220
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
222
THE PROPHETIC DREAM
...
...
...
...
...
229
TWO OUT OF THE KNAPSACK
...
...
...
...
...
245
THE SAGE DAMSEL
...
THE STORY OF MARKO THE RICH AND VASILY THE LUCKLESS
252
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN
...
...
MOROSKO
...
...
, .
.
...
...
...
Frontispiece.
To face page
9
...
,,
103
THE PRINCESS AND THE CUNNING WITCH...
,,
160
,,
198
TSAREVNA LOVELINESS INEXHAUSTIBLE
THE DAMSEL WENT ON FURTHER, AND THE
ROAD GREW LIGHTER AND LIGHTER
THE SAGE DAMSEL
.
...
224
RUSSIAN FAIEY TALES.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. THERE was once upon a time a merchant s son who To such a pass squandered and wasted all his goods. So did he come at last that he had nothing to eat. lie
seized a spade,
went out
began waiting to see
And
labourer.
;
all
and
any one would hire him as a who was one in
behold, the merchant 1
came along that way in his gilded the day-labourers saw him, and the whole
seven hundred coach
if
into the market-place,
them immediately scattered in every direction The merchant s son and hid themselves in corners.
lot of
them
alone of "
place.
merchant who 1
/. e.
any one
all
remained standing in the market
work, young man was one in seven hundred
Do you want
the merchant else.
"
said the
? "
;
who was seven hundred times
then take richer than
RUSSIAN FAIEY TALES.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. THERE was once upon a time a merchant s son who To such a pass all his goods. squandered and wasted did he lie
come
at last that he
seized a spade,
went out
began waiting to see
And
labourer.
;
all
to eat.
into the market-place,
So
and
any one would hire him as a who was one in
behold, the merchant 1
came along that way in his gilded the day-labourers saw him, and the whole
seven hundred coach
if
had nothing
them immediately scattered in every direction The merchant s son and hid themselves in corners. alone of them all remained standing in the market
lot of
"
place.
merchant who 1
/. a.
any one
work, young man was one in seven hundred
Do you want
the merchant
"
? "
;
who was seven hundred times
said the
then take richer than
else.
B
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
2
hire
from
me."
"Eight
willingly
;
twas for no other "
reason that
I
came
to the market-place.
wage do you require?" hundred roubles a day, 1
somewhat dear
you lay me down one
"
a
tis
"That
bargain."
"
Well, agreed O
is
If
cheaper article here just now, you came, and ;
what
you think it clear, go and seek a but this I know, crowds of people were
"
!
"If
"And
away they all bolted. come to-morrow to the haven." The
!
"-
next day, early in the morning, our merchant s son came to the haven the merchant who was one in ;
seven hundred had already been awaiting him some time. They went on board ship and went to sea.
They
sailed
and
sailed.
In
the midst of the sea an
on this island stood high mountains, and on the sea-shore something or other was burning
island appeared
"
like fire.
merchant castle."
ashore
;
s
;
Can
that which
son.
"Nay,
I
see be
that
is
"
fire
my
little
They drew near to the island his wife and daughter came forth
merchant who was one
in
?
;
said the
golden
they went to meet the
seven hundred, and the
daughter was beautiful with a beauty that no man can imagine or devise, and no tale can tell. As soon as they had greeted one another they went on to the
and took the new labourer along with them they sat them clown at table, they began to eat, drink, and be merry. A fig for to-day," said the host
castle,
;
"
;
1
1
rouble
= about
3s. 4d.
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. c
ereVa&
tt)e
and
lighter,
blue Sea P.
198.
Went on
fuvtlper,
and
e road, or ev/ lighter an& lighter, and behofd! tfyere va& tl^e blue
FEN1ST THE BRIGHT FALCON.
199
according to good sense, which bride ought I to take her who to wife and shorten the sorrow of life :
And who bought me back again ? Her who bought people declared with one voice, "
sold me, or her
the
"
And Fenist the bright falcon back again did so. They crowned him at the altar the same day thee
"
!
wedlock with the lovely damsel. The wedding was joyous and boisterous and magnificent. I also
in
and drank wine and mead, and the bumpers overflowed, and every one had his fill, and the beard was wet when the mouth was dry. was
at this wedding,
THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN. WHETHER it is a long time ago or a short time ago cannot say, but I know that once upon a time, in a certain village, dwelt a peasant who was headstrong I
and hot-tempered, and his name was Demyan. He was austere and hard and stern, always seeking an occasion to quarrel, and dealing hardly with whom soever he
out.
fell
Whatever any one said or did
He him, he was always ready with his fists. would invite a neighbour to be his guest, for instance, to
and force him
the neighbour hung back a bit for bashfulness or courtesy, our peasant would pitch into
to eat,
him
and
at once
if
and
"
cry,
In a strange house
"
obey thy host
!
what happened one day. A smart, sturdy young fellow came to little Demyan as a guest, and our peasant regaled him finely, and filled
Now
this
is
the table with
meat and drink.
pulled everything towards
The young
fellow
himself, dish after dish,
THE TALE OF THE PEASANT DEMYAN.
201
munched away in silence with both cheeks crammed full. Our peasant stared and stared, and and
he took
at last
off his cloak
"
himself,
He
is
"
said,
Take
off
thy
But he thought to and then I ll show him "
and put on
blouse,
and
cloak
my
sure to refuse,
!
But the youth put on the cloak, tied something it round with his Well, girdle, bowed low and said, I dare not I thank thee for thy gift. little father "
!
"
!
refuse, for in
house one must obey the
a strange
host."
The host was furious he wanted to pick a quarrel with him now at any price, so he ran into the stable, ;
got
out his
best
horse,
and
said
the
to
youth,
Here, mount my Nothing is too good for thee as take it thine own But he and horse, away "
!
"
!
He ll be sure to refuse, and then I ll teach thought, In a him a lesson." But the youth again said, Only strange house we must always obey the host "
"
"
!
when he was the peasant
fairly
mounted did he turn round
Demyan and
"
cry,
Farewell,
to
mine host
!
Nobody pushed thee, but thou didst fall into the ditch of thine own self and he trotted out of the "
!
courtyard right away. But the host looked after him, shook his head, and "
said,
The scythe has struck upon a stone 1
/.
e.
I
ve met
my match
at last.
"
!
l
THE ENCHANTED RING. IN a certain kingdom in a certain empire, there lived, once upon a time, an old man and an old
woman, and they had a son called little Martin. Time went on, the old man fell ill and died, and though he had worked hard all his days, the only inheritance he left behind him was two hundred rubles.
1
The
old
woman
did not want to waste this
money, but what was to be done? There was nothing to eat, so she had to have recourse to the pot con
The old woman counted out taining the patrimony. a hundred rubles, and sent her son to town to buy So Martin the provision of bread for a whole year. widow s son went to town. He went past the meat market, and saw crowds of people gathered together, and his ears were deafened by the din and noise and racket.
Little Martin
throng o and
went into the midst of the
a saw that the butchers had caught o 1
Twenty pounds.
THE ENCHANTED and had fastened
terrier,
RING. a
to
it
203
and were
post,
Little Martin
was sorry
for beating unmercifully. the poor dog, and said to the butchers, "My brothers! why do you beat the poor dog so unmercifully ? it
"
should we not beat him, when he has spoiled a whole quarter of beef?" "Yet, beat him not, my "
Why
brothers
him "
!
you
if
T were better like then
"
!
to sell
him
to
me
"
"
Buy
!
said the butchers, mockingly,
but for such a treasure as that we could not take
less
than a hundred
"
rubles."
Well, one hundred "
rubles little
only one hundred rubles after all replied Martin, and he drew out the money and gave is
!
1 But the dog o s name was Jurka. Martin then went home, and his mother asked him,
it
the
for
"What
do^. o
hast thou
bought Jurka
"
bought
"
!
replied
"
?
her
son.
a-scolding him, and reproached
thou not ashamed
Soon we
?
Why
His
him
I
look,
have
mother "
bitterly
shall not
have
:
fell
Art
a morsel
and thou hast gone and thrown away so much The next day the old money on a pagan dog." woman sent her son into the town again, and said to
to eat,
"
him,
Now
there
is
our last
one hundred rubles,
buy with
it To-day I will collect provision of bread. and bake us meal-tub of the the together scrapings fritters, but to-morrow there will not even be that "
!
Little
Martin got to town 1
and walked along the
Growler.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
204
and looked about him, and he saw a boy who had fastened a cord round a cat s neck and was streets
drown
to
off
it
dragging
"
"
it.
Stop
shrieked
!
thou dragging Vaska ? 1 to be drowned Why, what "
Martin,
art
"whither
am
dragging him has he done ?
off
"
stolen a whole sell
him
to
"
!
"
oh
after all
Vaska
took
he
my Why the
"
;
son?"
cat
here
from
?
the
boy. asked his mother
Vaska
"
"
take the
!
Well, perhaps there
s
"
"
!
And
some money
and then we can buy something else."- "Oh, what a fool thou art screeched the old
still left,
oh,
far better
"
!
when he got home. what besides
has
Til take nothing less than one Well, one hundred rubles is
hast thou bought,
"What
He
rascal.
drown him,
"Don t
goose."
And
"
a great
is
hundred rubles
only one
"
!
He
me!"-
hundred rubles
money
"I
"
"
!
!
woman.
"
Go out
of the house this instant
and beg
"
thy bread from the stranger Martin dared not gainsay his mother, so he took Jurka and Vaska with him and went into the neigho !
bouring village to seek work. rich farmer. "
I ic
want
Come
And
there
Whither art thou o going o
"
met him
a
"
?
said he.
myself out as a day-labourer."then. I take labourers without any
to hire
to
me
contract, but
if
shalt not lose
by
thou serve it."
me
well for a year thou
Martin agreed, and 1
Pussy.
for a
whole
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
205
The he worked for this farmer without ceasing time of; payment came round. The farmer led Martin into the barn, "Take
showed him two
which thou That
"
some trickery
s
sacks, and said,
Martin looked; in one of in the other sand, and he thought
wilt."
the sacks was riches, to himself,
full
not done without a reason
here.
I
no
doubt."
ll
take the sand
;
there
s
something So Martin put the sack of sand on his: back, and went to seek another place. He went on and on, and strayed into a dark and will
come. of
it
In the midst of the
dreary wood.
and on the
;
wood was
a
field,
was burning, and in the fire a and it was such a lovely maiden
field a fire
maiden was
sitting
;
was a delight to look at her. And the Beauty Martin the widow s son, if thou wishest said to him, that
it
"
to find happiness,
save me.
Extinguish this flame
with the sand which thou hast gotten for thy faithful "
Well,
really," thought Martin, "why on go dragging this load about on my shoulders ? Far better to help a body with So
service."
should
I
it."
he undid his sack and emptied
The
the sand on the
all
immediately went out, but the lovely damsel turned into a serpent, bounded on to the
fire.
fire
good youth, wound itself round his Fear me not, Martin the widow s neck, and said,
bosom
of the
"
son.
Go
boldly into
the land
the underground realm where
of
my
Th rice-ten,
into
dear father rules.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
206
Only mark this he will offer thee lots of gold and silver and precious stones thou, however, must take none of them, but beg him for the little ring off his That ring is no common ring if thou little finger. ;
;
;
move
from one hand
it
to the other twelve
young
heroes will immediately appear, and whatever thou dost bid them do they will do it in a single night." Then the young man set out on his long, long journey, whether twere a long time or a short I know not, but at last he drew nigh to the kingdom of Thriceten, and came to a place where a huge stone lay
Here the snake leaped from his on the damp ground, and turned into the
across the way.
neck,
lit
former lovely damsel. Martin, and showed
"Follow
him
a
me,"
said
she to
hole beneath the
little
For a long time they went through this stone. underground way, and came into a wide plain beneath and in this plain a castle was built the open sky ;
entirely of porphyry, with a roof of golden fish-scales,
with sharp- pointed golden pinnacles. That s where my father lives, the Tsar of this underground region," "
said the lovely damsel to Martin.
The wanderers entered the castle, and the Tsar met them kindly and made them welcome. My dear "
daughter,"
expect
to
said he to the lovely damsel, see thee
knocking about
here.
Where "
all
these years
"
?
"
I
did not
hast
thou
Dear
father,
been
and
THE ENCHANTED RING. light of
eyes, I should
my
have been
207
lost altogether
but for this good youth, who saved me from an unavoidable death The Tsar turned, looked with a "
!
friendly eye at Martin,
and said
to
"
him,
I
thank
am
ready to reward thee for thy Take of my good deeds with whatever thou desirest. I
good youth.
thee,
gold and silver and precious stones as soul longs
"
I
for."
much
as
thank thee, Sovereign Tsar,
thy for
But I want no precious stones, thy good words. nor silver, nor gold but if thou of thy royal grace and favour would indeed reward me, then give me, T ;
pray, the ring from the little finger of thy royal hand.
Whenever but
if
I will
look upon that ring I ll think of thee ever I meet with a bride after mine own heart
give
I
it
;
to
the ring, gave
The Tsar immediately took off Martin, and said, By all means,
her."
it
"
to
good youth, take the ring, and may it be to thy But mark this one thing tell no one that health :
!
this ring of thine is
no common
thy hurt and harm Martin the widow
ring, or it will be to
"
!
s
son thanked the
Tsar and
took the ring, and returned by the same way through which he had reached the underground realm. He
sought out his old widowed mother, and lived and dwelt with her with Yet for all the good life he out either want or care.
returned to
led,
his
native
place,
Martin seemed sorrowful
;
and why should he
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
208
not
?
Martin wanted
for
choice
was not
to
many, and
his like in birth, for she
So he consulted
daughter.
the bride of his
his mother,
away as his matchmaker, and said to the King himself, and woo for me the Alas
"
Princess." "
!
my
dear
son,"
twould be far better for thee
thine
1
own wood.
How can for thee
But what
was a king
s
and sent her
Go
"
her,
to
thrice-lovely
said his old mother,
wert to chop thou thinking of ?
if tliou
art
the Kino; o and ask him for his daughter o Twould be as much as thy head and my
I o sjo to ?
head were
"
worth."
Fear not, dear mother
!
If I
And mind thou send thee, thou mayest go boldly. not come dost back from the Kino; o without an answer."
woman
So the old
the royal She went into the royal courtyard, and with palace. out boing announced she went right up to the very staircase of the
King.
dragged herself
to
The guards shook
their
arms
nobody was allowed to go there, trouble her head about that one bit,
at her as a sign that
but she didn
t
but kept on creeping up. Then all the royal lacqueys came running up, and took the old woman under the
arms and would have quite gently led her down again; but the old woman made such a to-do and loudly that it pierced through everything, and the King himself in his lofty carved
fell
a-shrieking
1
so
/. e.
go about thine own errand.
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
209
palace heard the noise, and looked out of his little window into the courtyard, and saw his servants dragging an old woman down the staircase, and pre
venting her from entering the royal apartments, while the old woman was resisting and shrieking with all I won t I have come to the her might. go out "
!
The King commanded King on a good errand them to admit the old woman. The old woman "
!
entered the carved palace, and saw sitting in the front corner, on the high carved throne, on cushions of
purple velvet, the King in state, holding a council in The the midst of his grandees and his councillors. 1 old woman invoked the aid of the holy ikons, and
bowed very low
words
I
maker!"
cried the "
frown.
angry wares chaser of
woman ?
What
"
hast thou
asked the King. Now, lo I have come to your Majesty be not wroth at my
to say, old I
"
before the King.
"
!
have come to your Majesty as a match "Art thou in thy senses, old woman?" King, and his brow was wrinkled with a pray do not be Nay, father-king !
;
pray give
me an
a little daughter, a beauty
a
young man,
You have
answer. ;
I
the
have the pur
so wise, so cunning, a master
every trade, so that you could not find a better
me, therefore, straight out, won t The King you give your daughter to my son ? son-in-law.
Tell
"
1
Pictures of the Saints.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
210
listened
and listened
the old woman, and at
to.
first
frown was blacker than night, but he thought to Does it become me, a king, to be wroth himself,
his
"
woman
And
"
the royal councillors were amazed, for they saw the wrinkles on the King s forehead smoothing out, and the King looked at the
with a
old
silly
old
woman with
?
"
a smile.
If
and a master of every trade,
thy son
let
is
so cunning,
him build me within
twenty-four hours a palace more gorgeous than
my
own, and let him hang a crystal bridge between this palace and my palace, and let luxuriant apple trees
grow up all along this bridge, and let them bear silver and golden pippins, and let birds of paradise sing within these apple
And on
trees.
of this crystal bridge let
him
the right-hand side build a cathedral five
storeys high, with golden pinnacles, where he receive
the
wedding crown with
my
may
daughter, and
where the marriage may be celebrated. But if thy son fulfil not all this, then for thy and his pre sumption I will have -you both smeared with tar and rolled in feathers and down, and hanged up in cages in the market-place as a laughing-stock to
And
the
good
people."
still
more pleasantly,
councillors
held
their
King condescended to smile and his grandees and his
sides,
and
rolled
about the
and they began with one voice to wisdom and thought amongst themselves.
floor for laughter,
praise his
all
THE ENCHANTED "
What
fun
RING.
be to see the old
it will
211
woman and
her
son hung up in cages Tis as plain as daylight a beard will sooner grow out of the palm of his hand !
;
than he be able to accomplish so shrewd a task." The poor old woman was near to swooning. What "
"
!
said
she to the King,
word
?
Is this
what
thus must thou say
I
"is
this
must say
thy to
final
son
my
sovereign "
"
Yes,
?
he accomplish this task, I will give him my daughter if he does not accomplish it, I will put you both into cages." :
if
;
The poor
old
woman went home more
She staggered from
dead.
floods of scalding tears.
began screeching thee,
my
son, to
side
When
alive
to side,
than
and shed
she saw Martin, she
him from afar. Did not I tell go and chop thine own wood ? Now at
"
thou seest that our poor little heads are lost." And she told her son all about it, Cheer up, mother," "
"
said
little
Martin,
pray to
God and
down
lie
to
morning is always wiser than the evening." himself went out of the hut, took his little
sleep, the
But
lie t
and put
on the other, and the twelve youths immediately appeared before him and He told them of What dost thou require ? said,
ring from one hand
"
"
the
royal
it
task,
and the twelve youths answered,
To-niorrow, everything will be ready." The King awoke next morning, and lo right in front of his palace towered another palace, and a "
!
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
212
crystal bridge led
from one to the other.
Along the sides of the bridge stood luxuriant apple trees, and upon them hung golden pippins, and birds of paradise and on the right hand of were singing in the trees ;
bridge, blazing like fire in the sun, stood the cathedral with its golden pinnacles and the bells
the
;
of the
were ringing and pealing in The King had to keep his word.
cathedral
directions.
him a
raised his son-in-law high in rank, gave
inheritance with
his
all
He rich
daughter, and he took her to
Great was the wedding-feast. The wine flowed wife. in streams, and they drank of mead and beer till they could drink no more.
So Martin lived in his palace, and he ate of the best and drank of the best, and his life went as
smoothly as cheese with butter. But the Princess did not love him at heart, and when she reflected that they had not married her to the son of a tsar, or the son of a king, or even to a prince from across
the sea, but to simple Martin the
wrath waxed hot within her.
And
widow s she
what means she might best rid husband she hated. So she took care
fell
flatter
a-thinking of a
herself
.by
and
son, her
to caress him,
him, and waited upon him
herself,
and
made him comfortable, and when they were quite alone she would ask him what it was that made him And it happened one day that so wise and clever.
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
213
when he had been the King s guest, and had drunk and made merry with all his lords one after another, and had returned home and laid him down to rest, that the Princess came to him and caressed him, and coaxed him with wheedling words, and made him drunk with strong mead, and in that way found out what she wanted to know, for Martin told her all about his enchanted ring, and showed her how to
And no
sooner was
Martin asleep and snoring, than the Princess took off the enchanted ring from his little finger, went forth into the broad turn
it.
courtyard,
moved
the
little
ring from one finger to the
and the twelve youths immediately appeared What is thy pleasure, and what is thy
other,
"
before her.
That to-morrow morning there may be neither palace, nor bridge, nor cathedral on this spot, "
desire
"
?
but only a wretched this
drunkard into
into the
Empire
of
hut as heretofore, and cast but remove me far from him
little
it,
"
Thrice-ten."
It shall
be
done,"
replied the twelve youths with one voice. In the morning, when the King awoke, he
felt
go and pay a visit to his son-in-law and his daughter, so he went out upon the balcony,
inclined
to
and
there
lo
!
cathedral, nor
wretched old
was neither
palace, nor
bridge, nor
In place of them stood a garden. hut, leaning on one side, and scarce
able to stand at
all.
The King sent
for his son-in-law,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
214
and began asking him what it all meant but little Martin could only stare blankly at him without ;
And
King bade them sit in son-in-law for deceiving him by
uttering a word.
judgment on his magic, and destroying
the
his daughter, the thrice-lovely
and they condemned Martin to be put on the top of a lofty stone column with nothing to eat there he was to be left to die of hunger. or drink Princess,
;
Then it was that Jurka and Vaska remembered how little Martin had saved them from an evil death, and they came and laid their heads together about it. Jurka growled and snarled, and was ready to tear every one to
master
bits, for his
s
sake
;
but Vaska
purred and hummed and scratched himself behind the ear with his velvet paw, and began to think the
And
matter over. said to Jurka,
and as soon head,
as
you run between
his head,
and
seize the rolls,
said
the artful cat hit upon a plan, and Let us go for a walk about the town, we meet a roll-baker with a tin on his
"
his legs
and knock the
tin off
be close behind and immediately and take them to master." Xo sooner I ll
than done.
Jurka and the cat took a run into
the town, and they
met
a roll-baker.
He was
carrying
him on all Hot rolls, hot
a tin on his head, and he looked about
and
rolls,
with a loud voice, Jurka ran between his fresh from the oven
legs,
the baker stumbled, the tin
sides
"
cried
"
!
fell,
and
all
the rolls
THE ENCHANTED
RING.
215
But while the angry baker was Vaska hid all the rolls in the chasing Jurka, hedges. Then the cat and Jurka ran to the tower where were scattered about.
Martin was placed, dragged with them the stores of bread, and Vaska scrambled up to the top, looked in at the
eh
little "
window, called to Scarcely alive
?
am
his master,
"
"
!
and
"
said,
replied little Martin
quite exhausted from want of food, and
be long before I die of a bit, and
we
ll
feed
"
hunger."
you,"
Alive,
Don
t
"
I
;
it will
grieve
;
not
wait
and he began to rolls and cakes, and
said Vaska,
drag the food up from below all kinds of bread, till he had dragged up for his Then he said, master a large store. Master, Jurka "
go to the kingdom of Thrice-ten, and Take care to get you back your enchanted ring. make the bread last till we return." Then they both took leave of their master, and departed on their long
and
I
will
journey.
They ran on and on, and they smelt out the scent everywhere and followed it paid great attention to what people told them carefully made friends with ;
;
all
the other dogs and cats they
Princess,
and found out
met
;
asked about the
at last that they were not
from the kingdom of Thrice-ten, whither she had told the twelve youths to carry her. They ran far
kingdom, went to the palace, and made friends with all the dogs and cats there, asked them
into the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
216
ways, and turned the con but versation to the subject of the enchanted ring no one could give them certain information about it. all
about the Princess
s
;
But one day in the
it
royal
happened that Vaska went a-hunting There he waylaid a big
cellars.
mouse, threw himself upon into
and was going
it,
the big
don
mouse spoke
hurt me, don
t
service to you. kill
I
cruel
claws
to begin with its head,
when
do
me.
all I
his
dug
it,
him
to
t kill
ll
"
:
Dear
little
Perhaps
I
you
;
but this
palace dwells
master
may But
can for you.
be of
if
you
all
"
pieces/
Vaska,
my mousey tsardom will I ll spare Very well," said Vaska the service you must do me. In this
me, the Mouse-Tsar,
fall to
fat
"
;
is
the Princess, the wicked wife of our
she has stolen from
him
his
wonder-working I will not let you me that have you got ring, ring out of my claws under any pretence whatever." ;
;
till
"
Agreed,"
piped
said the Mouse-Tsar,
and whistled
all
his
countless multitude of mice
"I
ll
people
try";
and he
together.
A
assembled, both small
great, and they sat all round the cat Vaska, and waited to hear what the Mouse-Tsar would say to them from beneath Vaska s claws. And the Mouse-
and
Tsar said to them
Whichever of you shall get the wonder-working ring from the Princess, he will save me from a cruel death, and I will raise him to "
:
the highest place about
my
person."
Then
a little
THE ENCHANTED mouse
up and said
rose
Princess
:
217
have often been
"I
bed-chamber, and
s
RING.
I
ve noticed
in the
that
the
eye rests more often on a certain little ring than on anything else. In the daytime she wears it
Princess
on her
s
little
finger,
mouth behind her you that Princess
s
ring."
but at night she
stuffs it into her
you wait a bit, I ll get And the little mouse ran into the cheeks.
If
bed-chamber and waited
till
night, and as
soon as ever the Princess was asleep, it wriggled into her bed, picked the down out of her swan-feathered
and strewed
bolster, fine
it all
down went up the
The
about under her nose.
Princess
s
nose and into her
mouth, she sprang up and began to sneeze and cough, and spat out the enchanted ring on to the counter pane.
The
and ran
off
little
mouse immediately snatched
with
it
to
save the
life
of the
it
up,
Mouse-
Tsar.
Vaska and Jurka
bring their master Whether they took a long the wonder-working ring. time or a short time matters not, but they arrived at set
off
to
tower in which Martin was put to die from starvation. The cat immediately climbed up
last,
and ran
to the alive,
to the
window, and called to Martin the widow s son
"
its "
?
master, "
I
am
Art thou
scarce able
This is the third keep body and soul together. without here bread." I been Well, day have sitting
to
"
thy woes are over now.
There
will
be a feast in
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
218
your
now
street
l ;
we have brought you your
ring."
Martin was overjoyed, and began to stroke the cat, and the cat rubbed itself against him, and began
own
but songs through its nose at the bottom of the tower Jurka was leaping and its
purring
little
;
whining and barking for joy, and leaping high in the air. Martin took the ring and turned it from one
hand
to the other.
What
"
appeared
:
command
The twelve youths immediately thy pleasure, and what thy
is
1
"Give
?"
me
to eat
and drink
till
I
can
and drink no more, and let cunning music be played on the top of this tower to me all day." eat
When
music
the
hastened to
began to play, the good folks the King, and told him that little Martin
He ought was up to no good in the tower there. to have ceased to be among the living long ago," they said, and yet he is having such a merry time of "
"
They are stamping with their feet, and knocking their plates, and clashing their glasses, and such splendid music is playing, that The King sent an you can t help listening to it
on the top of the tower.
it."
express messenger to the tower, and there he stood and listened to the music the King sent his highest ;
officer, and there they opened wide their ears.
remained standing, and The King himself went to
all
the tower, arid the music seemed to turn him into a 1
7.
e.
It will be
your turn
to
triumph now.
THE ENCHANTED RING. Bat
219
Martin again called his twelve Restore my old palace, youths, and said to them, as it was before throw a crystal bridge across from statue.
little
"
;
the former five-storeyed cathedral stand by the side of the palace and let my And faithless wife also be found in the palace." it
to the royal
palace
;
let
;
was yet expressing the wish, the whole And he went out of the tower, thing was done. took his father-in-law the King by the hand, led him while he
into the palace, led
him up to the sleeping- chamber, in fear and trembling, awaited an
where the Princess, evil death, and said
to
the King,
"
My
dear
little
and anguish has with befallen me from living thy daughter what shall we sentence her to ? My dear son-in-law, let father-in-law, a great deal of trouble
;
"
"
exhort her with good words, and live with her as heretofore." And Martin
mercy
prevail over justice
;
listened to his father-in-law, upbraided his wife for
her treachery, and to the end of his life he never and parted with the ring, nor with Jurka and Vaska,
saw no more misery.
THE BRAVE LABOURER. A YOUNG The
fellow entered the service of
him
a miller.
throw grain on the scoop, but the labourer, not knowing how to set about it, went and strewed the wheat on the mill-stone. The sent
miller
to
mill-wheel went round, and about.
The
the grain was scattered master miller, when he came to the mill,
workman about The workman went home and thought
and saw the scattered his business.
to himself, at the
all
"
Well,
I
grain, sent the
haven
t
been very long working
So he went on
way thinking to himself, and so he missed the way to his own village. He strayed among the bushes, and w andered and mill."
his
r
wandered about stream
stood
till
he came to a stream, and on the
an empty
mill,
and in
this
mill he
resolved to pass the night.
The dumb midnight hour approached could not
sleep
in
the
empty
mill
every rustling sound, and suddenly
;
it
;
the labourer
he listened
to
was as though
THE BRAVE LABOURER.
221
he heard some one approaching the mill. The poor more dead than alive, and hid up
labourer started
himself in the scoop.
Three
men
entered the mill.
Judging from their appearance they were no good people, but robbers. They lit a fire in the mill, and began to divide amongst themselves a rich booty. And one of the robbers said to the others, cc I will lay
my "
portion underneath the
111 shove
mill."
mine underneath the
The second
said,
But the
third
wheel."
But our goods in the scoop." labourer was lying in the scoop, and he thought, No man can die twice, but every man must die once. I "
I ll
said,
my
conceal
"
wonder now
can frighten them..* he roared at the top of his voice
And
Let us
if I
come down there
;
try."
"
Denis, you and you, Phocas, look on that one, look there, and I ll be here. :
and you, little Stop them, don t let them go, and beat them without The robbers were terrified, threw down mercy."
side
;
their booty, took to their heels straightway,
labourer took their booty and returned
than
rich.
and the
home
richer
THE SAGE DAMSEL. AN
man and an
old
old
woman
and
died,
left
behind them a son young in years, who was rich neither in wits nor goods. His uncle took him home,
gave him to eat and drink, and when he grew up sent him to watch the sheep. And one day he sent for his kinsman and resolved to test his wits so he said ;
him Here thou hast a flock them to market and make profit out "
to
of sheep,
:
of
them
drive
in such
that both thou and the sheep shall get fat upon it, and the sheep be all brought back whole, and
a
way
yet "
all,
to the very last one, be sold for
How
is
that
to
orphan, who drove
by
the roadside, and
be
ready
money."
"
managed
?
thought
the sheep into the open fell
a-thinking. that way, and she said to
passed by art thou thinking, good youth ? Why should I not be thinking
A
field,
the sat
lovely damsel
him
"
:
Of what
"
"
My grandfather has taken a spite at last against me, a poor orphan he has given me a task to do, and cudgel my brains ?
;
as I
may
I
cannot see
how
it is
to be
done."
THE SAGE DAMSEL. "
"
What
223
"
task has he given thee ? he says, Go to market, drive Well, look here ;
make
those sheep thither and but so that thou and
the
a profit out of them,
sheep
shall
grow
fat
upon it, and the sheep be brought back whole, all down to the last one, and yet be sold for ready );
money/ "Well,
damsel.
and
s no very tricky task," replied the Shear the sheep, take the fleeces to market them, then thou wilt make a profit out of
that
"
sell
them, and the sheep will remain whole, and thou wilt be able to feed thyself on the profits."
The youth thanked the damsel and did
He
as she said.
sheared the sheep, sold their fleeces at the market, home the flock, arid gave the money he had
drove
made out
of
them
to his
uncle.
"Good,"
said the
uncle to the nephew but I am sure thou didst not work this out with thine own wits, eh ? Didn t "
;
some one
The youth con it by Well, my own but a damsel came and wits, lovely by taught thou must take this Well, then, sage young damsel
fessed
or other teach
"
I
:
it
thee
"
?
certainly did not do
me."
"
Twill be a very good thing for thee, for here art thou an orphan with neither stick nor stone
to wife.
of thy own, "
either
!
nephew render
"
to
me
and nothing much in the way of wits I don t mind if I do marry her," said the his uncle. All right, but thou must "
this
one service.
Take corn
to
town
to the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
224
According as thou dost
bazaar.
wed
I ll
again,
thee to this
sell
and return
it
damsel."
So the nephew went to town to sell the uncle s corn, and on the way he met a rich miller. Why "
art thou off to
town
"
?
to the bazaar to sell
go to town
said the miller.
uncle
my
together."
s
corn."
and the orphan in his
gray mare.
I
am
going
we ll
"Then
So they went along the road
together, the miller in his gig with his horse,
"
They encamped
little
side
plump brown
cart with his thin
by
side in the
to pass the night there, took out the horses,
field
themselves lay
down
to sleep.
And
it
open and
happened that
The self-same night the gray mare dropped a foal. rich miller woke earlier than the orphan, saw the foal, his gig. When the orphan awoke a hot dispute arose between them. The orphan is my foal, because my mare dropped said The covetous miller said No, tis mine, because thy
and drove him beneath
:
"It
it."
"
:
mare dropped it beneath my and wrangled till they resolved
They wrangled go to law about it, and when they arrived in town they went to the And the judge court to fight the matter out there. said to
them
"
:
gig."
to
In our town we have introduced this
custom into the tribunals, that whoever wants to go to law must first of all guess four riddles. So tell
me now
what
:
what
is
what
is
the strongest and swiftest thing o o in
the fattest thing in the world the softest, and what the sweetest of
the world
;
is
;
and "
all ?
THE SAGE DAMSEL. The judge gave them three days
225
to guess,
and said
:
you guess my riddles, I will judge betwixt you according to law but if not, don t be angry if I drive "
If
;
you away." The rich miller went
to his
and
wife
her
told
the matter stood, and what riddles the judge All thy riddles are but had given him to guess.
how
"
if they ask simple ones/ replied the miller s wife thee what is the strongest and swiftest thing in the world, tell them that my father has a dark-brown "
;
horse so strong and nimble that it can run down a And if they ask thee what is the fattest thing hare. in the world, dost thou not know that in our stall we are fattening
up
a two-year-old boar,
very legs won the third riddle, what as for
so fat that his
And
in the world,
why
it s
;
that.
And
if
:
getting
him up
?
the softest thing quite plain that that s a down
they ask thee what
in the world, say
s
is
thou canst not imagine anything
pillow
man
and he
t be able to hold
Why, what
have than the wife of his
softer
than
the sweetest thing sweeter thing can a is
bosom
?
But the orphan went out of the town into the fields and sat by the roadside and racked his brain. He sat and thought of his misery and along the road, close to ;
him, passed the self-same lovely damsel. thou so racking thy brains again, good
"
Why
art
youth?"
look here, the judge has given me four such "Why, riddles to guess that I shall never be able to guess
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
226
them
my
all
days,"
and
told the damsel all about
lie
The damsel laughed, and
it.
the judge and say swiftest
to
thing in the
said to
him
"
:
Go
to
him, that the strongest and world is the wind that the ;
fattest of all is the earth, for she feeds everything that
and grows upon her the softest of all is the palm of the hand, for however soft a man may lie he always puts his hand beneath his head and there s lives
;
;
nothing sweeter in the whole world than poor orphan bowed damsel, and said to her
sleep."
The
to the very girdle to the
little
thank
"
I
:
of maidens, for thou hast snatched
thee,
me
thou sagest
from very
ruin."
When
the three days had passed, the miller and the orphan appeared in court, and told the court the
answers to the riddles.
Now
the Tsar chanced to be
on the bench at that time, and the answers of the
orphan so pleased him that he ordered that the cause between them should be given in his favour, and that the
miller
be driven with shame from the
should
After that the Tsar said to the orphan Didst thou hit upon these answers thyself, or did some one else tell thee ? To tell the truth, they are not my own the lovely damsel taught me these court.
:
"
"
"-
;
answers."
"She
has
indeed must she be.
name that
if
appear before horseback,
taught thee well too, sage Go to her and tell her in my
she be so wise and sensible she must
me to-morrow
:
neither on foot nor on
neither naked nor clothed,
and with a
THE SAGE DAMSEL. present in her band that this
plish
will
I
no
is
227 If she
gift.
reward her as
accom
becomes a Tsar,
and make her higher than the highest." Again the orphan went out of the town, and again he fell a-fretting, and he said to himself: Why, I don t even "
know how and have no damsel
;
idea where to find this lovely sort of a task is this that I am bidden
what
to give her
No
"
?
sooner had he thought this than
the sage and lovely damsel again passed by that way. The orphan told her how his guesses had pleased the Tsar,
and how he wanted
to see the damsel
himself
and have proof of her wisdom, and how he had The damsel thought a bit, promised to reward her. and then said to the orphan Fetch me a long"
:
bearded billy-goat, and a big net for catching
and catch ing we
ll
me
a pair of sparrows.
meet
here,
and
if
I
fish,
To-morrow morn
get a reward from the
equally with thee." The orphan carried out the orders of the damsel, and waited for her next morning at the roadside.
Tsar, I
ll
share
it
The damsel appeared, stripped
wound
off her sarafan, 1
and
herself in the long fishing-net from head to
then she sat on the goat, took a sparrow in each hand, and bade the orphan lead the way to town. foot
;
The young man brought her to the Tsar she bowed low to the Tsar and said
at court,
:
sovereign Tsar 1
!
I
come
A long
to thee neither
dress without sleeves.
and
"
Behold,
on foot nor
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
228
on horseback, neither naked nor clothed, and I have brought a present in my hand which is no gift." "
Where
"
it ?
is
asked the Tsar.
Here
"
"
!
and she
gave the Tsar- the live sparrows, and he was about to take them from her hands when the sparrows wriggled out and flew away. the Tsar, I see Well," said thou canst vie even with me in wit.- Stay at my court, and look after my children, and I ll give thee a "
rich recompense." I
"
"
Nay,
my sovereign lord and
Tsar,
cannot accept thy gracious favour I have promised good youth to share my reward with him for his ;
this
Look now
thou art witty and wise but in this matter thy head is turned, and thou dost not judge according to reason. I offer thee a high "
services."
!
;
and honourable place with a great recompense why then canst thou not share this reward with this ;
But how can youth ? thou sage damsel ? Why "
"
I
share
if this
it
then
" >
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