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COSSACK
FAIRY TALES

Uniform with this Volume

RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES

From the Skazki of Polevoi. By

R. NisBET Bain. Illustrated in

Colour and Black and White by

Noel L. Nisbet

THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHERE HE HAD LEFT HER
Fr Page 79

COSSACK
FAIRY TALES

AND FOLK TALES SELECTED

EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY

R. NISBET BAIN ILLUSTRATED BY

NOEL L. NISBET

LONDON : GEORGE G. HARRAP & CO,

2 & 3 PORTSMOUTH STREET KINGSWAY W.C.

MCMXVI

flss^^^5

PRINTED AT THE COMPI^ETE PRESS
WEST NORWOOD ENGI<AND

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CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction 9

Oh : The Tsar of the Forest 15

The Story of the Wind 29

The Voices at the Window 49
The Story of Little Tsar Novishny, the False

Sister, and the Faithful Beasts 57

The Vampire and St Michael 83

The Story of Tremsin, the Bird Zhar, and
Nastasia, the Lovely Maid of the Sea 95

The Serpent- Wife 105

The Story of Unlucky Daniel hi

The Sparrow and the Bush 123

The Old Dog 129

The Fox and the Cat 133

The Straw Ox . 139

The Golden Slipper . 147

The Iron Wolf 159

The Three Brothers 167

The Tsar and the Angel 173

The Story of Ivan and the Daughter of the Sun 183

The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox 191

The Serpent-Tsarevich and his Two Wives 197

5

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

The Origin of the Mole

The Two Princes

The Ungrateful Children and the Old Father
WHO went to School again

Ivan the Fool and St Peter's Fife

The Magic Egg

The Story of the Forty-first Brother

The Story of the Unlucky Days

The Wondrous Story of Ivan Golik and the
Serpents

PAGE

211

219
229

261
267

FACE

ILLUSTRATIONS

They came to the place where he had left her

Frontispiece

All manner of evil powers walked abroad i6

" How MUCH do you want for that horse ? " 24

The wind came and swept all his corn away 30

*' Out of the drum, my henchmen ! " 40

The Tsarivna arose from her coffin 86

They were both on their knees 90

Daniel waved his sword 114

His wife caressed and wheedled him 118

The girl drove the heifer out to graze 148

The Tsar's councillors went to the houses of

ALL the nobles AND PRINCES 1 54

The Tsar went about inquiring of his people if

any were wronged 1 78

The rulers of Hell laid hands upon the over-
seer straightway 186

Nineteen times did she cast off one of her suits

of clothes i 98

Suddenly St Peter appeared to him 230

Ivan Golik drew the bow 276

INTRODUCTION TO THE
FIRST EDITION

THE favourable reception given to my volume of
Russian Fairy Tales has encouraged me to
follow it up with a sister volume of stories
selected from another Slavonic dialect extraordinarily
rich in folk-tales — I mean Ruthenian, the language of
the Cossacks.

Ruthenian is a language intermediate between Russian
and Polish, but quite independent of both. Its territory
embraces, roughly speaking, that vast plain which lies
between the Carpathians, the watershed of the Dnieper,
and the Sea of Azov, with Lemberg and Kiev for its chief in-
tellectual centres. Though it has been rigorously repressed
by the Russian Government, it is still spoken by more than
twenty millions of people. It possesses a noble litera-
ture, numerous folk-songs, not inferior even to those of
Serbia, and, what chiefly concerns us now, a copious
collection of justly admired folk-tales, many of them of
great antiquity, which are regarded, both in Russia and
Poland, as quite unique of their kind. Mr Ralston, I
fancy, was the first to call the attention of the West to
these curious stories, though the want at that time of a
good Ruthenian dictionary (a want since supplied by the
excellent lexicon of Zhelekhovsky and Nidilsky) pre-
vented him from utilizing them. Another Slavonic
scholar, Mr Morfill, has also frequently alluded to them
in terms of enthusiastic but by no means extravagant
praise.

The three chief collections of Ruthenian folk-lore
are those of Kulish, Rudchenko, and Dragomanov,

9

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

which represent, at least approximately, the three
dialects into which Ruthenian is generally divided. It is
from these three collections that the present selection
has been made. KuHsh, who has the merit of priority,
was little more than a pioneer, his contribution merely
consisting of some dozen kazki (Mdrchen) and kazochiki
(Mdrchenlein), incorporated in the second volume of his
Zapiski o yuzhnoi Rust (" Descriptions of South Russia,"
Petrograd, 1856-7). Twelve years later Rudchenko pub-
Hshed at Kiev what is still, on the whole, the best
collection of Ruthenian folk- tales, under the title of
Narodnuiya Yuzhnorusskiya Skazki (" Popular South
Russian Folk-tales "). Like Linnrot among the Finn&,
Rudchenko took down the greater part of these tales
direct from the lips of the people. In a second volume,
published in the following year, he added other stories
gleaned from various minor manuscript collections of
great rarity. In 1876 the Imperial Russian Geographical
Society published at Kiev, under the title of Maloruss-
kiya Narodnuiya Predonyia i Razkazui (" Little-Russian
Popular Traditions and Tales "), an edition of as many
manuscript collections of Ruthenian folk-lore (in-
cluding poems, proverbs, riddles, and rites) as it could
lay its hands upon. This collection, though far less
rich in variants than Rudchenko 's, contained many
original tales which had escaped him, and was ably
edited by Michael Dragomanov, by whose name, indeed,
it is generally known.

The present attempt to popularize these Cossack
stories is, I believe, the first translation ever made from
Ruthenian into English. The selection, though natu-
rally restricted, is fairly representative; every variety
10

INTRODUCTION

of folk-tale has a place in it, and it should never be
forgotten that the Ruthenian kazka {Mdrchen), owing
to favourable circumstances, has managed to preserve
far more of the fresh spontaneity and naive simplicity
of the primitive folk-tale than her more sophisticated
sister, the Russian skazka. It is maintained, moreover,
by Slavonic scholars that there are pecuUar and original
elements in these stories not to be found in the folk-lore
of other European peoples ; such data, for instance, as
the magic handkerchiefs (generally beneficial, but some-
times, as in the story of Ivan Golik, terribly baleful),
the demon -expelling hemp -and -tar whips, and the
magic cattle-teeming egg, so mischievous a possession to
the unwary. It may be so, but, after all that Mr Andrew
Lang has taught us on the subject, it would be rash for
any mere philologist to assert positively that there can
be anything really new in folk-lore under the sun. On
the other hand, the comparative isolation and primitive-
ness of the Cossacks, and their remoteness from the
great theatres of historical events, would seem to be
favourable conditions both for the safe preservation of
old myths and the easy development of new ones. It is
for professional students of folk-lore to study the original
documents for themselves.

R. N. B.

II

OH

THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

THE olden times were not like the times we live in.
In the olden times all manner of Evil Powers ^
walked abroad. The world itself was not then
as it is now : now there are no such Evil Powers among
us. I'll tell you a kazka ^ of Oh, the Tsar of the Forest,
that you may know what manner of being he was.

Once upon a time, long long ago, beyond the times
that we can call to mind, ere yet our great-grandfathers
or their grandfathers had been born into the world,
there lived a poor man and his wife, and they had one
only son, who was not as an only son ought to be to his
old father and mother. So idle and lazy was that only
son that Heaven help him ! He would do nothing, he
would not even fetch water from the well, but lay on
the stove all day long and rolled among the warm
cinders. If they gave him anything to eat, he ate it ;
and if they didn't give him anything to eat, he did
without. His father and mother fretted sorely because
of him, and said, " What are we to do with thee, O son ?
for thou art good for nothing. Other people's children
are a stay and a support to their parents, but thou art
but a fool and dost consume our bread for naught."
But it was of no use at all. He would do nothing but
sit on the stove and play with the cinders. So his father
and mother grieved over him for many a long day, and
at last his mother said to his father, " What is to be done
with our son ? Thou dost see that he has grown up and

* Div. This ancient, untranslatable word (comp. Latin deus) is probably
of Lithuanian origin, and means any malefic power.
' A folk-tale ; Russ. skazka, Ger. Mdrchen,

15

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
yet is of no use to us, and he is so foolish that we can do
nothing with him. Look now, if we can send him
away, let us send him away ; if we can hire him out,
let us hire him out ; perchance other folk may be able
to do more with him than we can." So his father and
mother laid their heads together, and sent him to a
tailor's to learn tailoring. There he remained three days,
but then he ran away home, climbed up on the stove,
and again began playing with the cinders. His father
then gave him a sound drubbing and sent him to a
cobbler's to learn cobbling, but again he ran away
home. His father gave him another drubbing and sent
him to a blacksmith to learn smith's work. But there
too he did not remain long, but ran away home again, so
what was that poor father to do ? " I'll tell thee what
I'll do with thee, thou son of a dog ! " said he. "I'll
take thee, thou lazy lout, into another kingdom. There,
perchance, they will be able to teach thee better than
the^^ can here, and it will be too far for thee to run
home." So he took him and set out on his journey.

They went on and on, they went a short way and
tix ^ went a long way, and at last they came to a forest
so dark that they could see neither earth nor sky. They
went through this forest, but in a short time they grew
very tired, and when they came to a path leading to a
clearing full of large tree-stumps, the father said, " I am
so tired out that I will rest here a little," and with that
he sat down on a tree-stump and cried, " Oh, how tired
I am ! " He had no sooner said these words than out
of the tree-stump, nobody could say how, sprang such
a little, little old man, all so wrinkled and puckered, and
his beard was quite green and reached right down to *
i6

ALL AL\NNER OF EVIL POWERS WALKED ABROAD

i6

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

his knee. — '* What dost thou want of me, O man ? "he
asked. — The man was amazed at the strangeness of his
coming to light, and said to him, " I did not call thee ;
begone ! " — " How canst thou say that when thou didst
call me ? " asked the little old man. — " Who art thou,
then ? " asked the father. — " I am Oh, the Tsar of the
Woods," replied the old man ; " why didst thou call
me, I say ? " — " Away with thee, I did not call thee,"
said the man. — " What ! thou didst not call me when
thou saidst * Oh ' ? " — "I was tired, and therefore I
said ' Oh M " repHed the man.—" Whither art thou
going ? " asked Oh. — " The wide world Hes before me,"
sighed the man. " I am taking this sorry blockhead of
mine to hire him out to somebody or other. Perchance
other people may be able to knock more sense into him
than we can at home ; but send him whither we will,
he always comes running home again ! " — " Hire him
out to me. I'll warrant I'll teach him," said Oh. " Yet
I'll only take him on one condition. Thou shalt come
back for him when a year has run, and if thou dost
know him again, thou mayst take him ; but if thou dost
not know him again, he shall serve another year with
me." — '' Good ! " cried the man. So they shook hands
upon it, had a good drink to clinch the bargain, and the
man went back to his own home, while Oh took the
son away with him.

Oh took the son away with him, and they passed
into the other world, the world beneath the earth, and
came to a green hut woven out of rushes, and in this
hut everything was green ; the walls were green and
the benches were green, and Oh's wife was green and
his children were green — in fact, everything there was

B 17

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
green. And Oh had water-nixies for serving-maids,
and they were all as green as rue. " Sit down now ! "
said Oh to his new labourer, " and have a bit of some-
thing to eat." The nixies then brought him some food,
and that also was green, and he ate of it. " And now,"
said Oh, " take my labourer into the courtyard that he
may chop wood and draw water." So they took him
into the courtyard, but instead of chopping any wood
he lay down and went to sleep. Oh came out to see
how he was getting on, and there he lay a-snoring.
Then Oh seized him, and bade them bring wood and
tie his labourer fast to the wood, and set the wood on
fire till the labourer was burnt to ashes. Then Oh
took the ashes and scattered them to the four winds,
but a single piece of burnt coal fell from out of the
ashes, and this coal he sprinkled with living water,
whereupon the labourer immediately stood there alive
again and somewhat handsomer and stronger than
before. Oh again bade him chop wood, but again he
went to sleep. Then Oh again tied him to the wood
and burnt him and scattered the ashes to the four winds
and sprinkled the remnant of the coal with living water,
and instead of the loutish clown there stood there such
a handsome and stalwart Cossack ^ that the like of him
can neither be imagined nor described but only told of
in tales.

There, then, the lad remained for a year, and at the
end of the year the father came for his son. He came
to the self -same charred stumps in the self-same forest,
sat him down, and said, " Oh ! ". Oh immediately

1 Kozak, a Cossack, being the ideal human hero of the Ruthenians, just as
a hogatyr is a hero of the demi-god type, as the name impHes.

i8

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

came out of the charred stump and said, *' Hail ! O
man ! "— " Hail to thee, Oh ! "— '' And what dost thou
want, O man ? " asked Oh. — " I have come," said he,
" for my son." — " Well, come then ! If thou dost
know him again, thou shalt take him away ; but if thou
dost not know him, he shall serve with me yet another
year." So the man went with Oh. They came to his
hut, and Oh took whole handfuls of millet and scattered
it about, and myriads of cocks came running up and
pecked it. " Well, dost thou know thy son again ? "
said Oh. The man stared and stared. There was
nothing but cocks, and one cock was j\ist like another.
He could not pick out his son. " Well," said Oh, " as
thou dost not know him, go home again ; this year thy
son must remain in my service." So the man went
home again.

The second year passed away, and the man again
went to Oh. He came to the charred stumps and said,
'' Oh ! " and Oh popped out of the tree-stump again.
" Come ! " said he, " and see if thou canst recognize
him now." Then he took him to a sheep-pen, and
there were rows and rows of rams, and one ram was just
like another. The man stared and stared, but he could
not pick out his son. " Thou mayst as well go home
then," said Oh, " but thy son shall live with me yet
another year." So the man went away, sad at heart.

The third year also passed away, and the man came
again to find Oh. He went on and on till there met
him an old man all as white as milk, and the raiment
of this old man was gHstening white. " Hail to thee,
O man ! " said he. — " Hail to thee also, my father ! "
— '' Whither doth God lead thee ? "— " I am going to

19

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

free my son from Oh." — " How so ? " — Then the man
told the old white father how he had hired out his son
to Oh and under what conditions. — " Aye, aye ! " said
the old white father, " 'tis a vile pagan thou hast to deal
with ; he will lead thee about by the nose for a long
time." — " Yes," said the man, " I perceive that he is a
vile pagan ; but I know not what in the world to do
with him. Canst thou not tell me then, dear father,
how I may recover my son ? " — " Yes, I can," said the
old man. — " Then pry thee tell me, darling father, and
I'll pray for thee to God all my life, for though he has
not been much of a son to me, he is still my own flesh
and blood." — '' Hearken, then ! " said the old man ;
'* when thou dost go to Oh, he will let loose a multitude
of doves before thee, but choose not one of these doves.
The dove thou shalt choose must be the one that comes
not out, but remains sitting beneath the pear-tree
pruning its feathers ; that will be thy son." Then the
man thanked the old white father and went on.

He came to the charred stumps. " Oh ! " cried he,
and out came Oh and led him to his sylvan realm.
There Oh scattered about handfuls of wheat and called
his doves, and there flew down such a multitude of
them that there was no counting them, and one dove
was just like another. " Dost thou recognize thy son ? "
asked Oh. '' An thou knowest him again, he is thine ;
an thou knowest him not, he is mine." Now all the
doves there were pecking at the wheat, all but one that
sat alone beneath the pear-tree, sticking out its breast
and pruning its feathers. '' That is my son," said the
man. — " Since thou hast guessed him, take him," replied
Oh. Then the father took the dove, and immediately it

20

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

changed into a handsome young man, and a handsomer
was not to be found in the wide world. The father
rejoiced greatly and embraced and kissed him. " Let us
go home, my son ! " said he. So they went.

As they went along the road together they fell a-talk-
ing, and his father asked him how he had fared at
Oh's. The son told him. Then the father told the son
what he had suffered, and it was the son's turn to listen.
Furthermore the father said, '' What shall we do now,
my son ? I am poor and thou art poor : hast thou
served these three years and earned nothing ? " —
" Grieve not, dear dad, all will come right in the end.
Look ! there are some young nobles hunting after a
fox. I will turn myself into a greyhound and catch the
fox, then the young noblemen will want to buy me of
thee, and thou must sell me to them for three hundred
roubles — only, mind thou sell me without a chain ; then
we shall have lots of money at home, and will live
happily together ! "

They went on and on, and there, on the borders of a
forest, some hounds were chasing a fox. They chased
it and chased it, but the fox kept on escaping, and the
hounds could not run it down. Then the son changed
himself into a greyhound, and ran down the fox and
killed it. The noblemen thereupon came galloping out
of the forest. " Is that thy greyhound ? "— " It is."—
" 'Tis a good dog ; wilt sell it to us ? "— " Bid for it ! "
— " What dost thou require ? " — '* Three hundred
roubles without a chain." — " What do we want with thy
chain, we would give him a chain of gold. Say a hun-
dred roubles ! " — " Nay ! " — " Then take thy money and
give us the dog." They counted down the money and

21

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

took the dog and set off hunting. They sent the dog
after another fox. Away he went after it and chased it
right into the forest, but then he turned into a youth
again and rejoined his father.

They went on and on, and his father said to him,
" What use is this money to us after all ? It is barely
enough to begin housekeeping with and repair our
hut." — " Grieve not, dear dad, we shall get more still.
Over yonder are some young noblemen hunting quails
with falcons. I will change myself into a falcon, and
thou must sell me to them ; only sell me for three
hundred roubles, and without a hood."

They went into the plain, and there were some
young noblemen casting their falcon at a quail. The
falcon pursued but always fell short of the quail, and
the quail always eluded the falcon. The son then
changed himself into a falcon and immediately struck
down its prey. The young noblemen saw it and were
astonished. " Is that thy falcon ? "— *' 'Tis mine."—
" Sell it to us, then ! "— " Bid for it ! "— *' What dost
thou want for it ? " — " If ye give three hundred roubles,
ye may take it, but it must be without the hood." — " As
if we want thy hood ! We'll make for it a hood worthy
of a Tsar." So they higgled and haggled, but at last
they gave him the three hundred roubles. Then the
young nobles sent the falcon after another quail, and it
flew and flew till it beat down its prey ; but then he
became a youth again, and went on with his father.

" How shall we manage to live with so little } " said
the father. — " Wait a while, dad, and we shall have
still more," said the son. " When we pass through the
fair I'll change myself into a horse, and thou must sell

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

me. They will give thee a thousand roubles for me,
only sell me without a halter." So when they got to
the next little town, where they were holding a fair, the
son changed himself into a horse, a horse as supple as
a serpent, and so fiery that it was dangerous to approach
him. The father led the horse along by the halter; it
pranced about and struck sparks from the ground with
its hoofs. Then the horse-dealers came together and
began to bargain for it. "A thousand roubles down,"
said he, " and you may have it, but without the halter."
— " What do we want with thy halter } We will make for
it a silver-gilt halter. Come, we'll give thee five hun-
dred ! " — " No ! " said he. Then up there came a
gipsy, blind of one eye. " O man ! what dost thou
want for that horse ? " said he. — " A thousand roubles
without the halter." — '' Nay ! but that is dear, little
father ! Wilt thou not take five hundred with the
halter ? "— " No, not a bit of it ! "— " Take six hundred,
then ! " Then the gipsy began higgling and haggling,
but the man would not give way. " Come, sell it,"
said he, " with the halter." — " No, thou gipsy, I have a
liking for that halter." — " But, my good man, when
didst thou ever see them sell a horse without a halter ?
How then can one lead him off ? " — " Nevertheless,
the halter must remain mine." — " Look now, my father,
I'll give thee five roubles extra, only I must have the
halter." — The old man fell a-thinking. '' A halter of
this kind is worth but three grivni^ and the gipsy offers
me five roubles for it ; let him have it." So they
clinched the bargain with a good drink, and the old man
went home with the money, and the gipsy walked off

^ A grivna is the tenth part of a rouble, about 2|d.

23

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

with the horse. But it was not really a gipsy, but Oh,
who had taken the shape of a gipsy.

Then Oh rode off on the horse, and the horse carried
him higher than the trees of the forest, but lower than
the clouds of the sky. At last they sank down among
the woods and came to Oh's hut, and Oh went into his
hut and left his horse outside on the steppe. " This
son of a dog shall not escape from my hands so quickly
a second time," said he to his wife. At dawn Oh
took the horse by the bridle and led it away to the river
to water it. But no sooner did the horse get to the
river and bend down its head to drink than it turned
into a perch and began swimming away. Oh, without
more ado, turned himself into a pike and pursued the
perch. But just as the pike was almost up with it, the
perch gave a sudden twist and stuck out its spiky fins
and turned its tail toward the pike, so that the pike
could not lay hold of it. So when the pike came up to
it, it said, " Perch ! perch ! turn thy head toward me,
I want to have a chat with thee ! " — " I can hear thee
very well as I am, dear cousin, if thou art inclined to
chat," said the perch. So off they set again, and again
the pike overtook the perch. " Perch ! perch ! turn
thy head round toward me, I want to have a chat with
thee ! " Then the perch stuck out its bristly fins again
and said, " If thou dost wish to have a chat, dear cousin,
I can hear thee just as well as I am." So the pike kept
on pursuing the perch, but it was of no use. At last
the perch swam ashore, and there was a Tsarivna^
whittling an ash twig. The perch changed itself into a
gold ring set with garnets, and the Tsarivna saw it and

^ Russian Tsarevna, i.e. a Tsar's daughter.
24

HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR THAT HORSE ? "

24

OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST

fished up the ring out of the water. Full of joy she
took it home, and said to her father, " Look, dear papa !
what a nice ring I have found ! " The Tsar kissed
her, but the Tsarivna did not know which^finger it
would suit best, it was so lovely.

About the same time they told the Tsar that a certain
merchant had come to the palace. It was Oh, who
had changed himself into a merchant. The Tsar went
out to him and said, '' What dost thou want, old man ? "
— *' I was sailing on the sea in my ship," said Oh, '' and
carrying to the Tsar of my own land a precious garnet
ring, and this ring I dropped into the water. Has any
of thy servants perchance found this precious ring ? " —
" No, but my daughter has," said the Tsar. So they
called the damsel, and Oh began to beg her to give it
back to him, " for I may not live in this world if I bring
not the ring," said he. But it was of no avail, she would
not give it up.

Then the Tsar himself spoke to her. " Nay, but,
darling daughter, give it up, lest misfortune befall this
man because of us ; give it up, I say ! " Then Oh
begged and prayed her yet more, and said, " Take
what thou wilt of me, only give me back the ring." —
" Nay, then, " said the Tsarivna, " it shall be neither
mine nor thine," and with that she tossed the ring
upon the ground, and it turned into a heap of millet-
seed and scattered all about the floor. Then Oh,
without more ado, changed into a cock, and began
pecking up all the seed. He pecked and pecked till he
had pecked it all up. Yet there was one single little
grain of millet which rolled right beneath the feet of the
Tsarivna, and that he did not see. When he had done

25

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

pecking he got upon the window-sill, opened his wings,
and flew right away.

But the one remaining grain of millet-seed turned
into a most beauteous youth, a youth so beauteous that
when the Tsarivna beheld him she fell in love with
him on the spot, and begged the Tsar and Tsaritsa
right piteously to let her have him as her husband.
" With no other shall I ever be happy," said she ; " my
happiness is in him alone ! " For a long time the Tsar
wrinkled his brows at the thought of giving his daughter
to a simple youth ; but at last he gave them his blessing,
and they crowned them with bridal wreaths, and all
the world was bidden to the wedding-feast. And I too
was there, and drank beer and mead, and what my
mouth could not hold ran down over my beard, and
my heart rejoiced within me.

26

THE STORY OF
THE WIND

THE STORY OF THE WIND

ONCE upon a time there dwelt two brethren in
one village, and one brother was very, very rich,
and the other brother was very, very poor. The
rich man had wealth of all sorts, but all that the poor
man had was a heap of children.

One day, at harvest-time, the poor man left his wife
and went to reap and thresh out his little plot of wheat,
but the Wind came and swept all his corn away down
to the very last grain. The poor man was exceeding
wrath thereat, and said, " Come what will, I'll go seek
the Wind, and I'll tell him with what pains and trouble
I had got my corn to grow and ripen, and then he,
forsooth ! must needs come and blow it all away."

So the man went home and made ready to go, and
as he was making ready his wife said to him, *' Whither
away, husband ? " — " I am going to seek the Wind,"
said he ; " what dost thou say to that ? " — " I should
say, do no such thing," replied his wife. " Thou
knowest the saying, * If thou dost want to find the
Wind, seek him on the open steppe. He can go ten
different ways to thy one.' Think of that, dear hus-
band, and go not at all." — " I mean to go," replied the
man, " though I never return home again." Then he
took leave of his wife and children, and went straight
out into the wide world to seek the Wind on the open
steppe.

He went on farther and farther till he saw before
him a forest, and on the borders of that forest stood a
hut on hens' legs. The man went into this hut and was
filled with astonishment, for there lay on the floor a

29

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

huge, huge old man, as grey as milk. He lay there
stretched at full length, his head on the seat of honour,^
with an arm and leg in each of the four corners, and all
his hair standing on end. It was no other than the
Wind himself. The man stared at this awful Ancient
with terror, for never in his life had he seen anything
like it. " God help thee, old father ! " cried he. —
" Good health to thee, good man ! " said the ancient
giant, as he lay on the floor of the hut. Then he asked
him in the most friendly manner, " Whence hath God
brought thee hither, good man ? " — " I am wandering
through the wide world in search of the Wind," said the
man. " If I find him, I will turn back ; if I don't find
him, I shall go on and on till I do." — '* What dost thou
want with the Wind ? " asked the old giant lying on
the floor. " Or what wrong hath he done thee, that
thou shouldst seek him out so doggedly ? " — " What
wrong hath he done me ? " replied the wayfarer.
" Hearken now, O Ancient, and I will tell thee ! I
went straight from my wife into the field and reaped
my little plot of corn ; but when I began to thresh it
out, the Wind came and caught and scattered every
bit of it in a twinkling, so that there was not a single
little grain of it left. So now thou dost see, old man,
what I have to thank him for. Tell me, in God's name,
why such things be ? My little plot of corn was my
all-in-all, and in the sweat of my brow did I reap and
thresh it ; but the Wind came and blew it all away, so
that not a trace of it is to be found in the wide world.
Then I thought to myself, ' Why should he do this ? *

1 Pokute, the place of honour in a Ruthenian peasant's hut, at the right-hand
side of the entrance.

30

THE WIND CAME AND SWTPT ALL HIS CORN AWAY

30

THE STORY OF THE WIND

And I said to my wife, ' I'll go seek the Wind, and say
to him, " Another time, visit not the poor man who
hath but a little corn, and blow it not away, for bitterly
doth he rue it ! " ' " — " Good, my son ! " said the giant
who lay on the floor. " I shall know better in future ;
in future I will not blow away the poor man's corn.
But, good man, there is no need for thee to seek the
Wind in the open steppe, for I myself am the Wind." —
" Then if thou art the Wind," said the man, " give
me back my corn." — " Nay," said the giant ; " thou
canst not make the dead come back from the grave.
Yet, inasmuch as I have done thee a mischief, I will
now give thee this sack, good man, and do thou take
it home with thee. And whenever thou wantest a meal
say, ' Sack, sack, give me to eat and drink ! ' and
immediately thou shalt have thy fill both of meat and
drink, so now thou wilt have wherewithal to comfort
thy wife and children."
Then the man was full of gratitude. " I thank thee,

0 Wind ! " said he, " for thy courtesy in giving me
such a sack as will give me my fill of meat and drink
without the trouble of working for it." — '* For a lazy
loon, 'twere a double boon," said the Wind. " Go
home, then, but look now, enter no tavern by the way ;

1 shall know it if thou dost." — " No," said the man,
" I will not." And then he took leave of the Wind and
went his way.

He had not gone very far when he passed by a
tavern, and he felt a burning desire to find out whether
the Wind had spoken the truth in the matter of the
sack. " How can a man pass a tavern without going
into it ? " thought he ; "I'll go in, come what may.

31

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

The Wind won*t know, because he can't see." So he
went into the tavern and hung up his sack upon a peg.
The Jew who kept the tavern immediately said to him,
" What dost thou want, good man } " — " What is that
to thee, thou dog ? " said the man. — " You are all alike,"
sneered the Jew, " take what you can, and pay for
nothing." — " Dost think I want to buy anything from
thee ? " shrieked the man ; then, turning angrily to the
sack, he cried, " Sack, sack, give me to eat and drink ! "
Immediately the table was covered with all sorts of
meats and Hquors. Then all the Jews in the tavern
crowded round full of amazement, and asked all manner
of questions. " Why, what is this, good man ? " said
they ; " never have we seen anything like this before ! "
— " Ask no questions, ye accursed Jews ! " cried the
man, " but sit down to eat, for there is enough for all."
So the Jews and the Jewesses set to and ate until they
were full up to the ears ; and they drank the man's
health in pitchers of wine of every sort, and said,
" Drink, good man, and spare not, and when thou hast
drunk thy fill thou shalt lodge with us this night.
We'll make ready a bed for thee. None shall vex thee.
Come now, eat and drink whatever thy soul desires."
So the Jews flattered him with devilish cunning, and
almost forced the wine-jars to his lips.

The simple fellow did not perceive their malice and
cunning, and he got so drunk that he could not move
from the place, but went to sleep where he was. Then
the Jews changed his sack for another, which they hung
up on a peg, and then they woke him. " Dost hear,
fellow ! " cried they ; " get up, it is time to go home.
Dost thou not see the morning light ? " The man sat
32

THE STORY OF THE WIND

up and scratched the back of his head, for he was loath
to go. But what was he to do ? So he shouldered the
sack that was hanging on the peg, and went off home.

When he got to his house, he cried, " Open the
door, wife ! " Then his wife opened the door, and he
went in and hung his sack on the peg and said, " Sit
down at the table, dear wife, and you children sit down
there too. Now, thank God ! we shall have enough to
eat and drink, and to spare." The wife looked at her
husband and smiled. She thought he was mad, but
down she sat, and her children sat down all round her,
and she waited to see what her husband would do
next. Then the man said, " Sack, sack, give to us
meat and drink ! " But the sack was silent. Then he
said again, " Sack, sack, give my children something to
eat ! " And still the sack was silent. Then the man
fell into a violent rage. '' Thou didst give me something
at the tavern," cried he ; " and now I may call in vain.
Thou givest nothing, and thou hearest nothing " — and,
leaping from his seat, he took up a club and began
beating the sack till he had knocked a hole in the wall,
and beaten the sack to bits. Then he set off to seek the
Wind again. But his wife stayed at home and put
everything to rights again, railing and scolding at her
husband as a madman.

But the man went to the Wind and said, " Hail to
thee, O Wind ! "— * Good health to thee, O man ! "
replied the Wind. Then the Wind asked, '' Wherefore
hast thou come hither, O man } Did I not give thee
a sack ? What more dost thou want ? " — " A pretty
sack indeed ! " replied the man ; " that sack of thine
has been the cause of much mischief to me and mine."

C 33

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

— " What mischief has it done thee ? "— " Why, look
now, old father, I'll tell thee what it has done. It
wouldn't give me anything to eat and drink, so I began
beating it, and beat the wall in. Now what shall I do
to repair my crazy hut ? Give me something, old
father." — But the Wind replied, " Nay, O man, thou
must do without. Fools are neither sown nor reaped,
but grow of their own accord — hast thou not been into
a tavern ? " — " I have not," said the man. — " Thou hast
not } Why wilt thou He ? " — " Well, and suppose I
did lie ? " said the man ; "if thou suffer harm through
thine own fault, hold thy tongue about it, that's what I
say. Yet it is all the fault of thy sack that this evil has
come upon me. If it had only given me to eat and to
drink, I should not have come to thee again." At this
the Wind scratched his head a bit, but then he said,
" Well then, thou man ! there's a little ram for thee,
and whenever thou dost want money say to it, * Little
ram, little ram, scatter money ! ' and it will scatter
money as much as thou wilt. Only bear this in mind :
go not into a tavern, for if thou dost, I shall know all
about it ; and if thou comest to me a third time, thou
shalt have cause to remember it for ever." — " Good,"
said the man, " I won't go." — Then he took the little
ram, thanked the Wind, and went on his way.

So the man went along leading the little ram by a
string, and they came to a tavern, that very same tavern
where he had been before, and again a strong desire
came upon the man to go in. So he stood by the door
and began thinking whether he should go in or not,
and whether he had any need to find out the truth
about the little ram. " Well, well," said he at last,
34

THE STORY OF THE WIND

" rU go in, only this time I won't get drunk. I'll
drink just a glass or so, and then I'll go home." So
into the tavern he went, dragging the little ram after
him, for he was afraid to let it go.

Now, when the Jews who were inside there saw the
little ram, they began shrieking and said, " What art
thou thinking of, O man ! that thou bringest that
little ram into the room ? Are there no barns outside
where thou mayst put it up ? " — " Hold your tongues,
ye accursed wretches ! " replied the man ; " what has
it got to do with you } It is not the sort of ram that
fellows like you deal in. And if you don't believe me,
spread a cloth on the floor and you shall see something,
I warrant you." — Then he said, " Little ram, little ram,
scatter money ! " and the little ram scattered so much
money that it seemed to grow, and the Jews screeched
like demons. — " O man, man ! " cried they, " such a
ram as that we have never seen in all our days. Sell it
to us ! We will give thee such a lot of money for it." —
" You may pick up all that money, ye accursed ones,"
cried the man, " but I don't mean to sell my ram."

Then the Jews picked up the money, but they laid
before him a table covered with all the dishes that a
man's heart may desire, and they begged him to sit
down and make merry, and said with true Jewish
cunning, '' Though thou mayst get a little lively, don't
get drunk, for thou knowest how drink plays the fool
with a man's wits." — The man marvelled at the straight-
forwardness of the Jews in warning him against the
drink, and, forgetting everything else, sat down at table
and began drinking pot after pot of mead, and talking
with the Jews, and his little ram went clean out of his

35

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

head. But the Jews made him drunk, and laid him in
the bed, and changed rams with him ; his they took
away, and put in its place one of their own exactly
like it.

When the man had slept off his carouse, he arose
and went away, taking the ram with him, after bidding
the Jews farewell. When he got to his hut he found
his wife in the doorway, and the moment she saw him
coming, she went into the hut and cried to her children,
" Come, children ! make haste, make haste ! for daddy
is coming, and brings a little ram along with him ; get
up, and look sharp about it ! An evil year of waiting
has been the lot of wretched me, but he has come home
at last."

The husband arrived at the door and said, ** Open
the door, little wife ; open, I say ! " — The wife replied,
" Thou art not a great nobleman, so open the door
thyself. Why dost thou get so drunk that thou dost
not know how to open a door ? It's an evil time that
I spend with thee. Here we are with all these little
children, and yet thou dost go away and drink." —
Then the wife opened the door, and the husband walked
into the hut and said, " Good health to thee, dear
wife ! " — But the wife cried, " Why dost thou bring that
ram inside the hut, can't it stay outside the walls ? "
— " Wife, wife ! " said the man, " speak, but don't
screech. Now we shall have all manner of good things,
and the children will have a fine time of it." — " What ! "
said the wife, " what good can we get from that wretched
ram ? Where shall we get the money to find food for
it ? Why, we've nothing to eat ourselves, and thou
dost saddle us with a ram besides. Stuff and nonsense !

36

THE STORY OF THE WIND

I say." — " Silence, wife," replied the husband ; " that
ram is not like other rams, I tell thee." — " What sort is
it, then ? " asked his wife. — " Don't ask questions, but
spread a cloth on the floor and keep thine eyes open." —
" Why spread a cloth ? " asked the wife.—" Why ? "
shrieked the man in a rage ; "do what I tell thee, and
hold thy tongue." — But the wife said, " Alas, alas !
I have an evil time of it. Thou dost nothing at all
but go away and drink, and then thou comest home
and dost talk nonsense, and bringest sacks and rams
with thee, and knockest down our little hut." — At this
the husband could control his rage no longer, but
shrieked at the ram, " Little ram, little ram, scatter
money ! " — But the ram only stood there and stared
at him. Then he cried again, " Little ram, little ram,
scatter money ! " — But the ram stood there stock-still
and did nothing. Then the man in his anger caught
up a piece of wood and struck the ram on the head, but
the poor ram only uttered a feeble baa ! and fell to the
earth dead.

The man was now very much offended and said,
" I'll go to the Wind again, and I'll tell him what a fool
he has made of me." Then he took up his hat and
went, leaving everything behind him. And the poor
wife put everything to rights, and reproached and railed
at her husband.

So the man came to the Wind for the third time and
said, " Wilt thou tell me, please, if thou art really the
Wind or no ? "— " What's the matter with thee ? "
asked the Wind.—" I'll tell thee what's the matter,"
said the man ; " why hast thou laughed at and mocked
me and made such a fool of me ? " — " I laugh at thee ! "

37

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

thundered the old father as he lay there on the floor
and turned round on the other ear ; " why didst thou
not hold fast what I gave thee ? Why didst thou not
listen to me when I told thee not to go into the tavern,
eh ? " — " What tavern dost thou mean ? " asked the man
proudly ; *' as for the sack and the ram thou didst
give me, they only did me a mischief ; give me some-
thing else." — " What's the use of giving thee any-
thing ? " said the Wind ; *' thou wilt only take it to the
tavern. Out of the drum, my twelve henchmen ! "
cried the Wind, " and just give this accursed drunkard
a good lesson that he may keep his throat dry and listen
a little more to old people ! " — Immediately twelve
henchmen leaped out of his drum and began giving the
man a sound thrashing. Then the man saw that it was
no joke and begged for mercy. " Dear old father
Wind," cried he, " be merciful, and let me get off
alive. I'll not come to thee again though I should
have to wait till the Judgment Day, and I'll do all thy
behests." — " Into the drum, my henchmen ! " cried the
Wind. — " And now, O man ! " said the Wind, " thou
may St have this drum with the twelve henchmen, and
go to those accursed Jews, and if they will not give thee
back thy sack and thy ram, thou wilt know what to
say."

So the man thanked the Wind for his good advice,
and went on his way. He came to the inn, and when
the Jews saw that he brought nothing with him they
said, " Hearken, O man ! don't come here, for we
have no brandy." — " What do I want with your
brandy } " cried the man in a rage. — " Then for what
hast thou come hither ? " — " I have come for my own."

38

THE STORY OF THE WIND

— " Thy own," said the Jews ; " what dost thou mean ? "
— " What do I mean ? " roared the man ; '' why, my
sack and my ram, which you must give up to me." —
" What ram ? What sack ? " said the Jews ; " why,
thou didst take them away from here thyself." — " Yes,
but you changed them," said the man. — " What dost
thou mean by changed ? " whined the Jews ; "we will
go before the magistrate, and thou shalt hear from us
about this." — " You will have an evil time of it if you
go before the magistrate," said the man ; " but at any
rate, give me back my own." And he sat down upon a
bench. Then the Jews caught him by the shoulders
to cast him out and cried, " Be oif, thou rascal ! Does
any one know where this man comes from ? No doubt
he is an evil-doer." The man could not stand this, so
he cried, " Out of the drum, my henchmen ! and give
the accursed Jews a sound drubbing, that they may
know better than to take in honest folk ! " and imme-
diately the twelve henchmen leaped out of the drum and
began thwacking the Jews finely. — " Oh, oh ! " roared
the Jews ; " oh, dear, darling, good man, we'll give
thee whatever thou dost want, only leave off beating
us ! Let us live a bit longer in the world, and we will
give thee back everything." — " Good ! " said the man,
" and another time you'll know better than to deceive
people." Then he cried, " Into the drum, my hench-
men ! " and the henchmen disappeared, leaving the
Jews more dead than alive. Then they gave the man
his sack and his ram, and he went home, but it was a
long, long time before the Jews forgot those henchmen.

So the man went home, and his wife and children
saw him coming from afar. " Daddy is coming home

39

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

now with a sack and a ram ! " said she ; " what shall
we do ? We shall have a bad time of it, we shall have
nothing left at all. God defend us poor wretches !
Go and hide everything, children." So the children
hastened away, but the husband came to the door and
said, *' Open the door ! " — " Open the door thyself,"
replied the wife. — ^Again the husband bade her open the
door, but she paid no heed to him. The man was
astonished. This was carrying a joke too far, so he
cried to his henchmen, " Henchmen, henchmen ! out
of the drum, and teach my wife to respect her husband ! "
Then the henchmen leaped out of the drum, laid the
good wife by the heqls, and began to give her a sound
drubbing. " Oh, my dear, darling husband ! " shrieked
the wife, " never to the end of my days will I be sulky
with thee again. I'll do whatever thou tellest me, only
leave off beating me." — " Then I have taught thee
sfense, eh .f^ " said the man. — '' Oh, yes, yes, good hus-
band ! " cried she. Then the man said : " Henchmen,
henchmen ! into the drum ! " and the henchmen leaped
into it again, leaving the poor wife more dead than
alive.

Then the husband said to her, '' Wife, spread a cloth
upon the floor." The wife scudded about as nimbly as
a fly, and spread a cloth out on the floor without a
word. Then the husband said, '' Little ram, little ram,
scatter money ! " And the little ram scattered money
till there were piles and piles of it. " Pick it up, my
children," said the man, " and thou too, wife, take
what thou wilt ! " — ^And they didn't wait to be asked
twice. Then the man hung up his sack on a peg and
said, " Sack, sack, meat and drink ! " Then he caught
40

" OUT OF THE DRUM, MY HENCHMEN ! "

40

THE STORY OF THE WIND
hold of it and shook it, and immediately the table was
as full as it could hold with all manner of victuals and
drink. " Sit down, my children, and thou too, dear
wife, and eat thy fill. Thank God, we shall now have
no lack of food, and shall not have to work for it either."

So the man and his wife were very happy together,
and were never tired of thanking the Wind. They had
not had the sack and the ram very long when they grew
very rich, and then the husband said to the wife, " I
tell thee what, wife ! "— " What ? " said she.—" Let us
invite my brother to come and see us." — " Very good,"
she replied ; " invite him, but dost thou think he'll
come ? " — " Why shouldn't he } " asked her husband.
" Now, thank God, we have everything we want. He
wouldn't come to us when we were poor and he was rich,
because then he was ashamed to say that I was his brother,
but now even he hasn't got so much as we have."

So they made ready, and the man went to invite
his brother. The poor man came to his rich brother
and said, " Hail to thee, brother ; God help thee ! "
— Now the rich brother was threshing wheat on his
threshing-floor, and, raising his head, was surprised to
see his brother there, and said to him haughtily, " I
thank thee. Hail to thee also ! Sit down, my brother,
and tell us why thou hast come hither." — " Thanks,
my brother, I do not want to sit down. I have come
hither to invite thee to us, thee and thy wife." —
" Wherefore ? " asked the rich brother. — The poor man
said, " My wife prays thee, and I pray thee also, to
come and dine with us of thy courtesy." — " Good ! "
replied the rich brother, smiling secretly. " I will come
whatever thy dinner may be."

41

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

So the rich man went with his wife to the poor man,
and already from afar they perceived that the poor man
had grown rich. And the poor man rejoiced greatly
when he saw his rich brother in his house. And his
tongue was loosened, and he began to show him every-
thing, whatsoever he possessed. The rich man was
amazed that things were going so well with his brother,
and asked him how he had managed to get on so. But
the poor man answered, " Don't ask me, brother. I
have more to show thee yet." Then he took him to his
copper money, and said, " There are my oats, brother ! "
Then he took and showed him his silver money, and
said, " That's the sort of barley I thresh on my threshing-
floor ! " And, last of all, he took him to his gold money,
and said, " There, my dear brother, is the best wheat
I've got." — Then the rich brother shook his head, not
once nor twice, and marvelled at the sight of so many
good things, and he said, " Wherever didst thou pick
up all this, my brother ? " — " Oh ! I've more than that
to show thee yet. Just be so good as to sit down on
that chair, and I'll show and tell thee everything."

Then they sat them down, and the poor man hung
up his sack upon a peg. " Sack, sack, meat and drink ! "
he cried, and immediately the table was covered with
all manner of dishes. So they ate and ate, till they
were full up to the ears. When they had eaten and
drunken their fill, the poor man called to his son to
bring the little ram into the hut. So the lad brought
in the ram, and the rich brother wondered what they
were going to do with it. Then the poor man said,
" Little ram, scatter money ! " And the little ram
scattered money, till there were piles and piles of it on
42

THE STORY OF THE WIND

the floor. " Pick it up ! " said the poor man to the rich
man and his wife. So they picked it up, and the rich
brother and his wife marvelled, and the brother said,
" Thou hast a very nice piece of goods there, brother.
If I had only something like that I should lack nothing ; "
then, after thinking a long time, he said, " Sell it to me,
my brother." — " No," said the poor man, " I will not
sell it." — After a little time, however, the rich brother
said again, *' Come now ! I'll give thee for it six yoke
of oxen, and a plough, and a harrow, and a hay-fork,
and I'll give thee besides, lots of corn to sow, thus
thou wilt have plenty, but give me the ram and the
sack." So at last they exchanged. The rich man took
the sack and the ram, and the poor man took the oxen
and went out to the plough.

Then the poor brother went out ploughing all day,
but he neither watered his oxen nor gave them any-
thing to eat. And next day the poor brother again
went out to his oxen, but found them rolling on their
sides on the ground. He began to pull and tug at
them, but they didn't get up. Then he began to beat
them with a stick, but they uttered not a sound. The
man was surprised to find them fit for nothing, and off
he ran to his brother, not forgetting to take with him his
drum with the henchmen.

When the poor brother came to the rich brother's, he
lost no time in crossing his threshold, and said, " Hail,
my brother ! " — " Good health to thee also ! " repUed
the rich man, " why hast thou come hither .? Has thy
plough broken, or thy oxen failed thee ? Perchance
thou hast watered them with foul water, so that their
blood is stagnant, and their flesh inflamed ? " — " The

43

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

murrain take 'em if I know thy meaning ! " cried the
poor brother. " All that I know is that I thwacked 'em
till my arms ached, and they wouldn't stir, and not a
single grunt did they give ; till I was so angry that I
spat at them, and came to tell thee. Give me back my
sack and my ram, I say, and take back thy oxen, for
they won't listen to me ! " — " What ! take them back ! "
roared the rich brother. " Dost think I only made the
exchange for a single day ? No, I gave them to thee
once and for all, and now thou wouldst rip the whole
thing up like a goat at the fair. I have no doubt thou
hast neither watered them nor fed them, and that is why
they won't stand up." — *' I didn't know," said the poor
man, " that oxen needed water and food." — " Didn't
know ! " screeched the rich man, in a mighty rage, and
taking the poor brother by the hand, he led him away
from the hut. *' Go away," said he, '' and never come
back here again, or I'll have thee hanged on a gallows ! "
— " Ah ! what a big gentleman we are ! " said the poor
brother ; " just thou give me back my own, and then
I will go away." — " Thou hadst better not stop here,"
said the rich brother ; " come, stir thy stumps, thou
pagan ! Go home ere I beat thee ! " — " Don't say
that," repUed the poor man, " but give me back my
ram and my sack, and then I will go." — At this the rich
brother quite lost his temper, and cried to his wife and
children, *' Why do you stand staring like that ? Can't
you come and help me to pitch this insolent rogue out
of the house ? " This, however, was something beyond
a joke, so the poor brother called to his henchmen,
" Henchmen, henchmen ! out of the drum, and give
this brother of mine and his wife a sound drubbing,
44

THE STORY OF THE WIND

that they may think twice about it another time before
they pitch a poor brother out of their hut ! " Then the
henchmen leaped out of the drum, and laid hold of the
rich brother and his wife, and trounced them soundly,
until the rich brother yelled with all his might, " Oh,
oh ! my own true brother, take what thou wilt, only let
me off alive ! " whereupon the poor brother cried to his
henchmen, '* Henchmen, henchmen ! into the drum ! "
and the henchmen disappeared immediately.

Then the poor brother took his ram and his sack, and
set off home with them. And they lived happily ever
after, and grew richer and richer. They sowed neither
wheat nor barley, and yet they had lots and lots to eat.
And I was there, and drank mead and beer. What my
mouth couldn't hold ran down my beard. For you,
there's a kazka, but there be fat hearth-cakes for me the
asker. And if I have aught to eat, thou shalt share the
treat.

45

THE VOICES AT
THE WINDOW

THE VOICES AT THE WINDOW

A NOBLEMAN went hunting one autumn, and
with him went a goodly train of huntsmen. All
day long they hunted and hunted, and at the
end of the day they had caught nothing. At last dark
night overtook them. It had now grown bitterly cold,
and the rain began to fall heavily. The nobleman was
wet to the skin, and his teeth chattered. He rubbed
his hands together and cried, " Oh, had we but a
warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour
kvas,^ we should have naught to complain of, but
would tell tales and feign fables till dawn of day ! "
Immediately there shone a light in the depths of the
forest. They hastened up to it, and lo ! there was
a hut. They entered, and on the table lay bread and
a jug of kvas ; and the hut was warm, and the bed
therein was white — everything just as the nobleman
had desired it. So they all entered after him, and
said grace, and had supper, and laid them down to
sleep.

They all slept, all but one, but to him slumber would
not come. About midnight he heard a strange noise,
and something came to the window and said, " Oh,
thou son of a dog ! thou didst say, ' If we had but a
warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour
kvas, we should have naught to complain of, but would
tell tales and feign fables till dawn ' ; but now thou hast
forgotten thy fine promise ! Wherefore this shall befall
thee on thy way home. Thou shalt fall in with an apple-
tree full of apples, and thou shalt desire to taste of them,

^ A sourish drink.

D 49

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and when thou hast tasted thereof thou shalt burst.
And if any of these thy huntsmen hear this thing and
tell thee of it, that man shall become stone to the
knee ! " All this that huntsman heard, and he thought,
" Woe is me ! "

And about the second cockcrow something else came
to the window and said, " Oh, thou son of a dog !
thou didst say, ' If we had but a warm hut, and a
white bed, and soft bread, and sour kvas, we should
have naught to complain of, but would tell tales and
feign fables till dawn ' ; but now thou hast forgotten
thy fine promises ! Wherefore this shall befall thee on
thy way home. Thou shalt come upon a spring by the
roadside, a spring of pure water, and thou shalt desire
to drink of it, and when thou hast drunk thereof thou
shalt burst. But if any of these thy huntsmen hear and
tell thee of this thing, he shall become stone to the
girdle." All this that huntsman heard, and he thought
to himself, " Woe is me ! "

Again, toward the third cockcrow, he heard some-
thing else coming to the window, and it said, " Oh,
thou son of a dog ! thou didst say, * If only we had a
warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour
kvas, we should have naught to complain of, but would
tell tales and feign fables till dawn ' ; but now thou
hast forgotten all thy fine promises ! Wherefore this
shall befall thee on thy way home. Thou shalt come
upon a feather-bed in the highway ; a longing for rest
shall come over thee, and thou wilt lie down on it, and
the moment thou Rest down thereon thou shalt burst.
But if any of thy huntsmen hear this thing and tell it
thee, he shall become stone up to the neck ! '* All this
50

THE VOICES AT THE WINDOW

that huntsman heard, and then he awoke his comrades
and said, " It is time to depart ! " — " Let us go then,"
said the nobleman.

So on they went, and they had not gone very far
when they saw an apple-tree growing by the way-
side, and on it were apples so beautiful that words
cannot describe them. The nobleman felt that he
must taste of these apples or die ; but the wakeful
huntsman rushed up and cut down the apple-tree,
whereupon apples and apple-tree turned to ashes.
But the huntsman galloped on before and hid
himself.

They went on a little farther till they came to a
spring, and the water of that spring was so pure and
clear that words cannot describe it. Then the noble-
man felt that he must drink of that water or die ; but
the huntsman rushed up and splashed in the spring with
his sword, and immediately the water turned to blood.
The nobleman was wrath, and cried, " Cut me down
that son of a dog ! " But the huntsman rode on in front
and hid himself.

They went on still farther till they came upon a
golden bed in the highway, full of white feathers so soft
and cosy that words cannot describe it. The nobleman
felt that he must rest in that bed or die. Then the
huntsman rushed up and struck the bed with his
sword, and it turned to coal. But the nobleman was
very wrath, and cried, '' Shoot me down that son of
a dog ! " But the huntsman rode on before and hid
himself.

When they got home the nobleman commanded them
to bring the huntsman before him. '' What hast thou

51

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

done, thou son of Satan ? " he cried. " I must needs
slay thee ! " But the huntsman said, " My master,
bid them bring hither into the courtyard an old mare
fit for naught but the knacker." They brought the
mare, and he mounted it and said, " My master, last
midnight something came beneath the window and said,
' Oh, son of a dog ! thou saidst, " If only we had a warm
hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour kvas, we
should grieve no more, but tell tales and feign fables till
dawn," and now thou hast forgotten thy promise.
Wherefore this shall befall thee on thy way home : thou
shalt come upon an apple-tree covered with apples by
the wayside, and straightway thou shalt long to eat of
them, and the moment thou tastest thereof thou shalt
burst. And if any of thy huntsmen hears this thing,
and tells thee of it, he shall become stone up to the
knee.' " When the huntsman had spoken so far, the
horse on which he sat became stone up to the knee.
Then he went on, " About the second cockcrow some-
thing else came to the window and said the selfsame
thing, and prophesied, ' He shall come upon a spring
by the roadside, a spring of pure water, and he shall
long to drink thereof, and the moment he tastes of it he
shall burst ; and whoever hears and tells him of this
thing shall become stone right up to the girdle.' "
And when the huntsman had spoken so far, the horse
on which he sat became stone right up to the breast.
And he continued, and said, " About the third cock-
crow something else came to the window and said the
selfsame thing, and added, ' This shall befall thy lord
on his way home. He shall come upon a white bed
on the road, and he shall desire to rest upon it, and

52

THE VOICES AT THE WINDOW

the moment he rests upon it he shall burst ; and
whoever hears and tells him of this thing shall become
stone right up to the neck ! ' " And with these
words he leaped from the horse, and the horse became
stone right up to its neck. " That therefore, my
master, was why I did what I did, and I pray thee
pardon me."

53

THE STORY OF LITTLE

TSAR NOVISHNY, THE

FALSE SISTER, AND THE

FAITHFUL BEASTS

THE STORY OF LITTLE TSAR
NOVISHNY, THE FALSE SISTER,
AND THE FAITHFUL BEASTS

ONCE upon a time, in a certain kingdom, in a
certain empire, there dwelt a certain Tsar who
had never had a child. One day this Tsar went
to the bazaar (such a bazaar as we have at Kherson) to
buy food for his needs. For though he was a Tsar, he
had a mean and churlish soul, and used always to do his
own marketing, and so now, too, he bought a little salt
fish and went home with it. On his way homeward, a
great thirst suddenly fell upon him, so he turned aside
into a lonely mountain where he knew, as his father had
known before him, there was a spring of crystal-clear
water. He was so very thirsty that he flung himself
down headlong by this spring without first crossing
himself, wherefore that Accursed One, Satan, imme-
diately had power over him, and caught him by the
beard. The Tsar sprang back in terror, and cried,
" Let me go ! " But the Accursed One held him all
the tighter. " Nay, I will not let thee go ! " cried he.
Then the Tsar began to entreat him piteously. " Ask
what thou wilt of me," said he, " only let me go." —
" Give me, then," said the Accursed One, '* something
that thou hast in the house, and then I'll let thee go ! "
— " Let me see, what have I got ? " said the Tsar.
** Oh, I know. I've got eight horses at home, the like
of which I have seen nowhere else, and I'll immediately
bid my equerry bring them to thee to this spring — take
them." — " I won't have them ! " cried the Accursed
One, and he held him still more tightly by the beard.

57

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

" Well, then, hearken now ! " cried the Tsar. " I have
eight oxen. They have never yet gone a-ploughing
for me, or done a day's work. Fll have them brought
hither. Ill feast my eyes on them once more, and
then I'll have them driven into thy steppes — take
them."—" No, that won't do either ! " said the Ac-
cursed One. The Tsar went over, one by one, all the
most precious things he had at home, but the Accursed
One said " No ! " all along, and pulled him more and
more tightly by the beard. When the Tsar saw that
the Accursed One would take none of all these things,
he said to him at last, " Look now ! I have a wife
so lovely that the like of her is not to be found in the
whole world, take her and let me go ! " — " No ! "
repHed the Accursed One, " I will not have her."
The Tsar was in great straits. " What am I to do
now ? " thought he. "I have offered him my lovely
wife, who is the very choicest of my chattels, and he
won't have her ! " — Then said the Accursed One,
'' Promise me what thou shalt find awaiting thee at
home, and I'll let thee go."

The Tsar gladly promised this, for he could think of
naught else that he had, and then the Accursed One let
him go.

But while he had been away from home, there had
been born to him a Tsarevko ^ and a Tsarivna ; and
they grew up not by the day, or even by the hour,
but by the minute : never were known such fine
children. And his wife saw him coming from afar,
and went out to meet him, with her two children,
with great joy. But he, the moment he saw them,

1 A little Tsar.

S8

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

burst into tears. " Nay, my dear love," cried she,
'' wherefore dost thou burst into tears ? Or art thou
so deHghted that such children have been born unto
thee that thou canst not find thy voice for tears of
joy ? " — And he answered her, " My darUng wife, on
my way back from the bazaar I was athirst, and turned
toward a mountain known of old to my father and
me, and it seemed to me as though there were a spring
of water there, though the water was very near dried
up. But looking closer, I saw that it was quite full ;
so I bethought me that I would drink thereof, and
I leaned over, when lo ! that Evil-wanton (I mean
the Devil) caught me by the beard and would not let
me go. I begged and prayed, but still he held me
tight. ' Give me,' said he, ' what thou hast at home,
or I'll never let thee go ! ' — ^And I said to him, ' Lo !
now, I have horses.' — ' I don't want thy horses ! ' said
he. — ' I have oxen,' I said. — ' I don't want thine oxen ! '
said he. — ' I have,' said I, * a wife so fair that the like
of her is not to be found in God's fair world ; take
her, but let me go.' — ' I don't want thy fair wife ! '
said he. — Then I promised him what I should find at
home when I got there, for I never thought that God
had blessed me so. Come now, my darling wife ! and
let us bury them both lest he take them ! " — " Nay,
nay ! my dear husband, we had better hide them some-
where. Let us dig a ditch by our hut — just under
the gables ! " (For there were no lordly mansions in
those days, and the Tsars dwelt in peasants' huts.)
So they dug a ditch right under the gables, and put
their children inside it, and gave them provision of
bread and water. Then they covered it up and

59

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
smoothed it down, and turned into their own Uttle
hut.

Presently the serpent (for the Accursed One had
changed himself into a serpent) came flying up in
search of the children. He raged up and down outside
the hut — but there was nothing to be seen. At last
he cried out to the stove, " Stove, stove, where has
the Tsar hidden his children ? " — The stove replied,
" The Tsar has been a good master to me ; he has
put lots of warm fuel inside me ; I hold to him." —
So, finding he could get nothing out of the stove, he
cried to the hearth-broom, " Hearth-broom, hearth-
broom, where has the Tsar hidden his children ? " —
But the hearth-broom answered, " The Tsar has
always been a good master to me, for he always cleans
the warm grate with me ; I hold to him." So the
Accursed One could get nothing out of the hearth-
broom. — Then he cried to the hatchet, " Hatchet,
hatchet, where has the Tsar hidden his children ? "
— The hatchet replied, " The Tsar has always been
a good master to me. He chops his wood with me,
and gives me a place to lie down in ; so I'll not have
him disturbed." — Then the Devil cried to the gimlet,
'' Gimlet, gimlet, where has the Tsar hidden his chil-
dren ? " — But the gimlet repHed, " The Tsar has
always been a good master to me. He drills little
holes with me, and then lets me rest ; so I'll let him
rest too." — Then the serpent said to the gimlet, " So
the Tsar's a good master to thee, eh ! Well, I can
only say that if he's the good master thou say est he
is, I am rather surprised that he knocks thee on the
head so much with a hammer." — '* Well, that's true,"
60

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

said the gimlet, " I never thought of that. Thou
mayst take hold of me if thou wilt, and draw me out
of the top of the hut, near the front gable ; and wher-
ever I fall into the marshy ground, there set to work
and dig with me ! "

The Devil did so, and began digging at the spot
where the gimlet fell out on the marshy ground till
he had dug out the children. Now, as they had been
growing all along, they were children no more, but
a stately youth and a fair damsel ; and the serpent
took them up and carried them off. But they were
big and heavy, so he soon got tired and lay down to
rest, and presently fell asleep. Then the Tsarivna sat
down on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside
her, till a horse came running up. The horse ran right
up to them and said, '' Hail ! little Tsar Novishny ;
art thou here by thy leave or against thy leave ? " —
And the little Tsar Novishny replied, " Nay, little
nag ! we are here against our leave, not by our leave."
— " Then sit on my back ! " said the horse, " and
I'll carry you off ! " So they got on his back, for the
serpent was asleep all the time. Then the horse galloped
off with them ; and he galloped far, far away. Presently
the serpent awoke, looked all round him, and could
see nothing till he had got up out of the reeds in which
he lay, when he saw them in the far distance, and gave
chase. He soon caught them up ; and little Tsar
Novishny said to the horse, " Oh ! little nag, how
hot it is. It is all up with thee and us ! " And, in
truth, the horse's tail was already singed to a coal, for
the serpent was hard behind them, blazing like fire.
The horse perceived that he could do no more, so he

6i

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

gave one last wriggle and died ; but they, poor things,
were left alive. " Whom have you been listening to ? "
said the serpent as he flew up to them. " Don't you
know that I only am your father and tsar, and have
the right to carry you away ? " — *' Oh, dear daddy !
we'll never listen to anybody else again ! " — '' Well,
I'll forgive you this time," said the serpent ; " but
mind you never do it again."

Again the serpent took them up and carried them
off. Presently he grew tired and again lay down to
rest, and nodded off. Then the Tsarivna sat down
on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside her,
till a humble-bee came flying up. " Hail, little Tsar
Novishny ! " cried the humble-bee. — " Hail, little
humble-bee ! " said the little Tsar. — " Say, friends, are
you here by your leave or against your leave ? " —
" Alas ! little humble-bumble-bee, 'tis not with my
leave I have been brought hither, but against my leave,
as thou mayst see for thyself." — " Then sit on my
back," said the bee, " and I'll carry you away." —
" But, dear little humble-bumble-bee, if a horse couldn't
save us, how will you ? " — " I cannot tell till I try,"
said the humble-bee. " But if I cannot save you, I'll
let you fall."— ' Well, then," said the little Tsar, " we'll
try. For we two must perish in any case, but thou
perhaps mayst get off scot-free." So they embraced
each other, sat on the humble-bee, and off they went.
When the serpent awoke he missed them, and raising
his head above the reeds and rushes, saw them flying
far away, and set off after them at full speed. " Alas !
little humble-bumble-bee," cried little Tsar Novishny,
" how burning hot 'tis getting. We shall all three
62

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

perish ! " Then the humble-bee turned his wing and
shook them off. They fell to the earth, and he flew
away. Then the serpent came flying up and fell upon
them with open jaws. " Ah-ha ! " cried he, with a
snort, ** you've come to grief again, eh ? Didn't I tell
you to listen to nobody but me ! " Then they fell to
weeping and entreating, '' We'll listen to you alone
and to nobody else ! " and they wept and entreated so
much that at last he forgave them.

So he took them up and carried them off once more.
Again he sat down to rest and fell asleep, and again the
Tsarivna sat upon his head and the Tsarevko sat down
by her side, till a bullock came up, full tilt, and said
to them, *' Hail, little Tsar Novishny ! art thou here
with thy leave or art thou here against thy leave ? " —
" Alas ! dear little bullock, I came not hither by my
leave ; but maybe I was brought here against my
leave ! " — " Sit on my back, then," said the bullock,
'' and I'll carry you away." — But they said, " Nay, if a
horse and a bee could not manage it, how wilt thou ? "
— " Nonsense ! " said the bullock. " Sit down, and I'll
carry you off ! " So he persuaded them. — " Well, we
can only perish once ! " they cried ; and the bullock
carried them off. And every little while they went a
little mile, and jolted so that they very nearly tumbled
off. Presently the serpent awoke and was very very
wrath. He rose high above the woods and flew after
them — oh ! how fast he did fly ! Then cried the little
Tsar, " Alas ! bullock, how hot it turns. Thou wilt
perish, and we shall perish also ! " — Then said the
bullock, " Little Tsar ! look into my left ear and thou
wilt see a horse-comb. Pull it out and throw it behind

63

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

thee ! " — The little Tsar took out the comb and threw
it behind him, and it became a huge wood, as thick
and jagged as the teeth of a horse-comb. But the
bullock went on at his old pace : every little while
they went a little mile, and jolted so that they nearly
tumbled off. The serpent, however, managed to gnaw
his way through the wood, and then flew after them
again. Then cried the little Tsar, " Alas ! bullock,
it begins to burn again. Thou wilt perish, and we
shall perish also ! " — Then said the bullock, '' Look
into my right ear, and pull out the brush thou dost
find there, and fling it behind thee ! " — So he threw
it behind him, and it became a forest as thick as a
brush. Then the serpent came up to the forest and
began to gnaw at it ; and at last he gnawed his way
right through it. But the bullock went on at his old
pace : every little while they went a little mile, and
they jolted so that they nearly tumbled off. But when
the serpent had gnawed his way through the forest, he
again pursued them ; and again they felt a burning.
And the little Tsar said, " Alas ! bullock, look ! look !
how it burns. Look ! look ! how we perish." Now
the bullock was already nearing the sea. " Look into
my right ear," said the bullock, " draw out the little
handkerchief thou findest there, and throw it in front
of me. He drew it out and flung it, and before them
stood a bridge. Over this bridge they galloped, and by
the time they had done so, the serpent reached the sea.
Then said the bullock to the little Tsar, " Take up the
handkerchief again and wave it behind me." Then
he took and waved it till the bridge doubled up behind
them, and went and spread out again right in front

64

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

of them. The serpent came up to the edge of the sea ; but
there he had to stop, for he had nothing to run upon.

So they crossed over that sea right to the other side,
and the serpent remained on his own side. Then the
bullock said to them, " I'll lead you to a hut close
to the sea, and in that hut you must live, and you must
take and slay me." But they fell a-weeping sore.
*' How shall we slay thee ! " they cried ; " thou art our
own little dad, and hast saved us from death ! " —
" Nay ! " said the bullock ; " but you must slay me,
and one quarter of me you must hang up on the stove,
and the second quarter you must place on the ground
in a corner, and the third quarter you must put in the
corner at the entrance of the hut, and the fourth quarter
you must put round the threshold, so that there will
be a quarter in all four corners." So they took and
slew him in front of the threshold, and they hung his
four quarters in the four corners as he had bidden
them, and then they laid them down to sleep. Now
the Tsarevko awoke at midnight, and saw in the right-
hand corner a horse so gorgeously caparisoned that he
could not resist rising at once and mounting it ; and in
the threshold corner there was a self-slicing sword, and
in the third corner stood the dog Protius^ and in the
stove corner stood the dog Nedviga} The little Tsar
longed to be off. " Rise, little sister ! " cried he. " God
has been good to us ! Rise, dear little sister, and let us
pray to God ! " So they arose and prayed to God, and
while they prayed the day dawned. Then he mounted
his horse and took the dogs with him, that he might
live by what they caught.

^ The two fabulous hounds of Ruthenian legend.

E 65

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

So they lived in their hut by the sea, and one day
the sister went down to the sea to wash her bed-linen
and her body-linen in the blue waters. And the serpent
came and said to her, " How didst thou manage to
jump over the sea ? " — " Look, now ! " said she, " we
crossed over in this way. My brother has a handker-
chief which becomes a bridge when he waves it behind
him." — And the serpent said to her, " I tell thee
what, ask him for this handkerchief ; say thou dost
want to wash it, and take and wave it, and I'll then be
able to cross over to thee and live with thee, and we'll
poison thy brother." — Then she went home and said to
her brother, " Give me that handkerchief, dear little
brother ; it is dirty, so I'll wash and give it back to
thee." And he believed her and gave it to her, for she
was dear to him, and he thought her good and true.
Then she took the handkerchief, went down to the sea,
and waved it — and behold there was a bridge. Then
the serpent crossed over to her side, and they walked
to the hut together and consulted as to the best way of
destroying her brother and removing him from God's
fair world. Now it was his custom to rise at dawn,
mount his horse, and go a-hunting, for hunting he
dearly loved. So the serpent said to her, " Take to
thy bed and pretend to be ill, and say to him, ' I dreamed
a dream, dear brother, and lo, I saw thee go and fetch
me wolf's milk to make me well.' Then he'll go and
fetch it, and the wolves will tear his dogs to pieces, and
then we can take and do to him as we list, for his strength
is in his dogs."

So when the brother came home from hunting the
serpent hid himself, but the sister said, " I have
66

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

dreamed a dream, dear brother. Methought thou didst
go and fetch me wolf's milk, and I drank of it, and my
health came back to me, for I am so weak that God
grant I die not." — " I'll fetch it," said her brother. So
he mounted his horse and set off. Presently he came
to a little thicket, and immediately a she-wolf came
out. Then Protius ran her down and Nedviga held
her fast, and the little Tsar milked her and let her
go. And the she- wolf looked round and said, " Well
for thee, little Tsar Novishny, that thou hast let me go.
Methought thou wouldst not let me go alive. For that
thou hast let me go, I'll give thee, little Tsar Novishny,
a wolf- whelp." — Then she said to the little wolf,
'' Thou shalt serve this dear little Tsar as though he
were thine own dear father." Then the little Tsar went
back, and now there were with him two dogs and a
little wolf- whelp that trotted behind them.

Now the serpent and the false sister saw him coming
from afar, and three dogs trotting behind him. And
the serpent said to her, " What a sly, wily one it is !
He has added another watch-dog to his train ! Lie
down, and make thyself out worse than ever, and ask
bear's milk of him, for the bears will tear him to pieces
without doubt." Then the serpent turned himself into
a needle, and she took him up and stuck him in the
wall. Meanwhile the brother dismounted from his
horse and came with his dogs and the wolf to the hut,
and the dogs began snuffing at the needle in the wall.
And his sister said to him, " Tell me, why dost thou
keep these big dogs ? They let me have no rest."
Then he called to the dogs, and they sat down. And
his sister said to him, " I dreamed a dream, my

67

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
brother. I saw thee go and search and fetch me from
somewhere bear's milk, and I drank of it, and my
health came back to me." — " I will fetch it," said her
brother.

But first of all he laid him down to sleep. Nedviga
lay at his head, and Protius at his feet, and Vovchok^
by his side. So he slept through the night, and at
dawn he arose and mounted his good steed and hied
him thence. Again they came to a little thicket, and
this time a she-bear came out. Protius ran her down,
Nedviga held her fast, and the little Tsar milked her
and let her go. Then the she-bear said, " Hail to
thee, little Tsar Novishny ; because thou hast let me
go, I'll give thee a bear-cub." But to the little bear
she said, " Obey him as though he were thine own
father." So he set off home, and the serpent and his
sister saw that four were now trotting behind him.
" Look ! " said the serpent, " if there are not four
running behind him ! Shall we never be able to destroy
him ? I tell thee what. Ask him to get thee hare's
milk ; perhaps his beasts will gobble up the hare before
he can milk it." So he turned himself into a needle
again, and she fastened him in the wall, only a little
higher up, so that the dogs should not get at him.
Then, when the little Tsar dismounted from his horse,
he and his dogs came into the hut, and the dogs began
snuffing at the needle in the wall and barked at it, but
the brother knew not the cause thereof. But his sister
burst into tears and said, " Why dost thou keep such
monstrous dogs ? Such a kennel of them makes me ill
with anguish ! " Then he shouted to the dogs, and

1 Little Wolf.

68

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

they sat down quite still. Then she said to him, " I
am so ill, brother, that nothing will make me well but
hare's milk. Go and get it for me."—" I'll get it,"
said he.

But first he laid him down to sleep. Nedviga lay at
his head, Protius at his feet, and Vovchok and Medvedik ^
each on one side. He slept through the night, but at
dawn he mounted his steed, took his pack with him,
and departed. Again he came to a little thicket, and a
she-hare popped out. Protius ran her down, Nedviga
held her fast, then he milked her and let her go. Then
the hare said, " Hail to thee, little Tsar Novishny ;
because thou hast let me go — I thought thou wouldst
have torn me to pieces with thy dogs — I'll give thee a
leveret." But to the leveret she said, " Obey him,
as though he were thine own father." Then he went
home, and again they saw him from afar. *' What a
wily rogue it is ! " said they. " All five are following
him, and he is as well as ever ! " — " Ask him to get thee
fox's milk ! " said the serpent ; " perhaps when he goes
for it his beasts will leave him in the lurch ! " Then he
changed himself into a needle, and she stuck him still
higher in the wall, so that the dogs could not get at
him. The Tsar again dismounted from his horse, and
his dogs rushed up to the hut and began snuffing at
the needle. But his sister fell a-weeping, and said,
" Why dost thou keep such monstrous dogs ? " He
shouted to them, and they sat down quietly on their
haunches. Then his sister said again, " I am ailing,
my brother ; go and get me fox's milk, and I shall be
well."—" I'll fetch it for thee," said her brother.

1 Little Bear.

69

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

But first he lay down to sleep. Nedviga lay at his
head, Protius at his feet, and Vovchok, Medvedik,
and the leveret by his side. The little Tsar slept
through the night, and at dawn he arose, mounted
his horse, took his pack with him, and went off. They
came to a little thicket, and a vixen popped out. Protius
ran her down, Nedviga held her fast, and the little
Tsar milked her and let her go. Then said the vixen
to him, '' Thanks to thee, little Tsar Novishny, that
thou hast let me go. Methought thou wouldst tear
me in pieces with thy dogs. For thy kindness I'll give
thee a little fox." But to the little fox she said, " Obey
him as though he were thine own father." So he went
home, and they saw him coming from afar, and lo !
now he had six guardians, and yet had come by no
harm. " 'Tis no good ; we shall never do for him,"
said the serpent. " Look, now ! Make thyself worse
than ever, and say to him, ' I am very ill, my brother,
because in another realm, far, far away, there is a wild
boar who ploughs with his nose, and sows with his
ears, and harrows with his tail — and in that same empire
there is a mill with twelve furnaces that grinds its own
grain and casts forth its own meal, and if thou wilt
bring me of the meal that is beneath these twelve
furnaces, so that I may make me a cake of it and eat,
my soul shall live.' " — Then her brother said to her,
" Methinks thou art not my sister, but my foe ! " — But
she replied, " How can I be thy foe when we two live
all alone together in a strange land ? " — " Well, I will
get it for thee," said he. For again he believed in his
sister.

So he mounted his steed, took his pack with him,
70

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

and departed, and he came to the land where were
that boar and that mill she had told him of. He came
up to the mill, tied his horse to it, and entered into it.
And there were twelve furnaces there and twelve doors,
and these twelve doors needed no man to open or shut
them, for they opened and shut themselves. He took
meal from beneath the first furnace and went through
the second door, but the dogs were shut in by the
doors. Through all twelve doors he went, and came
out again at the first door, and looked about him, and
— there were no dogs to be seen. He whistled, and he
heard his dogs whining where they could not get out.
Then he wept sore, mounted his horse, and went
home. He got home, and there was his sister making
merry with the serpent. And no sooner did the brother
enter the hut than the serpent said, " Well, we wanted
flesh, and now flesh has come to us ! " For they had
just slain a bullock, and on the ground where they had
slain it there sprang up a whitethorn-tree, so lovely
that it may be told of in tales, but neither imagined nor
divined. When the little Tsar saw it, he said, " Oh,
my dear brother-in-law ! " (for without his dogs he
must needs be courteous to the serpent) " pray let me
climb up that w^hitethorn-tree, and have a good look
about me ! " But the sister said to the serpent, '' Dear
friend, make him get ready boiling water for himself,
and we will boil him, for it does not become thee to
dirty thy hands." — " Very well," said the serpent ;
" he shall make the boiling water ready ! " So they
ordered the little Tsar to go and chop wood and get the
hot water ready. Then he went and chopped wood,
but as he was doing so, a starling flew out and said to

71

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

him, '' Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar Novishny.
Be as slow as thou canst, for thy dogs have gnawed their
way through two doors."

Then the little Tsar poured water into the cauldron,
and put fire under it. But the wood that he had cut
was rotten and very very dry, so that it burned most
fiercely, and he took and sprinkled it with water, and
sprinkled it again and again, so that it might not burn
too much. And when he went out into the courtyard
for more water, the starling said to him, " Not so fast,
not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for thy dogs have
gnawed their way through four doors ! " As he was
returning to the hut his sister said to him, " That water
does not boil up quickly enough ! Take the fire-shovel
and poke the fire ! " So he did so, and the faggots
blazed up, but when she had gone away he sprinkled
them with water again, so that they might burn more
slowly. Then he went into the courtyard again, and
the starling met him and said, " Not so fast, not so
fast, little Tsar ; be as slow as thou canst, for thy dogs
have gnawed their way through six doors." Then he
returned to the hut, and his sister again took up the
shovel and made him poke up the fire, and when she
went away he again flung water on the burning coals.
So he kept going in and out of the courtyard. " 'Tis
weary work ! " cried he ; but the starling said to him,
" Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for thy
dogs have already gnawed their way through ten doors ! "
The little Tsar picked up the rottenest wood he could
find and flung it on the fire, to make believe he was
making haste, but sprinkled it at the same time with
water, so that it might not burn up too quickly, and yet
72

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

the kettle soon began to boil. Again he went to the
forest for more wood, and the starling said to him,
" Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar, for thy dogs have
already gnawed their way through all the doors, and are
now resting ! " But now the water was boiling, and his
sister ran up and said to him, " Come, boil thyself, be
quick ; how much longer art thou going to keep us
waiting ? " Then he, poor thing, began ladling the
boiling water over himself, while she got the table ready
and spread the cloth, that the serpent might eat her
brother on that very table.

But he, poor thing, kept ladling himself, and cried,
" Oh, my dear brother-in-law, pray let me climb up
to the top of that whitethorn-tree ; let me have a look
out from the top of it, for thence one can see afar ! "
— " Don't let him, dear ! " said the sister to the serpent ;
" he will stay there too long and lose our precious
time." — But the serpent replied, " It doesn't matter,
it doesn't matter ; let him climb up if he likes." So
the little Tsar went up to the tree, and began to climb
it ; he did not miss a single branch, and stopped a little
at each one to gain time, and so he climbed up to the
very top, and then he took out his flute and began to
play upon it. But the starling flew up to him and said,
" Not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for lo ! thy dogs
are running to thee with all their might." But his
sister ran out and said, " What art thou playing up
there for } Thou dost forget perhaps that we are wait-
ing for thee down here ! " Then he began to descend
the tree, but he stopped at every branch on his way
down, while his sister kept on calling to him to come
down quicker. At last he came to the last branch, and

73

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

as he stood upon it and leaped down to the ground, he
thought to himself, " Now I perish ! " At that same
instant his dogs and his beasts, growling loudly, came
running up, and stood in a circle around him. Then
he crossed himself and said, " Glory to Thee, O Lord !
I have still, perchance, a little time to live in Thy fair
world ! " Then he called aloud to the serpent and
said, " And now, dear brother-in-law, come out, for
I am ready for thee ! " Out came the serpent to eat
him, but he said to his dogs and his beasts, " Vovchok !
Medvedik ! Protius ! Nedviga ! Seize him ! " Then the
dogs and the beasts rushed upon him and tore him to bits.
Then the little Tsar collected the pieces and burnt
them to ashes, and the little fox rolled his brush in the
ashes till it was covered with them, and then went
out into the open field and scattered them to the four
winds. But while they were tearing the serpent to
pieces the wicked sister knocked out his tooth and hid
it. After it was all over the little Tsar said to her,
" As thou hast been such a false friend to me, sister,
thou must remain here while I go into another king-
dom." Then he made two buckets and hung them up
on the whitethorn- tree, and said to his sister, " Look
now, sister ! if thou weepest for me, this bucket will
fill with tears, but if thou weepest for the serpent that
bucket will fill with blood ! " Then she fell a- weeping
and praying, and said to him, " Don't leave me, brother,
but take me with thee." — " I won't," said he ; " such a
false friend as thou art I'll not have with me. Stay
where thou art." So he mounted his horse, called to
him his dogs and his beasts, and went his way into
another kingdom and into another empire.

74

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

He went on and on till he came to a certain city,
and in this city there was only one spring, and in this
spring sat a dragon with twelve heads. And it was
so that when any went to draw water from this well
the dragon rose up and ate them, and there was no
other place whence that city could draw its water. So
the little Tsar came to that town and put up at the
stranger's inn, and he asked his host, " What is the
meaning of all this running and crying of the people
in the streets ? " — " Why, dost thou not know ? " said
he ; " it is the turn of the Tsar to send his daughter to
the dragon ! " — Then he went out and listened, and
heard the people say, " The Tsar proclaims that
whoever is able to slay the dragon, to him will he give
his daughter and one-half of his tsardom ! " Then
little Tsar Novishny stepped forth and said, " I am
able to slay this evil dragon ! " So all the people
immediately sent and told the Tsar, '' A stranger has
come hither who says he is ready to meet and slay the
dragon." Then the Tsar bade them take him to the
watch-house and put him among the guards.

Then they led out the Tsarivna, and behind her
they led him, and behind him came his beasts and his
horse. And the Tsarivna was so lovely and so richly
attired that all who beheld her burst into tears. But
the moment the dragon appeared and opened his mouth
to devour the Tsarivna, the little Tsar cried to his self-
slicing sword, " Fall upon him ! " and to his beasts
he cried, " Protius ! Medvedik ! Vovchok ! Nedviga !
Seize him ! " Then the self-slicing sword and the
beasts fell upon him, and tore him into little bits. When
they had finished tearing him, the little Tsar took the

75

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

remains of the body and burnt them to ashes, and the little
fox took up all the ashes on her tail, and scattered them
to the four winds. Then he took the Tsarivna by the
hand, and led her to the Tsar, and the people rejoiced
because their water was free again. And the Tsarivna
gave him the nuptial ring.

Then they set off home again. They went on and
on, for it was a long way from the tsardom of that
Tsar, and at last he grew weary and lay down in the
grass, and she sat at his head. Then his lackey crept
up to him, unfastened the self-slicing sword from his
side, went up to the little Tsar, and said, " Self-slicing
sword ! slay him ! " Then the self-slicing sword cut
him into little bits, and his beasts knew nothing about
it, for they were sleeping after their labours. After that
the lackey said to the Tsarivna, " Thou must say now
to all men that I saved thee from death, or if not, I will
do to thee what I have done to him. Swear that thou
wilt say this thing ! " Then she said, " I will swear
that thou didst save me from death," for she was sore
afraid of the lackey. Then they returned to the city,
and the Tsar was very glad to see them, and clothed the
lackey in goodly apparel, and they all made merry
together.

Now when Nedviga awoke he perceived that his
master was no longer there, and immediately awoke
all the rest, and they all began to think and consider
which of them was the swiftest. And when they had
thought it well over they judged that the hare was the
swiftest, and they resolved that the hare should run
and get living and healing water and the apple of youth
also. So the hare ran to fetch this water and this

76

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY
apple, and he ran and ran till he came to a certain land,
and in this land the hare saw a spring, and close to the
spring grew an apple-tree with the apples of youth, and
this spring and this apple-tree were guarded by a Mus-
covite, oh ! so strong, so strong, and he waved his
sabre again and again so that not even a mouse could
make its way up to that well. What was to be done ?
Then the little hare had resort to subtlety, and made
herself crooked, and limped toward the spring as if
she were lame. When the Muscovite saw her he said,
*' What sort of a little beast is this ? I never saw the
like of it before ! " So the hare passed him by, and
went farther and farther on till she came right up to
the well. The Muscovite stood there and opened his
eyes wide, but the hare had now got up to the spring,
and took a little flask of the water and nipped off a
little apple, and was off in a trice.

She ran back to the little Tsar Novishny, and Nedviga
immediately took the water and sprinkled therewith
the fragments of the little Tsar, and the fragments
came together again. Then he poured some of the
living water into his mouth and he became alive, and
gave him a bite of the apple of youth, and he instantly
grew young again and stronger than ever. Then the
little Tsar rose upon his feet, stretched himself, and
yawned. '' What a long time I've been asleep ! " cried
he. — " 'Tis a good thing for thee that we got the living
and healing water ! " said Protius. — " But what shall
we do next ? " said they all. Then they all took council
together, and agreed that the little Tsar should disguise
himself as an old man, and so go to the Tsar's palace.

So the little Tsar Novishny disguised himself as an

77

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

old man, and went to the palace of the Tsar. And
when he got there he begged them to let him in that
he might see the young married people. But the
lackeys would not let him in. Then the Tsarivna
herself heard the sound of his begging and praying,
and commanded them to admit him. Now when he
entered the room and took off his cap and cloak, the
ring which the Tsarivna had given him when he slew
the serpent sparkled so that she knew him, but, not
believing her own eyes, she said to him, '' Come
hither, thou godly old pilgrim, that I may show thee
hospitality ! " Then the little Tsar drew near to the
table, and the Tsarivna poured him out a glass of wine
and gave it to him, and he took it with his left hand.
She marked that he did not take it with the hand on
which was the ring, so she drank off that glass herself.
Then she filled another glass and gave it him, and he
took it with his right hand. Then she immediately
recognized her ring, and said to her father, " This
man is my husband who delivered me from death, but
that fellow " — pointing to the lackey — " that rascally
slavish soul killed my husband and made me say that
he was my husband." When the Tsar heard this he
boiled over with rage. " So that is what thou art ! "
said he to the lackey, and immediately he bade them
bind him and tie him to the tail of a horse so savage
that no man could ride it, and then turn it loose into
the endless steppe. But the little Tsar Novishny sat
down behind the table and made merry.

So the Tsarevko and the Tsarivna lived a long time
together in happiness, but one day she asked him,
" What of thy kindred and thy father's house } " Then

78

LITTLE TSAR NOVISHNY

he told her all about his sister. She immediately bade
him saddle his horse, and taking his beasts with him,
go in search of her. They came to the place where he
had left her, and saw that the bucket which was put up
for the serpent was full of blood, but that the little
Tsar's bucket was all dry and falling to pieces. Then
he perceived that she was still lamenting for the serpent,
and said to her, " God be with thee, but I will know
thee no more. Stay here, and never will I look upon
thy face again ! " But she began to entreat and caress
and implore him that he would take her with him.
Then the brother had compassion on his sister and
took her away with him.

Now when they got home she took out the serpent's
tooth which she had hidden about her, and put it
beneath his pillow on the bed whereon he slept. And
at night-time the little Tsar went to lie down and the
tooth killed him. His wife thought that he was sulky,
and therefore did not speak to her, so she begged him
not to be angry ; and, getting no answer, took him by
the hand, and lo ! his hand was cold, as cold as lead,
and she screamed out. But Protius came bounding
through the door and kissed his master. Then the little
Tsar became alive again, but Protius died. Then
Nedviga kissed Protius and Protius became alive, but
Nedviga died. Then the Tsarevko said to Medvedik,
" Kiss Nedviga ! " He did so, and Nedviga became
alive again, but Medvedik died. And so they went
on kissing each other from the greatest to the smallest,
till the turn came to the hare. She kissed Vovchok
and died, but Vovchok remained alive. What was to
be done } Now that the little hare had died there was

79

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

none to kiss her back into life again. " Kiss her," said
the little Tsar to the little fox. But the little fox was
artful, and taking the little hare on his shoulder, he
trotted off to the forest. He carried her to a place
where lay a felled oak, with two branches one on the
top of the other, and put the hare on the lower branch ;
then he ran under the branch and kissed the hare, but
took good care that the branch should be between
them. Thereupon the serpent's tooth flew out of the
hare and fastened itself in the upper branch, and both
fox and hare scampered back out of the forest alive and
well. When the others saw them both alive they
rejoiced greatly that no harm had come to any of them
from the tooth. But they seized the sister and tied her
to the tail of a savage horse and let her loose upon the
endless steppe.

So they all lived the merry lives of Tsars who feast
continually. And I was there too, and drank wine and
mead till my mouth ran over and it trickled all down
my beard. So there's the whole kazka for you.

80

THE VAMPIRE AND
ST MICHAEL

THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

ONCE upon a time in a certain village there lived
two neighbours ; one was rich, very rich, and the
other so poor that he had nothing in the world
but a little hut, and that was tumbling about his ears.
At length things came to such a pass with the poor man
that he had nothing to eat, and could get work nowhere.
Full of grief, he bethought him what he should do. He
thought and thought, and at last he said, " Look ye,
wife ! I'll go to my rich neighbour. Perchance he will
lend me a silver rouble ; that, at any rate, will be enough
to buy bread with." So he went.

He came to the rich man. " Good health to my
lord ! " cried he.—" Good health ! "— " I have come
on an errand to thee, dear little master ! " — " What
may thine errand be ? " inquired the rich man. — " Alas !
would to God that I had no need to say it. It has
come to such a pass with us that there's not a crust
of bread nor a farthing of money in the house. So I
have come to thee, dear little master ; lend us but a
silver rouble and we will be ever thankful to thee, and
I'll work myself old to pay it back." — " But who will
stand surety for thee ? " asked the rich man. — *' I know
not if any man will, I am so poor. Yet, perchance, God
and St Michael will be my sureties," and he pointed
at the ikon in the corner. Then the ikon of St Michael
spoke to the rich man from the niche and said, " Come
now ! lend it him, and put it down to my account.
God will repay thee ! " — *' Well," said the rich man,
" I'll lend it to thee." So he lent it, and the poor man
thanked him and returned to his home full of joy.

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COSSACK FAIRY TALES

But the rich man was not content that God should
give him back his loan by blessing him in his flocks
and herds, and in his children, and in his health, and
in the blessed fruits of the earth. He waited and
waited for the poor man to come and pay him back
his rouble, and at last he went to seek him. " Thou
son of a dog," he shouted, before the house, " why
hast thou not brought me back my money ? Thou
knowest how to borrow, but thou forgettest to repay ! "
Then the wife of the poor man burst into tears. " He
would repay thee indeed if he were in this world," said
she, *' but lo now ! he died but a little while ago ! "
The rich man snarled at her and departed, but when he
got home he said to the ikon, " A pretty surety thou
art ! " Then he took St Michael down from the niche,
dug out his eyes, and began beating him.

He beat St Michael again and again, and at last he
flung him into a puddle and trampled on him. " I'll
give it thee for standing me surety so scurvily," said he.
While he was thus abusing St Michael, a young fellow
about twenty years old came along that way, and said
to him, " What art thou doing, my father ? " — '' I am
beating him because he stood surety and has played me
false. He took upon himself the repayment of a silver
rouble, which I lent to the son of a pig, who has since
gone away and died. That is why I am beating him
now." — '' Beat him not, my father ! I'll give thee a
silver rouble, but do thou give me this holy image ! " —
" Take him if thou wilt, but see that thou bring me the
silver rouble first."

Then the young man ran home and said to his father,
" Dad, give me a silver rouble ! " — '' Wherefore, my

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THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

son ? " — " I would buy a holy image," said he, and he
told his father how he had seen that heathen beating
St Michael. — " Nay, my son, whence shall we who are
poor find a silver rouble to give to him who is so rich ? "
— '' Nay, but give it me, dad ! " and he begged and
prayed till he got it. Then he ran back as quickly as
he could, paid the silver rouble to the rich man, and got
the holy image. He washed it clean and placed it in the
midst of sweet-smelling flowers. And so they lived on
as before.

Now this youth had three uncles, rich merchants,
who sold all manner of merchandise, and went in ships
to foreign lands, where they sold their goods and made
their gains. One day, when his uncles were again
making ready to depart into foreign lands, he said to
them, " Take me with you ! " — " Why shouldst thou
go ? " said they ; " we have wares to sell, but what
hast thou ? "— " Yet take me," said he.—" But thou
hast nothing." — " I will make me laths and boards and
take them with me," said he. — His uncles laughed at
him for imagining such wares as these, but he begged
and prayed them till they were wearied. " Well, come,"
they said, " though there is naught for thee to do ;
only take not much of these wares of thine with thee,
for our ships are already full." — Then he made him
laths and boards, put them on board the ship, took
St Michael with him, and they departed.

They went on and on. They sailed a short distance
and they sailed a long distance, till at last they came
to another tsardom and another empire. And the Tsar
of this tsardom had an only daughter, so lovely that
the like of her is neither to be imagined nor divined

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COSSACK FAIRY TALES

in God's fair world, neither may it be told in tales.
Now this Tsarivna one day went down to the river
to bathe, and plunged into the water without first
crossing herself, whereupon the Evil Spirit took posses-
sion of her. The Tsarivna got out of the water, and
straightway fell ill of so terrible a disease that it may
not be told of. Do what they would — and the wise
men and the wise women did their utmost — it was of
no avail. In a few days she grew worse and died.
Then the Tsar, her father, made a proclamation that
people should come and read the prayers for the dead
over her dead body, and so exorcise the evil spirit, and
whosoever delivered her was to have half his power and
half his tsardom.

And the people came in crowds — but none of them
could read the prayers for the dead over her, it was
impossible. Every evening a man went into the church,
and every morning they swept out his bones, for there
was naught else of him remaining. And the Tsar was
very wrath. " All my people will be devoured," cried
he. And he commanded that all the foreign merchants
passing through his realm should be made to read
prayers for the dead over his daughter's body. " And
if they will not read," said he, " they shall not depart
from my kingdom."

So the foreign merchants went one by one. In the
evening a merchant was shut up in the church, and in
the early morning they came and found and swept
away his bones. At last it came to the turn of the
young man's uncles to read the prayers for the dead in
the church. They wept and lamented and cried, " We
are lost ! we are lost ! Heaven help us ! " Then the
86

THE TSARIVNA AROSE FROM HER COFFIN

86

THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

eldest uncle said to the lad, " Listen, good simpleton !
It has now come to my turn to read prayers over the
Tsarivna. Do thou go in my stead and pass the night
in the church, and I'll give thee all my ship." — *' Nay,
but," said the simpleton, " what if she tear me to pieces
too ? I won't go ! "—But then St Michael said to
him, '' Go and fear not ! Stand in the very middle
of the church, fenced round about with thy laths and
boards, and take with thee a basket full of pears. When
she rushes at thee, take and scatter the pears, and it
will take her till cockcrow to pick them all up. But do
thou go on reading thy prayers all the time, and look
not up, whatever she may do."

When night came, he took up his laths and boards
and a basket of pears, and went to the church. He
entrenched himself behind his boards, stood there and
began to read. At dead of night there was a rustling
and a rattling. O Lord ! what was that ? There was
a shaking of the bier — bang ! bang ! — and the Tsarivna
arose from her coffin and came straight toward him.
She leaped upon the boards and made a grab at him
and fell back. Then she leaped at him again, and again
she fell back. Then he took his basket and scattered
the pears. All through the church they rolled, she
after them, and she tried to pick them up till cockcrow,
and at the very first " Cock-a-doodle-doo ! " she got into
her bier again and lay still.

When God's bright day dawned, the people came
to clean out the church and sweep away his bones ;
but there he was reading his prayers, and the rumour
of it went through the town and they were all filled
with joy.

87

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

Next night it was the turn of the second uncle, and
he began to beg and pray, " Go thou, simpleton, in
my stead ! Look now, thou hast already passed a night
there, thou mayst very well pass another, and I'll give
thee all my ship." — But he said, " I won't go, I am
afraid." — But then St Michael said to him again,
" Fear not, but go ! Fence thee all about with thy
boards, and take with thee a basket of nuts. When she
rushes at thee, scatter thy nuts, and the nuts will go
rolling all about the church, and it will take her till
cockcrow to gather them all up. But do thou go on
reading thy prayers, nor look thou up, whatever may
happen."

And he did so. He took his boards and the basket
of nuts, and went to the church at nightfall and read.
A little after midnight there was a rustling and an
uproar, and the whole church shook. Then came a
fumbling round about the coffin — bang ! bang ! — up
she started, and made straight for him. She leaped
and plunged, she very nearly got through the boards.
She hissed, like seething pitch, and her eyes glared at
him like coals of fire, but it was of no use. He read on
and on, and didn't once look at her. Besides, he
scattered his nuts, and she went after them and tried to
pick them all up till cockcrow. And at the first " Cock-
a-doodle-doo ! " she leaped into her coffin again and
pulled down the lid. In the morning the people came
to sweep away his bones, and lo ! they found him alive.

The next night he had to go again in the third uncle's
stead. Then he sat down and cried and wailed, " Alas,
alas ! what shall I do ? 'Twere better I had never
been born ! " — But St Michael said to him, " Weep
88

/

THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

not, 'twill all end happily. Fence thyself about with
thy boards, sprinkle thyself all about with holy water,
incense thyself with holy incense, and take me with
thee. She shall not have thee. And the moment she
leaves her coffin, do thou jump quickly into it. And
whatever she may say to thee, and however she may
implore thee, let her not get into it again until she says
to thee, ' My consort .' ' "

So he went. There he stood in the middle of the
church, fenced himself about with his boards, strewed
consecrated poppy-seed around him, incensed himself
with holy incense, and read and read. About the
middle of the night a tempest arose outside, and there
was a rustling and a roaring, a hissing and a waiHng.
The church shook, the altar candelabra were thrown
down, the holy images fell on their faces. O Lord,
how awful ! Then came a bang ! bang ! from the
coffin, and again the Tsarivna started up. She left her
coffin and fluttered about the church. She rushed at
the boards and made a snatch at him, and fell back ;
she rushed at him again, and again she fell back. She
foamed at the mouth, and her fury every instant grew
worse and worse. She dashed herself about, and darted
madly from one corner of the church to the other,
seeking him everywhere. But he skipped into the
coffin, with the image of St Michael by his side. She
ran all over the church seeking him. " He was here —
and now he is not here ! " cried she. Then she ran
farther on, felt all about her, and cried again, '' He was
here — and now he's not here ! " At last she sprang
up to the coffin, and there he was. Then she began to
beg and pray him, " Come down, come down ! I'll

89

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
try and catch thee no more, only come down, come
down ! " But he only prayed to God, and answered
her never a word. Then the cock crew once, " Cock-a-
doodle-doo ! " — " Alas ! come down, come down, my
consort!^* cried she. Then he came down, and they
both fell on their knees and began praying to God, and
wept sore and gave thanks to God because He had had
mercy on them both.

And at dawn of day crowds of people, with the Tsar
at the head of them, came to the church. " Shall we
find him reading prayers, or shall we only find his
bones ? " said they. And lo ! there they both were
on their knees praying fervently to God. Then the
Tsar rejoiced greatly, and embraced both him and her.
After that they had a grand service in the church, and
sprinkled her with holy water, and baptized her again,
and the unclean spirit departed from her. Then the
Tsar gave the young man half his power and half his
kingdom, but the merchants departed in their ships,
with their nephew on board.

They lived together, and time went on and the young
man still remained a bachelor, and was so handsome
that words cannot describe it. But the Tsar lived
alone with his daughter. She, however, grew sadder
and sadder, and was no longer like her former self, so
sorrowful was she. And the Tsar asked her, saying,
" Wherefore art thou so sorrowful ? " — " I am not
sorrowful, father," said she. But the Tsar watched her,
and saw that she was sorrowful, and there was no help
for it. Then he asked her again, " Art thou ill ? " —
" Nay, dear dad," said she. " I myself know not what
is the matter with me,"
90

THEY WERE BOTH OX THEIR KNEES

90

THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

And so it went on, till the Tsar dreamt a dream, and
in this dream it was said to him, " Thy daughter
grieves because she loves so much the youth who drove
the unclean spirit out of her." Then the Tsar asked
her, " Dost thou love this youth ? " — And she
answered, "I do, dear father." — " Then why didst
thou not tell me before, my daughter ? " said he. Then
he sent for his hey ducks and commanded them, saying,
" Go this instant to such and such a kingdom, and
there ye will find the youth who cured my daughter ;
bring him to me." Then they went on and on until
they found him, and he took just the same laths and
boards that he had had before, and went with them.
The Tsar met him, and bought all his boards, and
when they split them in pieces, lo ! they were full of
precious stones. Then the Tsar took him to his own
house and gave him his daughter. And they lived
right merrily together.

91

THE STORY OF TREMSIN.

THE BIRD ZHAR, AND

NASTASIA, THE LOVELY

MAID OF THE SEA

THE STORY OF TREMSIN, THE
BIRD ZHAR, AND NASTASIA,
THE LOVELY MAID OF THE SEA

THERE was once upon a time a man and a woman,
and they had one little boy. In the summer-
time they used to go out and mow corn in the
fields, and one summer when they had laid their little
lad by the side of a sheaf, an eagle swooped down,
caught up the child, carried him into a forest, and laid
him in its nest. Now in this forest three bandits
chanced to be wandering at the same time. They
heard the child crying in the eagle's nest : " Oo-oo !
00-00 ! 00-00 ! " so they went up to the oak on which
was the nest and said one to another, " Let us hew
down the tree and kill the child ! " — " No," replied one
of them, " it were better to climb up the tree and
bring him down alive." So he climbed up the tree
and brought down the lad, and they nurtured him and
gave him the name of Tremsin. They brought up
Tremsin until he became a youth, and then they gave
him a horse, set him upon it, and said to him, " Now
go out into the wide world and search for thy father
and thy mother ! " So Tremsin went out into the wide
world and pastured his steed on the vast steppes, and
his steed spoke to him and said, " When we have
gone a little farther, thou wilt see before thee a plume
of the Bird Zhar^ ; pick it not up, or sore trouble will
be thine ! " Then they went on again. They went on
and on, through ten tsardoms they went, till they came
to another empire in the land of Thrice Ten where lay

^ I.e. Burning bright.

95

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

the feather. And the youth said to himself, " Why
should I not pick up the feather when it shines so
brightly even from afar ? " And he went near to the
feather, and it shone so that the like of it cannot be
expressed or conceived or imagined or even told of in
tales. Then Tremsin picked up the feather and went
into the town over against him, and in that town there
lived a rich nobleman. And Tremsin entered the house
of this nobleman and said, " Sir, may I not take service
with thee as a labourer ? " — The nobleman looked at
him, and seeing that he at as comely and stalwart,
" Why not ? Of course thou mayst," said he. So he
took him into his service. Now this nobleman had
many servants, and they curried his horses for him,
and made them smart and glossy against the day he
should go a-hunting. And Tremsin began to curry
his horse likewise, and the servants of the nobleman
could not make the horses of their master so shining
bright as Tremsin made his own horse. So they looked
more closely, and they perceived that when Tremsin
cleaned his horse he stroked it with the feather of the
Bird Zhar, and the coat of the good steed straightway
shone like burnished silver. Then those servants were
filled with envy, and said among themselves, " How
can we remove this fellow from the world ? We'll
saddle him with a task he is unable to do, and then our
master will drive him away." — So they went to their
master and said, " Tremsin has a feather of the Bird
Zhar, and he says that if he likes he can get the Bird
Zhar itself." Then the nobleman sent for Tremsin and
said to him, " O Tremsin ! my henchmen say that
thou canst get the Bird Zhar if thou dost choose." —
96

THE STORY OF TREMSIN

" Nay, but I cannot," replied Tremsin. — " Answer me
not," said the nobleman, " for so sure as I've a sword,
I'll slice thy head off like a gourd." — Then Tremsin fell
a- weeping and went away to his horse. " My master,"
said he, " hath given me a task to do that will clean
undo me." — " What task is that ? " asked the horse. —
" Why, to fetch him the Bird Zhar."— " Why that's
not a task, but a trifle," replied the horse. " Let us
go to the steppes," it continued, " and let me go a-
browsing ; but do thou strip thyself stark-naked and lie
down in the grass, and the Bird Zhar will straightway
swoop down to feed. So long as she only claws about
thy body, touch her not ; but as soon as she begins to
claw at thine eyes, seize her by the legs."

So when they got to the wild steppes, Tremsin
stripped himself naked and flung himself in the grass,
and, immediately, the Bird Zhar swooped down and
began pecking all about him, and at last she pecked
at his eyes. Then Tremsin seized her by both legs,
and mounted his horse and took the Bird Zhar to the
nobleman. Then his fellow-servants were more envious
than ever, and they said among themselves, " How
shall we devise for him a task to do that cannot be
done, and so rid the world of him altogether ? " So
they bethought them, and then they went to the noble-
man and said, " Tremsin says that to get the Bird
Zhar was nothing, and that he is also able to get the
thrice-lovely Nastasia of the sea." Then the nobleman
again sent for Tremsin and said to him, " Look now !
thou didst get for me the Bird Zhar, see that thou now
also gettest for me the thrice-lovely Nastasia of the
sea." — '' But I cannot, sir ! " said Tremsin. — " Answer

G 97

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

me not so ! " replied the nobleman, " for so sure as I've
a sword, I'll slice thy head off like a gourd an thou
bring her not." — Then Tremsin went out to his horse
and fell a- weeping. — " Wherefore dost thou weep ? "
asked the faithful steed. — " Wherefore should I not
weep ? " he replied. " My master has given me a task
that cannot be done."—" What task is that ? "— " Why,
to fetch him the thrice-lovely Nastasia of the sea ! " —
" Oh-ho ! " laughed the horse, " that is not a task, but
a trifle. Go to thy master and say, ' Cause white tents
to be raised by the sea-shore, and buy wares of sundry
kinds, and wine and spirits in bottles and flasks,' and
the thrice-lovely Nastasia will come and purchase thy
wares, and then thou mayst take her."

And the nobleman did so. He caused white tents to
be pitched by the sea-shore, and bought kerchiefs and
scarves and spread them out gaily, and made great
store of wine and brandy in bottles and flasks. Then
Tremsin rode toward the tents, and while he was on
the way his horse said to him, " Now when I go to
graze, do thou lie down and feign to sleep. Then the
thrice-lovely Nastasia will appear and say, ' What for
thy wares ? ' but do thou keep silence. But when she
begins to taste of the wine and the brandy, then she
will go to sleep in the tent, and thou canst catch her
easily and hold her fast ! " Then Tremsin lay down
and feigned to sleep, and forth from the sea came the
thrice-lovely Nastasia, and went up to the tents and
asked, *' Merchant, merchant, what for thy wares ? "
But he lay there, and moved never a limb. She asked
the same thing over and over again, but, getting no
answer, went into the tents where stood the flasks and

98

THE STORY OF TREMSIN

the bottles. She tasted of the wine. How good it was !
She tasted of the brandy. That was still better. So
from tasting she fell to drinking. First she drank a
little, and then she drank a little more, and at last she
went asleep in the tent. Then Tremsin seized the
thrice-lovely Nastasia and put her behind him on horse-
back, and carried her off to the nobleman. The noble-
man praised Tremsin exceedingly, but the thrice-lovely
Nastasia said, " Look now ! since thou hast found the
feather of the Bird Zhar, and the Bird Zhar herself,
since also thou hast found me, thou must now fetch
me also my little coral necklace from the sea ! " Then
Tremsin went out to his faithful steed and wept sorely,
and told him all about it. And the horse said to him,
" Did I not tell thee that grievous woe would come
upon thee if thou didst pick up that feather } " But
the horse added, " Come ! weep not ! after all 'tis not
a task, but a trifle." Then they went along by the
sea, and the horse said to him, " Let me out to graze,
and then keep watch till thou seest a crab come forth
from the sea, and then say to him, ' Pll catch thee.' "
— So Tremsin let his horse out to graze, and he himself
stood by the sea-shore, and watched and watched till
he saw a crab come swimming along. Then he said
to the crab, "I'll catch thee."—*' Oh ! seize me not ! "
said the crab, " but let me get back into the sea, and
I'll be of great service to thee." — '' Very well," said
Tremsin, " but thou must get me from the sea the
coral necklace of the thrice-lovely Nastasia," and with
that he let the crab go back into the sea again. Then
the crab called together all her young crabs, and they
collected all the coral and brought it ashore, and gave

99

^5^^^^^

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

it to Tremsin. Then the faithful steed came running
up, and Tremsin mounted it, and took the coral to the
thrice-lovely Nastasia. " Well,"lsaidjNastasia, " thou
hast got the feather of the Bird Zhar, thou hast got the
Bird Zhar itself, thou hast got me my coral, get me
now from the sea my herd of wild horses ! " — Then
Tremsin was sore distressed, and went to his faithful
steed and wept bitterly, and told him all about jit.
" Well," said the horse, " this time 'tis no trifle, but a
real hard task. Go now to thy master, and bid him
buy twenty hides, and twenty poods ^ of pitch, and
twenty poods of flax, and twenty poods of hair." — So
Tremsin went to his master and told him, and his
master bought it all. Then Tremsin loaded his horse
with all this, and to the sea they went together. And
when they came to the sea the horse said, '' Now lay
upon me the hides and the tar and the flax, and lay
them in this order — first a hide, and then a pood of tar,
and then a pood of flax, and so on, laying them thus
till they are all laid." Tremsin did so. " And now,"
said the horse, " I shall plunge into the sea, and when
thou seest a large red wave driving toward the shore,
run away till the red wave has passed and thou dost
see a white wave coming, and then sit down on the
shore and keep watch. I shall then come out of the
sea, and after me the whole herd ; then thou must
strike with the horsehair the horse which gallops
im.mediately after me, and he will not be too strong for
thee." — So the faithful steed plunged into the sea, and
Tremsin sat down on the shore and watched. The
horse swam to a bosquet that rose out of the sea, and

^ A pood = 40 lb.
100

THE STORY OF TREMSIN

there the herd of sea-horses was grazing. When the
strong charger of Nastasia saw him land the hides he
carried on his back, it set off after him at full tilt, and
the whole herd followed the strong charger of Nastasia.
They drove the horse with the hides into the sea, and
pursued him. Then the strong charger of Nastasia
caught up the steed of Tremsin and tore off one of his
hides, and began to worry it with his teeth and tear it
to fragments as he ran. Then he caught him up a
second time, and tore off another hide, and began to
worry that in like manner till he had torn it also to
shreds ; and thus he ran after Tremsin's steed for
seventy miles, till he had torn off all the hides, and
worried them to bits. But Tremsin sat upon the sea-
shore till he saw the large white billow bounding in,
and behind the billow came his own horse, and behind
his own horse came the thrice-terrible charger of the
thrice-lovely Nastasia, with the whole herd at his heels.
Tremsin struck him full on the forehead with the
twenty poods of hair, and immediately he stood stock
still. Then Tremsin threw a halter over him, mounted,
and drove the whole herd to the thrice-lovely Nastasia.
Nastasia praised Tremsin for his prowess, and said to
him, " Well, thou hast got the feather of the Bird Zhar,
thou hast got the Bird Zhar itself, thou hast got me my
coral and my herd of horses, now milk my mare and
put the milk into three vats, so that there may be milk
hot as boiling water in the first vat, lukewarm milk in
the second vat, and icy cold milk in the third vat."
Then Tremsin went to his faithful steed and wept
bitterly, and the horse said to him, " Wherefore dost
thou weep } " — " Why should I not weep .? " cried he ;

lOI

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

" the thrice-lovely Nastasia has given me a task to do
that cannot be done. I am to fill three vats with the
milk from her mare, and the milk must be boiling hot
in the first vat, and lukewarm in the second, and icy
cold in the third vat." — " Oh-ho ! " cried the horse,
" that is not a task, but a trifle. I'll caress the mare,
and then go on nibbling till thou hast milked all three
vats full." So Tremsin did so. He milked the three
vats full, and the milk in the first vat was boiling hot,
and in the second vat warm, and in the third vat freezing
cold. When all was ready the thrice-lovely Nastasia
said to Tremsin, " Now, leap first of all into the cold
vat, and then into the warm vat, and then into the
boiling hot vat ! " — Tremsin leaped into the first vat,
and leaped out again an old man ; he leaped into the
second vat, and leaped out again a youth ; he leaped
into the third vat, but when he leaped out again, he
was so young and handsome that no pen can describe
it, and no tale can tell of it. Then the thrice-lovely
Nastasia herself leaped into the vats. She leaped into
the first vat, and came out an old woman ; she leaped
into the second vat, and came out a young maid ; but
when she leaped out of the third vat, she was so hand-
some and goodly that no pen can describe it, and no
tale can tell of it. Then the thrice-lovely Nastasia
made the nobleman leap into the vats. He leaped into
the first vat, and became quite old ; he leaped into the
second vat, and became quite young ; he leaped into
the third vat, and burst to pieces. Then Tremsin took
unto himself the thrice-lovely Nastasia to wife, and they
lived happily together on the nobleman's estate, and the
evil servants they drove right away.

102

THE SERPENT-WIFE

THE SERPENT-WIFE

THERE was once a gentleman who had a labourer
who never went about in company. His fellow-
servants did all they could to make him come
with them, and now and then enticed him into the
tavern, but they could never get him to stay there
long, and he always wandered away by himself through
the woods. One day he went strolling about in the
forest as usual, far from any village and the haunts
of men, when he came upon a huge Serpent, which
wriggled straight up to him and said, *' I am going
to eat thee on the spot ! " But the labourer, who was
used to the loneliness of the forest, replied, " Very
well, eat me if thou hast a mind to ! " — Then the
Serpent said, '* Nay ! I will not eat thee ; only do
what I tell thee ! " And the Serpent began to tell
the man what he had to do. " Turn back home," it
said, " and thou wilt find thy master angry because
thou hast tarried so long, and there was none to work
for him, so that his corn has to remain standing in
the field. Then he will send thee to bring in his
sheaves, and I'll help thee. Load the wagon well,
but don't take quite all the sheaves from the field.
Leave one little sheaf behind ; more than that thou
needst not leave, but that thou must leave. Then
beg thy master to let thee have this little sheaf by
way of wages. Take no money from him, but that
one little sheaf only. Then, when thy master has
given thee this sheaf, burn it, and a fair lady will leap
out of it ; take her to wife ! "
The labourer obeyed, and went and worked for his

105

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

master as the Serpent had told him. He went out
into the field to bring home his master's corn, and
marvellously he managed it. He did all the carrying
himself, and loaded the wagon so heavily that it
creaked beneath its burden. Then when he had
brought home all his master's corn, he begged that
he might have the remaining little sheaf for himself.
He refused to be rewarded for his smart labour, he
would take no money ; he wanted nothing for himself,
he said, but the little sheaf he had left in the field.
So his master let him have the sheaf. Then he went
out by himself into the field, burnt the sheaf, just as
the Serpent had told him, and immediately a lovely
lady leapt out of it. The labourer forthwith took
and married her ; and now he began to look out for
a place to build him a hut upon. His master gave
him a place where he might build his hut, and his
wife helped him so much with the building of it that
it seemed to him as if he himself never laid a hand
to it. His hut grew up as quick as thought, and
it contained everything that they wanted. The
man could not understand it ; he could only walk
about and wonder at it. Wherever he looked there
was everything quite spick and span and ready for
use : none in the whole village had a better house
than he.

And so he might have lived in all peace and
prosperity to the end of his days had not his desires
outstripped his deserts. He had three fields of
standing corn, and when he came home one day his
labourers said to him, " Thy corn is not gathered
in yet, though it is standing all ripe on its stalks.'*
1 06

THE SERPENT-WIFE

Now the season was getting on, and for all the care
and labour of his wife, the corn was still standing in
the field. " Why, what's the meaning of this ? "
thought he. Then in his anger he cried, " I see
how it is. Once a serpent, always a serpent ! " He
was quite beside himself all the way home, and was
very wrath with his wife because of the corn.

When he got home he went straight to his chamber
to lie down on his pillow. There was no sign of
his wife, but a huge serpent was just coiling itself
round and round and settling down in the middle of
the pillow. Then he called to mind how, once, his
wife had said to him, " Beware, for Heaven's sake, of
ever calling me a serpent. I will not suffer thee to
call me by that name, and if thou dost thou shalt
lose thy wife." He called this to mind now, but it
was already too late ; what he had said could not be
unsaid. Then he reflected what a good wife he had
had, and how she herself had sought him out, and
how she had waited upon him continually and done
him boundless good, and yet he had not been able to
refrain his tongue, so that now, maybe, he would be
without a wife for the rest of his days. His heart
grew heavy within him as he thought of all this, and
he wept bitterly at the harm he had done to himself.
Then the Serpent said to him, " Weep no more.
What is to be, must be. Is it thy standing corn thou
art grieved about } Go up to thy barn, and there
thou wilt find all thy corn lying, to the very last little
grain. Have I not brought it all home and threshed
it for thee, and set everything in order ? And now
I must depart to the place where thou didst first find

107

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

me." Then she crept off, and the man followed her,
weeping and mourning all the time as for one already
dead. When they reached the forest she stopped and
coiled herself round and round beneath a hazel-nut
bush. Then she said to the man, '' Now kiss me
once, but see to it that I do not bite thee ! " — Then he
kissed her once, and she wound herself round a branch
of a tree and asked him, " What dost thou feel within
thee } " — He answered, " At the moment when I
kissed thee it seemed to me as if I knew everything
that was going on in the world ! " — Then she said
to him again, " Kiss me a second time ! " — *' And
what dost thou feel now ? " she asked when he had
kissed her again. — " Now," said he, "I understand all
languages which are spoken among men." — Then she
said to him, " And now kiss me a third time, but
this will be for the last time." Then he kissed the
Serpent for the last time, and she said to him, " What
dost thou feel now ? " — " Now," said he, "I know
all that is going on under the earth." — " Go now,"
said she, " to the Tsar, and he will give thee his daughter
for the knowledge thou hast. But pray to God for
poor me, for now I must be and remain a serpent
for ever." And with that the Serpent uncoiled herself
and disappeared among the bushes, but the man went
away and wedded the Tsar's daughter.

io8

THE STORY OF
UNLUCKY DANIEL

THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL

THERE was once upon a time a youth called
Unlucky Dan. Wherever he went, and what-
ever he did, and with whomsoever he served,
nothing came of it : all his labour was like spilt water,
he got no good from it. One day he took service
with a new master. " I'll serve thee a whole year,"
said he, " for a piece of sown wheat-land." His master
agreed, and he entered into his service, and at the same
time he sowed his piece of wheat-land. His wheat
shot up rapidly. When his master's wheat was in the
stalk, his was already in the ear, and when his master's
wheat was in the ear, his own wheat was already ripe.
*' I'll reap it to-morrow," thought he. The same night
a cloud arose, the hail poured down, and destroyed
his wheat altogether. Daniel fell a- weeping. " I'll go
serve another master," he cried, " perhaps God will
then prosper me ! " So he went to another master.
" I'll serve thee for a whole year," said he, "if thou
wilt give me that wild colt." So he stopped and
served him, and by the end of the year he trained the
wild colt so well that he made a carriage-horse out
of it. " Oh-ho ! " thought he, "I shall take away
something with me this time ! " The same night
the wolves made an inroad upon the stables and tore
the horse to pieces. Daniel fell a-weeping. " I'll go
to another master," said he, *' perhaps I shall be luckier
there." So he went to a third master, and on this
master's tomb lay a large stone. Whence it came
none knew, and it was so heavy that none could move
it, though they tried for ages. " I'll serve thee a year,"

III

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

said he, " for that stone." The master agreed, and
he entered his service. Then a change came over
the stone, and divers flowers began to grow upon it.
On one side they were red, on the second side silver,
and on the third side golden. " Oh-ho," thought
Daniel, " that stone, at any rate, will soon be mine.
Nobody can move it." But the next morning a thunder-
bolt descended and struck the stone, and shivered it
to atoms. Then Daniel fell a- weeping, and lamented
that God had given him nothing, though he had
served for so many years. But the people said to
him, " Listen now ! thou that art so unlucky, k why
dost thou not go to the Tsar ? He is the father of us
all, and will therefore certainly care for thee ! " So
he listened to them and went, and the Tsar gave him
a place at his court. One day the Tsar said to him,
" I marvel that thou art so unlucky, for do whatso-
ever thou wilt, thou art none the better for it. I
would fain requite thee for all thy labours." Then
he took and filled three barrels, the first with gold,
and the second with coal, and the third with sand,
and said to Daniel, " Look now ! if thou dost pitch ^
upon that which is filled with gold, thou shalt be a
Tsar ; if thou dost choose the one that is filled with
coal, thou shalt be a blacksmith ; but if thou dost
pick out the one that is full of sand, why then thou
art indeed hopelessly unlucky, and out of my tsardom
thou must go straightway, yet I will give thee a horse
and armour to take along with thee." So Daniel
was brought to the place where were the three barrels,
and went about them and felt and felt them one after
the other. " This one is full of gold ! " said he. They

112

THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL

broke it open and it was full of sand. " Well," said
the Tsar, " I see that thou art hopelessly unlucky.
Depart from my tsardom, for I have no need at all
of such as thou." Then he gave him a charger and
armour, and the full equipment of a Cossack, and
sent him away.

He went on and on for a whole day, he went on
and on for a second day, and there was nothing to
eat, either for his horse or himself. He went for a
third day, and in the distance he saw a hay-cock.
" That will do for my horse, at any rate," thought he,
" even if it is of no good to me." So he went up
to it, and immediately it burst into flames. Daniel
began to weep, when he heard a voice crying
piteously, " Save me, save me ! I am burning ! " —
" How can I save thee," he cried, " when I myself
cannot draw near ? " — ". Oh ! give me thy weapon ! "
cried the voice, " and I'll seize hold of it, and then
thou canst pull me out." So he stretched forth his
weapon, and drew forth a goodly serpent, such as is
only known of in old folk-songs. And she said to
him,\" Since thou hast drawn me out, thou must also
take me home." — " How shall I carry thee ? " asked
he. — " Carry me on thy horse, and in whatsoever
direction I turn my head and his, thither go." — So
he took her upon his horse, and they went on and on
till they came to a court so splendid that it was a
delight to look at it. Then she glided down from his
charger and said, " Wait here, and I'll soon be with
thee again," and with that she wriggled under the
gate. He stood there and stood and waited and waited
till he wept from sheer weariness ; but, at last, she

H 113

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

came out again in the shape of a lovely damsel in
gorgeous raiment, and opened the gate for him. " Lead
in thy horse," said she, " and eat and rest awhile."
So they went into the courtyard, and in the midst
of it stood two springs. The lady drew out of one
of these springs a little glass of water, and strewing
a handful of oats beside it, said, " Fasten up thy
horse here ! " — " What ! " thought he, " for these three
days we have had naught to eat or drink, and now
she mocks us with a handful of oats ! " — Then they
went together to the guest-chamber, and she gave him
there a little glass of water and a small piece of wheaten
bread. — " Why, what is this for a hungry man like
me ? " thought he. But when he chanced to glance
through the window, he saw that the whole courtyard
was full of oats and water, and that his horse had already
eaten its fill. Then he nibbled his little piece of wheaten
bread and sipped his water, and his hunger was imme-
diately satisfied. " Well," said the lady, " hast thou
eaten thy fill ? "— " That I have," he replied.—" Then
lie down and rest awhile," said she. And the next
morning, when he rose up, she said to him, " Give
me thy horse, thy armour, and thy raiment, and I'll
give thee mine in exchange." — Then she gave him
her shift and her weapon, and said, " This sword is
of such a sort that, if thou do but wave it, all men will
fall down before thee ; and as for this shift, when
once thou hast it on, none will be able to seize thee.
And now go on thy way till thou come to an inn, and
there they will tell thee that the Tsar of that land is
seeking warriors. Go and offer thyself to him, and
thou shalt marry his daughter, but tell her not the
114

DANIEL WAVED HIS SWORD

114

THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL

truth for seven years ! " Then they took leave of
each other, and he departed. He came to the inn,
and there they asked him whence he came. And
when they knew that he came from a strange land,
they said to him, " A strange people has attacked our
Tsar, and he cannot defend himself, for a mighty
warrior has conquered his tsardom and carried off his
daughter, and worries him to death. — " Show me the
way to your Tsar," said Daniel. Then they showed
him, and he went. When he came to the Tsar, he
said to him, " I will subdue this strange land for
thee. All the army I want is a couple of Cossacks,
but they must be picked men." Then the heralds
went through the tsardom till they had found these
two Cossacks, and Daniel went forth with them into
the endless steppes, and there he bade them lie down
and sleep while he kept watch. And while they
slept the army of the strange country came upon
them, and cried to Daniel to turn back if he would
escape destruction. And then they began to fire
with their guns and cannons, and they fired so many
balls that the bodies of the two Cossacks were
quite covered by them. Then Daniel waved his
sword and smote, and only those whom his blows did
not reach escaped alive. So he vanquished them all,
and conquered that strange land, and came back and
married the Tsar's daughter, and they lived happily
together.

But counsellors from the strange land whispered
dark sayings in the ears of the Tsarivna. " What is
this fellow that thou hast taken to thyself } Who is
he, and whence ? Find out for us wherein lies his

115

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

strength, that we may destroy him and take thee away."
— Then she began asking him, and he said to her,
" Look now ! all my strength is in these gloves."
Then she waited till he was asleep, and drew them
off him, and gave them to the people from the strange
land. And the next day he went hunting, and the
evil counsellors surrounded and shot at him with their
darts, and beat him with the gloves ; but it was all
in vain. Then he waved his sword, and whomsoever
he struck fell to the ground, and he clapped them
all in prison. But his wife caressed and wheedled
him again, and said, " Nay, but tell me, wherein
doth thy strength lie ? " — " My strength, darling," said
he, '* lies in my boots." Then she drew off his boots
while he slept, and gave them to his enemies. And
they fell upon him again as he went out, but again
he waved his sword, and as many as he struck fell
to the ground, and he put them all in prison. Then
his wife wheedled and caressed him the third time.
" Nay, but tell me, darling," quoth she, '' wherein
doth thy strength lie ? " Then he was wearied with
her beseeching, and said to her, " My strength lies
in this sword of mine, and in my shirt, and so long
as I have this shirt on, nobody can touch me." Then
she caressed and fondled him, and said, " Thou
shouldst take a bath, my darling, and well wash thyself.
My father always did so." So he let himself be per-
suaded, and no sooner had he undressed than she
changed all his clothes for others, and gave his sword
and his shirt to his enemies. Then he came out of
his bath, and immediately they fell upon him, cut him
to pieces, put him in a sack, placed him on his horse,
ii6

THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL

and let the horse go where it would. So the horse
went on and on, and wandered farther and farther,
till it came to the old place where he had stayed with
the Serpent Lady. And when his benefactress saw
him, she said, " Why, if poor unlucky Daniel hasn't
fallen into a scrape again." And immediately she
took him out of the sack, and fitted his pieces together,
and washed them clean, and took healing water from
one of the springs, and living water from the other,
and sprinkled him all over, and he stood there sound
and strong again. " Now, did I not bid thee tell not
thy wife the truth for seven years ? " said she, " and
thou wouldst not take heed." And he stood there,
and spoke never a word. " Well, now, rest awhile,"
she continued, " for thou dost need it, and then I'll
give thee something else." So the next day she gave
him a chain, and said to him, " Listen ! Go to that
inn where thou didst go before, and early next
morning, whilst thou art bathing, bid the innkeeper
beat thee with all his might on the back with this
chain, and so thou wilt get back to thy wife, but tell
her not a word of what has happened." So he went
to this same inn and passed the night there, and, on
the morrow, he called the innkeeper, and said to him,
'' Look now ! the first time I dip my head in the
water, beat me about the back with this chain as hard
as thou canst." So the innkeeper waited till he had
ducked his head under the water, and then he thrashed
him with the chain, whereupon he turned into a horse
so beautiful that it was a delight to look upon it. The
innkeeper was so glad, so glad. " So I've got rid
of one guest only to get another one," thought he.

117

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
He lost no time in taking the horse to the fair, and
offered it for sale, and among those who saw it was
the Tsar himself. " What dost thou ask for it ? "
said the Tsar. — " I ask five thousand roubles." Then
the Tsar counted down the money and took the horse
away. When he got to his court, he made a great
to-do about his beautiful horse, and cried to his
daughter, " Come and see, dear little heart, what a
fine horse I have bought." Then she came forth to
look at it ; but the moment she saw it, she cried,
" That horse will be my ruin. Thou must kill it on
the spot." — " Nay, dear little heart ! how can I do
such a thing ? " said the Tsar. — " Slay it thou must,
and slay it thou shalt ! " cried the Tsarivna. So they
sent for a knife, and began sharpening it, when one
of the maidens of the court took pity on the horse,
and cried, " Oh, my good, my darling horse, so lovely
as thou art, and yet to kill thee ! " But the horse
neighed and went to her, and said, " Look now !
take the first drop of blood which flows from me, and
bury it in the garden." Then they slew the horse,
but the maiden did as she was told, and took the
drop of blood and buried it in the garden. And from
this drop of blood there sprang up a cherry-tree ;
and its first leaf was golden, and its second leaf was
of richer colour still, and its third leaf was yet another
colour, and every leaf upon it was different to the
others. One day the Tsar went out walking in his
garden, and when he saw this cherry-tree he fell in
love with it, and praised it to his daughter. " Look ! "
said he, " what a beauteous cherry-tree we have in
our garden ! Who can tell whence it sprung ? "
ii8

HIS WIFE CARESSED AND WHEEDLED HIM

ii8

THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL

— But the moment the Tsarivna saw it, she cried,
" That tree will be my ruin ! Thou must cut it down."
— " Nay ! " said he, " how can I cut down the fairest
ornament of my garden ? " — " Down it must come,
and down it shall come ! " replied the Tsarivna. Then
they sent for an axe and made ready to cut it down,
but the damsel came running up, and said, " Oh,
darling little cherry-tree, darling little cherry-tree, so
fair thou art ! From a horse hast thou sprung, and
now they will fell thee before thou hast lived a
day ! " — " Never mind," said the cherry-tree ; " take
the first chip that falls from me, and throw it into
the water." — Then they cut down the cherry-tree ;
but the girl did as she was bidden, and threw the
first chip from the cherry-tree into the water, and
out of it swam a drake so beautiful that it was a delight
to look upon it. Then the Tsar went a-hunting, and
saw it swimming in the water, and it was so close that
he could touch it with his hand. The Tsar took off
his clothes and plunged into the water after it, and
it enticed him farther and farther away from the shore.
Ihen the drake swam toward the spot where the
Tsar had left his clothes, and when it came up to them
it changed into a man and put them on, and behold !
the man was Daniel. Then he called to the Tsar :
" Swim hither, swim hither ! " The Tsar swam up,
but when he swam ashore Daniel met and killed him,
and after that he went back to court in the Tsar's
clothes. Then all the courtiers hailed him as the Tsar,
but he said, " Where is that damsel who was here
just now ? " — They brought her instantly before
him. " Well," said he to her, " thou hast been a

119

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

second mother to me, and now thou shalt be my
second wife ! '* So he lived with her and was happy,
but he caused his first wife to be tied to the tails
of wild horses and torn to pieces in the endless
steppes.

120

THE SPARROW AND
THE BUSH

THE SPARROW AND THE BUSH

A SPARROW once flew down upon a bush and
said, " Little bush, give good little sparrow
a swing."—" I won't ! " said the little bush.
Then the sparrow was angry, and went to the goat
and said, " Goat, goat, nibble bush, bush won't give
good little sparrow a swing." — " I won't ! " said the
goat. — Then the sparrow went to the wolf and said,
" Wolf, wolf, eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush
won't give good little sparrow a swing." — " I won't ! "
said the wolf. — Then the sparrow went to the people
and said, " Good people, kill wolf, wolf won't eat
goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good
Httle sparrow a swing." — " We won't ! " said the people.
— Then the sparrow went to the Tartars and said,
" Tartars, Tartars, slay people, people won't kill wolf,
wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't
give good little sparrow a swing." — But the Tartars said,
" We won't slay the people ! " and the people said,
" We won't kill the wolf ! " and the wolf said, " I
won't eat the goat ! " and the goat said, " I won't
nibble the bush ! " and the bush said, " I won't give
the good little sparrow a swing." — " Go ! " said the
bush, " to the fire, for the Tartars won't slay the people,
and the people won't kill the wolf, and the wolf won't
eat the goat, and the goat won't nibble the bush, and
the bush won't give the dear little sparrow a swing."
— But the fire also said, " I won't ! " (they were all
alike) — " go to the water," said he. — So the sparrow
went to the water and said, " Come water, quench
fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people,

123

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't
nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a
swing." — But the water also said, " I won't ! " So
the sparrow went to the ox and said, " Ox, ox, drink
water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars,
Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf
won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't
give little sparrow a swing." — " I won't ! " said the
ox. — Then the sparrow went to the pole-axe and said,
" Pole-axe, pole-axe, strike ox, ox won't drink water,
water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars,
Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf
won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't
give little sparrow a swing." — " I won't ! " said the
pole-axe. — So the sparrow went to the worms and
said, " Worms, worms, gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe won't
strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench
fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people,
people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't
nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
— " We won't ! " said the worms. — Then the sparrow
went to the hen and said, " Hen, hen, peck worms,
worms won't gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe won't strike ox,
ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire
won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people
won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble
bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing." — " I
won't ! " said the hen, " but go to the sparrow-hawk,
he ought to give the first push, or why is he called
the Pusher ! " ^ — So the sparrow went to the sparrow-
hawk and said, " Come, pusher, seize hen, hen won't

^ Shulyak means both sparrow-hawk and push.
124

THE SPARROW AND THE BUSjH

peck worms, worms won't gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe
won't strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't
quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't
slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat,
goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow
a swing."

Then the sparrow-hawk began to seize the hen, the
hen began to peck the worms, the worms began to
gnaw the pole-axe, the pole-axe began to hit the ox,
the ox began to drink the water, the water began to
quench the fire, the fire began to burn the Tartars,
the Tartars began to slay the people, the people began
to kill the wolf, the wolf began to eat the goat, the
goat began to nibble the bush, and the bush cried
out :

" Swing away^ swing away\ swi-i-i-i-ing !
Little daddy sparrow^ have your fli-i-i-ing ! "

125

THE OLD DOG

THE OLD DOG

THERE was once a man who had a dog. While
the dog was young he was made much of,
but when he grew old he was driven out of
doors. So he went and lay outside the fence, and
a wolf came up to him and said, '' Doggy, why so
down in the mouth ? " — " While I was young," said
the dog, " they made much of me ; but now that I
am old they beat me." The wolf said, " I see thy
master in the field ; go after him, and perchance he'll
give thee something." — *' Nay," said the dog, " they
won't even let me walk about the fields now, they
only beat me." — " Look now," said the wolf, ''I'm
sorry, and will make things better for thee. Thy
mistress, I see, has put her child down beneath that
wagon. I'll seize it, and make off with it. Run thou
after me and bark, and though thou hast no teeth left,
touzle me as much as thou canst, so that thy mistress
may see it."

So the wolf seized the child, and ran away with it,
and the dog ran after him, and began to touzle him.
His mistress saw it, and made after them with a harrow,
crying at the same time, " Husband, husband ! the
wolf has got the child ! Gabriel, Gabriel ! don't you
see ? The wolf has got the child ! " Then the man
chased the wolf, and got back the child. " Brave old
dog ! " said he ; " you are old and toothless, and yet
you can give help in time of need, and will not let
your master's child be stolen." And henceforth the
woman and her husband gave the old dog a large lump
of bread every day.

I 129

THE FOX AND
THE CAT

THE FOX AND THE CAT

IN a certain forest there once lived a fox, and near
to the fox lived a man who had a cat that had
been a good mouser in its youth, but was now
old and half blind. The man didn't want puss any
longer, but not liking to kill it, took it out into the
forest and lost it there. Then the fox came up and
said, '' Why, Mr Shaggy Matthew ! How d'ye do !
What brings you here } " — " Alas ! " said Pussy, *' my
master loved me as long as I could bite, but now that
I can bite no longer and have left off catching mice —
and I used to catch them finely once — he doesn't like
to kill me, but he has left me in the wood where I
must perish miserably." — " No, dear Pussy ! " said
the fox ; " you leave it to me, and I'll help you
to get your daily bread." — '' You are very good,
dear little sister foxey ! " said the cat, and the fox
built him a little shed with a garden round it to walk
about in.

Now one day the hare came to steal the man's
cabbage. '* Kreem-kreem-kreem ! " he squeaked. But
the cat popped his head out of the window, and when
he saw the hare, he put up his back and stuck up
his tail and said, " Ft-t-t-t-t-Frrrrrrr ! " The hare
was frightened and ran away and told the* bear, the
wolf, and the wild boar all about it. " Never mind,"
said the bear, " I tell you what, we'll all four give a
banquet, and invite the fox and the cat, and do for
the pair of them. Now, look here ! I'll steal the
man's mead ; and you, Mr Wolf, steal his fat-pot ;
and you, Mr Wildboar, root up his fruit-trees ; and

133

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

you, Mr Bunny, go and invite the fox and the cat to
dinner."

So they made everything ready as the bear had
said, and the hare ran off to invite the guests. He
came beneath the window and said, " We invite your
Httle ladyship Foxey-Woxey, together with Mr Shaggy
Matthew, to dinner " — and back he ran again. — " But
you should have told them to bring their spoons with
them," said the bear. — " Oh, what a head Fve got ! if
I didn't quite forget ! " cried the hare, and back he went
again, ran beneath the window and cried, " Mind you
bring your spoons ! " — " Very well," said the fox.

So the cat and the fox went to the banquet, and
when the cat saw the bacon, he put up his back and
stuck out his tail, and cried, " Mee-oo, mee-oo ! "
with all his might. But they thought he said, " Ma-
lo, ma-lo 1 ! " — " What ! " said the bear, who was
hiding behind the beeches with the other beasts, " here
have we four been getting together all we could, and
this pig-faced cat calls it too little ! What a monstrous
cat he must be to have such an appetite ! " So they
were all four very frightened, and the bear ran up a
tree, and the others hid where they could. But when
the cat saw the boar's bristles sticking out from behind
the bushes he thought it was a mouse, and put up
his back again and cried, " Ft ! f t ! f t ! Frrrrrrr ! "
Then they were more frightened than ever. And the
boar went into a bush still farther off, and the wolf
went behind an oak, and the bear got down from the
tree, and climbed up into a bigger one, and the hare
ran right away.

1 What a little ! What a little I

THE FOX AND THE CAT

But the cat remained in the midst of all the good
things and ate away at the bacon, and the httle fox
gobbled up the honey, and they ate and ate till they
couldn't eat any more, and then they both went home
licking their paws.

135

THE STRAW OX

THE STRAW OX

THERE was once upon a time an old man and
an old woman. The old man worked in the
fields as a pitch-burner, while the old woman
sat at home and spun flax. They were so poor that
they could save nothing at all ; all their earnings went
in bare food, and when that was gone there was nothing
left. At last the old woman had a good idea. " Look
now, husband," cried she, " make me a straw ox, and
smear it all over with tar." — *' Why, you foolish
woman ! " said he, " what's the good of an ox of that
sort } " — " Never mind," said she, " you just make it.
I know what I am about." — What was the poor man
to do ? He set to work and made the ox of straw,
and smeared it all over with tar.

The night passed away, and at early dawn the old
woman took her distaff, and drove the straw ox out
into the steppe to graze, and she herself sat down
behind a hillock, and began spinning her flax, and
cried, " Graze away, little ox, while I spin my flax !
Graze away, little ox, while I spin my flax ! " And
while she spun, her head drooped down and she began
to doze, and while she was dozing, from behind the
dark wood and from the back of the huge pines a
bear came rushing out upon the ox and said, " Who
are you .'' Speak and tell me ! " — And the ox said,
" A three-year-old heifer am I, made of straw and
smeared with tar." — " Oh ! " said the bear, " stuffed
with straw and trimmed with tar, are you ? Then
give me of your straw and tar, that I may patch up my
ragged fur again ! " — " Take some," said the ox, and

139

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

the bear fell upon him and began to tear away at the
tar. He tore and tore, and buried his teeth in it till
he found he couldn't let go again. He tugged and
he tugged, but it was no good, and the ox dragged
him gradually off goodness knows where. Then the
old woman awoke, and there was no ox to be seen.
" Alas ! old fool that I am ! " cried she, " perchance it
has gone home." Then she quickly caught up her
distaff and spinning-board, threw them over her shoul-
ders, and hastened off home, and she saw that the ox
had dragged the bear up to the fence, and in she went
to the old man. " Dad, dad ! " she cried, " look,
look ! the ox has brought us a bear. Come out and
kill it ! " Then the old man jumped up, tore off the
bear, tied him up, and threw him in the cellar.

Next morning, between dark and dawn, the old
woman took her distaff and drove the ox into the
steppe to graze. She herself sat down by a mound,
began spinning, and said, '* Graze, graze away, little
ox, while I spin my flax ! Graze, graze away, little
ox, while I spin my flax ! " And while she spun, her
head drooped down and she dozed. And, lo ! from
behind the dark wood, from the back of the huge
pines, a grey wolf came rushing out upon the ox and
said, " Who are you ? Come, tell me ! " — "I am a
three-year-old heifer, stuffed with straw and trimmed
with tar," said the ox. — *' Oh ! trimmed with tar, are
you ? Then give me of your tar to tar my sides, that
the dogs and the sons of dogs tear me not ! " — " Take
some," said the ox. And with that the wolf fell upon
him and tried to tear the tar off. He tugged and
tugged, and tore with his teeth, but could get none
140

THE STRAW OX

off. Then he tried to let go, and couldn't ; tug and
worry as he might, it was no good. When the old
woman woke, there was no heifer in sight. " Maybe
my heifer has gone home ! " she cried ; '' I'll go home
and see." When she got there she was astonished,
for by the palings stood the ox with the wolf still tugging
at it. She ran and told her old man, and her old man
came and threw the wolf into the cellar also.

On the third day the old woman again drove her
ox into the pastures to graze, and sat down by a mound
and dozed off. Then a fox came running up. " Who
are you ? " it asked the ox. — " I'm a three-year-old
heifer, stuffed with straw and daubed with tar." —
" Then give me some of your tar to smear my sides
with, when those dogs and sons of dogs tear my hide ! "
— '' Take some," said the ox. Then the fox fastened
her teeth in him and couldn't draw them out again.
The old woman told her old man, and he took and
cast the fox into the cellar in the same way. And
after that they caught Pussy Swift-foot ^ likewise.

So when he had got them all safely, the old man
sat down on a bench before the cellar and began
sharpening a knife. And the bear said to him, " Tell
me, daddy, what are you sharpening your knife for } "
— " To flay your skin off, that I may make a leather
jacket for myself and a pelisse for my old wife." —
" Oh ! don't flay me, daddy dear ! Rather let me go,
and I'll bring you a lot of honey." — " Very well, see
you do it," and he unbound and let the bear go. Then
he sat down on the bench and again began sharpening
his knife. And the wolf asked him, " Daddy, what

^ The^hare.

I4X

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

are you sharpening your knife for ? " — " To flay off
your skin, that I may make me a warm cap against
the winter." — " Oh ! don't flay me, daddy dear, and
I'll bring you a whole herd of little sheep." — " Well,
see that you do it," and he let the wolf go. Then he
sat down and began sharpening his knife again. The
fox put out her little snout and asked him, "Be so
kind, dear daddy, and tell me why you are sharpening
your knife ! " — " Little foxes," said the old man, " have
nice skins that do capitally for collars and trimmings,
and I want to skin you ! " — " Oh ! don't take my
skin away, daddy dear, and I will bring you hens and
geese." — " Very well, see that you do it ! " and he
let the fox go. The hare now alone remained, and
the old man began sharpening his knife on the hare's
account. " Why do you do that } " asked puss, and
he replied, " Little hares have nice little soft warm
skins, which will make me gloves and mittens against
the winter ! " — " Oh ! daddy dear ! don't flay me,
and I'll bring you kale and good cauliflower, if only
you let me go ! " Then he let the hare go also.

Then they went to bed, but very early in the
morning, when it was neither dusk nor dawn, there
was a noise in the doorway like " Durrrrrr ! " —
" Daddy ! " cried the old woman, " there's some one
scratching at the door, go and see who it is ! " The
old man went out, and there was the bear carrying
a whole hive full of honey. The old man took the
honey from the bear, but no sooner did he lie down
than again there was another " Durrrrr ! " at the door.
The old man looked out and saw the wolf driving a
whole flock of sheep into the yard. Close on his heels
142

THE STRAW OX

came the fox, driving before him geese and hens and
all manner of fowls ; and last of all came the hare,
bringing cabbage and kale and all manner of good
food. And the old man was glad, and the old woman
was glad. And the old man sold the sheep and oxen
and got so rich that he needed nothing more. As
for the straw-stuffed ox, it stood in the sun till it fell
to pieces.

143

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

K

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

THERE was once upon a time an old man and
an old woman, and the old man had a daughter,
and the old woman had a daughter. And the
old woman said to the old man, " Go and buy a
heifer, that thy daughter may have something to look
after ! " So the old man went to the fair and bought
a heifer.

Now the old woman spoiled her own daughter, but
was always snapping at the old man's daughter. Yet
the old man's daughter was a good, hard-working girl,
while as for the old woman's daughter, she was but
an idle slut. She did nothing but sit down all day
with her hands in her lap. One day the old woman
said to the old man's daughter, " Look now, thou
daughter of a dog, go and drive out the heifer to
graze ! Here thou hast two bundles of flax. See
that thou unravel it, and reel it, and bleach it, and
bring it home all ready in the evening ! " Then the
girl took the flax and drove the heifer out to graze.

So the heifer began to graze, but the girl sat down
and began to weep. And the heifer said to her, *' Tell
me, dear little maiden, wherefore dost thou weep } "
— " Alas ! why should I not weep ? My stepmother
has given me this flax and bidden me unravel it, and
reel it, and bleach it, and bring it back as cloth in the
evening." — " Grieve not, maiden ! " said the heifer,
" it will all turn out well. Lie down to sleep ! " —
So she lay down to sleep, and when she awoke the
flax was all unravelled and reeled and spun into fine
cloth, and bleached. Then she drove the heifer home

H7

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and gave the cloth to her stepmother. The old
woman took it and hid it away, that nobody might
know that the old man's daughter had brought it to
her.

The next day she said to her own daughter, " Dear
little daughter, drive the heifer out to graze, and here
is a little piece of flax for thee, unravel it and reel it,
or unravel it not and reel it not as thou likest best,
but bring it home with thee." Then she drove the
heifer out to graze, and threw herself down in the
grass, and slept the whole day, and did not even take
the trouble to go and moisten the flax in the cooling
stream. And in the evening she drove the heifer
back from the field and gave her mother the flax.
" Oh, mammy ! " she said, *' my head ached so the
whole day, and the sun scorched so, that I couldn't
go down to the stream to moisten the flax." — " Never
mind," said her mother, " lie down and sleep ; it will
do for another day."

And the next day she called the old man's daughter
again, " Get up, thou daughter of a dog, and take
the heifer out to graze. And here thou hast a bundle
of raw flax ; unravel it, heckle it, wind it on to thy
spindles, bleach it, weave with it, and make it into
fine cloth for me by the evening ! " — Then the girl
drove out the heifer to graze. The heifer began graz-
ing, but she sat down beneath a willow-tree, and threw
her flax down beside her, and began weeping with
all her might. But the heifer came up to her and
said, '' Tell me, little maiden, wherefore dost thou
weep ? " — " Why should I not weep ? " said she, and
she told the heifer all about it. — " Grieve not ! " said

THE GIRL DROVE THE HEIFER OUT TO GRAZE

148

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

the heifer, " it will all come right, but lie down to
sleep." — So she lay down and immediately fell asleep.
And by evening the bundle of raw flax was heckled
and spun and reeled, and the cloth was woven and
bleached, so that one could have made shirts of it
straight off. Then she drove the heifer home, and
gave the cloth to her stepmother.

Then the old woman said to herself, " How comes
it that this daughter of the son of a dog has done all
her task so easily ? The heifer must have got it done
for her, I know. But I'll put a stop to all this, thou
daughter of the son of a dog," said she. Then she
went to the old man and said, *' Father, kill and cut
to pieces this heifer of thine, for because of it thy
daughter does not a stroke of work. She drives the
heifer out to graze, and goes to sleep the whole day
and does nothing."—" Then I'll kill it ! " said he.—
But the old man's daughter heard what he said, and
went into the garden and began to weep bitterly.
The heifer came to her and said, " Tell me, dear
little maiden, wherefore dost thou weep ? " — " Why
should I not weep," she said, " when they want to
kill thee ? "— " Don't grieve," said the heifer, '' it will
all come right. When they have killed me, ask thy
stepmother to give thee my entrails to wash, and in
them thou wilt find a grain of corn. Plant this grain
of corn, and out of it will grow up a willow-tree, and
whatever thou dost want, go to this willow-tree and
ask, and thou shalt have thy heart's desire."

Then her father slew the heifer, and she went to
her stepmother and said, '' Pry thee, let me have the
entrails of the heifer to wash ! " — And her stepmother

149

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
answered, "As if I would let anybody else do such
work but thee ! " — Then she went and washed them,
and sure enough she found the grain of corn, planted
it by the porch, trod down the earth, and watered it
a little. And the next morning, when she awoke, she
saw that a willow-tree had sprung out of this grain
of corn, and beneath the willow-tree was a spring of
water, and no better water was to be found anywhere
in the whole village. It was as cold and as clear as
ice.

When Sunday came round, the old woman tricked
her pet daughter out finely, and took her to church,
but to the old man's daughter she said, " Look to
the fire, thou slut ! Keep a good fire burning and get
ready the dinner, and make everything in the house
neat and tidy, and have thy best frock on, and all the
shirts washed against I come back from church. And
if thou hast not all these things done, thou shalt say
good-bye to dear life."

So the old woman and her daughter went to church,
and the smart little stepdaughter made the fire burn
up, and got the dinner ready, and then went to the
willow-tree and said, " Willow-tree, willow-tree, come
out of thy bark ! Lady Anna, come when I call thee ! "
Then the willow-tree did its duty, and shook all its
leaves, and a noble lady came forth from it. " Dear
little lady, sweet little lady, what are thy commands ? "
said she. — '' Give me," said she, " a grand dress and
let me have a carriage and horses, for I would go to
God's House ! " — And immediately she was dressed
in silk and satin, with golden slippers on her feet, and
the carriage came up and she went to church.

150

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

When she entered the church there was a great to-
do, and every one said, " Oh ! oh ! oh ! Who is it ?
Is it perchance some princess or some queen ? for the
Hke of it we have never seen before." Now the young
Tsarevich chanced to be in church at that time. When
he saw her, his heart began to beat. He stood there,
and could not take his eyes off her. And all the great
captains and courtiers marvelled at her and fell in
love with her straightway. But who she was, they
knew not. When service was over, she got up and
drove away. When she got home, she took off all
her fine things, and put on all her rags again, and sat
in the window-corner and watched the folk coming
from church.

Then her stepmother came back too. " Is the
dinner ready } " said she. — " Yes, it is ready." — " Hast
thou sewn the shirts } " — " Yes, the shirts are sewn
too." — Then they sat down to meat, and began to
relate how they had seen such a beautiful young lady
at church. — *' The Tsarevich," said the old woman,
" instead of saying his prayers, was looking at her
all the while, so goodly was she." Then she said to
the old man's daughter, '' As for thee, thou slut !
though thou hast sewn the shirts and bleached them,
thou art but a dirty under- wench ! "

On the following Sunday the stepmother again
dressed up her daughter, and took her to church.
But, before she went, she said to the old man's
daughter, '* See that thou keep the fire in, thou slut ! "
and she gave her a lot of work to do. The old man's
daughter very soon did it all, and then she went to
the willow-tree and said, " Bright spring willow,

151

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

bright spring willow, change thee, transform thee ! "
Then still statelier dames stepped forth from the willow-
tree, '' Dear little lady, sweet little lady, what com-
mands hast thou to give ? " She told them what
she wanted, and they gave her a gorgeous dress, and
put golden shoes on her feet, and she went to church
in a grand carriage. The Tsarevich was again there,
and at the sight of her he stood as if rooted to the
ground, and couldn't take his eyes from her. Then
the people began to whisper, " Is there none here
who knows her ? Is there none who knows who such
a handsome lady may be ! " And they began to ask
each other, " Dost thou know her } Dost thou know
her ? " — But the Tsarevich said, " Whoever will tell
me who this great lady is, to him will I give a sack-
load of gold ducats ! " — Then they inquired and in-
quired, and laid all their heads together, but nothing
came of it. But the Tsarevich had a jester who was
always with him, and used always to jest and cut capers
whenever this child of the Tsar was sad. So now,
too, he began to laugh at the young Tsarevich and
say to him, " I know how to find out who this fine
lady is." — " How } '* asked the young Tsarevich. —
" I'll tell thee," said the jester ; " smear with pitch
the place in church where she is wont to stand. Then
her slippers will stick to it, and she, in her hurry to get
away, will never notice that she has left them behind
her in church." — So the Tsarevich ordered his courtiers
to smear the spot with pitch straightway. Next time,
when the service was over, she got up as usual and
hastened away, but left her golden slippers behind
her. When she got home she took off her costly raiment
152

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

and put on her rags, and waited in the window-corner
till they came from church.

When they came from church they had all sorts of
things to talk about, and how the young Tsarevich
had fallen in love with the grand young lady, and how
they were unable to tell him whence she came, or
who she was, and the stepmother hated the old man's
daughter all the more because she had done her work
so nicelv.

But the Tsarevich did nothing but pine away. And
they proclaimed throughout the kingdom, " Who has
lost a pair of golden slippers ? " But none could
tell. Then the Tsar sent his wise councillors through-
out the kingdom to find her. " If ye do not find her,"
said he, "it will be the death of my child, and then
ye also are dead men."

So the Tsar's councillors went through all the towns
and villages, and measured the feet of all the maidens
against the golden slippers, and she was to be the bride
of the Tsarevich whom the golden slippers fitted.
They went to the houses of all the princes, and all the
nobles, and all the rich merchants, but it was of no
avail. The feet of all the maidens were either too
little or too large. Then they hied them to the huts
of the peasants.

They went on and on, they measured and measured,
and at last they were so tired that they could scarce
draw one foot after the other. Then they looked
about them and saw a beautiful willow-tree standing
by a hut, and beneath the willow-tree was a spring of
water. " Let us go and rest in the cool shade," said
they. So they went and rested, and the old woman

153

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

came out of the hut to them. — " Hast thou a daughter,
little mother ? " said they. — " Yes, that I have," said
she. — " One or two ? " they asked. — " Well, there is
another," said she, " but she is not my daughter, she
is a mere kitchen slut, the very look of her is nasty."
— " Very well," said they, " we will measure them
with the golden slippers." — " Good ! " cried the old
woman. Then she said to her own daughter, " Go,
my dear little daughter, tidy thyself up a bit, and wash
thy little feet ! " — But the old man's daughter she
drove behind the stove, and the poor thing was neither
washed nor dressed. " Sit there, thou daughter of
a dog ! " said she. — Then the Tsar's councillors came
into the hut to measure, and the old woman said to
her daughter, " Put out thy Httle foot, darling ! " —
The councillors then measured with the slippers, but
they wouldn't fit her at all. Then they said, " Tell
us, little mother, where is thy other daughter ? " —
" Oh, as for her, she is a mere slut, and besides she
isn't dressed." — " No matter," said they ; " where is
she ? " — Then she came out from behind the stove,
and her stepmother hustled her and said, *' Get
along, thou sluttish hussy ! " — Then they measured
her with the slippers, and they fitted like gloves, where-
upon the courtiers rejoiced exceedingly and praised
the Lord.

" Well, little mother," said they, *' we will take this
daughter away with us." — " What ! take a slattern
like that ? Why, all the people will laugh at you ! "
— " Maybe they will," said they. — Then the old woman
scolded, and wouldn't let her go. '* How can such
a slut become the consort of the Tsar's son ? " screeched
154

THE TSAR'S COUNCILLORS WENT TO THE HOUSES OF ALL

THE NOBLES AND PRINCES 154

THE GOLDEN SLIPPER

she. — " Nay, but she must come ! " said they ; *' go,
dress thyself, maiden ! " — " Wait but a moment," said
she, " and I'll tire myself as is meet ! " — Then she
went to the spring beneath the willow-tree, and washed
and dressed herself, and she came back so lovely and
splendid that the like of it can neither be thought of
nor guessed at, but only told of in tales. As she entered
the hut she shone like the sun, and her stepmother
had not another word to say.

So they put her in a carriage and drove off, and
when the Tsarevich saw her, he could not contain him-
self. " Make haste, O my father ! " cried he, " and
give us thy blessing." So the Tsar blessed them,
and they were wedded. Then they made a great feast
and invited all the world to it. And they lived happily
together, and ate wheat-bread to their hearts' content.

155

THE IRON WOLF

THE IRON WOLF

THERE was once upon a time a parson who
had a servant, and when this servant had served
him faithfully for twelve years and upward,
he came to the parson and said, " Let us now settle
our accounts, master, and pay me what thou owest me.
I have now served long enough, and would fain have a
Httle place in the wide world all to myself." — " Good ! "
said the parson. " I'll tell thee now what wage I'll
give thee for thy faithful service. I'll give thee this egg.
Take it home, and when thou gettest there, maSke
to thyself a cattle-pen, and make it strong ; then break
the egg in the middle of thy cattle-pen, and thou shalt see
something. But whatever thou doest, don't break it
on thy way home, or all thy luck will leave thee."

So the servant departed on his homeward way.
He went on and on, and at last he thought to himself,
" Come now, I'll see what is inside this egg of mine ! "
So he broke it, and out of it came all sorts of cattle in
such numbers that the open steppe became like a fair.
The servant stood there in amazement, and he thought
to himself, " However in God's world shall I be
able to drive all these cattle back again ? " He had
scarcely uttered the words when the Iron Wolf came
running up, and said to him, " I'll collect and drive
back all these cattle into the egg again, and I'll patch
the egg up so that it will become quite whole. But
in return for that," continued the Iron Wolf, " when-
ever thou dost sit down on the bridal bench ,^ I'll come

^ Posad, or posag, a bench covered with white cloth on which the bride and
bridegroom sat down together.

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and eat thee." — " Well," thought the servant to him-
self, "a lot of things may happen before I sit down
on the bridal bench and he comes to eat me, and in
the meantime I shall get all these cattle. Agreed,
then," said he. So the Iron Wolf immediately collected
all the cattle, and drove them back into the egg, and
patched up the egg and made it whole just as it was
before.

The servant went home to the village where he
lived, made him a cattle-pen stronger than strong,
went inside it and broke the egg, and immediately
that cattle-pen was as full of cattle as it could hold.
Then he took to farming and cattle-breeding, and he
became so rich that in the whole wide world there
was none richer than he. He kept to himself, and
his goods increased and multiplied exceedingly ; the
only thing wanting to his happiness was a wife, but
a wife he was afraid to take. Now near to where he
lived was a General who had a lovely daughter, and
this daughter fell in love with the rich man. So the
General went and said to him, " Come, why don't
you marry ? I'll give you my daughter and lots of
money with her." — " How is it possible for - me to
marry ? " replied the man ; "as soon as ever I sit
down on the bridal bench, the Iron Wolf will come
and eat me up." And he told the General all that
had happened. — " Oh, nonsense ! " said the General,
" don't be afraid. I have a mighty host, and when
the time comes for you to sit down on the bridal
bench, we'll surround your house with three strong
rows of soldiers, and they won't let the Iron Wolf get
at you, I can tell you." So they talked the matter
1 60

THE IRON WOLF
over till he let himself be persuaded, and then they
began to make great preparations for the bridal banquet.
Everything went off excellently well, and they made
merry till the time came when bride and bridegroom
were to sit down together on the bridal bench. Then
the General placed his men in three strong rows all
round the house so as not to let the Iron Wolf get in ;
and no sooner had the young people sat down upon
the bridal bench, than, sure enough, the Iron Wolf
came running up. He saw the host standing round
the house in three strong rows, but through all three
rows he leaped and made straight for the house. But
the man, as soon as he saw the Iron Wolf, leaped out
of the window, mounted his horse, and galloped off
with the wolf after him.

Away and away he galloped, and after him came
the wolf, but try as it would, it could not catch him
up anyhow. At last, toward evening, the man stopped
and looked about him, and saw that he was in a lone
forest, and before him stood a hut. He went up to
this hut, and saw an old man and an old woman sitting
in front of it, and said to them, '' Would you let me
rest a- little while with you, good people } " — " By
all means ! " said they. — " There is one thing, however,
good people ! " said he, " don't let the Iron Wolf catch
me while I am resting with you." — " Have no fear
of that ! " replied the old couple. We have a dog
called Chutko,^ who can hear a wolf coming a mile
off, and he'll be sure to let us know." So he laid him
down to sleep, and was just dropping off when Chutko
began to bark. Then the old people awoke him, and

^ Hearkener.

L l6l

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

said, " Be off ! be off ! for the Iron Wolf is coming."
And they gave him the dog, and a wheaten hearth-cake
as provision by the way.

So he went on and on, and the dog followed after
him till it began to grow dark, and then he perceived
another hut in another forest. He went up to that
hut, and in front of it were sitting an old man and
an old woman. He asked them for a night's lodging.
" Only," said he, '' take care that the Iron Wolf doesn't
catch me ! " — " Have no fear of that," said they. " We
have a dog here called Vazhko,^ who can hear a wolf
nine miles off." So he laid him down and slept. Just
before dawn Vazhko began to bark. Immediately they
awoke him. " Run ! " cried they, '' the Iron Wolf
is coming ! " And they gave him the dog, and a
barley hearth-cake as provision by the way. So he
took the hearth-cake, sat him on his horse, and off he
went, and his two dogs followed after him.

He went on and on. On and on he went till
evening, when again he stopped and looked about
him, and he saw that he was in another forest, and
another little hut stood before him. He w^ent into
the hut, and there were sitting an old man and an
old woman. " Will you let me pass the night here,
good people ? " said he ; " only take care that the
Iron Wolf does not get hold of me ! "— " Have no
fear ! " said they, " we have a dog called Bary, who
can hear a wolf coming twelve miles off. He'll let
us know." So he lay down to sleep, and early in the
morning Bary let them know that the Iron Wolf was
drawing nigh. Immediately they awoke him. " 'Tis

^ Heavysides.
162

THE IRON WOLF
high time for you to be off ! " said they. Then they
gave him the dog, and a buckwheat hearth-cake as
provision by the way. He took the hearth-cake, sat
him on his horse, and off he went. So now he had
three dogs, and they all three followed him.

He went on and on, and toward evening he found
himself in front of another hut. He went into it,
and there was nobody there. He went and lay down,
and his dogs lay down also, Chutko on the threshold
of the room door, Vazhko at the threshold of the house
door, and Bary at the threshold of the outer gate.
Presently the Iron Wolf came trotting up. Imme-
diately Chutko gave the alarm, Vazhko nailed him to
the earth, and Bary tore him to pieces.

Then the man gathered his faithful dogs around
him, mounted his horse, and went back to his own
home.

163

THE THREE BROTHERS

THE THREE BROTHERS

THERE were, once upon a time, three brothers,
and the third was a fool. And in their little
garden grew golden apple-trees with golden
apples, and not far off lived a hog that had taken a
fancy to these apples. So the father sent his sons
into the garden to guard the trees. The eldest went
first, and sat and sat and watched and watched till
he was tired of watching, and fell asleep. Then the
hog crept in, and dug and dug till he had digged up
an apple-tree, which he ate up, and then went his
way. The father got up next morning and counted
his apple-trees, and one of them was gone. The next
night the father sent the second son to watch. He
waited and watched till he also fell asleep, and the hog
came again and dug up and ate another golden apple-
tree and made off. The next morning the father got
up again and counted his trees, and another was gone.
Then the fool said, " Dad, let me go too ! " But the
father said, *' Oh, fool, fool, wherefore shouldst thou
go ? Thy wise brethren have watched to no purpose,
what canst thou do ? " — " Hoity-toity ! " said the fool ;
" give me a gun, and I'll go all the same." His father
wouldn't give him a gun, so he took it, and went to
watch. He placed his gun across his knees and sat
down. He sat and sat, but nothing came, nothing
came ; he got drowsy, was nodding off, when his gun
fell off his knees, and he awoke with a start and
watched more warily. At last he heard something
— and there stood the hog. It began to dig up another
tree, when he pulled the trigger and — bang ! His

167

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

brothers heard the sound, came running up, were
quite amazed to see a dead boar lying there, and
said, " What will become of us now ? " — '* Let us
kill him," said the eldest brother, " and bury him
in that ditch, and say that we killed the hog." So
they took and slew him, and buried him in the ditch,
and took the hog to their father, and said, " While
we were watching, this hog came up and began
digging, so we killed him and have brought him to

you."

One day a nobleman came by that way, and was
surprised to see a beautiful elder-bush growing out
of the ditch ; so he went up to it, cut off a branch,
made him a flute out of it, and began playing upon
it. But the flute played of its own accord, and made
this moan :

" Play, good master, play,
But steal not my heart away I
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For that hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree."

The nobleman then went on to the inn, and there
he found the fool's father. " Such a funny thing has
happened to me," said the nobleman. " I went and
cut me out a flute from an elder-bush, and lo ! it plays
of its own accord ! " Then the father took the flute
and tried his hand at it, and it sang :

* * Play , good daddy , play ,
But don't steal my heart away !
1 68

THE THREE BROTHERS

Me my brothers took and sleWy
In the ditch my body threw ^
For that hog shot down by we,
That rooted up the tree I "

The father was so astonished that he bought it,
and took it home, and gave it to the mother for her
to play upon it, and it sang :

" Play^ good mammy, play.
But don't steal my heart away !
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For that hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree I "

Then the father gave the flute to his brothers to
play upon, but they wouldn't. " Nay, but you must ! "
said their father. Then the younger brother took and
played upon it :

" Play, my brother, play.
But don't steal my heart away I
Me my brothers took and slew.
In the ditch my body threw.
For the hog shot down by me.
That rooted up the tree I "

Then the father gave the flute to the elder brother
who had slain him, but he wouldn't take it. " Take
it and play upon it ! " roared his father at him. Then
he took it and played :

ailU piety CU .

" Play, my brother, play.
But don't steal my hear

my heart away !

169

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

^Twas thou who didst me slay^
And stowed my corpse away^
For the hog shot down by me.
That rooted up the tree I "

" Then it was thou who didst slay him ? " cried
the father. What could the elder brother do but
confess it ! Then they dug the dead man up, and
buried him in the cemetery ; but they tied the elder
brother to a wild horse, which scattered his bones
about the endless steppe.

But I was there, and drank wine and mead till my
beard was wet.

170

THE TSAR AND THE
ANGEL

THE TSAR AND THE ANGEL

SOMEWHERE, nowhere, in a certain kingdom,
in a certain empire, time out of mind, and
in no land of ours, dwelt a Tsar who was so
proud, so very proud, that he feared neither God nor
man. He listened to no good counsel from whither-
soever it might come, but did only that which was
good in his own eyes, and nobody durst put him right.
And all his ministers and nobles grieved exceedingly,
and all the people grieved likewise.

One day this Tsar went to church ; the priest was
reading from Holy Scripture, and so he needs must
listen. Now there were certain words there which
pleased him not. " To say such words to me ! "
thought he, " words that I can never forget, though
I grow grey-headed." After service the Tsar went
home, and bade them send the priest to him. The
priest came. " How durst thou read such and such
passages to me ? " said the Tsar. — " They were written
to be read," replied the priest. — " Written, indeed !
And wouldst thou then read everything that is written }
Smear those places over with grease, and never dare
to read them again, I say ! " — " 'Tis not I who have
written those words, your Majesty," said the priest ;
" nor is it for such as I to smear them over." — " What !
thou dost presume to teach me } I am the Tsar, and
it is thy duty to obey me." — " In all things will I obey
thee, O Tsar, save only in sacred things. God is over
them, men cannot alter them." — " Not alter them ! "
roared the Tsar ; " if I wish them altered, altered
they must be. Strike me out those words instantly, I

173

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

say, and never dare read them in church again. Dost
hear ? " — " I dare not," said the priest, " I have no
will in the matter." — " I command thee, fellow ! " —
" I dare not, O Tsar ! "— " Well," said the Tsar, " I'll
give thee three days to think about it, and on the
evening of the fourth day appear before me, and I'll
strike thy head from thy shoulders if thou dost not
obey me ! " Then the priest bowed low and went
home.

The third day was already drawing to a close, and
the priest knew not what to do. It was no great
terror to him to die for the faith, but what would
become of his wife and children ? He walked about,
and wept, and wrung his hands : " Oh, woe is me !
woe is me ! " At last he lay down on his bed, but
sleep he could not. Only toward dawn did he doze
off, then he saw in a dream an angel standing at his
head. " Fear nothing ! " said the angel. " God hath
sent me down on earth to protect thee ! " So, early
in the morning, the priest rose up full of joy and prayed
gratefully to God.

The Tsar also awoke early in the morning, and
bawled to his huntsmen to gather together and go
a-hunting with him in the forest.

So away they went hunting in the forest, and it
was not long before a stag leaped out of the thicket
beneath the very eyes of the Tsar. Off after it went
the Tsar ; every moment the stag seemed to be falter-
ing, and yet the Tsar could never quite come up with
it. Hot with excitement, the Tsar spurred his horse
on yet faster. " Gee up ! gee up ! " he cried ; " now
we've got him ! " But here a stream crossed the road,

174

THE TSAR AND THE ANGEL

and the stag plunged into the water. The Tsar was
a good swimmer. " I've got him now, at any rate,"
thought he. "A Httle longer, and I shall hold him
by the horns." So the Tsar took off his clothes, and
into the water he plunged after the stag. But the
stag swam across to the opposite bank, and the Tsar
was extending his hand to seize him by the horns —
when there was no longer any stag to be seen. It
was the angel who had taken the form of a stag. The
Tsar was amazed. He looked about him on every
side, and wondered where the stag had gone. Then
he saw some one on the other side of the river putting
on his clothes, and presently the man mounted his
horse and galloped away. The Tsar thought it was
some evil-doer, but it was the self-same angel that
had now put on the Tsar's clothes and gone away
to collect the huntsmen and take them home. As
for the Tsar, he remained all naked and solitary in
the forest.

At last he looked about him and saw, far, far away,
smoke rising above the forest, and something like
a dark cloud standing in the clear sky. " Maybe,"
thought he, '' that is my hunting-pavilion." So he
went in the direction of the smoke, and came at last
to a brick-kiln. The brick-burners came forth to
meet him, and were amazed to see a naked man.
" What is he doing here } " they thought. And they
saw that his feet were lame and bruised, and his body
covered with scratches. '* Give me to drink," said
he, " and I would fain eat something also." The
brick-burners had pity on him ; they gave him an
old tattered garment to wear and a piece of black

175

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

bread and a gherkin to eat. Never from the day of
his birth had the Tsar had such a tasty meal. " And
now speak, O man ! " said they ; '' who art thou ? " —
*' I'll tell you who I am," said he, when he had eaten
his fill ; "I am your Tsar. Lead me to my capital,
and there I will reward you ! " — '' What, thou wretched
rogue ! " they cried, " thou dost presume to mock us,
thou old ragamuffin, and magnify thyself into a Tsar !
Thou reward us, indeed ! " And they looked at him
in amazement and scorn. — " Dare to laugh at me again,"
said he, *' and I'll have your heads chopped off ! "
For he forgot himself, and thought he was at home. —
" What ! thou ! " Then they fell upon him and beat
him. They beat him and hauled him about most
unmercifully, and then they drove him away, and off
he went bellowing through the forest.

He went on and on till at last he saw once more a
smoke rising up out of the wood. Again he thought,
" That is surely my hunting-pavilion," and so he
went up to it. And toward evening he came to
another brick-kiln. There, too, they had pity upon
and kindly entreated him. They gave him to eat
and to drink. They also gave him ragged hose and
a tattered shirt, for they were very poor people. They
took him to be a runaway soldier, or some other poor
man, but when he had eaten his fill and clothed him-
self, he said to them, "I am your Tsar ! " They
laughed at him, and again he began to talk roughly
to the people. Then they fell upon him and thrashed
him soundly, and drove him right away. And he
wandered all by himself through the forest till it was
night. Then he laid him down beneath a tree, and
176

THE TSAR AND THE ANGEL

so he passed the night, and rising up very early, fared
on his way straight before him.

At last he came to a third brick-kiln, but he did
not tell the brick-burners there that he was the Tsar.
All he thought of now was how he might reach his
capital. The people here, too, treated him kindly,
and seeing that his feet were lame and bruised, they
had compassion upon him, and gave him a pair of
very, very old boots. And he asked them, " Do ye
know by which way I can get to the capital .? " They
told him, but it was a long, long journey that would
take the whole day.

So he went the way they had told him, and he went
on and on till he came to a little town, and there the
roadside sentries stopped him. " Halt ! " they cried.
He halted. "Your passport!"^ — "I have none." —
" What ! no passport } Then thou art a vagabond.
Seize him ! " they cried. So they seized him and
put him in a dungeon. Shortly after they came to
examine him, and asked him, " Whence art thou ? " —
" From such and such a capital," said he. Then they
ordered him to be put in irons and taken thither.

So they took him back to that capital and put him
in another dungeon. Then the custodians came round
to examine the prisoners, and one said one thing and
one said another, till at last it came to the turn of the
Tsar. — " Who art thou, old man ? " they asked. Then
he told them the whole truth. " Once I was the Tsar,"
said he, and he related all that had befallen him. Then
they were much amazed, for he was not at all like a

^ This is a good instance of the modern intrusions in these ancient kazhi.
An angel and a passport in the same tale !

M 177

COSSACK FAIRY TALES'
Tsar. For indeed he had been growing thin and
haggard for a long time, and his beard was all long
and tangled. And yet, for all that, he stood them
out that he was the Tsar. So they made up their
minds that he was crazy, and drove him away. " Why
should we keep this fool for ever," said they, " and
waste the Tsar's bread upon him ? " So they let him
go, and never did any man feel so wretched on God's
earth as did that wretched Tsar. Willingly would he
have done any sort of work if he had only known how,
but he had never been used to work, so he had to go
along begging his bread, and could scarce beg enough
to keep body and soul together. He lay at night at
the first place that came to hand, sometimes in the
tall grass of the steppes, sometimes beneath a fence.
** That it should ever have come to this ! " he sighed.

But the angel who had made himself Tsar went
home with the huntsmen. And no man knew that
he was not a Tsar, but an angel. The same evening
that priest came to him and said, "Do thy will, O
Tsar, and strike off my head, for I cannot blot out
one word of Holy Scripture." — And the Tsar said to
him, " Glory be to God, for now I know that there
is at least one priest in my tsardom who stands firm
for God's Word. I'll make thee the highest bishop in
this realm." The priest thanked him, bowed down
to the earth, and departed marvelling. " What is
this wonder ? " thought he, '* that the haughty Tsar
should have become so just and gentle." — But all
men marvelled at the change that had come over the
Tsar. He was now so mild and gracious, nor did he
spend all his days in the forest, but went about in-
178

THE TSAR WENT ABOUT INQUIRING OF HIS PEOPLE IF ANY

WERE WRONGED 178

THE TSAR AND THE ANGEL

quiring of his people if any were wronged or injured
by their neighbours, and if justice were done. He
took count of all, and rebuked the unjust judges, and
saw that every man had his rights. And the people
now rejoiced as much as they had grieved heretofore,
and justice was done in all the tribunals, and no bribes
were taken.

But the Tsar, the real Tsar, grew more and more
wretched. Then, after three years, a ukase went forth
that on such and such a day all the people were to
come together to a great banquet given by the Tsar,
all were to be there, both rich and poor, both high
and lowly. And all the people came, and the un-
happy Tsar came too. And so many long tables were
set out in the Tsar's courtyard that all the people
praised God when they saw the glad sight. And they
all sat down at table and ate and drank, and the Tsar
himself and his courtiers distributed the meat and
drink to the guests as much as they would, but to the
unfortunate Tsar they gave a double portion of every-
thing. And they all ate and drank their fill, and then
the Tsar began to inquire of the people whether any
had suffered wrong or had not had justice done him.
And when the people began to disperse, the Tsar stood
at the gate with a bag of money, and gave to every
one a grivna^ but to the unhappy Tsar he gave three.

And after three years the Tsar gave another banquet,
and again entertained all the people. And when he
had given them both to eat and to drink as much as
they would, he inquired of them what was being done
in his tsardom, and again gave a grivna to each one

^ About twopence-halfpenny.

179

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

of them ; but to the unlucky Tsar he gave a double
portion of meat and drink and three grivni.

And again, after three years, he made yet another
banquet, and proclaimed that all should come, both
rich and poor, both earls and churls. And all the
people came and ate and drank and bowed low before
the Tsar and thanked him, and made ready to depart.
The unlucky Tsar was also on the point of going,
when the angel Tsar stopped him, and took him aside
into the palace, and said to him, " Lo ! God hath
tried thee and chastised thy pride these ten years.
But me He sent to teach thee that a Tsar must have
regard to the complaints of his people. So thou wast
made poor and a vagabond on the face of the earth
that thou mightst pick up wisdom, if but a little.
Look now, that thou doest good to thy people, and
judgest righteous judgment, as from henceforth thou
shalt be Tsar again, but I must fly back to God in
heaven." — ^And when he had said this he bade them
wash and shave him (for his beard had grown right
down to his girdle), and put upon him the raiment of
a Tsar. And the angel said further, " Go now into
the inner apartments. There the courtiers of the Tsar
are sitting and making merry, and none will recognize
in thee the vagabond old man. May God help thee
always to do good ! " And when the angel had said
this he was no more to be seen, and only his clothes
remained on the floor.

Then the Tsar prayed gratefully to God, and went to
the merry-making of his courtiers, and henceforth he
ruled his people justly, as the angel had bidden him.

i8o

THE STORY OF IVAN

AND THE DAUGHTER

OF THE SUN

THE STORY OF IVAN AND THE
DAUGHTER OF THE SUN

THERE were once upon a time four brethren,
and three of them remained at home, while
the fourth went out to seek for work. This
youngest brother came to a strange land, and hired
himself out to a husbandman for three gold pieces a
year. For three years he served his master faithfully,
so, at the end of his time, he departed with nine gold
pieces in his pocket. The first thing he now did was
to go to a spring, and into this spring he threw three
of his gold pieces. '' Let us see now," said he, " if
I have been honest, they will come swimming back
to me." Then he lay down by the side of the spring
and went fast asleep. How long he slept there, who
can tell } but at any rate he woke up at last and went
to the spring, but there was no sign of his money to
be seen. Then he threw three more of the gold pieces
into the spring, and again he lay down by the side of
it and slept. Then he got up and went and looked
into the spring, and still there was no sign of the money.
So he threw in his three remaining gold pieces, and
again lay down and slept. The third time he arose
and looked into the spring, and there, sure enough,
was his money : all nine of the gold pieces were float-
ing on the surface of the water !

And now his heart felt lighter, and he gathered up
the nine gold pieces and went on his way. On the
road he fell in with three katsapi^ with a laden wagon.

^ Lit. Big billy-goats, the name given by the clean-shaved Ruthenians to
their hairy neighbours the Russians.

183

COSSACK FAIRY TALES
He asked them concerning their wares, and they said
they were carrying a load of incense. He begged
them straightway to sell him this incense. Then they
sold it to him for the gold pieces, and when he had
bought it and they had departed, he kindled fire and
burnt the incense, and offered it up to God as a sweet-
smelling sacrifice. Then an angel flew down to him,
and said, " Oh, thou that hast offered this sweet-smelling
sacrifice to God, what dost thou want for thine own
self ? Dost thou want a tsardom, or great riches ?
Or, perchance, the desire of thy heart is a good wife ?
Speak, for God will give thee whatsoever thou desirest."
When the man had listened to the angel, he said to
him, " Tarry a while ! I will go and ask those people
who are ploughing yonder." Now those people who
were ploughing there were his own brethren, but he
did not know that they were his brethren. So he
went up and said to the elder brother, " Tell me, uncle,
what shall I ask of God ? A tsardom, or great riches,
or a good wife ? Tell me, which of the three is the
best gift to ask for } " — ^And his eldest brother said to
him, '' I know not, and who does know ? Go and
ask some one else." So he went to the second brother,
who was ploughing a little farther on. He asked
him the same question, but the man only shrugged
his shoulders and said he didn't know either. Then
he went to the third brother, who was the youngest
of the three, and also ploughing there. And he asked
him, saying, " Tell me, now, which is the best gift
to ask of God : a tsardom, or great riches, or a good
wife ? " — ^And the third brother said, " What a ques-
tion ! Thou art too young for a tsardom, and great
184

THE STORY OF IVAN

riches last but for a little while ; ask God for a good
wife, for if it please God to give thee a good wife, 'tis
a gift that will bless thee all thy Hfe long." So he
went back to the angel and asked for a good wife. Then
he went on his way till he came to a certain wood,
and, looking about him, he perceived that in this wood
was a lake. And while he was looking at it, three
wild doves came flying along and lit down upon this
lake. They threw off their plumage and plunged into
the water, and then he saw that they were not wild
doves, but three fair ladies. They bathed in the lake,
and in the meantime the youth crept up and took the
raiment of one of them and hid it behind the bushes.
When they came out of the water the third lady missed
her clothes. Then the youth said to her, " I know
where thy clothes are, but I will not give them to thee
unless thou wilt be my wife." — " Good ! " cried she,
" thy wife will I be." Then she dressed herself, and
they went together to the nearest village. When they
got there, she said to him, '* Now go to the nobleman
who owns the land here, and beg him for a place where
we may build us a hut." So he went right up to the
nobleman's castle and entered his reception-room, and
said, " Glory be to God ! " — " For ever and ever ! "
replied the nobleman. " What dost thou want here,
Ivan ? " — " I have come, sir, to beg of thee a place
where I may build me a hut." — " A place for a hut,
eh ? Good, very good. Go home, and I'll speak to
my overseer, and he shall appoint thee a place." — So
he returned from the nobleman's castle, and his wife
said to him, " Go now into the forest and cut down
an oak, a young oak, that thou canst span round with

i8s

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

both arms." So he cut down such an oak as his wife
had told him of, and she built a hut of the oak, for the
overseer had come and shown them a place where
they might build their hut. But when the overseer
returned home he praised loudly to his master the
wife of this Ivan. *' She is such and such," said he.
'' Fair she may be," repHed the nobleman, " but she
is another's." — " She need not be another's for long,"
replied the overseer. '* This Ivan is in our hands ;
let us send him to see why it is the sun grows so red
when he sets." — " That's just the same as if you sent
him to a place whence he can never return." — " All
the better." — Then they sent for Ivan, and gave him
this errand, and he returned home to his wife, weeping
bitterly. Then his wife asked him all about it, and
said, " Well, I can tell thee all about the ways of the
sun, for I am the sun's own daughter. So now I'll
tell thee the whole matter. Go back to this noble-
man and say to him that the reason why the sun turns
so red as he sets is this : Just as the sun is going down
into the sea, three fair ladies rise out of it, and it is
the sight of them which makes him turn so red all
over ! " So he went back and told them. '* Oh-
ho ! " cried they, " if you can go as far as that, you
may now go a little farther " ; so they told him to go
to hell and see how it was there. " Yes," said his
wife, " I know the road that leads to hell also very
well ; but the nobleman must let his overseer go with
thee, or else he never will believe that thou really
didst go to hell." — So the nobleman told his overseer
that he must go to hell too, so they went together ;
and when they got there the rulers of hell laid hands
i86

THE RULERS OF HELL LAID HANDS UPON THE OVERSEER

STRAIGHTWAY i86

THE STORY OF IVAN

upon the overseer straightway. " Thou dog ! " roared
they, '* we've been looking out for thee for some
time ! " So Ivan returned without the overseer, and
the nobleman said to him, *' Where's my overseer ? "
— " I left him in hell," said Ivan, " and they said
there that they were waiting for you, sir, too." When
the nobleman heard this he hanged himself, but Ivan
lived happily with his wife.

J87

THE CAT, THE COCK,
AND THE FOX

THE CAT, THE COCK, AND THE FOX

THERE was once upon a time a cat and a cock,
who agreed to live together, so they built them
a hut on an ash-heap, and the cock kept house
while the cat went foraging for sausages.

One day the fox came running up : '' Open the
door, little cock ! " cried she. — " Pussy told me not
to, little fox ! " said the cock. — '' Open the door, little
cock ! " repeated the fox. — " I tell you, pussy told
me not to, little fox ! " — At last, however, the cock
grew tired of always saying '' No ! " so he opened
the door, and in the fox rushed, seized him in her
jaws, and ran off with him. Then the cock cried :

" Help I pussy -pussy !
That foxy hussy
Has got me tight
With all her ?night.
Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony I "

The cat heard it, gave chase to the fox, rescued the
cock, brought him home, scolded him well, and said,
" Now keep out of her jaws in the future, if you don't
want to be killed altogether ! "

Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that
the cock might have something to eat. He had scarcely
gone when the sly she-fox again came creeping up.
" Dear little cock ! " said she, " pray open the door ! "
— ** Nay, little fox ! Pussy said I wasn't to." But
the fox went on asking and asking till at last the cock

191

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

let him in. Then the fox rushed at him, seized him
by the neck, and ran off with him. Then the cock
cried out :

" Help ! pussy -pussy !

That foxy hussy

Has got me tight

With all her might.

Across her tail

My legs do trail

Along the bridge so stony I *'

The cat heard it, and again he ran after the fox and
rescued the cock, and gave the fox a sound drubbing.
Then he said to the cock, " Now, mind you never let
her come in again, or she'll eat you."

But the next time the cat went out, the she-fox came
again, and said, " Dear little cock, open the door ! "
— " No, little fox ! Pussy said I wasn't to." But the
fox begged and begged so piteously that, at last, the
cock was quite touched, and opened the door. Then
the fox caught him by the throat again, and ran away
with him, and the cock cried :

'' Help I pussy-pussy !
That foxy hussy
Has got me tight
With all her might.
Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony .' "

The cat heard it, and gave chase again. He ran
and ran, but this time he couldn't catch the fox up ;
192

THE CAT, THE COCK, AND FOX

so he returned home and wept bitterly, because he
was now all alone. At last, however, he dried his
tears and got him a little fiddle, a little fiddle-bow,
and a big sack, and went to the fox's hole and began
to play :

" Fiddle-de-dee !

Thejoxy so wee

Had daughters twice two,

And a little son too,

Called Phil. — Fiddle-dee !

Come, foxy, and see

My sweet minstrelsy ! "

Then the fox's daughter said, " Mammy, I'll go
out and see who it is that is playing so nicely ! " So
out she skipped, but no sooner did pussy see her than
he caught hold of her and popped her into his sack.
Then he played again :

^''Fiddle-de-dee !
The foxy so wee
Had daughters twice two.
And a little son too.
Called Phil. — Fiddle-dee !
Come, foxy, and see
My sweet minstrelsy ! "

Then the second daughter skipped out, and pussy
caught her by the forehead, and popped her into his
sack, and went on playing and singing till he had got
all four daughters into his sack, and the little son
also. r"^'

Then the old fox was left all alone, and she waited

N 193

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and waited, but not one of them came back. At last
she said to herself, " I'll go out and call them home,
for the cock is roasting, and the milk pottage is sim-
mering, and *tis high time we had something to eat."
So out she popped, and the cat pounced upon her,
and killed her too. Then he went and drank up all
the soup, and gobbled up all the pottage, and then
he saw the cock lying on a plate. " Come, shake
yourself, cock ! " said puss. So the cock shook him-
self, and got up, and the cat took the cock home, and
the dead foxes too. And when they got home they
skinned them to make nice beds to lie upon, and lived
happily together in peace and plenty. And as they
laughed over the joke as a good joke, we may laugh
over it too !

194

THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH
AND HIS TWO WIVES

THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH AND
HIS TWO WIVES

THERE was once a Tsaritsa who had no child,
and greatly desired one, so the soothsayers said
to her, " Bid them catch thee a pike, bid them
boil its head and nothing but its head, eat it, and thou
shalt see what will happen." So she did so. She ate
the pike's head and went about as usual for a whole
year, and when the year was out she gave birth to a
son who was a serpent.

And no sooner was he born than he looked about
him, and said, " Mammy and daddy ! Bid them make
me a stone hut, and let there be a little bed there, and
a little stove and a fire to warm me, and let me be
married in a fortnight ! " — So they did as he desired.
They shut him up in a stone hut, with a little bed
and a little stove and fire to warm him, and in a fort-
night he grew quite big, indeed he grew too big for
his little bed. " And now," said he, " I want to be
married ! " So they brought to him all the fair young
damsels of the land that he might choose one to be
his own true bride. Exceeding fair were all the damsels
they brought him, and yet he would choose none of
them. Now there was an old woman there, who had
twelve daughters, and eleven of these daughters they
brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, but not the twelfth.
'' She is too young ! " said they. — Then the youngest
daughter said, " Ye fools, not to take me too ! Why,
if I were brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, he would
make me his bride at once."
Now this came to the Tsar's ears, and he commanded

197

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

them to bring her to him straightway. And the Tsar
said to her, " Wilt thou be my son's bride or not ? "
— And she said, " I will ; but before I go to thy son,
give me at once a score of chemises, and a score of
linen kirtles, and a score of woollen kirtles, and twenty
pairs of shoes — twenty of each, I say." — So the Tsar
gave them to her, and she put on the twenty chemises,
the twenty linen kirtles, the twenty woollen kirtles,
and the twenty pairs of shoes, one after the other, and
went to see the Serpent-Tsarevich. When she came
to the threshold of his hut, she stopped and said, " Hail,
O Serpent-Tsarevich ! " — '' Hail, maiden ! " cried he.
" Wih thou be my bride ? "— " I will ! "— " Then take
off one of thy skins ! " cried he. — " Yes," she said,
" but thou must do the same." — So he cast off one of
his skins, and she cast off one of her twenty suits of
clothes. Then he cried out again, " Cast off another
of thy skins, maiden." — " Yes," she replied, *' but
thou must cast off one too ! " — So he did so. Nine-
teen times did he cast off one of his serpent's skins,
and nineteen times did she cast off one of her suits
of clothes, till at last she had only her every-day suit
left, and he had only his human skin left. Then he
threw off his last skin also, and it flew about in the
air like a gossamer, whereupon she seized hold of it
and threw it into the fire that was burning on the
hearth till it was all consumed, and he stood before
her no longer a serpent, but a simple Tsarevich. Then
they married and lived happily together, but the
husband never would go to visit his old father the
Tsar, nor would he allow his bride to go near the
palace.
iq8

NINETEEN TliMES DID SHE CAST OFF ONE OF HER SL FFS

OF CLOTHES 198

THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH

The old Tsar sent for him again and again, but his
son would never go. At last the wife was ashamed,
and said to her husband one day, " Dear heart ! let
me go to thy father ! I will only go for my own
pastime, lest he get angry. Why should I not go .^ "
Then he let her go, and she went to the court of the
old Tsar, and took her pastime there. She amused
herself finely, and ate and drank her fill of all good
things. Now her husband had laid this command
upon her, " Go and divert thyself if thou wilt, but if
thou tell my father and my mother what has happened
to me, and how I have lost my twenty serpent skins,
thou shalt never see me more." For they did not
know that he was now no longer a serpent, but a simple
Tsarevich. She vowed she would never tell ; but
for all her promises, she nevertheless told them at
last how her husband had lost his twenty serpent
skins. Then she enjoyed herself to her heart's con-
tent, but when she returned home she found no trace
of her husband — he had departed to another kingdom
in the uttermost parts of the world.

Then the poor bride sat her down and wept and
wept, and when she had no more tears to weep, she
went forth into the wide world to seek her husband.
She went on till she came to a lonely little house, and
she went and begged a night's lodging from the old
woman who dwelt there, who was the Mother of the
Winds. But the Mother of the Winds would not
let her in. " God preserve thee, child ! " said she.
" My son is already winging his way hither. In another
moment thou wilt hear the rustling of his wings, in
another moment he will slay thee, and scatter thy

199

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

bones to the four winds." But the bride besought
the old woman till she had her desire, and the old
woman hid her behind a huge chest. A moment
afterward the son of the Mother of the Winds came
flying up, and he smelt out the bride, and said, '' What's
this, mother ? There is an evil smell of Cossack bones
about the house ! " — " No, it is not that," said his
mother, " but a young woman has taken shelter here,
who says that she is going in search of her husband."
— " Then, mother, give her the little silver apple,
and let her go, for her husband is in another
kingdom." So they sent her away with the little silver
apple.

She went on and on till night descended upon her,
and she came to the lonely abode of another old woman,
and begged a night's lodging of her also. But the
old woman would not let her in. " My son will be
here presently," said she, " and he will slay thee."
— " Nay, but, granny," said the bride, " I've already
stayed the night with such as thou, for I have lodged
at the house of the Mother of the Winds." — Then the
old woman took her in, and hid her, for she was
the Mother of the Moon. And immediately afterward the
Moon came flying up. " What is this, little mother ? "
cried he. "I smell an evil smell of Cossack bones ! "
— But she said to him, " Nay, my dear little son, but
a young woman has come hither who is obliged to
search for her husband because she told his father and
mother the truth." Then the Moon said, " 'Twould
be as well to let her go on farther. Give her the
little golden apple, and let her be off as quickly
as possible, for her husband is about to marry
zoo

THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH

another wife." So she passed the night there, and
in the morning they sent her away with the little
golden apple.

She went on and on. Night again descended upon
her, and she came to the house of the Mother of the
Sun, and begged her for a night's lodging. But the
old woman said to her, " I cannot let thee in. My
son is flying about the world, but he will fly hither
presently, and if he find thee here he will slay thee ! "
— Then the bride said, " Nay, but, granny dear, I have
already lodged with the like of thee. I have lodged
with the Mother of the Winds, and the Mother of the
Moon, and they each gave me a little apple." Then
the Mother of the Sun also let her in. Immediately
afterward her son, the Sun, came flying up, and he
said, " Why, what is this, little mother ? I smell
an evil smell of Cossack bones ! " — But his mother
answered, " A young woman came hither who begged
for a night's lodging." She did not tell her son the
whole truth, that the bride was in search of her
husband, but he knew it already, and said, *' Her
husband is about to marry another wife. Let her go
to the land where now he is, and give her the diamond
apple, which is the best and most precious apple in
the whole world, and tell her to hasten on to the house
where her husband abides. They won't let her in
there, but she must disguise herself as an old woman,
and sit down outside in the courtyard, and spread
out a cloth and lay upon it her little silver apple, and
all the people will come flocking around to see the
old woman who is selling apples of silver." So the
bride did as the Sun bade her, and went to that distant

201

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

empire, and the Empress of that empire, whom her
husband had married, came to see what she was selling,
and said to her, " What dost thou want for thy silver
apple ? " And she answered, " No money do I want
for it. Oh, sovereign lady, all that I require in exchange
therefor is that I may pass the night near my husband."
^Then the Empress took the apple, and allowed her
to come into the bedchamber of the Tsarevich to pass
the night there ; but first of all she gave the Tsarevich
a sleeping draught so that he knew nothing, and could
speak not a word to her, nor could he even recognize
what manner of person his true wife was. Then only
did the Empress let her come into the room where
her husband lay. And she watched over him, she
watched over him the live-long night, and with the
dawn she departed.

The next morning he awoke out of his drugged
sleep, and said to himself, " Why, what is this ? It
is just as if my first wife has been weeping over me
here, and wetted me with her tears ! " But he told
nobody what he thought, nor did he say a word about
it to his second wife. " Wait a bit ! " thought he,
" to-morrow night I'll not go to sleep. I'll watch and
watch till I watch the thing out."

The next day the faithful wife spread out her little
cloth again, and laid upon it her golden apple. The
Empress again came that way, went up to her, and
said, " Sell me that apple of thine, and I'll give thee
for it as many pence as thou canst hold in thy lap ! "
— But she replied, " Nay, my sovereign lady ! money
for it I will not take, but let me pass one more night
in I my own husband's room ! " — And the Empress

202

THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH
took the apple, and let her go there. But first the
Empress caressed and kissed her husband into a good
humour, and then she gave him another sleeping
draught. And the faithful wife came again, and watched
and wept over him and wetted him with her tears, and
with the dawn she departed.

And now she had only one apple left, but that was
the diamond apple, the most precious apple in the
world. And she said to the Empress, " Let me watch
by him for this apple but one night more, and I'll
never ask again ! " And she let her. Now this night
also her husband was asleep. And his first wife came
and immediately began to kiss him on the head, but
he said nothing. Then she kissed him again, and
at last he awoke and started up, and said, "" Who's
that } "— " It is I, thy first wife."—" How hast thou
found thy way hither ? " — " Oh, I have been here
and there and everywhere. I have lodged with the
Mother of the Winds, and the Mother of the Moon,
and the Mother of the Sun, and they gave me three
apples, and I gave these apples to thy Empress-wife,
and she let me watch over thee, and this is the third
night that I have watched by thy side."

Then he came to his right mind, and cried aloud
that they should bring in lights, and he saw that his
faithful wife was quite an old woman. Then he be-
thought him, and said, " Was ever the like of this
known ? My first and faithful wife goes a-seeking
her husband throughout the wide world, while my
accursed second wife. Empress though she be, sells
her husband for three apples ! "

Then he bade them give his faithful wife rich garments

203

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

as much as she would, and she stripped off her
disguise, and washed her face and grew young again.
But the faithless wife was tied to the tails of four
wild horses, and they tore her to pieces in the endless
steppe.

204

THE ORIGIN OF
THE MOLE

THE ORIGIN OF THE MOLE

ONCE upon a time a rich man and a poor man
had a field in common, and they sowed it with
the same seed at the same time. But God
prospered the poor man's labour and made his seed
to grow, but the rich man's seed did not grow. Then
the rich man claimed that part of the field where the
grain had sprung up, and said to the poor man, '* Look
now ! 'tis my seed that has prospered, and not thine ! "
The poor man protested, but the rich man would
not listen, but said to him, " If thou wilt not believe
me, then, poor man, come into the field quite early
to-morrow morning, before dawn, and God shall judge
betwixt us."

Then the poor man went home. But the rich man
dug a deep trench in the poor man's part of the field
and placed his son in it, and said to him, " Look now,
my son ; when I come hither to-morrow morning and
ask whose field this is, say that it is not the poor man's,
but the rich man's."

Then he well covered up his son with straw, and
departed to his own house.

In the morning all the people assembled together
and went to the field, and the rich man cried, " Speak,
O God ! whose field is this, the rich man's or the poor
man's ? "

" The rich man's, the rich man's," cried a voice from
the midst of the field.

But the Lord Himself was among the people
gathered together there, and He said, " Listen not to
that voice, for the field is verily the poor man's."

207

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

Then the Lord told all the people how the matter
went, and then He said to the son of the rich man,

" Stay where thou art, and sit beneath the earth all
thy days, so long as the sun is in the sky."

So the rich man's son became a mole on the spot,
and that is why the mole always flies the light of day.

208

THE TWO PRINCES

THE TWO PRINCES

THERE was once upon a time a King who had
two sons, and these sons went a-hunting in
the forest and there lost themselves. They
wandered on and on for twelve weeks, and at the end
of the twelve weeks they came to a place where three
roads met, and the elder brother said to the younger,
" My brother, here our roads part. Take thou the
road on that side, and I'll take the road on this." Then
the elder brother took a knife and stuck it into the
trunk of a maple-tree by the roadside, and said, " Look
now, brother, should any blood drip from the blade
of this knife it will be a sign that I am perishing,
and thou must go and seek me ; but if any blood
flow from the handle, it will be a sign that thou art
perishing, and I will then go and seek thee." Then
the brothers embraced each other and parted, and one
went in one direction and the other went in the
other.

The elder brother went on and on and on till he came
to a mountain so high that there cannot be a higher,
and he began climbing it with his dog and his stick. He
went on till he came to an apple-tree, and beneath the
apple-tree a fire was burning, and he stopped to warm
himself, when an old woman came up and said to him,
" Dear little gentleman ! dear little gentleman ! tie up
that dog lest he bite me." So he took the dog and
tied it up, and immediately he was turned to stone,
and the dog too, for the old woman was a pagan
witch.

Time passed, and the younger brother came back to

211

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

the maple-tree by the cross-roads and saw that blood
was dripping from the blade of the knife. Then he
knew that his brother was perishing, and he went in
search of him, and came at last to the high mountain
that was higher than all others, and on the top of this
mountain there was a little courtyard, and in the court-
yard an old woman, who said to him, " Little Prince,
what brings thee hither, and what dost thou seek ? "
— " I seek my brother," said he ; "a whole year has
passed since I heard of him, and I know not whether
he be alive or dead." — Then she said to him, " I can
tell thee that he is dead, and it is of no use seeking
for him, though thou goest the wide world over. But
go up that mountain, and thou wilt come to two other
mountains opposite to each other, and there thou
wilt find an old man, who will put thee on thy way."
So he went up the high mountain till he came to two
other mountains that were opposite each other, and
there he saw two old men sitting, and they asked him
straightway, " Little Prince ! little Prince ! whither
dost thou go, and what dost thou seek } " — *' I am
going in search of my brother," said he, " my dear
elder brother who is perishing, and I can find him
nowhere." — Then one of the old men said to him,
" If thou canst scale those two mountains yonder
without falling, I'll give thee all that thou dost want."
Then he scaled the two mountains as nimbly as a goat,
and the old man gave him a bast rope, three fathoms
long, and bade him return to the mountain where
was the fire and the old woman who had asked him
to stay and warm himself, and bind this old woman
with the cord and beat her till she promised to bring

212

THE TWO PRINCES

his brother back to Hfe again, and not only his brother
but a Tsar and a Tsaritsa ^ and a Tsarivna, who were
also turned to stone there. " Beat her till she has
brought them all to life again," said they. So he took
the cord and went back to where the fire was burning.
An apple-tree was there, and beneath the apple-tree
was the fire, and the old witch came out to him and
said, " Little master ! little master ! let me come and
warm myself." — " Come along, little mother ! " cried
he ; " come and warm thyself and make thyself com-
fortable." Then she came out, but no sooner had
she done so, than he threw the cord around her and
began flogging her. " Say," cried he, " what hast thou
done with my brother } " — '' Oh, dear little master !
dear little master ! let me go, let me go ! I'll tell thee
this instant where thy brother is." But he wouldn't
listen, but beat her and beat her, and held her naked
feet over the fire, and toasted and roasted her till she
shrivelled right up. Then he let her go, and she went
with him to a cave that was on that mountain, and
drew from the depths of it some healing and life-giving
water, and brought his brother back to life again, but
it was as much as she could do, for she was half dead
herself. Then his brother said to him, '' Oh, my dear
brother, how heavily I must have been sleeping ! But
thou must revive my faithful dog too ! " Then she
revived the faithful dog, and she also revived the Tsar
and the Tsaritsa and the Tsarivna, who had been
turned to stone there. Then they left that place and
when they had gone a little distance, the elder brother
bowed to the ground and went on his way alone.

1 The wife of a Tsar.

213

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

He went on and on till he came to a city where all
the people were weeping and all the houses were
hung with black cloth. And he said to them, " Why
do ye weep, and why are all your houses hung with
black ? " — And they answered, " Because there's a
Dragon here who eats the people, and it has come to
such a pass with us that to-morrow we must give him
our Princess for dinner." — " Nay, but ye shall not do
this thing," said he, and, with that, he set out for the
cavern where the Dragon lived, and tethered his horse
there and slept by the side of the cavern all night.
And the next day, sure enough, the Princess was
brought to the mouth of the cavern. She came driv-
ing thither in a carriage and four and with a heyduck^
in attendance. But when the Prince saw her, he came
forth to meet her and led her aside and gave her a
prayer-book in her hand, and said to her, " Stay here,
Princess, and pray to God for me." Then she fell
down on her knees and began to pray, and the Dragon
popped one of his heads out of the cavern and said,
"It is time I had my dinner now, and there's not
so much as a breakfast here ! " But the Prince also
fell down on his knees and read out of his prayer-book
and prayed to God, and said to the Dragon, " Come
forth ! come forth ! and I'll give thee breakfast and
dinner at the same time ! " Then the Dragon darted
back again, but when he had waited till midday and
still there was neither breakfast nor dinner for him, he
popped two of his heads out and cried, "It is high
time I had my dinner, and still there is neither break-
fast nor dinner for me ! " — " Come forth, and I'll

^ Hungarian soldier.
214

THE TWO PRINCES
give thee both at once ! " cried the Prince. Then
the Dragon wouldn't wait any longer, but stuck out all
his six heads and began to wriggle out of the cavern ;
but the Prince attacked him with his huge broadsword,
a full fathom long, which the Lord had given him,
and chopped off all the Dragon's six heads, and the
rock fell upon the Dragon's body and crushed it to
pieces. Then the Prince gathered up the six dragon-
heads and laid them on one side, and cut out the six
lolling tongues and tied them in his handkerchief, and
told the Princess to go back to her palace, for they
could not be married for a year and twelve weeks,
and if by that time he did not appear, she was to
marry another, and with that he departed. Then the
coachman of the Princess came up to the place and
saw the six heads of the Dragon, and took them up
and said to the Princess, " I will slay thee on the spot
if thou dost not swear to me twelve times that thou
wilt say I slew the Dragon, and wilt take me for thy
husband ! " Then she swore to it twelve times, for
else he would have slain her. So they returned together
to the town, and immediately all the black cloth was
taken off the houses and the bells fell a-ringing, and all
the people rejoiced because the coachman had killed the
Dragon. " Let them be married at once ! " cried they.
Meanwhile the King's son went on and on till he
came to that town where he had left his brother, and
there he found that the Tsar and the Tsaritsa had
given his brother the whole tsardom and the Tsarivna
to wife as well, and there he tarried for a time ; but
toward the end of a year and twelve weeks he went
back to the other city where he had left the Princess,

215

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and there he found them making ready for a grand
wedding. " What is the meaning of all this ? " asked
he. And they answered, *' The Tsar's coachman has
slain the Dragon with six heads and saved the Princess,
and now he is to be married to her." — " Good Lord ! "
cried he, " and I never saw this Dragon ! What manner
of beast was it } " — Then they took him and showed
him the heads of the Dragon, and he cried, " Good
Lord ! every other beast hath a tongue, but this Dragon
hath none ! " Then they told this to the coachman,
who had been made a Prince, and the coachman was
very angry and said, " Whoever maintains that a Dragon
has tongues, him will I order to be tied to four wild
horses, and they shall tear him to pieces on the open
steppe ! " The Princess, however, recognized the
King's son, but she held her peace. Then the King's
son took out his handkerchief, unrolled it, showed
them the six tongues, and put each one into one of the
six mouths of the Dragon's six heads, and each of
the tongues began to speak and bid the Princess say
how the matter went. Then the Princess told how
she had knelt down and prayed out of the prayer-book
while the King's son slew the Dragon, and how the
wicked coachman had made her swear twelve times
to that which was false. When the Tsar heard this, he
immediately gave the Princess his daughter to the King's
son, and they asked him what death the wicked coachman
should die. And he answered, " Let him be tied to the
tails of four wild horses, and drive them into the endless
steppe that they may tear him to pieces there, and the
ravens and crows may come and pick his bones."

216

THE UNGRATEFUL CHIL-
DREN AND THE OLD
FATHER WHO WENT
TO SCHOOL AGAIN

THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN AND
THE OLD FATHER WHO WENT TO
SCHOOL AGAIN

ONCE upon a time there was an old man. He
lived to a great age, and God gave him children
whom he brought up to man's estate, and he
divided all his goods amongst them. " I will pass my
remaining days among my children," thought he.

So the old man went to live with his eldest son,
and at first the eldest son treated him properly, and
did reverence to his old father. " 'Tis but meet and
right that we should give our father to eat and drink,
and see that he has wherewithal to clothe him, and
take care to patch up his things from time to time,
and let him have clean new shirts on festivals," said
the eldest son. So they did so, and at festivals also
the old father had his own glass beside him. Thus
the eldest son was a good son to his old father. But
when the eldest son had been keeping his father for
some time he began to regret his hospitality, and
was rough to his father, and sometimes even shouted
at him. The old man no longer had his own set
place in the house as heretofore, and there was none
to cut up his food for him. So the eldest son repented
him that he had said he would keep his father, and
he began to grudge him every morsel of bread that
he put in his mouth. The old man had nothing for
it but to go to his second son. It might be better
for him there or worse, but stay with his eldest son
any longer he could not. So the father went to^his
second son. But here the old man soon discovered

219

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

that he had only exchanged wheat for straw. When-
ever he began to eat, his second son and his daughter-
in-law looked sour and murmured something between
their teeth. The woman scolded the old man. " We
had as much as we could do before to make both ends
meet," cried she, " and now we have old men to keep
into the bargain." The old man soon had enough
of it there also, and went on to his next son. So one
after another all four sons took their father to live
with them, and he was glad to leave them all. Each
of the four sons, one after the other, cast the burden
of supporting him on one of the other brothers. " It
is for him to keep thee, daddy ! " said they ; and then
the other would say, " Nay, dad, but it is as much
as we can do to keep ourselves." Thus between his
four sons he knew not what to do. There was quite
a battle among them as to which of them should not
keep their old father. One had one good excuse and
another had another, and so none of them would keep
him. This one had a lot of little children, and that
one had a scold for a wife, and this house was too small,
and that house was too poor. " Go where thou wilt,
old man," said they, " only don't come to us." And
the old man, grey, grey, grey as a dove was he, wept
before his sons, and knew not whither to turn. What
could he do } Entreaty was in vain. Not one of
the sons would take the old man in, and yet he had
to be put somewhere. Then the old man strove with
them no more, but let them do with him even as they
would.

So all four sons met and took counsel. Time after
time they laid their heads together, and at last they

220

THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN

agreed among themselves that the best thing the old
man could do was to go to school. " There will be a
bench for him to sit upon there," said they ; " and he
can take something to eat in his knapsack." Then
they told the old man about it ; but the old man did
not want to go to school. He begged his children
not to send him there, and wept before them. " Now
that I cannot see the white world," said he, " how can
I see a black book ? Moreover, from my youth up-
ward I have never learnt my letters ; how shall I
begin to djo so now } A clerk cannot be fashioned
out of an old man on the point of death ! " But there
was no use talking, his children said he must go to
school, and the voices of his children prevailed against
his feeble old voice. So to school he had to go. Now
there was no church in that village, so he had to go
to the village beyond it to school. A forest lay along
the road, and in this forest the old man met a noble-
man driving along. When the old man came near
to the nobleman's carriage, he stepped out of the
road to let it pass, took off his hat respectfully, and
then would have gone on farther. But he heard some
one calling, and, looking back, saw the nobleman
beckoning to him ; he wanted to ask him something.
The nobleman then got out of his carriage and asked
the old man whither he was going. The old man" took
off his hat to the nobleman and told him all his misery,
and the tears ran down the old man's cheeks. " Woe
is me, gracious sir ! If the Lord had left me without
kith and kin, I should not complain ; but strange
indeed is the woe that has befallen me ! I have four
sons, thank God, and all four have houses of their

221

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

own, and yet they send their poor old father to school
to learn ! Was ever the like of it known before ? "
So the old man told the nobleman his whole story,
and the nobleman was full of compassion for the
old man. " Well, old man,'* said he, " 'tis no use
for thee to go to school, that's plain. Return home.
I'll tell thee what to do so that thy children shall never
send thee to school again. Fear not, old man, weep
no more, and let not thy soul be troubled ! God
shall bless thee, and all will be well. I know well
what ought to be done here." So the nobleman com-
forted the old man, and the old man began to be merry.
Then the nobleman took out his purse, it was a real
nobleman's purse, with a little sack in the middle
of it to hold small change. Lord ! what a lovely
thing it was ! The more he looked at it, the more
the old man marvelled at it. The nobleman took
this purse and began filling it full with something.
When he had well filled it, he gave it to the old man.
" Take this and go home to thy children," said he,
" and when thou hast got home, call together all thy
four sons and say to them, * My dear children, long long
ago, when I was younger than I am now, and knocked
about in the world a bit, I made a little money. " I
won't spend it," I said to myself, " for one never knows
what may happen." So I went into a forest, my children,
and dug a hole beneath an oak, and there I hid my
little store of money. I did not bother much about
the money afterward, because I had such good chil-
dren ; but when you sent me to school I came to this
self-same oak, and I said to myself, " I wonder if these
few silver pieces have been waiting for their master

222

THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN

all this time! Let us dig and see." SoU dug and
found them, and have brought them home to you,
my children. I shall keep them till I die ; but after
my death consult together, and whosoever shall be
found to have cherished me most and taken care of
me and not grudged me a clean shirt now and then,
or a crust of bread when I'm hungry, to him shall be
given the greater part of my money. So now, my
dear children, receive me back again, and my thanks
shall be yours. You can manage it amongst you, and
surely 'tis not right that I should seek a home among
strangers ! Which of you will be kind to your old
father — for money .^ ' "

So the old man returned to his children with the
purse in a casket, and when he came to the village
with the casket under his arm, one could see at once
that he had been in a good forest} When one comes
home with a heavy casket under one's arm, depend
upon it there's something in it ! So, no sooner did
the old man appear than his eldest daughter-in-law
came running out to meet him, and bade him welcome
in God's name. " Things don't seem to get on at all
without thee, dad ! " cried she, " and the house is
quite dreary. Come in and rest, dad," she went on ;
" thou hast gone a long way and must be weary."
Then all the brothers came together, and the old man
told them what God had done for him. All their
faces brightened as they looked at the casket, and they
thought to themselves, " If we keep him we shall
have the money." Then the four brothers could not
make too much of their dear old father. They took

^ /. e. a forest where treasure is hidden.

223

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

care of him and the old man was happy, but he took
heed to the counsel of the nobleman, and never let the
casket out of his hand. " After my death you shall
have everything, but I v^on't give it you now, for who
knows what may happen ? I have seen already how
you treated your old father when he had nothing. It
shall all be yours, I say, only wait ; and when I die,
take it and divide it as I have said." So the brothers
tended their father, and the old man lived in clover,
and was somebody. He had his own way and did
nothing.

So the old man was no longer ill-treated by his
children, but lived among them like an emperor in his
own empire, but no sooner did he die than his children
made what haste they could to lay hands upon the
casket. All the people were called together and bore
witness that they had treated their father well since
he came back to them, so it was adjudged that they
should divide the treasure amongst them. But first
they took the old man's body to church and the casket
along with it. They buried him as God commands.
They made a rich banquet of funeral meats that all
might know how much they mourned the old man ; it
was a splendid funeral. When the priest got up from
the table, the people all began to thank their hosts,
and the eldest son begged the priest to say the sorokoust ^
in the church for the repose of the dead man's soul.
" Such a dear old fellow as he was ! " said he ; " was
there ever any one like him ? Take this money for
the sorokoust, reverend father ! " so horribly grieved
was that eldest son. So the eldest son gave the priest

^ Prayers lasting forty days.
224

THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN

money, and the second son gave him the Hke. Nay,
each one gave him money for an extra half sorokoust,
all four gave him requiem money. '' We'll have prayers
in church for our father though we sell our last sheep
to pay for them," cried they. Then, when all was
over, they hastened as fast as they could to the money.
The coffer was brought forth. They shook it. There
was a fine rattling inside it. Every one of them felt
and handled the coffer. That was something like a
treasure ! Then they unsealed it and opened it and
scattered the contents — and it was full of nothing but
glass ! They wouldn't believe their eyes. They rum-
maged among the glass, but there was no money. It
was horrible ! Surely it could not be that their father
had dug up a coffer from beneath an oak of the forest
and it was full of nothing but glass ! " Why ! " cried
the brothers, " our father has left us nothing but glass ! "
But for the crowds of people there, the brothers would
have fallen upon and beaten each other in their wrath.
So the children of the old man saw that their father
had made fools of them. Then all the people mocked
them : " You see what you have gained by sending
your father to school ! You see he learned something
at school after all ! He was a long time before he
began learning, but better late than never. It appears
to us 'twas a right good school you sent him to. No
doubt they whipped him into learning so much. Never
mind, you can keep the money and the casket ! " Then
the brothers were full of lamentation and rage. But
what could they do ? Their father was already dead
and buried.

225

IVAN THE FOOL AND
ST PETER'S FIFE

IVAN THE FOOL AND ST PETER'S
FIFE

THERE was once upon a time a man who had
three sons, and two were clever, but the third,
called Ivan, was a fool. Their father divided
all his goods among them and died, and the three
brothers went out into the world to seek their fortunes.
Now the two wise brothers left all their goods at home,
but Ivan the fool, who had only inherited a large mill-
stone, took it along with him. They went on and on
and on till it began to grow dark, when they came to
a large forest. Then the wise brothers said, " Let
us climb up to the top of this oak and pass the night
there, and then robbers will not fall upon us." — " But
what will this silly donkey do with his millstone } "
asked one of them. — " You look to yourselves," said
Ivan, ''for I mean to pass the night in this tree also."
Then the wise brothers climbed to the very tip-top of
the tree and there sat down, and then Ivan dragged
himself up too, and the millstone after him. He tried
to get up as high as his brothers, but the thin boughs
broke beneath him, so he had to be content with staying
in the lower part of the tree on the thicker boughs ;
so there he sat, hugging the millstone in his arms.
Presently some robbers came along that way, red-handed
from their work, and they too prepared to pass the
night under the tree. So they cut them down firewood,
and made them a roaring fire beneath a huge cauldron,
and in this cauldron they began to boil their supper.
They boiled and boiled till their mess of pottage was
ready, and then they all sat down round the cauldron

229

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

and took out their large ladles, and were just about
to fall to — in fact they were blowing their food because
it was so boiling hot — ^when Ivan let his big millstone
plump down into the middle of the cauldron, so that
the pottage flew right into their eyes. The robbers
were so terrified that they all sprang to their feet straight-
way and scampered off through the forest, forgetting
all the booty of which they had robbed the merchant-
men. Then Ivan came down from the oak and cried
to his brothers, " You come down here and divide the
spoil ! " So the wise brothers came down, put all the
merchandise on the backs of the robbers' horses, and
went home with it ; but the only thing that Ivan
was able to secure for himself was a bag of incense.
This he immediately took to the nearest churchyard,
placed it on the top of a tomb, and began to pound
away at it with his millstone. Suddenly St Peter
appeared to him and said, " What art thou doing,
good man ? " — " I am pounding up this incense to
make bread of it." — " Nay, good man, I will advise
thee better : give me the incense and take from me
whatever thou wilt." — " Very well, St Peter," said the
fool ; " thou must give me a little fife, but a fife of
such a sort that whenever I play upon it, every one
will be obliged to dance." — " But dost thou know
how to play upon a fife ? " — " No, but I can soon
learn." Then St Peter drew forth a little fife from
his bosom and gave it to him, and took away the
incense, and who can say where he went with it ?
But Ivan stood up and gazed at the sky and said, " Look
now ! if St Peter hath not already burnt my incense
and made of it that large white cloud that is sailing
230

SUDDENLY ST PETER APPEARED TO HIM

230

IVAN THE FOOL

above my head ! " Then he took up his fife and began
to play, and the moment he began to play, everything
around him began to dance ; the v^olves, and the
hares, and the foxes, and the bears, nay, the very birds
lit down upon the ground and began to dance, and
Ivan w^ent on laughing and playing all the time. Even
the savage, surly bears danced and danced till their
legs tottered beneath them. Then they clutched tight
hold of the trees to stop themselves from dancing ;
but it was of no use, dance they must. At last Ivan
himself was tired, and lay down to rest, and when
he had rested a little, he got up again and went on
into the town. There all the people were in the bazaars,
buying and selling. Some were buying pancakes, others
baskets of bright-coloured eggs, others again pitchers
of kvas. Ivan began playing on his fife, and forthwith
they all fell a-dancing. One man who had a whole
basket of eggs on his head danced them into bits, and
danced and danced till he looked like the yolk of an
tgg himself. Those who were asleep got up and gave
themselves up to dancing straightway ; there were
some who danced without trousers, and some who
danced without smocks or shirts, and there were some
who danced with nothing on at all, for dance they must
when Ivan began a-playing. The whole town was
turned upside down : the dogs, the swine, the cocks
and hens, everything that had life came out and danced.
At last Ivan was tired, so he left off playing and went
into the town to seek service. The parson there took
a fancy to him, and said to him, " Good man ! wilt
enter my service ? " — " That will I, gladly," said Ivan.
— " How much wages dost thou want by the year

231

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

then ? " — " It won't come dear ; five karhovantsya ^
are all I ask." — " Good, I agree," said the parson.
So he engaged Ivan as his servant, and the next day
he sent him out into the fields to tend his cattle. Ivan
drove the cattle into the pastures, but he himself perched
on the top of a haystack while the cattle grazed. He
sat there, and sat and sat till he grew quite dull, and
then he said to himself, " I'll play a bit on my fife,
I haven't played for a long time." So he began to
play, and immediately all the cattle fell a-dancing ;
and not only the cattle, but all the foxes, and the
hares, and the wolves, and everything in the hedges
and ditches fell a-dancing too. They danced and
danced till the poor cattle were clean worn out and
at the last gasp. In the evening Ivan drove them
home, but they were so famished that they tugged
at the dirty straw roofs of the huts they passed, and
so got a chance mouthful or two. But Ivan went
in and had supper and a comfortable night's rest after-
ward. The next day he again drove the cattle into
the pastures. They began grazing till he took out
his fife again, when they all fell a-dancing like mad.
He played on and on till evening, when he drove the
cattle home again, and they were all as hungry as could
be, and wearied to death from dancing.

Now the parson was not a little astonished when
he saw his cattle. " Where on earth has he been
feeding them ? " thought he ; '' they are quite tired
out and almost famished ! I'll take care to go myself
to-morrow, and see exactly whither he takes them,
and what he does with them." On the third day

^ A karhovanets is about four shillings.
232

IVAN THE FOOL

the neat-herd again drove the cattle into the pastures,
but this time the parson followed after them, and
went and hid himself behind the hedge near to which
Ivan was watching the cattle graze. There he sat
then, and watched to see what the man would do.
Presently Ivan mounted on to the haystack and began
to play. And immediately all the cattle fell a-dancing,
and everything in the hedge, and the parson behind
the hedge danced too. Now the hedge was a quickset
hedge, and as the parson began capering about in it,
he tore to shreds his cassock and his breeches, and
his under-coat, and his shirt, and scratched his skin
and wrenched out his beard as if he had been very
badly shaved, and still the poor parson had to go on
dancing in the midst of the prickly hedge till there
were great weals and wounds all over his body, and
the red blood began to flow. Then the parson saw
he was in evil case, and shrieked to his herdsman to
leave oft' playing ; but the herdsman was so wrapped
up in his music that he did not hear him ; but at last
he looked in the direction of the hedge, and when
he saw the poor parson skipping about Hke a lunatic,
he stopped. The parson darted away as fast as his
legs could carry him toward the village, and oh ! what
a sight he looked as he dashed through the streets !
The people didn't know him, and — scandalized that
anybody should run about in rags and tatters so that
his whole body could be seen — began to hoot him.
Then the poor man turned aside from the public road,
crawled off through the woods, and dashed off through
the tall reeds of the gardens, with the dogs after him.
For wherever he went they took him for a robber, and

233

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

hounded on the dogs. At last the parson got home,
all rags and tatters, so that when his wife saw him
she did not know him, but called to the labourers,
" Help, help ! here's a robber, turn him out ! " They
came rushing up with sticks and cudgels, but he began
talking to them, and at last they recognized him, led
him home, and he told his wife all about Ivan. The
parson's wife was so amazed she could scarce believe
it. In the evening Ivan drove home the oxen, put
them into their stalls, gave them straw to eat, and
then came into the house himself to have supper. He
came into the house, and the parson said to him, " Come
now, Ivan, when thou hast rested a bit, play my wife
a little song ! " But as for the parson, he took good
care to tie himself first of all to the pillar which held
up the roof of the house. Ivan sat down on the ground
near to the threshold and began to play. The parson's
wife sat down on the bench to listen to him while he
played ; but immediately she leaped up from the
bench and began to dance, and she danced with such
hearty good-will that the place became too small for
her. |Then the Devil seemed to take possession of
the cat too, for pussy leaped from under the stove
and began to spring and bound about also. The parson
held on and held on to the pillar with all his might,
but it was of no use. He had no power to resist ; he
let go with his hands, and tugged and tugged till the
rope that held him grew slacker and slacker, and then
he went dancing round and round the pillar at a furious
rate, with the rope chafing his hands and feet all the
time. At last he could endure it no longer, and bawled
to Ivan to stop. " The deuce is in thee ! " cried he.

234

IVAN THE FOOL

Then Ivan stopped playing, put his fife into his breast-
pocket, and went and lay down to sleep. But the
parson said to his wife, " We must turn away this
Ivan to-morrow, for he will be the death of ourselves
and our cattle ! " Ivan, however, overheard what the
parson said to his wife, and getting up early in the
morning, he went straight to the parson, and said
to him, " Give me one hundred karhovantsya^ and I'll
be off ; but if you won't give them to me, I'll play
and play till you and your wife have danced yourselves
to death, and then I'll take your place and live at mine
ease." The parson scratched himself behind the ears
and hesitated ; but at last he thought he had better
give the money and be quit of him. So he took the
hundred karhovantsya out of his satchel and gave them
to Ivan. Then Ivan played them a parting song, till
the parson and his wife fell down to the ground, dead-
beat, with their tongues lolling out of their mouths ;
and then he put his fife into his breast-pocket, and
wandered forth into the wide world.

235

THE MAGIC EGG

THE MAGIC EGG

THERE was once upon a time a lark who was
the Tsar among the birds, and he took unto
himself as his Tsaritsa a little shrew-mouse.
They had a field all to themselves, which they sowed
with wheat, and when the wheat grew up they divided
it between them, when they found that there was one
grain over ! The mouse said, " Let me have it ! "
But the lark said, " No, let me have it ! "— " What's
to be done ? " thought they. They would have liked
to take counsel of some one, but they had no parents
or kinsmen, nobody at all to whom they could go and
ask advice in the matter. At last the mouse said, '' At
any rate, let me have the first nibble ! " The lark
Tsar agreed to this ; but the little mouse fastened
her teeth in it and ran off" into her hole with it, and
there ate it all up. At this the Tsar lark was wrath,
and collected all the birds of the air to make war upon
the mouse Tsaritsa ; but the Tsaritsa called together
all the beasts to defend her, and so the war began.
Whenever the beasts came rushing out of the wood
to tear the birds to pieces, the birds flew up into the
trees ; but the birds kept in the air, and hacked and
pecked the beasts wherever they could. Thus they
fought the whole day, and in the evening they lay
down to rest. Now when the Tsaritsa looked around
upon her forces, she saw that the ant was taking no part
in the war. She immediately went and commanded the
ant to be there by evening, and when the ant came, the
Tsaritsa ordered her to climb up the trees with her
kinsmen and bite off the feathers round the birds' wings.

239

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

Next day, when there was light enough to see by,
the mouse Tsaritsa cried, " Up, up, my warriors ! "
Thereupon the birds also rose up, and immediately
fell to the ground, where the beasts tore them to bits.
So the Tsaritsa overcame the Tsar. But there was
one eagle who saw there was something wrong, so
he did not try to fly, but remained sitting on the tree.
And lo ! there came an archer along that way, and
seeing the eagle on the tree, he took aim at it ; but
the eagle besought him and said, " Do not kill me,
and I'll be of great service to thee ! " The archer
aimed a second time, but the eagle besought him still
more and said, " Take me down rather and keep me,
and thou shalt see that it will be to thy advantage."
The archer, however, took aim a third time, but the
eagle began to beg of him most piteously, " Nay, kill
me not, but take me home with thee, and thou shalt
see what great advantage it will be to thee ! " The
archer believed the bird. He climbed up the tree,
took the eagle down, and carried it home. Then the
eagle said to him, " Put me in a hut, and feed me with
flesh till my wings have grown again."

Now this archer had two cows and a steer, and
he at once killed and cut up one of the cows for the
eagle. The eagle fed upon this cow for a full year,
and then he said to the archer, " Let me go, that I
may fly. I see that my wings have already grown
again ! " Then the archer let him loose from the
hut. The eagle flew round and round, he flew about
for half a day, and then he returned to the archer
and said, " I feel I have but little strength in me, slay
me another cow ! " And the archer obeyed him, and
240

THE MAGIC EGG

slew the second cow, and the eagle lived upon that
for yet another year. Again the eagle flew round
and round in the air. He flew round and about the
whole day till evening, when he returned to the archer
and said, " I am stronger than I was, but I have still
but little strength in me, slay me the steer also ! "
Then the man thought to himself, " What shall I do ?
Shall I slay it, or shall I not slay it ? " At last he said,
" Well ! I've sacrificed more than this before, so let
this go too ! " and he took the steer and slaughtered
it for the eagle. Then the eagle lived upon this for
another whole year longer, and after that he took to
flight, and flew high up right to the very clouds. Then
he flew down again to the man and said to him, " I
thank thee, brother, for that thou hast been the saving
of me ! Come now and sit upon me ! " — " Nay, but,"
said the man, " what if some evil befall me ? " — " Sit
on me, I say ! " cried the eagle. So the archer sat
down upon the bird.

Then the eagle bore him nearly as high as the big
clouds, and then let him fall. Down plumped the
man ; but the eagle did not let him fall to the earth,
but swiftly flew beneath him and upheld him, and
said to him, " How dost thou feel now ? " — " I feel,"
said the man, " as if I had no life in me." — Then the
eagle replied, " That was just how I felt when thou
didst aim at me the first time." Then he said to
him, " Sit on my back again ! " The man did not
want to sit on him, but what could he do ? Sit he
must. Then the eagle flew with him quite as high
as the big clouds, and shook him off, and down he
fell headlong till he was about two fathoms from the

Q 241

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

ground, when the bird again flew beneath him and
held him up. Again the eagle asked him, '* How
dost thou feel ? " And the man replied, " I feel just
as if all my bones were already broken to bits ! " —
*' That is just how I felt when thou didst take aim
at me the second time," replied the eagle. " But
now sit on my back once more." The man did so,
and the eagle flew with him as high as the small fleecy
clouds, and then he shook him off, and down he fell
headlong ; but when he was but a hand's-breadth
from the earth, the eagle again flew beneath him and
held him up, and said to him, " How dost thou feel
now ? " And he replied, " I feel as if I no longer
belonged to this world ! " — " That is just how I felt
when thou didst aim at me the third time," replied
the eagle. " But now," continued the bird, " thou
art guilty no more. We are quits. I owe thee naught,
and thou owest naught to me ; so sit on my back again,
and I'll take thee to my master."

They flew on and on, they flew till they came to
the eagle's uncle. And the eagle said to the archer,
" Go to my house, and when they ask thee, * Hast
thou not seen our poor child ? ' reply, ' Give me the
magic egg, and I'll bring him before your eyes ! ' "
So he went to the house, and there they said to him,
" Hast thou heard of our poor child with thine ears,
or seen him with thine eyes, and hast thou come hither
willingly or unwillingly } " — And he answered, " I have
come hither willingly ! " — Then they asked, " Hast
thou smelt out anything of our poor youngster ? for
it is three years now since he went to the wars, and
there's neither sight nor sound of him more ! " — ^And
242

THE MAGIC EGG

he answered, " Give me the magic egg, and I'll bring
him straightway before your eyes ! " — Then they replied,
'' 'Twere better we never saw him than that we should
give thee the magic egg ! " — Then he went back to
the eagle and said to him, " They said, ' 'Twere better
we never saw him than that we should give thee the
magic egg.' " — Then the eagle answered, " Let us fly
on farther ! "

They flew on and on till they came to the eagle's
brother, and the archer said just the same to him as
he had said to the eagle's uncle, and still he didn't
get the egg. Then they flew to the eagle's father,
and the eagle said to him, " Go up to the hut, and if
they ask for me, say that thou hast seen me and will
bring me before their eyes." — So he went up to the
hut, and they said to him, " O Tsarevich, we hear
thee with our ears and see thee with our eyes, but
hast thou come hither of thine own free will or by
the will of another ? " — And the archer answered,
" I have come hither of my own free will ! " — Then
they asked him, *' Hast thou seen our son ? Lo, these
four years we have not had news of him. He went
off to the wars, and perchance he has been slain there."
— And he answered them, " I have seen him, and if
you will give me the magic egg, I will bring him
before your eyes." — And the eagle's father said to
him, '* What good will such a thing do thee ? We
had better give thee the lucky penny ! " — But he
answered, " I don't want the lucky penny, give me
the magic egg ! " — '' Come hither then," said he,
*' and thou shalt have it." So he went into the hut.
Then the eagle's father rejoiced and gave him the

243

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

egg, and said to him, " Take heed thou dost not break
it anywhere on the road, and when thou gettest home,
hedge it round and build a strong fence about it, and
it will do thee good."

So he went homeward. He went on and on till
a great thirst came upon him. So he stopped at the
first spring he came to, and as he stooped to drink he
stumbled and the magic egg was broken. Then he
perceived that an ox had come out of the egg and
was rolling away. He gave chase to the ox, but when-
ever he was getting close to one side of it, the other
side of it got farther away from him. Then the poor
fellow cried, " I shall do nothing with it myself, I
see." — ^At that moment an old she- dragon came up
to him and said, '' What wilt thou give me, O man,
if I chase this ox back again into the egg for thee ? "
— And the archer replied, " What can I give ? " —
The dragon said to him, '' Give me what thou hast
at home without thy will and wit ! " — " Done ! " said
the archer. Then the dragon chased the ox nicely
into the egg again, patched it up prettily and gave it
into the man's hand. Then the archer went home,
and when he got home he found a son had been born
to him there, and his son said to him, " Why didst
thou give me to the old she-dragon, dad ? But never
mind, I'll manage to live in spite of her." Then the
father was very grieved for a time, but what could
he do ? Now the name of this son was Ivan.

So Ivan lost no time in going to the dragon, and
the dragon said to him, " Go to my house and do
me three tasks, and if thou dost them not, I'll devour
thee." Now, round the dragon's house was a large

44

THE MAGIC EGG

meadow as far as the eye could reach. And the dragon
said to him, " Thou must in a single night weed out
this field and sow wheat in it, and reap the wheat and
store it, all in this very night ; and thou must bake
me a roll out of this self-same wheat, and the roll
must be lying ready for me on my table in the morning."

Then Ivan went and leaned over the fence, and his
heart within him was sore troubled. Now near to
him there was a post, and on this post was the dragon's
starveling daughter. So when he came thither and
fell a- weeping, she asked him, " Wherefore dost thou
weep ? " — And he said, *' How can I help weeping ?
The dragon has bidden me do something I can never,
never do ; and what is more, she has bidden me do
it in a single night." — " What is it, pray ? " asked
the dragon's daughter. Then he told her. " Not every
bush bears a berry ! " cried she. " Promise to take
me to wife, and I'll do all she has bidden thee do."
He promised, and then she said to him again, '' Now
go and lie down, but see that thou art up early in the
morning to bring her her roll." Then she went to
the field, and before one could whistle she had cleaned
it of weeds and harrowed it and sown it with wheat,
and by dawn she had reaped the wheat and cooked
the roll and brought it to him, and said, " Now, take
it to her hut and put it on her table."

Then the old she-dragon awoke and came to the
door, and was amazed at the sight of the field, which
was now all stubble, for the corn had been cut. Then
she said to Ivan, " Yes, thou hast done the work
well. But now, see that thou doest my second task."
Then she gave him her second command. " Dig up

245

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

that mountain yonder and let the Dnieper flow over
the site of it, and there build a store-house, and in
the store-house stack the wheat that thou hast reaped,
and sell this wheat to the merchant barques that sail
by, and everything must be done by the time I get
up early next morning ! " Then he again went to
the fence and wept, and the maiden said to him, " Why
dost thou weep ? " and he told her all that the she-
dragon had bidden him do. " There are lots of bushes,
but where are the berries ? Go and lie down, and
I'll do it all for thee." Then she whistled, and the
mountain was levelled and the Dnieper flowed over
the site of it, and round about the Dnieper store-
houses rose up, and then she came and woke him
that he might go and sell the wheat to the merchant
barques that sailed by that way, and when the she-
dragon rose up early in the morning she was amazed
to see that everything had been done which she had
commanded him.

Then she gave him her third command. " This
night thou must catch the golden hare, and bring it
to me by the morning light." Again he went to the
fence and fell a- weeping. And the girl asked him,
" Why art thou weeping ? " — He said to her, " She
has ordered me to catch her the golden hare." — '* Oh,
oh ! " cried the she-dragon's daughter, " the berries
are ripening now ; only her father knows how to
catch such a hare as that. Nevertheless, I'll go to
a rocky place I know of, and there perchance we shall
be able to catch it." So they went to this rocky place
together, and she said to him, " Stand over that hole.
I'll go in and chase him out of the hole, and do thou
246

THE MAGIC EGG

catch him as he comes out ; but mind, whatever
comes out of the hole, seize it, for it will be the golden
hare."

So she went and began beating up, and all at once
out came a snake and hissed, and he let it go. Then
she came out of the hole and said to him, '* What !
has nothing come out ? " — " Well," said he, " only a
snake, and I was afraid it would bite me, so I let it
go." — " What hast thou done ? " said she ; " that was
the very hare itself. Look now ! " said she, " I'll go
in again, and if any one comes out and tells you that
the golden hare is not here, don't believe it, but hold
him fast." So she crept into the hole again and began
to beat for game, and out came an old woman, who
said to the youth, " What art thou poking about there
for ? " — And he said to her, " For the golden hare." —
She said to him, " It is not here, for this is a snake's
hole," and when she had said this she went away.
Presently the girl also came out and said to him, " What !
hast thou not got the hare ? Did nothing come out
then } " — " No," said he, " nothing but an old woman
who asked me what I was seeking, and I told her the
golden hare, and she said, ' It is not here,' so I let her
go." — Then the girl replied, " Why didst thou not lay
hold of her ? for she was the very golden hare itself,
and now thou never wilt catch it unless I turn myself
into a hare and thou take and lay me on the table, and
give me into my mother's, the she-dragon's hands,
and go away, for if she find out all about it she will
tear the pair of us to pieces."

So she changed herself into a hare, and he took
and laid her on the table, and said to the she-dragon,

247

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

" There's thy hare for thee, and now let me go away ! "
She said to him, " Very well — be off ! " Then he
set off running, and he ran and ran as hard as he could.
Soon after, the old she-dragon discovered that it was
not the golden hare, but her own daughter, so she
set about chasing after them to destroy them both,
for the daughter had made haste in the meantime
to join Ivan. But as the she-dragon couldn't run
herself, she sent her husband, and he began chasing
them, and they knew he was coming, for they felt
the earth trembling beneath his tread. Then the she-
dragon's daughter said to Ivan, " I hear him running
after us. I'll turn myself into standing wheat and thee
into an old man guarding me, and if he ask thee, ' Hast
thou seen a lad and a lass pass by this way ? ' say to
him, ' Yes, they passed by this way while I was sowing
this wheat ! ' "

A little while afterward the she-dragon's husband
came flying up. " Have a lad and a lass passed by
this way ? " said he. " Yes," repUed the old man,
" they have." — " Was it long ago ? " asked the she-
dragon's husband. — " It was while this wheat was
being sown," replied the old man. — " Oh ! " thought
the dragon, " this wheat is ready for the sickle, they
couldn't have been this way yesterday," so he turned
back. Then the she-dragon's daughter turned her-
self back into a maiden and the old man into a youth,
and off they set again. But the dragon returned home,
and the she-dragon asked him, " What ! hast thou
not caught them or met them on the road ? " — " Met
them, no ! " said he. "I did, indeed, pass on the
road some standing wheat and an old man watching
248

THE MAGIC EGG

it, and I asked the old man if he had seen a lad and
a lass pass by that way, and he said, ' Yes, while this
wheat was being sown,' but the wheat was quite ripe
for the sickle, so I knew it was a long while ago and
turned back." — " Why didst thou not tear that old
man and the wheat to pieces ? " cried the she-dragon ;
" it was they ! Be off after them again, and mind,
this time tear them to pieces without fail."

So the dragon set off after them again, and they
heard him coming from afar, for the earth trembled
beneath him, so the damsel said to Ivan, " He's coming
again, I hear him ; now I'll change myself into a
monastery, so old that it will be almost falling to
pieces, and I'll change thee into an old black monk at
the gate, and when he comes up and asks, ' Hast thou
seen a lad and a lass pass this way ? ' say to him, ' Yes,
they passed by this way when this monastery was
being built.' " Soon afterward the dragon came flying
past, and asked the monk, " Hast thou seen a lad
and a lass pass by this way ? " — '' Yes," he replied,
" I saw them what time the holy fathers began to
build this monastery." The dragon thought to him-
self, " That was not yesterday ! This monastery has
stood a hundred years if it has stood a day, and won't
stand much longer either," and with that he turned
him back. When he got home, he said to the she-
dragon, his wife, " I met a black monk who serves in
a monastery, and I asked him about them, and he
told me that a lad and a lass had run past that way
when the monastery was being built, but that was not
yesterday, for the monastery is a hundred years old
at the very least." — " Why didst thou not tear the

249

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

black monk to pieces and pull down the monastery ?
for 'twas they. But I see I must go after them myself,
thou art no good at all."

So off she set and ran and ran, and they knew she
was coming, for the earth quaked and yawned beneath
her. Then the damsel said to Ivan, " I fear me 'tis
all over, for she is coming herself ! Look now ! I'll
change thee into a stream and myself into a fish — a
perch." Immediately after the she-dragon came up
and said to the perch, " Oh, oh ! so thou wouldst run
away from me, eh ! " Then she turned herself into a
pike and began chasing the perch, but every time she
drew near to it, the perch turned its prickly fins toward
her, so that she could not catch hold of it. So she
kept on chasing it and chasing it, but finding she could
not catch it, she tried to drink up the stream, till she
drank so much of it that she burst.

Then the maiden who had become a fish said to
the youth who had become a river, " Now that we
are alive and not dead, go back to thy lord-father
and thy father's house and see them, and kiss them
all except the daughter of thy uncle, for if thou kiss
that damsel thou wilt forget me, and I shall go to the
land of Nowhere." So he went home and greeted
them all, and as he did so he thought to himself, " Why
should I not greet my uncle's daughter like the rest
of them ? Why, they'll think me a mere pagan if I
don't ! " So he kissed her, and the moment he did
so he forgot all about the girl who had saved him.

So he remained there half a year, and then be-
thought him of taking to himself a wife. So they
betrothed him to a very pretty girl, and he accepted
250

THE MAGIC EGG

her and forgot all about the other girl who had saved
him from the dragon, though she herself was the she-
dragon's daughter. Now the evening before the wed-
ding they heard a young damsel crying Shishki^ in
the streets. They called to the young damsel to go
away, or say who she was, for nobody knew her. But
the damsel answered never a word, but began to knead
more cakes, and made a cock-dove and a hen-dove
out of the dough and put them down on the ground,
and they became alive. And the hen-dove said to
the cock- dove, " Hast thou forgotten how I cleared
the field for thee, and sowed it with wheat, and thou
mad'st a roll from the corn which thou gavest to the
she-dragon ? " — But the cock-dove answered, " For-
gotten ! forgotten ! " — Then she said to him again,
*' And hast thou forgotten how I dug away the moun-
tain for thee, and let the Dnieper flow by it that the
merchant barques might come to thy store-houses,
and that thou mightst sell thy wheat to the merchant
barques ? " But the cock-dove replied, " Forgotten !
forgotten ! " — Then the hen-dove said to him again,
*' And hast thou forgotten how we two went together
in search of the golden hare ? Hast thou forgotten
me then altogether ? " — And the cock-dove answered
again, " Forgotten ! forgotten ! " Then the good youth
Ivan bethought him who this damsel was that had
made the doves, and he took her to his arms and made
her his wife, and they lived happily ever afterward.

1 Wedding-cakes of the shape of pine-cones.

251

THE STORY OF THE

FORTY-FIRST

BROTHER

THE STORY OF THE FORTY-FIRST
BROTHER

THERE was once upon a time an old man who
had forty-one sons. Now when this old man
was at the point of death, he divided all he
had among his sons, and gave to each of the forty
a horse ; but when he came to the forty-first he found
he had no more horses left, so the forty-first brother
had to be content with a foal. When their father
was dead, the brothers said to each other, " Let us
go to Friday and get married ! " — But the eldest brother
said, " No, Friday has only forty daughters, so one
of us would be left without a bride." — Then the second
brother said, " Let us go then to Wednesday — Wednes-
day has forty-one daughters, and so the whole lot
of us can pair off with the whole lot of them." So
they went and chose their brides. The eldest brother
took the eldest sister, and the youngest the youngest,
till they were all suited. And the youngest brother
of all said, " I'll take that little damsel who is sitting
on the stove in the corner and has the nice kerchief
in her hand." Then they all drank a bumper together
to seal the bargain, and after that the forty-one bride-
grooms and the forty-one brides laid them down to
sleep side by side. But the youngest brother of all
said to himself, " I will bring my foal into the room."
So he brought in the foal, and then went to his bed-
chamber and laid him down to sleep also. Now his
bride lay down with her kerchief in her hand, and
he took a great fancy to it, and he begged and prayed
her for it again and again, until at last she gave it to

255

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

him. Now, when Wednesday thought that all the
people were asleep, he went out into the courtyard
to sharpen his sabre. Then the foal said, " Oh, my
dear little master, come here, come here ! " He came,
and the foal said to him, " Take off the night-dresses
of the forty sleeping bridegrooms and put them on
the forty sleeping brides, and put the night-dresses
of the brides on the bridegrooms, for a great woe is
nigh ! " And he did so. When Wednesday had shar-
pened his sabre he came into the room and began
feeling for the stiff collars of the bridegrooms' night-
dresses, and straightway cut off the forty heads above
the collars. Then he carried off the heads of his forty
daughters in a bunch (for the brides now had on the
night-dresses of their bridegrooms), and went and
lay down to sleep. Then the foal said, " My dear
little father ! awake the bridegrooms, and we'll set
off." So he awoke the bridegrooms and sent them
on before, while he followed after on his own little
nag. They trotted on and on, and at last the foal
said to him, " Look behind, and see whether Wednesday
is not pursuing." He looked round : " Yes, little
brother," said he, " Wednesday /^^ursuing ! " — *' Shake
thy kerchief then ! " said the foal. He shook his
kerchief, and immediately a vast sea was between
him and the pursuer. Then they went on and on
till the foal said to him again, " Look behind, and
see if Wednesday is still pursuing ! " — He looked round.
*' Yes, little brother, he is pursuing ! " — " Wave thy
handkerchief on the left side ! " said the foal. He
waved it on the left side, and immediately between
them and the pursuer stood a forest so thick that not
256

THE FORTY-FIRST BROTHER

even a little mouse could have squeezed through it.
Then they went on still farther, till the foal said again,
" Look behind, and see whether Wednesday is still
pursuing ! " — He looked behind, and there, sure enough,
was Wednesday running after them, and he was not
very far off either. — " Wave thy kerchief ! " said the
foal. He waved his kerchief, and immediately a steep
mountain — oh, so steep ! — lay betwixt them. They
went on and on, until the foal said again, '' Look behind,
is Wednesday still pursuing ? " — So he looked behind
him and said, " No, now he is not there." Then
they went on and on again, and soon they were not
very far from home. Then the youngest brother said,
" You go home now, but I am going to seek a bride ! "
So he went on and on till he came to a place where
lay a feather of the bird Zhar. " Look ! " cried he,
'' what I've found ! "—But the foal said to him, '' Pick
not up that feather, for it will bring thee evil as well
as good ! " — But his master said, " Why, I should
be a fool not to pick up a feather like that ! " So
he turned back and picked up the feather. Then he
went on farther and farther, until he came to a clay
hut. He went into this clay hut, and there sat an old
woman. " Give me a night's lodging, granny ! " said
he. — *' I have neither bed nor light to offer thee,"
said she. Nevertheless he entered the hut and put
the feather on the window-corner, and it lit up the
whole hut. So he went to sleep. But the old woman
ran off to the Tsar, and said to him, '* A certain man
has come to me and laid a certain feather on the
window-sill, and it shines like fire ! " Then the Tsar
guessed that it was a feather of the bird Zhar, and

R 257

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

said to his soldiers, " Go and fetch that man hither ! "
And the Tsar said to him, " Wilt thou enter my ser-
vice ? " — '' Yes," he replied, " but you must give me
all your keys." So the Tsar gave him all the keys
and a hut of his own to live in besides. But one day
the Tsar said to his servants, '' Boil me now a vat of
milk ! " So they boiled it. Then he took off his
gold ring, and said to the man, " Thou didst get the
feather of the bird Zhar, get me also this golden ring
of mine out of the vat of boiling milk ! " — " Bring
hither, then, my faithful horse," said he, " that he
may see his master plunge into the vat of boiling milk
and die ! " So they brought his horse, and, taking
off his clothes, he plunged into the vat, but as he did
so the horse snorted so violently that all the boiling
milk leaped up in the air and the man seized the ring
and gave it back to the Tsar. Now when the Tsar
saw that the man had come out of the vat younger
and handsomer than ever, he said, " I'll try and fish
up the ring in like manner." So he flung his ring
into the vat of boiling milk and plunged after it to
get it. The people waited and waited and wondered
and wondered that he was so long about it, and at
last they drained off the milk and found the Tsar at
the bottom of the vat boiled quite red. Then the man
said, " Now, Tsaritsa, thou art mine and I am thine."
And they lived together happily ever afterward.

258

THE STORY OF THE
UNLUCKY DAYS

THE STORY OF THE UNLUCKY DAYS

AT the end of a village on the verge of the steppe
dwelt two brothers, one rich and the other
poor. One day the poor brother came to the
rich brother's house and sat down at his table ; but
the rich brother drove him away and said, " How
durst thou sit at my table ? Be off ! Thy proper
place is in the fields to scare away the crows ! " So
the poor brother went into the fields to scare away
the crows. The crows all flew away when they saw
him, but among them was a raven that flew back
again and said to him, " O man ! in this village thou
wilt never be able to live, for here there is neither
luck nor happiness for thee, but go into another village
and thou shalt do well ! " Then the man went home,
called together his wife and children, put up the few
old clothes that still remained in his wardrobe, and
went on to the next village, carrying his water-skin
on his shoulders. On and on they tramped along
the road, but the Unlucky Days clung on to the man
behind, and said, *' Why dost thou not take us with
thee ? We will never leave thee, for thou art ours ! "
So they went on with him till they came to a river,
and the man, who was thirsty, went down to the water's
edge for a drink. He undid his water-skin, persuaded
the Unlucky Days to get into it, tied it fast again and
buried it on the bank close by the river. Then he
and his family went on farther. They went on and
on till they came to another village, and at the very
end of it was an empty hut — the people who had
lived there had died of hunger. There the whole

261

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

family settled down. One day they were all sitting
down there when they heard something in the moun-
tain crying, " Catch hold ! catch hold ! catch hold ! "
The man went at once into his stable, took down the
bit and reins that remained to him, and climbed up
into the mountain. He looked all about him as he
went, and at last he saw, sitting down, an old goat
with two large horns — it was the Devil himself, but
of course he didn't know that. So he made a lasso
of the reins, threw them round the old goat, and
began to drag it gently down the mountain-side. He
dragged it all the way up the ladder of his barn,
when the goat disappeared, but showers and showers
of money came tumbling through the ceiling. He
collected them all together, and they filled two large
coffers. Then the poor man made the most of his
money, and in no very long time he was well-to-do.
Then he sent some of his people to his rich brother,
and invited him to come and live with him. The
rich brother pondered the matter over. " Maybe he
has nothing to eat," thought he, " and that is why
he sends for me." So he bade them bake him a good
store of fat pancakes, and set out accordingly. On
the way he heard that his brother had grown rich,
and the farther he went the more he heard of his
brother's wealth. Then he regretted that he had
brought all the pancakes with him, so he threw them
away into the ditch. At last he came to his brother's
house, and his brother showed him first one of the
coffers full of money and then the other. Then envy
seized upon the rich brother, and he grew quite green
in the face. But his brother said to him, " Look now !
262

THE UNLUCKY DAYS

I have buried a lot more money in a water-skin, hard
by the river ; you may dig it up and keep it if you
like, for I have lots of my own here ! " The rich
brother did not wait to be told twice. Off he went to
the river, and began digging up the water-skin straight-
way. He unfastened it with greedy, trembling hands ;
but he had no sooner opened it than the Unlucky
Days all popped out and clung on to him. " Thou art
ours ! " said they. He went home, and when he got
there he found that all his wealth was consumed, and
a heap of ashes stood where his house had been. So
he went and lived in the place where his brother
had lived, and the Unlucky Days lived with him ever
afterward.

263

THE WONDROUS STORY

OF IVAN GOLIK AND

THE SERPENTS

THE WONDROUS STORY OF IVAN
GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

SOMEWHERE, nowhere, in another kingdom,
in the Empire of Thrice-ten, lived — whether
'twas a Tsar and a Tsaritsa, or only a Prince
and a Princess, I know not, but anyhow they had two
sons. One day this prince said to his sons, " Let
us go down to the seashore and listen to the songs of
the sea-folk ! " So they went. Now the prince wanted
to test the wits of his two sons ; he wanted to see
which of the twain was fit for ruling his empire, and
which should stand aside and make way for better
men. So they went on together till they came to
where three oaks stood all in a row. The prince
looked at the trees, and said to his eldest son, " My
dear son, what wouldst thou make of those trees ? "

" What would I make of them, dear father ? I
would make me good barns and store-houses out of
them. I would cut them down and plane the timber
well, and goodly should be the planks I should make
of them."

" Good, my son ! " replied the prince, " thou wilt
make a careful householder."

Then he asked his younger son, " And what wouldst
thou make out of these oaks, my son } "

" Well, dear father," said he, " had I only as much
power as will, I would cut down the middle oak, lay
it across the other two, and hang up every prince and
every noble in the wide world."

Then the prince shook his head and was silent.

Presently they came to the sea, and all three stood

267

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

still and looked at it, and watched the fishes play.
Then, suddenly, the prince caught hold of his younger
son, and pitched him right into the sea. " Perish ! "
cried he, " for 'tis but just that such a wretch as thou
shouldst perish ! "

Now, just as the father pitched his younger son
into the sea, a great whale-fish was coming along and
swallowed him, and into its maw he went. There
he found wagons with horses and oxen harnessed to
them, all of which the fish had also gobbled. So he
went rummaging about these wagons to see what was
in them, and he found that one of the wagons was
full of tobacco-pipes and tobacco, and flints and steels.
So he took up a pipe, filled it with tobacco, lit it, and
began to smoke. He smoked out one pipe, filled
another, and smoked that too ; then he filled a third,
and began smoking that. At last the smoke inside
the whale made it feel so uncomfortable that it opened
its mouth, swam ashore, and went asleep on the beach.
Now some huntsmen happened to be going along the
beach at that time, and one of them saw the whale,
and said, " Look, my brethren ! we have been hunting
jays and crows and shot nothing, and lo ! what a
monstrous fish lies all about the shore ! Let us shoot
it ! "

So they shot at it and shot at it, and then they fell
upon it with their axes and began to cut it to pieces.
They cut and hacked at it till suddenly they heard
something calling to them from the middle of the
fish, " Ho ! my brothers ! hack fish if you like, but
hack not that flesh which is full of Christian blood ! "

They fell down to the ground for fright, and were
268

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

like dead men, but the prince's younger son crept out
of the hole in the fish that the huntsmen had made,
went out upon the shore, and sat down. He sat down
there quite naked, for all his clothes had rotted and
dropped off inside the fish. Maybe he had been a
whole year in the whale without knowing it, and he
thought to himself, " How shall I now manage to live
in the wide, wide world ? "

Meanwhile the elder brother had become a great
nobleman. His father had died, and he was lord
over his whole inheritance. Then, as is the wont
of princes, he called together his senators and his
servants, and they counselled their young prince to
marry ; so out he went to seek a bride, and a great
retinue followed after him. They went on and on till
they came to where a naked man was sitting. Then
the prince said to one of his servants, " Go and see
what manner of man that is ! "

So the servant went up to the man, and said, " Hail ! '*

" Hail to thee ! "

" Who art thou, pry thee ? "

" I am Ivan Golik.^ Who art thou ? "

" We are from such and such a land, and we are
going with our prince to seek him a bride."

"Go, tell thy prince that he must take me with
him, for he'll make no good match without me."

So the messenger returned to the prince and told
him. Then the prince bade his servants open his
trunk and take out a shirt and pantaloons and all
manner of raiment, whereupon the naked man went
into the water and washed, and after that he dressed

1 Naked.

269

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

himself. Then they brought him to the prince, and
he said to him, " If you take me with you, you
must all obey me. If you listen to me, you shall
remain in the land of Russia ; but if not, you shall
all perish."

"Be it so ! " said the prince, and he bade all his
suite obey him.

They went on and on till they overtook the hosts
of the mice. The prince wanted to go hunting after
the mice, but Ivan GoUk said, " Nay, step aside and
give place to the mice, so that not a single one of them
lose a single hair ! "

So they turned aside, and the mice swept by in
their hosts, but the hindmost mouse turned round and
said, " Thanks to thee, Ivan Golik, thou hast saved
my host from perishing ; I will save thine also."

Then they went on farther, and lo ! the gnat was
marching with his host, and so vast was it that no eye
could take it all in. Then the lieutenant-general of
the gnats came flying up and said, " Oh, Ivan Golik !
let my host drink of thy blood. If thou dost consent,
'twill be to thy profit ; but if thou dost not consent,
thou shalt not remain in the land of Russia."

Then he stripped off his shirt and bade them tie
him up so that he could not beat off a single gnat,
and the gnats drank their fill of him and flew off
again.

After that they went along by the seashore till they
came to a man who had caught two pike. Then Ivan
Golik said to the prince, " Buy those two pike of the
man, and let them go into the sea again."

" But wherefore ? "
270

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

" Ask not wherefore, but buy them ! "

So they bought the pike, and let them go into the
sea again. But as they swam away, the pike turned
round and said, " We thank thee, Ivan GoUk, that
thou hast not let us perish, and it shall be to thy weal
and welfare ! "

Swiftly they moved on their way, but the story that
tells thereof moves still swifter. They went on and
on, for more than a month maybe, till they came
to another land and to another tsardom, to the Empire
of Thrice-ten. And the serpent was the Tsar of that
tsardom. Vast were his palaces, iron railings sur-
rounded his courtyards, and the railings were covered
with the heads of various warriors ; only on the twenty
huge pillars in front of the gate were there no heads.
As they drew nigh, deadly fear oppressed the heart
of the prince, and he said to Ivan, " Mark me, Ivan !
those pillars yonder are meant for otir heads ! " —
*' That remains to be seen," replied Ivan Golik.

When they arrived there, the serpent at first treated
them hospitably as welcome guests. They were all
to come in and make merry, he said, but the prince
he took to his own house. So they ate and drank
together, and the thoughts of their hearts were joyous.
Now the serpent had twenty-one daughters, and he
brought them to the prince, and told him which was
the eldest, and which the next eldest, down to the
very last one. But it was the youngest daughter of
all that the prince's fancy fed upon more than on any
of the others. Thus they diverted themselves till
evening, and in the evening they made ready to go
to sleep. But the serpent said to the prince, '' Well,

271

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

which of my daughters dost thou think the love-
liest ? "

" The youngest is the most beautiful," said the
prince, " and her will I wed."

" Good ! " said the serpent, " but I will not let
thee have my daughter till thou hast done all my
tasks. If thou doest my tasks, thou shalt have my
daughter ; but if thou doest them not, thou shalt lose
thy head, and all thy suite shall perish with thee."

Then he gave him his first task : "In my barn are
three hundred ricks of corn ; by the morning light thou
shalt have threshed and sifted them so that stalk lies
by stalk, chaff by chaff, and grain by grain."

Then the prince went to his own place to pass the
night there, and bitterly he wept. But Ivan Golik
saw that he was weeping, and said to him, " Why
dost thou weep, O prince ? "

" Why should I not weep, seeing the task that the
serpent has given me is impossible ? "

" Nay, weep not, my prince, but lie down to sleep,
and by the morning light it will all be done ! "

No sooner had Ivan Golik left the prince than he
went outside and whistled for the mice. Then the
mice assembled round them in their hosts : " Why
dost thou whistle, and what dost thou want of us, O
Ivan Golik ? " said they.

" Why should I not whistle, seeing that the serpent
has bidden us thresh out his barn by the morning
light, so that straw lies by straw, chaff by chaff, and
grain by grain ? "

No sooner did the mice hear this than they began
scampering all about the barn ! There were so many
272

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

of them that there was not room to move. They set
to work with a will, and long before dawn it was quite
finished. Then they went and awoke Ivan Golik. He
went and looked, and lo ! all the chaff was by itself,
and all the grain was by itself, and all the straw by
itself ! Then Ivan bade them be quite sure that there
was not a single grain remaining in a single ear of corn.
So they scampered all about, and there was not a
mouse which did not look under every stalk of straw.
Then they ran up to him, and said, " Fear not ! there is
not a single loose grain anywhere. And now we have
requited thee thy service, Ivan Golik, farewell ! "

Next morning the prince came to seek Ivan, and
marvelled to find that everything had been done as
the sc'pent had commanded. So he thanked Ivan
Golik, and went off to the serpent. Then they both
went together, and the serpent himself was amazed.
He called to his twenty-one daughters to search the
ears of corn well to see whether one single grain might
not be found therein, and his daughters searched and
searched, but there was not a single loose grain to
be found. Then said the serpent, " 'Tis well, let
us go ! We will eat and drink and make merry till
evening, and in the evening I will give thee thy to-
morrow's task." So they made merry till evening,
and then the serpent said, " Early this morning, my
youngest daughter went bathing in the sea and lost
her ring in the water. She searched and searched
for it, but could find it nowhere. If thou canst find
it to-morrow, and bring it hither while we are sitting
down to meat, thou shalt remain alive ; if not, 'tis
all over with thee ! "

S 273

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

The prince returned to his own people and fell
a-weeping. Ivan Golik perceived it, and said to
him, " Wherefore dost thou weep ? "

" For such and such a reason," said he ; " dost thou
not see that I am ruined ? "

Then said Ivan Golik, " The serpent lies. He him-
self it was who took his daughter's ring and flew over
the sea early this morning, and dropped it in the water.
But lie down and sleep ! I myself will go to the sea
to-morrow, haply I may find the ring."

So, very early next morning, Ivan Golik went
down to the sea. He shouted with an heroic voice,
and whistled with an heroic whistle, till the whole sea
was troubled by a storm. Then the two pike he had
thrown back into the sea came swimming to the shore.
" Why dost thou call us, O Ivan Golik ? " said they.

" Why should I not call you ? The serpent flew
over the sea early yesterday morning and dropped in
it his daughter's ring. Search for it everywhere. If
you find it, I shall remain alive, but if you find it not,
know that the serpent will remove me from the face
of the earth ! "

Then they swam off and searched, nor was there
a single corner of the sea where they searched not.
Yet they found nothing. At last they swam off to
their mother, and told her what a great woe was about
to befall. Their mother said to them, " The ring
is with me. I am sorry for him, and still more sorry
for you, so you may have it." And with that she
drew off the ring, and they swam with it to Ivan Golik,
and said, " Now we have requited thy service. We
have found it, but 'twas a hard task."
274

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

Then Ivan Golik thanked the two pike and went on
his way. He found the prince weeping, for the serpent
had already sent for him twice, and there was no ring.
The moment he saw Ivan GoUk he sprang to his feet,
and said, '' Hast thou the ring ? "

" Yes, here it is ! But look ! the serpent himself is
coming ! "

" Let him come ! "

The serpent was already on the threshold as the
prince was going out. They ran against each other
with their foreheads, and the serpent was very angry.
" Where's the ring ? " cried he.

" There it is ! But I will not give it to thee, but to
her from whom thou didst take it."

The serpent laughed. " Very good ! " said he, " but
now let us go to dinner, for my guests are many, and
we have been waiting for thee this long time."

So they went. The prince arrived at the house,
where eleven serpents were sitting down to dinner.
He saluted them, and then went on to the daughters,
and said, as he drew off the ring, " To which of you
does this belong ? "

Then the youngest daughter blushed and said, " To
me!"

" If it be thine, take it, for I sounded all the depths
of the sea in searching for it."

All the others laughed, but the youngest daughter
thanked him.

Then they all went to dine. After dinner the ser-
pent said to him, in the presence of all the guests,
" Well, prince, now that thou hast dined and rested,
to thy tasks again ! I have a bow of one hundred

275

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

poods ^ in weight. If thou canst bend this bow in
the presence of these my guests, thou shalt have my
daughter ! "

When dinner was over they all lay down to rest,
but the prince hastened off as quickly as he could to
Ivan Golik, and said, " Now indeed it is all over with
us, for he has given me such and such a task."

" Simpleton ! " cried Ivan Golik, " when they bring
forth this bow, look at it, and say to the serpent, ' I
should be ashamed to bend a bow that the least of
my servants can bend ! ' Then call me, and I'll bend
the bow so that none other will be able to bend it
again."

With that the prince went straight off to the
serpent again, and the serpent commanded and they
brought the bow, together with an arrow weighing
fifty poods. When the prince saw it, he was like to
have died of fright ; but they put the bow down in
the middle of the courtyard, and all the guests came
out to look at it. The prince walked all round the
bow and looked at it. " Why," said he, " I would not
deign to touch a bow like that. I'll call one of my
servants, for any one of them can bend such a bow as
that ! "

Then the serpent looked at the prince's servants one
after the other, and said, " Well, let them try ! "

" Come forward thou, Ivan Golik ! " cried the prince.

And the prince said to him, " Take me up that bow
and bend it ! "

Ivan Golik took up the bow, placed the arrow across
it, and drew the bow so that the arrow split into twelve

* A pood = forty pounds.
276

IVAN GOLIK DREW THE BOW

276

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

pieces and the bow burst. Then the prince said,
" Did I not tell you ? and was I to put myself to
shame by touching a bow that one of my servants
can draw ? "

After that Ivan Golik returned to his fellow-servants,
and put the pieces of the broken bow behind his shin-
bone ; but the prince returned with the serpents into
the guest-chamber, and they all rejoiced because he
had done his appointed task. But the serpent whis-
pered something in the ear of his youngest daughter,
and she went out, and he after her. They remained
outside a long time, and then the serpent came in
again, and said to the prince, " There is no time for
anything more to-day, but we'll begin again early
to-morrow morning. I have a horse behind twelve
doors ; if thou canst mount it, thou shalt have my
daughter."

Then they made merry again till evening and lay
down to sleep, but the prince went and told Golik.
Golik listened to the prince, and said, " Now thou
knowest, I suppose, why I took up those pieces of
the broken bow, for I could see what was coming.
When they lead forth this horse, look at it and say, ' I
will not mount that horse lest I put myself to shame.
'Tis with the horse as with the bow, any one of my
servants can mount it ! ' But that horse is no horse
at all, but the serpent's youngest daughter ! Thou
must not sit upon her back, but I will trounce her
finely."

Early in the morning they all arose, and the prince
went to the serpent's house to greet them all, and
there he saw twenty of the serpent's daughters, but

277

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

where was the twenty-first ? Then the serpent got
upland said, " Well, prince, now let us come down
into the courtyard ; they'll soon bring out the horse,
and we'll see what thou dost make of it."

So they all went out and saw two serpents bringing
out the horse, and it was as much as the pair of them
could do to hold its head, so fierce and strong it was.
They led it out in front of the gallery, and the prince
walked round it and looked at it. Then said he,
" What ! did you not say you would bring out a
horse ? Why, this is no horse, but a mare. I will not
sit on this mare, for 'twould be to my shame. I will
call one of my servants, and he shall mount her."

" Good ! " said the serpent, " let him try ! "

The prince called forth Ivan Golik. " Sit on that
mare," said he, " and trot her about ! "

Ivan mounted the mare, and the two serpents let
go. She carried him right up among the clouds, and
then down again upon the ground she came, with a
ringing of hoofs that made the earth tremble. But
Ivan Golik took out a fragment of the broken bow,
fifty pounds in weight, and trounced her finely. She
reared and bucked and carried him hither and thither,
but he flogged her between the ears without ceasing.
So when she saw that all her prancing and curveting
was in vain, she fell to piteously beseeching him, and
cried, *' Ivan Golik ! Ivan Golik ! beat me not, and
I'll do all thy behests ! "

" I have nothing to do with thee at all," said he,
" but when thou dost come up to the prince, fall down
before him, and stretch out thy legs toward him ! "

At this she bethought her for a long time. " Well,"
278

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

cried she at last, " it must be so, there is no doing
anything with thee ! " So she carried him all over the
courtyard, fell down before the prince, and stretched
out her legs toward him.

Then said the prince, " Thou seest what a sorry
jade it is ! And ye would have had me mount such
a mare ! "

At this the serpent was full of shame, but there
was nothing to be said or done. So they went into the
garden and sat them down to dinner. The youngest
daughter met them there, and they greeted her. The
prince could not refrain from looking at her, so fair
was she, and now she seemed fairer than ever. Then
they sat down and ate, and when the meal was over
the serpent said, " Well, prince, after dinner I'll bring
all my daughters into the courtyard, and if you can
find out the youngest, you may be happy together."

So after dinner the serpent bade his daughters go
and dress themselves, but the prince took counsel of
Ivan Golik. Ivan whistled, and immediately the gnat
came flying up. He told the gnat all about it, and
the gnat said, *' Thou didst help me, so now I will
help thee. When the serpent brings out his daughters,
let the prince keep his eyes open, for I will fly on her
head. Let him walk round them once, and I will fly
round them too. Let him walk round them a second
time, and I will fly round them twice also. Let him
walk round them a third time, and then I'll settle
on her nose, and she will not be able to endure my
bite, but will strike at me with her right hand." And
with these words the gnat flew off into the house.

Soon afterward the serpent sent for the prince.

279

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

He went, and there in the courtyard stood the twenty-
one daughters. They were as Uke as peas, their faces,
their hair, and their raiment were exactly the same.
He looked and looked, but could not tell one from
the other. He walked round them the first time,
but there was no sign of the gnat. He walked round
them the second time, and the gnat came and lit upon
her head. Henceforth he never took his eyes off the
gnat, and when he had begun to walk round the twenty-
one daughters for the third time, the gnat sat on the
nose of the youngest, and began to bite her. She
brushed it off with her right hand, whereupon the prince
said, " She is mine ! " and led her to the serpent.

The serpent was amazed, but said, " Since thou
hast found out thy bride, we'll wed thee to-day, and
all be merry together."

So they made them merry, and that very evening
the young couple got their bridal crowns. And they
feasted and fired guns, and what else did they not
do ? But at night, Ivan Golik took the prince aside,
and said to him, " Now, prince, see that we go home
to-morrow, for they mean us no good here. And now,
listen to me ! I beg thee tell not thy wife the truth
of the matter for seven years. However caressing she
may be, thou shalt not let her ears know the truth,
for if thou dost tell her the truth, both thou and I shall
perish ! "

" Good ! '' said he. " I will not tell my wife the
truth."

Next morning the young men arose and went to
the serpent, and the prince took leave of his father-in-
law, and said he must be going home.
280

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

'' But why off so soon ? " said the serpent.

" Nay, but I must go," said he.

Then the serpent gave the youth a banquet, and
they sat down and ate and made merry, and after
that he departed to his own tsardom. And the prince
thanked Ivan GoHk for all that he had done for him,
and made him the first of his counsellors. Whatever Ivan
Golik said was performed throughout the realm, while
the Tsar had only to sit on his throne and do nothing.

So the young prince dwelt with his wife for a year
or two, and in the third year a son was added to them,
and the heart of the prince was glad. Now one day
he took his little son in his arms, and said, " Is there
anything in the wide world that I like better than this
child ? " When the princess saw that the heart of
her spouse was tender, she fell a-kissing and caressing
him, and began asking him all about the time when
they were first married, and how he had been able to
do her father's commands. And the prince said to
her, " My head would long ago have been mouldering
on the posts of thy father's palace had it not been for
Ivan Golik. 'Twas he who did it all and not I."

Then she was very wrath. But she never changed
countenance, and shortly afterward she went out.

Ivan Golik was sitting in his own house at his ease,
when the princess came flying in to him. And imme-
diately she drew out of the ground a handkerchief
with gold borders, and no sooner had she waved this
serpentine handkerchief, than Ivan fell asunder into
two pieces. His legs remained where they were, but
his trunk with his head disappeared through the roof,
and fell seven miles away from the house. And as

281

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

he fell he cried, " Oh, accursed one ! did I not charge
thee not to confess ! Did I not implore thee not to
tell thy wife the truth for seven years ! And now I
perish and thou also ! "

He raised his head and found himself sitting in a
wood, and there he saw an armless man pursuing a
hare. He pursued and pursued it, but though he
caught it up, he couldn't catch it, for he had no arms.
Then Ivan Golik caught it and they fell out about it.
The armless one said, " The hare is mine ! " — " No,"
said Ivan Golik, " it is mine ! " So they quarrelled
over it, but as one had no legs and the other had no
arms, they couldn't hurt one another. At last the
armless one said, " What is the use of our quarrelling ?
Let us pull up that oak, and whichever of us pitches it
farthest shall have the hare."

" Good ! " said Legless.

Then Armless kicked Legless up to the oak, and
Legless pulled it up and gave it to Armless. Then
Armless lay down on the ground and kicked the oak
with his feet three miles off. But Legless threw it
seven miles. Then Armless said, " Take the hare and
be my elder brother ! "

So they became brothers, and made a wagon between
them, and fastened ropes to it, and while Armless
dragged it along Legless drove it. On they went till
they came to a town where a Tsar lived. There they
went up to the church, and planted themselves with
their wagon in the place of beggars, and waited till
the Tsarivna came up. And the Tsarivna said to
her court lady, " Take this money, and give it to those
poor cripples."
282

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

The lady was about to go with it when Legless said,
" Nay, but let the Tsarivna give it to us with her own
hands."

Then the Tsarivna took the money from her court
lady and gave it to Legless. But he said to her, " Be
not angry, but tell me, now, wherefore art thou so
yellow .? "

" God made me so," answered she, and then she
sighed.

" No," replied Legless. " I know why thou art
so yellow. But I can make thee once more just as
God made thee."

Now the Tsar had heard them speaking, and the
words of the cripples moved him strangely. So
he had the armless man and the legless man in the
wagon brought to him, and said to them, " Do as
you are able."

But Legless said, " O Tsar ! let the Tsarivna speak
the truth, and confess openly how she became so
yellow ! "

Then the father turned to his daughter, and she
confessed and said, " The serpent flew to me, and drew
my blood out of my breast."

" When did he fly to thee ? " they asked.

" Just before dawn, when the guards were sleep-
ing, he came flying down my chimney. In he came
flying, and lay down beneath the cushions of my
couch."

'' Stop ! " cried Legless ; " we'll hide in the straw
in thy room, and when the serpent comes flying in
again, thou must cough and wake us."

So they hid them in the straw, and just as the guards

283

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

had ceased knocking at the doors as they went their
rounds, sparks began to flash beneath the straw roof,
and the Tsarivna coughed. They rushed up to her,
and saw the serpent aheady nestUng beneath the
cushions. Then the Tsarivna leaped out of bed ; but
Armless lay down on the floor and kicked Legless
on to the cushions, and Legless took the serpent in
his arms and began to throttle it. " Let me go ! let
me go ! " begged the serpent, " and Til never fly here
again, but will renounce my tithes."

But Legless said, " That is but a small thing. Thou
must carry us to the place of healing waters, that I
may get back my legs and my brother here his arms."

" Catch hold of me," said the serpent, " and I'll
take you, only torture me no more."

So Legless clung on to him with his arms and Arm-
less with his feet, and the serpent flew away with them
till he came to a spring. " There's your healing
water ! " cried he.

Armless wanted to plunge in straightway, but Leg-
less shrieked, " Wait, brother ! Hold the serpent tight
with your legs while I thrust a dry stick into the spring,
and then we shall see whether it really is healing
water."

So he thrust a stick in, and no sooner had it touched
the water than it was consumed as though by fire.
Then the pair of them, in their rage, fell upon that
false serpent and almost killed him. They beat him
and beat him till he cried for mercy. *' Beat me no
more ! " cried he ; " the spring of healing water is
not very far off ! " Then he took them to another
spring. Into this they also dipped a dry stick, and
284

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

immediately it burst into flower. Then Armless leaped
into the spring and leaped out again with arms, where-
upon he pitched in Legless, who immediately leaped
out again with legs of his own. So they let the serpent
go, first making him promise never to fly to the Tsarivna
again, and then each thanked the other for his friend-
ship, and so they parted.

But Ivan Golik went again to his brother the prince,
to see what had become of him. " I wonder what
the princess has done to him } " thought he. So
he went toward that tsardom, and presently he saw
not very far from the roadside, a swineherd tending
swine ; he was tending swine, but he himself sat upon
a tomb. " I'll go and ask that swineherd what he's
doing there," thought Ivan Golik.

So he went up to the swineherd, and, looking straight
into his eyes, recognized his own brother. And the
swineherd looked at him, and recognized Ivan Golik.
There they stood for a long time looking into each
other's eyes, but neither of them spoke a word. At
last Ivan Golik found his voice : " What ! " cried he.
"Is it thou, O prince, who art feeding swine ? Thou
art rightly served ! Did I not bid thee, ' Tell not thy
wife the truth for seven years ' .^ "

At this the prince flung himself down at the other's
feet, and cried, '' O Ivan Golik ! forgive me, and have
mercy ! "

Then Ivan Golik raised him up by the shoulders
and said, " 'Tis well for thee that thou art still in God's
fair world ! Yet wait a little while, and thou shalt be
Tsar again ! "

The prince thereupon asked Ivan Golik how he

285

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

had got his legs back again, for the princess had told
him how she had cut Ivan Golik in two. Then Ivan
Golik confessed to him that he was his younger brother,
and told him the whole story of his life. So they
embraced and kissed each other, and then the prince
said, " 'Tis high time I drove these swine home, for
the princess doesn't like being kept waiting for her tea."

" Well," said Ivan Golik, " we'll drive them back
together."

'' The worst of it, brother, is this," said the prince.
" Dost thou see that accursed pig that leads the others ?
Well, he will go only up to the gate of the sty, and
there he stands fast as if rooted to the ground, and
until I kiss his bristles he will not move from the spot.
And all the time the princess and the serpents are
sitting in the gallery at tea, and they look on and
laugh ! "

But Ivan Golik said, " It needs must be so ! Kiss
it again to-day, and to-morrow thou shalt kiss it no

more ! "

Then they drove the swine up to the gates, and
Ivan Golik looked to see what would happen. He
saw the princess sitting in the gallery with six serpents
drinking tea, and the accursed pig stuck fast in the
gate, and stretched out its legs and wouldn't go in.
The princess looked on and said, " Look at my fool
driving the swine, and now he is going to kiss the big
boar ! "

So the poor fellow stooped down and kissed its
bristles, and the pig ran grunting into the courtyard.
Then the princess said, " Look ! he has picked up
from somewhere an under-herdsman to help him ! "
286

IVAN GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS

The prince and Ivan Golik drove the pigs into their
sty, and then Ivan GoHk said, " Brother, get me
twenty poods of hemp and twenty poods of pitch,
and bring them to me in the garden." And he did
so. Then Ivan GoHk made him a huge whip of the
twenty poods of hemp and the twenty poods of tar.
First he twined tightly a pood of hemp, and tarred it
well with a pood of pitch ; round this he plaited another
pood of hemp, and tarred that also with another pood
of pitch, till he had used up the whole forty. By
midnight his task was done, and then he laid him down
to sleep. But the prince had gone to sleep long before
in the pig-sty.

Early in the morning they rose up again, and
Ivan Golik said to him, " Up till to-day thou hast
been a swineherd, and after to-day thou shalt be a
prince again ; but first let us drive the swine into
the field."

" Nay, but," said the prince, " the princess has
not yet come out upon the balcony to drink tea with
the serpents, and see me kiss the pig before it goes
out, as is her wont." Ivan Golik said to him, " We
will drive the swine out this time too, but it will not
be thou but I who shall kiss the big boar."
" Good ! " said the prince.

And now the time came for the swine to be driven
away, and the princess came out on the balcony to
drink tea. They took the swine out of the sty, and
the pair of them drove the beasts before them. When
they reached the gate the leading pig stuck fast in the
gateway, and wouldn't budge an inch. The princess
and the serpents grinned and looked on, but Ivan

287

COSSACK FAIRY TALES

Golik flicked his heroic whip, and struck the pig one
blow that made it fly to pieces. Then all the serpents
wriggled off as fast as they could. But she, the accursed
one, was in no way frightened, but caught. Ivan by
the hair of his head. He, however, caught her also
by her long locks, and flicked her with his whip till
he had flicked all the serpent-blood out of her, and
she walked the earth in human guise. So she cast
off her serpent nature, and lived happily with her
husband. And that's the end of the kazka.