Russian Fairy Tales (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library)

by Afanas'Ev, Aleksandr

  He went home and said: “Ah, lovely Swan Maiden, what have I done? I boasted of you in my drunkenness and have forfeited my life.” “I know everything, Danilo the Luckless. Go and invite to your house the prince and his wife, and all the citizens. And if the prince excuses himself because of the dust and the mud, if he says that the roads are not good, that the blue sea has surged up and swamps have appeared, say to him: ‘Fear not, Prince Vladimir! Across the swamps, across the rivers, there are white hazelwood bridges with oaken planks, and on the bridges are spread purple cloths, and everything is nailed with copper nails. The brave knights’ boots will not be covered with dust, the hoofs of their horses will not sink into the mud.’ ” Danilo the Luckless went to invite his guests, and the lovely Swan Maiden went out on the porch, shook her wings, nodded her head, and made a bridge from her house to the palace of Prince Vladimir. The bridge was all spread with purple cloth and nailed with copper nails; on one side of it flowers bloomed and nightingales sang; on the other side apples ripened and other fruit trees blossomed.

  The prince and the princess set out on their way with all the brave warriors. They came to the first river and fine beer flowed in it; near that beer many soldiers fell. They came to the second river and fine mead flowed in it; more than half of the brave troops bowed to that mead and lay down. They came to the third river and fine wine flowed in it; here the officers fell to and drank themselves into a stupor. They came to the fourth river and strong vodka flowed in it; the prince looked back and saw all his generals lying dead drunk on the bank. The prince remained with only three companions—his wife, Aliosha Popovich the rake, and Danilo the Luckless. The guests arrived, entered the high chambers, and there found tables of maplewood, with silken tablecloths and painted chairs. They sat at table and there were many meats of every description, and of foreign wines not bottles, not barrels, but whole rivers flowed. Prince Vladimir and the princess did not eat nor drink but waited only to see the lovely Swan Maiden.

  They sat at table for a long time, they waited for her a long time; finally, the moment came to return home. Danilo the Luckless called her once, twice, and thrice—but no, she did not come out to her guests. Aliosha Popovich the rake said: “If my wife did this, I would teach her to obey her husband.” The lovely Swan Maiden heard this, came out on the porch, and said these words: “This is how I teach husbands!” And she shook her wings, nodded her head, soared up, and flew away. And the guests remained sitting in the mud: on one side there was the sea, on the other the mountains, on the third were forests, and on the fourth were swamps. Put your pride away, prince—try to ride home on Danilo!

  Before they got home to their palace they were smeared with mud from top to toe. Then I wanted to see the prince and princess, but they kicked me out of the yard. I jumped under the gate, and my whole back ached.

  IVAN THE PEASANT’S SON AND THE THUMB-SIZED MAN

  IN A CERTAIN KINGDOM, in a certain land, there lived a king; in his courtyard there was a pillar, and on the pillar three rings, one of gold, one of silver, and one of copper. One night the king dreamed that a horse was tied to the golden ring; every hair on the horse’s body was silver, and on his brow was a glistening moon. In the morning the king arose and sent forth a call proclaiming that to anyone who could tell him the meaning of this dream and get for him that horse, he would give his daughter and half his kingdom as a dowry.

  In answer to the king’s summons a multitude of princes, boyars, and lords of every description gathered together; they thought and thought, but not one of them could tell the meaning of the dream and not one of them would undertake to get the horse. At last it was reported to the king that a certain poor old peasant had a son, named Ivan, who could explain his dream and get the horse for him. The king sent for Ivan and asked him: “Can you explain my dream and get that horse?” Ivan answered: “Tell me first what the dream was and what horse you want.” The king said: “Last night I dreamed that to the golden ring in my courtyard a horse was tied, and every hair on his body was silver, and on his brow was a glistening moon.” “That was not a dream, but a reality,” said Ivan. “For last night the twelve-headed dragon came to your kingdom on that horse and wanted to steal your daughter.” “And can you get that horse?” “I can,” answered Ivan. “But not before I have passed my fifteenth year.”

  At that time Ivan was only twelve years old. So the king took him into his palace and gave him food and drink till he reached his fifteenth year. When his fifteenth year had passed, he said to the king: “Sire, give me a horse on which to ride to the land of the dragon.” The king led him to his stables and showed him all his horses. But Ivan could not find one strong enough to carry his great weight; when he put his mighty hand on a horse, the horse would fall to the ground. Then Ivan said to the king: “Let me go into the open field and seek a horse suited to my strength.” The king let him go.

  Ivan the peasant’s son looked for three years and nowhere could he find a horse. He was returning in tears to the king, when he met an old man who asked him: “Why are you weeping, young fellow?” Ivan answered this question rudely and chased the old man away. The old man said: “Mind you, young fellow, do not speak ill of me!” Ivan walked for a little distance away from the old man and thought to himself: “Why did I offend him? Old people know a great deal.” He turned back, caught up with the old man, fell at his feet, and said: “Grandfather, forgive me, I offended you because of my own grief. This is why I am weeping: for three years I have traveled in the open field through many droves of horses, and nowhere can I find a horse strong enough for me.” The old man said: “Go to such and such a village. There in the stable of a peasant is a mare. That mare has given birth to a mangy colt. Take this colt and feed him. Soon he will be suited to your strength.”

  Ivan bowed deeply to the old man and went to that village. He went straight to the peasant’s stable, saw the mare with the mangy colt, and put his hands upon him. The colt did not shy away in the least. Ivan took him from the peasant, fed him for some time, went back to the king, and said that he had found a horse for himself. Then he began to make ready to visit the dragon. The king asked him: “How many men do you need, Ivan?” Ivan answered: “What do I need men for? I can get the horse by myself; but you might give me half a dozen men to carry messages back and forth.”

  The king gave him six men; they made ready and set out. Whether they traveled a long time or a short time, no one knows. But we do know that they came to a river of fire; over the river was a bridge and around it an enormous forest. They pitched a tent in the forest, got out a variety of refreshments, and began to eat, drink, and make merry.

  Ivan the peasant’s son said to his companions: “Let us each stand guard every night in turn, to see whether anyone crosses this river.” But all of Ivan’s companions when they kept watch got drunk and did not see anything. Finally, Ivan the peasant’s son himself stood guard, and just at midnight he saw a three-headed dragon, who crossed the river and said: “I have no enemy and no slanderer, except perhaps one enemy and one slanderer, Ivan the peasant’s son. But the raven has not even brought his bones here in a bladder!”

  Ivan the peasant’s son sprang out from under the bridge. “You lie!” he said. “I am here.” “If you are here, let us join in combat.” And the dragon rode on horseback against Ivan, but Ivan advanced on foot, took a swing with his saber, and cut off all three of the dragon’s heads, took his horse, and tied him to the tent. The next night Ivan the peasant’s son slew the six-headed dragon and on the third night the nine-headed one, and cast them each into the river of fire. When he went to the bridge on the fourth night, the twelve-headed dragon came to him and said angrily: “Who is Ivan the peasant’s son? Why did he slay my sons? Let him come out to meet me forthwith!”

  Ivan the peasant’s son stepped forward and said: “First let me go to my tent, then we shall join in combat.” “Very well, go.” Ivan ran to his companions, and said: “Here, boys, is a bowl. Look into it; when it is filled wi
th blood, come to me.” He returned and faced the dragon; and when they rode apart and then clashed, Ivan at the first blow cut off four of the dragon’s heads, but himself sank into the earth up to his knees. They clashed a second time, and Ivan cut off three dragon heads, and sank into the earth to his waist. They clashed a third time, and he cut off three more heads, but sank into the earth up to his breast. Finally he cut off one more head, and sank into the earth up to his neck. Then only did his companions remember him; they looked into the bowl and saw that blood was overflowing its brim. They rushed out, cut off the last head of the dragon, and pulled Ivan out of the earth. Ivan the peasant’s son took the dragon’s horse and led him to the tent.

  Night passed and morning came; the brave youths began to eat and drink and make merry. Ivan rose from the merrymaking and said to his companions: “Wait for me.” He changed himself into a cat, crossed the bridge over the river of fire, came to the house of the dragons, and made friends with the cats there. In the whole house only the dragon’s wife and her three daughters-in-law remained alive. They sat in the chamber and spoke among themselves: “How can we destroy that scoundrel, Ivan the peasant’s son?”

  The youngest daughter-in-law said: “Wherever Ivan the peasant’s son goes, I will bring a famine on the road, and turn myself into an apple tree; when he eats one of my apples he will burst!”

  The second daughter-in-law said: “And I will make a thirst on the road, and turn myself into a well; let him try to drink!”

  The eldest said: “And I will bring a drowsiness upon him, and turn myself into a bed; when Ivan the peasant’s son lies down upon it, he will die at once.”

  Finally their mother-in-law said: “And I will open my mouth from earth to sky and devour them all.”

  Ivan the peasant’s son heard everything they said, went out of the chamber, turned into a man, came back to his companions, and said to them: “Well, boys, make ready to go.”

  They made ready, set out, and at once a terrible hunger came to them; but they had nothing to eat. Suddenly they saw an apple tree; Ivan’s companions wanted to pluck some apples, but Ivan forbade them. “This,” he said, “is not an apple tree.” He began to cut it down; and blood spurted out of its trunk. Soon afterward they were overwhelmed by thirst. Ivan saw a well, forbade his companions to drink from it, and began to hack its stones; blood flowed from the well. Then drowsiness came upon them; a bed stood on the road, but Ivan slashed through it too. At last they came to a mouth opened from earth to sky. What could they do? They thought of jumping over it on the run, but no one could jump it, except Ivan the peasant’s son. He was rescued from this predicament by his wonderful horse, every hair of whose body was silver, and whose brow bore a glistening moon.

  He came to a river; near the river stood a little hut. There he met a little man as big as a thumb, with a mustache seven versts long, who said to him: “Give me your horse, and if you do not give him to me willingly, I will take him by force.” Ivan answered: “Get out of my path, accursed reptile, or I shall crush you under my horse!”

  The little man as big as a thumb, with a mustache seven versts long, knocked him to the ground, sat himself on the horse, and rode away. Ivan entered the hut and grieved greatly for his horse. In the hut a footless and handless man was lying on the stove. He said to Ivan: “Listen, brave youth—I know not how to call you by name—why did you try to fight him? I was a greater champion than you, yet he ate off my hands and my feet.” “Why?” “Because I ate bread from his table.” Ivan asked the man how he could recover his horse. The footless and handless man said to him: “Go to such and such a river, take the ferryboat, ferry for three years, accept money from no one—then you may get your horse back.”

  Ivan bowed deeply to him, went to the river, took the ferryboat, and for three whole years ferried and took no money for it. Once he ferried three old men across the river; they offered him money, but he refused it. “Tell me, brave youth, why don’t you take money?” He answered: “Because of a promise I made.” “What promise?” “A perfidious man took my horse, and a good man told me to row the ferry for three years and accept money from no one.” The old men said: “If you wish, Ivan, peasant’s son, we can help you to get back your horse.” “Do help me, my friends!”

  These old men were not ordinary people; they were the Freezer, the Glutton, and the Magician. The Magician stepped on the shore, drew the picture of a boat on the sand, and said: “Brothers, do you see this boat?” “We see it.” “Sit in it.” All four of them sat in the boat. The Magician said: “Now, little light boat, serve me as you have served me before.” Suddenly the boat rose in the air and in a trice, like an arrow shot from a bow, brought them to a big, stony mountain. On that mountain stood a house, and in the house lived the little man as big as a thumb, with a mustache seven versts long. The old men sent Ivan to ask for the horse. Ivan asked for it; the little man as big as a thumb, with a mustache seven versts long, said to him: “Steal the king’s daughter and bring her to me; then I will return your horse.”

  Ivan told this to his companions, and they left him at once and went to the king. The king learned what they had come for and ordered his servants to heat a bath red hot—“Let them suffocate there!” He asked his guests to go into the bath; they thanked him and went. The Magician ordered the Freezer to go first. The Freezer went into the bath and cooled it; then they washed and steamed themselves and came before the king. The king ordered a great feast to be served; a vast array of viands was placed on the table. The Glutton ate everything.

  At night the three guests made secret preparations, stole the princess, brought her to the little man as big as a thumb, with a mustache seven versts long, and got the horse in exchange. Ivan the peasant’s son bowed deeply to the old men, bestrode the horse, and started on his journey back to the king. He rode and rode, stopped in the open field to take a rest, pitched his tent, and lay down. When he awoke, he discovered the princess lying beside him. He was overjoyed and asked: “How did you get here?” The princess said: “I changed into a pin and stuck myself into your collar.”

  At that moment she again turned into a pin; Ivan the peasant’s son stuck her in his collar and rode on. He came to the king, who, upon seeing the marvelous horse, received the brave youth with honor and told him that his daughter had been stolen. Ivan said: “Do not grieve, Sire, I have brought her back.” He went into the next room and the pin in his collar turned into a lovely maiden. Ivan took her by the hand and led her to the king. The king was even more overjoyed, took the horse for himself, and gave his daughter to Ivan the peasant’s son in marriage. And even now Ivan is living happily with his young wife.

  DEATH OF A MISER

  THERE WAS ONCE an old miser who had two sons and a great deal of money. When he heard Death coming, he locked himself up in his room, sat on his oaken chest, swallowed his gold coins, chewed up his bills, and thus ended his life. His sons came, laid out the dead body under the holy icons, and invited the sexton to chant the psalms. At midnight a devil in human form suddenly appeared, took the old man on his shoulders, and said: “Hold up the flap of your coat, sexton!” And he shook the dead man, saying: “The money is yours, but the bag is mine.” And he vanished, taking the body with him.

  THE FOOTLESS CHAMPION AND THE HANDLESS CHAMPION

  A CERTAIN PRINCE decided to get married and had a particular bride in mind, a beautiful princess, but he did not know how to win her. Kings and princes and brave champions from many lands had wooed her, but had achieved nothing. They had only lost their rash heads, which were stuck on the fence poles around the palace of the proud maiden. The prince was sad and distressed and wondered who would help him. Then appeared Ivan the Naked, a poor peasant who had nothing to eat or drink and whose clothes had long since fallen from his shoulders. He came to the prince and said: “You cannot win the maiden by yourself, and if you go to woo her alone, you will lose your rash head. It would be better if we went together. I shall save you from danger and arrange t
he whole match. Only promise to obey me.” The prince promised to follow the peasant’s advice, and the very next day they set out on their journey.

  They arrived in the maiden’s kingdom and began to woo her. The princess said: “First, the bridegroom must prove his strength.” She invited the prince to a feast and regaled him lavishly; after dinner the guests began to play various games. “Now bring me my gun that I take on the hunt,” said the princess to her attendants. The door opened and forty men appeared, carrying not a gun but a cannon. “Well, my intended bridegroom,” said the princess, “fire my gun.” “Ivan,” said the prince, “see whether this gun is any good.” Ivan the Naked took the gun out on the porch, gave it a shove with his foot, and it flew far away and fell into the blue sea. “No, Your Majesty,” reported Ivan the Naked, “it is a wretched gun, unfit to be fired by a champion like yourself.” “What is the meaning of this, princess?” said the prince. “Do you wish to make mock of me? You asked me to fire a gun that my servant hurled into the sea with a single kick.”

  The princess ordered her bow and arrow to be brought. Again the door opened and forty men carried in the bow and arrow. “My intended bridegroom, see if you can shoot an arrow with my bow.” “Eh, Ivan,” cried the prince, “see whether this bow is fit for me to shoot with.” Ivan the Naked drew the bow and shot the arrow: it flew a hundred versts, hit Marko the Runner, and shot off both his hands. Marko the Runner cried in a mighty voice: “Ah you, Ivan the Naked, you have shot off both my hands; but you will not escape misfortune either.” Ivan the Naked took the bow and broke it in twain. “Prince,” he said, “it is a wretched bow, unfit to be used by a champion like yourself.” “What is the meaning of this, princess?” the prince said. “What kind of bow have you given me? My servant drew it, shot an arrow with it, and it broke in twain at once.”