George Post Wheeler

“ Wassily the Unlucky promised and resumed his journey, and before long he came to an arm of the sea-ocean, across which lay stranded a huge whale-fish. A thick forest was growing on its tail and on its back was a village whose peasants plowed up and down its sides with their iron plows and drove sharpened stakes into its flesh. Boys had made a playground between its eyes and on its mustache girls picked mushrooms. Wassily rode across on the whale-fish, his horse's hoofs pounding on its ribs, and when he reached the other side the monster opened its wide mouth, sighing bitterly. ”

“ At once the ax flew at the trees and began to chop, square, and sharpen them, and the hammer to pound them into the earth for a foundation; and while the Tzaritza and the Tzarevich watched, there began to rise on the edge of the forest a Palace of white stone, with battlemented walls, more splendid than has ever been seen in any Tzardom, richer than can be guessed or imagined, whose like can neither be told in a tale nor written with a pen. ”

“ He went to the inner chamber, unlocked and opened the closet door, and there he saw an old man of huge form hanging from a beam, fettered with twelve riveted iron chains.
"Who art thou?" asked the Tzarevich.
"I am Kastchey the Wizard," answered the old man. "Imprisoned by the father of Maria Morevna, I have suffered tortures here for ten years. Have mercy on me, good youth, and fetch me a little water to cool my parched throat!"
The Tzarevich pitied the Wizard. "A drink of water can do no harm," he thought, and went and fetched a jugful. The Wizard took it at a single gulp. ”

“ Within the Palace all was still and he saw no one. He went through one room after another, finding each more beautiful than the last, till he came to the inmost chamber of all, and here, sitting on a chair, he found a beautiful damsel weeping.
"Health to thee, lovely maiden!" he said.
"And to thee," she answered. "But what manner of man art thou? How didst thou come into this dreadful place? Knowest thou not that this is the abode of Tzar Zmey, the Serpent-Tzar, who devours a man at every meal?" ”

“ There is in a dense forest, under a crooked oak-tree, a great flat stone which covers an underground room, and in the room are six Tzarevichs, more beautiful than can be told. Each has legs golden to the knee, arms silver to the elbow, and in his hair are little stars. A witch keeps them hidden, and there lives in the white world no man clever enough to find them out or to learn who they are. ”

“ Kastchey said: "On the shore of the blue sea-ocean there is a meadow, and upon it there courses up and down a wonderful mare. Twelve hay-cutters reap the grass of the meadow, and as many more with rakes turn it. The mare follows them, devouring the grass they cut. When she bathes the sea rises in huge waves, and when she rubs her sides against the oak-trees they fall to the ground like sheaves of oats. Every month she brings forth a foal, and twelve fierce wolves follow her to devour them. ”

“ Then he began to admire the three colts, especially the little humpbacked one which frisked like a dog about Ivan's knees, clapping his long ears together from playfulness and dancing up and down on his little hoofs. He kept them hidden, as he had the white mare, in the shepherd's corral, letting them out each morning at sunrise to roll in the dew and spending many hours petting them, talking to them, currying their coats till they shone like silver and braiding their golden manes. ”

“ Hours grew into days, and days ran swiftly after one another till a year had vanished as if it had never been. Again one day Tzarevich Alexis went walking with his two sisters in the green garden, and again there rose up in the sky a cloud like a huge black eagle, with white lightnings flashing across it. "Let us seek shelter, little sisters," he said, "for a terrible whirlwind is rising." They hurried to the Palace, and as they entered it the thunder roared, the ceiling split in two and into the gap came flying an eagle. ”

“ As she got into the mortar the man dressed all in red, mounted on the blood-red horse, galloped like the wind around the corner of the hut, leaped the wall and was gone, and at that moment the sun rose. Then the Baba-Yaga shouted: "Ho! Ye, my solid locks, unlock! Thou, my stout gate, open!" And the locks unlocked and the gate opened and she rode away in the mortar, driving with the pestle and sweeping away her path behind her with the broom.
When Wassilissa found herself left alone, she examined the hut, wondering to find it filled with such an abundance of everything. ”

“ Listen, Helen the Beautiful! Thou art now in our hands. We shall bring thee to our little father, Tzar Wyslaff, and thou shalt tell him that we, and not Tzarevich Ivan, found the Glowing Bird, and won the Horse with the Golden Mane and thine own lovely self. If thou dost not swear by all holy things to say this, then this instant will we put thee to death! ”

“ Hearing the uproar, the Tzar himself at length came to the window and seeing the archer and hearing his words, waxed exceedingly wroth. "Wilt thou suffer this insolent bowman," he cried, "to revile me before my own Palace?" And he sent in haste for his soldiers. They assembled, but as they came, the archer took his golden horn and blew it and at once the invincible host appeared, horse and foot, glittering in bright armor. He began to rap on his earthen bowl and instantly ships-of-war were along all the coast. ”

“ When the day began to break, Finist the Falcon said to her: "Each evening when thou dost set the scarlet flower in the window I will come flying to thee. To-night, ere I fly away as a falcon, take one feather from my wing. If thou hast need of anything, go to the steps under the porch and wave it on thy right side and whatsoever things thy soul desireth, they shall be thine. And when thou hast no longer need of them, wave the feather on thy left side." Then he kissed her and bade her farewell, and turned into a falcon with colored feathers. ”

“ My little Wassilissa, my dear daughter, listen to what I say, remember well my last words and fail not to carry out my wishes. I am dying, and with my blessing, I leave to thee this little doll. It is very precious for there is no other like it in the whole world. Carry it always about with thee in thy pocket and never show it to anyone. When evil threatens thee or sorrow befalls thee, go into a corner, take it from thy pocket and give it something to eat and drink. ”

“ And when she learned that Wassilissa the Wise was in truth his wife, she said: "I will indeed render thee this service, not for love of thee, but because I hate her father. The fairy flies across this forest every day, bringing messages for her father, and stops in my house to rest. Remain here, and as soon as she enters, seize her by the head. When she feels herself caught, she will turn into a frog, and from a frog to a lizard, and from a lizard to a snake, and last of all she will transform herself into an arrow. ”

“ Then the Prime Minister, coming forward, craved the Tzar's permission, and said to her: "Since thy son, old woman, is, as thou hast said, the cleverest lad in the world, let him build in one round of the sun a splendid Palace beside this one, with a bridge of crystal from one to the other. Let the bridge be adorned with curious carvings, and covered with embroidered carpets, and on either side of it let there be a row of apple-trees with fruit of silver and gold, and with birds of paradise upon each branch. ”

“ So, next day, Taraban brought his wife to the Palace, and her beauty was such that it made the other ladies of the Court look like crows. The Tzar could not gaze sufficiently at her, and the instant she had gone felt himself seized with a violent love for her. He sent in hot haste for his Court Ministers, his Boyars, and his great Generals, and said: "Here are the keys of my royal treasury. Take as much gold as ye require to search throughout the four corners of the white world. Only fetch me, to become my Tzaritza, such another beauty as the wife of my archer!" ”

“ For I, thy mother, am in the power of this mighty Wizard who comes to me each day. Thou wilt strive to overcome him, yet is he strong in his enchantments, while thou art but an untried youth, so that I greatly fear for thee!"
"The wind doth not blow for ever," said the Tzarevich, and he comforted his mother and they kissed and caressed one another, when there rose a roaring of wind so that all the crystal windows rattled. "Kastchey comes even now," she said. ”

“ He told them of his errand and the gray-beard said: "Thou hast a keen sword and the horse of a hero, but all the same thou wilt not get to Kastchey."
"Why not?" asked the Tzarevich.
"Because," replied the other, "thou must first pass three rivers. At each river is a ferry, and the price each ferryman asks is a great one, for the first will strike off thy right hand, the second thy left foot, and the third thy head."
"Well," answered Tzarevich Petr, "a man can die but once!" And he thanked him and made to ride on, but the old man stopped him. ”

“ The only things the skazki picture that are common to Russian country life to-day are those things which in Russia never change—the wide, wind-swept steppe and dense forest, the love of animal life and the comradeship of the horse, the dread and terror of the long winter cold, and the passionate welcome given to the springtime sun. ”

“ Now when days had passed and they did not return, Tzarevich Ivan besought his father to give him also his blessing, with leave to ride forth to search for the Glowing Bird, but Tzar Wyslaff denied him, saying: "My dear son, the wolves will devour thee. Thou art still young and unused to far and difficult journeying. Enough that thy brothers have gone from me. I am already old in age, and walk under the eye of God; if He take away my life, and thou, too, art gone, who will remain to keep order in my Tzardom? ”

“ He wandered a day, and two, and three, and on the fourth day he came, in a forest, to a wretched little hut standing on fowls' legs and turning round and round without ceasing. About it was a garden and in the garden was a beautiful damsel plucking flowers.
He greeted her and she said: "Health to thee, good youth, but what dost thou here? This is the house of a Baba-Yaga, who if thou remainest will surely devour thee!"
"It is she I seek," he answered.
"Thou art a brave man," the damsel said. ”

“ O Tzar's Majesty! not for ourselves do we grieve, but we fear thy new Master of the Stables is a wizard and an evil-doer and familiar with Black Magic. For he doth boast openly that he could fetch thee, if he chose, in addition to thy two wonderful steeds, the fabled Pig with the Golden Bristles and the Silver Tusks, with her twenty sucklings, who live in the hidden valley of the Land of the South. ”

“ He swam one hour, he swam two hours, he swam three hours, when a black, iron-beaked crow came flying and, alighting on the cat's head, began to peck it. Vaska was in sore trouble, for she dared not loosen her claws since she could not swim. Nor could she even so much as show her teeth to the crow lest she drop the ring. She endured it as long as she could, while the crow pecked till the blood came, until at length she could stand it no longer, and opening her mouth to defend herself, the ring dropped into the sea-ocean. ”

“ The merchants re-embarked and sailed to the Tzardom of Tzar Saltan, who called them to be his guests; and they came before him, where he sat sad-faced on his golden throne, with his new wife and her sister by his side. As they sat at table the Tzar said: "O merchants and tradesmen! Have ye voyaged far, and to what lands went ye? Is it well or ill across the blue sea-ocean? And what new wonder is there in the white world?" ”

“ The girl took the golden hammer and the ten little diamond nails, thanked the old woman and went on her way. She walked a long way and she walked a short way, and at last, when the third pair of iron shoes were worn through, and the third iron staff broken to pieces, and the third stone church-loaf gnawed away, she came, in a dark wood where the tops of the trees touched the sky, to a deep river and on its bank stood a little hut, on whose door-step sat a third old woman, uglier and sourer than the other two put together. ”

“ In the morning, the Tzar, going to his balcony, saw to his surprise the Palace, the cathedral, the crystal bridge with its costly carpets, and its trees with silver and gold apples, all as had been required. He sent, then, for his Ministers and Boyars, and bade the beautiful Tzarevna prepare for her bridal. "Little I thought," he said, "to behold thee wed the son of a peasant, but I see not how it can be avoided." ”

“ He summoned the archer and said:
"Taraban, my well-loved bowman, and best of my archers! On account of thy loyalty, I have chosen thee out for an especial service. Across three times nine lands dwells the forest monster Muzhichek, who is as high as the knee, with mustaches seven versts long. Bring to me his servant Schmat-Razum, who lives in his pocket, and thou shalt be chiefest of all my Boyars. But as thou lovest thy life, mind thou return not without him!" ”

“ He was carrying earth thither, a whole hill at a time, and mending the roads with it.
"Health to thee," said Little Bear's-Son. "What art thou called?"
"Health to thee," replied the giant. "My name is Gorynia. [2] Whither doth God lead you?"
"Whither our eyes look," said Little Bear's-Son. "Thou art a strong man, I see. But why dost thou toil so hard?"
"Because I am dull," answered the other. "There is no war and the Tzardom is at peace; so, having nothing to do, I amuse myself. But as for strength, I have little enough compared with a certain youth named Ivashko Medvedko." ”

“ Now this great slaughter produced terror throughout all the Tzardom, and at last, seeing so many of his subjects slain, the Mouse-Tzar himself came and saluting with his mustaches, prostrated himself humbly before the dog and cat. "O strong and powerful heroes!" he said, "have mercy on my wretched little people and make not my Tzardom perish! What service can I serve ye in return for our lives?"
Jourka, the dog, answered: "In this country is a Palace in which lives a beautiful Tzar's daughter. She has stolen from my master a ring which she wears on her little finger. ”

“ The morning is wiser than the evening." Little Fool Ivan lay down and slept, and next morning at daybreak the pony waked him. Ivan tied the horse's skin to the saddle-bow, slung the hammer about his neck and mounted, and the little humpbacked horse darted away like a swallow, till the dust curled about his legs like a whirlwind. When he had run three days and four nights without rest, he stopped between two crystal hills and said:
"Yonder lies the green meadow whereon each evening grazes the Mare with Seven Manes and her seven fierce stallions. ”