In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man hunted, the old woman managed the house.
The old man is greedy, and the old woman is even more greedy. What the old man eats, the old woman eats.
An old man gets up early in the morning and says:
- Get up, old woman! Heat up the frying pan, I'm off to hunt. The old man walked and walked through the forest, but did not find any animal or bird. And the old woman heated the frying pan until she turned red.
An old man goes home with an empty bag. He sees a bird sitting on a nest, with twenty-one eggs under it. Clap! Killed her.
Comes home.
- Well, old woman, I brought a snack!
- What did you bring, old man?
- Yes, I killed a bird on a nest and took twenty-one eggs from under it.
- Oh, you old fool! There was no need to hit the bird. Eggs, when hatched, are worthless. Sit down, now yourself, bring them to the point.
And I didn’t want to fry the bird. The old man did not contradict, he sat in the basket instead of the hen.
He was in prison for twenty-one weeks. I hatched not twenty chicks, but twenty young ones. One egg left.
The old woman does not calm down.
“Sit,” he says, “so that there is someone to work, herd cows, and take care of the farm.”
He stayed for another twenty-one weeks. The old woman died of hunger, and the old man brought into the world a handsome young man and named him Ivan.
The old man lives, gets on well, and makes good things. These children work from morning to evening. And the old man walks around, strokes his belly, and shouts at the workers. Got rich. He sowed the land with wheat. It's time to clean up. The brothers instructed the stacks, apparently - invisibly.
The old man began to notice that the stacks were disappearing. Calls his fellows:
- We must, children, keep watch!
He assigned everyone a turn - to guard everyone at night. Ivan had his last night.
The brothers on guard overslept and saw nothing. It was Ivan's turn. He went to the forge, forged a hammer worth twenty-five pounds, and an iron bit worth one and a half pounds. He made a bridle from a pound of hemp.
He sat under a stack and kept watch. I stayed until midnight. He hears the tramp of a horse: a mare is running, the ground is trembling under her, and behind her are twenty-one foals.
She stamped her foot, the stack fell apart, and the foals instantly swept it away.
Ivan hit the mare between the ears with a hammer. She sat down on her knees. Ivan picked her up and took her and the foals to his yard. The gate was bolted and he went to bed.
An old man gets up in the morning.
- Are you sleeping, Ivan, you slacker?
“No, father, I’m not a slacker,” Ivan answers. - I carried out your order.
The old man looked - there was a yard full of horses. He praised Ivan in front of his brothers:
- That’s what Ivan is like! And you? Careless fools...
They began to divide the horses. The old man took the mare. The older brothers chose horses to choose from, and Ivan got the most rundown colt. The brothers are going hunting. They mount fast horses.
Ivan tried his foal - he put his hand on his back. The foal bends over and sits on all four legs. The master's hand is heavy for him. Ivan let him into the meadows for a day. The next day I put my hand down and the foal did not bend. I put my leg down and it bends. I let him go into the meadows for another day.
On the third day, Ivan brings the horse. He puts his leg down and doesn’t bend. He sits down and the horse bends. He let him out into the meadows again for a day.
On the fourth day, Ivan mounts his horse - the horse does not bend under him.
And the brothers had long since left to hunt. Ivan rides across an open field and catches up with his brothers. The day passes, the second passes - not visible in open field no one. The third day ends, night comes. Ivan looks and seems to see a light. “You know, my brothers are cooking porridge.”
As he approaches closer, the fire becomes more and more visible and hotter. Ivan galloped up, and this golden feather was lying there. It’s a pity for Ivan to part with the golden pen. And the horse says to him in a human voice:
“Don’t raise your golden pen, Ivan, there will be big trouble!”
Ivan did not listen to the horse, picked up the feather and hid it in his bosom.
The brothers are coming home. The old man gives them the order to clean out the horses:
- I’ll do a review today. He gave his older brothers brushes and soap. I didn't give anything to Ivan.
Ivan became depressed. And his horse says:
- Don't be sad, master. Take a golden feather, wave it here and there - everything will be as it should.
So the brothers washed and groomed their horses, and Ivan just waved his pen: the horse became golden, hair to hair, scarlet ribbons woven into the mane, a star shining on its forehead.
The older brothers bring out their horses for inspection by the old man. All horses are clean, all are good.
And Ivan brought it out - even better. The horse is dancing golden.
- Oh, you! - says the old man. - What a bad horse he got, but now he’s better than all of you. The brothers were overcome by jealousy:
- Let's guys think of something to say to Ivan.
They come to the old man:
“You, father, don’t know how cunning our Ivan is.” He didn’t boast about that to us yet.
- What did he boast about, guys?
“I,” he says, “are not like you.” If I want, I can get a cat - a gambler, a gander - a dancer and a fox - a cymbalom. The old man believed. Summons Ivan.
- Here the guys say about you that you can get a cat - a gambler, a gander - a dancer and a fox - a cymbalom.
- No, father! I don't know anything about this.
- How come you don’t know? Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Even though I don’t need them, I will definitely get them!
Ivan began to burn and went to his horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse, I’m in trouble... And the horse says:
- It’s a disaster, not a disaster, there will be trouble ahead. Hop on me, let's go get what we ordered.
Ivan goes to foreign cities. The horse stopped at the tall chorus and said:
— A rich merchant lives here. Go to him, ask him to sell the cat - the tiger, the gander - the dancer, and the fox - the cymbalom. He will ask for your horse in exchange. You agree. Just make sure when you give me away, take the reins off me.
Ivan did as the horse ordered. The merchant gave him a cat - a tiger, a gander - a dancer, a fox - a cymbalom, and Ivan - in exchange for his golden horse.
He took off the bridle. Speaks:
- My bridle is a gift, not for sale.
He went out into an open field and heard the earth trembling. A faithful horse runs up to him.
- Well, let's go home, master. I left the merchant. Ivan brought gifts to the old man. The brothers came running to see the miracle. The fox beats the cymbals, the cat plays songs, the gander dances.
- Oh, you! - the old man says to the brothers. - You are no good for anything. Here Ivan is my head - he has done everything I need to do!
And they responded:
- Oh, father, Ivan doesn’t know that yet. He boasted himself.
- And what? What does he know, guys?
“He told us, father: “I know where to get self-playing harp.”
Old man Ivan calls:
- Ivan, bring me a self-playing gusli!
- Oh, father, I haven’t seen them, I haven’t heard of them.
The old man got angry.
“I’m tired of your rebuffs,” he says. Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. To get the self-playing gusli!
Ivan went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! Here comes my trouble!
The horse answers him:
- It’s a disaster, not a disaster, there will be trouble ahead. Go to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up early, saddles his golden horse, and goes into the dense forests. We drove and drove. They see: a hut stands on chicken legs, on dog heels.
Ivan says:
- Hut, hut, stand in front of me, with your back to the west.
The hut turned around. A woman comes out of it - a yaga, a bone leg - rides on a mortar, sweeps with a broom, drives with a pestle.
- Oh, you are a good fellow! - speaks. - Why did you come here? Or don't you mind your head?
Ivan answers her:
- Oh, you grandma, old lady! You didn’t ask what kind of grief I have - trouble! Am I fed, am I watered, or am I dying of hunger? In Rus' we have a dear person with an evil word They don’t greet you, they greet you kindly. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking. The old lady was touched by his words.
“Come here,” he says, “guy.” You will be my guest.
Ivan gets off his golden horse. He enters the hut on chicken legs and dog heels. The old lady sits him down at the table. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about grief and trouble.
- Oh, grandma! “My great grief,” he says, “Ivan.” - What do i do? Where can I get self-playing gusli?
- I, my dear, know where this wonder is.
- Oh, grandma, tell me, help my grief!
- The guy is a beauty, I feel sorry for you. This is a difficult matter. I have a sister, and she has a son, Zmey Gorynych. So he has these harps. He does not love the human spirit. I'm afraid he might eat you. Well, I’ll try for you - I’ll ask my sister, I’ll help you. Here is my yard, and in the middle of the yard is an oak stake. Tie the horse to him by the silk reins. And I will give you a ball, hold it by the tip. He will roll, and you will follow. Here comes Ivan, and the ball rolls ahead. Comes to the court of the Serpent Gorynych. The gates are locked with twelve chains and twelve padlocks. Ivan knocked. An old woman came out - the mother of Zmey Gorynych.
- Oh, young guy, why did you come here? My son will arrive hungry, he will eat you!
Ivan answers her:
- You are a grandmother, old lady! You didn’t ask me what my problem was. Am I hungry, am I cold? In Rus', a dear person is not greeted with an evil word, he is greeted with kindness. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking.
The old woman was touched by his words and took him to the hut. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about her troubles and sorrows.
“Don’t be sad, boy, he’s a beauty,” he says, “I’ll help your grief.”
It’s already midnight, and soon the Serpent Gorynych will arrive. We need to hide Ivan.
Old lady says:
- Lie down under the bench. I will meet my son, protect you, guy.
At midnight the Serpent Gorynych arrived. It flies - the earth trembles, the trees sway, the leaves fall off. He flew into the hut, turned his nose and said:
- Rus' smells like bone.
And the old woman answers him:
- And - and, son! He flew around Rus', he got enough of Rus', and now you smell Russia.
“Get some food, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych.
The old woman pulls a whole bull out of the oven and brings a bucket of wine to the table. The Serpent Gorynych drank wine and ate a sweet ox. Cheerful.
- Eh, mother, who should I play cards with? - speaks.
The old lady answers:
“I would find, child, someone to play cards with for you, but I’m afraid that you will harm him.”
“I respect you, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych. “I won’t do any harm to him.” It hurts me to want to play cards.
The old lady called Ivan. He crawls out from under the bench and sits down at the table.
- What are we going to play for? - asks Zmey Gorynych.
They made an agreement among themselves: whoever beats whoever eats him. Started to play. We played for a day, played for two, and on the third day we beat the Snake
Gorynych.
The Serpent Gorynych got scared, got down on his knees and asked:
- Do not eat me!
“Well,” says Ivan, “if you want to stay alive, give me the self-playing harp.”
Serpent Gorynych was delighted.
- Take it! - speaks. - My harp will be even three times better!
The serpent Gorynych rewarded Ivan and took him far. Ivan arrives home. He hung a self-playing gusli in the hut.
They sang and played the harp. The fox struck the cymbals. The cat started a song. The gander went to dance. The fun has begun. The old man praises Ivan, but scolds his brothers and drives them out of the yard.
The brothers thought: how to denigrate Ivan?
Elder brother says:
- You know what, guys? I heard that in the overseas kingdom there is a princess named Marya. Ivan won’t be able to get it. They went to the old man:
- You, father, still don’t know everything about Ivan’s cunning. He boasted to us that he could get Marya the princess.
The old man calls for Ivan.
“Then the brothers say that you can get Marya, the princess.”
- Oh, father! I don’t know anything about Marya the princess!
The old man doesn't want to listen:
- You can’t contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Go immediately. So that you introduce Marya to me - the princess!
Ivan began to cry and went to his horse:
- Oh, my faithful horse. What a disaster for me!
And the horse says:
- It’s a disaster, not a disaster, there will be trouble ahead. Get ready, master, to hit the road.
What should Ivan do? He takes with him his horse, the self-playing gusli, the fox - the cymbalom, the cat - the gambler, the gander - the dancer. Boards the ship. They swam and swam. They sail to the state where Marya the princess lives.
The father, the Tsar, protects his daughter more than ever. Marya the princess never even went out for a walk in the yard alone. Ivan unfurled his sails and stopped his ship against the royal palace. The harp began to play - self-play. The fox struck the dulcimer - the dulcimer. The toy cat began to sing. The gander began to dance - the dancer. Marya the princess rushed around the yard:
- Oh, father! I have never heard such music in my life! Let me go to the pier to see the ship and listen to music.
Well, what is it worth for the king with his servants and hay girls to fulfill her request? She begged her father.
He let her go to the sea to see the ship and listen to music. And he ordered the hay girls not to take their eyes off Marya, the princess, so that no trouble would happen.
The ship is right next to the pier. All the windows are open, no people can be seen. The Tsar's daughter leaned on the windowsill and listened to the wonderful music. The hay girls also listened.
No one noticed how Ivan picked up Marya, the princess, onto his ship. And the sails carried them quickly. Ivan took away Marya, the princess. They arrived home. The old man was delighted and began to dance. He danced until he lost his hat.
“Now I’m going to get married,” he says. Marya the princess answers:
- No, wait! He managed to take me away, and managed to take away my box with my accessories.
-Where is your box?
“My box is under the table where Father the Tsar dines.”
Old man Ivan calls:
“Here’s your task: bring me Marya the Princess’s box.”
- Oh, father, I can’t! - Ivan answers.
- You, Ivan, cannot contradict me! I have no use for such speech. You must bring the box.
And there is no more conversation. Ivan went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! That's when I'm in trouble!
- It’s a disaster, not a disaster, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up in the morning, saddles his horse, and sets off to the kingdom from which he brought Marya, the princess. An old beggar comes towards me. Ivan bought clothes from him with a bag for a hundred rubles. Dressed as a beggar. Approaches the royal palace. He took out a golden feather, waved it back and forth, and the horse became golden. Ivan let him into the royal court.
The king's servants and the king and queen himself ran out. They began to catch the golden horse, but forgot to close the doors in the house.
And Ivan was agile. He ran into the palace, grabbed a box from under the royal table and put it in his bag. He jumps out into the yard and shouts:
- Can I help?
He jumped onto his horse and caught his feet in the stirrups. He galloped away and took away the box.
The old man is more happy than ever.
“Ivan brought a box,” he says. - Schedule a wedding for tomorrow.
Marya the princess answers:
- Wait, what about the wedding. You haven't done everything for me yet. There are twelve mares in the sea, bring them here to me:
The old man calls for Ivan.
- May I have twelve sea mares!
Ivan began to cry and went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! That's my problem!..
The horse listened to him and said:
- Now there's trouble. Well, what will be will be. Prepare twelve hides, twelve pounds of twine, twelve pounds of resin and three pounds of iron rods. Let's go to the sea for mares.
Ivan prepared all this. They drive up to the sea.
Ivan lit a fire and placed a cauldron of resin on it. He wraps the horse with skins, ties it with twine, and fills it with resin. When he had wrapped twelve skins and poured twelve pounds of resin, the horse said:
- Look at the place where I jump into the sea. White bubbles will float across the water, don’t worry: I’m the one driving the mares out of the stall. But if you see bloody bubbles, take the iron bars and jump to my aid. Know that the sea mares have overcome me.
The horse jumped into the sea, and Ivan sat on the shore, looking at the place where the horse disappeared. Two hours later, white bubbles began to appear in the water. Three hours had not passed, the sea mares jumped ashore, followed by Ivanov’s horse.
Ivan looks, there is only one skin left on the horse that is not torn. The sea mares gnawed eleven skins and beat them with their hooves.
Ivan drove the sea mares home. Marya the princess tells him:
- Well, Ivan, now manage to milk a pot of milk from them.
“Oh, Marya is the princess,” Ivan answers, “I don’t know how to milk them.”
And the old man stands and orders:
- You can’t contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Milk mares without refusal!
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
“Don’t worry, master,” the horse tells him. - This is a simple matter.
Ivan got to work. I milked a cauldron of milk from the sea mares.
Marya the princess tells him:
- Now we need to boil the milk. When it starts boiling, tell me.
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
- Oh, my faithful horse! What order are they giving me!
They tell the milk to boil.
“Don’t be afraid, master,” the horse tells him. - Do as I say. When the milk boils, they tell you to jump into the cauldron and take a bath. And you stand and listen: when I neigh three times in the stable, then jump.
Ivan boiled milk. It began to boil from end to end, surging.
They reported to Marya the princess. She goes with the old man to the cauldron. He doesn’t let her go one step away from him.
She says to the old man:
“You need to bathe in boiling milk, then I’ll marry you.”
The old man got scared:
- No, let Ivan try it first.
Marya the princess says:
- Well, Ivanushka, you did everything for me. Do this too: bathe in boiling milk.
The cauldron is boiling, milk is splashing out of the top. Ivan took off his shirt. He stands near the boiler, waiting for news from his faithful friend.
The horse neighed three times in the stable. Then Ivan jumped into the cauldron. He swam three times from edge to edge. Came out alive and unharmed. And he was so good, but now he has become completely handsome: blood and milk.
Marya the princess says to the old man:
- Well, now jump!
The old man jumped into the cauldron and his bones fell apart. Ivanushka and Marya the Queen got married. I visited them and drank tea. They looked after me, stroked me, and I told them fairy tales. That's
In some kingdom, in some state, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man hunted, the old woman managed the house.
The old man is greedy, and the old woman is even more greedy. What the old man eats, the old woman eats.
An old man gets up early in the morning and says:
Get up, old woman! Heat up the frying pan, I'm off to hunt.
The old man walked and walked through the forest, but did not find any animal or bird. And the old woman heated the frying pan until she turned red.
An old man goes home with an empty bag. He sees a bird sitting on a nest, with twenty-one eggs under it. Clap! Killed her.
Comes home.
Well, old woman, I brought a snack!
What did you bring, old man?
Yes, I killed a bird on a nest and took twenty-one eggs from under it. - Oh, you old fool! There was no need to hit the bird. After all, hatched eggs are worthless. Now sit down yourself and bring them to work.
And I didn’t want to fry the bird. The old man did not contradict, he sat in the basket instead of the hen.
He was in prison for twenty-one weeks. I hatched not twenty chicks, but twenty young ones. One egg left.
The old woman does not calm down.
“Sit,” he says, “so that there will be someone to work, herd cows, and take care of the farm.”
He stayed for another twenty-one weeks. The old woman died of hunger, and the old man brought into the world a handsome young man and named him Ivan.
The old man lives, gets on well, and makes good things. These children work from morning to evening. And the old man walks around, strokes his belly, and shouts at the workers. Got rich. He sowed the land with wheat. It's time to clean up. The brothers instructed the stacks, apparently and invisibly.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman.
The old man hunted, the old woman managed the house.
The old man is greedy, and the old woman is even more greedy. What the old man eats, the old woman eats.
An old man gets up early in the morning and says:
Get up, old woman! Heat up the frying pan, I'm off to hunt.
The old man walked and walked through the forest, but did not find any animal or bird. And the old woman heated the frying pan until she turned red.
An old man goes home with an empty bag. He sees a bird sitting on a nest, with twenty-one eggs under it. Clap! Killed her.
Comes home.
Well, old woman, I brought a snack!
What did you bring, old man?
Yes, I killed a bird on a nest and took twenty-one eggs from under it.
Oh, you old fool! There was no need to hit the bird. After all, hatched eggs are worthless. Now sit down yourself and bring them to work.
And I didn’t want to fry the bird. The old man did not contradict, he sat in the basket instead of the hen.
He was in prison for twenty-one weeks. I hatched not twenty chicks, but twenty young ones. One egg left.
The old woman does not calm down.
“Sit,” he says, “so that there is someone to work, herd cows, and take care of the farm.”
He stayed for another twenty-one weeks. The old woman died of hunger, and the old man brought into the world a handsome young man and named him Ivan.
The old man lives, gets on well, and makes good things. These children work from morning to evening. And the old man walks around, strokes his belly, and shouts at the workers. Got rich. He sowed the land with wheat. It's time to clean up.
The brothers instructed the stacks, apparently and invisibly.
The old man began to notice that the stacks were disappearing. Calls his fellows:
We must, children, keep watch!
He assigned everyone a turn - to guard each one at night. Ivan had his last night.
The brothers on guard overslept and saw nothing. It was Ivan's turn.
He went to the forge, forged a hammer worth twenty-five pounds, and an iron bit worth one and a half pounds. He made a bridle from a pound of hemp.
He sat under a stack and kept watch. I stayed until midnight. He hears the tramp of a horse: a mare is running, the ground is trembling under her, and behind her are twenty-one foals.
She stamped her foot, the stack fell apart, and the foals instantly swept it away.
Ivan hit the mare between the ears with a hammer. She sat down on her knees. Ivan picked her up and took her and the foals to his yard. The gate was bolted and he went to bed.
An old man gets up in the morning.
Are you sleeping, Ivan, you slacker?
No, father, I’m not a slacker,” Ivan answers. - I carried out your order.
The old man looked - a yard full of horses. He praised Ivan in front of his brothers:
That's my Ivan! And you? Careless fools...
They began to divide the horses. The old man took the mare. The older brothers chose horses to choose from, and Ivan got the most rundown foal.
The brothers are going hunting. They mount fast horses.
Ivan tried his foal - he put his hand on his back. The foal bends over and sits on all four legs. The master's hand is heavy for him. Ivan let him into the meadows for a day. The next day I put my hand down and the foal did not bend. I put my leg down and it bends. I let him go into the meadows for another day.
On the third day, Ivan brings the horse. He puts his leg down and doesn’t bend. He sits down himself - the horse bends. He let him out into the meadows again for a day.
On the fourth day, Ivan mounts his horse - the horse does not bend under him.
And the brothers had long since left to hunt. Ivan rides across an open field and catches up with his brothers. The day passes, the second passes - no one is visible in the open field. The third day ends, night comes. Ivan looks - it looks like he can see a light. “You know, my brothers are cooking porridge.”
As he approaches closer, the fire becomes more visible and hotter. Ivan galloped up, and this golden feather was lying there. It’s a pity for Ivan to part with the golden pen. And the horse says to him in a human voice:
Don’t raise your golden pen, Ivan, there will be big trouble!
Ivan did not listen to the horse, picked up the feather and hid it in his bosom.
The brothers are coming home. The old man gives them the order to clean out the horses:
I'll have a look today. He gave his older brothers brushes and soap. I didn't give anything to Ivan.
Ivan became depressed. And his horse says:
Don't be sad, master. Take a golden feather, wave it back and forth - everything will be as it should.
So the brothers washed and groomed their horses, and Ivan just waved his pen: the horse became golden, hair to hair, scarlet ribbons woven into the mane, a star shining on its forehead.
The older brothers bring out their horses for inspection by the old man. All horses are clean, all are good.
And Ivan brought it out - even better. The horse is dancing golden.
Oh you! - says the old man. - What a bad horse he got, but now he’s better than all of you. The brothers were overcome by jealousy:
Let's guys think of something to say to Ivan.
They come to the old man:
You, father, don’t know how cunning our Ivan is. He didn't boast about that to us yet.
What did he boast about, guys?
“I,” he says, “are not like you.” If I want, I can get a playing cat, a dancing gander and a cymbalom fox. The old man believed. Summons Ivan.
Here the guys say about you that you can get a playing cat, a dancing gander and a dulcimer fox.
No, father! I don't know anything about this.
How come you don’t know? Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Even though I don’t need them, I will definitely get them!
Ivan began to burn and went to his horse for advice:
Oh, my faithful horse, I’m in trouble... And the horse says:
This is a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Hop on me, let's go get what we ordered.
Ivan goes to foreign cities. The horse stopped at the tall chorus and said:
A rich merchant lives here. Go to him and ask him to sell the playing cat, the dancing gander and the cymbalom fox. He will ask for your horse in exchange. You agree. Just make sure when you give me away, take the reins off me.
Ivan did as the horse ordered. The merchant gave him a playful cat, a dancing gander, a fox cymbalom, and Ivan gave him his golden horse in return.
He took off the bridle. Speaks:
My bridle is a gift, not for sale.
He went out into an open field and heard the earth trembling. A faithful horse runs up to him.
Well, let's go home, master. I left the merchant. Ivan brought gifts to the old man. The brothers came running to see the miracle. The fox beats the cymbals, the cat plays songs, the gander dances.
Oh you! - the old man says to the brothers. - You are no good for anything. Here Ivan is my head - he has done everything I need to do!
And they responded:
Oh, father, Ivan doesn’t know that yet. He boasted himself.
And what? What does he know, guys?
He told us, father, “I know where to get the gusli-games.”
Old man Ivan calls:
Ivan, bring me a self-playing gusli!
Oh, father, I haven’t seen them, I haven’t heard of them.
The old man got angry.
“I’m tired,” he says, “of your rebuffs!” Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. To get the self-playing gusli!
Ivan went to the horse for advice:
Oh, my faithful horse! Here comes my trouble!
The horse answers him:
This is a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up early, saddles his golden horse, and goes into the dense forests.
We drove and drove. They see: a hut stands on chicken legs, on dog heels.
Ivan says:
Hut, hut, stand facing me with your front and back to the west.
The hut turned around. Baba Yaga comes out of it, a bone leg - rides on a mortar, sweeps with a broom, drives with a pestle.
Oh, you are a good fellow! - speaks. - Why did you come here? Or don't you mind your head?
Ivan answers her:
Eh, you grandma, old lady! You didn’t ask what kind of trouble I’m having!
Am I fed, am I watered, or am I dying of hunger? In Rus', a dear person is not greeted with an evil word, he is greeted with kindness. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking. The old lady was touched by his words.
Come, he says, guy, here. You will be my guest.
Ivan gets off his golden horse. He enters the hut on chicken legs and dog heels. The old lady sits him down at the table. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about her troubles.
Ah, grandma! “My great grief,” he says, “Ivan.” - What do i do?
Where can I get self-playing gusli?
I, my dear, know where this wonder is.
Oh, grandma, tell me, help my grief!
Beautiful guy, I feel sorry for you. This is a difficult matter. I have a sister, and she has a son, Zmey Gorynych. So he has these harps. He does not love the human spirit. I'm afraid he might eat you. Well, I’ll try for you - I’ll ask my sister, I’ll help you. Here is my yard, and in the middle of the yard is an oak stake.
Tie the horse to him by the silk reins. And I will give you a ball, hold it by the tip. He will roll, and you will follow. Here comes Ivan, and the ball rolls ahead. Comes to the court of the Serpent Gorynych. The gates are locked with twelve chains and twelve padlocks. Ivan knocked. An old woman came out - the mother of Zmey Gorynych.
Oh, young guy, why did you come here? My son will arrive hungry, he will eat you!
Ivan answers her:
Grandma, you old lady! You didn’t ask me what my problem was. Am I hungry, am I cold? In Rus', a dear person is not greeted with an evil word, he is greeted with kindness. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking.
The old woman was touched by his words and took him to the hut. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about her troubles and sorrows.
Don’t be sad, handsome guy,” he says, “I’ll help your grief.”
It’s already midnight, and soon the Serpent Gorynych will arrive. We need to hide Ivan.
Old lady says:
Lie down under the bench. I will meet my son, protect you, guy.
At midnight the Serpent Gorynych arrived. It flies - the earth trembles, the trees sway, the leaves fall off. He flew into the hut, turned his nose and said:
Rus' smells like bone.
And the old woman answers him:
And-and, son! He flew around Rus', he got enough of Rus', and now you smell Russia.
“Get some food, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych.
The old woman pulls a whole bull out of the oven and brings a bucket of wine to the table.
The Serpent Gorynych drank wine and ate a sweet ox. Cheerful.
Eh, mother, who should I play cards with? - speaks.
The old lady answers:
I would find, child, someone to play cards with, but I’m afraid that you will harm him.
“I respect you, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych. - I won’t do any harm to him. It hurts me to want to play cards.
The old lady called Ivan. He crawls out from under the bench and sits down at the table.
What are we going to play for? - asks Zmey Gorynych.
They made an agreement among themselves: whoever beats whoever eats him.
Started to play. We played for a day, played for two, and on the third day we beat Zmey Gorynych.
The Serpent Gorynych got scared, got down on his knees and asked:
Do not eat me!
Well,” says Ivan, “if you want to stay alive, give me the self-playing harp.”
Serpent Gorynych was delighted.
Take it! - speaks. - My harp will be even three times better!
The serpent Gorynych rewarded Ivan and took him far. Ivan arrives home.
He hung a self-playing gusli in the hut.
They sang and played the harp. The fox struck the cymbals. The cat started a song.
The gander went to dance. The fun has begun. The old man praises Ivan, but scolds his brothers and drives them out of the yard.
The brothers thought: how to denigrate Ivan?
Elder brother says:
You know what, guys? I heard that in the overseas kingdom there is a Marya Princess. Ivan won’t be able to get her. They went to the old man:
You, father, still don’t know everything about Ivan’s cunning. He boasted to us that he could get Marya the princess.
The old man calls for Ivan.
Then the brothers say that you can get Marya the Princess.
Oh, father! I don’t know anything about Marya the Princess!
The old man doesn't want to listen:
Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Go immediately. So that you introduce Marya the Princess to me!
Ivan began to cry and went to his horse:
Oh, my faithful horse. What a disaster for me!
And the horse says:
This is a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Get ready, master, to hit the road.
What should Ivan do? He takes with him his horse, the self-playing harp, the fox-dulcimer, the playing cat, and the dancing gander. Boards the ship.
They swam and swam. They sail to the state where Marya the Princess lives.
The father-tsar protects his daughter more than his eye. Marya the Princess never even went out for a walk in the yard alone. Ivan unfurled his sails and stopped his ship against the royal palace. The self-playing harp began to play. The fox-dulcimer struck the cymbals. The playful cat began to sing. The gander-dancer began to dance. Marya the Princess rushed around the yard:
Oh, father! I have never heard such music in my life! Let me go to the pier - see the ship, listen to music.
Well, what is it worth for the king with his servants and hay girls to fulfill her request? She begged her father.
He let her go to the sea to see the ship and listen to music. And he ordered the hay girls not to take their eyes off Marya the Princess, so that no misfortune would happen.
The ship is right next to the pier. All the windows are open, no people can be seen. The Tsar's daughter leaned on the windowsill and listened to the wonderful music. The hay girls also listened.
No one noticed how Ivan picked up Marya the Princess onto his ship.
And the sails carried them quickly. Ivan took Marya the princess away. They arrived home. The old man was delighted and began to dance. He danced until he lost his hat.
“Now I’m going to get married,” he says. Marya the Princess answers:
No, wait! He managed to take me away, and managed to take away my box with my accessories.
Where's your box?
My box stands under the table where Father the Tsar dines.
Old man Ivan calls:
Here's your task: bring me Marya Queen's box.
Oh, father, I can’t! - Ivan answers.
You, Ivan, cannot contradict me! I have no use for such speech. You must bring the box.
And there is no more conversation. Ivan went to the horse for advice:
Oh, my faithful horse! That's when I'm in trouble!
This is a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up in the morning, saddles his horse, and sets off to the kingdom from which he brought Marya the Princess. An old beggar comes towards me. Ivan bought clothes from him with a bag for a hundred rubles. Dressed as a beggar. Approaches the royal palace. He took out a golden feather, waved it back and forth, and the horse turned golden. Ivan let him into the royal court.
The king's servants and the king and queen himself ran out. They began to catch the golden horse, but forgot to close the doors in the house.
And Ivan was agile. He ran into the palace, grabbed the box from under the royal table and put it in his bag. He jumps out into the yard and shouts:
Can't I help?
He jumped onto his horse and caught his feet in the stirrups. He galloped away and took away the box.
The old man is more happy than ever.
Ivan brought a box,” he says. - Schedule a wedding for tomorrow.
Marya the Princess answers:
Wait a minute about the wedding. You haven't done everything for me yet. There are twelve mares in the sea, bring them here to me:
The old man calls for Ivan.
May I have twelve sea mares!
Ivan began to cry and went to the horse for advice:
Oh, my faithful horse! That's my problem!..
The horse listened to him and said:
Now there's trouble. Well, what will be will be. Prepare twelve hides, twelve pounds of twine, twelve pounds of resin and three pounds of iron rods. Let's go to the sea for mares.
Ivan prepared all this. They drive up to the sea.
Ivan lit a fire and placed a cauldron of resin on it. He wraps the horse with skins, ties it with twine, and fills it with resin. When he had wrapped twelve skins and poured twelve pounds of resin, the horse said:
Look at the place where I jump into the sea. White bubbles will float across the water, don’t worry: I’m the one driving the mares out of the stall. But if you see bloody bubbles, take the iron bars and jump to my aid.
Know that the sea mares have overcome me.
The horse jumped into the sea, and Ivan sat on the shore, looking at the place where the horse disappeared. Two hours later, white bubbles began to appear in the water. Three hours had not passed, the sea mares jumped ashore, followed by Ivanov’s horse.
Ivan looks, there is only one skin left on the horse, untorn. The sea mares gnawed eleven skins and beat them with their hooves.
Ivan drove the sea mares home. Marya the Princess tells him:
Well, Ivan, now manage to milk a pot of milk from them.
“Oh, Marya the Princess,” Ivan answers, “I don’t know how to milk them.”
And the old man stands and orders:
Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Milk mares without refusal!
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
Don’t worry, master,” the horse tells him. - This is a simple matter.
Ivan got to work. I milked a cauldron of milk from sea mares.
Marya the Princess tells him:
Now we need to boil the milk. When it starts boiling, tell me.
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
Oh, my faithful horse! What order are they giving me!
They tell the milk to boil.
“Don’t be afraid, master,” the horse tells him. - Do as I say. When the milk boils, they tell you to jump into the cauldron and take a bath. And you stand and listen:
when I neigh three times in the stable, then jump.
Ivan boiled milk. It began to boil from end to end, surging.
They reported to Marya the Princess. She goes with the old man to the cauldron. He doesn’t let her go one step away from him.
She says to the old man:
You need to bathe in boiling milk, then I will marry you.
The old man got scared:
No, let Ivan try it first.
Marya the Princess says:
Well, Ivanushka, you did everything for me. Do this too: bathe in boiling milk.
The cauldron is boiling, milk is splashing out of the top. Ivan took off his shirt. He stands near the boiler, waiting for news from his faithful friend.
The horse neighed three times in the stable. Then Ivan jumped into the cauldron. He swam three times from edge to edge. Came out alive and unharmed. And he was so good, but now he has become completely handsome: blood and milk.
Marya the Princess says to the old man:
Well, now jump!
The old man jumped into the cauldron and his bones fell apart. Ivanushka and Marya the Queen were married. I visited them and drank tea. They looked after me, smoothed me, and I told them fairy tales.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man hunted, the old woman managed the house.
The old man is greedy, and the old woman is even more greedy. What the old man eats, the old woman eats.
An old man gets up early in the morning and says:
Get up, old woman! Heat up the frying pan, I'm off to hunt.
The old man walked and walked through the forest, but did not find any animal or bird. And the old woman heated the frying pan until she turned red.
An old man goes home with an empty bag. He sees a bird sitting on a nest, with twenty-one eggs under it. Clap! Killed her.
Comes home.
Well, old woman, I brought a snack!
What did you bring, old man?
Yes, I killed a bird on a nest and took twenty-one eggs from under it.
Oh, you old fool! There was no need to hit the bird. After all, hatched eggs are worthless. Now sit down yourself and bring them to work.
And I didn’t want to fry the bird. The old man did not contradict, he sat in the basket instead of the hen.
He was in prison for twenty-one weeks. I hatched not twenty chicks, but twenty young ones. One egg left.
The old woman does not calm down.
“Sit,” he says, “so that there will be someone to work, herd cows, and take care of the farm.”
He stayed for another twenty-one weeks. The old woman died of hunger, and the old man brought into the world a handsome young man and named him Ivan.
The old man lives, gets on well, and makes good things. These children work from morning to evening. And the old man walks around, strokes his belly, and shouts at the workers. Got rich. He sowed the land with wheat. It's time to clean up. The brothers instructed the stacks, apparently and invisibly.
The old man began to notice that the stacks were disappearing. Calls his fellows:
We must, children, keep watch!
He assigned everyone a turn - to guard each one at night. Ivan had his last night.
The brothers on guard overslept and saw nothing. It was Ivan's turn.
He went to the forge, forged a hammer worth twenty-five pounds, and an iron bit worth one and a half pounds. He made a bridle from a pound of hemp.
He sat under a stack and kept watch. I stayed until midnight. He hears the tramp of a horse: a mare is running, the ground is trembling under her, and behind her are twenty-one foals.
She stamped her foot, the stack fell apart, and the foals instantly swept it away.
Ivan hit the mare between the ears with a hammer. She sat down on her knees. Ivan picked her up and took her and the foals to his yard. The gate was bolted and he went to bed.
An old man gets up in the morning.
Are you sleeping, Ivan, you slacker?
No, father, I’m not a slacker,” Ivan answers. - I carried out your order.
The old man looked - a yard full of horses. He praised Ivan in front of his brothers:
That's my Ivan! And you? Careless fools...
They began to divide the horses. The old man took the mare. The older brothers chose horses to choose from, and Ivan got the most rundown foal. The brothers are going hunting. They mount fast horses.
Ivan tried his foal - he put his hand on his back. The foal bends over and sits on all four legs. The master's hand is heavy for him. Ivan let him into the meadows for a day. The next day I put my hand down and the foal did not bend. I put my leg down and it bends. I let him go into the meadows for another day.
On the third day, Ivan brings the horse. He puts his leg down and doesn’t bend. He sits down himself - the horse bends. He let him out into the meadows again for a day.
On the fourth day, Ivan mounts his horse - the horse does not bend under him.
And the brothers had long since left to hunt. Ivan rides across an open field and catches up with his brothers. The day passes, the second passes - no one is visible in the open field. The third day ends, night comes. Ivan looks - it looks like he can see a light. “You know, my brothers are cooking porridge.”
As he approaches closer, the fire becomes more visible and hotter. Ivan galloped up, and this golden feather was lying there. It’s a pity for Ivan to part with the golden pen. And the horse says to him in a human voice:
Don’t raise your golden pen, Ivan, there will be big trouble!
Ivan did not listen to the horse, picked up the feather and hid it in his bosom.
The brothers are coming home.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man hunted, the old woman managed the house.
The old man is greedy, and the old woman is even more greedy. What the old man eats, the old woman eats.
An old man gets up early in the morning and says:
- Get up, old woman! Heat up the frying pan, I'm off to hunt.
The old man walked and walked through the forest, but did not find any animal or bird. And the old woman heated the frying pan until she turned red.
An old man goes home with an empty bag. He sees a bird sitting on a nest, with twenty-one eggs under it. Clap! Killed her.
Comes home.
- Well, old woman, I brought a snack!
- What did you bring, old man?
- Yes, I killed a bird on a nest and took twenty-one eggs from under it.
- Oh, you old fool! There was no need to hit the bird. After all, hatched eggs are worthless. Now sit down yourself and bring them to work.
And I didn’t want to fry the bird. The old man did not contradict, he sat in the basket instead of the hen.
He was in prison for twenty-one weeks. I hatched not twenty chicks, but twenty young ones. One egg left.
The old woman does not calm down.
“Sit,” he says, “so that there is someone to work, herd cows, and take care of the farm.”
He stayed for another twenty-one weeks. The old woman died of hunger, and the old man brought into the world a handsome young man and named him Ivan.
The old man lives, gets on well, and makes good things. These children work from morning to evening. And the old man walks around, strokes his belly, and shouts at the workers. Got rich. He sowed the land with wheat. It's time to clean up. The brothers instructed the stacks, apparently and invisibly.
The old man began to notice that the stacks were disappearing. Calls his fellows:
- We must, children, keep watch!
He assigned everyone a turn - to guard each one at night. Ivan had his last night.
The brothers on guard overslept and saw nothing. It was Ivan's turn.
He went to the forge, forged a hammer worth twenty-five pounds, and an iron bit worth one and a half pounds. He made a bridle from a pound of hemp.
He sat under a stack and kept watch. I stayed until midnight. He hears the tramp of a horse: a mare is running, the ground is trembling under her, and behind her are twenty-one foals.
She stamped her foot, the stack fell apart, and the foals instantly swept it away.
Ivan hit the mare between the ears with a hammer. She sat down on her knees. Ivan picked her up and took her and the foals to his yard. The gate was bolted and he went to bed.
An old man gets up in the morning.
- Are you sleeping, Ivan, you slacker?
“No, father, I’m not a slacker,” Ivan answers. - I carried out your order.
The old man looked - a yard full of horses. He praised Ivan in front of his brothers:
- That’s what Ivan is like! And you? Careless fools...
They began to divide the horses. The old man took the mare. The older brothers chose horses to choose from, and Ivan got the most rundown foal. The brothers are going hunting. They mount fast horses.
Ivan tried his foal - he put his hand on his back. The foal bends over and sits on all four legs. The master's hand is heavy for him. Ivan let him into the meadows for a day. The next day I put my hand down and the foal did not bend. I put my leg down and it bends. I let him go into the meadows for another day.
On the third day, Ivan brings the horse. He puts his leg down and doesn’t bend. He sits down himself - the horse bends. He let him out into the meadows again for a day.
On the fourth day, Ivan mounts his horse - the horse does not bend under him.
And the brothers had long since left to hunt. Ivan rides across an open field and catches up with his brothers. The day passes, the second passes - no one is visible in the open field. The third day ends, night comes. Ivan looks - it looks like he can see a light. “You know, my brothers are cooking porridge.”
As he approaches closer, the fire becomes more visible and hotter. Ivan galloped up, and this golden feather was lying there. It’s a pity for Ivan to part with the golden pen. And the horse says to him in a human voice:
- Don’t raise your golden pen, Ivan, there will be big trouble!
Ivan did not listen to the horse, picked up the feather and hid it in his bosom.
The brothers are coming home. The old man gives them the order to clean out the horses:
- I’ll do a review today. He gave his older brothers brushes and soap. I didn't give anything to Ivan.
Ivan became depressed. And his horse says:
- Don't be sad, master. Take a golden feather, wave it back and forth - everything will be as it should.
So the brothers washed and groomed their horses, and Ivan just waved his pen: the horse became golden, hair to hair, scarlet ribbons woven into the mane, a star shining on its forehead.
The older brothers bring out their horses for inspection by the old man. All horses are clean, all are good.
And Ivan brought it out - even better. The horse is dancing golden.
- Oh, you! - says the old man. - What a bad horse he got, but now he’s better than all of you. The brothers were overcome by jealousy:
- Let's guys think of something to say to Ivan.
They come to the old man:
- You, father, don’t know how cunning our Ivan is. He didn't boast about that to us yet.
- What did he boast about, guys?
“I,” he says, “are not like you.” If I want, I can get a playing cat, a dancing gander and a cymbalom fox. The old man believed. Summons Ivan.
- Here the guys are saying about you that you can get a playing cat, a dancing gander and a dulcimer fox.
- No, father! I don't know anything about this.
- How come you don’t know? Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Even though I don’t need them, I will definitely get them!
Ivan began to burn and went to his horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse, I’m in trouble... And the horse says:
- It’s a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Hop on me, let's go get what we ordered.
Ivan goes to foreign cities. The horse stopped at the tall chorus and said:
- A rich merchant lives here. Go to him and ask him to sell the playing cat, the dancing gander and the cymbalom fox. He will ask for your horse in exchange. You agree. Just make sure when you give me away, take the reins off me.
Ivan did as the horse ordered. The merchant gave him a playful cat, a dancing gander, a fox cymbalom, and Ivan gave him his golden horse in return.
He took off the bridle. Speaks:
- My bridle is a gift, not for sale.
He went out into an open field and heard the earth trembling. A faithful horse runs up to him.
- Well, let's go home, master. I left the merchant. Ivan brought gifts to the old man. The brothers came running to see the miracle. The fox beats the cymbals, the cat plays songs, the gander dances.
- Oh, you! - the old man says to the brothers. - You are no good for anything. Here Ivan is my head - he has done everything I need to do!
And they responded:
- Oh, father, Ivan doesn’t know that yet. He boasted himself.
- And what? What does he know, guys?
- He told us, father: “I know where to get the gusli-games.”
Old man Ivan calls:
- Ivan, bring me a self-playing gusli!
- Oh, father, I haven’t seen them, I haven’t heard of them.
The old man got angry.
“I’m tired,” he says, “of your rebuffs!” Don't contradict me! I have no use for such speech. To get the self-playing gusli!
Ivan went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! Here comes my trouble!
The horse answers him:
- It’s a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up early, saddles his golden horse, and goes into the dense forests.
We drove and drove. They see: a hut stands on chicken legs, on dog heels.
Ivan says:
- Hut, hut, stand with your front to me and your back to the west.
The hut turned around. Baba Yaga comes out of it, a bone leg - rides on a mortar, sweeps with a broom, drives with a pestle.
- Oh, you are a good fellow! - speaks. - Why did you come here? Or don't you mind your head?
Ivan answers her:
- Oh, you grandma, old lady! You didn’t ask what kind of trouble I’m having!
Am I fed, am I watered, or am I dying of hunger? In Rus', a dear person is not greeted with an evil word, he is greeted with kindness. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking. The old lady was touched by his words.
“Come,” he says, “guy, here.” You will be my guest.
Ivan gets off his golden horse. He enters the hut on chicken legs and dog heels. The old lady sits him down at the table. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about her troubles.
- Oh, grandma! “My great grief,” he says, “Ivan.” - What do i do? Where can I get self-playing gusli?
- I, my dear, know where this wonder is.
- Oh, grandma, tell me, help my grief!
- Beautiful guy, I feel sorry for you. This is a difficult matter. I have a sister, and she has a son, Zmey Gorynych. So he has these harps. He does not love the human spirit. I'm afraid he might eat you. Well, I’ll try for you - I’ll ask my sister, I’ll help you. Here is my yard, and in the middle of the yard is an oak stake. Tie the horse to him by the silk reins. And I will give you a ball, hold it by the tip. He will roll, and you will follow. Here comes Ivan, and the ball rolls ahead. Comes to the court of the Serpent Gorynych. The gates are locked with twelve chains and twelve padlocks. Ivan knocked. An old woman came out - the mother of Zmey Gorynych.
- Oh, young guy, why did you come here? My son will arrive hungry, he will eat you!
Ivan answers her:
- You are a grandmother, old lady! You didn’t ask me what my problem was. Am I hungry, am I cold? In Rus', a dear person is not greeted with an evil word, he is greeted with kindness. First they feed you, give you something to drink, and then they start talking.
The old woman was touched by his words and took him to the hut. She fed me, gave her something to drink, and asked about her troubles and sorrows.
“Don’t be sad, handsome guy,” he says, “I’ll help your grief.”
It’s already midnight, and soon the Serpent Gorynych will arrive. We need to hide Ivan.
Old lady says:
- Lie down under the bench. I will meet my son, protect you, guy.
At midnight the Serpent Gorynych arrived. It flies - the earth trembles, the trees sway, the leaves fall off. He flew into the hut, turned his nose and said:
- Rus' smells like bone.
And the old woman answers him:
- A-and, son! He flew around Rus', he got enough of Rus', and now you smell Russia.
“Get some food, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych.
The old woman pulls a whole bull out of the oven and brings a bucket of wine to the table. The Serpent Gorynych drank wine and ate a sweet ox. Cheerful.
- Eh, mother, who should I play cards with? - speaks.
The old lady answers:
- I would find, child, someone to play cards with, but I’m afraid that you will harm him.
“I respect you, mother,” says Zmey Gorynych. - I won’t do any harm to him. It hurts me to want to play cards.
The old lady called Ivan. He crawls out from under the bench and sits down at the table.
- What are we going to play for? - asks Zmey Gorynych.
They made an agreement among themselves: whoever beats whoever eats him.
Started to play. We played for a day, played for two, and on the third day we beat Zmey Gorynych.
The Serpent Gorynych got scared, got down on his knees and asked:
- Do not eat me!
“Well,” says Ivan, “if you want to stay alive, give me the self-playing harp.”
Serpent Gorynych was delighted.
- Take it! - speaks. - My harp will be even three times better!
The serpent Gorynych rewarded Ivan and took him far. Ivan arrives home. He hung a self-playing gusli in the hut.
They sang and played the harp. The fox struck the cymbals. The cat started a song. The gander went to dance. The fun has begun. The old man praises Ivan, but scolds his brothers and drives them away.
The brothers thought: how to denigrate Ivan?
Elder brother says:
- You know what, guys? I heard that in the overseas kingdom there is a Marya Princess. Ivan won’t be able to get her. They went to the old man:
- You, father, still don’t know everything about Ivan’s cunning. He boasted to us that he could get Marya the princess.
The old man calls for Ivan.
- Here the brothers say that you can get Marya the Princess.
- Oh, father! I don’t know anything about Marya the Princess!
The old man doesn't want to listen:
- You can’t contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Go immediately. So that you introduce Marya the Princess to me!
Ivan began to cry and went to his horse:
- Oh, my faithful horse. What a disaster for me!
And the horse says:
- It’s a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Get ready, master, to hit the road.
What should Ivan do? He takes with him his horse, the self-playing harp, the fox-dulcimer, the playing cat, and the dancing gander. Boards the ship.
They swam and swam. They sail to the state where Marya the Princess lives.
The father-tsar protects his daughter more than his eye. Marya the Princess never even went out for a walk in the yard alone. Ivan unfurled his sails and stopped his ship against the royal palace. The self-playing harp began to play. The fox-dulcimer struck the cymbals. The playful cat began to sing. The gander-dancer began to dance. Marya the Princess rushed around the yard:
- Oh, father! I have never heard such music in my life! Let me go to the pier - see the ship, listen to music.
Well, what is it worth for the king with his servants and hay girls to fulfill her request? She begged her father.
He let her go to the sea to see the ship and listen to music. And he ordered the hay girls not to take their eyes off Marya the Princess, so that no misfortune would happen.
The ship is right next to the pier. All the windows are open, no people can be seen. The Tsar's daughter leaned on the windowsill and listened to the wonderful music. The hay girls also listened.
No one noticed how Ivan picked up Marya the Princess onto his ship. And the sails carried them quickly. Ivan took Marya the princess away. They arrived home. The old man was delighted and began to dance. He danced until he lost his hat.
“Now I’m going to get married,” he says. Marya the Princess answers:
- No, wait! He managed to take me away, and managed to take away my box with my accessories.
-Where is your box?
“My box is under the table where Father the Tsar dines.”
Old man Ivan calls:
- Here's your task: bring me Marya Queen's box.
- Oh, father, I can’t! - Ivan answers.
- You, Ivan, cannot contradict me! I have no use for such speech. You must bring the box.
And there is no more conversation. Ivan went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! That's when I'm in trouble!
- It’s a problem, not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
Ivan gets up in the morning, saddles his horse, and sets off to the kingdom from which he brought Marya the Princess. An old beggar comes towards me. Ivan bought clothes from him with a bag for a hundred rubles. Dressed as a beggar. Approaches the royal palace. He took out a golden feather, waved it back and forth, and the horse turned golden. Ivan let him into the royal court.
The king's servants and the king and queen himself ran out. They began to catch the golden horse, but forgot to close the doors in the house.
And Ivan was agile. He ran into the palace, grabbed the box from under the royal table and put it in his bag. He jumps out into the yard and shouts:
- Can I help?
He jumped onto his horse and caught his feet in the stirrups. He galloped away and took away the box.
The old man is more happy than ever.
“Ivan brought a box,” he says. - Schedule a wedding for tomorrow.
Marya the Princess answers:
- Wait a minute about the wedding. You haven't done everything for me yet. There are twelve mares in the sea, bring them here to me:
The old man calls for Ivan.
- May I have twelve sea mares!
Ivan began to cry and went to the horse for advice:
- Oh, my faithful horse! That's my problem!..
The horse listened to him and said:
- Now there's trouble. Well, what will be will be. Prepare twelve hides, twelve pounds of twine, twelve pounds of resin and three pounds of iron rods. Let's go to the sea for mares.
Ivan prepared all this. They drive up to the sea.
Ivan lit a fire and placed a cauldron of resin on it. He wraps the horse with skins, ties it with twine, and fills it with resin. When he had wrapped twelve skins and poured twelve pounds of resin, the horse said:
- Look at the place where I jump into the sea. White bubbles will float across the water, don’t worry: I’m the one driving the mares out of the stall. But if you see bloody bubbles, take the iron bars and jump to my aid. Know that the sea mares have overcome me.
The horse jumped into the sea, and Ivan sat on the shore, looking at the place where the horse disappeared. Two hours later, white bubbles began to appear in the water. Three hours had not passed, the sea mares jumped ashore, followed by Ivanov’s horse.
Ivan looks, there is only one skin left on the horse, untorn. The sea mares gnawed eleven skins and beat them with their hooves.
Ivan drove the sea mares home. Marya the Princess tells him:
- Well, Ivan, now manage to milk a pot of milk from them.
“Oh, Marya the Princess,” Ivan answers, “I don’t know how to milk them.”
And the old man stands and orders:
- You can’t contradict me! I have no use for such speech. Milk mares without refusal!
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
“Don’t worry, master,” the horse tells him. - This is a simple matter.
Ivan got to work. I milked a cauldron of milk from sea mares.
Marya the Princess tells him:
- Now we need to boil the milk. When it starts boiling, tell me.
Ivan went to the horse for advice.
- Oh, my faithful horse! What order are they giving me!
They tell the milk to boil.
“Don’t be afraid, master,” the horse tells him. - Do as I say. When the milk boils, they tell you to jump into the cauldron and take a bath. And you stand and listen: when I neigh three times in the stable, then jump.
Ivan boiled milk. It began to boil from end to end, surging.
They reported to Marya the Princess. She goes with the old man to the cauldron. He doesn’t let her go one step away from him.
She says to the old man:
“You need to bathe in boiling milk, then I’ll marry you.”
The old man got scared:
- No, let Ivan try it first.
Marya the Princess says:
- Well, Ivanushka, you did everything for me. Do this too: bathe in boiling milk.
The cauldron is boiling, milk is splashing out of the top. Ivan took off his shirt. He stands near the boiler, waiting for news from his faithful friend.
The horse neighed three times in the stable. Then Ivan jumped into the cauldron. He swam three times from edge to edge. Came out alive and unharmed. And he was so good, but now he has become completely handsome: blood and milk.
Marya the Princess says to the old man:
- Well, now jump!
The old man jumped into the cauldron and his bones fell apart. Ivanushka and Marya the Queen got married. I visited them and drank tea. They looked after me, smoothed me, and I told them fairy tales.