Marya Morevna

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there once lived Ivan Tsarevich, who had three sisters: one was called Marya Tsarevna, the second Olga Tsarevna, and the third Anna Tsarevna. Their mother and father had died: when they were dying they bade their son, "Whoever comes first as a suitor for your sisters' hands, let them take them; do not keep them long with you." The Tsarevich buried his parents; and, in his grief, went with his sisters to walk in a green garden. Then a dark cloud appeared in the sky, and a fearful clap of thunder was heard. "Let us go home, sisters," said Ivan Tsarevich.

Soon they reached the palace: the thunder rattled and the ceiling fell down, and the ceiling divided into two.

And a clear-eyed Hawk came into the room, struck the ground, and turned himself into a fair, doughty youth: "Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Before, I came to you as a guest, now I am coming to ask for your sister's hand: I wish to marry Marya Tsarevna."

"If you wish my sister, I will not say you nay: take her with God's blessing."

Marya Tsarevna agreed, and the Hawk married her and took her away to his own kingdom.

Then day followed day and hour followed hour. One whole year went by unheeded. Ivan Tsarevich stayed with his sisters in the green garden. Then there came a cloud and there was thunder and lightning. "Let us go home, sisters," said the Tsarevich.

When they came to the palace there was a thunderclap, and the roof fell in and the ceiling was cleft in two, and an Eagle flew in, struck the ground and turned himself into a doughty youth, and said, "Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Formerly I came to you as a guest, now I come to you as a suitor." And he asked for the hand of Olga.

And Ivan Tsarevich answered, "If Olga Tsarevna pleases you, she may go to you—I will not withstand your will."

Olga Tsarevna was willing, and married the Eagle: the Eagle laid hold of her and took her to his own kingdom.

One year further went by, and Ivan Tsarevich said to his youngest sister, "Let us go and have a walk in the green garden," and they went for a little walk. And a cloud came over the sky with thunder and lightning. "Let us turn back, sister, home!"

So they turned back home, and they had hardly sat down when the thunder clapped and the ceiling was divided into two, and a Crow flew in. And the Crow struck the ground and turned himself into a doughty youth. The former suitors were fair enough in themselves, but he was fairer still. "Formerly I came to you as a guest, but now I come to you as a suitor: give me your sister Anna."

"I will not withstand my sister's will; if you are in love with her she may have you."

And Anna Tsarevna went with the Crow, and he took her to his own kingdom.

So Ivan Tsarevich was there alone, and for one whole year he lived there without any sisters, and began to feel melancholy. "I will go," he said, "and seek my sisters." So he started out on the road. He went on and on and on. And there lay on the field an army of a great host conquered. And Ivan asked them: "If there be any man alive here, let him call! Who slew this mighty host?"

And one man who was still alive replied: "All this mighty host was conquered by Marya Morevna, the fair princess."

And Ivan Tsarevich went on yet further, and he came upon white tents, and Marya Morevna came to meet him, the fair queen.

"Hail," she said, "Tsarevich! Where is God taking you? Is it at your will or perforce?"

And Ivan Tsarevich answered her: "Doughty youths do not go perforce."

"Well, if you have no quest to accomplish, come and stay in my tents."

And Ivan Tsarevich was glad of this, and he stayed two nights in the tents, fell in love with Marya Morevna, and married her.

Marya Morevna took him with her to her own kingdom, and they lived together for some time; and they thought of making ready for war; and so she handed all of her possessions over to Ivan, and said: "Go everywhere, look at everything, only into this lumber-room you must not look."

But he was impatient: as soon as Marya Morevna's back was turned, he at once opened the lumber-room, opened the door and looked in, and there Koshchei the Deathless was hanging.

Koshchei asked Ivan Tsarevich, "Have pity on me: give me something to eat. I have been tortured here for ten years. I have eaten nothing, I have drunken nothing, and my throat is all dried up." Ivan Tsarevich gave him a whole gallon of water: he drank it at a single gulp, and he still asked, "I am still thirsty: give me a gallon," and Ivan gave him a second gallon, and yet a third. And when he had drunk the third, he recovered all his former strength, broke all his chains, shattered them all, all the twelve chains. "Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich," Koshchei the Deathless said. "Now you will never again see Marya Morevna any more!" and with a fearful flash of lightning he flew into the country, gathered up Marya Morevna on the road, the fair Queen, snatched her up and took her to himself.

Ivan Tsarevich wept bitterly, got ready and started on his road: "Come what may, I will seek out Marya Morevna." And he went one day, and he went another day, and on the dawning of the third day he saw a wonderful palace, and in front of the palace there was an oak, and on the oak there sat a clear-eyed hawk.

And the Hawk flew down from the oak, struck the ground, turned into a doughty youth, and cried out, "O my beloved brother: how is the Lord dealing with you?"

And Marya Tsarevna came out, went to meet Ivan Tsarevich, asked him how he was, and began to tell him all her own story.

So the Tsarevich abode as their guest for three days, and then said, "I cannot stay with you any longer: I am going to seek my wife Marya Morevna the fair Queen."

"This will be a hard search for you," answered the Hawk. "At least leave a silver spoon here; we can gaze on it and think of you."

Ivan Tsarevich left his silver spoon with them, and set out on his road.

So he went on one day and a second day, and at the dawning of the third day he saw a palace fairer than the first, and in front of the palace there was an oak, and an eagle sat on the oak: the Eagle flew down from the tree, struck the earth, turned into a doughty youth and cried: "Rise, Olga Tsarevna, our dear brother has arrived."

Olga Tsarevna at once came to meet him, began kissing and welcoming him, asking how he was, and they told of all they had lived and done.

Ivan Tsarevich stayed with them three little days, and then said, "I can no longer be your guest: I am going seeking my wife, Marya Morevna the fair Princess."

And the Eagle answered: "It will be an evil quest. Leave us your silver fork; we will look at it and think of you."

So he left his silver fork, and he went on the road.

And a day went by and a second, and at the dawn of the third day he saw a palace fairer than the first two. And in front of the palace there was an oak, and on the oak there perched a crow. And the Crow flew down from the oak, struck the earth, turned into a doughty youth, and cried out, "Anna Tsarevna, come out as fast as you can: our brother has arrived."

Then Anna Tsarevna came out, met him joyously, began to kiss and to welcome him, asking him how he was. And they spoke of all they had lived and done.

After three days Ivan Tsarevich said, "I can stay no longer with you; I am going to seek my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair Queen."

"This will be a hard search for you," the Crow said. "At least leave us your silver snuff-box; we can gaze on it and think of you."

So Ivan Tsarevich left them his silver snuff-box, and set out on his road.

Then a day went and another day, and on the third day he at last reached Marya Morevna. When she saw her beloved through the window, she rushed out to him, flung herself at his neck, wept, and said, "Oh! Ivan Tsarevich, why did you not obey me? Why did you look into the lumber-room and let Koshchei the Deathless out?"

"Forgive me, Marya Morevna; let bygones be bygones: come away with me now, whilst Koshchei the Deathless is away: possibly he may not catch us up."

So they went away.

Now Koshchei was out hunting. Towards evening he returned home, and his horse stumbled. "Why, you sorry jade, are you stumbling, or is it some evil that you fear?"

And the horse answered: "Ivan Tsarevich has arrived, and has taken away Marya Morevna."

"Can one catch them up?"

"You can sow wheat, wait until it grows up, harvest it, thresh it, turn it into flour, make five stones of bread, eat the bread, and then set out on the hunt, and we shall succeed."

Koshchei leapt on the horse, caught up Ivan Tsarevich. "Now," he said, "for the first time I will let you go for your doughtyhood, as you fed me with water; for the second time I will let you go; for the third time, take care: I will tear you to morsels." And he took Marya Morevna from him, took her away, and Ivan Tsarevich sat on the stone and cried.

And he cried and he cried, and again came back to Marya Morevna. Koshchei the Deathless was not at home: "Let us start, Marya Morevna."

"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, he will catch us up."

"Well, let him; still we shall have one or two hours together."

So they started, and off they went.

Koshchei the Deathless came back home, and his good horse stumbled under him. "Why, you sorry jade, are you stumbling, or is it some evil thing which you fear?"

And the horse answered, "Ivan Tsarevich has again arrived, and has taken Marya Morevna away."

"Can one catch them up?"

"It would be possible to sow barley and to wait until it grows up, reap it, thresh it, to brew beer, drink it until you were drunk, sleep out your sleep and then to go on the hunt, and we should still succeed."

Koshchei leaped on his horse, caught up Ivan Tsarevich, and said, "I said you were not to see anything more of Marya Morevna!" and he took her away with him.

So Ivan Tsarevich was again left alone, and he wept bitterly; and once again he returned to Marya Morevna, and this time too Koshchei was not at home. "Let us go, Marya Morevna!"

"Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, he will catch us up and he will tear you to bits."

"Let him tear me to bits; I cannot live without you."

So they got ready, and off they went.

Koshchei the Deathless returned home, and under him his good horse stumbled. "Why do you stumble, you sorry jade, or is it some evil that you fear?"

"Ivan Tsarevich has arrived, and has taken Marya Morevna with him."

Koshchei leaped on his horse, caught up Ivan Tsarevich, broke him up into tiny bits, put them into a tar cask, took this cask, locked it with iron bolts and threw it into the blue sea. And he took Marya Morevna away with him.

At the same time the brothers-in-law of Ivan Tsarevich looked at their silver ornaments and found they had turned black. "Oh," they said, "evidently some disaster has befallen him!" The Eagle rushed into the blue sea, dragged out the cask to the shore, and the Hawk flew for the Water of Life, and the Crow flew for the Water of Death. Then they all three met at a single spot and broke up the cask, took out the bits of Ivan Tsarevich, washed them, laid them together as was fit: then the Crow sprinkled him with the Water of Death, and the body grew together and was one; and the Hawk sprinkled him with the Water of Life, and Ivan Tsarevich shivered, sat up and said, "Oh, what a long sleep I have had!"

"But your sleep would have been very much longer if we had not been there," answered the brothers-in-law. "Now you must come and be our guest!"

"No, brothers, I must go and seek Marya Morevna."

So he came to her and said, "Go and find out from Koshchei the Deathless where he got such a fine horse!"

Then Marya Morevna looked out for a good opportunity, and asked Koshchei the Deathless.

Koshchei answered, "Beyond thrice-nine lands, in the thrice-tenth kingdom, beyond the river of fire, lives the Baba Yaga. She has a mare on which every day she rides round the whole of the world. She has many splendid mares. I was there for three days as a herd, and she would not let me have the mare; but she gave me one of the foals."

"How can one cross the river of fire?"

"I have a kerchief: if you shake it to the right three times a lofty bridge rises and the fires cannot overreach it."

Marya Morevna listened, told Ivan Tsarevich all about it, and he took the cloth away. Ivan Tsarevich crossed the river of fire and he reached the Baba Yaga: but journeying afar, neither eating nor drinking. A sea-bird came to meet him with her young. Ivan Tsarevich asked if he might eat one of her chicks.

"Do not eat it," the sea-bird said; "at some time I shall be of service to you, Ivan Tsarevich."

Then he went farther, and he was in a wood, and he saw a bee-hive. "Perhaps," he said, "I may take a little honey."

Then the queen-bee answered him, "Do not touch my honey, Ivan Tsarevich; at some time or other I shall be of service to you."

So he did not touch the honey, but went farther. Then he met a lioness with her whelps. "May I eat this lion-whelp? I am so hungry!"

"Do not touch it, Ivan Tsarevich," the lioness said; "at some time or other I shall be of service to you."

"Very well; it shall be as you will."

So he went on hungry, and he went on and on and on, and at last he reached the house of the Baba Yaga. Round the house there were twelve poles, and on eleven of the poles there were the skulls of men: only one as yet was untenanted.

"Hail, babushka!" he said.

"Hail, Ivan Tsarevich!" she replied: "what have you come for? By your own good will or for need?"

"I have come to earn of you a knightly horse."

"Very well, Ivan Tsarevich: you are to serve me not one year, but only three days. If you can guard my mares, I will give you a knightly horse; if you cannot, do not be angry, but your head must also lie on the last of the stakes."

Ivan Tsarevich agreed, and Baba Yaga gave him drink and food and bade him set to work. As soon as ever he had driven the mares into the field, they all turned their tails and ran in the meadows so far that the Tsarevich could not trace them with his eyes: and thus they were all lost. Then he sat down and wept, and became melancholy, and sat down on a stone and went to sleep.

The sun was already setting when the sea-bird flew to him, woke him up and said, "Arise, Ivan Tsarevich—all the mares have gone home."

The Tsarevich got up, turned back home; but Baba Yaga was angry with her mares. "Why have you all come home?"

"Why should we not come home? The birds flew down from every quarter of the sky and almost clawed out our eyes."

"Well, to-morrow do not stray in the meadows, but scatter into the dreamy forest."

So Ivan Tsarevich passed that night; and next day Baba Yaga said to him, "Look, Ivan Tsarevich, if you do not keep the mares well, if you lose one, then your false head shall nod up and down on the stake."

So then he drove all the mares to the field, and this time they turned their tails, and they ran into the dreamy woods. And once again the Tsarevich sat on the stone and wept and wept and went to sleep, and the sun began to rest on the woods when the lioness ran up and said, "Get up, Ivan Tsarevich—all the mares have been collected." Then Ivan Tsarevich got up and went home.

And Baba Yaga was angry that the mares had come home, and she called out to her mares, "Why have you all come home?"

And they answered, "How should we not come home?—wild beasts from all the four quarters of the world assembled round us and almost tore us to bits."

"Well, you go to-morrow into the blue sea."

Once again Ivan passed the night there, and the next day Baba Yaga sent her mares to feed. "If you do not guard them, then your bold head shall hang on the pole."

He drove the mares into the field, and they at once turned tail and vanished from his eyes and ran into the blue sea and stood up to their necks in the water. So Ivan Tsarevich sat on the stone, wept and went to sleep. And the sun was already setting on the woods when the bee flew up to him and said: "Get up, Ivan Tsarevich—all the mares have been gathered together. But, when you return home, do not appear before Baba Yaga; go into the stable and hide behind the crib. There there is a mangy foal who will be rolling in the dung: steal him; and, at the deep of midnight, leave the house."

Ivan Tsarevich got up, went into the stable, and lay behind the crib.

Baba Yaga made a tremendous stir and cried out to her mares: "Why did you come back?"

"How should we not come back?—all the bees from every part of the world, visible and invisible, flew round us, and they stung us till our blood flowed."