The Realm of Stone

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there once lived a soldier who had served long and faithfully. He knew all about the Tsar's service and the reviews, and always came to parade looking clean and smart. The last year of his service came along, and, to his bad luck, his superior officers, great and small, did not like him. As a result, he was soundly thrashed. This grieved the soldier, and he thought of deserting. So, with his wallet on his back and his gun on his shoulder, he began to bid farewell to his comrades, who asked him, "Where are you going? Do you want to enter a battalion?"

"Do not ask me, my brothers; just buckle my wallet firmly on, and do not think evil of me."

Then the good youth set forth, going wherever his eyes looked. Maybe far, maybe near, he went on and on, and arrived at another kingdom. He saw the sentry-guard and asked, "May I rest here?"

So the sentry-guard told the Corporal, the Corporal told the Officer, and the Officer told the General, and the General told the King himself. And the King ordered the soldier to be brought before him so that he might see him with his own eyes. And the soldier appeared before him in his proper uniform, with his musket on his shoulder, standing as still as if rooted to the ground.

Then the King asked him, "Tell me on your faith and oath, where are you from and where are you going?"

"Your kingly Majesty, do not punish me! Bid the word be not spoken." And he told the whole story to the King and asked to be admitted to the service.

"Very well," said the King; "come and serve me as a sentry in my garden. All is not well in my garden: somebody is breaking my best-loved trees, and you must try to preserve them. And as for the reward for your labor, you shall not fare ill."

So the sentry agreed and stood as sentry in the garden. For a year, for two years, he served on, and all went well. But in the third year, as he went out to look in the garden, he saw that half of the best trees had been shattered. " he thought to himself, "what a dreadful misfortune! If the King sees this, he will instantly have me bound and hanged." So he took his gun in his hand, went to a tree, and began thinking very hard. Then he heard a cracking and a rumbling. The good youth looked down and saw a fearful, huge bird flying into the garden, overthrowing the trees. The soldier fired at the bird, but could not kill it. He could only wing it on the right wing, and three feathers fell out of the wing, but the bird took to flight. The soldier dashed after it. The bird's wings were swift, and very quickly it flew into a pit and vanished from sight.

But the soldier was not afraid and dived down after it into the pit, fell into the deep crevasse, fell down flat, and lay for whole days unconscious.

When he came to himself, he got up and looked around, and he found himself in the subterranean world, where there was the same light as here. "I suppose there are people here as well," he thought. So he went on and on, and saw a great city with a sentry-box in front of it, and in it a sentry. He began to ask him questions, but got never an answer, never a movement! So he took him by the hand and found that he was all stone. Then the soldier went into the sentry-box: and there were many people, standing or sitting, but they had all been turned to stone. He then set to wandering in the streets, and everywhere it was the same—not a single living soul to be seen! Soon he came to a decorated, raised, well-cut palace, marched in there, and looked. Rich rooms; and food and drink of all sorts were on the table; and all was silent and empty. So the soldier ate and drank, then sat down to have a rest.

Suddenly it seemed to him as though someone had come up the steps. So he shouldered his musket and went to the door.

A fair Tsarevna was coming in with her maids of honor and attendants. The soldier bowed down to her, and she curtsied to him kindly.

"Hail, soldier!" she said. "By what ill doom have you fallen down here?"

So the soldier began to tell her. "I was engaged as sentry in the imperial garden, and a big bird came and flew around the trees and shattered them. I watched him, fired at him, and three feathers fell out of his wing. I began to chase after him, and arrived here."

Then she answered, "That bird is my own sister: she does much evil of every kind and has set an ill doom on my kingdom, having turned all my people to stone. Listen! Here is a book for you. Stand here and read it from evening time until the hour when the cocks crow. Whatever suffering may come over you, do your duty; read the book, keep it close to you so that they cannot tear it from you, otherwise you will not remain alive. If you can stay here for three nights, I will come and marry you."

"Very well," said the soldier.

Soon it became dark, and he took the book and began reading it. Then there was a knocking and a thundering, and an entire host appeared in the palace. All his former superiors appeared in front of the soldier, scolded him, and threatened him with the punishment of death. And they got their guns and were leveling them at him: but the soldier never looked at them, never let the book drop out of his hand, and simply went on reading. Then the cocks crowed, and it all vanished!

On the next night it was still more terrible, and on the third night worst of all. All the executioners came up with their saws, axes, and clubs, and wanted to break his bones, put him on the rack, and burn him at the stake, devising any means to get the book out of his hand. It was fearful torture, and the soldier could hardly endure it. Then the cocks crowed, and the demons vanished!

At the same time, the entire kingdom awoke, and in the streets and in the houses people bestirred themselves, and in the palace the Tsarevna and her generals and her suite appeared. All began to thank the soldier, and they made him their king.

On the next day, he married the fair Princess, and lived with her in love and joy.

So the soldier, the peasant's son, became a Tsar, and he still reigns. He is a very good king over his subjects, and is very generous to other soldiers.