Vasilísa Popóvna

In a certain kingdom there lived Vasíli the priest and his daughter, Vasilísa Vasílyevna. She dressed like a man, rode astride, shot with her gun, and did none of the things other girls did. Very few people knew she was a maiden. Everyone thought she was a man and called her Vasíli Vasílyevich. One reason was that she loved vodka, a habit not fitting for a maid.

One day, Tsar Bárkhat was traveling through the country hunting deer when he met Vasilísa, who was out with the hounds in men's clothing. The Tsar asked, "Who is that young man?" A servant replied, "Tsar, that is no man, but a maiden. I am certain of it. She is the daughter of Pope Vasíli, and her name is Vasilísa Vasílyevna."

The Tsar barely reached home before he sent a message to Pope Vasíli, inviting his son Vasíli Vasílyevich to dine at the royal table. Meanwhile, he called his old, ill-tempered housekeeper and asked her to think of a way to discover whether Vasíli Vasílyevich was really a maiden.

The old housekeeper said, "Hang an embroidery frame in the palace on the right hand and a gun on the left. If she is truly Vasilísa Vasílyevna, she will go straight to the frame as soon as she enters. But if it is Vasíli Vasílyevich, he will reach for the gun."

Tsar Bárkhat followed her advice and ordered the attendants to hang an embroidery frame and a flintlock in the palace.

When Pope Vasíli received the Tsar's message, he told his daughter. She went to the stable, saddled her gray horse with the silver mane, and rode directly to the Tsar's courtyard.

Tsar Bárkhat came out to meet her. She prayed humbly, crossed herself as was proper, bowed to all four sides, and greeted the Tsar warmly. They entered the palace and sat down to dine, eating sweets and drinking strong wine. After dinner, Vasilísa walked with the Tsar through the palace. The moment she saw the embroidery frame, she began to scold him: "What nonsense is this you have hanging here, Tsar Bárkhat? I never saw such girlish trash in my father's house, and I never heard of it. Yet you have it in your palace!" She said goodbye politely and rode home.

Still, the Tsar was not sure if she was a maiden. Two days later, he sent another message to Pope Vasíli, asking him to send his son again. When Vasilísa heard, she went to the stable, saddled her gray horse, and galloped to the Tsar's courtyard. He came to meet her; she greeted him kindly, prayed modestly, crossed herself, and bowed to the four winds. Following the old housekeeper's advice, the Tsar had ordered a sweet pie for supper, with pearls mixed into it. The hag had said, "If she is truly Vasilísa Vasílyevna, she will pick out the pearls. But if it is Vasíli Vasílyevich, he will throw them under the table."

They spent the time merrily and sat down to eat. The Tsar sat at the table, and Vasilísa sat on his right. They ate sweets and drank strong wines. When the pie came, as soon as Vasilísa's spoon touched it, it tingled on the pearls. She threw the pie and the pearls under the table, and scolded the Tsar: "Who put these in the pie? What nonsense is this, Tsar Bárkhat? I never saw such girlish trash in my father's house, nor heard of it, and yet you have it in your food!" Then she bade him farewell and rode home.

But the Tsar was still utterly confused whether she was a maiden. He was determined to find out. Two days later, at the advice of the old, evil-minded housekeeper, he had the bathhouse heated. The old woman said, "If she is Vasilísa Vasílyevna, she will not go into the bath with the Tsar." So the bath was heated, and Tsar Bárkhat sent another message to Pope Vasíli, saying he would like his son as a guest again. When Vasilísa heard, she went to the stable, saddled her gray horse, and galloped to the Tsar's courtyard. He received her at the main entrance. They greeted each other kindly, and she walked on velvet into the palace. She prayed devoutly, crossed herself as was proper, bowed to all four quarters, and sat at the table with the Tsar. They ate sweets and drank strong wine.

After dinner, the Tsar said, "Will you not come with me into the bath, Vasíli Vasílyevich?"

"If you wish, mighty Tsar," she answered. "It has been a long time since I had a bath, and I would like a steam bath."

But before the Tsar could even undress in the front room, she had already been in and out of the bath, so quick was she. The Tsar was as puzzled as ever. Meanwhile, Vasilísa had written a letter and told the servants to give it to him when he came out. This is what she wrote:

"O you crow, Tsar Bárkhat! The crow has not caught the falcon in the garden. I am not Vasíli Vasílyevich, but Vasilísa Vasílyevna!"

And that is how Tsar Bárkhat was tricked. You see how clever and beautiful Vasilísa Vasílyevna was.