Magic and Witchcraft., part 7 · page 21 2101After this her attendants were obliged to allow her to go where she wished, when her parents were away.102As she went roaming about the palace she came to a cage "in which a _Zhar-Ptitsa_,[369] lay [as if] dead."103This bird, her guardians told her, slept soundly all day, but at night her papa flew about on it.104Farther on she came to a veiled portrait.105When the veil was lifted, she cried in astonishment "Can such beauty be?" and determined to fly on the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ to the original of the picture.106So at night she sought the _Zhar-Ptitsa_, which was sitting up and flapping its wings, and asked whether she might fly abroad on its back.107The bird consented and bore her far away.108Three times it carried her to the room of the prince whose portrait she had so much admired.109On the first and second occasion he remained asleep during her visit, having been plunged into a magic slumber by the _Zhar-Ptitsa_.110But during her third visit he awoke, "and he and she wept and wept, and exchanged betrothal rings."111So long did they remain talking that, before the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ and his rider could get back, "the day began to dawn--the bird sank lower and lower and fell to the ground."112Then the princess, thinking it was really dead, buried it in the earth--having first cut off its wings, and "attached them to herself so as to walk more lightly."113After various adventures she comes to a land of mourning. "114Why are you so mournful?" she asks. "115Because our king's son has gone out of his mind," is the reply. "116He eats a man every night."117Thereupon she goes to the king and obtains leave to watch the prince by night.118As the clock strikes twelve the prince, who is laden with chains, makes a rush at her; but the wings of the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ rustle around her, and he sits down again.119This takes place three times, after which the light goes out.120She leaves the room in search of the means of rekindling it, sees a glimmer in the distance, and sets off with a lantern in search of it.121Presently she finds an old witch who is sitting before a fire, above which seethes a cauldron. "122What have you got there?" she asks. "123When this cauldron seethes," replies the witch, "within it does the heart of Prince Ivan rage madly."124Pretending to be merely getting a light, the Princess contrives to splash the seething liquid over the witch, who immediately falls dead.125Then she looks into the cauldron, and there, in truth, she sees the Prince's heart.126When she returns to his room he has recovered his senses. "127Thank you for bringing a light," he says. "128Why am I in chains?" "129Thus and thus," says she. "130You went out of your mind and ate people."131Whereat he wonders greatly.132[370]133The _Zhar-Ptitsa_, or Fire-Bird, which plays so important a part in this story, is worthy of special notice.134Its name is sufficient to show its close connection with flame or light,[371] and its appearance corresponds with its designation.135Its feathers blaze with silvery or golden sheen, its eyes shine like crystal, it dwells in a golden cage.136In the depth of the night it flies into a garden, and lights it up as brightly as could a thousand burning fires.137A single feather from its tail illuminates a dark room.138It feeds upon golden apples which have the power of bestowing youth and beauty, or according to a Croatian version, on magic-grasses.139Its song, according to Bohemian legends, heals the sick and restores sight to the blind.140We have already seen that, as the Phoenix, of which it seems to be a Slavonic counterpart, dies in the flame from which it springs again into life, so the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ sinks into a death-like slumber when the day dawns, to awake to fresh life after the sunset.141One of the skazkas[372] about the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ closely resembles the well-known German tale of the Golden Bird.142[373] But it is a "Chap-book" story, and therefore of doubtful origin.143King Vuislaf has an apple-tree which bears golden fruits.144These are stolen by a _Zhar-Ptitsa_ which flies every night into the garden, so he orders his sons to keep watch there by turns.145The elder brothers cannot keep awake, and see nothing; but the youngest of the three, Prince Ivan, though he fails to capture the bird, secures one of its tail-feathers.146After a time he leaves his home and goes forth in search of the bird.147Aided by a wolf, he reaches the garden in which the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ lives, and succeeds in taking it out of its golden cage.148But trying, in spite of the wolf's warning, to carry off the cage itself, an alarm is sounded, and he is taken prisoner.149After various other adventures he is killed by his envious brothers, but of course all comes right in the end.150In a version of the story which comes from the Bukovina, one of the incidents is detailed at greater length than in either the German or the Russian tale.151When the hero has been killed by his brothers, and they have carried off the _Zhar-Ptitsa_, and their victim's golden steed, and his betrothed princess--as long as he lies dead, the princess remains mute and mournful, the horse refuses to eat, the bird is silent, and its cage is lustreless.152But as soon as he comes back to life, the princess regains her spirits, and the horse its appetite.153The _Zhar-Ptitsa_ recommences its magic song, and its cage flashes anew like fire.154In another skazka[374] a sportsman finds in a forest "a golden feather of the _Zhar-Ptitsa_; like fire does the feather shine!"155Against the advice of his "heroic steed," he picks up the feather and takes it to the king, who sends him in search of the bird itself.156Then he has wheat scattered on the ground, and at dawn he hides behind a tree near it. "157Presently the forest begins to roar, the sea rises in waves, and the _Zhar-Ptitsa_ flies up, lights upon the ground and begins to peck the wheat."158Then the "heroic steed" gallops up, sets its hoof upon the bird's wing, and presses it to the ground, so that the shooter is able to bind it with cords, and take it to the king.159In a variant of the story the bird is captured by means of a trap--a cage in which "pearls large and small" have been strewed.1 2← previousMagic and Witchcraft., part 6next →Magic and Witchcraft., part 8↑ back to Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-loreThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/48/page/2/