The Story of the Unlucky Days, part 2 · page 21 2101And ye would have had me mount such a mare!"102At this the serpent was full of shame, but there was nothing to be said or done.103So they went into the garden and sat them down to dinner.104The youngest daughter met them there, and they greeted her.105The prince could not refrain from looking at her, so fair was she, and now she seemed fairer than ever.106Then they sat down and ate, and when the meal was over the serpent said, "Well, prince, after dinner I'll bring all my daughters into the courtyard, and if you can find out the youngest, you may be happy together."107So after dinner the serpent bade his daughters go and dress themselves, but the prince took counsel of Ivan Golik.108Ivan whistled, and immediately the gnat came flying up.109He told the gnat all about it, and the gnat said, "Thou didst help me, so now I will help thee.110When the serpent brings out his daughters, let the prince keep his eyes open, for I will fly on her head.111Let him walk round them once, and I will fly round them too.112Let him walk round them a second time, and I will fly round them twice also.checked by a teacher113Let him walk round them a third time, and then I'll settle on her nose, and she will not be able to endure my bite, but will strike at me with her right hand."114And with these words the gnat flew off into the house.115Soon afterward the serpent sent for the prince.116He went, and there in the courtyard stood the twenty-one daughters.117They were as like as peas, their faces, their hair, and their raiment were exactly the same.118He looked and looked, but could not tell one from the other.119He walked round them the first time, but there was no sign of the gnat.120He walked round them the second time, and the gnat came and lit upon her head.121Henceforth he never took his eyes off the gnat, and when he had begun to walk round the twenty-one daughters for the third time, the gnat sat on the nose of the youngest, and began to bite her.122She brushed it off with her right hand, whereupon the prince said, "She is mine!" and led her to the serpent.123The serpent was amazed, but said, "Since thou hast found out thy bride, we'll wed thee to-day, and all be merry together."124So they made them merry, and that very evening the young couple got their bridal crowns.125And they feasted and fired guns, and what else did they not do?126But at night, Ivan Golik took the prince aside, and said to him, "Now, prince, see that we go home to-morrow, for they mean us no good here.127And now, listen to me!128I beg thee tell not thy wife the truth of the matter for seven years.129However caressing she may be, thou shalt not let her ears know the truth, for if thou _dost_ tell her the truth, both thou and I shall perish!"130"Good!" said he. "131I will not tell my wife the truth."132Next morning the young men arose and went to the serpent, and the prince took leave of his father-in-law, and said he must be going home.133"But why off so soon?" said the serpent.134"Nay, but I must go," said he.135Then the serpent gave the youth a banquet, and they sat down and ate and made merry, and after that he departed to his own tsardom.checked by a teacher136And the prince thanked Ivan Golik for all that he had done for him, and made him the first of his counsellors.137Whatever Ivan Golik said was performed throughout the realm, while the Tsar had only to sit on his throne and do nothing.138So the young prince dwelt with his wife for a year or two, and in the third year a son was added to them, and the heart of the prince was glad.139Now one day he took his little son in his arms, and said, "Is there anything in the wide world that I like better than this child?"140When the princess saw that the heart of her spouse was tender, she fell a-kissing and caressing him, and began asking him all about the time when they were first married, and how he had been able to do her father's commands.141And the prince said to her, "My head would long ago have been mouldering on the posts of thy father's palace had it not been for Ivan Golik. '142Twas he who did it all and not I."143Then she was very wrath.144But she never changed countenance, and shortly afterward she went out.145Ivan Golik was sitting in his own house at his ease, when the princess came flying in to him.146And immediately she drew out of the ground a handkerchief with gold borders, and no sooner had she waved this serpentine handkerchief, than Ivan fell asunder into two pieces.147His legs remained where they were, but his trunk with his head disappeared through the roof, and fell seven miles away from the house.148And as he fell he cried, "Oh, accursed one! did I not charge thee not to confess!149Did I not implore thee not to tell thy wife the truth for seven years!150And now I perish and thou also!"1 2← previousThe Story of the Unlucky Days, part 1next →The Story of the Unlucky Days, part 3↑ back to Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/26/page/2/