The Death of Koshchei the Deathless · page 21 2 3101Out ran the Princess Anna, greeted him joyfully, and began kissing and embracing him, asking after his health and telling him all about herself.102Prince Ivan stayed with them three days; then he said:103‘Farewell!104I am going to look for my wife, the fair Princess Marya Morevna.’105‘Hard will it be for you to find her,’ replied the Raven.106‘Anyhow, leave your silver snuff-box with us.107We will look at it and remember you.’108The Prince handed over his silver snuff-box, took his leave, and went his way.109One day he went, another day he went, and on the third day he came to where Marya Morevna was.110She caught sight of her love, flung her arms around his neck, burst into tears, and exclaimed:111‘Oh, Prince Ivan! why did you disobey me and go looking into the closet and letting out Koshchei the Deathless?’112‘Forgive me, Marya Morevna!113Remember not the past; much better fly with me while Koshchei the Deathless is out of sight.114Perhaps he won’t catch us.’115So they got ready and fled.116Now Koshchei was out hunting.117Towards evening he was returning home, when his good steed stumbled beneath him.118‘Why stumblest thou, sorry jade?119Scentest thou some ill?’120The steed replied:121‘Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna.’122‘Is it possible to catch them?’123‘It is possible to sow wheat, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to grind it to flour, to make five pies of it, to eat those pies, and then to start in pursuit—and even then to be in time.’124Koshchei galloped off and caught up Prince Ivan.125‘Now,’ says he, ‘this time I will forgive you, in return for your kindness in giving me water to drink.126And a second time I will forgive you; but the third time beware!127I will cut you to bits.’128Then he took Marya Morevna from him, and carried her off.129But Prince Ivan sat down on a stone and burst into tears.130He wept and wept—and then returned back again to Marya Morevna.131Now Koshchei the Deathless happened not to be at home.132‘Let us fly, Marya Morevna!’133‘Ah, Prince Ivan! he will catch us.’134‘Suppose he does catch us.135At all events we shall have spent an hour or two together.’136So they got ready and fled.137As Koshchei the Deathless was returning home, his good steed stumbled beneath him.138‘Why stumblest thou, sorry jade?139Scentest thou some ill?’140‘Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna.’141‘Is it possible to catch them?’142‘It is possible to sow barley, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to brew beer, to drink ourselves drunk on it, to sleep our fill, and then to set off in pursuit—and yet to be in time.’143Koshchei galloped off, caught up Prince Ivan:144‘Didn’t I tell you that you should not see Marya Morevna any more than your own ears?’145And he took her away and carried her off home with him.146Prince Ivan was left there alone.147He wept and wept; then he went back again after Marya Morevna.148Koshchei happened to be away from home at that moment.149‘Let us fly, Marya Morevna!’150‘Ah, Prince Ivan! he is sure to catch us and hew you in pieces.’151‘Let him hew away!152I cannot live without you.153So they got ready and fled.154Koshchei the Deathless was returning home when his good steed stumbled beneath him.155‘Why stumblest thou?156Scentest thou any ill?’157‘Prince Ivan has come and has carried off Marya Morevna.’158Koshchei galloped off, caught Prince Ivan, chopped him into little pieces, put them into a barrel, smeared it with pitch and bound it with iron hoops, and flung it into the blue sea.159But Marya Morevna he carried off home.160At that very time the silver articles turned black which Prince Ivan had left with his brothers-in-law.161‘Ah!’ said they, ‘the evil is accomplished sure enough!’162Then the Eagle hurried to the blue sea, caught hold of the barrel, and dragged it ashore; the Falcon flew away for the Water of Life, and the Raven for the Water of Death.163Afterwards they all three met, broke open the barrel, took out the remains of Prince Ivan, washed them, and put them together in fitting order.164The Raven sprinkled them with the Water of Death—the pieces joined together, the body became whole.165The Falcon sprinkled it with the Water of Life—Prince Ivan shuddered, stood up, and said:166‘Ah! what a time I’ve been sleeping!’167‘You’d have gone on sleeping a good deal longer if it hadn’t been for us,’ replied his brothers-in-law.168‘Now come and pay us a visit.’169‘Not so, brothers; I shall go and look for Marya Morevna.’170And when he had found her, he said to her:171‘Find out from Koshchei the Deathless whence he got so good a steed.’172So Marya Morevna chose a favourable moment, and began asking Koshchei about it.173Koshchei replied:174‘Beyond thrice nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, on the other side of the fiery river, there lives a Baba Yaga.175She has so good a mare that she flies right round the world on it every day.176And she has many other splendid mares.177I watched her herds for three days without losing a single mare, and in return for that the Baba Yaga gave me a foal.’178‘But how did you get across the fiery river?’179‘Why, I’ve a handkerchief of this kind—when I wave it thrice on the right hand, there springs up a very lofty bridge, and the fire cannot reach it.’180Marya Morevna listened to all this, and repeated it to Prince Ivan, and she carried off the handkerchief and gave it to him.181So he managed to get across the fiery river, and then went on to the Baba Yaga’s.182Long went he on without getting anything either to eat or to drink.183At last he came across an outlandish bird and its young ones.184Says Prince Ivan:185‘I’ll eat one of these chickens.’186‘Don’t eat it, Prince Ivan!’ begs the outlandish bird; ‘some time or other I’ll do you a good turn.’187He went on farther and saw a hive of bees in the forest.188‘I’ll get a bit of honeycomb,’ says he.189‘Don’t disturb my honey, Prince Ivan!’ exclaims the queen-bee; ‘some time or other I’ll do you a good turn.’190So he didn’t disturb it, but went on.191Presently there met him a lioness with her cub.192‘Anyhow, I’ll eat this lion cub,’ says he; ‘I’m so hungry I feel quite unwell!’193‘Please let us alone, Prince Ivan!’ begs the lioness; ‘some time or other I’ll do you a good turn.’194‘Very well; have it your own way,’ says he.195Hungry and faint he wandered on, walked farther and farther, and at last came to where stood the house of the Baba Yaga.196Round the house were set twelve poles in a circle, and on each of eleven of these poles was stuck a human head; the twelfth alone remained unoccupied.197‘Hail, granny!’198‘Hail, Prince Ivan! wherefore have you come?199Is it of your own accord, or on compulsion?’200‘I have come to earn from you an heroic steed.’1 2 3← previousSoria Moria Castlenext →The Black Thief and Knight of the Glen.↑ back to The Red Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg540/7/page/2/