🧚 Opening, part 14

“Now, sisters, our watchman has gone to sleep: it is time we set out on our promenade: it is time.”1

So they all put on their best clothes, and the elder sister went to her bedside, moved the bed, and an entrance into the subterranean realm instantly opened up beneath, leading to the home of the Accursèd Tsar.2

They all went down a flight of stairs, and the poor nobleman quietly got off his bed, put on the cap of invisibility, and followed them.3 He, without noticing, touched the youngest princess’s dress: she was frightened and said to her sisters, “O my sisters, somebody has stepped on my dress.4 This is a foretokening of woe.”5

“Nonsense; it does not mean anything of the sort!”6

So they all went down the flight of steps into a grove, and in that grove there were golden flowers.7 Then the poor nobleman broke off and plucked a single sprig, and the entire grove rustled.8

“Oh, sisters,” said the youngest sister, “some unfortunate thing is injuring us.9 Did you hear how the grove rustled?”10

“Do not fear; this is the music in the Accursèd Tsar’s realm.”11

So they went into the Tsar’s palace.12 He, with his lacqueys, met them; music sounded; and they began dancing: and they danced until their shoes were worn thin.13 Then the Tsar bade wine to be served to his guests.14 The poor nobleman took a single goblet from under his nose, poured out the wine, and put the cup into his pocket.15

At last the rout was over, and the princesses bade farewell to their cavaliers, promised to come another night, turned back home, undressed and lay down to sleep.16

Then the king summoned the poor nobleman, and asked him, “Did you keep watch on my daughters?”17

“Yes, I did, your Majesty.”18

“Where did they go?”19

“Into the subterranean realm, to the Accursèd Tsar, where they danced all night long.”20

So the king summoned his daughters, and began cross-examining them.21 “Where do you go at night?”22

So the princesses tried a feint: “We have not been anywhere.”23

“Were you not with the Accursèd Tsar?24 There is this poor nobleman who can turn evidence on you.25 He is able to convict you.”26

“What do you mean, bátyushka?27 He can convict us when all night he slept the sleep of the dead?”28

Then the poor nobleman brought the golden flower out of his pocket, and the goblet, and said, “There is the testimony.”29

What could they do?30 The princesses had to acknowledge their guilt, and the king bade the entrance to the subterranean realm be slated up.31 And he married the poor nobleman to the youngest daughter, and they lived happily ever after.32

VASILÍSA THE FAIR33

Once upon a time there was a merchant who had been married for twelve years and had only one daughter, Vasilísa the Fair.34 When her mother died the girl was eight years old.35 On her death-bed the mother called the maiden to her, took a doll out of her counterpane, said: “Vasilísushka, hear my last words.36 I am dying, and I will leave you my mother’s blessing and this doll.37 Keep this doll always by you, but show it to nobody, and no misfortune can befall you.38 Give it food and ask it for advice.39 After it has eaten, it will tell you how to avoid your evil.”40 Then the wife kissed her daughter and died.41

After the wife’s death the merchant mourned as it behoved, and then he thought of a second wife.42 He was a handsome man and found many brides, but he liked one widow more than any one.43 She was no longer young, and had two daughters of about the same age as Vasilísa.44 So she was an experienced housewife and mother.45 The merchant married her, but he had made a mistake, for she was no good mother to his own daughter.46

Vasilísa was the fairest damsel in the entire village, and the stepmother and the sisters envied her therefore.47 And they used to torture her by piling all the work they could on her, that she might grow thin and ugly, and might be tanned by the wind and the sun. And the child lived a hard life.48 Vasilísa, however, did all her work without complaining, and always grew more beautiful and plumper, while the stepmother and her daughters, out of sheer spite, grew thinner and uglier.49 Yet there they sat all day long with their hands folded, just like fine ladies.50 How could this be?51

It was the doll that had helped Vasilísa.52 Without her the maiden could never have done her task.53 Vasilísa often ate nothing herself, and kept the tastiest morsels for the doll; and when at night they had all gone to bed, she used to lock herself up in her cellaret below, give the doll food to eat, and say, “Dollet, eat and listen to my misery.54 I am living in my father’s house, and my lot is hard.55 My evil stepmother is torturing me out of the white world.56 Teach me what I must do in order to bear this life.”57

Then the doll gave her good advice, consoled her, and did all her morning’s work for her.58 Vasilísa was told to go walking, plucking flowers; and all her flowerbeds were done in time, all the coal was brought in, and the water-jugs carried in, and the hearthstone was hot.59 Further, the doll taught her herb-lore; so, thanks to her doll, she had a merry life; and the years went by.60

Vasilísa grew up, and all the lads in the village sought her.61 But the stepmother’s daughters nobody would look at; and the stepmother grew more evil than ever and answered all her suitors: “I will not give my youngest daughter before I give the elders.”62 So she sent all the bargainers away, and to show how pleased she was, rained blows on Vasilísa.63

One day the merchant had to go away on business for a long time; so the stepmother in the meantime went over to a new house near a dense, slumbrous forest.64 In the forest there was a meadow, and on the meadow there was a hut, and in the hut Bába Yagá lived, who would not let anybody in, and ate up men as though they were poultry.65 Whilst she was moving, the stepmother sent her hated stepdaughter into the wood, but she always came back perfectly safe, for the doll showed her the way by which she could avoid Bába Yagá’s hut.66

So one day the harvest season came and the stepmother gave all three maidens their task for the evening: one was to make lace and the other to sew a stocking, and Vasilísa was to spin.67 Each was to do a certain amount.68 The mother put all the fires out in the entire house, and left only one candle burning where the maidens were at work, and herself went to sleep.69 The maidens worked on.70 The candle burned down, and one of the stepmother’s daughters took the snuffers in order to cut down the wick.71 But the stepmother had told her to put the light out as though by accident.72

“What is to be done now?” they said.73 “There is no fire in the house and our work is not finished.74 We must get a light from the Bába Yagá.”75

“I can see by the needles,” said the one who was making lace.76

“I also am not going,” said the second, “for my knitting needles give me light enough.77 You must go and get some fire.78 Go to the Bába Yagá!”79 And they turned Vasilísa out of the room.80