🧚 Opening, part 17 · page 2

“I will not go.”78

Then they went on until they came to a third well.79 And the servant again would not fetch any water.80 And the Tsarévich had to do it himself.81 When the Tsarévich had gone down into the well the servant shut down the lid, and said: “You be my servant, and I will be the Tsarévich; or I will never let you come out!”82

The Tsarévich could not help himself, and was forced to give way; and signed the bond to his servant in his own blood.83 Then they changed clothes and rode on, and came to another land, where they went to the Tsar’s court, the servant-man first, and the King’s son after.84

The servant-man sat as a guest with the Tsar, ate and drank at his table.85 One day he said: “Mighty Tsar, send my servant into the kitchen!”86

So they took the Tsarévich as scullion, let him draw water and hew wood.87 But very soon the Tsarévich was a far finer cook than all the royal chefs.88 Then the Tsar noticed and began to like his young scullion, and gave him gold.89 So all the cooks became envious and sought some opportunity of getting rid of the Tsarévich.90 One day he made a cake and put it into the oven, so the cooks put poison in and spread it over the cake.91 And the Tsar sat at table, and the cake was taken up.92 When the Tsar was going to take it, the cook came running up, and cried out: “Your Majesty, do not eat it!”93 And he told all imaginable lies of Iván Tsarévich.94 Then the King summoned his favourite hound and gave him a bit of the cake.95 The dog ate it and died on the spot.96

So the Tsar summoned the Prince and cried out to him in a thundering voice: “How dared you bake me a poisoned cake!97 You shall be instantly tortured to death!”98

“I know nothing about it; I had no idea of it, your Majesty!” the Tsarévich answered.99 “The other cooks were jealous of your rewarding me, and so they have deliberately contrived the plot.”100

Then the Tsar pardoned him, and he made him a horseherd.101

One day, as the Tsarévich was taking his drove to drink, he met the Woodsprite with the iron hands, the cast-iron head, and the body of bronze.102 “Good-day, Tsarévich; come with me, visit me.”103

“I am frightened that the horses will run away.”104

“Fear nothing.105 Only come.”106

His hut was quite near.107 The Woodsprite had three daughters, and he asked the eldest: “What will you give Iván Tsarévich for saving me out of the iron tower?”108

“I will give him this table-cloth.”109

With the table-cloth Iván Tsarévich went back to his horses, which were all gathered together, turned it round and asked for any food that he liked, and he was served, and meat and drink appeared at once.110

Next day he was again driving his horses to the river, and the Woodsprite appeared once more.111 “Come into my hut!”112

So he went with him.113 And the Woodsprite asked his second daughter, “What will you give Iván Tsarévich for saving me out of the iron tower?”114

“I will give him this mirror, in which he can see all he will.”115

And on the third day the third daughter gave him a pipe, which he need only put to his lips, and music, and singers, and musicians would appear before him.116

And it was a merry life that Iván Tsarévich now led.117 He had good food and good meat, knew whatever was going on, saw everything, and he had music all day long: no man was better.118 And the horses!119 They—it was really wonderful—were always well fed, well set-up, and shapely.120

Now, the fair Tsarévna had been noticing the horseherd for a long time, for a very long time, for how could so fair a maiden overlook the beautiful boy?121 She wanted to know why the horses he kept were always so much shapelier and statelier than those which the other herds looked after.122 “I will one day go into his room,” she said, “and see where the poor devil lives.”123 As every one knows, a woman’s wish is soon her deed.124 So one day she went into his room, when Iván Tsarévich was giving his horses drink.125 And there she saw the mirror, and looking into that she knew everything.126 She took the magical cloth, the mirror, and the pipe.127

Just about then there was a great disaster threatening the Tsar.128 The seven-headed monster, Ídolishche, was invading his land and demanding his daughter as his wife.129 “If you will not give her to me willy, I will take her nilly!” he said.130 And he got ready all his immense army, and the Tsar fared ill.131 And he issued a decree throughout his land, summoned the _boyárs_ and knights together, and promised any who would slay the seven-headed monster half of his wealth and half his realm, and also his daughter as his wife.132

Then all the princes and knights and the _boyárs_ assembled together to fight the monster, and amongst them Dyád’ka.133 The horseherd sat on a pony and rode behind.134

Then the Woodsprite came and met him, and said: “Where are you going, Iván Tsarévich?”135

“To the war.”136

“On this sorry nag you will not do much, and still less if you go in your present guise.137 Just come and visit me.”138

He took him into his hut and gave him a glass of _vódka_.139 Then the King’s son drank it.140 “Do you feel strong?” asked the Woodsprite.141

“If there were a log there fifty _puds_, I could throw it up and allow it to fall on my head without feeling the blow.”142

So he was given a second glass of _vódka_.143

“How strong do you feel now?”144

“If there were a log here one hundred _puds_, I could throw it higher than the clouds on high.”145

Then he was given a third glass of _vódka_.146

“How strong are you now?”147

“If there were a column stretching from heaven to earth, I should turn the entire universe round.”148

So the Woodsprite took _vódka_ out of another bottle and gave the King’s son yet more drink, and his strength was increased sevenfold.149 They went in front of the house; and he whistled loud, and a black horse rose out of the earth, and the earth trembled under its hoofs.150 Out of its nostrils it breathed flames, columns of smoke rose from its ears, and as its hoofs struck the ground sparks arose.151 It ran up to the hut and fell on its knees.152

“There is a horse!” said the Woodsprite.153 And he gave Iván Tsarévich a sword and a silken whip.154

So Iván Tsarévich rode out on his black steed against the enemy.155 On the way he met his servant, who had climbed a birch-tree and was trembling for fear.156 Iván Tsarévich gave him a couple of blows with his whip, and started out against the hostile host.157 He slew many people with the sword, and yet more did his horse trample down.158 And he cut off the seven heads of the monster.159

Now Marfa Tsarévna was seeing all this, because she kept looking in the glass, and so learned all that was going on.160 After the battle she rode out to meet Iván Tsarévich, and asked him: “How can I thank you?”161