🧚 Opening, part 18 · page 2

So they passed the time merrily and they sat down.68 The Tsar sat at table and Vasilísa Vasílyevna on his right.69 They ate sweetmeats and they drank strong wines.70 Then there came the pie, and as soon as even Vasilísa Vasílyevna’s spoon touched it, it tingled on the pearls; and she flung them and the pie under the table, and began to scold the Tsar.71 “Who,” she asked, “put these into the pie?72 Whatever nonsense have you here, Tsar Bárkhat?73 I never saw such girlish trash in my father’s house, and I have never heard of them, and yet you find them in Tsar Bárkhat’s food!”74 And she bade farewell courteously and rode home.75

Still the Tsar was utterly at a loss whether it were a maiden, and he had made up his mind to find out.76 So, two days later, the Tsar, at the advice of the old evil-minded housekeeper, had the bath heated, for the old woman said: “If it is only Vasilísa Vasílyevna she will not go into the bath together with the Tsar.”77 So the bath was heated, and Tsar Bárkhat sent Pope Vasíli another message that he would like to have his son Vasíli Vasílyevich as his guest; and when Vasilísa Vasílyevna heard of it she went into the stable and saddled the grey horse with the silver mane, and galloped away to Tsar Bárkhat’s courtyard.78 He received her at the state entrance.79 They greeted each other friendlily, and she trod on velvet pile into the palace.80 As she came in she prayed devoutly, crossed herself, as is seemly, and bowed to all four quarters, and sat together with the Tsar at table.81 They ate sweetmeats and drank strong wine.82

After the dinner the Tsar said: “Will you not come with me into the bath, Vasíli Vasílyevich?”83

“If you wish it, mighty Tsar,” Vasilísa Vasílyevna answered.84 “It is a long time since I have had a bath, and I should like a steam bath.”85

But before ever the Tsar had had time to undress in the front room, she was in the bath and out of it, so quick was she, and the Tsar was as puzzled as ever.86 In the meantime Vasilísa Vasílyevna had written a letter and bade the attendants give it to the Tsar as soon as he came out of the bath.87 And this was what she wrote:88

“O you crow, you Tsar Bárkhat!89 The crow has not caught the falcon in the garden.90 I am not Vasíli Vasílyevich, but Vasilísa Vasílyevna!”91

This was the way in which Tsar Bárkhat was hoodwinked; and you see how clever and beautiful Vasilísa Vasílyevna was.92

THE DREAM93

One day an old, old man was wandering about the earth, and he asked for a night’s shelter from the peasant.94 “Certainly,” said the peasant—“I shall be only too glad; only, will you go on telling me stories all night long?”95

“Yes, all right!96 I will tell you stories; only, let me rest here.”97

“Then, pray, come in!”98

So the old man entered the hut and lay down on the sleeping bench on the top of the stove.99

And the master said: “Make yourself ready, honoured guest.100 We shall have supper.101 Now, old man, tell me a story.”102

“Wait a bit; I had better tell you one in the morning.”103

“As it please you!”104 And they lay down to sleep.105

Then the old man went to sleep, and dreamed that there were two candles blazing in front of the images and two birds fluttering in the _izbá_.106 [23] He felt thirsty, and wanted to drink, got off the sleeping bench, and there were newts running about on the floor.107 And he went up to the table, and saw frogs jumping and croaking on it.108 Then he looked up at the master’s eldest son, and there was a snake lying in between him and his wife.109 And he looked at the second son, and on the second son’s wife there was a cat which was yawning at the man.110 Then he looked at the third son, and between him and his wife there was a young man lying.111 This all seemed rather queer to the old man, and rather strange.112

So he went and lay on the corn-kiln, and there he heard shrieks: “Sister!113 Sister! come and fetch me!”114 Then he went and lay under the fence, and there he heard a cry: “Pull me out and stick me in again!”115 Then he went and lay on the cauldron, and he heard a cry: “I am hanging on the cross-beam!116 I am falling on the cross-beam!”117 Then he went back into the hut.118

The master woke up and said: “Now tell me a story.”119

But the old man replied: “I shall not tell you a story, only the truth.120 Do you know what I have just dreamed?121 I went to sleep and thought I saw two candles blazing in front of the images and two birds fluttering inside the hut.”122

“Those are my two angels fluttering about.”123

“And I also saw a snake lying between your son and his wife.”124

“That is because they quarrel.”125

“And I looked also at your second son, and there was a cat sitting on his wife, and yawning at the man.”126

“That means that they are bad friends, and the wife wants to get rid of the husband.”127

“Then, when I looked at your next son, I saw a youth lying in between them.”128

“That is not a youth, but an angel who was lying there; and that is why they are on such good and loving terms.”129

“Why is it, then, master of the house, when I slipped off the sleeping shelf that there were newts running on the floor; and, when I wanted to drink at the table, I saw frogs leaping about and croaking?”130

“Because,” the peasant answered, “my daughters-in-law do not sweep up the lathes; but put the _kvas_ on the table when they are sitting round together without saying grace.”131

“Then I went to sleep on the corn-kiln, and I heard a cry: ‘Sister!132 Sister! come and fetch me!’”133

“That means that my sons never put the brush back into its place and say the proper blessing.”134

“Then I went to lie under the fence, and I heard a cry: ‘Pull me out and stick me in again!’”135

“That means that the stick’s upside-down.”136

“Then I went and lay under the cauldron.137 And I heard a cry of ‘I am hanging on the cross-beam!138 I am falling on the cross-beam!’”139

“That means,” said the master, “that, when I die, my entire house will fall.”140