🧚 Opening, part 30 · page 2

Vasilísa the Wise learned of this, chose her opportunity, and said to the Tsarévich, “The first time I will wave my dress, the second time I will smooth my dress, and the third time there shall be a fly buzzing round my head.”73 Thus he was able to guess Vasilísa all three times.74 And they were betrothed, and there was a merry feast for three days.75

Time went by, may-be little, may-be much.76 Iván Tsarévich grew anxious to see his father and mother, and he wished to go back to Holy Russia.77

“Why are you so grieved, Iván Tsarévich?”78

“O Vasilísa the Wise, I am afflicted for my father and my mother, and desire to behold Holy Russia.”79

“If we go away there will be a mighty chase after us.80 The Sea Tsar will be wroth, and will give us over to death.81 We must be cunning.”82 So Vasilísa spat in three corners, and the doors of her room opened, and she, with Iván Tsarévich, ran into Sacred Russia.83 On the second day, very early, an embassy came from the Sea Tsar to catch the young couple and to summon them into the palace, and they knocked on the door: “Wake up, get up from your sleep; your father is calling you.”84

“It is yet early: we have not yet had our sleep; come later on,” one pool answered.85

Then the ambassadors retired, and they waited one hour and another hour, and they knocked again: “This is not the time and season to sleep; this is the time and season to get up.”86

“Have a little patience, we will get up; we are dressing,” the second pool answered.87

And the third time the envoys came, saying that the Sea Tsar was angry: “Why are you so long making ready?”88

“We will be down soon,” answered the third pool.89

So the messengers waited and waited, and then again knocked.90 Then there was no answer and no reply, so they broke in the door, and all was empty.91 Then they went and sent word to the Sea Tsar that the young folk had run away.92 He was very angry, and he set a mighty hunt after them.93

But Vasilísa the Wise, with Iván Tsarévich, was already very far ahead: they were leaping on swift horses without staying, without taking breath.94 “Now, Iván Tsarévich, bend your head down to the grey earth and listen.95 Is there no noise of a hunt from the Sea Tsar?”96

Iván Tsarévich leapt down from his horse, put his ear to the ground, and said, “I hear the talk of people, and the tramp of horses.”97

“This is the hunt after us,” said Vasilísa the Wise.98 And she at once turned the horses into a green meadow, Iván Tsarévich into an old shepherd, and herself into a brooding lamb.99

The hunt passed by.100

“Ho, old man, have you seen a doughty youth with a fair maiden galloping by?”101

“No, good folk, I have not seen them,” said Iván Tsarévich.102 “It is forty years I have been pasturing on these fields; not one bird has ever flown by, not one wild beast has ever rambled by.”103

So they returned home.104

“Your Imperial Majesty, we saw no one on the road; we only saw a shepherd feeding a little sheep.”105

“Why did you not take it?106 That was themselves!” said the Sea Tsar.107 And he sent out a second hunt.108

But Iván Tsarévich and Vasilísa the Wise were leaping far off on their swift steeds.109 “Now, Iván Tsarévich, put your head to the grey earth and listen whether there is no hunt from the Sea Tsar.”110

Iván Tsarévich leapt off his horse, put his ear to the grey earth and said, “I hear the talk of people and the hoppety-hop of horses.”111

“This is the chase, that is the steeds,” said Vasilísa the Wise; and she turned herself into a church, and Iván Tsarévich into an elderly pope and the horses into trees.112

So the hunt went by.113

“Ho, _bátyushka_, have you seen a shepherd with a little lamb passing by?”114

“No, good people, I have not.115 I have been working for forty years in this church; not one bird has flown by, not one beast has rambled by.”116

So the hunt went back and reached home.117

“Your Imperial Majesty, we could not find the shepherd with the little lamb: the only thing we saw on the road was a church and an old man as pope.”118

“Why did you not break down the church and capture the pope?119 That was themselves!” the Sea Tsar exclaimed, and he himself leapt out to hunt after Iván Tsarévich and Vasilísa the Wise.120

So they went far, and again Vasilísa the Wise said, “Iván Tsarévich, put your ear to the ground; can you hear any hunt?”121

Then the Tsarévich leapt down, put his ear to the grey earth, and said, “I hear the talk of people and the thunder of horses’ hooves faster than before.”122

“This is the Sea Tsar himself who is galloping.”123

So Vasilísa the Wise turned the horses into a mere, Iván Tsarévich into a drake, and herself into a duck.124 The Sea Tsar came up to the lake and he instantly guessed who were the duck and the drake, so he struck the grey earth and turned into an eagle.125 The eagle wanted to smite them to death, and it might well have been; but, as soon as ever he struck at the drake, it dived into the water, and whenever he struck at the duck the duck dived into the water, and whatever he might do was all in vain.126

So the Sea Tsar galloped back to his own kingdom under the seas, and Vasilísa the Wise with Iván Tsarévich waited a while and then returned to Sacred Russia.127 It may-be long, it may-be short, at last they came into the thrice-ninth realm.128 When they arrived home his father and mother were overjoyed to see Iván Tsarévich, for they had given him up as lost.129 And they made a great feast and celebrated the marriage.130

I was there, I drank mead and wine: it flowed up to my beard, but it never entered my mouth.131

THE ANIMALS’ WINTER QUARTERS132

Once an Ox was wandering in the wood, and a Ram met him.133 “Where are you going, Ram?” asked the Ox.134

“I am seeking summer in winter,” answered the Ram.135

“Come with me.”136

So they went together.137 And they met a Pig.138

“Where are you going, Pig?” asked the Ox.139

“I am seeking summer in winter.”140

“Come with us.”141

So they all went together.142 And they then met a Goose.143

“Where are you going, Goose?” said the Bull.144

“I am seeking summer in winter,” said the Goose.145

“Well, come with us.”146

So the Goose came with them.147 So they went on, and they met a Cock.148

“Where are you going, Cock?” asked the Bull.149

“I am seeking summer in winter.”150

“Then come with us,” said the Bull again.151

So they went on their road and way, and began speaking amongst each other.152 “What shall we do, brothers and comrades? the cold time is approaching: how shall we have warmth?”153

So the Ox said, “We will build an _izbá_,[42] and we shall not freeze during the winter.”154

Then the Ram said: “My _shúba_ is very warm; I will pass the winter in this fashion.”155