🧚 Opening, part 34

The merchant was frightened, fell on his knees and besought pardon.1

“Very well,” said the snake, “I will forgive you, but on condition that whoever meets you first, when you reach home, you must give me for all eternity; and, if you deceive me, do not forget, nobody can ever hide himself from me: I shall find you wherever you are.”2

The merchant agreed to the condition and came back home.3

And the youngest daughter saw him from the window and ran out to meet him.4 Then the merchant hung his head, looked at his beloved daughter, and began to shed bitter tears.5

“What is the matter with you? why are you weeping, _bátyushka_?”6

He gave her the blossom and told what had befallen him.7

“Do not grieve, _bátyushka_,” said the youngest daughter, “it is God’s gift: perhaps I shall fare well.8 Take me to the snake.”9

So the father took her away, set her in the palace, bade farewell, and set out home.10

Then the fair maiden, the daughter of the merchant, went in the different rooms, and beheld everywhere gold and velvet; but no one was there to be seen, not a single human soul.11

Time went by and went by, and the fair damsel became hungry and thought, “Oh, if I could only have something to eat!”12 But before ever she had thought, in front of her stood a table, and on the table were dishes and drinks and refreshments: the only thing that was not there was birds’ milk.13 Then she sat down to the table, drank and ate, got up, and it had all vanished.14

Darkness now came on, and the merchant’s daughter went into the bedroom, wishing to lie down and sleep.15 Then a boisterous wind rustled round and the three-headed snake appeared in front of her.16

“Hail, fair maiden! put my bed outside this door!”17

So the fair maiden put the bed outside the door and herself lay on the bedstead.18

She awoke in the morning, and again in the entire house there was not a single soul to be seen.19 And it all went well with her: whatever she wished for appeared on the spot.20

In the evening the snake flew to her and ordered, “Now, fair maiden, put my bed next to your bedstead.”21

She then laid it next to her bedstead, and the night went by, and the maiden awoke, and again there was never a soul in the palace.22

And for the third time the snake came in the evening and said, “Now, fair maiden, I am going to lie with you in the bedstead.”23

The merchant’s daughter was fearfully afraid of lying on a single bed with such a formless monster.24 But she could not help herself, so she strengthened her heart and lay down with him.25

In the morning the serpent said to her, “If you are now weary, fair maiden, go to your father and your sisters: spend a day with them, and in the evening come back to me.26 But see to it that you are not late.27 If you are one single minute late I shall die of grief.”28

“No, I shall not be late,” said the maiden, the merchant’s daughter, and descended the steps; there was a barouche ready for her, and she sat down.29 That very instant she arrived at her father’s courtyard.30

Then the father saw, welcomed, kissed her, and asked her, “How has God been dealing with you, my beloved daughter?31 Has it been well with you?”32

“Very well, father!”33 And she started telling of all the wealth there was in the palace, how the snake loved her, how whatever she only thought of was in that instant fulfilled.34

The sisters heard, and did not know what to do out of sheer envy.35

Now the day was ebbing away, and the fair maiden made ready to go back, and was bidding farewell to her father and her sisters, saying, “This is the time I must go back: I was bidden keep to my term.”36

But the envious sisters rubbed onions on their eyes and made as though they were weeping: “Do not go away, sister; stay until to-morrow.”37

She was very sorry for her sisters, and stayed one day more.38

In the morning she bade farewell to them all and went to the palace.39 When she arrived it was as empty as before.40 She went into the garden, and she saw the serpent lying dead in the pond!41 He had thrown himself for sheer grief into the water.42

“Oh, my God, what have I done!” cried out the fair maiden, and she wept bitter tears, ran up to the pond, hauled the snake out of the water, embraced one head and kissed it with all her might.43 And the snake trembled, and in a minute turned into a good youth.44

“I thank you, fair maiden,” he said.45 “You have saved me from the greatest misfortune.46 I am no snake, but an enchanted Prince.”47

Then they went back to the merchant’s house, were betrothed, lived long, and lived for good and happy things.48

THE SNAKE PRINCESS49

A Cossack was going on his road and way, and he arrived in the sleepy forest, and in that forest, in a glade, stood a hayrick.50 So the Cossack stood in front just to have a little rest, lay down in front of the hayrick and smoked his pipe, went on smoking, smoking, and never saw that a spark had fallen into the hay.51 After his rest he again mounted his horse and went on his road.52

But he had gone only some dozen paces, when a flame blazed out and lit up the wood.53 Then the Cossack looked back steadily, and saw the hayrick burning, and in the middle of the flame a fair maiden standing, saying in a threatening voice, “Cossack, good man, save me from death!”54

“How shall I save you?55 I see flames all around and cannot get up to you.”56

“Thrust your pike into the flame: I will jump out on to it.”57

So the Cossack thrust his pike into the flame and leapt to avoid the great heat.58 Then the fair maiden turned into a snake, crept on to the pike, crawled round the Cossack’s neck, coiled herself round his neck three times and put her tail between her mouth.59 The Cossack was frightened and had no notion what he should do or what should come to him.60

Then the snake spoke to him in a human voice: “Do not be frightened, good youth; bear me on your neck for seven years, and go to seek the Kingdom of Tin: when you arrive in that kingdom stay there and live there seven years more, and do not ever leave it: if you serve this service you shall be happy.”61

So the Cossack went to look for the Kingdom of Tin; much time went by, much water flowed in the river, and at the end of the seventh year he at last reached a steep mountain, and on that mountain stood a castle of tin, and around the castle was a lofty white stone wall.62 So he climbed up the mountain, and the wall opened in front of him, and he arrived at a broad courtyard.63 At that same instant the snake disentangled herself from his neck, struck the grey earth, and turned into the maiden of his soul, vanished from his eyes as though she had never been there.64

The Cossack stabled his horse, went into the palace, and began looking at the rooms: there were looking-glasses all about, silver and velvet, but never a soul of a man to be seen.65 “Ah!” thought the Cossack, “Wherever have I got to?66 Who will give me food and drink?67 I must here die of thirst and hunger.”68 And whilst he was thinking this, lo and behold! in front of him stood a covered table, and on the table was food and drink, enough for all.69 So he tasted what he would, drank what he would, strengthened his body, and thought of mounting on his horse to survey.70 He went into the stable, and the horse was standing in the stall and was eagerly devouring oats.71